The Atlanta constitution., 1900-07-09

man street MetHOuiSt CuuiCh, ooai ~A"s"
nio, Tex, preached the following sermon
recently. His subject was: Spiritual
knowledge and the Twentieth Century"
and he took the following text: IF any
man will do His will, he shall know or
the doctrine. whether 1t be OF Coo OF
whether / speak of myself" John vii:17.
I propose to speak to you some whole
some words on the subject of the "fwen-
tieth Century Educational Movement.
And at the outset. beg you to take OH
your church cap, put on the "sombrero
of reason and common sense, ana give ear
to my words 81 am not mad, most no
BILE Festus, but speak forth the words OF
truth and sobernsss and after the manner
which some call heresy. SO worship the
God of my fathers
what Is TRUTH" I have often pictured
to myself the thoughts and feelings of the
Roman Judge when he asked that ques-
ton. Plate had taken careful note or
the various sects or denominations OF his
day and time; he was familiar with their
teachings and with their lives; and he had
observed that on points of doctrine they
had failed entirely to agree among them-
selves. The Essene said: Il have the
TRUTH" the Sadducee answered: mo. but
the truth Is mine." and the self-righteous
Pharisee stood up I'm broad phylactery and
pository of Gods truth, and If any man
believe not as 1 believe. let him be an
anthema maranatha." So there was divis-
ion among them-an unholy strife; no man
was able to show the world any good.
and each man claimed that his lie was
the truth. PLATE observed all these things
and pondered the min his heart; and this
keen man OF the world, no doubt with
sorrow, came to this conclusion; wis
dom has been hidden from the eyes of
men and these proud pugnacious pastors
are as far from the truth as | am.
Therefore. when Jesus stood before his
judgment seat, and said something about
the truth, Is II any wonder that Plate
caught the word and asked. half in jest,
half in despair: what Is truth? Is there
any such thing as truth? Who will show
us any good Alas! poor Plate. how
pity thee.
The world stands today just where Pi-
late stood nineteen centuries ago. and that
question of his is still unanswered. The
chariot wheels of Zion have journeyed
not. True, along certain lines the church
has made wonderful progress. We have
found out, for example, that the Bible
Is not q textbook of physical science; a
man is not called 10 account in these days
for any opinion whatsoever In regard 10
the shape. the motions or the age of the
earth; he may worship at the shrine OF
Allah or Mahomet or Jesus or Mary. and
there is none to molest or make him
afraid; even the sons of Jacob, In almost
every land. may rest under their own
vine and fig tree, nor fear the mailed
hands of TorqueTnada; the occupation of
Claverhouse is gone, and indeed the proud
bird of ecclesiastical freedom seems almost
to have found where to lay her young.
even thine altars. oh. twentieth century!
Fain would l Joy and rejoice in these
things; fain would 1. but thought-rest-
less, daring, unbridled, rebellious thought
mad to see a man so happy" comes
with intrusive steps to bring this query
Is cur progress real, or only apparent?
Does il mean growth in grace or mere
enforced Difference to civil authority? The
church has ceased to persecute. but Is 1t
for conscience sake, or is II because a
mightier hand has laid upon her the in
junction Thou shalt not?' Would 70
God / might with confidence dismiss such
thoughts as these; what business have
they here at such a time; but
"The thoughts we cannot birdie,
Force their way without the Will"
The inauisition and the thumbscrew are
pointed out today as the curious relics Of
n bygone. barbarous age, but the spirit
which invented and inspired those inStru-
ments of torture neither slumbers nor
sleeps We do not cruelty the body of
a hereto, but we do that which Is inhnite-
" worse; we drive the nails of SANDER
and thrust the spear of ridicule and sus-
picion into his good name. and IL stands
forever true that, by the side Of sander
and ridicule and suspicion and ecclesias-
tical ostracism, the thumbscrew and the
guillotine are Instruments of mercy. The
body of Claverhouse has long since return
ed 10 dust, but his spirit is doomed for q
certain time to walk the night and work
I'm the hearts of men; and there Is under
the sun no hate like the hate Of church
mani
Are we more merclful than our fathers
v,ereP BE this as It may, Pilates ques-
tion. I'm SO far as II touches the problem OF
eternal life, IS still unanswered. These
nineteen hundred years have been spent
i'm wrangling over doctrines-doctrincs, too,
which do not touch the great question OF
salvation from sin, and with all our
controversy we have scarcely been able to
agree among ourselves concerning one i'm
portant truth set forth In Gods Holy
Word Barring, If you please, all those
questions which belong to the realm or
speculative truth; barring also those other
questions which lie in the bOrderland of
truth and error, we have not been able
to agree among ourselves even In regard
"a the great interior and fundamental
nrincfnles of morality: for there are those
who claim that morality does not touch,
in the smallest point the great question
.'What must a man do to inherit eternal
life" and If one dares 10 preach on TINS
subject what Jesus preached, they say
that he has 'forsaken the Righteousness
of Christ and is going about TO establish
his own righteousness
He that hath ears TO hear let him
hear" The orthodoxy of this day ana
time is lust what Phariseeism was in the
days of PLATE, and il the Lord should
suddenly come 10 his temple he would
overturn the table of the money chang
ers. drive out them that sell doves and
repeat the Injunction: Take these things
home and make not my rather mousse
a house Of merchandise"
God has made the way of life SO plain
that the proverbial wayfartng man need
not err therein.
The truth lies open all around us In a
thousand books and with a thousand
voices. from within and from without,
is calling unto US and saying: Here L
am; here l am
Why, then, have we not discovered the
truth? Is II because we have no eyes to
see. no ears to hear, no hearts to receive
the truth? / am glad that We have the
answer To this question In the very words
of the Master: IF any man will do His
will he shall know of the doctrine, wheth-
er II he of God or whether l speak of my
SELF
Let us review briefly the history of these
words. Jesus was teaching in the temple
during the feast of tabernacles. The