"Come now and let us _reason together_, saith the Lord."--Isaiah.
"If any man willeth to do his will, _he shall know_ of the
teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from my
self."--Jesus.
"And ye shall seek me and find me _when ye shall search for me with
all your heart_."--Jeremiah.
"Then _shall we know_ if we follow on to know the Lord."--Hosea.
This work is not written for sceptics; yet while preparing to write
for the benefit of others than sceptics, the author's heart has gone
out toward that large class of his fellow-men who are sceptical; who,
from different causes, have been led to doubt or deny the Bible's
being a revelation from God; and he has yearned to say something that
would at least arouse the attention of this class sufficiently to
cause them to give an earnest investigation, or re-investigation, to
the question. The _bare possibilities_ that there is a Hell and a
Heaven, that the soul can never cease to exist, and that Jesus is the
real Saviour, are enough to cause every doubting one to give the most
earnest consideration to any evidence bearing on these questions, and
to undertake the most careful investigation of anything that promises
to lead to certainty. It will be admitted by every honest disbeliever
that no writer has ever made it _certain_ that there is no future
existence; that there is no Heaven; that there is no Hell; that Jesus
was not the Saviour. The most that such writers have been able to
produce is doubts. If, now, there is _the possibility_ of reaching
_certainty_ on the other side, surely the reader should be willing
and anxious to undertake a calm, searching examination, or
re-examination, of the question. If there is no Heaven or Hell, no
future existence, no one will ever find it out, before or after death;
and there would be but little, if anything, gained if one could find
it out. But if there is a Heaven and a Hell, and Jesus is the Saviour,
then there is everything to be gained by finding it out and everything
to be lost by neglecting to find it out. So important are the issues
at stake that you, reader, should be willing to take years, if need
be, to make a thorough investigation of the matter; you should be
willing to read and study many books, and there are many that would
help you; but I wish to urge you to read _two books only_, before
reading this book. Surely your eternal destiny and the destinies of
those over whom you have an influence (for "none of us liveth to
himself") are enough to cause you to give earnest attention to the
reading of three small books. The bare possibility that the reading of
the three books may lead to your making sure of Heaven as your eternal
home, is enough to prompt you to read them and to read them most
carefully and prayerfully. The first is "The Wonders of Prophecy," by
John Urquhart. The second is "The Philosophy of the Plan of
Salvation," by J. B. Walker (American Edition). Having read these two
books prayerfully and carefully, then give this book a careful
reading.
But let the reader consider God's plan for investigating. It is often
said by a certain class of sceptics that the Bible is against honest
investigation, that it shuts off the use of one's reason. Let the
word of God speak for itself, "Come now and let us _reason_ together,
saith the Lord."--Is. 1:18. The trouble with many sceptics is that
they are not willing to "reason _together_," to reason to get with
God, but that they reason _against_ God and to _get away from God_.
Jesus said, "Take heed _how_ ye hear." Watch your heart's attitude
when you hear. The attitude of being against God will warp your
reasoning when you hear. God's promise is plain to the earnest, honest
seeker after God. "And ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall
search for me _with all your heart_."--Jer. 29:13. One who is
half-hearted, indifferent, prejudiced against God or against truth,
has no right to expect to find God or to find truth. But the promise
is positive that the one who seeks with all the heart shall find. Let
the reader put God to the test. How can an earnest, honest man refuse
to make an earnest, honest investigation?
It was against those who would not make such an investigation that
Jesus spoke, Matt. 12:42, "The queen of the south shall rise up in the
judgement with this generation and shall condemn it: for she came from
the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold a
greater than Solomon is here." The heathen woman who went to so much
trouble and expense, and took so much time to make a thorough, honest
investigation for the truth, will condemn those who do not make an
earnest persevering investigation; "And behold a greater than Solomon
is here," with His promise, "If any man willeth to do his will _he
shall know_."
Reader, will you carelessly refuse to take the time and to go to the
trouble and expense of getting and reading earnestly _two books_ that
_may_ lead you to the truth? Oh, reader, outstrip the heathen queen in
search of light. Give your life-time, if need be, to an earnest
investigation of this matter. Picture two men, one giving his
life-time to earnest, honest, searching for the truth concerning sin
and salvation through Christ; the other, from indifference, or pride,
or prejudice, or love of the world, or secret sin, never making an
earnest, honest investigation; the one dying and going to Heaven; the
other dying and going to Hell. Which shall it be in your case, reader?
