Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-06-16

wooden one. A spirit of negation and in
difference would save them so much use
less sacrifice and cruel practices and bar
barous acts of superstition by way of sup
posed atonement But whether better O"
worse atheism is not constituent charac.
teristic of man. Strange, is 1t not, that II
is never innate, but always an acquired ac.
complishment. ways, the sad result oi
culture else of sin. BY nature. and that
means by right, God is always the righttm'
occupant of the throne. But as our self
Importance grows, as we become CON
scious.y great in thought and achievement
we become al great in arrogance, as u
all science falsely so called. and the King
is asked to vacate the throne, and God Is
not even bowed out of the universe, out
heartlessly banished. Oh, no, denial is not
better than affirmation of God. however
supersttiously that affirmation express IT.
self. 1t is evidence of Gods care much
needed to offset a threatened evidence nat
He has not interest in the human race
Notice the two possible results to which
these religious instincts lead, They are
the receptacle into which Christianity fits.
Without them the Gospel of Jesus has no
appeal. They cry out for God. Chris
tanity introduces God to them. They
want an assurance of Gods care. Chris
tianitv assures them God cares for men to
the uttermost, even enough to die 1ol
them. Creation thus prepares for reveal
ton, and welcomes its beneticent approach,
There is another result that shows tho
hclpfulness of the religious instinct umIVer'
sal among men. IL is the sorrow that pos
sesses us when we are told 1t is all a re''t
sion. The moment you convince man th"ie
is no God. or. if there Is. that lie Is lnh,i'
ferent to mans welfare, that moment the
face loses its complacency, the heart its "a
surancc, the spirit its hnoyancy, the NINA
its sense of satisfaction. DOUBT. d'SaP
pointment. despair set in. Little to ''ve
for, nothing to die for is the cry that VIII
not be comforted. A stolid Indifference
results that brushes out the hearts music
else wild despair that dethrones reason
and mhcts self injury. Let me make
prophecy more dismal in its out opk than
that one we are considering OF future
discovery that God does not care, pr"
phecy that If ever that dark day da"nS
poor humanity in despair will in an hour
fall back from all hopeful ness, aspnat on,
ioyousncss, and by one despa,rlng plunge
reverse the life satlslattions OF thousand
years.
Greatest of all these is the presence and
worth of christianity to be accounted 'or
Christianity is very unyleldng fact. IT
has become too dcepy rooted IN the ealth
to be waived aside and crowded out by any
discovery, however authentic, that would
mvalidate its claims. 1t has been con
frontcd for centuries with conflicting be-
Iiefs aud scientific evidence against ITS IN
tcgritv. The more it is opposed the moit
fearlesslv il asserts itself comforting th'
heart, lighting the dark mind, inspiring
and reinforcing the spirit. tact so hf'p
full to humanity in every conceivable ne
cessitv when SHINING and needing forgive
ness, when weak and needing strength,
even when suffering martyrdom, at tn"
stake. in the amphilhcatrc OF wild beasts
in heather lands. midst prosecutions toe
numerous to be mentioned, but not too
many to be valantv borne, must be con-
irontcd with stronger snrer proof than l.
at present conceivable that 1t rcnnqnis'
its hold upon mems esteem. Yield 1t must
If it were even proven God did not care;
for Christianity was rooted IN Goi tS'
teen before 1t fnund place IN man
God not au'v cared but 50 cared that l''
loved. Csc christianity, that superb b o'
som and tr,utagc of CHRIST ; HE and trarl
ing aud death. had never existed. 'hll'
tiaui,y not on,v cmbodIeS Gods care, II
cn>hIIur@ Gods heart And the slc''
thing about it al Is that We who have
welded to Gods word, caught the bless
ingS of the revocation through Jesus. nae
all the evidence necessary Tor the reaIl'N
OF God and HIS care. What value Is proc
agaI,Ist Gods interest III US, however
scientific, to the man who has seen 'h'
Lord. whose sins are forgiven, upon whom
God is each day hflIng up the light OF Ills
face? When once the spiritual llie has en-
tered the human heart. all cod. eNternd
evidence is ignored. and Wisely. lhei,
alaiu. the peace of mind that results nov
brncf that God cares for US enough u
I nto Al h,np \yIIh : hN ana IN
i evidence chat val die bard, If 1t cv'I
die at all. before any external evident
that this word is all. aud that our brltt
storm tossed existence Is forever hu>heo !"
deaths long s'ccp 4 man said to me dur
lng the week. 1T pays to be religious, even
though it he discovered at the last th''
there i no eternal life. The idea w's
that present >atlslactlons are worth 'h'
having. whatever the future may reveal
When the divine spark that we caiI Inc
spirituIl life once elcctrheS the heart,
stimulating new loves. imparting new
ideals, revealing Gods love and Chr'sfs
maStelship. all OF which produce blessings
of satisfaction and JOY unspeaknhIe, a.
external evidence to the contrary We'gh'
little with that mans belief, And lhhi Is
exactly what Christianity does. 1t I'M
p.rls life. As liarnack puts 1T. 1T Is
eternal life in the midst OF time. under the
very eye, and in the very strength OF
God" As Jesus puts It, Il am come nav
We might have life. ne Is d'l,lnul
thing 10 argue against. and even to prove
the talacy OF when men possess It ANA are
reapng manifold blessings from ITS pres
ence each day.
This is why we affirmed that God must
be discovered through internal revelation,
rather than through external investigation.
The necessary apnrOaCh to be successful