The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-13

bors, and that they preferred any death to
a denial OF the same. Those facts anu CIT
cumstnnccs, | cannot but think, DO sumce
to prove that the opinion that jesus
Christ rose from the dead has a good de-
gree OF moral human probability Ill favor
OF its being adjudged the truth.
The truth OF the Resurrection OF jesus
Christ from the dead is probable because
1T only adequately accounts for the preacn-
ing OF Paul and Peter and their comrades
in the inception OF the great moral warfare
in the cause Of the Rcdcemer That the
preaching OF the two Apostles named was
the beginning OF Christendom il pr-ma-
facie, hardly in any degree doubtful and that
hy preaching they exposed themselves to
sufIcrings and deaths Is equally likely. why
did they preach? They could not have
been deceived They said they knew that
Jesus had lived. that He had died. ana
that lie lived again. Whatever the infer
encca from these three facts might be, the
facts themselves were questions of sense
cognition, such Gs least OF all facts admit
of delusion. Did they lie? They had no
motive for fraud, and every deterrent from
its practice. II Christ did actually come
triumphantly from the scpulChre. there Is
a perfect explanation of their conduct IL
the history Of Paul therefore, Is probably
true, the story that Christ Is alive and was
dead is probably true. 1t Is only when we
regard this story as true that we can find
in the preaching OF the same an adequate
cause Of the faith involved in the growth.
expansion, zeal and perseverance OF the
Christian Church. Take away the truth OF
the Resurrection, aud you take away the
only cause that could produce Christianity
AZ it has been and as 1T Is now. Mohama-
danism had a sudden rise and rapid spread.
but ii made its cOnquests by the sword, not
by simple persuasion, and the indications
are, that it will ere long perish by the
sword. The day OF Christianity dawned
eighteen hundred years ago. and 1t stu as
Cends the sky of its progress with increas-
ing spendor.
The ritual OF Christianity is Baptism and
the Lords Supper. These two ordinances
suffice to prove to me the probability that
Jesus Christ rose from the dead. These
have been observed by all Christians. how
ever differing in many particulars, from the
days of the very first Christians till now
All Christians believe in the Resurrection.
and all practise Baptism and the Lords
Supper. But in those ordinances them
selves there Is no element of p"rmanency.
They are occasional. not stated. They are
very simple, and one may say common
place They only require the use of the
commoncst articles of food and cleanliness.
Deny the resurrection of Christ. and they
| are made void of all meaning. and are un-
| fitted for all natural use. Why do these
| rites continue to be observed? Why are
| they so priced? Why do they serve so well
| to express mans highest aspirations and
| deepest emotions? Why have they been
| ever found so helpful as religious means?
| why are they more laSIlnS, az IltlnOEldlS,
| than a pyramid OF brass? | can give but
| ono auswrr-the last scene in the history OF
| Jesus OF Nazareth is not His death on the
| cross. between two thieves on their crosses,
| outside the walls OF Jerusalem. This
| Jesus rose on the third day and forty days
after this assembled into heaven.
| ~ II is nrohohlv true that Jesus Christ
| has risen according to the Scriptures, II Is
probably true that the Bible is revelation
OF God. lie who believes that Jesus lives
| ro,amn,ion taught I'm the Scrintures What
| nvnr Religious questions he NAV vet have &c
settle he readily accepts all the doctrines
| essential to saving grace.
| ~, ba,.o orriy.d nnIv nj a probability
| or an oninion in favor of The truth of Scrip.
t,,ra Whot is tho pood Of his 1t is
| onon,b tn rI,ca no under a tremendous
| ohliy9tion 70 study the Scriptures candidlS
| ana Siiionptiv md IN beware lest we misin
| ,nr,ra, ,hntr ,on,,ogo tn our own irreua
| hhi A., ,an, an5 invi,ing tho illuminat in,
| iigbt ~ DADS nresencn shining on oul
| souis 70 decide whether we owe allegiance
| 81 80, - ~ Iasrs whose claim 10 on
Utrnst bomnve 10 shown to he probabl,
rsni and r. have a ground supporting 1
wbirb 10 greater than that of creation an
tba gift oT our existence as men.
prohabjli,v and nor certainty only. IS tn
,uido ~ Uf1 Tho SLIGHTEST susnicion ma,
r,ou,a ,hn e,ron.os, oh;action RI actiyit,
ga ,,,r,ns, Juivanro When no harm ca,
rosr,, yron, artiny and prnat owl NAV HI
oyortaa nv great good attained nv acting
ono Ia hound ,o act on n hare respectabl
tntim.tion and the weight of the obligation
10 nrnnnrtionod In mo imnortance Of tn,
and nrgativa or nositive TO he achieved
n ,,.,'ar - MN bas herore nossessed of ;
iiybt h,t r"al reason to fear that thu
bnTso In which hs had exnected TO sleep il
safaty u,ith his FAMILY viii he set on fire /
10 Is not w.ntcbfuI lrfore morninp. not tn,
,raua,h n, bis eusnIcion hut the greatness
-, ths tbreoternd evti measures the fore
ot his ohiigation to nroyide for the safet,
", RENE AMI of ito I'nless n man has con
ciusiynIv moved the Rible to be n sur
| Iia ba 10 hound tn consider the claims O
Isus rhrist which Il asserts and the con
oo,,arcns ~, dnsnising the same Of whiCl
- warns Rut II is nv conviction. and tina
nlso of q ,multitude az competent Judges
,ha, No man over aid sincerely seek Il
n1orstnrh tho Scrintures who did not he
na,,, ;,,,nraosoL Win tho divinitv of tn
.rnnt sai,otjon which thew reveal Proba
thut', "ibn,,ah /, NAV ha ~ a yerv high de
D Drao,'s nnnn think r. NAV rise to mora
eataintw vhirb bowever must he dis
,tna"ishaI from n,othematicol certainty
~, 80, rrnhabiiii,, ~ ruth 10 all that rea
i, - nnn ast,bIish in reference 70 tn
Di,ie nnt os IN tho Ease NJ the Apostl
b'pi'' ''''' 80 - 49,