The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1895-07-13
FAITH IN IMMANUE{4
REV. LYMAN AEEOTT,S DEFINITION
OF CHRICTlkftiTY.


TExr.-It was necGf',l fer me to write unto
you and CHho~t You that yo should earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered
unto tie slints.-Judo iii.
By tho faith once delivered unto tho
saints tie apostle docs not mean q creed
or system Cf theology formulated and
given to the saints. It is very clear that
he does not mean this, because no such
creed or system Of theology ever was
formulated and given to the saints.
There is nothing like it between the lids
of the Bible. It was not a Hebrew GUS
tom to formulate it's faith III system of
doctrine. We are not to. suppose that
Jude refers to something like the for
mulary of law inscribed upon the tablets
of stone and handed down through No
ses, because there never was such 4 for
mulary of doctrine handed down through
some other prophet or apostle. There are
innumerable expressions of SPIRITUAL
faith in the Bible, but not q formulated
statement Of the doctrine for which the
church is to contend earnestly. No, that
is not what faith ever means in the New
Testament. Faith is spiritual life, the
perception of the divine, realization of
the infinite and the eternal It is ex-
look not upon the things that are seen,
but upon the things that are unseen,
and by the author of the epistle to the
Hebrews in the text, "Faith is the sub
stance of things hoped for, the evidence
Of things unseen" It is the revelation
of God, or the perception of God, Or the
truth that God has revealed and man
has perceived, but it is always personal
experience in the heart of the individu-
al. 1t is p seed planted which takes on
many forms and many growths. It may
express itself i'll any one of very many
forms, but it is always faith i'll Coda
living experience Of a living God.
This has been once for all implanted IN
the heart Of humanity. For this the
church is to contend. came across, the
other day, Il new embodiment or eX-
preston of this faith in the biography
of John @. Whittier, and wish to read
this confession Of faith coming from
him. I read as though it We're one coz
tinuOus theme. It is not. It is three OK
tracts from three separate writings, but
they have natural and philosophical
connection, and read them as one:
Winters Theology.
God is one, just, holy, merciful,
eternal and almighty Creator, Father of
all things. Christ, the same eternal one,
manifested in our humanity and in
time, and the Holy Spirit, the same
Christ, manifested within us, the divine
teacher, the living word, the light that
nghteth every man that cometh into the
world.
''The Scriptures are rule, not the
rule, Of faith and practice, which is mono
other than the living, omnipresent spir-
it Of God. The Scriptures are subordi-
nate, secondary and declaratory rule,
the reason of our obedience to which is
mainly that we find in them the eternal
precepts of the divine spirit, declared
and repeated, to which our conscience
bears witness. They testify of Christ
within. We believe in the Scriptures,
because they believe in us, because they
repeat the warnings and admonitions
and promises Of the indwelling light
and truth, because we find the law and
prophets in our souls. We agree with
Luther that the Scriptures are not to be
understood but by that very spirit by
which they were written, and with Cal
vim that it is necessary that the same
spirit which spoke by the mouth of the
prophets should convince our hearts that
they faithfully delivered that which God
committed to them.
my ground Of hope for myself and
for humanity is in that divine ful1ness
Of love which was manifested in the
life, teachings and self sacrifice Of
Christ. In the infinite mercy of God SO
revealed and not in any work Or merit
Of our nature humbly, yet very hope
fully, trust. I regard Christianity as a
life rather than creed, and in Judging
Of my fellow men can use no other
standard than that which our Lord and
Master has given US, BY their fruits ye
shall know them The only orthodoxy
that am especially interested in is that
Of life and practice.
This is one of the latest formularies
Of that faith once delivered unto the
saints-faith in Immanue1-GOd with
us. This was the faith of Calvin-God
the source and fountain of all authority.
This was the faith Of Wesley-God the
emancipation and liberty giver to all
mankind. This was the faith Of Beecher
God the inspiration and the source Of
all love. But whether it is God as love
giver, or God as liberty giver, or God
as law giver, it is still God-God with
u.s. And it comes to Us today from this