South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-10-11
SAYS BIBLE ONLY
INSIGHT TO GOD
Rev. J. L. Gardiner Declares
Man Can Learn Nothing of
Infinite Through Reason.

How May the Finite Know the
Infinite" was the question that was
discussed yesterday morning before a
large congregation at st. Paurs
church by the pastor. Rev James L.
Gardiner, d. D.
Or. Gardiner said in part:
That they might know Thee, the
only true God. This text is taken
from the prayer offered by Jesus
Christ on the night in which he was
betrayed
May l say by way of introduction
that prayer is native TO man. Prayer
is universal trait. Man at his high
est and best is a wOrshipful being. In
all ages and in all climes man has
been found in the attitude Of prayer.
The most perfect man that ever walk
ed this earth, Jesus Christ. felt the
need OF prayer.
Prayer is so native to man that
though he may have a thousand ques-
lions and arguments concerning it;
yet after all his questioning and argu-
ing, he prays. He may question in his
own mind the utility of prayer and
think that prayer is not answered;
still he prays. Notwithstanding a
hundred and one disappOintments.
notwithstanding the sneers of a scep-
tic world man in the most trying and
crucial hours of life, prays.
Most Sublime Prayer.
"Our text is taken from the Sublim-
est prayer 10 be found anywhere I'm
the literature or religions of the
world Men of every religion and
men of no religion by common con-
sent frankly admit that for sublimity
OF thought, for grandeur and loftinesS
of utterance, there is no prayer to be
found anywhere that can for a mo-
ment compare with the prayer offered
by the Son of God as He faced death.
In this prayer Jesus prays for His
disciples; He prayS for the world; He
prays for Himself: but one of the
most remarkable petitions is TO DE
found in the language of the text,
That they might know Thee, the only
true God This says the Christ, is
eternal life
rs il possible then for a man to
become acquainted with GOd?' Is il
possible for the human to compre-
bend the divine2 Is it possible for the
! finite TO know the infinite? [ answer,
yes Mark you, am not saying that
IL is possible for a man to know all
about God. l am not SAYING that q
man may know God scientifically.
That is not necessary. i am not say
ing that any man will ever be able
|
breadths and depths and lengths of
Gods love for il will always be true
that the love of God passeth knowl-
edge What l am saying is that a
man may know God as the one who
loves and cares for him; he may
know God as his Father and hence
may pray the prayer that Jesus
taught His disciples TO pray. our
| Father Who are in heaven
Intuition Misleads.
But how may a man know God
| We may learn something Of Him
through intuition. We do not enter
/ the world without some ray of light.
J There is the light that accuseth and
! eXcuseth. Man is naturally n relig-
| iOus being. Man primarily believe in
God. Infidels are not born but made
/ But alasi We know that intuition
has led millions and millions of our
fellow beings to the worship of gods
made with hands-to the worship of
gods of wood and stone.
Men have tried TO know God
! through reason. Tut we know that
men who have tried intellect alone to
\ find God have failed. Can a man By
searching find out God.
"A man may learn something of
God through the book of nature. Ma
/ ture is mans religious book with les
sons in it for him for every day But
we know that many who have fol-
lowed reason and the book Of nature
alone have been led into agnosticism.
There is, however. "a book that
: tells about God. 1T is the Holy Bible.
| The Bible is Gods highest and hottest
\ revelation of Himself TO the children
of men. II is the infallible on the
subject of religion 1t reveals to us
! the great fact of the holiness. the
/ FatherhoOd and the love of God
But the final test of God is not
! intuition, or reason. or nature or even
I the Bible: il is experience. The ulti-
mate test of the knowledge of God
/ is experience. IL was thus Paul could
say. L know whom I have believed.
! IL is thus that Christians in all ages
/ of the world have sung:
-" What we have felt and seen with
confidence we tell
! And publish to the sons OF men, the
signs infallible'''