莱尔主教upper_room-第20章
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of men。 No！ he declares that 〃God has made of one blood all nations。〃
There is no difference。 The nature； the needs； the obligation to God of
all human beings on the globe are one and the same。
I shall stick to that expression 〃one blood；〃 and confine myself
entirely to it。 I see in it three great points；
1。 A point of fact；
2。 A point of doctrine；
3。 A point of duty。
Let me try to unfold them。
I。 In the first place es the point of fact。 We are all made 〃of one
blood。〃 Then the Bible account of the origin of man is true。 The Book
of Genesis is right。 The whole family of mankind； with all its thousand
millions； has descended from one pairfrom Adam and Eve。
This is a humbling fact； no doubt； but it is true。 Kings and their
subjects； rich and poor； learned and unlearned； prince and pauper； the
educated Englishman and the untutored negro； the fashionable lady at
the West End of London and the North American squaw；all； all might
trace their pedigree； if they could trace it through sixty centuries；
to one man and one woman。 No doubt in the vast period of six thousand
years immense varieties of races have gradually been developed。 Hot
climates and cold climates have affected the colour and physical
peculiarities of nations。 Civilization and culture have produced their
effect on the habits； demeanour； and mental attainments of the
inhabitants of different parts of the globe。 Some of Adam's children in
the lapse of time have been greatly degraded； and some have been raised
and improved。 But the great fact remains the same。 The story written by
Moses is true。 All the dwellers in Europe； Asia； Africa； and America
originally sprang from Adam and Eve。 We were all 〃made of one blood。〃
Now why do I dwell on all this？ I do it because I wish to impress on
the minds of my readers the plenary inspiration and divine authority of
the Book of Genesis。 I want you to hold fast the old teaching about the
origin of man； and to refuse steadily to let it go。
I need hardly remind you that you live in a day of abounding scepticism
and unbelief。 Clever writers and lecturers are continually pouring
contempt on the Old Testament Scriptures； and especially on the Book of
Genesis。 The contents of that venerable document； we are frequently
told； are not to be read as real historical facts； but as fictions and
fables。 We are not to suppose that Adam and Eve were the only man and
woman originally created； and that all mankind sprang from one pair。 We
are rather to believe that different races of human beings have been
called into existence in different parts of the globe； at different
times； without any relationship to one another。 In short； we are coolly
informed that the narratives in the first half of Genesis are only
pleasing Oriental romances； and are not realities at all！ Now； when you
hear such talk as this； I charge you not to be moved or shaken for a
moment。 Stand fast in the old paths of the faith； and especially about
the origin of man。 There is abundant evidence that Moses is right； and
those who impugn his veracity and credibility are wrong。 We are all
descended from one fallen father。 We are 〃all of one blood。〃
It would be easy to show； if the limits of this paper permitted； that
the oldest traditions of nations all over the globe confirm the account
given by Moses in the most striking manner。 Geikie； in his Hours with
the Bible； has briefly shown that the story of the first pair； the
serpent； the fall； the flood； and the ark are found cropping up in one
form or another in almost every part of the habitable world。 But the
strongest proof of our mon origin is to be found in the painful
uniformity of man's moral nature； whatever be the colour of his skin。
Go where you will on the globe； and observe what men and women are
everywhere。 Go to the heart of Africa or China； or to the remotest
island of the Pacific Ocean； and mark the result of your
investigations。 I boldly assert that everywhere； and in every climate；
you will find the moral nature of the human race exactly the same。
Everywhere you will find men and women are naturally wicked； corrupt；
selfish； proud； lazy； deceitful； godless； servants of lusts and
passions。 And I contend that nothing can reasonably account for this
but the first three chapters of Genesis。 We are what we are morally；
because we have sprung from one parent； and partake of his nature。 We
are all descendants of one fallen Adam； and in Adam we all died。 Moses
is right。 We are all of〃 one blood。〃
After all； if doubt remains in any man's mind； and he cannot quite
believe the narratives of Genesis； I ask him to remember what a deadly
blow his unbelief strikes at the authority of the New Testament。 It is
easy work to point out difficulties in the first book of the Bible； but
it is not easy to explain away the repeated endorsement which Genesis
receives from Christ and the Apostles。 There is no getting over the
broad fact that creation； the serpent； the fall； Cain and Abel； Enoch；
Noah； the flood； the ark； Abraham； Lot； Sodom and Gomorrah； Isaac；
Jacob； Esau； are all mentioned in the New Testament as historical
things or historical persons。 What shall we say to this fact？ Were
Christ and the Apostles deceived and ignorant？ The idea is absurd。 Did
they dishonestly acmodate themselves to the popular views of their
hearers； in order to procure favour with them； knowing all the time
that the things and persons they spoke of were fictitious； and not
historical at all？ The very idea is wicked and profane。 We are shut up
to one conclusion； and I see no alternative。 If you give up the Old
Testament； you must give up the New also。 There is no standing…ground
between disbelief of the supernatural narratives of Genesis and
disbelief of the gospel。 If you cannot believe Moses； you ought not to
trust Christ and the Apostles； who certainly did believe him。 Are you
really wiser than the Lord Jesus Christ or St。 Paul？ Do you know better
than they？ Cast such notions behind your back。 Stand firm on the old
foundation； and be not carried away by modern theories。 And as a great
cornerstone； place beneath your feet the fact of our text； the mon
origin of all mankind。 〃We are all made of one blood。〃
II。 From the point of fact in our text I now pass on to the point of
doctrine。 Are we all of 〃one blood 〃？ Then we all need one and the same
remedy for the great family disease of our souls。 The disease I speak
of is sin。 We inherit it from our parents； and it is a part of our
nature。 We are born with it； whether gentle or simple； learned or
unlearned； rich or poor； as children of fallen Adam； with his blood in
our veins。 It is a disease which grows with our growth and strengthens
with our strength； and unless cured before we die； will be the death of
our souls。
Now； what is the only remedy for this terrible spiritual disease？ What
will cleanse us from the guilt of sin？ What will bring health and peace
to our poor dead hearts； and enable us to walk with God while we live；
and dwell with God when we die？ To these questions I give a short but
unhesitating reply。 For the one universal soul…disease of all Adam's
children there is only one remedy。 That remedy is 〃the precious blood
of Christ。〃 To the blood of Adam we owe the beginning of our deadly
spiritual ailment。 To the blood of Christ alone must we all look for a
cure。
When I speak of the 〃blood of Christ；〃 my readers must distinctly
understand that I do not mean the literal material blood which flowed
from His hands and feet and side as He hung on the cross。 That blood； I
doubt not； stained the fingers of the soldiers who nailed our Lord to
the tree； but there is not the slightest proof that it did any good to
their souls。 If that blood were really in the munion cup at the
Lord's Supper； as some profanely tell us； and we to
