The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-07
The SUPREME AUTHORITY
SERMON OF THE REV. j. CUMMING
SMITH AT THE TABERNACLE.
The More "ReasOn" the Better in he-
oIogicaI Matters, He Says APP
peal Of Jesus.

Vi tue rev. d. cumming ouhth ycSecANoy'
He said:
1T is not the millrace that explains the
activity of wheels and belts turning out the
white -four; it Is the mountain in the BACK
ground that puts moving force into the
water.
1T is not a mere recital Of bare, hard
facts that carries a jury; il is the person
atty OF the lawyer and his masterful ar
ransement OF those facts and the unques-
toned tone of sincerity that pervades ms
argument. "A sincere pleader. telling what
IS not true. will more influence than an IN
sincere speaker telling what is true
when Jesus spoke on the hillside the ser
mon of the ages some of the audience were
waiting for the speaker TO close and pass
round the bread; some of the Travelled. foot
sore elders were sound asleep. and some OF
the mothers were scolding the noisy urchins
In their quarrels: some. OF an anarcnistlc
turn, were pleased when the speaker APP
peared To undermine Moses and the rabbis.
and the overwhelming majority were utter
ly unable to fathom the new teacher. sun
He impressed that audience as a mere ora
tor never could; as a mere rabbi, however
brilliant or effective never COULD; he I'M
pressed them as the twilight impresses the
musing artisan resting at his door; as the
ocean fmpresses, or as any elemental
power of nature impresses. 1t was not the
victory of mere truth, but OF a truthtelier.
This was the divine secret OF Jesus IL is
truth, plus personality, that saves the
world.
HIS APPEAL.
His appeal was to the noblest reason De-
fore Him on that hillside. This implies that
the human reason, in its large liberal sense,
is the solemn court of Gods appeal. The
opposite doctrine, that man is OF no account,
that his powers are too puny. his reason TOO
meager, his moral being too cramped or
blurred to constitute a basis of authority,
lie the short cut to atheism. If we are no
better or trustier than stones or sheep, why
a Calvary? Why the miracles? Why the
four gospels Of the Incarnate Son? Why the
tender and untiring or Jesus:
THE Bible is an intelligent fatner ap-
more reason ybu have the more the spirit
of science reigns within you, the more con-
versant you are with the currents OF NE
and the sovereign thoughts of the world,
the more likely are you to land In lalth-
knowledge does not lead to skepuclsm-
Partial or special knowledge may piunse
the mind in the midnight of agnosticlsm
but ample, generous insight into NE, a
masterful grasp of the development OF the
best things everywhere, must Lead up 10
and toward the Singing SUBMITS Where
God dwells in light.
THE more reason. the better. A sclen.
fist Of one in a large sincere way ana not
| a close specialist) is easier to convert than
an ignorant man whose emotions can nut
ter but who requires conversion every time
a revival stirs the town. No fallacy mas
hurt the church more than the lazy, cow
ardiy plea that God is influential chiefly
with the lower masses and that Jesus de-
spairs of supremacy over the upper ranks
of culture.
INFLUENCE OF JESUITS.
'Such a doctrine, perhaps, may account
for the fact that in their early history the
Jesuits carried captive the best heads and
ablest jurists of Europe because they raised
giants of thought who were able to knock
at the front door of human nature and not
slip or sneak around to the back door OF
smiling e~motionalisms And to-day how
stands it? The suspicion is abroad that
the universities are drifting from the
church. If so, if the luminaries are retiring
from faith, then the thousands or youth
in the Hover of their career are injected
in the doubt or the reality OF Jesus as d.
vine and the slow consequences OF sucn
than a fire that sweeps a city or a vol
canic eruption that overturns a tropics
isle.
| rying a message from His father, whom
He honored and to men whom he honored
by acknowledging the tribunal OF their IN
telligence: by logic and by tears, by
matchless miracle and by u~neQualed
solemnity of appeal to their best judgment
Jesus sought access 10 their CONVICTIONS.
No other method could have been pursued
by one who claimed to love the truth for
it's own sake. Hence, in the last analysis
the human reason is the supreme court of
dDDtdl. we Hluot NC Wi y III Jul
souls that Jesus came from God in q SUPER
natural sense or we cannot solemnly at
tach a supernatural weight to His COM
munications.
A WORD OIL CAUTION.
''Only one word of caution is necessary
to complete the statement. Although the
supreme court of appeal in religion, the
| reason is incompetent to solve the mys-
teries of life. 1t must be appealed to, but
it cannot discover the path to God. 1t
simply demonstrates the trustworthiness of
Jesus and then it depends upon His un-
folding life of truth and principles. Before
1 commit myself to a mountain guide L
| must be satisfied that he is able to direct
me through the grandeur of the Swiss Alps.
| As soon as reason is quieted on that score,
| reason trusts the guide. But in trusting
a superior guide, reason does not dismiss
itself or disown its own imperial sceptre.
1t simply says, My reason is clear that
this man knows enough to guide through
these snowy realms Therefore reason
splendid submission to the supernatural
IF, however. there was in the audience
of Jesus on that summer afternoon some
bold. outspoken free thinker who rather
loved notoriety than sought truth, and if
he rose in opposition and scorned to allow
his independence to be manacled and his
reason to be bowed TO Jesus, what would
have been the likely answer of Jesus? Ger
tainly sorrow first Of all, the sorrow of a
divine brother toward a brisk, breezy.
turbulent younger brother who repealed the
wiser advice. Then something more. Per-
hapS there were quiet skeptics ranged be-
fore our Lord, men and women of grave
ear~nestness and deep-looking eyes, the
homes of silent prayer who could not ac-
cept the new message even although they
were drawn TO the new, eloquent, tender
messenger; what about these silent skep-
tics? Was their reason a supreme court of
appeals?
MINDS THAT KEEP OPEN
1.-The inevitable answer would have been
that only reason in its loftier DEVELOPMENT.
only the broad illuminated reason of ad-
vancing races can be entitled TO authority.
Ignorant minds are authoritative for MOTH
ing but themselves. 1t is to minds that
really keep open like a hotel the year round.
to minds that know what forces lift the
race up toward the throne of self-conquest
or sacrifice. only to such monarchicaI and
equipped minds must We all look for the
final interpretations. The ignorant man
can be saved in his grossest ignorance.
Every man is readable and redeemable.
But we do not ask the last nights convert
at the Salvation Army barrack. splendidly
sputtering out his gratitude for a Savior's
rescue, his opinions on the problems of re-
ligion. They would kill the tremulous be-
ginner. There are degrees of intelligence,
In religion We turn not to the coldly or con-
ceitedly intellectual monsters, but to the
royal, muniticeEt men who seek truth and
grow by the best standards, and are sue
cessful as a matter of fact in impressing
their fellows godward-we go to them. We
quote their opinions. We treasure their in
terpretations. In our dilemmas we seek
refuge In these magnificent natures. This