The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1914-08-28

oodiNCo thdh lOl
merly.
The Appeal Of Religion Has Changed.
In former day, the appeal was to
the acceptance Of the evangelical
teachings of the New Testament ac-
cepted by all denominations, and
sometimes to the particular doctrines
Of the denominations. but now it is
made to the acceptance of certain carl
catures OF Christianity known as
Christian Science, Russellism, theoso-
ply, etc, and sad TO say with a very
large response. This indicates that
man is naturally religious. He wants
something that will meet the demands
OF the spiritual craving within, and he
Is quite apt to take up with something
that takes on the name of Christian,
or that processes to be biblical, and
yet ridicules evangelical Christianity
and offers a substitute for it, however
fraudulent it may be.
The Search for Certainty.
Many are asking for certitude, or
certainty, in the things Of religion.
How is a man to gain this certainty?
In this consideration let us first note
that there are various spheres OF
knowledge - physical, philosophical
and spiritual In the physical sphere
the senses must be the witnesses, in
the philosophical reason, and in the
spiritual faith although in the spir-
itual faith does not reject the witness
ing of the senses and reason. In the
physical sphere the testimony of the
senses may be misleading, as one man
may say an object is of one color
while another man says 1t is Of a diff
ferent color, the fact being that one
of these is certainly color blind, and
it may be that both of them are so.
AS far as philosophy is concerned,
reason may take the reins in her
mouth and plunge into the abyss OF
infidelity and atheism as was the case
In France a century ago.
Faith Must Not Be Blind.
While the senses or reason may not
apprehend what faith needs TO appre-
hend, yet faith makes recognition Of
the testimony Of history. personal ex-
perience, and of any revelation that
God sees fit to make. In the case be-
fore us the disciples said that they be-
lieved and were sure that Jesus was
the Christ, the son OF the living God,
the most important fact for man to
apprehend, the minimum Of Christian
belief We have said that faith rests
on certain things that may not belong
to the supernatural. The many false
forms Of religion TO which We have re-
ferred, make strong appeals, that is, n
the vehemence OF them, and apparent
ly In their sincerity, but when we ask
for something in connection with them
for our faith to rest upon, they have
really nothing to give, except the ipse
dixits OF some man or woman who
has repudiated all that we have rev.
cred and honored in the past. While
there may be some facts presented, as
In the alleged cases OF healing. there
is no appeal to that which is behind
US, the experience OF millions OF Chris
tian people through the centuries.
A Definite Faith.
The faith OF the disciples was very
definite. I'VE believe and are sure
that thou art that Christ, the son OF
the living God" The evidence of this
definite faith is abundant as may be
proved by the men who expressed IL
being perfectly willing to certify 1t by
the sacrifice Of wealth, position. and
even life itself That adherents OF
false forms OF Christianity have made
great sacrifices will not be questioned.
but In connection with Christian sac
rifice we have law that has existed
through twenty centuries, and the
blessings that have come out OF this
spirit OF sacrifice and realized by the
individual have certified to the genu.
ineness OF the faith-they have new
wealth. new position, and foretastes
Of the life that is not only eternal but
In harmony with the life OF God.
The agent I'm this assurance is moth
which indicates supernatural origin.
mo man can say that Jesus is the
Lord. but by the holy ghost" Here
is where the religion Of Jesus Christ
and the apostles is to be differentiated
from any other religion. Netwith-
standing that II is from above II does
not relieve from personal responsible
lty. but the blessings in bearing the
responsibility are so infinitely above
anything that the world has to offer
hat the responsibility may be forgot
ten.