The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-08-25

moral truths, to prove that there Is no
God. We are told that all that crecps
and walks OH the earth and everything
we see around iis evolved from something
else very different and very Inferior
that man still bears In his bodily form
the indelble stamp OF his lowly origin.
In pressing upon your attention, the alb
solutc need OF Private Judgment, 1t must
not be understood as an encouragement
to become presumptuous free thinkers" /"
who think and say that this world Of
matter is the only world, and that our
Bible Is IL mythical story. But I want
you, bcfoce accepting any one system in
| any theory to think and judge for your
selves. want YOU to believe that the
Bible contains not only all account of the
development of the human lace In It's
religious emotions. but containing Gods
great purposes, as divine revelation
which was never more mighty, more In
flucntial. and more truly living than to.
day. Judge ye what l say"
Judge for yourselves and bring your
minds into contact only with the great
central principles of the faith we be-
lieve.
Again. private Judgment is recon-
mended in Scripture. Christ warned the
people against false prophets. He APP
pealed to their private Judgment when
lie asked. DO men gather grapes off
thorns. or fig off thistles?' Paul advo-
Gates 1t In my text. and st. John recon-
mended the same thing. He says, Be
lieve not every spirit. but try the spirits
whether they are of God" Paul again
tells us not to dcspise philosophizing, yet
he says. prove all things" that is,
judge for yourselves whether that which
You are asked to believe Is true or false.
and when you have proved it to be true
he tells you to hold fast to It,"
Private Judgment is ignored by some
people. especially by the Romish church,
where the word Of God Is read in dead
language. and where the members are not
permitted to judge for themselves. on the
ground that more harm than good would
result from reading the Bible in the vu-
gar tongue. Now. under such cunning
preteXt man is shorn of his God-given
privilege and robbed of his only hope in
life and in death.
MAN HAS SUFFERED.
Is is not true that nearly every God
given privilege or blessing has been more
or less aDSuru,anu tnat man has suffered In
consequence? Is not individual and ma
tlonal strength and wealth u blessing?
Yes, but that same becomes Il curse when
used to tyranize over the weak. The
most educated is said to demand evil
dence of certain statements in the Bible,
but no man can consciertiously deny that
the great Christian truths which are the
center and source of moral life renovat-
ing power are capable of distinct state
ment.
We cannot re-interpretate and force
the statements to give utterances to our
own wishes, and work them out to our
own ideas needless of their true mean
ing The faculty of weighing cOmplica
tive testimony and assign to every sub
ject it's correct bodies. and right iudg-
ment in matters spiritual is the outcome
of a right knowledge of God, because
there can be no truly moral obedience
which is not the cheerful yielding of
the spirit to what it conceives to be good
and true.
Some great minds have transmitted a
circumstance into friend or servant,
courting the favor of one and compelling
the allegiance of the other. but they
know nothing of the spiritual life which
is within; but when in addition to mental
power they show moral force, they re-
ali2e Christ in their hearts and they defy
all speculation and fashionable opinions
which pass away like chaff before the
wind. Such are the men who judge for
themselves and ultimately they will he
able to say, I'VE have proved all things"
and we shall hold fast to that which is
good.
Laplace was a great scientist and he
whole heavens with his telescope but
found no God. lie was a clever man,
but the name of God was to him a name
without meaning. No man can prove q |
negative neither can he disprove the
truth. but he can endeavor to persuade
us that the truth is lie. That was the |
aim of Laplace. and it is the very thing
that some people aim at today but you
do not believe them until you have |
weighed the matter-judge for yourselves |
We are told that science has exploded |
this and the other; but take no heed of it. |
and if You think for yourselves you will |
find that science and revelation are on |
the best of terms, at any rate. Christianity |
has nothing to fear from science. Mathe- |
matics cannot prove or disprove the |
Divinity of our Saviour. Chemistry can |
not disprove the existence of God Sci |
ence is of the earth earthv, and ad- |
dressed to sight alone, but our business |
is to grasp the spiritual by faith because |
If Laplace saw God in the form he de- |
siped to see Him, he would have died on |
the spot. for no man can see God and |
live" 1t is not what science proves or
disproves. 1t is not what the world says
or believes. but the all important point is
this. What think We of Christ of the AL
mighty God, whose goines forth have
been of old, from everlasting to ever
lasting.
God knows how feeble we are, and He
perceives that our conception and per-
reption and discrimination of right and
wrong Is faulty. lie knows how ready |
we are to polish up rusty error till it
shines like truth itself. and His fore
of our feelings caused Him to
provide us with Il standard of truth. Tho
Bible which passes as iron into mans
blood and gives viSor to his will.
When men know what is right they
will respect it and when they love what
Is right they will clothe it with the pure
affections of the heart and the more en-
ightened Is the conscience. the more af-
fectionate will be the loyalty to right
doing and a great moral power is called
forth into existence, and man will leave
Ill new speculation out of their calcula-
ions. waiting for time alone to verify
Ill startling statements.
A WONDERFUL BEING.
Man Is wonderful being (and he
lnows it, too). He holds within himself
he secret of his power to enlist and act
lpon greater forces and adapt them TO
his service. and as he grows in mental
he acquires knowledge and
IN insight into the secret workings of
his world of matter but an able white
;ays, mo physical eye, however scien-
ifically trained can discern the truths of
he atonement or justification by faith,
l...s toll E.Nf