The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-12-20

that they have Outlived hundreds of
| powerful PHILOSOPHERS. His deathless
truths have seen sects come and go,
and have witnessed old religions crum-
| BILE to dust! Infidelity and skepticism
from age to age have trained their
mightiest guns at the heart and life
and teachings of this humble ''Son of
Man." great philosophers have tried
to reason them out of the world; sci
ence has sought to overthrow His
words and His deeds, and yet He lives
on. and His priceless thoughts widen
and deepen in the hearts and minds
of every race and nation upon the
| face of the earth! To tell me that
such being is not divine is to insult
the instincts of the human heart.
That Jesus raised the dead is his
torical fact, which occurred at a
particular time and place, and is as
we'll attested as are the battles of
Caesar, or the death of Socrates. Rea
son, then, must accept the proof that
Christ performed miracles, and the
miracles go to attest the credibility of
Jesus as divine messenger.
Morally, socially, even politically,as
we'll as religiously, Christianity is the
greatest force yet appearing among
men. The most distinguished intel
lects in the world have acknowledged
it's divine character. Christianity is
not to be held accountable or response
BILE for what men may teach, even in
the name of Christ. When you de-
part from that Crock of Ages, there
are shadows, quick-sands and innumer-
able dangers. There are innumerable
creeds in the name of Christ, but
many of them have died and others
will die as Christ is more studied and
better understood. 1t is amazing how
some churches are held together upon
some little pet dogma. They will yet
learn that Christianity is not cribbed
up in creeds. Evolutionism goes On
in religion, as well as in science. 1t
is Strengthening off the worthless and
developing the true. Differences
among Christians are rapidly disap-
pearing. Scisms are being healed up,
and rent churches are being united.
There will yet come, in the order of
time, grand confederation of all the
true followers of Christ. There is
scarcely single church which believes
their creed as it was adopted a hun
dred years ago. They are growing
more into Christ and out of ruts made
by human hands
Christianity is the greatest or
gained force on earth. 1t has given
to art its brightest gems, to poetry it's
loftiest strains, to elOQuence it's most
glowing achievements, and to civili-
cation its GROWING glories. 1t en-
! tiers alike the howell of the poor aud
the palace of kings. 1t brings
; the lofty and the low to the same
! level at the feet Of the Master of all.
1t brings love, sympathy and eternal
hope to the poor and despised of
earth. Its influence widens, and it's
march is onward till it has touched
all shores and visited all lands. The
conclusion is irresistably forced upon
us that it is controlled by some power
greater than that of man.
Neither can you afford to strike
Christianity out of the world. 1t is
the only true criterion of right; it is
the only court of infleXible justice.
1t conducts civilization along the
lines of highest development and
gives people and governments the
truest notions of liberty and justice.
Paganism gives civalization like
that of Africa: the philosophy Of Con-
fuscius, like that of China; Brahmin-
, ism, like that of India; Mohamedan-
r ism, like that of Turkey; and Chris.
, tanity has made England and Amer.
lea the brightest flowers among the
nations of the earth! But where is
the kingdom which infidelity has en-
riched? Where are the songs which
! intidelity has inspired! where are
' the poor to whom 1t has brought love
! and hope? There is but one Christ
] He explains all; He comforts all; He
+ alone brightens death with hope, ano
3 beyond the grave lights up the halls
, of eternity [ conclude by sayin 6
5 that the teachings of lngersol
> would make me clod; the teachings
: of Jesus Christ would make me ar
t angel: and 1 vastly prefer to go with
: Christ: and [ believe in His divin
power to execute His purposel
A vote of thanks was extended by
the society to Gen. Baker.
, e. G. Musser will use the street
+ car barn for his own ice, and G. G
, swanson will use it for ice for his
, customers. They are not in partner