diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44420-0.txt | 5512 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44420-h/44420-h.htm | 8186 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44420-h/images/coverpage.jpg | bin | 0 -> 49521 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44420-h/images/i_adpage1.jpg | bin | 0 -> 43223 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44420-h/images/i_adpage2.jpg | bin | 0 -> 39767 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44420-h/images/i_adpage3.jpg | bin | 0 -> 38072 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44420-h/images/i_adpage4.jpg | bin | 0 -> 38667 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44420-h/images/i_adpage5.jpg | bin | 0 -> 46983 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44420-h/images/i_adpage6.jpg | bin | 0 -> 41917 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44420-h/images/i_adpage7.jpg | bin | 0 -> 38438 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44420-h/images/i_adpage8.jpg | bin | 0 -> 42824 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/44420-8.txt | 5898 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/44420-8.zip | bin | 0 -> 125631 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/44420-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 514178 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/44420-h/44420-h.htm | 8600 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/44420-h/images/coverpage.jpg | bin | 0 -> 49521 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/44420-h/images/i_adpage1.jpg | bin | 0 -> 43223 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/44420-h/images/i_adpage2.jpg | bin | 0 -> 39767 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/44420-h/images/i_adpage3.jpg | bin | 0 -> 38072 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/44420-h/images/i_adpage4.jpg | bin | 0 -> 38667 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/44420-h/images/i_adpage5.jpg | bin | 0 -> 46983 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/44420-h/images/i_adpage6.jpg | bin | 0 -> 41917 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/44420-h/images/i_adpage7.jpg | bin | 0 -> 38438 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/44420-h/images/i_adpage8.jpg | bin | 0 -> 42824 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/44420.txt | 5898 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/44420.zip | bin | 0 -> 125595 bytes |
29 files changed, 34110 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/44420-0.txt b/44420-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..20ffd4c --- /dev/null +++ b/44420-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5512 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44420 *** + +Transcriber's note: + +Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). + +Text enclosed by equal signs is in bold (=bold=). + +Small capital text has been replaced with all capitals. + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: cover] + + + + + _The World's Great Sermons_ + + VOLUME V + + GUTHRIE TO MOZLEY + + THE + WORLD'S + GREAT + SERMONS + + COMPILED BY + + GRENVILLE KLEISER + + Formerly of Yale Divinity School Faculty; + Author of "How to Speak + in Public," Etc. + + With Assistance from Many of the Foremost + Living Preachers and Other Theologians + + INTRODUCTION BY + + LEWIS O. BRASTOW, D.D. + + Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology + in Yale University + + IN TEN VOLUMES + + VOLUME V--GUTHRIE TO MOZLEY + + FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY + NEW YORK and LONDON + + COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY + FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY + _Printed in the United States of America_ + + + + +CONTENTS + + +VOLUME V + + GUTHRIE (1803-1873). _Page_ + The New Heart 1 + + MAURICE (1805-1872). + The Valley of Dry Bones 23 + + MARTINEAU (1805-1900). + Parting Words 45 + + MANNING (1808-1892). + The Triumph of the Church 61 + + PARK (1808-1900). + The Prominence of the Atonement 87 + + SIMPSON (1810-1884). + The Resurrection of Our Lord 119 + + THEODORE PARKER (1810-1860). + The Transient and Permanent in + Christianity 147 + + MACLEOD (1812-1872). + The True Christian Ministry 177 + + MOZLEY (1813-1878). + The Reversal of Human Judgment 205 + + + + +GUTHRIE + +THE NEW HEART + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + +THOMAS GUTHRIE, preacher, philanthropist, and social reformer, was +born at Brechin, Forfarshire, Scotland, in 1803. He spent ten years +at the University of Edinburgh and was licensed to preach by the +Presbytery of Brechin in 1825. In 1830 he was ordained minister of +Arbirlot. After a valuable experience in evangelical preaching among +the farmers, weavers and peasants of his congregation, he became one +of the ministers of Old Greyfriars Church, Edinburgh, in 1827. Lord +Cockburn described his sermons in that city as appealing equally +"to the poor woman on the steps of the pulpit" as to the "stranger +attracted solely by his eloquence." He was a great temperance +advocate, becoming a total abstainer in 1844, and has been styled +"the apostle of the ragged school movement." Retiring from the +active work of the ministry in 1864, he still remained in public +life until he died in 1873. Through long practise, Dr. Guthrie +delivered his memorized discourses as tho they fell spontaneously +from his lips. His voice has been described as powerful and musical. +He was fond of vivid illustration, and even on his death bed, as +he lay dying in the arms of his sons, he exclaimed: "I am just as +helpless in your arms now as you once were in mine." + + + + +GUTHRIE + +1803-1873 + +THE NEW HEART + +_A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put +within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, +and I will give you an heart of flesh._--Ezekiel xxxvi., 26. + + +As in a machine where the parts all fit each other, and, bathed in +oil, move without din or discord, the most perfect harmony reigns +throughout the kingdom of grace. Jesus Christ is the "wisdom," as +well as the "power" of God; nor in this kingdom is anything found +corresponding to the anomalies and incongruities of the world lying +without. There we sometimes see a high station disgraced by a man of +low habits; while others are doomed to an inferior condition, who +would shine like gilded ornaments on the very pinnacles of society. +That beautiful congruity in Christ's kingdom is secured by those who +are the objects of saving mercy being so renewed and sanctified that +their nature is in harmony with their position, and the man within +corresponds to all without. + +Observe how this property of "new" runs through the whole economy +of grace. When mercy first rose upon this world, an attribute of +Divinity appeared which was new to the eyes of men and angels. +Again, the Savior was born of a virgin; and He who came forth from a +womb where no child had been previously conceived, was sepulchered +in a tomb where no man had been previously interred. The infant had +a new birthplace, the crucified had a new burial-place. Again, Jesus +is the mediator of a new covenant, the author of a new testament, +the founder of a new faith. Again, the redeemed receive a new name; +they sing a new song; their home is not to be in the old, but in +the new, Jerusalem, where they shall dwell on a new earth, and walk +in glory beneath a new heaven. Now it were surely strange, when +all things else are new, if they themselves were not to partake of +this general renovation. Nor strange only, for such a change is +indispensable. A new name without a new nature were an imposture. +It were not more an untruth to call a lion a lamb, or the rapacious +vulture by the name of the gentle dove, than to give the title of +sons of God to the venomous seed of the serpent. + +Then, again, unless man received a new nature, how could he sing the +new song? The raven, perched on the rock, where she whets her bloody +beak, and impatiently watches the dying struggles of some unhappy +lamb can not tune her croaking voice to the rich, mellow music of a +thrush; and, since it is out of the abundance of the heart that the +mouth speaketh, how could a sinner take up the strain and sing the +song of saints? Besides, unless a man were a new creature, he were +out of place in the new creation. In circumstances neither adapted +to his nature, nor fitted to minister to his happiness, a sinner +in heaven would find himself as much out of his element as a finny +inhabitant of the deep, or a sightless burrower in the soil, beside +an eagle, soaring in the sky, or surveying her wide domain from the +mountain crag. + +In the works of God we see nothing more beautiful than the divine +skill with which He suits His creatures to their condition. He +gives wings to birds, fins to fishes, sails to the thistle-seed, a +lamp to light the glowworm, great roots to moor the cedar, and to +the aspiring ivy her thousand hands to climb the wall. Nor is the +wisdom so conspicuous in nature, less remarkable and adorable in the +kingdom of grace. He forms a holy people for a holy heaven--fits +heaven for them, and them for heaven. And calling up His Son to +prepare the mansions for their tenants, and sending down His Spirit +to prepare the tenants for their mansions, He thus establishes a +perfect harmony between the new creature and the new creation. + +You can not have two hearts beating in the same bosom, else you +would be, not a man, but a monster. Therefore, the very first thing +to be done, in order to make things new, is just to take that which +is old out of the way. And the taking away of the old heart is, +after all, but a preparatory process. It is a means, but not the +end. For, strange as it may at first sound, he is not religious who +is without sin. A dead man is without sin; and he is sinless, who +lies buried in dreamless slumber, so long as his eyes are sealed. +Now, God requires more than a negative religion. Piety, like fire, +light, electricity, magnetism, is an active, not a passive element; +it has a positive, not merely a negative existence. For how is pure +and undefiled religion defined? "Pure religion and undefiled is to +visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction." And on whom +does Jesus pronounce His beatitude? "If ye know these things, happy +are ye if ye do them." And what is the sum of practical piety--the +most portable form in which you can put an answer to Saul's +question, "Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do?" What but this, +"Depart from evil, and do good." Therefore, while God promises to +take the stony heart out of our flesh, He promises more. In taking +away one heart, He engages to supply us with another; and to this +further change and onward stage in the process of redemption, I now +proceed to turn your attention. + +By way of general observation, I remark that our affections are +engaged in religion. An oak--not as it stands choked up in the +crowded wood, with room neither to spread nor breathe, but as it +stands in the open field, swelling out below where it anchors its +roots in the ground, and swelling out above where it stretches +its arms into the air,--presents us with the most perfect form of +firmness, self-support, stout and sturdy independence. So perfectly +formed, indeed, is the monarch of the forest to stand alone, and +fight its own battles with the elements, that the architect of +the Bell Rock lighthouse is said to have borrowed his idea of its +form from God in nature, and that, copying the work of a divine +Architect, he took the trunk of the oak as the model of a building +which was to stand the blast of the storm, and the swell of the +winter seas. + +Observe, that although the state of the natural affections does +not furnish any certain evidence of conversion, it is the glory +of piety that these are strengthened, elevated, sanctified by the +change. The lover of God will be the kindest, best, wisest lover +of his fellow-creatures. The heart that has room in it for God, +grows so large, that it finds room for all God's train, for all +that He loves, and for all that He has made; so that the Church, +with all its denominations of true Christians, the world, with all +its perishing sinners, nay, all the worlds which He has created, +find orbit-room to move, as in an expansive universe, within the +capacious enlargement of a believer's heart. For while the love of +sin acts as an astringent--contracting the dimensions of the natural +heart, shutting and shriveling it up--the love of God expands and +enlarges its capacity. Piety quickens the pulse of love, warms and +strengthens our heart, and sends forth fuller streams of natural +affection toward all that have a claim on us, just as a strong and +healthy heart sends tides of blood along the elastic arteries to +every extremity of the body. + +This new heart, however, mainly consists in a change of the +affections as they regard spiritual objects. Without again traveling +over ground which we have already surveyed, just look at the heart +and feelings of an unconverted man. His mind being carnal, is enmity +or hatred against God. This may be latent, not at first sight +apparent, nor suspected, but how soon does it appear when put to the +proof? Fairly tried, it comes out like those unseen elements which +chemical tests reveal. Let God, for instance, by His providences or +laws, thwart the wishes or cross the propensities of our unrenewed +nature--let there be a collision between His will and ours--and the +latent enmity flashes out like latent fire when the cold black flint +is struck with steel. + +In conversion God gives a new spirit. Conversion does not bestow +new faculties. It does not turn a weak man into a philosopher. +Yet, along with our affections, the temper, the will, the judgment +partake of this great and holy change. Thus, while the heart ceases +to be dead, the head, illuminated by a light within, ceases to be +dark; the understanding is enlightened; the will is renewed; and our +whole temper is sweetened and sanctified by the Spirit of God. To +consider these in their order, I remark-- + +By this change the understanding and judgment are enlightened. +Sin is the greatest folly, and the sinner the greatest fool in +the world. There is no such madness in the most fitful lunacy. +Think of a man risking eternity and his everlasting happiness on +the uncertain chance of surviving another year. Think of a man +purchasing a momentary pleasure at the cost of endless pain. Think +of a dying man living as if he were never to die. Is there a convert +to God who looks back upon his unconverted state, and does not say +with David, "Lord, I was as a beast before Thee." + +Now conversion not only restores God to the heart, but reason +also to her throne. Time and eternity are now seen in their just +proportions--in their right relative dimensions; the one in its +littleness, and the other in its greatness. When the light of heaven +rises on the soul, what grand discoveries does she make--of the +exceeding evil of sin, of the holiness of the divine law, of the +infinite purity of divine justice, of the grace and greatness of +divine love. On Sinai's summit and on Calvary's cross, what new, +sublime, affecting scenes open on her astonished eyes! She now, as +by one convulsive bound, leaps to the conclusion that salvation is +the one thing needful, and that if a man will give all he hath for +the life that now is, much more should he part with all for the life +to come. The Savior and Satan, the soul and body, holiness and sin, +have competing claims. Between these reason now holds the balance +even, and man finds, in the visit of converting grace, what the +demoniac found in Jesus' advent. The man whose dwelling was among +the tombs, whom no chains could bind, is seated at the feet of +Jesus, "clothed, and in his right mind." + +By this change the will is renewed. Bad men are worse, and good men +are better than they appear. In conversion the will is so changed +and sanctified, that altho a pious man is in some respects less, +in other respects he is more holy than the world gives him credit +for. The attainments of a believer are always beneath his aims; his +desires are nobler than his deeds; his wishes are holier than his +works. Give other men their will, full swing to their passions, and +they would be worse than they are; give that to him, and he would be +better than he is. And if you have experienced the gracious change, +it will be your daily grief that you are not what you not only know +you should be, but what you wish to be. To be complaining with +Paul, "When I would do good, evil is present with me; that which I +would I do not, and what I would not, that I do," is one of the best +evidences of a gracious, saving change. + +Children of God! let not your souls be cast down. This struggle +between the new will and the old man--painful and prolonged altho +it be--proves beyond all doubt the advent of the Holy Spirit. Until +the Savior appeared there was no sword drawn, nor blood shed in +Bethlehem, nor murderous decree issued against its innocents--they +slept safely in their mothers' bosoms, Herod enjoyed his security +and pleasure, and Rachel rose not from her grave to weep for her +children because they were not. Christ's coming rouses all the +devil in the soul. The fruits of holy peace are reaped with swords +on the fields of war; and this struggle within your breast proves +that grace, even in its infancy a cradled Savior, is engaged in +strangling the old Serpent. When the shadow of calamity falls on +many homes, and the tidings of victory come with sad news to many +a family, and the brave are lying thick in the deadly breach, men +comfort us by saying, that there are things worse than war. That is +emphatically true of this holy war. Rejoice that the peace of death +is gone. + +By conversion the temper and disposition are changed and sanctified. +Christians are occasionally to be found with a tone of mind and a +temper as little calculated to recommend their faith as to promote +their happiness. I believe that there are cases in which this is +due to a deranged condition of the nervous system, or the presence +of disease in some other vital organ. These unhappy persons are +more deserving of our pity than our censure. This is not only the +judgment of Christian charity, but of sound philosophy, and is a +conclusion to which we are conducted in studying the union between +mind and body, and the manner in which they act and re-act upon each +other. So long as grace dwells in a "vile body," which is the seat +of frequent disorder and many diseases--these infirmities of temper +admit no more, perhaps, of being entirely removed, than a defect of +speech, or any physical deformity. The good temper for which some +take credit may be the result of good health and a well-developed +frame--a physical more than a moral virtue; and an ill temper, +springing from bad health, or an imperfect organization, may be a +physical rather than a moral defect--giving its victim a claim on +our charity and forbearance. But, admitting this apology for the +unhappy tone and temper of some pious men, the true Christian will +bitterly bewail his defect, and, regretting his infirmity more than +others do a deformity, he will carefully guard and earnestly pray +against it. Considering it as a thorn in his flesh, a messenger +of Satan sent to buffet him, it will often send him to his knees +in prayer to God, that the grace which conquers nature may be made +"sufficient for him." + +I pray you to cultivate the temper that was in Jesus Christ. Is he +like a follower of the Lamb who is raging like a roaring lion? Is +he like a pardoned criminal who sits moping with a cloud upon his +brow? Is he like an heir of heaven, like a man destined to a crown, +who is vexed and fretted with some petty loss? Is he like one in +whose bosom the dove of heaven is nestling, who is full of all +manner of bile and bitterness? Oh, let the same mind be in you that +was in Jesus. A kind, catholic, gentle, loving temper is one of the +most winning features of religion; and by its silent and softening +influence you will do more real service to Christianity than by +the loudest professions, or the exhibition of a cold and skeleton +orthodoxy. Let it appear in you, that it is with the believer under +the influence of the Spirit as with fruit ripened beneath the genial +influences of heaven's dews and sunbeams. At first hard, it grows +soft; at first sour, it becomes sweet; at first green, it assumes +in time a rich and mellow color; at first adhering tenaciously to +the tree, when it becomes ripe, it is ready to drop at the slightest +touch. So with the man who is ripening for heaven. His affections +and temper grow sweet, soft, mellow, loose from earth and earthly +things. He comes away readily to the hand of death, and leaves the +world without a wrench. + +In conversion God gives a heart of flesh. "I will give you a heart +of flesh." + +Near by a stone, a mass of rock that had fallen from the overhanging +crag, which had some wild flowers growing in its fissures, and +on its top the foxglove, with its spike of beautiful but deadly +flowers, we once came upon an adder as it lay in ribbon coil, +basking on the sunny ground. At our approach the reptile stirred, +uncoiled itself, and raising its venomous head, with eyes like +burning coals, it shook its cloven tongue, and, hissing, gave +signs of battle. Attacked, it retreated; and, making for that gray +stone, wormed itself into a hole in its side. Its nest and home +were there. And in looking on that shattered rock--fallen from its +primeval elevation--with its flowery but fatal charms, the home +and nest of the adder, where nothing grew but poisoned beauty, and +nothing dwelt but a poisoned brood, it seemed to us an emblem of +that heart which the text describes as a stone, which experience +proves is a habitation of devils, and which the prophet pronounces +to be desperately wicked. I have already explained why the heart +is described as a stone. It is cold as a stone; hard as a stone; +dead and insensible as a stone. Now, as by the term "flesh" we +understand qualities the very opposite of these, I therefore remark +that-- + +In conversion a man gets a warm heart. + +Let us restrict ourselves to a single example. When faith receives +the Savior, how does the heart warm to Jesus Christ! There is music +in His name. "His name is an ointment poured forth." All the old +indifference to His cause, His people, and the interests of His +kingdom, has passed away; and now these have the warmest place in a +believer's bosom, and are the object of its strongest and tenderest +affections. The only place, alas! that religion has in the hearts +of many is a burial-place; but the believer can say with Paul, +"Christ liveth in me." Nor is his heart like the cottage of Bethany, +favored only with occasional visits. Jesus abides there in the +double character of guest and master, its most loving and best loved +inmate; and there is a difference as great between that heart as it +is, and that heart as it was, as between the warm bosom where the +Infant slept or smiled in Mary's arms and the dark, cold sepulcher +where weeping followers laid and left the Crucified. + +Is there such a heart in you? Do you appreciate Christ's matchless +excellences? Having cast away every sin to embrace him, do you set +him above your chiefest joy? Would you leave father, mother, wife, +children, to follow Him, with bleeding feet, over life's roughest +path? Rather than part with Him, would you part with a thousand +worlds? Were He now on earth, would you leave a throne to stoop +and tie His latchet? If I might so speak, would you be proud to +carry His shoes? Then, indeed, you have got the new, warm heart +of flesh. The new love of Christ, and the old love of the world, +may still meet in opposing currents; but in the war and strife of +these antagonistic principles, the celestial shall overpower the +terrestrial, as, at the river's mouth, I have seen the ocean tide, +when it came rolling in with a thousand billows at its back, fill +all the channel, carry all before its conquering swell, dam up the +fresh water of the land, and drive it back with resistless power. + +In conversion a man gets a soft heart. + +As "flesh," it is soft and sensitive. It is flesh, and can be +wounded or healed. It is flesh, and feels alike the kiss of kindness +and the rod of correction. It is flesh; and no longer a stone, +hard, obdurate, impenetrable to the genial influences of heaven. +A hard block of ice, it has yielded to the beams of the sun, and +been melted into flowing water. How are you moved now, stirred now, +quickened now, sanctified now, by truths once felt no more than +dews falling out of starry heavens, in soft silence upon rugged +rock. The heart of grace is endowed with a delicate sensibility, and +vibrates to the slightest touch of a Savior's fingers. How does the +truth of God affect it now! A stone no longer, it melts under the +heavenly fire--a stone no longer, it bends beneath the hammer of the +word; no longer like the rugged rock, on which rains and sunbeams +were wasted, it receives the impression of God's power, and retains +the footprints of His presence. Like the flowers that close their +eyes at night, but waken at the voice of morning, like the earth +that gapes in summer drought, the new heart opens to receive the +bounties of grace and the gifts of heaven. Have you experienced such +a change? In proof and evidence of its reality, is David's language +yours--"I have stretched out my hands unto thee. My soul thirsteth +after thee as a thirsty land"? + +In conversion a man gets a living heart. + +The perfection of this life is death--it is dead to be sin, but +alive to righteousness, alive to Christ, alive to everything which +touches His honor, and crown, and kingdom. With Christ living in +his heart, the believer feels that now he is not himself, not his +own; and, as another's, the grand object of his life is to live to +Christ. He reckons him an object worth living for, had he a thousand +lives to live; worth dying for, had he a thousand deaths to die. He +says with Paul, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live." +In the highest sense alive, he is dead, dead to things he was once +alive to; and he wishes that he were more dead to them, thoroughly +dead. He wishes that he could look on the seductions of the world, +and sin's voluptuous charms, with the cold, unmoved stare of death, +and that these had no more power to kindle a desire in him than in +the icy bosom of a corpse. "Understandest thou what thou readest?" + +It is a mark of grace that the believer, in his progress heavenward, +grows more and more alive to the claims of Jesus. If you "know the +love of Christ," His is the latest name you will desire to utter; +His is the latest thought you will desire to form; upon Him you will +fix your last look on earth; upon Him your first in heaven. When +memory is oblivious of all other objects--when all that attracted +the natural eye is wrapt in the mists of death, when the tongue is +cleaving to the roof of our mouth, and speech is gone, and sight is +gone, and hearing gone, and the right hand, lying powerless by our +side, has lost its cunning, Jesus! then may we remember Thee! If the +shadows of death are to be thrown in deepest darkness on the valley, +when we are passing along it to glory, may it be ours to die like +that saint, beside whose bed wife and children once stood, weeping +over the wreck of faded faculties, and a blank, departed memory. One +had asked him, "Father, do you remember me?" and received no answer; +and another, and another, but still no answer. And then, all making +way for the venerable companion of a long and loving pilgrimage--the +tender partner of many a past joy and sorrow, his wife draws near. +She bends over him, and as her tears fall thick upon his face, she +cries, "Do you not remember me?" A stare, but it is vacant. There +is no soul in that filmy eye; and the seal of death lies upon these +lips. The sun is down, and life's brief twilight is darkening fast +into a starless night. At this moment, one calm enough to remember +how the love of Christ's spouse is "strong as death," a love that +"many waters can not quench," stooped to his ear, and said, "Do +you remember Jesus Christ?" The word was no sooner uttered than it +seemed to recall the spirit, hovering for a moment, ere it took +wing to heaven. Touched as by an electric influence, the heart beat +once more to the name of Jesus; the features, fixt in death, relax; +the countenance, dark in death, flushes up like the last gleam of +day; and, with a smile in which the soul passed away to glory, he +replied, "Remember Jesus Christ! dear Jesus Christ! He is all my +salvation, and all my desire." + +By conversion man is ennobled. + +While infidelity regards man as a mere animal, to be dissolved at +death into ashes and air, and vice changes man into a brute or +devil, Mammon enslaves him. She makes him a serf, and condemns him +to be a gold-digger for life in the mines. She puts her collar +on his neck, and locks it; and bending his head to the soil, and +bathing his brow in sweat, she says, Toil, toil, toil; as if this +creature, originally made in the image of God, this dethroned and +exiled monarch, to save whom the Son of God descended from the +skies, and bled on Calvary, were a living machine, constructed of +sinew, bone, and muscle, and made for no higher end than to work to +live, and live to work. + +Contrast with these the benign aspect in which the gospel looks +on man. Religion descends from heaven to break our chains. She +alone raises me from degradation, and bids me lift my drooping +head, and look up to heaven. Yes; it is that very gospel which by +some is supposed to present such dark, degrading, gloomy views of +man and his destiny, which lifts me from the dust to set me among +princes--on a level with angels--in a sense above them. To say +nothing of the divine nobility grace imparts to a soul which is +stamped anew with the likeness and image of God, how sacred and +venerable does even this body appear in the eye of piety! No longer +a form of animated dust; no longer the subject of passions shared in +common with the brutes; no longer the drudge and slave of Mammon, +the once "vile body" rises into a temple of the Holy Ghost. Vile in +one sense it may be; yet what, although it be covered with sores? +What, although it be clothed in rags? What, although, in unseemly +decrepitude, it want its fair proportions? That poor, sickly, +shattered form is the casket of a precious jewel. This mean and +crumbling tabernacle lodges a guest nobler than palaces may boast +of; angels hover around its walls; the Spirit of God dwells within +it. What an incentive to holiness, to purity of life and conduct, +lies in the fact that the body of a saint is the temple of God, +a truer, nobler temple than that which Solomon dedicated by his +prayers, and Jesus consecrated His presence! In popish cathedrals, +where the light streamed through painted window, and the organ +pealed along lofty aisles, and candles gleamed on golden cups and +silver crosses, and incense floated in fragrant clouds, we have +seen the blinded worshiper uncover his head, drop reverently on his +knees, and raise his awestruck eye on the imposing spectacle; we +have seen him kiss the marble floor, and knew that sooner would he +be smitten dead upon that floor than be guilty of defiling it. How +does this devotee rebuke us! We wonder at his superstition; how may +he wonder at our profanity! Can we look on the lowly veneration he +expresses for an edifice which has been erected by some dead man's +genius, which holds but some image of a deified virgin, or bones of +a canonized saint, and which, proudly as it raises its cathedral +towers, time shall one day cast to the ground, and bury in the +dust; can we, I say, look on that, and, if sensible to rebuke, +not feel reproved by the spectacle? In how much more respect, in +how much holier veneration should we hold this body? The shrine +of immortality, and a temple dedicated to the Son of God, it is +consecrated by the presence of the Spirit--a living temple, over +whose porch the eye of piety reads what the finger of inspiration +has written: "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God +destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." + + + + +MAURICE + +THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + +FREDERICK DENISON MAURICE, English divine and author, was born in +1805. He was the son of a Unitarian clergyman, and after studying +in Cambridge began a literary career in London, where his friend +Coleridge and others persuaded him to take orders in the Church of +England. In 1836 he was appointed chaplain to Guy's Hospital. In +1840 he was elected professor of English literature and history +and in 1846 of divinity at King's College, London, but lost both +positions in 1853 because of his radical views. He was professor of +moral philosophy at Cambridge from 1860 until his death in 1872. + + + + +MAURICE + +1805-1872 + +THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES + +_The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit +of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was +full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about. And behold +there were very many in the open valley, and lo, they were very +dry. And he said unto me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I +answered, "O Lord God, thou knowest."_--EZEK. xxxvii., 1-3. + + +We are naturally curious to know whether two contemporary prophets +ever conversed with each other. In Micah we found such evident +indications of sympathy with the mind of Isaiah as warranted the +supposition that he was his pupil. I can not trace any signs of +a similar relation, or indeed of any personal relation, between +Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Tho they were passing through the same crisis; +tho they had both to witness the evils which were destroying their +nation; both to share its miseries; tho the false prophets were the +common enemies of both; yet their circumstances, their character, +and their work were entirely distinct, in some points even +contrasted. Their very differences, however, show us that they were +both alike prophets and priests. + +The Book of Lamentations exhibits the spirit of the individual man +Jeremiah more transparently than his longer book, which is so mixed +up with historical details, with anticipations of a ruin not yet +accomplished, with hopes, however faint and soon dispelled, of a +national repentance. Most of those whom the prophet had denounced +were banished or dead. Men could talk no more about the temple of +the Lord, could boast no more that the word of the Lord was with +them; the vessel which the potter was shaping had been broken to +pieces. The sadness of the prophet, which had been checked sometimes +by indignation, sometimes by the consciousness of a word which must +still be spoken, of a work which must be done, became complete and +absorbing. Heretofore his intense sympathy with his country might +seem to be qualified by his lively apprehension of its crimes; +now both feelings were blended into one. When he looked upon the +desolation of the city there sat upon his soul a weight of sorrow +and evil, as if he were representing his whole people, as if there +was no wrong which they had committed, no evil habits which they +had contracted, which did not cling to him, for which he was not +responsible. And this was no imaginary fictitious state of mind into +which he had worked himself. God had made him inwardly conscious of +the very corruptions which had destroyed the land. If he had made +any fight against them; if they did not actually overpower him and +enslave him, this was God's work and not his; the promise of the +covenant made with his fathers, which was as good for every one as +for himself, was fulfilled to him. And now he was realizing the full +effect of this discipline. The third chapter of the Lamentations, +beginning "I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of His +wrath," contains the climax of his experience. In the memorable +passages which follow, the history of a life is gathered up. "I +said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord; remembering +mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul +hath them still in remembrance. This I recall to mind, therefore +have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. +They are new every morning; great is thy faithlessness. The Lord is +my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord +is good unto them that wait for him. It is good that a man should +both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good +for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone and +keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him. He putteth his +mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope. He giveth his cheek to +him that smiteth him, he is filled full with reproach. The Lord will +not cast off for ever; but tho he cause grief, yet will he have +compassion according to the multitude of his mercies for he doth not +afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men." + +Anything more individual than these utterances it is impossible +to conceive; and yet it is just by these that one understands the +sacerdotal work to which Jeremiah was called. There was no longer +any temple. The priests as well as the princes had been for the most +part carried away by Nebuchadnezzar. But there was a man walking +about in the deserted city to which the twelve tribes had come +up,--in the midst of the ruins of the holy place into which the +sons of Aaron had gone with the memorial of their names on their +breastplates,--who really entered into the meaning of that function, +who really bore the iniquities of the children of Israel before the +Lord;--one to whom it was given to translate the ceremonies and +services of the divine house into life and reality. He had been +taught more perfectly, perhaps, than anyone who had served in the +temple, what was implied in its worship and sacrifices. He felt the +burden to which those sacrifices pointed, the burden of individual +and national sins. Yet, with that burden resting upon him, he could +enter into the presence of the Holy One of Israel. He was sure there +was a deliverance for his people as well as for himself; that there +could not be one for him if there was not also one for them. Thus +when part of his work was over, when he had nothing more to say in +the ears of kings or priests or people, this office,--which had been +so closely connected with his prophetical office, and which, if it +had depended upon outward conditions, must have been more entirely +at an end than that,--still remained in all its original power. And +the words of the prophet remained to explain to all generations the +spiritual character and acts of the priest. + +The office of the priest must have seemed to be more utterly extinct +for Ezekiel than even for Jeremiah. He was forcibly removed from +all the associations of the temple while it was yet standing. When +he was called to be a prophet to the captives by the river Chebar, +he might have supposed that the earlier designation which belonged +to him as one of the Levitical family, had been extinguished in +the later one. Yet we have seen how he was instructed, at the +very commencement of his work as a prophet, that the glory of +Him who filled the temple was surrounding him in Mesopotamia as +it surrounded him when he went up to present the morning or the +evening sacrifice in Jerusalem. Such a vision was given him of +that glory as he had never beheld in the holy place. He found that +the earth,--that common, profane, Babylonian earth upon which he +dwelt,--was filled with it. All the powers of nature, the forms of +animals, man as the highest of the animals, the motions and order +of the outward world and of human society, were pointing towards it. +And the central object, the highest object which he could behold, +tho there was an ineffable brightness beyond, was a Man upon a +throne, One who could command him, in whose name he was to go forth, +whose words he was to speak. + +This was no isolated revelation or dream. The very name which the +prophet thenceforth bore, the name by which he was to know himself, +depended upon it. "Son of man, stand upon thy feet and I will speak +unto thee," were the first words which he heard after he fell upon +his face. That great title is bestowed upon him through all the time +in which he was prophesying. It was in many ways more suitable to +him than to those who had gone before him. There was now no Hezekiah +or Josiah to represent the Divine king. The witnesses for the +kingdom seemed to be at an end. Nebuchadnezzar was the lord of the +earth. At such a time the natural position of the Jewish seer became +a human position. The Israelite's glory was to be a "Son of man." + +Yet he was not absolved from any of the obligations of the older +prophets; he was not to expect a more willing or attentive audience +among captives than they had found at home; briars, thorns would be +with him; he must dwell among scorpions. Lamentations and mourning +and woe filled his roll as much as that which Baruch wrote out for +Jeremiah. And he must eat this roll; it must become a part of his +very soul; its words must come forth living and burning out of +himself. + +He must understand, besides, all the fearful responsibilities of +the prophet. He was to speak whether the men about him would hear +or whether they would forbear. There were times when his tongue +would cleave to the roof of his mouth, when he should be dumb and +should not be to them a reprover. But when God opened his lips, +the blood of those to whom he was sent was upon him; it would be +required at his hands if they died in their iniquity and he had +not warned them. He must submit to do all symbolical acts, however +strange and fantastical they might seem in themselves, which might +bring the feeling of coming judgments home to a sense-bound people. +He must act a mimic siege, he must eat defiled bread; he must cut +off his hair and weigh it in balances, if so the people could be +made to understand,--in spite of their false prophets who spoke of +coming peace and enacted their signs, which of course involved no +discomfort or humiliation to themselves,--that the city would really +be destroyed and the sanctuary laid waste. He was to persuade his +brother captives that they were a remnant in which the nation still +lived, a stock out of which it should hereafter grow and flourish, +even tho they were most rebellious, dreaming of good things which +would never come, not waiting for that good which God had designed +for them. There was to be the same end in all the punishments which +were coming upon the land and in all its deliverances. God was +saying in all "I am the Lord." + +This sentence recurs again and again in the prophecies of Ezekiel. +It is the thought of his mind, the one which gives all the sublimity +and all the practical worth to his discourses,--that the knowledge +of God is the supreme good of man, and that the desolation of his +countrymen has come from their not liking to retain it. He is +transported in spirit to the temple. There the same vision of the +glory of God which he had seen by the river returns to him. The +light of it shows him, portrayed upon the wall of the temple round +about, the abominable beasts and creeping things, and the idols +of the house of Israel; what the ancients of the house of Israel +did in the dark, every one in the chambers of his imagery; how the +women were weeping for Tammuz; how the men were worshiping the sun +towards the east. Whether such abominations as these were actually +to be seen in the temple, or whether the prophet's eye opened by the +divine Spirit saw that they were possessing the hearts of those who +seemed to others, perhaps to themselves, to be worshiping the God +of their fathers, it is clear that the mind of Ezekiel was led back +to the place in which he had ministered, that he might be taught +how little the sacred building could preserve the truth which was +enshrined in it. + +What Ezekiel has seen in the temple enables him to answer the elders +of Israel when they come to consult him in his own house. Just what +was going on among those who worshiped in Jerusalem, was going on +in the hearts of those who sought his oracles. They were setting +up idols there. They wanted to know what God would do with them or +against them; they did not want to know Him. And therefore Ezekiel +announces to them a great and eternal moral law, one of the most +varied application; "God will answer you according to your idols." +The truth which is presented to you, will be colored, distorted, +inverted by the eye which receives it. The covetousness which you +are cherishing will make the best and divinest word you hear, a +minister of covetousness. Your pride and your lust will make it a +minister of lust and pride. No bolder or more awful paradox was ever +enunciated than this, nor one which the conscience of everyone will +more surely verify. And there was this special proof of courage in +making such an announcement, that it must have destroyed Ezekiel's +reputation as a prophet. The elders came in terror, feeling that +they wanted guidance and expecting some ready-made answer, such as +the regular traders in prophecy could always furnish. The truly +inspired man answers, "I can tell you nothing,--nothing at least +that will not deceive you and become a lie in your minds. For you +bring lies in your minds, and except they be extirpated, they +must convert whatever is added to them from without, to their own +quality." + +Ezekiel himself illustrates in another case this great principle. +No commandment had established itself more completely by the +experience of the people to whom it was addrest, than the second. +The idolatries of the land had accumulated with each generation. +Each had cause to complain of the last as bequeathing it a stock +of corrupt habits and traditions; the sins of the fathers had been +visited upon the children. These were facts not to be gainsaid. The +captives had leisure to reflect upon them. It might have been a most +profound and profitable reflection. + +The use they made of it was to prove they were under a necessary law +of degeneracy. How could they help themselves? The fathers had eaten +sour grapes, and their teeth were set on edge. Who dared dispute it? +There was God's own word for it. Had he not told them the plan and +method of His own government? Such language addrest to one of the +favorite preachers or prophets of the people, would have silenced +him altogether. He would have said, "It is a mystery, no doubt; we +must take the words of the commandment tho we can not understand +them. God is Sovereign; He can do what He likes. If it pleases +Him that each generation should be more corrupt than the last, we +must submit and not dispute His will." Others there would be who +would complain boldly and with good reason of a will that compelled +to evil, but yet would lazily submit to it, supposing it to be +inevitable, tho feeling the absurdity of calling it divine. Ezekiel +boldly stands forth to dispute and deny the whole principle. He does +not dispute or deny the second commandment,--that was probably the +text of his discourse. But he will not let the second commandment +or any other words in the world be pleaded against the character of +God. Righteousness and equity he maintains to be the foundations +of the divine character and of the divine acts. He will tolerate +no resolution of them into a heathenish notion of sovereignty or +self-will. "The ways of God are equal," he says, "and your ways are +unequal." The sins of the father only descend upon the son, they +are only punished in the son, when the son accepts them, entertains +them, makes them his own. At any time he may turn round and +repudiate them and cleave to the God who doth not will the death of +the sinner, but desires that he should return and live. The doctrine +of the second commandment and of the whole law, is that a man is +righteous so long as he cleaves to the righteous God who has made +a covenant with him, unrighteous when he forsakes that covenant +and acts independently. Therefore the notion of any perpetuity in +righteousness, or in evil, is equally cut off. Every man has the +capacity of righteousness, the capacity of evil. Let him be ever so +righteous, he must become evil the moment he ceases to trust in God +and begins to trust in himself. Let him be ever so evil, he must +become righteous the moment he begins to trust in God and ceases to +trust in himself. + +The enunciation of laws or principles seems more especially to +belong to Ezekiel, as the experience of personal evil and the +sympathy with national sorrow belong more to the tender and womanly +nature of Jeremiah. Nevertheless, Ezekiel was to be a priest in this +sense also, as well as in that higher sense of beholding the glory +of God and proclaiming His name. Suffering was not the destination +of one prophet; it was the badge of all the tribe. Ezekiel's life +was to be a continual parable, illustrative of the life of the +nation. A man scrupulously careful of the law, was to violate the +precepts of it respecting food, and to eat what was loathsome. A man +sensitive probably as to his reputation, and with that kind of lofty +imagination which makes attention to details and all petty acts +unspeakably painful, must submit, for the sake of his countrymen, +to such as seemed most ignominious to himself and perplexing to +them. Finally, the desire of his eyes must be taken from him with a +stroke, and he must not mourn or weep. Even at such a time he must +be a sign to the people, tho by doing so he should seem to refuse +the sympathy that he most wants, and should only lead the captives +to say, "Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us that thou +doest so?" + +Apart from these sufferings which concern him individually and +domestically, the vision of the desolation of Israel became every +day more overwhelming to him. Nor was it only the desolation of +Israel. He who was called "Son of man," was not likely to speak less +of Egypt and Tyrus and the land in which he was himself dwelling, +than those older prophets who had so many more reasons for regarding +Judea as the one garden of the Lord. The arms of Nebuchadnezzar had +been turning the earth upside down and making it waste. Everything +must have seemed to him disjointed, incoherent, withered. Could it +ever be renovated? Was it possible even for that country which God +had blest above all others and man had curst above all others, to +breathe and live again? + +This was the question which was proposed to the prophet on that day +when the hand of the Lord was upon him, and he was carried into +the valley which was full of bones. The vision, clear as it is in +itself, must not be read apart from the context of the prophecy. +You should remember where Ezekiel was dwelling; by what kind of +people he was surrounded; what was the condition of his own land; +what had come and was coming upon all lands; or you will not +understand the picture which now rose up before him. You should +think, too, of the man himself, of the heat of his spirit, of the +words which he had uttered in vain, of the acts which had only +made the captives stare vacantly, of the desolation of his house +and his heart. You should think of those other visions he had of +the ascending scale of creatures, of the mysterious order of the +universe, of the glory of God, before you place yourself beside +him in the valley, and walk with him round about it, and look at +the different bones, and see how each separately how altogether, +they expound to him the condition of the house of Israel. It was +dead,--that body from which he had believed that life was to go +forth to quicken the universe. It had none of the beauty of a corpse +in which there is still form, on which the spirit has left its +impression. There had been a time of gradual decay, a time when the +pulses of the nation beat feebly and faintly, but when they might +still be felt; a time after that when you knew it had ceased to +breathe, but when you could still speak of it as entire. But another +stage had come, the stage of utter dissolution, when each limb +looked as if it had nothing to do with any other, when you could +scarcely force yourself to believe that they had ever been joined +together. Can these bones live? what a thought to come into the +mind of any man gazing on such a scene! It could not have come from +himself, certainly, nor from any of these relics. God must have sent +it to him; He must have led him to dream that such a resurrection +was possible. And now the process of it is also revealed to him. The +prophet is commanded to speak. His speech seems a mere sound in the +air. But there is a noise and a shaking; then a frightful movement +of the bones towards each other, each claiming its fellow to which +it had once belonged. This strange effort at a union of dead things +betokens a power that has not yet declared itself. And soon the +sinews and the flesh come up upon them. They have acquired a form, +tho they have no life. "Then said he unto me, 'Prophesy unto the +wind; Thus saith the Lord God: come from the four winds, O breath, +and breathe upon these slain that they may live.' So I prophesied +as he commanded. And the breath came unto them, and they lived, and +stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army." + +"Doth he not speak parables?" was the phrase by which the Jews +of the captivity exprest their dislike and contempt for the +troublesome and mystical prophet who was among them. "Doth he not +speak parables?" is a question which men, looking round with weary +hearts upon the condition of Christ's Church in various periods +of its existence, have asked themselves, with a very different +intention and spirit, when they have read this vision of the valley +of dry bones. "Is not this written," they have said, "for the ages +to come? Is not this one of parables concerning the kingdom of +God?" Yes, brethren, if we will first read it fairly and honestly, +as describing what Ezekiel says it described to him,--if we will +not search for a distant application till we have acknowledged the +immediate one,--we shall find that here, as everywhere, Ezekiel is +exhibiting facts which belong to other times as well as his own, and +laws and methods of a divine government which belong to all times as +well as his own. + +And that I may not waste your time in enumerating different crises +of history in which the facts may be discerned, and by which the +law and the method may be tested, I say at once, they are all for +us; the vision and the interpretation are of this day. Do you not +hear men on all sides of you crying, "The Church which we read of +in books exists only in them. Christendom consists of Romanists, +Greeks, Protestants, divided from each other, disputing about +questions to which nineteen-twentieths of those who belong to their +communions are indifferent. And meantime what is becoming of the +countries in which these different confessions are established? +What populations are growing up in them? Does the present generation +believe that which its fathers believed? Will the next generation +believe anything?" Brethren, you hear such words as these spoken. I +do not mean to inquire how much there is of truth in them, how much +of exaggeration, what evidences there are on the other side which +have been overlooked; what signs of life there are anywhere in the +midst of apparent death. But this I must say; Christians in general +are far too eager to urge special exceptions when they hear these +charges preferred; far too ready to make out a case for themselves +while they admit their application to others; far too ready to think +that the cause of God is interested in this suppression of facts. +The prophets should have taught us a different lesson. They should +have led us to feel that it was a solemn duty, not to conceal, +but to bring forward all the evidence which proves, not that one +country is better than another, or one portion of the Church better +than another, but that there is a principle of decay, a tendency +to apostasy in all, and that no comfort can come from merely +balancing symptoms of good here against symptoms of evil there, no +comfort from considering whether we are a little less contentious, +a little less idolatrous than our neighbors. Alas, for this Church, +or for any church, if its existence now, if its prospects for the +future, are to be determined by such calculations as these! No, +brethren, our hope has a deeper foundation. It is this; that when +the bones have become most dry, when they are lying most scattered +and separate from each other, there is still a word going forth, if +not through the lips of any prophet on this earth, then through the +lips of those who have left it,--yet not proceeding from them, but +from Him who liveth for ever and ever, the voice which says, "These +bones shall rise." It is this; that every shaking among the bones, +everything which seems at first a sign of terror,--men leaving the +churches in which they have been born, forsaking all the affections +and sympathies and traditions of their childhood,--infidel +questionings, doubts whether the world is left to itself or whether +it is governed by an evil spirit,--are themselves not indeed signs +of life, but at least movements in the midst of death which are +better than the silence of the charnel-house, which foretell the +approach of that which they can not produce. It is this; that all +struggles after union, tho they may be of the most abortive kind, +tho they may produce fresh sects and fresh divisions, tho they must +do so as long as they rest on the notion that unity is something +visible and material, yet indicate a deep and divine necessity +which men could not be conscious of in their dreams if they were +not beginning to awake. It is this; that there are other visions +true for us, as they were for Ezekiel, besides the vision of dry +bones. The name of a Father has not ceased to be a true name because +baptized men do not own themselves as His children. The name of the +Son has not ceased to be a true name, because men are setting up +some earthly ruler in place of Him, or are thinking that they can +realize a human fellowship without confessing a Man on the throne +above the firmament. The name of the Spirit has not ceased to be +a true name because we are thinking that we can form combinations +and sects and churches without His quickening presence, because we +deny that He is really in the midst of us. It is this; that when +all earthly priests have been banished or have lost their faith, +tho there should be none to mourn over the ruins of Jerusalem, or +to feel its sin as his own, yet there is a High Priest, the great +Sin-Bearer, ever presenting His perfect and accepted sacrifice +within the veil, a High Priest not of a nation, but of humanity. It +is this; that tho all earthly temples, in which God has been pleased +to dwell, should become desecrated and abominable, tho all foul +worship should go on in the midst of them, and tho what is portrayed +on their walls should too faithfully represent what is passing in +the more secret chambers of imagery, tho at last the shrines that +have been supposed to contain the mystery which they set forth +should be utterly destroyed, and a voice should be heard out of the +midst of them, saying, "Let us depart,"--yet that this will not be +the sign that the Church of God has perished, only the sign that the +temple of God has been opened in Heaven, and that from thence must +come forth the glory that is to fill the whole earth. + + + + +MARTINEAU + +PARTING WORDS + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +JAMES MARTINEAU, an English Unitarian divine, was born at Norwich +in 1805. He was educated for the Unitarian ministry at Manchester +College, and in 1828 ordained to the Presbyterian ministry in +Dublin. Resigning his pastorate in Ireland, he took charge of the +Paradise Street Chapel in Liverpool, but on being elected to the +chair of mental and moral philosophy in Manchester New College +followed it to London 1853, succeeding J. J. Taylor as principal of +the institution in 1868. + +His sermons, delivered in the course of four years in the chapel +of Manchester New College are specimens of combined eloquence and +philosophical profundity, yet are, perhaps, most valuable for their +ethical quality. He preached in Dublin, Liverpool, and London. +He was a lofty and earnest soul, given to mysticism, a master of +English style, and has been widely read. He died in 1900. + + + + +MARTINEAU + +1805-1900 + +PARTING WORDS + +_Peace I leave with you: My peace I give unto you: not as the world +giveth, give I unto you._--John xiv., 27. + + +This is a strange benediction to proceed from the Man of Sorrows, +at the dreariest moment of His life; strange at least to those who +look only to His outward career, His incessant contact with misery +and sin, His absolute solitude of purpose, His lot stricken with +sadness ever new from temptation to the cross; but not strange +perhaps to those who heard the deep and quiet tones in which this +oracle of promise went forth--the divinest music from the center +of the darkest fate. He was on the bosom of the beloved disciple +and in the midst of those who should have cheered Him in that hour +with such comfort as fidelity can always offer; but who, failing in +their duty to His griefs, found the sadness creep upon themselves; +while He, seeking to give peace to them, found it Himself profusely +in the gift. It was not till He had finished this interview and +effort of affection, and from the warmth of that evening meal and +the flush of its deep converse they had issued into the chill and +silent midnight air, nor till the sanctity of moonlight (never to be +seen by Him again) had invested Him, and coarse fatigue had sunk His +disciples into sleep upon the grass, that having none to comfort, He +found anguish fall upon Himself. Deprived of the embrace of John, +He flew to the bosom of the Father; and after a momentary strife, +recovered in trust the serenity He had found in toil; and while His +followers lie stretched in earthly slumber, He reaches a divine +repose; while they, yielding to nature, gain neither strength nor +courage for the morrow, He, through the vigils of agony, rises to +that godlike power, on which mockery and insult beat in vain, and +which has made the cross, then the emblem of abjectness and guilt, +the everlasting symbol of whatever is holy and sublime. + +The peace of Christ, then, was the fruit of combined toil and trust; +in the one case diffusing itself from the center of His active life, +in the other from that of His passive emotions; enabling Him in +the one case to do things tranquilly; in the other, to see things +tranquilly. Two things only can make life go wrong and painfully +with us; when we suffer or suspect misdirection and feebleness in +the energies of love and duty within us, or in the providence of +the world without us: bringing, in the one case, the lassitude of +an unsatisfied and discordant nature; in the other, the melancholy +of hopeless views. From these Christ delivers us by a summons to +mingled toil and trust. And herein does His peace differ from that +which "the world giveth"--that its prime essential is not ease, but +strife; not self-indulgence, but self-sacrifice; not acquiescence +in evil for the sake of quiet, but conflict with it for the sake +of God; not, in short, a prudent accommodation of the mind to +the world, but a resolute subjugation of the world to the best +conceptions of the mind. Amply has the promise to leave behind Him +such a peace been since fulfilled. It was fulfilled to the apostles +who first received it; and has been realized again by a succession +of faithful men to whom they have delivered it. + +The word "peace" denotes the absence of jar and conflict; a +condition free from the restlessness of fruitless desire, the +forebodings of anxiety, the stings of enmity. It may be destroyed +by discordance between the lot without and the mind within, where +the human being is in an obviously false position--an evil rare and +usually self-curative; or by a discordance wholly internal, among +the desires and affections themselves. The first impulse of "the +natural man" is to seek peace by mending his external condition; +to quiet desire by increase of ease; to banish anxiety by increase +of wealth; to guard against hostility by making himself too strong +for it; to build up his life into a fortress of security and a +palace of comfort, where he may softly lie, tho tempests beat and +rain descends. The spirit of Christianity casts away at once this +whole theory of peace; declares it the most chimerical of dreams; +and proclaims it impossible even to make this kind of reconciliation +between the soul and the life wherein it acts. As well might the +athlete demand a victory without a foe. To the noblest faculties of +soul rest is disease and torture. The understanding is commissioned +to grapple with ignorance, the conscience to confront the powers of +moral evil, the affections to labor for the wretched and opprest; +nor shall any peace be found, till these, which reproach and fret us +in our most elaborate ease, put forth an incessant and satisfying +energy; till, instead of conciliating the world, we vanquish it; and +rather than sit still, in the sickness of luxury, for it to amuse +our perceptions, we precipitate ourselves upon it to mold it into a +new creation. Attempt to make all smooth and pleasant without, and +you thereby create the most corroding of anxieties, and stimulate +the most insatiable of appetites within. But let there be harmony +within, let no clamors of self drown the voice which is entitled +to authority there; let us set forth on the mission of duty, +resolved to live for it alone, to close with every resistance that +obstructs it, and march through every peril that awaits it; and in +the consciousness of immortal power, the sense of mortal ill will +vanish; and the peace of God well nigh extinguish the sufferings of +the man. "In the world we may have tribulation; in Christ we shall +have peace." + +This peace, so remote from torpor, arising, indeed, from the intense +action of the greatest of all ideas, those of duty, of immortality, +of God, fell, according to the promise, on the first disciples. Not +in vain did Jesus tell them in their sorrows that the Comforter +would come; nor falsely did He define the blessed visitant, as +"the spirit of truth"--the soul reverentially faithful to its +convictions, and expressing clearly in action its highest aspirings. +Such peace had Stephen, when before the Sanhedrim that was striving +to hush up the recent story of the cross, he proclaimed aloud the +sequel of the ascension; and priests and elders arose and stopped +their ears, and thrust him out to death; he had his peace; else how, +if heaven of divinest tranquility had not opened to him and revealed +to him the proximity of Christ to God, how as the stone struck his +uncovered and uplifted head, could he have so calmly said, "Lord, +lay not this sin to their charge"? Such peace had Paul--at least +when he ceased to rebel against his noble nature, and became, +instead of the emissary of persecution, the ambassador of God. Was +there ever a life of less ease and security, yet of more buoyant +and rejoicing spirit than his? What weight did he not cast aside, +to run the race that was set before him? What tie of home or nation +did he not break, that he might join in one of the whole family of +God? For forty years the scoff of synagogues and the outcast of his +people, he forgot the privations of the exile in the labors of the +missionary; flying from charges of sedition he disseminated the +principles of peace; persecuted from city to city, yet he created +in each a center of pure worship and Christian civilization, and +along the coasts of Asia, and colonies of Macedonia, and citadels +of Greece, dropped link after link of the great chain of truth that +shall yet embrace the world. Amid the joy of making converts, he had +also the affliction of making martyrs; to witness the sufferings, +perhaps to bear the reproaches, of survivors; with weeping heart to +rebuke the fears, and sustain the faith of many a doubter; and in +solitude and bonds to send forth the effusions of his earnest spirit +to quicken the life, and renovate the gladness, of the confederate +churches. Yet when did speculation at its ease ever speak with +vigor so noble and cheerfulness so fresh as his glorious letters; +which recount his perils by land and sea, his sorrows with friend +and foe, and declare that "none of these things move" him; which +show him projecting incessant work, yet ready for instant rest; +conscious that already he has fought the good fight, and willing +to finish his course and resign the field; but prepared, if needs +be, to grasp again the sword of the Spirit, and go forth in quest +of wider victories. Does any one suppose that it would have been +more peaceful to look back on a life less exposed and adventurous, +on a lot sheltered and secure, on soft-bedded comfort, and unbroken +plenty, and conventional compliance? No! it is only beforehand that +we mistake these things for peace; in the retrospect we know them +better, and would exchange them all for one vanquished temptation +in the desert, for one patient bearing of the cross! What--when all +is over, and we lie upon the last bed--what is the worth to us of +all our guilty compromises, of all the moments stolen from duty to +be given to ease? If Paul had cowered before the tribunal of Nero, +and trembled at his comrade's blood, and, instead of baring his neck +to the imperial sword, had purchased by poor evasions another year +of life--where would that year have been now--a lost drop in the +deep waters of time--yet not lost, but rather mingled as a poison +in the refreshing stream of good men's goodness by which Providence +fertilizes the ages. + +The peace of Christ, thus inherited by His disciples, and growing +out a living spirit of duty and of love, contrasts not merely with +guilty ease, but with that mere mechanical facility in blameless +action which habit gives. There is something faithless and ignoble +in the very reasonings sometimes employed to recommend virtuous +habits. They are urged upon us, because they smooth the way of +right; we are invited to them for the sake of ease. Adopted in such +a temper, duty after all makes its bargain with indulgence, and is +not yet pursued for its own sake and with the allegiance of a loving +heart. Moreover, whoever has true conscience sees that there is a +fallacy in this persuasion; for whenever habits become mechanical, +they cease to satisfy the requirements of duty; the obligations of +which enlarge definitely with our powers, demanding an undiminished +tension of the will, and an ever-constant life of the affections. +It can never be, that a soul which has a heaven open to its view, +which is stationed here, not simply to accommodate itself to the +arrangement of this world, but also to school itself for the spirit +of another, is intended to rest in mere automatic regularities. +When the mind is thrown into other scenes, and finds itself in the +society of the world invisible, suddenly introduced to the heavenly +wise and the sainted good--what peace can it expect from mere dry +tendencies to acts no longer practicable and blameless things now +left behind? No; it must have that pure love which is nowhere a +stranger, in earth or heaven; that vital goodness of the affections, +that adjusts itself at once to every scene where there is truth and +holiness to venerate; that conscience, wakeful and devout, which +enters with instant joy on any career of duty and progress opened +to its aspirations. And even in "the life that now is," the mere +mechanist of virtue, who copies precepts with mimetic accuracy, +is too frequently at fault, to have even the poor peace which +custom promises. He is at home only on his own beat. An emergency +perplexes him, and too often tempts him disgracefully to fly. He +wants the inventiveness by which a living heart of duty seizes the +resources of good, and uses them to the last; and the courage by +which love, like honor, starts to the post of noble danger, and +maintains it till, by such fidelity, it becomes a place of danger +no more. It is a vain attempt to comprize in rules and aphorisms +all the various moral exigencies of life. Hardly does such legality +suffice to define the small portion of right and wrong contemplated +in human jurisprudence. But the true instincts of a pure mind, like +the creative genius of art, frames rules most perfect in the act +of obeying them, and throws the materials of life into the fairest +attitudes and the justest proportions. He whose allegiance is paid +to the mere perceptive system, shapes and carves his duty into the +homeliest of wooden idols; he who has the spirit of Christ turns it +into an image breathing and divine. Children of God in the noblest +sense, we are not without something of His creative spirit in our +hearts. The power is there to separate the light from the darkness +within us, and set in the firmament of the soul luminaries to guide +and gladden us, for seasons and for years; power to make the herbage +green beneath our feet, and beckon happy creatures into existence +around our path; power to mold the clay of our earthly nature into +the likeness of God most high; and thus only have we power to look +back in peace upon our work, and find a Sabbath rest upon the +thought that, morning and evening, all is good. + +But the peace which Christ left and bequeathed was the result of +trust, no less than toil. However immersed in action, and engaged +in enterprises of conscience, every life has its passive moments, +when the operation is reversed, and power, instead of going from us, +returns upon us; and the scenes of our existence present themselves +to us as objects of speculation and emotion. Sometimes we are forced +into quietude in pauses of exhaustion or of grief; stretched upon +the bed of pain, to hear the great world murmuring and rolling by; +or lifted into the watch-tower of solitude, to look over the vast +plain of humanity, and from a height that covers it with silence +observe its groups shifting and traversing like spirits in a city +of the dead. At such times our peace must depend on the view under +which our faith or our fears may exhibit this mighty "field of +the world"; on the forces of evil, of fortuity, or of God, which +we suppose to be secretly directing the changes on the scene, and +calling up the brief apparition of generation after generation. And +so great and terrible is the amount of evil, physical and moral, in +the great community of men; so vast the numbers sunk in barbarism, +compared with the few who more nobly represent our nature; so +many and piercing (could we but hear them) the cries of unpitied +wretchedness, that with every beat of the pendulum wander unnoticed +into the air; so dense the crowds that are thrust together in the +deepest recesses of want, and that crawl through the loathsome hives +of sin; that only two men can look through the world without dismay; +he, on the one hand, who suffering himself to be bewildered with +momentary horror, and in the confusion of his emotions, to mistake +what he sees for the moral chaos, turns his back in the despair of +fatalism, crying, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die"; and +he, on the other, who, with the discernment of a deeper wisdom, +penetrates through the shell of evil to the kernel and the seed +of good; who perceives in suffering and temptation the resistance +which alone can render virtue manifest, and conscience great, and +existence venerable; who recognizes, even in the gigantic growth +of guilt, the grasp of infinite desires, and the perseverance of +godlike capacities; who sees how soon, were God to take up His +omnipotence, and snatch from His creature "man" the care of the +world and the work of self-perfection, all that deforms might +be swept away, and the meanest lifted through the interval that +separates them from the noblest; and who therefore holds fast to the +theory of hope and the kindred duty of effort; takes shelter beneath +the universal Providence of God; and seeing time enough in His vast +cycles for the growth and consummation of every blessing can be +patient as well as trust; can resign the selfish vanity of doing all +things himself, and making a finish before he dies; and cheerfully +give up his life to build up the mighty temple of human improvement, +tho no inscription mark it for glory, and it be as one of the hidden +stones of the sanctuary, visible only to the eye of God. Such was +the spirit and the faith which Jesus left, and in which His first +disciples found their rest. Within the infinitude of the divine +mercy trouble did but fold them closer; the perversity of man did +but provide them to put forth a more conquering love; and tho none +were ever more the sport of the selfish interests and prejudices of +mankind, or came into contact with a more desolate portion of the +great wastes of humanity, they constructed no melancholy theories; +but having planted many a rose of Sharon, and made their little +portion of the desert smile, departed in the faith that the green +margin would spread as the seasons of God came round, till the +mantle of heaven covered the earth, and it ended with Eden as it had +begun. + +Between these two sources of Christian peace, virtuous toil, and +holy trust, there is an intimate connection. The desponding are +generally the indolent and useless; not the tried and struggling, +but speculators at a distance from the scene of things, and far from +destitute of comforts themselves. Barren of the most blest of human +sympathies, strangers to the light that best gladdens the heart of +man, they are without the materials of a bright and hopeful faith. +But he who consecrates himself sees at once how God may sanctify +the world; he whose mind is rich in the memory of moral victories +will not easily believe the world a scene of moral defeats; nor was +it ever known that one who, like Paul, labored for the good of man, +despaired of the benevolence of God. + +Whoever then would have the peace of Christ, let him seek first the +spirit of Christ. Let him not fret against the conditions which God +assigns to his being, but reverently conform himself to them, and do +and enjoy the good which they allow. Let him cast himself freely on +the career to which the secret persuasion of duty points, without +reservation of happiness or self; and in the exercise which its +difficulties give to his understanding, its conflicts to his will, +its humanities to his affections, he shall find that united action +of his whole and best nature, that inward harmony, that moral order, +which emancipates from the anxieties of self, and unconsciously +yields the divinest repose. The shadows of darkest affliction +cannot blot out the inner radiance of such a mind; the most tedious +years move lightly and with briefest step across its history; for +it is conscious of its immortality, and hastening to its heavens. +And there shall its peace be consummated at length; its griefs +transmuted into delicious retrospects; its affections fresh and +ready for a new and nobler career; and its praise confessing that +this final "peace of God" doth indeed surpass its understanding. + + + + +MANNING + +THE TRIUMPH OF THE CHURCH + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +HENRY EDWARD MANNING, Roman Catholic prelate, was born 1808 at +Totteridge in Hertfordshire and educated at Harrow and Oxford. +After graduation in 1830, he studied for holy orders in the Church +of England and was ordained in 1833. The Tractarian Movement +was then at its height and Manning took a leading part in it. +Appointed Archdeacon of Chichester in 1840 he took a commanding +place as a preacher and leader. Newman's recession did not shake +his allegiance, but the decision in the Gorham case, which gave the +Crown the power of deciding doctrinal questions, drove him to seek +refuge in the Roman Catholic fold in 1851. + +He was ordained priest by Cardinal Wiseman and to the end of his +life devoted himself to religious and philanthropic work in London. +He was appointed to succeed Wiseman as Archbishop of Westminster in +1865. He was made cardinal in 1875. As a preacher he was logical and +dogmatic, but his style is imaginative and his flights of eloquence +tinged with poetic coloring and passion. He died in 1892. + + + + +MANNING + +1808-1892 + +THE TRIUMPH OF THE CHURCH + +_We give thanks unto God, who maketh us always to triumph in Christ +Jesus, and manifesteth the odor of the knowledge of Him by us in +every place. For we are a good odor of Christ unto God, both in them +that are saved and in them that perish; in the one indeed an odor of +life, in the other an odor of death unto death._--2 Cor. ii., 14-16. +(Douay Version.) + + +Such was the confidence of the Apostle in the face of all that was +most hostile, mighty, and triumphant in the judgment of this world. +He was confident that through God his mission in the world was being +accomplished, that the Word of God was triumphing over all the +power of man. They may well have said to him, "What is this triumph +you speak of? If this be triumph, what is defeat? You were stoned +the other day in Lystra; you were imprisoned at Philippi; you were +scourged at Jerusalem; you were saved out of the hands of the people +only by Roman soldiers; you were confounded by the philosophers +at Athens; and you were refuted out of the holy Scriptures by the +Jews of Berea. If this is triumph, you are welcome to it." Such, +no doubt, was the lordly and confident language of men in the face +of the apostles of Jesus Christ then, and such is the language of +confidence with which the world looks on the Catholic Church at +this hour. It counts it to be a comedy played out, a stale medieval +superstition, and a name that is trampled in the earth. In every age +the Church has been militant and in warfare. It is under the same +law of suffering which crucified its divine Head. His throne was +a cross, and His crown was of thorns. Nevertheless He triumphed, +and He triumphs still, and shall triumph to the end. And so at +this moment, in this nineteenth century, in the century of modern +civilization, of light, of progress, of scientific affectation, +the Catholic Church is derided. They say to us, "Look at the +Catholic Church in Germany; look at it in Italy; the head of the +Church dethroned; and not a spot on earth for the incarnation to +set its foot upon. If this be triumph you are welcome to it." Our +answer is: "Yes, even now we triumph always and in every place. +The Catholic Church is triumphing now in America, and in Ireland, +and in the colonies of the British empire; aye, and in the midst +of the confusions in Spain, and in France through revolution after +revolution, and in the furnace of infidelity; aye, and in Germany, +in the midst of all that the might of man can do against it; and in +Italy too, where the head of the Church is morally a prisoner, it +is triumphing even now." + +But how can I verify this assertion? It would be enough indeed to +quote the words of the apostle, but I hope to do more. The world +esteems the triumph of the Church to be in wealth, power, glory, +honor, public sway over empires and nations. There was a time indeed +when the world laid these things at the feet of the apostles of +Jesus Christ. There was a time when the Catholic Church and the +Christian world knew how to sanctify the society of men; but there +is this difference--the world then believed, and the world now is +apostate. Nevertheless, there is a triumph in the Christian world +and there is a triumph in the anti-Christian world; and what is it? +It is that the Church in every age and in every condition, and in +the midst of all antagonists, fulfils its mission and accomplishes +its work, and no power of man can hinder it. Men may, as we shall +see hereafter, to their own destruction, resist the mission of +the Church, but its work will be accomplished nevertheless, and +accomplished even in them; and its work will be a good odor of +Christ unto God both in those that are saved and in those that +perish. The world has neither tests nor measures by which to +understand what the mission and the work of the Church are; but they +who see by the light of faith have both. Let us examine, then, what +is its mission, what is its work, and how it is fulfilled. + +First of all, the mission of the Church among men is this--to be +a witness for God, and for the incarnation of God in the face of +the world. Our Divine Lord said of Himself: "For this was I born, +and for this came I into the world, that I should give testimony +unto the truth." As it was with Him, so it is with His Church; and +therefore He said to His apostles: "You shall be witnesses unto +me," and St. John said: "That which was from the beginning, which +we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have +looked upon, and our hands handled, of the word of life; for the +life was manifested, and we have seen it, and do bear witness, and +declare unto you, the life eternal which was with the Father, and +hath appeared unto us; that is to say, the manifestation of God in +the flesh, the incarnation of the Son of God." The Church was the +witness of this divine fact to the world, and it is witness to this +hour. I may say it is an eye-witness. It was eye-witness of what it +declares. It was an ear-witness of what it affirms. I may say in +truth that the Church of God, which testifies at this hour, saw the +Son of God, and heard His words, and was witness of His miracles. +So St. Peter expressly declares, speaking of His transfiguration: +"We have not, by artificial fables, made known to you the power and +presence of our Lord Jesus Christ; but we were eye-witnesses of his +greatness. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, +this voice coming down to him from the excellent glory: This is my +beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And his voice +we heard brought from heaven, when we were with him in the holy +mount." More than this: it was a witness of the day of Pentecost, +and upon it the Holy Ghost descended. It heard the sound of the +mighty wind and it saw the tongues of fire. The Church therefore +testifies at this day as an ear-witness and an eye-witness of the +divine facts which it declares. And how can this be said? Because +that which the apostles saw and heard they delivered to others who +believed in them upon a full test and knowledge of their truth, and +those who received their testimony held it as a sacred trust and +declared it to those who came after. From age to age the testimony +of the apostles has descended unbroken. The intrinsic certainty of +their witness, resting on their own eye-witness and ear-witness of +the facts, has not diminished by a shade, jot, or tittle in the +lapse of time, and the external evidence of that fact has multiplied +and extended throughout all time and throughout the world. Therefore +the testimony of the apostles to these divine realities and truths +is as living and fresh at this day as it was in the beginning. +Then twelve men testified; now the nations of the world, united +in one body by faith and by baptism, take up and perpetuate that +testimony. And part of that testimony is this--that when the Son of +God ascended into heaven, as they saw Him ascend, He fulfilled His +promise that He would send the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Ghost, to +abide with them forever; that when one divine Teacher had gone up +to His Father's throne, another should come in His stead; that the +world should never be without a divine Person and a divine Teacher +in the midst of it; and that the Spirit of Truth by which they +were united to their divine Head in heaven should unite them also +to each other as His members in one mystical body, and should form +to Himself a dwelling-place in which to abide forever. As the soul +abides in the body of the man, so the Holy Ghost abides in the body +of the Church. It is the sanctuary in which He dwells; the organ by +which He speaks, so that the words of our Divine Lord are fulfilled +to the very letter--"He that heareth you heareth me;" for the voice +of the head and that of the body, as St. Augustine says, are one and +the same voice. As they make one moral person, so their voice is +identical, and the assistance of the Holy Spirit keeps the voice of +the Church always in perfect harmony with the voice of its divine +Head, fulfilling the promise of the Lord by His prophet: "My spirit +which is upon thee and my word which I put in thy mouth, shall never +depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor +out of the mouth of thy seed's seed from this time and forever." +Thus, then, the mission of the Church is fulfilled always; whether +the world believe or disbelieve, whether it gainsay or assent, it +matters not; the testimony of the Church forever triumphs in every +place. + +Another part of the mission of the Church is this--to teach the +doctrines of Jesus Christ in the midst of all the controversies and +contradictions of men. In the face of all the errors and heresies +of men there is one divine Teacher perpetually declaring the same +immutable truth. In the clamor and confusion of the human voices +of philosophers and human guides, of the scribes and Pharisees of +the new laws, there is one divine voice--articulate, clear, and +piercing--which cleaves through all the confusion, and is to be +heard above the clamor of men and of nations--the voice of that +one holy, Catholic, and Roman Church, spreading from the sunrise +to the sunset, immutable in its doctrine, teaching the same truths +identically in every place, and abiding always the same unchanging +teacher in every age. This is a fact legible in human history. I +need not offer proof of it from histories written by ourselves; it +is proved by histories and controversies of those who are most +opposed to us. There is an accusation which is repeated from age +to age against the Catholic and Roman Church; and what is it? That +it always persists in its old errors. I accept the accusation. Its +persistence proves its immutability, and that which they account +error we know to be the doctrine of Jesus Christ; because, as I have +already shown from the Word of God, neither can the Catholic Church +ever err in believing, nor can the Catholic Church err in teaching. +These are two impossibilities, and they descend from one and the +same divine truth. God, the Holy Ghost, abiding forever in the +mystical body of Christ, illuminates the whole body of the faithful +from the time of their baptism. From the time that the graces of +faith, hope, and charity are infused into their souls, they are +illuminated with the light of faith as the world is illuminated by +the splendor of the sun at noonday; and the faithful throughout +the world continue passively in their persistence in that one +baptismal faith wherewith they were enlightened from their earliest +consciousness. And further, they can never err in believing, +because the Church which teaches them can never err in teaching. +The episcopate throughout the world, which is the college of the +apostles multiplied and expanded among all nations, has always the +assistance of the Spirit of Truth to guide and preserve it, so that +the errors of men and infirmities of our intellect never prevail +over the light of faith by which the whole Episcopate and the Church +is sustained in the revelation of the day of Pentecost. And more +than this: nineteen general councils, from the first which declared +the coequality and consubstantiality of the Son with the Father and +the Holy Ghost, down to the last which declared the infallibility +of the vicar of Jesus Christ,--those nineteen councils have been +the organ of the Holy Ghost, preserving the truth in all ages; and +the pontiffs, two hundred and fifty-seven in number, have also been +guided and assisted by the same Spirit of Truth; so that no doctrine +of faith and morals from their hand and from their lips has been out +of harmony with the revelation of Jesus Christ. For these reasons +the Church is fulfilling its mission, always and in every place, and +it can say in every age, with a divine certainty of knowledge and +with a divine authority of teaching: "It seemed good to the Holy +Ghost and to us." + +Once more, and lastly: there is another part of the mission of the +Church which never fails, and is never baffled--and that is, that +the Church judges between the truth of God and the errors of men, +and gives decision with divine certainty what is truth, what is +falsehood, what is light and what is darkness. Here again the world, +in the confusion of its discordant witnesses, bears testimony to +our truth. The world disclaims altogether the presence of any divine +teacher in the midst of us. It derides the very notion. There is +not a sect or a communion, or a so-called church, which lays claim +to this divine guidance. They say infallibility exists nowhere but +in God. As the Pharisees said: "Who can forgive sins but God only?" +thereby acknowledging the divinity of Him who forgave the palsied +man. And while they say: "We have no infallibility in us; we do +not claim it; we deny its existence on the face of the earth," the +one Teacher, who never varies in His voice, says: "He that heareth +me heareth him that sent me." It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and +unto us that we should claim that infallibility, and we cite you +before the tribunal of God to answer for your denial of that truth. +We say further that no man knows that any revelation was ever made +to man except through our testimony. You never saw the Word made +flesh, you nor your forefathers; and you have no unbroken succession +of witnesses who trace upward these eighteen hundred years to the +day when the Holy Ghost descended with wind and fire; you are not +in contact with the original revelation of God. How can you rise +up and say: "This was revealed upwards of eighteen hundred years +ago," when you have no proof to give, except that which you borrow +from me, that the Son of God ever came into the world? You take my +witness for the fact of Christianity, and you then contradict me +when I teach you what the doctrines of Christianity are. And if +men appeal to the Scriptures, our answer is the same. How do you +know the Scriptures were ever written? How can you prove that there +ever was a book called the Word of God? You had it from me; you +snatched it out of my hand, and you then read it and interpret it +in contradiction to my teaching. How do you know that there were +four greater prophets and twelve lesser in the Old Testament; that +there were four evangelists and fourteen epistles of St. Paul in the +New? Who told you all these things? You had them all from me--from +me alone, to whom these Scriptures were committed in custody and +in guardianship; from me, who preserved and handed them on to this +day. You, who are denying the inspiration of this book and of that, +of this text and of that text, and who are gnawing away, as a moth +fretteth a garment, the whole written word of God, you rise up and +tell us: "This is the meaning of the holy Scriptures," and you +reject the holy Catholic faith. + +Dear brethren, it needs great patience to hear these things; +nevertheless, the judge is always calm and patient while he is +fulfilling his work among men, and that because it is a grave +thing to be the odor of life unto life and of death unto death to +the eternal souls of men. And when men appeal to antiquity and tell +us that "this is not the primitive tradition," the Church answers: +Were you ever in antiquity, or anyone that belongs to you? I was +there, and as a perpetual witness antiquity is to me nothing but my +early days. Antiquity exists in my consciousness to this hour, as +men grown to riper years remember their childhood. Men of the world +know that the contemporaneous interpretation of a law is the most +authentic and certain interpretation. But I have the contemporaneous +interpretation of holy Scripture; and more than this, men who +practise before human tribunals know that the continuous usage of a +country is the interpretation of its laws written and unwritten. But +I have the contemporaneous and the continuous usage of the Church +of God. The seven sacraments are institutions of Jesus Christ and +every one of them interprets a cluster of truths. The existence +of the Church itself is an interpretation of the words: "Thou art +Peter, and upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of +hell shall not prevail against it." The jurisdiction that I have +over the world, which the hearts of men recognize and to which their +consciences respond, is the interpretation of the words: "Receive +ye the Holy Ghost, whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven +unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." + +But lastly there is another appeal which men make in this day. We +are now told that scientific history is the test of truth; and I saw +the other day in a document having great pretension from a certain +body of men who are troubling Germany and attempting to trouble even +England with the name of Old Catholics, that the way to know the +pure faith of Jesus Christ is to interpret history by science. Alas, +as I said before, the world is full of pretensions to science; but +those who claim to be Catholics, and who yet appeal from the living +voice of the Catholic Church to any other tribunal whatsoever, are +all of them identical in their principle, and that principle is +heresy. Luther appealed from the voice of the Catholic Church to +Scripture, and thereby became a heretic. There are others who appeal +to antiquity, and the appeal is the same--it is an appeal from the +living voice, from the divine authority of the Church, to something +of their own choice and creation. It matters not to what the appeal +is made. That which constitutes both the treason of the act and the +heresy of the principle is that they appeal from the living voice, +that is from the divine voice. This it is that is being done at this +moment by a body of men who profess to be and to intend to live and +die Catholics; and what is more, to purify and reform the Church by +staying in it. What is their appeal? Their appeal is to history, to +scientific history; that is, to history interpreted by themselves. +Luther was much more direct and much wiser. He appealed to a book +which is certainly written by the Holy Ghost; they appeal to I know +not what books, but to books certainly written only by men, and not +by the Spirit of God; to human history, the authenticity of which +and the purity of the text of which no one can guarantee; and even +this they interpret for themselves. + +Now bear with me further if I dwell a few moments longer upon this. +At the time I speak, in the old Catholic city of Cologne there +is assembled together a number of these men--some four or five +hundred--with a handful of unhappy priests, perhaps six or eight, +of whom the greater part had already the note of unsoundness upon +them before they took their deadly step. And what are they? What +are these men who are rising up to purify the Church? What do they +believe? Some believe all the Council of Trent, but not the Council +of the Vatican. Some believe the Church to be infallible, but not +its Head; others propose to reject the invocation of saints, and +purgatory, and compulsory confession, and I know not what. Others +ask for either half or altogether rationalism. And who have they to +assist them? Excommunicated Jansenists from Holland, and members, I +grieve to say, of the Established Church from England; and those +chosen, as it were, by a happy fatality, one the most extreme of +old-fashioned high-church orthodoxy--an estimable and excellent man, +whose person I both respect and love; and another whose advanced +rationalism is such that even his own brethren can hardly forbear +protesting against him. So that we have assembled in this congress, +which is to reform and purify the Catholic and Roman Church of all +ages, men so irreconcilably in contradiction with themselves that +they cannot touch a religious doctrine without discord, and they +cannot find anything on which to unite except in opposition to the +one immutable truth. There was a day when all the Scribes, and all +the Pharisees, and all the Herodians, and all the hypocrites, and +all the men who could agree in anything else or at any other time, +were united together in one conspiracy, and tho their witnesses did +not agree together and their discordant voices could not be combined +they all had one will and one purpose against the Son of God and +against His truth. These men, I bear witness--many of them at +least--have no such intention; but we know from the Word of God that +neither had they who crucified our divine Master a knowledge of what +they did: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." +"Which none of the princes of this world knew; for if they had known +it they would never have crucified the Lord of glory." But they are +at this moment fulfilling the very words of the apostles: "And to +some the testimony of the Church is life unto life, to others death +unto death." + +Such then, is the mission and the work of the Church--to bear its +witness, to teach and to judge; and in doing this, whether men +will believe or whether men will not believe, it is accomplishing +its triumph in the world. The world forgets that there is not only +salvation, but there is also judgment; and God, the just judge of +all, is putting men on their trial. The Church is fulfilling its +office by proposing the way of salvation to men, visibly to the +eye by its own presence, audibly to the ear by its own teachings, +clearly to the intellect by the evident truth of its doctrines. It +is putting men upon trial and applying the test to their hearts. It +tests their faith to see whether men will believe; it tests their +candor to see whether they will choose God above all things; it +tests their courage to know whether they are ready to take up their +cross and follow their divine Master. The Church says to the men of +this day: "Whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever +shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel shall save it." And +in saying this God is separating between nation and nation and +between man and man. His "fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly +purge his floor and gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff +will be burnt with unquenchable fire." "He that believeth and is +baptized will be saved; but he that believeth not is condemned." +"We thank God, who always maketh us to triumph in Christ Jesus and +manifesteth the odor of him by us in every place;" for we now, at +this hour, in the midst of the nineteenth century, in the midst +of science and progress, are the odor of life unto life and the +odor of death unto death. For the purpose of God in the world is +this--to gather out, as He did of old, a people for His name. Among +the Gentiles of the old world He chose Israel; so now amongst the +nations of the new world He chooses those that believe. He knows the +number of His elect and He calls them by their name. He proposes to +them the way of salvation and puts all things necessary--truth and +grace--within their reach. God is putting them on trial, and the +Church in this is fulfilling its mission and accomplishing its work. + +The world is on its probation now. It has been for generations +and generations driving God and Christianity out of its public +life. Christianity is cancelled from its public law; Christianity +is silent in the legislature; Christianity at this moment lingers +in education, but men are endeavoring to close the doors of the +schools against it and so to shut Christianity out of the knowledge +of the rising generation. Wo to the people the tradition of whose +Christian education is cut asunder! Wo to your children and to +your posterity, if they are brought up without the knowledge of +Christianity! The world is laboring with all its might, and all +its fraud, and all its riches, and all its public authority, to +accomplish this end. I do not say that the men who are doing it +know what they do; but I affirm that they are doing what I say. +Unbelievers like those who created the infidel revolution of France +in the last century knew well what they were doing. "Let us destroy +the accurst one," was the language in which they frankly spoke of +Jesus Christ. Men are more refined in the present day. They talk +only of the religious difficulty. "Let us evade or get around the +religious difficulty;" and, under this plea of evading the religious +difficulty, Christianity is to be excluded from our schools; that +is to say, because grown men choose to controvert and contradict +each other as to what is the truth of God, the little ones of +Jesus Christ are to be robbed of their faith. Again, the world is +separating its civil powers, its public authority from the unity of +the faith and of the Church everywhere. It is making it a part of +high and perfect legislation, of what we hear called in these days +"progress and modern civilization," to separate the Church from the +State, and the school from the Church. Progress has deposed the Head +of the Church; it has put in derision a crown of thorns upon his +head; and it believes that at last it has the whole world to itself. + +This indeed is the triumph of the world. But meanwhile the Church +is triumphing, tho men know it not. The Church was never more +widespread than at this moment; never more luminous in the eyes of +men, never more explicitly known in its faith; never more united, +vigorous, pure, and confident in its work. Its kingdom is not of +this world: that is, it is not derived from it; the foundation of +its jurisdiction is in eternity; the source of its truth is in the +Holy Ghost, and its imperishable Head is the Son of God at the right +hand of the Father. His kingdom is in the world, but not of it. The +world may prosper and go its way; it may stop its ears against the +voice of the divine witness to the truth; nevertheless that witness +will be the odor of death unto death. + +And England also is on its probation. I bear witness that in England +errors are vanishing away, as the snow melts before the sun--passing +away, as the hard frosts before the coming of the spring. The errors +which were once dominant, lordly, confident, and persecuting--where +are they now? At this day men are proclaiming that they are not +certain of what their forefathers bequeathed to them; that they +cannot precisely tell what was the doctrine which was intended in +the Thirty-nine Articles, and was incorporated in statute laws. +They are no longer certain of these things; and I bear them witness +that a gentler spirit and a kindlier disposition is working in the +hearts of many. In the midst of this darkness, truth is rising +again, and the old Catholic Church and faith, for which Ireland has +stood inflexible as a martyr, with the aureola upon her head, at +this day is multiplying the children of faith here and throughout +the world. Here too in Lancashire, where the faith of England has +never been extinct--where to this day the little children of our +flock are the descendants of those who were martyrs and confessors +some three hundred years ago--the lingering tradition of faith once +more is embodied in the perfect hierarchy of the Church of God, in +its perfect order, perfect unity, perfect jurisdiction, perfect +authority. And, what is more, the men of England have learned to +know it better. They have heard it speak; they have seen it worship; +they have even knelt together with us before the same altar, perhaps +hardly knowing what they did; and that because the Spirit of God is +working for His truth, and multitudes will be saved. We are only in +the twilight of the morning; but we can see Jesus standing on the +shore, and there is a net in the hands of His apostles let down in +the water. But when we are long gone to our rest, who can say what +shall be the great draft of souls which shall be miraculously taken +in England? + +I must bear witness that in England there are tokens full of hope. +England never rejected the holy Catholic faith. A tyrannous and +guilty king, a corrupt and covetous court, men full of the conceit +of false learning, schemers and intriguers, men that hungered to +spoil the Church for their own enrichment--these tyrannized over +the people of England. The people of England held to their faith +and died for it. The people of England never rejected it. They were +robbed of it; they were deprived of their inheritance, and their +children were born disinherited of their faith; every century from +that hour to this they have gone farther and farther from the light +of the one truth. Poor English people! Bear with them--I speak as an +Englishman--bear with them; they know not what they do in believing +that we worship images, that we imbrued our hands in the massacre of +St. Bartholomew. Let the men who write these things look at their +own hands; there is blood enough upon them. But the English people +do not believe these things now; they are passed away. And there has +come in the place of these impostures a desire after truth--"Only +let me find it;" a craving after unity--"Can we never make an end +of these divisions?" a thirsting for the presence of Jesus Christ +upon the altar--"Where can I find Him?" And what are all these +aspirations? They are the evidences of the good odor of life unto +life. + +And if so, then, dear brethren, you that have the inheritance of +faith are on your probation too. You are called to let the light of +your faith shine like the day. The silent, penetrating, convincing +light of a man who, knowing the faith, speaks it calmly, without +controversy, without bickering, without contention, sheds a grace +around him. As men that possess the greatest gift of God, and who +desire to make everybody else share it to the full, so let your +faith shine. And next, as you have faith, so you ought to have +the warmth of charity. Where there is light, there is warmth; and +where there is greater light there is greater warmth. Where there +is perfect truth, there ought to be perfect charity. You who have +the whole revelation of God ought to have the whole charity of God +in you. Let your neighbors who are round about, even those who are +not of the faith, feel that there is something in you--a warmth, +a kindness, a sympathy and generosity which they find in no other +man. And, lastly, let there be the fragrance of a holy life. This is +the good odor of Christ unto God, and this diffuses life unto life +wherever you go. You are upon this probation. Be worthy of the great +gift which has been given to you. You have it in its fulness. Be +then, worthy of its fulness, in faith and in charity. + +And now, dear brethren, in the midst of all the lordly triumph of +the world, of all that which no doubt we shall hear to-morrow, be +of good heart. As they said to the apostles so they will say to us: +"If this be triumph, what can be defeat? We do not quarrel if you +are content with these victories." Overhead there is a throne, and +round about it are those whom no man can number; the powers and +prerogatives of Him who sits upon that throne are working mightily +in the world. There is one who sits above the water-flood, with all +its confusions, whose voice penetrates through all the jangling +contradictions of men. He is bringing to its fulfilment the purpose +which from all eternity He has predestined. He knows His own by +number and by name, and He will gather them out as the shepherd +gathers his flock, and He will separate the goats from the sheep. +He will reign until the whole of that work is accomplished. When +it is done, and when the last of His elect has been gathered in, +and the last of His redeemed has been made perfect, then He will +manifest Himself to all men, and the world shall then know that He +has triumphed always and in every place. + + + + +PARK + +THE PROMINENCE OF THE ATONEMENT + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +EDWARDS AMASA PARK was born at Providence, R. I., in 1808. After a +short pastorate of two years he became professor at Amherst, and +subsequently at Andover Theological Seminary. He was one of the +well-known exponents of the New England Calvinism, and his teachings +had a wide influence over the ministers of his generation. His +sermons, frequently rewritten, were marked by elegance of style +and great moral force. Both as a preacher and teacher he showed +largeness of view, depth of thought, and a rare facility of clear +and powerful expression. He wrote a number of biographies and other +works. He died in 1900. + + + + +PARK + +1808-1900 + +THE PROMINENCE OF THE ATONEMENT[1] + + [1] Printed here by kind permission of Messrs. W. F. Draper & Co., + Andover Publishing House, Andover, Mass. + +_For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, +and him crucified._--1 Corinthians ii., 2. + + +Should the apostle who penned this eloquent expression resume his +ministry on earth, and should he deign to hold converse with us on +the principles of his high calling, and should he repeat his strong +words, I am now, as of old, determined not to know anything among +you save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified, some of us would feel an +impulse to ask him: + +"Can your words mean what they appear to imply? You are learned in +Rabbinical literature; you have read the Grecian poets, and even +quoted from Aratus; you have examined the statuary of Greece, and +have made a permanent record of an inscription upon an altar in +ancient Athens; you have reasoned on the principles of Aristotle +from effect to cause, and have taken rank with the philosophers, +as well as orators of the world; and now, you seem to utter your +determination to abandon all knowledge save that which concerns the +Jew who was crucified. You once said that you had rather speak five +words with the understanding, than ten thousand words in an unknown +tongue; and here, lest the pithy language of this text should fail +of being truly apprehended, we desire to learn its precise meaning +in three particulars: + +"In the first place, do you intend to assert that our knowledge is +controlled by our will? You determined not to know anything save +one. Can you by mere choice expel all but one of your old ideas, and +make your mind like a chart of white paper in reference to the vast +majority of your familiar objects of thought?" + +"I am ready to concede," is the reply, "that much of our knowledge +is involuntary; still a part of it is dependent on our will. In some +degree, at some times, we may attend to a theme or not attend to +it, as we choose, and thus our choice may influence our belief, and +thus are we responsible, in a certain measure, for our knowledge. +Besides, the word 'know' is used by us Hebraistic writers to include +not only a mental apprehension, but also a moral feeling. When we +know Christ, we feel a hearty complacence in Him. Again, to 'know' +often signifies to manifest, as well as to possess, both knowledge +and love. We do not know an old acquaintance when we of set purpose +withhold all public recognition of him, and act outwardly as if +we were inwardly ignorant of his being. But I, Paul, say to you, +as I said to the Corinthians, that I shall make the atonement of +Christ, and nothing but the atonement of Christ, the main theme of +my regard, of my loving regard, and such loving regard as is openly +avowed." + +Thus our first query is answered; but there is a second inquiry +which some of us would propose to the apostle, were he uttering to +us personally the words which he wrote to the Corinthians. It is +this: + +"Should a Christian minister out of the pulpit, as well as in the +pulpit, know nothing save the Crucified One? Did you not know how to +sustain yourself by the manufacture of tents; and did you not say to +the circle of elders at Ephesus, 'These hands have ministered to my +necessities'? Did you not dispute with the Roman sergeants, plead +your cause before the Roman courts? Must not every minister cease +for a time to converse on the word of Jesus; and must he not think +of providing for his own household, lest he become worse than an +infidel?" + +"I am willing to admit," is the reply, "that the pulpit is the +place where the minister should speak of Christ with more uniform +distinctness than in other places; but there are no places, and no +times, in which he should fail to manifest, more or less obviously, +his interest in his Redeemer. Wherever he goes he has a pulpit. +Whether he eat, or drink, or whatever he do, he must do all for +the glory of God, and the highest glory of God is Christ, and the +highest honor of Christ is in Him crucified. A minister must always +respect the proprieties of life; in honoring them he knows that +appropriate model Man who, rising from the tomb, wrapped up the +napkin that was about His head, and laid it in a place by itself. +Now the proprieties of life do require a minister to speak in the +pulpit on themes more plainly and more easily connected with the +atonement, than are various themes on which he must speak in the +market-place or in the schools. But all subjects on which he may +discourse do lead, sooner or later, more or less obviously and +easily, to the great work of Jesus; and he should converse on them +with the intent of seizing every hint they give him, following out +every line to which they point him, in the direction of the cross. I +have been in many synagogues, and in the temple, and on Mars' Hill, +and on a Mediterranean ship-deck; and once I was hurried along in a +night ride from Jerusalem to Cæsarea with four hundred and seventy +soldiers, horsemen and spearmen. I have resided at leisure with my +arm chained to a Roman guard in a prison at the capital of the Roman +Empire; but in all such places I have felt, and everywhere I do +feel, bound to speak out, and to act out, all the interest which +the fitness of the occasion admits, in the atonement of Jesus; and +not to manifest, and not to feel, any interest in any theme which +may lessen my regard for this, the chiefest among ten thousand!" + +But there is a third question which some of us would propose to the +apostle, were he to speak in our hearing the words of the text: + +"Should every man, as well as every minister, cherish and exhibit no +interest in anything but Christ? Should a sailor at the masthead, +a surgeon in the extirpation of the clavicle, a warrior in the +critical moment of the last charge, look at nothing, and hear of +nothing, but the cross? Must not everyone conduct business, and +sustain cares, which draw his mind away from the atonement?" + +"I am ready to grant," is the reply, "that some duties are less +plainly and less intimately connected than others with the work of +Jesus; but all of them are connected with it in some degree, and +this connection may be seen by all who choose to gain the fitting +insight. The great principle of duty belonging to the minister in +the pulpit, belongs to him everywhere; and the great principle of +duty belonging to the minister, belongs to every man, woman, and +child. There is not one religion for the man when he is in the +temple, and another religion for the man when he is in the parlor +or in the street. There is not one law for ordained pastor, and +another law for the tradesman or the mechanic. The same law and no +different one, the same religion and no different one, are the law +and religion for the apostles, and publicans, and prophets, and tax +gatherers, and patriarchs, and children, and nobles, and beggars. +Every man is bidden to refuse everything, if it be the nearest +friend, who interferes with the claims of the Messiah; and therefore +every man, layman as well as clergyman, must keep his eye fixed +primarily upon the cross. He may see other things within the range +of that cross, but he must keep the cross directly at the angle of +his vision, and allow nothing else, when placed side by side with +the tree of Calvary, to allure his eye away from that central, +engrossing object." + +Here, then, is our third question answered; and in these three +replies to these three queries, we perceive the meaning of our text +to be: that not on the first day only, but on every day likewise, +not in the religious assembly only, but in all assemblies, and +in all solitudes likewise, not the preacher only, but the hearer +likewise, every man must adopt the rule, to give his voluntary, his +loving, his secret and open regard to nothing so much as to the +character and work of his Redeemer. + +Having inquired into the meaning of the apostle's words, let us +proceed, in the next place, to inquire into the importance of +making the atonement of Christ the only great object of our +thought, speech and action. + +And here, did we hold a personal interview with the author of our +text, we should be prompted to put three additional queries before +him. Our first inquiry would be: + +"Is not your theme too contracted? It is well to know Christ, but +in all the varying scenes of life is it well not to know anything +else? Will not the pulpit become wearisome if, spring and autumn, +summer and winter, it confine itself to a single topic? We have +known men preach themselves out by incessant repetitions of the +scene at Calvary,--a scene thrilling in itself, and on that very +account not bearing to be presented in its details, every Sabbath +day. How much less will the varying sensibilities of the soul +endure the reiteration of this tragic tale every day and at every +interview! Such extreme familiarity induces irreverence. The +Bible is not confined to this theme. It is rich in ecclesiastical +history, political history, ethical rules, metaphysical discussion, +comprehensive theology. It contains one book of ten chapters which +has not a single allusion to God, and several books which do not +mention Christ; why then do you shut us up to a doctrine which will +circumscribe the minds of good men, and result in making their +conversation insipid?" + +"Contracted!"--this is the reply--"and you consider this topic a +limited one, whose height, depth, length, breadth, no finite mind +can measure? Of what would you speak?" + +"We would speak of the divine existence." + +"But Christ is the 'I am.'" + +"We would speak of the divine attributes." + +"But Christ is the Alpha and Omega; He searcheth the reins and +trieth the hearts of men; He is the same yesterday, to-day, and +forever; full of grace and truth; to Him belong wisdom and power and +glory and honor; of His dominion is no end. Of what, then, would you +speak?" + +"We would speak of the divine sovereignty." + +"But Christ taught us to say: Even so, Father, for so it seemed good +in Thy sight--and He and His Father are one." + +"We would converse on the divine decrees." + +"But all things are planned for His praise who was in Christ, and in +whom Christ was at the beginning." + +"We would discourse on electing love." + +"But the saints are elect in Christ Jesus." + +"We would utter many words on the creation of men and angels." + +"Now by our Redeemer were all things created that are in heaven and +that are in the earth, visible and invisible." + +"We would converse on the preservation of what has been created." + +"Now Christ upholdeth all things by the word of His power. What +would you have, then, for your theme?" + +"We would take the flowers of the field for our theme." + +"But they are the delight, as well as the contrivance of the +Redeemer." + +"We would take for our theme the globes in space." + +"But they are the work of His fingers." + +"Then we would take the very winds of heaven for our theme, lawless +and erratic as they are." + +"But Jesus taught us to comment upon these as an illustration of +His truth. His poetic mind gave us the conception that the wind +bloweth where it chooseth to blow; and we look on, wondering whence +it cometh, and whither it goeth, knowing only that it is the breath +of the wonderful, the counselor, who arouseth it as He listeth, or +saith, Peace, be still. What else, then, do you prefer for your +topic of conversation?" + +"We prefer the laws of nature for our topic." + +"But in them the Father worketh and Christ worketh equally." + +"If it be so, we will select the fine and useful arts for our +subject." + +"But all the materials of these arts and all the laws which +compact them, and all the ingenuity which arranges them are of +His architectonic plan. He is the guide of the sculptor, painter, +musician, poet. He is the contriver of all the graces which we +in our idolatry ascribe to the human discoverer, as if man had +originally invented them. The history of the arts is the history of +Christ's government on earth. Will you propose, then, some other +theme for your remark?" + +"Do let us converse on the moral law." + +"You may; but Christ gave this law and came to magnify it." + +"Then let us comment on the ceremonial law." + +"You may; but all its types are prophecies of Jesus." + +"Then we will expatiate on virtue in the general." + +"Do so; but Christ is the first exemplar, the brightest +representative of all abstract goodness, of all your virtue in the +general." + +"Then we will take up the ethical maxims." + +"Take them up; but they are embodied in Him who is the way, the +truth, the life." + +"We will resort, then, to human responsibility for our subject of +discourse." + +"But we must all appear before the judgment seat of that fair-minded +arbiter who is man as well as God." + +"May we not speak of eternal blessedness?" + +"Yes; but it is Christ who welcomes His chosen into life." + +"Shall we not converse, then, on endless misery?" + +"Yes; but it is Christ who will proclaim: Depart, ye cursed." + +"The human body; we would utter some words on that." + +"But your present body is the image of what your Lord wore once, and +the body that you will have, if you die in the faith, is the image +of what your Lord wears now; the image of the body slain for our +offenses and raised again for our justification. And have you still +a favorite theme which you have not suggested?" + +"The pleasures of life are our favorite theme." + +"Yes, and Jesus provided them and graced them at Cana." + +"The duties of the household are our favorite theme." + +"Yes, and Jesus has prescribed them and disciplines you by them, +and will judge you for your manner of regarding them. What would +you have, then, what can you think of for your choice topic of +discourse?" + +"We love to talk of our brethren in the faith." + +"But they are the indices of Christ, and He is represented by them." + +"We choose to converse on our Redeemer's indigent, imprisoned, +diseased, agonized followers." + +"And He is anhungered, athirst, penniless, afflicted in them, and +whatsoever we do to one of them we do to Him, and what we say of one +of them we say of Him." + +"May we speak in the pulpit of slaves?" + +"Of slaves! Can you not speak of Medes and Parthians, Indians and +Arabians? Why not then of Africans? Have they, or have they not, +immortal souls? Was Jesus, or was He not, crucified for them? Was +He ashamed of the lowly and the down-trodden, and those who have +become the reproach of men and the despised of the people? You may +speak of all for whom Christ died; as all men, bond or free, and all +things, globes or atoms, suggest thoughts leading in a right line +or in a curved line to the cross of Christ. All things, being thus +nearly or remotely suggestive of the atonement, are for your sakes; +whether Paul or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, +or things present, or things to come,--all are yours, for your +thoughts, for your words. If things pertain to the divine essence, +the whole of that is the essence of Jesus; if they pertain to the +divine relations, all of them are the relations of Jesus; if they +pertain to the noblest and brightest features of seraphs, all the +angels of God bow down before Jesus; if they pertain to the minutest +changes of human life, in all our vicissitudes Jesus keeps up His +brotherhood with us; if they pertain to the vilest and darkest spot +of our depravity, they pertain to Jesus,--for to speak aright of sin +is to be determined to speak of Christ and of Him crucified for sin. + +"And is this the doctrine which men call a contracted one? Narrow! +The very suspicion of its being narrow has now suggested the first +reason why you should place it and keep it as the crown of all +your words and deeds--it is so large, so rich, so boundless, that +you need nothing which excludes it. And therefore," continues +the apostle, "I mean to know and to love nothing, and to make +it manifest that I care for nothing, in comparison with, and +disconnected from, the God-man, as He develops all His attributes +and all His relations on the cross." + +But were the author of these laconic words in a familiar conference +with us, we might be tempted to address to him a second inquiry: + +"Is not your theme too large? At first we deemed it too small, but +now it swells out before us into such colossal dimensions that we +change our ground, and ask: Can the narrow mind of man take in this +multiplicity of relations, comprehended in both the natures, and in +the redemptive, as well as all the other works of Christ? Do not +frail powers need one day as a day of rest, and one place as a +sanctuary of repose, from every thought less tender than that of the +atoning death itself? Must we not call in our minds from Christ and +Him crucified, so as to concentrate all our emotions on the simple +fact of Christ crucified?" + +"Too large a theme!" this is the reply, "it is a large theme, too +large to be fully comprehended by finite intelligences. Men have +dreamed of exhausting the atonement by defining it to be a plan for +removing the obstacles which stand in the way of our pardon. It is +too large for that definition, as the atonement also persuades the +Most High to forgive us. Then men have thought to mark it round +about by saying that it is a scheme for inducing God to interpose in +our aid. But the atonement is too large for that defining clause, +as it also presents motives to man for accepting the interposition +of God. Then some have thought to define it exactly, by saying +that the atonement is both an appeal to the Lawgiver and also an +appeal to the sinner. Too large still is the atonement for that +explanation. It is an appeal to both God and man, but it is more. It +is an appeal to the universe, and is as many-sided as the universe +itself is to be variously affected. Can we by searching find out the +whole of atoning love? It is the love of Him who stretched out His +arms on the fatal wood, and pointed to the right hand and to the +left hand, and raised His eyes upward, and cast them downward; and +thus all things above and below, and on either side, He embraced +in His comprehensive love. It is a large theme, but not too large +to operate as a motive upon us. The immeasurable reach of a motive +is the hiding of its power. The mind of man is itself expansive, +and requires and will have something immense and infinite of truth +or error, either overpowering it for good or overmastering it for +evil. The atonement is a great theme, but not too great; and for +the additional reason, its greatness lies, in part, in its reducing +all other doctrines to a unity, its arranging them around itself in +an order which makes them all easily understood. We know in other +things the power of unity amid variety. We know how simple the +geography of a land becomes by remembering that its rivers, altho +meandering in unnumbered circuits around the hills and through +the vales, yet pursue one main direction from one mountain to one +sea. Now all the truths of God flow into the atonement. They are +understood by means of it, because their tendencies are toward it; +and it is understood by means of them, because it receives and +comprehends them. + +"Consider more fully the first part of this sentence; all other +truths are understood by means of the atonement. It gives to them +all a unity by illustrating them all. Other truths are not so much +independent themes, as they are branches growing up or sidewise +out of this one root, and they need this single theme in order that +their relations may be rightly understood. What, for example, can +we know in its most important bearings, unless we know the history +and office of our Redeemer? Begin from whatever point we may examine +the uses of things, we can never measure their full utility until we +view them from the cross. The trees bud and blossom. Why? To bear +fruit for the sustenance of the human body. But is this an ultimate +object? The nourishment of the body favors the growth of the mind. +But is the human mind an end worthy of all the contrivances in +nature? Does the sun, with all its retinue of stars, pursue its +daily course with no aim ulterior to man's welfare? Do we adopt a +Ptolemaic theory in morals, that man is the center of the system, +and other worlds revolve round him? All things were made of God, as +the Being in whom they all terminate. Do they exist for elucidating +His power? This is not his chief attribute. His knowledge? There is +a nobler perfection than omniscience. His love? But there is one +virtue imbedded as a gem in His love, and His love is but a shining +casket for this pearl of infinite price. This pearl is grace. This +is the central ornament of the character of Jehovah. But there is no +grace in Jehovah save as it beams forth in Christ; not in Christ as +a mere Divinity, nor in Christ as a mere spotless humanity, but in +the two united, and in that God-man crucified. All things were made +by Him and for Him, rising from the cross to the throne. Without +reference to Him in His atoning love has nothing been made that was +made in this world. The star in the East led wise men once to the +manger where the Redeemer lay; and all the stars of heaven lead +wise men now to Him who had risen above the stars, and whose glory +illumines them all. He is termed the Sun of righteousness; and, as +the material sun binds all the planets around it in an intelligible +order, so does Christ shine over, and under, and into, and through +all other objects, attract them all to Himself, marshal them all +into one clear and grand array, showing them all to be His works, +all suggestive of our duty, our sin, our need of atonement, our +dependence on the one God, and the one Mediator between God and man. + +"The first part of my sentence was, All other truths are understood +by means of the atonement. Consider next the second part: The +atonement is understood by means of other truths. It crystallizes +them around itself, and reduces them into a system, not only because +it explains them, but also because it makes them explain it. It is +not too large a theme, for all the sciences and the arts bring their +contributions to make it orderly and plain. Our text is a simple +one, because its words are interpreted by a thousand facts shining +upon it, and making themselves and it luminous in their radiations +around and over it. Listen again to its suggestive words: + +"'For I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ, +and him crucified.' + +"Now, what is the meaning of this plain term 'Christ'? It means a +'King.' But how can we appreciate the King, unless we learn the +nature of the beings over whom He rules? He reigns over the heavens; +therefore we investigate the heavens. The whole earth is full of +His glory; therefore we study the earth. He is the Lord over the +angels; when we reflect on them, we catch a glimpse of Him in His +regal state. He is the King of the Jews and the Gentiles. When we +meditate on men, we enjoy a glance at Him who was born for this +end, that He might have dominion over our race. When we contemplate +the material worlds, all the vastness and the grandeur included in +them--the sphere of mind, all the refinement and energy involved +in it--we are overpowered by the reality, surpassing fable, that +He who superintends all the movements of matter and first spake it +into being and once framed, as He now governs, the souls of His +creatures--He is the King who atoned for us; and the more we know of +the stars in their courses, and of the spirit in its mysteries, so +much the deeper is our awe in view of the condescending pity which +moved their Creator to become one with a lowly creature acquainted +with grief for you and me. So much is involved in the word 'Christ.' + +"But our text speaks of Jesus Christ. That word 'Jesus!' What is +the meaning of it? It means a 'deliverer,' and in the view of some +interpreters it means 'God, the deliverer.' Deliverer? From what? We +do not understand the power of His great office, unless we learn the +nature and the vileness of sin; and we have no conception how mean, +how detestable, sin is, unless we know the needlessness of it, the +nobleness of the will which degrades itself into it, the excellence +of the law which is dishonored by it. All our studies, then, in +regard to the nature of the will, the unforced voluntariness of +depravity, the extent of it through our race, the depth of it, the +purity of the commands aiming to prevent it, the attractions of +virtue, the strangeness of their not prevailing over the temptations +of vice--they are not mere metaphysics; they are studies concerning +the truth and the grace of Immanuel, who is God with us, and whose +name is 'Deliverer' because He delivers His people from their sins; +sins involving the power and the penalty of free wrong choice; +a penalty including the everlasting punishment of the soul; a +punishment suggesting the nature and the character of the divine +law, and the divine Lawgiver, in their relation to the conscience +and all the sensibilities of the mind; and that mind, as undying as +its Maker. All these things are comprehended in the word 'Jesus.' + +"But our text speaks of Jesus Christ and Him crucified: and this +third term, 'crucified,' adds an emphasis to the two preceding +terms, and stirs us up to examine our own capabilities--to learn +the skill pervading our physical organism, so exquisitely qualified +for pain as well as pleasure; the wisdom apparent in our mental +structure, so keenly sensitive to all that can annoy as well as +gratify; and thus we catch a glimpse of the truth, that He who +combines all of our dignity with none of our guilt, and with all +of the divine glory, and who thus develops all that is fit to be +explained in man, and all that can be explained in God--He it is who +chose to hang and linger with aching nerve and bleeding heart upon +the cross for you and me. This cross makes out an atonement of the +sciences and the arts and brings them also, as well as devout men, +at one with God; all of them tributary to the doctrine that we are +bought with a price--that we are redeemed, not with silver and gold, +but with the precious blood of a man, who was God manifest in the +flesh. Too large a theme is the atonement? But it breaks down the +middle wall of partition that has kept apart the different studies +of men; and it brings them together as illustrations of the truth, +which in their light becomes as simple as it is great. + +"The very objection, then, that the redemptive work is too extensive +for our familiar converse, has suggested the second reason why it +should be the main thing for us to think upon, and speak upon, and +act upon: It systematizes all other themes, and gains from them a +unity which becomes the plainer because it is set off by a luminous +variety; and for this cause," continues the apostle, "I intend to +know nothing with supreme love, except this centralizing doctrine +which combines all other truths into a constellation of glories." + +There is still a third inquiry which we might present to the author +of our text, could we meet him in a personal colloquy: + +"Your words all converge toward one point; will they not then become +monotonous, and inapposite to the varying wants of various, or even +the same, individuals?" + +"A monotonous theme!" this is the reply: "What can be more +diversified than the character and work of Him who is at one time +designated as the omniscient God, and at another time as a Mechanic; +at one time as a Judge, and at another time as an Intercessor; now +a Lion, and then a Lamb; here a Vine, a Tree, there a Way, a Door; +again a Stone, a Rock, still again a Star, a Sun; here without sin, +and there He was made sin for us. + +"Monotonous is this theme? Then it is sadly wronged, and the mind of +man is sadly harmed; for this mind shoots out its tendrils to grasp +all the branches of the tree of life, and the tree in its healthy +growth has branches to which every sensibility of the human mind +may cling. The judgment is addrest by the atonement, concerning the +nature of law of distributive justice, the mode of expressing this +justice either by punishing the guilty or by inflicting pain as a +substitute for punishment, the influence of this substitution on +the transgressor, on the surety, on the created universe, on God +Himself. There is more of profound and even abstruse philosophy +involved in the specific doctrine of the atonement, than in any +other branch of knowledge; and there has been or will be more of +discussion upon it, than upon all other branches of knowledge; for +sacred science is the most fruitful of all sciences in logical +deduction, and this specific part of the science is the richest of +all its parts. + +"Here, then, is the first method in which you may keep up the habit +of making 'Jesus and Him crucified' the soul of your activity: Bring +to your help the force of a resolute determination. There is a +tendency in this resolute spirit to divert your thoughts from other +themes, to turn the current of your sensibilities into the right +channel, to invigorate your choice, to exert a direct and reflex +influence in confirming the whole soul in Jesus. God is in that +determination. He inspires it. He invigorates it. He works with it +and by it. There is a power in it, but the power is not yours; it is +the power of God. God is in every holy resolve of man." + +In our interview with the apostle we should address to him a second +inquiry: + +"In what method can we avoid both the fact and the appearance of +being slavishly coerced into the habit of conversing on Christ +and on Christ alone? You speak of taking your stand, adhering to +your decision; but this dry, stiff resolve-comes any genial spirit +from it? Will you not be a slave to your unswerving purpose? Your +inflexible rule, will it not be a hard one, wearisome to yourself, +disagreeable to others? You hold up a weighty theme by a dead lift." + +"I am determined"--this is the reply--"and it is not only a strong +but it is a loving resolve. For the love of Christ constraineth +me; whom having not seen in the flesh I love; in whom, though now +I see him not, yet believing, I rejoice with the joy unspeakable +and full of glory. It is not a business-like resolution. It is +not a diplomatic purpose. It is not a mechanical force. It is an +affectionate decision. It is a joyous rule. It is the effluence of a +supreme attachment to the Redeemer. + +"And this is the second method in which you may retain Jesus Christ +as the jewel of your speech and life: Cherish a loving purpose to +do so. A man has strength to accomplish what with a full soul he +longs to accomplish. Your Christian toil will be irksome to you, if +it be not your cordial preference; but if your undeviating resolve +spring out of a hearty choice of your Savior, then will it be ever +refreshed and enlivened by your outflowing, genial preference; then +will your pious work be the repose of your soul. There is a power in +your love to your work. It is a power to make your labor easy for +yourself and attractive to others. This is not your power; it is the +power of God. He enkindles the love within you. He enlivens it. He +gives it warmth. He makes it instinct with energy. God is in all the +holy joy of man." + +In our conference with the author of our text we might suggest to +him our third and last inquiry: + +"In what method can we feel sure of persevering in this habitual +exaltation of Christ? You speak of your stern purpose, but can you +depend upon the continuance of it? You speak of your cordial as well +as set resolve. But who are you? (forgive our pertinacious query). +Jesus we know. But His disciples, His chief apostles--is not every +one of them a reed shaken with the wind, tossed hither and thither, +unstable as a wave upon the sea?" + +"I know it is so"--this is the reply. "Often am I afraid lest, +having preached the gospel to others, I should be a castaway. And +after all I am persuaded that nothing--height depth, life, death, +nothing--shall be able to separate me from the love of Christ; for +I put my confidence in Him, and while my purpose is inflexible and +affectionate, it is also inwrought with trust in the atonement and +the intercession. I do pursue my Christian life in weakness and in +fear and in much trembling. For all the piety of the best of men +is in itself as grass, and the goodliness thereof as the flower of +the field. Therefore serve I the Lord with all humility of mind +and with many tears and temptations. Yet I am determined with a +confiding love. I am troubled on every side; my flesh has no rest; +without are fightings, within are fears; in presence I am base among +you, my bodily presence is weak and my speech contemptible; and if +I must needs glory, I will glory in the things which concern my +infirmities. Still, after all, I am determined, my right hand being +enfolded in the hand of my Redeemer. I know whom I have believed, +and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed +unto Him against that day. For my conversation is in heaven, from +whence I am to look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall +change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious +body, according to the mighty working whereby He is able to subdue +all things unto Himself. I say the truth in Christ; I lie not; I am +the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, +because I injured the Church of God; I am less than the least of all +saints. Still I am determined; for by the grace of God I am what I +am; and this grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but +I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I but the grace of +God which was with me; for I can do all things through Christ which +strengtheneth me, and therefore I am determined. + +"Borne onward, therefore, by your fixed plan, and no one can succeed +in anything without a plan, yet you must never rely ultimately +upon your determined spirit. Allured further and further onward +by your delight in your plan, and no one can work as a master in +anything without enthusiasm in his prescribed course, still you +must not place your final dependence upon your affectionate spirit; +for if you take, for your last prop, either the sternness or the +cheerfulness of your own determination, then you will know your +determination, and you are not to know anything save Jesus Christ +and Him crucified. Here, then, is the third method in which you may +give the fitting prominence to the best of themes: You must rest for +your chief and final support on Him and only on Him, from whom all +wise plans start, by whom they hold out, and to whom they all tend, +who is all and in all, Jesus Christ and Him crucified." + +My Christian brethren, you are all apostles. Every man, every woman, +every child, the richest and the poorest, the most learned and the +most ignorant of you--who have come up hither to dedicate yourselves +and this sanctuary to your Lord, all being sent of Him to serve Him, +have in fact and in essence the same responsibility resting on you +as weighed on the author of our text. And he was burdened by the +same kind of temptations and fears which oppress your spirit. But he +was held up from failing in his work by a threefold cord; and that +was his resolute determination, as loving as it was resolute, and as +trustful as it was loving, to know nothing save Jesus Christ and Him +crucified. The last that you hear of him as an impenitent man is in +the words: "And Saul, yet breathing out threatening and slaughter +against the disciples of the Lord." It was Christ whom the proud Jew +last opposed. The first that you hear of him as a convicted man is +in the words: "Who art thou, Lord?" It was Christ whom the inquiring +Jew first studied. And the first that you hear of him as a penitent +man is: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" It was Christ to whom +the humble disciple first surrendered his will. And the first that +you hear of him as a Christian minister is: "And straightway he +preached Christ in the synagogs that he is the Son of God." And the +last that you hear of him as a Christian hero is: "I have fought +the good fight, I have finished my course. I have kept the faith; +henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness." And +the secret of this victorious career is in words like those of our +text: "I adhered to my plan (when among the fickle Corinthians), I +was decided (when among the vacillating Galatians) to know nothing +(when among the learned at Athens and them of Cæsar's household at +Rome) save Jesus Christ (when I was among my own kinsmen who scorned +Him), and Him crucified (when I was among the pupils of Gamaliel, +all of whom despised my chosen theme); still I was determined to +cling to that theme among the Greeks and the Barbarians, before +Onesimus the slave and Philemon the proud master; for I loved my +theme, and, suffering according to the will of God, I committed the +keeping of my soul to Him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator." + +And herein is it to be your plan, my brethren, and your joy, not to +make this sanctuary the resort of wealth and of fashion, but rather +of humble suppliants, who by their prayers may divert all the wealth +and fashion of the world into the service of your Lord; not to make +this temple the resting-place of hearers who shall idly listen to +the words of an orator, but a temple of earnest coworkers with +Christ--thinking of Him, speaking of Him, loving Him first, and +last, and midst, and without end. As you come to this house of God +on the Sabbath, as you go from it, as your week-day recollections +gather around it, may you renew and confirm your plan to know your +Redeemer, and not only to shut yourselves up to the supreme love +of nothing except Christ, but also--His grace will be sufficient +for you--to worship and serve Christ in the central relation of Him +crucified. Knowing Him alone, He will sustain you as fully as if He +knew you alone. He will come to you in this temple as frequently +as if He had no other servants to befriend. He will listen to your +prayers as intently as if no supplications came up to Him from +other altars, and He will intercede for you as entirely as if He +interceded in behalf of no one else; for remember, that when He +hung upon the cross, He thought of you, and died for you, just as +fully as if He had been determined to think of no one, and to die +for no one, save you, whom He now calls to the solemn service of +consecrating your own souls, and your "holy and beautiful house" to +the glory of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. + + + + +SIMPSON + +THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + +MATTHEW SIMPSON, Methodist Episcopal Bishop, was born at Cadiz, +Ohio, in 1810. He early distinguished himself as an orator, his +style being that of spontaneous unpremeditated eloquence, in which +he carried his congregation to heights of spiritual fervor and +enthusiasm. He visited Europe in 1878 as delegate to the World's +Evangelical Alliance in Berlin, which served to widen his reputation +as a public speaker. He officiated at the funeral of Abraham Lincoln +at Springfield, Illinois. His "Lectures on Preaching" delivered +before the divinity students at Yale have been widely read. He died +in 1884. + + + + +SIMPSON + +1810-1884 + +THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD + +_But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits +of them that slept._--1 Cor. xv., 20. + + +A little more than eighteen hundred years ago, as the light of the +morning was breaking around the walls of Jerusalem, there was a +guard placed about a sepulcher in a small garden near the walls +of the city. They were guarding a grave. Some strange scenes had +occurred on the Friday before. While a man whom they had taken from +the hills of Galilee and around the little lake of Capernaum had +been hanging on the cross crucified as a malefactor, strange signs +appeared in the heavens, and on the earth and in the temple. + +It was rumored that he had said he would rise the third morning. +The third morning was coming, and as the light began to break in +the East, there came two women silently and sadly wending their way +among the tents that were pitched all around the city of Jerusalem; +they had sojourned all night in the tents, for as yet the gates of +the city had not been opened. They came to see the sepulcher and +were bringing spices in their hands. They loved the man who had been +crucified as a malefactor, because of his goodness, his purity, and +his compassion. They seemed to be almost the only hearts on earth +that did love him deeply, save the small circle of friends who had +gathered around him. There had been curses upon his head as he hung +on the cross--curses from the by-standers, curses from the soldiers, +curses from the people. They cried: "Away with him; his blood be on +us and on our children!" and on that morning there were none but a +few feeble, obscure, heart-broken friends that dared to come near +his grave. + +A little more than eighteen hundred years have passed and on the +anniversary of that day, the morning of the first day of the week, +the first Sabbath after the full moon and the vernal equinox, at the +same season, the whole world comes to visit that grave. The eyes of +princes and of statesmen, the eyes of the poor and the humble in all +parts of the earth are turned toward that sepulcher. + +All through Europe men and women are thinking of that grave and of +Him who lay in it. All over western lands, from ocean to ocean, on +mountain top and in valley, over broad prairies and deep ravines, +the eyes and hearts of the people are gathered round that grave. In +the darkness of Africa, here and there, we see them stretching out +their hands toward it. Along the coasts of India and the heights of +the Himalayas they have heard of that grave and are bending toward +it. The Chinese, laying aside their prejudices, have turned their +eyes westward and are looking toward that sepulcher. Along the +shores of the seas, over the mountain tops and in the valleys, the +hearts of the people have not only been gathering around that grave, +but they have caught a glimpse of the rising inmate who ascended in +His glory toward heaven. + +The song of jubilee has gone forth, and the old men are saying, "The +Lord is risen from the dead." The young men and matrons catch up the +glowing theme, and the little children around our festive boards, +scarcely comprehending the source of their joy, with glad hearts +are now joyful, because Jesus has risen from the dead. All over the +earth tidings of joy have gone forth, and as the valleys have been +ringing out their praises on this bright Sabbath morning how many +hearts have been singing-- + + "Our Jesus is going up on high!" + +Why this change? What hath produced such a wonderful difference in +public feeling? The malefactor once curst, now honored; the obscure +and despised, now sought for; the rising Redeemer, not then regarded +by men, now universally worshiped. What is the cause of this great +change?