Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 April 1887 — THE NEW TESTAMENT. [ARTICLE]

THE NEW TESTAMENT.

BY REV. H. W. THOMAS.

In The Ledger of last week an effoA was made to point oat the histor cal unity of the Old Testament, beginning with the call of Abraham, as recorded in th ? twelfth chapter of Genesis, and following the twelve 6ons of Jacob into Egypt, their deliverance from bondage, and their succeeding history under Joshua, the Judges, and the Kings; also the place of the poetical and prophetic books in this history. One may in this way easily form a tolerably clear conception of the Old Testament as a history of this ancient people. But history should be, and is, more than a narrative of events and a record of great names. Beneath these there is always a philosophy—a purpose—some ideas or principles that are working out and moving iorward to an end. And snch is strikingly the case in the . history of the Jews. At the time of the call of Abraham, nearly four thousand years ago, the nations of the earth were polytheistic; they believed in and worshiped many deities, and the first great step in any substantial religious progress was to lead them away from their many forms of idolatry to the worship of the one true and living God. But to do this was no easy task. The Hebrew people, as they came out of the idolatry of Egypt, had, seemingly, n 6 conception of the spiritual nor of any high moral qualities; and hence they had to be put upon a plan of object lessons by which these ideas could be created and thrown into their minds. This was the philosophy of much, of their ceremonial worship. The Tabernacle bad three parts—the open court, the holy place, and the “holy of holies;’’ and then one class of men were sot apart as holy—as priests; and oven the animals were divided into the clean and the unclean; and by all these object lessons they were led to think of the good and the better and the best. They were lessons of degrees, leading up to the thought of God. The next great 6tep was to lead them from the conception of outer, or ceremonial cleansing, or purity, to that of the Inner purity of the heart. Nor was this an easy task; for it seems to be the tendency and the weakness of man to adopt and rost in the forms of a religion, and to thus fall short of its spirit and life. This was painfully true of the Jews; nud it is at this point that we may note the difference in the office and the influence of the priest and the prophet.’ The priests were naturally concerned with the outer ceremonies of the altars and tha sacrifices, and hence their work tended to the formal; the prophets were emphatically preachers of righteousness, and hence the great burden of their ministry was to rebuke a cold formalism, and all siu, and to plead for a religion of principles, of righteousness, of love to God and man. And it is in this that we are to observe the great progress of truth in the Old Testament. The prophets also pointed to a brighter and better future—to a coming deliverer, or Savior. And now, how shall we uppronch and rend the New Testament? Suppose that one who has no knowledge of the Old Testament —has nevor read of Abraham, aud Isaac, and Jacob—should read the first chapter of Matthew. He would be wholly unable to understand the allqfions to these characters; and hence could not understand the connecting link between the Old Testament and the New; but having read this previous history, all is plain. The first four books of the New Testament give an account of the birth, life, miraoles, and teachings of The Christ, and as such may be read as one reuds the biography of any great man. And, whatever may be the reader’s views of the divinity of The Christ, he will not fail to note: the fact that this great life is con-, sistent with itself; that it movesi along upon its own higher and unique plane. If the fact of its higher origin—not unnatural, but super (or higher) natural—be admitted, then all seems natural enough upon the higher plane. If this be not admitted, then one has upon his hands the not less difficult problem of accounting for the narrative as given by these four writers. How could these men from the common 1 walks of life create an imaginary character that transcends all the creations of literature, and place in his mouth words of wisdom that surpass in great thoughts and profound moral insight the teachings of the wisest thinkers of all the ages? But passing fr«n this, in reading the New Testament one should note, in the tenth chapter of Matthew, the calling of the twelve disciples, who were with Jesus during the three years of his public ministry. Then, aftor reading tho Gospels, he is prepared to read with understanding and interest the Acts of the Apostles, giving an acoeunt of what they did after their Leader wus taken away. And next in this book should be noted, in the seventh and eighth chapters, the first appearance of Saul, and his conversion, whose life and epistles fill so large a place in what follows after. In the Acts of the Apostles, one notes the fact that Paul and the other apostles preached in Rom°, and Corinth, and Galatia, und Ephesus, and other cities; and these facts make plain the Epistles, or the letters, to the churcues at these several places. Thus we have the Epistles of Paul to the Romans, and the Corinthians, and the Galutianß. These epistles, or books, are letters to these churches, and as such should be read entire, not as chapters and verses, but as one letter or address to some church.

