The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-08-10

In Matthew 2S:18, it is written:
"All power is given unto me in heav-
en- and in earth" An announcement
attributed to Jesus of Nazareth, just
prior to His ascension-quoted, not
as proof of anything, but merely as
a starting point. I never discuss in
public address, or in print, things !
know nothing about. 7 know nothing
whatever about the authority Jesus
exercises in Heaven. Therefore the
first part of the text is at once elm
mated. I know about his authority
on earth, and it is upon his earthly
authority that I shall endeavor to
rivet your attention this evening.
The usual book or sermon on the
Deity of Jesus appeals to, and rests
it's case upon, the Scriptures. From
my viewpoint, this method, which
insists, without argument, that the
Bible is the inerrent word of God, is
subject to adverse criticism, if not to
ridicule. 1t may be that the man to
whom you are talking regards the
Bible as a bundle of, improbable
stories. Why quote the Bible to
him? Before you quote the Bible
to him in proof of anything, you
must prove to him that the Bible is
a book of authority. Perhaps your
auditor or reader is a self-styled
modernist, who says, with an I-know-
it-all air, that the inspiration which
gave US the Bible was what we now
call human genius, and that therefore
the Bible is inspired just, and only,
as Shakespeare and Milton are in
spired. Why quote the Bible to him :?
His supreme need is a lecture on the
integrity of the Bible. All who &C.
cept the Bible as the word of God
must necessarily recognize the Deity
of Jesus which is the major theme
of the Bible, and all who regard the
Bible as a collection of uninspired
literature will look ascant at quota
tions from the Bible to prove the
Deity of Jesus. I shall therefore
close the Bible just here, lay it to one
side and ignore it utterly, as though
it were not in existence, while en-
deavoring to answer the age-long
question: "Was Jesus of Nazareth
more than man." ~
No Tedious TRANSACTIONS
If any Of you came this evening
anticipating a discourse filled with
tedious translations and hair-splitting
arguments, you will 60 away disap-
pointed. The microscope is not my
hobby. I revel in the midst of
things that can be seen with the
naked eye. L shall therefore en-
phasize a few things this evening
that are on the surface, facts that
none can question and with which all
are familiar. You can argue with a
theory, but you cannot argue a fact
A fact is the greatest, and the most
powerful, thing on earth. You can
question a theory of light, but you
cannot question ray Of Light is
a fact which you must admit. You
may have your own ideas about a
theory of gravitation, but the fact
that an object thrown up must come
down is outside the pale of debate
If you engage in battle with fact
it will deal you solar plexus blow
instanter. Without further explana-
tion, the facts to which ] shall cal
your attention this evening are in.
controvertible, no matter what the
reasoning to account for them.
First of all, the fact that Jesus
lived is necessary, nor need we ap.
peal to the Bible to establish it
Secondary evidence that Jesus lived
is abundant, but it may all be cast
aside for the reason that it is de.
batable, and likewise for the reason
that it is not needed. Early writers
such as Clement, Justin, Pliny, Seu.
stonius and Tacitus, could be callet
to the witness stand; but, although
they lived in the early morning Of
the Christian Era, their testimony
might be regarded as traditional
hence we shall ignore them.
The passage in Josephus, which
stands like a, stone wall across thu
path of the extensively paraded new
theology, reads, as Professor Case Of
the University Of. Chicago prefers tx
put it in his "Histrocity Of Jesus" a.
follows:
At this time lived Jesus, wise
man, if indeed it is proper to call hin
a man. For he was a .doer Of won
derful works, a teacher Of men WHIT
receive the truth gladly, and he wo1
to himself both many Jews and many
Greeks. This was the Christ. AM
when Plate. On the indicsmsn4 q ID,
chief men among az, ssntancsd hin
to crucifxion, those who loved hin