The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-10-13

more fully stated in the extant Sermon on
the Mount, was undoubtedly the staple of
his teaching in the Capernaum synagogue.
OF the impression Jesus made on the
congregation we are told: They ysye as
touisAed at his teaching for he taught
them as one Aagine authority and not as
tie Scy16es
These words, it will be remembered, are
precisely the same as those with which
Matthew q: 2S, q describes the effect pro-
duced on the multitude by the Sermon on
the Mount. Whether Luke quoted from
Matthew, or Matthew from Luke, or
whether both quoted from some prior
writing now lost, is matter of surmise. 1t
seems to us probable that some capable
nearer of Jesus in the Capernaum syna-
goc ne first used the descriptive phrasing
as reported by Luke; and its equal apt
ness as describing the effect of the Sermon
on the Mount caused it to be again quoted
by Matthew.
The authority with which Jesus taught
must have been, in the estimation of his
hearers, simply that of clear vision and
transparent honesty. The people had, at
this time, no conception of Jesus as one
specially commissioned. They had no
theories in regard to his origin or peculiar
relationship to the Father. They knew
him only as Teacher who could clearly
show to them the truth; who could speak
of spiritual things with such absolute
knowledge as they spoke Of familiar earthly
things; as one who had worldwide and
compassionate charity, transparent sim
certify, and in his personality possessed the
indescribable grace of entire selfsurrender
to the Father. They had been accustomed
to hear the scribes, who repeated second
hand the things they had learned from the
Law or from the Prophets, or had gained
in the schools of the rabbis. These teach
ers appealed entirely to The Book, and to
authorized scholastic expositions, as their
only authority in doctrine. We would not
underrate the scribes. They were perhaps,
in their day, useful servants of religion.
They knew no better than to exalt formal
ism above the spirit. They had not learned
to think or express their own thoughts
| tuCy WCiC SOlliOlll Will iCPCli-
tons. But the contrast of their method of
teaching with thatof Jesus must have been
pronounced. They found their authority
in externals. Jesus found his authority
within himself He appealed to the COM
mon consciousness, where all men are one;
he took his hearers to the spiritual foun-
tains where all could drink. He pene-
trated the letter to its spirit. He was spir-
itual life personated, and the generator of
life in all who came under the spell of his
presence. The authority with which he
spoke would be quite as correctly named a
new spiritual liberty. He appealed to men
as in reality children and heirs of God.
While the audience in the synagogue
was hanging on the words of Jesus,
thrilling cry broke the common rapture.
An insane man, one of the many which in
those days, for want of asylums, went at
large among the people, had come to the
synagogue with the multitude; he had for
season maintained self-control; now he
broke forth in obscene and irreverent raw
ings.
This insane man was one of those who
were called demoniacs. 1t was the COM
mon belief that demons,-by which was
usually meant the souls of men who had
died in wickedness,-were permitted to
take possession of certain human bodies.
This belief was natural enough before dis
ease had become subject of scientific
study But the general causes of insanity
are now so far understood and classified
that it is safe to affirm that the agency of evil
spirits from the invisible realm cannot be
reckoned among these causes. After ac-
knowledging all the unexplained mysteries
pertaining to the borderland of matter and
spirit, it is yet scientific to declare that no
tested facts yet learned,-no logical de-
auctions, for instance, from the phenomena
of mesmerism or spiritualism,-warra
the belief that evil spirits ever actually
usurp the controlling power of human
bodies. If there had been in the early
ages actual demoniac possessions, there
would be such possessed ones in our day.
The essentials of human nature do not
change-the nature of things does not
change. But, since the days of the So
called Salem Witchcraft, all scholars agree
that the doctrine of demoniacal posses
sions is not only without basis in actual
facts, but is dangerous doctrine to bring
to practical realization.
We interpose this explanation, while we
delay the story.
The so-called demoniac cried out, What
haze ne to do q0i.M tAee, Mou ./esa. Of
Nasaretk? art kkOA come to destroy MS ?
Ikno7V thee zVl0 kh0H ART, the Holy one
Of God We detect some method in this
madness. The crazed person believed
himself possessed He would naturally
accept the common opinion. He more
over felt the opposition of the sane Jesus
/ to his delirium. This caused him to cry
out. And it is to be observed that he knew
of Jesus as having come from Nazareth.
And he voiced the latent common faith
when he confessed Jesus tie Holy One of
God. No evidence of demon is here;
but evidence of a mental arrangement
which had yet some guiding light of truth.
And Jesus ye6aksd him Tor it, saying,
Hold thy peace, and come out Of him.
"Does not Jesus" it is confidently asked,
1here directlv address and rehuke the de-