Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-20

m serpents. drink deadly things without hurt, lay hands on the sick and heal them, you shall know there by. that they are false prophets.
 But there are some further strange things to be observed in this connec- tion. Isn't 1t rather singular, in view of the emphasis seeker puts on these miraculous works as the Fruits" and tests" required of every believer" that there is no mention In the New Testament of any one drinking any deadly thing without hurt, nor any mention of any one taking up ser pents, except for the viper which fastened itself on St. Paus hand? If such things were the tests" for
 every believer" isn't it strange that more was not made of them in the New Testament? But, to go step fur ther where in the New Testament can seeker find these miraculous works spoken of as 'frults," or as the tests" of every believer? We are told sew eral times in the New Testament what the fruits of Christian believing and living are. For example. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithful ness meekness, self-controP'; and again, The fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth" We read of the fruits of holiness and these are set forth as the fruits" required of the Christian believer
 What, then, about the passage quoted from St. Mark? The word translated sign in this passage is one of the three words used in the New Testament to signify miracle or a wonderful work. The apostles and some others of the early Christians were endowed with miraculous powers for the special work of founding the Church and establishing the Christian religion in the face of a world which was not only exceedingly hostile, but exceedingly skeptical and corrupt. Except ye see signs and wonders,
 said Christ Eye will not believe: and again, An evil and adulterous gen eration seeketh a sign" There are many evidences going to show that Christs miracles were often per formed purely as a concession to the Nness of His hearers. 70 faithless and perverse generation, how long shall l bear with you?" Now, just as Christ found it necessary to stoop to the weakness of His generation and en- force His teaching by miraculous works, so such works were necessary in the apostolic age, to awaken and stir a world that was morally and spiritually dead. And this was all the more necessary because the Church was in it's infancy, had no history back of it. and could not point to a long series of triumphs in evidence of the truth of it's claims. But, as soon as the Church was well established and could offer its triunphal work and progress, in many lands, IS consistent proofs of it's claims, these miraculous powers wore no longer needed, and they passed out of existence. This is the testimony of the great Bible com mentators and Church leaders, from St. Gregory and St. Augustine down to the present day, No, I do not pro ha oh do he var 1fYrG fa1 wonderful works which seeker" as serts to be the necessary fruits or "tests'' of every Christian believer. ! But, neither do I know of any modern 1 Christian believer who claims such ! powers-unless, perchance, seeker"
 himself be one-and so, if I be proved an unbeliever by the very lack of these 1 powers, I shall still be in fellowship i with millions of Christian disciples; i which, after all, is some consolation. But to proceed. l observe that ! seeker has a perfect horror of the | trine". Yet, after all. they are very | innocent words, even if, as is all
 language, they are the creations of man." For, doctrine" is simply "a ] thus defines it. That which is ] taught; what is held, put forth as l true and supported by a teacher. a
 school or sect" The Great Master
 Himself seems to have no fear of+doc- | trine," for He speaks both of His own 1 doctrine and of the doctrine of God as. witness, My doctrine" Cor teach
 ing) lis not Mine but His that sent
 Me- and we read that all the people
 were astonished at His doctrine St. Paul assures us that all scripture is profitable for doctrine and again ] and again exhorts his readers to give good heed to sound doctrine" good doctrine" the doctrine which is ac-
 cording to godliness," and urges them 1 by their behavior to 'adorn the doc Urine of God" St. John, too, urges
 upon his readers the necessity oi
 abiding in the doctrine of Christ"
 Turning to the word dogma we find it defined thus:-
 CD That which is held as an opin- ion: a tenet; a doctrine:" t2) a form ally stated and authoritatively settled
 doctrine;" (3) a doctrinal notion as
 serted without regard to evidence a: 1 truth, an arbitrary dictufn." Say.
 Webster's dictionary, "A dogma is tha
 which is laid down with authority a.
 indubitably true, especially a religion.
 doctrine; as the dogmas of the
 Church." and again "A dogma rests or
 authority regarded as competent to de.
 eide and determine" The word dog
 ma" is used only a few times in tn,
 New Testament it's synonym, doc
 trine." being used instead. But when i
 Al
 as they" (Paul and Timothy) wen
 on their way through the cities, the,
 delivered them the decrees to keel
 which had been ordained of the apos
 ties and elders that were at Jerusa
 lem" the word used for "deerees" +
 the Greek word dogma" so 1t appear that the apostles and elders. assemb
 led in the first church council at Jeru salem, did not hesitate to pass dog mas fer the guidance of the earl,
 Christians. And as for creed" it il , simply "a brief and comprehensiv, summary of what is believed: espec ] tally summary of the articles of tn Christian faith" Nothing very abom . inable or terrifying about the defini : ton, it would seem!
 : But seeker" states, "creeds, dogma , and doctrines are all creations of mar ! and life cannot be based on man creations;" and again, There is no Tiff in creeds, dogmas, or doctrines Iif [ only is in God" Let me first refe seeker back to the quotations whicI speak of the doctrine" of Christ an
 of God and show what importance tn apostles attached to doctrine an | dogma
 | Then let him consider these word of St John hn:-fWhoBoever goeth on : ward and abideth not in the doctrin , of Christ, hath not God; he that abid eth in the doctrine, the same hat both the Father and the Son.: an [ Christians. But, thanks be to Goo t that, whereas ye we're servants of sir l ye became obedient from the heart t ] i that form of doctrine whereunto V 3 were delivered; and being made fire from sin We became servants of rfpht