Article February 29, 1908 Issue

The quality of faith, which, if we may take the authorized...

Ben. Haworth-Booth—London, England.

The Onlooker

The quality of faith, which, if we may take the authorized version of the New Testament as correct, held so high a place in the estimation of the Founder of Christianity, often seems in these latter days to be relegated to a very inferior position in the modern Christian's spiritual equipment. I was lately reading one of the leading reviews, wherein the subject of faith was discussed. There I read of "the blind faith of the Oriental," and "the faith which comes quite naturally to the average Oriental, a blind, unreasoning credulity;" "believing things which your common sense tells you can't be true." Now it seems to me that this phrase, "your common sense," is sometimes used to beg the question where argument is wanting and prejudice essays to wear the garb of wisdom. Are we to assume that the phrase, "your common sense," is above suspicion and superior to criticism? It was the common-sense philosopher whom Huxley described as imagining that matter could be proved to be real by stamping his foot on the ground. It is a fact that the five material senses, on which I assume that "your common sense" mainly relies for its conclusions, are untrustworthy guides to truth—blind leaders of the blind.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." It is clear, therefore, that the five material senses are not of any use in matters of faith. Again. "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." From this it is clear also that the five senses are useless to us in the understanding of Spirit. "Walk in the Spirit," says Paul: Jesus said. "The flesh profiteth nothing." We should, in short, be altogether better without the flesh, so far as concerns our understanding of God, if it were possible for us to discard our fleshly bonds. "No man hath seen God at any time" with the physical eye; and, "Canst thou by searching [in matter] find out God?" says Job.

Speaking of the Oriental, a contemporary writer says, "His mind in a word is weaker ... and far more inherently spiritual than is that of his European brother. ... Something of the same mental attitude may have prevailed in Europe in the Middle Ages, when certainly miracles gained a wide credence ... but the strength and energy of the white races have caused them to put it off, together with many other things of the child." So spirituality is regarded as a weakness; truly we hug our fleshly tatters close about us; but are we sure it is better to have put off the "things of the child" so entirely? "Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." Moreover, it is clear from numerous passages of Scripture that the kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom. "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." If, therefore, as Christians, our aim be to follow the clearly defined course laid down in the New Testament, we cannot discard the things of the Spirit in favor of the things preferred by "your common sense."

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