The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-25
THE NEW EVANGEL.

On Sunday last the Rev. William Meade
Clark, rector of St. James Churcn, TINS
city, preached an able sermon from; the
text Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on Thee. The ar
gument was that the peace Of God is-t to
be obtained not through the affections
but through the mind; that this prom
tsed peace implies knowledge and intelli-
gent conception Of Gods wisdom and
power, and His willingness to give TO
those who ask Him; that confidence is
thing of the Intelligent rather than of the
heart.
1t seems to us that in this discourse
Mr. Clark struck the keynote OF the new
evangel. There was a time When the
members of the Church We're kept in
darkness. The Scriptures were withheld
from them. They were not permitted 70
read the Word of God for themselves
and investigate. They were not permitted
to ask why, they were not permitted 10
think for themselves. They We're as
dumb driven cattle" and were COM
PEELED to accept such revelations as were
made TO them, upon blind faith. Thoss
who preached the gospel played upon
the superstition of the people. and the
people were kept as much possible in
ignorance of the great truths OF the BIZ
Bile.
But in this latter day the light has
been turned into the. dark places. The
Bible is wide open. It is circulated as
widely and as freely as possible, and the
Injunction Of all preachers Is to search
the Scriptures honestly and intellsently
and diligently. There are Thousands OF
Sunday Schools all over the land where
the bible is studied, and many of the
brightest men and most profuone scholars
of the land are daily engaged in search
ing the Scriptures and digging out the
hidden truths and proclaim.ng them to
their pupils in all parts OF the world. Re
ligion is no longer a thing Of superstition.
1t is something that appeals to the In
telligent as well as to the heart, ana
men are now invited to embrace religion
and cast their lot with the people of God
on the ground that it is a rational and
reasonable service.
The Church is now spending millions
of money every year, for the cause OF
education Religion and education are
now going hand in hand. The Church has
nothing to conceal. The Bible does not
shrink from investigation. 1t is an opan
oba11 nv Stic9tiOn Ii
fears not the light Of science. It is not
afraid of the higher criticism. All that
it asks is that those who search its pages
shall search fairly and honestly. and,
taking the Bible as a whole. shall seek
in sincerity to reconcile seeming contra
dictions rather than by garb!ing and
carping criticism to confuse and mlstl1E
It must be remembered that there is a
human side as we'll as a divine side TO
the Bible, and that which is human can
not be perfect. The Church is a divine
institution, yet it is also human 1nstl-
tuition, and it is human to err. There is
error in the human part of the Cnurch,
and 1t is not surprising that there should
be some error here and there in the hui
man part of the Bible. But from all VINO
have an honest purpose in view the Slole
courts investigation. 1t touches the heart
with its tender pathos. its poetry, its IN
Vulnerable evidences of divine love- But
IT appeals to the intelligent as we'll, prom
is,ns, as the preacher says. perfect peace
to him whose mind is stayed on COD.