Evening journal., 1920-10-14

nently and most clearly by the officers
through whom the church functions,
as they perform their regular duty.
Matthias is a perpetual witness to
the Christ because the office 10 which
he was ordained is here and now held
by his SUCCESSORS. He is a foundation
stone far out OF sight. but there are
stones now visible which rest upon
him.
we are here to lay one more such
stone this morning.
THAT is the real idea Of tlre doc
trine, the real value OF the fact, OF
Apostolic Succession.
Not that magic powers are con-
ferred upon a bishop at his consecra-
tion, but that he is made an 4ddi-
tional link in chain Of testimony To-
Jesus Christ.
What this perplexed and agonizlns
world most needs Is assurance OF
God who cares and who VIII listen
and help, assurance OF a Heavenly
Father. assurance OF further and bet
ter life which .cdn be won by that
Fathers aid
Jesus Christ said He that hath seen
Me hath seen fhe Father Jesus taught
Us TO say the Paier Noster.
I'VE are all familiar with the VI
sion Of the Christ We know its
sweetness, It's comfort, its splendOr,
its inspiration. We can find in IL suf-
flcient warrant for toiling steadily and
fighting bravely and suffering chee =
fully and going on. hopefully, II it be
true.
"Yes. there is the question. Is II
so? Is Il fact? Is II in the same cafe
cory Of reality as sun and earth and
your life and mine?
"Of course, there is much of the
Gospel Story which no saneS scholar
denies. The Man from Nazareth I'M
doubtedly preached the sermon on
the Mount, and told the PARALLELS OF
the Lost Son and the Good Samar=
tan, and claimed an eternal kingship,
and d ed on the Cross.
but did be conquer? May It not
be that He is only the greatest Vic
tim in a universe Of defeated soulsg
or did he actually rise from the dead,
and is lie reigning now2
"There are indeed some who say
that II does not make much differ
ence. that the grand ideal is SUM-
cient by Itself. There is a certain
mysticism which is impatient Of what
| lit deems the bondage OF material en-
titles and temporal events. There are
those who throw their souls upon
the Infinite asking for no further as
surance than the souls yearning, and
who assert that thus they find power
and peace. And / grant that In this
company are men high minded and
high-hearted.
But what about the rest OF us-of
inferior spirituality, II II pleases 10
say soxwho crave for definite slate
ment and reasonable proof?
II am told OF mathematicans able
/ 10 visualize a fourth 4 dimension OF
space. / can not do II myself But
] know there are three dimensions.
And the mathematlcians know that
as well as !.
$50 there may be men who can
dispense with all historicity IN the
Four Gospels and yet find Jesus Christ
mighty TO save. The picture is
enough for them. with no authentica.
tion as a portrait. But such men
must allow that portraits have been
painted, that there are historic facts
that human testimony can be render
ed and does avail.
Certain it Is thai Christianity
went out into the world displaying
what is called a portrait and pro-
claiming what 10 called historic facts
1t was thus that the Church convert
ed men and women, so far as II did
convert them. As the simple narrative
runs in the Book Of Acts. With
great power gave The Apostles wit
ness Of the Resurrection OF the Lord
| Jesus; and great grace was upon
J them ALL
christianity is an historic Faith
It is not a philosophy though phil
osOphies have sprung from it: IL il
not a poem, though 10 furnishes
themes for poetry; II Is not moral
code, though mortality has been trans
figured by 10: "A is not socialism
though human brotherhood was born
from H.
1T is a Revealing Life. II is the
story Of The Son OF God Who loved
us and gave himself for u.s. and Who
was declared 10 be the Son OF God
| by the Resurrection from the dead.
/ 70 is the story which inspires the glad
cry Blessed be the God and Father
OF our Lord Jesus Christ, Who ac-
cording to His mercy begat as again
unto a living hope by The Resurrec-
ton OF Jesus Christ
"A living hope But IL must rest
upon The historic fact or else for
most OF us, for the average man,
the hope will be dream-flower soon
blasted by the fumes from earth's
battlefield.
"And knowledge OF the historic
fact can come only from human tes-
| timOny. That may be variOusly