, 1900-06-26

hind its majesty, they justly awaken
suspicion against themselves, and lose
all claim to the sincere respect which
reason yields only to that which has
been able to bear the tset of its free
and open scrutiny"
This Is an age of criticism and an
cage of doubt" Everything is being
put to the severest test and must I'M
dergo the closest scrutiny on the part
of the specialist. Time was when a
man had a liberal education VINO knew
something of everything, but to this
must be added everything Of some
thing. The world is asking for experts
in every sphere of human activity. men
who are able to put everything to the
severest test. The historian is no long
er satisfied with the mere recording OF
facts. To do this he would but need
to study the works of other men. But
he puts the fact to the severest test.
He studies motives and weighs the evil
dences for and against the fact.
Christianity mas not escaped these
tests. Nor is it right that it should.
But it is well to remember that Chris
tianity has beer in the world 1900 years.
and that it no longer rests with Chris
.ianity to prove its right TO be. Time
was when the first Apostles must prove
the claims of Christianity. But the
evidences are so manifest everywhere
today that it rests with unbelief to dis
prove and overthrow them. Men have
never ceased to attack the claims Of the
Christian church. But in some form
or other every objection urged against
Christianity was brought forward in
the first three centuries of its history.
But every one of these the Christian
a~pologist was able to answer.
Christianity is constructive in its
tendencies, a conservator of forces and
powers. Eye are the salt of the earth,
said the Master. The advancement of
learning and of civilization is due to
the energies of Christianity. Infidelity
is destructive in its tendencies, and in
tellectual, social and moral anarchy
follow in its wake.
But the test of Christianity does not
lie in its power to satisfy the demands
Of reason, but in its power to satisfy
the moral and religious e of man.
There is no experience in the life Of
man that does not awaken a responsive
chord in the heart of Christine long
ing that He cannot satisfy. Here is
where its power lies. We are begin
ming to realize also that Christianity
cpnters not in creedS and not in the
bible, but in Christ. All Christian doc
trine is today Christo-centric, as is
also all Christian apology.
But men are demanding more proof,
when they have not weighed the evil
dences already given. You remember
the parable of the rich man and Laza-
rus. The rich man thought that his
brothers would believe if one rose from
the dead, but Abraham's answer was
that if they believed not Moses and the
prophets neither would they believe
though one came to them from the
dead. The Pharisees who stood beside
the cross of Christ said, Let him come
down and we will believe" But bad
not Christ healed the sick. restored
sight to the blind, made the lame to
walk and even raised the dead? And
vet they believed not. No more would
they believe if greater evidences were
given them.
Today men are asking for further
evidences, when they refuse the evil
dences at hand. Study the nineteen
centuries of Christian history and COM
pare the results and achievements with
those of any other church and how
vastly superior does Christianity APP
pear. Christianity is then no longer
one religion at the head of the process
sion of religions. 1t is a procession by
itself.
To be sure men MAJ misjudge the
spirit of Christianity and do many
things in the name of the church which
are contrary to the spirit of Christ.
But the church and Christianity are
not and never have been synonymous
terms. Prosecutions and religious wars
| have been carried on in the name Of
the church, but never with the APPROX
al of the church. Fol- He forbade the
use of the first sword drawn in his de-
tense.
1t is perfectly proper to examine the
claims Of Christianity, but it is not
right to cry down without such exam
|ination. We must at all times keep the
heart and mind open. The heart test
must at all times be applied.
Away in some eastern state in some
church lard lies two graves. In n rests
your father, in the other your mother,
You remember well when they said to
you, your papa is dead" You went
with your mother and the rest of the
children to the church and then to the
cemetery, and after the services were
over you returned home. In a little
while your mother disappeared. You
saw her enter the closet of prayer,
When she returned you knew she had
the victory. During all the years Of
hardship and struggle she never lost
courage; she always kept sweet; she
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