I Believe in Man                                                                     4/27/41

 

“...so God created man in his own image.”

 

Three years ago - Dr. William P. Merrill’s worthy series of sermons at the Ch. of the Crossroads:

 

                        Why I believe in Christ

                        Why I believe in God

                        Why I believe in the Church

                        Why I believe in the Kingdom of God

 

Dr. A. Maude Royden’s book, a dozen years ago or more,

                        “I Believe in God.”

 

Great Affirmations of faith.

 

We used to recite the great creeds of the church.  (The Apostles’ Creed in the church of my youth).

 

Then disillusionment in the years following the last great war.  Cynicism (debunking), Humanism (exaltation of man), still alive!

 

But disillusionment is a negative state.  One can not endure disillusionment and negativism forever.

 

Driven to expressions of faith.  Life is unbearable without something to which to tie one’s efforts.  Every human life has a need for a positive “I believe.”  Hence such series and Dr. Merrill’s and such a book as Miss Royden’s.  Hence the great creeds of the church and the covenant of individual churches.

 

To these great expressions I -(RWK) add this morning my positive voice of faith:

            I believe in God - I must have a purpose, an ultimate.

            I believe in Christ - He leads as no other.

            I believe in the Church - It is Christ’s.

            I believe in the Kingdom of God - It is the one vision supremely worth struggling for!

 

To add:  I believe in Man.

 

The voice of the cynic still persists, “Why have faith in that despicable creature?”  A microscopic mite in the cosmos; a semi-intelligent beast.   Look what a mess he makes of things!  See how he tortures and kills off his kind.  What does he depend on to bring contentment and happiness?  Grasping, lustful selfishness;  things and more things.  What is there about that creature to be admired?

 

But that is precisely the trouble with cynicism - it sees only a little path in the dark, like a rabbit in the night, running in the beam of an auto headlight, afraid to plunge either way, and eventually run down in the road because of his limitations.

 

Man has a brighter side which looks well under the full light of day.  He knows honor and right; he can recognize truth when he will; he is capable of inspiring faith, and being inspired.  And these things have a way of “moving mountains.”  There is a glory about man that is apparent even in his sin and shame.

 

But I believe in Man.

 

1.         First, because I believe in God.  Like most other people, I have had my seasons of searing doubt.  But for a considerable time now, I have taken God like an axiom - for granted.  Proved Him as far as I dared.

 

There is another axiom stands up under proving:  “God created man in His own image.”  There is dignity in man.  I’ve seen it, and so have you if you have looked at all.

            Sir Wilfred Grenfell - life to Labrador.

            Florence Nightingale - gave her health to “nursing”

            Dwight Rugh - War districts in China, and planning to ggo back.

            Quakers going to France and Germany under no compulsion,

                        except that of their own conscience.

 

2.         Second, I believe in man because I know of one who seemed perfect - Christ.

            a.  Possibilities! conquering of self, evil; triumph of right

            b.  Atonement!  sacrifice; bearing my burdens; even in my

                        timidity my heart leaps toward him.

            c.  He believed in people - Peter, the adulteress, Zaccheus,

                        Matthew.

 

3.         Third, men who have know God and his Christ have influenced me profoundly.

 

            a.  Marcus Chase  (Epworth League Program chair; later

                        missionary, teacher, preacher; maybe dead of TB by                              now.

 

            b. Two Mc s in college; (1) college president (2) YMCA advisor.

 

Every time men have helped me to discover unknown possibilities and capabilities for my life, my faith has increased in man.

 

This then is my testing and these are my reasons for faith in man:

                                    1.  Made in the image of God.

                                    2.  Fellow creature with Christ.

                                    3.  Inspiration of fellows.

 

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Dates and places delivered:

 

            Pilgrim Church, Honolulu, January 21, 1940

            Wisconsin Rapids, April 27, 1941