The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-08-22
A SERMON ON FAITH.
[coNrINUED FROM FIRST pAEc. l

and sincere spirit look at it from all
sides, probe into it's real meaning and
view it as it appears beneath as well
as on it's surface.
I admit the words of st. Paul, al
first glance, appear not only unrea-
sonable but harsh, unjust and arbi-
trary.
Without faith it is impossible to
please God. "
The idea of such a declaration
Is faith an article of merchandise
Can one buy it from his butcher as he
can buy leg of mutton? Can he
go on the exchange and bid for it as
he would for certain stock? Is it
for sale on the market? Or, is faith
an attitude of the soul over which the
human will has no control? If faith
be an essential possession to placate
an otherwise angry Deity, what must
be the present relationship with God
of vast number of souls? Nay,
what must be the character of our own
relationship, for do not think there
can be found single person whose
faith at all times, and under all cir
cumstances, is entirely free from
doubt? Faith has been defined by
theologians as, "a faculty through
which one assents fully and unreserv-
eddy to all which Almighty God has
revealed"
| As far as Christians are concerned,
from the standpoint of the theologian,
we would say that Faith is the pos
session of a certain state of heart and
mind through which one accepts as
true all the doctrines of the Christian
religion as contained in the Bible
and explained by the Catholic
Church.
There is not the slightest doubt
that faith is insisted upon all through
the Sacred Scriptures and that our
Lord, on many occasions, makes it's
possession necessary feature to His
miraculous cures The Gospel writers
mention many instances of the bless
edness of the possession of faith, and
the worlds most famous painters and
sculptors have helped to preserve this
idea by illustrating it upon immortal
canvas and in imperishable stone.
Those of you that have seen
Raphael's famous painting of the
TRANSPORTATION, have most probably,
found it difficult to decide whether
the noted artist intended to make
the blessedness of the possession of
faith as it appears on the mountain
top or at the base of the mountain,
the leading idea in his wonderful
work of art.
The events connected with the
TRANSPORTATION are worth consider
ing in connection with our subject
for today.
For few moments, on the heights
of Tabor, our Lord Jesus Christ dis
associated Himself from His humani-
ty, or rather He allowed the Glory
of His Divinity to be made manifest.
He held in allegiance or withdrew
for some seconds the human nature
which He inherited from His moth
er, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and al
lowed the splendor of His Glory as
God to shine about Him in an atmos-
phere of unearthly brightness and
unspeakable grandeur.
Moses and Elias, two of the long
line of saints in the Jewish Church,
appeared ON either side of the Lord,
clad in celestial raiment and encircled
with celestial glory. Then st. Peter,
carried away by the glimpse, the sight
afforded of the heavenly beautifica-
tion and glory associated with re-
deemed souls, cried out, in a trans
port of joy, Lord, it is good for us
to be here. Let US make here three
tabernacles, one for Thee, and one
for Moses and one for Elias. -
On the mountain top all was calm
and tranquil and diyinely beautiful.
There was illustrated the blessedness
of the possession of faith in the reali-
zation of the promises of God as these
promises relate to the place and con-
dition which we call Heaven.
At the base of the mountain our at
tention is directed to an entirely
different scene. There we have an
illustration of the blessedness of the
possession of faith as it pertains to a
realization of the promises of God as
these promises relate to the place and
the condition which we call Earth.
Weak humanity in its foulest, most
degraded and most unfortunate state
is represented. A father had brought
his child, poor youth possessed of
demons, to be healed by Christ's dis
clples. The disciples had been power
less to bring to pass a cure. The dis
tress of the parent of the child was
increased Then Christ descended
from the scene of the Transfigura-
ton, cast out the devils and restored
the child to the anxious father. There
is no doubt in my mind that the
events associated, with the Transfgur-
alton are intended to serve q double
purpose-to show, first of all, the re-
suit of faith as it pertains to things
material and spiritual, and. in the
second place, to demonstrate and
make clear, the fact of there being
close and intimate relationship be-
tween Heaven aud Earth, binding the
two together with chains of love and
sympathy.
Let us note, more particularly, the
result of faith as it relates to earth
for with faith, under earthly condi-
tions, we are now more interested
and our subject for today is more
identified
When Christ came down from
Mount Tabor the first sight which
met his gaze was the young child
possessed of devils and the first words
to fall upon the Lord S ears was the
cry which came from the lips of the
distressed parent.
Lord, if Thou canst do anything
have compassion on us and help us. "
1t was as if the father of the child
admitted that every means of obtain
ing relief from mortal man had been
tried but to no purpose, even the dis
oiples had been unable to help, and
now, in dispair, half believing, half
doubling, in a final effort, he appeals
to Christ. Mark we'll the Lord an
swer, my friend, be calm. 1t is not
o question of nay power, but of your