The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-06-11
xArEnrALIsm OR cnHIsTrAsIrY.
re Philosophy at the Root OF Much Of
the Irrellefou of Today

1he Philosophy Mt the Root OF Much or
the Irreiiefon Of Today.
Ats. Marks church yesterday morning
<ke rector. Rev. ID. c.. Garrett, preached on
.sNaseriallsm or Christianity" from the
ssrt. "wfi ye also 20 away John vi ST.
The preacher said In substances:
This question of Jesus was put to his
srosties ~ critical time in the ministry
II our Lord. The crowd had followed
cbrisE all the way 10 Capernaum after the
fe<ding Of the five thousand. There were
three classes: the twelve who stood near
80. the disciples, who believed and vet
nssurderstood the character of the new
kingdom, and the shrong that wanted
earthly bread. As Jesus discourse be-
cane more and more spiritual the
masses began 20 leave him-evsn those
rho would have made him king If
be bad conformed 70 their idea of what q
hing should be. Then some of the dis
tiples retired also until IL looked like a
complete desertion. Turning to the-
sreIve as though in doubt of their stead
f1.tness Jesus asked, viii We also 90
sxay7' Ii was a challenge 10 materiallsm,
}e this it was that drew away the rest
foday amid the various causes for many
Mving Christ and his church the most
potent influence perhaps is the tendency
toxards materiaiism. While this is an
are of strong spirituality IL Is also time
when the danger OF materiaiism Is by no
means slight. The question OF JESUS to
the twelve Is a question then that comes
home 20 every one who cares anything
about the religion of Jesus: will We also
20 awayr 1t warns one OF this tendency
70 materialism as manifested in two
marked WAYS, in thought and in life.
s.rirst--fn thought. 1t Is materials
tic philosophy that 10 ut the root of much
OF the irreligion of the day. Many pleas
ant people who call themselves agnostics
are materlalsts--often unconsciously.
They may not be able TO define their phil
osophy, but their philosophy has defined
them. 1t IL very easy for one to drift into
materialistic thought; it seems such
simple way Of accounting for things. The
materialist says: All phenomena are
only different notifications Of a common
energy Even vital action Is only the re-
suit Of molecular changes The conyen-
lent term force ~ all-sufficisnt God is
put out Of His universe; immortality is
sneered at. Christianity says this phil
osophy is inadequate. Granting that il
may do for inorganic matter il il wholly
unfit for the explanation Of life. Kant
said. Give me matter and 1 will explain
the formation of aworld. but give me matt
ter only and cannot explain the forma-
ton Of caterpillar Christianity SAYS of
this materialistic thought that it contra
diets, first, the facts of consciousness:
those are On our own existence. (2l mans
free will, tS) the moral nature.
sccond-M eontradicts the
truths of reason. These are On every
t1set must have an adequate cause. or
An Infinite succession of effects is un-
ihiakable. There must be final cause
tgze here.
Third Matsrialism contradicts the
~
ne out OF inorganic matter have failed.
Lsen noted men of science ridiculs the
Mea- Herbert Spencer says, All life from
life Even ii the effort should seem to
saeceed 1t would only spiritualixe matter,
not materialize spirit. Thought claims
the universe
''second-In the second great way ma
terialism is shown In the life. Not only
In pleasure-seekers, where the whole Of
iilsis the desire to have a good time, but
tn the man Of carking carea The ma
tsflaiist today Is not 30 much the spend
fhrift IS the man who hasn't time 10 stay
away from shop or Office on Sunday.
The home life often betrays the spirit of
materials, and it shows itself In the trend
Of modern art, towards what some one
has called brutal realism Even in the
church the danger is not wanting. where
dependence upon ritual takes the place OF
the spirit Of love and righteousness and
truth"
The sermon closed with a practical APP
peal to answer the question of Jesus rs
Peter did: Lord, to whom shall we GOT
Thou hast the words of eternal iife." AS
areiigion OF some sort is necessity. let
us take the best the world has seen, Christ
alone has the words of eternal life. As IN
the natural world matter 10 insufficient,
cat depends on life, so In the spiritual
world all life must come. from life.