New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-05
DIR. SAVAGE'S SERMON.
HE SAYS THAT CHRIST DID NOT MAKE HIM
crrr EoI-AI, WITH GOD.

SELF EQUAL WITH GOD.
r,o De-, v,,o, 7 Savage preached another SER
mon yesterday morning In the se''' W Th
for To-day" at the Church of the Messiah r"o
special theme yesterday was the dues'.o"
God Incarnated in one Man Only. or Is ne IN
o,rna,od 10 uumanItv7' Mr.. Savage took for MS
,ext Genos,s q: 80 God created man IN his own
image in the image Of God created ne hin' "''''
and female created he them -, -,
Mr. Savage began with an explanation lie sai'
tina, he had shrunk from this theme more IMAM io'''
anv other in the series. This was not Decau7e ne
hesitated 10 sneak his mind. and not pecduse ~
any doubt about the magnificent truths Vi 49, ,a
IN tho nresen, state of the public mind ne fe' II Wa"
so easy 10 be misunderstood to be miSrePie
that he hesitated to speak what ne coii'ideiu
the real truth lest he should seem 10 SUN.
trying to speak In derogaon OF the MISSION % 49,,
lie therefore asked his hearers not to MAKE up '".
minds regarding his position until he was throus"'
"Perhaps you will recall the fact. he addeu, '''
preached as n minister In Trnitarian churches ior
eight years yet never In those days did ha'e ~
much reverence for the lowly Nazarene as nave
now. Never did derive so much inspirauo" Ho'n
Him never did feel Him so close to me as !
do now The question with me is not whether Goa
incarnatcd Himself in man. but whether lie 50 ILL.,
carnated Himself IN only one man.
Dr. Savage went on to say that in point OF time
Paul was nearer TO Christ than any OF the other
writer's in the New Testament lie SAID that "he"
Paul wrote he had never heard OF the miraculous
conception If he had heard of 1t. he would GER
tainly have mentioned 1t. for II would have been I'M
measurably helpful to him; but he nowhere ever al
luded to II. Surprising. however that the doctrine
of the supernatural birth of Christ were true II
would prove nothing. God might nave created
mere animal In a way different from the ordinary
methods of creation but that would prove nothing
However he might be created finite being would
be far removed from the infinite.
Paul says nothing about the Godhead OF Jesus
Or. Savage continued What does Jesus say or
Himself? | shall undertake TO quote the exact
words attributed to Jesus. You can go home and
look In your New Testaments. and see II DO not
give their spirit. Jesus is nowhere reported to have
claimed to be God. He continually refers to the
Father: He prays 10 Him, He calls on Him for help
He says that He does not know certain things-only
the Father knows them. When goodness Is attrib-
uted to Him. He says that they should not call Him
good-ony the Father is good. He says that He and
the Father one, but right in the immediate con-
text lie wishes His disciples to be one with Him.
even He and the Father are one. That shows
plainly that 1t Is throwing too much meaning on His
words TO cons,rue them az meaning that He claims
be God Himself
The Fathers of the Church In the second century.
the preacher continued laugh, distinctly the subor-
dinate position OF Jesus Not until S25 ne said.
the doctrine Of the Trinity clearly enunciated. and
Savage said. Theodosius packed council Of bishops,
after having by violence driven out bishops who
one of the Fathers who clearly and consistently
taught the Triniiarian theology 1t Is understood
In the Westminster Confession, and he confessed
the Greek doctrine Of the Logos. The Jewish mind
regarded the doctrine blasphemous. and had
IF nowhere else in the world men had not been
described "a having had supernatural origin" Dr.
Savage continued. we might think more of their
claim regarding JESUS But when study the matter
only wonder that It took 325 years for the doctrine
to develop. When We trace history far back we find
that in nearly all countries God has been said To
have appeared as man and also in the forms OF
animals In India there are almost countless IN
fancy and childhood of these beings that
similar those told of Christ that IL is hard be-
Roman literature there are similar accounts. II Is
wonder. Therefore that such story IS developed
to bridge over The gulf between God and humanity.
But passing on, let consider the implications OF
this doctrine. II Is but part OF a hopeless and ter
rbly unjust scheme of the world God IS said to
have created world, which did not ask to be Gre
He did not wish TO or else He could prevent It's
falling into the hands of the devil. For thousands
dropping off into the abyss. without hope and when
a revelation was given It was given 20 but
would there be mercy In that? Take an example.
on voyage to cross the Atlantic and he absolutely
knows that the vessel will sink. He rplents and
sends another vessel TO the rescuehe sends vessel
which can save but one IN fifty! Would you praise
that shipmasteT for his mercy. or would YOU not
rather condemn his unspeakable infamy in sending
out the first ship?
Now. not attacking God merely protest
against the unjust. Infamous misrepresentation of
what He Is said TO have done, but which He never
did II such theory true. then there was the
most lamentable failure the world has ever known
1000 years ago. Not third part OF the popula ion
of the world to-day has had an opportunity 10 learn
anything about this doctrine and most of those who
are most Intelligent and free do believe a word
ing Himself for the good of humanity, then He
achieved the grandest of successes"