Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1915-03-18

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The Appeal Of Religion Has Changed
In former day, the appeal was 10
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
uade to the acceptance OF certain carl
eatures 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
CT 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 substitute for 1t, however
fraudulent it may be.
The Search for Certainty
Many are asking for certitude, or
certainty, in the things of religion.
| How is man to gain this certainty?
In this consideration let us first note
that there are various spheres CT
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 it is of q dif
/ terent color, the fact being that one
OF these is certainly color blind, and
it may be that both of them are 80
AS far as philosophy is concerned
reason may take the reins in heY
mouth and plunge into the abyss o.
inidelity and atheism as was the cast
in France a century ago.
Faith Must Not Be Blind.
While the senses or reason may no
apprehend what faith needs to appre
hend, yet faith makes recognition %
the testimony of history, personal ex
perience. and of any revelation thar
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 &c
apprehend, the minimum OF Christian
belief We have said that faith rests
on certain things that may not belon
20 the supernatural, The many false
forms of religion to which We have re
forred. make strong appeals, that is. in
llhe 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
as. the experience OF millions OF Chris,
tian people through the centuries.
A Definite Faith.
The faith OF the disciples was very
definite. "Wc 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 II
being perfectly willing TO certify it 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 a 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 In this assurance is moth
ing less than the holy spirit OF Cod
which indicates supernatural origin.
"No man. can say That Jesus is the
Lord. but by the holy ghost" Hero
is where the religion Of Jesus Chris
ond the apostles is 10 be dirferentiatof
from any other. religion. NotViih.
standing that il is from above # does
not relieve from personal responsible
ty. but the blessings in bearing tho
| responsibility are so infinitely above
Ianythipg that the world has to Offer
| haf. the reanonsfbliity may he forgof.