The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-21

other words, to blend an infinite person
atty with science.
Then came a second epoch, which con-
sisted of Identifying God with patriotism
and government Abraham was the prophet
of this advance in primitive culture.
in a, came third epoch when hen the
law. Moses undertook this mission.
GOD is UNVEILED.
Then fourth epoch when God was more
and more unveiled as to the innermost Sc
crets of His nature and the loftier attributes
of His truth. His omniscience. His tender
ness. His fearful sorrow over human
vagrancy and error. His capacity for COM
passion and self-sacrifice were unshrouded.
The prophets figured in this era. 1t was
the dawn of evangelical truth. Nowhere
in any literature has human Interpretation
of the infinite scared to higher skies than
in the munificence of prophetical teaching
and OBSTACLES.
'.It is the Alps of Scripture. Higher crit
icism that affects the mere technicalities
of Hebrew writing cannot bedm the efful-
gence OF those wondrous books.
Then fifth period came with John the
Baptist; IL, too, was preparatory, inasmuch
as IL reused a revival of repentance as fit
precursor of the Messiah, who should usher
in the kingdom of a spiritual force. Moral
quickening preceded spiritual rejuvenation
and power. We too often reverse this order
eral and unproductive. If you want a
revival you employ an evangelist.
$50 far so good. But sometimes you
ought to adopt the opposite policy. If you
want a revival, hire the detective and
policeman and lawyer to expose the hidden
inconsistencies and serious lapses of Chris
tians; and then after the church is stung
with shame because of covered errors or
torpid devotion there may come q chance
for cleansing of the life and outburst
of unwonted ardor for the holy things of
God Repentance is always in order. What
ever scheme you adopt to rouse the dormant
life, one thing is sure that spiritual life
and moral rectitude are twin-born. You
cannot dissect and discover them without
killing both any more than the lancet can
pierce the arteries and heart without ex-
polling life. The Bible joins rejuvenation
and reformation, faith and works indis-
solubly and no man can so through the
raptures and emotional luxuriances of q
revival series with any self-respect if these
do not result in his becoming a better type
OF citizen and neighbor. The criminal neg
ligence of backward or a cruel despotism
at the head of a family table will disprove
the reality OF our religious excitements.
COMING OF CHRIST
John preceded Jesus; Jesus accepted
Johns radical message and glorifed 1t by
the LAMENTATIONS of love. He did not de-
stroy, but fulfilled as the summer accepts
the incomplete growth of spring. and ripens
it to tropical beauty and perfection. In
Christ. therefore. there is the confluence
of the forerunning ages. He is not the
mere dome or topstone. but the entire
structure. Every CLEAN of truth and spirit
ual discovery, every draft OF legislation or
prophecy. every element of inspiration that
famed our in preceding seers and singers,
all are found choral and conjoined in the
Master and Incarnate God. He is the rem
devious and objective point OF all anterior
inspirations and hopes. Our authority,
therefore. in these dispensations is not the
Bible but the Christ; not Moses or Daniel
or Malachi. but the one Redeemer who
rose supreme over all the teachers and
while embodying the spiritual elements OF
their contributions in His message, went
further and bequeathed an original dis
closure OF God and founded the whole
sphere OF truth and righteousness on the
love of God as Ii breathes and works In
human souls.
THE spirit of irreverence and destructive
ness here and there found in critical cir
cles is utterly TO be deplored. IL is the
drift OF thought toward anarchy. II ignores
not merely the continuity OF Gods teaching
purpose. but the compilation and concen-
tration OF teaching in Jesus.
His enthronement at the expense OF
humiliation OF prophets before or apostles
after is I'm the end death blow at Jesus
himself: for He and they were funda-
mentally one as a symphony is one as
a poem is one; and the arrow that lays
one low Is equally fatal for them ALL"