The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-08-14

- dgh the world for nineteen CEN
turies, turning and over turning all |
false systems of religion, and all man
made codes of ethics, and raising the |
civilized world on to higher moral
plane than was ever before dreamed
of. He actually performed the mighty
works that testified to the truth of his
claim that all power was given to
him. Natures laws were but his SER
wants. He was higher law, and the
higher superseded the lower. He
burst the bands of death, led cap
tivity itself captive, and gave gifts to
men. In these gifts we recognize
the highest evidences of the truth of
Christianity, that he was indeed the
Son of God, and the fulfillment of
inspired prophecy. The argument
from miracles, as we term these
mighty works, is conclusive to nor
NAL mind, and was one of the princi-
pal planksin the platform upon which
rested the faith of the primitive
church, as indeed it is to this day.
We are not to under value this ar.
gument, or surrender it to accommo-
date the weak faith of those who fear
conflict between science and relig-
ion. The God that made the world,
and upholds the laws of nature by his
power, can show his power when he
sees fit, by suspending the action of
those laws, Or superseding them by
higher law; and he can delegate
this power to an agent when he
chooses. especially to his Son. In
conversation lately, professed athe-
ist,a reader of the Boston Investigator,
affirmed that if there was an Almighty
God, he could make water run up
hill, which was impossible; and,
therefore, there was no God! Such
sequiter as that seemed to fit the ca.
pacity of his mind, as did an argu-
ment he showed me in his paper. The
writer would Iefute the first verse of
the Bible by asking, if God created
the world out of nothing, how much
nothing did it takel How much moth
ing does it take to make something!
Well, there are such men, and it ia
fortunate we have higher evidence
than that of miracles, even-moral
and religious evidence that appeals
to the higher faculties of the human
mind-the moral and religious facul-
ties. This cannot be gainsaid so
easily. Reason, on which men pride
themselves, is valuable faculty if
not perverted, but it seems sometimes
to have a wonderful facility in get
ting round plain truth. When the
moral judgment is concerned it is
not SO easy to evade the truth. Hence
the value of moral arguments. He
"gave gifts unto men,"
The Gospel itself is its own high
est evidence. The character of the
revelations itmakes, and its influence
upon the life and conduct of it's sim
cere believer is the strongest proof
we can have of it's truth, and it came
from God. Compare its moral code
with that of the Koran, for instances;
although all that is best in the Ko-
ran was derived directly or indirect
ly from the Bible. The law of love,
which Christ made supreme, is alone
sufficient. ''Thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart, and
thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy
self. On these two commandments
hang all the law and the prophets"
Love is the supreme duty of man.
Nothing like this ever before fell
from human lips. Nothing so grand
and glorious was ever conceived
by the human mind. Nothing so
blessed ever entered the human
heart. It's utterance was an echo of
the music of heaven, as it is heard day
and night around the Fathers throne.
Blessed be the hallowed lips that
first sang this highest note on earthl
| Compare it with the war cry of the
false prophet-"The Koran or the
swordp And think of the revelation
that made obedience to the first an d
great commandment possible. 1t is
impossible for the heart of man, his
highest self, to love that which is un-
lovely. But what does the Master
say? "God is love-" He is the
Father of the human race: "Our
Father who art in heaven" God so
loved the world that he gave his own
Son. While we were yet sinners Christ
died for us. A few feeble rays
had penetrated the darkness through
the revelations of the prophet, but
outside of Israel the world had wor
shipped only monsters molocks.
What an announcement was thisl
The creator and ruler of the universe
was a loving and impartial father.