South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-02-26
RELIGION FOR
HEART AND HEAD
Rev. ]. L. Gardiner Points Out
Both Love and Reason
Enter Into 1t.

Declaring that the Bible is neither
a book of science or mere literature
but a book of religion. and that the
religion which is taught therein is
not for the mind alone nor for the
heart alone, but for the whole man,
Rev. James L. Gardiner, ID. D., pas
tor OF the St PaGrs Memorial Meth
odist Episcopal church, in his ser
mon on The Bibles Appeal TO In
tellect and Heart Sunday evening,
pointed out the true nature of the
religion Of the Bible.
In part Mr.. Gardiner said;
The Bible is not book upon
cOsmOgOny, although it does give an
account Of the creation Of the world.
Ii is not a book on literature al
though it does contain some Of the
finest literature in the world. 1t is
not book on science although il
does present some scientific facts.
IL is pre- eminently a book on relig-
ion.
Appeals TO Intellect.
The religion set forth in the
Bible is a religion that appeals to
the intellect / would like to make
this clear because 1t has passed into
history as an aphOrism, that religion
is the mother of superstition.
suppose those who have maintained
this have really meant that ignOr-
ance was the mother of superstition.
That at least is the real quotation,
but there are thousands of persons
who think it is a mark of weakness
intellectually if rot otherwise, if a
man is very religious.
Il would like to deny this and at
the same time point out that the
intellectual part Of mans life can
come to it's keenest, strongest and
best in and through religion. other
things being equal. a man of fine in
telIect who will think on religious
questions, think on moral truths.
and think of his relation to almighty
God, will be of greater value to the
church than the man who fails to
think profoundly.
Needs Power of Reason.
Turn TO any concordance of the
Bible and you will find that the word
again and again. God says 10 his
people. Come now let us reason to-
gether.' The first article Of religion
according TO Isaiah is this--GOd rea-
son with men. The Psalmist prayed
Give me understanding and 1 shall
keep thy precepts' Paul for three
days reasoned with the people of
ThesslOnica concerning the scrip
lures. and Jesus said. Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy
mind The religion Of Jesus is a
religion that lays hold of the mind.
But the religion of Christ appeals
also to the heart of man. 1t is not
simply a process or system Of rea-
soning Religion is emotion. 1t is
the heart life stirred with a passion
for God. 1t is the heart stirred with
"A passion for holiness and righteous
ness.
Man is not all brain. He is a
creature with a heart, aud the Bible
from beginning TO the end has much
TO say about the heart. The heart
is that with which man loves and
hates. 1t is the seat of mans emo
tiOnal life. II is also the source of
mans sin.
Now the great purpose of Chris
tianity is to free the heart of man
rom sin. The religion Of Christ
drives sin out of the heart and opens
the way for the incoming of the Son
OF God. Without heart-religion a
man may be an intellectual genius.
but he cannot he a Christian. 1t is
in the heart that Christ desires to
enthrone Himself. Jesus said Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart There is therefore no
divorce between brains and piety-
b tween a strong mentality and in
tefst religious living. Christianity
appeals 10 the best of mind and
heart that iS within man