The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-01-22
coRDINAL GIBBONS SERMON.
Religion that Gave to Man a Rational
Idea of God and Hlmself-Three
Standing Replies for
Scoffers

Following is an extract from a ser
mon recently preached by Cardlna
Gibbons. at the cathedral in Baltimore
Md, and many who heard the sermon
in speaking of it, that his eminence
must have had in his mind the elo-
quent and unnamed Colonel Ingersol
The text was the gospel of the day,
Isaiah LX, Arise, shine, for thy light
is come and the glory of the Lord is
risen upon thee, etc."
1T is fashionable as well as profit
able,' lsaid the preacher, s"to cast
odium as well as rldicule on Chris
tianity and on the scriptures, which
are the basis of the Christian religion.
A man of limited capacity but of
fiuency of speech and ingenuity, may
propose objections and difficulties in
half hour which may take learned
man month to answer. I would ask
you, my brethren, to have three an
swers ready in your mind when you are
confronted by any difficulties against
Christianity
l. Ten thousand difficulties do not
destroy a single fact of revelation ten
thousand layers of fog and cloud do
not blot out the sun of the heavens,
nor diminish his splendor.
49, The Christian religion has been in
possession for 1000 years, and has been
cherished by the wisest and best Of
men in every age and country and is
stronger today than it ever was be-
fore.
"3. All the civilizations of the past
and all existing civilizations today
worthy of the name, have been based
upon the doctrinal and moral princi-
pies of the Bible.
1T is time enough to surrender our
Christianity when some better system
is brought forward to supplant it.
When we contrast the weakness of the
apostles with the formidable work
marked out for them, truly we may
exclaim with the apostle of the gen.
tiles, The foolish things of the world
hath God chosen that ne might con-
found the wise and weak things that
are contemplate, and the things that
are not, that he might bring to naught
the things that are that no flesh
should glory in his sight
ut may Zoe interesting and instructive
30 sc 20 comedian Soma of tha r,rinctnaI
causes which (under the irrisistable
influence of Gods graces) operated so
powerfully in the rapid diffusion of the
Christian religion. First, the Christian
religion gave the pagan world 6 ration
al idea of God. 1t proclaimed g Goa
essentially one and self existing, Of q
God existed rom eternity to eternity |
This idea Of g supreme being, so con
sonant 20 our ia atellectual conception,
was in str'file contrast with the low
and sensuous nc lions which the pagan
world ascribed to their divinities Sec
ond, the Christian religion not only
gave man sublime idea of the Creator,
but gave himself also rational idea
aIbout himself. Hitherto, man was
mystery and a riddle to himself. He
knew not whence he came, nor whittier
e was going. 1t rescued him from the
rrightful labyrinth of error in which
pagnnism had involved him. The Chris
tian religion gave not only light to his
understanding, but peace as well to his
heart. 1t wrought him that peace of
God which passesth all understanding,
and which springs from the conscious
possession of the truth
"The Christian religion has now, as
it ever had, a message for the capitalist
and workman. 1t admonishes the en-
rloyar to compensate the laborer by
air and Just wages, and what is more,
to bestow upon him kind and consider
ate treatment and to keep in view the
golden ma Kim of Christ: Whatsoever
We would that men should do unto youi
do We even so to them All the works
of God have one striking characters
tic, they all bear the divine stamp Of
individuality. There are no stars alike
in magnitude and splendor. Each of
you were created alone; you had
separate growth, separate sanctih-
cation, and you will have separate
death. You are judged alone, you are
punished alone. Each man stands on
his own foundation. What man
soweth. that shall he also reap
But above all, God loves each one
of YOU personally. He does not contem-
plate the human family in the mass
as we regard heap of sand. He has
loved each OF you with an eternal love.
Let us ask him to come and reign over
our souls, intellect. will, memory"