--how brought about? The subject of this morning, taken from +the associations of this day, call us to consider as briefly as we +may the fact of the resurrection of Christ from the dead and some of +the consequences which flow to us from that resurrection. + +It is important for us to fix clearly in our minds the fact that +this is one reason why such days are remembered in the annals of +the Church as well as in the annals of nations; for our faith +rests on facts, and the mind should clearly embrace the facts +that we may feel that we are standing on firm ground. This fact +of the resurrection of Christ is the foundation of the Christian +system; for the apostle says: "And if Christ be not raised, your +faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins; then they also which are +fallen asleep in Christ will perish." If Christ be not risen, we +shall never see the fathers and the mothers who have fallen asleep +in Jesus; we shall never see the little ones who have gone up to +be, as we believe, angels before the throne of God. If Christ be +not raised, we are of all men the most miserable, because we are +fancying future enjoyment, which never can be realized; but if +Christ be raised, then shall we also rise, and them that sleep in +Jesus will God bring with Him. And that our minds may rest as to the +fact of Christ's resurrection, let us notice how God hath arranged +the evidences to secure the knowledge of this fact clearly to man. + +The first point to which our attention is invited is the fact of +Christ's death. Were not this fact clearly established it would +be in vain to try to prove His resurrection from the dead. Christ +might have suffered for man in some obscure place; He might have +laid down His life as a ransom, and yet there would have been +no legal evidence of it. God allowed the wrath of man to become +the instrument of praising Him, in that He suffered Christ to be +taken under what was then the legal process--arrested first by +the great council of the Jews, and then by the authority of the +Roman governor, so that the matter became of public record--a +legal transaction. The highest power, both of the Jewish and Roman +governments, united in this fact of His arrest, His trial, and His +condemnation to death. + +Not only was this permitted, but the time of the occurrence was +wisely arranged. It was at the feast of the Jews, the Passover, when +all the Jews came up to keep the Passover. They came not only from +Egypt but from all the country through which they were scattered. +Jerusalem could not hold the people that came together; they pitched +their tents all around the city, on the hills and in the valleys. +It was the time of full moon, when there was brightness all night, +and they came together with safety and security. The multitude, +then, was there to witness the scene, so that it might be attested +by people from all parts of Judea and from all countries round about +Judea. + +Then, again, the form of the death was such as to be not a sudden +one, but one of torture, passing through many hours. Had the +execution been a very sudden one, as it might have been, the death +would have been equally efficacious, yet it would not have been +witnessed by so many; but as He hung those dreadful hours, from +nine until three, the sun being darkened, what an opportunity was +given to the people passing by to be imprest with the scene! The +crucifixion was near the city; the crowd was there; the temple +worship was in process; the strangers were there; and as one great +stream passes on some festive day through the great thoroughfare of +your city, so passed the stream of men, women, and children by that +cross on which the Savior hung. They wagged their heads and reviled +as they passed by. The very ones whom Jesus had healed, whose +fathers had been cured of leprosy or fever, whose mothers' eyes had +been opened; the ones who had been raised up from beds of sickness +by the touch of that Savior, passed by and reviled, and said: "He +saved others, Himself He cannot save." The multitude saw Him as He +hung suffering on the cross. + +Then, again, the circumstances attending His death were such as +to invite universal attention. It was not designed that the death +should be a private one; not merely a legal transaction, a matter +soon over, but a protracted and agonizing spectacle--one to be seen +and known by the multitude; but, in addition, that man's attention +should be drawn to something to be connected with that wonderful +scene; hence God called upon the heavens and the earth, the air and +the graves, and the temple itself for testimony. It is said that +before the coronation of a prince in olden time in Europe--and in +some kingdoms the custom is still observed--there is sent forth +a herald, sometimes three days in advance, at different periods +according to the custom, to issue a challenge to anyone that dares +to claim the kingdom to come and prove his right, and to announce +that the coronation of this prince is to take place. + +Methinks it was such a challenge God gave to all the powers of +humanity and to all the powers of darkness. There hung suffering on +the cross He who died for human wo, and as He hung God was about +to crown Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords on the morning of the +third day. He sends forth His voice of challenge, and as He speaks +the earth rocks to its center; that ground, shaking and convulsing, +was a call to man to witness what was about to occur. + +Not only is there a voice of earth. Yonder the sun clothed himself +in sackcloth for three hours, as much as to say: "There may be gloom +for three days; the great Source of light hath veiled Himself, as in +a mantle of night, for three days. As for three hours this darkness +hangs, but as out of the darkness the light shines forth, so at +the end of the three days shall the Sun of Righteousness shine out +again, the great center of glory, with that glory which He had with +the Father from the foundation of the world." It was the herald's +voice that passed through the heavens, and that spoke through all +the orbs of light, "Give attention, ye created beings, to what is +to happen!" But it was not alone in the earth, which is the great +center, nor in the heavens, which is the great source of light, that +the tidings were proclaimed. + +Look in yonder valley. The tombs are there; the prophets have been +buried there. Yon hillside is full of the resting-places of the +dead; generations on generations have been buried there; friends are +walking in it, and they are saying, "Yonder is a mighty judge in +Israel; there is the tomb of a prophet." They were passing to and +fro through that valley of death when the earthquake's tread was +heard, and behold! the tombs were opened, the graves displayed the +dead within, and there was a voice that seemed to call from the very +depths of the graves, "Hear, O sons of men!" + +What feelings must have thrilled through the hearts of those who +stood by those monuments and bended over those graves, when, thrown +wide open, the doors bursting, and the rocks giving way, they saw +the forms of death come forth and recognized friends that once they +had known. What was to occur? What could all this mean? Then the +great sacrifice was offered. It was three o'clock in the afternoon +when Christ was to give up the ghost. Yonder the multitude of pious +people were gathered toward the temple. The outer court was full; +the doors and gates which lead into the sanctuary were crowded; the +lamb was before the altar; the priest in his vestments had taken the +sacrificial knife; the blood was to be shed at the hour of three; +the multitude were looking. + +Yonder hangs a veil; it hides that inner sanctuary; there are +cherubim in yonder with their wings spread over the mercy-seat; the +shekinah once dwelt there; God Himself in His glory was there and +the people are bending to look in. No one enters into that veil save +the high priest, and he, with blood and in the midst of incense, but +once a year; but it was the mercy-seat and the eye of every pious +Jew was directed toward that veil, thinking of the greater glory +which lay beyond it. + +As the hour of three came and as the priest was taking the +sacrificial knife from the altar and was about to slay the lamb, +behold! an unseen hand takes hold of that veil and tears it apart +from top to bottom, and has thrown open the mercy-seat, not before +seen by men. The cherubim are there; the altar with its covering +of blood is there; the resting-place of the ark is there; it is +the holiest of holies. Methinks the priest drops the knife, the +lamb goes free, for the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of +the world is suffering for man. The way to the holy of holies is +open,--a new and living way, which men may not close, which priest +alone can not enter; but a way is open whereby humanity, opprest and +downtrodden, from all parts of the earth, may find its way to the +mercy-seat of God. There was a call to the pious worshiper by voices +which seemed to say: "An end to all the sacrifices, an end to all +the suffering victims, an end to all the sprinkled hyssop that is +used in purification, for One has come to do the will of God on whom +the burden of man had been laid." + +Now here were all these calls to humanity from all parts, as if to +announce the great transaction. While all this was occurring Christ +was on the cross, suffering the agony of crucifixion. How deep that +agony we need not attempt to tell you; it was fearful; and yet no +complaint escaped His lips, no murmuring was there. He bore the sins +of many in His own flesh on the tree. He heard the multitudes revile +Him; He saw them wag their heads; He remembered that the disciples +had fled from Him--one followed afar off, but the rest had gone; and +yet He complained not. Friends and kindred had all left Him and He +trod the wine-press alone. He drank the cup in all its bitterness +and no complaint escaped from Him. One left Him that had never +forsaken Him before. "The world is gone, the disciples I have fed +and taught have all fled and passed away,--all have forsaken Me." + +But there was no time until that moment of fearful darkness came, +when all the load of guilt was upon Him and for our sins He was +smitten, that His spirit was crusht, and He called out, "My God, my +God, why hast thou forsaken me?" All else might go--it were little; +"Why hast thou forsaken me?" But it is over; the darkness is past; +the load is borne; and I hear Him say, "It is finished"; He bows His +head and dies. + +Now there is publicity for the transaction. It demanded public +investigation, it received it. There was not only the mental agony +united with the agony of crucifixion, but there was the voluntary +giving up of His life; yet, lest there might be some suspicion, to +all this was added the proof of the fact of His death. When the +limbs of the others were broken and He was perceived to be dead, the +soldier thrust the spear into His side and there came out of that +side both water and blood. + +There is a peculiarity in the sacred writings. A little incident +that seems to be mentioned without care becomes the strongest +possible proof, not only of the fact of Christ's death, but of the +nature of His death. When that sentence was written the human frame +was not understood, the circulation of the blood was not understood. +Anatomists had not then, as they have now, unveiled the human +system; the great science of pathology had not yet been clearly +taught to man; and yet in that sentence we have almost a world of +meaning. For it is well attested now that where persons die from +violent mental emotion, by what is termed a broken heart, a crusht +spirit, there is always formed a watery secretion around the heart. +It was not known then to the soldier who lifted up the spear and +pierced the body; but so much of that water had secreted around the +heart that he saw it issuing forth from the pierced side, unstained +by blood, which showed that the great heart had been crusht by agony +within. + +When taken from the cross He was put in the sepulcher. His friends +had given Him up, His disciples had forsaken Him; some of them saw +Him die; they knew that He was crucified and they abandoned Him. +They were returning to their former employments; but His enemies +remembered He had said He would rise the third day, and they put +a guard around Him. The Roman soldiers were there; the king's +seal was on the stone rolled over the mouth of the sepulcher; they +made everything secure. Here again God ordered that we should have +abundant proof of Christ's crucifixion. + +He was crucified on Friday, which was to them the last day of the +week, resting in the grave on our Saturday, which is their Sabbath, +and then comes the first day of the week, our Sabbath morning, made +our Sabbath because of Christ's resurrection from the dead. There +came an humble visitant to the tomb, Mary Magdalene; she had been +healed of much, forgiven much and she loved Him. Mary, the mother of +James, came also and beheld the scenes that occurred; but there had +been strange commotions elsewhere. + +Heaven had been gathering around that grave. Angels had been +watching there; they had seen the Roman guard; they had seen the +shining spear and polished shield; they had seen that Christ was +held as a prisoner by the greatest powers on earth. Methinks I see +the angelic host as they gathered round the throne of God and looked +up into the face of Omnipotence, and if ever there was a time when +there was silence in heaven for half an hour, it was before the +morning light of the third day dawned. I hear them say "How long +shall man triumph? How long shall human power exalt itself? How long +shall the powers of darkness hold jubilee? Let us away and roll +away the stone; let us away and frighten yonder Roman guard and +drive them from the sepulcher." + +They waited until permission was given. I see the angel coming down +from the opening doors of glory; he hastens outside the walls of +Jerusalem and down to the sepulcher; when they saw him coming the +keepers shook, they became like dead men; he rolls away the stone +and sets himself by the mouth of the sepulcher. Christ, girding +Himself with all the power of His divinity, rises from the grave. +He leads captivity captive, tears the crown from the head of death, +and makes light the darkness of the grave. Behold Him as He rises +just preparatory to His rising up to glory. Oh, what a moment was +that! Hell was preparing for its jubilee; the powers of earth were +preparing for a triumph; but as the grave yields its prey, Christ, +charged with being an impostor, is proved to be the Son of God with +power; it is the power of His resurrection from the dead. + +There was Christ's resurrection from the dead. He became the first +fruits of them that slept. But to give the amplest proofs of His +resurrection He lingered on earth to be seen of men, and to be seen +in such a manner as to show that He was still the Savior Christ. +In my younger days I used to often wonder why was it that Mary +Magdalene came first to the sepulcher, and the mother of James that +stood there--why He should appear to them; but in later days I have +said it was to show that He was the Savior still; that the same +nature was there which had made Him stoop to the lowliest of the +low--the power that enabled Him to heal the guiltiest of the guilty; +that that power, that compassion, were with Him still. + +Tho now raised beyond death and triumphing over hell, He still had +within Him the Savior's heart. Methinks I see, when Peter had run +in anxiety to tell the news, Mary remained there; she could not +fully comprehend it; the grave was open, the napkins were there; +it was said He was not there, but He was risen. And yet, there was +a darkness upon her; she could not fully conceive, it seems to me, +the resurrection of the dead. She stood wondering, when she heard a +voice behind her which said, "Woman, why weepest thou?" Bathed in +tears as she was, she turned round and saw the man standing, and +taking him to be the gardener, and supposing that he had taken the +body and carried it away as not fit to lie in that tomb or be in +that garden, she said: "If thou hast taken, him away, tell me where +thou hast laid him, and I will take him away." If He must not lie in +this tomb, if He can not lie in the garden, if as a malefactor He +must be cast out from man, tell me where the body is and I will take +it away. It was a proof of her affection. + +A voice said, "Mary, Mary." Oh, she recognized it, and her heart +cried out: "Rabboni, my Lord and my God!" and then she would have +thrown herself at His feet and bathed those feet again with her +tears, but He said, "Touch me not, I am not ascended to my Father; +go and tell the disciples and Peter that I am risen from the dead." +See the compassion of the Savior! and then that message! "Tell the +disciples and Peter." Why send a message to him? Because he curst +and swore and denied the Master. The other disciples might have +said, "If Christ is risen, He may receive and bless us all; but +Peter is gone, hopelessly and irretrievably gone; he that forsook +his Master and denied Him, there is no hope for him." And yet said +Jesus, "Go and tell the disciples and Peter"--poor backslidden Peter. + +Jesus knew his sorrow and anguish and almost felt the throbbings +of his broken heart, and He sent a message to Peter. He may be a +disciple still--may come back and be saved through the boundless +love of Christ. Oh, the compassion of the Son of God! Thank God that +Peter's Savior is on the throne this morning! + +Not only was He seen by these, but He met with the disciples +journeying by the way and explained the Scriptures to them; and +as they met in the upper room He was there. When the doors were +unopened He came in their midst and said, "Peace!" breathed on them +and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." Thus He met with them and +said to Thomas, "Reach hither thy fingers, and be not faithless but +believing." + +Then afterward He was seen by five hundred, and from the Mount +of Olives, while the disciples were gathered around Him, He was +received up into glory. They saw Him and as He went He blest +them. The last vision that ever humanity had of the Son of God +ere he ascended to heaven was that of spreading out His hands +in blessing. Oh, my Savior hath thus gone up, and He dropt from +those outstretched hands a blessing which falls to-day like the +gentle dew all over the earth; it reaches heart after heart. It +hath reached patriarchs, apostles, martyrs, fathers, and mothers +and little children, and, thank God, the heavenly dew, as from +those outstretched hands, is coming down on our assembly this very +morning. On this glad day blessings are dropping from the throne of +God upon us from this risen Savior. He hath ascended up on high, the +gates have opened for Him, and He hath gone to His throne in glory. + +Let us look at a few of the results that flow to us from these facts +thus sustained of His death and resurrection from the dead! + +In the first place it established all Bible declarations. It had +been predicted that He should not stay in the grave, and when He +arose it put the seal to the Old Testament as the Word of God. The +prophecy in Him fulfilled gave glorious proof that the other parts +of it should be also fulfilled as the word of an unchanging God. + +Again, in His resurrection we see a proof of His divine power. No +man hath been raised from the dead by his own power. All died, from +Adam to Moses, with the exception of Enoch and Elijah, who, because +of their devotion and acknowledgment of the divine head, themselves +became prophets of a coming Savior. He rose by His own power. He +conquered death itself, the grave, and the whole powers of humanity. + +Jupiter is represented by an old classic writer as saying to the +lesser gods that if all of them combined together and should +endeavor to throw down his throne--if all power was arrayed against +him--he, by his own might, would be able to overcome them all. +What was fiction with the ancients becomes gloriously realized in +Christ. Take all the powers of humanity--the Jewish power, the +Roman power; the power of learning, of art, of public opinion; take +all the powers of earth and hell, death and the grave, and combine +them all against the Savior and, without one effort, without one +single apparent movement--the Sleeper lies in death, His eyes are +sealed, and, as if all unconscious, for the warning had not been +given before--in an instant those eyes were opened, that frame +rises, the grave yields up its prey, death retires conquered, and +Christ demonstrates Himself to be the ruler of the whole universe. +He made the earth to tremble, the sun to put on sackcloth, the very +air to grow dark, the graves to open, the dead to come forth, and +proclaimed Himself to be the conqueror of death and hell. So we have +proof of His being the Son of God with power. + +In that resurrection from the dead we have a pledge of our own +resurrection. Christ has become the first-fruits of them that slept. +You know the figure of the first-fruits as understood by the Jews. +Their religion was connected with the seasons of the year--with +the harvest crops; one of their feasts was called the feast of the +first-fruits, and was on this wise: When the first heads of grain +began to ripen in the field, and there was thus a pledge of harvest, +they cut off those first ripened heads and went up to Jerusalem. + +Before that the grain was not crusht, no bread was baked out of +it, and nothing was done to appropriate that crop to man's use +until those ripened heads of grain were brought up to Jerusalem +and presented to the Lord as a thank-offering. He was acknowledged +as Lord of the harvest and they were laid up as a kind of +thank-offering before God. They were the first-fruits. Then they +went away to the fields and all through Judea the sickle was thrust +in, the grain was reaped and gathered into sheaves, and when the +harvest was secured they baked the bread for their children out of +this first grain. They came up to the temple, where the first-fruits +had been laid, and they held a feast of thanksgiving and shouted +harvest home. The old harvest feast seems to be descended from this +ancient custom. + +Christ rose as the first-fruits, and there is to be a glorious +resurrection. Christ came, the first man to rise in this respect, +by His own power, from the grave, having snatched the crown from +death, having thrown light into the grave, having Himself ascended +up toward glory. He goes up in the midst of the shouts of angels; +the heavens open before Him; yonder is the altar; there is the +throne, and around it stand the seraphim and the cherubim; and +Christ enters, the victor, and sits down upon the throne, from +henceforth expecting until His enemies be made His footstool. He is +the first-fruits of the harvest, but the angels are to be sent out +like the reapers, and by and by humanity is coming. + +As Christ, the first-fruits, passed through the grave and went up +to glory, so there shall come forth from their sleeping dust in +Asia, in Africa, in Europe, and in America, from every mountain +top, from the depths of the sea, from deep ravines, and from plains +outspread--oh, there shall come in the time of the glorious +harvest--the uprising of humanity, when all the nations, waking from +their long sleep, shall rise and shall shout the harvest home! Thank +God! At that time none shall be wanting. + +Oh, they come, they come, from the nations of the past and from the +generations yet unborn! I see the crowd gathering there. Behold the +angels are waiting, and as the hosts rise from the dead they gather +round the throne. Christ invites His followers to overcome and sit +down with Him on His throne, as He overcame and sat down with the +Father on His throne. In that is the pledge of our resurrection from +the dead. Can I not suffer, since Christ suffered? Can I not die, +since Christ died? Let the grave be my resting-place, for Christ +rested there. Is it cold? The warmth of His animation is in it. He +shall be beside me in all His spirit's power. Does the load of earth +above me and beneath which I am placed press upon me? Christ hath +power to burst the tomb, tho deep it be, and I shall rise through +His almighty power. + +Yet, let the malice of men be directed against me; let me be taken, +if it must be, as a martyr and be bound to the stake; let the fagots +be kindled, let the flame ascend, let my body be burned; gather +my ashes, grind my bones to powder, scatter them on the ocean's +surface; or carry those ashes to the top of yonder volcano and throw +them within its consuming fire--let them be given to the dust--and +yet I can sing: + + "God my Redeemer lives, + And ever from the skies + Looks down and watches all my dust, + Till He shall bid it rise." + +Thank God! it may be scattered on the wings of the wind--Christ is +everywhere present; He has marked every particle and it shall rise +again by His own almighty power. And what is it to sleep awhile if I +am Christ's? To die, if I am like Christ in dying? and be buried, if +I am like Christ in being buried? I trust I shall be like Him when +He comes forth in His glory. I shall be like Him, for the apostle +says, "We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is"; "We +shall be changed from glory into glory, into the same image as by +the Spirit of God." + +It would be a great change to be changed from glory to glory, +from saints to angels, from angels to cherubim, from cherubim to +seraphim, from glory to glory; but, thank God! we shall not stop +being changed; for the change shall go on from glory to glory +until we shall be transformed into the likeness of the Son of God, +brighter than angels ever shone, more glorious than were ever +cherubim. + +We shall be near the throne; we shall sit beside Him, for He hath +made room for us there. Then, if we can calmly look at death and +face him, because his strength has been overcome, it reconciles us +to parting a little while with friends. A father or a mother may be +taken from us, but we shall see them again; they shall not sleep +forever. The little ones that drop from our arms, we can almost see +them this morning; some of us can almost feel them in our arms--can +see the glance of that beautiful eye and hear the sound of that +little prattling lip; they seem to be with us now, as a little while +ago they dropt from out of our arms. We followed them to the grave +and left them there, where the winter's storm has been howling +around them. + +Sometimes loneliness like that terrible storm has swept over our +hearts and left them almost in despair; but through Christ's +resurrection we see our children yonder in glory, safe in the +Savior's arms. Their little forms shall rise all-glorious from the +tomb in the morning of the resurrection; we shall find them, for +Jesus is the resurrection and the life. + +All this comes to us from the resurrection of Christ from the dead. +He died once; He dies no more; the condemnation of death is forever +gone; He sits on the throne of everlasting dominion; His kingdom +is an eternal kingdom; and as He died once and has risen to die no +more, so when we have died once and gone to the grave and entered +the dark valley and shadow of death, and we come up safely on the +other side, thank God! death is passed forever; we shall then put +our feet on the neck of the monster and shall be able to say: + + "Oh death, where is thy sting? + Oh grave, where is thy victory?" + +Looking at the resurrection of Christ we exclaim, Thanks be unto God +who hath given us the victory! Such is the eternity and blessedness +that awaits us. Thank God for a spiritual body! Here some of us long +to triumph over nature. We would grasp, if we could, angelic wisdom; +but our brows will ache with pain, our frames decay, our eyes grow +dim, our hearing fail. This flesh of ours will not stand hours of +painful study and seasons of protracted labor; but, thank God! when +the body that now oppresses us is laid in the grave a spiritual +body will be given to us, pure, ethereal, and holy. Oh, what an +extent of knowledge shall flash upon us; what light and glory; what +spirituality and power! Then we shall not need to ask an angel +anything. We shall know as we are known. Jesus will be our teacher; +the Everlasting God, the Man whose name is Wonderful, the Counselor, +the Prince of Peace. He Himself shall be our Leader. We shall know +then as also we are known. + +Then rejoice in God. Dry up those tears. Cast away that downcast +look. Child of the dust, you are an heir of glory. There is a crown +all burnished for you; there is a mansion all ready for you; there +is a white robe prepared for you; there is eternal glory for you; +angels are to be your servants and you are to reign with the King +of Kings forever. But while you wait on earth, be witnesses for +God; attest the glory of your Master; rise in the greatness of His +strength; bind sin captive to your chariot wheels; go onward in your +heavenly career, and be as pure as your ascended Head is pure. Be +active in works of mercy; be angels of light; be names of fire; go +on your mission of mercy and convert the world unto God before you +go up higher. When you go, not only go forward to present yourself, +but may every one of you be able to say: "Here am I and those which +Thou hast given me." + + + + +THEODORE PARKER + +THE TRANSIENT AND PERMANENT IN CHRISTIANITY + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +THEODORE PARKER, American divine and reformer, was born at +Lexington, Mass., in 1810. He was educated at Harvard and graduated +from the Divinity School of that University in 1836. The following +year he was ordained pastor of Roxbury Christian Church, and first +attracted attention by his sermon on the "Transient and Permanent +in Christianity," preached in 1841. This sermon was ultimately the +cause of his practical exclusion from the Unitarian body, and in +1846 he became minister to the Twenty-eighth Congregational Society +in Boston. + +In this pastorate he became well known to all denominations from +the remarkable sermons he preached for seven years in Music +Hall. He died of consumption at Florence, Italy, in 1860. His +powerful intellect and vigorous eloquence were exhibited in the +many controversial sermons he preached, both as a believer in the +nonsupernaturalism of present Christianity and as a practical +humanitarian. He figured as one of the leading abolitionists of New +England. + + + + +THEODORE PARKER + +1810-1860 + +THE TRANSIENT AND PERMANENT IN CHRISTIANITY + +_Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass +away._--Luke xxi., 33. + + +In this sentence we have a very clear indication that Jesus of +Nazareth believed the religion He taught would be eternal, that +the substance of it would last forever. Yet there are some who +are affrighted by the faintest rustle which a heretic makes among +the dry leaves of theology; they tremble lest Christianity itself +should perish without hope. Ever and anon the cry is raised, "The +Philistines be upon us, and Christianity is in danger." The least +doubt respecting the popular theology, or the existing machinery +of the Church; the least sign of distrust in the religion of the +pulpit, or the religion of the street, is by some good men supposed +to be at enmity with faith in Christ, and capable of shaking +Christianity itself. On the other hand, a few bad men, and a few +pious men, it is said, on both sides of the water, tell us the day +of Christianity is past. The latter, it is alleged, would persuade +us that hereafter piety must take a new form; the teachings of Jesus +are to be passed by; that religion is to wing her way sublime, +above the flight of Christianity, far away, toward heaven, as the +fledged eaglet leaves forever the nest which sheltered his callow +youth. Let us therefore devote a few moments to this subject, and +consider what is transient in Christianity, and what is permanent +therein. + + * * * * * + +In actual Christianity,--that is, in that portion of Christianity +which is preached and believed,--there seems to have been, ever +since the time of its earthly Founder, two elements, the one +transient, the other permanent. The one is the thought, the folly, +the uncertain wisdom, the theological notions, the impiety of man; +the other, the eternal truth of God. These two bear, perhaps, the +same relation to each other that the phenomena of outward nature, +such as sunshine and cloud, growth, decay and reproduction, bear +to the great law of nature, which underlies and supports them all. +As in that case more attention is commonly paid to the particular +phenomena than to the general law, so in this case more is generally +given to the transient in Christianity than to the permanent therein. + +It must be confest, tho with sorrow, that transient things form a +great part of what is commonly taught as religion. An undue place +has often been assigned to forms and doctrines, while too little +stress has been laid on the divine life of the soul, love to God, +and love to man. Religious forms may be useful and beautiful. They +are so, whenever they speak to the soul, and answer a want thereof. +In our present state some forms are perhaps necessary. But they are +only the accident of Christianity, not its substance. They are the +robe, not the angel, who may take another robe quite as becoming +and useful. One sect has many forms; another, none. Yet both may be +equally Christian, in spite of the redundance or the deficiency. +They are a part of the language in which religion speaks, and exist, +with few exceptions, wherever man is found. In our calculating +nation, in our rationalizing sect, we have retained but two of the +rites so numerous in the early Christian Church, and even these +we have attenuated to the last degree, leaving them little more +than a specter of the ancient form. Another age may continue or +forsake both; may revive old forms, or invent new ones to suit the +altered circumstances of the times, and yet be Christians quite as +good as we, or our fathers of the dark ages. Whether the apostles +designed these rites to be perpetual seems a question which belongs +to scholars and antiquarians,--not to us, as Christian men and +women. So long as they satisfy or help the pious heart, so long they +are good. Looking behind or around us, we see that the forms and +rites of the Christians are quite as fluctuating as those of the +heathens, from whom some of them have been, not unwisely, adopted by +the earlier Church. + +Any one, who traces the history of what is called Christianity, will +see that nothing changes more from age to age than the doctrines +taught as Christian, and insisted on as essential to Christianity +and personal salvation. What is falsehood in one province passes +for truth in another. The heresy of one age is the orthodox +belief and "only infallible rule" of the next. Now Arius, and now +Athanasius, is lord of the ascendant. Both were excommunicated +in their turn, each for affirming what the other denied. Men are +burned for professing what men are burned for denying. For centuries +the doctrines of the Christians were no better, to say the least, +than those of their contemporary pagans. The theological doctrines +derived from our fathers seem to have come from Judaism, heathenism, +and the caprice of philosophers, far more than they have come +from the principle and sentiment of Christianity. The doctrine of +the Trinity, the very Achilles of theological dogmas, belongs to +philosophy and not religion; its subtleties cannot even be expressed +in our tongue. As old religions became superannuated, and died out, +they left to the rising faith, as to a residuary legatee, their +forms and their doctrines; or rather, as the giant in the fable left +his poisoned garment to work the overthrow of his conqueror. Many +tenets that pass current in our theology seem to be the refuse of +idol temples, the offscourings of Jewish and heathen cities rather +than the sands of virgin gold which the stream of Christianity +has worn off from the rock of ages, and brought in its bosom for +us. It is wood, hay, and stubble, wherewith men have built on the +corner-stone Christ laid. What wonder the fabric is in peril when +tried by fire? The stream of Christianity, as men receive it, has +caught a stain from every soil it has filtered through, so that now +it is not the pure water from the well of life which is offered +to our lips, but streams troubled and polluted by man with mire +and dirt. If Paul and Jesus could read our books of theological +doctrines, would they accept as their teaching what men have vented +in their name? Never, till the letters of Paul had faded out of +his memory, never, till the words of Jesus had been torn out from +the book of life. It is their notions about Christianity men have +taught as the only living word of God. They have piled their own +rubbish against the temple of truth where piety comes up to worship; +what wonder the pile seems unshapely and like to fall? But these +theological doctrines are fleeting as the leaves on the trees. They-- + + "Are found + Now green in youth, now withered on the ground; + Another race the following spring supplies; + They fall successive, and successive rise." + +Like the clouds of the sky, they are here to-day; to-morrow, all +swept off and vanished; while Christianity itself, like the heaven +above, with its sun, and moon, and uncounted stars, is always over +our head, tho the cloud sometimes debars us of the needed light. It +must of necessity be the case that our reasonings, and therefore +our theological doctrines, are imperfect, and so perishing. It is +only gradually that we approach to the true system of nature by +observation and reasoning, and work out our philosophy and theology +by the toil of the brain. But meantime, if we are faithful, the +great truths of mortality and religion, the deep sentiment of love +to man and love to God, are perceived intuitively, and by instinct, +as it were, tho our theology be imperfect and miserable. The +theological notions of Abraham, to take the story as it stands, were +exceedingly gross, yet a greater than Abraham has told us, "Abraham +desired to see my day, saw it, and was glad." Since these notions +are so fleeting, why need we accept the commandment of men as the +doctrine of God? + +This transitoriness of doctrines appears in many instances, of which +two may be selected for a more attentive consideration. First, the +doctrine respecting the origin and authority of the Old and New +Testaments. There has been a time when men were burned for asserting +doctrines of natural philosophy which rested on evidence the most +incontestable, because those doctrines conflicted with sentences in +the Old Testament. Every word of that Jewish record was regarded +as miraculously inspired, and therefore as infallibly true. It was +believed that the Christian religion itself rested thereon, and must +stand or fall with the immaculate Hebrew text. He was deemed no +small sinner who found mistakes in the manuscripts. On the authority +of the written word man was taught to believe impossible legends, +conflicting assertions; to take fiction for fact, a dream for a +miraculous revelation of God, an Oriental poem for a grave history +of miraculous events, a collection of amatory idyls for a serious +discourse "touching the mutual love of Christ and the Church"; +they have been taught to accept a picture sketched by some glowing +Eastern imagination, never intended to be taken for a reality, +as a proof that the infinite God spoke in human words, appeared +in the shape of a cloud, a flaming bush, or a man who ate, and +drank, and vanished into smoke; that He gave counsels to-day, and +the opposite to-morrow; that He violated His own laws, was angry, +and was only dissuaded by a mortal man from destroying at once a +whole nation,--millions of men who rebelled against their leader +in a moment of anguish. Questions in philosophy, questions in the +Christian religion, have been settled by an appeal to that book. +The inspiration of its authors has been assumed as infallible. +Every fact in the early Jewish history has been taken as a type of +some analogous fact in Christian history. The most distant events, +even such as are still in the arms of time, were supposed to be +clearly foreseen and foretold by pious Hebrews several centuries +before Christ. It has been assumed at the outset, with no shadow of +evidence, that those writers held a miraculous communication with +God, such as He has granted to no other man. What was originally +a presumption of bigoted Jews became an article of faith, which +Christians were burned for not believing. This has been for +centuries the general opinion of the Christian Church, both Catholic +and Protestant, tho the former never accepted the Bible as the +only source of religious truth. It has been so. Still worse, it is +now the general opinion of religious sects at this day. Hence the +attempt, which always fails, to reconcile the philosophy of our +times with the poems in Genesis writ a thousand years before Christ. +Hence the attempt to conceal the contradictions in the record +itself. Matters have come to such a pass that even now he is deemed +an infidel, if not by implication an atheist, whose reverence for +the Most High forbids him to believe that God commanded Abraham to +sacrifice his son,--a thought at which the flesh creeps with horror; +to believe it solely on the authority of an Oriental story, written +down nobody knows when or by whom, or for what purpose; which may +be a poem, but can not be the record of a fact, unless God is the +author of confusion and a lie. + +Now, this idolatry of the Old Testament has not always existed. +Jesus says that none born of a woman is greater than John the +Baptist, yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than +John. Paul tells us the law--the very crown of the old Hebrew +revelation--is a shadow of good things which have now come; only a +schoolmaster to bring us to Christ; and when faith has come, that +we are no longer under the schoolmaster; that it was a law of sin +and death, from which we are made free by the law of the spirit of +life. Christian teachers themselves have differed so widely in their +notion of the doctrines and meaning of those books that it makes one +weep to think of the follies deduced therefrom. But modern criticism +is fast breaking to pieces this idol which men have made out of the +Scriptures. It has shown that here are the most different works +thrown together; that their authors, wise as they sometimes were, +pious as we feel often their spirit to have been, had only that +inspiration which is common to other men equally pious and wise; +that they were by no means infallible, but were mistaken in facts or +in reasoning,--uttered predictions which time has not fulfilled; men +who in some measure partook of the darkness and limited notions of +their age, and were not always above its mistakes or its corruptions. + +The history of opinions on the New Testament is quite similar. It +has been assumed at the outset, it would seem with no sufficient +reason, without the smallest pretense on its writers' part, that +all of its authors were infallibly and miraculously inspired, so +that they could commit no error of doctrine or fact. Men have been +bid to close their eyes at the obvious difference between Luke and +John, the serious disagreement between Paul and Peter; to believe, +on the smallest evidence, accounts which shock the moral sense and +revolt the reason, and tend to place Jesus in the same series with +the Hercules and Appollonius of Tyana; accounts which Paul in the +Epistles never mentions, tho he also had a vein of the miraculous +running quite through him. Men have been told that all these things +must be taken as part of Christianity, and if they accepted the +religion, they must take all these accessories along with it; that +the living spirit could not be had without the killing letter. All +the books which caprice or accident had brought together between +the lids of the Bible were declared to be the infallible Word of +God, the only certain rule of religious faith and practise. Thus the +Bible was made not a single channel, but the only certain rule of +religious faith and practise. To disbelieve any of its statements, +or even the common interpretation put upon those statements by +the particular age or church in which the man belonged, was held +to be infidelity, if not atheism. In the name of Him who forbids +us to judge our brother, good men and pious men have applied these +terms to others, good and pious as themselves. That state of things +has by no means passed away. Men who cry down the absurdities of +paganism in the worst spirit of the French "free thinkers" call +others infidels and atheists, who point out, tho reverently, other +absurdities which men have piled upon Christianity. So the world +goes. An idolatrous regard for the imperfect scripture of God's word +is the apple of Atalanta, which defeats theologians running for the +hand of divine truth. + +But the current notions respecting the infallible inspiration of +the Bible have no foundation in the Bible itself. Which evangelist, +which apostle of the New Testament, what prophet or psalmist of the +Old Testament, ever claims infallible authority for himself or for +others? Which of them does not in his own writings show that he was +finite, and, with all his zeal and piety, possest but a limited +inspiration, the bound whereof we can sometimes discover? Did Christ +ever demand that men should assent to the doctrines of the Old +Testament, credit its stories, and take its poems for histories, and +believe equally two accounts that contradict one another? Has He +ever told you that all the truths of His religion, all the beauty +of a Christian life should be contained in the writings of those +men who, even after His resurrection, expected Him to be a Jewish +king; of men who were sometimes at variance with one another, and +misunderstood His divine teachings? Would not those modest writers +themselves be confounded at the idolatry we pay them? Opinions may +change on these points, as they have often changed--changed greatly +and for the worse since the days of Paul. They are changing now, and +we may hope for the better; for God makes man's folly as well his +wrath to praise Him, and continually brings good out of evil. + +Another instance of the transitoriness of doctrines taught as +Christian is found in those which relate to the nature and authority +of Christ. One ancient party has told us that He is the infinite +God; another, that He is both God and man; a third, that He was +a man, the son of Joseph and Mary, born as we are; tempted like +ourselves; inspired as we may be, if we will pay the price. Each of +the former parties believed its doctrine on this head was infallibly +true, and formed the very substance of Christianity, and was one +of the essential conditions of salvation, tho scarce any two +distinguished teachers, of ancient or modern times, agree in their +expression of this truth. + +Almost every sect that has ever been, makes Christianity rest on +the personal authority of Jesus, and not the immutable truth of the +doctrines themselves, or the authority of God, who sent Him into +the world. Yet it seems difficult to conceive any reason why moral +and religious truths should rest for their support on the personal +authority of their revealer, any more than the truths of science on +that of him who makes them known first or most clearly. It is hard +to see why the great truths of Christianity rest on the personal +authority of Jesus, more than the axioms of geometry rest on the +personal authority of Euclid or Archimedes. The authority of Jesus +as of all teachers, one would naturally think, must rest on the +truth of His words, and not their truth on His authority. + +Opinions respecting the nature of Christ seem to be constantly +changing. In the three first centuries after Christ, it appears, +great latitude of speculation prevailed. Some said He was God, with +nothing of human nature, His body only an illusion; others that He +was man, with nothing of the divine nature, His miraculous birth +having no foundation in fact. In a few centuries it was decreed by +councils that He was God, thus honoring the divine element; next, +that He was man also, thus admitting the human side. For some ages +the Catholic Church seems to have dwelt chiefly on the divine +nature that was in Him, leaving the human element to mystics and +other heretical persons, whose bodies served to flesh the swords of +orthodox believers. The stream of Christianity has come to us in two +channels,--one within the Church, the other without the Church,--and +it is not hazarding too much to say that since the fourth century +the true Christian life has been out of the established Church, +and not in it, but rather in the ranks of dissenters. From the +Reformation till the latter part of the last century, we are told, +the Protestant Church dwelt chiefly on the human side of Christ, +and since that time many works have been written to show how +the two--perfect Deity and perfect manhood--were united in His +character. But, all this time, scarce any two eminent teachers +agree on these points, however orthodox they may be called. What a +difference between the Christ of John Gerson and John Calvin,--yet +were both accepted teachers and pious men. What a difference between +the Christ of the Unitarians and the Methodists,--yet may men of +both sects be true Christians and acceptable with God. What a +difference between the Christ of Matthew and John,--yet both were +disciples, and their influence is wide as Christendom and deep as +the heart of man. But on this there is not time to enlarge. + +Now, it seems clear that the notions men form about the origin and +nature of the Scriptures, respecting the nature and authority of +Christ, have nothing to do with Christianity except as its aids or +its adversaries; they are not the foundation of its truths. These +are theological questions, not religious questions. Their connection +with Christianity appears accidental; for if Jesus had taught at +Athens, and not at Jerusalem; if He had wrought no miracle, and +none but the human nature had ever been ascribed to them; if the +Old Testament had forever perished at His birth,--Christianity +would still have been the word of God; it would have lost none of +its truths. It would be just as true, just as beautiful, just as +lasting, as now it is; tho we should have lost so many a blessed +word, and the work of Christianity itself would have been, perhaps, +a long time retarded. + +To judge the future by the past, the former authority of the Old +Testament can never return. Its present authority can not stand. It +must be taken for what it is worth. The occasional folly and impiety +of its authors must pass for no more than their value; while the +religion, the wisdom, the love, which make fragrant its leaves, will +still speak to the best hearts as hitherto, and in accents even more +divine when reason is allowed her rights. The ancient belief in the +infallible inspiration of each sentence of the New Testament is fast +changing, very fast. One writer, not a skeptic, but a Christian of +unquestioned piety, sweeps off the beginning of Matthew; another, +of a different church and equally religious, the end of John. +Numerous critics strike off several epistles. The Apocalypse itself +is not spared, notwithstanding its concluding curse. Who shall +tell us the work of retrenchment is to stop here; that others will +not demonstrate what some pious hearts have long felt, that errors +of doctrine and errors of fact may be found in many parts of the +record, here and there, from the beginning of Matthew to the end +of Acts? We see how opinions have changed ever since the apostles' +time; and who shall assure us that they were not sometimes mistaken +in historical as well as doctrinal matters; did not sometimes +confound the actual with the imaginary; and that the fancy of these +pious writers never stood in the place of their recollection? + +But what if this should take place? Is Christianity then to perish +out of the heart of the nations, and vanish from the memory of the +world, like the religions that were before Abraham? It must be so, +if it rest on a foundation which a scoffer may shake, and a score of +pious critics shake down. But this is the foundation of a theology, +not of Christianity. That does not rest on the decision of councils. +It is not to stand or fall with the infallible inspiration of a +few Jewish fishermen, who have writ their names in characters of +light all over the world. It does not continue to stand through +the forbearance of some critic, who can cut when he will the +thread on which its life depends. Christianity does not rest on +the infallible authority of the New Testament. It depends on this +collection of books for the historical statement of its facts. In +this we do not require infallible inspiration on the part of the +writers, more than in the record of other historical facts. To me it +seems as presumptuous, on the one hand, for the believer to claim +this evidence for the truth of Christianity, as it is absurd, on +the other hand, for the skeptic to demand such evidence to support +these historical statements. I can not see that it depends on the +personal authority of Jesus. He was the organ through which the +Infinite spoke. It is God that was manifested in the flesh by Him, +on whom rests the truth which Jesus brought to light, and made clear +and beautiful in His life; and if Christianity be true, it seems +useless to look for any other authority to uphold it, as for some +one to support Almighty God. So if it could be proved--as it can +not--in opposition to the greatest amount of historical evidence +ever collected on any similar point, that the Gospels were the +fabrication of designing and artful men, that Jesus of Nazareth had +never lived, still Christianity would stand firm, and fear no evil. +None of the doctrines of that religion would fall to the ground; +for, if true, they stand by themselves. But we should lose--oh, +irreparable loss!--the example of that character, so beautiful, so +divine, that no human genius could have conceived it, as none, after +all the progress and refinement of eighteen centuries, seems fully +to have comprehended its lustrous life. If Christianity were true, +we should still think it was so, not because its record was written +by infallible pens, nor because it was lived out by an infallible +teacher; but that it is true, like the axioms of geometry, because +it is true and is to be tried, by the oracle God places in the +breast. If it rest on the personal authority of Jesus alone, then +there is no certainty of its truth if He were ever mistaken in +the smallest matter,--as some Christians have thought He was in +predicting His second coming. + +These doctrines respecting the Scriptures have often changed, and +are but fleeting. Yet men lay much stress on them. Some cling to +these notions as if they were Christianity itself. It is about +these and similar points that theological battles are fought from +age to age. Men sometimes use worst the choicest treasure which God +bestows. This is especially true of the use men make of the Bible. +Some men have regarded it as the heathen their idol, or the savage +his fetish. They have subordinated reason, conscience, and religion +to this. Thus have they lost half the treasure it bears in its +bosom. No doubt the time will come when its true character shall be +felt. Then it will be seen that, amid all the contradictions of the +Old Testament,--its legends, so beautiful as fictions, so appalling +as facts; amid its predictions that have never been fulfilled; amid +the puerile conceptions of God which sometimes occur, and the cruel +denunciations that disfigure both psalm and prophecy,--there is a +reverence for man's nature, a sublime trust in God, and a depth of +piety, rarely felt in these cold northern hearts of ours. Then the +devotion of its authors, the loftiness of their aim, and the majesty +of their life, will appear doubly fair, and prophet and psalmist +will warm our hearts as never before. Their voice will cheer the +young, and sanctify the gray-headed; will charm us in the toil of +life, and sweeten the cup death gives us when he comes to shake +off this mantle of flesh. Then will it be seen that the words of +Jesus are the music of heaven sung in an earthly voice, and that +the echo of these words in John and Paul owe their efficacy to +their truth and their depth, and to no accidental matter connected +therewith. Then can the Word, which was in the beginning and now is, +find access to the innermost heart of man, and speak there as now +it seldom speaks. Then shall the Bible--which is a whole library +of the deepest and most earnest thoughts and feelings, and piety, +and love, ever recorded in human speech--be read oftener than ever +before,--not with superstition, but with reason, conscience, and +faith, fully active. Then shall it sustain men bowed down with many +sorrows; rebuke sin, encourage virtue, sow the world broadcast and +quick with the seed of love, that man may reap a harvest for life +everlasting. + +With all the obstacles men have thrown in its path, how much has +the Bible done for mankind! No abuse has deprived us of all its +blessings. You trace its path across the world from the day of +Pentecost to this day. As a river springs up in the heart of a +sandy continent, having its father in the skies, and its birthplace +in distant unknown mountains; as the stream rolls on, enlarging +itself, making in that arid waste a belt of verdure wherever it +turns its way; creating palm groves and fertile plains, where the +smoke of the cottager curls up at eventide, and marble cities send +the gleam of their splendor far into the sky,--such has been the +course of the Bible on the earth. Despite of idolaters bowing to +the dust before it, it has made a deeper mark on the world than the +rich and beautiful literature of all the heathen. The first book +of the Old Testament tells man he is made in the image of God; the +first of the New Testament gives us the motto, Be perfect as your +Father in heaven. Higher words were never spoken. How the truths of +the Bible have blest us! There is not a boy on all the hills of New +England; not a girl born in the filthiest cellar which disgraces a +capital in Europe, and cries to God against the barbarism of modern +civilization; not a boy nor a girl all Christendom through, but +their lot is made better by that great book. + +Doubtless the time will come when men shall see Christ also as He +is. Well might He still say, "Have I been so long with you, and yet +hast thou not known me?" No! we have made Him an idol, have bowed +the knee before Him, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" called Him +"Lord, Lord!" but done not the things which He said. The history +of the Christian world might well be summed up in one word of the +evangelist--"and there they crucified him"; for there has never +been an age when the men did not crucify the Son of God afresh. +But if error prevail for a time and grow old in the world, truth +will triumph at the last, and then we shall see the Son of God as +He is. Lifted up, He shall draw all nations unto Him. Then will +men understand the word of Jesus, which shall not pass away. Then +shall we see and love the divine life that He lived. How vast has +His influence been! How His spirit wrought in the hearts of His +disciples, rude, selfish, bigoted, as at first they were! How it +has wrought in the world! His words judge the nations. The wisest +son of man has not measured their height. They speak to what is +deepest in profound men, what is holiest in good men, what is +divinest in religious men. They kindle anew the flame of devotion +in hearts long cold. They are spirit and life. His truth was not +derived from Moses and Solomon; but the light of God shone through +Him, not colored, not bent aside. His life is the perpetual rebuke +of all time since. It condemns ancient civilization; it condemns +modern civilization. Wise men we have since had, and good men; +but this Galilean youth strode before the whole world thousands +of years, so much of divinity was in Him. His words solve the +question of this present age. In Him the Godlike and the human +met and embraced, and a divine life was born. Measure Him by the +world's greatest sons--how poor they are! Try Him by the best of +men--how little and low they appear! Exalt Him as much as we may, +we shall yet perhaps come short of the mark. But still was He +not our brother; the son of man, as we are; the son of God, like +ourselves? His excellence--was it not human excellence? His wisdom, +love, piety,--sweet and celestial as they were,--are they not what +we also may attain? In Him, as in a mirror, we may see the image of +God, and go on from glory to glory, till we are changed into the +same image, led by the spirit which enlightens the humble. Viewed +in this way, how beautiful is the life of Jesus! Heaven has come +down to earth, or rather, earth has become heaven. The Son of God, +come of age, has taken possession of His birthright. The brightest +revelation is this of what is possible for all men,--if not now, at +least hereafter. How pure is His spirit, and how encouraging its +words! "Lowly sufferer," he seems to say, "see how I bore the cross. +Patient laborer, be strong; see how I toiled for the unthankful and +the merciless. Mistaken sinner, see of what thou art capable. Rise +up, and be blest." + +But if, as some early Christians began to do, you take a heathen +view, and make Him a God, the Son of God in a peculiar and exclusive +sense, much of the significance of His character is gone. His virtue +has no merit, His love no feeling, His cross no burthen, His agony +no pain. His death is an illusion, His resurrection but a show. For +if He were not a man, but a god, what are all these things? What His +words, His life, His excellence of achievement? It is all nothing, +weighed against the illimitable greatness of Him who created the +worlds and fills up all time and space! Then His resignation is no +lesson, His life no model, His death no triumph to you or me, who +are not gods, but mortal men, that know not what a day shall bring +forth, and walk by faith "dim sounding on our perilous way." Alas! +we have despaired of man, and so cut off his brightest hope. + +In respect of doctrines as well as forms, we see all is transitory. +"Everywhere is instability and insecurity." Opinions have changed +most on points deemed most vital. Could we bring up a Christian +teacher of any age, from the sixth to the fourteenth century, for +example, tho a teacher of undoubted soundness of faith, whose word +filled the churches of Christendom, clergymen would scarce allow +him to kneel at their altar, or sit down with them at the Lord's +table. His notions of Christianity could not be exprest in our +forms, nor could our notions be made intelligible to his ears. +The questions of his age, those on which Christianity was thought +to depend,--questions which perplexed and divided the subtle +doctors,--are no questions to us. The quarrels which then drove +wise men mad now only excite a smile or a tear, as we are disposed +to laugh or weep at the frailty of man. We have other straws of our +own to quarrel for. Their ancient books of devotion do not speak +to us; their theology is a vain word. To look back but a short +period,--the theological speculations of our fathers during the last +two centuries, their "practical divinity," even the sermons written +by genius and piety are, with rare exceptions, found unreadable; +such a change is there in the doctrines. + +Now who shall tell us that the change is to stop here; that this +sect or that, or even all sects united, have exhausted the river of +life, and received it all in their canonized urns, so that we need +draw no more out of the eternal well, but get refreshment nearer +at hand? Who shall tell us that another age will not smile at our +doctrines, disputes, and unchristian quarrels about Christianity, +and make wide the mouth at men who walked brave in orthodox raiment, +delighting to blacken the names of heretics, and repeat again the +old charge, "He hath blasphemed"? Who shall tell us they will not +weep at the folly of all such as fancied truth shone only into the +contracted nook of their school, or sect, or coterie? Men of other +times may look down equally on the heresy-hunters, and men hunted +for heresy, and wonder at both. The men of all ages before us +were quite as confident as we, that their opinion was truth, that +their notion was Christianity and the whole thereof. The men who +lit the fires of persecution, from the first martyr to Christian +bigotry down to the last murder of the innocents, had no doubt their +opinion was divine. The contest about transubstantiation and the +immaculate purity of the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Scriptures +was waged with bitterness unequaled in these days. The Protestant +smiles at one, the Catholic at the other, and men of sense wonder +at both. It might teach us all a lesson, at least of forbearance. +No doubt an age will come in which ours shall be reckoned a period +of darkness, like the sixth century,--when men groped for the wall, +but stumbled and fell, because they trusted a transient notion, +not an eternal truth; an age when temples were full of idols, +set up by human folly; an age in which Christian light had scarce +begun to shine into men's hearts. But while this change goes on, +while one generation of opinions passes away, and another rises up, +Christianity itself, that pure religion, which exists eternal in the +constitution of the soul and the mind of God, is always the same. +The Word that was before Abraham, in the very beginning, will not +change, for that Word is truth. From this Jesus subtracted nothing; +to this He added nothing. But He came to reveal it as the secret of +God, that cunning men could not understand, but which filled the +souls of men meek and lowly of heart. This truth we owe to God; the +revelation thereof to Jesus, our elder brother, God's chosen son. + +To turn away from the disputes of the Catholics and the Protestants, +of the Unitarian and the Trinitarian, of old school and new school, +and come to the plain words of Jesus of Nazareth,--Christianity is a +simple thing, very simple. It is absolute, pure morality; absolute, +pure religion,--the love of man; the love of God acting without let +or hindrance. The only creed it lays down is the great truth which +springs up spontaneous in the holy heart,--there is a God. Its +watchword is, Be perfect as your Father in heaven. The only form it +demands is a divine life,--doing the best thing in the best way, +from the highest motives; perfect obedience to the great law of +God. Its sanction is the voice of God in your heart; the perpetual +presence of Him who made us and the stars over our head; Christ and +the Father abiding within us. All this is very simple--a little +child can understand it; very beautiful--the loftiest mind can find +nothing so lovely. Try it by reason, conscience, and faith,--things +highest in man's nature,--we see no redundance, we feel no +deficiency. Examine the particular duties it enjoins,--humility, +reverence, sobriety, gentleness, charity, forgiveness, fortitude, +resignation, faith, and active love; try the whole extent of +Christianity, so well summed up in the command, "Thou shalt love +the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and +with all thy mind; thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself"; and is +there anything therein that can perish? No, the very opponents of +Christianity have rarely found fault with the teachings of Jesus. +The end of Christianity seems to be to make all men one with God as +Christ was one with Him; to bring them to such a state of obedience +and goodness that we shall think divine thoughts and feel divine +sentiments, and so keep the law of God by living a life of truth +and love. Its means are purity and prayer; getting strength from +God, and using it for our fellow-men as well as ourselves. It allows +perfect freedom. It does not demand all men to think alike, but to +think uprightly, and get as near as possible at truth; not all men +to live alike, but to live holy, and get as near as possible to a +life perfectly divine. Christ set up no Pillars of Hercules, beyond +which men must not sail the sea in quest of truth. He says, "I have +many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.... Greater +works than these shall ye do." Christianity lays no rude hand on the +sacred peculiarity of individual genius and character. But there is +no Christian sect which does not fetter a man. It would make all +men think alike, or smother their conviction in silence. Were all +men Quakers or Catholics, Unitarians or Baptists, there would be +much less diversity of thought, character, and life, less of truth +active in the world, than now. But Christianity gives us the largest +liberty of the sons of God; and were all men Christians after the +fashion of Jesus, this variety would be a thousand times greater +than now; for Christianity is not a system of doctrines, but rather +a method of attaining oneness with God. It demands, therefore, a +good life of piety within, of purity without, and gives the promise +that whoso does God's will shall know of God's doctrine. + + + + +MACLEOD + +THE TRUE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +NORMAN MACLEOD, the eminent Scotch preacher, was born at +Campbeltown, in Argyleshire, in 1812. In his preaching he departed +from the rigid conventionality of the Scottish Church. His +large vision and broad culture gave unusual distinction both to +his writings and to his pulpit oratory. He was conspicuous for +philanthropic efforts, and frequently held evening services for +workingmen. He distinguished himself by his popular Christian +writing and by his pulpit oratory. He was practical and manly, of +godly nature, with extreme adaptability, and greatly esteemed by +Queen Victoria, who made him her chaplain in 1857. He died in 1872. + + + + +MACLEOD + +1812-1872 + +THE TRUE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY[2] + + [2] Printed here by permission of the publishers, Messrs. Wm. + Blackwood & Sons. + +_Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall +believe on me through their word;_ + +_That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, +that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that +thou hast sent me._--John xvii., 20, 21. + +"These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and +said, Father, the hour is come!" The hour was indeed come for which +the whole world had been in travail since creation, and which was +for ever to mark a new era in the history of the universe. The hour +was come when, having finished the work given Him to do, He was to +return to His Father, but only after ending His earthly journey +along the awful path on which He was now entering, and which led +through Gethsemane, the cross, and the grave. At such a moment in +His life He lifted up His eyes in perfect peace, from the sinful +and sorrowful world, to the heavens glorious in their harmony and +soothing in their silence, and said, "Father!" One feels a solemn +awe, as if entering the holy of holies, in seeking to enter into +the mind of Christ as exprest in this prayer. Never were such words +spoken on earth, never were such words heard in heaven. I ask no +other evidence to satisfy my spirit that they are the truth of God +than the evidence of their own light, revealing as it does the +speaker as being Himself light and life, who verily came from God +and went to God. + +But let me in all reverence endeavor to express a few thoughts, +as to the general meaning of this prayer, with reference more +especially to that portion of it which I have selected as the +subject of my discourse. + +The one all-absorbing desire of our Lord, as here exprest--the +ultimate end sought to be realized by Him--is that God might be +glorified as a Father, and that by the world seeing His love +revealed in sending His Son into the world to save sinners. "God +is love," but "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, +because that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world that we +might live through him"--a love which, when spiritually seen and +possest by us, is itself life eternal; for "This is life eternal +that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom +thou hast sent;" but "He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God +is love." + +All "religion" accordingly, all good, all righteousness, peace, +joy, glory, to man and to the universe, are bound up in this one +thing, knowing God as a Father. Out of this right condition of love +to God, must necessarily come our right condition towards man, +that of love to man as a brother with special love, the love of +character, to Christian brethren. Such a religion as this was never +possest as an idea even by the greatest thinkers among the civilized +heathen nations; far less was it realized by any. Whatever knowledge +many had about God, they knew Him not as a Father to be loved and +trusted, and therefore obeyed. When St. Paul addrest the Athenians, +he could find such a thought exprest by a poet only, who had said, +"We are also His offspring." It is only in the line of supernatural +revelation of God to man, as given to and received by Abraham, "the +friend," and perfected by Christ the Son, that this knowledge of +God has been possest by man. But even among those to whom this true +revelation was given about God, how few truly knew Him! + +The want of this religion, whatever else might exist that was called +by that name, was the complaint made by God against His people of +old, "They do not know me!" "They proceed from evil to evil," He +cries, for "they know not me, saith the Lord." "Through deceit they +refuse to know me, saith the Lord;" and again: "Thus saith the Lord, +Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty +man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; +but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and +knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, +judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I +delight, saith the Lord." (Jer. ix., 23, 24.) + +This was the sorrowing cry of Christ, "O righteous Father, the world +hath not known thee!" This was His joy, "I have known thee, and +these have known that thou hast sent me!" + +But if Christ desired that His Father's name should be glorified, +how was this to be accomplished? By what medium, or means? Now I +would here observe that God's method of revealing Himself to man has +ever been to do so by living men; and the Bible is a true record of +such revelations in the past. Christianity is not the philosophy of +life, but life itself; and is a revelation, not of abstract truth, +but of the living personal God to living persons as His children, +whom He hath created to glorify and enjoy Him for ever. The first +grand medium of this revelation is the eternal Son of God. The very +essence of God's character being love, He did not exist from all +eternity with a mere capacity of loving, but without an object to +love; like an eye capable of seeing light, but with no light to +see. The object of His love was His Son, who from all eternity +responded to that love and rejoiced in His Father. This eternal +Son, when manifested in the flesh, revealed His Father directly, +so that He could say, in all He was, and in all He did, and, in a +true sense, in all He suffered, "He that hath seen me, hath seen the +Father;" and men could say of Him, "We beheld His glory, the glory +as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth;" +"The glory of God" was "in the face of Jesus Christ." Again, He had +also, as the Son of Man, glorified His Father; and, by His reverence +for, confidence in, and obedience to, Him, and by His joy in Him, +had indirectly revealed what he knew God to be to Him and to all +as a Father. "I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished +the work which Thou gavest me to do." Such was His finished work. +But something more was yet to be accomplished. Ere He descends to +Gethsemane, He desires anew to have the joy of revealing a Father's +heart by revealing to the world His own heart of love as a Son to +that Father. Hence His prayer, "Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also +may glorify thee." He does not prescribe the new circumstances in +which His long-tried and perfect filial confidence and love as a +Son were to be manifested. With the absolute consecration of true +sonship He leaves these circumstances to be determined by His +Father. Now, as on the cross, He commits His spirit, as a little +child, into His Father's hands. He desires only that in any way, by +any means, He may have the joy of showing forth the reality, the +endurance, and the triumph of His Sonship. His Father may fill His +cup according to His own will, the Son will drink it. The Father +may permit a crown of thorns to be placed on His brow, and every +conceivable horror of great darkness from the hate of men and devils +to be cast over Him like a funeral-pall; He may be rejected by all +His brethren and by the Church and by the State--"Amen!" He cries. +Let His body be broken and His blood shed, He will give thanks! One +thing only He prays for, "Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may +glorify thee!" As a further end to be accomplished, He prays that +He may have the joy of making others share the same divine love and +joy, and therefore adds, "As thou hast given him power over all +flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast +given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the +only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." + +But while He as the Son was to be the first revealer of God the +Father, He was not, therefore, to be the only revealer. He was +the firstborn of many brethren in whom the same love was to be +reproduced, and by whom the same high duty was to be performed. If +the light of the glory of God shone directly in the face of Jesus +Christ, that light was to be transmitted to those who were to shine +as lights in the world, that others seeing them might glorify the +same God. For now, as ever, God in a real sense manifests Himself +in the flesh. Hence our Lord's desire that His brethren should, as +sons, reveal the Father, like Himself the Son. He says accordingly, +"As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them +into the world." Sent whom? Not apostles only, but those also who +should believe through their word; not ministers of the Church only, +but members also; all, in short, who were qualified to convince the +world that God was a Father, by convincing it of this truth, that +God had sent His Son to save sinners--the "faithful saying, worthy +of all acceptation." + +But the question is further suggested, What is this qualification? +What is this which men must possess in order to accomplish Christ's +purpose of inducing the world to believe? What is this evidence of +Christianity which they are to present to the eyes of unbelieving +men, by seeing which these are to know and glorify God as their +Father in Christ? We reply, it is the oneness of those who are to +be ambassadors from God and fellow-workers with Christ. "I pray for +them," He says, and not for them only, but "for them also who shall +believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, +Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in us; that +the world may believe that thou hast sent me." + +Now this leads me to consider more particularly the nature of this +oneness which is essential for such a successful mission as will +convince the world of the truth of Christ's mission from the Father. +What is meant by this oneness, or this union? + +We are guided in our inquiry by three features which characterize +it. First, It is a oneness such as subsists between Christ and God; +secondly, It is a oneness which can be seen or appreciated; thirdly, +It is a oneness which is calculated from its nature to convince the +world of the truth of Christ's mission. + +Now there are many kinds of union among men, which, however +wonderful or excellent, may be set aside as obviously not fulfilling +these conditions, and not such, therefore, as Christ prayed for. +There is, e. g., the unity of an army which marches as one man, +implicitly obeying its commander even unto death and without a +question. Yet, however grand this is, and however illustrative of +the character of good soldiers of Jesus Christ, it does not fulfil +the conditions specified. Nor does the wonderful unity of a State, +which makes and imposes laws, proclaims war or peace, administers +justice, and executes its judgments. In neither case is there any +union such as subsists betwixt God and Christ; nor such as is +in any sense adapted to convince the world that God has sent His +Son to save sinners. The same may be alleged of any outward and +visible unity of a body of men which might be called a Church. Its +organization might be as wonderful, and its members as disciplined, +and its power as remarkable, as those of an army; it might be held +together like a state by its laws and its enactments, its rewards +and punishments, and might energetically advance until it possest +the dominion of the world, and attracted such attention as that all +men might marvel at it; its members might assent to all the details +of a creed however large; the same rights and ceremonies and modes +of worship might be repeated throughout all its parts; and it might +be able to continue its organized existence from age to age,--yet it +would by no means follow that any such system, however remarkable, +possest that inward spiritual unity desired in Christ's prayer, no +more than the compact unity of Brahminism does, nor the still more +extraordinary unity of Buddhism, with its temples, its priesthood, +its creed, its rites and ceremonies, continuing unchanged during +teeming centuries, and dominating over hundreds of millions of the +human race. May not all these and many similar unities be fully +and satisfactorily accounted for by principles in human nature, +altogether irrespective of the fact of a supernatural power having +come into the world to which their origin or continuance is owing? +For there is a oneness in the churchyard as well as in the church. +There might be a oneness of assent amongst a deaf multitude with +regard to the beauty of music, because determined by the fiat of +authority, but not as the result of hearing and of taste; and the +same kind of oneness of judgment as to the beauty of pictures, on +the part of those who were blind. Unity alone proves nothing, apart +from its nature and its origin. + +There is but one kind of unity or oneness which fulfils the +specified conditions, and that is, oneness of character or of +spiritual life--in one word, the oneness of love;--for this is the +highest condition of a personal spirit. It is such love as God had +and has to Christ; "That the love wherewith thou has loved me may +be in them;" such love as the Son has to the Father, and such as He +manifested to His disciples that very evening when, conscious of +His divine glory, and "knowing that he was come from God, and went +to God," He girded Himself with a towel and washed His disciples' +feet. Hence the declaration, "The glory," that is, of character, +"which thou gavest me I have given them, that they," through its +possession, "may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in +me." Hence again His saying, "They are not of the world, even as I +am not of the world;" and His prayer, "I pray not that thou shouldst +take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from +the evil." Such love as this, when in the soul of ordinary men, does +not originate in their own hearts, however naturally benevolent or +affectionate these may be. Our Lord in this prayer recognizes it +as inseparable from faith in His own teaching, and from personal +conviction of the truth which they themselves were to preach; for +they had received His words, and had "known surely that I came out +from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me"; and so +He prays, "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." + +Now, if we would divide, as with a prism, this pure light of love, +we might discern it as being composed, as it were, of at least two +colors, or features--first, love to God, exprest in the desire that +He should be known; secondly, love to man, exprest in self-sacrifice +that all should share this true love. But these very features we +discern as first existing in God the Father and in Christ the Son; +for God desires, from the necessity of His own nature, that He +should be known, and that all His rational creatures should see +the glory of His character, and, in seeing it, should live. God +has also manifested His love, according to the law of love, by +giving and by self-sacrifice, inasmuch as He "spared not his own +Son, but delivered him up for us all." In like manner, the Son +desired that His Father might be known, and to accomplish this He +became incarnate. He has manifested His love also in the form of +self-sacrifice, in that His whole life and death were an offering +up of Himself as a sacrifice unto God, and as an atonement for the +sins of the world, in order that all men might be made partakers +of His own eternal life in God. This, too, is the "mind" of the +Holy Spirit, for He glorifies the Son, that the Son may glorify the +Father, and glorifies Him in and by His true Church. Hence, wherever +true love exists in man, it will manifest itself in these two forms; +it will ever desire that God may be known, and will never "seek its +own," but sacrifice itself that this end may be attained. In such +oneness as this of mind, spirit, character--in one word, love--there +is realized the first condition of that oneness for which our Lord +prayed. + +Secondly, This unity of character fulfils the second condition in +its being such as the world can in some degree see and appreciate. +Blind as the world is, it can see love in the form of self-sacrifice +at least, seeking its good, even tho it may not at once see in +this a revelation of such love as has its origin in the love of +God to man. The world's heart can perceive more things and greater +things than can its intellect. The child of the statesman or man +of science may not be able to comprehend the world-politics of the +one or the scientific discoveries of the other; but it can see and +feel the love revealed in the glance of the eye, in the smile on +the lips, or in the arms that clasp it to the bosom; and in seeing +this, it sees an infinitely greater thing than the politics of the +one or the scientific discoveries of the other. It sees, too, in +this, tho unconsciously, the love of the Father's heart which fills +the universe with glory, even as its eye, when opened to a little +light, sees the same light which illumines a thousand worlds. And +thus can the world see the light of love. Those who are in prison, +in nakedness, or in thirst, are quite able to see and to appreciate +the love that, for Christ's sake, visits them, clothes them, and +gives them drink. The wretched lepers in the lazar-house, into which +no one could enter and ever return to the world, could see and +appreciate the love of the Moravian missionary who visited them, +and who shut the door for ever between him and all he knew and +loved, that he might share and alleviate the horrors of his wretched +brethren whom he loved more than all. Blind as the world is, it can +see this or nothing; bad as it is, it can appreciate this goodness +or none. + +Thirdly, Such a character is calculated also to convince the world +that God has sent Christ to save sinners. Observe again what is +our Lord's idea of the mission which was to convert the world; it +is this, that those whom He sends, even as God had sent Himself, +whether as apostles or as disciples, should give to their fellow men +what they have first received from their living Head, Jesus Christ. +They were to give "the words" which they received from Him, and +which He had received from God--they were to give "the truth" which +they received from Him, and which He Himself had glorified in His +life and death, that God had sent Him to be the Savior of the world. +They were also to manifest that life which they had received from +Him, and which He had received from God, and which in them was the +necessary result of their faith. Now, it is in the seeing of this +life in those who proclaim the truth that the truth itself appears +worthy of all acceptation, and that God verily, who has sent His Son +to save sinners, is love. It is thus, you perceive, that the mission +of the Church, whether of its ministers or its members, is not only +to preach glad tidings, but to show their reality in their actual +results; not only to preach salvation, but to preach it by saved +men; not only to preach eternal life, but to preach it by those who +possess it; not only to preach about a Father, but to reveal also +that Father through His regenerated sons, who themselves know and +love Him. Further, the idea of a Church is that of a society whose +members are united through faith in the same truth, and are in +possession of the same life. Such a society necessarily springs out +of faith and love, and its members cannot choose but unite outwardly +because united inwardly. Our Lord assumes its future existence and +provides for its continuance. A Church realizing Christ's ideal +would, therefore, possess, as its creed this, at least, of believing +Christ's words, and the truth that "God had sent his Son to be the +Savior of the world." For "every spirit that confesseth not that +Christ hath come in the flesh is not of God." "And whosoever shall +confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in +God." Its initiatory sacrament, that of baptism, does but express +the nature of this society--viz., that its members are the children +of God the Father through Christ the Son, and by the indwelling of +the Holy Spirit--their character being a spiritual baptism into the +possession of "God's name," which is "love." + +Another characteristic of it is their possession of that eternal +life which is exprest as well as maintained by the "communion" in +which its members meet together as brethren, their bond of union +being a common union with God in Christ and one another, through +the constant partaking of Him, the living bread; eating His flesh +and drinking His blood--that is, His whole life of self-sacrifice +and love becoming a part of their very being. Worship in spirit +and in truth is also necessarily involved in the idea of such a +society; and I might add, worship, not from a command merely, but +as a necessary result of spiritual character, becoming in a true +sense "infallible" as to religion; but religion in this sense,--that +of knowing God because of its members being able to say, "We know +that he dwelleth in us, and we in him, because he hath given us +his Spirit, and we know and testify that he sent his Son to be +the Savior of the world." Such a Church would likewise, in a true +sense, have an apostolical succession--that is, a succession of +teachers and members who had the apostolic spirit, or the oneness as +described by our Lord; for it would be able, from its possessing the +Spirit of God, to discern those who were like-minded, and to select +such as were specially fitted for the work of the ministry. This is +the ideal of the Church. + +But has such a Church been realized? Has there ever been a visible +organized body of men who carried out this sublime purpose? Once, +indeed, there was. For we perceive, more or less clearly, all these +features in the early Church when it had received the Spirit on the +day of Pentecost, and when its members met together and "had all +things in common," and manifested such sonship towards God, and +brotherhood towards each other; and sent forth everywhere its public +minister and its members also to bring men into the same blessed +unity. But supposing the ideal had no more been realized since that +time than God's ideal as described by Moses had been fully realized +in the Jewish Church;--yet must the ideal, nevertheless, be ever +kept before the spiritual eye. For we do not produce high art by +keeping a low rather than a high standard before the artist; neither +can we reach to great things in the Church unless we keep a high +standard before its members. It is unnecessary here to inquire how +it came to pass that the Church, to such a great extent, lost this +ideal as one visible society, and became so corrupt as to substitute +innumerable vain appearances of spiritual realities for that which +alone could satisfy a true and righteous God. But as things now are, +the "Church" is broken up into various "churches" or societies, +striving more or less to realize the ideal. Each society does so +just in proportion as it is able to carry out our Lord's purpose +as to its ministry being one in faith, believing Christ's words, +in its knowing truly that He came from God to save sinners, and in +its seeking, from love to God and man, to make all men know their +Father, in the knowledge of whom is salvation. + +But to confine myself to our own particular duties, let me remind +you, fathers and brethren, of our high calling as profest ministers +of Christ's Church. The cry of earnest souls, weary of their many +burthens, unsatisfied with their husks, conscious of being in a +distant land, and finding nothing which men can give to allay +their hungering and thirsting, is this: "Show us the Father, and it +sufficeth us!" Now supposing an earnest spirit, seeking after the +Father, comes to us as His profest ministers in order to discover +the truth of what we preach, he might very naturally say, "You +preach to me a Savior who came a long time ago into the world +professing to save sinners, and you tell me that He is coming again +at some future period to judge the world and to bestow salvation +upon many; but I want to know whether there is a Savior now; or +is it all empty space between that past and that future? You tell +me about salvation from the suffering of sin; I ask, 'Is there +salvation from sin itself, without which I feel there can be no +deliverance from suffering'? You tell me about a medicine that is an +infallible cure for 'this ineradicable taint of sin,' and describe +the terrible consequences of the disease to me if I be not cured, +and the blessed results of joyous spiritual health and peace; but +'Can you show me any person who has actually been restored from +disease to health by this divine medicine'? Is all this preaching a +mere idle theory of life? Or if not, where is the life itself? Art +thou thyself saved? If not--'physician, heal thyself'; for until +then thou canst not cure me." But suppose, further, that this same +person comes into close contact with the mind of the preacher, and +that the more he sees and knows it the more he discerns in the man +such thoughts regarding God, such a knowledge of Him, such a love +to Him, as convince him that here at least is a reality and not a +pretense; suppose that the more he discerns his whole inner life, +the things which give him pain and joy, the things which he desires +and loves, with his whole feelings towards his fellow-men--feelings +expressed in a life of action, which, in spite of infirmities and +shortcomings belonging to all human beings, the questioner cannot +but recognize as a kind of life he never saw before--a life, too, +which commends itself, from what it is, as being the most real +and the most satisfactory to reason, conscience, and heart: can +anything, I ask, be more calculated to convince him of the account +which its possessor gives him as to its origin, when he says, "The +life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, +who loved me, and gave himself for me." "It is a faithful saying, +and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ came into the world to +save sinners, of whom I am the chief." What then? What else must +be the result of such a vision of true life than the conviction +that God is our Father and that God is love, because it is evident +from observation as well as from testimony that He hath sent His +Son to save men, not in the past only, but to save them now--not +to save only those who are called "good," but to save those who +are the chief of sinners? If a man truly believes all this, then +does he know God, and in so doing possesses eternal life. But more +than this, how will his convictions be deepened if, in searching +for others who may have the same life, and if, tho failing to +discover any one visible body of Christians that show it forth in +the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace, he is yet able +to satisfy himself that there have been, during the last eighteen +centuries, and that there are now, in every church, in every land, +among all races of men, among those of different temperaments, +different culture, and amidst a variety of all possible outward +circumstances, men with like passions as himself, who have faith in +the same Lord, and are thereby possest of a true love of God and +of one another--how will this, I say, deepen in him the conviction +that God is a Father, because a Savior, who "gave his Son, not that +any should perish, but that all should possess everlasting life?" +Will he not be thus led to "believe the record that God has given +us eternal life, and that this life is in his Son?" I am persuaded +that a man of the highest intellectual culture and the greatest +learning, earnestly searching after God and Christ, and the truth +of Christianity, would be more convinced of the love of the one +as manifested in the truth of the other, by coming into contact +with one true soul which, without perhaps intellectual culture or +learning, yet truly loved God and man, than he would be by all the +volumes on the evidence of Christianity ever written, without such a +spiritual vision of a holy life. + +On the other hand, supposing that no such evidence of the truth of +Christianity could be discovered in the preacher of Christianity; +nay, if his character contradicted his preaching; if, while +he preached love to God and man, he manifested neither, but +indifference, to say the least of it, to both; if, while he preached +the necessity and the excellence of the Christian life, he himself +revealed its very opposite--what effect would this have upon an +earnest spirit, but that Christianity was a mere ideal system +unsuited to the world, a philosophy of life that might be believed +in, but not a life itself that might be possest? + +This want of personal character, however imperfect, yet real, may +account for the want of success in the mission of the Church to +convince the world, whether at home or abroad. We may give religion +but not godliness; the means of grace, as they are called, but not +the grace seen and exprest in the living man. We would thus hear of +Christianity without seeing it; hear about the love of God, and the +love of Christ as a Savior, without being convinced even by those +who send missionaries to India, who, altho they may individually +reveal this life, yet how often are looked upon as mere official +teachers; while the "Christians" from "Christendom" may, in coming +into contact with the heathen, show by their denial of Christianity +that it is a matter for the priesthood, not for all men; a book +theology, but not an actual power working in humanity: and of such +persons it may be said that they have profaned God's great name +among the heathen. + +And this, too, may also account for the secret of success by many +a minister of whom the world knows nothing: "For greatest minds +are those of whom the noisy world hears least." They may not be +great in the ordinary sense of the word--great as thinkers, great +as orators, or great in the possession of any remarkable gifts; but +they are nevertheless great in the kingdom of heaven; great because +little children--great in meekness, in patience, in humility, in +love of God and man, and who carry this music in their heart, +"through dusky land and wrangling mart." What is the secret of their +power? What but an eternal reality! the reality of a godly, godlike +life obtained from God, and sustained by God, and seen in the eye, +felt in the hand, heard in the words--a light of life which shines +beside many a dying bed in many a home of sorrow, as well as in the +pulpit. This is a kind of life whose biography will be written with +the tears of the grateful orphan and widow, and of many a saved +soul which remembers its possessor as its spiritual father. Such a +ministry as this can no more fail than the love of God which gives +it birth. Let us thank God, therefore, that such a secret power as +this is within the reach of us all. We may not be men of talent, +and for that we are not responsible; but we may be good men because +little children towards God, and for that we are responsible: "I +thank thee, heavenly Father, that thou hast hid these things from +the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes." + +And now, fathers and brethren, such is our high calling, to proclaim +the glad tidings that God has sent Christ into the world to save +sinners. Our chief authority for doing this is that we know it to be +true; and if so, no one can deprive us of the high privilege and joy +of proclaiming it. A glorious work is thus given us to do; we are +ambassadors for God, beseeching men to be reconciled to Him, and we +are fellow-workers with our Lord Himself. But this involves a great +responsibility, corresponding to the greatness of our calling. For +it is at once a glorious and a tremendous thought that Christ perils +the chief evidence of the truth of Christianity, not upon what we +say, but more upon what we are; and what we are is neither more nor +less than what God knows us to be. Our preaching may, nevertheless, +fail in some cases to convince the world, as it has done before; for +the glory of Christ Himself was not seen by Judas. Indeed the light +of life, when it shines, requires the single eye to see it. But in +so far as the ministry of men, as an instrumentality, can convince +the world, let our ministry be such as is calculated according to +Christ's purpose to produce this result. Let it consist of those who +can say, "We know whom we have believed." "We know and believe the +love that God hath to us." "We testify that he sent his Son to be +the Savior of the world." + +But I must bring my sermon to a close. + +Pardon me, my brethren, if I have appeared to address you in any +other spirit than that of one who would with you confess his sins +and shortcomings, and lament with shame and sorrow how much time and +power have been lost never to be regained; how many gifts and noble +opportunities have been neglected and perverted through unbelief and +sloth, which might have been used for our own good and that of our +fellow-men. Verily the day is far spent with many of us, and the +night is near in which no man can work. Whatever our hands find to +do must be done now or never. Let us pray that the living Spirit of +God, given to all who seek Him, and whose work it is to glorify the +Son, may take of His things and show them to our souls, and open +our spiritual eye to see the glory of God in the face of Christ, so +that we may be changed into the same glory. May we strive to keep +the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, and be enabled so +to preach and so to live that the world may be convinced, by what +it sees and hears, of the reality of the love of God the Father in +giving us and all men eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son! May +He who makes us sons of God enable us, as sons, to be glorified in +the perfection and revelation of our characters, so that with our +elder Brother we may glorify His Father and our Father! + +And now, to Father, Son and Holy Ghost, one God, be glory, dominion, +and praise for evermore. Amen! + + + + +MOZLEY + +THE REVERSAL OF HUMAN JUDGMENT + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +JAMES B. MOZLEY, English divine and philosopher, was born at +Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, in 1813. He was educated at Oxford, +and is particularly known for his discourses on Baptism and +Predestination. Gladstone appointed him as professor of divinity at +Oxford. His Bampton Lectures on Miracles (1863) are still considered +of classical authority. Dr. Brastow, in speaking of his clear and +well-ordered thought, says: "He was intent upon getting at the heart +of all subjects investigated, and his slowness in clearing up a +subject and his deliberation and fastidiousness with respect to his +diction embarrassed him. The result was a mastery of thought and an +exactness and clearness and strength of speech that are more than an +offset for the difficulties he encountered; and one can hardly fail +to see that this patient, self-poised mental habit saved him from +one-sidedness and kept the balance of his judgement and made him +the safer guide. We see here the immense value of thorough mental +training." He died in 1878. + + + + +MOZLEY + +1813-1878 + +THE REVERSAL OF HUMAN JUDGMENT[3] + + [3] By permission of the publishers, Messrs. Longmans, Green & Co. + +_Many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be +first._--Matthew xix., 30. + + +Perhaps there is hardly any person of reflection to whom the thought +has not occurred at times, of the final judgment turning out to +be a great subversion of human estimates of men. Society forms +its opinions of men, and places some on a high pinnacle; they are +favorites with it, religious and moral favorites. Such judgments are +a necessary and proper part of the present state of things; they +are so, quite independently of the question whether they are true +or not; it is proper that there should be this sort of expression +of the voice of the day; the world is not nothing, because it is +transient; it must judge and speak upon such evidence as it has, +and is capable of seeing. Therefore those characters of men are by +all means to be respected by us, as members of this world; they +have their place, they are a part of the system. But does the idea +strike us of some enormous subversion of human judgments in the next +world, some vast rectification, to realize which now, even if we +could, would not be good for us? Such an idea would not be without +support from some of those characteristic prophetic sayings of our +Lord, which, like the slanting strokes of the sun's rays across +the clouds, throw forward a tract of mysterious light athwart the +darkness of the future. Such is that saying in which a shadow of the +Eternal Judgment seems to come over us--"Many that are first shall +be last; and the last shall be first." It is impossible to read this +saying without an understanding that it was intended to throw an +element of wholesome scepticism into the present estimate of human +character, and to check the idolatry of the human heart which lifts +up its favorites with as much of self-complacency as of enthusiasm, +and in its worship of others flatters itself. + +Indeed, this language of Scripture, which speaks of the subversion +of human judgments in another world, comes in connection with +another language with which it most remarkably fits in, language +which speaks very decidedly of a great deception of human judgments +in this world. It is observable that the gospel prophecy of the +earthly future of Christianity is hardly what we should have +expected it beforehand to be; there is a great absence of brightness +in it; the sky is overcast with clouds, and birds of evil omen fly +to and fro; there is an agitation of the air, as if dark elements +were at work in it; or it is as if a fog rose up before our eyes, +and treacherous lights were moving to and fro in it, which we could +not trust. Prophecy would fain presage auspiciously, but as soon as +she casts her eye forward, her note saddens, and the chords issue +in melancholy and sinister cadences which depress the hearer's +mind. And what is the burden of her strain? It is this. As soon as +ever Christianity is cast into the world to begin its history, that +moment there begins a great deception. It is a pervading thought +in gospel prophecy--the extraordinary capacity for deceiving and +being deceived that would arise under the gospel; it is spoken of +as something peculiar in the world. There are to be false Christs +and false prophets, false signs and wonders; many that will come in +Christ's name, saying, I am Christ, and deceive many; so that it +is the parting admonition of Christ to His disciples--"Take heed, +lest any man deceive you"--as if that would be the greater danger. +And this great quantity of deception was to culminate in that one +in whom all power of signs and lying wonders should reside, even +that Antichrist, who as God should sit in the temple of God, showing +himself that he is God. Thus before the true Christ was known to the +world, the prophecy of the false one was implanted deep in the heart +of Christianity. + +When we come to the explanation of this mass of deception as it +applies to the Christian society, and the conduct of Christians, +we find that it consists of a great growth of specious and showy +effects, which will in fact issue out of Christianity, not implying +sterling goodness. Christianity will act as a great excitement to +human nature, it will communicate a great impulse, it will move +and stir man's feelings and intellect; this impulse will issue in +a great variety of high gifts and activities, much zeal and ardor. +But this brilliant manifestation will be to a large extent lacking +in the substance of the Christian character. It will be a great +show. That is to say, there will be underneath it the deceitful +human heart--the _natura callida_, as Thomas à Kempis calls it, +_quæ se semper pro fine habet_. We have even in the early Christian +Church that specious display of gifts which put aside as secondary +the more solid part of religion, and which St. Paul had so strongly +to check. Gospel prophecy goes remarkably in this direction, as to +what Christianity would do in the world; that it would not only +bring out the truth of human nature, but would, like some powerful +alchemy, elicit and extract the falsehood of it; that it would not +only develop what was sincere and sterling in man, but what was +counterfeit in him too. Not that Christianity favors falsehood, any +more than the law favored sin because it brought out sin. The law, +as St. Paul says, brought out sin because it was spiritual, and +forced sin to be sin against light. So in the case of Christianity. +If a very high, pure, and heart-searching religion is brought into +contact with a corrupt nature, the nature grasps at the greatness +of the religion, but will not give up itself; yet to unite the two +requires a self-deception the more subtle and potent in proportion +to the purity of the religion. And certainly, comparing the +hypocrisy of the Christian with that of the old world, we see that +the one was a weak production in comparison with the other, which is +indeed a very powerful creation; throwing itself into feeling and +language with an astonishing freedom and elasticity, and possessing +wonderful spring and largeness. + +There is, however, one very remarkable utterance of our Lord Himself +upon this subject, which deserves special attention. "Many will say +to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, +and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful +works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you." Now +this is a very remarkable prophecy, for one reason, that in the +very first start of Christianity, upon the very threshold of its +entrance into the world, it looks through its success and universal +reception, into an ulterior result of that victory--a counterfeit +profession of it. It sees, before the first nakedness of its birth +is over, a prosperous and flourishing religion, which it is worth +while for others to pay homage to, because it reflects credit on +its champions. Our Lord anticipates the time when active zeal for +Himself will be no guaranty. And we may observe the difference +between Christ and human founders. The latter are too glad of any +zeal in their favor, to examine very strictly the tone and quality +of it. They grasp at it at once; not so our Lord. He does not want +it even for Himself, unless it is pure in the individual. But +this statement of our Lord's is principally important, as being +a prophecy relating to the earthly future of Christianity. It +places before us public religious leaders, men of influence in the +religious world, who spread and push forward by gifts of eloquence +and powers of mind, the truths of His religion, whom yet He will +not accept, because of a secret corruptness in the aim and spirit +with which they did their work. The prophecy puts forth before us +the fact of a great deal of work being done in the Church, and +outwardly good zealous work, upon the same motive in substance, upon +which worldly men do their work in the world, and stamps it as the +activity of corrupt nature. The rejection of this class of religious +workers is complete, altho they have been, as the language itself +declares, forward and active for spiritual objects, and not only had +them on their lips. + +Here then we have a remarkable subversion of human judgments in the +next world foretold by our Lord Himself; for those men certainly +come forward with established religious characters to which they +appeal; they have no doubt of their position in God's kingdom, and +they speak with the air of men whose claims have been acquiesced +in by others, and by numbers. And thus a false Christian growth is +looked to in gospel prophecy, which will be able to meet even the +religious tests of the current day, and sustain its pretensions, but +which will not satisfy the tests of the last day. + +We are then perhaps at first surprized at the sternness of their +sentence, and are ready to say with the trembling disciple, "Who +then shall be saved?" But when we reflect upon it, we shall see +that it is not more than what meets the case; i. e., that we know +of sources of error in the estimate of human character which will +account for great mistakes being made; which mistakes will have to +be rectified. + +One source of mistakes then is, that while the gospel keeps to one +point of its classification of men,--viz., the motive, by which +alone it decides their character, the mass of men in fact find it +difficult to do so. They have not that firm hold of the moral idea +which prevents them from wandering from it, and being diverted by +irrelevant considerations, they think of the spirituality of a +man as belonging to the department to which he is attached, the +profession he makes, the subject matter he works upon, the habitual +language he has to use. The sphere of these men, of whom the +estimate was to be finally reversed, was a religious one,--viz., the +Church, and this was a remarkable prop to them. Now, with respect +to this, it must be observed that the Church is undoubtedly in its +design a spiritual society, but it is also a society of this world +as well; and it depends upon the inward motive of a man whether it +is to him a spiritual society or a worldly one. The Church, as soon +as ever it is embodied in a visible collection or society of men, +who bring into it human nature, with human influences, regards, +points of view, estimates, aims, and objects--I say the Church, +from the moment it thus embodies itself in a human society, is +the world. Individual souls in it convert into reality the high +profest principles of the body, but the active stock of motives in +it are the motives of human nature. Can the visible Church indeed +afford to do without these motives? Of course it cannot. It must +do its work by means of these to a great extent, just as the world +does its work. Religion itself is beautiful and heavenly, but the +machinery for it is very like the machinery for anything else. I +speak of the apparatus for conducting and administering the visible +system of it. Is not the machinery for all causes and objects +much the same, communication with others, management, contrivance, +combination, adaptation of means to end? Religion then is itself a +painful struggle, but religious machinery provides as pleasant a +form of activity as any other machinery possesses; and it counts +for and exercises much the same kind of talents and gifts that +the machinery of any other department does, that of a government +office, or a public institution, or a large business. The Church, +as a part of the work, must have active-minded persons to conduct +its policy and affairs; which persons must, by their very situation, +connect themselves with spiritual subjects, as being the subjects +of the society; they must express spiritual joys, hopes, and +fears, apprehensions, troubles, trials, aims, and wishes. These +are topics which belong to the Church as a department. A religious +society, then, or religious sphere of action, or religious sphere +of subjects, is irrelevant as regards the spirituality of the +individual person, which is a matter of inward motive. + +One would not of course exclude from the sphere of religion the +motive of _esprit de corps_: it is undoubtedly a great stimulus, and +in its measure is consistent with all simplicity and singleness of +heart; but in an intense form, when the individual is absorbed in +a blind obedience to a body, it corrupts the quality of religion; +it ensnares the man in a kind of self-interest; and he sees in +the success of the body the reflection of himself. It becomes an +egotistic motive. There has been certainly an immense produce from +it; but the type of religion it has produced is a deflection from +simplicity; it may possess striking and powerful qualities, but +it is not like the free religion of the heart; and there is that +difference between the two, which there is between what comes from +a second-hand source and from the fountain head. It has not that +naturalness (in the highest sense) which alone gives beauty to +religion. + +Again, those who feel that they have a mission may convert it into a +snare to themselves. Doubtless, if, according to St. Paul, "he who +desireth the office of a bishop desireth a good work," so one who +has a mission to do some particular work has a good office given +him. Still, where life is too prominently regarded in this light, +the view of life as a mission tends to supersede the view of it as +trial and probation. The mission becomes the final cause of life. +The generality may be born to do their duty in that station of life +in which it has pleased God to call them; but in their own case the +mission overtops and puts into the shade the general purpose of +life as probation; the generality are sent into the world for their +own moral benefit, but they are rather sent into the world for the +benefit of that world itself. The outward object with its display +and machinery is apt to reduce to a kind of insignificance the +inward individual end of life. It appears small and commonplace. The +success of their own individual probation is assumed in embarking +upon the larger work, as the less is included in the greater; it +figures as a preliminary in their eyes, which may be taken for +granted; it appears an easy thing to them to save their own souls, a +thing, so to speak, for anybody to do. + +What has been dwelt upon hitherto as a source of false magnifying +and exaltation of human character, has been the invisibility of +men's motives. But let us take another source of mistake in human +judgment. + +Nothing is easier, when we take gifts of the intellect and +imagination in the abstract, than to see that these do not +constitute moral goodness. This is indeed a mere truism; and yet, +in the concrete, it is impossible not to see how nearly they border +upon counting as such; to what advantage they set off any moral +good there may be in a man; sometimes even supplying the absence of +real good with what looks extremely like it. On paper these mental +gifts are a mere string of terms; we see exactly what these terms +denote, and we cannot mistake it for something else. It is plain +that eloquence, imagination, poetical talent, are no more moral +goodness than riches are, or than health and strength are, or than +noble birth is. We know that bad men have possest them just as much +as good men. Nevertheless, take them in actual life, in the actual +effect and impression they make, as they express a man's best moods +and highest perceptions and feelings, and what a wonderful likeness +and image of what is moral do they produce. Think of the effect of +refined power of expression, of a keen and vivid imagination as +applied to the illustration and enrichment of moral subjects,--to +bringing out, e. g., with the whole force of intellectual sympathy, +the delicate and high regions of character,--does not one who can +do this seem to have all the goodness which he expresses? And it is +quite possible he may have; but this does not prove it. There is +nothing more in this than the faculty of imagination and intelligent +appreciation of moral things. There enters thus unavoidably often +into a great religious reputation a good deal which is not religion, +but power. + +Let us take the character which St. Paul draws. It is difficult to +believe that one who had the tongue of men and of angels would not +be able to persuade the world that he himself was extraordinarily +good. Rather it is part of the fascination of the gift, that the +grace of it is reflected in the possessor. But St. Paul gives him, +besides thrilling speech which masters men's spirits and carries +them away, those profound depths of imagination which still and +solemnize them; which lead them to the edge of the unseen world, +and excite the sense of the awful and supernatural; he has the +understanding of all mysteries. And again, knowledge unfolds all its +stores to him with which to illustrate and enrich spiritual truths. +Let one then, so wonderful in mental gifts, combine them with the +utmost fervor, with boundless faith, before which everything gives +way; boundless zeal, ready to make even splendid sacrifices; has +there been any age in which such a man would have been set down as +sounding and empty? St. Paul could see that such a man might yet be +without the true substance--goodness; and that all his gifts could +not guarantee it to him; but to the mass his own eloquence would +interpret him, the gifts would carry the day, and the brilliant +partial virtues would disguise the absence of the general grace of +love. + +Gifts of intellect and imagination, poetical power, and the like, +are indeed in themselves a department of worldly prosperity. It +is a very narrow view of prosperity that it consists only in +having property; a certain kind of gifts are just as much worldly +prosperity as riches; nor are they less so if they belong to a +religious man, any more than riches are less prosperity because +a religious man is rich. We call these gifts worldly prosperity, +because they are in themselves a great advantage, and create +success, influence, credit, and all which man so much values; and +at the same time they are not moral goodness, because the most +corrupt men may have them. + +But even the gifts of outward fortune themselves have much of the +effect of gifts of mind in having the semblance of something moral. +They set off what goodness a man has to such immense advantage, +and heighten the effect of it. Take some well-disposed person, +and suppose him suddenly to be left an enormous fortune, he would +feel himself immediately so much better a man. He would seem to +himself to become suddenly endowed with a new large-heartedness and +benevolence. He would picture himself the generous patron, the large +dispenser of charity, the promoter of all good in the world. The +power to become such would look like a new disposition. And in the +eyes of the others, too, his goodness would appear to have taken a +fresh start. Even serious piety is recognized more as such; it is +brought out and placed in high relief, when connected with outward +advantages; and so the gifts of fortune become a kind of moral +addition to a man. + +Action, then, on a large scale, and the overpowering effect of +great gifts, are what produce, in a great degree, what we call +the canonization of men--the popular judgment which sets them up +morally and spiritually upon the pinnacle of the temple, and which +professes to be a forestalment, through the mouth of the Church +or of religious society, of the final judgment. How decisive is +the world's, and, not less confident, the visible Church's note of +praise. It is just that trumpet note which does not bear a doubt. +How it is trusted! With what certainty it speaks! How large a part +of the world's and Church's voice is praise! It is an immense and +ceaseless volume of utterance. And by all means let man praise +man, and not do it grudgingly either; let there be an echo of that +vast action which goes on in the world, provided we only speak of +what we know. But if we begin to speak of what we do not know, +and which only a higher judgment can decide, we are going beyond +our province. On this question we are like men who are deciding +irreversibly on some matter in which everything depends upon one +element in the case, which element they cannot get at. We appear +to know a great deal of one another, and yet, if we reflect, what +a vast system of secrecy the moral world is. How low down in a man +sometimes (not always) lies the fundamental motive which sways his +life? But this is what everything depends on. Is it an unspiritual +motive? Is there some keen passion connected with this world at +the bottom? Then it corrupts the whole body of action. There is a +good deal of prominent religion then, which keeps up its character, +even when this motive betrays itself; great gifts fortify it, and +people do not see because they will not. But at any rate there is a +vast quantity of religious position which has this one great point +undecided beneath it; and we know of tremendous dangers to which it +is exposed. Action upon a theater may doubtless be as simple-minded +action as any other; it has often been; it has been often even +childlike action; the apostles acted on a theater; they were a +spectacle to men and to angels. Still, what dangers in a spiritual +point of view does it ordinarily include--dangers to simplicity, +inward probity, sincerity! How does action on this scale and of +this kind seem, notwithstanding its religious object, to pass over +people, not touching one of their faults, leaving--more than their +infirmities--the dark veins of evil in their character as fixed +as ever. How will persons sacrifice themselves to their objects? +They would benefit the world, it would appear, at their own moral +expense; but this is a kind of generosity which is perilous policy +for the soul, and is indeed the very mint in which the great mass of +false spiritual coinage is made. + +On the other hand, while the open theater of spiritual power and +energy is so accessible to corrupt motives, which, tho undermining +its truthfulness, leave standing all the brilliance of the outer +manifestation; let it be considered what a strength and power of +goodness may be accumulating in unseen quarters. The way in which +man bears temptation is what decides his character; yet how secret +is the system of temptation? Who knows what is going on? What the +real ordeal has been? What its issue was? So with respect to the +trial of griefs and sorrows, the world is again a system of secrecy. +There is something particularly penetrating, and which strikes home, +in those disappointments which are especially not extraordinary, and +make no show. What comes naturally and as a part of our situation +has a probing force grander strokes have not; there is a solemnity +and stateliness in these, but the blow which is nearest to common +life gets the stronger hold. Is there any particular event which +seems to have, if we may say so, a kind of malice in it which +provokes the Manichean feeling in our nature, it is something which +we should have a difficulty in making appear to any one else any +special trial. Compared with this inner grasp of some stroke of +providence, voluntary sacrifice stands outside of us. After all, the +self-made trial is a poor disciplinarian weapon; there is a subtle +masterly irritant and provoking point in the genuine natural trial, +and in the natural crossness of events, which the artificial thing +cannot manage; we can no more make our trials than we can make our +feelings. In this way moderate deprivations are in some cases more +difficult to bear than extreme ones. "I can bear total obscurity," +says Pascal, "well enough; what disgusts me is semi-obscurity; I +can make an idol of the whole, but no great merit of the half." And +so it is often the case that what we must do as simply right, and +which would not strike even ourselves, and still less anybody else, +is just the hardest thing to do. A work of supererogation would be +much easier. All this points in the direction of great work going +on under common outsides where it is not noticed; it hints at a +secret sphere of growth and progress; and as such it is an augury +and presage of a harvest which may come some day suddenly to light, +which human judgments had not counted on. + +It is upon such a train of thought as this which has been passing +through our minds that we raise ourselves to the reception of that +solemn sentence which Scripture has inscribed on the curtain which +hangs down before the judgment-seat--"The first shall be last, and +the last shall be first." The secrets of the tribunal are guarded, +and yet a finger points which seems to say--"Beyond, in this +direction, behind this veil, things are different from what you will +have looked for." + +Suppose, e. g., any supernatural judge should appear in the world +now, and it is evident that the scene he would create would be one +to startle us; we should not soon be used to it; it would look +strange; it would shock and appal; and that from no other cause +than simply its reductions; that it presented characters stripped +bare, denuded of what was irrelevant to goodness, and only with +their moral substance left. The judge would take no cognizance of a +rich imagination, power of language, poetical gifts and the like, +in themselves, as parts of goodness, any more than he would of +riches and prosperity; and the moral residuum would appear perhaps +a bare result. The first look of divine justice would strike us +as injustice; it would be too pure a justice for us; we should +be long in reconciling ourselves to it. Justice would appear, +like the painter's gaunt skeleton of emblematic meaning, to be +stalking through the world, smiting with attenuation luxuriating +forms of virtue. Forms, changed from what we knew, would meet +us, strange unaccustomed forms, and we should have to ask them +who they are--"You were flourishing but a short while ago, what +has happened to you now?" And the answer, if it spoke the truth, +would be--"Nothing, except that now, much which lately counted as +goodness, counts as such no longer; we are tried by a new moral +measure, out of which we issue different men; gifts which have +figured as goodness remain as gifts, but cease to be goodness." Thus +would the large sweep made of human canonizations act like blight or +volcanic fire upon some rich landscape, converting the luxury of +nature into a dried-up scene of bare stems and scorched vegetation. + +So may the scrutiny of the last day, by discovering the irrelevant +material in men's goodness, reduce to a shadow much exalted earthly +character. Men are made up of professions, gifts, and talents, +and also of themselves, but all so mixed together that we cannot +separate one element from another; but another day must show what +the moral substance is, and what is only the brightness and setting +off of gifts. On the other hand, the same day may show where, tho +the setting off of gifts is less, the substance is more. If there +will be reversal of human judgment for evil, there will be reversal +of it for good too. The solid work which has gone on in secret, +under common exteriors, will then spring into light, and come out +in a glorious aspect. Do we not meet with surprizes of this kind +here, which look like auguries of a greater surprize in the next +world, a surprize on a vast scale. Those who have lived under an +exterior of rule, when they come to a trying moment sometimes +disappoint us; they are not equal to the act required from them; +because their forms of duty, whatever they are, have not touched +in reality their deeper fault of character, meanness, or jealousy, +or the like, but have left them where they were; they have gone +on thinking themselves good because they did particular things, +and used certain language, and adopted certain ways of thought, +and have been utterly unconscious all the time of a corroding sin +within them. On the other hand, some one who did not promise much, +comes out at a moment of trial strikingly and favorably. This is +a surprize, then, which sometimes happens, nay, and sometimes a +greater surprize still, when out of the eater comes forth meat, and +out of a state of sin there springs the soul of virtue. The act of +the thief on the cross is a surprize. Up to the time when he was +judged he was a thief, and from a thief he became a saint. For even +in the dark labyrinth of evil there are unexpected outlets; sin is +established by the habit in the man, but the good principle which +is in him also, but kept down and supprest, may be secretly growing +too; it may be undermining it, and extracting the life and force +from it. In this man, then, sin becomes more and more, tho holding +its place by custom, an outside and a coating, just as virtue does +in the deteriorating man, till at last, by a sudden effort and the +inspiration of an opportunity, the strong good casts off the weak +crust of evil and comes out free. We witness a conversion. + +But this is a large and mysterious subject--the foundation for high +virtue to become apparent in a future world, which hardly rises up +above the ground here. We cannot think of the enormous trial which +is undergone in this world by vast masses without the thought +also of some sublime fruit to come of it some day. True, it may +not emerge from the struggle of bare endurance here, but has not +the seed been sown? Think of the burden of toil and sorrow borne +by the crowds of poor: we know that pain does not of itself make +people good; but what we observe is, that even in those in whom +the trial seems to do something, it yet seems such a failure. What +inconstancy, violence, untruths! The pathos in it all moves you. +What a tempest of character it is! And yet when such trial has been +passed we involuntarily say--has not a foundation been laid? And so +in the life of a soldier, what agonies must nature pass through in +it! While the present result of such a trial is so disappointing, +so little seems to come of it! Yet we cannot think of what has been +gone through by countless multitudes in war, of the dreadful altar +of sacrifice, and the lingering victims, without the involuntary +idea arising that in some, even of the irregular and undisciplined, +the foundation of some great purification has been laid. We hear +sometimes of single remarkable acts of virtue, which spring from +minds in which there is not the habit of virtue. Such acts point to +a foundation, a root of virtue in man, deeper than habit; they are +sudden leaps which show an unseen spring, which are able to compress +in a moment the growth of years. + +To conclude. The gospel language throws doubt upon the final +stability of much that passes current here with respect to +character, upon established judgments, and the elevations of the +outward sanctuary. It lays down a wholesome scepticism. We do not +do justice to the spirit of the gospel by making it enthusiastic +simply, or even benevolent simply. It is sagacious, too. It is a +book of judgment. Man is judged in it. Our Lord is Judge. We cannot +separate our Lord's divinity from His humanity; and yet we must be +blind if we do not see a great judicial side of our Lord's human +character;--that severe type of understanding, in relation to the +worldly man, which has had its imperfect representation in great +human minds. He was unspeakably benevolent, kind, compassionate; +true, but He was a Judge. It was indeed of His very completeness +as man that He should know man; and to know is to judge. He must +be blind who, in the significant acts and sayings of our Lord as +they unroll themselves in the pregnant page of the gospel, does +not thus read His character; he sees it in that insight into +pretensions, exposure of motives, laying bare of disguises; in the +sayings--"Believe it not"; "Take heed that no man deceive you"; +"Behold, I have told you"; in all that profoundness of reflection +in regard to man, which great observing minds among mankind have +shown, tho accompanied by much of frailty, anger, impatience, or +melancholy. His human character is not benevolence only; there +is in it wise distrust--that moral sagacity which belongs to the +perfection of man. + +Now then, as has been said, this scepticism with regard to human +character has had, as a line of thought, certain well-known +representatives in great minds, who have discovered a root of +selfishness in men's actions, have probed motives, extracted aims, +and placed man before himself denuded and exposed; they judged +him, and in the frigid sententiousness or the wild force of their +utterances, we hear that of which we cannot but say, how true! But +knowledge is a goad to those who have it; a disturbing power; a +keenness which distorts; and in the sight it gives it partly blinds +also. The fault of these minds was that in exposing evil they did +not really believe in goodness; goodness was to them but an airy +ideal, the dispirited echo of perplexed hearts,--returned to them +from the rocks of the desert, without bearing hope with it. They +had no genuine belief in any world which was different from theirs; +they availed themselves of an ideal indeed to judge this world, and +they could not have judged it without; for anything, whatever it +is, is good, if we have no idea of anything better; and therefore +the conception of a good world was necessary to judge the bad +one. But the ideal held loose to their minds--not anything to be +substantiated, not as a type in which a real world was to be cast, +not as anything of structural power, able to gather into it, form +round it, and build up upon itself; not, in short, as anything of +power at all, able to make anything, or do anything, but only like +some fragrant scent in the air, which comes and goes, loses itself, +returns again in faint breaths, and rises and falls in imperceptive +waves. Such was goodness to these minds; it was a dream. But the +gospel distrust is not disbelief in goodness. It raises a great +suspense, indeed, it shows a curtain not yet drawn up, it checks +weak enthusiasm, it appends a warning note to the pomp and flattery +of human judgments, to the erection of idols; and points to a day of +great reversal; a day of the Lord of Hosts; the day of pulling down +and plucking up, of planting and building. But, together with the +law of sin, the root of evil in the world, and the false goodness in +it, it announces a fount of true natures; it tells us of a breath of +Heaven of which we know not whence it cometh and whither it goeth; +which inspires single individual hearts, that spring up here and +there, and everywhere, like broken gleams of the supreme goodness. +And it recognizes in the renewed heart of man an instinct which +can discern true goodness and distinguish it from false; a secret +discrimination in the good by which they know the good. It does not +therefore stand in the way of that natural and quiet reliance which +we are designed by God to have in one another, and that trust in +those whose hearts we know. "Wisdom is justified of her children"; +"My sheep hear my voice, but a stranger will they not follow, for +they know not the voice of strangers." + + + + +[Illustration: ad page 1] + + From the Pen of + ALPHONSO A. HOPKINS, Ph.D., + +_Professor of Political Economy and Prohibition in the American +Temperance University._ + +=Wealth and Waste= + + The Principles of Political Economy In their Application to the + Present Problems of Labor, Law, and the Liquor Traffic. + + In a broad, philosophic, and patriotic spirit the author seeks + to apply, in this volume, the accepted principles of Political + Economy, as to Production and Wealth, Consumption and Waste. + + "A book which contains very much of great value."--_Herald and + Presbyter_, Cincinnati. + + "The argument is impressive, and well buttressed with statistics + and apt citations."--_The Watchman_, Boston. + + "Dr. Hopkins contributes to the literature of political + economy a volume worth the attention of students and + thinkers."--_Christian Herald._ + + "Dr. Hopkins brings thorough preparation to this work on the + particular line of reform in which he has labored."--_Christian + Observer_, Louisville. + + "Unquestionably the ablest book upon Political Economy in its + various relations which has been put upon the market."--_Herald + of the Coming One_, Boston. + + "Dr. A. A. Hopkins's 'Wealth and Waste' will prove itself + one of the most effective contributions to the literature of + reform."--_Western Christian Advocate._ + + "It is a book both for scholars and students and plain laboring + men, with clear, concise definitions and practical illustrations + for all these classes."--_The Religious Herald_, Hartford, Conn. + + "Unique, fascinating, and suggestive.... No one assuming the + attitude of a reformer can fail of being quickened in his great + work by an earnest review of the book."--_Baltimore Methodist._ + + "The incisive mind and rare culture of Professor Hopkins have + never been more signally set forth than in his new book entitled + 'Wealth and Waste.' It comes as a much needed reinforcement + to the literature of the temperance propaganda."--_Frances E. + Willard._ + +12mo, Cloth, 286 pp.----Price, $1.00. + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 2] + +_="Ranks Next to a Concordance."--SPURGEON.=_ + +=Biblical Lights and Side Lights= + +A cyclopedia of ten thousand illustrations and thirty thousand +cross-references, consisting of fact, incident, and remarkable +declarations taken from the Bible; for the use of those in every +profession who, for illustrative purpose, desire ready access to the +numerous incidents and striking statements contained in the Bible, +students, teachers, public speakers, lawyers, ministers, and others, +as also for the family library. Prepared by Rev. Charles E. Little +(author of "Historical Lights," etc.). + +=Royal 8vo, 620 pp. Price, Cloth, $4.00; Library Sheep, $5.50.= + + "'Biblical Lights and Side Lights' is a specially useful + book.... It ranks next to a concordance.... Mr. Little's work is + a great success."--_Rev. C. H. Spurgeon._ + + "We have never seen a work on Bible reference so thoroughly + systematized.... Admirably arranged.... =Topics are taken from + the demands of religion, philosophy, science, art, social life, + and politics.... Has great value for educated persons in every + calling.="--_National Baptist, Phila._ + + "'Biblical Lights' may be welcomed to a place among the very + useful books which few can afford to put aside."--_Presbyterian + Review._ + + "Will unquestionably prove a mine of information and of + illustration."--_Observer, N. Y._ + + "A work of great solidity and merit."--_Lutheran Church Review, + Philadelphia._ + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 3] + + _The Outlook (Edited by Lyman Abbott., D.D., successor + to Henry Ward Beecher as pastor of Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, + New York):_ "It is with the aspect of Mr. Beecher as a reformer, + rather than as a theologian, author, or preacher, that Mr. + Barrows deals.... It gives the story of Mr. Beecher's life in + less space and in handier form than any other volume with which + we are acquainted." + + +Henry Ward Beecher + +=THE SHAKESPEARE OF THE PULPIT= + +=By JOHN HENRY BARROWS.= + +=12mo, Cloth; 557 pp.; With Portrait. Price, $1.50. Post-free.= + +The certified points of merits of this work conclusively place it +foremost as the standard popular biography of Henry Ward Beecher. + + "=Altogether it is= a valued contribution to Beecher + literature."--=_New York Herald.=_ + + "=It will give= to many a far better and truer conception + of Mr. Beecher than they before possessed."--=_Christian + Inquirer,=_ New York. + + "=All in all= it is the best summing up of the life and + character of this great preacher and orator that I have ever + read."--=_Hon. Nelson Dingley,=_ Washington, D. C. + + "=I am especially pleased= with the chapters relating to + the famous trial. The subject is handled very delicately, and + at the same time thoroughly vindicates the pastor of Plymouth + Church from all intentional wrong doing."--_=Francis M. Clark, + D.D.,= Pres. Soc. of Christian Endeavor,_ Boston. + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 4] + + "A well written biography."--_=New York Sun.=_ + + "Lucid and sympathetic."--_=New York Tribune.=_ + + +=William E. Dodge= + +THE CHRISTIAN MERCHANT + +By CARLOS MARTYN + +=12mo, Cloth; 349 pp.; With Portrait. Price, $1.50. Post-free.= + +This biography of one of New York's most successful merchants, whose +public acts gave him a national reputation, is largely interspersed +with the history of events happening in the stirring times of his +greatest activity. + + "=Such books as these= are of incalculable value to the + young, and an inspiration to all who are seeking to do good as + well as get gain in this world."--=_The Gospel Banner_=, + Augusta, Me. + + "=The Editor= has handled his subject in so able a manner + that the reader is entranced, and is carried on and on until + with a sigh of regret the book is laid down."--_=The Chicago + Herald.=_ + + "=Many of the passages= are taken from the lectures and + speeches delivered by him in his lifetime which give a vivid + impression of the home, business, and public life of the great + merchant and philanthropist."--_=The Plaindealer=_, + Cleveland, Ohio. + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + +[Illustration: ad page 5] + + _=The Commercial Gazette=_, Cincinnati, says: "This volume + contains considerable matter never before published, is full of + fascinating reading, and is of inestimable historic value." + + +=John Brown And His Men= + +WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE ROADS THEY TRAVELED TO REACH HARPER'S FERRY. + +=By COL. RICHARD J. HINTON,= + +A Contemporary of John Brown. + +=12mo, Cloth; 752 pp.; 22 Portraits. Price,= +=$1.50. Post-free.= + +In an Appendix are given the principal and more important documents +prepared by John Brown, or relating directly to the enterprises +against American slavery in which he was actively engaged; also a +copious Index to the volume. + +=EXTRACTS FROM A COUPLE OF LETTERS.= + + ANACOSTIA, D. C., CEDAR HILL, Feb. 11, 1895. + + MY DEAR COLONEL HINTON: + + Your History of the raid upon Harper's Ferry, by John Brown + and his men, leaves nothing in that line to be desired.... You + were in the center of the circle, and hence have had an inside + view of the whole transaction. You have done for John Brown and + his men, and for the truth of history, a magnificent service. + _=Frederick Douglass.=_ + + * * * * * + + Feb. 14, 1895. + + MY DEAR COLONEL HINTON: + + Your work on 'John Brown and His Men' is most strongly and + vividly done. In fact, wherever I open the book, I find it alive + with the undying interest of the greatest hour of our history. + Perhaps mankind must yet make another struggle; but so far Brown + remains the hero of the supreme endeavor for freedom, and this + is what you make your readers feel, without weakening any fact + concerning him. + + _=William Dean Howells.=_ + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 6] + +Who Wrote the Hymns we Love so Well? + +CONSULT + +=ENGLISH HYMNS;= + +THEIR + +_AUTHORS and HISTORY_ + +=By REV. SAMUEL W. DUFFIELD.= + +8vo, 675 pp., Cloth, Price, $3.00, Postpaid. + +It cites in alphabetical order the first lines of over _=1,500 +hymns=_. Under each is given a brief biographical sketch of the +author, circumstances attending its composition, and incidents in +connection with its use. Exhaustive indexes to authors, to first +lines, and to topics, are appended. To Leaders of Praise-meetings, +Sunday-school Teachers, Parents, Pastors, and the general +hymn-loving public, it will be found invaluable. The selection of +hymns has been made with great care, and only well-authenticated +incidents are given. American as well as English hymnology has been +drawn upon. Honey has been gathered from the choicest flowers of the +garden. + +=REPRESENTATIVE OPINIONS.= + + "It pleases me altogether. It is full of information, ranging + from positive erudition down to racy anecdote."--_Charles S. + Robinson, D.D._ + + "This is by far the most complete, accurate, and thorough work + of its kind on either side of the Atlantic."--_Theodore L. + Cuyler, D.D._ + + "Bears evidence of immense research and years of labor.... The + full and admirable sketch of the author of 'Lead, Kindly Light,' + is worth the cost of the book."--_Hon. Edwards Pierrepont._ + + "A noble volume; a monument to the author's tact, learning, and + faithful industry."--E. C. Stedman. + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 7] + + =_"Should reach its hundred-thousandth edition."--Chicago + Journal._= + + +=Ethics of Marriage= + +=A Most Valuable Book= + +By H. S. Pomeroy, M.D. Prefatory note by Thos. Addis Emmet, M.S., +LL.D., and introduction by Rev. J. T. Duryea, D.D., Boston. With +an Appendix showing the laws of most of the States and Territories +regarding certain forms of crime. + +=12mo, Cloth, 197 pp., Price, $1.00,= + +POSTAGE FREE. + + "To the earnest man and woman everywhere, who has watched the + reckless manner in which marriages are contracted, the wicked + way in which responsibilities are shifted and ignored, and the + slow and sure defilement of society because the criminal classes + are allowed to propagate their vile species, while Christian + households and moral parents ignore their duty to this and to + the next world, this book is almost like a voice from Heaven. + Should reach its hundred-thousandth edition."--_Chicago Journal._ + + "It deserves to lie alongside the Bible in the foundation of + each home."--_Rev. O. P. Gifford, Boston._ + + "I have read your book with deep interest and heartily concur in + it.... May God bless your words."--_Elizabeth A. Tobey, Pres. + Mass. W. C. T. U._ + + "A subject of great delicacy and yet commanding present + importance is treated with the utmost propriety of tone and + expression; with adequate knowledge, both theoretical and + practical; with unflinching thoroughness and courage in the + exposure of the evil, and with a reformatory purpose worthy of + both the man of science and the Christian."--_Rev. Joseph Cook._ + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 8] + +_A UNIQUE CYCLOPEDIA._ + + +Historical Lights; + +Or, Six Thousand Historical Articles, illustrating Thirty Thousand +Topics. Especially arranged for the Family Library, as also for +Conversationalists, Lecturers, Public Speakers, Writers for +the Press, Lawyers, Students, and all who have occasion to use +illustrations drawn from History. Compiled by REV. CHARLES E. +LITTLE, author of "Biblical Lights and Side-lights." + + "These 'Lights' are a galaxy taken exclusively from standard + Histories and Biographies. They consist of Facts, Incidents, + Examples and Precedents, selected for illustrative purposes, and + chiefly from the Civilized Races of Antiquity and the American + and English people. The Subjects relate to Religious, Social, + and Political Life, to Moral and Civil Government, etc. The + historian's name is appended to every quotation. _There are no + fugitive anecdotes in the work._" + +Complete in one volume, 8vo, 900 pages. + +Prices, Cloth, $5; Sheep, $6.50; transportation free. + + Peculiar Value of the Work: + + It is unique in design--no other publication occupying this + field in literature. It meets a want common to the large class + who desire ready access to historical precedents, examples and + incidents. It furnishes a mass of choice illustrations drawn + from History, which are immensely more valuable than statements, + anecdotes or incidents which cannot be vouched for. + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's note: + +Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. +Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as +printed. + +Missing page numbers are page numbers that were not shown in the +original text. + +Page 116: The transcriber has supplied the missing closing +bracket--"and Him crucified (when I was among the pupils of +Gamaliel, all of whom despised my chosen theme)". + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The World's Great Sermons, Volume 5: +Guthrie to Mozley, by Various + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44420 *** diff --git a/44420-h/44420-h.htm b/44420-h/44420-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fc9c05b --- /dev/null +++ b/44420-h/44420-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8186 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The World's Great Sermons, Volume 5 Guthrie to Mosley, by Grenville Kleiser. + </title> + <link rel="coverpage" href="images/coverpage.jpg"/> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; + text-indent: 1em; +} + +.noind {text-indent: 0em;} + +.b15 {font-size:1.5em;} +.b13 {font-size:1.3em;} +.b12 {font-size:1.2em;} +.s08 {font-size:.8em;} + + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 25%;} +hr.chap {width: 45%} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + font-style: normal; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +.space-above { margin-top: 3em; } + +.hanging {margin-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em; font-size: 15px;} + +.sig { text-align: right; margin-right: 5%; } + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.bord img { padding: 1px; border: 2px solid black; } + + +/* Footnotes */ + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: 55%; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +.poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i1 {display: block; margin-left: 0.5em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i3 {display: block; margin-left: 1.5em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i24 {display: block; margin-left: 12em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + +@media handheld +{ + .poetry + { + display: block; + margin-left: 1.5em; + } +} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.tn {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:smaller; + border: dashed 1px; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; } + + </style> + </head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44420 ***</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 468px;"> +<img src="images/coverpage.jpg" width="468" height="600" alt="cover" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<h1><em>The World's Great Sermons</em><br /><br /> + +<span class="s08">VOLUME V<br /><br /> + +GUTHRIE TO MOSLEY</span></h1> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center"><span class="b15"> +THE<br /> +<span class="smcap">World's<br /> +Great<br /> +Sermons</span></span></p> + + +<p class="center space-above">COMPILED BY<br /> +<span class="b12">GRENVILLE KLEISER</span></p> + +<p class="center space-above"><span class="b12">Formerly of Yale Divinity School Faculty;<br /> +Author of "How to Speak<br /> +in Public," Etc.</span></p> + + +<p class="center">With Assistance from Many of the Foremost<br /> +Living Preachers and Other Theologians</p> + +<p class="center space-above">INTRODUCTION BY<br /> +<big>LEWIS O. BRASTOW, D.D.</big><br /> +Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology<br /> +in Yale University</p> + +<p class="center space-above">IN TEN VOLUMES</p> + +<p class="center space-above">VOLUME V—GUTHRIE TO MOSLEY</p> + +<p class="center space-above">FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON +</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center"> +<span class="smcap">Copyright, 1908, by</span><br /> +FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY<br /> +<em>Printed in the United States of America</em> +</p> + + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<p class="center">VOLUME V</p> + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="contents"> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Guthrie</span> (1803-1873).</td><td align="left"><em>Page</em></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The New Heart</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Maurice</span> (1805-1872).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Valley of Dry Bones</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Martineau</span> (1805-1900).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> Parting Words</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_45">45</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Manning</span> (1808-1892).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Triumph of the Church</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Park</span> (1808-1900).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Prominence of the Atonement</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_87">87</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Simpson</span> (1810-1884).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Resurrection of Our Lord</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_119">119</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Theodore Parker</span> (1810-1860).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Transient and Permanent in Christianity</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_147">147</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Macleod</span> (1812-1872).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The True Christian Ministry</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_177">177</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Mozley</span> (1813-1878).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Reversal of Human Judgment</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_205">205</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>GUTHRIE</h2> + +<h3>THE NEW HEART</h3> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2"> </a></span></p> + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Thomas Guthrie</span>, preacher, philanthropist, +and social reformer, was born +at Brechin, Forfarshire, Scotland, in +1803. He spent ten years at the University +of Edinburgh and was licensed to +preach by the Presbytery of Brechin in +1825. In 1830 he was ordained minister +of Arbirlot. After a valuable experience +in evangelical preaching among the +farmers, weavers and peasants of his +congregation, he became one of the +ministers of Old Greyfriars Church, +Edinburgh, in 1827. Lord Cockburn +described his sermons in that city as +appealing equally "to the poor woman +on the steps of the pulpit" as to the +"stranger attracted solely by his eloquence." +He was a great temperance +advocate, becoming a total abstainer in +1844, and has been styled "the apostle +of the ragged school movement." Retiring +from the active work of the +ministry in 1864, he still remained in +public life until he died in 1873. Through +long practise, Dr. Guthrie delivered +his memorized discourses as tho they +fell spontaneously from his lips. His +voice has been described as powerful +and musical. He was fond of vivid illustration, +and even on his death bed, as +he lay dying in the arms of his sons, he +exclaimed: "I am just as helpless in your +arms now as you once were in mine."</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>GUTHRIE</h2> + +<h3>1803-1873</h3> + +<h4>THE NEW HEART</h4> + +<p><em>A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit +will I put within you; and I will take away the stony +heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart +of flesh.</em>—Ezekiel xxxvi., 26.</p> + + +<p>As in a machine where the parts all fit +each other, and, bathed in oil, move +without din or discord, the most perfect +harmony reigns throughout the kingdom +of grace. Jesus Christ is the "wisdom," as +well as the "power" of God; nor in this kingdom +is anything found corresponding to the +anomalies and incongruities of the world lying +without. There we sometimes see a high +station disgraced by a man of low habits; +while others are doomed to an inferior condition, +who would shine like gilded ornaments +on the very pinnacles of society. That beautiful +congruity in Christ's kingdom is secured +by those who are the objects of saving mercy +being so renewed and sanctified that their +nature is in harmony with their position, and +the man within corresponds to all without.</p> + +<p>Observe how this property of "new" runs +through the whole economy of grace. When +mercy first rose upon this world, an attribute<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +of Divinity appeared which was new to the +eyes of men and angels. Again, the Savior +was born of a virgin; and He who came forth +from a womb where no child had been previously +conceived, was sepulchered in a tomb +where no man had been previously interred. +The infant had a new birthplace, the crucified +had a new burial-place. Again, Jesus is +the mediator of a new covenant, the author +of a new testament, the founder of a new +faith. Again, the redeemed receive a new +name; they sing a new song; their home is +not to be in the old, but in the new, Jerusalem, +where they shall dwell on a new earth, and +walk in glory beneath a new heaven. Now it +were surely strange, when all things else are +new, if they themselves were not to partake +of this general renovation. Nor strange only, +for such a change is indispensable. A new +name without a new nature were an imposture. +It were not more an untruth to call a lion a +lamb, or the rapacious vulture by the name +of the gentle dove, than to give the title of +sons of God to the venomous seed of the serpent.</p> + +<p>Then, again, unless man received a new nature, +how could he sing the new song? The +raven, perched on the rock, where she whets +her bloody beak, and impatiently watches the +dying struggles of some unhappy lamb can +not tune her croaking voice to the rich, mellow +music of a thrush; and, since it is out of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +the abundance of the heart that the mouth +speaketh, how could a sinner take up the +strain and sing the song of saints? Besides, +unless a man were a new creature, he were +out of place in the new creation. In circumstances +neither adapted to his nature, nor +fitted to minister to his happiness, a sinner +in heaven would find himself as much out of +his element as a finny inhabitant of the deep, +or a sightless burrower in the soil, beside an +eagle, soaring in the sky, or surveying her +wide domain from the mountain crag.</p> + +<p>In the works of God we see nothing more +beautiful than the divine skill with which He +suits His creatures to their condition. He gives +wings to birds, fins to fishes, sails to the thistle-seed, +a lamp to light the glowworm, great +roots to moor the cedar, and to the aspiring +ivy her thousand hands to climb the wall. +Nor is the wisdom so conspicuous in nature, +less remarkable and adorable in the kingdom +of grace. He forms a holy people for a holy +heaven—fits heaven for them, and them for +heaven. And calling up His Son to prepare +the mansions for their tenants, and sending +down His Spirit to prepare the tenants for +their mansions, He thus establishes a perfect +harmony between the new creature and the +new creation.</p> + +<p>You can not have two hearts beating in the +same bosom, else you would be, not a man, +but a monster. Therefore, the very first<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +thing to be done, in order to make things new, +is just to take that which is old out of the +way. And the taking away of the old heart +is, after all, but a preparatory process. It is +a means, but not the end. For, strange as it +may at first sound, he is not religious who is +without sin. A dead man is without sin; and +he is sinless, who lies buried in dreamless +slumber, so long as his eyes are sealed. Now, +God requires more than a negative religion. +Piety, like fire, light, electricity, magnetism, +is an active, not a passive element; it has a +positive, not merely a negative existence. For +how is pure and undefiled religion defined? +"Pure religion and undefiled is to visit the +fatherless and widows in their affliction." +And on whom does Jesus pronounce His beatitude? +"If ye know these things, happy are +ye if ye do them." And what is the sum of +practical piety—the most portable form in +which you can put an answer to Saul's question, +"Lord, what wouldst thou have me to +do?" What but this, "Depart from evil, and +do good." Therefore, while God promises +to take the stony heart out of our flesh, He +promises more. In taking away one heart, He +engages to supply us with another; and to +this further change and onward stage in the +process of redemption, I now proceed to turn +your attention.</p> + +<p>By way of general observation, I remark +that our affections are engaged in religion.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +An oak—not as it stands choked up in the +crowded wood, with room neither to spread +nor breathe, but as it stands in the open field, +swelling out below where it anchors its roots +in the ground, and swelling out above where +it stretches its arms into the air,—presents us +with the most perfect form of firmness, self-support, +stout and sturdy independence. So +perfectly formed, indeed, is the monarch of +the forest to stand alone, and fight its own +battles with the elements, that the architect +of the Bell Rock lighthouse is said to have +borrowed his idea of its form from God in +nature, and that, copying the work of a divine +Architect, he took the trunk of the oak as the +model of a building which was to stand the +blast of the storm, and the swell of the winter +seas.</p> + +<p>Observe, that although the state of the natural +affections does not furnish any certain +evidence of conversion, it is the glory of piety +that these are strengthened, elevated, sanctified +by the change. The lover of God will be +the kindest, best, wisest lover of his fellow-creatures. +The heart that has room in it for +God, grows so large, that it finds room for all +God's train, for all that He loves, and for all +that He has made; so that the Church, with +all its denominations of true Christians, the +world, with all its perishing sinners, nay, all +the worlds which He has created, find orbit-room +to move, as in an expansive universe,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +within the capacious enlargement of a believer's +heart. For while the love of sin acts +as an astringent—contracting the dimensions +of the natural heart, shutting and shriveling +it up—the love of God expands and enlarges +its capacity. Piety quickens the pulse of love, +warms and strengthens our heart, and sends +forth fuller streams of natural affection toward +all that have a claim on us, just as a +strong and healthy heart sends tides of blood +along the elastic arteries to every extremity +of the body.</p> + +<p>This new heart, however, mainly consists +in a change of the affections as they regard +spiritual objects. Without again traveling +over ground which we have already surveyed, +just look at the heart and feelings of an unconverted +man. His mind being carnal, is +enmity or hatred against God. This may be +latent, not at first sight apparent, nor suspected, +but how soon does it appear when put +to the proof? Fairly tried, it comes out like +those unseen elements which chemical tests +reveal. Let God, for instance, by His providences +or laws, thwart the wishes or cross the +propensities of our unrenewed nature—let +there be a collision between His will and ours—and +the latent enmity flashes out like latent +fire when the cold black flint is struck +with steel.</p> + +<p>In conversion God gives a new spirit. Conversion +does not bestow new faculties. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +does not turn a weak man into a philosopher. +Yet, along with our affections, the temper, +the will, the judgment partake of this +great and holy change. Thus, while the heart +ceases to be dead, the head, illuminated by a +light within, ceases to be dark; the understanding +is enlightened; the will is renewed; +and our whole temper is sweetened and sanctified +by the Spirit of God. To consider these +in their order, I remark—</p> + +<p>By this change the understanding and judgment +are enlightened. Sin is the greatest +folly, and the sinner the greatest fool in the +world. There is no such madness in the most +fitful lunacy. Think of a man risking eternity +and his everlasting happiness on the uncertain +chance of surviving another year. Think +of a man purchasing a momentary pleasure +at the cost of endless pain. Think of a dying +man living as if he were never to die. Is there +a convert to God who looks back upon his unconverted +state, and does not say with David, +"Lord, I was as a beast before Thee."</p> + +<p>Now conversion not only restores God to +the heart, but reason also to her throne. Time +and eternity are now seen in their just proportions—in +their right relative dimensions; +the one in its littleness, and the other in its +greatness. When the light of heaven rises on +the soul, what grand discoveries does she make—of +the exceeding evil of sin, of the holiness +of the divine law, of the infinite purity of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +divine justice, of the grace and greatness of +divine love. On Sinai's summit and on Calvary's +cross, what new, sublime, affecting +scenes open on her astonished eyes! She now, +as by one convulsive bound, leaps to the conclusion +that salvation is the one thing needful, +and that if a man will give all he hath for the +life that now is, much more should he part +with all for the life to come. The Savior and +Satan, the soul and body, holiness and sin, +have competing claims. Between these reason +now holds the balance even, and man finds, +in the visit of converting grace, what the demoniac +found in Jesus' advent. The man +whose dwelling was among the tombs, whom +no chains could bind, is seated at the feet of +Jesus, "clothed, and in his right mind."</p> + +<p>By this change the will is renewed. Bad +men are worse, and good men are better than +they appear. In conversion the will is so +changed and sanctified, that altho a pious man +is in some respects less, in other respects he +is more holy than the world gives him credit +for. The attainments of a believer are always +beneath his aims; his desires are nobler than +his deeds; his wishes are holier than his works. +Give other men their will, full swing to their +passions, and they would be worse than they +are; give that to him, and he would be better +than he is. And if you have experienced the +gracious change, it will be your daily grief +that you are not what you not only know you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +should be, but what you wish to be. To be +complaining with Paul, "When I would do +good, evil is present with me; that which I +would I do not, and what I would not, that +I do," is one of the best evidences of a gracious, +saving change.</p> + +<p>Children of God! let not your souls be cast +down. This struggle between the new will +and the old man—painful and prolonged altho +it be—proves beyond all doubt the advent +of the Holy Spirit. Until the Savior appeared +there was no sword drawn, nor blood shed in +Bethlehem, nor murderous decree issued +against its innocents—they slept safely in +their mothers' bosoms, Herod enjoyed his security +and pleasure, and Rachel rose not from +her grave to weep for her children because +they were not. Christ's coming rouses all +the devil in the soul. The fruits of holy peace +are reaped with swords on the fields of war; +and this struggle within your breast proves +that grace, even in its infancy a cradled Savior, +is engaged in strangling the old Serpent. +When the shadow of calamity falls on many +homes, and the tidings of victory come with +sad news to many a family, and the brave are +lying thick in the deadly breach, men comfort +us by saying, that there are things worse than +war. That is emphatically true of this holy +war. Rejoice that the peace of death is gone.</p> + +<p>By conversion the temper and disposition +are changed and sanctified. Christians are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +occasionally to be found with a tone of mind +and a temper as little calculated to recommend +their faith as to promote their happiness. I +believe that there are cases in which this is +due to a deranged condition of the nervous +system, or the presence of disease in some +other vital organ. These unhappy persons +are more deserving of our pity than our censure. +This is not only the judgment of Christian +charity, but of sound philosophy, and is +a conclusion to which we are conducted in +studying the union between mind and body, +and the manner in which they act and re-act +upon each other. So long as grace dwells in +a "vile body," which is the seat of frequent +disorder and many diseases—these infirmities +of temper admit no more, perhaps, of being +entirely removed, than a defect of speech, or +any physical deformity. The good temper for +which some take credit may be the result of +good health and a well-developed frame—a +physical more than a moral virtue; and an +ill temper, springing from bad health, or an +imperfect organization, may be a physical +rather than a moral defect—giving its victim +a claim on our charity and forbearance. But, +admitting this apology for the unhappy tone +and temper of some pious men, the true Christian +will bitterly bewail his defect, and, regretting +his infirmity more than others do a +deformity, he will carefully guard and earnestly +pray against it. Considering it as a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +thorn in his flesh, a messenger of Satan sent +to buffet him, it will often send him to his +knees in prayer to God, that the grace which +conquers nature may be made "sufficient for +him."