The Portland daily press., 1894-12-03
THE GOSPELS.
DR.. Blanchard's Sermon at Congress
Square Church Yesterday Forenoon.

Square Church Yesterday Forenoon.
Rev. DR.. Blanchard delivered sermon
yesterday morning at Congress square
church, to a large.congregation, on "The
Gospels; their imperfections their beau
ties; and their Unreasonable value. !"
The text was taken from St. Luke l.. lst
much as many have taken in hand to
draw up narrative concerning those
matters which have been fulfilled among
us, even as they delivered them unto us,
which, from the beginning were eye
witnesses and ministers sof the word;
traced the course of all things accurate
ly from the first, to write unto thee in
order, most excellent sTheophilus, that
thou mightest know the certainty con-
corning the things wherein thou vast
instructed"
are They are the recollections OF the
Apostles and the friends of Jesus. He
wrote no word. He never asked anyone
else to write asrecord of his words sand
deeds. For long time oral tradition
handed round the story of Jesus. His
apostles and. his friends expected tos.see
him return to earth. They did not care
for written word. But when the apos-
ties died, a desire arose to have a
written record. The recollections were
written down. Many brief accounts APP
peared.: Many longer o.es were made.
The four gospels of our New Testament
are the survival of the fittest.
In such accounts there must be i'm
projections. They are to be acknowl-
edged. Scholarship points them. out
They are not important. But when
young people first hear of than they are
disposed to discredit all the accounts.To
prevent this is one of the aims OF the
sermon.
The imperfections may be grouped
under three heads: These are contra
dictions; there is improper use of quota
tions from the Old Testament; some
time Jesus's words appear to be colored
by the thoughts and the feelings Of the
reporters
DR.. Blanchard gave illustrations of all
these.
But these do hoffman the beauties of
the gospels. He had read the parable
Of the ProdigaI Son. He never tired of
it's beauty. He never tired of the para
BILE of the Good Samaritan, nor the Ser
mon on the Mount. Many brief passages
were recited. mall literature there is
nothing so fine as these. The immeas-
urable value of the gospels is In this.
They show the gracious and radiant i'm
age of the greatest soul that has ever
lived on earth. They give us the reli-
gion of Jesus the greatest religion of the
world.
How gracious and radiant is that i'm
age shining on us as we see. Jesus taking
His sermon on the mount; in the high
priests palace; in His forgiveness on the
cross. WHAT have John Stuart Mills and
WE. H Leeky said of Him and Elmer
son; and Lowell; and Longfellow: and
Lincoln? His religion alone will re-
deem the world. Love of God as father of
man as brother of thesdying, to lower self
in order to live to one's higher self,
charity, purity, ,truthfullness, humility
all these He has made powerful in the
world. He alone will lift it to highest
levels. Denver shows it's need of Him.
Its citizens-leading ones-peti toned
that the gam bling places. might not be
shut up because their closing would
iniure business" Christ needs to go to
Denver, Chicago, New York, and even
Portland. The four gospels give us the
Christ. Let the young men know that
scholars are at work to show us what the
Scriptures are. In good time they will
teach us that to reject and how to use
them, Let us wait tor them. Let the
young see what they who attack the BIZ
BILE are not wise nor just. Let them see
a Phillips Brooks, an Edward Everett
Hale. George L. Peris of Boston, trying
to help humanity. They know the i'm
PROJECTIONS of the Scriptures, but they
show their grandeur. See the great COM
pany of clergymen, the great company OF
scholars. They will report the truth.
They are.trying TO interpret the Scrip
lures. Alongside of such see the revilers
of the Bible. Let them know that rev.
erence and love WIFI lead to trust. See
ing the imperfections OF the gospels,
they will see also, and rejoice in seeing,
the beauties of the gospels and their
immeasureable value.