The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-30
ANSWERS OLD QUESTION
IF IT PAYS TO Be GOOD
Rev. Joshua Stansfeld Says Heart
aches More Important than
intellectual Doubts.
FACTS OF LIFE EXAMINED

At the Meridian-street NJ. z. Church last
night the Rev. Joshua Stansfield took for
his subject, The Doubter's Psalm" He
called attention 10 this beautiful part of
Hebrew literature as illustrative of the
struggle of an honest soul with the per-
picking moral problems of life. He said in
part:
This psalm gives almost a chemistry of
Gods revelations to men. 1t is not intel
lectual doubts, but heartaches, which are
important and shall call for faith. The
struggles for faith are the battle-throes of
divine revelation in human hearts. These
we find in the psalm before us. The steps
were from faith to doubt, and through
doubt TO larger faith. We hear the writer
asking in his own honest SOUL in view OF
the world facts and. basis, Does IL pay to
be good? Is honesty the best policy?' A
question that many an honest soul has
asked in his day. In the professions, in
politics, in business, is virtue an advantage?
The prosperity of the wicked seems to chal-
lenge the general religious conception that
God is with and for the good. Then note
again the effect of such success upon the
wicked themselves, in pride. scorn, heart
lessness violence, contempt; Note again,
as a third step TO doubt, the effect of this
upon some good men. Gods best are per-
verted. The effect upon the thoughtful and
sincere is TO cause them TO say, Surely, in
vain have L cleansed myself and washed my
hands in innocency.'
Now this we submit, is almost the in
evitable thing for many an honest soul.
The facts of life seem to contradict the
conception of God. Is this really so, or is
it only seeming. If II be so, what is the
moral logic of it. Goodness does not pay,
virtue is a phantam and a fallacy Then
1 will instruct my children: thus. 1 will
tell my wife, my mother, my sister, my
lover. my friend. This l will say to them,
BE wise and make the most of all the
riches. Be not at all scrupulous about
supposed principles of faith. justice and
honor. Such things are all fallacious and
very costly. Nay, Nay! l cannot do it,
The soul revolts.
The heart is safer than the intellect:
for he says in the words of this text, If
l should speak thus 1 should offend against
the generations OF thy children. True:
true; what worthy soul would recommend
his dear ones to doubt and denial Of the
divine character and the divine government
in this world But please note that this
man. as most men, reached the point of
his restoration in the sanctuary of God.
He thought of wickedness and wrongdoing
in the light of the sanctuary. That is in
the light of the God nearness. He looked
at life from the eternal viewpoint. He be-
gan to measure life, not by years, but by
destiny. This is the true viewpoint for an
immortal. The success or failure of life
must be determined by what that life po-
tentialy is. Note again: 1t was this
view of himself as related to God and
eternity which chided his former BRITISH
ness. What is brutishness? purely time
point view of life. All. IL is this surely
which makes for the sty, or gold dust. or
from the british is that: That he thinks
and wills in relation 10 the eternal The
british life is the life unrelated to the
ethical, the ideal, the eternal.
But please note further. that il is this
view of life as related to God and eternity
which gives finally the soul-assurance of
the nationality and the unfailing validity
of virtue and righteousness. The final con-
clusion OF the believer in God is that grea
good is not in things, but in life's union
with God himself. And now let ask. is
this as the final conclusion of a rational
faith is this true? May we not ask in
deed. could the world continue. say in bust
ness life, social life, the family life, etc.
without much of faith. ard honor. and
virtue and truth, and love? Ms not moral
basis absolutely necessary 20 the perma-
nence of rational life. Again. Is il really true
as the psalmist once thought. that bad
men are not miserable? Push your inquiry
and facts will bring you the final
standing ground of the psa,mist. IL was,
we say, when the psalmist reached the
ethic of doubt, namely, that IL pays to be
bad.
"Then will do and have my folks do it.
All, il was then that the receil came. When
he cried out as ii in mortal fright. If |
should say thus what would IL mean TO
the generation of the good What would IL
mean 10 the virtuous, who are all about
me@
Doubt may have much of logic on its
side but doubt of God and of virtue are
the worlds damnation The psalmist went
step by step in honest thought and pur-
pose until he reached rational faith and
soul rest in God. and there found his COM
fort and strength. He realized that the
real good of life is not in having but in
being and he thus reaches the climax OF
His confidence in the closing verse of the
! psalm: 1T Is good for one to draw near
| to God i shall put my trust in the Lord
| God. That l may declare all His works.
| His good was in consciousness with the
eternal and thus one with Him, he should
never be confounded."