The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-04

AT the First Methodist church last night
Rev Henry, the pastor. preached the
4 third of his series of sermons on The
Mystery of Goodness" The pastor chose
for his text the words found in 1 Tim,
! 3-16: Justified in the Spirit The sermon
was logical effort. devoted TO a dis
cussion of the divinity of Christ.
AS an Introductory the speaker referred
to a passage in which the text is found as
wonderfully. rich and productive. and by
way OF explanation designated the word
| neSh found in the Bible as referring to
the humanity of Christ and the word
| spirit as referring to his divinity. The
\ question for us then is, how does the
divinity of Christ justify his acts and
undertakings and sayings While manifest
! in the flesh.
| First, do they need justification? Note
| the authority assumed by Christ and
then consider that every assumption of
authority must have a proper warrant.
He taught as one having authority and
not as the scribes.' Compare his words
and manner with that of the prophets.
They said: Hear We the word of the
Lord" Christ said: But | say unto
you The prophets directed men to God
for help; Christ said: Come unto me-
They said: Worship God-serve him
only" he said: ''All men should honor
the son even as they honor the father"
If the prophets performed miracles in
Gods name, he performed miracles in his
own name. The prophets raised the
L
thee This day shalt thou be with me
in paradise
Second Jesus Christ was punished with
death as a blasphemer Had he not
been divine, where could have been the
vindication of his integrity? And yet
there are those who have tried to exhibit
Christ as a perfect man who deny that
he was the son of God.
Last Monday morning / read the report
of a sermon delivered from the pulpit of
one of our city churches. \ sermon
1.atarr fHn rIfx-fr, Of NlaVfcf hut
alting him as man. What is there
about Jesus of Nazareth that is praise
worth. if you deny the one claim that
he made so perSistently, the claim of
being the Christ the Son of God. How
ran you acquit him of being an 1mpostor.
A deceiver who played upon the hopes
of those about him. Who exalted him
self by displays of the rankest e.otism.
The Jews said. I'VE have Il law and by
our law this man ought to die because
he made himself the Son of God. Were
the Jews justified in demanding, under
their law. the death of Jesus as a
blasphemer? What kind of a creed or
religion can be built upon the life of one
who acted a part all through his life?
How much "helpfulnesS or inspiration
can we gain from one who was guilty of
the basest Misrepresentation of himself
and his mission to men. even though his
lips did utter sublime and beautiful
truths? The fact is that there are teach
e-s who cannot conceive of more per-
feet ethical system than is contained in
a more perfect life than he lived, who
cannot fail to be impressed by his perfect
sincerity. serenity and confidence and yet
who for some reason are not willing TO
accept the central fact of his life. the
fact upon which all else depends and who
fail to see that without this one fact all
else is utterly worthless, utterly hopeless,
utterly uninspirinS.
''Of what use to a world Sin-cursed and
weary struggling to solve the perplexing
problems of life, Sorrowing, disheartened,
meeting loss and disappointment at every
turn. conscious of weakness and help
lessness is a religion with all the power
the life the reality cut out of 1t. y
religion that rests upon nothing but the
negative philosophy of men who have re-
iected every truth unless ii bears the
stamp of being earth-born, and is capable
of resting easily within the compass or
one poor human brain.
Let us go to the teachers of such a
religion and tell our story. The story OF
most of our lives is a sad one. We have
a story of failure TO tell. Outside of
revelation there is no redemption for |
failure. But we are told to admire the
character of Christ. of Socrates. OF
Plato of Buddha; as well tell the SHAT |
tered stump tightening -riven and pros |
trate to admire the stalWart proportions !
of some king of the forest We are con
sc:ous of sin. We have sinned against /
God, against our fellow men. against the !
laws of our own being. against our own |
highest ideals and outside of revelation |
there is no knowledge of forgiveness or /
sins.
Christ hath revealed the Father unto |
us I am the way, the truth. and the |
l:fe: no man cometh unto the father but /
by me- We know of God as the creator, |
the law giver. the judge. from other |
sources, but Christ revealed the Father |
Christ revealed the way of escape from (
tie tolls of sin. His thy sins be for !
given thee have echoed down the /
centuries bringing hope and deliverance. |
To the sorrowing, struggling, tempted
soul Christ has brought consolation and /
the power to stand. You have heard J.
Thousands of testimonies in support of !
this fact And yet-if Christ were not the /
Son of God if he were not what he !
claimed to be. what he seemed TO be, /
what we have believed him TO be. we /
hare no knowledge of God the Father. (
We have no promise of forgiveness OF sins /
and the millions who have testified of |
the saving keeping. comforting power of |
Jesus have been deluded and trusting in (
Il thank God that our faith is in a
living Christ a divine Christ; that we /
have to preach. not concerning a man !
who lived and died 1900 Years ago. but OF /
one who is today the hope of the world. |
Paul said: For the preaching of the |
cross is to them that preach foolishness |
but unto us which are saved it is the !
power of Coo.
..Christ's divinity justifies us in believ- /
ing his promises. Lo am with YOU al
Ways.' Where two or three are gathered /
together there am | in their midst. Be
cause | live We shall live also If ye |
shall ask anything in my name 1 will |
do if -