If one wishes to note the progress of: doctrine in the New Testament, it may be I seen in the emphasis that is placed upon the Fatherhood of God, as in the Sermon on the Mount, and tn the furth r progress of the spiritual as opposed to the formal in religion—"the kingdom of heaven within.” And also should bo n >ted the larger emphasis placed upon the life to come. The doctrine of immortality, so dimly taught in the Old Testament, is clearly revealed in the New. And at these great centers of the Fatherhood of God, and the brotherhood of man, and of a spiritual relig ou—a religion of righteousness, of character, of love—Jesus and the apostles stood and taught of a present kingdom of hca\en; and through the open gates saw all this present great scene of life, passing on and out into the eternal world. —Ciiiraijo Ledger. Cure for Snake I He. A horse in Irwin County, Ga., was bitten on the nose by a rattlesnake. He was at once dosed with sweet milk and alum, and then three bottles of turpentine were heated and tie mouths of the bottles placed in succession over the part bitten. It is said that the green poison could be plainly seen as it was being drawn into the bottles. Tiro horse recovered.

Maj. Jonathan W. Gordon, for many years a prominent citizen of Indianapolis, well and favorably known over the State, died in that city on Wednesday last, in the 67th year of his age. The anniversary entertainment of the I. O. O. F at their hall in Rensselaer was largely attended by members and invited guests, and the program for the occasion was executed in a manner highly gratifying to all present. “Justice,” in this week’s Kentland Democrat goes for “our Simon” with an exceedingly sharp stick—a pointed one in fact. He is not at all “bashful” on Simon’s account; and it behooves our Senator to meet him with proper regard and deference. Plainly—- “ Justice” will not be driven from the discussion by “bluff.” '

'Hie Indiana Senate adopted a resolution, at Ls late so sion, authorizing the appointment of a committee having for its object the investigation of the management nrd condition of the benevolent instil ations of the State. A self-con-stituted partisan committee had gotten up a partisan report for use in the last campaign, and Ben Harrison and the republican orators and press employed it for all there was*in it. In his advocacy of the resolution for the appointment of the committee, President Smith said: ‘‘W hat could be more in place than to attempt to throw light upon accusations which were made in the last campaign. * * * * 1 &ay that the time is well -spent. The people want to know whether W. D. Foulke wrcne lies whic Ben Harrison assiduously spread,’' etc. The committee appointed comprised a fair representation of Republicans. We commence the publication of its report to-day, to be concluded next week. Read it.

BOASTING OJT VICTORY. By request we yield space to the following description of the contest for Marshal in the radical conwen tion Monday evening. It is the production of one who took an active part in cembining the various elements against the prii cipal candididate in the race. In his statement he admits that it required a consolidation of the mu rwump supporters of Reeve with the various other factions to deieat Warren: A Republican caucus was held at the Court House last Monday evening and a battle was fought with the ballot. Generals Platt, Passons, Reeve and Wood led the allied forces. On the second ballot General Platt fell back and ployed skirmishers. On the third ballot General Passons fell back reinforced Platt. The enemy was still gaining ground when, on the fourth ballot, General Reeve fell bacK and secured position with Platt and Passons On the fifth ballot the Platt, Passons and Reeve combination routed the enemy out of their camp, and left H. Wood in command. The enemy retreated in good order and Gen. H. Wood holds the field. We were not fighting the General of the enemy but the staff of the General. SOLDIER. How Reeve and bis supporters could be permitted to particpate in that convention is beyond our ken. The r suit is evidence that They held the balance of power.