The morning call., 1894-03-12
REV. GEORGE MONTGOMERY.
An Eloquent Lecture on Faith
Founded on Authority.
SEVERAL OTHER CITY SERMONS.
Rev. George e. Walk on ssThe Lords
Prayer''-ssThe Author of EVIL"
by Rev. w. II. MorIand.

Rev. George Montgomery delivered a
lecture last night before a large cOngrega-
ton at ST. Mary's Cathedral. on Private
Judgment in Matters of Faith" The lee
ture was given for the benefit of the Pre-
sentation Convent at Taylor and Ellis
streets, and was probably Father Mont
gomery's last one in this city before he
leaves for Los Angeles as bishop.
For his text he read from the Acts Of
the Apostles, xiii 90 80. as follows: And
the spirit said to Philip: Go. man, and
join myself to this chariot. and Philip run
ming thither heard him reading the Prophet
Isaias, and he said: Thinkest thou that
thou understandest what thou readest?
and he said, How can I unless someone
show me? and he desired Philip to come
up and sit with him."
The cry of the human race" said the
preacher, lis for unity for union. In the
whole pro gress of the human mind, in
whatever sphere we consider the matter
nothing is more clearly marked than an
effort to simplify and unity all things.
The two great fields over which we might
cast glance are the intellectual and the
moral or religious world, and IN both OF
these that same eDdeavOr is manifest.
That longing which is found in the intel
lcCtudl WOIlu Is IudDlltsL nh6Wlcc III
spiritual or religious world. and 1t Is per-
sonified or epitomized in our day by that
oft repeated phrase. The brotherhood of
man and the fatherhood Of God
I'VE claim in the religious and the moral
world there is a principle of unity, prin-
ciple OF certainty. and that principle is
authority. By authority we mean just the
opposite of private judgment. We mean
that in religious truth God has ordained
power. an Institution or tribunal that has
the right to declare law, TO proclaim a
truth. and to be the Interpreter of that
law, and TO exact obedience 10 il ire
spective of anybody's private judgment;
and it has the right to do so, because it
has the power given 1t by God to reach
absolute truth without the possibility of
error.
'ln matters of faith if, absolute truth is
TO be had, if certainty is to be obtained, it
can be obtained in no better way. In mat
tiers OF faith men are not TO cease their pri-
vate industry any more than in other mat
tiers. They are 10 use all their powers of
study and investigation with which God
has endowed them, but the nature of the
truth is such that in the last decision man
is not to depend upon the judgment of that
tribunal that has been endowed with the
power of reaching certainty.
ITO every religious mind that LOOKS and
hopes for a hereafter, | say, II there is
come 10 us through an authority that has
Over-riddeD all private Judgment, and II
that truth is TO be maintained it must be
by the same principle, and that principle
and that authority is no other than the
God who is the author of the truth.
The principle of authority is practically
admitted in every other department of
practical life, the principle of private
judgment Is denied, and that of authority is
asserted by every civil government in the
civilized world. There is an authoritative
court 10 decide disputed points and to in
terpret the law, and though the private in
dividual may have his private opinion, the
court goes right along and decides anthori-
taiively irrespective OF his private
opinion, and the individual has to accept
that decision.
'But when the question of all questions,
What shall do TO be saved?' is under
consideration, in this alone man claims the
right TO acknowledge no authority outside
of his own limited and infirm intellecI.
GOD gave you your reason and your
free will, but be never abdicaied his
power over you. He gave you power to
sin. but he can never sanctioned your SIM"
Continuing the argument in this forcible
strain, Father Montgomery asked: "Who-e
private judgment is the criterion of truth 2"
In brief his answer was that the only
basis Of truth is the authority given by
Christ: You have not chosen me, but
have chosen you; as the Father sent me.
SO send you. Going, therefore, preach
the gospel 10 every creature, and, behold,
l am with you all days even to the con-
summation of the world. He that heareth
you heareth me-"