</p> + +<p>I pray you to cultivate the temper that was +in Jesus Christ. Is he like a follower of the +Lamb who is raging like a roaring lion? Is +he like a pardoned criminal who sits moping +with a cloud upon his brow? Is he like an +heir of heaven, like a man destined to a crown, +who is vexed and fretted with some petty +loss? Is he like one in whose bosom the dove +of heaven is nestling, who is full of all manner +of bile and bitterness? Oh, let the same +mind be in you that was in Jesus. A kind, +catholic, gentle, loving temper is one of the +most winning features of religion; and by +its silent and softening influence you will do +more real service to Christianity than by the +loudest professions, or the exhibition of a +cold and skeleton orthodoxy. Let it appear in +you, that it is with the believer under the influence +of the Spirit as with fruit ripened beneath +the genial influences of heaven's dews +and sunbeams. At first hard, it grows soft; +at first sour, it becomes sweet; at first green, +it assumes in time a rich and mellow color; +at first adhering tenaciously to the tree, when +it becomes ripe, it is ready to drop at the +slightest touch. So with the man who is +ripening for heaven. His affections and temper<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +grow sweet, soft, mellow, loose from earth +and earthly things. He comes away readily +to the hand of death, and leaves the world +without a wrench.</p> + +<p>In conversion God gives a heart of flesh. +"I will give you a heart of flesh."</p> + +<p>Near by a stone, a mass of rock that had +fallen from the overhanging crag, which had +some wild flowers growing in its fissures, and +on its top the foxglove, with its spike of +beautiful but deadly flowers, we once came +upon an adder as it lay in ribbon coil, basking +on the sunny ground. At our approach the +reptile stirred, uncoiled itself, and raising its +venomous head, with eyes like burning coals, +it shook its cloven tongue, and, hissing, gave +signs of battle. Attacked, it retreated; and, +making for that gray stone, wormed itself into +a hole in its side. Its nest and home were +there. And in looking on that shattered rock—fallen +from its primeval elevation—with its +flowery but fatal charms, the home and nest +of the adder, where nothing grew but poisoned +beauty, and nothing dwelt but a poisoned +brood, it seemed to us an emblem of that +heart which the text describes as a stone, +which experience proves is a habitation of +devils, and which the prophet pronounces to +be desperately wicked. I have already explained +why the heart is described as a stone. +It is cold as a stone; hard as a stone; dead and +insensible as a stone. Now, as by the term<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +"flesh" we understand qualities the very opposite +of these, I therefore remark that—</p> + +<p>In conversion a man gets a warm heart.</p> + +<p>Let us restrict ourselves to a single example. +When faith receives the Savior, how does the +heart warm to Jesus Christ! There is music +in His name. "His name is an ointment +poured forth." All the old indifference to +His cause, His people, and the interests of +His kingdom, has passed away; and now these +have the warmest place in a believer's bosom, +and are the object of its strongest and tenderest +affections. The only place, alas! that +religion has in the hearts of many is a burial-place; +but the believer can say with Paul, +"Christ liveth in me." Nor is his heart like +the cottage of Bethany, favored only with occasional +visits. Jesus abides there in the +double character of guest and master, its most +loving and best loved inmate; and there is a +difference as great between that heart as it +is, and that heart as it was, as between the +warm bosom where the Infant slept or smiled +in Mary's arms and the dark, cold sepulcher +where weeping followers laid and left the +Crucified.</p> + +<p>Is there such a heart in you? Do you appreciate +Christ's matchless excellences? Having +cast away every sin to embrace him, do +you set him above your chiefest joy? Would +you leave father, mother, wife, children, to +follow Him, with bleeding feet, over life's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +roughest path? Rather than part with Him, +would you part with a thousand worlds? +Were He now on earth, would you leave a +throne to stoop and tie His latchet? If I +might so speak, would you be proud to carry +His shoes? Then, indeed, you have got the +new, warm heart of flesh. The new love of +Christ, and the old love of the world, may still +meet in opposing currents; but in the war and +strife of these antagonistic principles, the celestial +shall overpower the terrestrial, as, at +the river's mouth, I have seen the ocean tide, +when it came rolling in with a thousand billows +at its back, fill all the channel, carry all +before its conquering swell, dam up the fresh +water of the land, and drive it back with resistless +power.</p> + +<p>In conversion a man gets a soft heart.</p> + +<p>As "flesh," it is soft and sensitive. It is +flesh, and can be wounded or healed. It is +flesh, and feels alike the kiss of kindness and +the rod of correction. It is flesh; and no +longer a stone, hard, obdurate, impenetrable +to the genial influences of heaven. A hard +block of ice, it has yielded to the beams of the +sun, and been melted into flowing water. How +are you moved now, stirred now, quickened +now, sanctified now, by truths once felt no +more than dews falling out of starry heavens, +in soft silence upon rugged rock. The heart +of grace is endowed with a delicate sensibility, +and vibrates to the slightest touch of a Savior's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +fingers. How does the truth of God +affect it now! A stone no longer, it melts +under the heavenly fire—a stone no longer, it +bends beneath the hammer of the word; no +longer like the rugged rock, on which rains +and sunbeams were wasted, it receives the +impression of God's power, and retains the +footprints of His presence. Like the flowers +that close their eyes at night, but waken at +the voice of morning, like the earth that gapes +in summer drought, the new heart opens to +receive the bounties of grace and the gifts of +heaven. Have you experienced such a +change? In proof and evidence of its reality, +is David's language yours—"I have stretched +out my hands unto thee. My soul thirsteth +after thee as a thirsty land"?</p> + +<p>In conversion a man gets a living heart.</p> + +<p>The perfection of this life is death—it is +dead to be sin, but alive to righteousness, alive +to Christ, alive to everything which touches +His honor, and crown, and kingdom. With +Christ living in his heart, the believer feels +that now he is not himself, not his own; and, +as another's, the grand object of his life is +to live to Christ. He reckons him an object +worth living for, had he a thousand lives to +live; worth dying for, had he a thousand +deaths to die. He says with Paul, "I am +crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live." In +the highest sense alive, he is dead, dead to +things he was once alive to; and he wishes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +that he were more dead to them, thoroughly +dead. He wishes that he could look on the +seductions of the world, and sin's voluptuous +charms, with the cold, unmoved stare of death, +and that these had no more power to kindle +a desire in him than in the icy bosom of a +corpse. "Understandest thou what thou +readest?"</p> + +<p>It is a mark of grace that the believer, in +his progress heavenward, grows more and +more alive to the claims of Jesus. If you +"know the love of Christ," His is the latest +name you will desire to utter; His is the latest +thought you will desire to form; upon Him +you will fix your last look on earth; upon Him +your first in heaven. When memory is oblivious +of all other objects—when all that attracted +the natural eye is wrapt in the mists +of death, when the tongue is cleaving to +the roof of our mouth, and speech is gone, +and sight is gone, and hearing gone, and the +right hand, lying powerless by our side, has +lost its cunning, Jesus! then may we remember +Thee! If the shadows of death are to be +thrown in deepest darkness on the valley, +when we are passing along it to glory, may it +be ours to die like that saint, beside whose bed +wife and children once stood, weeping over +the wreck of faded faculties, and a blank, departed +memory. One had asked him, "Father, +do you remember me?" and received no answer; +and another, and another, but still no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +answer. And then, all making way for the +venerable companion of a long and loving +pilgrimage—the tender partner of many a +past joy and sorrow, his wife draws near. +She bends over him, and as her tears fall +thick upon his face, she cries, "Do you not +remember me?" A stare, but it is vacant. +There is no soul in that filmy eye; and the +seal of death lies upon these lips. The sun +is down, and life's brief twilight is darkening +fast into a starless night. At this moment, +one calm enough to remember how the love of +Christ's spouse is "strong as death," a love +that "many waters can not quench," stooped +to his ear, and said, "Do you remember Jesus +Christ?" The word was no sooner uttered +than it seemed to recall the spirit, hovering +for a moment, ere it took wing to heaven. +Touched as by an electric influence, the heart +beat once more to the name of Jesus; the features, +fixt in death, relax; the countenance, +dark in death, flushes up like the last gleam +of day; and, with a smile in which the soul +passed away to glory, he replied, "Remember +Jesus Christ! dear Jesus Christ! He is all +my salvation, and all my desire."</p> + +<p>By conversion man is ennobled.</p> + +<p>While infidelity regards man as a mere animal, +to be dissolved at death into ashes and +air, and vice changes man into a brute or +devil, Mammon enslaves him. She makes him +a serf, and condemns him to be a gold-digger<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +for life in the mines. She puts her collar on +his neck, and locks it; and bending his head +to the soil, and bathing his brow in sweat, she +says, Toil, toil, toil; as if this creature, originally +made in the image of God, this dethroned +and exiled monarch, to save whom the +Son of God descended from the skies, and bled +on Calvary, were a living machine, constructed +of sinew, bone, and muscle, and made +for no higher end than to work to live, and +live to work.</p> + +<p>Contrast with these the benign aspect in +which the gospel looks on man. Religion +descends from heaven to break our chains. +She alone raises me from degradation, and +bids me lift my drooping head, and look up +to heaven. Yes; it is that very gospel which +by some is supposed to present such dark, degrading, +gloomy views of man and his destiny, +which lifts me from the dust to set me among +princes—on a level with angels—in a sense +above them. To say nothing of the divine nobility +grace imparts to a soul which is stamped +anew with the likeness and image of God, how +sacred and venerable does even this body appear +in the eye of piety! No longer a form +of animated dust; no longer the subject of +passions shared in common with the brutes; +no longer the drudge and slave of Mammon, +the once "vile body" rises into a temple of +the Holy Ghost. Vile in one sense it may be; +yet what, although it be covered with sores?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +What, although it be clothed in rags? What, +although, in unseemly decrepitude, it want +its fair proportions? That poor, sickly, shattered +form is the casket of a precious jewel. +This mean and crumbling tabernacle lodges +a guest nobler than palaces may boast of; +angels hover around its walls; the Spirit of +God dwells within it. What an incentive to +holiness, to purity of life and conduct, lies +in the fact that the body of a saint is the temple +of God, a truer, nobler temple than that +which Solomon dedicated by his prayers, and +Jesus consecrated His presence! In popish +cathedrals, where the light streamed through +painted window, and the organ pealed along +lofty aisles, and candles gleamed on golden +cups and silver crosses, and incense floated in +fragrant clouds, we have seen the blinded +worshiper uncover his head, drop reverently +on his knees, and raise his awestruck eye on +the imposing spectacle; we have seen him +kiss the marble floor, and knew that sooner +would he be smitten dead upon that floor than +be guilty of defiling it. How does this devotee +rebuke us! We wonder at his superstition; +how may he wonder at our profanity! Can +we look on the lowly veneration he expresses +for an edifice which has been erected by some +dead man's genius, which holds but some +image of a deified virgin, or bones of a canonized +saint, and which, proudly as it raises its +cathedral towers, time shall one day cast to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +the ground, and bury in the dust; can we, I +say, look on that, and, if sensible to rebuke, +not feel reproved by the spectacle? In how +much more respect, in how much holier veneration +should we hold this body? The shrine +of immortality, and a temple dedicated to the +Son of God, it is consecrated by the presence +of the Spirit—a living temple, over whose +porch the eye of piety reads what the finger +of inspiration has written: "If any man defile +the temple of God, him shall God destroy; +for the temple of God is holy, which temple +ye are."</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MAURICE</h2> + +<h3>THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES</h3> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24"> </a></span></p> + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Frederick Denison Maurice</span>, English +divine and author, was born in 1805. He +was the son of a Unitarian clergyman, +and after studying in Cambridge began +a literary career in London, where his +friend Coleridge and others persuaded +him to take orders in the Church of +England. In 1836 he was appointed +chaplain to Guy's Hospital. In 1840 he +was elected professor of English literature +and history and in 1846 of divinity +at King's College, London, but lost both +positions in 1853 because of his radical +views. He was professor of moral philosophy +at Cambridge from 1860 until his +death in 1872.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MAURICE</h2> + +<h3>1805-1872</h3> + +<h4>THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES</h4> + +<p><em>The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me +out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the +midst of the valley which was full of bones, and +caused me to pass by them round about. And behold +there were very many in the open valley, and lo, they +were very dry. And he said unto me, "Son of man, +can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord God, +thou knowest."</em>—<span class="smcap">Ezek</span>. xxxvii., 1-3.</p> + + +<p>We are naturally curious to know +whether two contemporary prophets +ever conversed with each other. In +Micah we found such evident indications of +sympathy with the mind of Isaiah as warranted +the supposition that he was his pupil. +I can not trace any signs of a similar relation, +or indeed of any personal relation, between +Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Tho they were passing +through the same crisis; tho they had both to +witness the evils which were destroying their +nation; both to share its miseries; tho the false +prophets were the common enemies of both; +yet their circumstances, their character, and +their work were entirely distinct, in some +points even contrasted. Their very differences, +however, show us that they were both +alike prophets and priests.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Book of Lamentations exhibits the +spirit of the individual man Jeremiah more +transparently than his longer book, which is +so mixed up with historical details, with +anticipations of a ruin not yet accomplished, +with hopes, however faint and soon dispelled, +of a national repentance. Most of those whom +the prophet had denounced were banished or +dead. Men could talk no more about the +temple of the Lord, could boast no more that +the word of the Lord was with them; the +vessel which the potter was shaping had been +broken to pieces. The sadness of the prophet, +which had been checked sometimes by indignation, +sometimes by the consciousness of a +word which must still be spoken, of a work +which must be done, became complete and +absorbing. Heretofore his intense sympathy +with his country might seem to be qualified +by his lively apprehension of its crimes; now +both feelings were blended into one. When +he looked upon the desolation of the city +there sat upon his soul a weight of sorrow and +evil, as if he were representing his whole +people, as if there was no wrong which they +had committed, no evil habits which they had +contracted, which did not cling to him, for +which he was not responsible. And this was +no imaginary fictitious state of mind into +which he had worked himself. God had made +him inwardly conscious of the very corruptions +which had destroyed the land. If he had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +made any fight against them; if they did not +actually overpower him and enslave him, this +was God's work and not his; the promise of +the covenant made with his fathers, which was +as good for every one as for himself, was fulfilled +to him. And now he was realizing the +full effect of this discipline. The third chapter +of the Lamentations, beginning "I am the +man that hath seen affliction by the rod of +His wrath," contains the climax of his experience. +In the memorable passages which follow, +the history of a life is gathered up. "I +said, My strength and my hope is perished +from the Lord; remembering mine affliction +and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. +My soul hath them still in remembrance. This +I recall to mind, therefore have I hope. It is +of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. +They are new every morning; great +is thy faithlessness. The Lord is my portion, +saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. +The Lord is good unto them that wait for +him. It is good that a man should both +hope and quietly wait for the salvation of +the Lord. It is good for a man that he +bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone +and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it +upon him. He putteth his mouth in the dust +if so be there may be hope. He giveth his +cheek to him that smiteth him, he is filled full +with reproach. The Lord will not cast off for +ever; but tho he cause grief, yet will he have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +compassion according to the multitude of his +mercies for he doth not afflict willingly nor +grieve the children of men."</p> + +<p>Anything more individual than these utterances +it is impossible to conceive; and yet it +is just by these that one understands the +sacerdotal work to which Jeremiah was called. +There was no longer any temple. The priests +as well as the princes had been for the most +part carried away by Nebuchadnezzar. But +there was a man walking about in the deserted +city to which the twelve tribes had come up,—in +the midst of the ruins of the holy place +into which the sons of Aaron had gone with +the memorial of their names on their breastplates,—who +really entered into the meaning +of that function, who really bore the iniquities +of the children of Israel before the Lord;—one +to whom it was given to translate the +ceremonies and services of the divine house +into life and reality. He had been taught +more perfectly, perhaps, than anyone who +had served in the temple, what was implied in +its worship and sacrifices. He felt the burden +to which those sacrifices pointed, the burden of +individual and national sins. Yet, with that +burden resting upon him, he could enter into +the presence of the Holy One of Israel. He +was sure there was a deliverance for his people +as well as for himself; that there could not be +one for him if there was not also one for them. +Thus when part of his work was over, when he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> +had nothing more to say in the ears of kings +or priests or people, this office,—which had +been so closely connected with his prophetical +office, and which, if it had depended upon +outward conditions, must have been more +entirely at an end than that,—still remained +in all its original power. And the words of +the prophet remained to explain to all generations +the spiritual character and acts of the +priest.</p> + +<p>The office of the priest must have seemed to +be more utterly extinct for Ezekiel than even +for Jeremiah. He was forcibly removed from +all the associations of the temple while it was +yet standing. When he was called to be a +prophet to the captives by the river Chebar, +he might have supposed that the earlier designation +which belonged to him as one of the +Levitical family, had been extinguished in the +later one. Yet we have seen how he was +instructed, at the very commencement of his +work as a prophet, that the glory of Him who +filled the temple was surrounding him in +Mesopotamia as it surrounded him when he +went up to present the morning or the evening +sacrifice in Jerusalem. Such a vision was +given him of that glory as he had never beheld +in the holy place. He found that the earth,—that +common, profane, Babylonian earth upon +which he dwelt,—was filled with it. All the +powers of nature, the forms of animals, man +as the highest of the animals, the motions and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +order of the outward world and of human +society, were pointing towards it. And the +central object, the highest object which he +could behold, tho there was an ineffable brightness +beyond, was a Man upon a throne, One +who could command him, in whose name he +was to go forth, whose words he was to speak.</p> + +<p>This was no isolated revelation or dream. +The very name which the prophet thenceforth +bore, the name by which he was to know himself, +depended upon it. "Son of man, stand +upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee," were +the first words which he heard after he fell +upon his face. That great title is bestowed +upon him through all the time in which he was +prophesying. It was in many ways more suitable +to him than to those who had gone before +him. There was now no Hezekiah or Josiah +to represent the Divine king. The witnesses +for the kingdom seemed to be at an end. +Nebuchadnezzar was the lord of the earth. At +such a time the natural position of the Jewish +seer became a human position. The Israelite's +glory was to be a "Son of man."</p> + +<p>Yet he was not absolved from any of the +obligations of the older prophets; he was not +to expect a more willing or attentive audience +among captives than they had found at home; +briars, thorns would be with him; he must +dwell among scorpions. Lamentations and +mourning and woe filled his roll as much as +that which Baruch wrote out for Jeremiah.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +And he must eat this roll; it must become a +part of his very soul; its words must come +forth living and burning out of himself.</p> + +<p>He must understand, besides, all the fearful +responsibilities of the prophet. He was to +speak whether the men about him would hear +or whether they would forbear. There were +times when his tongue would cleave to the roof +of his mouth, when he should be dumb and +should not be to them a reprover. But when +God opened his lips, the blood of those to +whom he was sent was upon him; it would +be required at his hands if they died in their +iniquity and he had not warned them. He +must submit to do all symbolical acts, however +strange and fantastical they might seem in +themselves, which might bring the feeling of +coming judgments home to a sense-bound +people. He must act a mimic siege, he must +eat defiled bread; he must cut off his hair and +weigh it in balances, if so the people could be +made to understand,—in spite of their false +prophets who spoke of coming peace and +enacted their signs, which of course involved +no discomfort or humiliation to themselves,—that +the city would really be destroyed and +the sanctuary laid waste. He was to persuade +his brother captives that they were a remnant +in which the nation still lived, a stock out of +which it should hereafter grow and flourish, +even tho they were most rebellious, dreaming +of good things which would never come, not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +waiting for that good which God had designed +for them. There was to be the same end in +all the punishments which were coming upon +the land and in all its deliverances. God was +saying in all "I am the Lord."</p> + +<p>This sentence recurs again and again in the +prophecies of Ezekiel. It is the thought of his +mind, the one which gives all the sublimity +and all the practical worth to his discourses,—that +the knowledge of God is the supreme +good of man, and that the desolation of his +countrymen has come from their not liking +to retain it. He is transported in spirit to +the temple. There the same vision of the +glory of God which he had seen by the river +returns to him. The light of it shows him, +portrayed upon the wall of the temple round +about, the abominable beasts and creeping +things, and the idols of the house of Israel; +what the ancients of the house of Israel did +in the dark, every one in the chambers of his +imagery; how the women were weeping for +Tammuz; how the men were worshiping the +sun towards the east. Whether such abominations +as these were actually to be seen in the +temple, or whether the prophet's eye opened +by the divine Spirit saw that they were possessing +the hearts of those who seemed to +others, perhaps to themselves, to be worshiping +the God of their fathers, it is clear that +the mind of Ezekiel was led back to the place +in which he had ministered, that he might be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +taught how little the sacred building could +preserve the truth which was enshrined in it.</p> + +<p>What Ezekiel has seen in the temple enables +him to answer the elders of Israel when they +come to consult him in his own house. Just +what was going on among those who worshiped +in Jerusalem, was going on in the +hearts of those who sought his oracles. They +were setting up idols there. They wanted to +know what God would do with them or against +them; they did not want to know Him. And +therefore Ezekiel announces to them a great +and eternal moral law, one of the most varied +application; "God will answer you according +to your idols." The truth which is presented +to you, will be colored, distorted, inverted by +the eye which receives it. The covetousness +which you are cherishing will make the best +and divinest word you hear, a minister of +covetousness. Your pride and your lust will +make it a minister of lust and pride. No +bolder or more awful paradox was ever enunciated +than this, nor one which the conscience +of everyone will more surely verify. And +there was this special proof of courage in making +such an announcement, that it must have +destroyed Ezekiel's reputation as a prophet. +The elders came in terror, feeling that they +wanted guidance and expecting some ready-made +answer, such as the regular traders in +prophecy could always furnish. The truly +inspired man answers, "I can tell you nothing,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span>—nothing +at least that will not deceive you +and become a lie in your minds. For you +bring lies in your minds, and except they be +extirpated, they must convert whatever is +added to them from without, to their own +quality."</p> + +<p>Ezekiel himself illustrates in another case +this great principle. No commandment had +established itself more completely by the experience +of the people to whom it was addrest, +than the second. The idolatries of the +land had accumulated with each generation. +Each had cause to complain of the last as bequeathing +it a stock of corrupt habits and +traditions; the sins of the fathers had been +visited upon the children. These were facts +not to be gainsaid. The captives had leisure +to reflect upon them. It might have been a +most profound and profitable reflection.</p> + +<p>The use they made of it was to prove they +were under a necessary law of degeneracy. +How could they help themselves? The fathers +had eaten sour grapes, and their teeth were +set on edge. Who dared dispute it? There +was God's own word for it. Had he not told +them the plan and method of His own government? +Such language addrest to one of the +favorite preachers or prophets of the people, +would have silenced him altogether. He +would have said, "It is a mystery, no doubt; +we must take the words of the commandment +tho we can not understand them. God is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +Sovereign; He can do what He likes. If it +pleases Him that each generation should be +more corrupt than the last, we must submit +and not dispute His will." Others there would +be who would complain boldly and with good +reason of a will that compelled to evil, but +yet would lazily submit to it, supposing it to +be inevitable, tho feeling the absurdity of calling +it divine. Ezekiel boldly stands forth to +dispute and deny the whole principle. He +does not dispute or deny the second commandment,—that +was probably the text of his +discourse. But he will not let the second commandment +or any other words in the world be +pleaded against the character of God. Righteousness +and equity he maintains to be the +foundations of the divine character and of +the divine acts. He will tolerate no resolution +of them into a heathenish notion of sovereignty +or self-will. "The ways of God are +equal," he says, "and your ways are unequal." +The sins of the father only descend +upon the son, they are only punished in the +son, when the son accepts them, entertains +them, makes them his own. At any time he +may turn round and repudiate them and +cleave to the God who doth not will the death +of the sinner, but desires that he should return +and live. The doctrine of the second commandment +and of the whole law, is that a man +is righteous so long as he cleaves to the +righteous God who has made a covenant with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +him, unrighteous when he forsakes that covenant +and acts independently. Therefore the +notion of any perpetuity in righteousness, or +in evil, is equally cut off. Every man has the +capacity of righteousness, the capacity of evil. +Let him be ever so righteous, he must become +evil the moment he ceases to trust in God and +begins to trust in himself. Let him be ever so +evil, he must become righteous the moment +he begins to trust in God and ceases to trust +in himself.</p> + +<p>The enunciation of laws or principles seems +more especially to belong to Ezekiel, as the +experience of personal evil and the sympathy +with national sorrow belong more to the tender +and womanly nature of Jeremiah. Nevertheless, +Ezekiel was to be a priest in this sense +also, as well as in that higher sense of beholding +the glory of God and proclaiming His +name. Suffering was not the destination of +one prophet; it was the badge of all the tribe. +Ezekiel's life was to be a continual parable, +illustrative of the life of the nation. A man +scrupulously careful of the law, was to violate +the precepts of it respecting food, and to eat +what was loathsome. A man sensitive probably +as to his reputation, and with that kind +of lofty imagination which makes attention to +details and all petty acts unspeakably painful, +must submit, for the sake of his countrymen, +to such as seemed most ignominious to himself +and perplexing to them. Finally, the desire<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +of his eyes must be taken from him with a +stroke, and he must not mourn or weep. Even +at such a time he must be a sign to the people, +tho by doing so he should seem to refuse the +sympathy that he most wants, and should only +lead the captives to say, "Wilt thou not tell +us what these things are to us that thou +doest so?"</p> + +<p>Apart from these sufferings which concern +him individually and domestically, the vision +of the desolation of Israel became every day +more overwhelming to him. Nor was it only +the desolation of Israel. He who was called +"Son of man," was not likely to speak less of +Egypt and Tyrus and the land in which he +was himself dwelling, than those older prophets +who had so many more reasons for regarding +Judea as the one garden of the Lord. +The arms of Nebuchadnezzar had been turning +the earth upside down and making it +waste. Everything must have seemed to him +disjointed, incoherent, withered. Could it +ever be renovated? Was it possible even for +that country which God had blest above +all others and man had curst above all +others, to breathe and live again?</p> + +<p>This was the question which was proposed +to the prophet on that day when the hand +of the Lord was upon him, and he was carried +into the valley which was full of bones. The +vision, clear as it is in itself, must not be +read apart from the context of the prophecy.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +You should remember where Ezekiel was +dwelling; by what kind of people he was +surrounded; what was the condition of his +own land; what had come and was coming +upon all lands; or you will not understand +the picture which now rose up before him. +You should think, too, of the man himself, of +the heat of his spirit, of the words which he +had uttered in vain, of the acts which had only +made the captives stare vacantly, of the desolation +of his house and his heart. You should +think of those other visions he had of the +ascending scale of creatures, of the mysterious +order of the universe, of the glory of God, +before you place yourself beside him in the +valley, and walk with him round about it, and +look at the different bones, and see how each +separately how altogether, they expound to +him the condition of the house of Israel. It +was dead,—that body from which he had +believed that life was to go forth to quicken +the universe. It had none of the beauty of a +corpse in which there is still form, on which +the spirit has left its impression. There had +been a time of gradual decay, a time when the +pulses of the nation beat feebly and faintly, +but when they might still be felt; a time +after that when you knew it had ceased to +breathe, but when you could still speak of it as +entire. But another stage had come, the stage +of utter dissolution, when each limb looked +as if it had nothing to do with any other, when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +you could scarcely force yourself to believe +that they had ever been joined together. Can +these bones live? what a thought to come into +the mind of any man gazing on such a scene! +It could not have come from himself, certainly, +nor from any of these relics. God must +have sent it to him; He must have led him +to dream that such a resurrection was possible. +And now the process of it is also revealed to +him. The prophet is commanded to speak. His +speech seems a mere sound in the air. But +there is a noise and a shaking; then a frightful +movement of the bones towards each other, +each claiming its fellow to which it had once +belonged. This strange effort at a union of +dead things betokens a power that has not yet +declared itself. And soon the sinews and the +flesh come up upon them. They have acquired +a form, tho they have no life. "Then said he +unto me, 'Prophesy unto the wind; Thus saith +the Lord God: come from the four winds, O +breath, and breathe upon these slain that they +may live.' So I prophesied as he commanded. +And the breath came unto them, +and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, +an exceeding great army."</p> + +<p>"Doth he not speak parables?" was the +phrase by which the Jews of the captivity exprest +their dislike and contempt for the +troublesome and mystical prophet who was +among them. "Doth he not speak parables?" +is a question which men, looking round with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +weary hearts upon the condition of Christ's +Church in various periods of its existence, +have asked themselves, with a very different +intention and spirit, when they have read this +vision of the valley of dry bones. "Is not +this written," they have said, "for the ages +to come? Is not this one of parables concerning +the kingdom of God?" Yes, brethren, +if we will first read it fairly and honestly, +as describing what Ezekiel says it described +to him,—if we will not search for a distant +application till we have acknowledged the +immediate one,—we shall find that here, as +everywhere, Ezekiel is exhibiting facts which +belong to other times as well as his own, and +laws and methods of a divine government +which belong to all times as well as his own.</p> + +<p>And that I may not waste your time in +enumerating different crises of history in +which the facts may be discerned, and by +which the law and the method may be tested, +I say at once, they are all for us; the vision +and the interpretation are of this day. Do +you not hear men on all sides of you crying, +"The Church which we read of in books exists +only in them. Christendom consists of +Romanists, Greeks, Protestants, divided from +each other, disputing about questions to which +nineteen-twentieths of those who belong to +their communions are indifferent. And meantime +what is becoming of the countries in +which these different confessions are established?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +What populations are growing up in +them? Does the present generation believe +that which its fathers believed? Will the next +generation believe anything?" Brethren, +you hear such words as these spoken. I do not +mean to inquire how much there is of truth +in them, how much of exaggeration, what +evidences there are on the other side which +have been overlooked; what signs of life there +are anywhere in the midst of apparent death. +But this I must say; Christians in general are +far too eager to urge special exceptions when +they hear these charges preferred; far too +ready to make out a case for themselves while +they admit their application to others; far too +ready to think that the cause of God is interested +in this suppression of facts. The prophets +should have taught us a different lesson. +They should have led us to feel that it was a +solemn duty, not to conceal, but to bring forward +all the evidence which proves, not that +one country is better than another, or one +portion of the Church better than another, +but that there is a principle of decay, a tendency +to apostasy in all, and that no comfort +can come from merely balancing symptoms +of good here against symptoms of evil there, +no comfort from considering whether we are a +little less contentious, a little less idolatrous +than our neighbors. Alas, for this Church, +or for any church, if its existence now, if its +prospects for the future, are to be determined<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +by such calculations as these! No, brethren, +our hope has a deeper foundation. It is this; +that when the bones have become most dry, +when they are lying most scattered and separate +from each other, there is still a word +going forth, if not through the lips of any +prophet on this earth, then through the lips +of those who have left it,—yet not proceeding +from them, but from Him who liveth for +ever and ever, the voice which says, "These +bones shall rise." It is this; that every shaking +among the bones, everything which seems +at first a sign of terror,—men leaving the +churches in which they have been born, forsaking +all the affections and sympathies and +traditions of their childhood,—infidel questionings, +doubts whether the world is left to +itself or whether it is governed by an evil +spirit,—are themselves not indeed signs of +life, but at least movements in the midst of +death which are better than the silence of the +charnel-house, which foretell the approach of +that which they can not produce. It is this; +that all struggles after union, tho they may +be of the most abortive kind, tho they may +produce fresh sects and fresh divisions, +tho they must do so as long as they +rest on the notion that unity is something +visible and material, yet indicate +a deep and divine necessity which men could +not be conscious of in their dreams if they +were not beginning to awake. It is this; that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +there are other visions true for us, as they +were for Ezekiel, besides the vision of dry +bones. The name of a Father has not ceased +to be a true name because baptized men do not +own themselves as His children. The name of +the Son has not ceased to be a true name, +because men are setting up some earthly ruler +in place of Him, or are thinking that they can +realize a human fellowship without confessing +a Man on the throne above the firmament. +The name of the Spirit has not ceased to be a +true name because we are thinking that we +can form combinations and sects and churches +without His quickening presence, because we +deny that He is really in the midst of us. It +is this; that when all earthly priests have been +banished or have lost their faith, tho there +should be none to mourn over the ruins of +Jerusalem, or to feel its sin as his own, yet +there is a High Priest, the great Sin-Bearer, +ever presenting His perfect and accepted sacrifice +within the veil, a High Priest not of a +nation, but of humanity. It is this; that tho +all earthly temples, in which God has been +pleased to dwell, should become desecrated +and abominable, tho all foul worship should +go on in the midst of them, and tho what is +portrayed on their walls should too faithfully +represent what is passing in the more secret +chambers of imagery, tho at last the shrines +that have been supposed to contain the +mystery which they set forth should be utterly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +destroyed, and a voice should be heard out of +the midst of them, saying, "Let us depart,"—yet +that this will not be the sign that the +Church of God has perished, only the sign +that the temple of God has been opened in +Heaven, and that from thence must come +forth the glory that is to fill the whole earth.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MARTINEAU</h2> + +<h3>PARTING WORDS</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">James Martineau</span>, an English Unitarian +divine, was born at Norwich in 1805. +He was educated for the Unitarian +ministry at Manchester College, and in +1828 ordained to the Presbyterian ministry +in Dublin. Resigning his pastorate +in Ireland, he took charge of the +Paradise Street Chapel in Liverpool, but +on being elected to the chair of mental +and moral philosophy in Manchester New +College followed it to London 1853, succeeding +J. J. Taylor as principal of the +institution in 1868.</p> + +<p>His sermons, delivered in the course of +four years in the chapel of Manchester +New College are specimens of combined +eloquence and philosophical profundity, +yet are, perhaps, most valuable for their +ethical quality. He preached in Dublin, +Liverpool, and London. He was a lofty +and earnest soul, given to mysticism, a +master of English style, and has been +widely read. He died in 1900.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MARTINEAU</h2> + +<h3>1805-1900</h3> + +<h4>PARTING WORDS</h4> + +<p><em>Peace I leave with you: My peace I give unto you: +not as the world giveth, give I unto you.</em>—John xiv., +27.</p> + + +<p>This is a strange benediction to proceed +from the Man of Sorrows, at the dreariest +moment of His life; strange at +least to those who look only to His outward +career, His incessant contact with misery and +sin, His absolute solitude of purpose, His lot +stricken with sadness ever new from temptation +to the cross; but not strange perhaps to +those who heard the deep and quiet tones in +which this oracle of promise went forth—the +divinest music from the center of the darkest +fate. He was on the bosom of the beloved +disciple and in the midst of those who should +have cheered Him in that hour with such comfort +as fidelity can always offer; but who, failing +in their duty to His griefs, found the sadness +creep upon themselves; while He, seeking +to give peace to them, found it Himself profusely +in the gift. It was not till He had finished +this interview and effort of affection, +and from the warmth of that evening meal +and the flush of its deep converse they had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +issued into the chill and silent midnight air, +nor till the sanctity of moonlight (never to +be seen by Him again) had invested Him, and +coarse fatigue had sunk His disciples into +sleep upon the grass, that having none to comfort, +He found anguish fall upon Himself. +Deprived of the embrace of John, He flew to +the bosom of the Father; and after a momentary +strife, recovered in trust the serenity +He had found in toil; and while His followers +lie stretched in earthly slumber, He reaches +a divine repose; while they, yielding to nature, +gain neither strength nor courage for +the morrow, He, through the vigils of agony, +rises to that godlike power, on which mockery +and insult beat in vain, and which has made +the cross, then the emblem of abjectness and +guilt, the everlasting symbol of whatever is +holy and sublime.</p> + +<p>The peace of Christ, then, was the fruit of +combined toil and trust; in the one case diffusing +itself from the center of His active +life, in the other from that of His passive +emotions; enabling Him in the one case to do +things tranquilly; in the other, to see things +tranquilly. Two things only can make life +go wrong and painfully with us; when we suffer +or suspect misdirection and feebleness in +the energies of love and duty within us, or in +the providence of the world without us: bringing, +in the one case, the lassitude of an unsatisfied +and discordant nature; in the other,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +the melancholy of hopeless views. From these +Christ delivers us by a summons to mingled +toil and trust. And herein does His peace differ +from that which "the world giveth"—that +its prime essential is not ease, but strife; +not self-indulgence, but self-sacrifice; not acquiescence +in evil for the sake of quiet, but +conflict with it for the sake of God; not, in +short, a prudent accommodation of the mind +to the world, but a resolute subjugation of the +world to the best conceptions of the mind. +Amply has the promise to leave behind Him +such a peace been since fulfilled. It was fulfilled +to the apostles who first received it; +and has been realized again by a succession +of faithful men to whom they have delivered +it.</p> + +<p>The word "peace" denotes the absence of +jar and conflict; a condition free from the +restlessness of fruitless desire, the forebodings +of anxiety, the stings of enmity. It may be destroyed +by discordance between the lot without +and the mind within, where the human being +is in an obviously false position—an evil rare +and usually self-curative; or by a discordance +wholly internal, among the desires and affections +themselves. The first impulse of "the +natural man" is to seek peace by mending +his external condition; to quiet desire by increase +of ease; to banish anxiety by increase +of wealth; to guard against hostility by making +himself too strong for it; to build up his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +life into a fortress of security and a palace +of comfort, where he may softly lie, tho +tempests beat and rain descends. The spirit +of Christianity casts away at once this whole +theory of peace; declares it the most chimerical +of dreams; and proclaims it impossible +even to make this kind of reconciliation between +the soul and the life wherein it acts. +As well might the athlete demand a victory +without a foe. To the noblest faculties of soul +rest is disease and torture. The understanding +is commissioned to grapple with ignorance, +the conscience to confront the powers +of moral evil, the affections to labor for the +wretched and opprest; nor shall any peace be +found, till these, which reproach and fret us +in our most elaborate ease, put forth an incessant +and satisfying energy; till, instead of +conciliating the world, we vanquish it; and +rather than sit still, in the sickness of luxury, +for it to amuse our perceptions, we precipitate +ourselves upon it to mold it into a new +creation. Attempt to make all smooth and +pleasant without, and you thereby create the +most corroding of anxieties, and stimulate the +most insatiable of appetites within. But let +there be harmony within, let no clamors of +self drown the voice which is entitled to authority +there; let us set forth on the mission +of duty, resolved to live for it alone, to close +with every resistance that obstructs it, and +march through every peril that awaits it; and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +in the consciousness of immortal power, the +sense of mortal ill will vanish; and the peace +of God well nigh extinguish the sufferings of +the man. "In the world we may have tribulation; +in Christ we shall have peace."</p> + +<p>This peace, so remote from torpor, arising, +indeed, from the intense action of the greatest +of all ideas, those of duty, of immortality, of +God, fell, according to the promise, on the first +disciples. Not in vain did Jesus tell them in +their sorrows that the Comforter would come; +nor falsely did He define the blessed visitant, +as "the spirit of truth"—the soul reverentially +faithful to its convictions, and expressing +clearly in action its highest aspirings. +Such peace had Stephen, when before the +Sanhedrim that was striving to hush up the +recent story of the cross, he proclaimed aloud +the sequel of the ascension; and priests and +elders arose and stopped their ears, and thrust +him out to death; he had his peace; else how, +if heaven of divinest tranquility had not +opened to him and revealed to him the proximity +of Christ to God, how as the stone +struck his uncovered and uplifted head, could +he have so calmly said, "Lord, lay not this +sin to their charge"? Such peace had Paul—at +least when he ceased to rebel against his +noble nature, and became, instead of the emissary +of persecution, the ambassador of God. +Was there ever a life of less ease and security, +yet of more buoyant and rejoicing spirit than<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +his? What weight did he not cast aside, to +run the race that was set before him? What +tie of home or nation did he not break, that +he might join in one of the whole family of +God? For forty years the scoff of synagogues +and the outcast of his people, he forgot the +privations of the exile in the labors of the +missionary; flying from charges of sedition +he disseminated the principles of peace; persecuted +from city to city, yet he created in +each a center of pure worship and Christian +civilization, and along the coasts of Asia, and +colonies of Macedonia, and citadels of Greece, +dropped link after link of the great chain of +truth that shall yet embrace the world. Amid +the joy of making converts, he had also the +affliction of making martyrs; to witness the +sufferings, perhaps to bear the reproaches, of +survivors; with weeping heart to rebuke the +fears, and sustain the faith of many a +doubter; and in solitude and bonds to send +forth the effusions of his earnest spirit to +quicken the life, and renovate the gladness, +of the confederate churches. Yet when did +speculation at its ease ever speak with vigor +so noble and cheerfulness so fresh as his +glorious letters; which recount his perils by +land and sea, his sorrows with friend and +foe, and declare that "none of these things +move" him; which show him projecting incessant +work, yet ready for instant rest; conscious +that already he has fought the good<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +fight, and willing to finish his course and +resign the field; but prepared, if needs be, to +grasp again the sword of the Spirit, and go +forth in quest of wider victories. Does any +one suppose that it would have been more +peaceful to look back on a life less exposed +and adventurous, on a lot sheltered and secure, +on soft-bedded comfort, and unbroken +plenty, and conventional compliance? No! +it is only beforehand that we mistake these +things for peace; in the retrospect we know +them better, and would exchange them all for +one vanquished temptation in the desert, for +one patient bearing of the cross! What—when +all is over, and we lie upon the last bed—what +is the worth to us of all our guilty +compromises, of all the moments stolen from +duty to be given to ease? If Paul had cowered +before the tribunal of Nero, and trembled +at his comrade's blood, and, instead of baring +his neck to the imperial sword, had purchased +by poor evasions another year of life—where +would that year have been now—a lost drop +in the deep waters of time—yet not lost, but +rather mingled as a poison in the refreshing +stream of good men's goodness by which +Providence fertilizes the ages.</p> + +<p>The peace of Christ, thus inherited by His +disciples, and growing out a living spirit of +duty and of love, contrasts not merely with +guilty ease, but with that mere mechanical +facility in blameless action which habit gives.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +There is something faithless and ignoble in +the very reasonings sometimes employed to +recommend virtuous habits. They are urged +upon us, because they smooth the way of +right; we are invited to them for the sake of +ease. Adopted in such a temper, duty after +all makes its bargain with indulgence, and is +not yet pursued for its own sake and with the +allegiance of a loving heart. Moreover, whoever +has true conscience sees that there is +a fallacy in this persuasion; for whenever +habits become mechanical, they cease to satisfy +the requirements of duty; the obligations +of which enlarge definitely with our powers, +demanding an undiminished tension of the +will, and an ever-constant life of the affections. +It can never be, that a soul which has +a heaven open to its view, which is stationed +here, not simply to accommodate itself to the +arrangement of this world, but also to school +itself for the spirit of another, is intended to +rest in mere automatic regularities. When +the mind is thrown into other scenes, and +finds itself in the society of the world invisible, +suddenly introduced to the heavenly +wise and the sainted good—what peace can +it expect from mere dry tendencies to acts +no longer practicable and blameless things +now left behind? No; it must have that pure +love which is nowhere a stranger, in earth or +heaven; that vital goodness of the affections, +that adjusts itself at once to every scene where<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +there is truth and holiness to venerate; that +conscience, wakeful and devout, which enters +with instant joy on any career of duty and +progress opened to its aspirations. And even +in "the life that now is," the mere mechanist +of virtue, who copies precepts with mimetic +accuracy, is too frequently at fault, to have +even the poor peace which custom promises. +He is at home only on his own beat. An +emergency perplexes him, and too often +tempts him disgracefully to fly. He wants +the inventiveness by which a living heart of +duty seizes the resources of good, and uses +them to the last; and the courage by which +love, like honor, starts to the post of noble +danger, and maintains it till, by such fidelity, +it becomes a place of danger no more. It is +a vain attempt to comprize in rules and aphorisms +all the various moral exigencies of life. +Hardly does such legality suffice to define the +small portion of right and wrong contemplated +in human jurisprudence. But the true +instincts of a pure mind, like the creative +genius of art, frames rules most perfect in +the act of obeying them, and throws the materials +of life into the fairest attitudes and the +justest proportions. He whose allegiance is +paid to the mere perceptive system, shapes +and carves his duty into the homeliest of +wooden idols; he who has the spirit of Christ +turns it into an image breathing and divine. +Children of God in the noblest sense, we are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> +not without something of His creative spirit +in our hearts. The power is there to separate +the light from the darkness within us, and set +in the firmament of the soul luminaries to +guide and gladden us, for seasons and for +years; power to make the herbage green beneath +our feet, and beckon happy creatures +into existence around our path; power to +mold the clay of our earthly nature into the +likeness of God most high; and thus only +have we power to look back in peace upon +our work, and find a Sabbath rest upon the +thought that, morning and evening, all is +good.</p> + +<p>But the peace which Christ left and bequeathed +was the result of trust, no less than +toil. However immersed in action, and engaged +in enterprises of conscience, every life +has its passive moments, when the operation +is reversed, and power, instead of going from +us, returns upon us; and the scenes of our +existence present themselves to us as objects +of speculation and emotion. Sometimes we +are forced into quietude in pauses of exhaustion +or of grief; stretched upon the bed of +pain, to hear the great world murmuring and +rolling by; or lifted into the watch-tower of +solitude, to look over the vast plain of humanity, +and from a height that covers it with +silence observe its groups shifting and traversing +like spirits in a city of the dead. At such +times our peace must depend on the view<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +under which our faith or our fears may exhibit +this mighty "field of the world"; on the +forces of evil, of fortuity, or of God, which +we suppose to be secretly directing the +changes on the scene, and calling up the brief +apparition of generation after generation. +And so great and terrible is the amount of +evil, physical and moral, in the great community +of men; so vast the numbers sunk in +barbarism, compared with the few who more +nobly represent our nature; so many and +piercing (could we but hear them) the cries +of unpitied wretchedness, that with every beat +of the pendulum wander unnoticed into the +air; so dense the crowds that are thrust together +in the deepest recesses of want, and +that crawl through the loathsome hives of sin; +that only two men can look through the world +without dismay; he, on the one hand, who +suffering himself to be bewildered with momentary +horror, and in the confusion of his +emotions, to mistake what he sees for the +moral chaos, turns his back in the despair of +fatalism, crying, "Let us eat and drink, for +to-morrow we die"; and he, on the other, +who, with the discernment of a deeper wisdom, +penetrates through the shell of evil to +the kernel and the seed of good; who perceives +in suffering and temptation the resistance +which alone can render virtue manifest, +and conscience great, and existence venerable; +who recognizes, even in the gigantic growth<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +of guilt, the grasp of infinite desires, and the +perseverance of godlike capacities; who sees +how soon, were God to take up His omnipotence, +and snatch from His creature "man" +the care of the world and the work of self-perfection, +all that deforms might be swept away, +and the meanest lifted through the interval +that separates them from the noblest; and +who therefore holds fast to the theory of hope +and the kindred duty of effort; takes shelter +beneath the universal Providence of God; and +seeing time enough in His vast cycles for the +growth and consummation of every blessing +can be patient as well as trust; can resign the +selfish vanity of doing all things himself, and +making a finish before he dies; and cheerfully +give up his life to build up the mighty temple +of human improvement, tho no inscription +mark it for glory, and it be as one of the +hidden stones of the sanctuary, visible only +to the eye of God. Such was the spirit and +the faith which Jesus left, and in which His +first disciples found their rest. Within the +infinitude of the divine mercy trouble did +but fold them closer; the perversity of man +did but provide them to put forth a more +conquering love; and tho none were ever +more the sport of the selfish interests and +prejudices of mankind, or came into contact +with a more desolate portion of the great +wastes of humanity, they constructed no melancholy +theories; but having planted many<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +a rose of Sharon, and made their little portion +of the desert smile, departed in the faith +that the green margin would spread as the +seasons of God came round, till the mantle of +heaven covered the earth, and it ended with +Eden as it had begun.</p> + +<p>Between these two sources of Christian +peace, virtuous toil, and holy trust, there is +an intimate connection. The desponding are +generally the indolent and useless; not the +tried and struggling, but speculators at a distance +from the scene of things, and far from +destitute of comforts themselves. Barren of +the most blest of human sympathies, strangers +to the light that best gladdens the heart +of man, they are without the materials of a +bright and hopeful faith. But he who consecrates +himself sees at once how God may +sanctify the world; he whose mind is rich in +the memory of moral victories will not easily +believe the world a scene of moral defeats; +nor was it ever known that one who, like Paul, +labored for the good of man, despaired of the +benevolence of God.</p> + +<p>Whoever then would have the peace of +Christ, let him seek first the spirit of Christ. +Let him not fret against the conditions which +God assigns to his being, but reverently conform +himself to them, and do and enjoy the +good which they allow. Let him cast himself +freely on the career to which the secret persuasion +of duty points, without reservation of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +happiness or self; and in the exercise which +its difficulties give to his understanding, its +conflicts to his will, its humanities to his affections, +he shall find that united action of his +whole and best nature, that inward harmony, +that moral order, which emancipates from the +anxieties of self, and unconsciously yields the +divinest repose. The shadows of darkest affliction +cannot blot out the inner radiance of +such a mind; the most tedious years move +lightly and with briefest step across its history; +for it is conscious of its immortality, +and hastening to its heavens. And there shall +its peace be consummated at length; its griefs +transmuted into delicious retrospects; its affections +fresh and ready for a new and nobler +career; and its praise confessing that this +final "peace of God" doth indeed surpass its +understanding.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MANNING</h2> + +<h3>THE TRIUMPH OF THE CHURCH</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Henry Edward Manning</span>, Roman Catholic +prelate, was born 1808 at Totteridge +in Hertfordshire and educated at Harrow +and Oxford. After graduation in 1830, +he studied for holy orders in the Church +of England and was ordained in 1833. +The Tractarian Movement was then at its +height and Manning took a leading part +in it. Appointed Archdeacon of Chichester +in 1840 he took a commanding +place as a preacher and leader. Newman's +recession did not shake his allegiance, +but the decision in the Gorham case, which +gave the Crown the power of deciding +doctrinal questions, drove him to seek +refuge in the Roman Catholic fold in +1851.</p> + +<p>He was ordained priest by Cardinal +Wiseman and to the end of his life devoted +himself to religious and philanthropic +work in London. He was appointed +to succeed Wiseman as Archbishop +of Westminster in 1865. He was +made cardinal in 1875. As a preacher +he was logical and dogmatic, but his style +is imaginative and his flights of eloquence +tinged with poetic coloring and passion. +He died in 1892.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MANNING</h2> + +<h3>1808-1892</h3> + +<h4>THE TRIUMPH OF THE CHURCH</h4> + +<p><em>We give thanks unto God, who maketh us always to +triumph in Christ Jesus, and manifesteth the odor of +the knowledge of Him by us in every place. For we +are a good odor of Christ unto God, both in them that +are saved and in them that perish; in the one indeed +an odor of life, in the other an odor of death unto +death.</em>—2 Cor. ii., 14-16. (Douay Version.)</p> + + +<p>Such was the confidence of the Apostle in +the face of all that was most hostile, +mighty, and triumphant in the judgment +of this world. He was confident +that through God his mission in the world +was being accomplished, that the Word of +God was triumphing over all the power +of man. They may well have said to +him, "What is this triumph you speak of? +If this be triumph, what is defeat? You were +stoned the other day in Lystra; you were +imprisoned at Philippi; you were scourged at +Jerusalem; you were saved out of the hands +of the people only by Roman soldiers; you +were confounded by the philosophers at +Athens; and you were refuted out of the holy +Scriptures by the Jews of Berea. If this is +triumph, you are welcome to it." Such, no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +doubt, was the lordly and confident language +of men in the face of the apostles of Jesus +Christ then, and such is the language of confidence +with which the world looks on the +Catholic Church at this hour. It counts it to +be a comedy played out, a stale medieval +superstition, and a name that is trampled in +the earth. In every age the Church has been +militant and in warfare. It is under the same +law of suffering which crucified its divine +Head. His throne was a cross, and His crown +was of thorns. Nevertheless He triumphed, +and He triumphs still, and shall triumph to +the end. And so at this moment, in this nineteenth +century, in the century of modern +civilization, of light, of progress, of scientific +affectation, the Catholic Church is derided. +They say to us, "Look at the Catholic Church +in Germany; look at it in Italy; the head of +the Church dethroned; and not a spot on earth +for the incarnation to set its foot upon. If +this be triumph you are welcome to it." Our +answer is: "Yes, even now we triumph always +and in every place. The Catholic Church is +triumphing now in America, and in Ireland, +and in the colonies of the British empire; +aye, and in the midst of the confusions in +Spain, and in France through revolution after +revolution, and in the furnace of infidelity; +aye, and in Germany, in the midst of all that +the might of man can do against it; and in +Italy too, where the head of the Church is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +morally a prisoner, it is triumphing even +now."</p> + +<p>But how can I verify this assertion? It +would be enough indeed to quote the words +of the apostle, but I hope to do more. The +world esteems the triumph of the Church to +be in wealth, power, glory, honor, public sway +over empires and nations. There was a time +indeed when the world laid these things at the +feet of the apostles of Jesus Christ. There +was a time when the Catholic Church and the +Christian world knew how to sanctify the +society of men; but there is this difference—the +world then believed, and the world now is +apostate. Nevertheless, there is a triumph in +the Christian world and there is a triumph +in the anti-Christian world; and what is it? +It is that the Church in every age and in +every condition, and in the midst of all +antagonists, fulfils its mission and accomplishes +its work, and no power of man can +hinder it. Men may, as we shall see hereafter, +to their own destruction, resist the mission of +the Church, but its work will be accomplished +nevertheless, and accomplished even +in them; and its work will be a good odor of +Christ unto God both in those that are saved +and in those that perish. The world has +neither tests nor measures by which to understand +what the mission and the work of the +Church are; but they who see by the light of +faith have both. Let us examine, then, what<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +is its mission, what is its work, and how it is +fulfilled.</p> + +<p>First of all, the mission of the Church +among men is this—to be a witness for God, +and for the incarnation of God in the face of +the world. Our Divine Lord said of Himself: +"For this was I born, and for this came I into +the world, that I should give testimony unto +the truth." As it was with Him, so it is with +His Church; and therefore He said to His +apostles: "You shall be witnesses unto me," +and St. John said: "That which was from +the beginning, which we have heard, which we +have seen with our eyes, which we have looked +upon, and our hands handled, of the word of +life; for the life was manifested, and we have +seen it, and do bear witness, and declare +unto you, the life eternal which was with the +Father, and hath appeared unto us; that is +to say, the manifestation of God in the flesh, +the incarnation of the Son of God." The +Church was the witness of this divine fact to +the world, and it is witness to this hour. I +may say it is an eye-witness. It was eye-witness +of what it declares. It was an ear-witness +of what it affirms. I may say in truth +that the Church of God, which testifies at this +hour, saw the Son of God, and heard His +words, and was witness of His miracles. So +St. Peter expressly declares, speaking of His +transfiguration: "We have not, by artificial +fables, made known to you the power and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +presence of our Lord Jesus Christ; but we +were eye-witnesses of his greatness. For he +received from God the Father honor and +glory, this voice coming down to him from +the excellent glory: This is my beloved Son, +in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. +And his voice we heard brought from heaven, +when we were with him in the holy mount." +More than this: it was a witness of the day of +Pentecost, and upon it the Holy Ghost descended. +It heard the sound of the mighty +wind and it saw the tongues of fire. The +Church therefore testifies at this day as an +ear-witness and an eye-witness of the divine +facts which it declares. And how can this +be said? Because that which the apostles saw +and heard they delivered to others who believed +in them upon a full test and knowledge +of their truth, and those who received their +testimony held it as a sacred trust and declared +it to those who came after. From age +to age the testimony of the apostles has descended +unbroken. The intrinsic certainty +of their witness, resting on their own eye-witness +and ear-witness of the facts, has not +diminished by a shade, jot, or tittle in the +lapse of time, and the external evidence of +that fact has multiplied and extended +throughout all time and throughout the world. +Therefore the testimony of the apostles to +these divine realities and truths is as living +and fresh at this day as it was in the beginning.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +Then twelve men testified; now the +nations of the world, united in one body by +faith and by baptism, take up and perpetuate +that testimony. And part of that testimony +is this—that when the Son of God ascended +into heaven, as they saw Him ascend, He fulfilled +His promise that He would send the +Spirit of Truth, the Holy Ghost, to abide with +them forever; that when one divine Teacher +had gone up to His Father's throne, another +should come in His stead; that the world +should never be without a divine Person +and a divine Teacher in the midst of +it; and that the Spirit of Truth by +which they were united to their divine +Head in heaven should unite them also to +each other as His members in one mystical +body, and should form to Himself a dwelling-place +in which to abide forever. As the soul +abides in the body of the man, so the Holy +Ghost abides in the body of the Church. It +is the sanctuary in which He dwells; the organ +by which He speaks, so that the words of our +Divine Lord are fulfilled to the very letter—"He +that heareth you heareth me;" for the +voice of the head and that of the body, as St. +Augustine says, are one and the same voice. +As they make one moral person, so their voice +is identical, and the assistance of the Holy +Spirit keeps the voice of the Church always +in perfect harmony with the voice of its +divine Head, fulfilling the promise of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +Lord by His prophet: "My spirit which is +upon thee and my word which I put in thy +mouth, shall never depart out of thy mouth, +nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out +of the mouth of thy seed's seed from this +time and forever." Thus, then, the mission +of the Church is fulfilled always; whether +the world believe or disbelieve, whether it +gainsay or assent, it matters not; the testimony +of the Church forever triumphs in every +place.</p> + +<p>Another part of the mission of the Church +is this—to teach the doctrines of Jesus Christ +in the midst of all the controversies and contradictions +of men. In the face of all the +errors and heresies of men there is one divine +Teacher perpetually declaring the same immutable +truth. In the clamor and confusion +of the human voices of philosophers and +human guides, of the scribes and Pharisees +of the new laws, there is one divine voice—articulate, +clear, and piercing—which cleaves +through all the confusion, and is to be heard +above the clamor of men and of nations—the +voice of that one holy, Catholic, and Roman +Church, spreading from the sunrise to the +sunset, immutable in its doctrine, teaching the +same truths identically in every place, and +abiding always the same unchanging teacher +in every age. This is a fact legible in human +history. I need not offer proof of it from +histories written by ourselves; it is proved by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +histories and controversies of those who are +most opposed to us. There is an accusation +which is repeated from age to age against the +Catholic and Roman Church; and what is it? +That it always persists in its old errors. I +accept the accusation. Its persistence proves +its immutability, and that which they account +error we know to be the doctrine of Jesus +Christ; because, as I have already shown from +the Word of God, neither can the Catholic +Church ever err in believing, nor can the +Catholic Church err in teaching. These are +two impossibilities, and they descend from one +and the same divine truth. God, the Holy +Ghost, abiding forever in the mystical body of +Christ, illuminates the whole body of the +faithful from the time of their baptism. From +the time that the graces of faith, hope, and +charity are infused into their souls, they are +illuminated with the light of faith as the world +is illuminated by the splendor of the sun at +noonday; and the faithful throughout the +world continue passively in their persistence +in that one baptismal faith wherewith they +were enlightened from their earliest consciousness. +And further, they can never err in +believing, because the Church which teaches +them can never err in teaching. The episcopate +throughout the world, which is the +college of the apostles multiplied and expanded +among all nations, has always the +assistance of the Spirit of Truth to guide<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +and preserve it, so that the errors of men and +infirmities of our intellect never prevail over +the light of faith by which the whole Episcopate +and the Church is sustained in the revelation +of the day of Pentecost. And more than +this: nineteen general councils, from the first +which declared the coequality and consubstantiality +of the Son with the Father and the +Holy Ghost, down to the last which declared +the infallibility of the vicar of Jesus Christ,—those +nineteen councils have been the organ +of the Holy Ghost, preserving the truth in all +ages; and the pontiffs, two hundred and fifty-seven +in number, have also been guided and +assisted by the same Spirit of Truth; so that +no doctrine of faith and morals from their +hand and from their lips has been out of +harmony with the revelation of Jesus Christ. +For these reasons the Church is fulfilling its +mission, always and in every place, and it can +say in every age, with a divine certainty of +knowledge and with a divine authority of +teaching: "It seemed good to the Holy Ghost +and to us."</p> + +<p>Once more, and lastly: there is another +part of the mission of the Church which never +fails, and is never baffled—and that is, that +the Church judges between the truth of God +and the errors of men, and gives decision with +divine certainty what is truth, what is falsehood, +what is light and what is darkness. +Here again the world, in the confusion of its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +discordant witnesses, bears testimony to our +truth. The world disclaims altogether the +presence of any divine teacher in the midst +of us. It derides the very notion. There is +not a sect or a communion, or a so-called +church, which lays claim to this divine guidance. +They say infallibility exists nowhere +but in God. As the Pharisees said: "Who +can forgive sins but God only?" thereby +acknowledging the divinity of Him who forgave +the palsied man. And while they say: +"We have no infallibility in us; we do not +claim it; we deny its existence on the face +of the earth," the one Teacher, who never +varies in His voice, says: "He that heareth +me heareth him that sent me." It seemed +good to the Holy Ghost and unto us +that we should claim that infallibility, +and we cite you before the tribunal +of God to answer for your denial of that +truth. We say further that no man knows +that any revelation was ever made to man +except through our testimony. You never saw +the Word made flesh, you nor your forefathers; +and you have no unbroken succession +of witnesses who trace upward these eighteen +hundred years to the day when the Holy Ghost +descended with wind and fire; you are not in +contact with the original revelation of God. +How can you rise up and say: "This was +revealed upwards of eighteen hundred years +ago," when you have no proof to give, except<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +that which you borrow from me, that the Son +of God ever came into the world? You take +my witness for the fact of Christianity, and +you then contradict me when I teach you +what the doctrines of Christianity are. And +if men appeal to the Scriptures, our answer +is the same. How do you know the Scriptures +were ever written? How can you prove that +there ever was a book called the Word of God? +You had it from me; you snatched it out of +my hand, and you then read it and interpret +it in contradiction to my teaching. How +do you know that there were four greater +prophets and twelve lesser in the Old Testament; +that there were four evangelists and +fourteen epistles of St. Paul in the New? Who +told you all these things? You had them all +from me—from me alone, to whom these +Scriptures were committed in custody and in +guardianship; from me, who preserved and +handed them on to this day. You, who are +denying the inspiration of this book and of +that, of this text and of that text, and who +are gnawing away, as a moth fretteth a garment, +the whole written word of God, you rise +up and tell us: "This is the meaning of the +holy Scriptures," and you reject the holy +Catholic faith.</p> + +<p>Dear brethren, it needs great patience to +hear these things; nevertheless, the judge is +always calm and patient while he is fulfilling +his work among men, and that because it is a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +grave thing to be the odor of life unto life and +of death unto death to the eternal souls of +men. And when men appeal to antiquity and +tell us that "this is not the primitive tradition," +the Church answers: Were you ever in +antiquity, or anyone that belongs to you? +I was there, and as a perpetual witness antiquity +is to me nothing but my early days. +Antiquity exists in my consciousness to this +hour, as men grown to riper years remember +their childhood. Men of the world know that +the contemporaneous interpretation of a law +is the most authentic and certain interpretation. +But I have the contemporaneous interpretation +of holy Scripture; and more than +this, men who practise before human tribunals +know that the continuous usage of a country +is the interpretation of its laws written and +unwritten. But I have the contemporaneous +and the continuous usage of the Church of +God. The seven sacraments are institutions of +Jesus Christ and every one of them interprets +a cluster of truths. The existence of the +Church itself is an interpretation of the +words: "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock +will I build my church, and the gates of hell +shall not prevail against it." The jurisdiction +that I have over the world, which the hearts +of men recognize and to which their consciences +respond, is the interpretation of the +words: "Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose soever +sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they +are retained."</p> + +<p>But lastly there is another appeal which +men make in this day. We are now told that +scientific history is the test of truth; and I saw +the other day in a document having great +pretension from a certain body of men who +are troubling Germany and attempting to +trouble even England with the name of Old +Catholics, that the way to know the pure +faith of Jesus Christ is to interpret history by +science. Alas, as I said before, the world is +full of pretensions to science; but those who +claim to be Catholics, and who yet appeal +from the living voice of the Catholic Church +to any other tribunal whatsoever, are all of +them identical in their principle, and that +principle is heresy. Luther appealed from the +voice of the Catholic Church to Scripture, +and thereby became a heretic. There are +others who appeal to antiquity, and the appeal +is the same—it is an appeal from the living +voice, from the divine authority of the +Church, to something of their own choice and +creation. It matters not to what the appeal +is made. That which constitutes both the +treason of the act and the heresy of the +principle is that they appeal from the living +voice, that is from the divine voice. This it +is that is being done at this moment by a body +of men who profess to be and to intend to live +and die Catholics; and what is more, to purify<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +and reform the Church by staying in it. What +is their appeal? Their appeal is to history, +to scientific history; that is, to history interpreted +by themselves. Luther was much more +direct and much wiser. He appealed to a book +which is certainly written by the Holy Ghost; +they appeal to I know not what books, but to +books certainly written only by men, and not +by the Spirit of God; to human history, the +authenticity of which and the purity of the +text of which no one can guarantee; and even +this they interpret for themselves.</p> + +<p>Now bear with me further if I dwell a few +moments longer upon this. At the time I speak, +in the old Catholic city of Cologne there is +assembled together a number of these men—some +four or five hundred—with a handful +of unhappy priests, perhaps six or eight, of +whom the greater part had already the note +of unsoundness upon them before they took +their deadly step. And what are they? What +are these men who are rising up to purify the +Church? What do they believe? Some believe +all the Council of Trent, but not the Council +of the Vatican. Some believe the Church to +be infallible, but not its Head; others propose +to reject the invocation of saints, and purgatory, +and compulsory confession, and I know +not what. Others ask for either half or altogether +rationalism. And who have they to +assist them? Excommunicated Jansenists from +Holland, and members, I grieve to say, of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +Established Church from England; and those +chosen, as it were, by a happy fatality, one the +most extreme of old-fashioned high-church +orthodoxy—an estimable and excellent man, +whose person I both respect and love; and +another whose advanced rationalism is such +that even his own brethren can hardly forbear +protesting against him. So that we have +assembled in this congress, which is to reform +and purify the Catholic and Roman Church +of all ages, men so irreconcilably in contradiction +with themselves that they cannot touch +a religious doctrine without discord, and they +cannot find anything on which to unite except +in opposition to the one immutable truth. +There was a day when all the Scribes, and all +the Pharisees, and all the Herodians, and all +the hypocrites, and all the men who could +agree in anything else or at any other time, +were united together in one conspiracy, and +tho their witnesses did not agree together and +their discordant voices could not be combined +they all had one will and one purpose against +the Son of God and against His truth. +These men, I bear witness—many of them at +least—have no such intention; but we know +from the Word of God that neither had they +who crucified our divine Master a knowledge +of what they did: "Father, forgive them, for +they know not what they do." "Which none +of the princes of this world knew; for if they +had known it they would never have crucified<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +the Lord of glory." But they are at this +moment fulfilling the very words of the +apostles: "And to some the testimony of the +Church is life unto life, to others death unto +death."</p> + +<p>Such then, is the mission and the work of +the Church—to bear its witness, to teach and +to judge; and in doing this, whether men will +believe or whether men will not believe, it is +accomplishing its triumph in the world. The +world forgets that there is not only salvation, +but there is also judgment; and God, the just +judge of all, is putting men on their trial. +The Church is fulfilling its office by proposing +the way of salvation to men, visibly to the eye +by its own presence, audibly to the ear by its +own teachings, clearly to the intellect by the +evident truth of its doctrines. It is putting +men upon trial and applying the test to their +hearts. It tests their faith to see whether men +will believe; it tests their candor to see +whether they will choose God above all things; +it tests their courage to know whether they +are ready to take up their cross and follow +their divine Master. The Church says to the +men of this day: "Whosoever will save his +life shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his +life for my sake and the gospel shall save it." +And in saying this God is separating between +nation and nation and between man and man. +His "fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly +purge his floor and gather his wheat into the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +garner, but the chaff will be burnt with unquenchable +fire." "He that believeth and is +baptized will be saved; but he that believeth +not is condemned." "We thank God, who +always maketh us to triumph in Christ Jesus +and manifesteth the odor of him by us in +every place;" for we now, at this hour, in +the midst of the nineteenth century, in the +midst of science and progress, are the odor of +life unto life and the odor of death unto +death. For the purpose of God in the world +is this—to gather out, as He did of old, a +people for His name. Among the Gentiles of +the old world He chose Israel; so now amongst +the nations of the new world He chooses those +that believe. He knows the number of His +elect and He calls them by their name. He +proposes to them the way of salvation and +puts all things necessary—truth and grace—within +their reach. God is putting them on +trial, and the Church in this is fulfilling its +mission and accomplishing its work.</p> + +<p>The world is on its probation now. It has +been for generations and generations driving +God and Christianity out of its public +life. Christianity is cancelled from its public +law; Christianity is silent in the legislature; +Christianity at this moment lingers in education, +but men are endeavoring to close the +doors of the schools against it and so to shut +Christianity out of the knowledge of the rising +generation. Wo to the people the tradition<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +of whose Christian education is cut asunder! +Wo to your children and to your posterity, +if they are brought up without +the knowledge of Christianity! The world +is laboring with all its might, and all +its fraud, and all its riches, and all its +public authority, to accomplish this end. I +do not say that the men who are doing it +know what they do; but I affirm that they +are doing what I say. Unbelievers like those +who created the infidel revolution of France +in the last century knew well what they were +doing. "Let us destroy the accurst one," +was the language in which they frankly spoke +of Jesus Christ. Men are more refined in the +present day. They talk only of the religious +difficulty. "Let us evade or get around the +religious difficulty;" and, under this plea of +evading the religious difficulty, Christianity +is to be excluded from our schools; that is to +say, because grown men choose to controvert +and contradict each other as to what is the +truth of God, the little ones of Jesus Christ +are to be robbed of their faith. Again, the +world is separating its civil powers, its public +authority from the unity of the faith and +of the Church everywhere. It is making it a +part of high and perfect legislation, of what +we hear called in these days "progress and +modern civilization," to separate the Church +from the State, and the school from the +Church. Progress has deposed the Head of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +the Church; it has put in derision a crown of +thorns upon his head; and it believes that +at last it has the whole world to itself.</p> + +<p>This indeed is the triumph of the world. +But meanwhile the Church is triumphing, +tho men know it not. The Church was never +more widespread than at this moment; never +more luminous in the eyes of men, never more +explicitly known in its faith; never more +united, vigorous, pure, and confident in its +work. Its kingdom is not of this world: that +is, it is not derived from it; the foundation of +its jurisdiction is in eternity; the source of its +truth is in the Holy Ghost, and its imperishable +Head is the Son of God at the right hand +of the Father. His kingdom is in the world, +but not of it. The world may prosper and +go its way; it may stop its ears against the +voice of the divine witness to the truth; nevertheless +that witness will be the odor of death +unto death.</p> + +<p>And England also is on its probation. I +bear witness that in England errors are vanishing +away, as the snow melts before the sun—passing +away, as the hard frosts before the +coming of the spring. The errors which were +once dominant, lordly, confident, and persecuting—where +are they now? At this day +men are proclaiming that they are not certain +of what their forefathers bequeathed to them; +that they cannot precisely tell what was the +doctrine which was intended in the Thirty-nine<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +Articles, and was incorporated in statute +laws. They are no longer certain of these +things; and I bear them witness that a gentler +spirit and a kindlier disposition is working in +the hearts of many. In the midst of this darkness, +truth is rising again, and the old +Catholic Church and faith, for which Ireland +has stood inflexible as a martyr, with the +aureola upon her head, at this day is multiplying +the children of faith here and throughout +the world. Here too in Lancashire, where +the faith of England has never been extinct—where +to this day the little children of our +flock are the descendants of those who were +martyrs and confessors some three hundred +years ago—the lingering tradition of faith +once more is embodied in the perfect hierarchy +of the Church of God, in its perfect +order, perfect unity, perfect jurisdiction, perfect +authority. And, what is more, the men +of England have learned to know it better. +They have heard it speak; they have seen it +worship; they have even knelt together with +us before the same altar, perhaps hardly +knowing what they did; and that because the +Spirit of God is working for His truth, and +multitudes will be saved. We are only in the +twilight of the morning; but we can see Jesus +standing on the shore, and there is a net in the +hands of His apostles let down in the water. +But when we are long gone to our rest, who +can say what shall be the great draft of souls<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +which shall be miraculously taken in +England?</p> + +<p>I must bear witness that in England there +are tokens full of hope. England never rejected +the holy Catholic faith. A tyrannous +and guilty king, a corrupt and covetous court, +men full of the conceit of false learning, +schemers and intriguers, men that hungered +to spoil the Church for their own enrichment—these +tyrannized over the people of England. +The people of England held to their +faith and died for it. The people of England +never rejected it. They were robbed of it; +they were deprived of their inheritance, and +their children were born disinherited of their +faith; every century from that hour to this +they have gone farther and farther from the +light of the one truth. Poor English people! +Bear with them—I speak as an Englishman—bear +with them; they know not what they do +in believing that we worship images, that we +imbrued our hands in the massacre of St. +Bartholomew. Let the men who write these +things look at their own hands; there is blood +enough upon them. But the English people +do not believe these things now; they are +passed away. And there has come in the +place of these impostures a desire after truth—"Only +let me find it;" a craving after unity—"Can +we never make an end of these +divisions?" a thirsting for the presence of +Jesus Christ upon the altar—"Where can I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +find Him?" And what are all these aspirations? +They are the evidences of the good +odor of life unto life.</p> + +<p>And if so, then, dear brethren, you that +have the inheritance of faith are on your +probation too. You are called to let the light +of your faith shine like the day. The silent, +penetrating, convincing light of a man who, +knowing the faith, speaks it calmly, without +controversy, without bickering, without contention, +sheds a grace around him. As men +that possess the greatest gift of God, and who +desire to make everybody else share it to the +full, so let your faith shine. And next, as you +have faith, so you ought to have the warmth +of charity. Where there is light, there is +warmth; and where there is greater light +there is greater warmth. Where there is +perfect truth, there ought to be perfect +charity. You who have the whole revelation +of God ought to have the whole charity of +God in you. Let your neighbors who are +round about, even those who are not of the +faith, feel that there is something in you—a +warmth, a kindness, a sympathy and generosity +which they find in no other man. And, +lastly, let there be the fragrance of a holy +life. This is the good odor of Christ unto +God, and this diffuses life unto life wherever +you go. You are upon this probation. Be +worthy of the great gift which has been +given to you. You have it in its fulness. Be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +then, worthy of its fulness, in faith and in +charity.</p> + +<p>And now, dear brethren, in the midst of all +the lordly triumph of the world, of all that +which no doubt we shall hear to-morrow, be +of good heart. As they said to the apostles +so they will say to us: "If this be triumph, +what can be defeat? We do not quarrel if you +are content with these victories." Overhead +there is a throne, and round about it are those +whom no man can number; the powers and +prerogatives of Him who sits upon that throne +are working mightily in the world. There is +one who sits above the water-flood, with all +its confusions, whose voice penetrates through +all the jangling contradictions of men. He is +bringing to its fulfilment the purpose which +from all eternity He has predestined. He +knows His own by number and by name, and +He will gather them out as the shepherd +gathers his flock, and He will separate the +goats from the sheep. He will reign until the +whole of that work is accomplished. When +it is done, and when the last of His elect has +been gathered in, and the last of His redeemed +has been made perfect, then He will manifest +Himself to all men, and the world shall then +know that He has triumphed always and in +every place.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86"> </a><br /><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>PARK</h2> + +<h3>THE PROMINENCE OF THE ATONEMENT</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Edwards Amasa Park</span> was born at Providence, +R. I., in 1808. After a short +pastorate of two years he became professor +at Amherst, and subsequently at +Andover Theological Seminary. He was +one of the well-known exponents of the +New England Calvinism, and his teachings +had a wide influence over the ministers +of his generation. His sermons, +frequently rewritten, were marked by elegance +of style and great moral force. Both +as a preacher and teacher he showed largeness +of view, depth of thought, and a rare +facility of clear and powerful expression. +He wrote a number of biographies and +other works. He died in 1900.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>PARK</h2> + +<h3>1808-1900</h3> + +<h4>THE PROMINENCE OF THE ATONEMENT<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></h4> + +<p><em>For I determined not to know anything among you, +save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.</em>—1 Corinthians +ii., 2.</p> + + +<p>Should the apostle who penned this eloquent +expression resume his ministry +on earth, and should he deign to hold +converse with us on the principles of his high +calling, and should he repeat his strong words, +I am now, as of old, determined not to know +anything among you save Jesus Christ, and +Him crucified, some of us would feel an impulse +to ask him:</p> + +<p>"Can your words mean what they appear +to imply? You are learned in Rabbinical literature; +you have read the Grecian poets, and +even quoted from Aratus; you have examined +the statuary of Greece, and have made a permanent +record of an inscription upon an altar +in ancient Athens; you have reasoned on the +principles of Aristotle from effect to cause, +and have taken rank with the philosophers, +as well as orators of the world; and now, you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +seem to utter your determination to abandon +all knowledge save that which concerns the +Jew who was crucified. You once said that +you had rather speak five words with the +understanding, than ten thousand words in +an unknown tongue; and here, lest the pithy +language of this text should fail of being truly +apprehended, we desire to learn its precise +meaning in three particulars:</p> + +<p>"In the first place, do you intend to assert +that our knowledge is controlled by our will? +You determined not to know anything save +one. Can you by mere choice expel all but +one of your old ideas, and make your mind +like a chart of white paper in reference to the +vast majority of your familiar objects of +thought?"</p> + +<p>"I am ready to concede," is the reply, +"that much of our knowledge is involuntary; +still a part of it is dependent on our will. In +some degree, at some times, we may attend +to a theme or not attend to it, as we choose, +and thus our choice may influence our belief, +and thus are we responsible, in a certain +measure, for our knowledge. Besides, the +word 'know' is used by us Hebraistic writers +to include not only a mental apprehension, +but also a moral feeling. When we know +Christ, we feel a hearty complacence in Him. +Again, to 'know' often signifies to manifest, +as well as to possess, both knowledge and love. +We do not know an old acquaintance when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +we of set purpose withhold all public recognition +of him, and act outwardly as if we were +inwardly ignorant of his being. But I, Paul, +say to you, as I said to the Corinthians, that +I shall make the atonement of Christ, and +nothing but the atonement of Christ, the main +theme of my regard, of my loving regard, and +such loving regard as is openly avowed."</p> + +<p>Thus our first query is answered; but there +is a second inquiry which some of us would +propose to the apostle, were he uttering to us +personally the words which he wrote to the +Corinthians. It is this:</p> + +<p>"Should a Christian minister out of the +pulpit, as well as in the pulpit, know nothing +save the Crucified One? Did you not know +how to sustain yourself by the manufacture +of tents; and did you not say to the circle of +elders at Ephesus, 'These hands have ministered +to my necessities'? Did you not dispute +with the Roman sergeants, plead your +cause before the Roman courts? Must not +every minister cease for a time to converse on +the word of Jesus; and must he not think of +providing for his own household, lest he become +worse than an infidel?"</p> + +<p>"I am willing to admit," is the reply, "that +the pulpit is the place where the minister +should speak of Christ with more uniform +distinctness than in other places; but there +are no places, and no times, in which he should +fail to manifest, more or less obviously, his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +interest in his Redeemer. Wherever he goes +he has a pulpit. Whether he eat, or drink, +or whatever he do, he must do all for the +glory of God, and the highest glory of God is +Christ, and the highest honor of Christ is in +Him crucified. A minister must always respect +the proprieties of life; in honoring them +he knows that appropriate model Man who, +rising from the tomb, wrapped up the napkin +that was about His head, and laid it in a +place by itself. Now the proprieties of life +do require a minister to speak in the pulpit +on themes more plainly and more easily connected +with the atonement, than are various +themes on which he must speak in the market-place +or in the schools. But all subjects on +which he may discourse do lead, sooner or +later, more or less obviously and easily, to the +great work of Jesus; and he should converse +on them with the intent of seizing every hint +they give him, following out every line to +which they point him, in the direction of the +cross. I have been in many synagogues, and +in the temple, and on Mars' Hill, and on a +Mediterranean ship-deck; and once I was hurried +along in a night ride from Jerusalem to +Cæsarea with four hundred and seventy soldiers, +horsemen and spearmen. I have resided +at leisure with my arm chained to a +Roman guard in a prison at the capital of +the Roman Empire; but in all such places I +have felt, and everywhere I do feel, bound to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +speak out, and to act out, all the interest which +the fitness of the occasion admits, in the atonement +of Jesus; and not to manifest, and not +to feel, any interest in any theme which may +lessen my regard for this, the chiefest among +ten thousand!"</p> + +<p>But there is a third question which some +of us would propose to the apostle, were he +to speak in our hearing the words of the text:</p> + +<p>"Should every man, as well as every minister, +cherish and exhibit no interest in anything +but Christ? Should a sailor at the masthead, +a surgeon in the extirpation of the clavicle, +a warrior in the critical moment of the +last charge, look at nothing, and hear of +nothing, but the cross? Must not everyone +conduct business, and sustain cares, which +draw his mind away from the atonement?"</p> + +<p>"I am ready to grant," is the reply, "that +some duties are less plainly and less intimately +connected than others with the work of +Jesus; but all of them are connected with it in +some degree, and this connection may be seen by +all who choose to gain the fitting insight. The +great principle of duty belonging to the minister +in the pulpit, belongs to him everywhere; +and the great principle of duty belonging to +the minister, belongs to every man, woman, and +child. There is not one religion for the man +when he is in the temple, and another religion +for the man when he is in the parlor or in +the street. There is not one law for ordained<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +pastor, and another law for the tradesman +or the mechanic. The same law and no different +one, the same religion and no different +one, are the law and religion for the apostles, +and publicans, and prophets, and tax gatherers, +and patriarchs, and children, and nobles, +and beggars. Every man is bidden to refuse +everything, if it be the nearest friend, who +interferes with the claims of the Messiah; +and therefore every man, layman as well as +clergyman, must keep his eye fixed primarily +upon the cross. He may see other things +within the range of that cross, but he must +keep the cross directly at the angle of his +vision, and allow nothing else, when placed +side by side with the tree of Calvary, to allure +his eye away from that central, engrossing +object."</p> + +<p>Here, then, is our third question answered; +and in these three replies to these three queries, +we perceive the meaning of our text to +be: that not on the first day only, but on every +day likewise, not in the religious assembly +only, but in all assemblies, and in all solitudes +likewise, not the preacher only, but the hearer +likewise, every man must adopt the rule, to +give his voluntary, his loving, his secret and +open regard to nothing so much as to the +character and work of his Redeemer.</p> + +<p>Having inquired into the meaning of the +apostle's words, let us proceed, in the next +place, to inquire into the importance of making<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +the atonement of Christ the only great +object of our thought, speech and action.</p> + +<p>And here, did we hold a personal interview +with the author of our text, we should be +prompted to put three additional queries before +him. Our first inquiry would be:</p> + +<p>"Is not your theme too contracted? It is +well to know Christ, but in all the varying +scenes of life is it well not to know anything +else? Will not the pulpit become wearisome +if, spring and autumn, summer and winter, +it confine itself to a single topic? We have +known men preach themselves out by incessant +repetitions of the scene at Calvary,—a scene +thrilling in itself, and on that very account +not bearing to be presented in its details, +every Sabbath day. How much less will the +varying sensibilities of the soul endure the +reiteration of this tragic tale every day and +at every interview! Such extreme familiarity +induces irreverence. The Bible is not confined +to this theme. It is rich in ecclesiastical history, +political history, ethical rules, metaphysical +discussion, comprehensive theology. +It contains one book of ten chapters which +has not a single allusion to God, and several +books which do not mention Christ; why +then do you shut us up to a doctrine +which will circumscribe the minds of good +men, and result in making their conversation +insipid?"</p> + +<p>"Contracted!"—this is the reply—"and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +you consider this topic a limited one, whose +height, depth, length, breadth, no finite mind +can measure? Of what would you speak?"</p> + +<p>"We would speak of the divine existence."</p> + +<p>"But Christ is the 'I am.'"</p> + +<p>"We would speak of the divine attributes."</p> + +<p>"But Christ is the Alpha and Omega; He +searcheth the reins and trieth the hearts of +men; He is the same yesterday, to-day, and +forever; full of grace and truth; to Him belong +wisdom and power and glory and honor; +of His dominion is no end. Of what, then, +would you speak?"</p> + +<p>"We would speak of the divine sovereignty."</p> + +<p>"But Christ taught us to say: Even so, +Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight—and +He and His Father are one."</p> + +<p>"We would converse on the divine decrees."</p> + +<p>"But all things are planned for His praise +who was in Christ, and in whom Christ was +at the beginning."</p> + +<p>"We would discourse on electing love."</p> + +<p>"But the saints are elect in Christ Jesus."</p> + +<p>"We would utter many words on the creation +of men and angels."</p> + +<p>"Now by our Redeemer were all things +created that are in heaven and that are in the +earth, visible and invisible."</p> + +<p>"We would converse on the preservation of +what has been created."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Now Christ upholdeth all things by the +word of His power. What would you have, +then, for your theme?"</p> + +<p>"We would take the flowers of the field for +our theme."</p> + +<p>"But they are the delight, as well as the +contrivance of the Redeemer."</p> + +<p>"We would take for our theme the globes +in space."</p> + +<p>"But they are the work of His fingers."</p> + +<p>"Then we would take the very winds of +heaven for our theme, lawless and erratic as +they are."</p> + +<p>"But Jesus taught us to comment upon +these as an illustration of His truth. His +poetic mind gave us the conception that the +wind bloweth where it chooseth to blow; and +we look on, wondering whence it cometh, and +whither it goeth, knowing only that it is the +breath of the wonderful, the counselor, who +arouseth it as He listeth, or saith, Peace, be +still. What else, then, do you prefer for your +topic of conversation?"</p> + +<p>"We prefer the laws of nature for our +topic."</p> + +<p>"But in them the Father worketh and +Christ worketh equally."</p> + +<p>"If it be so, we will select the fine and useful +arts for our subject."</p> + +<p>"But all the materials of these arts and all +the laws which compact them, and all the +ingenuity which arranges them are of His<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +architectonic plan. He is the guide of the +sculptor, painter, musician, poet. He is the +contriver of all the graces which we in our +idolatry ascribe to the human discoverer, as +if man had originally invented them. The history +of the arts is the history of Christ's government +on earth. Will you propose, then, +some other theme for your remark?"</p> + +<p>"Do let us converse on the moral law."</p> + +<p>"You may; but Christ gave this law and +came to magnify it."</p> + +<p>"Then let us comment on the ceremonial +law."</p> + +<p>"You may; but all its types are prophecies +of Jesus."</p> + +<p>"Then we will expatiate on virtue in the +general."</p> + +<p>"Do so; but Christ is the first exemplar, +the brightest representative of all abstract +goodness, of all your virtue in the general."</p> + +<p>"Then we will take up the ethical maxims."</p> + +<p>"Take them up; but they are embodied in +Him who is the way, the truth, the life."</p> + +<p>"We will resort, then, to human responsibility +for our subject of discourse."</p> + +<p>"But we must all appear before the judgment +seat of that fair-minded arbiter who is +man as well as God."</p> + +<p>"May we not speak of eternal blessedness?"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes; but it is Christ who welcomes His +chosen into life."</p> + +<p>"Shall we not converse, then, on endless +misery?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; but it is Christ who will proclaim: +Depart, ye cursed."</p> + +<p>"The human body; we would utter some +words on that."</p> + +<p>"But your present body is the image of +what your Lord wore once, and the body that +you will have, if you die in the faith, is the +image of what your Lord wears now; the +image of the body slain for our offenses and +raised again for our justification. And have +you still a favorite theme which you have not +suggested?"</p> + +<p>"The pleasures of life are our favorite +theme."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and Jesus provided them and graced +them at Cana."</p> + +<p>"The duties of the household are our favorite +theme."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and Jesus has prescribed them and +disciplines you by them, and will judge you +for your manner of regarding them. What +would you have, then, what can you think of +for your choice topic of discourse?"</p> + +<p>"We love to talk of our brethren in the +faith."</p> + +<p>"But they are the indices of Christ, and +He is represented by them."</p> + +<p>"We choose to converse on our Redeemer's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +indigent, imprisoned, diseased, agonized followers."</p> + +<p>"And He is anhungered, athirst, penniless, +afflicted in them, and whatsoever we do to one +of them we do to Him, and what we say of +one of them we say of Him."</p> + +<p>"May we speak in the pulpit of slaves?"</p> + +<p>"Of slaves! Can you not speak of Medes +and Parthians, Indians and Arabians? Why +not then of Africans? Have they, or have +they not, immortal souls? Was Jesus, or +was He not, crucified for them? Was He +ashamed of the lowly and the down-trodden, +and those who have become the reproach of +men and the despised of the people? You may +speak of all for whom Christ died; as all men, +bond or free, and all things, globes or atoms, +suggest thoughts leading in a right line or in a +curved line to the cross of Christ. All things, +being thus nearly or remotely suggestive of the +atonement, are for your sakes; whether Paul +or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or +death, or things present, or things to come,—all +are yours, for your thoughts, for your +words. If things pertain to the divine essence, +the whole of that is the essence of +Jesus; if they pertain to the divine relations, +all of them are the relations of Jesus; if they +pertain to the noblest and brightest features +of seraphs, all the angels of God bow down +before Jesus; if they pertain to the minutest +changes of human life, in all our vicissitudes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +Jesus keeps up His brotherhood with us; if +they pertain to the vilest and darkest spot of +our depravity, they pertain to Jesus,—for +to speak aright of sin is to be determined +to speak of Christ and of Him crucified for +sin.</p> + +<p>"And is this the doctrine which men call +a contracted one? Narrow! The very suspicion +of its being narrow has now suggested +the first reason why you should place it and +keep it as the crown of all your words and +deeds—it is so large, so rich, so boundless, +that you need nothing which excludes it. And +therefore," continues the apostle, "I mean to +know and to love nothing, and to make it +manifest that I care for nothing, in comparison +with, and disconnected from, the God-man, +as He develops all His attributes and all +His relations on the cross."</p> + +<p>But were the author of these laconic words +in a familiar conference with us, we might +be tempted to address to him a second inquiry:</p> + +<p>"Is not your theme too large? At first we +deemed it too small, but now it swells out before +us into such colossal dimensions that we +change our ground, and ask: Can the narrow +mind of man take in this multiplicity of relations, +comprehended in both the natures, and +in the redemptive, as well as all the other +works of Christ? Do not frail powers need +one day as a day of rest, and one place as a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +sanctuary of repose, from every thought less +tender than that of the atoning death itself? +Must we not call in our minds from Christ and +Him crucified, so as to concentrate all our +emotions on the simple fact of Christ crucified?"</p> + +<p>"Too large a theme!" this is the reply, "it +is a large theme, too large to be fully comprehended +by finite intelligences. Men have +dreamed of exhausting the atonement by defining +it to be a plan for removing the obstacles +which stand in the way of our pardon. +It is too large for that definition, as the atonement +also persuades the Most High to forgive +us. Then men have thought to mark it round +about by saying that it is a scheme for inducing +God to interpose in our aid. But the +atonement is too large for that defining clause, +as it also presents motives to man for accepting +the interposition of God. Then some +have thought to define it exactly, by saying +that the atonement is both an appeal to the +Lawgiver and also an appeal to the sinner. +Too large still is the atonement for that explanation. +It is an appeal to both God and +man, but it is more. It is an appeal to the +universe, and is as many-sided as the universe +itself is to be variously affected. Can we by +searching find out the whole of atoning love? +It is the love of Him who stretched out His +arms on the fatal wood, and pointed to the +right hand and to the left hand, and raised<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +His eyes upward, and cast them downward; +and thus all things above and below, and on +either side, He embraced in His comprehensive +love. It is a large theme, but not too +large to operate as a motive upon us. The +immeasurable reach of a motive is the hiding +of its power. The mind of man is itself expansive, +and requires and will have something +immense and infinite of truth or error, either +overpowering it for good or overmastering it +for evil. The atonement is a great theme, but +not too great; and for the additional reason, +its greatness lies, in part, in its reducing all +other doctrines to a unity, its arranging them +around itself in an order which makes them +all easily understood. We know in other things +the power of unity amid variety. We know +how simple the geography of a land becomes by +remembering that its rivers, altho meandering +in unnumbered circuits around the hills and +through the vales, yet pursue one main direction +from one mountain to one sea. Now all +the truths of God flow into the atonement. +They are understood by means of it, because +their tendencies are toward it; and it is understood +by means of them, because it receives +and comprehends them.</p> + +<p>"Consider more fully the first part of this +sentence; all other truths are understood by +means of the atonement. It gives to them all +a unity by illustrating them all. Other truths +are not so much independent themes, as they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +are branches growing up or sidewise out of +this one root, and they need this single theme +in order that their relations may be rightly +understood. What, for example, can we know +in its most important bearings, unless we +know the history and office of our Redeemer? +Begin from whatever point we may examine +the uses of things, we can never measure their +full utility until we view them from the cross. +The trees bud and blossom. Why? To bear +fruit for the sustenance of the human body. +But is this an ultimate object? The nourishment +of the body favors the growth of the +mind. But is the human mind an end worthy +of all the contrivances in nature? Does the +sun, with all its retinue of stars, pursue its +daily course with no aim ulterior to man's +welfare? Do we adopt a Ptolemaic theory in +morals, that man is the center of the system, +and other worlds revolve round him? All +things were made of God, as the Being in +whom they all terminate. Do they exist for +elucidating His power? This is not his chief +attribute. His knowledge? There is a nobler +perfection than omniscience. His love? But +there is one virtue imbedded as a gem in His +love, and His love is but a shining casket for +this pearl of infinite price. This pearl is +grace. This is the central ornament of the +character of Jehovah. But there is no grace +in Jehovah save as it beams forth in Christ; +not in Christ as a mere Divinity, nor in Christ<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +as a mere spotless humanity, but in the two +united, and in that God-man crucified. All +things were made by Him and for Him, rising +from the cross to the throne. Without reference +to Him in His atoning love has nothing +been made that was made in this world. The +star in the East led wise men once to the +manger where the Redeemer lay; and all the +stars of heaven lead wise men now to Him +who had risen above the stars, and whose +glory illumines them all. He is termed the +Sun of righteousness; and, as the material sun +binds all the planets around it in an intelligible +order, so does Christ shine over, and +under, and into, and through all other objects, +attract them all to Himself, marshal them all +into one clear and grand array, showing them +all to be His works, all suggestive of our duty, +our sin, our need of atonement, our dependence +on the one God, and the one Mediator between +God and man.</p> + +<p>"The first part of my sentence was, All +other truths are understood by means of the +atonement. Consider next the second part: +The atonement is understood by means of +other truths. It crystallizes them around itself, +and reduces them into a system, not only +because it explains them, but also because it +makes them explain it. It is not too large a +theme, for all the sciences and the arts bring +their contributions to make it orderly and +plain. Our text is a simple one, because its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +words are interpreted by a thousand facts +shining upon it, and making themselves and +it luminous in their radiations around and +over it. Listen again to its suggestive words:</p> + +<p>"'For I determined not to know anything +among you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.'</p> + +<p>"Now, what is the meaning of this plain +term 'Christ'? It means a 'King.' But how +can we appreciate the King, unless we learn +the nature of the beings over whom He rules? +He reigns over the heavens; therefore we investigate +the heavens. The whole earth is +full of His glory; therefore we study the earth. +He is the Lord over the angels; when we reflect +on them, we catch a glimpse of Him in +His regal state. He is the King of the Jews +and the Gentiles. When we meditate on men, +we enjoy a glance at Him who was born for +this end, that He might have dominion over +our race. When we contemplate the material +worlds, all the vastness and the grandeur included +in them—the sphere of mind, all the +refinement and energy involved in it—we are +overpowered by the reality, surpassing fable, +that He who superintends all the movements +of matter and first spake it into being and +once framed, as He now governs, the souls of +His creatures—He is the King who atoned +for us; and the more we know of the stars in +their courses, and of the spirit in its mysteries, +so much the deeper is our awe in view of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +condescending pity which moved their Creator +to become one with a lowly creature acquainted +with grief for you and me. So much +is involved in the word 'Christ.'</p> + +<p>"But our text speaks of Jesus Christ. That +word 'Jesus!' What is the meaning of it? +It means a 'deliverer,' and in the view of +some interpreters it means 'God, the deliverer.' +Deliverer? From what? We do not +understand the power of His great office, unless +we learn the nature and the vileness of +sin; and we have no conception how mean, +how detestable, sin is, unless we know the +needlessness of it, the nobleness of the will +which degrades itself into it, the excellence of +the law which is dishonored by it. All our +studies, then, in regard to the nature of the +will, the unforced voluntariness of depravity, +the extent of it through our race, the depth +of it, the purity of the commands aiming to +prevent it, the attractions of virtue, the +strangeness of their not prevailing over the +temptations of vice—they are not mere metaphysics; +they are studies concerning the truth +and the grace of Immanuel, who is God with +us, and whose name is 'Deliverer' because He +delivers His people from their sins; sins involving +the power and the penalty of free +wrong choice; a penalty including the everlasting +punishment of the soul; a punishment +suggesting the nature and the character of +the divine law, and the divine Lawgiver, in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +their relation to the conscience and all the +sensibilities of the mind; and that mind, as +undying as its Maker. All these things are +comprehended in the word 'Jesus.'</p> + +<p>"But our text speaks of Jesus Christ +and Him crucified: and this third term, +'crucified,' adds an emphasis to the two preceding +terms, and stirs us up to examine +our own capabilities—to learn the skill pervading +our physical organism, so exquisitely +qualified for pain as well as pleasure; the wisdom +apparent in our mental structure, so +keenly sensitive to all that can annoy as well +as gratify; and thus we catch a glimpse of +the truth, that He who combines all of our +dignity with none of our guilt, and with all +of the divine glory, and who thus develops +all that is fit to be explained in man, and all +that can be explained in God—He it is who +chose to hang and linger with aching nerve +and bleeding heart upon the cross for you +and me. This cross makes out an atonement +of the sciences and the arts and brings them +also, as well as devout men, at one with God; +all of them tributary to the doctrine that we +are bought with a price—that we are redeemed, +not with silver and gold, but with +the precious blood of a man, who was God +manifest in the flesh. Too large a theme is +the atonement? But it breaks down the middle +wall of partition that has kept apart the +different studies of men; and it brings them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +together as illustrations of the truth, which +in their light becomes as simple as it is great.</p> + +<p>"The very objection, then, that the redemptive +work is too extensive for our familiar +converse, has suggested the second reason why it +should be the main thing for us to think +upon, and speak upon, and act upon: It systematizes +all other themes, and gains from +them a unity which becomes the plainer because +it is set off by a luminous variety; and +for this cause," continues the apostle, "I intend +to know nothing with supreme love, except +this centralizing doctrine which combines +all other truths into a constellation of +glories."</p> + +<p>There is still a third inquiry which we +might present to the author of our text, could +we meet him in a personal colloquy:</p> + +<p>"Your words all converge toward one +point; will they not then become monotonous, +and inapposite to the varying wants of various, +or even the same, individuals?"</p> + +<p>"A monotonous theme!" this is the reply: +"What can be more diversified than the character +and work of Him who is at one time +designated as the omniscient God, and at another +time as a Mechanic; at one time as a +Judge, and at another time as an Intercessor; +now a Lion, and then a Lamb; here a Vine, a +Tree, there a Way, a Door; again a Stone, a +Rock, still again a Star, a Sun; here without +sin, and there He was made sin for us.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Monotonous is this theme? Then it is +sadly wronged, and the mind of man is sadly +harmed; for this mind shoots out its tendrils +to grasp all the branches of the tree of life, +and the tree in its healthy growth has +branches to which every sensibility of the +human mind may cling. The judgment is +addrest by the atonement, concerning the +nature of law of distributive justice, the mode +of expressing this justice either by punishing +the guilty or by inflicting pain as a substitute +for punishment, the influence of this substitution +on the transgressor, on the surety, +on the created universe, on God Himself. +There is more of profound and even abstruse +philosophy involved in the specific doctrine +of the atonement, than in any other branch +of knowledge; and there has been or will be +more of discussion upon it, than upon all +other branches of knowledge; for sacred science +is the most fruitful of all sciences in +logical deduction, and this specific part of the +science is the richest of all its parts.</p> + +<p>"Here, then, is the first method in which +you may keep up the habit of making 'Jesus +and Him crucified' the soul of your activity: +Bring to your help the force of a resolute +determination. There is a tendency in this +resolute spirit to divert your thoughts from +other themes, to turn the current of your +sensibilities into the right channel, to invigorate +your choice, to exert a direct and reflex<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +influence in confirming the whole soul in +Jesus. God is in that determination. He inspires +it. He invigorates it. He works with +it and by it. There is a power in it, but the +power is not yours; it is the power of God. +God is in every holy resolve of man."</p> + +<p>In our interview with the apostle we should +address to him a second inquiry:</p> + +<p>"In what method can we avoid both the +fact and the appearance of being slavishly +coerced into the habit of conversing on Christ +and on Christ alone? You speak of taking +your stand, adhering to your decision; but +this dry, stiff resolve-comes any genial spirit +from it? Will you not be a slave to your unswerving +purpose? Your inflexible rule, will +it not be a hard one, wearisome to yourself, +disagreeable to others? You hold up a +weighty theme by a dead lift."</p> + +<p>"I am determined"—this is the reply—"and +it is not only a strong but it is a loving +resolve. For the love of Christ constraineth +me; whom having not seen in the flesh I love; +in whom, though now I see him not, yet believing, +I rejoice with the joy unspeakable +and full of glory. It is not a business-like +resolution. It is not a diplomatic purpose. It +is not a mechanical force. It is an affectionate +decision. It is a joyous rule. It is the effluence +of a supreme attachment to the Redeemer.</p> + +<p>"And this is the second method in which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +you may retain Jesus Christ as the jewel of +your speech and life: Cherish a loving purpose +to do so. A man has strength to accomplish +what with a full soul he longs to accomplish. +Your Christian toil will be irksome to +you, if it be not your cordial preference; but +if your undeviating resolve spring out of a +hearty choice of your Savior, then will it be +ever refreshed and enlivened by your outflowing, +genial preference; then will your pious +work be the repose of your soul. There is a +power in your love to your work. It is a +power to make your labor easy for yourself +and attractive to others. This is not your +power; it is the power of God. He enkindles +the love within you. He enlivens it. He gives +it warmth. He makes it instinct with energy. +God is in all the holy joy of man."</p> + +<p>In our conference with the author of our +text we might suggest to him our third and +last inquiry:</p> + +<p>"In what method can we feel sure of persevering +in this habitual exaltation of Christ? +You speak of your stern purpose, but can you +depend upon the continuance of it? You +speak of your cordial as well as set resolve. +But who are you? (forgive our pertinacious +query). Jesus we know. But His disciples, +His chief apostles—is not every one of them +a reed shaken with the wind, tossed hither and +thither, unstable as a wave upon the sea?"</p> + +<p>"I know it is so"—this is the reply. "Often<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +am I afraid lest, having preached the gospel +to others, I should be a castaway. And after +all I am persuaded that nothing—height +depth, life, death, nothing—shall be able to +separate me from the love of Christ; for I +put my confidence in Him, and while my purpose +is inflexible and affectionate, it is also inwrought +with trust in the atonement and the +intercession. I do pursue my Christian life +in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. +For all the piety of the best of men is +in itself as grass, and the goodliness thereof +as the flower of the field. Therefore serve I +the Lord with all humility of mind and with +many tears and temptations. Yet I am determined +with a confiding love. I am troubled +on every side; my flesh has no rest; without +are fightings, within are fears; in presence I +am base among you, my bodily presence is +weak and my speech contemptible; and if I +must needs glory, I will glory in the things +which concern my infirmities. Still, after all, +I am determined, my right hand being enfolded +in the hand of my Redeemer. I know +whom I have believed, and am persuaded that +He is able to keep that which I have committed +unto Him against that day. For my +conversation is in heaven, from whence I am +to look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, +who shall change our vile body that it may +be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according +to the mighty working whereby He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +is able to subdue all things unto Himself. I +say the truth in Christ; I lie not; I am the +least of the apostles, that am not meet to be +called an apostle, because I injured the Church +of God; I am less than the least of all saints. +Still I am determined; for by the grace of +God I am what I am; and this grace which +was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I +labored more abundantly than they all; yet +not I but the grace of God which was with +me; for I can do all things through Christ +which strengtheneth me, and therefore I am +determined.</p> + +<p>"Borne onward, therefore, by your fixed +plan, and no one can succeed in anything +without a plan, yet you must never rely ultimately +upon your determined spirit. Allured +further and further onward by your +delight in your plan, and no one can work as +a master in anything without enthusiasm in +his prescribed course, still you must not place +your final dependence upon your affectionate +spirit; for if you take, for your last prop, +either the sternness or the cheerfulness of your +own determination, then you will know your +determination, and you are not to know anything +save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. +Here, then, is the third method in which you +may give the fitting prominence to the best +of themes: You must rest for your chief and +final support on Him and only on Him, from +whom all wise plans start, by whom they hold<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +out, and to whom they all tend, who is all and +in all, Jesus Christ and Him crucified."</p> + +<p>My Christian brethren, you are all apostles. +Every man, every woman, every child, the +richest and the poorest, the most learned and +the most ignorant of you—who have come up +hither to dedicate yourselves and this sanctuary +to your Lord, all being sent of Him to +serve Him, have in fact and in essence the +same responsibility resting on you as weighed +on the author of our text. And he was burdened +by the same kind of temptations and +fears which oppress your spirit. But he was +held up from failing in his work by a threefold +cord; and that was his resolute determination, +as loving as it was resolute, and as +trustful as it was loving, to know nothing +save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The last +that you hear of him as an impenitent man +is in the words: "And Saul, yet breathing +out threatening and slaughter against +the disciples of the Lord." It was Christ +whom the proud Jew last opposed. The first +that you hear of him as a convicted man is +in the words: "Who art thou, Lord?" It +was Christ whom the inquiring Jew first +studied. And the first that you hear of him +as a penitent man is: "Lord, what wilt thou +have me to do?" It was Christ to whom the +humble disciple first surrendered his will. +And the first that you hear of him as a Christian +minister is: "And straightway he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> +preached Christ in the synagogs that he +is the Son of God." And the last that you +hear of him as a Christian hero is: "I have +fought the good fight, I have finished my +course. I have kept the faith; henceforth +there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness." +And the secret of this victorious +career is in words like those of our text: "I +adhered to my plan (when among the fickle +Corinthians), I was decided (when among the +vacillating Galatians) to know nothing (when +among the learned at Athens and them of +C�sar's household at Rome) save Jesus Christ +(when I was among my own kinsmen who +scorned Him), and Him crucified (when I +was among the pupils of Gamaliel, all of +whom despised my chosen theme); still I was +determined to cling to that theme among the +Greeks and the Barbarians, before Onesimus +the slave and Philemon the proud master; for +I loved my theme, and, suffering according +to the will of God, I committed the keeping +of my soul to Him in well-doing as unto a +faithful Creator."</p> + +<p>And herein is it to be your plan, my brethren, +and your joy, not to make this sanctuary +the resort of wealth and of fashion, but rather +of humble suppliants, who by their prayers +may divert all the wealth and fashion of the +world into the service of your Lord; not to +make this temple the resting-place of hearers +who shall idly listen to the words of an orator,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +but a temple of earnest coworkers with Christ—thinking +of Him, speaking of Him, loving +Him first, and last, and midst, and without +end. As you come to this house of God on +the Sabbath, as you go from it, as your week-day +recollections gather around it, may you +renew and confirm your plan to know your +Redeemer, and not only to shut yourselves up +to the supreme love of nothing except Christ, +but also—His grace will be sufficient for you—to +worship and serve Christ in the central +relation of Him crucified. Knowing Him +alone, He will sustain you as fully as if He +knew you alone. He will come to you in this +temple as frequently as if He had no other +servants to befriend. He will listen to your +prayers as intently as if no supplications came +up to Him from other altars, and He will intercede +for you as entirely as if He interceded +in behalf of no one else; for remember, that +when He hung upon the cross, He thought of +you, and died for you, just as fully as if He +had been determined to think of no one, and +to die for no one, save you, whom He now +calls to the solemn service of consecrating +your own souls, and your "holy and beautiful +house" to the glory of Jesus Christ and Him +crucified.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118"> </a><br /><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>SIMPSON</h2> + +<h3>THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Matthew Simpson</span>, Methodist Episcopal +Bishop, was born at Cadiz, Ohio, in +1810. He early distinguished himself as +an orator, his style being that of spontaneous +unpremeditated eloquence, in +which he carried his congregation to +heights of spiritual fervor and enthusiasm. +He visited Europe in 1878 as delegate to +the World's Evangelical Alliance in Berlin, +which served to widen his reputation +as a public speaker. He officiated at the +funeral of Abraham Lincoln at Springfield, +Illinois. His "Lectures on Preaching" +delivered before the divinity students +at Yale have been widely read. He died +in 1884.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>SIMPSON</h2> + +<h3>1810-1884</h3> + +<h4>THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD</h4> + +<p><em>But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become +the first fruits of them that slept.</em>—1 Cor. xv., 20.</p> + + +<p>A little more than eighteen hundred +years ago, as the light of the morning +was breaking around the walls of +Jerusalem, there was a guard placed about a +sepulcher in a small garden near the walls +of the city. They were guarding a grave. +Some strange scenes had occurred on the +Friday before. While a man whom they had +taken from the hills of Galilee and around the +little lake of Capernaum had been hanging +on the cross crucified as a malefactor, strange +signs appeared in the heavens, and on the +earth and in the temple.</p> + +<p>It was rumored that he had said he would +rise the third morning. The third morning +was coming, and as the light began to break +in the East, there came two women silently +and sadly wending their way among the tents +that were pitched all around the city of +Jerusalem; they had sojourned all night in +the tents, for as yet the gates of the city had +not been opened. They came to see the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +sepulcher and were bringing spices in their +hands. They loved the man who had been +crucified as a malefactor, because of his goodness, +his purity, and his compassion. They +seemed to be almost the only hearts on earth +that did love him deeply, save the small circle +of friends who had gathered around him. +There had been curses upon his head as he +hung on the cross—curses from the by-standers, +curses from the soldiers, curses from +the people. They cried: "Away with him; his +blood be on us and on our children!" and on +that morning there were none but a few feeble, +obscure, heart-broken friends that dared to +come near his grave.</p> + +<p>A little more than eighteen hundred years +have passed and on the anniversary of that +day, the morning of the first day of the week, +the first Sabbath after the full moon and the +vernal equinox, at the same season, the whole +world comes to visit that grave. The eyes of +princes and of statesmen, the eyes of the poor +and the humble in all parts of the earth are +turned toward that sepulcher.</p> + +<p>All through Europe men and women are +thinking of that grave and of Him who lay in +it. All over western lands, from ocean to +ocean, on mountain top and in valley, over +broad prairies and deep ravines, the eyes and +hearts of the people are gathered round that +grave. In the darkness of Africa, here and +there, we see them stretching out their hands<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> +toward it. Along the coasts of India and the +heights of the Himalayas they have heard of +that grave and are bending toward it. The +Chinese, laying aside their prejudices, have +turned their eyes westward and are looking +toward that sepulcher. Along the shores of +the seas, over the mountain tops and in the +valleys, the hearts of the people have not +only been gathering around that grave, but +they have caught a glimpse of the rising +inmate who ascended in His glory toward +heaven.</p> + +<p>The song of jubilee has gone forth, and the +old men are saying, "The Lord is risen from +the dead." The young men and matrons catch +up the glowing theme, and the little children +around our festive boards, scarcely comprehending +the source of their joy, with glad +hearts are now joyful, because Jesus has risen +from the dead. All over the earth tidings of +joy have gone forth, and as the valleys have +been ringing out their praises on this bright +Sabbath morning how many hearts have been +singing—</p> + +<p class="center"> +"Our Jesus is going up on high!" +</p> + +<p>Why this change? What hath produced +such a wonderful difference in public feeling? +The malefactor once curst, now honored; the +obscure and despised, now sought for; the +rising Redeemer, not then regarded by men, +now universally worshiped. What is the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +cause of this great change?—how brought +about? The subject of this morning, taken +from the associations of this day, call us to +consider as briefly as we may the fact of the +resurrection of Christ from the dead and some +of the consequences which flow to us from that +resurrection.</p> + +<p>It is important for us to fix clearly in our +minds the fact that this is one reason why +such days are remembered in the annals of the +Church as well as in the annals of nations; +for our faith rests on facts, and the mind +should clearly embrace the facts that we may +feel that we are standing on firm ground. This +fact of the resurrection of Christ is the foundation +of the Christian system; for the +apostle says: "And if Christ be not raised, +your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins; +then they also which are fallen asleep in +Christ will perish." If Christ be not risen, +we shall never see the fathers and the mothers +who have fallen asleep in Jesus; we shall never +see the little ones who have gone up to be, +as we believe, angels before the throne of +God. If Christ be not raised, we are of +all men the most miserable, because we are +fancying future enjoyment, which never can +be realized; but if Christ be raised, then +shall we also rise, and them that sleep in +Jesus will God bring with Him. And that our +minds may rest as to the fact of Christ's +resurrection, let us notice how God hath<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +arranged the evidences to secure the knowledge +of this fact clearly to man.</p> + +<p>The first point to which our attention is invited +is the fact of Christ's death. Were not +this fact clearly established it would be in +vain to try to prove His resurrection from the +dead. Christ might have suffered for man in +some obscure place; He might have laid down +His life as a ransom, and yet there would have +been no legal evidence of it. God allowed the +wrath of man to become the instrument of +praising Him, in that He suffered Christ to be +taken under what was then the legal process—arrested +first by the great council of the Jews, +and then by the authority of the Roman +governor, so that the matter became of public +record—a legal transaction. The highest +power, both of the Jewish and Roman governments, +united in this fact of His arrest, His +trial, and His condemnation to death.</p> + +<p>Not only was this permitted, but the time +of the occurrence was wisely arranged. It was +at the feast of the Jews, the Passover, when all +the Jews came up to keep the Passover. They +came not only from Egypt but from all the +country through which they were scattered. +Jerusalem could not hold the people that +came together; they pitched their tents all +around the city, on the hills and in the valleys. +It was the time of full moon, when +there was brightness all night, and they came +together with safety and security. The multitude,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +then, was there to witness the scene, so +that it might be attested by people from all +parts of Judea and from all countries round +about Judea.</p> + +<p>Then, again, the form of the death was such +as to be not a sudden one, but one of torture, +passing through many hours. Had the execution +been a very sudden one, as it might have +been, the death would have been equally efficacious, +yet it would not have been witnessed +by so many; but as He hung those dreadful +hours, from nine until three, the sun being +darkened, what an opportunity was given to +the people passing by to be imprest with +the scene! The crucifixion was near the city; +the crowd was there; the temple worship was +in process; the strangers were there; and as +one great stream passes on some festive day +through the great thoroughfare of your city, +so passed the stream of men, women, and +children by that cross on which the Savior +hung. They wagged their heads and reviled +as they passed by. The very ones whom Jesus +had healed, whose fathers had been cured of +leprosy or fever, whose mothers' eyes had been +opened; the ones who had been raised up from +beds of sickness by the touch of that Savior, +passed by and reviled, and said: "He saved +others, Himself He cannot save." The multitude +saw Him as He hung suffering on the +cross.</p> + +<p>Then, again, the circumstances attending<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +His death were such as to invite universal +attention. It was not designed that the death +should be a private one; not merely a legal +transaction, a matter soon over, but a protracted +and agonizing spectacle—one to be +seen and known by the multitude; but, in +addition, that man's attention should be +drawn to something to be connected with that +wonderful scene; hence God called upon the +heavens and the earth, the air and the graves, +and the temple itself for testimony. It is +said that before the coronation of a prince +in olden time in Europe—and in some kingdoms +the custom is still observed—there is +sent forth a herald, sometimes three days in +advance, at different periods according to the +custom, to issue a challenge to anyone that +dares to claim the kingdom to come and prove +his right, and to announce that the coronation +of this prince is to take place.</p> + +<p>Methinks it was such a challenge God gave +to all the powers of humanity and to all the +powers of darkness. There hung suffering +on the cross He who died for human wo, and +as He hung God was about to crown Him King +of Kings and Lord of Lords on the morning +of the third day. He sends forth His voice of +challenge, and as He speaks the earth rocks +to its center; that ground, shaking and convulsing, +was a call to man to witness what was +about to occur.</p> + +<p>Not only is there a voice of earth. Yonder<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +the sun clothed himself in sackcloth for three +hours, as much as to say: "There may be +gloom for three days; the great Source of +light hath veiled Himself, as in a mantle of +night, for three days. As for three hours this +darkness hangs, but as out of the darkness the +light shines forth, so at the end of the three +days shall the Sun of Righteousness shine out +again, the great center of glory, with that +glory which He had with the Father from the +foundation of the world." It was the herald's +voice that passed through the heavens, and +that spoke through all the orbs of light, "Give +attention, ye created beings, to what is to +happen!" But it was not alone in the earth, +which is the great center, nor in the heavens, +which is the great source of light, that the +tidings were proclaimed.</p> + +<p>Look in yonder valley. The tombs are +there; the prophets have been buried there. +Yon hillside is full of the resting-places of the +dead; generations on generations have been +buried there; friends are walking in it, and +they are saying, "Yonder is a mighty judge +in Israel; there is the tomb of a prophet." +They were passing to and fro through that +valley of death when the earthquake's tread +was heard, and behold! the tombs were +opened, the graves displayed the dead within, +and there was a voice that seemed to call from +the very depths of the graves, "Hear, O sons +of men!"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> + +<p>What feelings must have thrilled through +the hearts of those who stood by those monuments +and bended over those graves, when, +thrown wide open, the doors bursting, and +the rocks giving way, they saw the forms of +death come forth and recognized friends that +once they had known. What was to occur? +What could all this mean? Then the great +sacrifice was offered. It was three o'clock in +the afternoon when Christ was to give up the +ghost. Yonder the multitude of pious people +were gathered toward the temple. The outer +court was full; the doors and gates which lead +into the sanctuary were crowded; the lamb +was before the altar; the priest in his vestments +had taken the sacrificial knife; the +blood was to be shed at the hour of three; the +multitude were looking.</p> + +<p>Yonder hangs a veil; it hides that inner +sanctuary; there are cherubim in yonder with +their wings spread over the mercy-seat; the +shekinah once dwelt there; God Himself in +His glory was there and the people are bending +to look in. No one enters into that veil +save the high priest, and he, with blood and in +the midst of incense, but once a year; but it +was the mercy-seat and the eye of every pious +Jew was directed toward that veil, thinking +of the greater glory which lay beyond it.</p> + +<p>As the hour of three came and as the priest +was taking the sacrificial knife from the altar +and was about to slay the lamb, behold! an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +unseen hand takes hold of that veil and tears +it apart from top to bottom, and has thrown +open the mercy-seat, not before seen by men. +The cherubim are there; the altar with its +covering of blood is there; the resting-place +of the ark is there; it is the holiest of holies. +Methinks the priest drops the knife, the lamb +goes free, for the Lamb that was slain from +the foundation of the world is suffering for +man. The way to the holy of holies is open,—a +new and living way, which men may not +close, which priest alone can not enter; but a +way is open whereby humanity, opprest and +downtrodden, from all parts of the earth, may +find its way to the mercy-seat of God. There +was a call to the pious worshiper by voices +which seemed to say: "An end to all the +sacrifices, an end to all the suffering victims, +an end to all the sprinkled hyssop that is +used in purification, for One has come to do +the will of God on whom the burden of man +had been laid."</p> + +<p>Now here were all these calls to humanity +from all parts, as if to announce the great +transaction. While all this was occurring +Christ was on the cross, suffering the agony of +crucifixion. How deep that agony we need +not attempt to tell you; it was fearful; and +yet no complaint escaped His lips, no murmuring +was there. He bore the sins of many in +His own flesh on the tree. He heard the +multitudes revile Him; He saw them wag<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> +their heads; He remembered that the disciples +had fled from Him—one followed afar off, but +the rest had gone; and yet He complained not. +Friends and kindred had all left Him and He +trod the wine-press alone. He drank the cup +in all its bitterness and no complaint escaped +from Him. One left Him that had never +forsaken Him before. "The world is gone, +the disciples I have fed and taught have all +fled and passed away,—all have forsaken +Me."</p> + +<p>But there was no time until that moment of +fearful darkness came, when all the load of +guilt was upon Him and for our sins He was +smitten, that His spirit was crusht, and He +called out, "My God, my God, why hast thou +forsaken me?" All else might go—it were +little; "Why hast thou forsaken me?" But +it is over; the darkness is past; the load is +borne; and I hear Him say, "It is finished"; +He bows His head and dies.</p> + +<p>Now there is publicity for the transaction. +It demanded public investigation, it received +it. There was not only the mental agony +united with the agony of crucifixion, but +there was the voluntary giving up of His life; +yet, lest there might be some suspicion, to all +this was added the proof of the fact of His +death. When the limbs of the others were +broken and He was perceived to be dead, the +soldier thrust the spear into His side and +there came out of that side both water and +blood.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span></p> + +<p>There is a peculiarity in the sacred writings. +A little incident that seems to be mentioned +without care becomes the strongest possible +proof, not only of the fact of Christ's death, +but of the nature of His death. When that +sentence was written the human frame was +not understood, the circulation of the blood +was not understood. Anatomists had not +then, as they have now, unveiled the human +system; the great science of pathology had not +yet been clearly taught to man; and yet in +that sentence we have almost a world of +meaning. For it is well attested now that +where persons die from violent mental emotion, +by what is termed a broken heart, a crusht +spirit, there is always formed a watery secretion +around the heart. It was not known then +to the soldier who lifted up the spear and +pierced the body; but so much of that water +had secreted around the heart that he saw it +issuing forth from the pierced side, unstained +by blood, which showed that the great heart +had been crusht by agony within.</p> + +<p>When taken from the cross He was put in +the sepulcher. His friends had given Him up, +His disciples had forsaken Him; some of them +saw Him die; they knew that He was crucified +and they abandoned Him. They were returning +to their former employments; but His +enemies remembered He had said He would +rise the third day, and they put a guard +around Him. The Roman soldiers were there;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> +the king's seal was on the stone rolled over +the mouth of the sepulcher; they made everything +secure. Here again God ordered that +we should have abundant proof of Christ's +crucifixion.</p> + +<p>He was crucified on Friday, which was to +them the last day of the week, resting in +the grave on our Saturday, which is their +Sabbath, and then comes the first day of the +week, our Sabbath morning, made our Sabbath +because of Christ's resurrection from the +dead. There came an humble visitant to the +tomb, Mary Magdalene; she had been healed +of much, forgiven much and she loved Him. +Mary, the mother of James, came also and +beheld the scenes that occurred; but there had +been strange commotions elsewhere.</p> + +<p>Heaven had been gathering around that +grave. Angels had been watching there; they +had seen the Roman guard; they had seen the +shining spear and polished shield; they had +seen that Christ was held as a prisoner by the +greatest powers on earth. Methinks I see the +angelic host as they gathered round the throne +of God and looked up into the face of +Omnipotence, and if ever there was a time +when there was silence in heaven for half an +hour, it was before the morning light of the +third day dawned. I hear them say "How +long shall man triumph? How long shall +human power exalt itself? How long shall +the powers of darkness hold jubilee? Let us<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +away and roll away the stone; let us away and +frighten yonder Roman guard and drive them +from the sepulcher."</p> + +<p>They waited until permission was given. I +see the angel coming down from the opening +doors of glory; he hastens outside the walls of +Jerusalem and down to the sepulcher; when +they saw him coming the keepers shook, they +became like dead men; he rolls away the stone +and sets himself by the mouth of the sepulcher. +Christ, girding Himself with all the +power of His divinity, rises from the grave. +He leads captivity captive, tears the crown +from the head of death, and makes light the +darkness of the grave. Behold Him as He +rises just preparatory to His rising up to +glory. Oh, what a moment was that! Hell +was preparing for its jubilee; the powers of +earth were preparing for a triumph; but as +the grave yields its prey, Christ, charged with +being an impostor, is proved to be the Son of +God with power; it is the power of His resurrection +from the dead.</p> + +<p>There was Christ's resurrection from the +dead. He became the first fruits of them +that slept. But to give the amplest proofs of +His resurrection He lingered on earth to be +seen of men, and to be seen in such a manner +as to show that He was still the Savior Christ. +In my younger days I used to often wonder +why was it that Mary Magdalene came first to +the sepulcher, and the mother of James that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> +stood there—why He should appear to them; +but in later days I have said it was to show +that He was the Savior still; that the same +nature was there which had made Him stoop +to the lowliest of the low—the power that +enabled Him to heal the guiltiest of the +guilty; that that power, that compassion, were +with Him still.</p> + +<p>Tho now raised beyond death and triumphing +over hell, He still had within Him +the Savior's heart. Methinks I see, when +Peter had run in anxiety to tell the news, +Mary remained there; she could not fully +comprehend it; the grave was open, the napkins +were there; it was said He was not there, +but He was risen. And yet, there was a +darkness upon her; she could not fully conceive, +it seems to me, the resurrection of the +dead. She stood wondering, when she heard +a voice behind her which said, "Woman, why +weepest thou?" Bathed in tears as she was, +she turned round and saw the man standing, +and taking him to be the gardener, and supposing +that he had taken the body and carried +it away as not fit to lie in that tomb or be in +that garden, she said: "If thou hast taken, +him away, tell me where thou hast laid him, +and I will take him away." If He must not +lie in this tomb, if He can not lie in the garden, +if as a malefactor He must be cast out from +man, tell me where the body is and I will take +it away. It was a proof of her affection.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span></p> + +<p>A voice said, "Mary, Mary." Oh, she +recognized it, and her heart cried out: "Rabboni, +my Lord and my God!" and then she +would have thrown herself at His feet and +bathed those feet again with her tears, but He +said, "Touch me not, I am not ascended to +my Father; go and tell the disciples and Peter +that I am risen from the dead." See the compassion +of the Savior! and then that message! +"Tell the disciples and Peter." Why send a +message to him? Because he curst and swore +and denied the Master. The other disciples +might have said, "If Christ is risen, He may +receive and bless us all; but Peter is gone, +hopelessly and irretrievably gone; he that forsook +his Master and denied Him, there is no +hope for him." And yet said Jesus, "Go +and tell the disciples and Peter"—poor backslidden +Peter.</p> + +<p>Jesus knew his sorrow and anguish and +almost felt the throbbings of his broken heart, +and He sent a message to Peter. He may +be a disciple still—may come back and be +saved through the boundless love of Christ. +Oh, the compassion of the Son of God! Thank +God that Peter's Savior is on the throne this +morning!</p> + +<p>Not only was He seen by these, but He met +with the disciples journeying by the way and +explained the Scriptures to them; and as they +met in the upper room He was there. When +the doors were unopened He came in their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> +midst and said, "Peace!" breathed on them +and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." Thus +He met with them and said to Thomas, +"Reach hither thy fingers, and be not faithless +but believing."</p> + +<p>Then afterward He was seen by five hundred, +and from the Mount of Olives, while the +disciples were gathered around Him, He was +received up into glory. They saw Him and as +He went He blest them. The last vision +that ever humanity had of the Son of God +ere he ascended to heaven was that of spreading +out His hands in blessing. Oh, my Savior +hath thus gone up, and He dropt from +those outstretched hands a blessing which falls +to-day like the gentle dew all over the earth; +it reaches heart after heart. It hath reached +patriarchs, apostles, martyrs, fathers, and +mothers and little children, and, thank God, +the heavenly dew, as from those outstretched +hands, is coming down on our assembly this +very morning. On this glad day blessings are +dropping from the throne of God upon us +from this risen Savior. He hath ascended up +on high, the gates have opened for Him, and +He hath gone to His throne in glory.</p> + +<p>Let us look at a few of the results that +flow to us from these facts thus sustained of +His death and resurrection from the dead!</p> + +<p>In the first place it established all Bible +declarations. It had been predicted that He +should not stay in the grave, and when He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +arose it put the seal to the Old Testament +as the Word of God. The prophecy in Him +fulfilled gave glorious proof that the other +parts of it should be also fulfilled as the word +of an unchanging God.</p> + +<p>Again, in His resurrection we see a proof of +His divine power. No man hath been raised +from the dead by his own power. All died, +from Adam to Moses, with the exception of +Enoch and Elijah, who, because of their devotion +and acknowledgment of the divine +head, themselves became prophets of a coming +Savior. He rose by His own power. He +conquered death itself, the grave, and the +whole powers of humanity.</p> + +<p>Jupiter is represented by an old classic +writer as saying to the lesser gods that if all +of them combined together and should endeavor +to throw down his throne—if all power +was arrayed against him—he, by his own +might, would be able to overcome them all. +What was fiction with the ancients becomes +gloriously realized in Christ. Take all the +powers of humanity—the Jewish power, the +Roman power; the power of learning, of art, +of public opinion; take all the powers of earth +and hell, death and the grave, and combine +them all against the Savior and, without one +effort, without one single apparent movement—the +Sleeper lies in death, His eyes are sealed, +and, as if all unconscious, for the warning had +not been given before—in an instant those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +eyes were opened, that frame rises, the grave +yields up its prey, death retires conquered, +and Christ demonstrates Himself to be the +ruler of the whole universe. He made the +earth to tremble, the sun to put on sackcloth, +the very air to grow dark, the graves to open, +the dead to come forth, and proclaimed Himself +to be the conqueror of death and hell. So +we have proof of His being the Son of God +with power.