The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
DIXON BREACHES ON
 VALUE OF WITNESS Consciousness of Sonship to God Is Mans F0rtification TESTS OF PRACTICALITY Periods of Doubt Naturally Come in the Experience of Every Thought
 fuI Christian-Light Always
 Comes To Guide Him.
TESTS OF PRACTlCALITY

"The Value of the witness or tne Spirit" John iii:11, was the text of sermon by the Rev. John w. Dixon, at the Fountain Heights Methodist church yesterday, as follows:
 ''This is an age in which everything is tested by it's practical application 10 :he condition of life. Theory holds the attention of men only as it is seen in It's results when applied to human life. Gratuitous speculation is relegated to the past. This is especially true in religion. Speculative questions which were once tine delight of the theologian and charmed the audience now have little interest for the theological thinker and less for his hearers Even the deepest religious themes and the most strictly spiritual experiences have to be tested at the eourf of practical use and service to humaa- fly. Therefore, in this discussion of the witness of the Spirit may we not con sider it's practical value in our service 70 humanity? In answer to the question we may observe the following thoughts:
 'sThere are times or periods of doubt in .te experience of every thoughtful Chris tan. He has his dark hours when he cannot see his way ahead but gropes in the dark vaguely feeling after the truth. The fog of doubt gathers thickly about him. In such times as this the conscious certainty of a changed heart IS light to guide him through the mist of uncertainty, where the full light will hreak into his soul and he can know
 xtyt,. f- on the sea of intellectual conflicts this is the anchor of the soul to hold him TO The foundation of his faith. When the foundation of our faith seems to he ;haken, to be able to test our life by the witness of the Spirit and to listen to the voice of God in the soul is the solid rock on which we can plant our feet and say, whatever else may fail, this I know that Cod has spoken and all is well.
 '.That which will banish doubt in the individual is also the most effective cure for doubt in others. Tine skeptic may cut-argue the Christian so far as intel lectual argument is concerned, but the fort behind which he can always retreat as an mpregnable rock is his conscious W1lIItSS lO HIS SOuSihP u bVu- ihc piiii | iran whom Jesus had healed did not have any theory to account for his healing, but one thing he knew and that was whereas he was blind, then he saw, and this was sufficient to convince the skep- tical Jews that Jesus had healed him. So in the Christian combat with the slSep- tic, if he can give a reasonable experi-
 +la xxrs1I be so effective In convincing his oppo- rent. First hand knowledge is much more authoritative than theory. The se oret of Jesus power and authority was et least partially found in the fact that ne sIoke what he knew and testified what he had seen. The Christian will be a power for good only as he sets forth q reality. The world may not be moved Ly his opinions in religion but when he speaks out of clear intellect, backed by an inner consciousness of the Divine Presence, surely men vii hear him glad l., John Wesley In his early years as preacher. though strict In his religious practice and Puritanic In his teaching, failed to reach men, but when he stood before the world conscious of his union with Christ, speaking from a heart warmed by the Divine Presence, the multitude was swayed by his voice. Paul as a Pharisee was zealous for his re- l,gion and conformed to the strictest rule of life but when he had been stricken to the ground and for days listened to the Divine Voice, he went forth with power as the greatest of Christian missionaries. May it not be true that some of the lack of force in tho church and its failure to appeal to the world Is due to lack of the Divine Voice that gives the tone of certainty and authority to the Word ns it is proclaimed? They were astonishad at his doctrine, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the SC oribes and pharisees.' The Christian needs only to proclaim certain truths and man will hear. He needs only to show Ly his life that he knows the truth and his life will be a power for good
 'In religion knowledge Is not only Lower but peace, joy and tranquility of heart. traveller through an unknown