The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-05-08
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN UPLIFTING AND ELOQUENT DIS.
COURSE ENTITLED "FAiTH."
The Rev. Roderies Ferry shows the Neees-
sity of Establishing True spiritual
Life on a Proper Founiiation-Wayw We
Have Hope Unto an Eternal Lie.

sify OF Establishing ~ True spiritual
Life on Proper Founsiation-why We
Have Hope Unto an Eternal Lie.
NEW YORK CIrY.-Dr. Roderick Terry,
pastor OF the South Reformed Church,
Madison avenue. preached Sunday morn
ing on Faith" His text was chosen
from jude 20 and 81: But We. beloved.
faith. praying in the Hoy 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 be lived,
nor 10 whom he wrote, nor the elrcum-
stances calling for the writing of the Epls-
tie further than the information we gain
regarding some OF these facts from its con-
tents. And inasmuch as this, as we'll as
the who,e OF the revelation. though written
originally for certain people at a certain
time, was intended 10 be universal IN its
scope, aud was applicable 10 peop.e OF al,
times, II is not OF so much importance 20
US 10 know precisely for whom the words
were first intended, as TO ascertain their
applicability 10 the different periods of the
church's history, and especially 10 the time
in which We live. IL Is written, as Jude
gays, as warning to Christians. that they
which was once delivered unto the Saints"
These words imply first. the Importance of
guarding this faith once delivered 10 the
Saints. and in the second place, that there
were dangers lest this faith might be lost.
In regard 10 the first OF these, however
neediul at that time. or at any succeeding
time in the churchs history such a warn
ing may have been, II can never have come
with greater force than II should come 10
Chrst's people to-day. The necessity of
contending for the faith. delivered once
for all TO the Saints" is, in the present
state of religious opinion, something which
needs to be repeatedly insisted upon. By
faith is meant here. not that quality or
grace which the Christian possesses which
typifes his feeling toward God: il has ref.
erence rather 10 that which is believed in;
which st. Paul calls The 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
for all delivered unto the Saints and he
eXhorts Christians that they should ear
nestly contend for II. When this faith
was delivered unto the saints. and under
what circumstances, we are well aware; II
included the revelation which God made OF
Himself through all history, and His rela-
tlon with His chosen people; y included
".
the influence which He shed upon His dis
ciples; it included the work aud the teach
ines OF His followers; IL 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 eplstle makes no secret
Of the reason why he found it necessary 10
insist unon the Importance OF thus guard
ing the faith as given 10 us Iy God. for the
dangers which menaced il were two fold;
in the first place they sprang from the nat.
ural tendency of men 10 seek to reason out
for themselves all matters of faith or be-
lief. as they would reason out questions OF
history or OF science. These men. puffed
up with their own supposed knowledge.
were unwilling TO abide by the clear and
simnle words of Scripture which came from
God. and not only interpreted them ac-
cording 10 their own Judgment. but even
replaced them with ideas OF their own.
The writer has little TO say 10 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 conclusive,y that they were
as conspicuous 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 acknowledgment of his ig-
norance: there is no subject of thought or
Observation-Disclosures connected with the
life in this world or in the world 10 come
which men will not seek 10 handle with
the tools OF their own mental equipment.
and therefore men are ALWAYS jealous when
the Bible declares that there are some
things which they cannot understand, hut
that in regard to those very things they
must have faith: so that the first class OF
70 a tan Of "a rr1a No
sition on the part OF faith IN human intel
lectual life, springs from mental conceit,
from the unwiliingness OF men to believe
that which seems inconsistent with, or
above their own reasoning
When this epistle was written this class
OF enemies TO the faith. in that contention
against IL which is always being waged.
were not very conspicuous nor influential
in the church, but to-day there is more
danger TO the purity and the simplicity of
the Christian faith from them than from
any other OF its enemies, and u becomes
the adherents of the cause Of Christ 70 he
strong and unvieldng in their opposition
70 tho modern tendency; to elevate human
individual opinion az over against the re-
vealed will OF God. When God says: "TEe
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" il il time for the servant OF
God TO take 4 firm position in support OF the
revealed will ot the Lord and 20 contend
for the faith once delivered to the Saints"
When men declare that this very Bh'e.
which contains Gods revelation 20 men, -
a somewhat uncertain guide to belief. an
unreliable anchor to hope. and proceed 20
tear 1t TO pieces and 70 rob II OF Its sI-
preme strength in its hold upon the con-
sciences and minds Of men. 1t ia time for
the servant OF Christ 10 announce with
emphasis his belief that il 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 uDon him who TAX.
eth awav from or adde.h unto the words
which God hath given for our comfort and
our guidance Surrey there is need to-day.
more than ever in the pass that in regard
TO all Of Gods teachings, in regard 10 the
word OF Gods revelation IN regard 10 the
plan OF salvation. in regard 10 oTr ho0n Of
heaven. even 20 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 az 10 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 10 accept OF and 70 live NJ
% its moral and ethical teaching The
standard Of morality in the word being
much lower than that taught in the Scrip
tures. All men are apt % suffer their ideas
10 drift lower and lower in sympathy with
the ideas Of the world In the first pace
this result occurs TO-DAY. as IN the time %
the writing OF the epistlc from the creep
ing into the church of certain mon who are
themselves ungody "6lthv dreamers. Dc.
filing the flesh desnis.ng dominion. sneak.
inc evil Of dignitles.' criticisinr those
"a 4