</p> + +<p>In that resurrection from the dead we have +a pledge of our own resurrection. Christ has +become the first-fruits of them that slept. +You know the figure of the first-fruits as +understood by the Jews. Their religion was +connected with the seasons of the year—with +the harvest crops; one of their feasts was +called the feast of the first-fruits, and was on +this wise: When the first heads of grain began +to ripen in the field, and there was thus a +pledge of harvest, they cut off those first +ripened heads and went up to Jerusalem.</p> + +<p>Before that the grain was not crusht, no +bread was baked out of it, and nothing was +done to appropriate that crop to man's use +until those ripened heads of grain were +brought up to Jerusalem and presented to the +Lord as a thank-offering. He was acknowledged +as Lord of the harvest and they were +laid up as a kind of thank-offering before God. +They were the first-fruits. Then they went +away to the fields and all through Judea the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +sickle was thrust in, the grain was reaped and +gathered into sheaves, and when the harvest +was secured they baked the bread for their +children out of this first grain. They came up +to the temple, where the first-fruits had been +laid, and they held a feast of thanksgiving and +shouted harvest home. The old harvest feast +seems to be descended from this ancient +custom.</p> + +<p>Christ rose as the first-fruits, and there is to +be a glorious resurrection. Christ came, the +first man to rise in this respect, by His own +power, from the grave, having snatched the +crown from death, having thrown light into +the grave, having Himself ascended up toward +glory. He goes up in the midst of the shouts +of angels; the heavens open before Him; +yonder is the altar; there is the throne, and +around it stand the seraphim and the cherubim; +and Christ enters, the victor, and sits +down upon the throne, from henceforth expecting +until His enemies be made His footstool. +He is the first-fruits of the harvest, +but the angels are to be sent out like the +reapers, and by and by humanity is coming.</p> + +<p>As Christ, the first-fruits, passed through +the grave and went up to glory, so there shall +come forth from their sleeping dust in Asia, +in Africa, in Europe, and in America, from +every mountain top, from the depths of the +sea, from deep ravines, and from plains outspread—oh, +there shall come in the time of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> +glorious harvest—the uprising of humanity, +when all the nations, waking from their long +sleep, shall rise and shall shout the harvest +home! Thank God! At that time none shall +be wanting.</p> + +<p>Oh, they come, they come, from the nations +of the past and from the generations yet unborn! +I see the crowd gathering there. Behold +the angels are waiting, and as the hosts +rise from the dead they gather round the +throne. Christ invites His followers to overcome +and sit down with Him on His throne, +as He overcame and sat down with the Father +on His throne. In that is the pledge of our +resurrection from the dead. Can I not suffer, +since Christ suffered? Can I not die, since +Christ died? Let the grave be my resting-place, +for Christ rested there. Is it cold? The +warmth of His animation is in it. He shall +be beside me in all His spirit's power. Does +the load of earth above me and beneath +which I am placed press upon me? Christ +hath power to burst the tomb, tho deep it be, +and I shall rise through His almighty power.</p> + +<p>Yet, let the malice of men be directed +against me; let me be taken, if it must be, as a +martyr and be bound to the stake; let the +fagots be kindled, let the flame ascend, let my +body be burned; gather my ashes, grind my +bones to powder, scatter them on the ocean's +surface; or carry those ashes to the top of +yonder volcano and throw them within its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> +consuming fire—let them be given to the dust—and +yet I can sing:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"God my Redeemer lives,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">And ever from the skies<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Looks down and watches all my dust,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">Till He shall bid it rise."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Thank God! it may be scattered on the +wings of the wind—Christ is everywhere +present; He has marked every particle and it +shall rise again by His own almighty power. +And what is it to sleep awhile if I am +Christ's? To die, if I am like Christ in dying? +and be buried, if I am like Christ in being +buried? I trust I shall be like Him when He +comes forth in His glory. I shall be like Him, +for the apostle says, "We shall be like him, +for we shall see him as he is"; "We shall be +changed from glory into glory, into the same +image as by the Spirit of God."</p> + +<p>It would be a great change to be changed +from glory to glory, from saints to angels, +from angels to cherubim, from cherubim to +seraphim, from glory to glory; but, thank +God! we shall not stop being changed; for +the change shall go on from glory to glory +until we shall be transformed into the likeness +of the Son of God, brighter than angels +ever shone, more glorious than were ever +cherubim.</p> + +<p>We shall be near the throne; we shall sit beside +Him, for He hath made room for us<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> +there. Then, if we can calmly look at death +and face him, because his strength has been +overcome, it reconciles us to parting a little +while with friends. A father or a mother may +be taken from us, but we shall see them again; +they shall not sleep forever. The little ones +that drop from our arms, we can almost see +them this morning; some of us can almost feel +them in our arms—can see the glance of that +beautiful eye and hear the sound of that little +prattling lip; they seem to be with us now, +as a little while ago they dropt from out of +our arms. We followed them to the grave +and left them there, where the winter's storm +has been howling around them.</p> + +<p>Sometimes loneliness like that terrible storm +has swept over our hearts and left them almost +in despair; but through Christ's resurrection +we see our children yonder in glory, safe in +the Savior's arms. Their little forms shall +rise all-glorious from the tomb in the morning +of the resurrection; we shall find them, for +Jesus is the resurrection and the life.</p> + +<p>All this comes to us from the resurrection of +Christ from the dead. He died once; He dies +no more; the condemnation of death is forever +gone; He sits on the throne of everlasting +dominion; His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; +and as He died once and has risen to +die no more, so when we have died once and +gone to the grave and entered the dark valley +and shadow of death, and we come up safely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +on the other side, thank God! death is passed +forever; we shall then put our feet on the +neck of the monster and shall be able to say:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Oh death, where is thy sting?<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Oh grave, where is thy victory?"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Looking at the resurrection of Christ we +exclaim, Thanks be unto God who hath given +us the victory! Such is the eternity and +blessedness that awaits us. Thank God for a +spiritual body! Here some of us long to +triumph over nature. We would grasp, if we +could, angelic wisdom; but our brows will +ache with pain, our frames decay, our eyes +grow dim, our hearing fail. This flesh of +ours will not stand hours of painful study and +seasons of protracted labor; but, thank God! +when the body that now oppresses us is laid +in the grave a spiritual body will be given to +us, pure, ethereal, and holy. Oh, what an +extent of knowledge shall flash upon us; what +light and glory; what spirituality and power! +Then we shall not need to ask an angel anything. +We shall know as we are known. +Jesus will be our teacher; the Everlasting +God, the Man whose name is Wonderful, the +Counselor, the Prince of Peace. He Himself +shall be our Leader. We shall know then as +also we are known.</p> + +<p>Then rejoice in God. Dry up those tears. +Cast away that downcast look. Child of the +dust, you are an heir of glory. There is a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> +crown all burnished for you; there is a mansion +all ready for you; there is a white robe +prepared for you; there is eternal glory for +you; angels are to be your servants and you +are to reign with the King of Kings forever. +But while you wait on earth, be witnesses for +God; attest the glory of your Master; rise in +the greatness of His strength; bind sin captive +to your chariot wheels; go onward in your +heavenly career, and be as pure as your +ascended Head is pure. Be active in works of +mercy; be angels of light; be names of fire; +go on your mission of mercy and convert the +world unto God before you go up higher. +When you go, not only go forward to present +yourself, but may every one of you be able to +say: "Here am I and those which Thou hast +given me."</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146"> </a><br /><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>THEODORE PARKER</h2> + +<h3>THE TRANSIENT AND PERMANENT IN +CHRISTIANITY</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Theodore Parker</span>, American divine and +reformer, was born at Lexington, Mass., +in 1810. He was educated at Harvard +and graduated from the Divinity School +of that University in 1836. The following +year he was ordained pastor of Roxbury +Christian Church, and first attracted attention +by his sermon on the "Transient +and Permanent in Christianity," preached +in 1841. This sermon was ultimately the +cause of his practical exclusion from the +Unitarian body, and in 1846 he became +minister to the Twenty-eighth Congregational +Society in Boston.</p> + +<p>In this pastorate he became well known +to all denominations from the remarkable +sermons he preached for seven years in +Music Hall. He died of consumption at +Florence, Italy, in 1860. His powerful +intellect and vigorous eloquence were exhibited +in the many controversial sermons +he preached, both as a believer in the nonsupernaturalism +of present Christianity +and as a practical humanitarian. He +figured as one of the leading abolitionists +of New England.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>THEODORE PARKER</h2> + +<h3>1810-1860</h3> + +<h4>THE TRANSIENT AND PERMANENT IN +CHRISTIANITY</h4> + +<p><em>Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall +not pass away.</em>—Luke xxi., 33.</p> + + +<p>In this sentence we have a very clear indication +that Jesus of Nazareth believed +the religion He taught would be eternal, +that the substance of it would last forever. +Yet there are some who are affrighted by the +faintest rustle which a heretic makes among +the dry leaves of theology; they tremble lest +Christianity itself should perish without hope. +Ever and anon the cry is raised, "The Philistines +be upon us, and Christianity is in danger." +The least doubt respecting the popular +theology, or the existing machinery of the +Church; the least sign of distrust in the religion +of the pulpit, or the religion of the street, +is by some good men supposed to be at enmity +with faith in Christ, and capable of shaking +Christianity itself. On the other hand, a few +bad men, and a few pious men, it is said, on +both sides of the water, tell us the day of +Christianity is past. The latter, it is alleged, +would persuade us that hereafter piety must +take a new form; the teachings of Jesus are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> +to be passed by; that religion is to wing her +way sublime, above the flight of Christianity, +far away, toward heaven, as the fledged eaglet +leaves forever the nest which sheltered his callow +youth. Let us therefore devote a few moments +to this subject, and consider what is +transient in Christianity, and what is permanent +therein.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>In actual Christianity,—that is, in that portion +of Christianity which is preached and +believed,—there seems to have been, ever +since the time of its earthly Founder, two +elements, the one transient, the other permanent. +The one is the thought, the folly, +the uncertain wisdom, the theological notions, +the impiety of man; the other, the eternal +truth of God. These two bear, perhaps, the +same relation to each other that the phenomena +of outward nature, such as sunshine and +cloud, growth, decay and reproduction, bear +to the great law of nature, which underlies +and supports them all. As in that case more +attention is commonly paid to the particular +phenomena than to the general law, so in this +case more is generally given to the transient +in Christianity than to the permanent therein.</p> + +<p>It must be confest, tho with sorrow, that +transient things form a great part of what +is commonly taught as religion. An undue +place has often been assigned to forms and +doctrines, while too little stress has been laid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> +on the divine life of the soul, love to God, +and love to man. Religious forms may be useful +and beautiful. They are so, whenever they +speak to the soul, and answer a want thereof. +In our present state some forms are perhaps +necessary. But they are only the accident of +Christianity, not its substance. They are the +robe, not the angel, who may take another +robe quite as becoming and useful. One sect +has many forms; another, none. Yet both +may be equally Christian, in spite of the redundance +or the deficiency. They are a part +of the language in which religion speaks, and +exist, with few exceptions, wherever man is +found. In our calculating nation, in our rationalizing +sect, we have retained but two of +the rites so numerous in the early Christian +Church, and even these we have attenuated +to the last degree, leaving them little more +than a specter of the ancient form. Another +age may continue or forsake both; may revive +old forms, or invent new ones to suit the altered +circumstances of the times, and yet be +Christians quite as good as we, or our fathers +of the dark ages. Whether the apostles designed +these rites to be perpetual seems a +question which belongs to scholars and antiquarians,—not +to us, as Christian men and +women. So long as they satisfy or help the +pious heart, so long they are good. Looking +behind or around us, we see that the forms +and rites of the Christians are quite as fluctuating<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> +as those of the heathens, from whom +some of them have been, not unwisely, adopted +by the earlier Church.</p> + +<p>Any one, who traces the history of what is +called Christianity, will see that nothing +changes more from age to age than the doctrines +taught as Christian, and insisted on as +essential to Christianity and personal salvation. +What is falsehood in one province +passes for truth in another. The heresy of +one age is the orthodox belief and "only infallible +rule" of the next. Now Arius, and +now Athanasius, is lord of the ascendant. +Both were excommunicated in their turn, each +for affirming what the other denied. Men are +burned for professing what men are burned +for denying. For centuries the doctrines of +the Christians were no better, to say the least, +than those of their contemporary pagans. +The theological doctrines derived from our +fathers seem to have come from Judaism, +heathenism, and the caprice of philosophers, +far more than they have come from the principle +and sentiment of Christianity. The doctrine +of the Trinity, the very Achilles of theological +dogmas, belongs to philosophy and not +religion; its subtleties cannot even be expressed +in our tongue. As old religions became +superannuated, and died out, they left +to the rising faith, as to a residuary legatee, +their forms and their doctrines; or rather, as +the giant in the fable left his poisoned garment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> +to work the overthrow of his conqueror. +Many tenets that pass current in our theology +seem to be the refuse of idol temples, the offscourings +of Jewish and heathen cities rather +than the sands of virgin gold which the stream +of Christianity has worn off from the rock of +ages, and brought in its bosom for us. It is +wood, hay, and stubble, wherewith men have +built on the corner-stone Christ laid. What +wonder the fabric is in peril when tried by +fire? The stream of Christianity, as men receive +it, has caught a stain from every soil it +has filtered through, so that now it is not the +pure water from the well of life which is offered +to our lips, but streams troubled and +polluted by man with mire and dirt. If Paul +and Jesus could read our books of theological +doctrines, would they accept as their teaching +what men have vented in their name? Never, +till the letters of Paul had faded out of his +memory, never, till the words of Jesus had +been torn out from the book of life. It is their +notions about Christianity men have taught +as the only living word of God. They have +piled their own rubbish against the temple of +truth where piety comes up to worship; what +wonder the pile seems unshapely and like to +fall? But these theological doctrines are fleeting +as the leaves on the trees. They—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i24">"Are found<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Now green in youth, now withered on the ground;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Another race the following spring supplies;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They fall successive, and successive rise."<br /></span> +</div></div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span></p> +<p>Like the clouds of the sky, they are here to-day; +to-morrow, all swept off and vanished; +while Christianity itself, like the heaven +above, with its sun, and moon, and uncounted +stars, is always over our head, tho the cloud +sometimes debars us of the needed light. It +must of necessity be the case that our reasonings, +and therefore our theological doctrines, +are imperfect, and so perishing. It is +only gradually that we approach to the true +system of nature by observation and reasoning, +and work out our philosophy and theology +by the toil of the brain. But meantime, if we +are faithful, the great truths of mortality and +religion, the deep sentiment of love to man +and love to God, are perceived intuitively, and +by instinct, as it were, tho our theology be +imperfect and miserable. The theological notions +of Abraham, to take the story as it +stands, were exceedingly gross, yet a greater +than Abraham has told us, "Abraham desired +to see my day, saw it, and was glad." Since +these notions are so fleeting, why need we accept +the commandment of men as the doctrine +of God?</p> + +<p>This transitoriness of doctrines appears in +many instances, of which two may be selected +for a more attentive consideration. First, the +doctrine respecting the origin and authority +of the Old and New Testaments. There has +been a time when men were burned for asserting +doctrines of natural philosophy which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +rested on evidence the most incontestable, because +those doctrines conflicted with sentences +in the Old Testament. Every word of that +Jewish record was regarded as miraculously +inspired, and therefore as infallibly true. It +was believed that the Christian religion itself +rested thereon, and must stand or fall with +the immaculate Hebrew text. He was deemed +no small sinner who found mistakes in the +manuscripts. On the authority of the written +word man was taught to believe impossible +legends, conflicting assertions; to take fiction +for fact, a dream for a miraculous revelation +of God, an Oriental poem for a grave history +of miraculous events, a collection of amatory +idyls for a serious discourse "touching the +mutual love of Christ and the Church"; they +have been taught to accept a picture sketched +by some glowing Eastern imagination, never +intended to be taken for a reality, as a proof +that the infinite God spoke in human words, +appeared in the shape of a cloud, a flaming +bush, or a man who ate, and drank, and vanished +into smoke; that He gave counsels to-day, +and the opposite to-morrow; that He violated +His own laws, was angry, and was only +dissuaded by a mortal man from destroying +at once a whole nation,—millions of men who +rebelled against their leader in a moment of +anguish. Questions in philosophy, questions +in the Christian religion, have been settled by +an appeal to that book. The inspiration of its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +authors has been assumed as infallible. Every +fact in the early Jewish history has been +taken as a type of some analogous fact in +Christian history. The most distant events, +even such as are still in the arms of time, were +supposed to be clearly foreseen and foretold +by pious Hebrews several centuries before +Christ. It has been assumed at the outset, +with no shadow of evidence, that those writers +held a miraculous communication with God, +such as He has granted to no other man. What +was originally a presumption of bigoted Jews +became an article of faith, which Christians +were burned for not believing. This has been +for centuries the general opinion of the Christian +Church, both Catholic and Protestant, +tho the former never accepted the Bible as +the only source of religious truth. It has been +so. Still worse, it is now the general opinion +of religious sects at this day. Hence the attempt, +which always fails, to reconcile the philosophy +of our times with the poems in Genesis +writ a thousand years before Christ. Hence +the attempt to conceal the contradictions in +the record itself. Matters have come to such +a pass that even now he is deemed an infidel, +if not by implication an atheist, whose reverence +for the Most High forbids him to believe +that God commanded Abraham to sacrifice +his son,—a thought at which the flesh creeps +with horror; to believe it solely on the authority +of an Oriental story, written down nobody<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> +knows when or by whom, or for what +purpose; which may be a poem, but can not be +the record of a fact, unless God is the author +of confusion and a lie.</p> + +<p>Now, this idolatry of the Old Testament +has not always existed. Jesus says that none +born of a woman is greater than John the +Baptist, yet the least in the kingdom of heaven +is greater than John. Paul tells us the law—the +very crown of the old Hebrew revelation—is +a shadow of good things which have +now come; only a schoolmaster to bring us to +Christ; and when faith has come, that we are +no longer under the schoolmaster; that it was +a law of sin and death, from which we are +made free by the law of the spirit of life. +Christian teachers themselves have differed +so widely in their notion of the doctrines and +meaning of those books that it makes one weep +to think of the follies deduced therefrom. +But modern criticism is fast breaking to pieces +this idol which men have made out of the +Scriptures. It has shown that here are the +most different works thrown together; that +their authors, wise as they sometimes were, +pious as we feel often their spirit to have been, +had only that inspiration which is common to +other men equally pious and wise; that they +were by no means infallible, but were mistaken +in facts or in reasoning,—uttered predictions +which time has not fulfilled; men +who in some measure partook of the darkness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> +and limited notions of their age, and were not +always above its mistakes or its corruptions.</p> + +<p>The history of opinions on the New Testament +is quite similar. It has been assumed +at the outset, it would seem with no sufficient +reason, without the smallest pretense on its +writers' part, that all of its authors were infallibly +and miraculously inspired, so that +they could commit no error of doctrine or fact. +Men have been bid to close their eyes at the +obvious difference between Luke and John, +the serious disagreement between Paul and +Peter; to believe, on the smallest evidence, accounts +which shock the moral sense and revolt +the reason, and tend to place Jesus in the same +series with the Hercules and Appollonius of +Tyana; accounts which Paul in the Epistles +never mentions, tho he also had a vein of +the miraculous running quite through him. +Men have been told that all these things must +be taken as part of Christianity, and if they +accepted the religion, they must take all these +accessories along with it; that the living spirit +could not be had without the killing letter. +All the books which caprice or accident had +brought together between the lids of the Bible +were declared to be the infallible Word of +God, the only certain rule of religious faith +and practise. Thus the Bible was made not a +single channel, but the only certain rule of +religious faith and practise. To disbelieve +any of its statements, or even the common interpretation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> +put upon those statements by +the particular age or church in which the man +belonged, was held to be infidelity, if not +atheism. In the name of Him who forbids us +to judge our brother, good men and pious +men have applied these terms to others, good +and pious as themselves. That state of things +has by no means passed away. Men who cry +down the absurdities of paganism in the worst +spirit of the French "free thinkers" call +others infidels and atheists, who point out, +tho reverently, other absurdities which men +have piled upon Christianity. So the world +goes. An idolatrous regard for the imperfect +scripture of God's word is the apple of +Atalanta, which defeats theologians running +for the hand of divine truth.</p> + +<p>But the current notions respecting the infallible +inspiration of the Bible have no foundation +in the Bible itself. Which evangelist, +which apostle of the New Testament, what +prophet or psalmist of the Old Testament, ever +claims infallible authority for himself or for +others? Which of them does not in his own +writings show that he was finite, and, with all +his zeal and piety, possest but a limited inspiration, +the bound whereof we can sometimes +discover? Did Christ ever demand that +men should assent to the doctrines of the Old +Testament, credit its stories, and take its +poems for histories, and believe equally two +accounts that contradict one another? Has<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> +He ever told you that all the truths of His +religion, all the beauty of a Christian life +should be contained in the writings of those +men who, even after His resurrection, expected +Him to be a Jewish king; of men who +were sometimes at variance with one another, +and misunderstood His divine teachings? +Would not those modest writers themselves +be confounded at the idolatry we pay them? +Opinions may change on these points, as they +have often changed—changed greatly and for +the worse since the days of Paul. They are +changing now, and we may hope for the better; +for God makes man's folly as well his +wrath to praise Him, and continually brings +good out of evil.</p> + +<p>Another instance of the transitoriness of +doctrines taught as Christian is found in those +which relate to the nature and authority of +Christ. One ancient party has told us that +He is the infinite God; another, that He is +both God and man; a third, that He was a +man, the son of Joseph and Mary, born as we +are; tempted like ourselves; inspired as we +may be, if we will pay the price. Each of the +former parties believed its doctrine on this +head was infallibly true, and formed the very +substance of Christianity, and was one of the +essential conditions of salvation, tho scarce +any two distinguished teachers, of ancient or +modern times, agree in their expression of +this truth.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span></p> + +<p>Almost every sect that has ever been, makes +Christianity rest on the personal authority of +Jesus, and not the immutable truth of the doctrines +themselves, or the authority of God, +who sent Him into the world. Yet it seems +difficult to conceive any reason why moral and +religious truths should rest for their support +on the personal authority of their revealer, +any more than the truths of science on that +of him who makes them known first or most +clearly. It is hard to see why the great truths +of Christianity rest on the personal authority +of Jesus, more than the axioms of geometry +rest on the personal authority of Euclid or +Archimedes. The authority of Jesus as of +all teachers, one would naturally think, must +rest on the truth of His words, and not their +truth on His authority.</p> + +<p>Opinions respecting the nature of Christ +seem to be constantly changing. In the three +first centuries after Christ, it appears, great +latitude of speculation prevailed. Some said +He was God, with nothing of human nature, +His body only an illusion; others that He was +man, with nothing of the divine nature, His +miraculous birth having no foundation in fact. +In a few centuries it was decreed by councils +that He was God, thus honoring the divine element; +next, that He was man also, thus admitting +the human side. For some ages the +Catholic Church seems to have dwelt chiefly +on the divine nature that was in Him, leaving<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> +the human element to mystics and other heretical +persons, whose bodies served to flesh the +swords of orthodox believers. The stream of +Christianity has come to us in two channels,—one +within the Church, the other without the +Church,—and it is not hazarding too much to +say that since the fourth century the true +Christian life has been out of the established +Church, and not in it, but rather in the ranks +of dissenters. From the Reformation till the +latter part of the last century, we are told, +the Protestant Church dwelt chiefly on the +human side of Christ, and since that time +many works have been written to show how +the two—perfect Deity and perfect manhood—were +united in His character. But, all this +time, scarce any two eminent teachers agree +on these points, however orthodox they may +be called. What a difference between the +Christ of John Gerson and John Calvin,—yet +were both accepted teachers and pious +men. What a difference between the Christ +of the Unitarians and the Methodists,—yet +may men of both sects be true Christians +and acceptable with God. What a difference +between the Christ of Matthew and John,—yet +both were disciples, and their influence +is wide as Christendom and deep as the heart +of man. But on this there is not time to enlarge.</p> + +<p>Now, it seems clear that the notions men +form about the origin and nature of the Scriptures,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> +respecting the nature and authority of +Christ, have nothing to do with Christianity +except as its aids or its adversaries; they are +not the foundation of its truths. These are +theological questions, not religious questions. +Their connection with Christianity appears +accidental; for if Jesus had taught at Athens, +and not at Jerusalem; if He had wrought no +miracle, and none but the human nature had +ever been ascribed to them; if the Old Testament +had forever perished at His birth,—Christianity +would still have been the word +of God; it would have lost none of its truths. +It would be just as true, just as beautiful, just +as lasting, as now it is; tho we should have +lost so many a blessed word, and the work of +Christianity itself would have been, perhaps, +a long time retarded.</p> + +<p>To judge the future by the past, the former +authority of the Old Testament can never return. +Its present authority can not stand. It +must be taken for what it is worth. The occasional +folly and impiety of its authors must +pass for no more than their value; while the +religion, the wisdom, the love, which make +fragrant its leaves, will still speak to the best +hearts as hitherto, and in accents even more +divine when reason is allowed her rights. The +ancient belief in the infallible inspiration of +each sentence of the New Testament is fast +changing, very fast. One writer, not a skeptic, +but a Christian of unquestioned piety, sweeps<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> +off the beginning of Matthew; another, of a +different church and equally religious, the end +of John. Numerous critics strike off several +epistles. The Apocalypse itself is not spared, +notwithstanding its concluding curse. Who +shall tell us the work of retrenchment is to +stop here; that others will not demonstrate +what some pious hearts have long felt, that +errors of doctrine and errors of fact may be +found in many parts of the record, here and +there, from the beginning of Matthew to the +end of Acts? We see how opinions have +changed ever since the apostles' time; and +who shall assure us that they were not sometimes +mistaken in historical as well as doctrinal +matters; did not sometimes confound +the actual with the imaginary; and that the +fancy of these pious writers never stood in +the place of their recollection?</p> + +<p>But what if this should take place? Is +Christianity then to perish out of the heart +of the nations, and vanish from the memory +of the world, like the religions that were before +Abraham? It must be so, if it rest on a +foundation which a scoffer may shake, and a +score of pious critics shake down. But this +is the foundation of a theology, not of Christianity. +That does not rest on the decision +of councils. It is not to stand or fall with +the infallible inspiration of a few Jewish fishermen, +who have writ their names in characters +of light all over the world. It does not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> +continue to stand through the forbearance of +some critic, who can cut when he will the +thread on which its life depends. Christianity +does not rest on the infallible authority of the +New Testament. It depends on this collection +of books for the historical statement of its +facts. In this we do not require infallible +inspiration on the part of the writers, more +than in the record of other historical facts. +To me it seems as presumptuous, on the one +hand, for the believer to claim this evidence +for the truth of Christianity, as it is absurd, +on the other hand, for the skeptic to demand +such evidence to support these historical statements. +I can not see that it depends on the +personal authority of Jesus. He was the organ +through which the Infinite spoke. It is +God that was manifested in the flesh by Him, +on whom rests the truth which Jesus brought +to light, and made clear and beautiful in His +life; and if Christianity be true, it seems useless +to look for any other authority to uphold +it, as for some one to support Almighty God. +So if it could be proved—as it can not—in opposition +to the greatest amount of historical +evidence ever collected on any similar point, +that the Gospels were the fabrication of designing +and artful men, that Jesus of Nazareth +had never lived, still Christianity would stand +firm, and fear no evil. None of the doctrines +of that religion would fall to the ground; for, +if true, they stand by themselves. But we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> +should lose—oh, irreparable loss!—the example +of that character, so beautiful, so divine, +that no human genius could have conceived +it, as none, after all the progress and +refinement of eighteen centuries, seems fully +to have comprehended its lustrous life. If +Christianity were true, we should still think +it was so, not because its record was written +by infallible pens, nor because it was lived +out by an infallible teacher; but that it is +true, like the axioms of geometry, because it +is true and is to be tried, by the oracle God +places in the breast. If it rest on the personal +authority of Jesus alone, then there is no certainty +of its truth if He were ever mistaken +in the smallest matter,—as some Christians +have thought He was in predicting His second +coming.</p> + +<p>These doctrines respecting the Scriptures +have often changed, and are but fleeting. Yet +men lay much stress on them. Some cling to +these notions as if they were Christianity itself. +It is about these and similar points that +theological battles are fought from age to age. +Men sometimes use worst the choicest treasure +which God bestows. This is especially true of +the use men make of the Bible. Some men have +regarded it as the heathen their idol, or the +savage his fetish. They have subordinated +reason, conscience, and religion to this. Thus +have they lost half the treasure it bears in its +bosom. No doubt the time will come when its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> +true character shall be felt. Then it will be +seen that, amid all the contradictions of the +Old Testament,—its legends, so beautiful as +fictions, so appalling as facts; amid its predictions +that have never been fulfilled; amid the +puerile conceptions of God which sometimes +occur, and the cruel denunciations that disfigure +both psalm and prophecy,—there is a +reverence for man's nature, a sublime trust +in God, and a depth of piety, rarely felt in +these cold northern hearts of ours. Then the +devotion of its authors, the loftiness of their +aim, and the majesty of their life, will appear +doubly fair, and prophet and psalmist will +warm our hearts as never before. Their voice +will cheer the young, and sanctify the gray-headed; +will charm us in the toil of life, and +sweeten the cup death gives us when he comes +to shake off this mantle of flesh. Then will it +be seen that the words of Jesus are the music +of heaven sung in an earthly voice, and that +the echo of these words in John and Paul owe +their efficacy to their truth and their depth, +and to no accidental matter connected therewith. +Then can the Word, which was in the +beginning and now is, find access to the innermost +heart of man, and speak there as now it +seldom speaks. Then shall the Bible—which +is a whole library of the deepest and most earnest +thoughts and feelings, and piety, and +love, ever recorded in human speech—be read +oftener than ever before,—not with superstition,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> +but with reason, conscience, and faith, +fully active. Then shall it sustain men bowed +down with many sorrows; rebuke sin, encourage +virtue, sow the world broadcast and quick +with the seed of love, that man may reap a +harvest for life everlasting.</p> + +<p>With all the obstacles men have thrown in +its path, how much has the Bible done for +mankind! No abuse has deprived us of all its +blessings. You trace its path across the world +from the day of Pentecost to this day. As a +river springs up in the heart of a sandy continent, +having its father in the skies, and its +birthplace in distant unknown mountains; as +the stream rolls on, enlarging itself, making in +that arid waste a belt of verdure wherever it +turns its way; creating palm groves and fertile +plains, where the smoke of the cottager +curls up at eventide, and marble cities send +the gleam of their splendor far into the sky,—such +has been the course of the Bible on the +earth. Despite of idolaters bowing to the dust +before it, it has made a deeper mark on the +world than the rich and beautiful literature +of all the heathen. The first book of the Old +Testament tells man he is made in the image +of God; the first of the New Testament gives +us the motto, Be perfect as your Father in +heaven. Higher words were never spoken. +How the truths of the Bible have blest us! +There is not a boy on all the hills of New England; +not a girl born in the filthiest cellar<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> +which disgraces a capital in Europe, and cries +to God against the barbarism of modern civilization; +not a boy nor a girl all Christendom +through, but their lot is made better by that +great book.</p> + +<p>Doubtless the time will come when men shall +see Christ also as He is. Well might He still +say, "Have I been so long with you, and yet +hast thou not known me?" No! we have made +Him an idol, have bowed the knee before Him, +saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" called Him +"Lord, Lord!" but done not the things which +He said. The history of the Christian world +might well be summed up in one word of the +evangelist—"and there they crucified him"; +for there has never been an age when the men +did not crucify the Son of God afresh. But +if error prevail for a time and grow old in the +world, truth will triumph at the last, and then +we shall see the Son of God as He is. Lifted +up, He shall draw all nations unto Him. Then +will men understand the word of Jesus, which +shall not pass away. Then shall we see and +love the divine life that He lived. How vast +has His influence been! How His spirit +wrought in the hearts of His disciples, rude, +selfish, bigoted, as at first they were! How +it has wrought in the world! His words judge +the nations. The wisest son of man has not +measured their height. They speak to what +is deepest in profound men, what is holiest in +good men, what is divinest in religious men.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> +They kindle anew the flame of devotion in +hearts long cold. They are spirit and life. +His truth was not derived from Moses and +Solomon; but the light of God shone through +Him, not colored, not bent aside. His life is +the perpetual rebuke of all time since. It +condemns ancient civilization; it condemns +modern civilization. Wise men we have since +had, and good men; but this Galilean youth +strode before the whole world thousands of +years, so much of divinity was in Him. His +words solve the question of this present age. +In Him the Godlike and the human met and +embraced, and a divine life was born. Measure +Him by the world's greatest sons—how +poor they are! Try Him by the best of men—how +little and low they appear! Exalt Him +as much as we may, we shall yet perhaps come +short of the mark. But still was He not our +brother; the son of man, as we are; the son +of God, like ourselves? His excellence—was +it not human excellence? His wisdom, love, +piety,—sweet and celestial as they were,—are +they not what we also may attain? In Him, +as in a mirror, we may see the image of God, +and go on from glory to glory, till we are +changed into the same image, led by the spirit +which enlightens the humble. Viewed in this +way, how beautiful is the life of Jesus! +Heaven has come down to earth, or rather, +earth has become heaven. The Son of God, +come of age, has taken possession of His birthright.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> +The brightest revelation is this of what +is possible for all men,—if not now, at least +hereafter. How pure is His spirit, and how +encouraging its words! "Lowly sufferer," he +seems to say, "see how I bore the cross. +Patient laborer, be strong; see how I toiled +for the unthankful and the merciless. Mistaken +sinner, see of what thou art capable. +Rise up, and be blest."</p> + +<p>But if, as some early Christians began to +do, you take a heathen view, and make Him +a God, the Son of God in a peculiar and exclusive +sense, much of the significance of His +character is gone. His virtue has no merit, +His love no feeling, His cross no burthen, His +agony no pain. His death is an illusion, His +resurrection but a show. For if He were not +a man, but a god, what are all these things? +What His words, His life, His excellence of +achievement? It is all nothing, weighed +against the illimitable greatness of Him who +created the worlds and fills up all time and +space! Then His resignation is no lesson, His +life no model, His death no triumph to you +or me, who are not gods, but mortal men, that +know not what a day shall bring forth, and +walk by faith "dim sounding on our perilous +way." Alas! we have despaired of man, and +so cut off his brightest hope.</p> + +<p>In respect of doctrines as well as forms, we +see all is transitory. "Everywhere is instability +and insecurity." Opinions have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> +changed most on points deemed most vital. +Could we bring up a Christian teacher of any +age, from the sixth to the fourteenth century, +for example, tho a teacher of undoubted +soundness of faith, whose word filled the +churches of Christendom, clergymen would +scarce allow him to kneel at their altar, or sit +down with them at the Lord's table. His notions +of Christianity could not be exprest in +our forms, nor could our notions be made intelligible +to his ears. The questions of his age, +those on which Christianity was thought to depend,—questions +which perplexed and divided +the subtle doctors,—are no questions to us. +The quarrels which then drove wise men mad +now only excite a smile or a tear, as we are +disposed to laugh or weep at the frailty of +man. We have other straws of our own to +quarrel for. Their ancient books of devotion +do not speak to us; their theology is a vain +word. To look back but a short period,—the +theological speculations of our fathers during +the last two centuries, their "practical divinity," +even the sermons written by genius and +piety are, with rare exceptions, found unreadable; +such a change is there in the doctrines.</p> + +<p>Now who shall tell us that the change is to +stop here; that this sect or that, or even all +sects united, have exhausted the river of life, +and received it all in their canonized urns, so +that we need draw no more out of the eternal +well, but get refreshment nearer at hand?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> +Who shall tell us that another age will not +smile at our doctrines, disputes, and unchristian +quarrels about Christianity, and make +wide the mouth at men who walked brave in +orthodox raiment, delighting to blacken the +names of heretics, and repeat again the old +charge, "He hath blasphemed"? Who shall +tell us they will not weep at the folly of all +such as fancied truth shone only into the contracted +nook of their school, or sect, or coterie? +Men of other times may look down equally on +the heresy-hunters, and men hunted for heresy, +and wonder at both. The men of all ages +before us were quite as confident as we, that +their opinion was truth, that their notion was +Christianity and the whole thereof. The men +who lit the fires of persecution, from the first +martyr to Christian bigotry down to the last +murder of the innocents, had no doubt their +opinion was divine. The contest about transubstantiation +and the immaculate purity of +the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Scriptures +was waged with bitterness unequaled in these +days. The Protestant smiles at one, the Catholic +at the other, and men of sense wonder at +both. It might teach us all a lesson, at least +of forbearance. No doubt an age will come +in which ours shall be reckoned a period of +darkness, like the sixth century,—when men +groped for the wall, but stumbled and fell, because +they trusted a transient notion, not an +eternal truth; an age when temples were full<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> +of idols, set up by human folly; an age in +which Christian light had scarce begun to +shine into men's hearts. But while this change +goes on, while one generation of opinions +passes away, and another rises up, Christianity +itself, that pure religion, which exists +eternal in the constitution of the soul and the +mind of God, is always the same. The Word +that was before Abraham, in the very beginning, +will not change, for that Word is truth. +From this Jesus subtracted nothing; to this +He added nothing. But He came to reveal it +as the secret of God, that cunning men could +not understand, but which filled the souls of +men meek and lowly of heart. This truth we +owe to God; the revelation thereof to Jesus, +our elder brother, God's chosen son.</p> + +<p>To turn away from the disputes of the Catholics +and the Protestants, of the Unitarian and +the Trinitarian, of old school and new school, +and come to the plain words of Jesus of Nazareth,—Christianity +is a simple thing, very +simple. It is absolute, pure morality; absolute, +pure religion,—the love of man; the love +of God acting without let or hindrance. The +only creed it lays down is the great truth +which springs up spontaneous in the holy +heart,—there is a God. Its watchword is, Be +perfect as your Father in heaven. The only +form it demands is a divine life,—doing the +best thing in the best way, from the highest +motives; perfect obedience to the great law<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> +of God. Its sanction is the voice of God in +your heart; the perpetual presence of Him +who made us and the stars over our head; +Christ and the Father abiding within us. All +this is very simple—a little child can understand +it; very beautiful—the loftiest mind +can find nothing so lovely. Try it by reason, +conscience, and faith,—things highest in +man's nature,—we see no redundance, we feel +no deficiency. Examine the particular duties +it enjoins,—humility, reverence, sobriety, +gentleness, charity, forgiveness, fortitude, resignation, +faith, and active love; try the whole +extent of Christianity, so well summed up in +the command, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy +God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, +and with all thy mind; thou shalt love thy +neighbor as thyself"; and is there anything +therein that can perish? No, the very opponents +of Christianity have rarely found fault +with the teachings of Jesus. The end of +Christianity seems to be to make all men one +with God as Christ was one with Him; to +bring them to such a state of obedience and +goodness that we shall think divine thoughts +and feel divine sentiments, and so keep the +law of God by living a life of truth and love. +Its means are purity and prayer; getting +strength from God, and using it for our fellow-men +as well as ourselves. It allows perfect +freedom. It does not demand all men to +think alike, but to think uprightly, and get<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> +as near as possible at truth; not all men to +live alike, but to live holy, and get as near +as possible to a life perfectly divine. Christ +set up no Pillars of Hercules, beyond which +men must not sail the sea in quest of truth. +He says, "I have many things to say unto +you, but ye cannot bear them now.... Greater +works than these shall ye do." Christianity +lays no rude hand on the sacred peculiarity +of individual genius and character. +But there is no Christian sect which does not +fetter a man. It would make all men think +alike, or smother their conviction in silence. +Were all men Quakers or Catholics, Unitarians +or Baptists, there would be much less +diversity of thought, character, and life, less +of truth active in the world, than now. But +Christianity gives us the largest liberty of +the sons of God; and were all men Christians +after the fashion of Jesus, this variety would +be a thousand times greater than now; for +Christianity is not a system of doctrines, but +rather a method of attaining oneness with +God. It demands, therefore, a good life of +piety within, of purity without, and gives the +promise that whoso does God's will shall know +of God's doctrine.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MACLEOD</h2> + +<h3>THE TRUE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Norman Macleod</span>, the eminent Scotch +preacher, was born at Campbeltown, in +Argyleshire, in 1812. In his preaching he +departed from the rigid conventionality +of the Scottish Church. His large vision +and broad culture gave unusual distinction +both to his writings and to his pulpit +oratory. He was conspicuous for philanthropic +efforts, and frequently held evening +services for workingmen. He distinguished +himself by his popular Christian +writing and by his pulpit oratory. He +was practical and manly, of godly nature, +with extreme adaptability, and greatly +esteemed by Queen Victoria, who made +him her chaplain in 1857. He died in +1872.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MACLEOD</h2> + +<h3>1812-1872</h3> + +<h4>THE TRUE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></h4> + +<p><em>Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also +which shall believe on me through their word;</em></p> + +<p><em>That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in +me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; +that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.</em>—John +xvii., 20, 21.</p> + +<p>"These words spake Jesus, and lifted +up his eyes to heaven, and said, +Father, the hour is come!" The +hour was indeed come for which the whole +world had been in travail since creation, and +which was for ever to mark a new era in the +history of the universe. The hour was come +when, having finished the work given Him to +do, He was to return to His Father, but only +after ending His earthly journey along the +awful path on which He was now entering, +and which led through Gethsemane, the cross, +and the grave. At such a moment in His life +He lifted up His eyes in perfect peace, from +the sinful and sorrowful world, to the heavens +glorious in their harmony and soothing in +their silence, and said, "Father!" One feels +a solemn awe, as if entering the holy of holies,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> +in seeking to enter into the mind of +Christ as exprest in this prayer. Never +were such words spoken on earth, never were +such words heard in heaven. I ask no other +evidence to satisfy my spirit that they are +the truth of God than the evidence of their +own light, revealing as it does the speaker +as being Himself light and life, who verily +came from God and went to God.</p> + +<p>But let me in all reverence endeavor to express +a few thoughts, as to the general meaning +of this prayer, with reference more +especially to that portion of it which I have +selected as the subject of my discourse.</p> + +<p>The one all-absorbing desire of our Lord, +as here exprest—the ultimate end sought to +be realized by Him—is that God might be +glorified as a Father, and that by the world +seeing His love revealed in sending His Son +into the world to save sinners. "God is love," +but "In this was manifested the love of God +toward us, because that God sent his only-begotten +Son into the world that we might live +through him"—a love which, when spiritually +seen and possest by us, is itself life +eternal; for "This is life eternal that they +might know thee, the only true God, and +Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent;" but "He +that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is +love."</p> + +<p>All "religion" accordingly, all good, all +righteousness, peace, joy, glory, to man and to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> +the universe, are bound up in this one thing, +knowing God as a Father. Out of this right +condition of love to God, must necessarily +come our right condition towards man, that of +love to man as a brother with special love, +the love of character, to Christian brethren. +Such a religion as this was never possest +as an idea even by the greatest thinkers among +the civilized heathen nations; far less was it +realized by any. Whatever knowledge many +had about God, they knew Him not as a +Father to be loved and trusted, and therefore +obeyed. When St. Paul addrest the Athenians, +he could find such a thought exprest +by a poet only, who had said, "We are also +His offspring." It is only in the line of supernatural +revelation of God to man, as given to +and received by Abraham, "the friend," and +perfected by Christ the Son, that this knowledge +of God has been possest by man. But +even among those to whom this true revelation +was given about God, how few truly knew +Him!</p> + +<p>The want of this religion, whatever else +might exist that was called by that name, was +the complaint made by God against His people +of old, "They do not know me!" "They proceed +from evil to evil," He cries, for "they +know not me, saith the Lord." "Through +deceit they refuse to know me, saith the +Lord;" and again: "Thus saith the Lord, +Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> +neither let the mighty man glory in his might, +let not the rich man glory in his riches; but +let him that glorieth glory in this, that he +understandeth and knoweth me, that I am +the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, +and righteousness, in the earth: for in +these things I delight, saith the Lord." (Jer. +ix., 23, 24.)</p> + +<p>This was the sorrowing cry of Christ, "O +righteous Father, the world hath not known +thee!" This was His joy, "I have known +thee, and these have known that thou hast +sent me!"</p> + +<p>But if Christ desired that His Father's +name should be glorified, how was this to be +accomplished? By what medium, or means? +Now I would here observe that God's method +of revealing Himself to man has ever been to +do so by living men; and the Bible is a true +record of such revelations in the past. Christianity +is not the philosophy of life, but life +itself; and is a revelation, not of abstract +truth, but of the living personal God to living +persons as His children, whom He hath created +to glorify and enjoy Him for ever. The +first grand medium of this revelation is the +eternal Son of God. The very essence of +God's character being love, He did not exist +from all eternity with a mere capacity of +loving, but without an object to love; like an +eye capable of seeing light, but with no light +to see. The object of His love was His Son,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> +who from all eternity responded to that love +and rejoiced in His Father. This eternal +Son, when manifested in the flesh, revealed +His Father directly, so that He could say, in +all He was, and in all He did, and, in a true +sense, in all He suffered, "He that hath seen +me, hath seen the Father;" and men could +say of Him, "We beheld His glory, the glory +as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of +grace and truth;" "The glory of God" was +"in the face of Jesus Christ." Again, He had +also, as the Son of Man, glorified His Father; +and, by His reverence for, confidence in, and +obedience to, Him, and by His joy in Him, +had indirectly revealed what he knew God to +be to Him and to all as a Father. "I have +glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished +the work which Thou gavest me to do." Such +was His finished work. But something more +was yet to be accomplished. Ere He descends +to Gethsemane, He desires anew to have the +joy of revealing a Father's heart by revealing +to the world His own heart of love as a Son +to that Father. Hence His prayer, "Glorify +thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify +thee." He does not prescribe the new +circumstances in which His long-tried and +perfect filial confidence and love as a Son +were to be manifested. With the absolute +consecration of true sonship He leaves these +circumstances to be determined by His Father. +Now, as on the cross, He commits His spirit,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> +as a little child, into His Father's hands. He +desires only that in any way, by any means, +He may have the joy of showing forth the +reality, the endurance, and the triumph of +His Sonship. His Father may fill His cup +according to His own will, the Son will drink +it. The Father may permit a crown of thorns +to be placed on His brow, and every conceivable +horror of great darkness from the hate +of men and devils to be cast over Him like a +funeral-pall; He may be rejected by all His +brethren and by the Church and by the State—"Amen!" +He cries. Let His body be +broken and His blood shed, He will give +thanks! One thing only He prays for, +"Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may +glorify thee!" As a further end to be accomplished, +He prays that He may have the +joy of making others share the same divine +love and joy, and therefore adds, "As thou +hast given him power over all flesh, that he +should give eternal life to as many as thou +hast given him. And this is life eternal, that +they might know thee, the only true God, and +Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."</p> + +<p>But while He as the Son was to be the first +revealer of God the Father, He was not, therefore, +to be the only revealer. He was the firstborn +of many brethren in whom the same love +was to be reproduced, and by whom the same +high duty was to be performed. If the light of +the glory of God shone directly in the face<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> +of Jesus Christ, that light was to be transmitted +to those who were to shine as lights +in the world, that others seeing them might +glorify the same God. For now, as ever, God +in a real sense manifests Himself in the flesh. +Hence our Lord's desire that His brethren +should, as sons, reveal the Father, like Himself +the Son. He says accordingly, "As thou +hast sent me into the world, even so have I +also sent them into the world." Sent whom? +Not apostles only, but those also who should +believe through their word; not ministers of +the Church only, but members also; all, in +short, who were qualified to convince the +world that God was a Father, by convincing it +of this truth, that God had sent His Son to +save sinners—the "faithful saying, worthy of +all acceptation."</p> + +<p>But the question is further suggested, What +is this qualification? What is this which men +must possess in order to accomplish Christ's +purpose of inducing the world to believe? +What is this evidence of Christianity which +they are to present to the eyes of unbelieving +men, by seeing which these are to know and +glorify God as their Father in Christ? We reply, +it is the oneness of those who are to be ambassadors +from God and fellow-workers with +Christ. "I pray for them," He says, and not +for them only, but "for them also who shall +believe on me through their word; that they +all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> +and I in thee, that they may be one in us; +that the world may believe that thou hast +sent me."</p> + +<p>Now this leads me to consider more particularly +the nature of this oneness which is +essential for such a successful mission as will +convince the world of the truth of Christ's +mission from the Father. What is meant by +this oneness, or this union?</p> + +<p>We are guided in our inquiry by three +features which characterize it. First, It is a +oneness such as subsists between Christ and +God; secondly, It is a oneness which can be +seen or appreciated; thirdly, It is a oneness +which is calculated from its nature to convince +the world of the truth of Christ's mission.</p> + +<p>Now there are many kinds of union among +men, which, however wonderful or excellent, +may be set aside as obviously not fulfilling +these conditions, and not such, therefore, as +Christ prayed for. There is, e. g., the unity +of an army which marches as one man, implicitly +obeying its commander even unto +death and without a question. Yet, however +grand this is, and however illustrative of the +character of good soldiers of Jesus Christ, it +does not fulfil the conditions specified. Nor +does the wonderful unity of a State, which +makes and imposes laws, proclaims war or +peace, administers justice, and executes its +judgments. In neither case is there any union<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> +such as subsists betwixt God and Christ; nor +such as is in any sense adapted to convince +the world that God has sent His Son to save +sinners. The same may be alleged of any outward +and visible unity of a body of men which +might be called a Church. Its organization +might be as wonderful, and its members as +disciplined, and its power as remarkable, as +those of an army; it might be held together +like a state by its laws and its enactments, +its rewards and punishments, and might energetically +advance until it possest the dominion +of the world, and attracted such attention +as that all men might marvel at it; its members +might assent to all the details of a creed +however large; the same rights and ceremonies +and modes of worship might be repeated +throughout all its parts; and it might be able +to continue its organized existence from age +to age,—yet it would by no means follow that +any such system, however remarkable, possest +that inward spiritual unity desired in +Christ's prayer, no more than the compact +unity of Brahminism does, nor the still more +extraordinary unity of Buddhism, with its +temples, its priesthood, its creed, its rites and +ceremonies, continuing unchanged during +teeming centuries, and dominating over hundreds +of millions of the human race. May +not all these and many similar unities be +fully and satisfactorily accounted for by +principles in human nature, altogether irrespective<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> +of the fact of a supernatural power +having come into the world to which their +origin or continuance is owing? For there is +a oneness in the churchyard as well as in the +church. There might be a oneness of assent +amongst a deaf multitude with regard to +the beauty of music, because determined by +the fiat of authority, but not as the result +of hearing and of taste; and the same kind +of oneness of judgment as to the beauty of +pictures, on the part of those who were blind. +Unity alone proves nothing, apart from its +nature and its origin.</p> + +<p>There is but one kind of unity or oneness +which fulfils the specified conditions, and that +is, oneness of character or of spiritual life—in +one word, the oneness of love;—for this is +the highest condition of a personal spirit. +It is such love as God had and has to Christ; +"That the love wherewith thou has loved +me may be in them;" such love as the Son +has to the Father, and such as He manifested +to His disciples that very evening when, +conscious of His divine glory, and "knowing +that he was come from God, and went to +God," He girded Himself with a towel and +washed His disciples' feet. Hence the declaration, +"The glory," that is, of character, +"which thou gavest me I have given them, +that they," through its possession, "may be +one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou +in me." Hence again His saying, "They are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> +not of the world, even as I am not of the +world;" and His prayer, "I pray not that +thou shouldst take them out of the world, +but that thou shouldst keep them from the +evil." Such love as this, when in the soul +of ordinary men, does not originate in their +own hearts, however naturally benevolent +or affectionate these may be. Our Lord +in this prayer recognizes it as inseparable +from faith in His own teaching, and from +personal conviction of the truth which they +themselves were to preach; for they had +received His words, and had "known surely +that I came out from thee, and they have +believed that thou didst send me"; and so +He prays, "Sanctify them through thy truth; +thy word is truth."</p> + +<p>Now, if we would divide, as with a prism, +this pure light of love, we might discern it as +being composed, as it were, of at least two +colors, or features—first, love to God, exprest +in the desire that He should be known; +secondly, love to man, exprest in self-sacrifice +that all should share this true love. But these +very features we discern as first existing in +God the Father and in Christ the Son; for +God desires, from the necessity of His own +nature, that He should be known, and that +all His rational creatures should see the glory +of His character, and, in seeing it, should live. +God has also manifested His love, according +to the law of love, by giving and by self-sacrifice,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> +inasmuch as He "spared not his own +Son, but delivered him up for us all." In +like manner, the Son desired that His Father +might be known, and to accomplish this He +became incarnate. He has manifested His +love also in the form of self-sacrifice, in that +His whole life and death were an offering up +of Himself as a sacrifice unto God, and as an +atonement for the sins of the world, in order +that all men might be made partakers of His +own eternal life in God. This, too, is the +"mind" of the Holy Spirit, for He glorifies +the Son, that the Son may glorify the Father, +and glorifies Him in and by His true Church. +Hence, wherever true love exists in man, it +will manifest itself in these two forms; it will +ever desire that God may be known, and will +never "seek its own," but sacrifice itself that +this end may be attained. In such oneness as +this of mind, spirit, character—in one word, +love—there is realized the first condition of +that oneness for which our Lord prayed.</p> + +<p>Secondly, This unity of character fulfils +the second condition in its being such as the +world can in some degree see and appreciate. +Blind as the world is, it can see love in the +form of self-sacrifice at least, seeking its good, +even tho it may not at once see in this a revelation +of such love as has its origin in the love +of God to man. The world's heart can perceive +more things and greater things than can +its intellect. The child of the statesman or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> +man of science may not be able to comprehend +the world-politics of the one or the scientific +discoveries of the other; but it can see and +feel the love revealed in the glance of the eye, +in the smile on the lips, or in the arms that +clasp it to the bosom; and in seeing this, it +sees an infinitely greater thing than the politics +of the one or the scientific discoveries of +the other. It sees, too, in this, tho unconsciously, +the love of the Father's heart which +fills the universe with glory, even as its eye, +when opened to a little light, sees the same +light which illumines a thousand worlds. And +thus can the world see the light of love. Those +who are in prison, in nakedness, or in thirst, +are quite able to see and to appreciate the +love that, for Christ's sake, visits them, clothes +them, and gives them drink. The wretched +lepers in the lazar-house, into which no one +could enter and ever return to the world, +could see and appreciate the love of the +Moravian missionary who visited them, and +who shut the door for ever between him and +all he knew and loved, that he might share +and alleviate the horrors of his wretched +brethren whom he loved more than all. Blind +as the world is, it can see this or nothing; bad +as it is, it can appreciate this goodness or +none.</p> + +<p>Thirdly, Such a character is calculated also +to convince the world that God has sent Christ +to save sinners. Observe again what is our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> +Lord's idea of the mission which was to convert +the world; it is this, that those whom He +sends, even as God had sent Himself, whether +as apostles or as disciples, should give to their +fellow men what they have first received from +their living Head, Jesus Christ. They were to +give "the words" which they received from +Him, and which He had received from God—they +were to give "the truth" which they received +from Him, and which He Himself had +glorified in His life and death, that God had +sent Him to be the Savior of the world. They +were also to manifest that life which they had +received from Him, and which He had received +from God, and which in them was the +necessary result of their faith. Now, it is in +the seeing of this life in those who proclaim +the truth that the truth itself appears worthy +of all acceptation, and that God verily, who +has sent His Son to save sinners, is love. It is +thus, you perceive, that the mission of the +Church, whether of its ministers or its members, +is not only to preach glad tidings, but to +show their reality in their actual results; not +only to preach salvation, but to preach it by +saved men; not only to preach eternal life, but +to preach it by those who possess it; not only +to preach about a Father, but to reveal also +that Father through His regenerated sons, +who themselves know and love Him. Further, +the idea of a Church is that of a society whose +members are united through faith in the same<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> +truth, and are in possession of the same life. +Such a society necessarily springs out of faith +and love, and its members cannot choose but +unite outwardly because united inwardly. +Our Lord assumes its future existence and +provides for its continuance. A Church realizing +Christ's ideal would, therefore, possess, +as its creed this, at least, of believing Christ's +words, and the truth that "God had sent his +Son to be the Savior of the world." For +"every spirit that confesseth not that Christ +hath come in the flesh is not of God." "And +whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son +of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God." +Its initiatory sacrament, that of baptism, does +but express the nature of this society—viz., +that its members are the children of God the +Father through Christ the Son, and by the +indwelling of the Holy Spirit—their character +being a spiritual baptism into the possession of +"God's name," which is "love."</p> + +<p>Another characteristic of it is their possession +of that eternal life which is exprest as +well as maintained by the "communion" in +which its members meet together as brethren, +their bond of union being a common union +with God in Christ and one another, through +the constant partaking of Him, the living +bread; eating His flesh and drinking His blood—that +is, His whole life of self-sacrifice and +love becoming a part of their very being. +Worship in spirit and in truth is also necessarily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> +involved in the idea of such a society; +and I might add, worship, not from a command +merely, but as a necessary result of spiritual +character, becoming in a true sense "infallible" +as to religion; but religion in this +sense,—that of knowing God because of its +members being able to say, "We know that he +dwelleth in us, and we in him, because he hath +given us his Spirit, and we know and testify +that he sent his Son to be the Savior of the +world." Such a Church would likewise, in a +true sense, have an apostolical succession—that +is, a succession of teachers and members +who had the apostolic spirit, or the oneness as +described by our Lord; for it would be able, +from its possessing the Spirit of God, to discern +those who were like-minded, and to select +such as were specially fitted for the work of +the ministry. This is the ideal of the Church.</p> + +<p>But has such a Church been realized? +Has there ever been a visible organized body +of men who carried out this sublime purpose? +Once, indeed, there was. For we perceive, +more or less clearly, all these features in the +early Church when it had received the Spirit +on the day of Pentecost, and when its members +met together and "had all things in common," +and manifested such sonship towards God, and +brotherhood towards each other; and sent +forth everywhere its public minister and its +members also to bring men into the same +blessed unity. But supposing the ideal had no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> +more been realized since that time than God's +ideal as described by Moses had been fully +realized in the Jewish Church;—yet must the +ideal, nevertheless, be ever kept before the +spiritual eye. For we do not produce high art +by keeping a low rather than a high standard +before the artist; neither can we reach to great +things in the Church unless we keep a high +standard before its members. It is unnecessary +here to inquire how it came to pass that +the Church, to such a great extent, lost this +ideal as one visible society, and became so +corrupt as to substitute innumerable vain +appearances of spiritual realities for that +which alone could satisfy a true and righteous +God. But as things now are, the "Church" +is broken up into various "churches" or societies, +striving more or less to realize the +ideal. Each society does so just in proportion +as it is able to carry out our Lord's purpose +as to its ministry being one in faith, believing +Christ's words, in its knowing truly that +He came from God to save sinners, and in +its seeking, from love to God and man, to +make all men know their Father, in the knowledge +of whom is salvation.</p> + +<p>But to confine myself to our own particular +duties, let me remind you, fathers and brethren, +of our high calling as profest ministers +of Christ's Church. The cry of earnest souls, +weary of their many burthens, unsatisfied with +their husks, conscious of being in a distant<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> +land, and finding nothing which men can give +to allay their hungering and thirsting, is this: +"Show us the Father, and it sufficeth us!" +Now supposing an earnest spirit, seeking after +the Father, comes to us as His profest ministers +in order to discover the truth of what +we preach, he might very naturally say, "You +preach to me a Savior who came a long time +ago into the world professing to save sinners, +and you tell me that He is coming again at +some future period to judge the world and to +bestow salvation upon many; but I want to +know whether there is a Savior now; or is it +all empty space between that past and that +future? You tell me about salvation from the +suffering of sin; I ask, 'Is there salvation from +sin itself, without which I feel there can be +no deliverance from suffering'? You tell me +about a medicine that is an infallible cure for +'this ineradicable taint of sin,' and describe +the terrible consequences of the disease to me +if I be not cured, and the blessed results of +joyous spiritual health and peace; but 'Can +you show me any person who has actually been +restored from disease to health by this divine +medicine'? Is all this preaching a mere idle +theory of life? Or if not, where is the life +itself? Art thou thyself saved? If not—'physician, +heal thyself'; for until then thou +canst not cure me." But suppose, further, +that this same person comes into close contact +with the mind of the preacher, and that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> +more he sees and knows it the more he discerns +in the man such thoughts regarding God, +such a knowledge of Him, such a love to Him, +as convince him that here at least is a reality +and not a pretense; suppose that the more +he discerns his whole inner life, the things +which give him pain and joy, the things which +he desires and loves, with his whole feelings +towards his fellow-men—feelings expressed in +a life of action, which, in spite of infirmities +and shortcomings belonging to all human beings, +the questioner cannot but recognize as +a kind of life he never saw before—a life, too, +which commends itself, from what it is, as +being the most real and the most satisfactory +to reason, conscience, and heart: can anything, +I ask, be more calculated to convince him of +the account which its possessor gives him as to +its origin, when he says, "The life I now live +in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of +God, who loved me, and gave himself for +me." "It is a faithful saying, and worthy of +all acceptation, that Christ came into the +world to save sinners, of whom I am the +chief." What then? What else must be the +result of such a vision of true life than the +conviction that God is our Father and that +God is love, because it is evident from observation +as well as from testimony that He hath +sent His Son to save men, not in the past only, +but to save them now—not to save only those +who are called "good," but to save those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> +who are the chief of sinners? If a man truly +believes all this, then does he know God, and +in so doing possesses eternal life. But more +than this, how will his convictions be deepened +if, in searching for others who may have the +same life, and if, tho failing to discover any +one visible body of Christians that show it +forth in the unity of the Spirit and in the +bond of peace, he is yet able to satisfy himself +that there have been, during the last eighteen +centuries, and that there are now, in every +church, in every land, among all races of men, +among those of different temperaments, different +culture, and amidst a variety of all possible +outward circumstances, men with like +passions as himself, who have faith in the +same Lord, and are thereby possest of a +true love of God and of one another—how +will this, I say, deepen in him the conviction +that God is a Father, because a Savior, who +"gave his Son, not that any should perish, +but that all should possess everlasting life?" +Will he not be thus led to "believe the record +that God has given us eternal life, and that +this life is in his Son?" I am persuaded that +a man of the highest intellectual culture and +the greatest learning, earnestly searching +after God and Christ, and the truth of Christianity, +would be more convinced of the love of +the one as manifested in the truth of the other, +by coming into contact with one true soul +which, without perhaps intellectual culture or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> +learning, yet truly loved God and man, than +he would be by all the volumes on the evidence +of Christianity ever written, without such a +spiritual vision of a holy life.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, supposing that no such +evidence of the truth of Christianity could be +discovered in the preacher of Christianity; +nay, if his character contradicted his preaching; +if, while he preached love to God and +man, he manifested neither, but indifference, +to say the least of it, to both; if, while he +preached the necessity and the excellence of +the Christian life, he himself revealed its very +opposite—what effect would this have upon an +earnest spirit, but that Christianity was a +mere ideal system unsuited to the world, a +philosophy of life that might be believed in, +but not a life itself that might be possest?</p> + +<p>This want of personal character, however +imperfect, yet real, may account for the want +of success in the mission of the Church to +convince the world, whether at home or +abroad. We may give religion but not godliness; +the means of grace, as they are called, +but not the grace seen and exprest in the +living man. We would thus hear of Christianity +without seeing it; hear about the +love of God, and the love of Christ as a +Savior, without being convinced even by +those who send missionaries to India, who, +altho they may individually reveal this life, +yet how often are looked upon as mere<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> +official teachers; while the "Christians" +from "Christendom" may, in coming into +contact with the heathen, show by their denial +of Christianity that it is a matter for the +priesthood, not for all men; a book theology, +but not an actual power working in humanity: +and of such persons it may be said that they +have profaned God's great name among the +heathen.</p> + +<p>And this, too, may also account for the +secret of success by many a minister of whom +the world knows nothing: "For greatest +minds are those of whom the noisy world hears +least." They may not be great in the ordinary +sense of the word—great as thinkers, +great as orators, or great in the possession of +any remarkable gifts; but they are nevertheless +great in the kingdom of heaven; great because +little children—great in meekness, in +patience, in humility, in love of God and man, +and who carry this music in their heart, +"through dusky land and wrangling mart." +What is the secret of their power? What but +an eternal reality! the reality of a godly, godlike +life obtained from God, and sustained by +God, and seen in the eye, felt in the hand, +heard in the words—a light of life which +shines beside many a dying bed in many a +home of sorrow, as well as in the pulpit. This +is a kind of life whose biography will be +written with the tears of the grateful orphan +and widow, and of many a saved soul which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> +remembers its possessor as its spiritual father. +Such a ministry as this can no more fail than +the love of God which gives it birth. Let us +thank God, therefore, that such a secret power +as this is within the reach of us all. We may +not be men of talent, and for that we are not +responsible; but we may be good men because +little children towards God, and for that we +are responsible: "I thank thee, heavenly +Father, that thou hast hid these things from +the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto +babes."</p> + +<p>And now, fathers and brethren, such is our +high calling, to proclaim the glad tidings that +God has sent Christ into the world to save +sinners. Our chief authority for doing this +is that we know it to be true; and if so, no one +can deprive us of the high privilege and joy +of proclaiming it. A glorious work is thus +given us to do; we are ambassadors for God, +beseeching men to be reconciled to Him, and +we are fellow-workers with our Lord Himself. +But this involves a great responsibility, corresponding +to the greatness of our calling. For +it is at once a glorious and a tremendous +thought that Christ perils the chief evidence +of the truth of Christianity, not upon what we +say, but more upon what we are; and what we +are is neither more nor less than what God +knows us to be. Our preaching may, nevertheless, +fail in some cases to convince the +world, as it has done before; for the glory of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> +Christ Himself was not seen by Judas. Indeed +the light of life, when it shines, requires +the single eye to see it. But in so far as the +ministry of men, as an instrumentality, can +convince the world, let our ministry be such +as is calculated according to Christ's purpose +to produce this result. Let it consist of those +who can say, "We know whom we have believed." +"We know and believe the love that +God hath to us." "We testify that he sent +his Son to be the Savior of the world."</p> + +<p>But I must bring my sermon to a close.</p> + +<p>Pardon me, my brethren, if I have appeared +to address you in any other spirit than that of +one who would with you confess his sins and +shortcomings, and lament with shame and +sorrow how much time and power have been +lost never to be regained; how many gifts and +noble opportunities have been neglected and +perverted through unbelief and sloth, which +might have been used for our own good and +that of our fellow-men. Verily the day is far +spent with many of us, and the night is near +in which no man can work. Whatever our +hands find to do must be done now or never. +Let us pray that the living Spirit of God, +given to all who seek Him, and whose work +it is to glorify the Son, may take of His things +and show them to our souls, and open our +spiritual eye to see the glory of God in the +face of Christ, so that we may be changed into +the same glory. May we strive to keep the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> +unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, and +be enabled so to preach and so to live that the +world may be convinced, by what it sees and +hears, of the reality of the love of God the +Father in giving us and all men eternal life +through Jesus Christ His Son! May He who +makes us sons of God enable us, as sons, to be +glorified in the perfection and revelation of +our characters, so that with our elder Brother +we may glorify His Father and our Father!</p> + +<p>And now, to Father, Son and Holy Ghost, +one God, be glory, dominion, and praise for +evermore. Amen!</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204"> </a><br /><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MOZLEY</h2> + +<h3>THE REVERSAL OF HUMAN JUDGMENT</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">James B. Mozley</span>, English divine and +philosopher, was born at Gainsborough, +Lincolnshire, in 1813. He was educated +at Oxford, and is particularly known for +his discourses on Baptism and Predestination. +Gladstone appointed him as professor +of divinity at Oxford. His Bampton +Lectures on Miracles (1863) are still +considered of classical authority. Dr. +Brastow, in speaking of his clear and +well-ordered thought, says: "He was intent +upon getting at the heart of all +subjects investigated, and his slowness +in clearing up a subject and his deliberation +and fastidiousness with respect to his +diction embarrassed him. The result was +a mastery of thought and an exactness +and clearness and strength of speech that +are more than an offset for the difficulties +he encountered; and one can hardly fail +to see that this patient, self-poised mental +habit saved him from one-sidedness and +kept the balance of his judgement and +made him the safer guide. We see here +the immense value of thorough mental +training." He died in 1878.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MOZLEY</h2> + +<h3>1813-1878</h3> + +<h4>THE REVERSAL OF HUMAN JUDGMENT<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a></h4> + +<p><em>Many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be +first.</em>—Matthew xix., 30.</p> + + +<p>Perhaps there is hardly any person of reflection +to whom the thought has not +occurred at times, of the final judgment +turning out to be a great subversion of human +estimates of men. Society forms its opinions +of men, and places some on a high pinnacle; +they are favorites with it, religious and moral +favorites. Such judgments are a necessary +and proper part of the present state of things; +they are so, quite independently of the question +whether they are true or not; it is proper +that there should be this sort of expression of +the voice of the day; the world is not nothing, +because it is transient; it must judge and +speak upon such evidence as it has, and is +capable of seeing. Therefore those characters +of men are by all means to be respected by us, +as members of this world; they have their +place, they are a part of the system. But +does the idea strike us of some enormous +subversion of human judgments in the next +world, some vast rectification, to realize which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> +now, even if we could, would not be good for +us? Such an idea would not be without support +from some of those characteristic prophetic +sayings of our Lord, which, like the +slanting strokes of the sun's rays across the +clouds, throw forward a tract of mysterious +light athwart the darkness of the future. Such +is that saying in which a shadow of the +Eternal Judgment seems to come over us—"Many +that are first shall be last; and the last +shall be first." It is impossible to read this +saying without an understanding that it was +intended to throw an element of wholesome +scepticism into the present estimate of human +character, and to check the idolatry of the +human heart which lifts up its favorites with +as much of self-complacency as of enthusiasm, +and in its worship of others flatters itself.</p> + +<p>Indeed, this language of Scripture, which +speaks of the subversion of human judgments +in another world, comes in connection with +another language with which it most remarkably +fits in, language which speaks very decidedly +of a great deception of human judgments +in this world. It is observable that +the gospel prophecy of the earthly future of +Christianity is hardly what we should have +expected it beforehand to be; there is a great +absence of brightness in it; the sky is overcast +with clouds, and birds of evil omen fly to and +fro; there is an agitation of the air, as if dark +elements were at work in it; or it is as if a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> +fog rose up before our eyes, and treacherous +lights were moving to and fro in it, which we +could not trust. Prophecy would fain presage +auspiciously, but as soon as she casts her eye +forward, her note saddens, and the chords +issue in melancholy and sinister cadences +which depress the hearer's mind. And what +is the burden of her strain? It is this. As +soon as ever Christianity is cast into the world +to begin its history, that moment there begins +a great deception. It is a pervading thought +in gospel prophecy—the extraordinary capacity +for deceiving and being deceived that +would arise under the gospel; it is spoken of +as something peculiar in the world. There are +to be false Christs and false prophets, false +signs and wonders; many that will come in +Christ's name, saying, I am Christ, and deceive +many; so that it is the parting admonition +of Christ to His disciples—"Take heed, +lest any man deceive you"—as if that would +be the greater danger. And this great quantity +of deception was to culminate in that one +in whom all power of signs and lying wonders +should reside, even that Antichrist, who as +God should sit in the temple of God, showing +himself that he is God. Thus before the true +Christ was known to the world, the prophecy +of the false one was implanted deep in the +heart of Christianity.</p> + +<p>When we come to the explanation of this +mass of deception as it applies to the Christian<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> +society, and the conduct of Christians, we find +that it consists of a great growth of specious +and showy effects, which will in fact issue out +of Christianity, not implying sterling goodness. +Christianity will act as a great excitement +to human nature, it will communicate +a great impulse, it will move and stir man's +feelings and intellect; this impulse will issue +in a great variety of high gifts and activities, +much zeal and ardor. But this brilliant manifestation +will be to a large extent lacking in +the substance of the Christian character. It +will be a great show. That is to say, there +will be underneath it the deceitful human +heart—the <i lang="la" xml:lang="la">natura callida</i>, as Thomas � Kempis +calls it, <i lang="la" xml:lang="la">qu� se semper pro fine habet</i>. We +have even in the early Christian Church that +specious display of gifts which put aside as +secondary the more solid part of religion, and +which St. Paul had so strongly to check. +Gospel prophecy goes remarkably in this +direction, as to what Christianity would do in +the world; that it would not only bring out +the truth of human nature, but would, like +some powerful alchemy, elicit and extract +the falsehood of it; that it would not only +develop what was sincere and sterling in man, +but what was counterfeit in him too. Not that +Christianity favors falsehood, any more than +the law favored sin because it brought out +sin. The law, as St. Paul says, brought out +sin because it was spiritual, and forced sin to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> +be sin against light. So in the case of Christianity. +If a very high, pure, and heart-searching +religion is brought into contact with a corrupt +nature, the nature grasps at the greatness +of the religion, but will not give up itself; yet +to unite the two requires a self-deception the +more subtle and potent in proportion to the +purity of the religion. And certainly, comparing +the hypocrisy of the Christian with +that of the old world, we see that the one was +a weak production in comparison with the +other, which is indeed a very powerful creation; +throwing itself into feeling and language +with an astonishing freedom and elasticity, +and possessing wonderful spring and largeness.</p> + +<p>There is, however, one very remarkable utterance +of our Lord Himself upon this subject, +which deserves special attention. "Many will +say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we +not prophesied in thy name, and in thy +name cast out devils, and in thy name done +many wonderful works? And then I will +profess unto them, I never knew you." Now +this is a very remarkable prophecy, for one +reason, that in the very first start of Christianity, +upon the very threshold of its entrance +into the world, it looks through its success and +universal reception, into an ulterior result of +that victory—a counterfeit profession of it. +It sees, before the first nakedness of its birth +is over, a prosperous and flourishing religion,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> +which it is worth while for others to pay +homage to, because it reflects credit on its +champions. Our Lord anticipates the time +when active zeal for Himself will be no +guaranty. And we may observe the difference +between Christ and human founders. The +latter are too glad of any zeal in their favor, +to examine very strictly the tone and quality +of it. They grasp at it at once; not so our +Lord. He does not want it even for Himself, +unless it is pure in the individual. But this +statement of our Lord's is principally important, +as being a prophecy relating to the +earthly future of Christianity. It places before +us public religious leaders, men of +influence in the religious world, who spread +and push forward by gifts of eloquence and +powers of mind, the truths of His religion, +whom yet He will not accept, because of a +secret corruptness in the aim and spirit with +which they did their work. The prophecy +puts forth before us the fact of a great deal of +work being done in the Church, and outwardly +good zealous work, upon the same motive in +substance, upon which worldly men do their +work in the world, and stamps it as the +activity of corrupt nature. The rejection of +this class of religious workers is complete, +altho they have been, as the language +itself declares, forward and active for spiritual +objects, and not only had them on their lips.</p> + +<p>Here then we have a remarkable subversion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> +of human judgments in the next world foretold +by our Lord Himself; for those men +certainly come forward with established religious +characters to which they appeal; they +have no doubt of their position in God's kingdom, +and they speak with the air of men whose +claims have been acquiesced in by others, and +by numbers. And thus a false Christian +growth is looked to in gospel prophecy, which +will be able to meet even the religious tests of +the current day, and sustain its pretensions, +but which will not satisfy the tests of the +last day.</p> + +<p>We are then perhaps at first surprized at +the sternness of their sentence, and are ready +to say with the trembling disciple, "Who +then shall be saved?" But when we reflect +upon it, we shall see that it is not more than +what meets the case; i. e., that we know of +sources of error in the estimate of human +character which will account for great mistakes +being made; which mistakes will have to +be rectified.</p> + +<p>One source of mistakes then is, that while +the gospel keeps to one point of its classification +of men,—viz., the motive, by which alone +it decides their character, the mass of men in +fact find it difficult to do so. They have not +that firm hold of the moral idea which prevents +them from wandering from it, and being +diverted by irrelevant considerations, they +think of the spirituality of a man as belonging<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> +to the department to which he is attached, +the profession he makes, the subject matter +he works upon, the habitual language he has +to use. The sphere of these men, of whom +the estimate was to be finally reversed, was a +religious one,—viz., the Church, and this was +a remarkable prop to them. Now, with respect +to this, it must be observed that the +Church is undoubtedly in its design a spiritual +society, but it is also a society of this world as +well; and it depends upon the inward motive +of a man whether it is to him a spiritual +society or a worldly one. The Church, as +soon as ever it is embodied in a visible collection +or society of men, who bring into it +human nature, with human influences, regards, +points of view, estimates, aims, and +objects—I say the Church, from the moment +it thus embodies itself in a human society, is +the world. Individual souls in it convert into +reality the high profest principles of the +body, but the active stock of motives in it are +the motives of human nature. Can the visible +Church indeed afford to do without these +motives? Of course it cannot. It must do its +work by means of these to a great extent, just +as the world does its work. Religion itself is +beautiful and heavenly, but the machinery for +it is very like the machinery for anything +else. I speak of the apparatus for conducting +and administering the visible system of it. Is +not the machinery for all causes and objects<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> +much the same, communication with others, +management, contrivance, combination, adaptation +of means to end? Religion then is +itself a painful struggle, but religious machinery +provides as pleasant a form of activity as +any other machinery possesses; and it counts +for and exercises much the same kind of +talents and gifts that the machinery of +any other department does, that of a government +office, or a public institution, or a large +business. The Church, as a part of the work, +must have active-minded persons to conduct +its policy and affairs; which persons must, by +their very situation, connect themselves with +spiritual subjects, as being the subjects of the +society; they must express spiritual joys, +hopes, and fears, apprehensions, troubles, +trials, aims, and wishes. These are topics +which belong to the Church as a department. +A religious society, then, or religious sphere of +action, or religious sphere of subjects, is irrelevant +as regards the spirituality of the individual +person, which is a matter of inward +motive.</p> + +<p>One would not of course exclude from the +sphere of religion the motive of <i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">esprit de +corps</i>: it is undoubtedly a great stimulus, and +in its measure is consistent with all simplicity +and singleness of heart; but in an intense +form, when the individual is absorbed in a +blind obedience to a body, it corrupts the +quality of religion; it ensnares the man in a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> +kind of self-interest; and he sees in the success +of the body the reflection of himself. It +becomes an egotistic motive. There has been +certainly an immense produce from it; but the +type of religion it has produced is a deflection +from simplicity; it may possess striking and +powerful qualities, but it is not like the free +religion of the heart; and there is that difference +between the two, which there is between +what comes from a second-hand source and +from the fountain head. It has not that +naturalness (in the highest sense) which alone +gives beauty to religion.</p> + +<p>Again, those who feel that they have a +mission may convert it into a snare to themselves. +Doubtless, if, according to St. Paul, +"he who desireth the office of a bishop desireth +a good work," so one who has a mission to do +some particular work has a good office given +him. Still, where life is too prominently regarded +in this light, the view of life as a +mission tends to supersede the view of it +as trial and probation. The mission becomes +the final cause of life. The generality +may be born to do their duty in +that station of life in which it has pleased +God to call them; but in their own case +the mission overtops and puts into the shade +the general purpose of life as probation; the +generality are sent into the world for their +own moral benefit, but they are rather sent +into the world for the benefit of that world<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> +itself. The outward object with its display +and machinery is apt to reduce to a kind of +insignificance the inward individual end of +life. It appears small and commonplace. The +success of their own individual probation is +assumed in embarking upon the larger work, +as the less is included in the greater; it figures +as a preliminary in their eyes, which may be +taken for granted; it appears an easy thing to +them to save their own souls, a thing, so to +speak, for anybody to do.</p> + +<p>What has been dwelt upon hitherto as a +source of false magnifying and exaltation of +human character, has been the invisibility of +men's motives. But let us take another source +of mistake in human judgment.</p> + +<p>Nothing is easier, when we take gifts of +the intellect and imagination in the abstract, +than to see that these do not constitute moral +goodness. This is indeed a mere truism; and +yet, in the concrete, it is impossible not to +see how nearly they border upon counting as +such; to what advantage they set off any moral +good there may be in a man; sometimes even +supplying the absence of real good with what +looks extremely like it. On paper these mental +gifts are a mere string of terms; we see exactly +what these terms denote, and we cannot mistake +it for something else. It is plain that +eloquence, imagination, poetical talent, are +no more moral goodness than riches are, or +than health and strength are, or than noble<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> +birth is. We know that bad men have possest +them just as much as good men. Nevertheless, +take them in actual life, in the actual +effect and impression they make, as they +express a man's best moods and highest perceptions +and feelings, and what a wonderful +likeness and image of what is moral do they +produce. Think of the effect of refined power +of expression, of a keen and vivid imagination +as applied to the illustration and enrichment +of moral subjects,—to bringing out, e. g., with +the whole force of intellectual sympathy, the +delicate and high regions of character,—does +not one who can do this seem to have all the +goodness which he expresses? And it is quite +possible he may have; but this does not prove +it. There is nothing more in this than the +faculty of imagination and intelligent appreciation +of moral things. There enters thus +unavoidably often into a great religious reputation +a good deal which is not religion, but +power.</p> + +<p>Let us take the character which St. Paul +draws. It is difficult to believe that one who +had the tongue of men and of angels would not +be able to persuade the world that he himself +was extraordinarily good. Rather it is part +of the fascination of the gift, that the grace +of it is reflected in the possessor. But St. +Paul gives him, besides thrilling speech which +masters men's spirits and carries them away, +those profound depths of imagination which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> +still and solemnize them; which lead them to +the edge of the unseen world, and excite the +sense of the awful and supernatural; he has +the understanding of all mysteries. And +again, knowledge unfolds all its stores to him +with which to illustrate and enrich spiritual +truths. Let one then, so wonderful in mental +gifts, combine them with the utmost fervor, +with boundless faith, before which everything +gives way; boundless zeal, ready to make even +splendid sacrifices; has there been any age in +which such a man would have been set down as +sounding and empty? St. Paul could see that +such a man might yet be without the true +substance—goodness; and that all his gifts +could not guarantee it to him; but to the mass +his own eloquence would interpret him, the +gifts would carry the day, and the brilliant +partial virtues would disguise the absence of +the general grace of love.</p> + +<p>Gifts of intellect and imagination, poetical +power, and the like, are indeed in themselves +a department of worldly prosperity. It is a +very narrow view of prosperity that it consists +only in having property; a certain kind +of gifts are just as much worldly prosperity +as riches; nor are they less so if they belong +to a religious man, any more than riches are +less prosperity because a religious man is +rich. We call these gifts worldly prosperity, +because they are in themselves a great +advantage, and create success, influence,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> +credit, and all which man so much values; +and at the same time they are not moral goodness, +because the most corrupt men may have +them.</p> + +<p>But even the gifts of outward fortune themselves +have much of the effect of gifts of mind +in having the semblance of something moral. +They set off what goodness a man has to such +immense advantage, and heighten the effect of +it. Take some well-disposed person, and suppose +him suddenly to be left an enormous fortune, +he would feel himself immediately so +much better a man. He would seem to himself +to become suddenly endowed with a new +large-heartedness and benevolence. He would +picture himself the generous patron, the large +dispenser of charity, the promoter of all good +in the world. The power to become such +would look like a new disposition. And in the +eyes of the others, too, his goodness would +appear to have taken a fresh start. Even +serious piety is recognized more as such; it is +brought out and placed in high relief, when +connected with outward advantages; and so +the gifts of fortune become a kind of moral +addition to a man.</p> + +<p>Action, then, on a large scale, and the overpowering +effect of great gifts, are what produce, +in a great degree, what we call the canonization +of men—the popular judgment +which sets them up morally and spiritually +upon the pinnacle of the temple, and which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> +professes to be a forestalment, through the +mouth of the Church or of religious society, +of the final judgment. How decisive is the +world's, and, not less confident, the visible +Church's note of praise. It is just that +trumpet note which does not bear a doubt. +How it is trusted! With what certainty it +speaks! How large a part of the world's and +Church's voice is praise! It is an immense +and ceaseless volume of utterance. And by +all means let man praise man, and not do it +grudgingly either; let there be an echo of +that vast action which goes on in the world, +provided we only speak of what we know. +But if we begin to speak of what we do not +know, and which only a higher judgment can +decide, we are going beyond our province. On +this question we are like men who are deciding +irreversibly on some matter in which +everything depends upon one element in the +case, which element they cannot get at. We +appear to know a great deal of one another, +and yet, if we reflect, what a vast system of +secrecy the moral world is. How low down in +a man sometimes (not always) lies the fundamental +motive which sways his life? But this +is what everything depends on. Is it an unspiritual +motive? Is there some keen passion +connected with this world at the bottom? +Then it corrupts the whole body of action. +There is a good deal of prominent religion +then, which keeps up its character, even when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> +this motive betrays itself; great gifts fortify +it, and people do not see because they will not. +But at any rate there is a vast quantity of +religious position which has this one great +point undecided beneath it; and we know of +tremendous dangers to which it is exposed. +Action upon a theater may doubtless be as +simple-minded action as any other; it has +often been; it has been often even childlike +action; the apostles acted on a theater; they +were a spectacle to men and to angels. Still, +what dangers in a spiritual point of view does +it ordinarily include—dangers to simplicity, +inward probity, sincerity! How does action +on this scale and of this kind seem, notwithstanding +its religious object, to pass over +people, not touching one of their faults, leaving—more +than their infirmities—the dark +veins of evil in their character as fixed as +ever. How will persons sacrifice themselves +to their objects? They would benefit the +world, it would appear, at their own moral +expense; but this is a kind of generosity which +is perilous policy for the soul, and is indeed +the very mint in which the great mass of +false spiritual coinage is made.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, while the open theater +of spiritual power and energy is so accessible +to corrupt motives, which, tho undermining +its truthfulness, leave standing all the +brilliance of the outer manifestation; let it be +considered what a strength and power of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> +goodness may be accumulating in unseen quarters. +The way in which man bears temptation +is what decides his character; yet how secret +is the system of temptation? Who knows +what is going on? What the real ordeal has +been? What its issue was? So with respect +to the trial of griefs and sorrows, the world +is again a system of secrecy. There is something +particularly penetrating, and which +strikes home, in those disappointments which +are especially not extraordinary, and make +no show. What comes naturally and as a part +of our situation has a probing force grander +strokes have not; there is a solemnity and +stateliness in these, but the blow which is nearest +to common life gets the stronger hold. Is +there any particular event which seems to +have, if we may say so, a kind of malice in +it which provokes the Manichean feeling in +our nature, it is something which we should +have a difficulty in making appear to any one +else any special trial. Compared with this +inner grasp of some stroke of providence, voluntary +sacrifice stands outside of us. After +all, the self-made trial is a poor disciplinarian +weapon; there is a subtle masterly irritant +and provoking point in the genuine natural +trial, and in the natural crossness of events, +which the artificial thing cannot manage; we +can no more make our trials than we can make +our feelings. In this way moderate deprivations +are in some cases more difficult to bear<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> +than extreme ones. "I can bear total obscurity," +says Pascal, "well enough; what +disgusts me is semi-obscurity; I can make +an idol of the whole, but no great merit of +the half." And so it is often the case that +what we must do as simply right, and which +would not strike even ourselves, and still less +anybody else, is just the hardest thing to do. +A work of supererogation would be much +easier. All this points in the direction of +great work going on under common outsides +where it is not noticed; it hints at a secret +sphere of growth and progress; and as such +it is an augury and presage of a harvest which +may come some day suddenly to light, which +human judgments had not counted on.</p> + +<p>It is upon such a train of thought as this +which has been passing through our minds +that we raise ourselves to the reception of +that solemn sentence which Scripture has inscribed +on the curtain which hangs down before +the judgment-seat—"The first shall be +last, and the last shall be first." The secrets +of the tribunal are guarded, and yet a finger +points which seems to say—"Beyond, in this +direction, behind this veil, things are different +from what you will have looked for."</p> + +<p>Suppose, e. g., any supernatural judge +should appear in the world now, and it is +evident that the scene he would create would +be one to startle us; we should not soon be +used to it; it would look strange; it would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> +shock and appal; and that from no other cause +than simply its reductions; that it presented +characters stripped bare, denuded of what +was irrelevant to goodness, and only with +their moral substance left. The judge would +take no cognizance of a rich imagination, +power of language, poetical gifts and the like, +in themselves, as parts of goodness, any more +than he would of riches and prosperity; and +the moral residuum would appear perhaps +a bare result. The first look of divine justice +would strike us as injustice; it would be +too pure a justice for us; we should be long +in reconciling ourselves to it. Justice would +appear, like the painter's gaunt skeleton of +emblematic meaning, to be stalking through +the world, smiting with attenuation luxuriating +forms of virtue. Forms, changed from +what we knew, would meet us, strange unaccustomed +forms, and we should have to ask +them who they are—"You were flourishing +but a short while ago, what has happened to +you now?" And the answer, if it spoke the +truth, would be—"Nothing, except that now, +much which lately counted as goodness, counts +as such no longer; we are tried by a new moral +measure, out of which we issue different men; +gifts which have figured as goodness remain +as gifts, but cease to be goodness." Thus +would the large sweep made of human canonizations +act like blight or volcanic fire upon +some rich landscape, converting the luxury<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> +of nature into a dried-up scene of bare stems +and scorched vegetation.</p> + +<p>So may the scrutiny of the last day, by discovering +the irrelevant material in men's +goodness, reduce to a shadow much exalted +earthly character. Men are made up of professions, +gifts, and talents, and also of themselves, +but all so mixed together that we cannot +separate one element from another; but +another day must show what the moral substance +is, and what is only the brightness and +setting off of gifts. On the other hand, the +same day may show where, tho the setting +off of gifts is less, the substance is more. If +there will be reversal of human judgment for +evil, there will be reversal of it for good too. +The solid work which has gone on in secret, +under common exteriors, will then spring into +light, and come out in a glorious aspect. Do +we not meet with surprizes of this kind here, +which look like auguries of a greater surprize +in the next world, a surprize on a vast scale. +Those who have lived under an exterior of +rule, when they come to a trying moment +sometimes disappoint us; they are not equal +to the act required from them; because their +forms of duty, whatever they are, have not +touched in reality their deeper fault of character, +meanness, or jealousy, or the like, but +have left them where they were; they have +gone on thinking themselves good because +they did particular things, and used certain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> +language, and adopted certain ways of +thought, and have been utterly unconscious +all the time of a corroding sin within them. +On the other hand, some one who did not +promise much, comes out at a moment of trial +strikingly and favorably. This is a surprize, +then, which sometimes happens, nay, and sometimes +a greater surprize still, when out of the +eater comes forth meat, and out of a state of +sin there springs the soul of virtue. The act +of the thief on the cross is a surprize. Up +to the time when he was judged he was a +thief, and from a thief he became a saint. +For even in the dark labyrinth of evil there +are unexpected outlets; sin is established by +the habit in the man, but the good principle +which is in him also, but kept down and supprest, +may be secretly growing too; it may +be undermining it, and extracting the life and +force from it. In this man, then, sin becomes +more and more, tho holding its place by +custom, an outside and a coating, just as virtue +does in the deteriorating man, till at last, +by a sudden effort and the inspiration of an +opportunity, the strong good casts off the +weak crust of evil and comes out free. We +witness a conversion.</p> + +<p>But this is a large and mysterious subject—the +foundation for high virtue to become apparent +in a future world, which hardly rises +up above the ground here. We cannot think +of the enormous trial which is undergone in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> +this world by vast masses without the thought +also of some sublime fruit to come of it some +day. True, it may not emerge from the +struggle of bare endurance here, but has not +the seed been sown? Think of the burden of +toil and sorrow borne by the crowds of poor: +we know that pain does not of itself make +people good; but what we observe is, that +even in those in whom the trial seems to do +something, it yet seems such a failure. What +inconstancy, violence, untruths! The pathos +in it all moves you. What a tempest of character +it is! And yet when such trial has been +passed we involuntarily say—has not a foundation +been laid? And so in the life of a +soldier, what agonies must nature pass +through in it! While the present result of +such a trial is so disappointing, so little seems +to come of it! Yet we cannot think of what +has been gone through by countless multitudes +in war, of the dreadful altar of sacrifice, and +the lingering victims, without the involuntary +idea arising that in some, even of the irregular +and undisciplined, the foundation of +some great purification has been laid. We +hear sometimes of single remarkable acts of +virtue, which spring from minds in which +there is not the habit of virtue. Such acts +point to a foundation, a root of virtue in man, +deeper than habit; they are sudden leaps +which show an unseen spring, which are able +to compress in a moment the growth of years.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span></p> + +<p>To conclude. The gospel language throws +doubt upon the final stability of much that +passes current here with respect to character, +upon established judgments, and the elevations +of the outward sanctuary. It lays down +a wholesome scepticism. We do not do justice +to the spirit of the gospel by making it +enthusiastic simply, or even benevolent simply. +It is sagacious, too. It is a book of judgment. +Man is judged in it. Our Lord is Judge. We +cannot separate our Lord's divinity from His +humanity; and yet we must be blind if we do +not see a great judicial side of our Lord's +human character;—that severe type of understanding, +in relation to the worldly man, +which has had its imperfect representation +in great human minds. He was unspeakably +benevolent, kind, compassionate; true, but He +was a Judge. It was indeed of His very +completeness as man that He should know +man; and to know is to judge. He must be +blind who, in the significant acts and sayings +of our Lord as they unroll themselves in the +pregnant page of the gospel, does not thus read +His character; he sees it in that insight into +pretensions, exposure of motives, laying bare +of disguises; in the sayings—"Believe it +not"; "Take heed that no man deceive you"; +"Behold, I have told you"; in all that profoundness +of reflection in regard to man, +which great observing minds among mankind +have shown, tho accompanied by much of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> +frailty, anger, impatience, or melancholy. His +human character is not benevolence only; +there is in it wise distrust—that moral sagacity +which belongs to the perfection of man.</p> + +<p>Now then, as has been said, this scepticism +with regard to human character has had, as a +line of thought, certain well-known representatives +in great minds, who have discovered +a root of selfishness in men's actions, have +probed motives, extracted aims, and placed +man before himself denuded and exposed; +they judged him, and in the frigid sententiousness +or the wild force of their utterances, +we hear that of which we cannot but say, +how true! But knowledge is a goad to those +who have it; a disturbing power; a keenness +which distorts; and in the sight it gives it +partly blinds also. The fault of these minds +was that in exposing evil they did not really +believe in goodness; goodness was to them but +an airy ideal, the dispirited echo of perplexed +hearts,—returned to them from the rocks of +the desert, without bearing hope with it. They +had no genuine belief in any world which was +different from theirs; they availed themselves +of an ideal indeed to judge this world, and +they could not have judged it without; for +anything, whatever it is, is good, if we have no +idea of anything better; and therefore the conception +of a good world was necessary to +judge the bad one. But the ideal held loose +to their minds—not anything to be substantiated,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> +not as a type in which a real world was +to be cast, not as anything of structural +power, able to gather into it, form round it, +and build up upon itself; not, in short, as +anything of power at all, able to make anything, +or do anything, but only like some +fragrant scent in the air, which comes and +goes, loses itself, returns again in faint +breaths, and rises and falls in imperceptive +waves. Such was goodness to these minds; it +was a dream. But the gospel distrust is not +disbelief in goodness. It raises a great suspense, +indeed, it shows a curtain not yet drawn +up, it checks weak enthusiasm, it appends a +warning note to the pomp and flattery of +human judgments, to the erection of idols; +and points to a day of great reversal; a day +of the Lord of Hosts; the day of pulling down +and plucking up, of planting and building. +But, together with the law of sin, the root of +evil in the world, and the false goodness in it, +it announces a fount of true natures; it tells +us of a breath of Heaven of which we know +not whence it cometh and whither it goeth; +which inspires single individual hearts, that +spring up here and there, and everywhere, +like broken gleams of the supreme goodness. +And it recognizes in the renewed heart of man +an instinct which can discern true goodness +and distinguish it from false; a secret discrimination +in the good by which they know +the good. It does not therefore stand in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span> +way of that natural and quiet reliance which +we are designed by God to have in one another, +and that trust in those whose hearts +we know. "Wisdom is justified of her children"; +"My sheep hear my voice, but a +stranger will they not follow, for they know +not the voice of strangers."</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233"> </a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 335px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage1.jpg" width="327" height="600" alt="ad page 1" /> +</div> +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center"> +From the Pen of<br /> +ALPHONSO A. HOPKINS, Ph.D., +</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + + + +<p class="center"><em>Professor of Political Economy and Prohibition in the +American Temperance University.</em></p> + +<p class="center b15"><strong>Wealth and Waste</strong></p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>The Principles of Political Economy +In their Application to the Present Problems of +Labor, Law, and the Liquor Traffic.</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="hanging">In a broad, philosophic, and patriotic spirit +the author seeks to apply, in this volume, +the accepted principles of Political Economy, +as to Production and Wealth, Consumption +and Waste.</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>"A book which contains very much of great value."—<cite>Herald +and Presbyter</cite>, Cincinnati.</p> + +<p>"The argument is impressive, and well buttressed with +statistics and apt citations."—<cite>The Watchman</cite>, Boston.</p> + +<p>"Dr. Hopkins contributes to the literature of political +economy a volume worth the attention of students and +thinkers."—<cite>Christian Herald.</cite></p> + +<p>"Dr. Hopkins brings thorough preparation to this +work on the particular line of reform in which he has +labored."—<cite>Christian Observer</cite>, Louisville.</p> + +<p>"Unquestionably the ablest book upon Political Economy +in its various relations which has been put upon the +market."—<cite>Herald of the Coming One</cite>, Boston.</p> + +<p>"Dr. A. A. Hopkins's 'Wealth and Waste' will prove +itself one of the most effective contributions to the +literature of reform."—<cite>Western Christian Advocate.</cite></p> + +<p>"It is a book both for scholars and students and plain +laboring men, with clear, concise definitions and practical +illustrations for all these classes."—<cite>The Religious +Herald</cite>, Hartford, Conn.</p> + +<p>"Unique, fascinating, and suggestive.... No one +assuming the attitude of a reformer can fail of being +quickened in his great work by an earnest review of the +book."—<cite>Baltimore Methodist.</cite></p> + +<p>"The incisive mind and rare culture of Professor Hopkins +have never been more signally set forth than in his +new book entitled 'Wealth and Waste.' It comes as a +much needed reinforcement to the literature of the temperance +propaganda."—<cite>Frances E. Willard.</cite></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center">12mo, Cloth, 286 pp.——Price, $1.00.</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"> +<strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers</strong>,<br /> +<strong>NEW YORK and LONDON</strong> +</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234"> </a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 324px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage2.jpg" width="324" height="600" alt="ad page 2" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center"><em><strong>"Ranks Next to a Concordance."—SPURGEON.</strong></em></p> + +<p class="center b15"><strong>Biblical Lights +and Side Lights</strong></p> + +<p class="hanging">A cyclopedia of ten thousand illustrations and +thirty thousand cross-references, consisting +of fact, incident, and remarkable declarations +taken from the Bible; for the use of +those in every profession who, for illustrative +purpose, desire ready access to the +numerous incidents and striking statements +contained in the Bible, students, teachers, +public speakers, lawyers, ministers, and +others, as also for the family library. Prepared +by Rev. Charles E. Little (author +of "Historical Lights," etc.).</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>Royal 8vo, 620 pp. Price, Cloth, $4.00;<br /> +Library Sheep, $5.50.</strong></p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>"'Biblical Lights and Side Lights' is a specially +useful book.... It ranks next to a concordance.... +Mr. Little's work is a great success."—<em>Rev. C. H. +Spurgeon.</em></p> + +<p>"We have never seen a work on Bible reference so +thoroughly systematized.... Admirably arranged.... +<strong>Topics are taken from the demands of religion, +philosophy, science, art, social life, and +politics.... Has great value for educated persons +in every calling.</strong>"—<cite>National Baptist, Phila.</cite></p> + +<p>"'Biblical Lights' may be welcomed to a place +among the very useful books which few can afford +to put aside."—<cite>Presbyterian Review.</cite></p> + +<p>"Will unquestionably prove a mine of information +and of illustration."—<cite>Observer, N. Y.</cite></p> + +<p>"A work of great solidity and merit."—<cite>Lutheran +Church Review, Philadelphia.</cite></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON</strong></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235"> </a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 329px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage3.jpg" width="322" height="600" alt="ad page 3" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<blockquote> + +<p><em>The Outlook (Edited by Lyman Abbott., D.D., +successor to Henry Ward Beecher as pastor of Plymouth +Church, Brooklyn, New York):</em> "It is with the aspect +of Mr. Beecher as a reformer, rather than as a theologian, +author, or preacher, that Mr. Barrows deals.... +It gives the story of Mr. Beecher's life in less space +and in handier form than any other volume with which +we are acquainted."</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center b15">Henry Ward Beecher</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>THE SHAKESPEARE<br /> +OF THE PULPIT</strong></p> + +<p class="center"><strong>By JOHN HENRY BARROWS.</strong></p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>12mo, Cloth; 557 pp.; With Portrait. Price, +$1.50. Post-free.</strong></p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p>The certified points of merits of this work conclusively +place it foremost as the standard popular +biography of Henry Ward Beecher.</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>"<strong>Altogether it is</strong> a valued contribution to Beecher +literature."—<strong><cite>New York Herald.</cite></strong></p> + + + +<p>"<strong>It will give</strong> to many a far better and truer conception +of Mr. Beecher than they before possessed."—<strong><cite>Christian +Inquirer,</cite></strong> New York.</p> + +<p>"<strong>All in all</strong> it is the best summing up of the life and +character of this great preacher and orator that I have +ever read."—<strong><em>Hon. Nelson Dingley,</em></strong> Washington, +D. C.</p> + +<p>"<strong>I am especially pleased</strong> with the chapters relating +to the famous trial. The subject is handled very +delicately, and at the same time thoroughly vindicates +the pastor of Plymouth Church from all intentional +wrong doing."—<strong><em>Francis M. Clark, D.D., Pres. +Soc. of Christian Endeavor,</em> Boston.</strong></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON</strong></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236"> </a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 327px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage4.jpg" width="321" height="600" alt="ad page 4" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="center">"A well written biography."—<cite><strong>New York Sun.</strong></cite></p> + +<p class="center">"Lucid and sympathetic."—<cite><strong>New York Tribune.</strong></cite></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center b15"><strong>William E. Dodge</strong></p> + +<p class="center">THE CHRISTIAN MERCHANT</p> + +<p class="center">By CARLOS MARTYN</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>12mo, Cloth; 349 pp.; With Portrait. Price,<br /> +$1.50. Post-free.</strong></p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p>This biography of one of New York's most successful +merchants, whose public acts gave him a national +reputation, is largely interspersed with the history of +events happening in the stirring times of his greatest +activity.</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>"<strong>Such books as these</strong> are of incalculable value +to the young, and an inspiration to all who are seeking +to do good as well as get gain in this world."—<strong><cite>The +Gospel Banner</cite></strong>, Augusta, Me.</p> + +<p>"<strong>The Editor</strong> has handled his subject in so able a +manner that the reader is entranced, and is carried on +and on until with a sigh of regret the book is laid +down."—<cite><strong>The Chicago Herald.</strong></cite></p> + +<p>"<strong>Many of the passages</strong> are taken from the lectures +and speeches delivered by him in his lifetime +which give a vivid impression of the home, business, +and public life of the great merchant and philanthropist."—<cite><strong>The +Plaindealer</strong></cite>, Cleveland, Ohio.</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON</strong></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 330px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage5.jpg" width="325" height="600" alt="ad page 5" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237"> </a></span></p> + +<blockquote> + +<p><cite><strong>The Commercial Gazette</strong></cite>, Cincinnati, says: +"This volume contains considerable matter never +before published, is full of fascinating reading, and is +of inestimable historic value."</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center b15"><strong>John Brown<br /> +And His Men</strong></p> + +<p class="center s08">WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE ROADS THEY TRAVELED<br /> +TO REACH HARPER'S FERRY.</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>By COL. RICHARD J. HINTON,</strong><br /> +A Contemporary of John Brown.</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>12mo, Cloth; 752 pp.; 22 Portraits. Price,<br /> +$1.50. Post-free.</strong></p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p>In an Appendix are given the principal and more +important documents prepared by John Brown, or +relating directly to the enterprises against American +slavery in which he was actively engaged; also a +copious Index to the volume.</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>EXTRACTS FROM A COUPLE OF LETTERS.</strong></p> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="sig"> +<span class="smcap">Anacostia, D. C., Cedar Hill,</span> Feb. 11, 1895. +</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">My Dear Colonel Hinton:</span></p> + +<p>Your History of the raid upon Harper's Ferry, by +John Brown and his men, leaves nothing in that line +to be desired.... You were in the center of the +circle, and hence have had an inside view of the whole +transaction. You have done for John Brown and his +men, and for the truth of history, a magnificent +service.</p> +<p class="sig"><em><strong>Frederick Douglass.</strong></em></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="sig"> +Feb. 14, 1895. +</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">My Dear Colonel Hinton:</span></p> + +<p>Your work on 'John Brown and His Men' is most +strongly and vividly done. In fact, wherever I open +the book, I find it alive with the undying interest of +the greatest hour of our history. Perhaps mankind +must yet make another struggle; but so far Brown +remains the hero of the supreme endeavor for freedom, +and this is what you make your readers feel, without +weakening any fact concerning him.</p> + +<p class="sig"><em><strong>William Dean Howells.</strong></em></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON</strong></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238"> </a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 335px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage6.jpg" width="335" height="600" alt="ad page 6" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center b13">Who Wrote the Hymns we Love so Well?</p> + +<p class="center">CONSULT</p> + +<p class="center b15"><strong><span class="smcap">English Hymns;</span></strong></p> + +<p class="center">THEIR</p> + +<p class="center"><em>AUTHORS and HISTORY</em></p> + +<p class="center"><strong>By REV. SAMUEL W. DUFFIELD.</strong></p> + +<p class="center">8vo, 675 pp., Cloth, Price, $3.00, Postpaid.</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p>It cites in alphabetical order the first lines +of over <em><strong>1,500 hymns</strong></em>. Under each is given +a brief biographical sketch of the author, circumstances +attending its composition, and incidents +in connection with its use. Exhaustive +indexes to authors, to first lines, and to topics, +are appended. To Leaders of Praise-meetings, +Sunday-school Teachers, Parents, Pastors, and +the general hymn-loving public, it will be +found invaluable. The selection of hymns has +been made with great care, and only well-authenticated +incidents are given. American +as well as English hymnology has been drawn +upon. Honey has been gathered from the +choicest flowers of the garden.</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>REPRESENTATIVE OPINIONS.</strong></p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>"It pleases me altogether. It is full of information, +ranging from positive erudition down to +racy anecdote."—<em>Charles S. Robinson, D.D.</em></p> + +<p>"This is by far the most complete, accurate, and +thorough work of its kind on either side of the +Atlantic."—<em>Theodore L. Cuyler, D.D.</em></p> + +<p>"Bears evidence of immense research and years +of labor.... The full and admirable sketch of the +author of 'Lead, Kindly Light,' is worth the cost of +the book."—<em>Hon. Edwards Pierrepont.</em></p> + +<p>"A noble volume; a monument to the author's +tact, learning, and faithful industry."—E. C. Stedman.</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON</strong></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239"> </a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 322px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage7.jpg" width="322" height="600" alt="ad page 7" /> +</div> +<blockquote> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center"><strong><em>"Should reach its hundred-thousandth +edition."—Chicago Journal.</em></strong></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center b15"><strong>Ethics of Marriage</strong></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="bb"><strong>A Most Valuable Book</strong></span></p> + +<p class="hanging">By H. S. Pomeroy, M.D. Prefatory note by Thos. +Addis Emmet, M.S., LL.D., and introduction by +Rev. J. T. Duryea, D.D., Boston. With an Appendix +showing the laws of most of the States and +Territories regarding certain forms of crime.</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>12mo, Cloth, 197 pp., Price, $1.00,<br /> + +POSTAGE FREE.</strong></p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>"To the earnest man and woman everywhere, who +has watched the reckless manner in which marriages +are contracted, the wicked way in which responsibilities +are shifted and ignored, and the slow and sure +defilement of society because the criminal classes are +allowed to propagate their vile species, while Christian +households and moral parents ignore their duty +to this and to the next world, this book is almost like +a voice from Heaven. Should reach its hundred-thousandth +edition."—<cite>Chicago Journal.</cite></p> + +<p>"It deserves to lie alongside the Bible in the +foundation of each home."—<em>Rev. O. P. Gifford, +Boston.</em></p> + +<p>"I have read your book with deep interest and +heartily concur in it.... May God bless your +words."—<em>Elizabeth A. Tobey, Pres. Mass. W. C. T. U.</em></p> + +<p>"A subject of great delicacy and yet commanding +present importance is treated with the utmost propriety +of tone and expression; with adequate knowledge, +both theoretical and practical; with unflinching +thoroughness and courage in the exposure of the +evil, and with a reformatory purpose worthy of both +the man of science and the Christian."—<em>Rev. Joseph +Cook.</em></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON</strong></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240"> </a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 340px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage8.jpg" width="331" height="600" alt="ad page 8" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center b13"><em>A UNIQUE CYCLOPEDIA.</em></p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center b15">Historical Lights;</p> + +<p class="hanging">Or, Six Thousand Historical Articles, illustrating +Thirty Thousand Topics. Especially +arranged for the Family Library, +as also for Conversationalists, Lecturers, +Public Speakers, Writers for the Press, +Lawyers, Students, and all who have +occasion to use illustrations drawn from +History. Compiled by <span class="smcap">Rev. Charles E. +Little</span>, author of "Biblical Lights and +Side-lights."</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>"These 'Lights' are a galaxy taken exclusively +from standard Histories and Biographies. +They consist of Facts, Incidents, Examples and +Precedents, selected for illustrative purposes, +and chiefly from the Civilized Races of Antiquity +and the American and English people. The Subjects +relate to Religious, Social, and Political +Life, to Moral and Civil Government, etc. The +historian's name is appended to every quotation. +<em>There are no fugitive anecdotes in the work.</em>"</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">Complete in one volume, 8vo, 900 pages.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="antiqua">Prices, Cloth, $5; Sheep, $6.50; transportation free.</span></p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="center">Peculiar Value of the Work:</p> + +<p>It is unique in design—no other publication occupying +this field in literature. It meets a want +common to the large class who desire ready access +to historical precedents, examples and incidents. +It furnishes a mass of choice illustrations +drawn from History, which are immensely +more valuable than statements, anecdotes or incidents +which cannot be vouched for.</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON</strong></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Printed here by kind permission of Messrs. W. F. +Draper & Co., Andover Publishing House, Andover, +Mass.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Printed here by permission of the publishers, +Messrs. Wm. Blackwood & Sons.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> By permission of the publishers, Messrs. Longmans, +Green & Co.</p></div></div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div class="tn"><h3>Transcriber's note:</h3> +<p>Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. +Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as +printed.</p> + +<p>Missing page numbers are page numbers that were not shown in the +original text.</p> + +<p>Page 116: The transcriber has supplied the missing closing +bracket--"and Him crucified (when I was among the pupils of +Gamaliel, all of whom despised my chosen theme)".</p> + +</div> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44420 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/44420-h/images/coverpage.jpg b/44420-h/images/coverpage.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e89a7e5 --- /dev/null +++ b/44420-h/images/coverpage.jpg diff --git a/44420-h/images/i_adpage1.jpg b/44420-h/images/i_adpage1.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ba4ff8b --- /dev/null +++ b/44420-h/images/i_adpage1.jpg diff --git a/44420-h/images/i_adpage2.jpg b/44420-h/images/i_adpage2.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2e37037 --- /dev/null +++ b/44420-h/images/i_adpage2.jpg diff --git a/44420-h/images/i_adpage3.jpg b/44420-h/images/i_adpage3.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..224332f --- /dev/null +++ b/44420-h/images/i_adpage3.jpg diff --git a/44420-h/images/i_adpage4.jpg b/44420-h/images/i_adpage4.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f8c7e83 --- /dev/null +++ b/44420-h/images/i_adpage4.jpg diff --git a/44420-h/images/i_adpage5.jpg b/44420-h/images/i_adpage5.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..17a424e --- /dev/null +++ b/44420-h/images/i_adpage5.jpg diff --git a/44420-h/images/i_adpage6.jpg b/44420-h/images/i_adpage6.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c4796e5 --- /dev/null +++ b/44420-h/images/i_adpage6.jpg diff --git a/44420-h/images/i_adpage7.jpg b/44420-h/images/i_adpage7.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b2dc8cb --- /dev/null +++ b/44420-h/images/i_adpage7.jpg diff --git a/44420-h/images/i_adpage8.jpg b/44420-h/images/i_adpage8.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a09edd2 --- /dev/null +++ b/44420-h/images/i_adpage8.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6939bb7 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #44420 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44420) diff --git a/old/44420-8.txt b/old/44420-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8923217 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44420-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5898 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The World's Great Sermons, Volume 5: +Guthrie to Mozley, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The World's Great Sermons, Volume 5: Guthrie to Mozley + +Author: Various + +Release Date: December 14, 2013 [EBook #44420] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WORLD'S GREAT SERMONS, VOL 5 *** + + + + +Produced by Júlio Reis, Moisés S. Gomes, Julia Neufeld and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). + +Text enclosed by equal signs is in bold (=bold=). + +Small capital text has been replaced with all capitals. + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: cover] + + + + + _The World's Great Sermons_ + + VOLUME V + + GUTHRIE TO MOZLEY + + THE + WORLD'S + GREAT + SERMONS + + COMPILED BY + + GRENVILLE KLEISER + + Formerly of Yale Divinity School Faculty; + Author of "How to Speak + in Public," Etc. + + With Assistance from Many of the Foremost + Living Preachers and Other Theologians + + INTRODUCTION BY + + LEWIS O. BRASTOW, D.D. + + Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology + in Yale University + + IN TEN VOLUMES + + VOLUME V--GUTHRIE TO MOZLEY + + FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY + NEW YORK and LONDON + + COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY + FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY + _Printed in the United States of America_ + + + + +CONTENTS + + +VOLUME V + + GUTHRIE (1803-1873). _Page_ + The New Heart 1 + + MAURICE (1805-1872). + The Valley of Dry Bones 23 + + MARTINEAU (1805-1900). + Parting Words 45 + + MANNING (1808-1892). + The Triumph of the Church 61 + + PARK (1808-1900). + The Prominence of the Atonement 87 + + SIMPSON (1810-1884). + The Resurrection of Our Lord 119 + + THEODORE PARKER (1810-1860). + The Transient and Permanent in + Christianity 147 + + MACLEOD (1812-1872). + The True Christian Ministry 177 + + MOZLEY (1813-1878). + The Reversal of Human Judgment 205 + + + + +GUTHRIE + +THE NEW HEART + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + +THOMAS GUTHRIE, preacher, philanthropist, and social reformer, was +born at Brechin, Forfarshire, Scotland, in 1803. He spent ten years +at the University of Edinburgh and was licensed to preach by the +Presbytery of Brechin in 1825. In 1830 he was ordained minister of +Arbirlot. After a valuable experience in evangelical preaching among +the farmers, weavers and peasants of his congregation, he became one +of the ministers of Old Greyfriars Church, Edinburgh, in 1827. Lord +Cockburn described his sermons in that city as appealing equally +"to the poor woman on the steps of the pulpit" as to the "stranger +attracted solely by his eloquence." He was a great temperance +advocate, becoming a total abstainer in 1844, and has been styled +"the apostle of the ragged school movement." Retiring from the +active work of the ministry in 1864, he still remained in public +life until he died in 1873. Through long practise, Dr. Guthrie +delivered his memorized discourses as tho they fell spontaneously +from his lips. His voice has been described as powerful and musical. +He was fond of vivid illustration, and even on his death bed, as +he lay dying in the arms of his sons, he exclaimed: "I am just as +helpless in your arms now as you once were in mine." + + + + +GUTHRIE + +1803-1873 + +THE NEW HEART + +_A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put +within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, +and I will give you an heart of flesh._--Ezekiel xxxvi., 26. + + +As in a machine where the parts all fit each other, and, bathed in +oil, move without din or discord, the most perfect harmony reigns +throughout the kingdom of grace. Jesus Christ is the "wisdom," as +well as the "power" of God; nor in this kingdom is anything found +corresponding to the anomalies and incongruities of the world lying +without. There we sometimes see a high station disgraced by a man of +low habits; while others are doomed to an inferior condition, who +would shine like gilded ornaments on the very pinnacles of society. +That beautiful congruity in Christ's kingdom is secured by those who +are the objects of saving mercy being so renewed and sanctified that +their nature is in harmony with their position, and the man within +corresponds to all without. + +Observe how this property of "new" runs through the whole economy +of grace. When mercy first rose upon this world, an attribute of +Divinity appeared which was new to the eyes of men and angels. +Again, the Savior was born of a virgin; and He who came forth from a +womb where no child had been previously conceived, was sepulchered +in a tomb where no man had been previously interred. The infant had +a new birthplace, the crucified had a new burial-place. Again, Jesus +is the mediator of a new covenant, the author of a new testament, +the founder of a new faith. Again, the redeemed receive a new name; +they sing a new song; their home is not to be in the old, but in +the new, Jerusalem, where they shall dwell on a new earth, and walk +in glory beneath a new heaven. Now it were surely strange, when +all things else are new, if they themselves were not to partake of +this general renovation. Nor strange only, for such a change is +indispensable. A new name without a new nature were an imposture. +It were not more an untruth to call a lion a lamb, or the rapacious +vulture by the name of the gentle dove, than to give the title of +sons of God to the venomous seed of the serpent. + +Then, again, unless man received a new nature, how could he sing the +new song? The raven, perched on the rock, where she whets her bloody +beak, and impatiently watches the dying struggles of some unhappy +lamb can not tune her croaking voice to the rich, mellow music of a +thrush; and, since it is out of the abundance of the heart that the +mouth speaketh, how could a sinner take up the strain and sing the +song of saints? Besides, unless a man were a new creature, he were +out of place in the new creation. In circumstances neither adapted +to his nature, nor fitted to minister to his happiness, a sinner +in heaven would find himself as much out of his element as a finny +inhabitant of the deep, or a sightless burrower in the soil, beside +an eagle, soaring in the sky, or surveying her wide domain from the +mountain crag. + +In the works of God we see nothing more beautiful than the divine +skill with which He suits His creatures to their condition. He +gives wings to birds, fins to fishes, sails to the thistle-seed, a +lamp to light the glowworm, great roots to moor the cedar, and to +the aspiring ivy her thousand hands to climb the wall. Nor is the +wisdom so conspicuous in nature, less remarkable and adorable in the +kingdom of grace. He forms a holy people for a holy heaven--fits +heaven for them, and them for heaven. And calling up His Son to +prepare the mansions for their tenants, and sending down His Spirit +to prepare the tenants for their mansions, He thus establishes a +perfect harmony between the new creature and the new creation. + +You can not have two hearts beating in the same bosom, else you +would be, not a man, but a monster. Therefore, the very first thing +to be done, in order to make things new, is just to take that which +is old out of the way. And the taking away of the old heart is, +after all, but a preparatory process. It is a means, but not the +end. For, strange as it may at first sound, he is not religious who +is without sin. A dead man is without sin; and he is sinless, who +lies buried in dreamless slumber, so long as his eyes are sealed. +Now, God requires more than a negative religion. Piety, like fire, +light, electricity, magnetism, is an active, not a passive element; +it has a positive, not merely a negative existence. For how is pure +and undefiled religion defined? "Pure religion and undefiled is to +visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction." And on whom +does Jesus pronounce His beatitude? "If ye know these things, happy +are ye if ye do them." And what is the sum of practical piety--the +most portable form in which you can put an answer to Saul's +question, "Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do?" What but this, +"Depart from evil, and do good." Therefore, while God promises to +take the stony heart out of our flesh, He promises more. In taking +away one heart, He engages to supply us with another; and to this +further change and onward stage in the process of redemption, I now +proceed to turn your attention. + +By way of general observation, I remark that our affections are +engaged in religion. An oak--not as it stands choked up in the +crowded wood, with room neither to spread nor breathe, but as it +stands in the open field, swelling out below where it anchors its +roots in the ground, and swelling out above where it stretches +its arms into the air,--presents us with the most perfect form of +firmness, self-support, stout and sturdy independence. So perfectly +formed, indeed, is the monarch of the forest to stand alone, and +fight its own battles with the elements, that the architect of +the Bell Rock lighthouse is said to have borrowed his idea of its +form from God in nature, and that, copying the work of a divine +Architect, he took the trunk of the oak as the model of a building +which was to stand the blast of the storm, and the swell of the +winter seas. + +Observe, that although the state of the natural affections does +not furnish any certain evidence of conversion, it is the glory +of piety that these are strengthened, elevated, sanctified by the +change. The lover of God will be the kindest, best, wisest lover +of his fellow-creatures. The heart that has room in it for God, +grows so large, that it finds room for all God's train, for all +that He loves, and for all that He has made; so that the Church, +with all its denominations of true Christians, the world, with all +its perishing sinners, nay, all the worlds which He has created, +find orbit-room to move, as in an expansive universe, within the +capacious enlargement of a believer's heart. For while the love of +sin acts as an astringent--contracting the dimensions of the natural +heart, shutting and shriveling it up--the love of God expands and +enlarges its capacity. Piety quickens the pulse of love, warms and +strengthens our heart, and sends forth fuller streams of natural +affection toward all that have a claim on us, just as a strong and +healthy heart sends tides of blood along the elastic arteries to +every extremity of the body. + +This new heart, however, mainly consists in a change of the +affections as they regard spiritual objects. Without again traveling +over ground which we have already surveyed, just look at the heart +and feelings of an unconverted man. His mind being carnal, is enmity +or hatred against God. This may be latent, not at first sight +apparent, nor suspected, but how soon does it appear when put to the +proof? Fairly tried, it comes out like those unseen elements which +chemical tests reveal. Let God, for instance, by His providences or +laws, thwart the wishes or cross the propensities of our unrenewed +nature--let there be a collision between His will and ours--and the +latent enmity flashes out like latent fire when the cold black flint +is struck with steel. + +In conversion God gives a new spirit. Conversion does not bestow +new faculties. It does not turn a weak man into a philosopher. +Yet, along with our affections, the temper, the will, the judgment +partake of this great and holy change. Thus, while the heart ceases +to be dead, the head, illuminated by a light within, ceases to be +dark; the understanding is enlightened; the will is renewed; and our +whole temper is sweetened and sanctified by the Spirit of God. To +consider these in their order, I remark-- + +By this change the understanding and judgment are enlightened. +Sin is the greatest folly, and the sinner the greatest fool in +the world. There is no such madness in the most fitful lunacy. +Think of a man risking eternity and his everlasting happiness on +the uncertain chance of surviving another year. Think of a man +purchasing a momentary pleasure at the cost of endless pain. Think +of a dying man living as if he were never to die. Is there a convert +to God who looks back upon his unconverted state, and does not say +with David, "Lord, I was as a beast before Thee." + +Now conversion not only restores God to the heart, but reason +also to her throne. Time and eternity are now seen in their just +proportions--in their right relative dimensions; the one in its +littleness, and the other in its greatness. When the light of heaven +rises on the soul, what grand discoveries does she make--of the +exceeding evil of sin, of the holiness of the divine law, of the +infinite purity of divine justice, of the grace and greatness of +divine love. On Sinai's summit and on Calvary's cross, what new, +sublime, affecting scenes open on her astonished eyes! She now, as +by one convulsive bound, leaps to the conclusion that salvation is +the one thing needful, and that if a man will give all he hath for +the life that now is, much more should he part with all for the life +to come. The Savior and Satan, the soul and body, holiness and sin, +have competing claims. Between these reason now holds the balance +even, and man finds, in the visit of converting grace, what the +demoniac found in Jesus' advent. The man whose dwelling was among +the tombs, whom no chains could bind, is seated at the feet of +Jesus, "clothed, and in his right mind." + +By this change the will is renewed. Bad men are worse, and good men +are better than they appear. In conversion the will is so changed +and sanctified, that altho a pious man is in some respects less, +in other respects he is more holy than the world gives him credit +for. The attainments of a believer are always beneath his aims; his +desires are nobler than his deeds; his wishes are holier than his +works. Give other men their will, full swing to their passions, and +they would be worse than they are; give that to him, and he would be +better than he is. And if you have experienced the gracious change, +it will be your daily grief that you are not what you not only know +you should be, but what you wish to be. To be complaining with +Paul, "When I would do good, evil is present with me; that which I +would I do not, and what I would not, that I do," is one of the best +evidences of a gracious, saving change. + +Children of God! let not your souls be cast down. This struggle +between the new will and the old man--painful and prolonged altho +it be--proves beyond all doubt the advent of the Holy Spirit. Until +the Savior appeared there was no sword drawn, nor blood shed in +Bethlehem, nor murderous decree issued against its innocents--they +slept safely in their mothers' bosoms, Herod enjoyed his security +and pleasure, and Rachel rose not from her grave to weep for her +children because they were not. Christ's coming rouses all the +devil in the soul. The fruits of holy peace are reaped with swords +on the fields of war; and this struggle within your breast proves +that grace, even in its infancy a cradled Savior, is engaged in +strangling the old Serpent. When the shadow of calamity falls on +many homes, and the tidings of victory come with sad news to many +a family, and the brave are lying thick in the deadly breach, men +comfort us by saying, that there are things worse than war. That is +emphatically true of this holy war. Rejoice that the peace of death +is gone. + +By conversion the temper and disposition are changed and sanctified. +Christians are occasionally to be found with a tone of mind and a +temper as little calculated to recommend their faith as to promote +their happiness. I believe that there are cases in which this is +due to a deranged condition of the nervous system, or the presence +of disease in some other vital organ. These unhappy persons are +more deserving of our pity than our censure. This is not only the +judgment of Christian charity, but of sound philosophy, and is a +conclusion to which we are conducted in studying the union between +mind and body, and the manner in which they act and re-act upon each +other. So long as grace dwells in a "vile body," which is the seat +of frequent disorder and many diseases--these infirmities of temper +admit no more, perhaps, of being entirely removed, than a defect of +speech, or any physical deformity. The good temper for which some +take credit may be the result of good health and a well-developed +frame--a physical more than a moral virtue; and an ill temper, +springing from bad health, or an imperfect organization, may be a +physical rather than a moral defect--giving its victim a claim on +our charity and forbearance. But, admitting this apology for the +unhappy tone and temper of some pious men, the true Christian will +bitterly bewail his defect, and, regretting his infirmity more than +others do a deformity, he will carefully guard and earnestly pray +against it. Considering it as a thorn in his flesh, a messenger +of Satan sent to buffet him, it will often send him to his knees +in prayer to God, that the grace which conquers nature may be made +"sufficient for him." + +I pray you to cultivate the temper that was in Jesus Christ. Is he +like a follower of the Lamb who is raging like a roaring lion? Is +he like a pardoned criminal who sits moping with a cloud upon his +brow? Is he like an heir of heaven, like a man destined to a crown, +who is vexed and fretted with some petty loss? Is he like one in +whose bosom the dove of heaven is nestling, who is full of all +manner of bile and bitterness? Oh, let the same mind be in you that +was in Jesus. A kind, catholic, gentle, loving temper is one of the +most winning features of religion; and by its silent and softening +influence you will do more real service to Christianity than by +the loudest professions, or the exhibition of a cold and skeleton +orthodoxy. Let it appear in you, that it is with the believer under +the influence of the Spirit as with fruit ripened beneath the genial +influences of heaven's dews and sunbeams. At first hard, it grows +soft; at first sour, it becomes sweet; at first green, it assumes +in time a rich and mellow color; at first adhering tenaciously to +the tree, when it becomes ripe, it is ready to drop at the slightest +touch. So with the man who is ripening for heaven. His affections +and temper grow sweet, soft, mellow, loose from earth and earthly +things. He comes away readily to the hand of death, and leaves the +world without a wrench. + +In conversion God gives a heart of flesh. "I will give you a heart +of flesh." + +Near by a stone, a mass of rock that had fallen from the overhanging +crag, which had some wild flowers growing in its fissures, and +on its top the foxglove, with its spike of beautiful but deadly +flowers, we once came upon an adder as it lay in ribbon coil, +basking on the sunny ground. At our approach the reptile stirred, +uncoiled itself, and raising its venomous head, with eyes like +burning coals, it shook its cloven tongue, and, hissing, gave +signs of battle. Attacked, it retreated; and, making for that gray +stone, wormed itself into a hole in its side. Its nest and home +were there. And in looking on that shattered rock--fallen from its +primeval elevation--with its flowery but fatal charms, the home +and nest of the adder, where nothing grew but poisoned beauty, and +nothing dwelt but a poisoned brood, it seemed to us an emblem of +that heart which the text describes as a stone, which experience +proves is a habitation of devils, and which the prophet pronounces +to be desperately wicked. I have already explained why the heart +is described as a stone. It is cold as a stone; hard as a stone; +dead and insensible as a stone. Now, as by the term "flesh" we +understand qualities the very opposite of these, I therefore remark +that-- + +In conversion a man gets a warm heart. + +Let us restrict ourselves to a single example. When faith receives +the Savior, how does the heart warm to Jesus Christ! There is music +in His name. "His name is an ointment poured forth." All the old +indifference to His cause, His people, and the interests of His +kingdom, has passed away; and now these have the warmest place in a +believer's bosom, and are the object of its strongest and tenderest +affections. The only place, alas! that religion has in the hearts +of many is a burial-place; but the believer can say with Paul, +"Christ liveth in me." Nor is his heart like the cottage of Bethany, +favored only with occasional visits. Jesus abides there in the +double character of guest and master, its most loving and best loved +inmate; and there is a difference as great between that heart as it +is, and that heart as it was, as between the warm bosom where the +Infant slept or smiled in Mary's arms and the dark, cold sepulcher +where weeping followers laid and left the Crucified. + +Is there such a heart in you? Do you appreciate Christ's matchless +excellences? Having cast away every sin to embrace him, do you set +him above your chiefest joy? Would you leave father, mother, wife, +children, to follow Him, with bleeding feet, over life's roughest +path? Rather than part with Him, would you part with a thousand +worlds? Were He now on earth, would you leave a throne to stoop +and tie His latchet? If I might so speak, would you be proud to +carry His shoes? Then, indeed, you have got the new, warm heart +of flesh. The new love of Christ, and the old love of the world, +may still meet in opposing currents; but in the war and strife of +these antagonistic principles, the celestial shall overpower the +terrestrial, as, at the river's mouth, I have seen the ocean tide, +when it came rolling in with a thousand billows at its back, fill +all the channel, carry all before its conquering swell, dam up the +fresh water of the land, and drive it back with resistless power. + +In conversion a man gets a soft heart. + +As "flesh," it is soft and sensitive. It is flesh, and can be +wounded or healed. It is flesh, and feels alike the kiss of kindness +and the rod of correction. It is flesh; and no longer a stone, +hard, obdurate, impenetrable to the genial influences of heaven. +A hard block of ice, it has yielded to the beams of the sun, and +been melted into flowing water. How are you moved now, stirred now, +quickened now, sanctified now, by truths once felt no more than +dews falling out of starry heavens, in soft silence upon rugged +rock. The heart of grace is endowed with a delicate sensibility, and +vibrates to the slightest touch of a Savior's fingers. How does the +truth of God affect it now! A stone no longer, it melts under the +heavenly fire--a stone no longer, it bends beneath the hammer of the +word; no longer like the rugged rock, on which rains and sunbeams +were wasted, it receives the impression of God's power, and retains +the footprints of His presence. Like the flowers that close their +eyes at night, but waken at the voice of morning, like the earth +that gapes in summer drought, the new heart opens to receive the +bounties of grace and the gifts of heaven. Have you experienced such +a change? In proof and evidence of its reality, is David's language +yours--"I have stretched out my hands unto thee. My soul thirsteth +after thee as a thirsty land"? + +In conversion a man gets a living heart. + +The perfection of this life is death--it is dead to be sin, but +alive to righteousness, alive to Christ, alive to everything which +touches His honor, and crown, and kingdom. With Christ living in +his heart, the believer feels that now he is not himself, not his +own; and, as another's, the grand object of his life is to live to +Christ. He reckons him an object worth living for, had he a thousand +lives to live; worth dying for, had he a thousand deaths to die. He +says with Paul, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live." +In the highest sense alive, he is dead, dead to things he was once +alive to; and he wishes that he were more dead to them, thoroughly +dead. He wishes that he could look on the seductions of the world, +and sin's voluptuous charms, with the cold, unmoved stare of death, +and that these had no more power to kindle a desire in him than in +the icy bosom of a corpse. "Understandest thou what thou readest?" + +It is a mark of grace that the believer, in his progress heavenward, +grows more and more alive to the claims of Jesus. If you "know the +love of Christ," His is the latest name you will desire to utter; +His is the latest thought you will desire to form; upon Him you will +fix your last look on earth; upon Him your first in heaven. When +memory is oblivious of all other objects--when all that attracted +the natural eye is wrapt in the mists of death, when the tongue is +cleaving to the roof of our mouth, and speech is gone, and sight is +gone, and hearing gone, and the right hand, lying powerless by our +side, has lost its cunning, Jesus! then may we remember Thee! If the +shadows of death are to be thrown in deepest darkness on the valley, +when we are passing along it to glory, may it be ours to die like +that saint, beside whose bed wife and children once stood, weeping +over the wreck of faded faculties, and a blank, departed memory. One +had asked him, "Father, do you remember me?" and received no answer; +and another, and another, but still no answer. And then, all making +way for the venerable companion of a long and loving pilgrimage--the +tender partner of many a past joy and sorrow, his wife draws near. +She bends over him, and as her tears fall thick upon his face, she +cries, "Do you not remember me?" A stare, but it is vacant. There +is no soul in that filmy eye; and the seal of death lies upon these +lips. The sun is down, and life's brief twilight is darkening fast +into a starless night. At this moment, one calm enough to remember +how the love of Christ's spouse is "strong as death," a love that +"many waters can not quench," stooped to his ear, and said, "Do +you remember Jesus Christ?" The word was no sooner uttered than it +seemed to recall the spirit, hovering for a moment, ere it took +wing to heaven. Touched as by an electric influence, the heart beat +once more to the name of Jesus; the features, fixt in death, relax; +the countenance, dark in death, flushes up like the last gleam of +day; and, with a smile in which the soul passed away to glory, he +replied, "Remember Jesus Christ! dear Jesus Christ! He is all my +salvation, and all my desire." + +By conversion man is ennobled. + +While infidelity regards man as a mere animal, to be dissolved at +death into ashes and air, and vice changes man into a brute or +devil, Mammon enslaves him. She makes him a serf, and condemns him +to be a gold-digger for life in the mines. She puts her collar +on his neck, and locks it; and bending his head to the soil, and +bathing his brow in sweat, she says, Toil, toil, toil; as if this +creature, originally made in the image of God, this dethroned and +exiled monarch, to save whom the Son of God descended from the +skies, and bled on Calvary, were a living machine, constructed of +sinew, bone, and muscle, and made for no higher end than to work to +live, and live to work. + +Contrast with these the benign aspect in which the gospel looks +on man. Religion descends from heaven to break our chains. She +alone raises me from degradation, and bids me lift my drooping +head, and look up to heaven. Yes; it is that very gospel which by +some is supposed to present such dark, degrading, gloomy views of +man and his destiny, which lifts me from the dust to set me among +princes--on a level with angels--in a sense above them. To say +nothing of the divine nobility grace imparts to a soul which is +stamped anew with the likeness and image of God, how sacred and +venerable does even this body appear in the eye of piety! No longer +a form of animated dust; no longer the subject of passions shared in +common with the brutes; no longer the drudge and slave of Mammon, +the once "vile body" rises into a temple of the Holy Ghost. Vile in +one sense it may be; yet what, although it be covered with sores? +What, although it be clothed in rags? What, although, in unseemly +decrepitude, it want its fair proportions? That poor, sickly, +shattered form is the casket of a precious jewel. This mean and +crumbling tabernacle lodges a guest nobler than palaces may boast +of; angels hover around its walls; the Spirit of God dwells within +it. What an incentive to holiness, to purity of life and conduct, +lies in the fact that the body of a saint is the temple of God, +a truer, nobler temple than that which Solomon dedicated by his +prayers, and Jesus consecrated His presence! In popish cathedrals, +where the light streamed through painted window, and the organ +pealed along lofty aisles, and candles gleamed on golden cups and +silver crosses, and incense floated in fragrant clouds, we have +seen the blinded worshiper uncover his head, drop reverently on his +knees, and raise his awestruck eye on the imposing spectacle; we +have seen him kiss the marble floor, and knew that sooner would he +be smitten dead upon that floor than be guilty of defiling it. How +does this devotee rebuke us! We wonder at his superstition; how may +he wonder at our profanity! Can we look on the lowly veneration he +expresses for an edifice which has been erected by some dead man's +genius, which holds but some image of a deified virgin, or bones of +a canonized saint, and which, proudly as it raises its cathedral +towers, time shall one day cast to the ground, and bury in the +dust; can we, I say, look on that, and, if sensible to rebuke, +not feel reproved by the spectacle? In how much more respect, in +how much holier veneration should we hold this body? The shrine +of immortality, and a temple dedicated to the Son of God, it is +consecrated by the presence of the Spirit--a living temple, over +whose porch the eye of piety reads what the finger of inspiration +has written: "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God +destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." + + + + +MAURICE + +THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + +FREDERICK DENISON MAURICE, English divine and author, was born in +1805. He was the son of a Unitarian clergyman, and after studying +in Cambridge began a literary career in London, where his friend +Coleridge and others persuaded him to take orders in the Church of +England. In 1836 he was appointed chaplain to Guy's Hospital. In +1840 he was elected professor of English literature and history +and in 1846 of divinity at King's College, London, but lost both +positions in 1853 because of his radical views. He was professor of +moral philosophy at Cambridge from 1860 until his death in 1872. + + + + +MAURICE + +1805-1872 + +THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES + +_The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit +of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was +full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about. And behold +there were very many in the open valley, and lo, they were very +dry. And he said unto me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I +answered, "O Lord God, thou knowest."