The Mankato free press., 1909-09-17
FIRST OF SERIES OF
SERMONS ONEvOLUTION


the subject, we have learned to ask:
+ first, what are the facts? Not, what dc
| think, sitting in my study, or what
does some one else think, sitting in his
study, or what does some book say
But, what are the facts, stripped of all
preconceived theories, standing before
us in the pure light of truth? Second
we ask: how are we to explain these
facts, what is the theory they them
selves suggest to our minds? That is
our trial theory, our hypothesis. The
revolution of the earth seems to be so
the nature of God seems to be so
Third, we test our theory we keep
testing it. How? BY trying it, by
applying it to the facts, seeking new
facts to test our theory, discarding it
if it will not work, correcting it. That
is what is known as scientific method
That is the way we think today, if we
belong to today .and not to yesterday
1t is sound thinking, fruitful thinking,
permanent thinking. BY the use of this
method we know great deal more
than did our fathers. And more impor-
tant still, we know fewer things that
are not so.
"Ye shall know the truth and the
truth shall make you free" Not only
the liberty to think, but the freedom
which knowledge brings. knowledge
is power 'To him that hath shall be
given" the more you know the more
you are able to know. The more you
know, the more you are able to do.
You can because you ken. The leading
positions in business and public life are
in the hands of college graduates, be-
cause they know more, because their
minds are better trained. An educated
man can dig ditch better than an un-
educated man with the same physical
strength, because he works intelligently,
mas better control of himself, knows
better how to apply his strength.
knowledge is joy. To be a com
panion of the intellectual aristocracy of
the race, to learn the wonders of the
world, of life, of man, of God, to dis
cover, perhaps, secrets which no one
else has found. For myself, when | am
tired and worried, one of my favorite
resources, since college days, has been
to follow out my own private lines
of study. I have often found in this
my best recreation and my greatest
happiness.
And knowledge is freedom. To know
the truth is to be freed from the bond
age of half truth and error and super
stition. The person who does not think,
who does not know, is to be pitied.
Such people believe anything that is
told them, they receive every idle ru-
NOR without challenging it. Why some
ignorant people in our city last summer
probably believed the rumor that out
of 10000 people in the city 10000 had
died of typhoid. 1t was almost as
bad as that. The ignorant person will
not begin task on Friday, or sit
down where there are thirteen at ta-
BILE. or travel without rabbits foot
in his pocket. 1t is the person who
does not know who is afraid that evo-
luton is going to take away his re-
ligion and the higher criticism is going
to take away his Bible. When you
know, when you have studied and
thought deeply, you realize that the
scientific method and fearless inquiry
can take away nothing that is true,
that is divine Our Bible and our
Christianity are better understood, bet
ter grounded, better appreciated. The
more you know the truth, the more
your mind is free from doubt, from
fear.