Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-05-07
FAITH"
Sunday Discourse by the Rev. Roderick
Terry.
Shows The Necessity Of Establishing True
Spiritual Life on Proper Foundation
Why We Have Hope Unto au
Internal Life.

|
New YORK CITY.-Dr. Roderick Terry,
pastor of the South Reformed Church,
Madison avenue, preached Sunday morn
ing on "Eaith." His text was chosen
from Jude 20 and 81: "But ye, beloved,
| building up yourselves on your most holy
faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep
yourselves in the love of God, looking for
the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto
eternal life" DR.. Terry said:
| We have no information concerning this
short Epistle of Jude beyond that which is
| contained in the verses themselves. We
| know not who he was, nor where he lived,
nor to whom he wrote, nor the circum-
stances calling for the writing Of the Epis.
tie further than the information we gain
regarding some OF these facts from its con-
tents. And inasmuch as this, as well as
the whole of the revelation, though written
originally for certain people at certain
time, was intended to be universal in its
scope, and was applicable to people of all
| times, it is not of so much Importance to
| us to know precisely for whom the words
were first intended, as to ascertain their
applicability to- the different periods of the
| church's history, and especially to the time
| in which we live. 1t is written, as Jude
says. as a warning to Christians; that they
should earnestly contend for the faith
which was once delivered unto the Saints
These words imply first, the Importance OF
guarding this faith once delivered to the
Saints. and in the second place, that there
were dangers lest this faith might be lost.
In regard to the first of these, however
needful at that time, or at any succeeding
time in the church's history such warn.
ing may have been, it can never have como
with greater force than it should come to
Christ's people to-day. The necessity OF
contcnding for the faith, delivered once
for all to the Saints" is, in the present
state of religious opinion. some thing which
needs to be repeatedly insisted upon. by
faith is meant here, not that quality or
grace which the Christian possesses which
typihes his feeling toward God; it has ref
ercncc rather to that which is believed in;
which st. Paul calls "Thc Faith of the
Gospel" "The faith which is in Christ
Jesus and which is used universally by
the sacred writers as synonymous with the
teaching which God gives concerning Him
self This faith" says Jude, was once
for all delivered unto the Saints and he
exhorts Christians that they should car
nestlv contend for it. When this faith
was delivered unto the saints, and under
what circumstances. we are well aware. 1t
included the revelation which God made OF
Himself through all history. and His rcia.
tion with His chosen people: It included
the lie and the work of the Master, and
ciples; it included the work and the teach
ings of His followers; it was, in fact: the
revelation Of God recorded through all the
Scriptures Jude insists upon the neceS
sity that every one who Is n child of God
should contend for this faith as thus by
revelation and miracle once for all deliv
cred unto the Saints.
The writer of the epistlc makes no secret
of the reason why he found it necessary tc
insist upon the Importance of thus guard
ing the faith as given to us by God, for the
dangers which menaced it were two fold:
in the first place they spranG from the nat
ural tendency OF men to seek to reason out
or themselves all matters of faith or be.
ief as they would reason out questions ol
history or OF science. These men, puited
up with their own supposed knowledge
were unwilling TO abide Try the clear and
simple words OF Scripture which came from
God. and not only interpreted them ac'
cordlng to their own judgment, but even
replaced them with ideas of their own
The writer has little to say to these men,
whom he describes as those whose mouths
speak swelling words, as though the
words came not from any deep thought,
but he shows conclusively that they were
us conspcuon, in the church then as they
are to-day. There is nothing harder for
the natural man than to acknowledge and
live up to the Acknowledgement of his ig
norance; there is no subject of thought OF
discussion-whethcr connected with the
life in this world or in the world to come
which men will not sccl; to handle with
the tools of their own menta equipment,
and therefore men are ALWAYS jealous when
the Bible declares that there are some
things which they cannot understand, but
that i'll regard to those very things they
must have faith; so that the first class OF
dangers to the maintenance Of its true po'
sition on the part of faith in human intel
lectual lte, springs from mental concelt,
from the unwilIingness of men to believe
that which seems Inconsistent with, OF
above their own reasoning.
When this CpiSt|c was written this class
OF enemies to the faith, in that contention
against it which is always being waged,
were nor very conspicuous nor influential
in the church. but to-day there il more
danger to the purity and the simplicity OF
the Christian faith from them than from
any other OF Its enemies. and 1t becomes
the adhercntS of the cause of Christ to he
strong and unycdng in their opposition
TO the modern tendency; to elevate human
individual opinion aS over against the re
veacd will OF God. When God says: "The
soul that sinneth it shall die and some
man rises in opposition and declares that
"all good and bad shall finally inherit ever.
lasting life it is time for the servant OF
God to take firm position IN support OF the
revealed will OF the Lord and TO contend
for the faith once delivered to the Saints
When men declare that this very Bible,
which contains Gods revelation to men, is
somewhat uncertain guide to belief, an
unreliable anchor to hope, and proceed to
tear it to pieces and TO rob it of its SUI
preme strength in its hold upon the con.
sciences and minds of men. it is time for
the servant of Christ to announce with
emphasis his belief that it is the revealed
will OF God. and that of all His revelation
there shall fail not one jot or little, and
that curse shall come upon him who talk.
eth away from or addeth unto the words
which God hath given for our comfort and
our guidance. Surely there is need to-day,
more than ever in the past. that in regard
to all of Gods teachings, in regard to the
word of Gods revelation, in regard to the
plan OF salvation. in regard to orr hone Of
heaven, even to our belief upon God Him.
self. the Christian should stand firm, and
should contend with courage and with
zeal in his own heart and in the world for
the faith as it is in Jesus.
For that faith is also in danger Of being
undermined by the human characteristics
universally found among men which make
them unwilling to accept of and to live up
to its moral and ethical teachings The
standard of morality in the world being
much lower than that taught in the Scrip
lures. all men are apt to suffer their ideas
to drift lower and lower in sympathy with
the ideas of the world. In the first place
this result occurs day, as in the time OF
the writing of the epistle. from the creep
ing into the church of certain men who arc
themselves ungodly filthy dreamers. de-
| filing the flesh. dc.nisng dominion, speak.
ing evil of dignities," crticisinG those
things which they know not, who in the
time of the writing of this epistle hsl be.
! come so conspicuous in the church life of
; the time that thev were called raging
waves Of the sea, foaming out their own
shame, murmuers. comp.ainers having
mems persons in admiration because of ad.
vantage" 1t is blessed thought that to.
day such persons are not conspicuous in
the church for thia is an ace of hnnnstu