_--EZEK. xxxvii., 1-3. + + +We are naturally curious to know whether two contemporary prophets +ever conversed with each other. In Micah we found such evident +indications of sympathy with the mind of Isaiah as warranted the +supposition that he was his pupil. I can not trace any signs of +a similar relation, or indeed of any personal relation, between +Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Tho they were passing through the same crisis; +tho they had both to witness the evils which were destroying their +nation; both to share its miseries; tho the false prophets were the +common enemies of both; yet their circumstances, their character, +and their work were entirely distinct, in some points even +contrasted. Their very differences, however, show us that they were +both alike prophets and priests. + +The Book of Lamentations exhibits the spirit of the individual man +Jeremiah more transparently than his longer book, which is so mixed +up with historical details, with anticipations of a ruin not yet +accomplished, with hopes, however faint and soon dispelled, of a +national repentance. Most of those whom the prophet had denounced +were banished or dead. Men could talk no more about the temple of +the Lord, could boast no more that the word of the Lord was with +them; the vessel which the potter was shaping had been broken to +pieces. The sadness of the prophet, which had been checked sometimes +by indignation, sometimes by the consciousness of a word which must +still be spoken, of a work which must be done, became complete and +absorbing. Heretofore his intense sympathy with his country might +seem to be qualified by his lively apprehension of its crimes; +now both feelings were blended into one. When he looked upon the +desolation of the city there sat upon his soul a weight of sorrow +and evil, as if he were representing his whole people, as if there +was no wrong which they had committed, no evil habits which they +had contracted, which did not cling to him, for which he was not +responsible. And this was no imaginary fictitious state of mind into +which he had worked himself. God had made him inwardly conscious of +the very corruptions which had destroyed the land. If he had made +any fight against them; if they did not actually overpower him and +enslave him, this was God's work and not his; the promise of the +covenant made with his fathers, which was as good for every one as +for himself, was fulfilled to him. And now he was realizing the full +effect of this discipline. The third chapter of the Lamentations, +beginning "I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of His +wrath," contains the climax of his experience. In the memorable +passages which follow, the history of a life is gathered up. "I +said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord; remembering +mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul +hath them still in remembrance. This I recall to mind, therefore +have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. +They are new every morning; great is thy faithlessness. The Lord is +my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord +is good unto them that wait for him. It is good that a man should +both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good +for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone and +keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him. He putteth his +mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope. He giveth his cheek to +him that smiteth him, he is filled full with reproach. The Lord will +not cast off for ever; but tho he cause grief, yet will he have +compassion according to the multitude of his mercies for he doth not +afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men." + +Anything more individual than these utterances it is impossible +to conceive; and yet it is just by these that one understands the +sacerdotal work to which Jeremiah was called. There was no longer +any temple. The priests as well as the princes had been for the most +part carried away by Nebuchadnezzar. But there was a man walking +about in the deserted city to which the twelve tribes had come +up,--in the midst of the ruins of the holy place into which the +sons of Aaron had gone with the memorial of their names on their +breastplates,--who really entered into the meaning of that function, +who really bore the iniquities of the children of Israel before the +Lord;--one to whom it was given to translate the ceremonies and +services of the divine house into life and reality. He had been +taught more perfectly, perhaps, than anyone who had served in the +temple, what was implied in its worship and sacrifices. He felt the +burden to which those sacrifices pointed, the burden of individual +and national sins. Yet, with that burden resting upon him, he could +enter into the presence of the Holy One of Israel. He was sure there +was a deliverance for his people as well as for himself; that there +could not be one for him if there was not also one for them. Thus +when part of his work was over, when he had nothing more to say in +the ears of kings or priests or people, this office,--which had been +so closely connected with his prophetical office, and which, if it +had depended upon outward conditions, must have been more entirely +at an end than that,--still remained in all its original power. And +the words of the prophet remained to explain to all generations the +spiritual character and acts of the priest. + +The office of the priest must have seemed to be more utterly extinct +for Ezekiel than even for Jeremiah. He was forcibly removed from +all the associations of the temple while it was yet standing. When +he was called to be a prophet to the captives by the river Chebar, +he might have supposed that the earlier designation which belonged +to him as one of the Levitical family, had been extinguished in +the later one. Yet we have seen how he was instructed, at the +very commencement of his work as a prophet, that the glory of +Him who filled the temple was surrounding him in Mesopotamia as +it surrounded him when he went up to present the morning or the +evening sacrifice in Jerusalem. Such a vision was given him of +that glory as he had never beheld in the holy place. He found that +the earth,--that common, profane, Babylonian earth upon which he +dwelt,--was filled with it. All the powers of nature, the forms of +animals, man as the highest of the animals, the motions and order +of the outward world and of human society, were pointing towards it. +And the central object, the highest object which he could behold, +tho there was an ineffable brightness beyond, was a Man upon a +throne, One who could command him, in whose name he was to go forth, +whose words he was to speak. + +This was no isolated revelation or dream. The very name which the +prophet thenceforth bore, the name by which he was to know himself, +depended upon it. "Son of man, stand upon thy feet and I will speak +unto thee," were the first words which he heard after he fell upon +his face. That great title is bestowed upon him through all the time +in which he was prophesying. It was in many ways more suitable to +him than to those who had gone before him. There was now no Hezekiah +or Josiah to represent the Divine king. The witnesses for the +kingdom seemed to be at an end. Nebuchadnezzar was the lord of the +earth. At such a time the natural position of the Jewish seer became +a human position. The Israelite's glory was to be a "Son of man." + +Yet he was not absolved from any of the obligations of the older +prophets; he was not to expect a more willing or attentive audience +among captives than they had found at home; briars, thorns would be +with him; he must dwell among scorpions. Lamentations and mourning +and woe filled his roll as much as that which Baruch wrote out for +Jeremiah. And he must eat this roll; it must become a part of his +very soul; its words must come forth living and burning out of +himself. + +He must understand, besides, all the fearful responsibilities of +the prophet. He was to speak whether the men about him would hear +or whether they would forbear. There were times when his tongue +would cleave to the roof of his mouth, when he should be dumb and +should not be to them a reprover. But when God opened his lips, +the blood of those to whom he was sent was upon him; it would be +required at his hands if they died in their iniquity and he had +not warned them. He must submit to do all symbolical acts, however +strange and fantastical they might seem in themselves, which might +bring the feeling of coming judgments home to a sense-bound people. +He must act a mimic siege, he must eat defiled bread; he must cut +off his hair and weigh it in balances, if so the people could be +made to understand,--in spite of their false prophets who spoke of +coming peace and enacted their signs, which of course involved no +discomfort or humiliation to themselves,--that the city would really +be destroyed and the sanctuary laid waste. He was to persuade his +brother captives that they were a remnant in which the nation still +lived, a stock out of which it should hereafter grow and flourish, +even tho they were most rebellious, dreaming of good things which +would never come, not waiting for that good which God had designed +for them. There was to be the same end in all the punishments which +were coming upon the land and in all its deliverances. God was +saying in all "I am the Lord." + +This sentence recurs again and again in the prophecies of Ezekiel. +It is the thought of his mind, the one which gives all the sublimity +and all the practical worth to his discourses,--that the knowledge +of God is the supreme good of man, and that the desolation of his +countrymen has come from their not liking to retain it. He is +transported in spirit to the temple. There the same vision of the +glory of God which he had seen by the river returns to him. The +light of it shows him, portrayed upon the wall of the temple round +about, the abominable beasts and creeping things, and the idols +of the house of Israel; what the ancients of the house of Israel +did in the dark, every one in the chambers of his imagery; how the +women were weeping for Tammuz; how the men were worshiping the sun +towards the east. Whether such abominations as these were actually +to be seen in the temple, or whether the prophet's eye opened by the +divine Spirit saw that they were possessing the hearts of those who +seemed to others, perhaps to themselves, to be worshiping the God +of their fathers, it is clear that the mind of Ezekiel was led back +to the place in which he had ministered, that he might be taught +how little the sacred building could preserve the truth which was +enshrined in it. + +What Ezekiel has seen in the temple enables him to answer the elders +of Israel when they come to consult him in his own house. Just what +was going on among those who worshiped in Jerusalem, was going on +in the hearts of those who sought his oracles. They were setting +up idols there. They wanted to know what God would do with them or +against them; they did not want to know Him. And therefore Ezekiel +announces to them a great and eternal moral law, one of the most +varied application; "God will answer you according to your idols." +The truth which is presented to you, will be colored, distorted, +inverted by the eye which receives it. The covetousness which you +are cherishing will make the best and divinest word you hear, a +minister of covetousness. Your pride and your lust will make it a +minister of lust and pride. No bolder or more awful paradox was ever +enunciated than this, nor one which the conscience of everyone will +more surely verify. And there was this special proof of courage in +making such an announcement, that it must have destroyed Ezekiel's +reputation as a prophet. The elders came in terror, feeling that +they wanted guidance and expecting some ready-made answer, such as +the regular traders in prophecy could always furnish. The truly +inspired man answers, "I can tell you nothing,--nothing at least +that will not deceive you and become a lie in your minds. For you +bring lies in your minds, and except they be extirpated, they +must convert whatever is added to them from without, to their own +quality." + +Ezekiel himself illustrates in another case this great principle. +No commandment had established itself more completely by the +experience of the people to whom it was addrest, than the second. +The idolatries of the land had accumulated with each generation. +Each had cause to complain of the last as bequeathing it a stock +of corrupt habits and traditions; the sins of the fathers had been +visited upon the children. These were facts not to be gainsaid. The +captives had leisure to reflect upon them. It might have been a most +profound and profitable reflection. + +The use they made of it was to prove they were under a necessary law +of degeneracy. How could they help themselves? The fathers had eaten +sour grapes, and their teeth were set on edge. Who dared dispute it? +There was God's own word for it. Had he not told them the plan and +method of His own government? Such language addrest to one of the +favorite preachers or prophets of the people, would have silenced +him altogether. He would have said, "It is a mystery, no doubt; we +must take the words of the commandment tho we can not understand +them. God is Sovereign; He can do what He likes. If it pleases +Him that each generation should be more corrupt than the last, we +must submit and not dispute His will." Others there would be who +would complain boldly and with good reason of a will that compelled +to evil, but yet would lazily submit to it, supposing it to be +inevitable, tho feeling the absurdity of calling it divine. Ezekiel +boldly stands forth to dispute and deny the whole principle. He does +not dispute or deny the second commandment,--that was probably the +text of his discourse. But he will not let the second commandment +or any other words in the world be pleaded against the character of +God. Righteousness and equity he maintains to be the foundations +of the divine character and of the divine acts. He will tolerate +no resolution of them into a heathenish notion of sovereignty or +self-will. "The ways of God are equal," he says, "and your ways are +unequal." The sins of the father only descend upon the son, they +are only punished in the son, when the son accepts them, entertains +them, makes them his own. At any time he may turn round and +repudiate them and cleave to the God who doth not will the death of +the sinner, but desires that he should return and live. The doctrine +of the second commandment and of the whole law, is that a man is +righteous so long as he cleaves to the righteous God who has made +a covenant with him, unrighteous when he forsakes that covenant +and acts independently. Therefore the notion of any perpetuity in +righteousness, or in evil, is equally cut off. Every man has the +capacity of righteousness, the capacity of evil. Let him be ever so +righteous, he must become evil the moment he ceases to trust in God +and begins to trust in himself. Let him be ever so evil, he must +become righteous the moment he begins to trust in God and ceases to +trust in himself. + +The enunciation of laws or principles seems more especially to +belong to Ezekiel, as the experience of personal evil and the +sympathy with national sorrow belong more to the tender and womanly +nature of Jeremiah. Nevertheless, Ezekiel was to be a priest in this +sense also, as well as in that higher sense of beholding the glory +of God and proclaiming His name. Suffering was not the destination +of one prophet; it was the badge of all the tribe. Ezekiel's life +was to be a continual parable, illustrative of the life of the +nation. A man scrupulously careful of the law, was to violate the +precepts of it respecting food, and to eat what was loathsome. A man +sensitive probably as to his reputation, and with that kind of lofty +imagination which makes attention to details and all petty acts +unspeakably painful, must submit, for the sake of his countrymen, +to such as seemed most ignominious to himself and perplexing to +them. Finally, the desire of his eyes must be taken from him with a +stroke, and he must not mourn or weep. Even at such a time he must +be a sign to the people, tho by doing so he should seem to refuse +the sympathy that he most wants, and should only lead the captives +to say, "Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us that thou +doest so?" + +Apart from these sufferings which concern him individually and +domestically, the vision of the desolation of Israel became every +day more overwhelming to him. Nor was it only the desolation of +Israel. He who was called "Son of man," was not likely to speak less +of Egypt and Tyrus and the land in which he was himself dwelling, +than those older prophets who had so many more reasons for regarding +Judea as the one garden of the Lord. The arms of Nebuchadnezzar had +been turning the earth upside down and making it waste. Everything +must have seemed to him disjointed, incoherent, withered. Could it +ever be renovated? Was it possible even for that country which God +had blest above all others and man had curst above all others, to +breathe and live again? + +This was the question which was proposed to the prophet on that day +when the hand of the Lord was upon him, and he was carried into +the valley which was full of bones. The vision, clear as it is in +itself, must not be read apart from the context of the prophecy. +You should remember where Ezekiel was dwelling; by what kind of +people he was surrounded; what was the condition of his own land; +what had come and was coming upon all lands; or you will not +understand the picture which now rose up before him. You should +think, too, of the man himself, of the heat of his spirit, of the +words which he had uttered in vain, of the acts which had only +made the captives stare vacantly, of the desolation of his house +and his heart. You should think of those other visions he had of +the ascending scale of creatures, of the mysterious order of the +universe, of the glory of God, before you place yourself beside +him in the valley, and walk with him round about it, and look at +the different bones, and see how each separately how altogether, +they expound to him the condition of the house of Israel. It was +dead,--that body from which he had believed that life was to go +forth to quicken the universe. It had none of the beauty of a corpse +in which there is still form, on which the spirit has left its +impression. There had been a time of gradual decay, a time when the +pulses of the nation beat feebly and faintly, but when they might +still be felt; a time after that when you knew it had ceased to +breathe, but when you could still speak of it as entire. But another +stage had come, the stage of utter dissolution, when each limb +looked as if it had nothing to do with any other, when you could +scarcely force yourself to believe that they had ever been joined +together. Can these bones live? what a thought to come into the +mind of any man gazing on such a scene! It could not have come from +himself, certainly, nor from any of these relics. God must have sent +it to him; He must have led him to dream that such a resurrection +was possible. And now the process of it is also revealed to him. The +prophet is commanded to speak. His speech seems a mere sound in the +air. But there is a noise and a shaking; then a frightful movement +of the bones towards each other, each claiming its fellow to which +it had once belonged. This strange effort at a union of dead things +betokens a power that has not yet declared itself. And soon the +sinews and the flesh come up upon them. They have acquired a form, +tho they have no life. "Then said he unto me, 'Prophesy unto the +wind; Thus saith the Lord God: come from the four winds, O breath, +and breathe upon these slain that they may live.' So I prophesied +as he commanded. And the breath came unto them, and they lived, and +stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army." + +"Doth he not speak parables?" was the phrase by which the Jews +of the captivity exprest their dislike and contempt for the +troublesome and mystical prophet who was among them. "Doth he not +speak parables?" is a question which men, looking round with weary +hearts upon the condition of Christ's Church in various periods +of its existence, have asked themselves, with a very different +intention and spirit, when they have read this vision of the valley +of dry bones. "Is not this written," they have said, "for the ages +to come? Is not this one of parables concerning the kingdom of +God?" Yes, brethren, if we will first read it fairly and honestly, +as describing what Ezekiel says it described to him,--if we will +not search for a distant application till we have acknowledged the +immediate one,--we shall find that here, as everywhere, Ezekiel is +exhibiting facts which belong to other times as well as his own, and +laws and methods of a divine government which belong to all times as +well as his own. + +And that I may not waste your time in enumerating different crises +of history in which the facts may be discerned, and by which the +law and the method may be tested, I say at once, they are all for +us; the vision and the interpretation are of this day. Do you not +hear men on all sides of you crying, "The Church which we read of +in books exists only in them. Christendom consists of Romanists, +Greeks, Protestants, divided from each other, disputing about +questions to which nineteen-twentieths of those who belong to their +communions are indifferent. And meantime what is becoming of the +countries in which these different confessions are established? +What populations are growing up in them? Does the present generation +believe that which its fathers believed? Will the next generation +believe anything?" Brethren, you hear such words as these spoken. I +do not mean to inquire how much there is of truth in them, how much +of exaggeration, what evidences there are on the other side which +have been overlooked; what signs of life there are anywhere in the +midst of apparent death. But this I must say; Christians in general +are far too eager to urge special exceptions when they hear these +charges preferred; far too ready to make out a case for themselves +while they admit their application to others; far too ready to think +that the cause of God is interested in this suppression of facts. +The prophets should have taught us a different lesson. They should +have led us to feel that it was a solemn duty, not to conceal, +but to bring forward all the evidence which proves, not that one +country is better than another, or one portion of the Church better +than another, but that there is a principle of decay, a tendency +to apostasy in all, and that no comfort can come from merely +balancing symptoms of good here against symptoms of evil there, no +comfort from considering whether we are a little less contentious, +a little less idolatrous than our neighbors. Alas, for this Church, +or for any church, if its existence now, if its prospects for the +future, are to be determined by such calculations as these! No, +brethren, our hope has a deeper foundation. It is this; that when +the bones have become most dry, when they are lying most scattered +and separate from each other, there is still a word going forth, if +not through the lips of any prophet on this earth, then through the +lips of those who have left it,--yet not proceeding from them, but +from Him who liveth for ever and ever, the voice which says, "These +bones shall rise." It is this; that every shaking among the bones, +everything which seems at first a sign of terror,--men leaving the +churches in which they have been born, forsaking all the affections +and sympathies and traditions of their childhood,--infidel +questionings, doubts whether the world is left to itself or whether +it is governed by an evil spirit,--are themselves not indeed signs +of life, but at least movements in the midst of death which are +better than the silence of the charnel-house, which foretell the +approach of that which they can not produce. It is this; that all +struggles after union, tho they may be of the most abortive kind, +tho they may produce fresh sects and fresh divisions, tho they must +do so as long as they rest on the notion that unity is something +visible and material, yet indicate a deep and divine necessity +which men could not be conscious of in their dreams if they were +not beginning to awake. It is this; that there are other visions +true for us, as they were for Ezekiel, besides the vision of dry +bones. The name of a Father has not ceased to be a true name because +baptized men do not own themselves as His children. The name of the +Son has not ceased to be a true name, because men are setting up +some earthly ruler in place of Him, or are thinking that they can +realize a human fellowship without confessing a Man on the throne +above the firmament. The name of the Spirit has not ceased to be +a true name because we are thinking that we can form combinations +and sects and churches without His quickening presence, because we +deny that He is really in the midst of us. It is this; that when +all earthly priests have been banished or have lost their faith, +tho there should be none to mourn over the ruins of Jerusalem, or +to feel its sin as his own, yet there is a High Priest, the great +Sin-Bearer, ever presenting His perfect and accepted sacrifice +within the veil, a High Priest not of a nation, but of humanity. It +is this; that tho all earthly temples, in which God has been pleased +to dwell, should become desecrated and abominable, tho all foul +worship should go on in the midst of them, and tho what is portrayed +on their walls should too faithfully represent what is passing in +the more secret chambers of imagery, tho at last the shrines that +have been supposed to contain the mystery which they set forth +should be utterly destroyed, and a voice should be heard out of the +midst of them, saying, "Let us depart,"--yet that this will not be +the sign that the Church of God has perished, only the sign that the +temple of God has been opened in Heaven, and that from thence must +come forth the glory that is to fill the whole earth. + + + + +MARTINEAU + +PARTING WORDS + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +JAMES MARTINEAU, an English Unitarian divine, was born at Norwich +in 1805. He was educated for the Unitarian ministry at Manchester +College, and in 1828 ordained to the Presbyterian ministry in +Dublin. Resigning his pastorate in Ireland, he took charge of the +Paradise Street Chapel in Liverpool, but on being elected to the +chair of mental and moral philosophy in Manchester New College +followed it to London 1853, succeeding J. J. Taylor as principal of +the institution in 1868. + +His sermons, delivered in the course of four years in the chapel +of Manchester New College are specimens of combined eloquence and +philosophical profundity, yet are, perhaps, most valuable for their +ethical quality. He preached in Dublin, Liverpool, and London. +He was a lofty and earnest soul, given to mysticism, a master of +English style, and has been widely read. He died in 1900. + + + + +MARTINEAU + +1805-1900 + +PARTING WORDS + +_Peace I leave with you: My peace I give unto you: not as the world +giveth, give I unto you._--John xiv., 27. + + +This is a strange benediction to proceed from the Man of Sorrows, +at the dreariest moment of His life; strange at least to those who +look only to His outward career, His incessant contact with misery +and sin, His absolute solitude of purpose, His lot stricken with +sadness ever new from temptation to the cross; but not strange +perhaps to those who heard the deep and quiet tones in which this +oracle of promise went forth--the divinest music from the center +of the darkest fate. He was on the bosom of the beloved disciple +and in the midst of those who should have cheered Him in that hour +with such comfort as fidelity can always offer; but who, failing in +their duty to His griefs, found the sadness creep upon themselves; +while He, seeking to give peace to them, found it Himself profusely +in the gift. It was not till He had finished this interview and +effort of affection, and from the warmth of that evening meal and +the flush of its deep converse they had issued into the chill and +silent midnight air, nor till the sanctity of moonlight (never to be +seen by Him again) had invested Him, and coarse fatigue had sunk His +disciples into sleep upon the grass, that having none to comfort, He +found anguish fall upon Himself. Deprived of the embrace of John, +He flew to the bosom of the Father; and after a momentary strife, +recovered in trust the serenity He had found in toil; and while His +followers lie stretched in earthly slumber, He reaches a divine +repose; while they, yielding to nature, gain neither strength nor +courage for the morrow, He, through the vigils of agony, rises to +that godlike power, on which mockery and insult beat in vain, and +which has made the cross, then the emblem of abjectness and guilt, +the everlasting symbol of whatever is holy and sublime. + +The peace of Christ, then, was the fruit of combined toil and trust; +in the one case diffusing itself from the center of His active life, +in the other from that of His passive emotions; enabling Him in +the one case to do things tranquilly; in the other, to see things +tranquilly. Two things only can make life go wrong and painfully +with us; when we suffer or suspect misdirection and feebleness in +the energies of love and duty within us, or in the providence of +the world without us: bringing, in the one case, the lassitude of +an unsatisfied and discordant nature; in the other, the melancholy +of hopeless views. From these Christ delivers us by a summons to +mingled toil and trust. And herein does His peace differ from that +which "the world giveth"--that its prime essential is not ease, but +strife; not self-indulgence, but self-sacrifice; not acquiescence +in evil for the sake of quiet, but conflict with it for the sake +of God; not, in short, a prudent accommodation of the mind to +the world, but a resolute subjugation of the world to the best +conceptions of the mind. Amply has the promise to leave behind Him +such a peace been since fulfilled. It was fulfilled to the apostles +who first received it; and has been realized again by a succession +of faithful men to whom they have delivered it. + +The word "peace" denotes the absence of jar and conflict; a +condition free from the restlessness of fruitless desire, the +forebodings of anxiety, the stings of enmity. It may be destroyed +by discordance between the lot without and the mind within, where +the human being is in an obviously false position--an evil rare and +usually self-curative; or by a discordance wholly internal, among +the desires and affections themselves. The first impulse of "the +natural man" is to seek peace by mending his external condition; +to quiet desire by increase of ease; to banish anxiety by increase +of wealth; to guard against hostility by making himself too strong +for it; to build up his life into a fortress of security and a +palace of comfort, where he may softly lie, tho tempests beat and +rain descends. The spirit of Christianity casts away at once this +whole theory of peace; declares it the most chimerical of dreams; +and proclaims it impossible even to make this kind of reconciliation +between the soul and the life wherein it acts. As well might the +athlete demand a victory without a foe. To the noblest faculties of +soul rest is disease and torture. The understanding is commissioned +to grapple with ignorance, the conscience to confront the powers of +moral evil, the affections to labor for the wretched and opprest; +nor shall any peace be found, till these, which reproach and fret us +in our most elaborate ease, put forth an incessant and satisfying +energy; till, instead of conciliating the world, we vanquish it; and +rather than sit still, in the sickness of luxury, for it to amuse +our perceptions, we precipitate ourselves upon it to mold it into a +new creation. Attempt to make all smooth and pleasant without, and +you thereby create the most corroding of anxieties, and stimulate +the most insatiable of appetites within. But let there be harmony +within, let no clamors of self drown the voice which is entitled +to authority there; let us set forth on the mission of duty, +resolved to live for it alone, to close with every resistance that +obstructs it, and march through every peril that awaits it; and in +the consciousness of immortal power, the sense of mortal ill will +vanish; and the peace of God well nigh extinguish the sufferings of +the man. "In the world we may have tribulation; in Christ we shall +have peace." + +This peace, so remote from torpor, arising, indeed, from the intense +action of the greatest of all ideas, those of duty, of immortality, +of God, fell, according to the promise, on the first disciples. Not +in vain did Jesus tell them in their sorrows that the Comforter +would come; nor falsely did He define the blessed visitant, as +"the spirit of truth"--the soul reverentially faithful to its +convictions, and expressing clearly in action its highest aspirings. +Such peace had Stephen, when before the Sanhedrim that was striving +to hush up the recent story of the cross, he proclaimed aloud the +sequel of the ascension; and priests and elders arose and stopped +their ears, and thrust him out to death; he had his peace; else how, +if heaven of divinest tranquility had not opened to him and revealed +to him the proximity of Christ to God, how as the stone struck his +uncovered and uplifted head, could he have so calmly said, "Lord, +lay not this sin to their charge"? Such peace had Paul--at least +when he ceased to rebel against his noble nature, and became, +instead of the emissary of persecution, the ambassador of God. Was +there ever a life of less ease and security, yet of more buoyant +and rejoicing spirit than his? What weight did he not cast aside, +to run the race that was set before him? What tie of home or nation +did he not break, that he might join in one of the whole family of +God? For forty years the scoff of synagogues and the outcast of his +people, he forgot the privations of the exile in the labors of the +missionary; flying from charges of sedition he disseminated the +principles of peace; persecuted from city to city, yet he created +in each a center of pure worship and Christian civilization, and +along the coasts of Asia, and colonies of Macedonia, and citadels +of Greece, dropped link after link of the great chain of truth that +shall yet embrace the world. Amid the joy of making converts, he had +also the affliction of making martyrs; to witness the sufferings, +perhaps to bear the reproaches, of survivors; with weeping heart to +rebuke the fears, and sustain the faith of many a doubter; and in +solitude and bonds to send forth the effusions of his earnest spirit +to quicken the life, and renovate the gladness, of the confederate +churches. Yet when did speculation at its ease ever speak with +vigor so noble and cheerfulness so fresh as his glorious letters; +which recount his perils by land and sea, his sorrows with friend +and foe, and declare that "none of these things move" him; which +show him projecting incessant work, yet ready for instant rest; +conscious that already he has fought the good fight, and willing +to finish his course and resign the field; but prepared, if needs +be, to grasp again the sword of the Spirit, and go forth in quest +of wider victories. Does any one suppose that it would have been +more peaceful to look back on a life less exposed and adventurous, +on a lot sheltered and secure, on soft-bedded comfort, and unbroken +plenty, and conventional compliance? No! it is only beforehand that +we mistake these things for peace; in the retrospect we know them +better, and would exchange them all for one vanquished temptation +in the desert, for one patient bearing of the cross! What--when all +is over, and we lie upon the last bed--what is the worth to us of +all our guilty compromises, of all the moments stolen from duty to +be given to ease? If Paul had cowered before the tribunal of Nero, +and trembled at his comrade's blood, and, instead of baring his neck +to the imperial sword, had purchased by poor evasions another year +of life--where would that year have been now--a lost drop in the +deep waters of time--yet not lost, but rather mingled as a poison +in the refreshing stream of good men's goodness by which Providence +fertilizes the ages. + +The peace of Christ, thus inherited by His disciples, and growing +out a living spirit of duty and of love, contrasts not merely with +guilty ease, but with that mere mechanical facility in blameless +action which habit gives. There is something faithless and ignoble +in the very reasonings sometimes employed to recommend virtuous +habits. They are urged upon us, because they smooth the way of +right; we are invited to them for the sake of ease. Adopted in such +a temper, duty after all makes its bargain with indulgence, and is +not yet pursued for its own sake and with the allegiance of a loving +heart. Moreover, whoever has true conscience sees that there is a +fallacy in this persuasion; for whenever habits become mechanical, +they cease to satisfy the requirements of duty; the obligations of +which enlarge definitely with our powers, demanding an undiminished +tension of the will, and an ever-constant life of the affections. +It can never be, that a soul which has a heaven open to its view, +which is stationed here, not simply to accommodate itself to the +arrangement of this world, but also to school itself for the spirit +of another, is intended to rest in mere automatic regularities. +When the mind is thrown into other scenes, and finds itself in the +society of the world invisible, suddenly introduced to the heavenly +wise and the sainted good--what peace can it expect from mere dry +tendencies to acts no longer practicable and blameless things now +left behind? No; it must have that pure love which is nowhere a +stranger, in earth or heaven; that vital goodness of the affections, +that adjusts itself at once to every scene where there is truth and +holiness to venerate; that conscience, wakeful and devout, which +enters with instant joy on any career of duty and progress opened +to its aspirations. And even in "the life that now is," the mere +mechanist of virtue, who copies precepts with mimetic accuracy, +is too frequently at fault, to have even the poor peace which +custom promises. He is at home only on his own beat. An emergency +perplexes him, and too often tempts him disgracefully to fly. He +wants the inventiveness by which a living heart of duty seizes the +resources of good, and uses them to the last; and the courage by +which love, like honor, starts to the post of noble danger, and +maintains it till, by such fidelity, it becomes a place of danger +no more. It is a vain attempt to comprize in rules and aphorisms +all the various moral exigencies of life. Hardly does such legality +suffice to define the small portion of right and wrong contemplated +in human jurisprudence. But the true instincts of a pure mind, like +the creative genius of art, frames rules most perfect in the act +of obeying them, and throws the materials of life into the fairest +attitudes and the justest proportions. He whose allegiance is paid +to the mere perceptive system, shapes and carves his duty into the +homeliest of wooden idols; he who has the spirit of Christ turns it +into an image breathing and divine. Children of God in the noblest +sense, we are not without something of His creative spirit in our +hearts. The power is there to separate the light from the darkness +within us, and set in the firmament of the soul luminaries to guide +and gladden us, for seasons and for years; power to make the herbage +green beneath our feet, and beckon happy creatures into existence +around our path; power to mold the clay of our earthly nature into +the likeness of God most high; and thus only have we power to look +back in peace upon our work, and find a Sabbath rest upon the +thought that, morning and evening, all is good. + +But the peace which Christ left and bequeathed was the result of +trust, no less than toil. However immersed in action, and engaged +in enterprises of conscience, every life has its passive moments, +when the operation is reversed, and power, instead of going from us, +returns upon us; and the scenes of our existence present themselves +to us as objects of speculation and emotion. Sometimes we are forced +into quietude in pauses of exhaustion or of grief; stretched upon +the bed of pain, to hear the great world murmuring and rolling by; +or lifted into the watch-tower of solitude, to look over the vast +plain of humanity, and from a height that covers it with silence +observe its groups shifting and traversing like spirits in a city +of the dead. At such times our peace must depend on the view under +which our faith or our fears may exhibit this mighty "field of +the world"; on the forces of evil, of fortuity, or of God, which +we suppose to be secretly directing the changes on the scene, and +calling up the brief apparition of generation after generation. And +so great and terrible is the amount of evil, physical and moral, in +the great community of men; so vast the numbers sunk in barbarism, +compared with the few who more nobly represent our nature; so +many and piercing (could we but hear them) the cries of unpitied +wretchedness, that with every beat of the pendulum wander unnoticed +into the air; so dense the crowds that are thrust together in the +deepest recesses of want, and that crawl through the loathsome hives +of sin; that only two men can look through the world without dismay; +he, on the one hand, who suffering himself to be bewildered with +momentary horror, and in the confusion of his emotions, to mistake +what he sees for the moral chaos, turns his back in the despair of +fatalism, crying, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die"; and +he, on the other, who, with the discernment of a deeper wisdom, +penetrates through the shell of evil to the kernel and the seed +of good; who perceives in suffering and temptation the resistance +which alone can render virtue manifest, and conscience great, and +existence venerable; who recognizes, even in the gigantic growth +of guilt, the grasp of infinite desires, and the perseverance of +godlike capacities; who sees how soon, were God to take up His +omnipotence, and snatch from His creature "man" the care of the +world and the work of self-perfection, all that deforms might +be swept away, and the meanest lifted through the interval that +separates them from the noblest; and who therefore holds fast to the +theory of hope and the kindred duty of effort; takes shelter beneath +the universal Providence of God; and seeing time enough in His vast +cycles for the growth and consummation of every blessing can be +patient as well as trust; can resign the selfish vanity of doing all +things himself, and making a finish before he dies; and cheerfully +give up his life to build up the mighty temple of human improvement, +tho no inscription mark it for glory, and it be as one of the hidden +stones of the sanctuary, visible only to the eye of God. Such was +the spirit and the faith which Jesus left, and in which His first +disciples found their rest. Within the infinitude of the divine +mercy trouble did but fold them closer; the perversity of man did +but provide them to put forth a more conquering love; and tho none +were ever more the sport of the selfish interests and prejudices of +mankind, or came into contact with a more desolate portion of the +great wastes of humanity, they constructed no melancholy theories; +but having planted many a rose of Sharon, and made their little +portion of the desert smile, departed in the faith that the green +margin would spread as the seasons of God came round, till the +mantle of heaven covered the earth, and it ended with Eden as it had +begun. + +Between these two sources of Christian peace, virtuous toil, and +holy trust, there is an intimate connection. The desponding are +generally the indolent and useless; not the tried and struggling, +but speculators at a distance from the scene of things, and far from +destitute of comforts themselves. Barren of the most blest of human +sympathies, strangers to the light that best gladdens the heart of +man, they are without the materials of a bright and hopeful faith. +But he who consecrates himself sees at once how God may sanctify +the world; he whose mind is rich in the memory of moral victories +will not easily believe the world a scene of moral defeats; nor was +it ever known that one who, like Paul, labored for the good of man, +despaired of the benevolence of God. + +Whoever then would have the peace of Christ, let him seek first the +spirit of Christ. Let him not fret against the conditions which God +assigns to his being, but reverently conform himself to them, and do +and enjoy the good which they allow. Let him cast himself freely on +the career to which the secret persuasion of duty points, without +reservation of happiness or self; and in the exercise which its +difficulties give to his understanding, its conflicts to his will, +its humanities to his affections, he shall find that united action +of his whole and best nature, that inward harmony, that moral order, +which emancipates from the anxieties of self, and unconsciously +yields the divinest repose. The shadows of darkest affliction +cannot blot out the inner radiance of such a mind; the most tedious +years move lightly and with briefest step across its history; for +it is conscious of its immortality, and hastening to its heavens. +And there shall its peace be consummated at length; its griefs +transmuted into delicious retrospects; its affections fresh and +ready for a new and nobler career; and its praise confessing that +this final "peace of God" doth indeed surpass its understanding. + + + + +MANNING + +THE TRIUMPH OF THE CHURCH + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +HENRY EDWARD MANNING, Roman Catholic prelate, was born 1808 at +Totteridge in Hertfordshire and educated at Harrow and Oxford. +After graduation in 1830, he studied for holy orders in the Church +of England and was ordained in 1833. The Tractarian Movement +was then at its height and Manning took a leading part in it. +Appointed Archdeacon of Chichester in 1840 he took a commanding +place as a preacher and leader. Newman's recession did not shake +his allegiance, but the decision in the Gorham case, which gave the +Crown the power of deciding doctrinal questions, drove him to seek +refuge in the Roman Catholic fold in 1851. + +He was ordained priest by Cardinal Wiseman and to the end of his +life devoted himself to religious and philanthropic work in London. +He was appointed to succeed Wiseman as Archbishop of Westminster in +1865. He was made cardinal in 1875. As a preacher he was logical and +dogmatic, but his style is imaginative and his flights of eloquence +tinged with poetic coloring and passion. He died in 1892. + + + + +MANNING + +1808-1892 + +THE TRIUMPH OF THE CHURCH + +_We give thanks unto God, who maketh us always to triumph in Christ +Jesus, and manifesteth the odor of the knowledge of Him by us in +every place. For we are a good odor of Christ unto God, both in them +that are saved and in them that perish; in the one indeed an odor of +life, in the other an odor of death unto death._--2 Cor. ii., 14-16. +(Douay Version.) + + +Such was the confidence of the Apostle in the face of all that was +most hostile, mighty, and triumphant in the judgment of this world. +He was confident that through God his mission in the world was being +accomplished, that the Word of God was triumphing over all the +power of man. They may well have said to him, "What is this triumph +you speak of? If this be triumph, what is defeat? You were stoned +the other day in Lystra; you were imprisoned at Philippi; you were +scourged at Jerusalem; you were saved out of the hands of the people +only by Roman soldiers; you were confounded by the philosophers +at Athens; and you were refuted out of the holy Scriptures by the +Jews of Berea. If this is triumph, you are welcome to it." Such, +no doubt, was the lordly and confident language of men in the face +of the apostles of Jesus Christ then, and such is the language of +confidence with which the world looks on the Catholic Church at +this hour. It counts it to be a comedy played out, a stale medieval +superstition, and a name that is trampled in the earth. In every age +the Church has been militant and in warfare. It is under the same +law of suffering which crucified its divine Head. His throne was +a cross, and His crown was of thorns. Nevertheless He triumphed, +and He triumphs still, and shall triumph to the end. And so at +this moment, in this nineteenth century, in the century of modern +civilization, of light, of progress, of scientific affectation, +the Catholic Church is derided. They say to us, "Look at the +Catholic Church in Germany; look at it in Italy; the head of the +Church dethroned; and not a spot on earth for the incarnation to +set its foot upon. If this be triumph you are welcome to it." Our +answer is: "Yes, even now we triumph always and in every place. +The Catholic Church is triumphing now in America, and in Ireland, +and in the colonies of the British empire; aye, and in the midst +of the confusions in Spain, and in France through revolution after +revolution, and in the furnace of infidelity; aye, and in Germany, +in the midst of all that the might of man can do against it; and in +Italy too, where the head of the Church is morally a prisoner, it +is triumphing even now." + +But how can I verify this assertion? It would be enough indeed to +quote the words of the apostle, but I hope to do more. The world +esteems the triumph of the Church to be in wealth, power, glory, +honor, public sway over empires and nations. There was a time indeed +when the world laid these things at the feet of the apostles of +Jesus Christ. There was a time when the Catholic Church and the +Christian world knew how to sanctify the society of men; but there +is this difference--the world then believed, and the world now is +apostate. Nevertheless, there is a triumph in the Christian world +and there is a triumph in the anti-Christian world; and what is it? +It is that the Church in every age and in every condition, and in +the midst of all antagonists, fulfils its mission and accomplishes +its work, and no power of man can hinder it. Men may, as we shall +see hereafter, to their own destruction, resist the mission of +the Church, but its work will be accomplished nevertheless, and +accomplished even in them; and its work will be a good odor of +Christ unto God both in those that are saved and in those that +perish. The world has neither tests nor measures by which to +understand what the mission and the work of the Church are; but they +who see by the light of faith have both. Let us examine, then, what +is its mission, what is its work, and how it is fulfilled. + +First of all, the mission of the Church among men is this--to be +a witness for God, and for the incarnation of God in the face of +the world. Our Divine Lord said of Himself: "For this was I born, +and for this came I into the world, that I should give testimony +unto the truth." As it was with Him, so it is with His Church; and +therefore He said to His apostles: "You shall be witnesses unto +me," and St. John said: "That which was from the beginning, which +we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have +looked upon, and our hands handled, of the word of life; for the +life was manifested, and we have seen it, and do bear witness, and +declare unto you, the life eternal which was with the Father, and +hath appeared unto us; that is to say, the manifestation of God in +the flesh, the incarnation of the Son of God." The Church was the +witness of this divine fact to the world, and it is witness to this +hour. I may say it is an eye-witness. It was eye-witness of what it +declares. It was an ear-witness of what it affirms. I may say in +truth that the Church of God, which testifies at this hour, saw the +Son of God, and heard His words, and was witness of His miracles. +So St. Peter expressly declares, speaking of His transfiguration: +"We have not, by artificial fables, made known to you the power and +presence of our Lord Jesus Christ; but we were eye-witnesses of his +greatness. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, +this voice coming down to him from the excellent glory: This is my +beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And his voice +we heard brought from heaven, when we were with him in the holy +mount." More than this: it was a witness of the day of Pentecost, +and upon it the Holy Ghost descended. It heard the sound of the +mighty wind and it saw the tongues of fire. The Church therefore +testifies at this day as an ear-witness and an eye-witness of the +divine facts which it declares. And how can this be said? Because +that which the apostles saw and heard they delivered to others who +believed in them upon a full test and knowledge of their truth, and +those who received their testimony held it as a sacred trust and +declared it to those who came after. From age to age the testimony +of the apostles has descended unbroken. The intrinsic certainty of +their witness, resting on their own eye-witness and ear-witness of +the facts, has not diminished by a shade, jot, or tittle in the +lapse of time, and the external evidence of that fact has multiplied +and extended throughout all time and throughout the world. Therefore +the testimony of the apostles to these divine realities and truths +is as living and fresh at this day as it was in the beginning. +Then twelve men testified; now the nations of the world, united +in one body by faith and by baptism, take up and perpetuate that +testimony. And part of that testimony is this--that when the Son of +God ascended into heaven, as they saw Him ascend, He fulfilled His +promise that He would send the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Ghost, to +abide with them forever; that when one divine Teacher had gone up +to His Father's throne, another should come in His stead; that the +world should never be without a divine Person and a divine Teacher +in the midst of it; and that the Spirit of Truth by which they +were united to their divine Head in heaven should unite them also +to each other as His members in one mystical body, and should form +to Himself a dwelling-place in which to abide forever. As the soul +abides in the body of the man, so the Holy Ghost abides in the body +of the Church. It is the sanctuary in which He dwells; the organ by +which He speaks, so that the words of our Divine Lord are fulfilled +to the very letter--"He that heareth you heareth me;" for the voice +of the head and that of the body, as St. Augustine says, are one and +the same voice. As they make one moral person, so their voice is +identical, and the assistance of the Holy Spirit keeps the voice of +the Church always in perfect harmony with the voice of its divine +Head, fulfilling the promise of the Lord by His prophet: "My spirit +which is upon thee and my word which I put in thy mouth, shall never +depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor +out of the mouth of thy seed's seed from this time and forever." +Thus, then, the mission of the Church is fulfilled always; whether +the world believe or disbelieve, whether it gainsay or assent, it +matters not; the testimony of the Church forever triumphs in every +place. + +Another part of the mission of the Church is this--to teach the +doctrines of Jesus Christ in the midst of all the controversies and +contradictions of men. In the face of all the errors and heresies +of men there is one divine Teacher perpetually declaring the same +immutable truth. In the clamor and confusion of the human voices +of philosophers and human guides, of the scribes and Pharisees of +the new laws, there is one divine voice--articulate, clear, and +piercing--which cleaves through all the confusion, and is to be +heard above the clamor of men and of nations--the voice of that +one holy, Catholic, and Roman Church, spreading from the sunrise +to the sunset, immutable in its doctrine, teaching the same truths +identically in every place, and abiding always the same unchanging +teacher in every age. This is a fact legible in human history. I +need not offer proof of it from histories written by ourselves; it +is proved by histories and controversies of those who are most +opposed to us. There is an accusation which is repeated from age +to age against the Catholic and Roman Church; and what is it? That +it always persists in its old errors. I accept the accusation. Its +persistence proves its immutability, and that which they account +error we know to be the doctrine of Jesus Christ; because, as I have +already shown from the Word of God, neither can the Catholic Church +ever err in believing, nor can the Catholic Church err in teaching. +These are two impossibilities, and they descend from one and the +same divine truth. God, the Holy Ghost, abiding forever in the +mystical body of Christ, illuminates the whole body of the faithful +from the time of their baptism. From the time that the graces of +faith, hope, and charity are infused into their souls, they are +illuminated with the light of faith as the world is illuminated by +the splendor of the sun at noonday; and the faithful throughout +the world continue passively in their persistence in that one +baptismal faith wherewith they were enlightened from their earliest +consciousness. And further, they can never err in believing, +because the Church which teaches them can never err in teaching. +The episcopate throughout the world, which is the college of the +apostles multiplied and expanded among all nations, has always the +assistance of the Spirit of Truth to guide and preserve it, so that +the errors of men and infirmities of our intellect never prevail +over the light of faith by which the whole Episcopate and the Church +is sustained in the revelation of the day of Pentecost. And more +than this: nineteen general councils, from the first which declared +the coequality and consubstantiality of the Son with the Father and +the Holy Ghost, down to the last which declared the infallibility +of the vicar of Jesus Christ,--those nineteen councils have been +the organ of the Holy Ghost, preserving the truth in all ages; and +the pontiffs, two hundred and fifty-seven in number, have also been +guided and assisted by the same Spirit of Truth; so that no doctrine +of faith and morals from their hand and from their lips has been out +of harmony with the revelation of Jesus Christ. For these reasons +the Church is fulfilling its mission, always and in every place, and +it can say in every age, with a divine certainty of knowledge and +with a divine authority of teaching: "It seemed good to the Holy +Ghost and to us." + +Once more, and lastly: there is another part of the mission of the +Church which never fails, and is never baffled--and that is, that +the Church judges between the truth of God and the errors of men, +and gives decision with divine certainty what is truth, what is +falsehood, what is light and what is darkness. Here again the world, +in the confusion of its discordant witnesses, bears testimony to +our truth. The world disclaims altogether the presence of any divine +teacher in the midst of us. It derides the very notion. There is +not a sect or a communion, or a so-called church, which lays claim +to this divine guidance. They say infallibility exists nowhere but +in God. As the Pharisees said: "Who can forgive sins but God only?" +thereby acknowledging the divinity of Him who forgave the palsied +man. And while they say: "We have no infallibility in us; we do +not claim it; we deny its existence on the face of the earth," the +one Teacher, who never varies in His voice, says: "He that heareth +me heareth him that sent me." It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and +unto us that we should claim that infallibility, and we cite you +before the tribunal of God to answer for your denial of that truth. +We say further that no man knows that any revelation was ever made +to man except through our testimony. You never saw the Word made +flesh, you nor your forefathers; and you have no unbroken succession +of witnesses who trace upward these eighteen hundred years to the +day when the Holy Ghost descended with wind and fire; you are not +in contact with the original revelation of God. How can you rise +up and say: "This was revealed upwards of eighteen hundred years +ago," when you have no proof to give, except that which you borrow +from me, that the Son of God ever came into the world? You take my +witness for the fact of Christianity, and you then contradict me +when I teach you what the doctrines of Christianity are. And if +men appeal to the Scriptures, our answer is the same. How do you +know the Scriptures were ever written? How can you prove that there +ever was a book called the Word of God? You had it from me; you +snatched it out of my hand, and you then read it and interpret it +in contradiction to my teaching. How do you know that there were +four greater prophets and twelve lesser in the Old Testament; that +there were four evangelists and fourteen epistles of St. Paul in the +New? Who told you all these things? You had them all from me--from +me alone, to whom these Scriptures were committed in custody and +in guardianship; from me, who preserved and handed them on to this +day. You, who are denying the inspiration of this book and of that, +of this text and of that text, and who are gnawing away, as a moth +fretteth a garment, the whole written word of God, you rise up and +tell us: "This is the meaning of the holy Scriptures," and you +reject the holy Catholic faith. + +Dear brethren, it needs great patience to hear these things; +nevertheless, the judge is always calm and patient while he is +fulfilling his work among men, and that because it is a grave +thing to be the odor of life unto life and of death unto death to +the eternal souls of men. And when men appeal to antiquity and tell +us that "this is not the primitive tradition," the Church answers: +Were you ever in antiquity, or anyone that belongs to you? I was +there, and as a perpetual witness antiquity is to me nothing but my +early days. Antiquity exists in my consciousness to this hour, as +men grown to riper years remember their childhood. Men of the world +know that the contemporaneous interpretation of a law is the most +authentic and certain interpretation. But I have the contemporaneous +interpretation of holy Scripture; and more than this, men who +practise before human tribunals know that the continuous usage of a +country is the interpretation of its laws written and unwritten. But +I have the contemporaneous and the continuous usage of the Church +of God. The seven sacraments are institutions of Jesus Christ and +every one of them interprets a cluster of truths. The existence +of the Church itself is an interpretation of the words: "Thou art +Peter, and upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of +hell shall not prevail against it." The jurisdiction that I have +over the world, which the hearts of men recognize and to which their +consciences respond, is the interpretation of the words: "Receive +ye the Holy Ghost, whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven +unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." + +But lastly there is another appeal which men make in this day. We +are now told that scientific history is the test of truth; and I saw +the other day in a document having great pretension from a certain +body of men who are troubling Germany and attempting to trouble even +England with the name of Old Catholics, that the way to know the +pure faith of Jesus Christ is to interpret history by science. Alas, +as I said before, the world is full of pretensions to science; but +those who claim to be Catholics, and who yet appeal from the living +voice of the Catholic Church to any other tribunal whatsoever, are +all of them identical in their principle, and that principle is +heresy. Luther appealed from the voice of the Catholic Church to +Scripture, and thereby became a heretic. There are others who appeal +to antiquity, and the appeal is the same--it is an appeal from the +living voice, from the divine authority of the Church, to something +of their own choice and creation. It matters not to what the appeal +is made. That which constitutes both the treason of the act and the +heresy of the principle is that they appeal from the living voice, +that is from the divine voice. This it is that is being done at this +moment by a body of men who profess to be and to intend to live and +die Catholics; and what is more, to purify and reform the Church by +staying in it. What is their appeal? Their appeal is to history, to +scientific history; that is, to history interpreted by themselves. +Luther was much more direct and much wiser. He appealed to a book +which is certainly written by the Holy Ghost; they appeal to I know +not what books, but to books certainly written only by men, and not +by the Spirit of God; to human history, the authenticity of which +and the purity of the text of which no one can guarantee; and even +this they interpret for themselves. + +Now bear with me further if I dwell a few moments longer upon this. +At the time I speak, in the old Catholic city of Cologne there +is assembled together a number of these men--some four or five +hundred--with a handful of unhappy priests, perhaps six or eight, +of whom the greater part had already the note of unsoundness upon +them before they took their deadly step. And what are they? What +are these men who are rising up to purify the Church? What do they +believe? Some believe all the Council of Trent, but not the Council +of the Vatican. Some believe the Church to be infallible, but not +its Head; others propose to reject the invocation of saints, and +purgatory, and compulsory confession, and I know not what. Others +ask for either half or altogether rationalism. And who have they to +assist them? Excommunicated Jansenists from Holland, and members, I +grieve to say, of the Established Church from England; and those +chosen, as it were, by a happy fatality, one the most extreme of +old-fashioned high-church orthodoxy--an estimable and excellent man, +whose person I both respect and love; and another whose advanced +rationalism is such that even his own brethren can hardly forbear +protesting against him. So that we have assembled in this congress, +which is to reform and purify the Catholic and Roman Church of all +ages, men so irreconcilably in contradiction with themselves that +they cannot touch a religious doctrine without discord, and they +cannot find anything on which to unite except in opposition to the +one immutable truth. There was a day when all the Scribes, and all +the Pharisees, and all the Herodians, and all the hypocrites, and +all the men who could agree in anything else or at any other time, +were united together in one conspiracy, and tho their witnesses did +not agree together and their discordant voices could not be combined +they all had one will and one purpose against the Son of God and +against His truth. These men, I bear witness--many of them at +least--have no such intention; but we know from the Word of God that +neither had they who crucified our divine Master a knowledge of what +they did: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." +"Which none of the princes of this world knew; for if they had known +it they would never have crucified the Lord of glory." But they are +at this moment fulfilling the very words of the apostles: "And to +some the testimony of the Church is life unto life, to others death +unto death." + +Such then, is the mission and the work of the Church--to bear its +witness, to teach and to judge; and in doing this, whether men +will believe or whether men will not believe, it is accomplishing +its triumph in the world. The world forgets that there is not only +salvation, but there is also judgment; and God, the just judge of +all, is putting men on their trial. The Church is fulfilling its +office by proposing the way of salvation to men, visibly to the +eye by its own presence, audibly to the ear by its own teachings, +clearly to the intellect by the evident truth of its doctrines. It +is putting men upon trial and applying the test to their hearts. It +tests their faith to see whether men will believe; it tests their +candor to see whether they will choose God above all things; it +tests their courage to know whether they are ready to take up their +cross and follow their divine Master. The Church says to the men of +this day: "Whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever +shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel shall save it." And +in saying this God is separating between nation and nation and +between man and man. His "fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly +purge his floor and gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff +will be burnt with unquenchable fire." "He that believeth and is +baptized will be saved; but he that believeth not is condemned." +"We thank God, who always maketh us to triumph in Christ Jesus and +manifesteth the odor of him by us in every place;" for we now, at +this hour, in the midst of the nineteenth century, in the midst +of science and progress, are the odor of life unto life and the +odor of death unto death. For the purpose of God in the world is +this--to gather out, as He did of old, a people for His name. Among +the Gentiles of the old world He chose Israel; so now amongst the +nations of the new world He chooses those that believe. He knows the +number of His elect and He calls them by their name. He proposes to +them the way of salvation and puts all things necessary--truth and +grace--within their reach. God is putting them on trial, and the +Church in this is fulfilling its mission and accomplishing its work. + +The world is on its probation now. It has been for generations +and generations driving God and Christianity out of its public +life. Christianity is cancelled from its public law; Christianity +is silent in the legislature; Christianity at this moment lingers +in education, but men are endeavoring to close the doors of the +schools against it and so to shut Christianity out of the knowledge +of the rising generation. Wo to the people the tradition of whose +Christian education is cut asunder! Wo to your children and to +your posterity, if they are brought up without the knowledge of +Christianity! The world is laboring with all its might, and all +its fraud, and all its riches, and all its public authority, to +accomplish this end. I do not say that the men who are doing it +know what they do; but I affirm that they are doing what I say. +Unbelievers like those who created the infidel revolution of France +in the last century knew well what they were doing. "Let us destroy +the accurst one," was the language in which they frankly spoke of +Jesus Christ. Men are more refined in the present day. They talk +only of the religious difficulty. "Let us evade or get around the +religious difficulty;" and, under this plea of evading the religious +difficulty, Christianity is to be excluded from our schools; that +is to say, because grown men choose to controvert and contradict +each other as to what is the truth of God, the little ones of +Jesus Christ are to be robbed of their faith. Again, the world is +separating its civil powers, its public authority from the unity of +the faith and of the Church everywhere. It is making it a part of +high and perfect legislation, of what we hear called in these days +"progress and modern civilization," to separate the Church from the +State, and the school from the Church. Progress has deposed the Head +of the Church; it has put in derision a crown of thorns upon his +head; and it believes that at last it has the whole world to itself. + +This indeed is the triumph of the world. But meanwhile the Church +is triumphing, tho men know it not. The Church was never more +widespread than at this moment; never more luminous in the eyes of +men, never more explicitly known in its faith; never more united, +vigorous, pure, and confident in its work. Its kingdom is not of +this world: that is, it is not derived from it; the foundation of +its jurisdiction is in eternity; the source of its truth is in the +Holy Ghost, and its imperishable Head is the Son of God at the right +hand of the Father. His kingdom is in the world, but not of it. The +world may prosper and go its way; it may stop its ears against the +voice of the divine witness to the truth; nevertheless that witness +will be the odor of death unto death. + +And England also is on its probation. I bear witness that in England +errors are vanishing away, as the snow melts before the sun--passing +away, as the hard frosts before the coming of the spring. The errors +which were once dominant, lordly, confident, and persecuting--where +are they now? At this day men are proclaiming that they are not +certain of what their forefathers bequeathed to them; that they +cannot precisely tell what was the doctrine which was intended in +the Thirty-nine Articles, and was incorporated in statute laws. +They are no longer certain of these things; and I bear them witness +that a gentler spirit and a kindlier disposition is working in the +hearts of many. In the midst of this darkness, truth is rising +again, and the old Catholic Church and faith, for which Ireland has +stood inflexible as a martyr, with the aureola upon her head, at +this day is multiplying the children of faith here and throughout +the world. Here too in Lancashire, where the faith of England has +never been extinct--where to this day the little children of our +flock are the descendants of those who were martyrs and confessors +some three hundred years ago--the lingering tradition of faith once +more is embodied in the perfect hierarchy of the Church of God, in +its perfect order, perfect unity, perfect jurisdiction, perfect +authority. And, what is more, the men of England have learned to +know it better. They have heard it speak; they have seen it worship; +they have even knelt together with us before the same altar, perhaps +hardly knowing what they did; and that because the Spirit of God is +working for His truth, and multitudes will be saved. We are only in +the twilight of the morning; but we can see Jesus standing on the +shore, and there is a net in the hands of His apostles let down in +the water. But when we are long gone to our rest, who can say what +shall be the great draft of souls which shall be miraculously taken +in England? + +I must bear witness that in England there are tokens full of hope. +England never rejected the holy Catholic faith. A tyrannous and +guilty king, a corrupt and covetous court, men full of the conceit +of false learning, schemers and intriguers, men that hungered to +spoil the Church for their own enrichment--these tyrannized over +the people of England. The people of England held to their faith +and died for it. The people of England never rejected it. They were +robbed of it; they were deprived of their inheritance, and their +children were born disinherited of their faith; every century from +that hour to this they have gone farther and farther from the light +of the one truth. Poor English people! Bear with them--I speak as an +Englishman--bear with them; they know not what they do in believing +that we worship images, that we imbrued our hands in the massacre of +St. Bartholomew. Let the men who write these things look at their +own hands; there is blood enough upon them. But the English people +do not believe these things now; they are passed away. And there has +come in the place of these impostures a desire after truth--"Only +let me find it;" a craving after unity--"Can we never make an end +of these divisions?" a thirsting for the presence of Jesus Christ +upon the altar--"Where can I find Him?" And what are all these +aspirations? They are the evidences of the good odor of life unto +life. + +And if so, then, dear brethren, you that have the inheritance of +faith are on your probation too. You are called to let the light of +your faith shine like the day. The silent, penetrating, convincing +light of a man who, knowing the faith, speaks it calmly, without +controversy, without bickering, without contention, sheds a grace +around him. As men that possess the greatest gift of God, and who +desire to make everybody else share it to the full, so let your +faith shine. And next, as you have faith, so you ought to have +the warmth of charity. Where there is light, there is warmth; and +where there is greater light there is greater warmth. Where there +is perfect truth, there ought to be perfect charity. You who have +the whole revelation of God ought to have the whole charity of God +in you. Let your neighbors who are round about, even those who are +not of the faith, feel that there is something in you--a warmth, +a kindness, a sympathy and generosity which they find in no other +man. And, lastly, let there be the fragrance of a holy life. This is +the good odor of Christ unto God, and this diffuses life unto life +wherever you go. You are upon this probation. Be worthy of the great +gift which has been given to you. You have it in its fulness. Be +then, worthy of its fulness, in faith and in charity. + +And now, dear brethren, in the midst of all the lordly triumph of +the world, of all that which no doubt we shall hear to-morrow, be +of good heart. As they said to the apostles so they will say to us: +"If this be triumph, what can be defeat? We do not quarrel if you +are content with these victories." Overhead there is a throne, and +round about it are those whom no man can number; the powers and +prerogatives of Him who sits upon that throne are working mightily +in the world. There is one who sits above the water-flood, with all +its confusions, whose voice penetrates through all the jangling +contradictions of men. He is bringing to its fulfilment the purpose +which from all eternity He has predestined. He knows His own by +number and by name, and He will gather them out as the shepherd +gathers his flock, and He will separate the goats from the sheep. +He will reign until the whole of that work is accomplished. When +it is done, and when the last of His elect has been gathered in, +and the last of His redeemed has been made perfect, then He will +manifest Himself to all men, and the world shall then know that He +has triumphed always and in every place. + + + + +PARK + +THE PROMINENCE OF THE ATONEMENT + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +EDWARDS AMASA PARK was born at Providence, R. I., in 1808. After a +short pastorate of two years he became professor at Amherst, and +subsequently at Andover Theological Seminary. He was one of the +well-known exponents of the New England Calvinism, and his teachings +had a wide influence over the ministers of his generation. His +sermons, frequently rewritten, were marked by elegance of style +and great moral force. Both as a preacher and teacher he showed +largeness of view, depth of thought, and a rare facility of clear +and powerful expression. He wrote a number of biographies and other +works. He died in 1900. + + + + +PARK + +1808-1900 + +THE PROMINENCE OF THE ATONEMENT[1] + + [1] Printed here by kind permission of Messrs. W. F. Draper & Co., + Andover Publishing House, Andover, Mass. + +_For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, +and him crucified._--1 Corinthians ii., 2. + + +Should the apostle who penned this eloquent expression resume his +ministry on earth, and should he deign to hold converse with us on +the principles of his high calling, and should he repeat his strong +words, I am now, as of old, determined not to know anything among +you save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified, some of us would feel an +impulse to ask him: + +"Can your words mean what they appear to imply? You are learned in +Rabbinical literature; you have read the Grecian poets, and even +quoted from Aratus; you have examined the statuary of Greece, and +have made a permanent record of an inscription upon an altar in +ancient Athens; you have reasoned on the principles of Aristotle +from effect to cause, and have taken rank with the philosophers, +as well as orators of the world; and now, you seem to utter your +determination to abandon all knowledge save that which concerns the +Jew who was crucified. You once said that you had rather speak five +words with the understanding, than ten thousand words in an unknown +tongue; and here, lest the pithy language of this text should fail +of being truly apprehended, we desire to learn its precise meaning +in three particulars: + +"In the first place, do you intend to assert that our knowledge is +controlled by our will? You determined not to know anything save +one. Can you by mere choice expel all but one of your old ideas, and +make your mind like a chart of white paper in reference to the vast +majority of your familiar objects of thought?" + +"I am ready to concede," is the reply, "that much of our knowledge +is involuntary; still a part of it is dependent on our will. In some +degree, at some times, we may attend to a theme or not attend to +it, as we choose, and thus our choice may influence our belief, and +thus are we responsible, in a certain measure, for our knowledge. +Besides, the word 'know' is used by us Hebraistic writers to include +not only a mental apprehension, but also a moral feeling. When we +know Christ, we feel a hearty complacence in Him. Again, to 'know' +often signifies to manifest, as well as to possess, both knowledge +and love. We do not know an old acquaintance when we of set purpose +withhold all public recognition of him, and act outwardly as if +we were inwardly ignorant of his being. But I, Paul, say to you, +as I said to the Corinthians, that I shall make the atonement of +Christ, and nothing but the atonement of Christ, the main theme of +my regard, of my loving regard, and such loving regard as is openly +avowed." + +Thus our first query is answered; but there is a second inquiry +which some of us would propose to the apostle, were he uttering to +us personally the words which he wrote to the Corinthians. It is +this: + +"Should a Christian minister out of the pulpit, as well as in the +pulpit, know nothing save the Crucified One? Did you not know how to +sustain yourself by the manufacture of tents; and did you not say to +the circle of elders at Ephesus, 'These hands have ministered to my +necessities'? Did you not dispute with the Roman sergeants, plead +your cause before the Roman courts? Must not every minister cease +for a time to converse on the word of Jesus; and must he not think +of providing for his own household, lest he become worse than an +infidel?" + +"I am willing to admit," is the reply, "that the pulpit is the +place where the minister should speak of Christ with more uniform +distinctness than in other places; but there are no places, and no +times, in which he should fail to manifest, more or less obviously, +his interest in his Redeemer. Wherever he goes he has a pulpit. +Whether he eat, or drink, or whatever he do, he must do all for +the glory of God, and the highest glory of God is Christ, and the +highest honor of Christ is in Him crucified. A minister must always +respect the proprieties of life; in honoring them he knows that +appropriate model Man who, rising from the tomb, wrapped up the +napkin that was about His head, and laid it in a place by itself. +Now the proprieties of life do require a minister to speak in the +pulpit on themes more plainly and more easily connected with the +atonement, than are various themes on which he must speak in the +market-place or in the schools. But all subjects on which he may +discourse do lead, sooner or later, more or less obviously and +easily, to the great work of Jesus; and he should converse on them +with the intent of seizing every hint they give him, following out +every line to which they point him, in the direction of the cross. I +have been in many synagogues, and in the temple, and on Mars' Hill, +and on a Mediterranean ship-deck; and once I was hurried along in a +night ride from Jerusalem to Cæsarea with four hundred and seventy +soldiers, horsemen and spearmen. I have resided at leisure with my +arm chained to a Roman guard in a prison at the capital of the Roman +Empire; but in all such places I have felt, and everywhere I do +feel, bound to speak out, and to act out, all the interest which +the fitness of the occasion admits, in the atonement of Jesus; and +not to manifest, and not to feel, any interest in any theme which +may lessen my regard for this, the chiefest among ten thousand!" + +But there is a third question which some of us would propose to the +apostle, were he to speak in our hearing the words of the text: + +"Should every man, as well as every minister, cherish and exhibit no +interest in anything but Christ? Should a sailor at the masthead, +a surgeon in the extirpation of the clavicle, a warrior in the +critical moment of the last charge, look at nothing, and hear of +nothing, but the cross? Must not everyone conduct business, and +sustain cares, which draw his mind away from the atonement?" + +"I am ready to grant," is the reply, "that some duties are less +plainly and less intimately connected than others with the work of +Jesus; but all of them are connected with it in some degree, and +this connection may be seen by all who choose to gain the fitting +insight. The great principle of duty belonging to the minister in +the pulpit, belongs to him everywhere; and the great principle of +duty belonging to the minister, belongs to every man, woman, and +child. There is not one religion for the man when he is in the +temple, and another religion for the man when he is in the parlor +or in the street. There is not one law for ordained pastor, and +another law for the tradesman or the mechanic. The same law and no +different one, the same religion and no different one, are the law +and religion for the apostles, and publicans, and prophets, and tax +gatherers, and patriarchs, and children, and nobles, and beggars. +Every man is bidden to refuse everything, if it be the nearest +friend, who interferes with the claims of the Messiah; and therefore +every man, layman as well as clergyman, must keep his eye fixed +primarily upon the cross. He may see other things within the range +of that cross, but he must keep the cross directly at the angle of +his vision, and allow nothing else, when placed side by side with +the tree of Calvary, to allure his eye away from that central, +engrossing object." + +Here, then, is our third question answered; and in these three +replies to these three queries, we perceive the meaning of our text +to be: that not on the first day only, but on every day likewise, +not in the religious assembly only, but in all assemblies, and +in all solitudes likewise, not the preacher only, but the hearer +likewise, every man must adopt the rule, to give his voluntary, his +loving, his secret and open regard to nothing so much as to the +character and work of his Redeemer. + +Having inquired into the meaning of the apostle's words, let us +proceed, in the next place, to inquire into the importance of +making the atonement of Christ the only great object of our +thought, speech and action. + +And here, did we hold a personal interview with the author of our +text, we should be prompted to put three additional queries before +him. Our first inquiry would be: + +"Is not your theme too contracted? It is well to know Christ, but +in all the varying scenes of life is it well not to know anything +else? Will not the pulpit become wearisome if, spring and autumn, +summer and winter, it confine itself to a single topic? We have +known men preach themselves out by incessant repetitions of the +scene at Calvary,--a scene thrilling in itself, and on that very +account not bearing to be presented in its details, every Sabbath +day. How much less will the varying sensibilities of the soul +endure the reiteration of this tragic tale every day and at every +interview! Such extreme familiarity induces irreverence. The +Bible is not confined to this theme. It is rich in ecclesiastical +history, political history, ethical rules, metaphysical discussion, +comprehensive theology. It contains one book of ten chapters which +has not a single allusion to God, and several books which do not +mention Christ; why then do you shut us up to a doctrine which will +circumscribe the minds of good men, and result in making their +conversation insipid?" + +"Contracted!"--this is the reply--"and you consider this topic a +limited one, whose height, depth, length, breadth, no finite mind +can measure? Of what would you speak?" + +"We would speak of the divine existence." + +"But Christ is the 'I am.'" + +"We would speak of the divine attributes." + +"But Christ is the Alpha and Omega; He searcheth the reins and +trieth the hearts of men; He is the same yesterday, to-day, and +forever; full of grace and truth; to Him belong wisdom and power and +glory and honor; of His dominion is no end. Of what, then, would you +speak?" + +"We would speak of the divine sovereignty." + +"But Christ taught us to say: Even so, Father, for so it seemed good +in Thy sight--and He and His Father are one." + +"We would converse on the divine decrees." + +"But all things are planned for His praise who was in Christ, and in +whom Christ was at the beginning." + +"We would discourse on electing love." + +"But the saints are elect in Christ Jesus." + +"We would utter many words on the creation of men and angels." + +"Now by our Redeemer were all things created that are in heaven and +that are in the earth, visible and invisible." + +"We would converse on the preservation of what has been created." + +"Now Christ upholdeth all things by the word of His power. What +would you have, then, for your theme?" + +"We would take the flowers of the field for our theme." + +"But they are the delight, as well as the contrivance of the +Redeemer." + +"We would take for our theme the globes in space." + +"But they are the work of His fingers." + +"Then we would take the very winds of heaven for our theme, lawless +and erratic as they are." + +"But Jesus taught us to comment upon these as an illustration of +His truth. His poetic mind gave us the conception that the wind +bloweth where it chooseth to blow; and we look on, wondering whence +it cometh, and whither it goeth, knowing only that it is the breath +of the wonderful, the counselor, who arouseth it as He listeth, or +saith, Peace, be still. What else, then, do you prefer for your +topic of conversation?" + +"We prefer the laws of nature for our topic." + +"But in them the Father worketh and Christ worketh equally." + +"If it be so, we will select the fine and useful arts for our +subject." + +"But all the materials of these arts and all the laws which +compact them, and all the ingenuity which arranges them are of +His architectonic plan. He is the guide of the sculptor, painter, +musician, poet. He is the contriver of all the graces which we +in our idolatry ascribe to the human discoverer, as if man had +originally invented them. The history of the arts is the history of +Christ's government on earth. Will you propose, then, some other +theme for your remark?" + +"Do let us converse on the moral law." + +"You may; but Christ gave this law and came to magnify it." + +"Then let us comment on the ceremonial law." + +"You may; but all its types are prophecies of Jesus." + +"Then we will expatiate on virtue in the general." + +"Do so; but Christ is the first exemplar, the brightest +representative of all abstract goodness, of all your virtue in the +general." + +"Then we will take up the ethical maxims." + +"Take them up; but they are embodied in Him who is the way, the +truth, the life." + +"We will resort, then, to human responsibility for our subject of +discourse." + +"But we must all appear before the judgment seat of that fair-minded +arbiter who is man as well as God." + +"May we not speak of eternal blessedness?" + +"Yes; but it is Christ who welcomes His chosen into life." + +"Shall we not converse, then, on endless misery?" + +"Yes; but it is Christ who will proclaim: Depart, ye cursed." + +"The human body; we would utter some words on that." + +"But your present body is the image of what your Lord wore once, and +the body that you will have, if you die in the faith, is the image +of what your Lord wears now; the image of the body slain for our +offenses and raised again for our justification. And have you still +a favorite theme which you have not suggested?" + +"The pleasures of life are our favorite theme." + +"Yes, and Jesus provided them and graced them at Cana." + +"The duties of the household are our favorite theme." + +"Yes, and Jesus has prescribed them and disciplines you by them, +and will judge you for your manner of regarding them. What would +you have, then, what can you think of for your choice topic of +discourse?" + +"We love to talk of our brethren in the faith." + +"But they are the indices of Christ, and He is represented by them." + +"We choose to converse on our Redeemer's indigent, imprisoned, +diseased, agonized followers." + +"And He is anhungered, athirst, penniless, afflicted in them, and +whatsoever we do to one of them we do to Him, and what we say of one +of them we say of Him." + +"May we speak in the pulpit of slaves?" + +"Of slaves! Can you not speak of Medes and Parthians, Indians and +Arabians? Why not then of Africans? Have they, or have they not, +immortal souls? Was Jesus, or was He not, crucified for them? Was +He ashamed of the lowly and the down-trodden, and those who have +become the reproach of men and the despised of the people? You may +speak of all for whom Christ died; as all men, bond or free, and all +things, globes or atoms, suggest thoughts leading in a right line +or in a curved line to the cross of Christ. All things, being thus +nearly or remotely suggestive of the atonement, are for your sakes; +whether Paul or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, +or things present, or things to come,--all are yours, for your +thoughts, for your words. If things pertain to the divine essence, +the whole of that is the essence of Jesus; if they pertain to the +divine relations, all of them are the relations of Jesus; if they +pertain to the noblest and brightest features of seraphs, all the +angels of God bow down before Jesus; if they pertain to the minutest +changes of human life, in all our vicissitudes Jesus keeps up His +brotherhood with us; if they pertain to the vilest and darkest spot +of our depravity, they pertain to Jesus,--for to speak aright of sin +is to be determined to speak of Christ and of Him crucified for sin. + +"And is this the doctrine which men call a contracted one? Narrow! +The very suspicion of its being narrow has now suggested the first +reason why you should place it and keep it as the crown of all +your words and deeds--it is so large, so rich, so boundless, that +you need nothing which excludes it. And therefore," continues +the apostle, "I mean to know and to love nothing, and to make +it manifest that I care for nothing, in comparison with, and +disconnected from, the God-man, as He develops all His attributes +and all His relations on the cross." + +But were the author of these laconic words in a familiar conference +with us, we might be tempted to address to him a second inquiry: + +"Is not your theme too large? At first we deemed it too small, but +now it swells out before us into such colossal dimensions that we +change our ground, and ask: Can the narrow mind of man take in this +multiplicity of relations, comprehended in both the natures, and in +the redemptive, as well as all the other works of Christ? Do not +frail powers need one day as a day of rest, and one place as a +sanctuary of repose, from every thought less tender than that of the +atoning death itself? Must we not call in our minds from Christ and +Him crucified, so as to concentrate all our emotions on the simple +fact of Christ crucified?" + +"Too large a theme!" this is the reply, "it is a large theme, too +large to be fully comprehended by finite intelligences. Men have +dreamed of exhausting the atonement by defining it to be a plan for +removing the obstacles which stand in the way of our pardon. It is +too large for that definition, as the atonement also persuades the +Most High to forgive us. Then men have thought to mark it round +about by saying that it is a scheme for inducing God to interpose in +our aid. But the atonement is too large for that defining clause, +as it also presents motives to man for accepting the interposition +of God. Then some have thought to define it exactly, by saying +that the atonement is both an appeal to the Lawgiver and also an +appeal to the sinner. Too large still is the atonement for that +explanation. It is an appeal to both God and man, but it is more. It +is an appeal to the universe, and is as many-sided as the universe +itself is to be variously affected. Can we by searching find out the +whole of atoning love? It is the love of Him who stretched out His +arms on the fatal wood, and pointed to the right hand and to the +left hand, and raised His eyes upward, and cast them downward; and +thus all things above and below, and on either side, He embraced +in His comprehensive love. It is a large theme, but not too large +to operate as a motive upon us. The immeasurable reach of a motive +is the hiding of its power. The mind of man is itself expansive, +and requires and will have something immense and infinite of truth +or error, either overpowering it for good or overmastering it for +evil. The atonement is a great theme, but not too great; and for +the additional reason, its greatness lies, in part, in its reducing +all other doctrines to a unity, its arranging them around itself in +an order which makes them all easily understood. We know in other +things the power of unity amid variety. We know how simple the +geography of a land becomes by remembering that its rivers, altho +meandering in unnumbered circuits around the hills and through +the vales, yet pursue one main direction from one mountain to one +sea. Now all the truths of God flow into the atonement. They are +understood by means of it, because their tendencies are toward it; +and it is understood by means of them, because it receives and +comprehends them. + +"Consider more fully the first part of this sentence; all other +truths are understood by means of the atonement. It gives to them +all a unity by illustrating them all. Other truths are not so much +independent themes, as they are branches growing up or sidewise +out of this one root, and they need this single theme in order that +their relations may be rightly understood. What, for example, can +we know in its most important bearings, unless we know the history +and office of our Redeemer? Begin from whatever point we may examine +the uses of things, we can never measure their full utility until we +view them from the cross. The trees bud and blossom. Why? To bear +fruit for the sustenance of the human body. But is this an ultimate +object? The nourishment of the body favors the growth of the mind. +But is the human mind an end worthy of all the contrivances in +nature? Does the sun, with all its retinue of stars, pursue its +daily course with no aim ulterior to man's welfare? Do we adopt a +Ptolemaic theory in morals, that man is the center of the system, +and other worlds revolve round him? All things were made of God, as +the Being in whom they all terminate. Do they exist for elucidating +His power? This is not his chief attribute. His knowledge? There is +a nobler perfection than omniscience. His love? But there is one +virtue imbedded as a gem in His love, and His love is but a shining +casket for this pearl of infinite price. This pearl is grace. This +is the central ornament of the character of Jehovah. But there is no +grace in Jehovah save as it beams forth in Christ; not in Christ as +a mere Divinity, nor in Christ as a mere spotless humanity, but in +the two united, and in that God-man crucified. All things were made +by Him and for Him, rising from the cross to the throne. Without +reference to Him in His atoning love has nothing been made that was +made in this world. The star in the East led wise men once to the +manger where the Redeemer lay; and all the stars of heaven lead +wise men now to Him who had risen above the stars, and whose glory +illumines them all. He is termed the Sun of righteousness; and, as +the material sun binds all the planets around it in an intelligible +order, so does Christ shine over, and under, and into, and through +all other objects, attract them all to Himself, marshal them all +into one clear and grand array, showing them all to be His works, +all suggestive of our duty, our sin, our need of atonement, our +dependence on the one God, and the one Mediator between God and man. + +"The first part of my sentence was, All other truths are understood +by means of the atonement. Consider next the second part: The +atonement is understood by means of other truths. It crystallizes +them around itself, and reduces them into a system, not only because +it explains them, but also because it makes them explain it. It is +not too large a theme, for all the sciences and the arts bring their +contributions to make it orderly and plain. Our text is a simple +one, because its words are interpreted by a thousand facts shining +upon it, and making themselves and it luminous in their radiations +around and over it. Listen again to its suggestive words: + +"'For I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ, +and him crucified.' + +"Now, what is the meaning of this plain term 'Christ'? It means a +'King.' But how can we appreciate the King, unless we learn the +nature of the beings over whom He rules? He reigns over the heavens; +therefore we investigate the heavens. The whole earth is full of +His glory; therefore we study the earth. He is the Lord over the +angels; when we reflect on them, we catch a glimpse of Him in His +regal state. He is the King of the Jews and the Gentiles. When we +meditate on men, we enjoy a glance at Him who was born for this +end, that He might have dominion over our race. When we contemplate +the material worlds, all the vastness and the grandeur included in +them--the sphere of mind, all the refinement and energy involved +in it--we are overpowered by the reality, surpassing fable, that +He who superintends all the movements of matter and first spake it +into being and once framed, as He now governs, the souls of His +creatures--He is the King who atoned for us; and the more we know of +the stars in their courses, and of the spirit in its mysteries, so +much the deeper is our awe in view of the condescending pity which +moved their Creator to become one with a lowly creature acquainted +with grief for you and me. So much is involved in the word 'Christ.' + +"But our text speaks of Jesus Christ. That word 'Jesus!' What is +the meaning of it? It means a 'deliverer,' and in the view of some +interpreters it means 'God, the deliverer.' Deliverer? From what? We +do not understand the power of His great office, unless we learn the +nature and the vileness of sin; and we have no conception how mean, +how detestable, sin is, unless we know the needlessness of it, the +nobleness of the will which degrades itself into it, the excellence +of the law which is dishonored by it. All our studies, then, in +regard to the nature of the will, the unforced voluntariness of +depravity, the extent of it through our race, the depth of it, the +purity of the commands aiming to prevent it, the attractions of +virtue, the strangeness of their not prevailing over the temptations +of vice--they are not mere metaphysics; they are studies concerning +the truth and the grace of Immanuel, who is God with us, and whose +name is 'Deliverer' because He delivers His people from their sins; +sins involving the power and the penalty of free wrong choice; +a penalty including the everlasting punishment of the soul; a +punishment suggesting the nature and the character of the divine +law, and the divine Lawgiver, in their relation to the conscience +and all the sensibilities of the mind; and that mind, as undying as +its Maker. All these things are comprehended in the word 'Jesus.' + +"But our text speaks of Jesus Christ and Him crucified: and this +third term, 'crucified,' adds an emphasis to the two preceding +terms, and stirs us up to examine our own capabilities--to learn +the skill pervading our physical organism, so exquisitely qualified +for pain as well as pleasure; the wisdom apparent in our mental +structure, so keenly sensitive to all that can annoy as well as +gratify; and thus we catch a glimpse of the truth, that He who +combines all of our dignity with none of our guilt, and with all +of the divine glory, and who thus develops all that is fit to be +explained in man, and all that can be explained in God--He it is who +chose to hang and linger with aching nerve and bleeding heart upon +the cross for you and me. This cross makes out an atonement of the +sciences and the arts and brings them also, as well as devout men, +at one with God; all of them tributary to the doctrine that we are +bought with a price--that we are redeemed, not with silver and gold, +but with the precious blood of a man, who was God manifest in the +flesh. Too large a theme is the atonement? But it breaks down the +middle wall of partition that has kept apart the different studies +of men; and it brings them together as illustrations of the truth, +which in their light becomes as simple as it is great. + +"The very objection, then, that the redemptive work is too extensive +for our familiar converse, has suggested the second reason why it +should be the main thing for us to think upon, and speak upon, and +act upon: It systematizes all other themes, and gains from them a +unity which becomes the plainer because it is set off by a luminous +variety; and for this cause," continues the apostle, "I intend to +know nothing with supreme love, except this centralizing doctrine +which combines all other truths into a constellation of glories." + +There is still a third inquiry which we might present to the author +of our text, could we meet him in a personal colloquy: + +"Your words all converge toward one point; will they not then become +monotonous, and inapposite to the varying wants of various, or even +the same, individuals?" + +"A monotonous theme!" this is the reply: "What can be more +diversified than the character and work of Him who is at one time +designated as the omniscient God, and at another time as a Mechanic; +at one time as a Judge, and at another time as an Intercessor; now +a Lion, and then a Lamb; here a Vine, a Tree, there a Way, a Door; +again a Stone, a Rock, still again a Star, a Sun; here without sin, +and there He was made sin for us. + +"Monotonous is this theme? Then it is sadly wronged, and the mind of +man is sadly harmed; for this mind shoots out its tendrils to grasp +all the branches of the tree of life, and the tree in its healthy +growth has branches to which every sensibility of the human mind +may cling. The judgment is addrest by the atonement, concerning the +nature of law of distributive justice, the mode of expressing this +justice either by punishing the guilty or by inflicting pain as a +substitute for punishment, the influence of this substitution on +the transgressor, on the surety, on the created universe, on God +Himself. There is more of profound and even abstruse philosophy +involved in the specific doctrine of the atonement, than in any +other branch of knowledge; and there has been or will be more of +discussion upon it, than upon all other branches of knowledge; for +sacred science is the most fruitful of all sciences in logical +deduction, and this specific part of the science is the richest of +all its parts. + +"Here, then, is the first method in which you may keep up the habit +of making 'Jesus and Him crucified' the soul of your activity: Bring +to your help the force of a resolute determination. There is a +tendency in this resolute spirit to divert your thoughts from other +themes, to turn the current of your sensibilities into the right +channel, to invigorate your choice, to exert a direct and reflex +influence in confirming the whole soul in Jesus. God is in that +determination. He inspires it. He invigorates it. He works with it +and by it. There is a power in it, but the power is not yours; it is +the power of God. God is in every holy resolve of man." + +In our interview with the apostle we should address to him a second +inquiry: + +"In what method can we avoid both the fact and the appearance of +being slavishly coerced into the habit of conversing on Christ +and on Christ alone? You speak of taking your stand, adhering to +your decision; but this dry, stiff resolve-comes any genial spirit +from it? Will you not be a slave to your unswerving purpose? Your +inflexible rule, will it not be a hard one, wearisome to yourself, +disagreeable to others? You hold up a weighty theme by a dead lift." + +"I am determined"--this is the reply--"and it is not only a strong +but it is a loving resolve. For the love of Christ constraineth +me; whom having not seen in the flesh I love; in whom, though now +I see him not, yet believing, I rejoice with the joy unspeakable +and full of glory. It is not a business-like resolution. It is +not a diplomatic purpose. It is not a mechanical force. It is an +affectionate decision. It is a joyous rule. It is the effluence of a +supreme attachment to the Redeemer. + +"And this is the second method in which you may retain Jesus Christ +as the jewel of your speech and life: Cherish a loving purpose to +do so. A man has strength to accomplish what with a full soul he +longs to accomplish. Your Christian toil will be irksome to you, if +it be not your cordial preference; but if your undeviating resolve +spring out of a hearty choice of your Savior, then will it be ever +refreshed and enlivened by your outflowing, genial preference; then +will your pious work be the repose of your soul. There is a power in +your love to your work. It is a power to make your labor easy for +yourself and attractive to others. This is not your power; it is the +power of God. He enkindles the love within you. He enlivens it. He +gives it warmth. He makes it instinct with energy. God is in all the +holy joy of man." + +In our conference with the author of our text we might suggest to +him our third and last inquiry: + +"In what method can we feel sure of persevering in this habitual +exaltation of Christ? You speak of your stern purpose, but can you +depend upon the continuance of it? You speak of your cordial as well +as set resolve. But who are you? (forgive our pertinacious query). +Jesus we know. But His disciples, His chief apostles--is not every +one of them a reed shaken with the wind, tossed hither and thither, +unstable as a wave upon the sea?" + +"I know it is so"--this is the reply. "Often am I afraid lest, +having preached the gospel to others, I should be a castaway. And +after all I am persuaded that nothing--height depth, life, death, +nothing--shall be able to separate me from the love of Christ; for +I put my confidence in Him, and while my purpose is inflexible and +affectionate, it is also inwrought with trust in the atonement and +the intercession. I do pursue my Christian life in weakness and in +fear and in much trembling. For all the piety of the best of men +is in itself as grass, and the goodliness thereof as the flower of +the field. Therefore serve I the Lord with all humility of mind +and with many tears and temptations. Yet I am determined with a +confiding love. I am troubled on every side; my flesh has no rest; +without are fightings, within are fears; in presence I am base among +you, my bodily presence is weak and my speech contemptible; and if +I must needs glory, I will glory in the things which concern my +infirmities. Still, after all, I am determined, my right hand being +enfolded in the hand of my Redeemer. I know whom I have believed, +and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed +unto Him against that day. For my conversation is in heaven, from +whence I am to look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall +change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious +body, according to the mighty working whereby He is able to subdue +all things unto Himself. I say the truth in Christ; I lie not; I am +the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, +because I injured the Church of God; I am less than the least of all +saints. Still I am determined; for by the grace of God I am what I +am; and this grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but +I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I but the grace of +God which was with me; for I can do all things through Christ which +strengtheneth me, and therefore I am determined. + +"Borne onward, therefore, by your fixed plan, and no one can succeed +in anything without a plan, yet you must never rely ultimately +upon your determined spirit. Allured further and further onward +by your delight in your plan, and no one can work as a master in +anything without enthusiasm in his prescribed course, still you +must not place your final dependence upon your affectionate spirit; +for if you take, for your last prop, either the sternness or the +cheerfulness of your own determination, then you will know your +determination, and you are not to know anything save Jesus Christ +and Him crucified. Here, then, is the third method in which you may +give the fitting prominence to the best of themes: You must rest for +your chief and final support on Him and only on Him, from whom all +wise plans start, by whom they hold out, and to whom they all tend, +who is all and in all, Jesus Christ and Him crucified." + +My Christian brethren, you are all apostles. Every man, every woman, +every child, the richest and the poorest, the most learned and the +most ignorant of you--who have come up hither to dedicate yourselves +and this sanctuary to your Lord, all being sent of Him to serve Him, +have in fact and in essence the same responsibility resting on you +as weighed on the author of our text. And he was burdened by the +same kind of temptations and fears which oppress your spirit. But he +was held up from failing in his work by a threefold cord; and that +was his resolute determination, as loving as it was resolute, and as +trustful as it was loving, to know nothing save Jesus Christ and Him +crucified. The last that you hear of him as an impenitent man is in +the words: "And Saul, yet breathing out threatening and slaughter +against the disciples of the Lord." It was Christ whom the proud Jew +last opposed. The first that you hear of him as a convicted man is +in the words: "Who art thou, Lord?" It was Christ whom the inquiring +Jew first studied. And the first that you hear of him as a penitent +man is: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" It was Christ to whom +the humble disciple first surrendered his will. And the first that +you hear of him as a Christian minister is: "And straightway he +preached Christ in the synagogs that he is the Son of God." And the +last that you hear of him as a Christian hero is: "I have fought +the good fight, I have finished my course. I have kept the faith; +henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness." And +the secret of this victorious career is in words like those of our +text: "I adhered to my plan (when among the fickle Corinthians), I +was decided (when among the vacillating Galatians) to know nothing +(when among the learned at Athens and them of Cæsar's household at +Rome) save Jesus Christ (when I was among my own kinsmen who scorned +Him), and Him crucified (when I was among the pupils of Gamaliel, +all of whom despised my chosen theme); still I was determined to +cling to that theme among the Greeks and the Barbarians, before +Onesimus the slave and Philemon the proud master; for I loved my +theme, and, suffering according to the will of God, I committed the +keeping of my soul to Him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator." + +And herein is it to be your plan, my brethren, and your joy, not to +make this sanctuary the resort of wealth and of fashion, but rather +of humble suppliants, who by their prayers may divert all the wealth +and fashion of the world into the service of your Lord; not to make +this temple the resting-place of hearers who shall idly listen to +the words of an orator, but a temple of earnest coworkers with +Christ--thinking of Him, speaking of Him, loving Him first, and +last, and midst, and without end. As you come to this house of God +on the Sabbath, as you go from it, as your week-day recollections +gather around it, may you renew and confirm your plan to know your +Redeemer, and not only to shut yourselves up to the supreme love +of nothing except Christ, but also--His grace will be sufficient +for you--to worship and serve Christ in the central relation of Him +crucified. Knowing Him alone, He will sustain you as fully as if He +knew you alone. He will come to you in this temple as frequently +as if He had no other servants to befriend. He will listen to your +prayers as intently as if no supplications came up to Him from +other altars, and He will intercede for you as entirely as if He +interceded in behalf of no one else; for remember, that when He +hung upon the cross, He thought of you, and died for you, just as +fully as if He had been determined to think of no one, and to die +for no one, save you, whom He now calls to the solemn service of +consecrating your own souls, and your "holy and beautiful house" to +the glory of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. + + + + +SIMPSON + +THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + +MATTHEW SIMPSON, Methodist Episcopal Bishop, was born at Cadiz, +Ohio, in 1810. He early distinguished himself as an orator, his +style being that of spontaneous unpremeditated eloquence, in which +he carried his congregation to heights of spiritual fervor and +enthusiasm. He visited Europe in 1878 as delegate to the World's +Evangelical Alliance in Berlin, which served to widen his reputation +as a public speaker. He officiated at the funeral of Abraham Lincoln +at Springfield, Illinois. His "Lectures on Preaching" delivered +before the divinity students at Yale have been widely read. He died +in 1884. + + + + +SIMPSON + +1810-1884 + +THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD + +_But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits +of them that slept._--1 Cor. xv., 20. + + +A little more than eighteen hundred years ago, as the light of the +morning was breaking around the walls of Jerusalem, there was a +guard placed about a sepulcher in a small garden near the walls +of the city. They were guarding a grave. Some strange scenes had +occurred on the Friday before. While a man whom they had taken from +the hills of Galilee and around the little lake of Capernaum had +been hanging on the cross crucified as a malefactor, strange signs +appeared in the heavens, and on the earth and in the temple. + +It was rumored that he had said he would rise the third morning. +The third morning was coming, and as the light began to break in +the East, there came two women silently and sadly wending their way +among the tents that were pitched all around the city of Jerusalem; +they had sojourned all night in the tents, for as yet the gates of +the city had not been opened. They came to see the sepulcher and +were bringing spices in their hands. They loved the man who had been +crucified as a malefactor, because of his goodness, his purity, and +his compassion. They seemed to be almost the only hearts on earth +that did love him deeply, save the small circle of friends who had +gathered around him. There had been curses upon his head as he hung +on the cross--curses from the by-standers, curses from the soldiers, +curses from the people. They cried: "Away with him; his blood be on +us and on our children!" and on that morning there were none but a +few feeble, obscure, heart-broken friends that dared to come near +his grave. + +A little more than eighteen hundred years have passed and on the +anniversary of that day, the morning of the first day of the week, +the first Sabbath after the full moon and the vernal equinox, at the +same season, the whole world comes to visit that grave. The eyes of +princes and of statesmen, the eyes of the poor and the humble in all +parts of the earth are turned toward that sepulcher. + +All through Europe men and women are thinking of that grave and of +Him who lay in it. All over western lands, from ocean to ocean, on +mountain top and in valley, over broad prairies and deep ravines, +the eyes and hearts of the people are gathered round that grave. In +the darkness of Africa, here and there, we see them stretching out +their hands toward it. Along the coasts of India and the heights of +the Himalayas they have heard of that grave and are bending toward +it. The Chinese, laying aside their prejudices, have turned their +eyes westward and are looking toward that sepulcher. Along the +shores of the seas, over the mountain tops and in the valleys, the +hearts of the people have not only been gathering around that grave, +but they have caught a glimpse of the rising inmate who ascended in +His glory toward heaven. + +The song of jubilee has gone forth, and the old men are saying, "The +Lord is risen from the dead." The young men and matrons catch up the +glowing theme, and the little children around our festive boards, +scarcely comprehending the source of their joy, with glad hearts +are now joyful, because Jesus has risen from the dead. All over the +earth tidings of joy have gone forth, and as the valleys have been +ringing out their praises on this bright Sabbath morning how many +hearts have been singing-- + + "Our Jesus is going up on high!" + +Why this change? What hath produced such a wonderful difference in +public feeling? The malefactor once curst, now honored; the obscure +and despised, now sought for; the rising Redeemer, not then regarded +by men, now universally worshiped. What is the cause of this great +change?--how brought about? The subject of this morning, taken from +the associations of this day, call us to consider as briefly as we +may the fact of the resurrection of Christ from the dead and some of +the consequences which flow to us from that resurrection. + +It is important for us to fix clearly in our minds the fact that +this is one reason why such days are remembered in the annals of +the Church as well as in the annals of nations; for our faith +rests on facts, and the mind should clearly embrace the facts +that we may feel that we are standing on firm ground. This fact +of the resurrection of Christ is the foundation of the Christian +system; for the apostle says: "And if Christ be not raised, your +faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins; then they also which are +fallen asleep in Christ will perish." If Christ be not risen, we +shall never see the fathers and the mothers who have fallen asleep +in Jesus; we shall never see the little ones who have gone up to +be, as we believe, angels before the throne of God. If Christ be +not raised, we are of all men the most miserable, because we are +fancying future enjoyment, which never can be realized; but if +Christ be raised, then shall we also rise, and them that sleep in +Jesus will God bring with Him. And that our minds may rest as to the +fact of Christ's resurrection, let us notice how God hath arranged +the evidences to secure the knowledge of this fact clearly to man. + +The first point to which our attention is invited is the fact of +Christ's death. Were not this fact clearly established it would +be in vain to try to prove His resurrection from the dead. Christ +might have suffered for man in some obscure place; He might have +laid down His life as a ransom, and yet there would have been +no legal evidence of it. God allowed the wrath of man to become +the instrument of praising Him, in that He suffered Christ to be +taken under what was then the legal process--arrested first by +the great council of the Jews, and then by the authority of the +Roman governor, so that the matter became of public record--a +legal transaction. The highest power, both of the Jewish and Roman +governments, united in this fact of His arrest, His trial, and His +condemnation to death. + +Not only was this permitted, but the time of the occurrence was +wisely arranged. It was at the feast of the Jews, the Passover, when +all the Jews came up to keep the Passover. They came not only from +Egypt but from all the country through which they were scattered. +Jerusalem could not hold the people that came together; they pitched +their tents all around the city, on the hills and in the valleys. +It was the time of full moon, when there was brightness all night, +and they came together with safety and security. The multitude, +then, was there to witness the scene, so that it might be attested +by people from all parts of Judea and from all countries round about +Judea. + +Then, again, the form of the death was such as to be not a sudden +one, but one of torture, passing through many hours. Had the +execution been a very sudden one, as it might have been, the death +would have been equally efficacious, yet it would not have been +witnessed by so many; but as He hung those dreadful hours, from +nine until three, the sun being darkened, what an opportunity was +given to the people passing by to be imprest with the scene! The +crucifixion was near the city; the crowd was there; the temple +worship was in process; the strangers were there; and as one great +stream passes on some festive day through the great thoroughfare of +your city, so passed the stream of men, women, and children by that +cross on which the Savior hung. They wagged their heads and reviled +as they passed by. The very ones whom Jesus had healed, whose +fathers had been cured of leprosy or fever, whose mothers' eyes had +been opened; the ones who had been raised up from beds of sickness +by the touch of that Savior, passed by and reviled, and said: "He +saved others, Himself He cannot save." The multitude saw Him as He +hung suffering on the cross. + +Then, again, the circumstances attending His death were such as +to invite universal attention. It was not designed that the death +should be a private one; not merely a legal transaction, a matter +soon over, but a protracted and agonizing spectacle--one to be seen +and known by the multitude; but, in addition, that man's attention +should be drawn to something to be connected with that wonderful +scene; hence God called upon the heavens and the earth, the air and +the graves, and the temple itself for testimony. It is said that +before the coronation of a prince in olden time in Europe--and in +some kingdoms the custom is still observed--there is sent forth +a herald, sometimes three days in advance, at different periods +according to the custom, to issue a challenge to anyone that dares +to claim the kingdom to come and prove his right, and to announce +that the coronation of this prince is to take place. + +Methinks it was such a challenge God gave to all the powers of +humanity and to all the powers of darkness. There hung suffering on +the cross He who died for human wo, and as He hung God was about +to crown Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords on the morning of the +third day. He sends forth His voice of challenge, and as He speaks +the earth rocks to its center; that ground, shaking and convulsing, +was a call to man to witness what was about to occur. + +Not only is there a voice of earth. Yonder the sun clothed himself +in sackcloth for three hours, as much as to say: "There may be gloom +for three days; the great Source of light hath veiled Himself, as in +a mantle of night, for three days. As for three hours this darkness +hangs, but as out of the darkness the light shines forth, so at +the end of the three days shall the Sun of Righteousness shine out +again, the great center of glory, with that glory which He had with +the Father from the foundation of the world." It was the herald's +voice that passed through the heavens, and that spoke through all +the orbs of light, "Give attention, ye created beings, to what is +to happen!" But it was not alone in the earth, which is the great +center, nor in the heavens, which is the great source of light, that +the tidings were proclaimed. + +Look in yonder valley. The tombs are there; the prophets have been +buried there. Yon hillside is full of the resting-places of the +dead; generations on generations have been buried there; friends are +walking in it, and they are saying, "Yonder is a mighty judge in +Israel; there is the tomb of a prophet." They were passing to and +fro through that valley of death when the earthquake's tread was +heard, and behold! the tombs were opened, the graves displayed the +dead within, and there was a voice that seemed to call from the very +depths of the graves, "Hear, O sons of men!" + +What feelings must have thrilled through the hearts of those who +stood by those monuments and bended over those graves, when, thrown +wide open, the doors bursting, and the rocks giving way, they saw +the forms of death come forth and recognized friends that once they +had known. What was to occur? What could all this mean? Then the +great sacrifice was offered. It was three o'clock in the afternoon +when Christ was to give up the ghost. Yonder the multitude of pious +people were gathered toward the temple. The outer court was full; +the doors and gates which lead into the sanctuary were crowded; the +lamb was before the altar; the priest in his vestments had taken the +sacrificial knife; the blood was to be shed at the hour of three; +the multitude were looking. + +Yonder hangs a veil; it hides that inner sanctuary; there are +cherubim in yonder with their wings spread over the mercy-seat; the +shekinah once dwelt there; God Himself in His glory was there and +the people are bending to look in. No one enters into that veil save +the high priest, and he, with blood and in the midst of incense, but +once a year; but it was the mercy-seat and the eye of every pious +Jew was directed toward that veil, thinking of the greater glory +which lay beyond it. + +As the hour of three came and as the priest was taking the +sacrificial knife from the altar and was about to slay the lamb, +behold! an unseen hand takes hold of that veil and tears it apart +from top to bottom, and has thrown open the mercy-seat, not before +seen by men. The cherubim are there; the altar with its covering +of blood is there; the resting-place of the ark is there; it is +the holiest of holies. Methinks the priest drops the knife, the +lamb goes free, for the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of +the world is suffering for man. The way to the holy of holies is +open,--a new and living way, which men may not close, which priest +alone can not enter; but a way is open whereby humanity, opprest and +downtrodden, from all parts of the earth, may find its way to the +mercy-seat of God. There was a call to the pious worshiper by voices +which seemed to say: "An end to all the sacrifices, an end to all +the suffering victims, an end to all the sprinkled hyssop that is +used in purification, for One has come to do the will of God on whom +the burden of man had been laid." + +Now here were all these calls to humanity from all parts, as if to +announce the great transaction. While all this was occurring Christ +was on the cross, suffering the agony of crucifixion. How deep that +agony we need not attempt to tell you; it was fearful; and yet no +complaint escaped His lips, no murmuring was there. He bore the sins +of many in His own flesh on the tree. He heard the multitudes revile +Him; He saw them wag their heads; He remembered that the disciples +had fled from Him--one followed afar off, but the rest had gone; and +yet He complained not. Friends and kindred had all left Him and He +trod the wine-press alone. He drank the cup in all its bitterness +and no complaint escaped from Him. One left Him that had never +forsaken Him before. "The world is gone, the disciples I have fed +and taught have all fled and passed away,--all have forsaken Me." + +But there was no time until that moment of fearful darkness came, +when all the load of guilt was upon Him and for our sins He was +smitten, that His spirit was crusht, and He called out, "My God, my +God, why hast thou forsaken me?" All else might go--it were little; +"Why hast thou forsaken me?" But it is over; the darkness is past; +the load is borne; and I hear Him say, "It is finished"; He bows His +head and dies. + +Now there is publicity for the transaction. It demanded public +investigation, it received it. There was not only the mental agony +united with the agony of crucifixion, but there was the voluntary +giving up of His life; yet, lest there might be some suspicion, to +all this was added the proof of the fact of His death. When the +limbs of the others were broken and He was perceived to be dead, the +soldier thrust the spear into His side and there came out of that +side both water and blood. + +There is a peculiarity in the sacred writings. A little incident +that seems to be mentioned without care becomes the strongest +possible proof, not only of the fact of Christ's death, but of the +nature of His death. When that sentence was written the human frame +was not understood, the circulation of the blood was not understood. +Anatomists had not then, as they have now, unveiled the human +system; the great science of pathology had not yet been clearly +taught to man; and yet in that sentence we have almost a world of +meaning. For it is well attested now that where persons die from +violent mental emotion, by what is termed a broken heart, a crusht +spirit, there is always formed a watery secretion around the heart. +It was not known then to the soldier who lifted up the spear and +pierced the body; but so much of that water had secreted around the +heart that he saw it issuing forth from the pierced side, unstained +by blood, which showed that the great heart had been crusht by agony +within. + +When taken from the cross He was put in the sepulcher. His friends +had given Him up, His disciples had forsaken Him; some of them saw +Him die; they knew that He was crucified and they abandoned Him. +They were returning to their former employments; but His enemies +remembered He had said He would rise the third day, and they put +a guard around Him. The Roman soldiers were there; the king's +seal was on the stone rolled over the mouth of the sepulcher; they +made everything secure. Here again God ordered that we should have +abundant proof of Christ's crucifixion. + +He was crucified on Friday, which was to them the last day of the +week, resting in the grave on our Saturday, which is their Sabbath, +and then comes the first day of the week, our Sabbath morning, made +our Sabbath because of Christ's resurrection from the dead. There +came an humble visitant to the tomb, Mary Magdalene; she had been +healed of much, forgiven much and she loved Him. Mary, the mother of +James, came also and beheld the scenes that occurred; but there had +been strange commotions elsewhere. + +Heaven had been gathering around that grave. Angels had been +watching there; they had seen the Roman guard; they had seen the +shining spear and polished shield; they had seen that Christ was +held as a prisoner by the greatest powers on earth. Methinks I see +the angelic host as they gathered round the throne of God and looked +up into the face of Omnipotence, and if ever there was a time when +there was silence in heaven for half an hour, it was before the +morning light of the third day dawned. I hear them say "How long +shall man triumph? How long shall human power exalt itself? How long +shall the powers of darkness hold jubilee? Let us away and roll +away the stone; let us away and frighten yonder Roman guard and +drive them from the sepulcher." + +They waited until permission was given. I see the angel coming down +from the opening doors of glory; he hastens outside the walls of +Jerusalem and down to the sepulcher; when they saw him coming the +keepers shook, they became like dead men; he rolls away the stone +and sets himself by the mouth of the sepulcher. Christ, girding +Himself with all the power of His divinity, rises from the grave. +He leads captivity captive, tears the crown from the head of death, +and makes light the darkness of the grave. Behold Him as He rises +just preparatory to His rising up to glory. Oh, what a moment was +that! Hell was preparing for its jubilee; the powers of earth were +preparing for a triumph; but as the grave yields its prey, Christ, +charged with being an impostor, is proved to be the Son of God with +power; it is the power of His resurrection from the dead. + +There was Christ's resurrection from the dead. He became the first +fruits of them that slept. But to give the amplest proofs of His +resurrection He lingered on earth to be seen of men, and to be seen +in such a manner as to show that He was still the Savior Christ. +In my younger days I used to often wonder why was it that Mary +Magdalene came first to the sepulcher, and the mother of James that +stood there--why He should appear to them; but in later days I have +said it was to show that He was the Savior still; that the same +nature was there which had made Him stoop to the lowliest of the +low--the power that enabled Him to heal the guiltiest of the guilty; +that that power, that compassion, were with Him still. + +Tho now raised beyond death and triumphing over hell, He still had +within Him the Savior's heart. Methinks I see, when Peter had run +in anxiety to tell the news, Mary remained there; she could not +fully comprehend it; the grave was open, the napkins were there; +it was said He was not there, but He was risen. And yet, there was +a darkness upon her; she could not fully conceive, it seems to me, +the resurrection of the dead. She stood wondering, when she heard a +voice behind her which said, "Woman, why weepest thou?" Bathed in +tears as she was, she turned round and saw the man standing, and +taking him to be the gardener, and supposing that he had taken the +body and carried it away as not fit to lie in that tomb or be in +that garden, she said: "If thou hast taken, him away, tell me where +thou hast laid him, and I will take him away." If He must not lie in +this tomb, if He can not lie in the garden, if as a malefactor He +must be cast out from man, tell me where the body is and I will take +it away. It was a proof of her affection. + +A voice said, "Mary, Mary." Oh, she recognized it, and her heart +cried out: "Rabboni, my Lord and my God!" and then she would have +thrown herself at His feet and bathed those feet again with her +tears, but He said, "Touch me not, I am not ascended to my Father; +go and tell the disciples and Peter that I am risen from the dead." +See the compassion of the Savior! and then that message! "Tell the +disciples and Peter." Why send a message to him? Because he curst +and swore and denied the Master. The other disciples might have +said, "If Christ is risen, He may receive and bless us all; but +Peter is gone, hopelessly and irretrievably gone; he that forsook +his Master and denied Him, there is no hope for him." And yet said +Jesus, "Go and tell the disciples and Peter"--poor backslidden Peter. + +Jesus knew his sorrow and anguish and almost felt the throbbings +of his broken heart, and He sent a message to Peter. He may be a +disciple still--may come back and be saved through the boundless +love of Christ. Oh, the compassion of the Son of God! Thank God that +Peter's Savior is on the throne this morning! + +Not only was He seen by these, but He met with the disciples +journeying by the way and explained the Scriptures to them; and +as they met in the upper room He was there. When the doors were +unopened He came in their midst and said, "Peace!" breathed on them +and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." Thus He met with them and +said to Thomas, "Reach hither thy fingers, and be not faithless but +believing." + +Then afterward He was seen by five hundred, and from the Mount +of Olives, while the disciples were gathered around Him, He was +received up into glory. They saw Him and as He went He blest +them. The last vision that ever humanity had of the Son of God +ere he ascended to heaven was that of spreading out His hands +in blessing. Oh, my Savior hath thus gone up, and He dropt from +those outstretched hands a blessing which falls to-day like the +gentle dew all over the earth; it reaches heart after heart. It +hath reached patriarchs, apostles, martyrs, fathers, and mothers +and little children, and, thank God, the heavenly dew, as from +those outstretched hands, is coming down on our assembly this very +morning. On this glad day blessings are dropping from the throne of +God upon us from this risen Savior. He hath ascended up on high, the +gates have opened for Him, and He hath gone to His throne in glory. + +Let us look at a few of the results that flow to us from these facts +thus sustained of His death and resurrection from the dead! + +In the first place it established all Bible declarations. It had +been predicted that He should not stay in the grave, and when He +arose it put the seal to the Old Testament as the Word of God. The +prophecy in Him fulfilled gave glorious proof that the other parts +of it should be also fulfilled as the word of an unchanging God. + +Again, in His resurrection we see a proof of His divine power. No +man hath been raised from the dead by his own power. All died, from +Adam to Moses, with the exception of Enoch and Elijah, who, because +of their devotion and acknowledgment of the divine head, themselves +became prophets of a coming Savior. He rose by His own power. He +conquered death itself, the grave, and the whole powers of humanity. + +Jupiter is represented by an old classic writer as saying to the +lesser gods that if all of them combined together and should +endeavor to throw down his throne--if all power was arrayed against +him--he, by his own might, would be able to overcome them all. +What was fiction with the ancients becomes gloriously realized in +Christ. Take all the powers of humanity--the Jewish power, the +Roman power; the power of learning, of art, of public opinion; take +all the powers of earth and hell, death and the grave, and combine +them all against the Savior and, without one effort, without one +single apparent movement--the Sleeper lies in death, His eyes are +sealed, and, as if all unconscious, for the warning had not been +given before--in an instant those eyes were opened, that frame +rises, the grave yields up its prey, death retires conquered, and +Christ demonstrates Himself to be the ruler of the whole universe. +He made the earth to tremble, the sun to put on sackcloth, the very +air to grow dark, the graves to open, the dead to come forth, and +proclaimed Himself to be the conqueror of death and hell. So we have +proof of His being the Son of God with power. + +In that resurrection from the dead we have a pledge of our own +resurrection. Christ has become the first-fruits of them that slept. +You know the figure of the first-fruits as understood by the Jews. +Their religion was connected with the seasons of the year--with +the harvest crops; one of their feasts was called the feast of the +first-fruits, and was on this wise: When the first heads of grain +began to ripen in the field, and there was thus a pledge of harvest, +they cut off those first ripened heads and went up to Jerusalem. + +Before that the grain was not crusht, no bread was baked out of +it, and nothing was done to appropriate that crop to man's use +until those ripened heads of grain were brought up to Jerusalem +and presented to the Lord as a thank-offering. He was acknowledged +as Lord of the harvest and they were laid up as a kind of +thank-offering before God. They were the first-fruits. Then they +went away to the fields and all through Judea the sickle was thrust +in, the grain was reaped and gathered into sheaves, and when the +harvest was secured they baked the bread for their children out of +this first grain. They came up to the temple, where the first-fruits +had been laid, and they held a feast of thanksgiving and shouted +harvest home. The old harvest feast seems to be descended from this +ancient custom. + +Christ rose as the first-fruits, and there is to be a glorious +resurrection. Christ came, the first man to rise in this respect, +by His own power, from the grave, having snatched the crown from +death, having thrown light into the grave, having Himself ascended +up toward glory. He goes up in the midst of the shouts of angels; +the heavens open before Him; yonder is the altar; there is the +throne, and around it stand the seraphim and the cherubim; and +Christ enters, the victor, and sits down upon the throne, from +henceforth expecting until His enemies be made His footstool. He is +the first-fruits of the harvest, but the angels are to be sent out +like the reapers, and by and by humanity is coming. + +As Christ, the first-fruits, passed through the grave and went up +to glory, so there shall come forth from their sleeping dust in +Asia, in Africa, in Europe, and in America, from every mountain +top, from the depths of the sea, from deep ravines, and from plains +outspread--oh, there shall come in the time of the glorious +harvest--the uprising of humanity, when all the nations, waking from +their long sleep, shall rise and shall shout the harvest home! Thank +God! At that time none shall be wanting. + +Oh, they come, they come, from the nations of the past and from the +generations yet unborn! I see the crowd gathering there. Behold the +angels are waiting, and as the hosts rise from the dead they gather +round the throne. Christ invites His followers to overcome and sit +down with Him on His throne, as He overcame and sat down with the +Father on His throne. In that is the pledge of our resurrection from +the dead. Can I not suffer, since Christ suffered? Can I not die, +since Christ died? Let the grave be my resting-place, for Christ +rested there. Is it cold? The warmth of His animation is in it. He +shall be beside me in all His spirit's power. Does the load of earth +above me and beneath which I am placed press upon me? Christ hath +power to burst the tomb, tho deep it be, and I shall rise through +His almighty power. + +Yet, let the malice of men be directed against me; let me be taken, +if it must be, as a martyr and be bound to the stake; let the fagots +be kindled, let the flame ascend, let my body be burned; gather +my ashes, grind my bones to powder, scatter them on the ocean's +surface; or carry those ashes to the top of yonder volcano and throw +them within its consuming fire--let them be given to the dust--and +yet I can sing: + + "God my Redeemer lives, + And ever from the skies + Looks down and watches all my dust, + Till He shall bid it rise." + +Thank God! it may be scattered on the wings of the wind--Christ is +everywhere present; He has marked every particle and it shall rise +again by His own almighty power. And what is it to sleep awhile if I +am Christ's? To die, if I am like Christ in dying? and be buried, if +I am like Christ in being buried? I trust I shall be like Him when +He comes forth in His glory. I shall be like Him, for the apostle +says, "We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is"; "We +shall be changed from glory into glory, into the same image as by +the Spirit of God." + +It would be a great change to be changed from glory to glory, +from saints to angels, from angels to cherubim, from cherubim to +seraphim, from glory to glory; but, thank God! we shall not stop +being changed; for the change shall go on from glory to glory +until we shall be transformed into the likeness of the Son of God, +brighter than angels ever shone, more glorious than were ever +cherubim. + +We shall be near the throne; we shall sit beside Him, for He hath +made room for us there. Then, if we can calmly look at death and +face him, because his strength has been overcome, it reconciles us +to parting a little while with friends. A father or a mother may be +taken from us, but we shall see them again; they shall not sleep +forever. The little ones that drop from our arms, we can almost see +them this morning; some of us can almost feel them in our arms--can +see the glance of that beautiful eye and hear the sound of that +little prattling lip; they seem to be with us now, as a little while +ago they dropt from out of our arms. We followed them to the grave +and left them there, where the winter's storm has been howling +around them. + +Sometimes loneliness like that terrible storm has swept over our +hearts and left them almost in despair; but through Christ's +resurrection we see our children yonder in glory, safe in the +Savior's arms. Their little forms shall rise all-glorious from the +tomb in the morning of the resurrection; we shall find them, for +Jesus is the resurrection and the life. + +All this comes to us from the resurrection of Christ from the dead. +He died once; He dies no more; the condemnation of death is forever +gone; He sits on the throne of everlasting dominion; His kingdom +is an eternal kingdom; and as He died once and has risen to die no +more, so when we have died once and gone to the grave and entered +the dark valley and shadow of death, and we come up safely on the +other side, thank God! death is passed forever; we shall then put +our feet on the neck of the monster and shall be able to say: + + "Oh death, where is thy sting? + Oh grave, where is thy victory?" + +Looking at the resurrection of Christ we exclaim, Thanks be unto God +who hath given us the victory! Such is the eternity and blessedness +that awaits us. Thank God for a spiritual body! Here some of us long +to triumph over nature. We would grasp, if we could, angelic wisdom; +but our brows will ache with pain, our frames decay, our eyes grow +dim, our hearing fail. This flesh of ours will not stand hours of +painful study and seasons of protracted labor; but, thank God! when +the body that now oppresses us is laid in the grave a spiritual +body will be given to us, pure, ethereal, and holy. Oh, what an +extent of knowledge shall flash upon us; what light and glory; what +spirituality and power! Then we shall not need to ask an angel +anything. We shall know as we are known. Jesus will be our teacher; +the Everlasting God, the Man whose name is Wonderful, the Counselor, +the Prince of Peace. He Himself shall be our Leader. We shall know +then as also we are known. + +Then rejoice in God. Dry up those tears. Cast away that downcast +look. Child of the dust, you are an heir of glory. There is a crown +all burnished for you; there is a mansion all ready for you; there +is a white robe prepared for you; there is eternal glory for you; +angels are to be your servants and you are to reign with the King +of Kings forever. But while you wait on earth, be witnesses for +God; attest the glory of your Master; rise in the greatness of His +strength; bind sin captive to your chariot wheels; go onward in your +heavenly career, and be as pure as your ascended Head is pure. Be +active in works of mercy; be angels of light; be names of fire; go +on your mission of mercy and convert the world unto God before you +go up higher. When you go, not only go forward to present yourself, +but may every one of you be able to say: "Here am I and those which +Thou hast given me." + + + + +THEODORE PARKER + +THE TRANSIENT AND PERMANENT IN CHRISTIANITY + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +THEODORE PARKER, American divine and reformer, was born at +Lexington, Mass., in 1810. He was educated at Harvard and graduated +from the Divinity School of that University in 1836. The following +year he was ordained pastor of Roxbury Christian Church, and first +attracted attention by his sermon on the "Transient and Permanent +in Christianity," preached in 1841. This sermon was ultimately the +cause of his practical exclusion from the Unitarian body, and in +1846 he became minister to the Twenty-eighth Congregational Society +in Boston. + +In this pastorate he became well known to all denominations from +the remarkable sermons he preached for seven years in Music +Hall. He died of consumption at Florence, Italy, in 1860. His +powerful intellect and vigorous eloquence were exhibited in the +many controversial sermons he preached, both as a believer in the +nonsupernaturalism of present Christianity and as a practical +humanitarian. He figured as one of the leading abolitionists of New +England. + + + + +THEODORE PARKER + +1810-1860 + +THE TRANSIENT AND PERMANENT IN CHRISTIANITY + +_Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass +away._--Luke xxi., 33. + + +In this sentence we have a very clear indication that Jesus of +Nazareth believed the religion He taught would be eternal, that +the substance of it would last forever. Yet there are some who +are affrighted by the faintest rustle which a heretic makes among +the dry leaves of theology; they tremble lest Christianity itself +should perish without hope. Ever and anon the cry is raised, "The +Philistines be upon us, and Christianity is in danger." The least +doubt respecting the popular theology, or the existing machinery +of the Church; the least sign of distrust in the religion of the +pulpit, or the religion of the street, is by some good men supposed +to be at enmity with faith in Christ, and capable of shaking +Christianity itself. On the other hand, a few bad men, and a few +pious men, it is said, on both sides of the water, tell us the day +of Christianity is past. The latter, it is alleged, would persuade +us that hereafter piety must take a new form; the teachings of Jesus +are to be passed by; that religion is to wing her way sublime, +above the flight of Christianity, far away, toward heaven, as the +fledged eaglet leaves forever the nest which sheltered his callow +youth. Let us therefore devote a few moments to this subject, and +consider what is transient in Christianity, and what is permanent +therein. + + * * * * * + +In actual Christianity,--that is, in that portion of Christianity +which is preached and believed,--there seems to have been, ever +since the time of its earthly Founder, two elements, the one +transient, the other permanent. The one is the thought, the folly, +the uncertain wisdom, the theological notions, the impiety of man; +the other, the eternal truth of God. These two bear, perhaps, the +same relation to each other that the phenomena of outward nature, +such as sunshine and cloud, growth, decay and reproduction, bear +to the great law of nature, which underlies and supports them all. +As in that case more attention is commonly paid to the particular +phenomena than to the general law, so in this case more is generally +given to the transient in Christianity than to the permanent therein. + +It must be confest, tho with sorrow, that transient things form a +great part of what is commonly taught as religion. An undue place +has often been assigned to forms and doctrines, while too little +stress has been laid on the divine life of the soul, love to God, +and love to man. Religious forms may be useful and beautiful. They +are so, whenever they speak to the soul, and answer a want thereof. +In our present state some forms are perhaps necessary. But they are +only the accident of Christianity, not its substance. They are the +robe, not the angel, who may take another robe quite as becoming +and useful. One sect has many forms; another, none. Yet both may be +equally Christian, in spite of the redundance or the deficiency. +They are a part of the language in which religion speaks, and exist, +with few exceptions, wherever man is found. In our calculating +nation, in our rationalizing sect, we have retained but two of the +rites so numerous in the early Christian Church, and even these +we have attenuated to the last degree, leaving them little more +than a specter of the ancient form. Another age may continue or +forsake both; may revive old forms, or invent new ones to suit the +altered circumstances of the times, and yet be Christians quite as +good as we, or our fathers of the dark ages. Whether the apostles +designed these rites to be perpetual seems a question which belongs +to scholars and antiquarians,--not to us, as Christian men and +women. So long as they satisfy or help the pious heart, so long they +are good. Looking behind or around us, we see that the forms and +rites of the Christians are quite as fluctuating as those of the +heathens, from whom some of them have been, not unwisely, adopted by +the earlier Church. + +Any one, who traces the history of what is called Christianity, will +see that nothing changes more from age to age than the doctrines +taught as Christian, and insisted on as essential to Christianity +and personal salvation. What is falsehood in one province passes +for truth in another. The heresy of one age is the orthodox +belief and "only infallible rule" of the next. Now Arius, and now +Athanasius, is lord of the ascendant. Both were excommunicated +in their turn, each for affirming what the other denied. Men are +burned for professing what men are burned for denying. For centuries +the doctrines of the Christians were no better, to say the least, +than those of their contemporary pagans. The theological doctrines +derived from our fathers seem to have come from Judaism, heathenism, +and the caprice of philosophers, far more than they have come +from the principle and sentiment of Christianity. The doctrine of +the Trinity, the very Achilles of theological dogmas, belongs to +philosophy and not religion; its subtleties cannot even be expressed +in our tongue. As old religions became superannuated, and died out, +they left to the rising faith, as to a residuary legatee, their +forms and their doctrines; or rather, as the giant in the fable left +his poisoned garment to work the overthrow of his conqueror. Many +tenets that pass current in our theology seem to be the refuse of +idol temples, the offscourings of Jewish and heathen cities rather +than the sands of virgin gold which the stream of Christianity +has worn off from the rock of ages, and brought in its bosom for +us. It is wood, hay, and stubble, wherewith men have built on the +corner-stone Christ laid. What wonder the fabric is in peril when +tried by fire? The stream of Christianity, as men receive it, has +caught a stain from every soil it has filtered through, so that now +it is not the pure water from the well of life which is offered +to our lips, but streams troubled and polluted by man with mire +and dirt. If Paul and Jesus could read our books of theological +doctrines, would they accept as their teaching what men have vented +in their name? Never, till the letters of Paul had faded out of +his memory, never, till the words of Jesus had been torn out from +the book of life. It is their notions about Christianity men have +taught as the only living word of God. They have piled their own +rubbish against the temple of truth where piety comes up to worship; +what wonder the pile seems unshapely and like to fall? But these +theological doctrines are fleeting as the leaves on the trees. They-- + + "Are found + Now green in youth, now withered on the ground; + Another race the following spring supplies; + They fall successive, and successive rise." + +Like the clouds of the sky, they are here to-day; to-morrow, all +swept off and vanished; while Christianity itself, like the heaven +above, with its sun, and moon, and uncounted stars, is always over +our head, tho the cloud sometimes debars us of the needed light. It +must of necessity be the case that our reasonings, and therefore +our theological doctrines, are imperfect, and so perishing. It is +only gradually that we approach to the true system of nature by +observation and reasoning, and work out our philosophy and theology +by the toil of the brain. But meantime, if we are faithful, the +great truths of mortality and religion, the deep sentiment of love +to man and love to God, are perceived intuitively, and by instinct, +as it were, tho our theology be imperfect and miserable. The +theological notions of Abraham, to take the story as it stands, were +exceedingly gross, yet a greater than Abraham has told us, "Abraham +desired to see my day, saw it, and was glad." Since these notions +are so fleeting, why need we accept the commandment of men as the +doctrine of God? + +This transitoriness of doctrines appears in many instances, of which +two may be selected for a more attentive consideration. First, the +doctrine respecting the origin and authority of the Old and New +Testaments. There has been a time when men were burned for asserting +doctrines of natural philosophy which rested on evidence the most +incontestable, because those doctrines conflicted with sentences in +the Old Testament. Every word of that Jewish record was regarded +as miraculously inspired, and therefore as infallibly true. It was +believed that the Christian religion itself rested thereon, and must +stand or fall with the immaculate Hebrew text. He was deemed no +small sinner who found mistakes in the manuscripts. On the authority +of the written word man was taught to believe impossible legends, +conflicting assertions; to take fiction for fact, a dream for a +miraculous revelation of God, an Oriental poem for a grave history +of miraculous events, a collection of amatory idyls for a serious +discourse "touching the mutual love of Christ and the Church"; +they have been taught to accept a picture sketched by some glowing +Eastern imagination, never intended to be taken for a reality, +as a proof that the infinite God spoke in human words, appeared +in the shape of a cloud, a flaming bush, or a man who ate, and +drank, and vanished into smoke; that He gave counsels to-day, and +the opposite to-morrow; that He violated His own laws, was angry, +and was only dissuaded by a mortal man from destroying at once a +whole nation,--millions of men who rebelled against their leader +in a moment of anguish. Questions in philosophy, questions in the +Christian religion, have been settled by an appeal to that book. +The inspiration of its authors has been assumed as infallible. +Every fact in the early Jewish history has been taken as a type of +some analogous fact in Christian history. The most distant events, +even such as are still in the arms of time, were supposed to be +clearly foreseen and foretold by pious Hebrews several centuries +before Christ. It has been assumed at the outset, with no shadow of +evidence, that those writers held a miraculous communication with +God, such as He has granted to no other man. What was originally +a presumption of bigoted Jews became an article of faith, which +Christians were burned for not believing. This has been for +centuries the general opinion of the Christian Church, both Catholic +and Protestant, tho the former never accepted the Bible as the +only source of religious truth. It has been so. Still worse, it is +now the general opinion of religious sects at this day. Hence the +attempt, which always fails, to reconcile the philosophy of our +times with the poems in Genesis writ a thousand years before Christ. +Hence the attempt to conceal the contradictions in the record +itself. Matters have come to such a pass that even now he is deemed +an infidel, if not by implication an atheist, whose reverence for +the Most High forbids him to believe that God commanded Abraham to +sacrifice his son,--a thought at which the flesh creeps with horror; +to believe it solely on the authority of an Oriental story, written +down nobody knows when or by whom, or for what purpose; which may +be a poem, but can not be the record of a fact, unless God is the +author of confusion and a lie. + +Now, this idolatry of the Old Testament has not always existed. +Jesus says that none born of a woman is greater than John the +Baptist, yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than +John. Paul tells us the law--the very crown of the old Hebrew +revelation--is a shadow of good things which have now come; only a +schoolmaster to bring us to Christ; and when faith has come, that +we are no longer under the schoolmaster; that it was a law of sin +and death, from which we are made free by the law of the spirit of +life. Christian teachers themselves have differed so widely in their +notion of the doctrines and meaning of those books that it makes one +weep to think of the follies deduced therefrom. But modern criticism +is fast breaking to pieces this idol which men have made out of the +Scriptures. It has shown that here are the most different works +thrown together; that their authors, wise as they sometimes were, +pious as we feel often their spirit to have been, had only that +inspiration which is common to other men equally pious and wise; +that they were by no means infallible, but were mistaken in facts or +in reasoning,--uttered predictions which time has not fulfilled; men +who in some measure partook of the darkness and limited notions of +their age, and were not always above its mistakes or its corruptions. + +The history of opinions on the New Testament is quite similar. It +has been assumed at the outset, it would seem with no sufficient +reason, without the smallest pretense on its writers' part, that +all of its authors were infallibly and miraculously inspired, so +that they could commit no error of doctrine or fact. Men have been +bid to close their eyes at the obvious difference between Luke and +John, the serious disagreement between Paul and Peter; to believe, +on the smallest evidence, accounts which shock the moral sense and +revolt the reason, and tend to place Jesus in the same series with +the Hercules and Appollonius of Tyana; accounts which Paul in the +Epistles never mentions, tho he also had a vein of the miraculous +running quite through him. Men have been told that all these things +must be taken as part of Christianity, and if they accepted the +religion, they must take all these accessories along with it; that +the living spirit could not be had without the killing letter. All +the books which caprice or accident had brought together between +the lids of the Bible were declared to be the infallible Word of +God, the only certain rule of religious faith and practise. Thus the +Bible was made not a single channel, but the only certain rule of +religious faith and practise. To disbelieve any of its statements, +or even the common interpretation put upon those statements by +the particular age or church in which the man belonged, was held +to be infidelity, if not atheism. In the name of Him who forbids +us to judge our brother, good men and pious men have applied these +terms to others, good and pious as themselves. That state of things +has by no means passed away. Men who cry down the absurdities of +paganism in the worst spirit of the French "free thinkers" call +others infidels and atheists, who point out, tho reverently, other +absurdities which men have piled upon Christianity. So the world +goes. An idolatrous regard for the imperfect scripture of God's word +is the apple of Atalanta, which defeats theologians running for the +hand of divine truth. + +But the current notions respecting the infallible inspiration of +the Bible have no foundation in the Bible itself. Which evangelist, +which apostle of the New Testament, what prophet or psalmist of the +Old Testament, ever claims infallible authority for himself or for +others? Which of them does not in his own writings show that he was +finite, and, with all his zeal and piety, possest but a limited +inspiration, the bound whereof we can sometimes discover? Did Christ +ever demand that men should assent to the doctrines of the Old +Testament, credit its stories, and take its poems for histories, and +believe equally two accounts that contradict one another? Has He +ever told you that all the truths of His religion, all the beauty +of a Christian life should be contained in the writings of those +men who, even after His resurrection, expected Him to be a Jewish +king; of men who were sometimes at variance with one another, and +misunderstood His divine teachings? Would not those modest writers +themselves be confounded at the idolatry we pay them? Opinions may +change on these points, as they have often changed--changed greatly +and for the worse since the days of Paul. They are changing now, and +we may hope for the better; for God makes man's folly as well his +wrath to praise Him, and continually brings good out of evil. + +Another instance of the transitoriness of doctrines taught as +Christian is found in those which relate to the nature and authority +of Christ. One ancient party has told us that He is the infinite +God; another, that He is both God and man; a third, that He was +a man, the son of Joseph and Mary, born as we are; tempted like +ourselves; inspired as we may be, if we will pay the price. Each of +the former parties believed its doctrine on this head was infallibly +true, and formed the very substance of Christianity, and was one +of the essential conditions of salvation, tho scarce any two +distinguished teachers, of ancient or modern times, agree in their +expression of this truth. + +Almost every sect that has ever been, makes Christianity rest on +the personal authority of Jesus, and not the immutable truth of the +doctrines themselves, or the authority of God, who sent Him into +the world. Yet it seems difficult to conceive any reason why moral +and religious truths should rest for their support on the personal +authority of their revealer, any more than the truths of science on +that of him who makes them known first or most clearly. It is hard +to see why the great truths of Christianity rest on the personal +authority of Jesus, more than the axioms of geometry rest on the +personal authority of Euclid or Archimedes. The authority of Jesus +as of all teachers, one would naturally think, must rest on the +truth of His words, and not their truth on His authority. + +Opinions respecting the nature of Christ seem to be constantly +changing. In the three first centuries after Christ, it appears, +great latitude of speculation prevailed. Some said He was God, with +nothing of human nature, His body only an illusion; others that He +was man, with nothing of the divine nature, His miraculous birth +having no foundation in fact. In a few centuries it was decreed by +councils that He was God, thus honoring the divine element; next, +that He was man also, thus admitting the human side. For some ages +the Catholic Church seems to have dwelt chiefly on the divine +nature that was in Him, leaving the human element to mystics and +other heretical persons, whose bodies served to flesh the swords of +orthodox believers. The stream of Christianity has come to us in two +channels,--one within the Church, the other without the Church,--and +it is not hazarding too much to say that since the fourth century +the true Christian life has been out of the established Church, +and not in it, but rather in the ranks of dissenters. From the +Reformation till the latter part of the last century, we are told, +the Protestant Church dwelt chiefly on the human side of Christ, +and since that time many works have been written to show how +the two--perfect Deity and perfect manhood--were united in His +character. But, all this time, scarce any two eminent teachers +agree on these points, however orthodox they may be called. What a +difference between the Christ of John Gerson and John Calvin,--yet +were both accepted teachers and pious men. What a difference between +the Christ of the Unitarians and the Methodists,--yet may men of +both sects be true Christians and acceptable with God. What a +difference between the Christ of Matthew and John,--yet both were +disciples, and their influence is wide as Christendom and deep as +the heart of man. But on this there is not time to enlarge. + +Now, it seems clear that the notions men form about the origin and +nature of the Scriptures, respecting the nature and authority of +Christ, have nothing to do with Christianity except as its aids or +its adversaries; they are not the foundation of its truths. These +are theological questions, not religious questions. Their connection +with Christianity appears accidental; for if Jesus had taught at +Athens, and not at Jerusalem; if He had wrought no miracle, and +none but the human nature had ever been ascribed to them; if the +Old Testament had forever perished at His birth,--Christianity +would still have been the word of God; it would have lost none of +its truths. It would be just as true, just as beautiful, just as +lasting, as now it is; tho we should have lost so many a blessed +word, and the work of Christianity itself would have been, perhaps, +a long time retarded. + +To judge the future by the past, the former authority of the Old +Testament can never return. Its present authority can not stand. It +must be taken for what it is worth. The occasional folly and impiety +of its authors must pass for no more than their value; while the +religion, the wisdom, the love, which make fragrant its leaves, will +still speak to the best hearts as hitherto, and in accents even more +divine when reason is allowed her rights. The ancient belief in the +infallible inspiration of each sentence of the New Testament is fast +changing, very fast. One writer, not a skeptic, but a Christian of +unquestioned piety, sweeps off the beginning of Matthew; another, +of a different church and equally religious, the end of John. +Numerous critics strike off several epistles. The Apocalypse itself +is not spared, notwithstanding its concluding curse. Who shall +tell us the work of retrenchment is to stop here; that others will +not demonstrate what some pious hearts have long felt, that errors +of doctrine and errors of fact may be found in many parts of the +record, here and there, from the beginning of Matthew to the end +of Acts? We see how opinions have changed ever since the apostles' +time; and who shall assure us that they were not sometimes mistaken +in historical as well as doctrinal matters; did not sometimes +confound the actual with the imaginary; and that the fancy of these +pious writers never stood in the place of their recollection? + +But what if this should take place? Is Christianity then to perish +out of the heart of the nations, and vanish from the memory of the +world, like the religions that were before Abraham? It must be so, +if it rest on a foundation which a scoffer may shake, and a score of +pious critics shake down. But this is the foundation of a theology, +not of Christianity. That does not rest on the decision of councils. +It is not to stand or fall with the infallible inspiration of a +few Jewish fishermen, who have writ their names in characters of +light all over the world. It does not continue to stand through +the forbearance of some critic, who can cut when he will the +thread on which its life depends. Christianity does not rest on +the infallible authority of the New Testament. It depends on this +collection of books for the historical statement of its facts. In +this we do not require infallible inspiration on the part of the +writers, more than in the record of other historical facts. To me it +seems as presumptuous, on the one hand, for the believer to claim +this evidence for the truth of Christianity, as it is absurd, on +the other hand, for the skeptic to demand such evidence to support +these historical statements. I can not see that it depends on the +personal authority of Jesus. He was the organ through which the +Infinite spoke. It is God that was manifested in the flesh by Him, +on whom rests the truth which Jesus brought to light, and made clear +and beautiful in His life; and if Christianity be true, it seems +useless to look for any other authority to uphold it, as for some +one to support Almighty God. So if it could be proved--as it can +not--in opposition to the greatest amount of historical evidence +ever collected on any similar point, that the Gospels were the +fabrication of designing and artful men, that Jesus of Nazareth had +never lived, still Christianity would stand firm, and fear no evil. +None of the doctrines of that religion would fall to the ground; +for, if true, they stand by themselves. But we should lose--oh, +irreparable loss!