The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-14

image, though blurred and distorted. Jesus
had the utmost confidence in the possibility
of mans restoration to the Fathers perfect
likeness. If man will but come to himself
that he may come to His Father. The truth
of God was, in the thought of Christ, lit
orally and personally manifest in man; to
have faith in man and in manhood to have
falth IN the race, was therefore Tor Jesus,
see Jesus standing and looking along the
pathway of the worlds progress with the
hopeful glance of one who has faith in Goa
as the life of society, because He is the
| life of individual men. Jesus expects So
cety to advance to the contamination of
| the perfect social state which shall be the
kingdom Of God come.
Modern faith, while it peculiarly en-
| phaszes the humanity of Jesus and dwells
upon His faith. also peculiarly separates
itself from Him because of His uniqueness
of trust. His humanity was perfect, and
SO, as we have said, His faith was perfect
| Modern faith is not perfect for modern
humanity sees itself far from the goal
of life 1t is crying out L believe but, at
| the same time, it is adding, help thou mine
PRESENT FAITH.
Present faith comes to itself through
present doubt. Here we find a second
marked popularity of the present re-
turn of faith. Faith is being re-
! discovered to be resolved doubt. In pop
ular phrase present faith is not faith which
has not gone into the woods. On the con-
trary, it is faith which is coming out of
/
has become, after experience of human life
and the world, again, deliberately and of
personal choice, little child, in certified,
| intelligent, experienced trust, III order that
he may thus enter into the kingdom of
| heaven. We can again best illustrate
J through the experience of Jesus. Furthest
of all men was lie from creduhty; utterly
| free was He from mere unsophistlcated con-
fidence in the appearances of life 80
Jesus saw through all shams, all pre-
| lenses QeceDtiOnS
others and toward themselves. Through all
these He looked with the penetrating
glance of faith, to the genuine, the endur-
! ing the personal reality beyond. The child
| likeness of Jesus finds it's analogue in that
simplicity of mature wisdom which has
broken through the bonds of lifes appear
| ances which has learned them for what
they are, and, at the same tune, mas l NOT
the while been laying hold upon the deep
| things of existence. Faith, in every realm,
comes to itself through doubt and IN
lieve in the world about you, you believe
in it's beauty. you believe in truth, right,
goodness you believe in God, and in God in
man, revealed perfectly in Jesus, because
in every case the demands of your nature,
after disappointment, after doubt, after
trial of doubt find genuine satisfaction IN
! all these things as realities. Faith is the
consciousness of the presence with us OF
| that which satisfies this need, aIIer Tlal
| and failure along all other lines Ihroush
| experience humanity comes back TO the
| trust of the child only it is tested trust
| and trust which has tested, and thus hui
| manitv enters. in science in philosophy, in
religion, into the kingdom of heaven.
! somewhat more fully hat this unfolds Tor
us in the realm of relie ion. The present re-
turn of faith finds its highest expression
in religion, broadly and deeply understood
The stone offered by doubt in place or bread
does not meet the impulse OF the human
| mind for knowledge, and When, through
mere processes of intelligence, the inteiiect
| grows weary and begins to despair, then
| the heart starts forth in the search or
truth Then the eternal Christ of God and
| the Jesus of history stands forth as inc
ideal of the perfect man: he IS tne EN- IIa
| of creation and the life of redemption. tie
| came down from heaven to bring heaven
| spirit to earth e4,, 4h4 +,
rible vet blessed categorical imperative put
into words by Jesus, Be We perfect as your
Father in heaven is perfect rms lnpefae
tive my soul answers to; demand II OIL
| myself Therefore am l free, for only
free being can give laws unto itself Be
cause ought Ca can can Az sba sI surely wlv be
given me. There is an unseen universe
therefore; there is a supra-senslble WoTid
| reason to believe in God, in Christ, in eter-
nal life, which is in experience to know
these. Faith is not scientlncaly lIlposS,lple
but all science in the ultimate dHdlySlS
rests faith.
PARTING ADVICE TO THE CLASS.
Gentlemen of the senior class: This
faith, of which we have been speaking, so
personal in it's character, so naturally CEN
tered in religion, belongs peculiarly to you
and you belong peculiarly to it. Going out
from these college scenes into the great
world you must hear, with ears peculiarly
quickened by the deep and earnest thought
| which has here been yours, the cry OF hu-
mainly seeking for more of light, more OF
hone. and more of love. These last days
of the nineteenth century are not the days
of optimism either in our own land or
| Man
tented up and down this good country OF
ours. No party victory of Whatever sort,
can rescue us from the spirit OF dlScon-
tent distrust and encouragement which is
abroad in the land. Our American lnstltu-
lions are to feel a strain in the days just
| dured Our American Christianity is not
| satisfactory to itself nor to those about it
whom it should touch with life and power.
Nor is the situation better in the older
lands. There is widespread lack of true
| practical exenplif1cation OF the spirit OF
| Jesus of Nazareth. The strifeS and con-
| fusions and bloodsheddings which have
come as the fruitage of seltshness and lust
of power and money cause humanity TO
| hang it's head in shame There IS, IN no
| small degree, a widespread loss of conf
| dence in the destiny of humanity, loss of
| confidence in man himself and in man by
| himself Do I seem to paint the picture
with dark colors? 1t is not because l feel
that there is occasion for discouragement
| With self-trust cast out, there is room for
| faith The cry practical and strong, for
| a genuine working faith which shall under
grid better civilization is to be heard IN
! this very discomfort, encouragement and
| distrust of which l have spoken. The re-
turn of faith has not yet reached the PEG
| pie. Yours is the privilege TO herald It's
| approach to forward its advance. Through
| doubt to faith you must lead men. Falth
| gathers together past, present ana tuture;
IT puts it's hand upon all the memories OF
| past truth it stands in present confidence,
| il looks forward in loyal hope. 1t involves
! the constructive work of self-SS crifce after
| the patterns of the noblest ideals. Freely
! We have received freely give. Faith IS
| YOURS to make it the possession of those
| YOU touch Be loyal to the vision you have
| seen Exalt the Christ. Serve God. SHOW
| forth truth Come from the mountain top
to the plain, in the power OF fellowship
with the Living One. Before the test of
| human need be not found wanting.
DIR. BaIIantines Address.
This evening at Center Church the COM
mencement sermon was delivered by Rev.
w. G. Ballantine, d. D., University of Ohio,
| of Obern, O. His subject was The Law
of Wealth" and he preached from the fol-
| lowing text: For unto every one that hath
shall be given and he shall have abundance;
| but from him that hath not, even that
which he hath shall be taken way."-Mat-
| thew XIV, 49, Dr. Ballantine said in part:
| There are three worlds in which wealth
| may be reckoned-the world of matter, the
| world of thought and the world of personal
| relations. the personal spiritual world.
| Every man was intended by his Creator,
| under normal conditions. to be continually
| enlarging his possessions In all of these
! three worlds The curse of millions of peO-
pie is lack of ambition. They are content
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