Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1895-04-18
Authority versus Reason.

Rev. z. II. b. Dodge took his Easter
text from l Corinthian 1886. "But
someone will say, How are the dead
raised? And with what body do they
come?n
How" is the stumbling block of a
great many, not only in reference to
the doctrine of the resurrection, but also
IN reference to many other doctrines.
Mans reasoning faculty has led to his
greatest achievements, but it has like
wise led many to their overthrow. 1t
is easy for man to become conceited,
but especially is this true along the
lines of knowledge and discernment.
Some have even taken the position that
they would believe nothing that they
could not understand. But no position
could possibly be more foolish, nor I'M
tenable. We know either from expe-
rlence or testimony-from reason or
from authority. In religion everything
is based primarily on the latter. Hence
it is that many reject religion. But
rationalism has had its day. Mems
eyes are being opened to the fact that
we really know more from authority
than we do from reason. A remarka-
BILE book has recently been issued by
the Rt. Hon. Arthur J. Balfour, the
leading conservative statesman of Irish
Britain, entitled "The Foundations of
Faith,h which is sign of the times.
In it Mr.. Balfour declares that SO per
cent of our actions are based on authori-
ty and that there is better evidence for
the existence of God than there is for
the material universe around us.
Our belief in a resurrection rests upon
authority, yet upon an authority which
cannot be doubted.
In the text we have Paul arguing
with Corinthian nationalist on his
own ground. He is not here endeavor-
ing to prove the fact of resurrection,
that he has shown before to be some.
thing indisputable. He now considers
the rationalists last argument "how?"
This question is based on distrust of
Gods ability. But what an unreason-
able distrust that is! Paul refers to
those having it as "foolish ones.n and
invites their consideration to three
analogies. First to that of the seed.
The seed dies, decays. It's organiza-
ton is dissolved. But the life in the
seed abides and takes to itself new
body. So mans body "is sown in cor
ruption," but "it is raised in incorrupt-
ion;" lit is sown in dishonor, it is
raised in glory; it is sown in weakness,
it is raised N power; it is sown a natu-
raj body, it is raised spiritual body"
Second, Paul instances the varied forms
of organization in nature to show that
God gives to each body as it pleaseth
him. How varied are those forms! IF
men had never seen any organization
other than that Of quadrupeds, the
form of birds would not have occurred
to them. "That creatures should be SO
formed that they could walk and fly,
tread the earth with man and mount
up through the air and find themselves
at home in a sphere mac cessible to him
would never have dawned upon the
mind of anyone"
Just so the organization Of fishes and
that of man. How foolish, therefore,
the sceptics position that he will disbe-
lieve simply because he cannot under
stand how! The third analogy is drawn
from the celestial bodies. Each has its
own organization and its own glory.
Paul's argument is silencing and that
is all he intended it to be. God is
abundantly able. Nothing can be surer
than his power. The lesson for US is
not to suffer ourselves to doubt God.
He is the supreme authority.
To-day the world is made a thousand
times brighter than the sun is able to
make it by the fact which is being COM
memorated. The resurrection of Christ
from the dead is an arc light pouring
forth its irradiant beams across time
and into eternity.
"Oh, let me know
The power of thy resurrection;
Oh let me show
Thy risen life in calm and clear reflection;
oh let me soar
Where thou, my Savior Christ, art gone be-
fore;
In mind and heart
Let me dwell always, only, where thou art"