--the example of that character, so beautiful, so +divine, that no human genius could have conceived it, as none, after +all the progress and refinement of eighteen centuries, seems fully +to have comprehended its lustrous life. If Christianity were true, +we should still think it was so, not because its record was written +by infallible pens, nor because it was lived out by an infallible +teacher; but that it is true, like the axioms of geometry, because +it is true and is to be tried, by the oracle God places in the +breast. If it rest on the personal authority of Jesus alone, then +there is no certainty of its truth if He were ever mistaken in +the smallest matter,--as some Christians have thought He was in +predicting His second coming. + +These doctrines respecting the Scriptures have often changed, and +are but fleeting. Yet men lay much stress on them. Some cling to +these notions as if they were Christianity itself. It is about +these and similar points that theological battles are fought from +age to age. Men sometimes use worst the choicest treasure which God +bestows. This is especially true of the use men make of the Bible. +Some men have regarded it as the heathen their idol, or the savage +his fetish. They have subordinated reason, conscience, and religion +to this. Thus have they lost half the treasure it bears in its +bosom. No doubt the time will come when its true character shall be +felt. Then it will be seen that, amid all the contradictions of the +Old Testament,--its legends, so beautiful as fictions, so appalling +as facts; amid its predictions that have never been fulfilled; amid +the puerile conceptions of God which sometimes occur, and the cruel +denunciations that disfigure both psalm and prophecy,--there is a +reverence for man's nature, a sublime trust in God, and a depth of +piety, rarely felt in these cold northern hearts of ours. Then the +devotion of its authors, the loftiness of their aim, and the majesty +of their life, will appear doubly fair, and prophet and psalmist +will warm our hearts as never before. Their voice will cheer the +young, and sanctify the gray-headed; will charm us in the toil of +life, and sweeten the cup death gives us when he comes to shake +off this mantle of flesh. Then will it be seen that the words of +Jesus are the music of heaven sung in an earthly voice, and that +the echo of these words in John and Paul owe their efficacy to +their truth and their depth, and to no accidental matter connected +therewith. Then can the Word, which was in the beginning and now is, +find access to the innermost heart of man, and speak there as now +it seldom speaks. Then shall the Bible--which is a whole library +of the deepest and most earnest thoughts and feelings, and piety, +and love, ever recorded in human speech--be read oftener than ever +before,--not with superstition, but with reason, conscience, and +faith, fully active. Then shall it sustain men bowed down with many +sorrows; rebuke sin, encourage virtue, sow the world broadcast and +quick with the seed of love, that man may reap a harvest for life +everlasting. + +With all the obstacles men have thrown in its path, how much has +the Bible done for mankind! No abuse has deprived us of all its +blessings. You trace its path across the world from the day of +Pentecost to this day. As a river springs up in the heart of a +sandy continent, having its father in the skies, and its birthplace +in distant unknown mountains; as the stream rolls on, enlarging +itself, making in that arid waste a belt of verdure wherever it +turns its way; creating palm groves and fertile plains, where the +smoke of the cottager curls up at eventide, and marble cities send +the gleam of their splendor far into the sky,--such has been the +course of the Bible on the earth. Despite of idolaters bowing to +the dust before it, it has made a deeper mark on the world than the +rich and beautiful literature of all the heathen. The first book +of the Old Testament tells man he is made in the image of God; the +first of the New Testament gives us the motto, Be perfect as your +Father in heaven. Higher words were never spoken. How the truths of +the Bible have blest us! There is not a boy on all the hills of New +England; not a girl born in the filthiest cellar which disgraces a +capital in Europe, and cries to God against the barbarism of modern +civilization; not a boy nor a girl all Christendom through, but +their lot is made better by that great book. + +Doubtless the time will come when men shall see Christ also as He +is. Well might He still say, "Have I been so long with you, and yet +hast thou not known me?" No! we have made Him an idol, have bowed +the knee before Him, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" called Him +"Lord, Lord!" but done not the things which He said. The history +of the Christian world might well be summed up in one word of the +evangelist--"and there they crucified him"; for there has never +been an age when the men did not crucify the Son of God afresh. +But if error prevail for a time and grow old in the world, truth +will triumph at the last, and then we shall see the Son of God as +He is. Lifted up, He shall draw all nations unto Him. Then will +men understand the word of Jesus, which shall not pass away. Then +shall we see and love the divine life that He lived. How vast has +His influence been! How His spirit wrought in the hearts of His +disciples, rude, selfish, bigoted, as at first they were! How it +has wrought in the world! His words judge the nations. The wisest +son of man has not measured their height. They speak to what is +deepest in profound men, what is holiest in good men, what is +divinest in religious men. They kindle anew the flame of devotion +in hearts long cold. They are spirit and life. His truth was not +derived from Moses and Solomon; but the light of God shone through +Him, not colored, not bent aside. His life is the perpetual rebuke +of all time since. It condemns ancient civilization; it condemns +modern civilization. Wise men we have since had, and good men; +but this Galilean youth strode before the whole world thousands +of years, so much of divinity was in Him. His words solve the +question of this present age. In Him the Godlike and the human +met and embraced, and a divine life was born. Measure Him by the +world's greatest sons--how poor they are! Try Him by the best of +men--how little and low they appear! Exalt Him as much as we may, +we shall yet perhaps come short of the mark. But still was He +not our brother; the son of man, as we are; the son of God, like +ourselves? His excellence--was it not human excellence? His wisdom, +love, piety,--sweet and celestial as they were,--are they not what +we also may attain? In Him, as in a mirror, we may see the image of +God, and go on from glory to glory, till we are changed into the +same image, led by the spirit which enlightens the humble. Viewed +in this way, how beautiful is the life of Jesus! Heaven has come +down to earth, or rather, earth has become heaven. The Son of God, +come of age, has taken possession of His birthright. The brightest +revelation is this of what is possible for all men,--if not now, at +least hereafter. How pure is His spirit, and how encouraging its +words! "Lowly sufferer," he seems to say, "see how I bore the cross. +Patient laborer, be strong; see how I toiled for the unthankful and +the merciless. Mistaken sinner, see of what thou art capable. Rise +up, and be blest." + +But if, as some early Christians began to do, you take a heathen +view, and make Him a God, the Son of God in a peculiar and exclusive +sense, much of the significance of His character is gone. His virtue +has no merit, His love no feeling, His cross no burthen, His agony +no pain. His death is an illusion, His resurrection but a show. For +if He were not a man, but a god, what are all these things? What His +words, His life, His excellence of achievement? It is all nothing, +weighed against the illimitable greatness of Him who created the +worlds and fills up all time and space! Then His resignation is no +lesson, His life no model, His death no triumph to you or me, who +are not gods, but mortal men, that know not what a day shall bring +forth, and walk by faith "dim sounding on our perilous way." Alas! +we have despaired of man, and so cut off his brightest hope. + +In respect of doctrines as well as forms, we see all is transitory. +"Everywhere is instability and insecurity." Opinions have changed +most on points deemed most vital. Could we bring up a Christian +teacher of any age, from the sixth to the fourteenth century, for +example, tho a teacher of undoubted soundness of faith, whose word +filled the churches of Christendom, clergymen would scarce allow +him to kneel at their altar, or sit down with them at the Lord's +table. His notions of Christianity could not be exprest in our +forms, nor could our notions be made intelligible to his ears. +The questions of his age, those on which Christianity was thought +to depend,--questions which perplexed and divided the subtle +doctors,--are no questions to us. The quarrels which then drove +wise men mad now only excite a smile or a tear, as we are disposed +to laugh or weep at the frailty of man. We have other straws of our +own to quarrel for. Their ancient books of devotion do not speak +to us; their theology is a vain word. To look back but a short +period,--the theological speculations of our fathers during the last +two centuries, their "practical divinity," even the sermons written +by genius and piety are, with rare exceptions, found unreadable; +such a change is there in the doctrines. + +Now who shall tell us that the change is to stop here; that this +sect or that, or even all sects united, have exhausted the river of +life, and received it all in their canonized urns, so that we need +draw no more out of the eternal well, but get refreshment nearer +at hand? Who shall tell us that another age will not smile at our +doctrines, disputes, and unchristian quarrels about Christianity, +and make wide the mouth at men who walked brave in orthodox raiment, +delighting to blacken the names of heretics, and repeat again the +old charge, "He hath blasphemed"? Who shall tell us they will not +weep at the folly of all such as fancied truth shone only into the +contracted nook of their school, or sect, or coterie? Men of other +times may look down equally on the heresy-hunters, and men hunted +for heresy, and wonder at both. The men of all ages before us +were quite as confident as we, that their opinion was truth, that +their notion was Christianity and the whole thereof. The men who +lit the fires of persecution, from the first martyr to Christian +bigotry down to the last murder of the innocents, had no doubt their +opinion was divine. The contest about transubstantiation and the +immaculate purity of the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Scriptures +was waged with bitterness unequaled in these days. The Protestant +smiles at one, the Catholic at the other, and men of sense wonder +at both. It might teach us all a lesson, at least of forbearance. +No doubt an age will come in which ours shall be reckoned a period +of darkness, like the sixth century,--when men groped for the wall, +but stumbled and fell, because they trusted a transient notion, +not an eternal truth; an age when temples were full of idols, +set up by human folly; an age in which Christian light had scarce +begun to shine into men's hearts. But while this change goes on, +while one generation of opinions passes away, and another rises up, +Christianity itself, that pure religion, which exists eternal in the +constitution of the soul and the mind of God, is always the same. +The Word that was before Abraham, in the very beginning, will not +change, for that Word is truth. From this Jesus subtracted nothing; +to this He added nothing. But He came to reveal it as the secret of +God, that cunning men could not understand, but which filled the +souls of men meek and lowly of heart. This truth we owe to God; the +revelation thereof to Jesus, our elder brother, God's chosen son. + +To turn away from the disputes of the Catholics and the Protestants, +of the Unitarian and the Trinitarian, of old school and new school, +and come to the plain words of Jesus of Nazareth,--Christianity is a +simple thing, very simple. It is absolute, pure morality; absolute, +pure religion,--the love of man; the love of God acting without let +or hindrance. The only creed it lays down is the great truth which +springs up spontaneous in the holy heart,--there is a God. Its +watchword is, Be perfect as your Father in heaven. The only form it +demands is a divine life,--doing the best thing in the best way, +from the highest motives; perfect obedience to the great law of +God. Its sanction is the voice of God in your heart; the perpetual +presence of Him who made us and the stars over our head; Christ and +the Father abiding within us. All this is very simple--a little +child can understand it; very beautiful--the loftiest mind can find +nothing so lovely. Try it by reason, conscience, and faith,--things +highest in man's nature,--we see no redundance, we feel no +deficiency. Examine the particular duties it enjoins,--humility, +reverence, sobriety, gentleness, charity, forgiveness, fortitude, +resignation, faith, and active love; try the whole extent of +Christianity, so well summed up in the command, "Thou shalt love +the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and +with all thy mind; thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself"; and is +there anything therein that can perish? No, the very opponents of +Christianity have rarely found fault with the teachings of Jesus. +The end of Christianity seems to be to make all men one with God as +Christ was one with Him; to bring them to such a state of obedience +and goodness that we shall think divine thoughts and feel divine +sentiments, and so keep the law of God by living a life of truth +and love. Its means are purity and prayer; getting strength from +God, and using it for our fellow-men as well as ourselves. It allows +perfect freedom. It does not demand all men to think alike, but to +think uprightly, and get as near as possible at truth; not all men +to live alike, but to live holy, and get as near as possible to a +life perfectly divine. Christ set up no Pillars of Hercules, beyond +which men must not sail the sea in quest of truth. He says, "I have +many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.... Greater +works than these shall ye do." Christianity lays no rude hand on the +sacred peculiarity of individual genius and character. But there is +no Christian sect which does not fetter a man. It would make all +men think alike, or smother their conviction in silence. Were all +men Quakers or Catholics, Unitarians or Baptists, there would be +much less diversity of thought, character, and life, less of truth +active in the world, than now. But Christianity gives us the largest +liberty of the sons of God; and were all men Christians after the +fashion of Jesus, this variety would be a thousand times greater +than now; for Christianity is not a system of doctrines, but rather +a method of attaining oneness with God. It demands, therefore, a +good life of piety within, of purity without, and gives the promise +that whoso does God's will shall know of God's doctrine. + + + + +MACLEOD + +THE TRUE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +NORMAN MACLEOD, the eminent Scotch preacher, was born at +Campbeltown, in Argyleshire, in 1812. In his preaching he departed +from the rigid conventionality of the Scottish Church. His +large vision and broad culture gave unusual distinction both to +his writings and to his pulpit oratory. He was conspicuous for +philanthropic efforts, and frequently held evening services for +workingmen. He distinguished himself by his popular Christian +writing and by his pulpit oratory. He was practical and manly, of +godly nature, with extreme adaptability, and greatly esteemed by +Queen Victoria, who made him her chaplain in 1857. He died in 1872. + + + + +MACLEOD + +1812-1872 + +THE TRUE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY[2] + + [2] Printed here by permission of the publishers, Messrs. Wm. + Blackwood & Sons. + +_Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall +believe on me through their word;_ + +_That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, +that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that +thou hast sent me._--John xvii., 20, 21. + +"These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and +said, Father, the hour is come!" The hour was indeed come for which +the whole world had been in travail since creation, and which was +for ever to mark a new era in the history of the universe. The hour +was come when, having finished the work given Him to do, He was to +return to His Father, but only after ending His earthly journey +along the awful path on which He was now entering, and which led +through Gethsemane, the cross, and the grave. At such a moment in +His life He lifted up His eyes in perfect peace, from the sinful +and sorrowful world, to the heavens glorious in their harmony and +soothing in their silence, and said, "Father!" One feels a solemn +awe, as if entering the holy of holies, in seeking to enter into +the mind of Christ as exprest in this prayer. Never were such words +spoken on earth, never were such words heard in heaven. I ask no +other evidence to satisfy my spirit that they are the truth of God +than the evidence of their own light, revealing as it does the +speaker as being Himself light and life, who verily came from God +and went to God. + +But let me in all reverence endeavor to express a few thoughts, +as to the general meaning of this prayer, with reference more +especially to that portion of it which I have selected as the +subject of my discourse. + +The one all-absorbing desire of our Lord, as here exprest--the +ultimate end sought to be realized by Him--is that God might be +glorified as a Father, and that by the world seeing His love +revealed in sending His Son into the world to save sinners. "God +is love," but "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, +because that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world that we +might live through him"--a love which, when spiritually seen and +possest by us, is itself life eternal; for "This is life eternal +that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom +thou hast sent;" but "He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God +is love." + +All "religion" accordingly, all good, all righteousness, peace, +joy, glory, to man and to the universe, are bound up in this one +thing, knowing God as a Father. Out of this right condition of love +to God, must necessarily come our right condition towards man, +that of love to man as a brother with special love, the love of +character, to Christian brethren. Such a religion as this was never +possest as an idea even by the greatest thinkers among the civilized +heathen nations; far less was it realized by any. Whatever knowledge +many had about God, they knew Him not as a Father to be loved and +trusted, and therefore obeyed. When St. Paul addrest the Athenians, +he could find such a thought exprest by a poet only, who had said, +"We are also His offspring." It is only in the line of supernatural +revelation of God to man, as given to and received by Abraham, "the +friend," and perfected by Christ the Son, that this knowledge of +God has been possest by man. But even among those to whom this true +revelation was given about God, how few truly knew Him! + +The want of this religion, whatever else might exist that was called +by that name, was the complaint made by God against His people of +old, "They do not know me!" "They proceed from evil to evil," He +cries, for "they know not me, saith the Lord." "Through deceit they +refuse to know me, saith the Lord;" and again: "Thus saith the Lord, +Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty +man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; +but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and +knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, +judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I +delight, saith the Lord." (Jer. ix., 23, 24.) + +This was the sorrowing cry of Christ, "O righteous Father, the world +hath not known thee!" This was His joy, "I have known thee, and +these have known that thou hast sent me!" + +But if Christ desired that His Father's name should be glorified, +how was this to be accomplished? By what medium, or means? Now I +would here observe that God's method of revealing Himself to man has +ever been to do so by living men; and the Bible is a true record of +such revelations in the past. Christianity is not the philosophy of +life, but life itself; and is a revelation, not of abstract truth, +but of the living personal God to living persons as His children, +whom He hath created to glorify and enjoy Him for ever. The first +grand medium of this revelation is the eternal Son of God. The very +essence of God's character being love, He did not exist from all +eternity with a mere capacity of loving, but without an object to +love; like an eye capable of seeing light, but with no light to +see. The object of His love was His Son, who from all eternity +responded to that love and rejoiced in His Father. This eternal +Son, when manifested in the flesh, revealed His Father directly, +so that He could say, in all He was, and in all He did, and, in a +true sense, in all He suffered, "He that hath seen me, hath seen the +Father;" and men could say of Him, "We beheld His glory, the glory +as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth;" +"The glory of God" was "in the face of Jesus Christ." Again, He had +also, as the Son of Man, glorified His Father; and, by His reverence +for, confidence in, and obedience to, Him, and by His joy in Him, +had indirectly revealed what he knew God to be to Him and to all +as a Father. "I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished +the work which Thou gavest me to do." Such was His finished work. +But something more was yet to be accomplished. Ere He descends to +Gethsemane, He desires anew to have the joy of revealing a Father's +heart by revealing to the world His own heart of love as a Son to +that Father. Hence His prayer, "Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also +may glorify thee." He does not prescribe the new circumstances in +which His long-tried and perfect filial confidence and love as a +Son were to be manifested. With the absolute consecration of true +sonship He leaves these circumstances to be determined by His +Father. Now, as on the cross, He commits His spirit, as a little +child, into His Father's hands. He desires only that in any way, by +any means, He may have the joy of showing forth the reality, the +endurance, and the triumph of His Sonship. His Father may fill His +cup according to His own will, the Son will drink it. The Father +may permit a crown of thorns to be placed on His brow, and every +conceivable horror of great darkness from the hate of men and devils +to be cast over Him like a funeral-pall; He may be rejected by all +His brethren and by the Church and by the State--"Amen!" He cries. +Let His body be broken and His blood shed, He will give thanks! One +thing only He prays for, "Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may +glorify thee!" As a further end to be accomplished, He prays that +He may have the joy of making others share the same divine love and +joy, and therefore adds, "As thou hast given him power over all +flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast +given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the +only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." + +But while He as the Son was to be the first revealer of God the +Father, He was not, therefore, to be the only revealer. He was +the firstborn of many brethren in whom the same love was to be +reproduced, and by whom the same high duty was to be performed. If +the light of the glory of God shone directly in the face of Jesus +Christ, that light was to be transmitted to those who were to shine +as lights in the world, that others seeing them might glorify the +same God. For now, as ever, God in a real sense manifests Himself +in the flesh. Hence our Lord's desire that His brethren should, as +sons, reveal the Father, like Himself the Son. He says accordingly, +"As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them +into the world." Sent whom? Not apostles only, but those also who +should believe through their word; not ministers of the Church only, +but members also; all, in short, who were qualified to convince the +world that God was a Father, by convincing it of this truth, that +God had sent His Son to save sinners--the "faithful saying, worthy +of all acceptation." + +But the question is further suggested, What is this qualification? +What is this which men must possess in order to accomplish Christ's +purpose of inducing the world to believe? What is this evidence of +Christianity which they are to present to the eyes of unbelieving +men, by seeing which these are to know and glorify God as their +Father in Christ? We reply, it is the oneness of those who are to +be ambassadors from God and fellow-workers with Christ. "I pray for +them," He says, and not for them only, but "for them also who shall +believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, +Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in us; that +the world may believe that thou hast sent me." + +Now this leads me to consider more particularly the nature of this +oneness which is essential for such a successful mission as will +convince the world of the truth of Christ's mission from the Father. +What is meant by this oneness, or this union? + +We are guided in our inquiry by three features which characterize +it. First, It is a oneness such as subsists between Christ and God; +secondly, It is a oneness which can be seen or appreciated; thirdly, +It is a oneness which is calculated from its nature to convince the +world of the truth of Christ's mission. + +Now there are many kinds of union among men, which, however +wonderful or excellent, may be set aside as obviously not fulfilling +these conditions, and not such, therefore, as Christ prayed for. +There is, e. g., the unity of an army which marches as one man, +implicitly obeying its commander even unto death and without a +question. Yet, however grand this is, and however illustrative of +the character of good soldiers of Jesus Christ, it does not fulfil +the conditions specified. Nor does the wonderful unity of a State, +which makes and imposes laws, proclaims war or peace, administers +justice, and executes its judgments. In neither case is there any +union such as subsists betwixt God and Christ; nor such as is +in any sense adapted to convince the world that God has sent His +Son to save sinners. The same may be alleged of any outward and +visible unity of a body of men which might be called a Church. Its +organization might be as wonderful, and its members as disciplined, +and its power as remarkable, as those of an army; it might be held +together like a state by its laws and its enactments, its rewards +and punishments, and might energetically advance until it possest +the dominion of the world, and attracted such attention as that all +men might marvel at it; its members might assent to all the details +of a creed however large; the same rights and ceremonies and modes +of worship might be repeated throughout all its parts; and it might +be able to continue its organized existence from age to age,--yet it +would by no means follow that any such system, however remarkable, +possest that inward spiritual unity desired in Christ's prayer, no +more than the compact unity of Brahminism does, nor the still more +extraordinary unity of Buddhism, with its temples, its priesthood, +its creed, its rites and ceremonies, continuing unchanged during +teeming centuries, and dominating over hundreds of millions of the +human race. May not all these and many similar unities be fully +and satisfactorily accounted for by principles in human nature, +altogether irrespective of the fact of a supernatural power having +come into the world to which their origin or continuance is owing? +For there is a oneness in the churchyard as well as in the church. +There might be a oneness of assent amongst a deaf multitude with +regard to the beauty of music, because determined by the fiat of +authority, but not as the result of hearing and of taste; and the +same kind of oneness of judgment as to the beauty of pictures, on +the part of those who were blind. Unity alone proves nothing, apart +from its nature and its origin. + +There is but one kind of unity or oneness which fulfils the +specified conditions, and that is, oneness of character or of +spiritual life--in one word, the oneness of love;--for this is the +highest condition of a personal spirit. It is such love as God had +and has to Christ; "That the love wherewith thou has loved me may +be in them;" such love as the Son has to the Father, and such as He +manifested to His disciples that very evening when, conscious of +His divine glory, and "knowing that he was come from God, and went +to God," He girded Himself with a towel and washed His disciples' +feet. Hence the declaration, "The glory," that is, of character, +"which thou gavest me I have given them, that they," through its +possession, "may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in +me." Hence again His saying, "They are not of the world, even as I +am not of the world;" and His prayer, "I pray not that thou shouldst +take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from +the evil." Such love as this, when in the soul of ordinary men, does +not originate in their own hearts, however naturally benevolent or +affectionate these may be. Our Lord in this prayer recognizes it +as inseparable from faith in His own teaching, and from personal +conviction of the truth which they themselves were to preach; for +they had received His words, and had "known surely that I came out +from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me"; and so +He prays, "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." + +Now, if we would divide, as with a prism, this pure light of love, +we might discern it as being composed, as it were, of at least two +colors, or features--first, love to God, exprest in the desire that +He should be known; secondly, love to man, exprest in self-sacrifice +that all should share this true love. But these very features we +discern as first existing in God the Father and in Christ the Son; +for God desires, from the necessity of His own nature, that He +should be known, and that all His rational creatures should see +the glory of His character, and, in seeing it, should live. God +has also manifested His love, according to the law of love, by +giving and by self-sacrifice, inasmuch as He "spared not his own +Son, but delivered him up for us all." In like manner, the Son +desired that His Father might be known, and to accomplish this He +became incarnate. He has manifested His love also in the form of +self-sacrifice, in that His whole life and death were an offering +up of Himself as a sacrifice unto God, and as an atonement for the +sins of the world, in order that all men might be made partakers +of His own eternal life in God. This, too, is the "mind" of the +Holy Spirit, for He glorifies the Son, that the Son may glorify the +Father, and glorifies Him in and by His true Church. Hence, wherever +true love exists in man, it will manifest itself in these two forms; +it will ever desire that God may be known, and will never "seek its +own," but sacrifice itself that this end may be attained. In such +oneness as this of mind, spirit, character--in one word, love--there +is realized the first condition of that oneness for which our Lord +prayed. + +Secondly, This unity of character fulfils the second condition in +its being such as the world can in some degree see and appreciate. +Blind as the world is, it can see love in the form of self-sacrifice +at least, seeking its good, even tho it may not at once see in +this a revelation of such love as has its origin in the love of +God to man. The world's heart can perceive more things and greater +things than can its intellect. The child of the statesman or man +of science may not be able to comprehend the world-politics of the +one or the scientific discoveries of the other; but it can see and +feel the love revealed in the glance of the eye, in the smile on +the lips, or in the arms that clasp it to the bosom; and in seeing +this, it sees an infinitely greater thing than the politics of the +one or the scientific discoveries of the other. It sees, too, in +this, tho unconsciously, the love of the Father's heart which fills +the universe with glory, even as its eye, when opened to a little +light, sees the same light which illumines a thousand worlds. And +thus can the world see the light of love. Those who are in prison, +in nakedness, or in thirst, are quite able to see and to appreciate +the love that, for Christ's sake, visits them, clothes them, and +gives them drink. The wretched lepers in the lazar-house, into which +no one could enter and ever return to the world, could see and +appreciate the love of the Moravian missionary who visited them, +and who shut the door for ever between him and all he knew and +loved, that he might share and alleviate the horrors of his wretched +brethren whom he loved more than all. Blind as the world is, it can +see this or nothing; bad as it is, it can appreciate this goodness +or none. + +Thirdly, Such a character is calculated also to convince the world +that God has sent Christ to save sinners. Observe again what is +our Lord's idea of the mission which was to convert the world; it +is this, that those whom He sends, even as God had sent Himself, +whether as apostles or as disciples, should give to their fellow men +what they have first received from their living Head, Jesus Christ. +They were to give "the words" which they received from Him, and +which He had received from God--they were to give "the truth" which +they received from Him, and which He Himself had glorified in His +life and death, that God had sent Him to be the Savior of the world. +They were also to manifest that life which they had received from +Him, and which He had received from God, and which in them was the +necessary result of their faith. Now, it is in the seeing of this +life in those who proclaim the truth that the truth itself appears +worthy of all acceptation, and that God verily, who has sent His Son +to save sinners, is love. It is thus, you perceive, that the mission +of the Church, whether of its ministers or its members, is not only +to preach glad tidings, but to show their reality in their actual +results; not only to preach salvation, but to preach it by saved +men; not only to preach eternal life, but to preach it by those who +possess it; not only to preach about a Father, but to reveal also +that Father through His regenerated sons, who themselves know and +love Him. Further, the idea of a Church is that of a society whose +members are united through faith in the same truth, and are in +possession of the same life. Such a society necessarily springs out +of faith and love, and its members cannot choose but unite outwardly +because united inwardly. Our Lord assumes its future existence and +provides for its continuance. A Church realizing Christ's ideal +would, therefore, possess, as its creed this, at least, of believing +Christ's words, and the truth that "God had sent his Son to be the +Savior of the world." For "every spirit that confesseth not that +Christ hath come in the flesh is not of God." "And whosoever shall +confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in +God." Its initiatory sacrament, that of baptism, does but express +the nature of this society--viz., that its members are the children +of God the Father through Christ the Son, and by the indwelling of +the Holy Spirit--their character being a spiritual baptism into the +possession of "God's name," which is "love." + +Another characteristic of it is their possession of that eternal +life which is exprest as well as maintained by the "communion" in +which its members meet together as brethren, their bond of union +being a common union with God in Christ and one another, through +the constant partaking of Him, the living bread; eating His flesh +and drinking His blood--that is, His whole life of self-sacrifice +and love becoming a part of their very being. Worship in spirit +and in truth is also necessarily involved in the idea of such a +society; and I might add, worship, not from a command merely, but +as a necessary result of spiritual character, becoming in a true +sense "infallible" as to religion; but religion in this sense,--that +of knowing God because of its members being able to say, "We know +that he dwelleth in us, and we in him, because he hath given us +his Spirit, and we know and testify that he sent his Son to be +the Savior of the world." Such a Church would likewise, in a true +sense, have an apostolical succession--that is, a succession of +teachers and members who had the apostolic spirit, or the oneness as +described by our Lord; for it would be able, from its possessing the +Spirit of God, to discern those who were like-minded, and to select +such as were specially fitted for the work of the ministry. This is +the ideal of the Church. + +But has such a Church been realized? Has there ever been a visible +organized body of men who carried out this sublime purpose? Once, +indeed, there was. For we perceive, more or less clearly, all these +features in the early Church when it had received the Spirit on the +day of Pentecost, and when its members met together and "had all +things in common," and manifested such sonship towards God, and +brotherhood towards each other; and sent forth everywhere its public +minister and its members also to bring men into the same blessed +unity. But supposing the ideal had no more been realized since that +time than God's ideal as described by Moses had been fully realized +in the Jewish Church;--yet must the ideal, nevertheless, be ever +kept before the spiritual eye. For we do not produce high art by +keeping a low rather than a high standard before the artist; neither +can we reach to great things in the Church unless we keep a high +standard before its members. It is unnecessary here to inquire how +it came to pass that the Church, to such a great extent, lost this +ideal as one visible society, and became so corrupt as to substitute +innumerable vain appearances of spiritual realities for that which +alone could satisfy a true and righteous God. But as things now are, +the "Church" is broken up into various "churches" or societies, +striving more or less to realize the ideal. Each society does so +just in proportion as it is able to carry out our Lord's purpose +as to its ministry being one in faith, believing Christ's words, +in its knowing truly that He came from God to save sinners, and in +its seeking, from love to God and man, to make all men know their +Father, in the knowledge of whom is salvation. + +But to confine myself to our own particular duties, let me remind +you, fathers and brethren, of our high calling as profest ministers +of Christ's Church. The cry of earnest souls, weary of their many +burthens, unsatisfied with their husks, conscious of being in a +distant land, and finding nothing which men can give to allay +their hungering and thirsting, is this: "Show us the Father, and it +sufficeth us!" Now supposing an earnest spirit, seeking after the +Father, comes to us as His profest ministers in order to discover +the truth of what we preach, he might very naturally say, "You +preach to me a Savior who came a long time ago into the world +professing to save sinners, and you tell me that He is coming again +at some future period to judge the world and to bestow salvation +upon many; but I want to know whether there is a Savior now; or +is it all empty space between that past and that future? You tell +me about salvation from the suffering of sin; I ask, 'Is there +salvation from sin itself, without which I feel there can be no +deliverance from suffering'? You tell me about a medicine that is an +infallible cure for 'this ineradicable taint of sin,' and describe +the terrible consequences of the disease to me if I be not cured, +and the blessed results of joyous spiritual health and peace; but +'Can you show me any person who has actually been restored from +disease to health by this divine medicine'? Is all this preaching a +mere idle theory of life? Or if not, where is the life itself? Art +thou thyself saved? If not--'physician, heal thyself'; for until +then thou canst not cure me." But suppose, further, that this same +person comes into close contact with the mind of the preacher, and +that the more he sees and knows it the more he discerns in the man +such thoughts regarding God, such a knowledge of Him, such a love +to Him, as convince him that here at least is a reality and not a +pretense; suppose that the more he discerns his whole inner life, +the things which give him pain and joy, the things which he desires +and loves, with his whole feelings towards his fellow-men--feelings +expressed in a life of action, which, in spite of infirmities and +shortcomings belonging to all human beings, the questioner cannot +but recognize as a kind of life he never saw before--a life, too, +which commends itself, from what it is, as being the most real +and the most satisfactory to reason, conscience, and heart: can +anything, I ask, be more calculated to convince him of the account +which its possessor gives him as to its origin, when he says, "The +life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, +who loved me, and gave himself for me." "It is a faithful saying, +and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ came into the world to +save sinners, of whom I am the chief." What then? What else must +be the result of such a vision of true life than the conviction +that God is our Father and that God is love, because it is evident +from observation as well as from testimony that He hath sent His +Son to save men, not in the past only, but to save them now--not +to save only those who are called "good," but to save those who +are the chief of sinners? If a man truly believes all this, then +does he know God, and in so doing possesses eternal life. But more +than this, how will his convictions be deepened if, in searching +for others who may have the same life, and if, tho failing to +discover any one visible body of Christians that show it forth in +the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace, he is yet able +to satisfy himself that there have been, during the last eighteen +centuries, and that there are now, in every church, in every land, +among all races of men, among those of different temperaments, +different culture, and amidst a variety of all possible outward +circumstances, men with like passions as himself, who have faith in +the same Lord, and are thereby possest of a true love of God and +of one another--how will this, I say, deepen in him the conviction +that God is a Father, because a Savior, who "gave his Son, not that +any should perish, but that all should possess everlasting life?" +Will he not be thus led to "believe the record that God has given +us eternal life, and that this life is in his Son?" I am persuaded +that a man of the highest intellectual culture and the greatest +learning, earnestly searching after God and Christ, and the truth +of Christianity, would be more convinced of the love of the one +as manifested in the truth of the other, by coming into contact +with one true soul which, without perhaps intellectual culture or +learning, yet truly loved God and man, than he would be by all the +volumes on the evidence of Christianity ever written, without such a +spiritual vision of a holy life. + +On the other hand, supposing that no such evidence of the truth of +Christianity could be discovered in the preacher of Christianity; +nay, if his character contradicted his preaching; if, while +he preached love to God and man, he manifested neither, but +indifference, to say the least of it, to both; if, while he preached +the necessity and the excellence of the Christian life, he himself +revealed its very opposite--what effect would this have upon an +earnest spirit, but that Christianity was a mere ideal system +unsuited to the world, a philosophy of life that might be believed +in, but not a life itself that might be possest? + +This want of personal character, however imperfect, yet real, may +account for the want of success in the mission of the Church to +convince the world, whether at home or abroad. We may give religion +but not godliness; the means of grace, as they are called, but not +the grace seen and exprest in the living man. We would thus hear of +Christianity without seeing it; hear about the love of God, and the +love of Christ as a Savior, without being convinced even by those +who send missionaries to India, who, altho they may individually +reveal this life, yet how often are looked upon as mere official +teachers; while the "Christians" from "Christendom" may, in coming +into contact with the heathen, show by their denial of Christianity +that it is a matter for the priesthood, not for all men; a book +theology, but not an actual power working in humanity: and of such +persons it may be said that they have profaned God's great name +among the heathen. + +And this, too, may also account for the secret of success by many +a minister of whom the world knows nothing: "For greatest minds +are those of whom the noisy world hears least." They may not be +great in the ordinary sense of the word--great as thinkers, great +as orators, or great in the possession of any remarkable gifts; but +they are nevertheless great in the kingdom of heaven; great because +little children--great in meekness, in patience, in humility, in +love of God and man, and who carry this music in their heart, +"through dusky land and wrangling mart." What is the secret of their +power? What but an eternal reality! the reality of a godly, godlike +life obtained from God, and sustained by God, and seen in the eye, +felt in the hand, heard in the words--a light of life which shines +beside many a dying bed in many a home of sorrow, as well as in the +pulpit. This is a kind of life whose biography will be written with +the tears of the grateful orphan and widow, and of many a saved +soul which remembers its possessor as its spiritual father. Such a +ministry as this can no more fail than the love of God which gives +it birth. Let us thank God, therefore, that such a secret power as +this is within the reach of us all. We may not be men of talent, +and for that we are not responsible; but we may be good men because +little children towards God, and for that we are responsible: "I +thank thee, heavenly Father, that thou hast hid these things from +the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes." + +And now, fathers and brethren, such is our high calling, to proclaim +the glad tidings that God has sent Christ into the world to save +sinners. Our chief authority for doing this is that we know it to be +true; and if so, no one can deprive us of the high privilege and joy +of proclaiming it. A glorious work is thus given us to do; we are +ambassadors for God, beseeching men to be reconciled to Him, and we +are fellow-workers with our Lord Himself. But this involves a great +responsibility, corresponding to the greatness of our calling. For +it is at once a glorious and a tremendous thought that Christ perils +the chief evidence of the truth of Christianity, not upon what we +say, but more upon what we are; and what we are is neither more nor +less than what God knows us to be. Our preaching may, nevertheless, +fail in some cases to convince the world, as it has done before; for +the glory of Christ Himself was not seen by Judas. Indeed the light +of life, when it shines, requires the single eye to see it. But in +so far as the ministry of men, as an instrumentality, can convince +the world, let our ministry be such as is calculated according to +Christ's purpose to produce this result. Let it consist of those who +can say, "We know whom we have believed." "We know and believe the +love that God hath to us." "We testify that he sent his Son to be +the Savior of the world." + +But I must bring my sermon to a close. + +Pardon me, my brethren, if I have appeared to address you in any +other spirit than that of one who would with you confess his sins +and shortcomings, and lament with shame and sorrow how much time and +power have been lost never to be regained; how many gifts and noble +opportunities have been neglected and perverted through unbelief and +sloth, which might have been used for our own good and that of our +fellow-men. Verily the day is far spent with many of us, and the +night is near in which no man can work. Whatever our hands find to +do must be done now or never. Let us pray that the living Spirit of +God, given to all who seek Him, and whose work it is to glorify the +Son, may take of His things and show them to our souls, and open +our spiritual eye to see the glory of God in the face of Christ, so +that we may be changed into the same glory. May we strive to keep +the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, and be enabled so +to preach and so to live that the world may be convinced, by what +it sees and hears, of the reality of the love of God the Father in +giving us and all men eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son! May +He who makes us sons of God enable us, as sons, to be glorified in +the perfection and revelation of our characters, so that with our +elder Brother we may glorify His Father and our Father! + +And now, to Father, Son and Holy Ghost, one God, be glory, dominion, +and praise for evermore. Amen! + + + + +MOZLEY + +THE REVERSAL OF HUMAN JUDGMENT + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +JAMES B. MOZLEY, English divine and philosopher, was born at +Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, in 1813. He was educated at Oxford, +and is particularly known for his discourses on Baptism and +Predestination. Gladstone appointed him as professor of divinity at +Oxford. His Bampton Lectures on Miracles (1863) are still considered +of classical authority. Dr. Brastow, in speaking of his clear and +well-ordered thought, says: "He was intent upon getting at the heart +of all subjects investigated, and his slowness in clearing up a +subject and his deliberation and fastidiousness with respect to his +diction embarrassed him. The result was a mastery of thought and an +exactness and clearness and strength of speech that are more than an +offset for the difficulties he encountered; and one can hardly fail +to see that this patient, self-poised mental habit saved him from +one-sidedness and kept the balance of his judgement and made him +the safer guide. We see here the immense value of thorough mental +training." He died in 1878. + + + + +MOZLEY + +1813-1878 + +THE REVERSAL OF HUMAN JUDGMENT[3] + + [3] By permission of the publishers, Messrs. Longmans, Green & Co. + +_Many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be +first._--Matthew xix., 30. + + +Perhaps there is hardly any person of reflection to whom the thought +has not occurred at times, of the final judgment turning out to +be a great subversion of human estimates of men. Society forms +its opinions of men, and places some on a high pinnacle; they are +favorites with it, religious and moral favorites. Such judgments are +a necessary and proper part of the present state of things; they +are so, quite independently of the question whether they are true +or not; it is proper that there should be this sort of expression +of the voice of the day; the world is not nothing, because it is +transient; it must judge and speak upon such evidence as it has, +and is capable of seeing. Therefore those characters of men are by +all means to be respected by us, as members of this world; they +have their place, they are a part of the system. But does the idea +strike us of some enormous subversion of human judgments in the next +world, some vast rectification, to realize which now, even if we +could, would not be good for us? Such an idea would not be without +support from some of those characteristic prophetic sayings of our +Lord, which, like the slanting strokes of the sun's rays across +the clouds, throw forward a tract of mysterious light athwart the +darkness of the future. Such is that saying in which a shadow of the +Eternal Judgment seems to come over us--"Many that are first shall +be last; and the last shall be first." It is impossible to read this +saying without an understanding that it was intended to throw an +element of wholesome scepticism into the present estimate of human +character, and to check the idolatry of the human heart which lifts +up its favorites with as much of self-complacency as of enthusiasm, +and in its worship of others flatters itself. + +Indeed, this language of Scripture, which speaks of the subversion +of human judgments in another world, comes in connection with +another language with which it most remarkably fits in, language +which speaks very decidedly of a great deception of human judgments +in this world. It is observable that the gospel prophecy of the +earthly future of Christianity is hardly what we should have +expected it beforehand to be; there is a great absence of brightness +in it; the sky is overcast with clouds, and birds of evil omen fly +to and fro; there is an agitation of the air, as if dark elements +were at work in it; or it is as if a fog rose up before our eyes, +and treacherous lights were moving to and fro in it, which we could +not trust. Prophecy would fain presage auspiciously, but as soon as +she casts her eye forward, her note saddens, and the chords issue +in melancholy and sinister cadences which depress the hearer's +mind. And what is the burden of her strain? It is this. As soon as +ever Christianity is cast into the world to begin its history, that +moment there begins a great deception. It is a pervading thought +in gospel prophecy--the extraordinary capacity for deceiving and +being deceived that would arise under the gospel; it is spoken of +as something peculiar in the world. There are to be false Christs +and false prophets, false signs and wonders; many that will come in +Christ's name, saying, I am Christ, and deceive many; so that it +is the parting admonition of Christ to His disciples--"Take heed, +lest any man deceive you"--as if that would be the greater danger. +And this great quantity of deception was to culminate in that one +in whom all power of signs and lying wonders should reside, even +that Antichrist, who as God should sit in the temple of God, showing +himself that he is God. Thus before the true Christ was known to the +world, the prophecy of the false one was implanted deep in the heart +of Christianity. + +When we come to the explanation of this mass of deception as it +applies to the Christian society, and the conduct of Christians, +we find that it consists of a great growth of specious and showy +effects, which will in fact issue out of Christianity, not implying +sterling goodness. Christianity will act as a great excitement to +human nature, it will communicate a great impulse, it will move +and stir man's feelings and intellect; this impulse will issue in +a great variety of high gifts and activities, much zeal and ardor. +But this brilliant manifestation will be to a large extent lacking +in the substance of the Christian character. It will be a great +show. That is to say, there will be underneath it the deceitful +human heart--the _natura callida_, as Thomas à Kempis calls it, +_quæ se semper pro fine habet_. We have even in the early Christian +Church that specious display of gifts which put aside as secondary +the more solid part of religion, and which St. Paul had so strongly +to check. Gospel prophecy goes remarkably in this direction, as to +what Christianity would do in the world; that it would not only +bring out the truth of human nature, but would, like some powerful +alchemy, elicit and extract the falsehood of it; that it would not +only develop what was sincere and sterling in man, but what was +counterfeit in him too. Not that Christianity favors falsehood, any +more than the law favored sin because it brought out sin. The law, +as St. Paul says, brought out sin because it was spiritual, and +forced sin to be sin against light. So in the case of Christianity. +If a very high, pure, and heart-searching religion is brought into +contact with a corrupt nature, the nature grasps at the greatness +of the religion, but will not give up itself; yet to unite the two +requires a self-deception the more subtle and potent in proportion +to the purity of the religion. And certainly, comparing the +hypocrisy of the Christian with that of the old world, we see that +the one was a weak production in comparison with the other, which is +indeed a very powerful creation; throwing itself into feeling and +language with an astonishing freedom and elasticity, and possessing +wonderful spring and largeness. + +There is, however, one very remarkable utterance of our Lord Himself +upon this subject, which deserves special attention. "Many will say +to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, +and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful +works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you." Now +this is a very remarkable prophecy, for one reason, that in the +very first start of Christianity, upon the very threshold of its +entrance into the world, it looks through its success and universal +reception, into an ulterior result of that victory--a counterfeit +profession of it. It sees, before the first nakedness of its birth +is over, a prosperous and flourishing religion, which it is worth +while for others to pay homage to, because it reflects credit on +its champions. Our Lord anticipates the time when active zeal for +Himself will be no guaranty. And we may observe the difference +between Christ and human founders. The latter are too glad of any +zeal in their favor, to examine very strictly the tone and quality +of it. They grasp at it at once; not so our Lord. He does not want +it even for Himself, unless it is pure in the individual. But +this statement of our Lord's is principally important, as being +a prophecy relating to the earthly future of Christianity. It +places before us public religious leaders, men of influence in the +religious world, who spread and push forward by gifts of eloquence +and powers of mind, the truths of His religion, whom yet He will +not accept, because of a secret corruptness in the aim and spirit +with which they did their work. The prophecy puts forth before us +the fact of a great deal of work being done in the Church, and +outwardly good zealous work, upon the same motive in substance, upon +which worldly men do their work in the world, and stamps it as the +activity of corrupt nature. The rejection of this class of religious +workers is complete, altho they have been, as the language itself +declares, forward and active for spiritual objects, and not only had +them on their lips. + +Here then we have a remarkable subversion of human judgments in the +next world foretold by our Lord Himself; for those men certainly +come forward with established religious characters to which they +appeal; they have no doubt of their position in God's kingdom, and +they speak with the air of men whose claims have been acquiesced +in by others, and by numbers. And thus a false Christian growth is +looked to in gospel prophecy, which will be able to meet even the +religious tests of the current day, and sustain its pretensions, but +which will not satisfy the tests of the last day. + +We are then perhaps at first surprized at the sternness of their +sentence, and are ready to say with the trembling disciple, "Who +then shall be saved?" But when we reflect upon it, we shall see +that it is not more than what meets the case; i. e., that we know +of sources of error in the estimate of human character which will +account for great mistakes being made; which mistakes will have to +be rectified. + +One source of mistakes then is, that while the gospel keeps to one +point of its classification of men,--viz., the motive, by which +alone it decides their character, the mass of men in fact find it +difficult to do so. They have not that firm hold of the moral idea +which prevents them from wandering from it, and being diverted by +irrelevant considerations, they think of the spirituality of a +man as belonging to the department to which he is attached, the +profession he makes, the subject matter he works upon, the habitual +language he has to use. The sphere of these men, of whom the +estimate was to be finally reversed, was a religious one,--viz., the +Church, and this was a remarkable prop to them. Now, with respect +to this, it must be observed that the Church is undoubtedly in its +design a spiritual society, but it is also a society of this world +as well; and it depends upon the inward motive of a man whether it +is to him a spiritual society or a worldly one. The Church, as soon +as ever it is embodied in a visible collection or society of men, +who bring into it human nature, with human influences, regards, +points of view, estimates, aims, and objects--I say the Church, +from the moment it thus embodies itself in a human society, is +the world. Individual souls in it convert into reality the high +profest principles of the body, but the active stock of motives in +it are the motives of human nature. Can the visible Church indeed +afford to do without these motives? Of course it cannot. It must +do its work by means of these to a great extent, just as the world +does its work. Religion itself is beautiful and heavenly, but the +machinery for it is very like the machinery for anything else. I +speak of the apparatus for conducting and administering the visible +system of it. Is not the machinery for all causes and objects +much the same, communication with others, management, contrivance, +combination, adaptation of means to end? Religion then is itself a +painful struggle, but religious machinery provides as pleasant a +form of activity as any other machinery possesses; and it counts +for and exercises much the same kind of talents and gifts that +the machinery of any other department does, that of a government +office, or a public institution, or a large business. The Church, +as a part of the work, must have active-minded persons to conduct +its policy and affairs; which persons must, by their very situation, +connect themselves with spiritual subjects, as being the subjects +of the society; they must express spiritual joys, hopes, and +fears, apprehensions, troubles, trials, aims, and wishes. These +are topics which belong to the Church as a department. A religious +society, then, or religious sphere of action, or religious sphere +of subjects, is irrelevant as regards the spirituality of the +individual person, which is a matter of inward motive. + +One would not of course exclude from the sphere of religion the +motive of _esprit de corps_: it is undoubtedly a great stimulus, and +in its measure is consistent with all simplicity and singleness of +heart; but in an intense form, when the individual is absorbed in +a blind obedience to a body, it corrupts the quality of religion; +it ensnares the man in a kind of self-interest; and he sees in +the success of the body the reflection of himself. It becomes an +egotistic motive. There has been certainly an immense produce from +it; but the type of religion it has produced is a deflection from +simplicity; it may possess striking and powerful qualities, but +it is not like the free religion of the heart; and there is that +difference between the two, which there is between what comes from +a second-hand source and from the fountain head. It has not that +naturalness (in the highest sense) which alone gives beauty to +religion. + +Again, those who feel that they have a mission may convert it into a +snare to themselves. Doubtless, if, according to St. Paul, "he who +desireth the office of a bishop desireth a good work," so one who +has a mission to do some particular work has a good office given +him. Still, where life is too prominently regarded in this light, +the view of life as a mission tends to supersede the view of it as +trial and probation. The mission becomes the final cause of life. +The generality may be born to do their duty in that station of life +in which it has pleased God to call them; but in their own case the +mission overtops and puts into the shade the general purpose of +life as probation; the generality are sent into the world for their +own moral benefit, but they are rather sent into the world for the +benefit of that world itself. The outward object with its display +and machinery is apt to reduce to a kind of insignificance the +inward individual end of life. It appears small and commonplace. The +success of their own individual probation is assumed in embarking +upon the larger work, as the less is included in the greater; it +figures as a preliminary in their eyes, which may be taken for +granted; it appears an easy thing to them to save their own souls, a +thing, so to speak, for anybody to do. + +What has been dwelt upon hitherto as a source of false magnifying +and exaltation of human character, has been the invisibility of +men's motives. But let us take another source of mistake in human +judgment. + +Nothing is easier, when we take gifts of the intellect and +imagination in the abstract, than to see that these do not +constitute moral goodness. This is indeed a mere truism; and yet, +in the concrete, it is impossible not to see how nearly they border +upon counting as such; to what advantage they set off any moral +good there may be in a man; sometimes even supplying the absence of +real good with what looks extremely like it. On paper these mental +gifts are a mere string of terms; we see exactly what these terms +denote, and we cannot mistake it for something else. It is plain +that eloquence, imagination, poetical talent, are no more moral +goodness than riches are, or than health and strength are, or than +noble birth is. We know that bad men have possest them just as much +as good men. Nevertheless, take them in actual life, in the actual +effect and impression they make, as they express a man's best moods +and highest perceptions and feelings, and what a wonderful likeness +and image of what is moral do they produce. Think of the effect of +refined power of expression, of a keen and vivid imagination as +applied to the illustration and enrichment of moral subjects,--to +bringing out, e. g., with the whole force of intellectual sympathy, +the delicate and high regions of character,--does not one who can +do this seem to have all the goodness which he expresses? And it is +quite possible he may have; but this does not prove it. There is +nothing more in this than the faculty of imagination and intelligent +appreciation of moral things. There enters thus unavoidably often +into a great religious reputation a good deal which is not religion, +but power. + +Let us take the character which St. Paul draws. It is difficult to +believe that one who had the tongue of men and of angels would not +be able to persuade the world that he himself was extraordinarily +good. Rather it is part of the fascination of the gift, that the +grace of it is reflected in the possessor. But St. Paul gives him, +besides thrilling speech which masters men's spirits and carries +them away, those profound depths of imagination which still and +solemnize them; which lead them to the edge of the unseen world, +and excite the sense of the awful and supernatural; he has the +understanding of all mysteries. And again, knowledge unfolds all its +stores to him with which to illustrate and enrich spiritual truths. +Let one then, so wonderful in mental gifts, combine them with the +utmost fervor, with boundless faith, before which everything gives +way; boundless zeal, ready to make even splendid sacrifices; has +there been any age in which such a man would have been set down as +sounding and empty? St. Paul could see that such a man might yet be +without the true substance--goodness; and that all his gifts could +not guarantee it to him; but to the mass his own eloquence would +interpret him, the gifts would carry the day, and the brilliant +partial virtues would disguise the absence of the general grace of +love. + +Gifts of intellect and imagination, poetical power, and the like, +are indeed in themselves a department of worldly prosperity. It +is a very narrow view of prosperity that it consists only in +having property; a certain kind of gifts are just as much worldly +prosperity as riches; nor are they less so if they belong to a +religious man, any more than riches are less prosperity because +a religious man is rich. We call these gifts worldly prosperity, +because they are in themselves a great advantage, and create +success, influence, credit, and all which man so much values; and +at the same time they are not moral goodness, because the most +corrupt men may have them. + +But even the gifts of outward fortune themselves have much of the +effect of gifts of mind in having the semblance of something moral. +They set off what goodness a man has to such immense advantage, +and heighten the effect of it. Take some well-disposed person, +and suppose him suddenly to be left an enormous fortune, he would +feel himself immediately so much better a man. He would seem to +himself to become suddenly endowed with a new large-heartedness and +benevolence. He would picture himself the generous patron, the large +dispenser of charity, the promoter of all good in the world. The +power to become such would look like a new disposition. And in the +eyes of the others, too, his goodness would appear to have taken a +fresh start. Even serious piety is recognized more as such; it is +brought out and placed in high relief, when connected with outward +advantages; and so the gifts of fortune become a kind of moral +addition to a man. + +Action, then, on a large scale, and the overpowering effect of +great gifts, are what produce, in a great degree, what we call +the canonization of men--the popular judgment which sets them up +morally and spiritually upon the pinnacle of the temple, and which +professes to be a forestalment, through the mouth of the Church +or of religious society, of the final judgment. How decisive is +the world's, and, not less confident, the visible Church's note of +praise. It is just that trumpet note which does not bear a doubt. +How it is trusted! With what certainty it speaks! How large a part +of the world's and Church's voice is praise! It is an immense and +ceaseless volume of utterance. And by all means let man praise +man, and not do it grudgingly either; let there be an echo of that +vast action which goes on in the world, provided we only speak of +what we know. But if we begin to speak of what we do not know, +and which only a higher judgment can decide, we are going beyond +our province. On this question we are like men who are deciding +irreversibly on some matter in which everything depends upon one +element in the case, which element they cannot get at. We appear +to know a great deal of one another, and yet, if we reflect, what +a vast system of secrecy the moral world is. How low down in a man +sometimes (not always) lies the fundamental motive which sways his +life? But this is what everything depends on. Is it an unspiritual +motive? Is there some keen passion connected with this world at +the bottom? Then it corrupts the whole body of action. There is a +good deal of prominent religion then, which keeps up its character, +even when this motive betrays itself; great gifts fortify it, and +people do not see because they will not. But at any rate there is a +vast quantity of religious position which has this one great point +undecided beneath it; and we know of tremendous dangers to which it +is exposed. Action upon a theater may doubtless be as simple-minded +action as any other; it has often been; it has been often even +childlike action; the apostles acted on a theater; they were a +spectacle to men and to angels. Still, what dangers in a spiritual +point of view does it ordinarily include--dangers to simplicity, +inward probity, sincerity! How does action on this scale and of +this kind seem, notwithstanding its religious object, to pass over +people, not touching one of their faults, leaving--more than their +infirmities--the dark veins of evil in their character as fixed +as ever. How will persons sacrifice themselves to their objects? +They would benefit the world, it would appear, at their own moral +expense; but this is a kind of generosity which is perilous policy +for the soul, and is indeed the very mint in which the great mass of +false spiritual coinage is made. + +On the other hand, while the open theater of spiritual power and +energy is so accessible to corrupt motives, which, tho undermining +its truthfulness, leave standing all the brilliance of the outer +manifestation; let it be considered what a strength and power of +goodness may be accumulating in unseen quarters. The way in which +man bears temptation is what decides his character; yet how secret +is the system of temptation? Who knows what is going on? What the +real ordeal has been? What its issue was? So with respect to the +trial of griefs and sorrows, the world is again a system of secrecy. +There is something particularly penetrating, and which strikes home, +in those disappointments which are especially not extraordinary, and +make no show. What comes naturally and as a part of our situation +has a probing force grander strokes have not; there is a solemnity +and stateliness in these, but the blow which is nearest to common +life gets the stronger hold. Is there any particular event which +seems to have, if we may say so, a kind of malice in it which +provokes the Manichean feeling in our nature, it is something which +we should have a difficulty in making appear to any one else any +special trial. Compared with this inner grasp of some stroke of +providence, voluntary sacrifice stands outside of us. After all, the +self-made trial is a poor disciplinarian weapon; there is a subtle +masterly irritant and provoking point in the genuine natural trial, +and in the natural crossness of events, which the artificial thing +cannot manage; we can no more make our trials than we can make our +feelings. In this way moderate deprivations are in some cases more +difficult to bear than extreme ones. "I can bear total obscurity," +says Pascal, "well enough; what disgusts me is semi-obscurity; I +can make an idol of the whole, but no great merit of the half." And +so it is often the case that what we must do as simply right, and +which would not strike even ourselves, and still less anybody else, +is just the hardest thing to do. A work of supererogation would be +much easier. All this points in the direction of great work going +on under common outsides where it is not noticed; it hints at a +secret sphere of growth and progress; and as such it is an augury +and presage of a harvest which may come some day suddenly to light, +which human judgments had not counted on. + +It is upon such a train of thought as this which has been passing +through our minds that we raise ourselves to the reception of that +solemn sentence which Scripture has inscribed on the curtain which +hangs down before the judgment-seat--"The first shall be last, and +the last shall be first." The secrets of the tribunal are guarded, +and yet a finger points which seems to say--"Beyond, in this +direction, behind this veil, things are different from what you will +have looked for." + +Suppose, e. g., any supernatural judge should appear in the world +now, and it is evident that the scene he would create would be one +to startle us; we should not soon be used to it; it would look +strange; it would shock and appal; and that from no other cause +than simply its reductions; that it presented characters stripped +bare, denuded of what was irrelevant to goodness, and only with +their moral substance left. The judge would take no cognizance of a +rich imagination, power of language, poetical gifts and the like, +in themselves, as parts of goodness, any more than he would of +riches and prosperity; and the moral residuum would appear perhaps +a bare result. The first look of divine justice would strike us +as injustice; it would be too pure a justice for us; we should +be long in reconciling ourselves to it. Justice would appear, +like the painter's gaunt skeleton of emblematic meaning, to be +stalking through the world, smiting with attenuation luxuriating +forms of virtue. Forms, changed from what we knew, would meet +us, strange unaccustomed forms, and we should have to ask them +who they are--"You were flourishing but a short while ago, what +has happened to you now?" And the answer, if it spoke the truth, +would be--"Nothing, except that now, much which lately counted as +goodness, counts as such no longer; we are tried by a new moral +measure, out of which we issue different men; gifts which have +figured as goodness remain as gifts, but cease to be goodness." Thus +would the large sweep made of human canonizations act like blight or +volcanic fire upon some rich landscape, converting the luxury of +nature into a dried-up scene of bare stems and scorched vegetation. + +So may the scrutiny of the last day, by discovering the irrelevant +material in men's goodness, reduce to a shadow much exalted earthly +character. Men are made up of professions, gifts, and talents, +and also of themselves, but all so mixed together that we cannot +separate one element from another; but another day must show what +the moral substance is, and what is only the brightness and setting +off of gifts. On the other hand, the same day may show where, tho +the setting off of gifts is less, the substance is more. If there +will be reversal of human judgment for evil, there will be reversal +of it for good too. The solid work which has gone on in secret, +under common exteriors, will then spring into light, and come out +in a glorious aspect. Do we not meet with surprizes of this kind +here, which look like auguries of a greater surprize in the next +world, a surprize on a vast scale. Those who have lived under an +exterior of rule, when they come to a trying moment sometimes +disappoint us; they are not equal to the act required from them; +because their forms of duty, whatever they are, have not touched +in reality their deeper fault of character, meanness, or jealousy, +or the like, but have left them where they were; they have gone +on thinking themselves good because they did particular things, +and used certain language, and adopted certain ways of thought, +and have been utterly unconscious all the time of a corroding sin +within them. On the other hand, some one who did not promise much, +comes out at a moment of trial strikingly and favorably. This is +a surprize, then, which sometimes happens, nay, and sometimes a +greater surprize still, when out of the eater comes forth meat, and +out of a state of sin there springs the soul of virtue. The act of +the thief on the cross is a surprize. Up to the time when he was +judged he was a thief, and from a thief he became a saint. For even +in the dark labyrinth of evil there are unexpected outlets; sin is +established by the habit in the man, but the good principle which +is in him also, but kept down and supprest, may be secretly growing +too; it may be undermining it, and extracting the life and force +from it. In this man, then, sin becomes more and more, tho holding +its place by custom, an outside and a coating, just as virtue does +in the deteriorating man, till at last, by a sudden effort and the +inspiration of an opportunity, the strong good casts off the weak +crust of evil and comes out free. We witness a conversion. + +But this is a large and mysterious subject--the foundation for high +virtue to become apparent in a future world, which hardly rises up +above the ground here. We cannot think of the enormous trial which +is undergone in this world by vast masses without the thought +also of some sublime fruit to come of it some day. True, it may +not emerge from the struggle of bare endurance here, but has not +the seed been sown? Think of the burden of toil and sorrow borne +by the crowds of poor: we know that pain does not of itself make +people good; but what we observe is, that even in those in whom +the trial seems to do something, it yet seems such a failure. What +inconstancy, violence, untruths! The pathos in it all moves you. +What a tempest of character it is! And yet when such trial has been +passed we involuntarily say--has not a foundation been laid? And so +in the life of a soldier, what agonies must nature pass through in +it! While the present result of such a trial is so disappointing, +so little seems to come of it! Yet we cannot think of what has been +gone through by countless multitudes in war, of the dreadful altar +of sacrifice, and the lingering victims, without the involuntary +idea arising that in some, even of the irregular and undisciplined, +the foundation of some great purification has been laid. We hear +sometimes of single remarkable acts of virtue, which spring from +minds in which there is not the habit of virtue. Such acts point to +a foundation, a root of virtue in man, deeper than habit; they are +sudden leaps which show an unseen spring, which are able to compress +in a moment the growth of years. + +To conclude. The gospel language throws doubt upon the final +stability of much that passes current here with respect to +character, upon established judgments, and the elevations of the +outward sanctuary. It lays down a wholesome scepticism. We do not +do justice to the spirit of the gospel by making it enthusiastic +simply, or even benevolent simply. It is sagacious, too. It is a +book of judgment. Man is judged in it. Our Lord is Judge. We cannot +separate our Lord's divinity from His humanity; and yet we must be +blind if we do not see a great judicial side of our Lord's human +character;--that severe type of understanding, in relation to the +worldly man, which has had its imperfect representation in great +human minds. He was unspeakably benevolent, kind, compassionate; +true, but He was a Judge. It was indeed of His very completeness +as man that He should know man; and to know is to judge. He must +be blind who, in the significant acts and sayings of our Lord as +they unroll themselves in the pregnant page of the gospel, does +not thus read His character; he sees it in that insight into +pretensions, exposure of motives, laying bare of disguises; in the +sayings--"Believe it not"; "Take heed that no man deceive you"; +"Behold, I have told you"; in all that profoundness of reflection +in regard to man, which great observing minds among mankind have +shown, tho accompanied by much of frailty, anger, impatience, or +melancholy. His human character is not benevolence only; there +is in it wise distrust--that moral sagacity which belongs to the +perfection of man. + +Now then, as has been said, this scepticism with regard to human +character has had, as a line of thought, certain well-known +representatives in great minds, who have discovered a root of +selfishness in men's actions, have probed motives, extracted aims, +and placed man before himself denuded and exposed; they judged +him, and in the frigid sententiousness or the wild force of their +utterances, we hear that of which we cannot but say, how true! But +knowledge is a goad to those who have it; a disturbing power; a +keenness which distorts; and in the sight it gives it partly blinds +also. The fault of these minds was that in exposing evil they did +not really believe in goodness; goodness was to them but an airy +ideal, the dispirited echo of perplexed hearts,--returned to them +from the rocks of the desert, without bearing hope with it. They +had no genuine belief in any world which was different from theirs; +they availed themselves of an ideal indeed to judge this world, and +they could not have judged it without; for anything, whatever it +is, is good, if we have no idea of anything better; and therefore +the conception of a good world was necessary to judge the bad +one. But the ideal held loose to their minds--not anything to be +substantiated, not as a type in which a real world was to be cast, +not as anything of structural power, able to gather into it, form +round it, and build up upon itself; not, in short, as anything of +power at all, able to make anything, or do anything, but only like +some fragrant scent in the air, which comes and goes, loses itself, +returns again in faint breaths, and rises and falls in imperceptive +waves. Such was goodness to these minds; it was a dream. But the +gospel distrust is not disbelief in goodness. It raises a great +suspense, indeed, it shows a curtain not yet drawn up, it checks +weak enthusiasm, it appends a warning note to the pomp and flattery +of human judgments, to the erection of idols; and points to a day of +great reversal; a day of the Lord of Hosts; the day of pulling down +and plucking up, of planting and building. But, together with the +law of sin, the root of evil in the world, and the false goodness in +it, it announces a fount of true natures; it tells us of a breath of +Heaven of which we know not whence it cometh and whither it goeth; +which inspires single individual hearts, that spring up here and +there, and everywhere, like broken gleams of the supreme goodness. +And it recognizes in the renewed heart of man an instinct which +can discern true goodness and distinguish it from false; a secret +discrimination in the good by which they know the good. It does not +therefore stand in the way of that natural and quiet reliance which +we are designed by God to have in one another, and that trust in +those whose hearts we know. "Wisdom is justified of her children"; +"My sheep hear my voice, but a stranger will they not follow, for +they know not the voice of strangers." + + + + +[Illustration: ad page 1] + + From the Pen of + ALPHONSO A. HOPKINS, Ph.D., + +_Professor of Political Economy and Prohibition in the American +Temperance University._ + +=Wealth and Waste= + + The Principles of Political Economy In their Application to the + Present Problems of Labor, Law, and the Liquor Traffic. + + In a broad, philosophic, and patriotic spirit the author seeks + to apply, in this volume, the accepted principles of Political + Economy, as to Production and Wealth, Consumption and Waste. + + "A book which contains very much of great value."--_Herald and + Presbyter_, Cincinnati. + + "The argument is impressive, and well buttressed with statistics + and apt citations."--_The Watchman_, Boston. + + "Dr. Hopkins contributes to the literature of political + economy a volume worth the attention of students and + thinkers."--_Christian Herald._ + + "Dr. Hopkins brings thorough preparation to this work on the + particular line of reform in which he has labored."--_Christian + Observer_, Louisville. + + "Unquestionably the ablest book upon Political Economy in its + various relations which has been put upon the market."--_Herald + of the Coming One_, Boston. + + "Dr. A. A. Hopkins's 'Wealth and Waste' will prove itself + one of the most effective contributions to the literature of + reform."--_Western Christian Advocate._ + + "It is a book both for scholars and students and plain laboring + men, with clear, concise definitions and practical illustrations + for all these classes."--_The Religious Herald_, Hartford, Conn. + + "Unique, fascinating, and suggestive.... No one assuming the + attitude of a reformer can fail of being quickened in his great + work by an earnest review of the book."--_Baltimore Methodist._ + + "The incisive mind and rare culture of Professor Hopkins have + never been more signally set forth than in his new book entitled + 'Wealth and Waste.' It comes as a much needed reinforcement + to the literature of the temperance propaganda."--_Frances E. + Willard._ + +12mo, Cloth, 286 pp.----Price, $1.00. + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 2] + +_="Ranks Next to a Concordance."--SPURGEON.=_ + +=Biblical Lights and Side Lights= + +A cyclopedia of ten thousand illustrations and thirty thousand +cross-references, consisting of fact, incident, and remarkable +declarations taken from the Bible; for the use of those in every +profession who, for illustrative purpose, desire ready access to the +numerous incidents and striking statements contained in the Bible, +students, teachers, public speakers, lawyers, ministers, and others, +as also for the family library. Prepared by Rev. Charles E. Little +(author of "Historical Lights," etc.). + +=Royal 8vo, 620 pp. Price, Cloth, $4.00; Library Sheep, $5.50.= + + "'Biblical Lights and Side Lights' is a specially useful + book.... It ranks next to a concordance.... Mr. Little's work is + a great success."--_Rev. C. H. Spurgeon._ + + "We have never seen a work on Bible reference so thoroughly + systematized.... Admirably arranged.... =Topics are taken from + the demands of religion, philosophy, science, art, social life, + and politics.... Has great value for educated persons in every + calling.="--_National Baptist, Phila._ + + "'Biblical Lights' may be welcomed to a place among the very + useful books which few can afford to put aside."--_Presbyterian + Review._ + + "Will unquestionably prove a mine of information and of + illustration."--_Observer, N. Y._ + + "A work of great solidity and merit."--_Lutheran Church Review, + Philadelphia._ + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 3] + + _The Outlook (Edited by Lyman Abbott., D.D., successor + to Henry Ward Beecher as pastor of Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, + New York):_ "It is with the aspect of Mr. Beecher as a reformer, + rather than as a theologian, author, or preacher, that Mr. + Barrows deals.... It gives the story of Mr. Beecher's life in + less space and in handier form than any other volume with which + we are acquainted." + + +Henry Ward Beecher + +=THE SHAKESPEARE OF THE PULPIT= + +=By JOHN HENRY BARROWS.= + +=12mo, Cloth; 557 pp.; With Portrait. Price, $1.50. Post-free.= + +The certified points of merits of this work conclusively place it +foremost as the standard popular biography of Henry Ward Beecher. + + "=Altogether it is= a valued contribution to Beecher + literature."--=_New York Herald.=_ + + "=It will give= to many a far better and truer conception + of Mr. Beecher than they before possessed."--=_Christian + Inquirer,=_ New York. + + "=All in all= it is the best summing up of the life and + character of this great preacher and orator that I have ever + read."--=_Hon. Nelson Dingley,=_ Washington, D. C. + + "=I am especially pleased= with the chapters relating to + the famous trial. The subject is handled very delicately, and + at the same time thoroughly vindicates the pastor of Plymouth + Church from all intentional wrong doing."--_=Francis M. Clark, + D.D.,= Pres. Soc. of Christian Endeavor,_ Boston. + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 4] + + "A well written biography."--_=New York Sun.=_ + + "Lucid and sympathetic."--_=New York Tribune.=_ + + +=William E. Dodge= + +THE CHRISTIAN MERCHANT + +By CARLOS MARTYN + +=12mo, Cloth; 349 pp.; With Portrait. Price, $1.50. Post-free.= + +This biography of one of New York's most successful merchants, whose +public acts gave him a national reputation, is largely interspersed +with the history of events happening in the stirring times of his +greatest activity. + + "=Such books as these= are of incalculable value to the + young, and an inspiration to all who are seeking to do good as + well as get gain in this world."--=_The Gospel Banner_=, + Augusta, Me. + + "=The Editor= has handled his subject in so able a manner + that the reader is entranced, and is carried on and on until + with a sigh of regret the book is laid down."--_=The Chicago + Herald.=_ + + "=Many of the passages= are taken from the lectures and + speeches delivered by him in his lifetime which give a vivid + impression of the home, business, and public life of the great + merchant and philanthropist."--_=The Plaindealer=_, + Cleveland, Ohio. + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + +[Illustration: ad page 5] + + _=The Commercial Gazette=_, Cincinnati, says: "This volume + contains considerable matter never before published, is full of + fascinating reading, and is of inestimable historic value." + + +=John Brown And His Men= + +WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE ROADS THEY TRAVELED TO REACH HARPER'S FERRY. + +=By COL. RICHARD J. HINTON,= + +A Contemporary of John Brown. + +=12mo, Cloth; 752 pp.; 22 Portraits. Price,= +=$1.50. Post-free.= + +In an Appendix are given the principal and more important documents +prepared by John Brown, or relating directly to the enterprises +against American slavery in which he was actively engaged; also a +copious Index to the volume. + +=EXTRACTS FROM A COUPLE OF LETTERS.= + + ANACOSTIA, D. C., CEDAR HILL, Feb. 11, 1895. + + MY DEAR COLONEL HINTON: + + Your History of the raid upon Harper's Ferry, by John Brown + and his men, leaves nothing in that line to be desired.... You + were in the center of the circle, and hence have had an inside + view of the whole transaction. You have done for John Brown and + his men, and for the truth of history, a magnificent service. + _=Frederick Douglass.=_ + + * * * * * + + Feb. 14, 1895. + + MY DEAR COLONEL HINTON: + + Your work on 'John Brown and His Men' is most strongly and + vividly done. In fact, wherever I open the book, I find it alive + with the undying interest of the greatest hour of our history. + Perhaps mankind must yet make another struggle; but so far Brown + remains the hero of the supreme endeavor for freedom, and this + is what you make your readers feel, without weakening any fact + concerning him. + + _=William Dean Howells.=_ + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 6] + +Who Wrote the Hymns we Love so Well? + +CONSULT + +=ENGLISH HYMNS;= + +THEIR + +_AUTHORS and HISTORY_ + +=By REV. SAMUEL W. DUFFIELD.= + +8vo, 675 pp., Cloth, Price, $3.00, Postpaid. + +It cites in alphabetical order the first lines of over _=1,500 +hymns=_. Under each is given a brief biographical sketch of the +author, circumstances attending its composition, and incidents in +connection with its use. Exhaustive indexes to authors, to first +lines, and to topics, are appended. To Leaders of Praise-meetings, +Sunday-school Teachers, Parents, Pastors, and the general +hymn-loving public, it will be found invaluable. The selection of +hymns has been made with great care, and only well-authenticated +incidents are given. American as well as English hymnology has been +drawn upon. Honey has been gathered from the choicest flowers of the +garden. + +=REPRESENTATIVE OPINIONS.= + + "It pleases me altogether. It is full of information, ranging + from positive erudition down to racy anecdote."--_Charles S. + Robinson, D.D._ + + "This is by far the most complete, accurate, and thorough work + of its kind on either side of the Atlantic."--_Theodore L. + Cuyler, D.D._ + + "Bears evidence of immense research and years of labor.... The + full and admirable sketch of the author of 'Lead, Kindly Light,' + is worth the cost of the book."--_Hon. Edwards Pierrepont._ + + "A noble volume; a monument to the author's tact, learning, and + faithful industry."--E. C. Stedman. + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 7] + + =_"Should reach its hundred-thousandth edition."--Chicago + Journal._= + + +=Ethics of Marriage= + +=A Most Valuable Book= + +By H. S. Pomeroy, M.D. Prefatory note by Thos. Addis Emmet, M.S., +LL.D., and introduction by Rev. J. T. Duryea, D.D., Boston. With +an Appendix showing the laws of most of the States and Territories +regarding certain forms of crime. + +=12mo, Cloth, 197 pp., Price, $1.00,= + +POSTAGE FREE. + + "To the earnest man and woman everywhere, who has watched the + reckless manner in which marriages are contracted, the wicked + way in which responsibilities are shifted and ignored, and the + slow and sure defilement of society because the criminal classes + are allowed to propagate their vile species, while Christian + households and moral parents ignore their duty to this and to + the next world, this book is almost like a voice from Heaven. + Should reach its hundred-thousandth edition."--_Chicago Journal._ + + "It deserves to lie alongside the Bible in the foundation of + each home."--_Rev. O. P. Gifford, Boston._ + + "I have read your book with deep interest and heartily concur in + it.... May God bless your words."--_Elizabeth A. Tobey, Pres. + Mass. W. C. T. U._ + + "A subject of great delicacy and yet commanding present + importance is treated with the utmost propriety of tone and + expression; with adequate knowledge, both theoretical and + practical; with unflinching thoroughness and courage in the + exposure of the evil, and with a reformatory purpose worthy of + both the man of science and the Christian."--_Rev. Joseph Cook._ + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 8] + +_A UNIQUE CYCLOPEDIA._ + + +Historical Lights; + +Or, Six Thousand Historical Articles, illustrating Thirty Thousand +Topics. Especially arranged for the Family Library, as also for +Conversationalists, Lecturers, Public Speakers, Writers for +the Press, Lawyers, Students, and all who have occasion to use +illustrations drawn from History. Compiled by REV. CHARLES E. +LITTLE, author of "Biblical Lights and Side-lights." + + "These 'Lights' are a galaxy taken exclusively from standard + Histories and Biographies. They consist of Facts, Incidents, + Examples and Precedents, selected for illustrative purposes, and + chiefly from the Civilized Races of Antiquity and the American + and English people. The Subjects relate to Religious, Social, + and Political Life, to Moral and Civil Government, etc. The + historian's name is appended to every quotation. _There are no + fugitive anecdotes in the work._" + +Complete in one volume, 8vo, 900 pages. + +Prices, Cloth, $5; Sheep, $6.50; transportation free. + + Peculiar Value of the Work: + + It is unique in design--no other publication occupying this + field in literature. It meets a want common to the large class + who desire ready access to historical precedents, examples and + incidents. It furnishes a mass of choice illustrations drawn + from History, which are immensely more valuable than statements, + anecdotes or incidents which cannot be vouched for. + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's note: + +Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. +Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as +printed. + +Missing page numbers are page numbers that were not shown in the +original text. + +Page 116: The transcriber has supplied the missing closing +bracket--"and Him crucified (when I was among the pupils of +Gamaliel, all of whom despised my chosen theme)". + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The World's Great Sermons, Volume 5: +Guthrie to Mozley, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WORLD'S GREAT SERMONS, VOL 5 *** + +***** This file should be named 44420-8.txt or 44420-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/4/2/44420/ + +Produced by Júlio Reis, Moisés S. Gomes, Julia Neufeld and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/44420-8.zip b/old/44420-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f6b8fc2 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44420-8.zip diff --git a/old/44420-h.zip b/old/44420-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1a28504 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44420-h.zip diff --git a/old/44420-h/44420-h.htm b/old/44420-h/44420-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0adf2dd --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44420-h/44420-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8600 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The World's Great Sermons, Volume 5 Guthrie to Mosley, by Grenville Kleiser. + </title> + <link rel="coverpage" href="images/coverpage.jpg"/> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; + text-indent: 1em; +} + +.noind {text-indent: 0em;} + +.b15 {font-size:1.5em;} +.b13 {font-size:1.3em;} +.b12 {font-size:1.2em;} +.s08 {font-size:.8em;} + + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 25%;} +hr.chap {width: 45%} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + font-style: normal; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +.space-above { margin-top: 3em; } + +.hanging {margin-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em; font-size: 15px;} + +.sig { text-align: right; margin-right: 5%; } + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.bord img { padding: 1px; border: 2px solid black; } + + +/* Footnotes */ + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: 55%; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +.poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i1 {display: block; margin-left: 0.5em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i3 {display: block; margin-left: 1.5em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i24 {display: block; margin-left: 12em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + +@media handheld +{ + .poetry + { + display: block; + margin-left: 1.5em; + } +} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.tn {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:smaller; + border: dashed 1px; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; } + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The World's Great Sermons, Volume 5: +Guthrie to Mozley, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The World's Great Sermons, Volume 5: Guthrie to Mozley + +Author: Various + +Release Date: December 14, 2013 [EBook #44420] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WORLD'S GREAT SERMONS, VOL 5 *** + + + + +Produced by Júlio Reis, Moisés S. Gomes, Julia Neufeld and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 468px;"> +<img src="images/coverpage.jpg" width="468" height="600" alt="cover" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<h1><em>The World's Great Sermons</em><br /><br /> + +<span class="s08">VOLUME V<br /><br /> + +GUTHRIE TO MOSLEY</span></h1> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center"><span class="b15"> +THE<br /> +<span class="smcap">World's<br /> +Great<br /> +Sermons</span></span></p> + + +<p class="center space-above">COMPILED BY<br /> +<span class="b12">GRENVILLE KLEISER</span></p> + +<p class="center space-above"><span class="b12">Formerly of Yale Divinity School Faculty;<br /> +Author of "How to Speak<br /> +in Public," Etc.</span></p> + + +<p class="center">With Assistance from Many of the Foremost<br /> +Living Preachers and Other Theologians</p> + +<p class="center space-above">INTRODUCTION BY<br /> +<big>LEWIS O. BRASTOW, D.D.</big><br /> +Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology<br /> +in Yale University</p> + +<p class="center space-above">IN TEN VOLUMES</p> + +<p class="center space-above">VOLUME V—GUTHRIE TO MOSLEY</p> + +<p class="center space-above">FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON +</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center"> +<span class="smcap">Copyright, 1908, by</span><br /> +FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY<br /> +<em>Printed in the United States of America</em> +</p> + + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<p class="center">VOLUME V</p> + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="contents"> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Guthrie</span> (1803-1873).</td><td align="left"><em>Page</em></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The New Heart</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Maurice</span> (1805-1872).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Valley of Dry Bones</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Martineau</span> (1805-1900).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> Parting Words</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_45">45</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Manning</span> (1808-1892).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Triumph of the Church</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Park</span> (1808-1900).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Prominence of the Atonement</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_87">87</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Simpson</span> (1810-1884).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Resurrection of Our Lord</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_119">119</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Theodore Parker</span> (1810-1860).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Transient and Permanent in Christianity</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_147">147</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Macleod</span> (1812-1872).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The True Christian Ministry</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_177">177</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Mozley</span> (1813-1878).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Reversal of Human Judgment</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_205">205</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>GUTHRIE</h2> + +<h3>THE NEW HEART</h3> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2"> </a></span></p> + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Thomas Guthrie</span>, preacher, philanthropist, +and social reformer, was born +at Brechin, Forfarshire, Scotland, in +1803. He spent ten years at the University +of Edinburgh and was licensed to +preach by the Presbytery of Brechin in +1825. In 1830 he was ordained minister +of Arbirlot. After a valuable experience +in evangelical preaching among the +farmers, weavers and peasants of his +congregation, he became one of the +ministers of Old Greyfriars Church, +Edinburgh, in 1827. Lord Cockburn +described his sermons in that city as +appealing equally "to the poor woman +on the steps of the pulpit" as to the +"stranger attracted solely by his eloquence." +He was a great temperance +advocate, becoming a total abstainer in +1844, and has been styled "the apostle +of the ragged school movement." Retiring +from the active work of the +ministry in 1864, he still remained in +public life until he died in 1873. Through +long practise, Dr. Guthrie delivered +his memorized discourses as tho they +fell spontaneously from his lips. His +voice has been described as powerful +and musical. He was fond of vivid illustration, +and even on his death bed, as +he lay dying in the arms of his sons, he +exclaimed: "I am just as helpless in your +arms now as you once were in mine."</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>GUTHRIE</h2> + +<h3>1803-1873</h3> + +<h4>THE NEW HEART</h4> + +<p><em>A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit +will I put within you; and I will take away the stony +heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart +of flesh.</em>—Ezekiel xxxvi., 26.</p> + + +<p>As in a machine where the parts all fit +each other, and, bathed in oil, move +without din or discord, the most perfect +harmony reigns throughout the kingdom +of grace. Jesus Christ is the "wisdom," as +well as the "power" of God; nor in this kingdom +is anything found corresponding to the +anomalies and incongruities of the world lying +without. There we sometimes see a high +station disgraced by a man of low habits; +while others are doomed to an inferior condition, +who would shine like gilded ornaments +on the very pinnacles of society. That beautiful +congruity in Christ's kingdom is secured +by those who are the objects of saving mercy +being so renewed and sanctified that their +nature is in harmony with their position, and +the man within corresponds to all without.</p> + +<p>Observe how this property of "new" runs +through the whole economy of grace. When +mercy first rose upon this world, an attribute<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +of Divinity appeared which was new to the +eyes of men and angels. Again, the Savior +was born of a virgin; and He who came forth +from a womb where no child had been previously +conceived, was sepulchered in a tomb +where no man had been previously interred. +The infant had a new birthplace, the crucified +had a new burial-place. Again, Jesus is +the mediator of a new covenant, the author +of a new testament, the founder of a new +faith. Again, the redeemed receive a new +name; they sing a new song; their home is +not to be in the old, but in the new, Jerusalem, +where they shall dwell on a new earth, and +walk in glory beneath a new heaven. Now it +were surely strange, when all things else are +new, if they themselves were not to partake +of this general renovation. Nor strange only, +for such a change is indispensable. A new +name without a new nature were an imposture. +It were not more an untruth to call a lion a +lamb, or the rapacious vulture by the name +of the gentle dove, than to give the title of +sons of God to the venomous seed of the serpent.</p> + +<p>Then, again, unless man received a new nature, +how could he sing the new song? The +raven, perched on the rock, where she whets +her bloody beak, and impatiently watches the +dying struggles of some unhappy lamb can +not tune her croaking voice to the rich, mellow +music of a thrush; and, since it is out of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +the abundance of the heart that the mouth +speaketh, how could a sinner take up the +strain and sing the song of saints? Besides, +unless a man were a new creature, he were +out of place in the new creation. In circumstances +neither adapted to his nature, nor +fitted to minister to his happiness, a sinner +in heaven would find himself as much out of +his element as a finny inhabitant of the deep, +or a sightless burrower in the soil, beside an +eagle, soaring in the sky, or surveying her +wide domain from the mountain crag.</p> + +<p>In the works of God we see nothing more +beautiful than the divine skill with which He +suits His creatures to their condition. He gives +wings to birds, fins to fishes, sails to the thistle-seed, +a lamp to light the glowworm, great +roots to moor the cedar, and to the aspiring +ivy her thousand hands to climb the wall. +Nor is the wisdom so conspicuous in nature, +less remarkable and adorable in the kingdom +of grace. He forms a holy people for a holy +heaven—fits heaven for them, and them for +heaven. And calling up His Son to prepare +the mansions for their tenants, and sending +down His Spirit to prepare the tenants for +their mansions, He thus establishes a perfect +harmony between the new creature and the +new creation.</p> + +<p>You can not have two hearts beating in the +same bosom, else you would be, not a man, +but a monster. Therefore, the very first<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +thing to be done, in order to make things new, +is just to take that which is old out of the +way. And the taking away of the old heart +is, after all, but a preparatory process. It is +a means, but not the end. For, strange as it +may at first sound, he is not religious who is +without sin. A dead man is without sin; and +he is sinless, who lies buried in dreamless +slumber, so long as his eyes are sealed. Now, +God requires more than a negative religion. +Piety, like fire, light, electricity, magnetism, +is an active, not a passive element; it has a +positive, not merely a negative existence. For +how is pure and undefiled religion defined? +"Pure religion and undefiled is to visit the +fatherless and widows in their affliction." +And on whom does Jesus pronounce His beatitude? +"If ye know these things, happy are +ye if ye do them." And what is the sum of +practical piety—the most portable form in +which you can put an answer to Saul's question, +"Lord, what wouldst thou have me to +do?" What but this, "Depart from evil, and +do good." Therefore, while God promises +to take the stony heart out of our flesh, He +promises more. In taking away one heart, He +engages to supply us with another; and to +this further change and onward stage in the +process of redemption, I now proceed to turn +your attention.</p> + +<p>By way of general observation, I remark +that our affections are engaged in religion.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +An oak—not as it stands choked up in the +crowded wood, with room neither to spread +nor breathe, but as it stands in the open field, +swelling out below where it anchors its roots +in the ground, and swelling out above where +it stretches its arms into the air,—presents us +with the most perfect form of firmness, self-support, +stout and sturdy independence. So +perfectly formed, indeed, is the monarch of +the forest to stand alone, and fight its own +battles with the elements, that the architect +of the Bell Rock lighthouse is said to have +borrowed his idea of its form from God in +nature, and that, copying the work of a divine +Architect, he took the trunk of the oak as the +model of a building which was to stand the +blast of the storm, and the swell of the winter +seas.</p> + +<p>Observe, that although the state of the natural +affections does not furnish any certain +evidence of conversion, it is the glory of piety +that these are strengthened, elevated, sanctified +by the change. The lover of God will be +the kindest, best, wisest lover of his fellow-creatures. +The heart that has room in it for +God, grows so large, that it finds room for all +God's train, for all that He loves, and for all +that He has made; so that the Church, with +all its denominations of true Christians, the +world, with all its perishing sinners, nay, all +the worlds which He has created, find orbit-room +to move, as in an expansive universe,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +within the capacious enlargement of a believer's +heart. For while the love of sin acts +as an astringent—contracting the dimensions +of the natural heart, shutting and shriveling +it up—the love of God expands and enlarges +its capacity. Piety quickens the pulse of love, +warms and strengthens our heart, and sends +forth fuller streams of natural affection toward +all that have a claim on us, just as a +strong and healthy heart sends tides of blood +along the elastic arteries to every extremity +of the body.</p> + +<p>This new heart, however, mainly consists +in a change of the affections as they regard +spiritual objects. Without again traveling +over ground which we have already surveyed, +just look at the heart and feelings of an unconverted +man. His mind being carnal, is +enmity or hatred against God. This may be +latent, not at first sight apparent, nor suspected, +but how soon does it appear when put +to the proof? Fairly tried, it comes out like +those unseen elements which chemical tests +reveal. Let God, for instance, by His providences +or laws, thwart the wishes or cross the +propensities of our unrenewed nature—let +there be a collision between His will and ours—and +the latent enmity flashes out like latent +fire when the cold black flint is struck +with steel.</p> + +<p>In conversion God gives a new spirit. Conversion +does not bestow new faculties. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +does not turn a weak man into a philosopher. +Yet, along with our affections, the temper, +the will, the judgment partake of this +great and holy change. Thus, while the heart +ceases to be dead, the head, illuminated by a +light within, ceases to be dark; the understanding +is enlightened; the will is renewed; +and our whole temper is sweetened and sanctified +by the Spirit of God. To consider these +in their order, I remark—</p> + +<p>By this change the understanding and judgment +are enlightened. Sin is the greatest +folly, and the sinner the greatest fool in the +world. There is no such madness in the most +fitful lunacy. Think of a man risking eternity +and his everlasting happiness on the uncertain +chance of surviving another year. Think +of a man purchasing a momentary pleasure +at the cost of endless pain. Think of a dying +man living as if he were never to die. Is there +a convert to God who looks back upon his unconverted +state, and does not say with David, +"Lord, I was as a beast before Thee."</p> + +<p>Now conversion not only restores God to +the heart, but reason also to her throne. Time +and eternity are now seen in their just proportions—in +their right relative dimensions; +the one in its littleness, and the other in its +greatness. When the light of heaven rises on +the soul, what grand discoveries does she make—of +the exceeding evil of sin, of the holiness +of the divine law, of the infinite purity of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +divine justice, of the grace and greatness of +divine love. On Sinai's summit and on Calvary's +cross, what new, sublime, affecting +scenes open on her astonished eyes! She now, +as by one convulsive bound, leaps to the conclusion +that salvation is the one thing needful, +and that if a man will give all he hath for the +life that now is, much more should he part +with all for the life to come. The Savior and +Satan, the soul and body, holiness and sin, +have competing claims. Between these reason +now holds the balance even, and man finds, +in the visit of converting grace, what the demoniac +found in Jesus' advent. The man +whose dwelling was among the tombs, whom +no chains could bind, is seated at the feet of +Jesus, "clothed, and in his right mind."</p> + +<p>By this change the will is renewed. Bad +men are worse, and good men are better than +they appear. In conversion the will is so +changed and sanctified, that altho a pious man +is in some respects less, in other respects he +is more holy than the world gives him credit +for. The attainments of a believer are always +beneath his aims; his desires are nobler than +his deeds; his wishes are holier than his works. +Give other men their will, full swing to their +passions, and they would be worse than they +are; give that to him, and he would be better +than he is. And if you have experienced the +gracious change, it will be your daily grief +that you are not what you not only know you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +should be, but what you wish to be. To be +complaining with Paul, "When I would do +good, evil is present with me; that which I +would I do not, and what I would not, that +I do," is one of the best evidences of a gracious, +saving change.</p> + +<p>Children of God! let not your souls be cast +down. This struggle between the new will +and the old man—painful and prolonged altho +it be—proves beyond all doubt the advent +of the Holy Spirit. Until the Savior appeared +there was no sword drawn, nor blood shed in +Bethlehem, nor murderous decree issued +against its innocents—they slept safely in +their mothers' bosoms, Herod enjoyed his security +and pleasure, and Rachel rose not from +her grave to weep for her children because +they were not. Christ's coming rouses all +the devil in the soul. The fruits of holy peace +are reaped with swords on the fields of war; +and this struggle within your breast proves +that grace, even in its infancy a cradled Savior, +is engaged in strangling the old Serpent. +When the shadow of calamity falls on many +homes, and the tidings of victory come with +sad news to many a family, and the brave are +lying thick in the deadly breach, men comfort +us by saying, that there are things worse than +war. That is emphatically true of this holy +war. Rejoice that the peace of death is gone.</p> + +<p>By conversion the temper and disposition +are changed and sanctified. Christians are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +occasionally to be found with a tone of mind +and a temper as little calculated to recommend +their faith as to promote their happiness. I +believe that there are cases in which this is +due to a deranged condition of the nervous +system, or the presence of disease in some +other vital organ. These unhappy persons +are more deserving of our pity than our censure. +This is not only the judgment of Christian +charity, but of sound philosophy, and is +a conclusion to which we are conducted in +studying the union between mind and body, +and the manner in which they act and re-act +upon each other. So long as grace dwells in +a "vile body," which is the seat of frequent +disorder and many diseases—these infirmities +of temper admit no more, perhaps, of being +entirely removed, than a defect of speech, or +any physical deformity. The good temper for +which some take credit may be the result of +good health and a well-developed frame—a +physical more than a moral virtue; and an +ill temper, springing from bad health, or an +imperfect organization, may be a physical +rather than a moral defect—giving its victim +a claim on our charity and forbearance. But, +admitting this apology for the unhappy tone +and temper of some pious men, the true Christian +will bitterly bewail his defect, and, regretting +his infirmity more than others do a +deformity, he will carefully guard and earnestly +pray against it. Considering it as a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +thorn in his flesh, a messenger of Satan sent +to buffet him, it will often send him to his +knees in prayer to God, that the grace which +conquers nature may be made "sufficient for +him."</p> + +<p>I pray you to cultivate the temper that was +in Jesus Christ. Is he like a follower of the +Lamb who is raging like a roaring lion? Is +he like a pardoned criminal who sits moping +with a cloud upon his brow? Is he like an +heir of heaven, like a man destined to a crown, +who is vexed and fretted with some petty +loss? Is he like one in whose bosom the dove +of heaven is nestling, who is full of all manner +of bile and bitterness? Oh, let the same +mind be in you that was in Jesus. A kind, +catholic, gentle, loving temper is one of the +most winning features of religion; and by +its silent and softening influence you will do +more real service to Christianity than by the +loudest professions, or the exhibition of a +cold and skeleton orthodoxy. Let it appear in +you, that it is with the believer under the influence +of the Spirit as with fruit ripened beneath +the genial influences of heaven's dews +and sunbeams. At first hard, it grows soft; +at first sour, it becomes sweet; at first green, +it assumes in time a rich and mellow color; +at first adhering tenaciously to the tree, when +it becomes ripe, it is ready to drop at the +slightest touch. So with the man who is +ripening for heaven. His affections and temper<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +grow sweet, soft, mellow, loose from earth +and earthly things. He comes away readily +to the hand of death, and leaves the world +without a wrench.</p> + +<p>In conversion God gives a heart of flesh. +"I will give you a heart of flesh."</p> + +<p>Near by a stone, a mass of rock that had +fallen from the overhanging crag, which had +some wild flowers growing in its fissures, and +on its top the foxglove, with its spike of +beautiful but deadly flowers, we once came +upon an adder as it lay in ribbon coil, basking +on the sunny ground. At our approach the +reptile stirred, uncoiled itself, and raising its +venomous head, with eyes like burning coals, +it shook its cloven tongue, and, hissing, gave +signs of battle. Attacked, it retreated; and, +making for that gray stone, wormed itself into +a hole in its side. Its nest and home were +there. And in looking on that shattered rock—fallen +from its primeval elevation—with its +flowery but fatal charms, the home and nest +of the adder, where nothing grew but poisoned +beauty, and nothing dwelt but a poisoned +brood, it seemed to us an emblem of that +heart which the text describes as a stone, +which experience proves is a habitation of +devils, and which the prophet pronounces to +be desperately wicked. I have already explained +why the heart is described as a stone. +It is cold as a stone; hard as a stone; dead and +insensible as a stone. Now, as by the term<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +"flesh" we understand qualities the very opposite +of these, I therefore remark that—</p> + +<p>In conversion a man gets a warm heart.</p> + +<p>Let us restrict ourselves to a single example. +When faith receives the Savior, how does the +heart warm to Jesus Christ! There is music +in His name. "His name is an ointment +poured forth." All the old indifference to +His cause, His people, and the interests of +His kingdom, has passed away; and now these +have the warmest place in a believer's bosom, +and are the object of its strongest and tenderest +affections. The only place, alas! that +religion has in the hearts of many is a burial-place; +but the believer can say with Paul, +"Christ liveth in me." Nor is his heart like +the cottage of Bethany, favored only with occasional +visits. Jesus abides there in the +double character of guest and master, its most +loving and best loved inmate; and there is a +difference as great between that heart as it +is, and that heart as it was, as between the +warm bosom where the Infant slept or smiled +in Mary's arms and the dark, cold sepulcher +where weeping followers laid and left the +Crucified.</p> + +<p>Is there such a heart in you? Do you appreciate +Christ's matchless excellences? Having +cast away every sin to embrace him, do +you set him above your chiefest joy? Would +you leave father, mother, wife, children, to +follow Him, with bleeding feet, over life's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +roughest path? Rather than part with Him, +would you part with a thousand worlds? +Were He now on earth, would you leave a +throne to stoop and tie His latchet? If I +might so speak, would you be proud to carry +His shoes? Then, indeed, you have got the +new, warm heart of flesh. The new love of +Christ, and the old love of the world, may still +meet in opposing currents; but in the war and +strife of these antagonistic principles, the celestial +shall overpower the terrestrial, as, at +the river's mouth, I have seen the ocean tide, +when it came rolling in with a thousand billows +at its back, fill all the channel, carry all +before its conquering swell, dam up the fresh +water of the land, and drive it back with resistless +power.</p> + +<p>In conversion a man gets a soft heart.</p> + +<p>As "flesh," it is soft and sensitive. It is +flesh, and can be wounded or healed. It is +flesh, and feels alike the kiss of kindness and +the rod of correction. It is flesh; and no +longer a stone, hard, obdurate, impenetrable +to the genial influences of heaven. A hard +block of ice, it has yielded to the beams of the +sun, and been melted into flowing water. How +are you moved now, stirred now, quickened +now, sanctified now, by truths once felt no +more than dews falling out of starry heavens, +in soft silence upon rugged rock. The heart +of grace is endowed with a delicate sensibility, +and vibrates to the slightest touch of a Savior's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +fingers. How does the truth of God +affect it now! A stone no longer, it melts +under the heavenly fire—a stone no longer, it +bends beneath the hammer of the word; no +longer like the rugged rock, on which rains +and sunbeams were wasted, it receives the +impression of God's power, and retains the +footprints of His presence. Like the flowers +that close their eyes at night, but waken at +the voice of morning, like the earth that gapes +in summer drought, the new heart opens to +receive the bounties of grace and the gifts of +heaven. Have you experienced such a +change? In proof and evidence of its reality, +is David's language yours—"I have stretched +out my hands unto thee. My soul thirsteth +after thee as a thirsty land"?</p> + +<p>In conversion a man gets a living heart.</p> + +<p>The perfection of this life is death—it is +dead to be sin, but alive to righteousness, alive +to Christ, alive to everything which touches +His honor, and crown, and kingdom. With +Christ living in his heart, the believer feels +that now he is not himself, not his own; and, +as another's, the grand object of his life is +to live to Christ. He reckons him an object +worth living for, had he a thousand lives to +live; worth dying for, had he a thousand +deaths to die. He says with Paul, "I am +crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live." In +the highest sense alive, he is dead, dead to +things he was once alive to; and he wishes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +that he were more dead to them, thoroughly +dead. He wishes that he could look on the +seductions of the world, and sin's voluptuous +charms, with the cold, unmoved stare of death, +and that these had no more power to kindle +a desire in him than in the icy bosom of a +corpse. "Understandest thou what thou +readest?"</p> + +<p>It is a mark of grace that the believer, in +his progress heavenward, grows more and +more alive to the claims of Jesus. If you +"know the love of Christ," His is the latest +name you will desire to utter; His is the latest +thought you will desire to form; upon Him +you will fix your last look on earth; upon Him +your first in heaven. When memory is oblivious +of all other objects—when all that attracted +the natural eye is wrapt in the mists +of death, when the tongue is cleaving to +the roof of our mouth, and speech is gone, +and sight is gone, and hearing gone, and the +right hand, lying powerless by our side, has +lost its cunning, Jesus! then may we remember +Thee! If the shadows of death are to be +thrown in deepest darkness on the valley, +when we are passing along it to glory, may it +be ours to die like that saint, beside whose bed +wife and children once stood, weeping over +the wreck of faded faculties, and a blank, departed +memory. One had asked him, "Father, +do you remember me?" and received no answer; +and another, and another, but still no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +answer. And then, all making way for the +venerable companion of a long and loving +pilgrimage—the tender partner of many a +past joy and sorrow, his wife draws near. +She bends over him, and as her tears fall +thick upon his face, she cries, "Do you not +remember me?" A stare, but it is vacant. +There is no soul in that filmy eye; and the +seal of death lies upon these lips. The sun +is down, and life's brief twilight is darkening +fast into a starless night. At this moment, +one calm enough to remember how the love of +Christ's spouse is "strong as death," a love +that "many waters can not quench," stooped +to his ear, and said, "Do you remember Jesus +Christ?" The word was no sooner uttered +than it seemed to recall the spirit, hovering +for a moment, ere it took wing to heaven. +Touched as by an electric influence, the heart +beat once more to the name of Jesus; the features, +fixt in death, relax; the countenance, +dark in death, flushes up like the last gleam +of day; and, with a smile in which the soul +passed away to glory, he replied, "Remember +Jesus Christ! dear Jesus Christ! He is all +my salvation, and all my desire."</p> + +<p>By conversion man is ennobled.</p> + +<p>While infidelity regards man as a mere animal, +to be dissolved at death into ashes and +air, and vice changes man into a brute or +devil, Mammon enslaves him. She makes him +a serf, and condemns him to be a gold-digger<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +for life in the mines. She puts her collar on +his neck, and locks it; and bending his head +to the soil, and bathing his brow in sweat, she +says, Toil, toil, toil; as if this creature, originally +made in the image of God, this dethroned +and exiled monarch, to save whom the +Son of God descended from the skies, and bled +on Calvary, were a living machine, constructed +of sinew, bone, and muscle, and made +for no higher end than to work to live, and +live to work.</p> + +<p>Contrast with these the benign aspect in +which the gospel looks on man. Religion +descends from heaven to break our chains. +She alone raises me from degradation, and +bids me lift my drooping head, and look up +to heaven. Yes; it is that very gospel which +by some is supposed to present such dark, degrading, +gloomy views of man and his destiny, +which lifts me from the dust to set me among +princes—on a level with angels—in a sense +above them. To say nothing of the divine nobility +grace imparts to a soul which is stamped +anew with the likeness and image of God, how +sacred and venerable does even this body appear +in the eye of piety! No longer a form +of animated dust; no longer the subject of +passions shared in common with the brutes; +no longer the drudge and slave of Mammon, +the once "vile body" rises into a temple of +the Holy Ghost. Vile in one sense it may be; +yet what, although it be covered with sores?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +What, although it be clothed in rags? What, +although, in unseemly decrepitude, it want +its fair proportions? That poor, sickly, shattered +form is the casket of a precious jewel. +This mean and crumbling tabernacle lodges +a guest nobler than palaces may boast of; +angels hover around its walls; the Spirit of +God dwells within it. What an incentive to +holiness, to purity of life and conduct, lies +in the fact that the body of a saint is the temple +of God, a truer, nobler temple than that +which Solomon dedicated by his prayers, and +Jesus consecrated His presence! In popish +cathedrals, where the light streamed through +painted window, and the organ pealed along +lofty aisles, and candles gleamed on golden +cups and silver crosses, and incense floated in +fragrant clouds, we have seen the blinded +worshiper uncover his head, drop reverently +on his knees, and raise his awestruck eye on +the imposing spectacle; we have seen him +kiss the marble floor, and knew that sooner +would he be smitten dead upon that floor than +be guilty of defiling it. How does this devotee +rebuke us! We wonder at his superstition; +how may he wonder at our profanity! Can +we look on the lowly veneration he expresses +for an edifice which has been erected by some +dead man's genius, which holds but some +image of a deified virgin, or bones of a canonized +saint, and which, proudly as it raises its +cathedral towers, time shall one day cast to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +the ground, and bury in the dust; can we, I +say, look on that, and, if sensible to rebuke, +not feel reproved by the spectacle? In how +much more respect, in how much holier veneration +should we hold this body? The shrine +of immortality, and a temple dedicated to the +Son of God, it is consecrated by the presence +of the Spirit—a living temple, over whose +porch the eye of piety reads what the finger +of inspiration has written: "If any man defile +the temple of God, him shall God destroy; +for the temple of God is holy, which temple +ye are."</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MAURICE</h2> + +<h3>THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES</h3> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24"> </a></span></p> + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Frederick Denison Maurice</span>, English +divine and author, was born in 1805. He +was the son of a Unitarian clergyman, +and after studying in Cambridge began +a literary career in London, where his +friend Coleridge and others persuaded +him to take orders in the Church of +England. In 1836 he was appointed +chaplain to Guy's Hospital. In 1840 he +was elected professor of English literature +and history and in 1846 of divinity +at King's College, London, but lost both +positions in 1853 because of his radical +views. He was professor of moral philosophy +at Cambridge from 1860 until his +death in 1872.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MAURICE</h2> + +<h3>1805-1872</h3> + +<h4>THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES</h4> + +<p><em>The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me +out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the +midst of the valley which was full of bones, and +caused me to pass by them round about. And behold +there were very many in the open valley, and lo, they +were very dry. And he said unto me, "Son of man, +can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord God, +thou knowest."</em>—<span class="smcap">Ezek</span>. xxxvii., 1-3.</p> + + +<p>We are naturally curious to know +whether two contemporary prophets +ever conversed with each other. In +Micah we found such evident indications of +sympathy with the mind of Isaiah as warranted +the supposition that he was his pupil. +I can not trace any signs of a similar relation, +or indeed of any personal relation, between +Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Tho they were passing +through the same crisis; tho they had both to +witness the evils which were destroying their +nation; both to share its miseries; tho the false +prophets were the common enemies of both; +yet their circumstances, their character, and +their work were entirely distinct, in some +points even contrasted. Their very differences, +however, show us that they were both +alike prophets and priests.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Book of Lamentations exhibits the +spirit of the individual man Jeremiah more +transparently than his longer book, which is +so mixed up with historical details, with +anticipations of a ruin not yet accomplished, +with hopes, however faint and soon dispelled, +of a national repentance. Most of those whom +the prophet had denounced were banished or +dead. Men could talk no more about the +temple of the Lord, could boast no more that +the word of the Lord was with them; the +vessel which the potter was shaping had been +broken to pieces. The sadness of the prophet, +which had been checked sometimes by indignation, +sometimes by the consciousness of a +word which must still be spoken, of a work +which must be done, became complete and +absorbing. Heretofore his intense sympathy +with his country might seem to be qualified +by his lively apprehension of its crimes; now +both feelings were blended into one. When +he looked upon the desolation of the city +there sat upon his soul a weight of sorrow and +evil, as if he were representing his whole +people, as if there was no wrong which they +had committed, no evil habits which they had +contracted, which did not cling to him, for +which he was not responsible. And this was +no imaginary fictitious state of mind into +which he had worked himself. God had made +him inwardly conscious of the very corruptions +which had destroyed the land. If he had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +made any fight against them; if they did not +actually overpower him and enslave him, this +was God's work and not his; the promise of +the covenant made with his fathers, which was +as good for every one as for himself, was fulfilled +to him. And now he was realizing the +full effect of this discipline. The third chapter +of the Lamentations, beginning "I am the +man that hath seen affliction by the rod of +His wrath," contains the climax of his experience. +In the memorable passages which follow, +the history of a life is gathered up. "I +said, My strength and my hope is perished +from the Lord; remembering mine affliction +and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. +My soul hath them still in remembrance. This +I recall to mind, therefore have I hope. It is +of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. +They are new every morning; great +is thy faithlessness. The Lord is my portion, +saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. +The Lord is good unto them that wait for +him. It is good that a man should both +hope and quietly wait for the salvation of +the Lord. It is good for a man that he +bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone +and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it +upon him. He putteth his mouth in the dust +if so be there may be hope. He giveth his +cheek to him that smiteth him, he is filled full +with reproach. The Lord will not cast off for +ever; but tho he cause grief, yet will he have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +compassion according to the multitude of his +mercies for he doth not afflict willingly nor +grieve the children of men."