Evidences of Christianity, historical, internal, and experimental.

may be an infidel if he pleases. There is no such irresistible weight of argument that the mind is absolutely forced to admit it, as it is to believe that two and three make five. In regard to this latter truth, such is the nature of the human mind, that there is not, and there can not be an individual who can doubt it. In regard to Christianity, however, as with all other truths of a moral nature which regulate the moral conduct of mankind, there is no such irresistible evidence. The light is clear, if a man is willing to see; but it is not so vividly intense as to force itself through his eyelids, if he chooses to close them. Any one may walk in darkness if he will.

The evidences of Christianity are usually considered as of two kinds, historical and internal. There may properly be added a third, which I shall call experimental. These three kinds are entirely distinct in their nature.

1. If we look back upon the history of Christianity, we find it was introduced into the world under very remarkable circumstances. Miracles were performed, and future events foretold, in attestation of its divine origin, and the founder was restored to life after being crucified by his enemies. These, with the various circumstances connected with them, constitute the historical evidence of Christianity.

2. If now we examine the book itself, its truths, its doctrines, its spirit, we find that it is exactly such in its nature and tendency as we should expect a message from Jehovah to such beings as we, would be. This is the internal evidence.

3. And if we look upon the effects which the Bible produces all around us upon the guilt and misery of society, wherever it is faithfully and properly applied, we find it efficient for the purposes for which it was sent. It comes to cure the

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Illustration.

The phosphorus.

diseases of sin-and it does cure them. It is intended to lead men to abandon vice and crime, and to bring them to God— and it does bring them by hundreds and thousands. If we make the experiment with it, we find that it succeeds in accomplishing its objects. This we may call the experimental evidence.

These three kinds of evidence are so entirely distinct in their nature, that they apply to other subjects. You have a substance which you suppose is phosphorus. For what

reason? Why, in the first place, a boy in whom you place confidence brought it to you from the chemist's, who said it was phosphorus. This is the historical evidence; it relates to the history of the article before it came into your possession. In the second place, you examine it, and it looks like phosphorus. Its color, consistence, and form all agree. This is internal evidence: it results from internal examination. In the third place, you try it. It burns with a most bright and vivid flame. This last may be called experimental evidence; and it ought to be noticed that this last is the best of the three. No matter what grounds of doubt and hesitation there may be in regard to the first and second kinds of evidence, if the article simply proves its properties on trial. If any one should say to you, "I have some reason to suspect that your messenger was not honest; he may have brought something else;" or "This does not look exactly like real phosphorus; it is too dark or too hard;" your reply would be, "Sir, there can be no possible doubt of it. Just see how it burns!"

Just so with the evidences of Christianity. It is interesting to look into the historical evidences proving that it is a revelation from Heaven, and to contemplate also the internal indications of its origin; but after all, the great evidence on which it is best for Christians, especially young Christians, to rely, for the divine authority of the Bible, is its present

Historical evidence.

The seal.

Miracles.

universal and irresistible power in changing character, and saving human souls from suffering and sin.

I. HISTORICAL EVIDENCE.

If the Creator should intend to send a communication of his will to his creatures, we might have supposed that he would, at the time of his making it, accompany the revelation with something or other which should be a proof that it really came from him. Monarchs have always had some way of authenticating their communications with their subjects, or with distant officers. This is the origin of the use of seals. The monarch at home possesses a seal of a peculiar character. When he sends any communication to a distance, he impresses this seal upon the wax connected with the parchment upon which the letter is written. This gives it authority. As no one else possesses such a seal, it is plain that no one can give the impression of it, and a seal of this kind is very difficult to be counterfeited. Various other devices have been resorted to by persons in authority to authenticate their communications.

In the same manner we must have expected that Jehovah, in sending a message to men, would have some way of convincing them that it really comes from him. There are so many bad men in the world who are willing to deceive mankind, that we could not possibly know, when a pretended revelation should come to us, whether it was really a revelation from heaven or a design of wicked men, unless God should set some marks upon it, or accompany it with some indications which bad men could not imitate.

The Christian revelation professes to have been thus authenticated by the power of working miracles and foretelling future events, possessed by those who brought the various messages which it contains. It is plain that man, without

Miracles.

Examining witnesses.

The court.

If this

divine assistance, could have had no such power. power then really accompanied those who were the instru ments of introducing the Christian religion into the world, we may safely conclude that it was given them by God, and as he would never confer such a power to sanction imposture, the message brought must be from him.

The way then to ascertain whether these miracles were actually performed, is like that of ascertaining all other matters of fact, by calling upon those who witnessed them for their testimony.

The manner in which these witnesses are to be examined, is similar to that pursued in ordinary courts of justice. It is similar, I mean, in its principles, not in its forms. I know of nothing which shows more convincingly the satisfactory nature of this evidence, than a comparison of it with that usually relied on in courts of justice. In order to exhibit the former then distinctly, I shall minutely describe the course pursued, and, to make my description more definite, I shall select a particular case.

I was once walking in the streets of a large city, in which I was a stranger, looking around for some striking exhibitions of human character or efforts, when I saw several persons, of apparently low rank in life, standing before the door of what seemed to be some public building. I thought it was probably a court-house, and that these were the men who had been called as witnesses, and that they were waiting for their turn to testify. As courts are always open to the public, I concluded to go in and hear some of the causes. walked up the steps and entered a spacious hall, and at the foot of a flight of stairs saw a little painted sign, saying that the court-room was above. I passed up and pushed open the light baize door, which admitted me to the room itself.

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At the end at which I entered there were two rows of seats, one row on each side of an aisle which led up through

The court-room.

the center. These seats seemed to be designed for spectators; for those on one side were nearly filled with women, and those on the other by men. I advanced up the aisle until I nearly reached the center of the room, and then took my seat among the spectators, where I could distinctly hear and see all that passed. Before me, at the farther end of the room, sat the judge, behind a sort of desk placed on an elevated platform, and in front of him was another desk, lower, which was occupied by the clerk, whose business it was to make a record of all the causes that were tried. There was an area in front of the judge, in which were seats for the various lawyers; and in boxes at the sides were seats for the jury, who were to hear the evidence, and decide what facts were proved. On one side of the room was a door made of iron grating, with sharp points upon the top, which led, I supposed, to an apartment where the prisoners were kept