Sermon on Atheism.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 245, 12 September 1884, Page 2

Sermon on A theism.

On" Sunday hi^t the Rev. R. S. Bunn pi cached a sermon on the above subject, taking for his text the first verse of the" 4th Psalm, "The fool hath said m his heart there is no God." The preacher opened his discourse by stating tho_prgjiaj/!e circumstances attending the writing of the Psalm, and its authorship. The Hebrew captives m Babylon Nebachadnezzar brought to aT Eiio wledge of the true God by a succession of marked and impressive ; inifrtc|es, hi* lapsing again into idolatry and seveu years of humiliation, followed by an entire reformation of his life and character, having reigned' 4s years was succeeded by the evil Merodach. The Hebrews during- 23 years of this King's reign suffering- fromoppression by their neighbours, he taking no active measures to counteract the worship of the true God ' ; Belshazzar succeeding to the throne, took direct measures to restore the^credit of idolatry, and committed gross Mterilege towards Jehovah, m praising the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, antMtone ; brought back again licentiousness, which idolatry alone could tolerate. T>auiel with the chief of thtypeople were m obscurity and forgotten, feeling the full weight of their calamity and reproach. Their only relierbeing fouud m pathetic lamerfiatibris^soleiun anathemas, and withering - tfebukes. " The fool hath said m his heart there is no God." The authorship of the Psalm is attributed to Jeremiah or Isaiah. This word *• fool " ihas a very peculiar signification. It signifies to become shrivelled and sapless, as aflower or plant that has lpstj>the juico or sap that once made it lovely or useful, accordingly the atheist; ha& lost i he juice or sap of reason and religion. This epithet is the more qutting:inasmuch as such persons geriera'H'y lay claim to superior discettitnent, boast of .their reason, and flatter them-ielvea they are m the van of human intelligence and progress, fay ahead of those simple people who" venture to believe m their Bible and God. -The term "fool" indicates .how; littjelheir reason is worth, and how little\re,ason they have to boast of. Haying' a depraved heart, a sapless reason, and a godless soul, professing to lie wise they become "fools," in .whojftjsoason has been shrivelled and religion destroyed. Ist The creed is negative throughout *i No God." The deepest wish of the depraved and rebellious heart is " Let there be no God." The persuasion is " God is not." Gonnine atheists are few. The term scepticism covers ideas and forms pf^unbelief, Atheists, Pantheists, Materialists, Rationalists, and other anti-biblical dogmas, spurious revelations, dark arts, Mahommed, tho " Koran," " A refuge of lies," 'tfalsejprojihets, 1 ' " teachers,' 1 " damnable heresies," (Bibl e ). Mormonites, .; the ■** Mtf&uscript found," "having eyes fall of adultry," beguiling simple .souls ; cursed children (Bible). '^Fseudo Spiritualism "Manifestations," 7* an observer of times, enchanter,- cbnsnfter with spirits, wizards, necromancy. Signs and lying wpnderg, deceivaSLeness of unrighteousness. These are Bible denunciations against such*.. T)he cause: The source of scepticisni is generally moral,, the /.hearty; rather than the intellect, the mind. Lax notions beget lax principles, ind.iff.erontism !i # tie accelerate progress m an ungodly course increasing with the momeutnmof an avalanche, w.hes the first stages of its course is run. Oak trees were once acorns, trifles bavo fixed destines and sealed dooms, before the criminal became blood-stained he was an innocent ba^iO; : Picture w> yourself first, a boy with. -op m brow, golden curls, damask checks, musical voice, happy innocent rippling 1 smile ; then the man with glaring- eye, acute subtlety and malice, m the dim lighted cell, matted kair,b]qnd. staiued garments and fettered H'm^. st^raese two beings originally and radically ihe same. Inilifferentisnrinto scepticism, iinmoraliCy J ana prac-. tical atheism. Tom Paine the author of "The Age of Reason" was the son of a Quaker* Joseph- ~C6pk~J the lecturer, says that Paine wa's^atlflfcteii to habits not nameable m mixi'd ! audiences, that he was filthy if? his person, an habitual drunkard, . ,au awful blasphemer. 'Rossead* ""ran through a career of ■unr'eportable villanies and immoralities. In confirmation, how sceptics die, VoltHiro declared to his doctor that J he was going to Hell. Gibbon, the learned, historian and championof iri6d'eß!ry^=- " The present is a fleeting moment, the past is no more and my prospect of futurity is dark an<j "doubtful:'* Hobbs — " lam taking a fearfuLLeap into the dark." Goethe, the German poet and philosopher died confessing 1 -"T do not remember- one happy day mmy past life. How different the Christian's dying utterances 38$ to face with the King of" Terrors m. the joy of bright hope. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course. I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for m,e a'ci-Hwii of righteousness whi'efr'the. Lord, the, righteous Judge, slfiUl g» ve $*> |h*t day. The fruits— France jd^rifcg tfyf dose of the last ' century— her revolutionary leaders abolished -the* Sabfcith, altered-the Christnarf caleiS^' dar.close- 1 and plundered the ch'urcHfefs/ They declared that the tirao* had come? "when nvm should iceas'e !} t6 ''tear 1 God, and m the person of an harlot they enthroned the godess df^misou as the object of religious worship" France inscribed upon: he> batjnem f There is no God" and on her tomb? " Death an eternal r steep\"' tti^lt is.recu'J.ed that during the ftdign'^bf Terror, within 10 years nqv^wtop than three millions of hu.rnari 'toiqjp; I e.-ished beneath its sway. Dirfpoftses •'• the world of Christianity and 'tstfrh*** mifc it to Nihilists, Socialists,' 'oam- . mnnists, and Sceptics (someof whohi" believe there is a God. »»uf ! woh*lfip^ him not as God) and the way *16t l1 unbrMled appetites, unchecked 'hint^;' 1 plqta, strife, revenge, murder, Vei-biuV* 1 tlnn, and • universal ; devastation ' '4s clear. Clearly undei-stai^d rfrid 'fiilty* l>elieve and always act upon that there" is a God, almighty » ; omnipresent, oranisciftnt and niereiful. The'Rulferl J of tho world and^thn Judge" op Mn'kn. Accept Christ as God's gift. His plan of salvation "God •'sVlovei'* beyond comparison.' . i ; ■ -'■■•' - , -• ' ; -i'" i