</p> + +<p>Anything more individual than these utterances +it is impossible to conceive; and yet it +is just by these that one understands the +sacerdotal work to which Jeremiah was called. +There was no longer any temple. The priests +as well as the princes had been for the most +part carried away by Nebuchadnezzar. But +there was a man walking about in the deserted +city to which the twelve tribes had come up,—in +the midst of the ruins of the holy place +into which the sons of Aaron had gone with +the memorial of their names on their breastplates,—who +really entered into the meaning +of that function, who really bore the iniquities +of the children of Israel before the Lord;—one +to whom it was given to translate the +ceremonies and services of the divine house +into life and reality. He had been taught +more perfectly, perhaps, than anyone who +had served in the temple, what was implied in +its worship and sacrifices. He felt the burden +to which those sacrifices pointed, the burden of +individual and national sins. Yet, with that +burden resting upon him, he could enter into +the presence of the Holy One of Israel. He +was sure there was a deliverance for his people +as well as for himself; that there could not be +one for him if there was not also one for them. +Thus when part of his work was over, when he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> +had nothing more to say in the ears of kings +or priests or people, this office,—which had +been so closely connected with his prophetical +office, and which, if it had depended upon +outward conditions, must have been more +entirely at an end than that,—still remained +in all its original power. And the words of +the prophet remained to explain to all generations +the spiritual character and acts of the +priest.</p> + +<p>The office of the priest must have seemed to +be more utterly extinct for Ezekiel than even +for Jeremiah. He was forcibly removed from +all the associations of the temple while it was +yet standing. When he was called to be a +prophet to the captives by the river Chebar, +he might have supposed that the earlier designation +which belonged to him as one of the +Levitical family, had been extinguished in the +later one. Yet we have seen how he was +instructed, at the very commencement of his +work as a prophet, that the glory of Him who +filled the temple was surrounding him in +Mesopotamia as it surrounded him when he +went up to present the morning or the evening +sacrifice in Jerusalem. Such a vision was +given him of that glory as he had never beheld +in the holy place. He found that the earth,—that +common, profane, Babylonian earth upon +which he dwelt,—was filled with it. All the +powers of nature, the forms of animals, man +as the highest of the animals, the motions and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +order of the outward world and of human +society, were pointing towards it. And the +central object, the highest object which he +could behold, tho there was an ineffable brightness +beyond, was a Man upon a throne, One +who could command him, in whose name he +was to go forth, whose words he was to speak.</p> + +<p>This was no isolated revelation or dream. +The very name which the prophet thenceforth +bore, the name by which he was to know himself, +depended upon it. "Son of man, stand +upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee," were +the first words which he heard after he fell +upon his face. That great title is bestowed +upon him through all the time in which he was +prophesying. It was in many ways more suitable +to him than to those who had gone before +him. There was now no Hezekiah or Josiah +to represent the Divine king. The witnesses +for the kingdom seemed to be at an end. +Nebuchadnezzar was the lord of the earth. At +such a time the natural position of the Jewish +seer became a human position. The Israelite's +glory was to be a "Son of man."</p> + +<p>Yet he was not absolved from any of the +obligations of the older prophets; he was not +to expect a more willing or attentive audience +among captives than they had found at home; +briars, thorns would be with him; he must +dwell among scorpions. Lamentations and +mourning and woe filled his roll as much as +that which Baruch wrote out for Jeremiah.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +And he must eat this roll; it must become a +part of his very soul; its words must come +forth living and burning out of himself.</p> + +<p>He must understand, besides, all the fearful +responsibilities of the prophet. He was to +speak whether the men about him would hear +or whether they would forbear. There were +times when his tongue would cleave to the roof +of his mouth, when he should be dumb and +should not be to them a reprover. But when +God opened his lips, the blood of those to +whom he was sent was upon him; it would +be required at his hands if they died in their +iniquity and he had not warned them. He +must submit to do all symbolical acts, however +strange and fantastical they might seem in +themselves, which might bring the feeling of +coming judgments home to a sense-bound +people. He must act a mimic siege, he must +eat defiled bread; he must cut off his hair and +weigh it in balances, if so the people could be +made to understand,—in spite of their false +prophets who spoke of coming peace and +enacted their signs, which of course involved +no discomfort or humiliation to themselves,—that +the city would really be destroyed and +the sanctuary laid waste. He was to persuade +his brother captives that they were a remnant +in which the nation still lived, a stock out of +which it should hereafter grow and flourish, +even tho they were most rebellious, dreaming +of good things which would never come, not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +waiting for that good which God had designed +for them. There was to be the same end in +all the punishments which were coming upon +the land and in all its deliverances. God was +saying in all "I am the Lord."</p> + +<p>This sentence recurs again and again in the +prophecies of Ezekiel. It is the thought of his +mind, the one which gives all the sublimity +and all the practical worth to his discourses,—that +the knowledge of God is the supreme +good of man, and that the desolation of his +countrymen has come from their not liking +to retain it. He is transported in spirit to +the temple. There the same vision of the +glory of God which he had seen by the river +returns to him. The light of it shows him, +portrayed upon the wall of the temple round +about, the abominable beasts and creeping +things, and the idols of the house of Israel; +what the ancients of the house of Israel did +in the dark, every one in the chambers of his +imagery; how the women were weeping for +Tammuz; how the men were worshiping the +sun towards the east. Whether such abominations +as these were actually to be seen in the +temple, or whether the prophet's eye opened +by the divine Spirit saw that they were possessing +the hearts of those who seemed to +others, perhaps to themselves, to be worshiping +the God of their fathers, it is clear that +the mind of Ezekiel was led back to the place +in which he had ministered, that he might be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +taught how little the sacred building could +preserve the truth which was enshrined in it.</p> + +<p>What Ezekiel has seen in the temple enables +him to answer the elders of Israel when they +come to consult him in his own house. Just +what was going on among those who worshiped +in Jerusalem, was going on in the +hearts of those who sought his oracles. They +were setting up idols there. They wanted to +know what God would do with them or against +them; they did not want to know Him. And +therefore Ezekiel announces to them a great +and eternal moral law, one of the most varied +application; "God will answer you according +to your idols." The truth which is presented +to you, will be colored, distorted, inverted by +the eye which receives it. The covetousness +which you are cherishing will make the best +and divinest word you hear, a minister of +covetousness. Your pride and your lust will +make it a minister of lust and pride. No +bolder or more awful paradox was ever enunciated +than this, nor one which the conscience +of everyone will more surely verify. And +there was this special proof of courage in making +such an announcement, that it must have +destroyed Ezekiel's reputation as a prophet. +The elders came in terror, feeling that they +wanted guidance and expecting some ready-made +answer, such as the regular traders in +prophecy could always furnish. The truly +inspired man answers, "I can tell you nothing,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span>—nothing +at least that will not deceive you +and become a lie in your minds. For you +bring lies in your minds, and except they be +extirpated, they must convert whatever is +added to them from without, to their own +quality."</p> + +<p>Ezekiel himself illustrates in another case +this great principle. No commandment had +established itself more completely by the experience +of the people to whom it was addrest, +than the second. The idolatries of the +land had accumulated with each generation. +Each had cause to complain of the last as bequeathing +it a stock of corrupt habits and +traditions; the sins of the fathers had been +visited upon the children. These were facts +not to be gainsaid. The captives had leisure +to reflect upon them. It might have been a +most profound and profitable reflection.</p> + +<p>The use they made of it was to prove they +were under a necessary law of degeneracy. +How could they help themselves? The fathers +had eaten sour grapes, and their teeth were +set on edge. Who dared dispute it? There +was God's own word for it. Had he not told +them the plan and method of His own government? +Such language addrest to one of the +favorite preachers or prophets of the people, +would have silenced him altogether. He +would have said, "It is a mystery, no doubt; +we must take the words of the commandment +tho we can not understand them. God is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +Sovereign; He can do what He likes. If it +pleases Him that each generation should be +more corrupt than the last, we must submit +and not dispute His will." Others there would +be who would complain boldly and with good +reason of a will that compelled to evil, but +yet would lazily submit to it, supposing it to +be inevitable, tho feeling the absurdity of calling +it divine. Ezekiel boldly stands forth to +dispute and deny the whole principle. He +does not dispute or deny the second commandment,—that +was probably the text of his +discourse. But he will not let the second commandment +or any other words in the world be +pleaded against the character of God. Righteousness +and equity he maintains to be the +foundations of the divine character and of +the divine acts. He will tolerate no resolution +of them into a heathenish notion of sovereignty +or self-will. "The ways of God are +equal," he says, "and your ways are unequal." +The sins of the father only descend +upon the son, they are only punished in the +son, when the son accepts them, entertains +them, makes them his own. At any time he +may turn round and repudiate them and +cleave to the God who doth not will the death +of the sinner, but desires that he should return +and live. The doctrine of the second commandment +and of the whole law, is that a man +is righteous so long as he cleaves to the +righteous God who has made a covenant with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +him, unrighteous when he forsakes that covenant +and acts independently. Therefore the +notion of any perpetuity in righteousness, or +in evil, is equally cut off. Every man has the +capacity of righteousness, the capacity of evil. +Let him be ever so righteous, he must become +evil the moment he ceases to trust in God and +begins to trust in himself. Let him be ever so +evil, he must become righteous the moment +he begins to trust in God and ceases to trust +in himself.</p> + +<p>The enunciation of laws or principles seems +more especially to belong to Ezekiel, as the +experience of personal evil and the sympathy +with national sorrow belong more to the tender +and womanly nature of Jeremiah. Nevertheless, +Ezekiel was to be a priest in this sense +also, as well as in that higher sense of beholding +the glory of God and proclaiming His +name. Suffering was not the destination of +one prophet; it was the badge of all the tribe. +Ezekiel's life was to be a continual parable, +illustrative of the life of the nation. A man +scrupulously careful of the law, was to violate +the precepts of it respecting food, and to eat +what was loathsome. A man sensitive probably +as to his reputation, and with that kind +of lofty imagination which makes attention to +details and all petty acts unspeakably painful, +must submit, for the sake of his countrymen, +to such as seemed most ignominious to himself +and perplexing to them. Finally, the desire<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +of his eyes must be taken from him with a +stroke, and he must not mourn or weep. Even +at such a time he must be a sign to the people, +tho by doing so he should seem to refuse the +sympathy that he most wants, and should only +lead the captives to say, "Wilt thou not tell +us what these things are to us that thou +doest so?"</p> + +<p>Apart from these sufferings which concern +him individually and domestically, the vision +of the desolation of Israel became every day +more overwhelming to him. Nor was it only +the desolation of Israel. He who was called +"Son of man," was not likely to speak less of +Egypt and Tyrus and the land in which he +was himself dwelling, than those older prophets +who had so many more reasons for regarding +Judea as the one garden of the Lord. +The arms of Nebuchadnezzar had been turning +the earth upside down and making it +waste. Everything must have seemed to him +disjointed, incoherent, withered. Could it +ever be renovated? Was it possible even for +that country which God had blest above +all others and man had curst above all +others, to breathe and live again?</p> + +<p>This was the question which was proposed +to the prophet on that day when the hand +of the Lord was upon him, and he was carried +into the valley which was full of bones. The +vision, clear as it is in itself, must not be +read apart from the context of the prophecy.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +You should remember where Ezekiel was +dwelling; by what kind of people he was +surrounded; what was the condition of his +own land; what had come and was coming +upon all lands; or you will not understand +the picture which now rose up before him. +You should think, too, of the man himself, of +the heat of his spirit, of the words which he +had uttered in vain, of the acts which had only +made the captives stare vacantly, of the desolation +of his house and his heart. You should +think of those other visions he had of the +ascending scale of creatures, of the mysterious +order of the universe, of the glory of God, +before you place yourself beside him in the +valley, and walk with him round about it, and +look at the different bones, and see how each +separately how altogether, they expound to +him the condition of the house of Israel. It +was dead,—that body from which he had +believed that life was to go forth to quicken +the universe. It had none of the beauty of a +corpse in which there is still form, on which +the spirit has left its impression. There had +been a time of gradual decay, a time when the +pulses of the nation beat feebly and faintly, +but when they might still be felt; a time +after that when you knew it had ceased to +breathe, but when you could still speak of it as +entire. But another stage had come, the stage +of utter dissolution, when each limb looked +as if it had nothing to do with any other, when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +you could scarcely force yourself to believe +that they had ever been joined together. Can +these bones live? what a thought to come into +the mind of any man gazing on such a scene! +It could not have come from himself, certainly, +nor from any of these relics. God must +have sent it to him; He must have led him +to dream that such a resurrection was possible. +And now the process of it is also revealed to +him. The prophet is commanded to speak. His +speech seems a mere sound in the air. But +there is a noise and a shaking; then a frightful +movement of the bones towards each other, +each claiming its fellow to which it had once +belonged. This strange effort at a union of +dead things betokens a power that has not yet +declared itself. And soon the sinews and the +flesh come up upon them. They have acquired +a form, tho they have no life. "Then said he +unto me, 'Prophesy unto the wind; Thus saith +the Lord God: come from the four winds, O +breath, and breathe upon these slain that they +may live.' So I prophesied as he commanded. +And the breath came unto them, +and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, +an exceeding great army."</p> + +<p>"Doth he not speak parables?" was the +phrase by which the Jews of the captivity exprest +their dislike and contempt for the +troublesome and mystical prophet who was +among them. "Doth he not speak parables?" +is a question which men, looking round with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +weary hearts upon the condition of Christ's +Church in various periods of its existence, +have asked themselves, with a very different +intention and spirit, when they have read this +vision of the valley of dry bones. "Is not +this written," they have said, "for the ages +to come? Is not this one of parables concerning +the kingdom of God?" Yes, brethren, +if we will first read it fairly and honestly, +as describing what Ezekiel says it described +to him,—if we will not search for a distant +application till we have acknowledged the +immediate one,—we shall find that here, as +everywhere, Ezekiel is exhibiting facts which +belong to other times as well as his own, and +laws and methods of a divine government +which belong to all times as well as his own.</p> + +<p>And that I may not waste your time in +enumerating different crises of history in +which the facts may be discerned, and by +which the law and the method may be tested, +I say at once, they are all for us; the vision +and the interpretation are of this day. Do +you not hear men on all sides of you crying, +"The Church which we read of in books exists +only in them. Christendom consists of +Romanists, Greeks, Protestants, divided from +each other, disputing about questions to which +nineteen-twentieths of those who belong to +their communions are indifferent. And meantime +what is becoming of the countries in +which these different confessions are established?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +What populations are growing up in +them? Does the present generation believe +that which its fathers believed? Will the next +generation believe anything?" Brethren, +you hear such words as these spoken. I do not +mean to inquire how much there is of truth +in them, how much of exaggeration, what +evidences there are on the other side which +have been overlooked; what signs of life there +are anywhere in the midst of apparent death. +But this I must say; Christians in general are +far too eager to urge special exceptions when +they hear these charges preferred; far too +ready to make out a case for themselves while +they admit their application to others; far too +ready to think that the cause of God is interested +in this suppression of facts. The prophets +should have taught us a different lesson. +They should have led us to feel that it was a +solemn duty, not to conceal, but to bring forward +all the evidence which proves, not that +one country is better than another, or one +portion of the Church better than another, +but that there is a principle of decay, a tendency +to apostasy in all, and that no comfort +can come from merely balancing symptoms +of good here against symptoms of evil there, +no comfort from considering whether we are a +little less contentious, a little less idolatrous +than our neighbors. Alas, for this Church, +or for any church, if its existence now, if its +prospects for the future, are to be determined<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +by such calculations as these! No, brethren, +our hope has a deeper foundation. It is this; +that when the bones have become most dry, +when they are lying most scattered and separate +from each other, there is still a word +going forth, if not through the lips of any +prophet on this earth, then through the lips +of those who have left it,—yet not proceeding +from them, but from Him who liveth for +ever and ever, the voice which says, "These +bones shall rise." It is this; that every shaking +among the bones, everything which seems +at first a sign of terror,—men leaving the +churches in which they have been born, forsaking +all the affections and sympathies and +traditions of their childhood,—infidel questionings, +doubts whether the world is left to +itself or whether it is governed by an evil +spirit,—are themselves not indeed signs of +life, but at least movements in the midst of +death which are better than the silence of the +charnel-house, which foretell the approach of +that which they can not produce. It is this; +that all struggles after union, tho they may +be of the most abortive kind, tho they may +produce fresh sects and fresh divisions, +tho they must do so as long as they +rest on the notion that unity is something +visible and material, yet indicate +a deep and divine necessity which men could +not be conscious of in their dreams if they +were not beginning to awake. It is this; that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +there are other visions true for us, as they +were for Ezekiel, besides the vision of dry +bones. The name of a Father has not ceased +to be a true name because baptized men do not +own themselves as His children. The name of +the Son has not ceased to be a true name, +because men are setting up some earthly ruler +in place of Him, or are thinking that they can +realize a human fellowship without confessing +a Man on the throne above the firmament. +The name of the Spirit has not ceased to be a +true name because we are thinking that we +can form combinations and sects and churches +without His quickening presence, because we +deny that He is really in the midst of us. It +is this; that when all earthly priests have been +banished or have lost their faith, tho there +should be none to mourn over the ruins of +Jerusalem, or to feel its sin as his own, yet +there is a High Priest, the great Sin-Bearer, +ever presenting His perfect and accepted sacrifice +within the veil, a High Priest not of a +nation, but of humanity. It is this; that tho +all earthly temples, in which God has been +pleased to dwell, should become desecrated +and abominable, tho all foul worship should +go on in the midst of them, and tho what is +portrayed on their walls should too faithfully +represent what is passing in the more secret +chambers of imagery, tho at last the shrines +that have been supposed to contain the +mystery which they set forth should be utterly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +destroyed, and a voice should be heard out of +the midst of them, saying, "Let us depart,"—yet +that this will not be the sign that the +Church of God has perished, only the sign +that the temple of God has been opened in +Heaven, and that from thence must come +forth the glory that is to fill the whole earth.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MARTINEAU</h2> + +<h3>PARTING WORDS</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">James Martineau</span>, an English Unitarian +divine, was born at Norwich in 1805. +He was educated for the Unitarian +ministry at Manchester College, and in +1828 ordained to the Presbyterian ministry +in Dublin. Resigning his pastorate +in Ireland, he took charge of the +Paradise Street Chapel in Liverpool, but +on being elected to the chair of mental +and moral philosophy in Manchester New +College followed it to London 1853, succeeding +J. J. Taylor as principal of the +institution in 1868.</p> + +<p>His sermons, delivered in the course of +four years in the chapel of Manchester +New College are specimens of combined +eloquence and philosophical profundity, +yet are, perhaps, most valuable for their +ethical quality. He preached in Dublin, +Liverpool, and London. He was a lofty +and earnest soul, given to mysticism, a +master of English style, and has been +widely read. He died in 1900.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MARTINEAU</h2> + +<h3>1805-1900</h3> + +<h4>PARTING WORDS</h4> + +<p><em>Peace I leave with you: My peace I give unto you: +not as the world giveth, give I unto you.</em>—John xiv., +27.</p> + + +<p>This is a strange benediction to proceed +from the Man of Sorrows, at the dreariest +moment of His life; strange at +least to those who look only to His outward +career, His incessant contact with misery and +sin, His absolute solitude of purpose, His lot +stricken with sadness ever new from temptation +to the cross; but not strange perhaps to +those who heard the deep and quiet tones in +which this oracle of promise went forth—the +divinest music from the center of the darkest +fate. He was on the bosom of the beloved +disciple and in the midst of those who should +have cheered Him in that hour with such comfort +as fidelity can always offer; but who, failing +in their duty to His griefs, found the sadness +creep upon themselves; while He, seeking +to give peace to them, found it Himself profusely +in the gift. It was not till He had finished +this interview and effort of affection, +and from the warmth of that evening meal +and the flush of its deep converse they had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +issued into the chill and silent midnight air, +nor till the sanctity of moonlight (never to +be seen by Him again) had invested Him, and +coarse fatigue had sunk His disciples into +sleep upon the grass, that having none to comfort, +He found anguish fall upon Himself. +Deprived of the embrace of John, He flew to +the bosom of the Father; and after a momentary +strife, recovered in trust the serenity +He had found in toil; and while His followers +lie stretched in earthly slumber, He reaches +a divine repose; while they, yielding to nature, +gain neither strength nor courage for +the morrow, He, through the vigils of agony, +rises to that godlike power, on which mockery +and insult beat in vain, and which has made +the cross, then the emblem of abjectness and +guilt, the everlasting symbol of whatever is +holy and sublime.</p> + +<p>The peace of Christ, then, was the fruit of +combined toil and trust; in the one case diffusing +itself from the center of His active +life, in the other from that of His passive +emotions; enabling Him in the one case to do +things tranquilly; in the other, to see things +tranquilly. Two things only can make life +go wrong and painfully with us; when we suffer +or suspect misdirection and feebleness in +the energies of love and duty within us, or in +the providence of the world without us: bringing, +in the one case, the lassitude of an unsatisfied +and discordant nature; in the other,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +the melancholy of hopeless views. From these +Christ delivers us by a summons to mingled +toil and trust. And herein does His peace differ +from that which "the world giveth"—that +its prime essential is not ease, but strife; +not self-indulgence, but self-sacrifice; not acquiescence +in evil for the sake of quiet, but +conflict with it for the sake of God; not, in +short, a prudent accommodation of the mind +to the world, but a resolute subjugation of the +world to the best conceptions of the mind. +Amply has the promise to leave behind Him +such a peace been since fulfilled. It was fulfilled +to the apostles who first received it; +and has been realized again by a succession +of faithful men to whom they have delivered +it.</p> + +<p>The word "peace" denotes the absence of +jar and conflict; a condition free from the +restlessness of fruitless desire, the forebodings +of anxiety, the stings of enmity. It may be destroyed +by discordance between the lot without +and the mind within, where the human being +is in an obviously false position—an evil rare +and usually self-curative; or by a discordance +wholly internal, among the desires and affections +themselves. The first impulse of "the +natural man" is to seek peace by mending +his external condition; to quiet desire by increase +of ease; to banish anxiety by increase +of wealth; to guard against hostility by making +himself too strong for it; to build up his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +life into a fortress of security and a palace +of comfort, where he may softly lie, tho +tempests beat and rain descends. The spirit +of Christianity casts away at once this whole +theory of peace; declares it the most chimerical +of dreams; and proclaims it impossible +even to make this kind of reconciliation between +the soul and the life wherein it acts. +As well might the athlete demand a victory +without a foe. To the noblest faculties of soul +rest is disease and torture. The understanding +is commissioned to grapple with ignorance, +the conscience to confront the powers +of moral evil, the affections to labor for the +wretched and opprest; nor shall any peace be +found, till these, which reproach and fret us +in our most elaborate ease, put forth an incessant +and satisfying energy; till, instead of +conciliating the world, we vanquish it; and +rather than sit still, in the sickness of luxury, +for it to amuse our perceptions, we precipitate +ourselves upon it to mold it into a new +creation. Attempt to make all smooth and +pleasant without, and you thereby create the +most corroding of anxieties, and stimulate the +most insatiable of appetites within. But let +there be harmony within, let no clamors of +self drown the voice which is entitled to authority +there; let us set forth on the mission +of duty, resolved to live for it alone, to close +with every resistance that obstructs it, and +march through every peril that awaits it; and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +in the consciousness of immortal power, the +sense of mortal ill will vanish; and the peace +of God well nigh extinguish the sufferings of +the man. "In the world we may have tribulation; +in Christ we shall have peace."</p> + +<p>This peace, so remote from torpor, arising, +indeed, from the intense action of the greatest +of all ideas, those of duty, of immortality, of +God, fell, according to the promise, on the first +disciples. Not in vain did Jesus tell them in +their sorrows that the Comforter would come; +nor falsely did He define the blessed visitant, +as "the spirit of truth"—the soul reverentially +faithful to its convictions, and expressing +clearly in action its highest aspirings. +Such peace had Stephen, when before the +Sanhedrim that was striving to hush up the +recent story of the cross, he proclaimed aloud +the sequel of the ascension; and priests and +elders arose and stopped their ears, and thrust +him out to death; he had his peace; else how, +if heaven of divinest tranquility had not +opened to him and revealed to him the proximity +of Christ to God, how as the stone +struck his uncovered and uplifted head, could +he have so calmly said, "Lord, lay not this +sin to their charge"? Such peace had Paul—at +least when he ceased to rebel against his +noble nature, and became, instead of the emissary +of persecution, the ambassador of God. +Was there ever a life of less ease and security, +yet of more buoyant and rejoicing spirit than<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +his? What weight did he not cast aside, to +run the race that was set before him? What +tie of home or nation did he not break, that +he might join in one of the whole family of +God? For forty years the scoff of synagogues +and the outcast of his people, he forgot the +privations of the exile in the labors of the +missionary; flying from charges of sedition +he disseminated the principles of peace; persecuted +from city to city, yet he created in +each a center of pure worship and Christian +civilization, and along the coasts of Asia, and +colonies of Macedonia, and citadels of Greece, +dropped link after link of the great chain of +truth that shall yet embrace the world. Amid +the joy of making converts, he had also the +affliction of making martyrs; to witness the +sufferings, perhaps to bear the reproaches, of +survivors; with weeping heart to rebuke the +fears, and sustain the faith of many a +doubter; and in solitude and bonds to send +forth the effusions of his earnest spirit to +quicken the life, and renovate the gladness, +of the confederate churches. Yet when did +speculation at its ease ever speak with vigor +so noble and cheerfulness so fresh as his +glorious letters; which recount his perils by +land and sea, his sorrows with friend and +foe, and declare that "none of these things +move" him; which show him projecting incessant +work, yet ready for instant rest; conscious +that already he has fought the good<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +fight, and willing to finish his course and +resign the field; but prepared, if needs be, to +grasp again the sword of the Spirit, and go +forth in quest of wider victories. Does any +one suppose that it would have been more +peaceful to look back on a life less exposed +and adventurous, on a lot sheltered and secure, +on soft-bedded comfort, and unbroken +plenty, and conventional compliance? No! +it is only beforehand that we mistake these +things for peace; in the retrospect we know +them better, and would exchange them all for +one vanquished temptation in the desert, for +one patient bearing of the cross! What—when +all is over, and we lie upon the last bed—what +is the worth to us of all our guilty +compromises, of all the moments stolen from +duty to be given to ease? If Paul had cowered +before the tribunal of Nero, and trembled +at his comrade's blood, and, instead of baring +his neck to the imperial sword, had purchased +by poor evasions another year of life—where +would that year have been now—a lost drop +in the deep waters of time—yet not lost, but +rather mingled as a poison in the refreshing +stream of good men's goodness by which +Providence fertilizes the ages.</p> + +<p>The peace of Christ, thus inherited by His +disciples, and growing out a living spirit of +duty and of love, contrasts not merely with +guilty ease, but with that mere mechanical +facility in blameless action which habit gives.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +There is something faithless and ignoble in +the very reasonings sometimes employed to +recommend virtuous habits. They are urged +upon us, because they smooth the way of +right; we are invited to them for the sake of +ease. Adopted in such a temper, duty after +all makes its bargain with indulgence, and is +not yet pursued for its own sake and with the +allegiance of a loving heart. Moreover, whoever +has true conscience sees that there is +a fallacy in this persuasion; for whenever +habits become mechanical, they cease to satisfy +the requirements of duty; the obligations +of which enlarge definitely with our powers, +demanding an undiminished tension of the +will, and an ever-constant life of the affections. +It can never be, that a soul which has +a heaven open to its view, which is stationed +here, not simply to accommodate itself to the +arrangement of this world, but also to school +itself for the spirit of another, is intended to +rest in mere automatic regularities. When +the mind is thrown into other scenes, and +finds itself in the society of the world invisible, +suddenly introduced to the heavenly +wise and the sainted good—what peace can +it expect from mere dry tendencies to acts +no longer practicable and blameless things +now left behind? No; it must have that pure +love which is nowhere a stranger, in earth or +heaven; that vital goodness of the affections, +that adjusts itself at once to every scene where<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +there is truth and holiness to venerate; that +conscience, wakeful and devout, which enters +with instant joy on any career of duty and +progress opened to its aspirations. And even +in "the life that now is," the mere mechanist +of virtue, who copies precepts with mimetic +accuracy, is too frequently at fault, to have +even the poor peace which custom promises. +He is at home only on his own beat. An +emergency perplexes him, and too often +tempts him disgracefully to fly. He wants +the inventiveness by which a living heart of +duty seizes the resources of good, and uses +them to the last; and the courage by which +love, like honor, starts to the post of noble +danger, and maintains it till, by such fidelity, +it becomes a place of danger no more. It is +a vain attempt to comprize in rules and aphorisms +all the various moral exigencies of life. +Hardly does such legality suffice to define the +small portion of right and wrong contemplated +in human jurisprudence. But the true +instincts of a pure mind, like the creative +genius of art, frames rules most perfect in +the act of obeying them, and throws the materials +of life into the fairest attitudes and the +justest proportions. He whose allegiance is +paid to the mere perceptive system, shapes +and carves his duty into the homeliest of +wooden idols; he who has the spirit of Christ +turns it into an image breathing and divine. +Children of God in the noblest sense, we are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> +not without something of His creative spirit +in our hearts. The power is there to separate +the light from the darkness within us, and set +in the firmament of the soul luminaries to +guide and gladden us, for seasons and for +years; power to make the herbage green beneath +our feet, and beckon happy creatures +into existence around our path; power to +mold the clay of our earthly nature into the +likeness of God most high; and thus only +have we power to look back in peace upon +our work, and find a Sabbath rest upon the +thought that, morning and evening, all is +good.</p> + +<p>But the peace which Christ left and bequeathed +was the result of trust, no less than +toil. However immersed in action, and engaged +in enterprises of conscience, every life +has its passive moments, when the operation +is reversed, and power, instead of going from +us, returns upon us; and the scenes of our +existence present themselves to us as objects +of speculation and emotion. Sometimes we +are forced into quietude in pauses of exhaustion +or of grief; stretched upon the bed of +pain, to hear the great world murmuring and +rolling by; or lifted into the watch-tower of +solitude, to look over the vast plain of humanity, +and from a height that covers it with +silence observe its groups shifting and traversing +like spirits in a city of the dead. At such +times our peace must depend on the view<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +under which our faith or our fears may exhibit +this mighty "field of the world"; on the +forces of evil, of fortuity, or of God, which +we suppose to be secretly directing the +changes on the scene, and calling up the brief +apparition of generation after generation. +And so great and terrible is the amount of +evil, physical and moral, in the great community +of men; so vast the numbers sunk in +barbarism, compared with the few who more +nobly represent our nature; so many and +piercing (could we but hear them) the cries +of unpitied wretchedness, that with every beat +of the pendulum wander unnoticed into the +air; so dense the crowds that are thrust together +in the deepest recesses of want, and +that crawl through the loathsome hives of sin; +that only two men can look through the world +without dismay; he, on the one hand, who +suffering himself to be bewildered with momentary +horror, and in the confusion of his +emotions, to mistake what he sees for the +moral chaos, turns his back in the despair of +fatalism, crying, "Let us eat and drink, for +to-morrow we die"; and he, on the other, +who, with the discernment of a deeper wisdom, +penetrates through the shell of evil to +the kernel and the seed of good; who perceives +in suffering and temptation the resistance +which alone can render virtue manifest, +and conscience great, and existence venerable; +who recognizes, even in the gigantic growth<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +of guilt, the grasp of infinite desires, and the +perseverance of godlike capacities; who sees +how soon, were God to take up His omnipotence, +and snatch from His creature "man" +the care of the world and the work of self-perfection, +all that deforms might be swept away, +and the meanest lifted through the interval +that separates them from the noblest; and +who therefore holds fast to the theory of hope +and the kindred duty of effort; takes shelter +beneath the universal Providence of God; and +seeing time enough in His vast cycles for the +growth and consummation of every blessing +can be patient as well as trust; can resign the +selfish vanity of doing all things himself, and +making a finish before he dies; and cheerfully +give up his life to build up the mighty temple +of human improvement, tho no inscription +mark it for glory, and it be as one of the +hidden stones of the sanctuary, visible only +to the eye of God. Such was the spirit and +the faith which Jesus left, and in which His +first disciples found their rest. Within the +infinitude of the divine mercy trouble did +but fold them closer; the perversity of man +did but provide them to put forth a more +conquering love; and tho none were ever +more the sport of the selfish interests and +prejudices of mankind, or came into contact +with a more desolate portion of the great +wastes of humanity, they constructed no melancholy +theories; but having planted many<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +a rose of Sharon, and made their little portion +of the desert smile, departed in the faith +that the green margin would spread as the +seasons of God came round, till the mantle of +heaven covered the earth, and it ended with +Eden as it had begun.</p> + +<p>Between these two sources of Christian +peace, virtuous toil, and holy trust, there is +an intimate connection. The desponding are +generally the indolent and useless; not the +tried and struggling, but speculators at a distance +from the scene of things, and far from +destitute of comforts themselves. Barren of +the most blest of human sympathies, strangers +to the light that best gladdens the heart +of man, they are without the materials of a +bright and hopeful faith. But he who consecrates +himself sees at once how God may +sanctify the world; he whose mind is rich in +the memory of moral victories will not easily +believe the world a scene of moral defeats; +nor was it ever known that one who, like Paul, +labored for the good of man, despaired of the +benevolence of God.</p> + +<p>Whoever then would have the peace of +Christ, let him seek first the spirit of Christ. +Let him not fret against the conditions which +God assigns to his being, but reverently conform +himself to them, and do and enjoy the +good which they allow. Let him cast himself +freely on the career to which the secret persuasion +of duty points, without reservation of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +happiness or self; and in the exercise which +its difficulties give to his understanding, its +conflicts to his will, its humanities to his affections, +he shall find that united action of his +whole and best nature, that inward harmony, +that moral order, which emancipates from the +anxieties of self, and unconsciously yields the +divinest repose. The shadows of darkest affliction +cannot blot out the inner radiance of +such a mind; the most tedious years move +lightly and with briefest step across its history; +for it is conscious of its immortality, +and hastening to its heavens. And there shall +its peace be consummated at length; its griefs +transmuted into delicious retrospects; its affections +fresh and ready for a new and nobler +career; and its praise confessing that this +final "peace of God" doth indeed surpass its +understanding.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MANNING</h2> + +<h3>THE TRIUMPH OF THE CHURCH</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Henry Edward Manning</span>, Roman Catholic +prelate, was born 1808 at Totteridge +in Hertfordshire and educated at Harrow +and Oxford. After graduation in 1830, +he studied for holy orders in the Church +of England and was ordained in 1833. +The Tractarian Movement was then at its +height and Manning took a leading part +in it. Appointed Archdeacon of Chichester +in 1840 he took a commanding +place as a preacher and leader. Newman's +recession did not shake his allegiance, +but the decision in the Gorham case, which +gave the Crown the power of deciding +doctrinal questions, drove him to seek +refuge in the Roman Catholic fold in +1851.</p> + +<p>He was ordained priest by Cardinal +Wiseman and to the end of his life devoted +himself to religious and philanthropic +work in London. He was appointed +to succeed Wiseman as Archbishop +of Westminster in 1865. He was +made cardinal in 1875. As a preacher +he was logical and dogmatic, but his style +is imaginative and his flights of eloquence +tinged with poetic coloring and passion. +He died in 1892.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MANNING</h2> + +<h3>1808-1892</h3> + +<h4>THE TRIUMPH OF THE CHURCH</h4> + +<p><em>We give thanks unto God, who maketh us always to +triumph in Christ Jesus, and manifesteth the odor of +the knowledge of Him by us in every place. For we +are a good odor of Christ unto God, both in them that +are saved and in them that perish; in the one indeed +an odor of life, in the other an odor of death unto +death.</em>—2 Cor. ii., 14-16. (Douay Version.)</p> + + +<p>Such was the confidence of the Apostle in +the face of all that was most hostile, +mighty, and triumphant in the judgment +of this world. He was confident +that through God his mission in the world +was being accomplished, that the Word of +God was triumphing over all the power +of man. They may well have said to +him, "What is this triumph you speak of? +If this be triumph, what is defeat? You were +stoned the other day in Lystra; you were +imprisoned at Philippi; you were scourged at +Jerusalem; you were saved out of the hands +of the people only by Roman soldiers; you +were confounded by the philosophers at +Athens; and you were refuted out of the holy +Scriptures by the Jews of Berea. If this is +triumph, you are welcome to it." Such, no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +doubt, was the lordly and confident language +of men in the face of the apostles of Jesus +Christ then, and such is the language of confidence +with which the world looks on the +Catholic Church at this hour. It counts it to +be a comedy played out, a stale medieval +superstition, and a name that is trampled in +the earth. In every age the Church has been +militant and in warfare. It is under the same +law of suffering which crucified its divine +Head. His throne was a cross, and His crown +was of thorns. Nevertheless He triumphed, +and He triumphs still, and shall triumph to +the end. And so at this moment, in this nineteenth +century, in the century of modern +civilization, of light, of progress, of scientific +affectation, the Catholic Church is derided. +They say to us, "Look at the Catholic Church +in Germany; look at it in Italy; the head of +the Church dethroned; and not a spot on earth +for the incarnation to set its foot upon. If +this be triumph you are welcome to it." Our +answer is: "Yes, even now we triumph always +and in every place. The Catholic Church is +triumphing now in America, and in Ireland, +and in the colonies of the British empire; +aye, and in the midst of the confusions in +Spain, and in France through revolution after +revolution, and in the furnace of infidelity; +aye, and in Germany, in the midst of all that +the might of man can do against it; and in +Italy too, where the head of the Church is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +morally a prisoner, it is triumphing even +now."</p> + +<p>But how can I verify this assertion? It +would be enough indeed to quote the words +of the apostle, but I hope to do more. The +world esteems the triumph of the Church to +be in wealth, power, glory, honor, public sway +over empires and nations. There was a time +indeed when the world laid these things at the +feet of the apostles of Jesus Christ. There +was a time when the Catholic Church and the +Christian world knew how to sanctify the +society of men; but there is this difference—the +world then believed, and the world now is +apostate. Nevertheless, there is a triumph in +the Christian world and there is a triumph +in the anti-Christian world; and what is it? +It is that the Church in every age and in +every condition, and in the midst of all +antagonists, fulfils its mission and accomplishes +its work, and no power of man can +hinder it. Men may, as we shall see hereafter, +to their own destruction, resist the mission of +the Church, but its work will be accomplished +nevertheless, and accomplished even +in them; and its work will be a good odor of +Christ unto God both in those that are saved +and in those that perish. The world has +neither tests nor measures by which to understand +what the mission and the work of the +Church are; but they who see by the light of +faith have both. Let us examine, then, what<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +is its mission, what is its work, and how it is +fulfilled.</p> + +<p>First of all, the mission of the Church +among men is this—to be a witness for God, +and for the incarnation of God in the face of +the world. Our Divine Lord said of Himself: +"For this was I born, and for this came I into +the world, that I should give testimony unto +the truth." As it was with Him, so it is with +His Church; and therefore He said to His +apostles: "You shall be witnesses unto me," +and St. John said: "That which was from +the beginning, which we have heard, which we +have seen with our eyes, which we have looked +upon, and our hands handled, of the word of +life; for the life was manifested, and we have +seen it, and do bear witness, and declare +unto you, the life eternal which was with the +Father, and hath appeared unto us; that is +to say, the manifestation of God in the flesh, +the incarnation of the Son of God." The +Church was the witness of this divine fact to +the world, and it is witness to this hour. I +may say it is an eye-witness. It was eye-witness +of what it declares. It was an ear-witness +of what it affirms. I may say in truth +that the Church of God, which testifies at this +hour, saw the Son of God, and heard His +words, and was witness of His miracles. So +St. Peter expressly declares, speaking of His +transfiguration: "We have not, by artificial +fables, made known to you the power and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +presence of our Lord Jesus Christ; but we +were eye-witnesses of his greatness. For he +received from God the Father honor and +glory, this voice coming down to him from +the excellent glory: This is my beloved Son, +in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. +And his voice we heard brought from heaven, +when we were with him in the holy mount." +More than this: it was a witness of the day of +Pentecost, and upon it the Holy Ghost descended. +It heard the sound of the mighty +wind and it saw the tongues of fire. The +Church therefore testifies at this day as an +ear-witness and an eye-witness of the divine +facts which it declares. And how can this +be said? Because that which the apostles saw +and heard they delivered to others who believed +in them upon a full test and knowledge +of their truth, and those who received their +testimony held it as a sacred trust and declared +it to those who came after. From age +to age the testimony of the apostles has descended +unbroken. The intrinsic certainty +of their witness, resting on their own eye-witness +and ear-witness of the facts, has not +diminished by a shade, jot, or tittle in the +lapse of time, and the external evidence of +that fact has multiplied and extended +throughout all time and throughout the world. +Therefore the testimony of the apostles to +these divine realities and truths is as living +and fresh at this day as it was in the beginning.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +Then twelve men testified; now the +nations of the world, united in one body by +faith and by baptism, take up and perpetuate +that testimony. And part of that testimony +is this—that when the Son of God ascended +into heaven, as they saw Him ascend, He fulfilled +His promise that He would send the +Spirit of Truth, the Holy Ghost, to abide with +them forever; that when one divine Teacher +had gone up to His Father's throne, another +should come in His stead; that the world +should never be without a divine Person +and a divine Teacher in the midst of +it; and that the Spirit of Truth by +which they were united to their divine +Head in heaven should unite them also to +each other as His members in one mystical +body, and should form to Himself a dwelling-place +in which to abide forever. As the soul +abides in the body of the man, so the Holy +Ghost abides in the body of the Church. It +is the sanctuary in which He dwells; the organ +by which He speaks, so that the words of our +Divine Lord are fulfilled to the very letter—"He +that heareth you heareth me;" for the +voice of the head and that of the body, as St. +Augustine says, are one and the same voice. +As they make one moral person, so their voice +is identical, and the assistance of the Holy +Spirit keeps the voice of the Church always +in perfect harmony with the voice of its +divine Head, fulfilling the promise of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +Lord by His prophet: "My spirit which is +upon thee and my word which I put in thy +mouth, shall never depart out of thy mouth, +nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out +of the mouth of thy seed's seed from this +time and forever." Thus, then, the mission +of the Church is fulfilled always; whether +the world believe or disbelieve, whether it +gainsay or assent, it matters not; the testimony +of the Church forever triumphs in every +place.</p> + +<p>Another part of the mission of the Church +is this—to teach the doctrines of Jesus Christ +in the midst of all the controversies and contradictions +of men. In the face of all the +errors and heresies of men there is one divine +Teacher perpetually declaring the same immutable +truth. In the clamor and confusion +of the human voices of philosophers and +human guides, of the scribes and Pharisees +of the new laws, there is one divine voice—articulate, +clear, and piercing—which cleaves +through all the confusion, and is to be heard +above the clamor of men and of nations—the +voice of that one holy, Catholic, and Roman +Church, spreading from the sunrise to the +sunset, immutable in its doctrine, teaching the +same truths identically in every place, and +abiding always the same unchanging teacher +in every age. This is a fact legible in human +history. I need not offer proof of it from +histories written by ourselves; it is proved by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +histories and controversies of those who are +most opposed to us. There is an accusation +which is repeated from age to age against the +Catholic and Roman Church; and what is it? +That it always persists in its old errors. I +accept the accusation. Its persistence proves +its immutability, and that which they account +error we know to be the doctrine of Jesus +Christ; because, as I have already shown from +the Word of God, neither can the Catholic +Church ever err in believing, nor can the +Catholic Church err in teaching. These are +two impossibilities, and they descend from one +and the same divine truth. God, the Holy +Ghost, abiding forever in the mystical body of +Christ, illuminates the whole body of the +faithful from the time of their baptism. From +the time that the graces of faith, hope, and +charity are infused into their souls, they are +illuminated with the light of faith as the world +is illuminated by the splendor of the sun at +noonday; and the faithful throughout the +world continue passively in their persistence +in that one baptismal faith wherewith they +were enlightened from their earliest consciousness. +And further, they can never err in +believing, because the Church which teaches +them can never err in teaching. The episcopate +throughout the world, which is the +college of the apostles multiplied and expanded +among all nations, has always the +assistance of the Spirit of Truth to guide<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +and preserve it, so that the errors of men and +infirmities of our intellect never prevail over +the light of faith by which the whole Episcopate +and the Church is sustained in the revelation +of the day of Pentecost. And more than +this: nineteen general councils, from the first +which declared the coequality and consubstantiality +of the Son with the Father and the +Holy Ghost, down to the last which declared +the infallibility of the vicar of Jesus Christ,—those +nineteen councils have been the organ +of the Holy Ghost, preserving the truth in all +ages; and the pontiffs, two hundred and fifty-seven +in number, have also been guided and +assisted by the same Spirit of Truth; so that +no doctrine of faith and morals from their +hand and from their lips has been out of +harmony with the revelation of Jesus Christ. +For these reasons the Church is fulfilling its +mission, always and in every place, and it can +say in every age, with a divine certainty of +knowledge and with a divine authority of +teaching: "It seemed good to the Holy Ghost +and to us."</p> + +<p>Once more, and lastly: there is another +part of the mission of the Church which never +fails, and is never baffled—and that is, that +the Church judges between the truth of God +and the errors of men, and gives decision with +divine certainty what is truth, what is falsehood, +what is light and what is darkness. +Here again the world, in the confusion of its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +discordant witnesses, bears testimony to our +truth. The world disclaims altogether the +presence of any divine teacher in the midst +of us. It derides the very notion. There is +not a sect or a communion, or a so-called +church, which lays claim to this divine guidance. +They say infallibility exists nowhere +but in God. As the Pharisees said: "Who +can forgive sins but God only?" thereby +acknowledging the divinity of Him who forgave +the palsied man. And while they say: +"We have no infallibility in us; we do not +claim it; we deny its existence on the face +of the earth," the one Teacher, who never +varies in His voice, says: "He that heareth +me heareth him that sent me." It seemed +good to the Holy Ghost and unto us +that we should claim that infallibility, +and we cite you before the tribunal +of God to answer for your denial of that +truth. We say further that no man knows +that any revelation was ever made to man +except through our testimony. You never saw +the Word made flesh, you nor your forefathers; +and you have no unbroken succession +of witnesses who trace upward these eighteen +hundred years to the day when the Holy Ghost +descended with wind and fire; you are not in +contact with the original revelation of God. +How can you rise up and say: "This was +revealed upwards of eighteen hundred years +ago," when you have no proof to give, except<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +that which you borrow from me, that the Son +of God ever came into the world? You take +my witness for the fact of Christianity, and +you then contradict me when I teach you +what the doctrines of Christianity are. And +if men appeal to the Scriptures, our answer +is the same. How do you know the Scriptures +were ever written? How can you prove that +there ever was a book called the Word of God? +You had it from me; you snatched it out of +my hand, and you then read it and interpret +it in contradiction to my teaching. How +do you know that there were four greater +prophets and twelve lesser in the Old Testament; +that there were four evangelists and +fourteen epistles of St. Paul in the New? Who +told you all these things? You had them all +from me—from me alone, to whom these +Scriptures were committed in custody and in +guardianship; from me, who preserved and +handed them on to this day. You, who are +denying the inspiration of this book and of +that, of this text and of that text, and who +are gnawing away, as a moth fretteth a garment, +the whole written word of God, you rise +up and tell us: "This is the meaning of the +holy Scriptures," and you reject the holy +Catholic faith.</p> + +<p>Dear brethren, it needs great patience to +hear these things; nevertheless, the judge is +always calm and patient while he is fulfilling +his work among men, and that because it is a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +grave thing to be the odor of life unto life and +of death unto death to the eternal souls of +men. And when men appeal to antiquity and +tell us that "this is not the primitive tradition," +the Church answers: Were you ever in +antiquity, or anyone that belongs to you? +I was there, and as a perpetual witness antiquity +is to me nothing but my early days. +Antiquity exists in my consciousness to this +hour, as men grown to riper years remember +their childhood. Men of the world know that +the contemporaneous interpretation of a law +is the most authentic and certain interpretation. +But I have the contemporaneous interpretation +of holy Scripture; and more than +this, men who practise before human tribunals +know that the continuous usage of a country +is the interpretation of its laws written and +unwritten. But I have the contemporaneous +and the continuous usage of the Church of +God. The seven sacraments are institutions of +Jesus Christ and every one of them interprets +a cluster of truths. The existence of the +Church itself is an interpretation of the +words: "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock +will I build my church, and the gates of hell +shall not prevail against it." The jurisdiction +that I have over the world, which the hearts +of men recognize and to which their consciences +respond, is the interpretation of the +words: "Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose soever +sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they +are retained."</p> + +<p>But lastly there is another appeal which +men make in this day. We are now told that +scientific history is the test of truth; and I saw +the other day in a document having great +pretension from a certain body of men who +are troubling Germany and attempting to +trouble even England with the name of Old +Catholics, that the way to know the pure +faith of Jesus Christ is to interpret history by +science. Alas, as I said before, the world is +full of pretensions to science; but those who +claim to be Catholics, and who yet appeal +from the living voice of the Catholic Church +to any other tribunal whatsoever, are all of +them identical in their principle, and that +principle is heresy. Luther appealed from the +voice of the Catholic Church to Scripture, +and thereby became a heretic. There are +others who appeal to antiquity, and the appeal +is the same—it is an appeal from the living +voice, from the divine authority of the +Church, to something of their own choice and +creation. It matters not to what the appeal +is made. That which constitutes both the +treason of the act and the heresy of the +principle is that they appeal from the living +voice, that is from the divine voice. This it +is that is being done at this moment by a body +of men who profess to be and to intend to live +and die Catholics; and what is more, to purify<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +and reform the Church by staying in it. What +is their appeal? Their appeal is to history, +to scientific history; that is, to history interpreted +by themselves. Luther was much more +direct and much wiser. He appealed to a book +which is certainly written by the Holy Ghost; +they appeal to I know not what books, but to +books certainly written only by men, and not +by the Spirit of God; to human history, the +authenticity of which and the purity of the +text of which no one can guarantee; and even +this they interpret for themselves.</p> + +<p>Now bear with me further if I dwell a few +moments longer upon this. At the time I speak, +in the old Catholic city of Cologne there is +assembled together a number of these men—some +four or five hundred—with a handful +of unhappy priests, perhaps six or eight, of +whom the greater part had already the note +of unsoundness upon them before they took +their deadly step. And what are they? What +are these men who are rising up to purify the +Church? What do they believe? Some believe +all the Council of Trent, but not the Council +of the Vatican. Some believe the Church to +be infallible, but not its Head; others propose +to reject the invocation of saints, and purgatory, +and compulsory confession, and I know +not what. Others ask for either half or altogether +rationalism. And who have they to +assist them? Excommunicated Jansenists from +Holland, and members, I grieve to say, of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +Established Church from England; and those +chosen, as it were, by a happy fatality, one the +most extreme of old-fashioned high-church +orthodoxy—an estimable and excellent man, +whose person I both respect and love; and +another whose advanced rationalism is such +that even his own brethren can hardly forbear +protesting against him. So that we have +assembled in this congress, which is to reform +and purify the Catholic and Roman Church +of all ages, men so irreconcilably in contradiction +with themselves that they cannot touch +a religious doctrine without discord, and they +cannot find anything on which to unite except +in opposition to the one immutable truth. +There was a day when all the Scribes, and all +the Pharisees, and all the Herodians, and all +the hypocrites, and all the men who could +agree in anything else or at any other time, +were united together in one conspiracy, and +tho their witnesses did not agree together and +their discordant voices could not be combined +they all had one will and one purpose against +the Son of God and against His truth. +These men, I bear witness—many of them at +least—have no such intention; but we know +from the Word of God that neither had they +who crucified our divine Master a knowledge +of what they did: "Father, forgive them, for +they know not what they do." "Which none +of the princes of this world knew; for if they +had known it they would never have crucified<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +the Lord of glory." But they are at this +moment fulfilling the very words of the +apostles: "And to some the testimony of the +Church is life unto life, to others death unto +death."</p> + +<p>Such then, is the mission and the work of +the Church—to bear its witness, to teach and +to judge; and in doing this, whether men will +believe or whether men will not believe, it is +accomplishing its triumph in the world. The +world forgets that there is not only salvation, +but there is also judgment; and God, the just +judge of all, is putting men on their trial. +The Church is fulfilling its office by proposing +the way of salvation to men, visibly to the eye +by its own presence, audibly to the ear by its +own teachings, clearly to the intellect by the +evident truth of its doctrines. It is putting +men upon trial and applying the test to their +hearts. It tests their faith to see whether men +will believe; it tests their candor to see +whether they will choose God above all things; +it tests their courage to know whether they +are ready to take up their cross and follow +their divine Master. The Church says to the +men of this day: "Whosoever will save his +life shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his +life for my sake and the gospel shall save it." +And in saying this God is separating between +nation and nation and between man and man. +His "fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly +purge his floor and gather his wheat into the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +garner, but the chaff will be burnt with unquenchable +fire." "He that believeth and is +baptized will be saved; but he that believeth +not is condemned." "We thank God, who +always maketh us to triumph in Christ Jesus +and manifesteth the odor of him by us in +every place;" for we now, at this hour, in +the midst of the nineteenth century, in the +midst of science and progress, are the odor of +life unto life and the odor of death unto +death. For the purpose of God in the world +is this—to gather out, as He did of old, a +people for His name. Among the Gentiles of +the old world He chose Israel; so now amongst +the nations of the new world He chooses those +that believe. He knows the number of His +elect and He calls them by their name. He +proposes to them the way of salvation and +puts all things necessary—truth and grace—within +their reach. God is putting them on +trial, and the Church in this is fulfilling its +mission and accomplishing its work.</p> + +<p>The world is on its probation now. It has +been for generations and generations driving +God and Christianity out of its public +life. Christianity is cancelled from its public +law; Christianity is silent in the legislature; +Christianity at this moment lingers in education, +but men are endeavoring to close the +doors of the schools against it and so to shut +Christianity out of the knowledge of the rising +generation. Wo to the people the tradition<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +of whose Christian education is cut asunder! +Wo to your children and to your posterity, +if they are brought up without +the knowledge of Christianity! The world +is laboring with all its might, and all +its fraud, and all its riches, and all its +public authority, to accomplish this end. I +do not say that the men who are doing it +know what they do; but I affirm that they +are doing what I say. Unbelievers like those +who created the infidel revolution of France +in the last century knew well what they were +doing. "Let us destroy the accurst one," +was the language in which they frankly spoke +of Jesus Christ. Men are more refined in the +present day. They talk only of the religious +difficulty. "Let us evade or get around the +religious difficulty;" and, under this plea of +evading the religious difficulty, Christianity +is to be excluded from our schools; that is to +say, because grown men choose to controvert +and contradict each other as to what is the +truth of God, the little ones of Jesus Christ +are to be robbed of their faith. Again, the +world is separating its civil powers, its public +authority from the unity of the faith and +of the Church everywhere. It is making it a +part of high and perfect legislation, of what +we hear called in these days "progress and +modern civilization," to separate the Church +from the State, and the school from the +Church. Progress has deposed the Head of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +the Church; it has put in derision a crown of +thorns upon his head; and it believes that +at last it has the whole world to itself.</p> + +<p>This indeed is the triumph of the world. +But meanwhile the Church is triumphing, +tho men know it not. The Church was never +more widespread than at this moment; never +more luminous in the eyes of men, never more +explicitly known in its faith; never more +united, vigorous, pure, and confident in its +work. Its kingdom is not of this world: that +is, it is not derived from it; the foundation of +its jurisdiction is in eternity; the source of its +truth is in the Holy Ghost, and its imperishable +Head is the Son of God at the right hand +of the Father. His kingdom is in the world, +but not of it. The world may prosper and +go its way; it may stop its ears against the +voice of the divine witness to the truth; nevertheless +that witness will be the odor of death +unto death.</p> + +<p>And England also is on its probation. I +bear witness that in England errors are vanishing +away, as the snow melts before the sun—passing +away, as the hard frosts before the +coming of the spring. The errors which were +once dominant, lordly, confident, and persecuting—where +are they now? At this day +men are proclaiming that they are not certain +of what their forefathers bequeathed to them; +that they cannot precisely tell what was the +doctrine which was intended in the Thirty-nine<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +Articles, and was incorporated in statute +laws. They are no longer certain of these +things; and I bear them witness that a gentler +spirit and a kindlier disposition is working in +the hearts of many. In the midst of this darkness, +truth is rising again, and the old +Catholic Church and faith, for which Ireland +has stood inflexible as a martyr, with the +aureola upon her head, at this day is multiplying +the children of faith here and throughout +the world. Here too in Lancashire, where +the faith of England has never been extinct—where +to this day the little children of our +flock are the descendants of those who were +martyrs and confessors some three hundred +years ago—the lingering tradition of faith +once more is embodied in the perfect hierarchy +of the Church of God, in its perfect +order, perfect unity, perfect jurisdiction, perfect +authority. And, what is more, the men +of England have learned to know it better. +They have heard it speak; they have seen it +worship; they have even knelt together with +us before the same altar, perhaps hardly +knowing what they did; and that because the +Spirit of God is working for His truth, and +multitudes will be saved. We are only in the +twilight of the morning; but we can see Jesus +standing on the shore, and there is a net in the +hands of His apostles let down in the water. +But when we are long gone to our rest, who +can say what shall be the great draft of souls<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +which shall be miraculously taken in +England?</p> + +<p>I must bear witness that in England there +are tokens full of hope. England never rejected +the holy Catholic faith. A tyrannous +and guilty king, a corrupt and covetous court, +men full of the conceit of false learning, +schemers and intriguers, men that hungered +to spoil the Church for their own enrichment—these +tyrannized over the people of England. +The people of England held to their +faith and died for it. The people of England +never rejected it. They were robbed of it; +they were deprived of their inheritance, and +their children were born disinherited of their +faith; every century from that hour to this +they have gone farther and farther from the +light of the one truth. Poor English people! +Bear with them—I speak as an Englishman—bear +with them; they know not what they do +in believing that we worship images, that we +imbrued our hands in the massacre of St. +Bartholomew. Let the men who write these +things look at their own hands; there is blood +enough upon them. But the English people +do not believe these things now; they are +passed away. And there has come in the +place of these impostures a desire after truth—"Only +let me find it;" a craving after unity—"Can +we never make an end of these +divisions?" a thirsting for the presence of +Jesus Christ upon the altar—"Where can I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +find Him?" And what are all these aspirations? +They are the evidences of the good +odor of life unto life.</p> + +<p>And if so, then, dear brethren, you that +have the inheritance of faith are on your +probation too. You are called to let the light +of your faith shine like the day. The silent, +penetrating, convincing light of a man who, +knowing the faith, speaks it calmly, without +controversy, without bickering, without contention, +sheds a grace around him. As men +that possess the greatest gift of God, and who +desire to make everybody else share it to the +full, so let your faith shine. And next, as you +have faith, so you ought to have the warmth +of charity. Where there is light, there is +warmth; and where there is greater light +there is greater warmth. Where there is +perfect truth, there ought to be perfect +charity. You who have the whole revelation +of God ought to have the whole charity of +God in you. Let your neighbors who are +round about, even those who are not of the +faith, feel that there is something in you—a +warmth, a kindness, a sympathy and generosity +which they find in no other man. And, +lastly, let there be the fragrance of a holy +life. This is the good odor of Christ unto +God, and this diffuses life unto life wherever +you go. You are upon this probation. Be +worthy of the great gift which has been +given to you. You have it in its fulness. Be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +then, worthy of its fulness, in faith and in +charity.</p> + +<p>And now, dear brethren, in the midst of all +the lordly triumph of the world, of all that +which no doubt we shall hear to-morrow, be +of good heart. As they said to the apostles +so they will say to us: "If this be triumph, +what can be defeat? We do not quarrel if you +are content with these victories." Overhead +there is a throne, and round about it are those +whom no man can number; the powers and +prerogatives of Him who sits upon that throne +are working mightily in the world. There is +one who sits above the water-flood, with all +its confusions, whose voice penetrates through +all the jangling contradictions of men. He is +bringing to its fulfilment the purpose which +from all eternity He has predestined. He +knows His own by number and by name, and +He will gather them out as the shepherd +gathers his flock, and He will separate the +goats from the sheep. He will reign until the +whole of that work is accomplished. When +it is done, and when the last of His elect has +been gathered in, and the last of His redeemed +has been made perfect, then He will manifest +Himself to all men, and the world shall then +know that He has triumphed always and in +every place.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86"> </a><br /><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>PARK</h2> + +<h3>THE PROMINENCE OF THE ATONEMENT</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Edwards Amasa Park</span> was born at Providence, +R. I., in 1808. After a short +pastorate of two years he became professor +at Amherst, and subsequently at +Andover Theological Seminary. He was +one of the well-known exponents of the +New England Calvinism, and his teachings +had a wide influence over the ministers +of his generation. His sermons, +frequently rewritten, were marked by elegance +of style and great moral force. Both +as a preacher and teacher he showed largeness +of view, depth of thought, and a rare +facility of clear and powerful expression. +He wrote a number of biographies and +other works. He died in 1900.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>PARK</h2> + +<h3>1808-1900</h3> + +<h4>THE PROMINENCE OF THE ATONEMENT<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></h4> + +<p><em>For I determined not to know anything among you, +save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.</em>—1 Corinthians +ii., 2.</p> + + +<p>Should the apostle who penned this eloquent +expression resume his ministry +on earth, and should he deign to hold +converse with us on the principles of his high +calling, and should he repeat his strong words, +I am now, as of old, determined not to know +anything among you save Jesus Christ, and +Him crucified, some of us would feel an impulse +to ask him:</p> + +<p>"Can your words mean what they appear +to imply? You are learned in Rabbinical literature; +you have read the Grecian poets, and +even quoted from Aratus; you have examined +the statuary of Greece, and have made a permanent +record of an inscription upon an altar +in ancient Athens; you have reasoned on the +principles of Aristotle from effect to cause, +and have taken rank with the philosophers, +as well as orators of the world; and now, you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +seem to utter your determination to abandon +all knowledge save that which concerns the +Jew who was crucified. You once said that +you had rather speak five words with the +understanding, than ten thousand words in +an unknown tongue; and here, lest the pithy +language of this text should fail of being truly +apprehended, we desire to learn its precise +meaning in three particulars:</p> + +<p>"In the first place, do you intend to assert +that our knowledge is controlled by our will? +You determined not to know anything save +one. Can you by mere choice expel all but +one of your old ideas, and make your mind +like a chart of white paper in reference to the +vast majority of your familiar objects of +thought?"</p> + +<p>"I am ready to concede," is the reply, +"that much of our knowledge is involuntary; +still a part of it is dependent on our will. In +some degree, at some times, we may attend +to a theme or not attend to it, as we choose, +and thus our choice may influence our belief, +and thus are we responsible, in a certain +measure, for our knowledge. Besides, the +word 'know' is used by us Hebraistic writers +to include not only a mental apprehension, +but also a moral feeling. When we know +Christ, we feel a hearty complacence in Him. +Again, to 'know' often signifies to manifest, +as well as to possess, both knowledge and love. +We do not know an old acquaintance when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +we of set purpose withhold all public recognition +of him, and act outwardly as if we were +inwardly ignorant of his being. But I, Paul, +say to you, as I said to the Corinthians, that +I shall make the atonement of Christ, and +nothing but the atonement of Christ, the main +theme of my regard, of my loving regard, and +such loving regard as is openly avowed."</p> + +<p>Thus our first query is answered; but there +is a second inquiry which some of us would +propose to the apostle, were he uttering to us +personally the words which he wrote to the +Corinthians. It is this:</p> + +<p>"Should a Christian minister out of the +pulpit, as well as in the pulpit, know nothing +save the Crucified One? Did you not know +how to sustain yourself by the manufacture +of tents; and did you not say to the circle of +elders at Ephesus, 'These hands have ministered +to my necessities'? Did you not dispute +with the Roman sergeants, plead your +cause before the Roman courts? Must not +every minister cease for a time to converse on +the word of Jesus; and must he not think of +providing for his own household, lest he become +worse than an infidel?"</p> + +<p>"I am willing to admit," is the reply, "that +the pulpit is the place where the minister +should speak of Christ with more uniform +distinctness than in other places; but there +are no places, and no times, in which he should +fail to manifest, more or less obviously, his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +interest in his Redeemer. Wherever he goes +he has a pulpit. Whether he eat, or drink, +or whatever he do, he must do all for the +glory of God, and the highest glory of God is +Christ, and the highest honor of Christ is in +Him crucified. A minister must always respect +the proprieties of life; in honoring them +he knows that appropriate model Man who, +rising from the tomb, wrapped up the napkin +that was about His head, and laid it in a +place by itself. Now the proprieties of life +do require a minister to speak in the pulpit +on themes more plainly and more easily connected +with the atonement, than are various +themes on which he must speak in the market-place +or in the schools. But all subjects on +which he may discourse do lead, sooner or +later, more or less obviously and easily, to the +great work of Jesus; and he should converse +on them with the intent of seizing every hint +they give him, following out every line to +which they point him, in the direction of the +cross. I have been in many synagogues, and +in the temple, and on Mars' Hill, and on a +Mediterranean ship-deck; and once I was hurried +along in a night ride from Jerusalem to +Cæsarea with four hundred and seventy soldiers, +horsemen and spearmen. I have resided +at leisure with my arm chained to a +Roman guard in a prison at the capital of +the Roman Empire; but in all such places I +have felt, and everywhere I do feel, bound to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +speak out, and to act out, all the interest which +the fitness of the occasion admits, in the atonement +of Jesus; and not to manifest, and not +to feel, any interest in any theme which may +lessen my regard for this, the chiefest among +ten thousand!"</p> + +<p>But there is a third question which some +of us would propose to the apostle, were he +to speak in our hearing the words of the text:</p> + +<p>"Should every man, as well as every minister, +cherish and exhibit no interest in anything +but Christ? Should a sailor at the masthead, +a surgeon in the extirpation of the clavicle, +a warrior in the critical moment of the +last charge, look at nothing, and hear of +nothing, but the cross? Must not everyone +conduct business, and sustain cares, which +draw his mind away from the atonement?"</p> + +<p>"I am ready to grant," is the reply, "that +some duties are less plainly and less intimately +connected than others with the work of +Jesus; but all of them are connected with it in +some degree, and this connection may be seen by +all who choose to gain the fitting insight. The +great principle of duty belonging to the minister +in the pulpit, belongs to him everywhere; +and the great principle of duty belonging to +the minister, belongs to every man, woman, and +child. There is not one religion for the man +when he is in the temple, and another religion +for the man when he is in the parlor or in +the street. There is not one law for ordained<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +pastor, and another law for the tradesman +or the mechanic. The same law and no different +one, the same religion and no different +one, are the law and religion for the apostles, +and publicans, and prophets, and tax gatherers, +and patriarchs, and children, and nobles, +and beggars. Every man is bidden to refuse +everything, if it be the nearest friend, who +interferes with the claims of the Messiah; +and therefore every man, layman as well as +clergyman, must keep his eye fixed primarily +upon the cross. He may see other things +within the range of that cross, but he must +keep the cross directly at the angle of his +vision, and allow nothing else, when placed +side by side with the tree of Calvary, to allure +his eye away from that central, engrossing +object."</p> + +<p>Here, then, is our third question answered; +and in these three replies to these three queries, +we perceive the meaning of our text to +be: that not on the first day only, but on every +day likewise, not in the religious assembly +only, but in all assemblies, and in all solitudes +likewise, not the preacher only, but the hearer +likewise, every man must adopt the rule, to +give his voluntary, his loving, his secret and +open regard to nothing so much as to the +character and work of his Redeemer.</p> + +<p>Having inquired into the meaning of the +apostle's words, let us proceed, in the next +place, to inquire into the importance of making<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +the atonement of Christ the only great +object of our thought, speech and action.</p> + +<p>And here, did we hold a personal interview +with the author of our text, we should be +prompted to put three additional queries before +him. Our first inquiry would be:</p> + +<p>"Is not your theme too contracted? It is +well to know Christ, but in all the varying +scenes of life is it well not to know anything +else? Will not the pulpit become wearisome +if, spring and autumn, summer and winter, +it confine itself to a single topic? We have +known men preach themselves out by incessant +repetitions of the scene at Calvary,—a scene +thrilling in itself, and on that very account +not bearing to be presented in its details, +every Sabbath day. How much less will the +varying sensibilities of the soul endure the +reiteration of this tragic tale every day and +at every interview! Such extreme familiarity +induces irreverence. The Bible is not confined +to this theme. It is rich in ecclesiastical history, +political history, ethical rules, metaphysical +discussion, comprehensive theology. +It contains one book of ten chapters which +has not a single allusion to God, and several +books which do not mention Christ; why +then do you shut us up to a doctrine +which will circumscribe the minds of good +men, and result in making their conversation +insipid?"</p> + +<p>"Contracted!"—this is the reply—"and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +you consider this topic a limited one, whose +height, depth, length, breadth, no finite mind +can measure? Of what would you speak?"</p> + +<p>"We would speak of the divine existence."</p> + +<p>"But Christ is the 'I am.'"</p> + +<p>"We would speak of the divine attributes."</p> + +<p>"But Christ is the Alpha and Omega; He +searcheth the reins and trieth the hearts of +men; He is the same yesterday, to-day, and +forever; full of grace and truth; to Him belong +wisdom and power and glory and honor; +of His dominion is no end. Of what, then, +would you speak?"</p> + +<p>"We would speak of the divine sovereignty."</p> + +<p>"But Christ taught us to say: Even so, +Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight—and +He and His Father are one."</p> + +<p>"We would converse on the divine decrees."</p> + +<p>"But all things are planned for His praise +who was in Christ, and in whom Christ was +at the beginning."</p> + +<p>"We would discourse on electing love."</p> + +<p>"But the saints are elect in Christ Jesus."</p> + +<p>"We would utter many words on the creation +of men and angels."</p> + +<p>"Now by our Redeemer were all things +created that are in heaven and that are in the +earth, visible and invisible."</p> + +<p>"We would converse on the preservation of +what has been created."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Now Christ upholdeth all things by the +word of His power. What would you have, +then, for your theme?"</p> + +<p>"We would take the flowers of the field for +our theme."</p> + +<p>"But they are the delight, as well as the +contrivance of the Redeemer."</p> + +<p>"We would take for our theme the globes +in space."</p> + +<p>"But they are the work of His fingers."</p> + +<p>"Then we would take the very winds of +heaven for our theme, lawless and erratic as +they are."</p> + +<p>"But Jesus taught us to comment upon +these as an illustration of His truth. His +poetic mind gave us the conception that the +wind bloweth where it chooseth to blow; and +we look on, wondering whence it cometh, and +whither it goeth, knowing only that it is the +breath of the wonderful, the counselor, who +arouseth it as He listeth, or saith, Peace, be +still. What else, then, do you prefer for your +topic of conversation?"</p> + +<p>"We prefer the laws of nature for our +topic."</p> + +<p>"But in them the Father worketh and +Christ worketh equally."</p> + +<p>"If it be so, we will select the fine and useful +arts for our subject."</p> + +<p>"But all the materials of these arts and all +the laws which compact them, and all the +ingenuity which arranges them are of His<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +architectonic plan. He is the guide of the +sculptor, painter, musician, poet. He is the +contriver of all the graces which we in our +idolatry ascribe to the human discoverer, as +if man had originally invented them. The history +of the arts is the history of Christ's government +on earth. Will you propose, then, +some other theme for your remark?"</p> + +<p>"Do let us converse on the moral law."</p> + +<p>"You may; but Christ gave this law and +came to magnify it."</p> + +<p>"Then let us comment on the ceremonial +law."</p> + +<p>"You may; but all its types are prophecies +of Jesus."</p> + +<p>"Then we will expatiate on virtue in the +general."</p> + +<p>"Do so; but Christ is the first exemplar, +the brightest representative of all abstract +goodness, of all your virtue in the general."</p> + +<p>"Then we will take up the ethical maxims."</p> + +<p>"Take them up; but they are embodied in +Him who is the way, the truth, the life."</p> + +<p>"We will resort, then, to human responsibility +for our subject of discourse."</p> + +<p>"But we must all appear before the judgment +seat of that fair-minded arbiter who is +man as well as God."</p> + +<p>"May we not speak of eternal blessedness?"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes; but it is Christ who welcomes His +chosen into life."</p> + +<p>"Shall we not converse, then, on endless +misery?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; but it is Christ who will proclaim: +Depart, ye cursed."</p> + +<p>"The human body; we would utter some +words on that."</p> + +<p>"But your present body is the image of +what your Lord wore once, and the body that +you will have, if you die in the faith, is the +image of what your Lord wears now; the +image of the body slain for our offenses and +raised again for our justification. And have +you still a favorite theme which you have not +suggested?"</p> + +<p>"The pleasures of life are our favorite +theme."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and Jesus provided them and graced +them at Cana."</p> + +<p>"The duties of the household are our favorite +theme."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and Jesus has prescribed them and +disciplines you by them, and will judge you +for your manner of regarding them. What +would you have, then, what can you think of +for your choice topic of discourse?"</p> + +<p>"We love to talk of our brethren in the +faith."</p> + +<p>"But they are the indices of Christ, and +He is represented by them."</p> + +<p>"We choose to converse on our Redeemer's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +indigent, imprisoned, diseased, agonized followers."</p> + +<p>"And He is anhungered, athirst, penniless, +afflicted in them, and whatsoever we do to one +of them we do to Him, and what we say of +one of them we say of Him."</p> + +<p>"May we speak in the pulpit of slaves?"</p> + +<p>"Of slaves! Can you not speak of Medes +and Parthians, Indians and Arabians? Why +not then of Africans? Have they, or have +they not, immortal souls? Was Jesus, or +was He not, crucified for them? Was He +ashamed of the lowly and the down-trodden, +and those who have become the reproach of +men and the despised of the people? You may +speak of all for whom Christ died; as all men, +bond or free, and all things, globes or atoms, +suggest thoughts leading in a right line or in a +curved line to the cross of Christ. All things, +being thus nearly or remotely suggestive of the +atonement, are for your sakes; whether Paul +or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or +death, or things present, or things to come,—all +are yours, for your thoughts, for your +words. If things pertain to the divine essence, +the whole of that is the essence of +Jesus; if they pertain to the divine relations, +all of them are the relations of Jesus; if they +pertain to the noblest and brightest features +of seraphs, all the angels of God bow down +before Jesus; if they pertain to the minutest +changes of human life, in all our vicissitudes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +Jesus keeps up His brotherhood with us; if +they pertain to the vilest and darkest spot of +our depravity, they pertain to Jesus,—for +to speak aright of sin is to be determined +to speak of Christ and of Him crucified for +sin.</p> + +<p>"And is this the doctrine which men call +a contracted one? Narrow! The very suspicion +of its being narrow has now suggested +the first reason why you should place it and +keep it as the crown of all your words and +deeds—it is so large, so rich, so boundless, +that you need nothing which excludes it. And +therefore," continues the apostle, "I mean to +know and to love nothing, and to make it +manifest that I care for nothing, in comparison +with, and disconnected from, the God-man, +as He develops all His attributes and all +His relations on the cross."</p> + +<p>But were the author of these laconic words +in a familiar conference with us, we might +be tempted to address to him a second inquiry:</p> + +<p>"Is not your theme too large? At first we +deemed it too small, but now it swells out before +us into such colossal dimensions that we +change our ground, and ask: Can the narrow +mind of man take in this multiplicity of relations, +comprehended in both the natures, and +in the redemptive, as well as all the other +works of Christ? Do not frail powers need +one day as a day of rest, and one place as a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +sanctuary of repose, from every thought less +tender than that of the atoning death itself? +Must we not call in our minds from Christ and +Him crucified, so as to concentrate all our +emotions on the simple fact of Christ crucified?"</p> + +<p>"Too large a theme!" this is the reply, "it +is a large theme, too large to be fully comprehended +by finite intelligences. Men have +dreamed of exhausting the atonement by defining +it to be a plan for removing the obstacles +which stand in the way of our pardon. +It is too large for that definition, as the atonement +also persuades the Most High to forgive +us. Then men have thought to mark it round +about by saying that it is a scheme for inducing +God to interpose in our aid. But the +atonement is too large for that defining clause, +as it also presents motives to man for accepting +the interposition of God. Then some +have thought to define it exactly, by saying +that the atonement is both an appeal to the +Lawgiver and also an appeal to the sinner. +Too large still is the atonement for that explanation. +It is an appeal to both God and +man, but it is more. It is an appeal to the +universe, and is as many-sided as the universe +itself is to be variously affected. Can we by +searching find out the whole of atoning love? +It is the love of Him who stretched out His +arms on the fatal wood, and pointed to the +right hand and to the left hand, and raised<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +His eyes upward, and cast them downward; +and thus all things above and below, and on +either side, He embraced in His comprehensive +love. It is a large theme, but not too +large to operate as a motive upon us. The +immeasurable reach of a motive is the hiding +of its power. The mind of man is itself expansive, +and requires and will have something +immense and infinite of truth or error, either +overpowering it for good or overmastering it +for evil. The atonement is a great theme, but +not too great; and for the additional reason, +its greatness lies, in part, in its reducing all +other doctrines to a unity, its arranging them +around itself in an order which makes them +all easily understood. We know in other things +the power of unity amid variety. We know +how simple the geography of a land becomes by +remembering that its rivers, altho meandering +in unnumbered circuits around the hills and +through the vales, yet pursue one main direction +from one mountain to one sea. Now all +the truths of God flow into the atonement. +They are understood by means of it, because +their tendencies are toward it; and it is understood +by means of them, because it receives +and comprehends them.</p> + +<p>"Consider more fully the first part of this +sentence; all other truths are understood by +means of the atonement. It gives to them all +a unity by illustrating them all. Other truths +are not so much independent themes, as they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +are branches growing up or sidewise out of +this one root, and they need this single theme +in order that their relations may be rightly +understood. What, for example, can we know +in its most important bearings, unless we +know the history and office of our Redeemer? +Begin from whatever point we may examine +the uses of things, we can never measure their +full utility until we view them from the cross. +The trees bud and blossom. Why? To bear +fruit for the sustenance of the human body. +But is this an ultimate object? The nourishment +of the body favors the growth of the +mind. But is the human mind an end worthy +of all the contrivances in nature? Does the +sun, with all its retinue of stars, pursue its +daily course with no aim ulterior to man's +welfare? Do we adopt a Ptolemaic theory in +morals, that man is the center of the system, +and other worlds revolve round him? All +things were made of God, as the Being in +whom they all terminate. Do they exist for +elucidating His power? This is not his chief +attribute. His knowledge? There is a nobler +perfection than omniscience. His love? But +there is one virtue imbedded as a gem in His +love, and His love is but a shining casket for +this pearl of infinite price. This pearl is +grace. This is the central ornament of the +character of Jehovah. But there is no grace +in Jehovah save as it beams forth in Christ; +not in Christ as a mere Divinity, nor in Christ<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +as a mere spotless humanity, but in the two +united, and in that God-man crucified. All +things were made by Him and for Him, rising +from the cross to the throne. Without reference +to Him in His atoning love has nothing +been made that was made in this world. The +star in the East led wise men once to the +manger where the Redeemer lay; and all the +stars of heaven lead wise men now to Him +who had risen above the stars, and whose +glory illumines them all. He is termed the +Sun of righteousness; and, as the material sun +binds all the planets around it in an intelligible +order, so does Christ shine over, and +under, and into, and through all other objects, +attract them all to Himself, marshal them all +into one clear and grand array, showing them +all to be His works, all suggestive of our duty, +our sin, our need of atonement, our dependence +on the one God, and the one Mediator between +God and man.</p> + +<p>"The first part of my sentence was, All +other truths are understood by means of the +atonement. Consider next the second part: +The atonement is understood by means of +other truths. It crystallizes them around itself, +and reduces them into a system, not only +because it explains them, but also because it +makes them explain it. It is not too large a +theme, for all the sciences and the arts bring +their contributions to make it orderly and +plain. Our text is a simple one, because its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +words are interpreted by a thousand facts +shining upon it, and making themselves and +it luminous in their radiations around and +over it. Listen again to its suggestive words:</p> + +<p>"'For I determined not to know anything +among you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.'</p> + +<p>"Now, what is the meaning of this plain +term 'Christ'? It means a 'King.' But how +can we appreciate the King, unless we learn +the nature of the beings over whom He rules? +He reigns over the heavens; therefore we investigate +the heavens. The whole earth is +full of His glory; therefore we study the earth. +He is the Lord over the angels; when we reflect +on them, we catch a glimpse of Him in +His regal state. He is the King of the Jews +and the Gentiles. When we meditate on men, +we enjoy a glance at Him who was born for +this end, that He might have dominion over +our race. When we contemplate the material +worlds, all the vastness and the grandeur included +in them—the sphere of mind, all the +refinement and energy involved in it—we are +overpowered by the reality, surpassing fable, +that He who superintends all the movements +of matter and first spake it into being and +once framed, as He now governs, the souls of +His creatures—He is the King who atoned +for us; and the more we know of the stars in +their courses, and of the spirit in its mysteries, +so much the deeper is our awe in view of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +condescending pity which moved their Creator +to become one with a lowly creature acquainted +with grief for you and me. So much +is involved in the word 'Christ.'</p> + +<p>"But our text speaks of Jesus Christ. That +word 'Jesus!' What is the meaning of it? +It means a 'deliverer,' and in the view of +some interpreters it means 'God, the deliverer.' +Deliverer? From what? We do not +understand the power of His great office, unless +we learn the nature and the vileness of +sin; and we have no conception how mean, +how detestable, sin is, unless we know the +needlessness of it, the nobleness of the will +which degrades itself into it, the excellence of +the law which is dishonored by it. All our +studies, then, in regard to the nature of the +will, the unforced voluntariness of depravity, +the extent of it through our race, the depth +of it, the purity of the commands aiming to +prevent it, the attractions of virtue, the +strangeness of their not prevailing over the +temptations of vice—they are not mere metaphysics; +they are studies concerning the truth +and the grace of Immanuel, who is God with +us, and whose name is 'Deliverer' because He +delivers His people from their sins; sins involving +the power and the penalty of free +wrong choice; a penalty including the everlasting +punishment of the soul; a punishment +suggesting the nature and the character of +the divine law, and the divine Lawgiver, in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +their relation to the conscience and all the +sensibilities of the mind; and that mind, as +undying as its Maker. All these things are +comprehended in the word 'Jesus.'</p> + +<p>"But our text speaks of Jesus Christ +and Him crucified: and this third term, +'crucified,' adds an emphasis to the two preceding +terms, and stirs us up to examine +our own capabilities—to learn the skill pervading +our physical organism, so exquisitely +qualified for pain as well as pleasure; the wisdom +apparent in our mental structure, so +keenly sensitive to all that can annoy as well +as gratify; and thus we catch a glimpse of +the truth, that He who combines all of our +dignity with none of our guilt, and with all +of the divine glory, and who thus develops +all that is fit to be explained in man, and all +that can be explained in God—He it is who +chose to hang and linger with aching nerve +and bleeding heart upon the cross for you +and me. This cross makes out an atonement +of the sciences and the arts and brings them +also, as well as devout men, at one with God; +all of them tributary to the doctrine that we +are bought with a price—that we are redeemed, +not with silver and gold, but with +the precious blood of a man, who was God +manifest in the flesh. Too large a theme is +the atonement? But it breaks down the middle +wall of partition that has kept apart the +different studies of men; and it brings them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +together as illustrations of the truth, which +in their light becomes as simple as it is great.</p> + +<p>"The very objection, then, that the redemptive +work is too extensive for our familiar +converse, has suggested the second reason why it +should be the main thing for us to think +upon, and speak upon, and act upon: It systematizes +all other themes, and gains from +them a unity which becomes the plainer because +it is set off by a luminous variety; and +for this cause," continues the apostle, "I intend +to know nothing with supreme love, except +this centralizing doctrine which combines +all other truths into a constellation of +glories."</p> + +<p>There is still a third inquiry which we +might present to the author of our text, could +we meet him in a personal colloquy:</p> + +<p>"Your words all converge toward one +point; will they not then become monotonous, +and inapposite to the varying wants of various, +or even the same, individuals?"</p> + +<p>"A monotonous theme!" this is the reply: +"What can be more diversified than the character +and work of Him who is at one time +designated as the omniscient God, and at another +time as a Mechanic; at one time as a +Judge, and at another time as an Intercessor; +now a Lion, and then a Lamb; here a Vine, a +Tree, there a Way, a Door; again a Stone, a +Rock, still again a Star, a Sun; here without +sin, and there He was made sin for us.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Monotonous is this theme? Then it is +sadly wronged, and the mind of man is sadly +harmed; for this mind shoots out its tendrils +to grasp all the branches of the tree of life, +and the tree in its healthy growth has +branches to which every sensibility of the +human mind may cling. The judgment is +addrest by the atonement, concerning the +nature of law of distributive justice, the mode +of expressing this justice either by punishing +the guilty or by inflicting pain as a substitute +for punishment, the influence of this substitution +on the transgressor, on the surety, +on the created universe, on God Himself. +There is more of profound and even abstruse +philosophy involved in the specific doctrine +of the atonement, than in any other branch +of knowledge; and there has been or will be +more of discussion upon it, than upon all +other branches of knowledge; for sacred science +is the most fruitful of all sciences in +logical deduction, and this specific part of the +science is the richest of all its parts.</p> + +<p>"Here, then, is the first method in which +you may keep up the habit of making 'Jesus +and Him crucified' the soul of your activity: +Bring to your help the force of a resolute +determination. There is a tendency in this +resolute spirit to divert your thoughts from +other themes, to turn the current of your +sensibilities into the right channel, to invigorate +your choice, to exert a direct and reflex<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +influence in confirming the whole soul in +Jesus. God is in that determination. He inspires +it. He invigorates it. He works with +it and by it. There is a power in it, but the +power is not yours; it is the power of God. +God is in every holy resolve of man."</p> + +<p>In our interview with the apostle we should +address to him a second inquiry:</p> + +<p>"In what method can we avoid both the +fact and the appearance of being slavishly +coerced into the habit of conversing on Christ +and on Christ alone? You speak of taking +your stand, adhering to your decision; but +this dry, stiff resolve-comes any genial spirit +from it? Will you not be a slave to your unswerving +purpose? Your inflexible rule, will +it not be a hard one, wearisome to yourself, +disagreeable to others? You hold up a +weighty theme by a dead lift."</p> + +<p>"I am determined"—this is the reply—"and +it is not only a strong but it is a loving +resolve. For the love of Christ constraineth +me; whom having not seen in the flesh I love; +in whom, though now I see him not, yet believing, +I rejoice with the joy unspeakable +and full of glory. It is not a business-like +resolution. It is not a diplomatic purpose. It +is not a mechanical force. It is an affectionate +decision. It is a joyous rule. It is the effluence +of a supreme attachment to the Redeemer.</p> + +<p>"And this is the second method in which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +you may retain Jesus Christ as the jewel of +your speech and life: Cherish a loving purpose +to do so. A man has strength to accomplish +what with a full soul he longs to accomplish. +Your Christian toil will be irksome to +you, if it be not your cordial preference; but +if your undeviating resolve spring out of a +hearty choice of your Savior, then will it be +ever refreshed and enlivened by your outflowing, +genial preference; then will your pious +work be the repose of your soul. There is a +power in your love to your work. It is a +power to make your labor easy for yourself +and attractive to others. This is not your +power; it is the power of God. He enkindles +the love within you. He enlivens it. He gives +it warmth. He makes it instinct with energy. +God is in all the holy joy of man."</p> + +<p>In our conference with the author of our +text we might suggest to him our third and +last inquiry:</p> + +<p>"In what method can we feel sure of persevering +in this habitual exaltation of Christ? +You speak of your stern purpose, but can you +depend upon the continuance of it? You +speak of your cordial as well as set resolve. +But who are you? (forgive our pertinacious +query). Jesus we know. But His disciples, +His chief apostles—is not every one of them +a reed shaken with the wind, tossed hither and +thither, unstable as a wave upon the sea?"</p> + +<p>"I know it is so"—this is the reply. "Often<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +am I afraid lest, having preached the gospel +to others, I should be a castaway. And after +all I am persuaded that nothing—height +depth, life, death, nothing—shall be able to +separate me from the love of Christ; for I +put my confidence in Him, and while my purpose +is inflexible and affectionate, it is also inwrought +with trust in the atonement and the +intercession. I do pursue my Christian life +in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. +For all the piety of the best of men is +in itself as grass, and the goodliness thereof +as the flower of the field. Therefore serve I +the Lord with all humility of mind and with +many tears and temptations. Yet I am determined +with a confiding love. I am troubled +on every side; my flesh has no rest; without +are fightings, within are fears; in presence I +am base among you, my bodily presence is +weak and my speech contemptible; and if I +must needs glory, I will glory in the things +which concern my infirmities. Still, after all, +I am determined, my right hand being enfolded +in the hand of my Redeemer. I know +whom I have believed, and am persuaded that +He is able to keep that which I have committed +unto Him against that day. For my +conversation is in heaven, from whence I am +to look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, +who shall change our vile body that it may +be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according +to the mighty working whereby He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +is able to subdue all things unto Himself. I +say the truth in Christ; I lie not; I am the +least of the apostles, that am not meet to be +called an apostle, because I injured the Church +of God; I am less than the least of all saints. +Still I am determined; for by the grace of +God I am what I am; and this grace which +was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I +labored more abundantly than they all; yet +not I but the grace of God which was with +me; for I can do all things through Christ +which strengtheneth me, and therefore I am +determined.</p> + +<p>"Borne onward, therefore, by your fixed +plan, and no one can succeed in anything +without a plan, yet you must never rely ultimately +upon your determined spirit. Allured +further and further onward by your +delight in your plan, and no one can work as +a master in anything without enthusiasm in +his prescribed course, still you must not place +your final dependence upon your affectionate +spirit; for if you take, for your last prop, +either the sternness or the cheerfulness of your +own determination, then you will know your +determination, and you are not to know anything +save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. +Here, then, is the third method in which you +may give the fitting prominence to the best +of themes: You must rest for your chief and +final support on Him and only on Him, from +whom all wise plans start, by whom they hold<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +out, and to whom they all tend, who is all and +in all, Jesus Christ and Him crucified."</p> + +<p>My Christian brethren, you are all apostles. +Every man, every woman, every child, the +richest and the poorest, the most learned and +the most ignorant of you—who have come up +hither to dedicate yourselves and this sanctuary +to your Lord, all being sent of Him to +serve Him, have in fact and in essence the +same responsibility resting on you as weighed +on the author of our text. And he was burdened +by the same kind of temptations and +fears which oppress your spirit. But he was +held up from failing in his work by a threefold +cord; and that was his resolute determination, +as loving as it was resolute, and as +trustful as it was loving, to know nothing +save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The last +that you hear of him as an impenitent man +is in the words: "And Saul, yet breathing +out threatening and slaughter against +the disciples of the Lord." It was Christ +whom the proud Jew last opposed. The first +that you hear of him as a convicted man is +in the words: "Who art thou, Lord?" It +was Christ whom the inquiring Jew first +studied. And the first that you hear of him +as a penitent man is: "Lord, what wilt thou +have me to do?" It was Christ to whom the +humble disciple first surrendered his will. +And the first that you hear of him as a Christian +minister is: "And straightway he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> +preached Christ in the synagogs that he +is the Son of God." And the last that you +hear of him as a Christian hero is: "I have +fought the good fight, I have finished my +course. I have kept the faith; henceforth +there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness." +And the secret of this victorious +career is in words like those of our text: "I +adhered to my plan (when among the fickle +Corinthians), I was decided (when among the +vacillating Galatians) to know nothing (when +among the learned at Athens and them of +C�sar's household at Rome) save Jesus Christ +(when I was among my own kinsmen who +scorned Him), and Him crucified (when I +was among the pupils of Gamaliel, all of +whom despised my chosen theme); still I was +determined to cling to that theme among the +Greeks and the Barbarians, before Onesimus +the slave and Philemon the proud master; for +I loved my theme, and, suffering according +to the will of God, I committed the keeping +of my soul to Him in well-doing as unto a +faithful Creator."</p> + +<p>And herein is it to be your plan, my brethren, +and your joy, not to make this sanctuary +the resort of wealth and of fashion, but rather +of humble suppliants, who by their prayers +may divert all the wealth and fashion of the +world into the service of your Lord; not to +make this temple the resting-place of hearers +who shall idly listen to the words of an orator,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +but a temple of earnest coworkers with Christ—thinking +of Him, speaking of Him, loving +Him first, and last, and midst, and without +end. As you come to this house of God on +the Sabbath, as you go from it, as your week-day +recollections gather around it, may you +renew and confirm your plan to know your +Redeemer, and not only to shut yourselves up +to the supreme love of nothing except Christ, +but also—His grace will be sufficient for you—to +worship and serve Christ in the central +relation of Him crucified. Knowing Him +alone, He will sustain you as fully as if He +knew you alone. He will come to you in this +temple as frequently as if He had no other +servants to befriend. He will listen to your +prayers as intently as if no supplications came +up to Him from other altars, and He will intercede +for you as entirely as if He interceded +in behalf of no one else; for remember, that +when He hung upon the cross, He thought of +you, and died for you, just as fully as if He +had been determined to think of no one, and +to die for no one, save you, whom He now +calls to the solemn service of consecrating +your own souls, and your "holy and beautiful +house" to the glory of Jesus Christ and Him +crucified.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118"> </a><br /><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>SIMPSON</h2> + +<h3>THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Matthew Simpson</span>, Methodist Episcopal +Bishop, was born at Cadiz, Ohio, in +1810. He early distinguished himself as +an orator, his style being that of spontaneous +unpremeditated eloquence, in +which he carried his congregation to +heights of spiritual fervor and enthusiasm. +He visited Europe in 1878 as delegate to +the World's Evangelical Alliance in Berlin, +which served to widen his reputation +as a public speaker. He officiated at the +funeral of Abraham Lincoln at Springfield, +Illinois. His "Lectures on Preaching" +delivered before the divinity students +at Yale have been widely read. He died +in 1884.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>SIMPSON</h2> + +<h3>1810-1884</h3> + +<h4>THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD</h4> + +<p><em>But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become +the first fruits of them that slept.</em>—1 Cor. xv., 20.</p> + + +<p>A little more than eighteen hundred +years ago, as the light of the morning +was breaking around the walls of +Jerusalem, there was a guard placed about a +sepulcher in a small garden near the walls +of the city. They were guarding a grave. +Some strange scenes had occurred on the +Friday before. While a man whom they had +taken from the hills of Galilee and around the +little lake of Capernaum had been hanging +on the cross crucified as a malefactor, strange +signs appeared in the heavens, and on the +earth and in the temple.</p> + +<p>It was rumored that he had said he would +rise the third morning. The third morning +was coming, and as the light began to break +in the East, there came two women silently +and sadly wending their way among the tents +that were pitched all around the city of +Jerusalem; they had sojourned all night in +the tents, for as yet the gates of the city had +not been opened. They came to see the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +sepulcher and were bringing spices in their +hands. They loved the man who had been +crucified as a malefactor, because of his goodness, +his purity, and his compassion. They +seemed to be almost the only hearts on earth +that did love him deeply, save the small circle +of friends who had gathered around him. +There had been curses upon his head as he +hung on the cross—curses from the by-standers, +curses from the soldiers, curses from +the people. They cried: "Away with him; his +blood be on us and on our children!" and on +that morning there were none but a few feeble, +obscure, heart-broken friends that dared to +come near his grave.</p> + +<p>A little more than eighteen hundred years +have passed and on the anniversary of that +day, the morning of the first day of the week, +the first Sabbath after the full moon and the +vernal equinox, at the same season, the whole +world comes to visit that grave. The eyes of +princes and of statesmen, the eyes of the poor +and the humble in all parts of the earth are +turned toward that sepulcher.</p> + +<p>All through Europe men and women are +thinking of that grave and of Him who lay in +it. All over western lands, from ocean to +ocean, on mountain top and in valley, over +broad prairies and deep ravines, the eyes and +hearts of the people are gathered round that +grave. In the darkness of Africa, here and +there, we see them stretching out their hands<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> +toward it. Along the coasts of India and the +heights of the Himalayas they have heard of +that grave and are bending toward it. The +Chinese, laying aside their prejudices, have +turned their eyes westward and are looking +toward that sepulcher. Along the shores of +the seas, over the mountain tops and in the +valleys, the hearts of the people have not +only been gathering around that grave, but +they have caught a glimpse of the rising +inmate who ascended in His glory toward +heaven.</p> + +<p>The song of jubilee has gone forth, and the +old men are saying, "The Lord is risen from +the dead." The young men and matrons catch +up the glowing theme, and the little children +around our festive boards, scarcely comprehending +the source of their joy, with glad +hearts are now joyful, because Jesus has risen +from the dead. All over the earth tidings of +joy have gone forth, and as the valleys have +been ringing out their praises on this bright +Sabbath morning how many hearts have been +singing—</p> + +<p class="center"> +"Our Jesus is going up on high!" +</p> + +<p>Why this change? What hath produced +such a wonderful difference in public feeling? +The malefactor once curst, now honored; the +obscure and despised, now sought for; the +rising Redeemer, not then regarded by men, +now universally worshiped. What is the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +cause of this great change?—how brought +about? The subject of this morning, taken +from the associations of this day, call us to +consider as briefly as we may the fact of the +resurrection of Christ from the dead and some +of the consequences which flow to us from that +resurrection.</p> + +<p>It is important for us to fix clearly in our +minds the fact that this is one reason why +such days are remembered in the annals of the +Church as well as in the annals of nations; +for our faith rests on facts, and the mind +should clearly embrace the facts that we may +feel that we are standing on firm ground. This +fact of the resurrection of Christ is the foundation +of the Christian system; for the +apostle says: "And if Christ be not raised, +your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins; +then they also which are fallen asleep in +Christ will perish." If Christ be not risen, +we shall never see the fathers and the mothers +who have fallen asleep in Jesus; we shall never +see the little ones who have gone up to be, +as we believe, angels before the throne of +God. If Christ be not raised, we are of +all men the most miserable, because we are +fancying future enjoyment, which never can +be realized; but if Christ be raised, then +shall we also rise, and them that sleep in +Jesus will God bring with Him. And that our +minds may rest as to the fact of Christ's +resurrection, let us notice how God hath<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +arranged the evidences to secure the knowledge +of this fact clearly to man.</p> + +<p>The first point to which our attention is invited +is the fact of Christ's death. Were not +this fact clearly established it would be in +vain to try to prove His resurrection from the +dead. Christ might have suffered for man in +some obscure place; He might have laid down +His life as a ransom, and yet there would have +been no legal evidence of it. God allowed the +wrath of man to become the instrument of +praising Him, in that He suffered Christ to be +taken under what was then the legal process—arrested +first by the great council of the Jews, +and then by the authority of the Roman +governor, so that the matter became of public +record—a legal transaction. The highest +power, both of the Jewish and Roman governments, +united in this fact of His arrest, His +trial, and His condemnation to death.</p> + +<p>Not only was this permitted, but the time +of the occurrence was wisely arranged. It was +at the feast of the Jews, the Passover, when all +the Jews came up to keep the Passover. They +came not only from Egypt but from all the +country through which they were scattered. +Jerusalem could not hold the people that +came together; they pitched their tents all +around the city, on the hills and in the valleys. +It was the time of full moon, when +there was brightness all night, and they came +together with safety and security. The multitude,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +then, was there to witness the scene, so +that it might be attested by people from all +parts of Judea and from all countries round +about Judea.</p> + +<p>Then, again, the form of the death was such +as to be not a sudden one, but one of torture, +passing through many hours. Had the execution +been a very sudden one, as it might have +been, the death would have been equally efficacious, +yet it would not have been witnessed +by so many; but as He hung those dreadful +hours, from nine until three, the sun being +darkened, what an opportunity was given to +the people passing by to be imprest with +the scene! The crucifixion was near the city; +the crowd was there; the temple worship was +in process; the strangers were there; and as +one great stream passes on some festive day +through the great thoroughfare of your city, +so passed the stream of men, women, and +children by that cross on which the Savior +hung. They wagged their heads and reviled +as they passed by. The very ones whom Jesus +had healed, whose fathers had been cured of +leprosy or fever, whose mothers' eyes had been +opened; the ones who had been raised up from +beds of sickness by the touch of that Savior, +passed by and reviled, and said: "He saved +others, Himself He cannot save." The multitude +saw Him as He hung suffering on the +cross.</p> + +<p>Then, again, the circumstances attending<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +His death were such as to invite universal +attention. It was not designed that the death +should be a private one; not merely a legal +transaction, a matter soon over, but a protracted +and agonizing spectacle—one to be +seen and known by the multitude; but, in +addition, that man's attention should be +drawn to something to be connected with that +wonderful scene; hence God called upon the +heavens and the earth, the air and the graves, +and the temple itself for testimony. It is +said that before the coronation of a prince +in olden time in Europe—and in some kingdoms +the custom is still observed—there is +sent forth a herald, sometimes three days in +advance, at different periods according to the +custom, to issue a challenge to anyone that +dares to claim the kingdom to come and prove +his right, and to announce that the coronation +of this prince is to take place.</p> + +<p>Methinks it was such a challenge God gave +to all the powers of humanity and to all the +powers of darkness. There hung suffering +on the cross He who died for human wo, and +as He hung God was about to crown Him King +of Kings and Lord of Lords on the morning +of the third day. He sends forth His voice of +challenge, and as He speaks the earth rocks +to its center; that ground, shaking and convulsing, +was a call to man to witness what was +about to occur.</p> + +<p>Not only is there a voice of earth. Yonder<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +the sun clothed himself in sackcloth for three +hours, as much as to say: "There may be +gloom for three days; the great Source of +light hath veiled Himself, as in a mantle of +night, for three days. As for three hours this +darkness hangs, but as out of the darkness the +light shines forth, so at the end of the three +days shall the Sun of Righteousness shine out +again, the great center of glory, with that +glory which He had with the Father from the +foundation of the world." It was the herald's +voice that passed through the heavens, and +that spoke through all the orbs of light, "Give +attention, ye created beings, to what is to +happen!" But it was not alone in the earth, +which is the great center, nor in the heavens, +which is the great source of light, that the +tidings were proclaimed.</p> + +<p>Look in yonder valley. The tombs are +there; the prophets have been buried there. +Yon hillside is full of the resting-places of the +dead; generations on generations have been +buried there; friends are walking in it, and +they are saying, "Yonder is a mighty judge +in Israel; there is the tomb of a prophet." +They were passing to and fro through that +valley of death when the earthquake's tread +was heard, and behold! the tombs were +opened, the graves displayed the dead within, +and there was a voice that seemed to call from +the very depths of the graves, "Hear, O sons +of men!"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> + +<p>What feelings must have thrilled through +the hearts of those who stood by those monuments +and bended over those graves, when, +thrown wide open, the doors bursting, and +the rocks giving way, they saw the forms of +death come forth and recognized friends that +once they had known. What was to occur? +What could all this mean? Then the great +sacrifice was offered. It was three o'clock in +the afternoon when Christ was to give up the +ghost. Yonder the multitude of pious people +were gathered toward the temple. The outer +court was full; the doors and gates which lead +into the sanctuary were crowded; the lamb +was before the altar; the priest in his vestments +had taken the sacrificial knife; the +blood was to be shed at the hour of three; the +multitude were looking.</p> + +<p>Yonder hangs a veil; it hides that inner +sanctuary; there are cherubim in yonder with +their wings spread over the mercy-seat; the +shekinah once dwelt there; God Himself in +His glory was there and the people are bending +to look in. No one enters into that veil +save the high priest, and he, with blood and in +the midst of incense, but once a year; but it +was the mercy-seat and the eye of every pious +Jew was directed toward that veil, thinking +of the greater glory which lay beyond it.</p> + +<p>As the hour of three came and as the priest +was taking the sacrificial knife from the altar +and was about to slay the lamb, behold! an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +unseen hand takes hold of that veil and tears +it apart from top to bottom, and has thrown +open the mercy-seat, not before seen by men. +The cherubim are there; the altar with its +covering of blood is there; the resting-place +of the ark is there; it is the holiest of holies. +Methinks the priest drops the knife, the lamb +goes free, for the Lamb that was slain from +the foundation of the world is suffering for +man. The way to the holy of holies is open,—a +new and living way, which men may not +close, which priest alone can not enter; but a +way is open whereby humanity, opprest and +downtrodden, from all parts of the earth, may +find its way to the mercy-seat of God. There +was a call to the pious worshiper by voices +which seemed to say: "An end to all the +sacrifices, an end to all the suffering victims, +an end to all the sprinkled hyssop that is +used in purification, for One has come to do +the will of God on whom the burden of man +had been laid."</p> + +<p>Now here were all these calls to humanity +from all parts, as if to announce the great +transaction. While all this was occurring +Christ was on the cross, suffering the agony of +crucifixion. How deep that agony we need +not attempt to tell you; it was fearful; and +yet no complaint escaped His lips, no murmuring +was there. He bore the sins of many in +His own flesh on the tree. He heard the +multitudes revile Him; He saw them wag<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> +their heads; He remembered that the disciples +had fled from Him—one followed afar off, but +the rest had gone; and yet He complained not. +Friends and kindred had all left Him and He +trod the wine-press alone. He drank the cup +in all its bitterness and no complaint escaped +from Him. One left Him that had never +forsaken Him before. "The world is gone, +the disciples I have fed and taught have all +fled and passed away,—all have forsaken +Me."</p> + +<p>But there was no time until that moment of +fearful darkness came, when all the load of +guilt was upon Him and for our sins He was +smitten, that His spirit was crusht, and He +called out, "My God, my God, why hast thou +forsaken me?" All else might go—it were +little; "Why hast thou forsaken me?" But +it is over; the darkness is past; the load is +borne; and I hear Him say, "It is finished"; +He bows His head and dies.</p> + +<p>Now there is publicity for the transaction. +It demanded public investigation, it received +it. There was not only the mental agony +united with the agony of crucifixion, but +there was the voluntary giving up of His life; +yet, lest there might be some suspicion, to all +this was added the proof of the fact of His +death. When the limbs of the others were +broken and He was perceived to be dead, the +soldier thrust the spear into His side and +there came out of that side both water and +blood.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span></p> + +<p>There is a peculiarity in the sacred writings. +A little incident that seems to be mentioned +without care becomes the strongest possible +proof, not only of the fact of Christ's death, +but of the nature of His death. When that +sentence was written the human frame was +not understood, the circulation of the blood +was not understood. Anatomists had not +then, as they have now, unveiled the human +system; the great science of pathology had not +yet been clearly taught to man; and yet in +that sentence we have almost a world of +meaning. For it is well attested now that +where persons die from violent mental emotion, +by what is termed a broken heart, a crusht +spirit, there is always formed a watery secretion +around the heart. It was not known then +to the soldier who lifted up the spear and +pierced the body; but so much of that water +had secreted around the heart that he saw it +issuing forth from the pierced side, unstained +by blood, which showed that the great heart +had been crusht by agony within.</p> + +<p>When taken from the cross He was put in +the sepulcher. His friends had given Him up, +His disciples had forsaken Him; some of them +saw Him die; they knew that He was crucified +and they abandoned Him. They were returning +to their former employments; but His +enemies remembered He had said He would +rise the third day, and they put a guard +around Him. The Roman soldiers were there;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> +the king's seal was on the stone rolled over +the mouth of the sepulcher; they made everything +secure. Here again God ordered that +we should have abundant proof of Christ's +crucifixion.</p> + +<p>He was crucified on Friday, which was to +them the last day of the week, resting in +the grave on our Saturday, which is their +Sabbath, and then comes the first day of the +week, our Sabbath morning, made our Sabbath +because of Christ's resurrection from the +dead. There came an humble visitant to the +tomb, Mary Magdalene; she had been healed +of much, forgiven much and she loved Him. +Mary, the mother of James, came also and +beheld the scenes that occurred; but there had +been strange commotions elsewhere.</p> + +<p>Heaven had been gathering around that +grave. Angels had been watching there; they +had seen the Roman guard; they had seen the +shining spear and polished shield; they had +seen that Christ was held as a prisoner by the +greatest powers on earth. Methinks I see the +angelic host as they gathered round the throne +of God and looked up into the face of +Omnipotence, and if ever there was a time +when there was silence in heaven for half an +hour, it was before the morning light of the +third day dawned. I hear them say "How +long shall man triumph? How long shall +human power exalt itself? How long shall +the powers of darkness hold jubilee? Let us<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +away and roll away the stone; let us away and +frighten yonder Roman guard and drive them +from the sepulcher."</p> + +<p>They waited until permission was given. I +see the angel coming down from the opening +doors of glory; he hastens outside the walls of +Jerusalem and down to the sepulcher; when +they saw him coming the keepers shook, they +became like dead men; he rolls away the stone +and sets himself by the mouth of the sepulcher. +Christ, girding Himself with all the +power of His divinity, rises from the grave. +He leads captivity captive, tears the crown +from the head of death, and makes light the +darkness of the grave. Behold Him as He +rises just preparatory to His rising up to +glory. Oh, what a moment was that! Hell +was preparing for its jubilee; the powers of +earth were preparing for a triumph; but as +the grave yields its prey, Christ, charged with +being an impostor, is proved to be the Son of +God with power; it is the power of His resurrection +from the dead.</p> + +<p>There was Christ's resurrection from the +dead. He became the first fruits of them +that slept. But to give the amplest proofs of +His resurrection He lingered on earth to be +seen of men, and to be seen in such a manner +as to show that He was still the Savior Christ. +In my younger days I used to often wonder +why was it that Mary Magdalene came first to +the sepulcher, and the mother of James that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> +stood there—why He should appear to them; +but in later days I have said it was to show +that He was the Savior still; that the same +nature was there which had made Him stoop +to the lowliest of the low—the power that +enabled Him to heal the guiltiest of the +guilty; that that power, that compassion, were +with Him still.</p> + +<p>Tho now raised beyond death and triumphing +over hell, He still had within Him +the Savior's heart. Methinks I see, when +Peter had run in anxiety to tell the news, +Mary remained there; she could not fully +comprehend it; the grave was open, the napkins +were there; it was said He was not there, +but He was risen. And yet, there was a +darkness upon her; she could not fully conceive, +it seems to me, the resurrection of the +dead. She stood wondering, when she heard +a voice behind her which said, "Woman, why +weepest thou?" Bathed in tears as she was, +she turned round and saw the man standing, +and taking him to be the gardener, and supposing +that he had taken the body and carried +it away as not fit to lie in that tomb or be in +that garden, she said: "If thou hast taken, +him away, tell me where thou hast laid him, +and I will take him away." If He must not +lie in this tomb, if He can not lie in the garden, +if as a malefactor He must be cast out from +man, tell me where the body is and I will take +it away. It was a proof of her affection.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span></p> + +<p>A voice said, "Mary, Mary." Oh, she +recognized it, and her heart cried out: "Rabboni, +my Lord and my God!" and then she +would have thrown herself at His feet and +bathed those feet again with her tears, but He +said, "Touch me not, I am not ascended to +my Father; go and tell the disciples and Peter +that I am risen from the dead." See the compassion +of the Savior! and then that message! +"Tell the disciples and Peter." Why send a +message to him? Because he curst and swore +and denied the Master. The other disciples +might have said, "If Christ is risen, He may +receive and bless us all; but Peter is gone, +hopelessly and irretrievably gone; he that forsook +his Master and denied Him, there is no +hope for him." And yet said Jesus, "Go +and tell the disciples and Peter"—poor backslidden +Peter.</p> + +<p>Jesus knew his sorrow and anguish and +almost felt the throbbings of his broken heart, +and He sent a message to Peter. He may +be a disciple still—may come back and be +saved through the boundless love of Christ. +Oh, the compassion of the Son of God! Thank +God that Peter's Savior is on the throne this +morning!</p> + +<p>Not only was He seen by these, but He met +with the disciples journeying by the way and +explained the Scriptures to them; and as they +met in the upper room He was there. When +the doors were unopened He came in their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> +midst and said, "Peace!" breathed on them +and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." Thus +He met with them and said to Thomas, +"Reach hither thy fingers, and be not faithless +but believing."</p> + +<p>Then afterward He was seen by five hundred, +and from the Mount of Olives, while the +disciples were gathered around Him, He was +received up into glory. They saw Him and as +He went He blest them. The last vision +that ever humanity had of the Son of God +ere he ascended to heaven was that of spreading +out His hands in blessing. Oh, my Savior +hath thus gone up, and He dropt from +those outstretched hands a blessing which falls +to-day like the gentle dew all over the earth; +it reaches heart after heart. It hath reached +patriarchs, apostles, martyrs, fathers, and +mothers and little children, and, thank God, +the heavenly dew, as from those outstretched +hands, is coming down on our assembly this +very morning. On this glad day blessings are +dropping from the throne of God upon us +from this risen Savior. He hath ascended up +on high, the gates have opened for Him, and +He hath gone to His throne in glory.</p> + +<p>Let us look at a few of the results that +flow to us from these facts thus sustained of +His death and resurrection from the dead!</p> + +<p>In the first place it established all Bible +declarations. It had been predicted that He +should not stay in the grave, and when He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +arose it put the seal to the Old Testament +as the Word of God. The prophecy in Him +fulfilled gave glorious proof that the other +parts of it should be also fulfilled as the word +of an unchanging God.</p> + +<p>Again, in His resurrection we see a proof of +His divine power. No man hath been raised +from the dead by his own power. All died, +from Adam to Moses, with the exception of +Enoch and Elijah, who, because of their devotion +and acknowledgment of the divine +head, themselves became prophets of a coming +Savior. He rose by His own power. He +conquered death itself, the grave, and the +whole powers of humanity.</p> + +<p>Jupiter is represented by an old classic +writer as saying to the lesser gods that if all +of them combined together and should endeavor +to throw down his throne—if all power +was arrayed against him—he, by his own +might, would be able to overcome them all. +What was fiction with the ancients becomes +gloriously realized in Christ. Take all the +powers of humanity—the Jewish power, the +Roman power; the power of learning, of art, +of public opinion; take all the powers of earth +and hell, death and the grave, and combine +them all against the Savior and, without one +effort, without one single apparent movement—the +Sleeper lies in death, His eyes are sealed, +and, as if all unconscious, for the warning had +not been given before—in an instant those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +eyes were opened, that frame rises, the grave +yields up its prey, death retires conquered, +and Christ demonstrates Himself to be the +ruler of the whole universe. He made the +earth to tremble, the sun to put on sackcloth, +the very air to grow dark, the graves to open, +the dead to come forth, and proclaimed Himself +to be the conqueror of death and hell. So +we have proof of His being the Son of God +with power.</p> + +<p>In that resurrection from the dead we have +a pledge of our own resurrection. Christ has +become the first-fruits of them that slept. +You know the figure of the first-fruits as +understood by the Jews. Their religion was +connected with the seasons of the year—with +the harvest crops; one of their feasts was +called the feast of the first-fruits, and was on +this wise: When the first heads of grain began +to ripen in the field, and there was thus a +pledge of harvest, they cut off those first +ripened heads and went up to Jerusalem.</p> + +<p>Before that the grain was not crusht, no +bread was baked out of it, and nothing was +done to appropriate that crop to man's use +until those ripened heads of grain were +brought up to Jerusalem and presented to the +Lord as a thank-offering. He was acknowledged +as Lord of the harvest and they were +laid up as a kind of thank-offering before God. +They were the first-fruits. Then they went +away to the fields and all through Judea the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +sickle was thrust in, the grain was reaped and +gathered into sheaves, and when the harvest +was secured they baked the bread for their +children out of this first grain. They came up +to the temple, where the first-fruits had been +laid, and they held a feast of thanksgiving and +shouted harvest home. The old harvest feast +seems to be descended from this ancient +custom.</p> + +<p>Christ rose as the first-fruits, and there is to +be a glorious resurrection. Christ came, the +first man to rise in this respect, by His own +power, from the grave, having snatched the +crown from death, having thrown light into +the grave, having Himself ascended up toward +glory. He goes up in the midst of the shouts +of angels; the heavens open before Him; +yonder is the altar; there is the throne, and +around it stand the seraphim and the cherubim; +and Christ enters, the victor, and sits +down upon the throne, from henceforth expecting +until His enemies be made His footstool. +He is the first-fruits of the harvest, +but the angels are to be sent out like the +reapers, and by and by humanity is coming.</p> + +<p>As Christ, the first-fruits, passed through +the grave and went up to glory, so there shall +come forth from their sleeping dust in Asia, +in Africa, in Europe, and in America, from +every mountain top, from the depths of the +sea, from deep ravines, and from plains outspread—oh, +there shall come in the time of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> +glorious harvest—the uprising of humanity, +when all the nations, waking from their long +sleep, shall rise and shall shout the harvest +home! Thank God! At that time none shall +be wanting.</p> + +<p>Oh, they come, they come, from the nations +of the past and from the generations yet unborn! +I see the crowd gathering there. Behold +the angels are waiting, and as the hosts +rise from the dead they gather round the +throne. Christ invites His followers to overcome +and sit down with Him on His throne, +as He overcame and sat down with the Father +on His throne. In that is the pledge of our +resurrection from the dead. Can I not suffer, +since Christ suffered? Can I not die, since +Christ died? Let the grave be my resting-place, +for Christ rested there. Is it cold? The +warmth of His animation is in it. He shall +be beside me in all His spirit's power. Does +the load of earth above me and beneath +which I am placed press upon me? Christ +hath power to burst the tomb, tho deep it be, +and I shall rise through His almighty power.</p> + +<p>Yet, let the malice of men be directed +against me; let me be taken, if it must be, as a +martyr and be bound to the stake; let the +fagots be kindled, let the flame ascend, let my +body be burned; gather my ashes, grind my +bones to powder, scatter them on the ocean's +surface; or carry those ashes to the top of +yonder volcano and throw them within its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> +consuming fire—let them be given to the dust—and +yet I can sing:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"God my Redeemer lives,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">And ever from the skies<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Looks down and watches all my dust,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">Till He shall bid it rise."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Thank God! it may be scattered on the +wings of the wind—Christ is everywhere +present; He has marked every particle and it +shall rise again by His own almighty power. +And what is it to sleep awhile if I am +Christ's? To die, if I am like Christ in dying? +and be buried, if I am like Christ in being +buried? I trust I shall be like Him when He +comes forth in His glory. I shall be like Him, +for the apostle says, "We shall be like him, +for we shall see him as he is"; "We shall be +changed from glory into glory, into the same +image as by the Spirit of God."</p> + +<p>It would be a great change to be changed +from glory to glory, from saints to angels, +from angels to cherubim, from cherubim to +seraphim, from glory to glory; but, thank +God! we shall not stop being changed; for +the change shall go on from glory to glory +until we shall be transformed into the likeness +of the Son of God, brighter than angels +ever shone, more glorious than were ever +cherubim.</p> + +<p>We shall be near the throne; we shall sit beside +Him, for He hath made room for us<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> +there. Then, if we can calmly look at death +and face him, because his strength has been +overcome, it reconciles us to parting a little +while with friends. A father or a mother may +be taken from us, but we shall see them again; +they shall not sleep forever. The little ones +that drop from our arms, we can almost see +them this morning; some of us can almost feel +them in our arms—can see the glance of that +beautiful eye and hear the sound of that little +prattling lip; they seem to be with us now, +as a little while ago they dropt from out of +our arms. We followed them to the grave +and left them there, where the winter's storm +has been howling around them.</p> + +<p>Sometimes loneliness like that terrible storm +has swept over our hearts and left them almost +in despair; but through Christ's resurrection +we see our children yonder in glory, safe in +the Savior's arms. Their little forms shall +rise all-glorious from the tomb in the morning +of the resurrection; we shall find them, for +Jesus is the resurrection and the life.</p> + +<p>All this comes to us from the resurrection of +Christ from the dead. He died once; He dies +no more; the condemnation of death is forever +gone; He sits on the throne of everlasting +dominion; His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; +and as He died once and has risen to +die no more, so when we have died once and +gone to the grave and entered the dark valley +and shadow of death, and we come up safely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +on the other side, thank God! death is passed +forever; we shall then put our feet on the +neck of the monster and shall be able to say:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Oh death, where is thy sting?<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Oh grave, where is thy victory?"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Looking at the resurrection of Christ we +exclaim, Thanks be unto God who hath given +us the victory! Such is the eternity and +blessedness that awaits us. Thank God for a +spiritual body! Here some of us long to +triumph over nature. We would grasp, if we +could, angelic wisdom; but our brows will +ache with pain, our frames decay, our eyes +grow dim, our hearing fail. This flesh of +ours will not stand hours of painful study and +seasons of protracted labor; but, thank God! +when the body that now oppresses us is laid +in the grave a spiritual body will be given to +us, pure, ethereal, and holy. Oh, what an +extent of knowledge shall flash upon us; what +light and glory; what spirituality and power! +Then we shall not need to ask an angel anything. +We shall know as we are known. +Jesus will be our teacher; the Everlasting +God, the Man whose name is Wonderful, the +Counselor, the Prince of Peace. He Himself +shall be our Leader. We shall know then as +also we are known.</p> + +<p>Then rejoice in God. Dry up those tears. +Cast away that downcast look. Child of the +dust, you are an heir of glory. There is a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> +crown all burnished for you; there is a mansion +all ready for you; there is a white robe +prepared for you; there is eternal glory for +you; angels are to be your servants and you +are to reign with the King of Kings forever. +But while you wait on earth, be witnesses for +God; attest the glory of your Master; rise in +the greatness of His strength; bind sin captive +to your chariot wheels; go onward in your +heavenly career, and be as pure as your +ascended Head is pure. Be active in works of +mercy; be angels of light; be names of fire; +go on your mission of mercy and convert the +world unto God before you go up higher. +When you go, not only go forward to present +yourself, but may every one of you be able to +say: "Here am I and those which Thou hast +given me."</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146"> </a><br /><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>THEODORE PARKER</h2> + +<h3>THE TRANSIENT AND PERMANENT IN +CHRISTIANITY</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Theodore Parker</span>, American divine and +reformer, was born at Lexington, Mass., +in 1810. He was educated at Harvard +and graduated from the Divinity School +of that University in 1836. The following +year he was ordained pastor of Roxbury +Christian Church, and first attracted attention +by his sermon on the "Transient +and Permanent in Christianity," preached +in 1841. This sermon was ultimately the +cause of his practical exclusion from the +Unitarian body, and in 1846 he became +minister to the Twenty-eighth Congregational +Society in Boston.</p> + +<p>In this pastorate he became well known +to all denominations from the remarkable +sermons he preached for seven years in +Music Hall. He died of consumption at +Florence, Italy, in 1860. His powerful +intellect and vigorous eloquence were exhibited +in the many controversial sermons +he preached, both as a believer in the nonsupernaturalism +of present Christianity +and as a practical humanitarian. He +figured as one of the leading abolitionists +of New England.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>THEODORE PARKER</h2> + +<h3>1810-1860</h3> + +<h4>THE TRANSIENT AND PERMANENT IN +CHRISTIANITY</h4> + +<p><em>Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall +not pass away.</em>—Luke xxi., 33.</p> + + +<p>In this sentence we have a very clear indication +that Jesus of Nazareth believed +the religion He taught would be eternal, +that the substance of it would last forever. +Yet there are some who are affrighted by the +faintest rustle which a heretic makes among +the dry leaves of theology; they tremble lest +Christianity itself should perish without hope. +Ever and anon the cry is raised, "The Philistines +be upon us, and Christianity is in danger." +The least doubt respecting the popular +theology, or the existing machinery of the +Church; the least sign of distrust in the religion +of the pulpit, or the religion of the street, +is by some good men supposed to be at enmity +with faith in Christ, and capable of shaking +Christianity itself. On the other hand, a few +bad men, and a few pious men, it is said, on +both sides of the water, tell us the day of +Christianity is past. The latter, it is alleged, +would persuade us that hereafter piety must +take a new form; the teachings of Jesus are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> +to be passed by; that religion is to wing her +way sublime, above the flight of Christianity, +far away, toward heaven, as the fledged eaglet +leaves forever the nest which sheltered his callow +youth. Let us therefore devote a few moments +to this subject, and consider what is +transient in Christianity, and what is permanent +therein.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>In actual Christianity,—that is, in that portion +of Christianity which is preached and +believed,—there seems to have been, ever +since the time of its earthly Founder, two +elements, the one transient, the other permanent. +The one is the thought, the folly, +the uncertain wisdom, the theological notions, +the impiety of man; the other, the eternal +truth of God. These two bear, perhaps, the +same relation to each other that the phenomena +of outward nature, such as sunshine and +cloud, growth, decay and reproduction, bear +to the great law of nature, which underlies +and supports them all. As in that case more +attention is commonly paid to the particular +phenomena than to the general law, so in this +case more is generally given to the transient +in Christianity than to the permanent therein.</p> + +<p>It must be confest, tho with sorrow, that +transient things form a great part of what +is commonly taught as religion. An undue +place has often been assigned to forms and +doctrines, while too little stress has been laid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> +on the divine life of the soul, love to God, +and love to man. Religious forms may be useful +and beautiful. They are so, whenever they +speak to the soul, and answer a want thereof. +In our present state some forms are perhaps +necessary. But they are only the accident of +Christianity, not its substance. They are the +robe, not the angel, who may take another +robe quite as becoming and useful. One sect +has many forms; another, none. Yet both +may be equally Christian, in spite of the redundance +or the deficiency. They are a part +of the language in which religion speaks, and +exist, with few exceptions, wherever man is +found. In our calculating nation, in our rationalizing +sect, we have retained but two of +the rites so numerous in the early Christian +Church, and even these we have attenuated +to the last degree, leaving them little more +than a specter of the ancient form. Another +age may continue or forsake both; may revive +old forms, or invent new ones to suit the altered +circumstances of the times, and yet be +Christians quite as good as we, or our fathers +of the dark ages. Whether the apostles designed +these rites to be perpetual seems a +question which belongs to scholars and antiquarians,—not +to us, as Christian men and +women. So long as they satisfy or help the +pious heart, so long they are good. Looking +behind or around us, we see that the forms +and rites of the Christians are quite as fluctuating<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> +as those of the heathens, from whom +some of them have been, not unwisely, adopted +by the earlier Church.</p> + +<p>Any one, who traces the history of what is +called Christianity, will see that nothing +changes more from age to age than the doctrines +taught as Christian, and insisted on as +essential to Christianity and personal salvation. +What is falsehood in one province +passes for truth in another. The heresy of +one age is the orthodox belief and "only infallible +rule" of the next. Now Arius, and +now Athanasius, is lord of the ascendant. +Both were excommunicated in their turn, each +for affirming what the other denied. Men are +burned for professing what men are burned +for denying. For centuries the doctrines of +the Christians were no better, to say the least, +than those of their contemporary pagans. +The theological doctrines derived from our +fathers seem to have come from Judaism, +heathenism, and the caprice of philosophers, +far more than they have come from the principle +and sentiment of Christianity. The doctrine +of the Trinity, the very Achilles of theological +dogmas, belongs to philosophy and not +religion; its subtleties cannot even be expressed +in our tongue. As old religions became +superannuated, and died out, they left +to the rising faith, as to a residuary legatee, +their forms and their doctrines; or rather, as +the giant in the fable left his poisoned garment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> +to work the overthrow of his conqueror. +Many tenets that pass current in our theology +seem to be the refuse of idol temples, the offscourings +of Jewish and heathen cities rather +than the sands of virgin gold which the stream +of Christianity has worn off from the rock of +ages, and brought in its bosom for us. It is +wood, hay, and stubble, wherewith men have +built on the corner-stone Christ laid. What +wonder the fabric is in peril when tried by +fire? The stream of Christianity, as men receive +it, has caught a stain from every soil it +has filtered through, so that now it is not the +pure water from the well of life which is offered +to our lips, but streams troubled and +polluted by man with mire and dirt. If Paul +and Jesus could read our books of theological +doctrines, would they accept as their teaching +what men have vented in their name? Never, +till the letters of Paul had faded out of his +memory, never, till the words of Jesus had +been torn out from the book of life. It is their +notions about Christianity men have taught +as the only living word of God. They have +piled their own rubbish against the temple of +truth where piety comes up to worship; what +wonder the pile seems unshapely and like to +fall? But these theological doctrines are fleeting +as the leaves on the trees. They—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i24">"Are found<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Now green in youth, now withered on the ground;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Another race the following spring supplies;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They fall successive, and successive rise."<br /></span> +</div></div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span></p> +<p>Like the clouds of the sky, they are here to-day; +to-morrow, all swept off and vanished; +while Christianity itself, like the heaven +above, with its sun, and moon, and uncounted +stars, is always over our head, tho the cloud +sometimes debars us of the needed light. It +must of necessity be the case that our reasonings, +and therefore our theological doctrines, +are imperfect, and so perishing. It is +only gradually that we approach to the true +system of nature by observation and reasoning, +and work out our philosophy and theology +by the toil of the brain. But meantime, if we +are faithful, the great truths of mortality and +religion, the deep sentiment of love to man +and love to God, are perceived intuitively, and +by instinct, as it were, tho our theology be +imperfect and miserable. The theological notions +of Abraham, to take the story as it +stands, were exceedingly gross, yet a greater +than Abraham has told us, "Abraham desired +to see my day, saw it, and was glad." Since +these notions are so fleeting, why need we accept +the commandment of men as the doctrine +of God?