There is absolutely no uncertainty as to the result _if only_ you will
be honest, and earnest and persevering in your search for the truth.
Listen to Jesus: John 7:17, "If any man _willeth_ to do his will, he
_shall know_ of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak
from myself." Whether you, reader, are ignorant or learned cuts
absolutely no figure in this case. Jesus throws the assurance open to
_any man_. The one condition is if he "_willeth to do his will_." No
man wills to do God's will who will not go to the extreme of earnest,
honest, prayerful investigation. If you do, then the veracity, the
very character, of Jesus is at stake. Consider, then, reader, the
awful responsibility that rests upon you, if you do not give attention
to a thorough, earnest, honest, prayerful investigation for the truth.
Another promise of equal certainty comes from the Old Testament: Hosea
6:3, "Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord." Many make
a slight search and cease. The promise is not to them, but to those
who persevere. If we use the light as we receive it, and follow it up,
_we shall know_. Again certainty is promised. Does not God, because He
is God, deserve such earnest consideration from you, reader? Have you
any right to expect anything from Him if you approach Him in a
half-hearted, indifferent way?
The following cases in point may encourage the reader: Two learned men
decided to prove that the Bible was not from God, and that Jesus
Christ was not the Saviour; but they were in earnest and they were
honest. They had vast libraries at their service. They gave months to
investigation. They were both convinced and accepted the Saviour and
wrote their books in defence of the Bible, instead of against it.
Second, one of the greatest scholars of Europe, probably the greatest,
stated in a public lecture in America, that, of the thirty leading
sceptics of the nineteenth century, men who had written brilliant
books in their young manhood against the Bible, he knew twenty-eight
in their old age, and that every one of the twenty-eight, after mature
investigation, had accepted the Lord Jesus as Saviour.
Again, in one of the prominent smaller cities of America, a club of
sceptics, leading business and professional men, had held weekly
meetings for many years. They challenged any one to meet one of their
widely known lecturers in a public debate on Christianity and
Infidelity. A preacher accepted the challenge. During the debate some
of the sceptics became Christians. The president of the debate, a
sceptic, is now an earnest follower of the Lord Jesus, having been
convinced and having accepted Him as Saviour. The debate was held
years ago. So convincing, so overwhelming, was the evidence produced
by the defender of Christianity, that the club of sceptics has never
held a meeting since the debate.
Similar facts could be produced indefinitely, but these three are
sufficient to show the most discouraged, the most hopeless sceptical
reader, that there is at least a possibility of his yet finding the
truth. Is not a bare possibility, where there are so tremendously
important eternal issues at stake, sufficient to cause him to at once
begin a thorough, prayerful, honest investigation?
A reflection before closing the Introduction: one hundred years from
now, and you, reader, will not be among the living. Where will you be?
God has given you a will and the power of choice. Will you will, will
you choose, to make an honest, persistent investigation? Tremendous
consequences turn on your decision,--your own future destiny, the
destinies of others over whom you have an influence. Do not dally with
delay. Begin now an honest, earnest, painstaking, prayerful
investigation. Get and read the two books suggested, and then finish
reading this book. If this course does not settle your difficulties,
read on, study on, pray on, and God's promise is sure, that you shall
find, that you "shall know"!
_FOR FURTHER STUDY_: A brief list is here given of books that will be
helpful to sceptical readers: "Why Is Christianity True?" by E. Y.
Mullins. (One of the most learned Presbyterian theological professors
in America, asked to give the names of six of the best books to
convince sceptics, replied, "I shall not do it; I shall give
one,--'Why Is Christianity True?' by President Mullins of the Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary; that is sufficient"); "The Fact of
Christ," by Simpson; "The Meaning and Message of the Cross," by H. C.
Mabie; "The Resurrection of Our Lord," by W. Milligan; "Many
Infallible Proofs," by A. T. Pierson; "The Cause and Cure of
Infidelity," by Nelson; "The Word and Works of God," by Bailey; "The
Character of Jesus," by Bushnell; "Hours with a Sceptic," by Faunce;
"The Miracles of Unbelief," by Ballard; "Creation," by Arnold Guyot;
"The Collapse of Evolution," by Townsend; "The Problem of the Old
Testament," by James Orr; "Did Jesus Rise?" by J. H. Brookes; "Reasons
for Faith in Christianity," by Leavitt; "The Gospel of John;" "The
Young Professor," by E. B. Hatcher; "The Resurrection of Jesus," by
James Orr.
I