The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-07
SERMON BY GIBBONS
THE CARDINAL INDIRECTLY AT
TACKS COLONEL INGERSOLL.
He Suggests Answers for Those Who
Ridicule Christianity ard the
Holy Scriptures.

BALTIMORE, Jan. 6.-The Cathedral was
crowded in every part to-day. 1t was
known that Cardinal Gibbons would preach
at solemn high mass, and many who heard
the sermon agreed in speaking of it that
his Eminence must have had in his mind
the eloquent and attractive, but unnamed.
Col Robert G. Ingersoll. The text was the
gospel of the day, Isaiah TX: arise; shine,
for the light is come, and the glory of the
Lord is risen upon thee" ETC. 80
1T is fashionable as well as profitable"
the Cardinal said "tos cast odium as we'll as
ridicule on Christianity and on the sacred
scriptures, which are the basis of the Chris
tan religion. of limited capacity,
but of f1uency of speech and shafts of wit,
can propose objections and difficulties
in hale hour which may take
r. learned man a month to answer.
1 would ask, my brethren, to have three
answers ready in your mind when you are
confronted by any difficulties against Chris
tianity. First, ten thousand dirf1cutties do
not destroy single fact of revelation; ten
thousand layers of fog and cloud do not
blot out the sun in the heavens nor dmin-
ish his splendor; second, the Christian re-
ligion had been in possession for two thou
sand years and has been cherished by the
wisest and best men in every age and
country, ana IL Is stronger to-day imam IL
was ever before; third. that all the civili-
cations of the past and all existing civili-
cations to-day worthy of the name. have
been based on the doctrinal and moral prin-
ciples of the Bible. 1t is time enough to
surrender our Christianity when some bet
ter system is brought forward to supplant
it. !
when we contrast the weakness of the
apostles with the formidable work marked
out for them, truly may we exclaim with
the apostle. of the gentiles: The foolish
things of the world hath God chosen that
he might confound the wise; and the weak
things of the world hath God chosen that
he might confound the strong; and things
that are contemplate and the things that
are not, that He might bring to naughr the
things that are, that no flesh should glory
in His sight "a
ut may be interesting and instructive to-
to consider some of the principal causes
which (under the irresistible influence of
rapid diffusion of the Christian religion.
"First-The Christian religion gave, the
Claimed a God ESSENTIALLY one and seif-ex-
listing; of a God existing from eternity unto!
eternity This idea Of AS supreme pre- being So
was in striking contrast with the low and
sensual notions which the pagan world as
cribed to their divinities.
"Second-The Christian religion not only
gave man sublime idea of his Creator but
gave him also a rational IDEA about himself.
Hitherto was a mystery and riddle
to himself. He knew not whence he came
or whittier he was going. 1t rescued him
from the frightful labyrinth of error in
which paganism had involved him. 1.-THE
Christian religion gave not only light to his
understanding but peace as we'll sto's his
heart. 1t brought him that peace, iof God
which passeth all understanding, sand
which springs from the conscious possession
of the truth. The Christian religion
has now, as it ever had, a message for the
capitalist and workingman. 1t admonishes
the employer to compensate the >laborer by
fair and just wages and what is more, to
bestow upon him kind and considerable
treatment and to keep in view the golden
maxim of Christianity: Whatsoever You
would that man should do to you, do we to
Them all the works of God have one strik
ing characteristic, they all bear the divine
stamp of individuality. There no two
stars alike in magnitude and spendor.
Each of you was created alone; you had a
separate growth, separate sanctihcauon,
and will have a separate death. You are
judged alone; you are rewarded alone; you
are punished alone. Each one standsgon his
own foundation. What man soweth that
shall he reap also But, above all. God
loves each one of you persona'y. He does
not contemplate the human family Din sthe
mass as we regard a 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" 49,