New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-20
CANON MASON AT TRINITY.
SOME THOUGHTS CONCERNING, THE DOUBTS
OF ST. THOMAS.

SOME THOUGHTS CONCERNING, InE DOODAS
OF ST THOMAS.
The Rev. Dr. A. J. Mason. Lady Margaret pro-
fessor Of divinity at Cambridge University, Eng
land, and Canon OF Canterbury. who Is visiting
this country primarily for the purpose OF delivering
series OF lectures to the students OF the Oeherai
Theological Seminary. preached the sermon a the
services yesterday morning at Trinity Church
Dr. Mason took his text from st. John Xxx. ~.
"Be not faithless but believing" His sermon In
part S follows:
Each of the appearances OF our Lord after after HIS HIS
count conveys its own special instruction; we
see Thomas here. not as an absolute unDeusVel
midway between faith and unbelief and something
must be done to save him from becoming "ma'
believer. We may derive from this appearance OF
Christ to Thomas both warning and an example ,n
n no aha the ~s ts whch St. Thomas
that first Easter. but that we may become , pc
his faith is nothing to what 1t might be. st;
Thomas failed to be believer as early as s1Ine ~
the pscpss fSr w yefS se to them
Had he been with the Disciples on the evening VI
the third day he would have believed put lie "a in
absent, and while the Disciples were rejoicing IN
what they had seen St Thomas was IN danger OF
rejecting the belief forever ~. .., W..
How came Thomas not tc he win them l,o w 9
understand that he was OF a despondent temperao
ment, and always inclined to LOOK , on .de
tng our Lords cruclhxlon Thomas like. some
wounded animal that creeps into the bushes 10
die. could not bear the company OF ms pro,ntl ,,
who perhaps had still. some kind OF a BELIEF tnat
tNs event was bad dream that would soon be G's-
PEELED. 40, ,r..
We. in order that we may not be like Thomas.
must seek the fellowship OF the faithful. Falth -
kept warm and alive when Gods people meet TO-
ge;her as Christ always encouraged his disciples
TO keep together Thus the first thing we may
the fellowship OF the Church In order that our own
faith may be kept alive by the warmth OF 'he
faith around us. -, A.. 49,
The second part OF our instruction Is akin to the
I'VE have seen the Lord. but he refused pos'tveIy
to believe them the.l repeated and detaiIea
evidence Thomas confronted WIN tAe zen
men who had seen the form OF the blessed saviour;
but still Thomas refused 20 believe. lie would
not believe their word And now my brethren. IL
we would learn from ST. Thomas TO move IN me
Is 10 believe our fellow-ma.l distrustful. sus-
plclous temperament In our dealings with our iei-
low-rnen Is Of the worst schoos OF learning u
move toward God.
I'm which Thomas stands not so much as warning
as an example Whatever was wrong or iE-advise1
in Thomas. you must discern this-that ne mao
brought clearly to his mind what test or
definition he wanted before he would believe MS
fellow Disciples He did not put IT in kind way,
but he was definite. Except l snall see In His
the print OF the nails. and thrust my hand into
Ills aide I will not believe II would have been
a great deal better II he had said. III see the
print OF the nails will believe" but, at any rate
ha nut II in a definite and concrete shape. The
worst foe to faith Is the unshaped and misty doubts
that We sometimes allow 20 come over us DO you
feel doubtful about the Fundamental, faith OF "oh
that there is a God look INTO and examine me
proofs one by one II you are doubtful about the
truths OF the testimonies OF Chrst's time look into
them II you will but look into the matter with
these things. then your vague. shapeless doubts
will disappear