APPLETON CHAPEL.

President Patton of Princeton University preached the sermon in Appleton Chapel last evening. His subject may be said to be the essential and unessential elements of belief in the Christian religion. He said in substance:

The question of the supernatural origin of the Christian religion is one in which we are all concerned. If it is supernatural is there anything in it which we are bound to believe? All religion is supernatural because it presupposes God and a soul and a certain relation between these two. The answer to the question as to the value of Christianity as a thing to be believed depends upon our idea of its source.

There is one encouraging thing in the controversy that is taking place over the various religions of the world, and that is that it shows that religion is worth thinking about. Though much of the philosophical discussion of this and other times goes contrary to Christianity, yet philosophy and religion have to be taken together. Evolution, whether Hegelian and Spencerian, idealistic or materialistic, must figure in Christianity. We cannot blind ourself to this.

In all criticism and investigation of the Bible the question comes down to this: Did the resurrection take place or did it not? There can be no doubt of Paul's belief in the supernatural origin of his own faith and in the resurrection.

Suppose the question is answered, that religion is admitted to be from heaven. The other question arises: What is there in it that we are bound to believe? Christianity, in that it teaches theism and morality is like every other religion in kind, though not in degree. The peculiarity of Christianity is that it offers a way of salvation. Now a man who has a feeling that there is something within him that cannot die, cannot help having at least an intellectual interest in the furture welfare of this immortal part. There is a difference between a certain doctrine as a condition of salvation and acquiescence in that doctrine. We believe what we believe. The trouble with many is that they are totally indifferent as to what they believe.

Christianity is a piece of information, such as we might obtain from a friend as to an event of yesterday; it is not induced, or deduced, or educed. As to its truth, there are three things upon which we base belief; the Bible, the Church and our reason. These are not contradictory of each other, but on the contrary supplement and aid each other.

The choir sang "Awake, Awake!" by Stainer; "The Path of the Just," by Roberts; and "Show me Thy Ways, O Lord," by Roberts.