The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-14

The following lay sermon On Hope ~
Path WAS furnished BY r. r. Thomp-
scn. aaeoctats editor Of the Journal Repus-
Hcan ~ Aet1oposis. Ill.,. 10 the Chicago
1nter-oeean:
Take from the Christian system the
word faith. and All that wosd implies
when used ia connection With Christian
tty. and y6u have robbed that system OK
IN vsfy life blood. Won have deprived
It Of stlsnt. puIsattBg force. and have left
but the whisened and HfeIess form to
which Il once gave energy and life. This
n 10 jdis speculation The n0ss profound
thinkers Of the age indorss i:- Aside from
the Foundation Of the Christian super
structure -fhe divinity Of Christ-ue ind
faith the great csntripetAi force that binds
the system together. ana even 1T tines
the very foundation must needs 90 10 this
great source for strength and assistance.
Never since the day Of the hrst church
has there been such m absolute need for
this element ~ AZ the present time. WHY
Simply because the Christian system pre-
oents questions that cannot b safely dis
possd Of In any other way than by the
exercise Of saving faith"
a. net attempting 70 speak diaparaG-
iuGiy OF faith in Its general tnierpreta-
ton. Clustering around this word are
many tender memories: many Of the fond
est affections Of life are brought before Ne
with an emotion that thrills every nber
when We talk Of the simple. trusting faith
Of some loved one The church has not
been slow 70 recognise this fact. and to
make capital BY It's use. The public II
emily too familiar with this stock In trade
which y daily poured out upon the heads
Of sympathetic and BnQuestioning hearers.
70 be accepted by them - the ANAL cap
sheaf Of ell argument.
/ am willing 10 grant that the exercise
Of faith has been = source Of much COM
fort to countless numbers OF humanity:
Il has, perhxps. been the cause Of emo
bling and lettering life. But IL must also
- granted that there In certain feeling
Of satiafacfton and comfort In the mad
Of tbs savage deyofre az he bows before
the sacred shrine Of his heather god. We
must grant that the Hindoo fanatic. hold
Ing his arms upward until they become
paraIyssd. finds comfort In the thought
that NJ death his faithfuiness viii be re-
paid BY transmigration into a more ex-
allied being
The conditions Of this faith and it's rel
alive comforts are due TO the environment
and culture Of the ones In question rather
than 10 any particular difference In tina
fundamental principle. This statement
viii. Of course. meet with much opposition
ana 0fns8s OUT uGHfAiS ana TeIut3tioH3
alone do not carry much weight Of aTgu-
ment. Nevertheless. II the faith Of the
Christian makes him . better man. II 1t
lends a charm to life. IL II inspires him
with desire 10 benefit and uplift his fell
low man. can We well AFFORD TO cast IL
ssider
n II were true that this faith IL essen
tinl TO this goodness, no. Now, We hear
the plea that even II this faith In not
- -.
1--we an honest and upright life, yet the
rank and file Of the people must have
something tangible before they will ac-
cept even tho simple teachings of moral
ity. A. this something tangible" has
become. in the light of present day knowi-
edge and reason. n thing very hard to
sustain. the supporters OF Christianity
have ned to the safe rock OF refuge
faith.
rhus. say. faith has become the very
ufe-bisod of the system. So much apathy
exists within the great body Of the
churcs that were they deprived Of this
easy method Of settling all difficult ques-
lions the system would almost immedt-
ateiy be reduced TO mental chaos. BY the
assistance Of faith. orthodox theology II
enabled to explain 10 Intelligent inquiry
how the Mosaic account OF creation II
true. bending. IA II must. tho meaning
of the words to NJ the indisputahie facts
OF science: by faith we are given tho
reason why a loving God so changed the
tmmutahle laws Of his universe as TO
cause the sun to ''ssand stfil'' while
Joshua butchered his enemies; by faith
We are led TO confess that God made a
miserable failure In his original plan for
running the affairs Of mankind. all be-
into eating some fruit that had been Ia
heled "Hands or and was compelled
because OF this TO create on earth a Son
10 patch up his mistakes: by faith we
must believe that In the great hereafter
\ loving mother will sit around a gold
standard throne on a pedestal OF FREQ and
uniimited silver. rohed IN white. and sing
ing joyful hailelujahs. while down below
her darling boy or girl, who was the com
fort and pride et her life while on earth
may he roasting to turn In A tangible
hell FIRE. because of some az, committed
In q hassy ~ Of passion or excitement;
yes. by faith We must believe the Bible
In ~ entirety. without a questioning
word-~or. IN ether words. we must believe
the testimony Of the criminal on the stand
without admitting any other witness
Great n faith, Truly II il the sub
stance Of things hoped fer; the evidence
OF thing. not SEEM
However. Christianity cannot lay sole
claim on faith. II Is a stronghold OF ALI
the ether great religions Disciples Of
zoroast.r, Mehamfn.d Busstha. Coaf;s-
eius. and Brshms all exercise a certain
amo;in. II faith. which Is .-the evidence
Of things not seen
Outside NJ the Biblical account % the
immaculate conception OF Christ we must
10 ~ faith fer ard I'm ess atlfshtrss a belief
In the truth II e. Why. then. dae@ not
Christianity admit in itkT manner that
kuddha was born az virgin and that
Socrates birth cailea forth \ special ree-
oxns;ton nf the gods. as Is claimed
Years ago ins miracles we're taught "a
esnyineing proof 81 the doctrines cs Chris
isansty. To-day Christianity has difficult
task Iva proving the truth of the miracles
$50 difficult. sa fact. shat faith mast In
Nariably be called .n "a assist In ike
manner the cSntempossaeoas religions all
beast their wonderful miracles and eall
upon their followers 20 exercise faith
Hy nieaera advocates II Christianity ~e
are continually reminded that We ara
called upan In Cur every day walks 81
life sn exercise faith. and that Christian
fly in asking that II t-e exercised, il re-
uairirsx ne rsafe shan W. daily require 90
each other, This = a mistake.
First because the faith required within
the system II radically different from tse
simple trust. es oar daily life
c.sg~ssssf .ss4ssFsaR .hR very wsts.~A ~ go