The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-08-02
DOES NOT CARE IF
BIBLE IS MYTHICAL
Rev. H. c. Harmon Says Proof
Would Not Decrease Value of
Christianity One lOta.

Religion was the subject of the
sermon delivered by the Rev. Harold
c. Harmon in the West Presbyterian
Church at the morning service .yester-
day. Mr.. Harmon said that religion
was one of the essentials of human
nature and one. of the expressions of
human character. He said. in part:
Religion is one of the essentials of
human att It is one of h en-
pressions, of human character. Man
must tie himself, as the word religion
indicates, to some higher and greater
power than himself, or than he can
control or even comprehend. Men oil
all times and lands have shown this.
Heather superstition and Pagan idol
airy are but expressions of belief in the
supernatural.
But at the time of the coming of
Christ the many religions of the world
then existing, even including that of
Israel, seem to ave lost their hold
on their adherents. So much had Israel
lost it's faith that when the teaching and
promise of it's typical n symbolical
system was fulfilled in Christ, they alb
solutely failed to comprehend 1t. Chris
tianity was born, according to promise,
from this Hebrew religion. M began
to fill the want of the religious instinct
OF the human heart. And so well has 1t
satisfied these fundamental longings OF
man that it may be said without fear
of successful contradiction that, were
it possible to prove the whole fabric of
Christianity based upon a myth and
without any foundation of divinity, 1t
would yet be invaluable to the world.
1t would be a good fraud and we'll
worth while to keep it going.
What is it's value, then. when we
find it the best authenticated institu-
ton known with respect to it's records,
and claim of divine inspira-
ton as the true religion? No other
religion claims what Christianity does.
No other has blessed the world as
Christianity has. No other has stood
the tests that Christianity has.
yet, notwithstanding this. learned
men continue to rise up n pronounce
it a failure and condemn it to oblivion.
This, indeed. has been lone from the
beginning of it's existence. But now a
very learned n eminent man promises
us a new and universal religion, with
form, substance and results of the
keeping of Christ's econd great com
mandment. but without the life, divin-
ity and faith in the only cause of such
results.
THE religion. of a dead Christ has
done no more for the world of this
day than has that of Judaism. 1t is
the living Christ that is growing as a
religion.
MANY wise. men term Christianity
but a superstition of the simple and
untutored. Defense by the clergy and
men of understanding in theology is
loudly demanded by the timid. | am
strongly of the opinion. however. that
Christianity needs no such defense as
called for, Let us not forget that for
every man of letters and attainment
that startles the world with u%tterances
against Christ. there are a hundred
equally great and prominent who
believe in Christ and live their faith
without creating any sensation because
there are so many of them.
There was only one IngersolI, one
Paine, but how great the multitude of
saints. For every book written against
Christianity, predicting it's failure and
reasoning with keenest logic it's utter
fallacy, there have been a thousand
equally keen and logical written In its
support.
The Far East, awakening from it's
long sleep, points to the Bible of he
West as the hope of its people, as it
has been the light to reveal its dark
ness. The religion of Christ stands
stronger, greater and more efficient
with every year"