The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-16
WHAT MAKES sKEPTIcs ?
Sermon of Rev. S. 8. Meeser at First
Baptist Church.

AT the Baptist church last night, Rev.
Spencer E. Meeser preached from the
subject, What makes sceptics?" He
took for his text John 3:19, "And this is
the condemnation, that light is come
into the world, and men love darkness
rather than light, because their deeds
are evil and 2 Timothy, 81, Ever
learning and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth"
Rev. Mr.. Meeser said: These two
texts contain what l believe to be the
source of scepticism. 1t is surprising
how men have attended most the int l.
lectual side of scepticism and missed
the volatile and emotional side. SceL-
ticism is not entirely intellectual. There
are men who do not want to believe,
and will not do what faith requires
when they know what that is l think
the Scripture never attributes unbclef
or scepticlsm to any intellectual inaDil-
ity. 1t cannot compel a man to love
right or to do it. To tell him this fact
is the cause of his scepticism; but it can
undecefve him and forbid the conCelt
that has arisen either in an intellectual
superiority of his own or a rational
defect In the doctrine of Christianitv
The chief evidence of this is the evil
dence of choice and it's psychology. En-
cept under unusual impulses of idea OF
duty, or in case of a sacrifice for an
other, a mans choice reveals his de-
sire. Il Pleasure stands on one side
and duty on another, the choice of the
duty Slows that the high pleasure of
doing duty is preferred to thu lower
pleasure which is derived. Men do nor
choose against desire. Love is a mighty
lever, q powerful evil as we'll as good.
Now, man who rejects Christ may
not think that Christ is light and right.
More often it is because he does not
want light and right, or at least does
not want that degree of it.
The test of your love of evil is to he
found when you try to break with it.
Then its influence, that is your love for
it, Will DC shown, or your hatred Some
men would bring as evidence against
this that they are sorry for their SIN,
though the confession Of sin is not a
virtue of sceptics generally. But re-
morse for sin has no moral quality, nor
does it give evidence of character. 1t
is just one stage from repentance. and
one from a hardened heart-the md
ole ground between repentance and 90
duracy.
Few things deceive men more than
their sin. Their sin has shamed them.
possibly they have shed tears They
are abashed at its degrading effect in
the eyes of the public, but they go on
in sin. Such people are sorry for evil
done, never for good undone. Sorry
for the ignominy or dishonor and for
swear that they will never do it again.
but are not resolute in sorrow, to do no
sin in future. They regret the error.
but do not regret the offence to God
The second of the causes comes to our
thought in the second text. Some per
sons never learn because they will new
er do the little right they know. Scep
ticism exists in spite of wisdom be-
cause the will is at fault. The belief
that leads to knowledge is an act of
Will. The idea that truth will compel
belief in wrong one Belief follows
desire and will, no matter what evil
dence. Truth cannot compel belief
Truth has no compelling power. Have
you never heard people say 81 must be-
lieve it,? Belief is a matter of will as
much as of intellect. Sincere love of
goodness disposes a man to faith in
Christ because it recognizes him as the
supreme goodness. When a man is sim
cere about his moral life and glad to
have error shown him, even if it humil-
lates him to correct it-then he NAV
welcome Christ. Thus you acquit or
condemn yourself in an inner moral
way by action to Christ.