Evening journal., 1907-01-23

could not be forced to profess as an
experience.
"One thing, however, he was conf
dent in. that the assurance Of religion
was in the consciousness Of the soul.
This is the distinctive doctrine devel-
oped in the revival of the eighteenth
century The entire drift Of the nine
teenth century was to confirm the po-
sition and there is no indication Of a
retreat. on the other hand students
grow confident that all certainty is at
tested in consciousness. Here we know
directly. Rational intuition enables us
to know tho certainty of existing
causes. even the Spirit. Here we know
God. Here the Eternal one, the au-
thor Of being, touches the soul and as
sures man of His presence.
"The leaders of Christian thought to-
day stand here without, so far as
know. a dissenting voice. The German,
Scotch, English and American schools
plant themselves on this position
strongly. It is no longer Methodism;
III is Christian thought
"Now 1 approach the warning which
has been my aim from the beginning,
and which deem a worthy message 20
yon
IF this is the final test OF the Divine
presence, the convincing credential, If
to this we are to look for our defence
Of Christian truth and the witness for
conviction, then it should be well safe
guarded.
mot every emotional influence, not
every inner experience is wrought by
the presence Of God, and constitutes an
lattestation OF His presence. Not every
wave Of excitement is the Holy Ghost.
We are now face to face with some
startling deceptions, which threaten to
weaken If not to destroy our very de-
fences. We are here at the time when
we must discriminate or surrender.
"The emotional nature is extensive in
it's experiences, ranging from sensuous
passions to ecstasies Of spiritual exal-
tations, and these are often so nearly
identical that the keenest discrimina-
tlon cannot, for the instant, determine
their origin and nature. Take the emo-
tions shown in a protracted meeting
/ Who is able to say what is animal and
what is spiritual2 How much is mes
merle effect, and how much of Holy
/ Spirit? Yet in this confusing state OF
things we find our credentials. Did the
early church have difficulty in discrim-
/ mating between the true and the false
And did the church Of the Middle Age
traffic in signs and spurious miracles
/ and as a result we're not the founda-
tions Of faith destroyed and centuries
of awful doubt follow? That shall b'
D 10 safs. frnfAt
and mesmeric influences TO usurp tho
place Of the real, true facts of divine
visitations. Shall we escape the mis-.
trust Of an intelligent age?
1T is time to give heed to our Gre
dentialsi Have we not encouraged
doubtful expressions Of religious ex'
citements rather than hurt the feelings
of some weak brother? But we arr
running great risk.
Are we not liable to give too mucl
! credence to certain signs that hav'
been transmitted to us from our faith
rs-denominational signs, on which w
rely and In which there may be no GER
tainty to intelligent people Of a divine
experience? When a man has passed
through certain stages Of penitence an'
weeping, and suddenly comes out int
10y and gets happy are we inclined t.
rest satisfied that that guarantees hi
Christian life, no matter the new ethic
he assumes? on the other hand IL
man be upright and faithful to his fel
low men, but has not passed througl
that particular process and com
through are we not a little shaky a
TO whether he has the real thing2 Al
this is well for our personal amusemen
and qualification, but are we settni
forth standards Of faith for others2
oNhat are some Of the safeguards2
"First. A scientific study of the sou
lespecially Of the emotional nature
science must scrutinize TO the deepe
secrets Of physical and mental relation
/. and discriminate between the excite
ments Of the lower animal traits an
those Of spirit action. 1t is yet a mist
realm but it Is clearing.
Z "The Thought of scholarship is in
| tently at work upon 1t. Exploration
of heroic venture are taking place
! new map is being made. Some thing
our fathers located with confidence a
! among the higher and substantial real
titles are now seen 10 belong to tha
which win pass with the passing o
> the sense dominion or mental rule
. What they held 20 be evidences Of spir
b itual power in some cases are show
. to be purely natural and even animal
Z mesmeric effect and not the divine sigr
But after the reconstruction, after IN
I discarding of much there win be lef
, enough in the inner being Of spirit 70
{ substantial assurance. The vision o
, the heart win clear and before it wi
s rise. IN brightness. the Glory of Co
! shining IN the face of Jesus Christ.
Second; We must not rrus
. one phase Of soul axperienc