Among the evangelical churches there is a substantial agreement
upon what they consider the fundamental truths of the gospel. These
fundamental truths, as I understand them, are:--That there is a personal
God, the creator of the material universe; that he made man of the dust,
and woman from part of the man; that the man and woman were tempted by
the devil; that they were turned out of the garden of Eden; that, about
fifteen hundred years afterward, God's patience having been exhausted by
the wickedness of mankind, He drowned His children, with the exception
of eight persons; that afterward He selected from their descendants
Abraham, and through him the Jewish people; that He gave laws to these
people, and tried to govern them in all things; that He made known His
will in many ways; that He wrought a vast number of miracles; that
He inspired men to write the Bible; that, in the fullness of time, it
having been found impossible to reform mankind, this God came upon earth
as a child born of the Virgin Mary; that He lived in Palestine; that He
preached for about three years, going from place to place, occasionally
raising the dead, curing the blind and the halt; that He was
crucified--for the crime of blasphemy, as the Jews supposed, but, that
as a matter of fact, He was offered as a sacrifice for the sins of
all who might have faith in Him; that He was raised from the dead and
ascended into heaven, where He now is, making intercession for His
followers; that He will forgive the sins of all who believe on Him,
and that those who do not believe will be consigned to the dungeons of
eternal pain. These--(it may be with the addition of the sacraments of
Baptism and the Last Supper)--constitute what is generally known as the
Christian religion.