addresses-第24章

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intellectual　world　would　be　stale　and　unprofitable　if　we　knew

everything。



Fourthlyand　this　is　the　great　point：　　TURN　AWAY　FROM　THE　REASON

AND　GO　INTO　THE　MAN'S　MORAL　LIFE。



I　don't　mean；　go　into　his　moral　life　and　see　if　the　man　is　living

in　conscious　sin；　which　is　the　great　blinder　of　the　eyesI　am

speaking　now　of　honest　doubt；　but　open　a　new　door　into



The　practical　side　of　man's　nature。



Entreat　him　not　to　postpone　life　and　his　life's　usefulness　until　he

has　settled　the　problems　of　the　universe。　　Tell　him　those　problems

will　never　all　be　settled；　that　his　life　will　be　done　before　he　has

begun　to　settle　them；　and　ask　him　what　he　is　doing　with　his　life

meantime。　　Charge　him　with　wasting　his　life　and　his　usefulness；

and　invite　him　to　deal　with　the　moral　and　practical　difficulties

of　the　world；　and　leave　the　intellectual　difficulties　as　he　goes

along。　　To　spend　time　upon　these　is　proving　the　less　important

before　the　more　important；　and；　as　the　French　say；　〃The　good　is　the

enemy　of　the　best。〃　　It　is　a　good　thing　to　think；　it　is　a　better

thing　to　workit　is　a　better　thing　to　do　good。　　And　you　have　him

there；　you　see。　　He　can't　get　beyond　that。　　You　have　to　tell　him；

in　fact　that　there　are　two　organs　of　knowledge：　　the　one　reason；

the　other　obedience。　　And　now　tell　him　there　is　but　One；　and　lead

him　to　the　great　historical　figure　who　calls　all　men　to　Him：　　the

one　perfect　lifethe　one　Savior　of　mankindthe　one　Light　of　the

world。　　Ask　him　to　begin　to



Obey　Christ；



and；　doing　His　will；　he　shall　now　of　the　doctrine　whether　it　be　of

God。



That；　I　think；　is　about　the　only　thing　you　can　do　with　a　man：　　to

get　him　into　practical　contact　with　the　needs　of　the　world；　and

to　let　him　lose　his　intellectual　difficulties　meantime。　　Don't　ask

him　to　give　them　up　altogether。　　Tell　him　to　solve　them　afterward

one　by　one　if　he　can；　but　meantime　to　give　his　life　to　Christ　and

his　time　to　the　kingdom　of　God。　　You　fetch　him　completely　around

when　you　do　that。　　You　have　taken　him　away　from　the　false　side　of

his　nature；　and　to　the　practical　and　moral　side　of　his　nature；　and

for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　perhaps；　he　puts　things　in　their　true

place。　　He　puts　his　nature　in　the　relations　in　which　it　ought　to

be；　and　he　then　only　begins　to　live。　　And　by　obedience　he　will　soon

become　a　learner　and　pupil　for　himself；　and　Christ　will　teach　him

things；　and　he　will　find　whatever　problems　are　solvable　gradually

solved　as　he　goes　along　the　path　of　practical　duty。



Now；　let　me；　in　closing；　give　an　instance　of　how　to　deal　with

specific　points。



The　question　of　miracles　is　thrown　at　my　head　every　second　day：



〃What　do　you　say　to　a　man　when　he　says　to　you；　'Why　do　you　believe

in　miracles？'〃



I　say；　〃Because　I　have　seen　then。〃



He　asks；　〃When？〃



I　say；　〃Yesterday。〃



〃Where？〃



〃Down　such…and…such　a　street　I　saw　a　man　who　was　a　drunkard　redeemed

by　the　power　of　an　unseen　Christ　and　saved　from　sin。　　That　is　a

miracle。〃



The　best　apologetic　for　Christianity　is　a　Christian。　　That　is　a

fact　which　the　man　cannot　get　over。　　There　are　fifty　other　arguments

for　miracles；　but　none　so　good　as　that　you　have　seen　them。　　Perhaps；

you　are　one　yourself。　　But　take　a　man　and　show　him　a　miracle　with

his　own　eyes。　　Then　he　will　believe。













The　End