</p> + +<p>This transitoriness of doctrines appears in +many instances, of which two may be selected +for a more attentive consideration. First, the +doctrine respecting the origin and authority +of the Old and New Testaments. There has +been a time when men were burned for asserting +doctrines of natural philosophy which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +rested on evidence the most incontestable, because +those doctrines conflicted with sentences +in the Old Testament. Every word of that +Jewish record was regarded as miraculously +inspired, and therefore as infallibly true. It +was believed that the Christian religion itself +rested thereon, and must stand or fall with +the immaculate Hebrew text. He was deemed +no small sinner who found mistakes in the +manuscripts. On the authority of the written +word man was taught to believe impossible +legends, conflicting assertions; to take fiction +for fact, a dream for a miraculous revelation +of God, an Oriental poem for a grave history +of miraculous events, a collection of amatory +idyls for a serious discourse "touching the +mutual love of Christ and the Church"; they +have been taught to accept a picture sketched +by some glowing Eastern imagination, never +intended to be taken for a reality, as a proof +that the infinite God spoke in human words, +appeared in the shape of a cloud, a flaming +bush, or a man who ate, and drank, and vanished +into smoke; that He gave counsels to-day, +and the opposite to-morrow; that He violated +His own laws, was angry, and was only +dissuaded by a mortal man from destroying +at once a whole nation,—millions of men who +rebelled against their leader in a moment of +anguish. Questions in philosophy, questions +in the Christian religion, have been settled by +an appeal to that book. The inspiration of its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +authors has been assumed as infallible. Every +fact in the early Jewish history has been +taken as a type of some analogous fact in +Christian history. The most distant events, +even such as are still in the arms of time, were +supposed to be clearly foreseen and foretold +by pious Hebrews several centuries before +Christ. It has been assumed at the outset, +with no shadow of evidence, that those writers +held a miraculous communication with God, +such as He has granted to no other man. What +was originally a presumption of bigoted Jews +became an article of faith, which Christians +were burned for not believing. This has been +for centuries the general opinion of the Christian +Church, both Catholic and Protestant, +tho the former never accepted the Bible as +the only source of religious truth. It has been +so. Still worse, it is now the general opinion +of religious sects at this day. Hence the attempt, +which always fails, to reconcile the philosophy +of our times with the poems in Genesis +writ a thousand years before Christ. Hence +the attempt to conceal the contradictions in +the record itself. Matters have come to such +a pass that even now he is deemed an infidel, +if not by implication an atheist, whose reverence +for the Most High forbids him to believe +that God commanded Abraham to sacrifice +his son,—a thought at which the flesh creeps +with horror; to believe it solely on the authority +of an Oriental story, written down nobody<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> +knows when or by whom, or for what +purpose; which may be a poem, but can not be +the record of a fact, unless God is the author +of confusion and a lie.</p> + +<p>Now, this idolatry of the Old Testament +has not always existed. Jesus says that none +born of a woman is greater than John the +Baptist, yet the least in the kingdom of heaven +is greater than John. Paul tells us the law—the +very crown of the old Hebrew revelation—is +a shadow of good things which have +now come; only a schoolmaster to bring us to +Christ; and when faith has come, that we are +no longer under the schoolmaster; that it was +a law of sin and death, from which we are +made free by the law of the spirit of life. +Christian teachers themselves have differed +so widely in their notion of the doctrines and +meaning of those books that it makes one weep +to think of the follies deduced therefrom. +But modern criticism is fast breaking to pieces +this idol which men have made out of the +Scriptures. It has shown that here are the +most different works thrown together; that +their authors, wise as they sometimes were, +pious as we feel often their spirit to have been, +had only that inspiration which is common to +other men equally pious and wise; that they +were by no means infallible, but were mistaken +in facts or in reasoning,—uttered predictions +which time has not fulfilled; men +who in some measure partook of the darkness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> +and limited notions of their age, and were not +always above its mistakes or its corruptions.</p> + +<p>The history of opinions on the New Testament +is quite similar. It has been assumed +at the outset, it would seem with no sufficient +reason, without the smallest pretense on its +writers' part, that all of its authors were infallibly +and miraculously inspired, so that +they could commit no error of doctrine or fact. +Men have been bid to close their eyes at the +obvious difference between Luke and John, +the serious disagreement between Paul and +Peter; to believe, on the smallest evidence, accounts +which shock the moral sense and revolt +the reason, and tend to place Jesus in the same +series with the Hercules and Appollonius of +Tyana; accounts which Paul in the Epistles +never mentions, tho he also had a vein of +the miraculous running quite through him. +Men have been told that all these things must +be taken as part of Christianity, and if they +accepted the religion, they must take all these +accessories along with it; that the living spirit +could not be had without the killing letter. +All the books which caprice or accident had +brought together between the lids of the Bible +were declared to be the infallible Word of +God, the only certain rule of religious faith +and practise. Thus the Bible was made not a +single channel, but the only certain rule of +religious faith and practise. To disbelieve +any of its statements, or even the common interpretation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> +put upon those statements by +the particular age or church in which the man +belonged, was held to be infidelity, if not +atheism. In the name of Him who forbids us +to judge our brother, good men and pious +men have applied these terms to others, good +and pious as themselves. That state of things +has by no means passed away. Men who cry +down the absurdities of paganism in the worst +spirit of the French "free thinkers" call +others infidels and atheists, who point out, +tho reverently, other absurdities which men +have piled upon Christianity. So the world +goes. An idolatrous regard for the imperfect +scripture of God's word is the apple of +Atalanta, which defeats theologians running +for the hand of divine truth.</p> + +<p>But the current notions respecting the infallible +inspiration of the Bible have no foundation +in the Bible itself. Which evangelist, +which apostle of the New Testament, what +prophet or psalmist of the Old Testament, ever +claims infallible authority for himself or for +others? Which of them does not in his own +writings show that he was finite, and, with all +his zeal and piety, possest but a limited inspiration, +the bound whereof we can sometimes +discover? Did Christ ever demand that +men should assent to the doctrines of the Old +Testament, credit its stories, and take its +poems for histories, and believe equally two +accounts that contradict one another? Has<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> +He ever told you that all the truths of His +religion, all the beauty of a Christian life +should be contained in the writings of those +men who, even after His resurrection, expected +Him to be a Jewish king; of men who +were sometimes at variance with one another, +and misunderstood His divine teachings? +Would not those modest writers themselves +be confounded at the idolatry we pay them? +Opinions may change on these points, as they +have often changed—changed greatly and for +the worse since the days of Paul. They are +changing now, and we may hope for the better; +for God makes man's folly as well his +wrath to praise Him, and continually brings +good out of evil.</p> + +<p>Another instance of the transitoriness of +doctrines taught as Christian is found in those +which relate to the nature and authority of +Christ. One ancient party has told us that +He is the infinite God; another, that He is +both God and man; a third, that He was a +man, the son of Joseph and Mary, born as we +are; tempted like ourselves; inspired as we +may be, if we will pay the price. Each of the +former parties believed its doctrine on this +head was infallibly true, and formed the very +substance of Christianity, and was one of the +essential conditions of salvation, tho scarce +any two distinguished teachers, of ancient or +modern times, agree in their expression of +this truth.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span></p> + +<p>Almost every sect that has ever been, makes +Christianity rest on the personal authority of +Jesus, and not the immutable truth of the doctrines +themselves, or the authority of God, +who sent Him into the world. Yet it seems +difficult to conceive any reason why moral and +religious truths should rest for their support +on the personal authority of their revealer, +any more than the truths of science on that +of him who makes them known first or most +clearly. It is hard to see why the great truths +of Christianity rest on the personal authority +of Jesus, more than the axioms of geometry +rest on the personal authority of Euclid or +Archimedes. The authority of Jesus as of +all teachers, one would naturally think, must +rest on the truth of His words, and not their +truth on His authority.</p> + +<p>Opinions respecting the nature of Christ +seem to be constantly changing. In the three +first centuries after Christ, it appears, great +latitude of speculation prevailed. Some said +He was God, with nothing of human nature, +His body only an illusion; others that He was +man, with nothing of the divine nature, His +miraculous birth having no foundation in fact. +In a few centuries it was decreed by councils +that He was God, thus honoring the divine element; +next, that He was man also, thus admitting +the human side. For some ages the +Catholic Church seems to have dwelt chiefly +on the divine nature that was in Him, leaving<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> +the human element to mystics and other heretical +persons, whose bodies served to flesh the +swords of orthodox believers. The stream of +Christianity has come to us in two channels,—one +within the Church, the other without the +Church,—and it is not hazarding too much to +say that since the fourth century the true +Christian life has been out of the established +Church, and not in it, but rather in the ranks +of dissenters. From the Reformation till the +latter part of the last century, we are told, +the Protestant Church dwelt chiefly on the +human side of Christ, and since that time +many works have been written to show how +the two—perfect Deity and perfect manhood—were +united in His character. But, all this +time, scarce any two eminent teachers agree +on these points, however orthodox they may +be called. What a difference between the +Christ of John Gerson and John Calvin,—yet +were both accepted teachers and pious +men. What a difference between the Christ +of the Unitarians and the Methodists,—yet +may men of both sects be true Christians +and acceptable with God. What a difference +between the Christ of Matthew and John,—yet +both were disciples, and their influence +is wide as Christendom and deep as the heart +of man. But on this there is not time to enlarge.</p> + +<p>Now, it seems clear that the notions men +form about the origin and nature of the Scriptures,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> +respecting the nature and authority of +Christ, have nothing to do with Christianity +except as its aids or its adversaries; they are +not the foundation of its truths. These are +theological questions, not religious questions. +Their connection with Christianity appears +accidental; for if Jesus had taught at Athens, +and not at Jerusalem; if He had wrought no +miracle, and none but the human nature had +ever been ascribed to them; if the Old Testament +had forever perished at His birth,—Christianity +would still have been the word +of God; it would have lost none of its truths. +It would be just as true, just as beautiful, just +as lasting, as now it is; tho we should have +lost so many a blessed word, and the work of +Christianity itself would have been, perhaps, +a long time retarded.</p> + +<p>To judge the future by the past, the former +authority of the Old Testament can never return. +Its present authority can not stand. It +must be taken for what it is worth. The occasional +folly and impiety of its authors must +pass for no more than their value; while the +religion, the wisdom, the love, which make +fragrant its leaves, will still speak to the best +hearts as hitherto, and in accents even more +divine when reason is allowed her rights. The +ancient belief in the infallible inspiration of +each sentence of the New Testament is fast +changing, very fast. One writer, not a skeptic, +but a Christian of unquestioned piety, sweeps<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> +off the beginning of Matthew; another, of a +different church and equally religious, the end +of John. Numerous critics strike off several +epistles. The Apocalypse itself is not spared, +notwithstanding its concluding curse. Who +shall tell us the work of retrenchment is to +stop here; that others will not demonstrate +what some pious hearts have long felt, that +errors of doctrine and errors of fact may be +found in many parts of the record, here and +there, from the beginning of Matthew to the +end of Acts? We see how opinions have +changed ever since the apostles' time; and +who shall assure us that they were not sometimes +mistaken in historical as well as doctrinal +matters; did not sometimes confound +the actual with the imaginary; and that the +fancy of these pious writers never stood in +the place of their recollection?</p> + +<p>But what if this should take place? Is +Christianity then to perish out of the heart +of the nations, and vanish from the memory +of the world, like the religions that were before +Abraham? It must be so, if it rest on a +foundation which a scoffer may shake, and a +score of pious critics shake down. But this +is the foundation of a theology, not of Christianity. +That does not rest on the decision +of councils. It is not to stand or fall with +the infallible inspiration of a few Jewish fishermen, +who have writ their names in characters +of light all over the world. It does not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> +continue to stand through the forbearance of +some critic, who can cut when he will the +thread on which its life depends. Christianity +does not rest on the infallible authority of the +New Testament. It depends on this collection +of books for the historical statement of its +facts. In this we do not require infallible +inspiration on the part of the writers, more +than in the record of other historical facts. +To me it seems as presumptuous, on the one +hand, for the believer to claim this evidence +for the truth of Christianity, as it is absurd, +on the other hand, for the skeptic to demand +such evidence to support these historical statements. +I can not see that it depends on the +personal authority of Jesus. He was the organ +through which the Infinite spoke. It is +God that was manifested in the flesh by Him, +on whom rests the truth which Jesus brought +to light, and made clear and beautiful in His +life; and if Christianity be true, it seems useless +to look for any other authority to uphold +it, as for some one to support Almighty God. +So if it could be proved—as it can not—in opposition +to the greatest amount of historical +evidence ever collected on any similar point, +that the Gospels were the fabrication of designing +and artful men, that Jesus of Nazareth +had never lived, still Christianity would stand +firm, and fear no evil. None of the doctrines +of that religion would fall to the ground; for, +if true, they stand by themselves. But we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> +should lose—oh, irreparable loss!—the example +of that character, so beautiful, so divine, +that no human genius could have conceived +it, as none, after all the progress and +refinement of eighteen centuries, seems fully +to have comprehended its lustrous life. If +Christianity were true, we should still think +it was so, not because its record was written +by infallible pens, nor because it was lived +out by an infallible teacher; but that it is +true, like the axioms of geometry, because it +is true and is to be tried, by the oracle God +places in the breast. If it rest on the personal +authority of Jesus alone, then there is no certainty +of its truth if He were ever mistaken +in the smallest matter,—as some Christians +have thought He was in predicting His second +coming.</p> + +<p>These doctrines respecting the Scriptures +have often changed, and are but fleeting. Yet +men lay much stress on them. Some cling to +these notions as if they were Christianity itself. +It is about these and similar points that +theological battles are fought from age to age. +Men sometimes use worst the choicest treasure +which God bestows. This is especially true of +the use men make of the Bible. Some men have +regarded it as the heathen their idol, or the +savage his fetish. They have subordinated +reason, conscience, and religion to this. Thus +have they lost half the treasure it bears in its +bosom. No doubt the time will come when its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> +true character shall be felt. Then it will be +seen that, amid all the contradictions of the +Old Testament,—its legends, so beautiful as +fictions, so appalling as facts; amid its predictions +that have never been fulfilled; amid the +puerile conceptions of God which sometimes +occur, and the cruel denunciations that disfigure +both psalm and prophecy,—there is a +reverence for man's nature, a sublime trust +in God, and a depth of piety, rarely felt in +these cold northern hearts of ours. Then the +devotion of its authors, the loftiness of their +aim, and the majesty of their life, will appear +doubly fair, and prophet and psalmist will +warm our hearts as never before. Their voice +will cheer the young, and sanctify the gray-headed; +will charm us in the toil of life, and +sweeten the cup death gives us when he comes +to shake off this mantle of flesh. Then will it +be seen that the words of Jesus are the music +of heaven sung in an earthly voice, and that +the echo of these words in John and Paul owe +their efficacy to their truth and their depth, +and to no accidental matter connected therewith. +Then can the Word, which was in the +beginning and now is, find access to the innermost +heart of man, and speak there as now it +seldom speaks. Then shall the Bible—which +is a whole library of the deepest and most earnest +thoughts and feelings, and piety, and +love, ever recorded in human speech—be read +oftener than ever before,—not with superstition,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> +but with reason, conscience, and faith, +fully active. Then shall it sustain men bowed +down with many sorrows; rebuke sin, encourage +virtue, sow the world broadcast and quick +with the seed of love, that man may reap a +harvest for life everlasting.</p> + +<p>With all the obstacles men have thrown in +its path, how much has the Bible done for +mankind! No abuse has deprived us of all its +blessings. You trace its path across the world +from the day of Pentecost to this day. As a +river springs up in the heart of a sandy continent, +having its father in the skies, and its +birthplace in distant unknown mountains; as +the stream rolls on, enlarging itself, making in +that arid waste a belt of verdure wherever it +turns its way; creating palm groves and fertile +plains, where the smoke of the cottager +curls up at eventide, and marble cities send +the gleam of their splendor far into the sky,—such +has been the course of the Bible on the +earth. Despite of idolaters bowing to the dust +before it, it has made a deeper mark on the +world than the rich and beautiful literature +of all the heathen. The first book of the Old +Testament tells man he is made in the image +of God; the first of the New Testament gives +us the motto, Be perfect as your Father in +heaven. Higher words were never spoken. +How the truths of the Bible have blest us! +There is not a boy on all the hills of New England; +not a girl born in the filthiest cellar<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> +which disgraces a capital in Europe, and cries +to God against the barbarism of modern civilization; +not a boy nor a girl all Christendom +through, but their lot is made better by that +great book.</p> + +<p>Doubtless the time will come when men shall +see Christ also as He is. Well might He still +say, "Have I been so long with you, and yet +hast thou not known me?" No! we have made +Him an idol, have bowed the knee before Him, +saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" called Him +"Lord, Lord!" but done not the things which +He said. The history of the Christian world +might well be summed up in one word of the +evangelist—"and there they crucified him"; +for there has never been an age when the men +did not crucify the Son of God afresh. But +if error prevail for a time and grow old in the +world, truth will triumph at the last, and then +we shall see the Son of God as He is. Lifted +up, He shall draw all nations unto Him. Then +will men understand the word of Jesus, which +shall not pass away. Then shall we see and +love the divine life that He lived. How vast +has His influence been! How His spirit +wrought in the hearts of His disciples, rude, +selfish, bigoted, as at first they were! How +it has wrought in the world! His words judge +the nations. The wisest son of man has not +measured their height. They speak to what +is deepest in profound men, what is holiest in +good men, what is divinest in religious men.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> +They kindle anew the flame of devotion in +hearts long cold. They are spirit and life. +His truth was not derived from Moses and +Solomon; but the light of God shone through +Him, not colored, not bent aside. His life is +the perpetual rebuke of all time since. It +condemns ancient civilization; it condemns +modern civilization. Wise men we have since +had, and good men; but this Galilean youth +strode before the whole world thousands of +years, so much of divinity was in Him. His +words solve the question of this present age. +In Him the Godlike and the human met and +embraced, and a divine life was born. Measure +Him by the world's greatest sons—how +poor they are! Try Him by the best of men—how +little and low they appear! Exalt Him +as much as we may, we shall yet perhaps come +short of the mark. But still was He not our +brother; the son of man, as we are; the son +of God, like ourselves? His excellence—was +it not human excellence? His wisdom, love, +piety,—sweet and celestial as they were,—are +they not what we also may attain? In Him, +as in a mirror, we may see the image of God, +and go on from glory to glory, till we are +changed into the same image, led by the spirit +which enlightens the humble. Viewed in this +way, how beautiful is the life of Jesus! +Heaven has come down to earth, or rather, +earth has become heaven. The Son of God, +come of age, has taken possession of His birthright.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> +The brightest revelation is this of what +is possible for all men,—if not now, at least +hereafter. How pure is His spirit, and how +encouraging its words! "Lowly sufferer," he +seems to say, "see how I bore the cross. +Patient laborer, be strong; see how I toiled +for the unthankful and the merciless. Mistaken +sinner, see of what thou art capable. +Rise up, and be blest."</p> + +<p>But if, as some early Christians began to +do, you take a heathen view, and make Him +a God, the Son of God in a peculiar and exclusive +sense, much of the significance of His +character is gone. His virtue has no merit, +His love no feeling, His cross no burthen, His +agony no pain. His death is an illusion, His +resurrection but a show. For if He were not +a man, but a god, what are all these things? +What His words, His life, His excellence of +achievement? It is all nothing, weighed +against the illimitable greatness of Him who +created the worlds and fills up all time and +space! Then His resignation is no lesson, His +life no model, His death no triumph to you +or me, who are not gods, but mortal men, that +know not what a day shall bring forth, and +walk by faith "dim sounding on our perilous +way." Alas! we have despaired of man, and +so cut off his brightest hope.</p> + +<p>In respect of doctrines as well as forms, we +see all is transitory. "Everywhere is instability +and insecurity." Opinions have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> +changed most on points deemed most vital. +Could we bring up a Christian teacher of any +age, from the sixth to the fourteenth century, +for example, tho a teacher of undoubted +soundness of faith, whose word filled the +churches of Christendom, clergymen would +scarce allow him to kneel at their altar, or sit +down with them at the Lord's table. His notions +of Christianity could not be exprest in +our forms, nor could our notions be made intelligible +to his ears. The questions of his age, +those on which Christianity was thought to depend,—questions +which perplexed and divided +the subtle doctors,—are no questions to us. +The quarrels which then drove wise men mad +now only excite a smile or a tear, as we are +disposed to laugh or weep at the frailty of +man. We have other straws of our own to +quarrel for. Their ancient books of devotion +do not speak to us; their theology is a vain +word. To look back but a short period,—the +theological speculations of our fathers during +the last two centuries, their "practical divinity," +even the sermons written by genius and +piety are, with rare exceptions, found unreadable; +such a change is there in the doctrines.</p> + +<p>Now who shall tell us that the change is to +stop here; that this sect or that, or even all +sects united, have exhausted the river of life, +and received it all in their canonized urns, so +that we need draw no more out of the eternal +well, but get refreshment nearer at hand?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> +Who shall tell us that another age will not +smile at our doctrines, disputes, and unchristian +quarrels about Christianity, and make +wide the mouth at men who walked brave in +orthodox raiment, delighting to blacken the +names of heretics, and repeat again the old +charge, "He hath blasphemed"? Who shall +tell us they will not weep at the folly of all +such as fancied truth shone only into the contracted +nook of their school, or sect, or coterie? +Men of other times may look down equally on +the heresy-hunters, and men hunted for heresy, +and wonder at both. The men of all ages +before us were quite as confident as we, that +their opinion was truth, that their notion was +Christianity and the whole thereof. The men +who lit the fires of persecution, from the first +martyr to Christian bigotry down to the last +murder of the innocents, had no doubt their +opinion was divine. The contest about transubstantiation +and the immaculate purity of +the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Scriptures +was waged with bitterness unequaled in these +days. The Protestant smiles at one, the Catholic +at the other, and men of sense wonder at +both. It might teach us all a lesson, at least +of forbearance. No doubt an age will come +in which ours shall be reckoned a period of +darkness, like the sixth century,—when men +groped for the wall, but stumbled and fell, because +they trusted a transient notion, not an +eternal truth; an age when temples were full<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> +of idols, set up by human folly; an age in +which Christian light had scarce begun to +shine into men's hearts. But while this change +goes on, while one generation of opinions +passes away, and another rises up, Christianity +itself, that pure religion, which exists +eternal in the constitution of the soul and the +mind of God, is always the same. The Word +that was before Abraham, in the very beginning, +will not change, for that Word is truth. +From this Jesus subtracted nothing; to this +He added nothing. But He came to reveal it +as the secret of God, that cunning men could +not understand, but which filled the souls of +men meek and lowly of heart. This truth we +owe to God; the revelation thereof to Jesus, +our elder brother, God's chosen son.</p> + +<p>To turn away from the disputes of the Catholics +and the Protestants, of the Unitarian and +the Trinitarian, of old school and new school, +and come to the plain words of Jesus of Nazareth,—Christianity +is a simple thing, very +simple. It is absolute, pure morality; absolute, +pure religion,—the love of man; the love +of God acting without let or hindrance. The +only creed it lays down is the great truth +which springs up spontaneous in the holy +heart,—there is a God. Its watchword is, Be +perfect as your Father in heaven. The only +form it demands is a divine life,—doing the +best thing in the best way, from the highest +motives; perfect obedience to the great law<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> +of God. Its sanction is the voice of God in +your heart; the perpetual presence of Him +who made us and the stars over our head; +Christ and the Father abiding within us. All +this is very simple—a little child can understand +it; very beautiful—the loftiest mind +can find nothing so lovely. Try it by reason, +conscience, and faith,—things highest in +man's nature,—we see no redundance, we feel +no deficiency. Examine the particular duties +it enjoins,—humility, reverence, sobriety, +gentleness, charity, forgiveness, fortitude, resignation, +faith, and active love; try the whole +extent of Christianity, so well summed up in +the command, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy +God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, +and with all thy mind; thou shalt love thy +neighbor as thyself"; and is there anything +therein that can perish? No, the very opponents +of Christianity have rarely found fault +with the teachings of Jesus. The end of +Christianity seems to be to make all men one +with God as Christ was one with Him; to +bring them to such a state of obedience and +goodness that we shall think divine thoughts +and feel divine sentiments, and so keep the +law of God by living a life of truth and love. +Its means are purity and prayer; getting +strength from God, and using it for our fellow-men +as well as ourselves. It allows perfect +freedom. It does not demand all men to +think alike, but to think uprightly, and get<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> +as near as possible at truth; not all men to +live alike, but to live holy, and get as near +as possible to a life perfectly divine. Christ +set up no Pillars of Hercules, beyond which +men must not sail the sea in quest of truth. +He says, "I have many things to say unto +you, but ye cannot bear them now.... Greater +works than these shall ye do." Christianity +lays no rude hand on the sacred peculiarity +of individual genius and character. +But there is no Christian sect which does not +fetter a man. It would make all men think +alike, or smother their conviction in silence. +Were all men Quakers or Catholics, Unitarians +or Baptists, there would be much less +diversity of thought, character, and life, less +of truth active in the world, than now. But +Christianity gives us the largest liberty of +the sons of God; and were all men Christians +after the fashion of Jesus, this variety would +be a thousand times greater than now; for +Christianity is not a system of doctrines, but +rather a method of attaining oneness with +God. It demands, therefore, a good life of +piety within, of purity without, and gives the +promise that whoso does God's will shall know +of God's doctrine.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MACLEOD</h2> + +<h3>THE TRUE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Norman Macleod</span>, the eminent Scotch +preacher, was born at Campbeltown, in +Argyleshire, in 1812. In his preaching he +departed from the rigid conventionality +of the Scottish Church. His large vision +and broad culture gave unusual distinction +both to his writings and to his pulpit +oratory. He was conspicuous for philanthropic +efforts, and frequently held evening +services for workingmen. He distinguished +himself by his popular Christian +writing and by his pulpit oratory. He +was practical and manly, of godly nature, +with extreme adaptability, and greatly +esteemed by Queen Victoria, who made +him her chaplain in 1857. He died in +1872.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MACLEOD</h2> + +<h3>1812-1872</h3> + +<h4>THE TRUE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></h4> + +<p><em>Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also +which shall believe on me through their word;</em></p> + +<p><em>That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in +me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; +that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.</em>—John +xvii., 20, 21.</p> + +<p>"These words spake Jesus, and lifted +up his eyes to heaven, and said, +Father, the hour is come!" The +hour was indeed come for which the whole +world had been in travail since creation, and +which was for ever to mark a new era in the +history of the universe. The hour was come +when, having finished the work given Him to +do, He was to return to His Father, but only +after ending His earthly journey along the +awful path on which He was now entering, +and which led through Gethsemane, the cross, +and the grave. At such a moment in His life +He lifted up His eyes in perfect peace, from +the sinful and sorrowful world, to the heavens +glorious in their harmony and soothing in +their silence, and said, "Father!" One feels +a solemn awe, as if entering the holy of holies,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> +in seeking to enter into the mind of +Christ as exprest in this prayer. Never +were such words spoken on earth, never were +such words heard in heaven. I ask no other +evidence to satisfy my spirit that they are +the truth of God than the evidence of their +own light, revealing as it does the speaker +as being Himself light and life, who verily +came from God and went to God.</p> + +<p>But let me in all reverence endeavor to express +a few thoughts, as to the general meaning +of this prayer, with reference more +especially to that portion of it which I have +selected as the subject of my discourse.</p> + +<p>The one all-absorbing desire of our Lord, +as here exprest—the ultimate end sought to +be realized by Him—is that God might be +glorified as a Father, and that by the world +seeing His love revealed in sending His Son +into the world to save sinners. "God is love," +but "In this was manifested the love of God +toward us, because that God sent his only-begotten +Son into the world that we might live +through him"—a love which, when spiritually +seen and possest by us, is itself life +eternal; for "This is life eternal that they +might know thee, the only true God, and +Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent;" but "He +that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is +love."</p> + +<p>All "religion" accordingly, all good, all +righteousness, peace, joy, glory, to man and to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> +the universe, are bound up in this one thing, +knowing God as a Father. Out of this right +condition of love to God, must necessarily +come our right condition towards man, that of +love to man as a brother with special love, +the love of character, to Christian brethren. +Such a religion as this was never possest +as an idea even by the greatest thinkers among +the civilized heathen nations; far less was it +realized by any. Whatever knowledge many +had about God, they knew Him not as a +Father to be loved and trusted, and therefore +obeyed. When St. Paul addrest the Athenians, +he could find such a thought exprest +by a poet only, who had said, "We are also +His offspring." It is only in the line of supernatural +revelation of God to man, as given to +and received by Abraham, "the friend," and +perfected by Christ the Son, that this knowledge +of God has been possest by man. But +even among those to whom this true revelation +was given about God, how few truly knew +Him!</p> + +<p>The want of this religion, whatever else +might exist that was called by that name, was +the complaint made by God against His people +of old, "They do not know me!" "They proceed +from evil to evil," He cries, for "they +know not me, saith the Lord." "Through +deceit they refuse to know me, saith the +Lord;" and again: "Thus saith the Lord, +Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> +neither let the mighty man glory in his might, +let not the rich man glory in his riches; but +let him that glorieth glory in this, that he +understandeth and knoweth me, that I am +the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, +and righteousness, in the earth: for in +these things I delight, saith the Lord." (Jer. +ix., 23, 24.)</p> + +<p>This was the sorrowing cry of Christ, "O +righteous Father, the world hath not known +thee!" This was His joy, "I have known +thee, and these have known that thou hast +sent me!"</p> + +<p>But if Christ desired that His Father's +name should be glorified, how was this to be +accomplished? By what medium, or means? +Now I would here observe that God's method +of revealing Himself to man has ever been to +do so by living men; and the Bible is a true +record of such revelations in the past. Christianity +is not the philosophy of life, but life +itself; and is a revelation, not of abstract +truth, but of the living personal God to living +persons as His children, whom He hath created +to glorify and enjoy Him for ever. The +first grand medium of this revelation is the +eternal Son of God. The very essence of +God's character being love, He did not exist +from all eternity with a mere capacity of +loving, but without an object to love; like an +eye capable of seeing light, but with no light +to see. The object of His love was His Son,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> +who from all eternity responded to that love +and rejoiced in His Father. This eternal +Son, when manifested in the flesh, revealed +His Father directly, so that He could say, in +all He was, and in all He did, and, in a true +sense, in all He suffered, "He that hath seen +me, hath seen the Father;" and men could +say of Him, "We beheld His glory, the glory +as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of +grace and truth;" "The glory of God" was +"in the face of Jesus Christ." Again, He had +also, as the Son of Man, glorified His Father; +and, by His reverence for, confidence in, and +obedience to, Him, and by His joy in Him, +had indirectly revealed what he knew God to +be to Him and to all as a Father. "I have +glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished +the work which Thou gavest me to do." Such +was His finished work. But something more +was yet to be accomplished. Ere He descends +to Gethsemane, He desires anew to have the +joy of revealing a Father's heart by revealing +to the world His own heart of love as a Son +to that Father. Hence His prayer, "Glorify +thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify +thee." He does not prescribe the new +circumstances in which His long-tried and +perfect filial confidence and love as a Son +were to be manifested. With the absolute +consecration of true sonship He leaves these +circumstances to be determined by His Father. +Now, as on the cross, He commits His spirit,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> +as a little child, into His Father's hands. He +desires only that in any way, by any means, +He may have the joy of showing forth the +reality, the endurance, and the triumph of +His Sonship. His Father may fill His cup +according to His own will, the Son will drink +it. The Father may permit a crown of thorns +to be placed on His brow, and every conceivable +horror of great darkness from the hate +of men and devils to be cast over Him like a +funeral-pall; He may be rejected by all His +brethren and by the Church and by the State—"Amen!" +He cries. Let His body be +broken and His blood shed, He will give +thanks! One thing only He prays for, +"Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may +glorify thee!" As a further end to be accomplished, +He prays that He may have the +joy of making others share the same divine +love and joy, and therefore adds, "As thou +hast given him power over all flesh, that he +should give eternal life to as many as thou +hast given him. And this is life eternal, that +they might know thee, the only true God, and +Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."</p> + +<p>But while He as the Son was to be the first +revealer of God the Father, He was not, therefore, +to be the only revealer. He was the firstborn +of many brethren in whom the same love +was to be reproduced, and by whom the same +high duty was to be performed. If the light of +the glory of God shone directly in the face<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> +of Jesus Christ, that light was to be transmitted +to those who were to shine as lights +in the world, that others seeing them might +glorify the same God. For now, as ever, God +in a real sense manifests Himself in the flesh. +Hence our Lord's desire that His brethren +should, as sons, reveal the Father, like Himself +the Son. He says accordingly, "As thou +hast sent me into the world, even so have I +also sent them into the world." Sent whom? +Not apostles only, but those also who should +believe through their word; not ministers of +the Church only, but members also; all, in +short, who were qualified to convince the +world that God was a Father, by convincing it +of this truth, that God had sent His Son to +save sinners—the "faithful saying, worthy of +all acceptation."</p> + +<p>But the question is further suggested, What +is this qualification? What is this which men +must possess in order to accomplish Christ's +purpose of inducing the world to believe? +What is this evidence of Christianity which +they are to present to the eyes of unbelieving +men, by seeing which these are to know and +glorify God as their Father in Christ? We reply, +it is the oneness of those who are to be ambassadors +from God and fellow-workers with +Christ. "I pray for them," He says, and not +for them only, but "for them also who shall +believe on me through their word; that they +all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> +and I in thee, that they may be one in us; +that the world may believe that thou hast +sent me."</p> + +<p>Now this leads me to consider more particularly +the nature of this oneness which is +essential for such a successful mission as will +convince the world of the truth of Christ's +mission from the Father. What is meant by +this oneness, or this union?</p> + +<p>We are guided in our inquiry by three +features which characterize it. First, It is a +oneness such as subsists between Christ and +God; secondly, It is a oneness which can be +seen or appreciated; thirdly, It is a oneness +which is calculated from its nature to convince +the world of the truth of Christ's mission.</p> + +<p>Now there are many kinds of union among +men, which, however wonderful or excellent, +may be set aside as obviously not fulfilling +these conditions, and not such, therefore, as +Christ prayed for. There is, e. g., the unity +of an army which marches as one man, implicitly +obeying its commander even unto +death and without a question. Yet, however +grand this is, and however illustrative of the +character of good soldiers of Jesus Christ, it +does not fulfil the conditions specified. Nor +does the wonderful unity of a State, which +makes and imposes laws, proclaims war or +peace, administers justice, and executes its +judgments. In neither case is there any union<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> +such as subsists betwixt God and Christ; nor +such as is in any sense adapted to convince +the world that God has sent His Son to save +sinners. The same may be alleged of any outward +and visible unity of a body of men which +might be called a Church. Its organization +might be as wonderful, and its members as +disciplined, and its power as remarkable, as +those of an army; it might be held together +like a state by its laws and its enactments, +its rewards and punishments, and might energetically +advance until it possest the dominion +of the world, and attracted such attention +as that all men might marvel at it; its members +might assent to all the details of a creed +however large; the same rights and ceremonies +and modes of worship might be repeated +throughout all its parts; and it might be able +to continue its organized existence from age +to age,—yet it would by no means follow that +any such system, however remarkable, possest +that inward spiritual unity desired in +Christ's prayer, no more than the compact +unity of Brahminism does, nor the still more +extraordinary unity of Buddhism, with its +temples, its priesthood, its creed, its rites and +ceremonies, continuing unchanged during +teeming centuries, and dominating over hundreds +of millions of the human race. May +not all these and many similar unities be +fully and satisfactorily accounted for by +principles in human nature, altogether irrespective<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> +of the fact of a supernatural power +having come into the world to which their +origin or continuance is owing? For there is +a oneness in the churchyard as well as in the +church. There might be a oneness of assent +amongst a deaf multitude with regard to +the beauty of music, because determined by +the fiat of authority, but not as the result +of hearing and of taste; and the same kind +of oneness of judgment as to the beauty of +pictures, on the part of those who were blind. +Unity alone proves nothing, apart from its +nature and its origin.</p> + +<p>There is but one kind of unity or oneness +which fulfils the specified conditions, and that +is, oneness of character or of spiritual life—in +one word, the oneness of love;—for this is +the highest condition of a personal spirit. +It is such love as God had and has to Christ; +"That the love wherewith thou has loved +me may be in them;" such love as the Son +has to the Father, and such as He manifested +to His disciples that very evening when, +conscious of His divine glory, and "knowing +that he was come from God, and went to +God," He girded Himself with a towel and +washed His disciples' feet. Hence the declaration, +"The glory," that is, of character, +"which thou gavest me I have given them, +that they," through its possession, "may be +one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou +in me." Hence again His saying, "They are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> +not of the world, even as I am not of the +world;" and His prayer, "I pray not that +thou shouldst take them out of the world, +but that thou shouldst keep them from the +evil." Such love as this, when in the soul +of ordinary men, does not originate in their +own hearts, however naturally benevolent +or affectionate these may be. Our Lord +in this prayer recognizes it as inseparable +from faith in His own teaching, and from +personal conviction of the truth which they +themselves were to preach; for they had +received His words, and had "known surely +that I came out from thee, and they have +believed that thou didst send me"; and so +He prays, "Sanctify them through thy truth; +thy word is truth."</p> + +<p>Now, if we would divide, as with a prism, +this pure light of love, we might discern it as +being composed, as it were, of at least two +colors, or features—first, love to God, exprest +in the desire that He should be known; +secondly, love to man, exprest in self-sacrifice +that all should share this true love. But these +very features we discern as first existing in +God the Father and in Christ the Son; for +God desires, from the necessity of His own +nature, that He should be known, and that +all His rational creatures should see the glory +of His character, and, in seeing it, should live. +God has also manifested His love, according +to the law of love, by giving and by self-sacrifice,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> +inasmuch as He "spared not his own +Son, but delivered him up for us all." In +like manner, the Son desired that His Father +might be known, and to accomplish this He +became incarnate. He has manifested His +love also in the form of self-sacrifice, in that +His whole life and death were an offering up +of Himself as a sacrifice unto God, and as an +atonement for the sins of the world, in order +that all men might be made partakers of His +own eternal life in God. This, too, is the +"mind" of the Holy Spirit, for He glorifies +the Son, that the Son may glorify the Father, +and glorifies Him in and by His true Church. +Hence, wherever true love exists in man, it +will manifest itself in these two forms; it will +ever desire that God may be known, and will +never "seek its own," but sacrifice itself that +this end may be attained. In such oneness as +this of mind, spirit, character—in one word, +love—there is realized the first condition of +that oneness for which our Lord prayed.</p> + +<p>Secondly, This unity of character fulfils +the second condition in its being such as the +world can in some degree see and appreciate. +Blind as the world is, it can see love in the +form of self-sacrifice at least, seeking its good, +even tho it may not at once see in this a revelation +of such love as has its origin in the love +of God to man. The world's heart can perceive +more things and greater things than can +its intellect. The child of the statesman or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> +man of science may not be able to comprehend +the world-politics of the one or the scientific +discoveries of the other; but it can see and +feel the love revealed in the glance of the eye, +in the smile on the lips, or in the arms that +clasp it to the bosom; and in seeing this, it +sees an infinitely greater thing than the politics +of the one or the scientific discoveries of +the other. It sees, too, in this, tho unconsciously, +the love of the Father's heart which +fills the universe with glory, even as its eye, +when opened to a little light, sees the same +light which illumines a thousand worlds. And +thus can the world see the light of love. Those +who are in prison, in nakedness, or in thirst, +are quite able to see and to appreciate the +love that, for Christ's sake, visits them, clothes +them, and gives them drink. The wretched +lepers in the lazar-house, into which no one +could enter and ever return to the world, +could see and appreciate the love of the +Moravian missionary who visited them, and +who shut the door for ever between him and +all he knew and loved, that he might share +and alleviate the horrors of his wretched +brethren whom he loved more than all. Blind +as the world is, it can see this or nothing; bad +as it is, it can appreciate this goodness or +none.</p> + +<p>Thirdly, Such a character is calculated also +to convince the world that God has sent Christ +to save sinners. Observe again what is our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> +Lord's idea of the mission which was to convert +the world; it is this, that those whom He +sends, even as God had sent Himself, whether +as apostles or as disciples, should give to their +fellow men what they have first received from +their living Head, Jesus Christ. They were to +give "the words" which they received from +Him, and which He had received from God—they +were to give "the truth" which they received +from Him, and which He Himself had +glorified in His life and death, that God had +sent Him to be the Savior of the world. They +were also to manifest that life which they had +received from Him, and which He had received +from God, and which in them was the +necessary result of their faith. Now, it is in +the seeing of this life in those who proclaim +the truth that the truth itself appears worthy +of all acceptation, and that God verily, who +has sent His Son to save sinners, is love. It is +thus, you perceive, that the mission of the +Church, whether of its ministers or its members, +is not only to preach glad tidings, but to +show their reality in their actual results; not +only to preach salvation, but to preach it by +saved men; not only to preach eternal life, but +to preach it by those who possess it; not only +to preach about a Father, but to reveal also +that Father through His regenerated sons, +who themselves know and love Him. Further, +the idea of a Church is that of a society whose +members are united through faith in the same<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> +truth, and are in possession of the same life. +Such a society necessarily springs out of faith +and love, and its members cannot choose but +unite outwardly because united inwardly. +Our Lord assumes its future existence and +provides for its continuance. A Church realizing +Christ's ideal would, therefore, possess, +as its creed this, at least, of believing Christ's +words, and the truth that "God had sent his +Son to be the Savior of the world." For +"every spirit that confesseth not that Christ +hath come in the flesh is not of God." "And +whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son +of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God." +Its initiatory sacrament, that of baptism, does +but express the nature of this society—viz., +that its members are the children of God the +Father through Christ the Son, and by the +indwelling of the Holy Spirit—their character +being a spiritual baptism into the possession of +"God's name," which is "love."</p> + +<p>Another characteristic of it is their possession +of that eternal life which is exprest as +well as maintained by the "communion" in +which its members meet together as brethren, +their bond of union being a common union +with God in Christ and one another, through +the constant partaking of Him, the living +bread; eating His flesh and drinking His blood—that +is, His whole life of self-sacrifice and +love becoming a part of their very being. +Worship in spirit and in truth is also necessarily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> +involved in the idea of such a society; +and I might add, worship, not from a command +merely, but as a necessary result of spiritual +character, becoming in a true sense "infallible" +as to religion; but religion in this +sense,—that of knowing God because of its +members being able to say, "We know that he +dwelleth in us, and we in him, because he hath +given us his Spirit, and we know and testify +that he sent his Son to be the Savior of the +world." Such a Church would likewise, in a +true sense, have an apostolical succession—that +is, a succession of teachers and members +who had the apostolic spirit, or the oneness as +described by our Lord; for it would be able, +from its possessing the Spirit of God, to discern +those who were like-minded, and to select +such as were specially fitted for the work of +the ministry. This is the ideal of the Church.</p> + +<p>But has such a Church been realized? +Has there ever been a visible organized body +of men who carried out this sublime purpose? +Once, indeed, there was. For we perceive, +more or less clearly, all these features in the +early Church when it had received the Spirit +on the day of Pentecost, and when its members +met together and "had all things in common," +and manifested such sonship towards God, and +brotherhood towards each other; and sent +forth everywhere its public minister and its +members also to bring men into the same +blessed unity. But supposing the ideal had no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> +more been realized since that time than God's +ideal as described by Moses had been fully +realized in the Jewish Church;—yet must the +ideal, nevertheless, be ever kept before the +spiritual eye. For we do not produce high art +by keeping a low rather than a high standard +before the artist; neither can we reach to great +things in the Church unless we keep a high +standard before its members. It is unnecessary +here to inquire how it came to pass that +the Church, to such a great extent, lost this +ideal as one visible society, and became so +corrupt as to substitute innumerable vain +appearances of spiritual realities for that +which alone could satisfy a true and righteous +God. But as things now are, the "Church" +is broken up into various "churches" or societies, +striving more or less to realize the +ideal. Each society does so just in proportion +as it is able to carry out our Lord's purpose +as to its ministry being one in faith, believing +Christ's words, in its knowing truly that +He came from God to save sinners, and in +its seeking, from love to God and man, to +make all men know their Father, in the knowledge +of whom is salvation.</p> + +<p>But to confine myself to our own particular +duties, let me remind you, fathers and brethren, +of our high calling as profest ministers +of Christ's Church. The cry of earnest souls, +weary of their many burthens, unsatisfied with +their husks, conscious of being in a distant<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> +land, and finding nothing which men can give +to allay their hungering and thirsting, is this: +"Show us the Father, and it sufficeth us!" +Now supposing an earnest spirit, seeking after +the Father, comes to us as His profest ministers +in order to discover the truth of what +we preach, he might very naturally say, "You +preach to me a Savior who came a long time +ago into the world professing to save sinners, +and you tell me that He is coming again at +some future period to judge the world and to +bestow salvation upon many; but I want to +know whether there is a Savior now; or is it +all empty space between that past and that +future? You tell me about salvation from the +suffering of sin; I ask, 'Is there salvation from +sin itself, without which I feel there can be +no deliverance from suffering'? You tell me +about a medicine that is an infallible cure for +'this ineradicable taint of sin,' and describe +the terrible consequences of the disease to me +if I be not cured, and the blessed results of +joyous spiritual health and peace; but 'Can +you show me any person who has actually been +restored from disease to health by this divine +medicine'? Is all this preaching a mere idle +theory of life? Or if not, where is the life +itself? Art thou thyself saved? If not—'physician, +heal thyself'; for until then thou +canst not cure me." But suppose, further, +that this same person comes into close contact +with the mind of the preacher, and that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> +more he sees and knows it the more he discerns +in the man such thoughts regarding God, +such a knowledge of Him, such a love to Him, +as convince him that here at least is a reality +and not a pretense; suppose that the more +he discerns his whole inner life, the things +which give him pain and joy, the things which +he desires and loves, with his whole feelings +towards his fellow-men—feelings expressed in +a life of action, which, in spite of infirmities +and shortcomings belonging to all human beings, +the questioner cannot but recognize as +a kind of life he never saw before—a life, too, +which commends itself, from what it is, as +being the most real and the most satisfactory +to reason, conscience, and heart: can anything, +I ask, be more calculated to convince him of +the account which its possessor gives him as to +its origin, when he says, "The life I now live +in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of +God, who loved me, and gave himself for +me." "It is a faithful saying, and worthy of +all acceptation, that Christ came into the +world to save sinners, of whom I am the +chief." What then? What else must be the +result of such a vision of true life than the +conviction that God is our Father and that +God is love, because it is evident from observation +as well as from testimony that He hath +sent His Son to save men, not in the past only, +but to save them now—not to save only those +who are called "good," but to save those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> +who are the chief of sinners? If a man truly +believes all this, then does he know God, and +in so doing possesses eternal life. But more +than this, how will his convictions be deepened +if, in searching for others who may have the +same life, and if, tho failing to discover any +one visible body of Christians that show it +forth in the unity of the Spirit and in the +bond of peace, he is yet able to satisfy himself +that there have been, during the last eighteen +centuries, and that there are now, in every +church, in every land, among all races of men, +among those of different temperaments, different +culture, and amidst a variety of all possible +outward circumstances, men with like +passions as himself, who have faith in the +same Lord, and are thereby possest of a +true love of God and of one another—how +will this, I say, deepen in him the conviction +that God is a Father, because a Savior, who +"gave his Son, not that any should perish, +but that all should possess everlasting life?" +Will he not be thus led to "believe the record +that God has given us eternal life, and that +this life is in his Son?" I am persuaded that +a man of the highest intellectual culture and +the greatest learning, earnestly searching +after God and Christ, and the truth of Christianity, +would be more convinced of the love of +the one as manifested in the truth of the other, +by coming into contact with one true soul +which, without perhaps intellectual culture or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> +learning, yet truly loved God and man, than +he would be by all the volumes on the evidence +of Christianity ever written, without such a +spiritual vision of a holy life.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, supposing that no such +evidence of the truth of Christianity could be +discovered in the preacher of Christianity; +nay, if his character contradicted his preaching; +if, while he preached love to God and +man, he manifested neither, but indifference, +to say the least of it, to both; if, while he +preached the necessity and the excellence of +the Christian life, he himself revealed its very +opposite—what effect would this have upon an +earnest spirit, but that Christianity was a +mere ideal system unsuited to the world, a +philosophy of life that might be believed in, +but not a life itself that might be possest?</p> + +<p>This want of personal character, however +imperfect, yet real, may account for the want +of success in the mission of the Church to +convince the world, whether at home or +abroad. We may give religion but not godliness; +the means of grace, as they are called, +but not the grace seen and exprest in the +living man. We would thus hear of Christianity +without seeing it; hear about the +love of God, and the love of Christ as a +Savior, without being convinced even by +those who send missionaries to India, who, +altho they may individually reveal this life, +yet how often are looked upon as mere<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> +official teachers; while the "Christians" +from "Christendom" may, in coming into +contact with the heathen, show by their denial +of Christianity that it is a matter for the +priesthood, not for all men; a book theology, +but not an actual power working in humanity: +and of such persons it may be said that they +have profaned God's great name among the +heathen.</p> + +<p>And this, too, may also account for the +secret of success by many a minister of whom +the world knows nothing: "For greatest +minds are those of whom the noisy world hears +least." They may not be great in the ordinary +sense of the word—great as thinkers, +great as orators, or great in the possession of +any remarkable gifts; but they are nevertheless +great in the kingdom of heaven; great because +little children—great in meekness, in +patience, in humility, in love of God and man, +and who carry this music in their heart, +"through dusky land and wrangling mart." +What is the secret of their power? What but +an eternal reality! the reality of a godly, godlike +life obtained from God, and sustained by +God, and seen in the eye, felt in the hand, +heard in the words—a light of life which +shines beside many a dying bed in many a +home of sorrow, as well as in the pulpit. This +is a kind of life whose biography will be +written with the tears of the grateful orphan +and widow, and of many a saved soul which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> +remembers its possessor as its spiritual father. +Such a ministry as this can no more fail than +the love of God which gives it birth. Let us +thank God, therefore, that such a secret power +as this is within the reach of us all. We may +not be men of talent, and for that we are not +responsible; but we may be good men because +little children towards God, and for that we +are responsible: "I thank thee, heavenly +Father, that thou hast hid these things from +the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto +babes."</p> + +<p>And now, fathers and brethren, such is our +high calling, to proclaim the glad tidings that +God has sent Christ into the world to save +sinners. Our chief authority for doing this +is that we know it to be true; and if so, no one +can deprive us of the high privilege and joy +of proclaiming it. A glorious work is thus +given us to do; we are ambassadors for God, +beseeching men to be reconciled to Him, and +we are fellow-workers with our Lord Himself. +But this involves a great responsibility, corresponding +to the greatness of our calling. For +it is at once a glorious and a tremendous +thought that Christ perils the chief evidence +of the truth of Christianity, not upon what we +say, but more upon what we are; and what we +are is neither more nor less than what God +knows us to be. Our preaching may, nevertheless, +fail in some cases to convince the +world, as it has done before; for the glory of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> +Christ Himself was not seen by Judas. Indeed +the light of life, when it shines, requires +the single eye to see it. But in so far as the +ministry of men, as an instrumentality, can +convince the world, let our ministry be such +as is calculated according to Christ's purpose +to produce this result. Let it consist of those +who can say, "We know whom we have believed." +"We know and believe the love that +God hath to us." "We testify that he sent +his Son to be the Savior of the world."</p> + +<p>But I must bring my sermon to a close.</p> + +<p>Pardon me, my brethren, if I have appeared +to address you in any other spirit than that of +one who would with you confess his sins and +shortcomings, and lament with shame and +sorrow how much time and power have been +lost never to be regained; how many gifts and +noble opportunities have been neglected and +perverted through unbelief and sloth, which +might have been used for our own good and +that of our fellow-men. Verily the day is far +spent with many of us, and the night is near +in which no man can work. Whatever our +hands find to do must be done now or never. +Let us pray that the living Spirit of God, +given to all who seek Him, and whose work +it is to glorify the Son, may take of His things +and show them to our souls, and open our +spiritual eye to see the glory of God in the +face of Christ, so that we may be changed into +the same glory. May we strive to keep the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> +unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, and +be enabled so to preach and so to live that the +world may be convinced, by what it sees and +hears, of the reality of the love of God the +Father in giving us and all men eternal life +through Jesus Christ His Son! May He who +makes us sons of God enable us, as sons, to be +glorified in the perfection and revelation of +our characters, so that with our elder Brother +we may glorify His Father and our Father!</p> + +<p>And now, to Father, Son and Holy Ghost, +one God, be glory, dominion, and praise for +evermore. Amen!</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204"> </a><br /><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MOZLEY</h2> + +<h3>THE REVERSAL OF HUMAN JUDGMENT</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">James B. Mozley</span>, English divine and +philosopher, was born at Gainsborough, +Lincolnshire, in 1813. He was educated +at Oxford, and is particularly known for +his discourses on Baptism and Predestination. +Gladstone appointed him as professor +of divinity at Oxford. His Bampton +Lectures on Miracles (1863) are still +considered of classical authority. Dr. +Brastow, in speaking of his clear and +well-ordered thought, says: "He was intent +upon getting at the heart of all +subjects investigated, and his slowness +in clearing up a subject and his deliberation +and fastidiousness with respect to his +diction embarrassed him. The result was +a mastery of thought and an exactness +and clearness and strength of speech that +are more than an offset for the difficulties +he encountered; and one can hardly fail +to see that this patient, self-poised mental +habit saved him from one-sidedness and +kept the balance of his judgement and +made him the safer guide. We see here +the immense value of thorough mental +training." He died in 1878.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>MOZLEY</h2> + +<h3>1813-1878</h3> + +<h4>THE REVERSAL OF HUMAN JUDGMENT<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a></h4> + +<p><em>Many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be +first.</em>—Matthew xix., 30.</p> + + +<p>Perhaps there is hardly any person of reflection +to whom the thought has not +occurred at times, of the final judgment +turning out to be a great subversion of human +estimates of men. Society forms its opinions +of men, and places some on a high pinnacle; +they are favorites with it, religious and moral +favorites. Such judgments are a necessary +and proper part of the present state of things; +they are so, quite independently of the question +whether they are true or not; it is proper +that there should be this sort of expression of +the voice of the day; the world is not nothing, +because it is transient; it must judge and +speak upon such evidence as it has, and is +capable of seeing. Therefore those characters +of men are by all means to be respected by us, +as members of this world; they have their +place, they are a part of the system. But +does the idea strike us of some enormous +subversion of human judgments in the next +world, some vast rectification, to realize which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> +now, even if we could, would not be good for +us? Such an idea would not be without support +from some of those characteristic prophetic +sayings of our Lord, which, like the +slanting strokes of the sun's rays across the +clouds, throw forward a tract of mysterious +light athwart the darkness of the future. Such +is that saying in which a shadow of the +Eternal Judgment seems to come over us—"Many +that are first shall be last; and the last +shall be first." It is impossible to read this +saying without an understanding that it was +intended to throw an element of wholesome +scepticism into the present estimate of human +character, and to check the idolatry of the +human heart which lifts up its favorites with +as much of self-complacency as of enthusiasm, +and in its worship of others flatters itself.</p> + +<p>Indeed, this language of Scripture, which +speaks of the subversion of human judgments +in another world, comes in connection with +another language with which it most remarkably +fits in, language which speaks very decidedly +of a great deception of human judgments +in this world. It is observable that +the gospel prophecy of the earthly future of +Christianity is hardly what we should have +expected it beforehand to be; there is a great +absence of brightness in it; the sky is overcast +with clouds, and birds of evil omen fly to and +fro; there is an agitation of the air, as if dark +elements were at work in it; or it is as if a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> +fog rose up before our eyes, and treacherous +lights were moving to and fro in it, which we +could not trust. Prophecy would fain presage +auspiciously, but as soon as she casts her eye +forward, her note saddens, and the chords +issue in melancholy and sinister cadences +which depress the hearer's mind. And what +is the burden of her strain? It is this. As +soon as ever Christianity is cast into the world +to begin its history, that moment there begins +a great deception. It is a pervading thought +in gospel prophecy—the extraordinary capacity +for deceiving and being deceived that +would arise under the gospel; it is spoken of +as something peculiar in the world. There are +to be false Christs and false prophets, false +signs and wonders; many that will come in +Christ's name, saying, I am Christ, and deceive +many; so that it is the parting admonition +of Christ to His disciples—"Take heed, +lest any man deceive you"—as if that would +be the greater danger. And this great quantity +of deception was to culminate in that one +in whom all power of signs and lying wonders +should reside, even that Antichrist, who as +God should sit in the temple of God, showing +himself that he is God. Thus before the true +Christ was known to the world, the prophecy +of the false one was implanted deep in the +heart of Christianity.</p> + +<p>When we come to the explanation of this +mass of deception as it applies to the Christian<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> +society, and the conduct of Christians, we find +that it consists of a great growth of specious +and showy effects, which will in fact issue out +of Christianity, not implying sterling goodness. +Christianity will act as a great excitement +to human nature, it will communicate +a great impulse, it will move and stir man's +feelings and intellect; this impulse will issue +in a great variety of high gifts and activities, +much zeal and ardor. But this brilliant manifestation +will be to a large extent lacking in +the substance of the Christian character. It +will be a great show. That is to say, there +will be underneath it the deceitful human +heart—the <i lang="la" xml:lang="la">natura callida</i>, as Thomas � Kempis +calls it, <i lang="la" xml:lang="la">qu� se semper pro fine habet</i>. We +have even in the early Christian Church that +specious display of gifts which put aside as +secondary the more solid part of religion, and +which St. Paul had so strongly to check. +Gospel prophecy goes remarkably in this +direction, as to what Christianity would do in +the world; that it would not only bring out +the truth of human nature, but would, like +some powerful alchemy, elicit and extract +the falsehood of it; that it would not only +develop what was sincere and sterling in man, +but what was counterfeit in him too. Not that +Christianity favors falsehood, any more than +the law favored sin because it brought out +sin. The law, as St. Paul says, brought out +sin because it was spiritual, and forced sin to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> +be sin against light. So in the case of Christianity. +If a very high, pure, and heart-searching +religion is brought into contact with a corrupt +nature, the nature grasps at the greatness +of the religion, but will not give up itself; yet +to unite the two requires a self-deception the +more subtle and potent in proportion to the +purity of the religion. And certainly, comparing +the hypocrisy of the Christian with +that of the old world, we see that the one was +a weak production in comparison with the +other, which is indeed a very powerful creation; +throwing itself into feeling and language +with an astonishing freedom and elasticity, +and possessing wonderful spring and largeness.</p> + +<p>There is, however, one very remarkable utterance +of our Lord Himself upon this subject, +which deserves special attention. "Many will +say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we +not prophesied in thy name, and in thy +name cast out devils, and in thy name done +many wonderful works? And then I will +profess unto them, I never knew you." Now +this is a very remarkable prophecy, for one +reason, that in the very first start of Christianity, +upon the very threshold of its entrance +into the world, it looks through its success and +universal reception, into an ulterior result of +that victory—a counterfeit profession of it. +It sees, before the first nakedness of its birth +is over, a prosperous and flourishing religion,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> +which it is worth while for others to pay +homage to, because it reflects credit on its +champions. Our Lord anticipates the time +when active zeal for Himself will be no +guaranty. And we may observe the difference +between Christ and human founders. The +latter are too glad of any zeal in their favor, +to examine very strictly the tone and quality +of it. They grasp at it at once; not so our +Lord. He does not want it even for Himself, +unless it is pure in the individual. But this +statement of our Lord's is principally important, +as being a prophecy relating to the +earthly future of Christianity. It places before +us public religious leaders, men of +influence in the religious world, who spread +and push forward by gifts of eloquence and +powers of mind, the truths of His religion, +whom yet He will not accept, because of a +secret corruptness in the aim and spirit with +which they did their work. The prophecy +puts forth before us the fact of a great deal of +work being done in the Church, and outwardly +good zealous work, upon the same motive in +substance, upon which worldly men do their +work in the world, and stamps it as the +activity of corrupt nature. The rejection of +this class of religious workers is complete, +altho they have been, as the language +itself declares, forward and active for spiritual +objects, and not only had them on their lips.</p> + +<p>Here then we have a remarkable subversion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> +of human judgments in the next world foretold +by our Lord Himself; for those men +certainly come forward with established religious +characters to which they appeal; they +have no doubt of their position in God's kingdom, +and they speak with the air of men whose +claims have been acquiesced in by others, and +by numbers. And thus a false Christian +growth is looked to in gospel prophecy, which +will be able to meet even the religious tests of +the current day, and sustain its pretensions, +but which will not satisfy the tests of the +last day.</p> + +<p>We are then perhaps at first surprized at +the sternness of their sentence, and are ready +to say with the trembling disciple, "Who +then shall be saved?" But when we reflect +upon it, we shall see that it is not more than +what meets the case; i. e., that we know of +sources of error in the estimate of human +character which will account for great mistakes +being made; which mistakes will have to +be rectified.</p> + +<p>One source of mistakes then is, that while +the gospel keeps to one point of its classification +of men,—viz., the motive, by which alone +it decides their character, the mass of men in +fact find it difficult to do so. They have not +that firm hold of the moral idea which prevents +them from wandering from it, and being +diverted by irrelevant considerations, they +think of the spirituality of a man as belonging<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> +to the department to which he is attached, +the profession he makes, the subject matter +he works upon, the habitual language he has +to use. The sphere of these men, of whom +the estimate was to be finally reversed, was a +religious one,—viz., the Church, and this was +a remarkable prop to them. Now, with respect +to this, it must be observed that the +Church is undoubtedly in its design a spiritual +society, but it is also a society of this world as +well; and it depends upon the inward motive +of a man whether it is to him a spiritual +society or a worldly one. The Church, as +soon as ever it is embodied in a visible collection +or society of men, who bring into it +human nature, with human influences, regards, +points of view, estimates, aims, and +objects—I say the Church, from the moment +it thus embodies itself in a human society, is +the world. Individual souls in it convert into +reality the high profest principles of the +body, but the active stock of motives in it are +the motives of human nature. Can the visible +Church indeed afford to do without these +motives? Of course it cannot. It must do its +work by means of these to a great extent, just +as the world does its work. Religion itself is +beautiful and heavenly, but the machinery for +it is very like the machinery for anything +else. I speak of the apparatus for conducting +and administering the visible system of it. Is +not the machinery for all causes and objects<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> +much the same, communication with others, +management, contrivance, combination, adaptation +of means to end? Religion then is +itself a painful struggle, but religious machinery +provides as pleasant a form of activity as +any other machinery possesses; and it counts +for and exercises much the same kind of +talents and gifts that the machinery of +any other department does, that of a government +office, or a public institution, or a large +business. The Church, as a part of the work, +must have active-minded persons to conduct +its policy and affairs; which persons must, by +their very situation, connect themselves with +spiritual subjects, as being the subjects of the +society; they must express spiritual joys, +hopes, and fears, apprehensions, troubles, +trials, aims, and wishes. These are topics +which belong to the Church as a department. +A religious society, then, or religious sphere of +action, or religious sphere of subjects, is irrelevant +as regards the spirituality of the individual +person, which is a matter of inward +motive.</p> + +<p>One would not of course exclude from the +sphere of religion the motive of <i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">esprit de +corps</i>: it is undoubtedly a great stimulus, and +in its measure is consistent with all simplicity +and singleness of heart; but in an intense +form, when the individual is absorbed in a +blind obedience to a body, it corrupts the +quality of religion; it ensnares the man in a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> +kind of self-interest; and he sees in the success +of the body the reflection of himself. It +becomes an egotistic motive. There has been +certainly an immense produce from it; but the +type of religion it has produced is a deflection +from simplicity; it may possess striking and +powerful qualities, but it is not like the free +religion of the heart; and there is that difference +between the two, which there is between +what comes from a second-hand source and +from the fountain head. It has not that +naturalness (in the highest sense) which alone +gives beauty to religion.</p> + +<p>Again, those who feel that they have a +mission may convert it into a snare to themselves. +Doubtless, if, according to St. Paul, +"he who desireth the office of a bishop desireth +a good work," so one who has a mission to do +some particular work has a good office given +him. Still, where life is too prominently regarded +in this light, the view of life as a +mission tends to supersede the view of it +as trial and probation. The mission becomes +the final cause of life. The generality +may be born to do their duty in +that station of life in which it has pleased +God to call them; but in their own case +the mission overtops and puts into the shade +the general purpose of life as probation; the +generality are sent into the world for their +own moral benefit, but they are rather sent +into the world for the benefit of that world<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> +itself. The outward object with its display +and machinery is apt to reduce to a kind of +insignificance the inward individual end of +life. It appears small and commonplace. The +success of their own individual probation is +assumed in embarking upon the larger work, +as the less is included in the greater; it figures +as a preliminary in their eyes, which may be +taken for granted; it appears an easy thing to +them to save their own souls, a thing, so to +speak, for anybody to do.</p> + +<p>What has been dwelt upon hitherto as a +source of false magnifying and exaltation of +human character, has been the invisibility of +men's motives. But let us take another source +of mistake in human judgment.</p> + +<p>Nothing is easier, when we take gifts of +the intellect and imagination in the abstract, +than to see that these do not constitute moral +goodness. This is indeed a mere truism; and +yet, in the concrete, it is impossible not to +see how nearly they border upon counting as +such; to what advantage they set off any moral +good there may be in a man; sometimes even +supplying the absence of real good with what +looks extremely like it. On paper these mental +gifts are a mere string of terms; we see exactly +what these terms denote, and we cannot mistake +it for something else. It is plain that +eloquence, imagination, poetical talent, are +no more moral goodness than riches are, or +than health and strength are, or than noble<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> +birth is. We know that bad men have possest +them just as much as good men. Nevertheless, +take them in actual life, in the actual +effect and impression they make, as they +express a man's best moods and highest perceptions +and feelings, and what a wonderful +likeness and image of what is moral do they +produce. Think of the effect of refined power +of expression, of a keen and vivid imagination +as applied to the illustration and enrichment +of moral subjects,—to bringing out, e. g., with +the whole force of intellectual sympathy, the +delicate and high regions of character,—does +not one who can do this seem to have all the +goodness which he expresses? And it is quite +possible he may have; but this does not prove +it. There is nothing more in this than the +faculty of imagination and intelligent appreciation +of moral things. There enters thus +unavoidably often into a great religious reputation +a good deal which is not religion, but +power.</p> + +<p>Let us take the character which St. Paul +draws. It is difficult to believe that one who +had the tongue of men and of angels would not +be able to persuade the world that he himself +was extraordinarily good. Rather it is part +of the fascination of the gift, that the grace +of it is reflected in the possessor. But St. +Paul gives him, besides thrilling speech which +masters men's spirits and carries them away, +those profound depths of imagination which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> +still and solemnize them; which lead them to +the edge of the unseen world, and excite the +sense of the awful and supernatural; he has +the understanding of all mysteries. And +again, knowledge unfolds all its stores to him +with which to illustrate and enrich spiritual +truths. Let one then, so wonderful in mental +gifts, combine them with the utmost fervor, +with boundless faith, before which everything +gives way; boundless zeal, ready to make even +splendid sacrifices; has there been any age in +which such a man would have been set down as +sounding and empty? St. Paul could see that +such a man might yet be without the true +substance—goodness; and that all his gifts +could not guarantee it to him; but to the mass +his own eloquence would interpret him, the +gifts would carry the day, and the brilliant +partial virtues would disguise the absence of +the general grace of love.</p> + +<p>Gifts of intellect and imagination, poetical +power, and the like, are indeed in themselves +a department of worldly prosperity. It is a +very narrow view of prosperity that it consists +only in having property; a certain kind +of gifts are just as much worldly prosperity +as riches; nor are they less so if they belong +to a religious man, any more than riches are +less prosperity because a religious man is +rich. We call these gifts worldly prosperity, +because they are in themselves a great +advantage, and create success, influence,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> +credit, and all which man so much values; +and at the same time they are not moral goodness, +because the most corrupt men may have +them.</p> + +<p>But even the gifts of outward fortune themselves +have much of the effect of gifts of mind +in having the semblance of something moral. +They set off what goodness a man has to such +immense advantage, and heighten the effect of +it. Take some well-disposed person, and suppose +him suddenly to be left an enormous fortune, +he would feel himself immediately so +much better a man. He would seem to himself +to become suddenly endowed with a new +large-heartedness and benevolence. He would +picture himself the generous patron, the large +dispenser of charity, the promoter of all good +in the world. The power to become such +would look like a new disposition. And in the +eyes of the others, too, his goodness would +appear to have taken a fresh start. Even +serious piety is recognized more as such; it is +brought out and placed in high relief, when +connected with outward advantages; and so +the gifts of fortune become a kind of moral +addition to a man.</p> + +<p>Action, then, on a large scale, and the overpowering +effect of great gifts, are what produce, +in a great degree, what we call the canonization +of men—the popular judgment +which sets them up morally and spiritually +upon the pinnacle of the temple, and which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> +professes to be a forestalment, through the +mouth of the Church or of religious society, +of the final judgment. How decisive is the +world's, and, not less confident, the visible +Church's note of praise. It is just that +trumpet note which does not bear a doubt. +How it is trusted! With what certainty it +speaks! How large a part of the world's and +Church's voice is praise! It is an immense +and ceaseless volume of utterance. And by +all means let man praise man, and not do it +grudgingly either; let there be an echo of +that vast action which goes on in the world, +provided we only speak of what we know. +But if we begin to speak of what we do not +know, and which only a higher judgment can +decide, we are going beyond our province. On +this question we are like men who are deciding +irreversibly on some matter in which +everything depends upon one element in the +case, which element they cannot get at. We +appear to know a great deal of one another, +and yet, if we reflect, what a vast system of +secrecy the moral world is. How low down in +a man sometimes (not always) lies the fundamental +motive which sways his life? But this +is what everything depends on. Is it an unspiritual +motive? Is there some keen passion +connected with this world at the bottom? +Then it corrupts the whole body of action. +There is a good deal of prominent religion +then, which keeps up its character, even when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> +this motive betrays itself; great gifts fortify +it, and people do not see because they will not. +But at any rate there is a vast quantity of +religious position which has this one great +point undecided beneath it; and we know of +tremendous dangers to which it is exposed. +Action upon a theater may doubtless be as +simple-minded action as any other; it has +often been; it has been often even childlike +action; the apostles acted on a theater; they +were a spectacle to men and to angels. Still, +what dangers in a spiritual point of view does +it ordinarily include—dangers to simplicity, +inward probity, sincerity! How does action +on this scale and of this kind seem, notwithstanding +its religious object, to pass over +people, not touching one of their faults, leaving—more +than their infirmities—the dark +veins of evil in their character as fixed as +ever. How will persons sacrifice themselves +to their objects? They would benefit the +world, it would appear, at their own moral +expense; but this is a kind of generosity which +is perilous policy for the soul, and is indeed +the very mint in which the great mass of +false spiritual coinage is made.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, while the open theater +of spiritual power and energy is so accessible +to corrupt motives, which, tho undermining +its truthfulness, leave standing all the +brilliance of the outer manifestation; let it be +considered what a strength and power of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> +goodness may be accumulating in unseen quarters. +The way in which man bears temptation +is what decides his character; yet how secret +is the system of temptation? Who knows +what is going on? What the real ordeal has +been? What its issue was? So with respect +to the trial of griefs and sorrows, the world +is again a system of secrecy. There is something +particularly penetrating, and which +strikes home, in those disappointments which +are especially not extraordinary, and make +no show. What comes naturally and as a part +of our situation has a probing force grander +strokes have not; there is a solemnity and +stateliness in these, but the blow which is nearest +to common life gets the stronger hold. Is +there any particular event which seems to +have, if we may say so, a kind of malice in +it which provokes the Manichean feeling in +our nature, it is something which we should +have a difficulty in making appear to any one +else any special trial. Compared with this +inner grasp of some stroke of providence, voluntary +sacrifice stands outside of us. After +all, the self-made trial is a poor disciplinarian +weapon; there is a subtle masterly irritant +and provoking point in the genuine natural +trial, and in the natural crossness of events, +which the artificial thing cannot manage; we +can no more make our trials than we can make +our feelings. In this way moderate deprivations +are in some cases more difficult to bear<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> +than extreme ones. "I can bear total obscurity," +says Pascal, "well enough; what +disgusts me is semi-obscurity; I can make +an idol of the whole, but no great merit of +the half." And so it is often the case that +what we must do as simply right, and which +would not strike even ourselves, and still less +anybody else, is just the hardest thing to do. +A work of supererogation would be much +easier. All this points in the direction of +great work going on under common outsides +where it is not noticed; it hints at a secret +sphere of growth and progress; and as such +it is an augury and presage of a harvest which +may come some day suddenly to light, which +human judgments had not counted on.</p> + +<p>It is upon such a train of thought as this +which has been passing through our minds +that we raise ourselves to the reception of +that solemn sentence which Scripture has inscribed +on the curtain which hangs down before +the judgment-seat—"The first shall be +last, and the last shall be first." The secrets +of the tribunal are guarded, and yet a finger +points which seems to say—"Beyond, in this +direction, behind this veil, things are different +from what you will have looked for."</p> + +<p>Suppose, e. g., any supernatural judge +should appear in the world now, and it is +evident that the scene he would create would +be one to startle us; we should not soon be +used to it; it would look strange; it would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> +shock and appal; and that from no other cause +than simply its reductions; that it presented +characters stripped bare, denuded of what +was irrelevant to goodness, and only with +their moral substance left. The judge would +take no cognizance of a rich imagination, +power of language, poetical gifts and the like, +in themselves, as parts of goodness, any more +than he would of riches and prosperity; and +the moral residuum would appear perhaps +a bare result. The first look of divine justice +would strike us as injustice; it would be +too pure a justice for us; we should be long +in reconciling ourselves to it. Justice would +appear, like the painter's gaunt skeleton of +emblematic meaning, to be stalking through +the world, smiting with attenuation luxuriating +forms of virtue. Forms, changed from +what we knew, would meet us, strange unaccustomed +forms, and we should have to ask +them who they are—"You were flourishing +but a short while ago, what has happened to +you now?" And the answer, if it spoke the +truth, would be—"Nothing, except that now, +much which lately counted as goodness, counts +as such no longer; we are tried by a new moral +measure, out of which we issue different men; +gifts which have figured as goodness remain +as gifts, but cease to be goodness." Thus +would the large sweep made of human canonizations +act like blight or volcanic fire upon +some rich landscape, converting the luxury<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> +of nature into a dried-up scene of bare stems +and scorched vegetation.</p> + +<p>So may the scrutiny of the last day, by discovering +the irrelevant material in men's +goodness, reduce to a shadow much exalted +earthly character. Men are made up of professions, +gifts, and talents, and also of themselves, +but all so mixed together that we cannot +separate one element from another; but +another day must show what the moral substance +is, and what is only the brightness and +setting off of gifts. On the other hand, the +same day may show where, tho the setting +off of gifts is less, the substance is more. If +there will be reversal of human judgment for +evil, there will be reversal of it for good too. +The solid work which has gone on in secret, +under common exteriors, will then spring into +light, and come out in a glorious aspect. Do +we not meet with surprizes of this kind here, +which look like auguries of a greater surprize +in the next world, a surprize on a vast scale. +Those who have lived under an exterior of +rule, when they come to a trying moment +sometimes disappoint us; they are not equal +to the act required from them; because their +forms of duty, whatever they are, have not +touched in reality their deeper fault of character, +meanness, or jealousy, or the like, but +have left them where they were; they have +gone on thinking themselves good because +they did particular things, and used certain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> +language, and adopted certain ways of +thought, and have been utterly unconscious +all the time of a corroding sin within them. +On the other hand, some one who did not +promise much, comes out at a moment of trial +strikingly and favorably. This is a surprize, +then, which sometimes happens, nay, and sometimes +a greater surprize still, when out of the +eater comes forth meat, and out of a state of +sin there springs the soul of virtue. The act +of the thief on the cross is a surprize. Up +to the time when he was judged he was a +thief, and from a thief he became a saint. +For even in the dark labyrinth of evil there +are unexpected outlets; sin is established by +the habit in the man, but the good principle +which is in him also, but kept down and supprest, +may be secretly growing too; it may +be undermining it, and extracting the life and +force from it. In this man, then, sin becomes +more and more, tho holding its place by +custom, an outside and a coating, just as virtue +does in the deteriorating man, till at last, +by a sudden effort and the inspiration of an +opportunity, the strong good casts off the +weak crust of evil and comes out free. We +witness a conversion.</p> + +<p>But this is a large and mysterious subject—the +foundation for high virtue to become apparent +in a future world, which hardly rises +up above the ground here. We cannot think +of the enormous trial which is undergone in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> +this world by vast masses without the thought +also of some sublime fruit to come of it some +day. True, it may not emerge from the +struggle of bare endurance here, but has not +the seed been sown? Think of the burden of +toil and sorrow borne by the crowds of poor: +we know that pain does not of itself make +people good; but what we observe is, that +even in those in whom the trial seems to do +something, it yet seems such a failure. What +inconstancy, violence, untruths! The pathos +in it all moves you. What a tempest of character +it is! And yet when such trial has been +passed we involuntarily say—has not a foundation +been laid? And so in the life of a +soldier, what agonies must nature pass +through in it! While the present result of +such a trial is so disappointing, so little seems +to come of it! Yet we cannot think of what +has been gone through by countless multitudes +in war, of the dreadful altar of sacrifice, and +the lingering victims, without the involuntary +idea arising that in some, even of the irregular +and undisciplined, the foundation of +some great purification has been laid. We +hear sometimes of single remarkable acts of +virtue, which spring from minds in which +there is not the habit of virtue. Such acts +point to a foundation, a root of virtue in man, +deeper than habit; they are sudden leaps +which show an unseen spring, which are able +to compress in a moment the growth of years.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span></p> + +<p>To conclude. The gospel language throws +doubt upon the final stability of much that +passes current here with respect to character, +upon established judgments, and the elevations +of the outward sanctuary. It lays down +a wholesome scepticism. We do not do justice +to the spirit of the gospel by making it +enthusiastic simply, or even benevolent simply. +It is sagacious, too. It is a book of judgment. +Man is judged in it. Our Lord is Judge. We +cannot separate our Lord's divinity from His +humanity; and yet we must be blind if we do +not see a great judicial side of our Lord's +human character;—that severe type of understanding, +in relation to the worldly man, +which has had its imperfect representation +in great human minds. He was unspeakably +benevolent, kind, compassionate; true, but He +was a Judge. It was indeed of His very +completeness as man that He should know +man; and to know is to judge. He must be +blind who, in the significant acts and sayings +of our Lord as they unroll themselves in the +pregnant page of the gospel, does not thus read +His character; he sees it in that insight into +pretensions, exposure of motives, laying bare +of disguises; in the sayings—"Believe it +not"; "Take heed that no man deceive you"; +"Behold, I have told you"; in all that profoundness +of reflection in regard to man, +which great observing minds among mankind +have shown, tho accompanied by much of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> +frailty, anger, impatience, or melancholy. His +human character is not benevolence only; +there is in it wise distrust—that moral sagacity +which belongs to the perfection of man.</p> + +<p>Now then, as has been said, this scepticism +with regard to human character has had, as a +line of thought, certain well-known representatives +in great minds, who have discovered +a root of selfishness in men's actions, have +probed motives, extracted aims, and placed +man before himself denuded and exposed; +they judged him, and in the frigid sententiousness +or the wild force of their utterances, +we hear that of which we cannot but say, +how true! But knowledge is a goad to those +who have it; a disturbing power; a keenness +which distorts; and in the sight it gives it +partly blinds also. The fault of these minds +was that in exposing evil they did not really +believe in goodness; goodness was to them but +an airy ideal, the dispirited echo of perplexed +hearts,—returned to them from the rocks of +the desert, without bearing hope with it. They +had no genuine belief in any world which was +different from theirs; they availed themselves +of an ideal indeed to judge this world, and +they could not have judged it without; for +anything, whatever it is, is good, if we have no +idea of anything better; and therefore the conception +of a good world was necessary to +judge the bad one. But the ideal held loose +to their minds—not anything to be substantiated,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> +not as a type in which a real world was +to be cast, not as anything of structural +power, able to gather into it, form round it, +and build up upon itself; not, in short, as +anything of power at all, able to make anything, +or do anything, but only like some +fragrant scent in the air, which comes and +goes, loses itself, returns again in faint +breaths, and rises and falls in imperceptive +waves. Such was goodness to these minds; it +was a dream. But the gospel distrust is not +disbelief in goodness. It raises a great suspense, +indeed, it shows a curtain not yet drawn +up, it checks weak enthusiasm, it appends a +warning note to the pomp and flattery of +human judgments, to the erection of idols; +and points to a day of great reversal; a day +of the Lord of Hosts; the day of pulling down +and plucking up, of planting and building. +But, together with the law of sin, the root of +evil in the world, and the false goodness in it, +it announces a fount of true natures; it tells +us of a breath of Heaven of which we know +not whence it cometh and whither it goeth; +which inspires single individual hearts, that +spring up here and there, and everywhere, +like broken gleams of the supreme goodness. +And it recognizes in the renewed heart of man +an instinct which can discern true goodness +and distinguish it from false; a secret discrimination +in the good by which they know +the good. It does not therefore stand in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span> +way of that natural and quiet reliance which +we are designed by God to have in one another, +and that trust in those whose hearts +we know. "Wisdom is justified of her children"; +"My sheep hear my voice, but a +stranger will they not follow, for they know +not the voice of strangers."</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233"> </a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 335px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage1.jpg" width="327" height="600" alt="ad page 1" /> +</div> +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center"> +From the Pen of<br /> +ALPHONSO A. HOPKINS, Ph.D., +</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + + + +<p class="center"><em>Professor of Political Economy and Prohibition in the +American Temperance University.</em></p> + +<p class="center b15"><strong>Wealth and Waste</strong></p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>The Principles of Political Economy +In their Application to the Present Problems of +Labor, Law, and the Liquor Traffic.</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="hanging">In a broad, philosophic, and patriotic spirit +the author seeks to apply, in this volume, +the accepted principles of Political Economy, +as to Production and Wealth, Consumption +and Waste.</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>"A book which contains very much of great value."—<cite>Herald +and Presbyter</cite>, Cincinnati.</p> + +<p>"The argument is impressive, and well buttressed with +statistics and apt citations."—<cite>The Watchman</cite>, Boston.</p> + +<p>"Dr. Hopkins contributes to the literature of political +economy a volume worth the attention of students and +thinkers."—<cite>Christian Herald.</cite></p> + +<p>"Dr. Hopkins brings thorough preparation to this +work on the particular line of reform in which he has +labored."—<cite>Christian Observer</cite>, Louisville.</p> + +<p>"Unquestionably the ablest book upon Political Economy +in its various relations which has been put upon the +market."—<cite>Herald of the Coming One</cite>, Boston.</p> + +<p>"Dr. A. A. Hopkins's 'Wealth and Waste' will prove +itself one of the most effective contributions to the +literature of reform."—<cite>Western Christian Advocate.</cite></p> + +<p>"It is a book both for scholars and students and plain +laboring men, with clear, concise definitions and practical +illustrations for all these classes."—<cite>The Religious +Herald</cite>, Hartford, Conn.</p> + +<p>"Unique, fascinating, and suggestive.... No one +assuming the attitude of a reformer can fail of being +quickened in his great work by an earnest review of the +book."—<cite>Baltimore Methodist.</cite></p> + +<p>"The incisive mind and rare culture of Professor Hopkins +have never been more signally set forth than in his +new book entitled 'Wealth and Waste.' It comes as a +much needed reinforcement to the literature of the temperance +propaganda."—<cite>Frances E. Willard.</cite></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center">12mo, Cloth, 286 pp.——Price, $1.00.</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"> +<strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers</strong>,<br /> +<strong>NEW YORK and LONDON</strong> +</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234"> </a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 324px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage2.jpg" width="324" height="600" alt="ad page 2" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center"><em><strong>"Ranks Next to a Concordance."—SPURGEON.</strong></em></p> + +<p class="center b15"><strong>Biblical Lights +and Side Lights</strong></p> + +<p class="hanging">A cyclopedia of ten thousand illustrations and +thirty thousand cross-references, consisting +of fact, incident, and remarkable declarations +taken from the Bible; for the use of +those in every profession who, for illustrative +purpose, desire ready access to the +numerous incidents and striking statements +contained in the Bible, students, teachers, +public speakers, lawyers, ministers, and +others, as also for the family library. Prepared +by Rev. Charles E. Little (author +of "Historical Lights," etc.).</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>Royal 8vo, 620 pp. Price, Cloth, $4.00;<br /> +Library Sheep, $5.50.</strong></p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>"'Biblical Lights and Side Lights' is a specially +useful book.... It ranks next to a concordance.... +Mr. Little's work is a great success."—<em>Rev. C. H. +Spurgeon.</em></p> + +<p>"We have never seen a work on Bible reference so +thoroughly systematized.... Admirably arranged.... +<strong>Topics are taken from the demands of religion, +philosophy, science, art, social life, and +politics.... Has great value for educated persons +in every calling.</strong>"—<cite>National Baptist, Phila.</cite></p> + +<p>"'Biblical Lights' may be welcomed to a place +among the very useful books which few can afford +to put aside."—<cite>Presbyterian Review.</cite></p> + +<p>"Will unquestionably prove a mine of information +and of illustration."—<cite>Observer, N. Y.</cite></p> + +<p>"A work of great solidity and merit."—<cite>Lutheran +Church Review, Philadelphia.</cite></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON</strong></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235"> </a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 329px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage3.jpg" width="322" height="600" alt="ad page 3" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<blockquote> + +<p><em>The Outlook (Edited by Lyman Abbott., D.D., +successor to Henry Ward Beecher as pastor of Plymouth +Church, Brooklyn, New York):</em> "It is with the aspect +of Mr. Beecher as a reformer, rather than as a theologian, +author, or preacher, that Mr. Barrows deals.... +It gives the story of Mr. Beecher's life in less space +and in handier form than any other volume with which +we are acquainted."</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center b15">Henry Ward Beecher</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>THE SHAKESPEARE<br /> +OF THE PULPIT</strong></p> + +<p class="center"><strong>By JOHN HENRY BARROWS.</strong></p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>12mo, Cloth; 557 pp.; With Portrait. Price, +$1.50. Post-free.</strong></p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p>The certified points of merits of this work conclusively +place it foremost as the standard popular +biography of Henry Ward Beecher.</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>"<strong>Altogether it is</strong> a valued contribution to Beecher +literature."—<strong><cite>New York Herald.</cite></strong></p> + + + +<p>"<strong>It will give</strong> to many a far better and truer conception +of Mr. Beecher than they before possessed."—<strong><cite>Christian +Inquirer,</cite></strong> New York.</p> + +<p>"<strong>All in all</strong> it is the best summing up of the life and +character of this great preacher and orator that I have +ever read."—<strong><em>Hon. Nelson Dingley,</em></strong> Washington, +D. C.</p> + +<p>"<strong>I am especially pleased</strong> with the chapters relating +to the famous trial. The subject is handled very +delicately, and at the same time thoroughly vindicates +the pastor of Plymouth Church from all intentional +wrong doing."—<strong><em>Francis M. Clark, D.D., Pres. +Soc. of Christian Endeavor,</em> Boston.</strong></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON</strong></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236"> </a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 327px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage4.jpg" width="321" height="600" alt="ad page 4" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="center">"A well written biography."—<cite><strong>New York Sun.</strong></cite></p> + +<p class="center">"Lucid and sympathetic."—<cite><strong>New York Tribune.</strong></cite></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center b15"><strong>William E. Dodge</strong></p> + +<p class="center">THE CHRISTIAN MERCHANT</p> + +<p class="center">By CARLOS MARTYN</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>12mo, Cloth; 349 pp.; With Portrait. Price,<br /> +$1.50. Post-free.</strong></p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p>This biography of one of New York's most successful +merchants, whose public acts gave him a national +reputation, is largely interspersed with the history of +events happening in the stirring times of his greatest +activity.</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>"<strong>Such books as these</strong> are of incalculable value +to the young, and an inspiration to all who are seeking +to do good as well as get gain in this world."—<strong><cite>The +Gospel Banner</cite></strong>, Augusta, Me.</p> + +<p>"<strong>The Editor</strong> has handled his subject in so able a +manner that the reader is entranced, and is carried on +and on until with a sigh of regret the book is laid +down."—<cite><strong>The Chicago Herald.</strong></cite></p> + +<p>"<strong>Many of the passages</strong> are taken from the lectures +and speeches delivered by him in his lifetime +which give a vivid impression of the home, business, +and public life of the great merchant and philanthropist."—<cite><strong>The +Plaindealer</strong></cite>, Cleveland, Ohio.</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON</strong></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 330px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage5.jpg" width="325" height="600" alt="ad page 5" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237"> </a></span></p> + +<blockquote> + +<p><cite><strong>The Commercial Gazette</strong></cite>, Cincinnati, says: +"This volume contains considerable matter never +before published, is full of fascinating reading, and is +of inestimable historic value."</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center b15"><strong>John Brown<br /> +And His Men</strong></p> + +<p class="center s08">WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE ROADS THEY TRAVELED<br /> +TO REACH HARPER'S FERRY.</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>By COL. RICHARD J. HINTON,</strong><br /> +A Contemporary of John Brown.</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>12mo, Cloth; 752 pp.; 22 Portraits. Price,<br /> +$1.50. Post-free.</strong></p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p>In an Appendix are given the principal and more +important documents prepared by John Brown, or +relating directly to the enterprises against American +slavery in which he was actively engaged; also a +copious Index to the volume.</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>EXTRACTS FROM A COUPLE OF LETTERS.</strong></p> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="sig"> +<span class="smcap">Anacostia, D. C., Cedar Hill,</span> Feb. 11, 1895. +</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">My Dear Colonel Hinton:</span></p> + +<p>Your History of the raid upon Harper's Ferry, by +John Brown and his men, leaves nothing in that line +to be desired.... You were in the center of the +circle, and hence have had an inside view of the whole +transaction. You have done for John Brown and his +men, and for the truth of history, a magnificent +service.</p> +<p class="sig"><em><strong>Frederick Douglass.</strong></em></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="sig"> +Feb. 14, 1895. +</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">My Dear Colonel Hinton:</span></p> + +<p>Your work on 'John Brown and His Men' is most +strongly and vividly done. In fact, wherever I open +the book, I find it alive with the undying interest of +the greatest hour of our history. Perhaps mankind +must yet make another struggle; but so far Brown +remains the hero of the supreme endeavor for freedom, +and this is what you make your readers feel, without +weakening any fact concerning him.</p> + +<p class="sig"><em><strong>William Dean Howells.</strong></em></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON</strong></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238"> </a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 335px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage6.jpg" width="335" height="600" alt="ad page 6" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center b13">Who Wrote the Hymns we Love so Well?</p> + +<p class="center">CONSULT</p> + +<p class="center b15"><strong><span class="smcap">English Hymns;</span></strong></p> + +<p class="center">THEIR</p> + +<p class="center"><em>AUTHORS and HISTORY</em></p> + +<p class="center"><strong>By REV. SAMUEL W. DUFFIELD.</strong></p> + +<p class="center">8vo, 675 pp., Cloth, Price, $3.00, Postpaid.</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p>It cites in alphabetical order the first lines +of over <em><strong>1,500 hymns</strong></em>. Under each is given +a brief biographical sketch of the author, circumstances +attending its composition, and incidents +in connection with its use. Exhaustive +indexes to authors, to first lines, and to topics, +are appended. To Leaders of Praise-meetings, +Sunday-school Teachers, Parents, Pastors, and +the general hymn-loving public, it will be +found invaluable. The selection of hymns has +been made with great care, and only well-authenticated +incidents are given. American +as well as English hymnology has been drawn +upon. Honey has been gathered from the +choicest flowers of the garden.</p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>REPRESENTATIVE OPINIONS.</strong></p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>"It pleases me altogether. It is full of information, +ranging from positive erudition down to +racy anecdote."—<em>Charles S. Robinson, D.D.</em></p> + +<p>"This is by far the most complete, accurate, and +thorough work of its kind on either side of the +Atlantic."—<em>Theodore L. Cuyler, D.D.</em></p> + +<p>"Bears evidence of immense research and years +of labor.... The full and admirable sketch of the +author of 'Lead, Kindly Light,' is worth the cost of +the book."—<em>Hon. Edwards Pierrepont.</em></p> + +<p>"A noble volume; a monument to the author's +tact, learning, and faithful industry."—E. C. Stedman.</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON</strong></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239"> </a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 322px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage7.jpg" width="322" height="600" alt="ad page 7" /> +</div> +<blockquote> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center"><strong><em>"Should reach its hundred-thousandth +edition."—Chicago Journal.</em></strong></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center b15"><strong>Ethics of Marriage</strong></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="bb"><strong>A Most Valuable Book</strong></span></p> + +<p class="hanging">By H. S. Pomeroy, M.D. Prefatory note by Thos. +Addis Emmet, M.S., LL.D., and introduction by +Rev. J. T. Duryea, D.D., Boston. With an Appendix +showing the laws of most of the States and +Territories regarding certain forms of crime.</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>12mo, Cloth, 197 pp., Price, $1.00,<br /> + +POSTAGE FREE.</strong></p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>"To the earnest man and woman everywhere, who +has watched the reckless manner in which marriages +are contracted, the wicked way in which responsibilities +are shifted and ignored, and the slow and sure +defilement of society because the criminal classes are +allowed to propagate their vile species, while Christian +households and moral parents ignore their duty +to this and to the next world, this book is almost like +a voice from Heaven. Should reach its hundred-thousandth +edition."—<cite>Chicago Journal.</cite></p> + +<p>"It deserves to lie alongside the Bible in the +foundation of each home."—<em>Rev. O. P. Gifford, +Boston.</em></p> + +<p>"I have read your book with deep interest and +heartily concur in it.... May God bless your +words."—<em>Elizabeth A. Tobey, Pres. Mass. W. C. T. U.</em></p> + +<p>"A subject of great delicacy and yet commanding +present importance is treated with the utmost propriety +of tone and expression; with adequate knowledge, +both theoretical and practical; with unflinching +thoroughness and courage in the exposure of the +evil, and with a reformatory purpose worthy of both +the man of science and the Christian."—<em>Rev. Joseph +Cook.</em></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON</strong></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240"> </a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 340px;"> +<img src="images/i_adpage8.jpg" width="331" height="600" alt="ad page 8" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center b13"><em>A UNIQUE CYCLOPEDIA.</em></p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center b15">Historical Lights;</p> + +<p class="hanging">Or, Six Thousand Historical Articles, illustrating +Thirty Thousand Topics. Especially +arranged for the Family Library, +as also for Conversationalists, Lecturers, +Public Speakers, Writers for the Press, +Lawyers, Students, and all who have +occasion to use illustrations drawn from +History. Compiled by <span class="smcap">Rev. Charles E. +Little</span>, author of "Biblical Lights and +Side-lights."</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>"These 'Lights' are a galaxy taken exclusively +from standard Histories and Biographies. +They consist of Facts, Incidents, Examples and +Precedents, selected for illustrative purposes, +and chiefly from the Civilized Races of Antiquity +and the American and English people. The Subjects +relate to Religious, Social, and Political +Life, to Moral and Civil Government, etc. The +historian's name is appended to every quotation. +<em>There are no fugitive anecdotes in the work.</em>"</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">Complete in one volume, 8vo, 900 pages.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="antiqua">Prices, Cloth, $5; Sheep, $6.50; transportation free.</span></p> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="center">Peculiar Value of the Work:</p> + +<p>It is unique in design—no other publication occupying +this field in literature. It meets a want +common to the large class who desire ready access +to historical precedents, examples and incidents. +It furnishes a mass of choice illustrations +drawn from History, which are immensely +more valuable than statements, anecdotes or incidents +which cannot be vouched for.</p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">———</p> + +<p class="center"><strong>FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON</strong></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Printed here by kind permission of Messrs. W. F. +Draper & Co., Andover Publishing House, Andover, +Mass.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Printed here by permission of the publishers, +Messrs. Wm. Blackwood & Sons.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> By permission of the publishers, Messrs. Longmans, +Green & Co.</p></div></div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div class="tn"><h3>Transcriber's note:</h3> +<p>Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. +Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as +printed.</p> + +<p>Missing page numbers are page numbers that were not shown in the +original text.</p> + +<p>Page 116: The transcriber has supplied the missing closing +bracket--"and Him crucified (when I was among the pupils of +Gamaliel, all of whom despised my chosen theme)".</p> + +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The World's Great Sermons, Volume 5: +Guthrie to Mozley, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WORLD'S GREAT SERMONS, VOL 5 *** + +***** This file should be named 44420-h.htm or 44420-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/4/2/44420/ + +Produced by Júlio Reis, Moisés S. Gomes, Julia Neufeld and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/old/44420-h/images/coverpage.jpg b/old/44420-h/images/coverpage.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e89a7e5 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44420-h/images/coverpage.jpg diff --git a/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage1.jpg b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage1.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ba4ff8b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage1.jpg diff --git a/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage2.jpg b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage2.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2e37037 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage2.jpg diff --git a/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage3.jpg b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage3.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..224332f --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage3.jpg diff --git a/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage4.jpg b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage4.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f8c7e83 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage4.jpg diff --git a/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage5.jpg b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage5.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..17a424e --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage5.jpg diff --git a/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage6.jpg b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage6.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c4796e5 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage6.jpg diff --git a/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage7.jpg b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage7.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b2dc8cb --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage7.jpg diff --git a/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage8.jpg b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage8.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a09edd2 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44420-h/images/i_adpage8.jpg diff --git a/old/44420.txt b/old/44420.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1cc05b2 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44420.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5898 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The World's Great Sermons, Volume 5: +Guthrie to Mozley, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The World's Great Sermons, Volume 5: Guthrie to Mozley + +Author: Various + +Release Date: December 14, 2013 [EBook #44420] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WORLD'S GREAT SERMONS, VOL 5 *** + + + + +Produced by Julio Reis, Moises S. Gomes, Julia Neufeld and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). + +Text enclosed by equal signs is in bold (=bold=). + +Small capital text has been replaced with all capitals. + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: cover] + + + + + _The World's Great Sermons_ + + VOLUME V + + GUTHRIE TO MOZLEY + + THE + WORLD'S + GREAT + SERMONS + + COMPILED BY + + GRENVILLE KLEISER + + Formerly of Yale Divinity School Faculty; + Author of "How to Speak + in Public," Etc. + + With Assistance from Many of the Foremost + Living Preachers and Other Theologians + + INTRODUCTION BY + + LEWIS O. BRASTOW, D.D. + + Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology + in Yale University + + IN TEN VOLUMES + + VOLUME V--GUTHRIE TO MOZLEY + + FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY + NEW YORK and LONDON + + COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY + FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY + _Printed in the United States of America_ + + + + +CONTENTS + + +VOLUME V + + GUTHRIE (1803-1873). _Page_ + The New Heart 1 + + MAURICE (1805-1872). + The Valley of Dry Bones 23 + + MARTINEAU (1805-1900). + Parting Words 45 + + MANNING (1808-1892). + The Triumph of the Church 61 + + PARK (1808-1900). + The Prominence of the Atonement 87 + + SIMPSON (1810-1884). + The Resurrection of Our Lord 119 + + THEODORE PARKER (1810-1860). + The Transient and Permanent in + Christianity 147 + + MACLEOD (1812-1872). + The True Christian Ministry 177 + + MOZLEY (1813-1878). + The Reversal of Human Judgment 205 + + + + +GUTHRIE + +THE NEW HEART + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + +THOMAS GUTHRIE, preacher, philanthropist, and social reformer, was +born at Brechin, Forfarshire, Scotland, in 1803. He spent ten years +at the University of Edinburgh and was licensed to preach by the +Presbytery of Brechin in 1825. In 1830 he was ordained minister of +Arbirlot. After a valuable experience in evangelical preaching among +the farmers, weavers and peasants of his congregation, he became one +of the ministers of Old Greyfriars Church, Edinburgh, in 1827. Lord +Cockburn described his sermons in that city as appealing equally +"to the poor woman on the steps of the pulpit" as to the "stranger +attracted solely by his eloquence." He was a great temperance +advocate, becoming a total abstainer in 1844, and has been styled +"the apostle of the ragged school movement." Retiring from the +active work of the ministry in 1864, he still remained in public +life until he died in 1873. Through long practise, Dr. Guthrie +delivered his memorized discourses as tho they fell spontaneously +from his lips. His voice has been described as powerful and musical. +He was fond of vivid illustration, and even on his death bed, as +he lay dying in the arms of his sons, he exclaimed: "I am just as +helpless in your arms now as you once were in mine." + + + + +GUTHRIE + +1803-1873 + +THE NEW HEART + +_A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put +within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, +and I will give you an heart of flesh._--Ezekiel xxxvi., 26. + + +As in a machine where the parts all fit each other, and, bathed in +oil, move without din or discord, the most perfect harmony reigns +throughout the kingdom of grace. Jesus Christ is the "wisdom," as +well as the "power" of God; nor in this kingdom is anything found +corresponding to the anomalies and incongruities of the world lying +without. There we sometimes see a high station disgraced by a man of +low habits; while others are doomed to an inferior condition, who +would shine like gilded ornaments on the very pinnacles of society. +That beautiful congruity in Christ's kingdom is secured by those who +are the objects of saving mercy being so renewed and sanctified that +their nature is in harmony with their position, and the man within +corresponds to all without. + +Observe how this property of "new" runs through the whole economy +of grace. When mercy first rose upon this world, an attribute of +Divinity appeared which was new to the eyes of men and angels. +Again, the Savior was born of a virgin; and He who came forth from a +womb where no child had been previously conceived, was sepulchered +in a tomb where no man had been previously interred. The infant had +a new birthplace, the crucified had a new burial-place. Again, Jesus +is the mediator of a new covenant, the author of a new testament, +the founder of a new faith. Again, the redeemed receive a new name; +they sing a new song; their home is not to be in the old, but in +the new, Jerusalem, where they shall dwell on a new earth, and walk +in glory beneath a new heaven. Now it were surely strange, when +all things else are new, if they themselves were not to partake of +this general renovation. Nor strange only, for such a change is +indispensable. A new name without a new nature were an imposture. +It were not more an untruth to call a lion a lamb, or the rapacious +vulture by the name of the gentle dove, than to give the title of +sons of God to the venomous seed of the serpent. + +Then, again, unless man received a new nature, how could he sing the +new song? The raven, perched on the rock, where she whets her bloody +beak, and impatiently watches the dying struggles of some unhappy +lamb can not tune her croaking voice to the rich, mellow music of a +thrush; and, since it is out of the abundance of the heart that the +mouth speaketh, how could a sinner take up the strain and sing the +song of saints? Besides, unless a man were a new creature, he were +out of place in the new creation. In circumstances neither adapted +to his nature, nor fitted to minister to his happiness, a sinner +in heaven would find himself as much out of his element as a finny +inhabitant of the deep, or a sightless burrower in the soil, beside +an eagle, soaring in the sky, or surveying her wide domain from the +mountain crag. + +In the works of God we see nothing more beautiful than the divine +skill with which He suits His creatures to their condition. He +gives wings to birds, fins to fishes, sails to the thistle-seed, a +lamp to light the glowworm, great roots to moor the cedar, and to +the aspiring ivy her thousand hands to climb the wall. Nor is the +wisdom so conspicuous in nature, less remarkable and adorable in the +kingdom of grace. He forms a holy people for a holy heaven--fits +heaven for them, and them for heaven. And calling up His Son to +prepare the mansions for their tenants, and sending down His Spirit +to prepare the tenants for their mansions, He thus establishes a +perfect harmony between the new creature and the new creation. + +You can not have two hearts beating in the same bosom, else you +would be, not a man, but a monster. Therefore, the very first thing +to be done, in order to make things new, is just to take that which +is old out of the way. And the taking away of the old heart is, +after all, but a preparatory process. It is a means, but not the +end. For, strange as it may at first sound, he is not religious who +is without sin. A dead man is without sin; and he is sinless, who +lies buried in dreamless slumber, so long as his eyes are sealed. +Now, God requires more than a negative religion. Piety, like fire, +light, electricity, magnetism, is an active, not a passive element; +it has a positive, not merely a negative existence. For how is pure +and undefiled religion defined? "Pure religion and undefiled is to +visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction." And on whom +does Jesus pronounce His beatitude? "If ye know these things, happy +are ye if ye do them." And what is the sum of practical piety--the +most portable form in which you can put an answer to Saul's +question, "Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do?" What but this, +"Depart from evil, and do good." Therefore, while God promises to +take the stony heart out of our flesh, He promises more. In taking +away one heart, He engages to supply us with another; and to this +further change and onward stage in the process of redemption, I now +proceed to turn your attention. + +By way of general observation, I remark that our affections are +engaged in religion. An oak--not as it stands choked up in the +crowded wood, with room neither to spread nor breathe, but as it +stands in the open field, swelling out below where it anchors its +roots in the ground, and swelling out above where it stretches +its arms into the air,--presents us with the most perfect form of +firmness, self-support, stout and sturdy independence. So perfectly +formed, indeed, is the monarch of the forest to stand alone, and +fight its own battles with the elements, that the architect of +the Bell Rock lighthouse is said to have borrowed his idea of its +form from God in nature, and that, copying the work of a divine +Architect, he took the trunk of the oak as the model of a building +which was to stand the blast of the storm, and the swell of the +winter seas. + +Observe, that although the state of the natural affections does +not furnish any certain evidence of conversion, it is the glory +of piety that these are strengthened, elevated, sanctified by the +change. The lover of God will be the kindest, best, wisest lover +of his fellow-creatures. The heart that has room in it for God, +grows so large, that it finds room for all God's train, for all +that He loves, and for all that He has made; so that the Church, +with all its denominations of true Christians, the world, with all +its perishing sinners, nay, all the worlds which He has created, +find orbit-room to move, as in an expansive universe, within the +capacious enlargement of a believer's heart. For while the love of +sin acts as an astringent--contracting the dimensions of the natural +heart, shutting and shriveling it up--the love of God expands and +enlarges its capacity. Piety quickens the pulse of love, warms and +strengthens our heart, and sends forth fuller streams of natural +affection toward all that have a claim on us, just as a strong and +healthy heart sends tides of blood along the elastic arteries to +every extremity of the body. + +This new heart, however, mainly consists in a change of the +affections as they regard spiritual objects. Without again traveling +over ground which we have already surveyed, just look at the heart +and feelings of an unconverted man. His mind being carnal, is enmity +or hatred against God. This may be latent, not at first sight +apparent, nor suspected, but how soon does it appear when put to the +proof? Fairly tried, it comes out like those unseen elements which +chemical tests reveal. Let God, for instance, by His providences or +laws, thwart the wishes or cross the propensities of our unrenewed +nature--let there be a collision between His will and ours--and the +latent enmity flashes out like latent fire when the cold black flint +is struck with steel. + +In conversion God gives a new spirit. Conversion does not bestow +new faculties. It does not turn a weak man into a philosopher. +Yet, along with our affections, the temper, the will, the judgment +partake of this great and holy change. Thus, while the heart ceases +to be dead, the head, illuminated by a light within, ceases to be +dark; the understanding is enlightened; the will is renewed; and our +whole temper is sweetened and sanctified by the Spirit of God. To +consider these in their order, I remark-- + +By this change the understanding and judgment are enlightened. +Sin is the greatest folly, and the sinner the greatest fool in +the world. There is no such madness in the most fitful lunacy. +Think of a man risking eternity and his everlasting happiness on +the uncertain chance of surviving another year. Think of a man +purchasing a momentary pleasure at the cost of endless pain. Think +of a dying man living as if he were never to die. Is there a convert +to God who looks back upon his unconverted state, and does not say +with David, "Lord, I was as a beast before Thee." + +Now conversion not only restores God to the heart, but reason +also to her throne. Time and eternity are now seen in their just +proportions--in their right relative dimensions; the one in its +littleness, and the other in its greatness. When the light of heaven +rises on the soul, what grand discoveries does she make--of the +exceeding evil of sin, of the holiness of the divine law, of the +infinite purity of divine justice, of the grace and greatness of +divine love. On Sinai's summit and on Calvary's cross, what new, +sublime, affecting scenes open on her astonished eyes! She now, as +by one convulsive bound, leaps to the conclusion that salvation is +the one thing needful, and that if a man will give all he hath for +the life that now is, much more should he part with all for the life +to come. The Savior and Satan, the soul and body, holiness and sin, +have competing claims. Between these reason now holds the balance +even, and man finds, in the visit of converting grace, what the +demoniac found in Jesus' advent. The man whose dwelling was among +the tombs, whom no chains could bind, is seated at the feet of +Jesus, "clothed, and in his right mind." + +By this change the will is renewed. Bad men are worse, and good men +are better than they appear. In conversion the will is so changed +and sanctified, that altho a pious man is in some respects less, +in other respects he is more holy than the world gives him credit +for. The attainments of a believer are always beneath his aims; his +desires are nobler than his deeds; his wishes are holier than his +works. Give other men their will, full swing to their passions, and +they would be worse than they are; give that to him, and he would be +better than he is. And if you have experienced the gracious change, +it will be your daily grief that you are not what you not only know +you should be, but what you wish to be. To be complaining with +Paul, "When I would do good, evil is present with me; that which I +would I do not, and what I would not, that I do," is one of the best +evidences of a gracious, saving change. + +Children of God! let not your souls be cast down. This struggle +between the new will and the old man--painful and prolonged altho +it be--proves beyond all doubt the advent of the Holy Spirit. Until +the Savior appeared there was no sword drawn, nor blood shed in +Bethlehem, nor murderous decree issued against its innocents--they +slept safely in their mothers' bosoms, Herod enjoyed his security +and pleasure, and Rachel rose not from her grave to weep for her +children because they were not. Christ's coming rouses all the +devil in the soul. The fruits of holy peace are reaped with swords +on the fields of war; and this struggle within your breast proves +that grace, even in its infancy a cradled Savior, is engaged in +strangling the old Serpent. When the shadow of calamity falls on +many homes, and the tidings of victory come with sad news to many +a family, and the brave are lying thick in the deadly breach, men +comfort us by saying, that there are things worse than war. That is +emphatically true of this holy war. Rejoice that the peace of death +is gone. + +By conversion the temper and disposition are changed and sanctified. +Christians are occasionally to be found with a tone of mind and a +temper as little calculated to recommend their faith as to promote +their happiness. I believe that there are cases in which this is +due to a deranged condition of the nervous system, or the presence +of disease in some other vital organ. These unhappy persons are +more deserving of our pity than our censure. This is not only the +judgment of Christian charity, but of sound philosophy, and is a +conclusion to which we are conducted in studying the union between +mind and body, and the manner in which they act and re-act upon each +other. So long as grace dwells in a "vile body," which is the seat +of frequent disorder and many diseases--these infirmities of temper +admit no more, perhaps, of being entirely removed, than a defect of +speech, or any physical deformity. The good temper for which some +take credit may be the result of good health and a well-developed +frame--a physical more than a moral virtue; and an ill temper, +springing from bad health, or an imperfect organization, may be a +physical rather than a moral defect--giving its victim a claim on +our charity and forbearance. But, admitting this apology for the +unhappy tone and temper of some pious men, the true Christian will +bitterly bewail his defect, and, regretting his infirmity more than +others do a deformity, he will carefully guard and earnestly pray +against it. Considering it as a thorn in his flesh, a messenger +of Satan sent to buffet him, it will often send him to his knees +in prayer to God, that the grace which conquers nature may be made +"sufficient for him." + +I pray you to cultivate the temper that was in Jesus Christ. Is he +like a follower of the Lamb who is raging like a roaring lion? Is +he like a pardoned criminal who sits moping with a cloud upon his +brow? Is he like an heir of heaven, like a man destined to a crown, +who is vexed and fretted with some petty loss? Is he like one in +whose bosom the dove of heaven is nestling, who is full of all +manner of bile and bitterness? Oh, let the same mind be in you that +was in Jesus. A kind, catholic, gentle, loving temper is one of the +most winning features of religion; and by its silent and softening +influence you will do more real service to Christianity than by +the loudest professions, or the exhibition of a cold and skeleton +orthodoxy. Let it appear in you, that it is with the believer under +the influence of the Spirit as with fruit ripened beneath the genial +influences of heaven's dews and sunbeams. At first hard, it grows +soft; at first sour, it becomes sweet; at first green, it assumes +in time a rich and mellow color; at first adhering tenaciously to +the tree, when it becomes ripe, it is ready to drop at the slightest +touch. So with the man who is ripening for heaven. His affections +and temper grow sweet, soft, mellow, loose from earth and earthly +things. He comes away readily to the hand of death, and leaves the +world without a wrench. + +In conversion God gives a heart of flesh. "I will give you a heart +of flesh." + +Near by a stone, a mass of rock that had fallen from the overhanging +crag, which had some wild flowers growing in its fissures, and +on its top the foxglove, with its spike of beautiful but deadly +flowers, we once came upon an adder as it lay in ribbon coil, +basking on the sunny ground. At our approach the reptile stirred, +uncoiled itself, and raising its venomous head, with eyes like +burning coals, it shook its cloven tongue, and, hissing, gave +signs of battle. Attacked, it retreated; and, making for that gray +stone, wormed itself into a hole in its side. Its nest and home +were there. And in looking on that shattered rock--fallen from its +primeval elevation--with its flowery but fatal charms, the home +and nest of the adder, where nothing grew but poisoned beauty, and +nothing dwelt but a poisoned brood, it seemed to us an emblem of +that heart which the text describes as a stone, which experience +proves is a habitation of devils, and which the prophet pronounces +to be desperately wicked. I have already explained why the heart +is described as a stone. It is cold as a stone; hard as a stone; +dead and insensible as a stone. Now, as by the term "flesh" we +understand qualities the very opposite of these, I therefore remark +that-- + +In conversion a man gets a warm heart. + +Let us restrict ourselves to a single example. When faith receives +the Savior, how does the heart warm to Jesus Christ! There is music +in His name. "His name is an ointment poured forth." All the old +indifference to His cause, His people, and the interests of His +kingdom, has passed away; and now these have the warmest place in a +believer's bosom, and are the object of its strongest and tenderest +affections. The only place, alas! that religion has in the hearts +of many is a burial-place; but the believer can say with Paul, +"Christ liveth in me." Nor is his heart like the cottage of Bethany, +favored only with occasional visits. Jesus abides there in the +double character of guest and master, its most loving and best loved +inmate; and there is a difference as great between that heart as it +is, and that heart as it was, as between the warm bosom where the +Infant slept or smiled in Mary's arms and the dark, cold sepulcher +where weeping followers laid and left the Crucified. + +Is there such a heart in you? Do you appreciate Christ's matchless +excellences? Having cast away every sin to embrace him, do you set +him above your chiefest joy? Would you leave father, mother, wife, +children, to follow Him, with bleeding feet, over life's roughest +path? Rather than part with Him, would you part with a thousand +worlds? Were He now on earth, would you leave a throne to stoop +and tie His latchet? If I might so speak, would you be proud to +carry His shoes? Then, indeed, you have got the new, warm heart +of flesh. The new love of Christ, and the old love of the world, +may still meet in opposing currents; but in the war and strife of +these antagonistic principles, the celestial shall overpower the +terrestrial, as, at the river's mouth, I have seen the ocean tide, +when it came rolling in with a thousand billows at its back, fill +all the channel, carry all before its conquering swell, dam up the +fresh water of the land, and drive it back with resistless power. + +In conversion a man gets a soft heart. + +As "flesh," it is soft and sensitive. It is flesh, and can be +wounded or healed. It is flesh, and feels alike the kiss of kindness +and the rod of correction. It is flesh; and no longer a stone, +hard, obdurate, impenetrable to the genial influences of heaven. +A hard block of ice, it has yielded to the beams of the sun, and +been melted into flowing water. How are you moved now, stirred now, +quickened now, sanctified now, by truths once felt no more than +dews falling out of starry heavens, in soft silence upon rugged +rock. The heart of grace is endowed with a delicate sensibility, and +vibrates to the slightest touch of a Savior's fingers. How does the +truth of God affect it now! A stone no longer, it melts under the +heavenly fire--a stone no longer, it bends beneath the hammer of the +word; no longer like the rugged rock, on which rains and sunbeams +were wasted, it receives the impression of God's power, and retains +the footprints of His presence. Like the flowers that close their +eyes at night, but waken at the voice of morning, like the earth +that gapes in summer drought, the new heart opens to receive the +bounties of grace and the gifts of heaven. Have you experienced such +a change? In proof and evidence of its reality, is David's language +yours--"I have stretched out my hands unto thee. My soul thirsteth +after thee as a thirsty land"? + +In conversion a man gets a living heart. + +The perfection of this life is death--it is dead to be sin, but +alive to righteousness, alive to Christ, alive to everything which +touches His honor, and crown, and kingdom. With Christ living in +his heart, the believer feels that now he is not himself, not his +own; and, as another's, the grand object of his life is to live to +Christ. He reckons him an object worth living for, had he a thousand +lives to live; worth dying for, had he a thousand deaths to die. He +says with Paul, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live." +In the highest sense alive, he is dead, dead to things he was once +alive to; and he wishes that he were more dead to them, thoroughly +dead. He wishes that he could look on the seductions of the world, +and sin's voluptuous charms, with the cold, unmoved stare of death, +and that these had no more power to kindle a desire in him than in +the icy bosom of a corpse. "Understandest thou what thou readest?" + +It is a mark of grace that the believer, in his progress heavenward, +grows more and more alive to the claims of Jesus. If you "know the +love of Christ," His is the latest name you will desire to utter; +His is the latest thought you will desire to form; upon Him you will +fix your last look on earth; upon Him your first in heaven. When +memory is oblivious of all other objects--when all that attracted +the natural eye is wrapt in the mists of death, when the tongue is +cleaving to the roof of our mouth, and speech is gone, and sight is +gone, and hearing gone, and the right hand, lying powerless by our +side, has lost its cunning, Jesus! then may we remember Thee! If the +shadows of death are to be thrown in deepest darkness on the valley, +when we are passing along it to glory, may it be ours to die like +that saint, beside whose bed wife and children once stood, weeping +over the wreck of faded faculties, and a blank, departed memory. One +had asked him, "Father, do you remember me?" and received no answer; +and another, and another, but still no answer. And then, all making +way for the venerable companion of a long and loving pilgrimage--the +tender partner of many a past joy and sorrow, his wife draws near. +She bends over him, and as her tears fall thick upon his face, she +cries, "Do you not remember me?" A stare, but it is vacant. There +is no soul in that filmy eye; and the seal of death lies upon these +lips. The sun is down, and life's brief twilight is darkening fast +into a starless night. At this moment, one calm enough to remember +how the love of Christ's spouse is "strong as death," a love that +"many waters can not quench," stooped to his ear, and said, "Do +you remember Jesus Christ?" The word was no sooner uttered than it +seemed to recall the spirit, hovering for a moment, ere it took +wing to heaven. Touched as by an electric influence, the heart beat +once more to the name of Jesus; the features, fixt in death, relax; +the countenance, dark in death, flushes up like the last gleam of +day; and, with a smile in which the soul passed away to glory, he +replied, "Remember Jesus Christ! dear Jesus Christ! He is all my +salvation, and all my desire." + +By conversion man is ennobled. + +While infidelity regards man as a mere animal, to be dissolved at +death into ashes and air, and vice changes man into a brute or +devil, Mammon enslaves him. She makes him a serf, and condemns him +to be a gold-digger for life in the mines. She puts her collar +on his neck, and locks it; and bending his head to the soil, and +bathing his brow in sweat, she says, Toil, toil, toil; as if this +creature, originally made in the image of God, this dethroned and +exiled monarch, to save whom the Son of God descended from the +skies, and bled on Calvary, were a living machine, constructed of +sinew, bone, and muscle, and made for no higher end than to work to +live, and live to work. + +Contrast with these the benign aspect in which the gospel looks +on man. Religion descends from heaven to break our chains. She +alone raises me from degradation, and bids me lift my drooping +head, and look up to heaven. Yes; it is that very gospel which by +some is supposed to present such dark, degrading, gloomy views of +man and his destiny, which lifts me from the dust to set me among +princes--on a level with angels--in a sense above them. To say +nothing of the divine nobility grace imparts to a soul which is +stamped anew with the likeness and image of God, how sacred and +venerable does even this body appear in the eye of piety! No longer +a form of animated dust; no longer the subject of passions shared in +common with the brutes; no longer the drudge and slave of Mammon, +the once "vile body" rises into a temple of the Holy Ghost. Vile in +one sense it may be; yet what, although it be covered with sores? +What, although it be clothed in rags? What, although, in unseemly +decrepitude, it want its fair proportions? That poor, sickly, +shattered form is the casket of a precious jewel. This mean and +crumbling tabernacle lodges a guest nobler than palaces may boast +of; angels hover around its walls; the Spirit of God dwells within +it. What an incentive to holiness, to purity of life and conduct, +lies in the fact that the body of a saint is the temple of God, +a truer, nobler temple than that which Solomon dedicated by his +prayers, and Jesus consecrated His presence! In popish cathedrals, +where the light streamed through painted window, and the organ +pealed along lofty aisles, and candles gleamed on golden cups and +silver crosses, and incense floated in fragrant clouds, we have +seen the blinded worshiper uncover his head, drop reverently on his +knees, and raise his awestruck eye on the imposing spectacle; we +have seen him kiss the marble floor, and knew that sooner would he +be smitten dead upon that floor than be guilty of defiling it. How +does this devotee rebuke us! We wonder at his superstition; how may +he wonder at our profanity! Can we look on the lowly veneration he +expresses for an edifice which has been erected by some dead man's +genius, which holds but some image of a deified virgin, or bones of +a canonized saint, and which, proudly as it raises its cathedral +towers, time shall one day cast to the ground, and bury in the +dust; can we, I say, look on that, and, if sensible to rebuke, +not feel reproved by the spectacle? In how much more respect, in +how much holier veneration should we hold this body? The shrine +of immortality, and a temple dedicated to the Son of God, it is +consecrated by the presence of the Spirit--a living temple, over +whose porch the eye of piety reads what the finger of inspiration +has written: "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God +destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." + + + + +MAURICE + +THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + +FREDERICK DENISON MAURICE, English divine and author, was born in +1805. He was the son of a Unitarian clergyman, and after studying +in Cambridge began a literary career in London, where his friend +Coleridge and others persuaded him to take orders in the Church of +England. In 1836 he was appointed chaplain to Guy's Hospital. In +1840 he was elected professor of English literature and history +and in 1846 of divinity at King's College, London, but lost both +positions in 1853 because of his radical views. He was professor of +moral philosophy at Cambridge from 1860 until his death in 1872. + + + + +MAURICE + +1805-1872 + +THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES + +_The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit +of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was +full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about. And behold +there were very many in the open valley, and lo, they were very +dry. And he said unto me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I +answered, "O Lord God, thou knowest."_--EZEK. xxxvii., 1-3. + + +We are naturally curious to know whether two contemporary prophets +ever conversed with each other. In Micah we found such evident +indications of sympathy with the mind of Isaiah as warranted the +supposition that he was his pupil. I can not trace any signs of +a similar relation, or indeed of any personal relation, between +Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Tho they were passing through the same crisis; +tho they had both to witness the evils which were destroying their +nation; both to share its miseries; tho the false prophets were the +common enemies of both; yet their circumstances, their character, +and their work were entirely distinct, in some points even +contrasted. Their very differences, however, show us that they were +both alike prophets and priests. + +The Book of Lamentations exhibits the spirit of the individual man +Jeremiah more transparently than his longer book, which is so mixed +up with historical details, with anticipations of a ruin not yet +accomplished, with hopes, however faint and soon dispelled, of a +national repentance. Most of those whom the prophet had denounced +were banished or dead. Men could talk no more about the temple of +the Lord, could boast no more that the word of the Lord was with +them; the vessel which the potter was shaping had been broken to +pieces. The sadness of the prophet, which had been checked sometimes +by indignation, sometimes by the consciousness of a word which must +still be spoken, of a work which must be done, became complete and +absorbing. Heretofore his intense sympathy with his country might +seem to be qualified by his lively apprehension of its crimes; +now both feelings were blended into one. When he looked upon the +desolation of the city there sat upon his soul a weight of sorrow +and evil, as if he were representing his whole people, as if there +was no wrong which they had committed, no evil habits which they +had contracted, which did not cling to him, for which he was not +responsible. And this was no imaginary fictitious state of mind into +which he had worked himself. God had made him inwardly conscious of +the very corruptions which had destroyed the land. If he had made +any fight against them; if they did not actually overpower him and +enslave him, this was God's work and not his; the promise of the +covenant made with his fathers, which was as good for every one as +for himself, was fulfilled to him. And now he was realizing the full +effect of this discipline. The third chapter of the Lamentations, +beginning "I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of His +wrath," contains the climax of his experience. In the memorable +passages which follow, the history of a life is gathered up. "I +said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord; remembering +mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul +hath them still in remembrance. This I recall to mind, therefore +have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. +They are new every morning; great is thy faithlessness. The Lord is +my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord +is good unto them that wait for him. It is good that a man should +both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good +for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone and +keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him. He putteth his +mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope. He giveth his cheek to +him that smiteth him, he is filled full with reproach. The Lord will +not cast off for ever; but tho he cause grief, yet will he have +compassion according to the multitude of his mercies for he doth not +afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men." + +Anything more individual than these utterances it is impossible +to conceive; and yet it is just by these that one understands the +sacerdotal work to which Jeremiah was called. There was no longer +any temple. The priests as well as the princes had been for the most +part carried away by Nebuchadnezzar. But there was a man walking +about in the deserted city to which the twelve tribes had come +up,--in the midst of the ruins of the holy place into which the +sons of Aaron had gone with the memorial of their names on their +breastplates,--who really entered into the meaning of that function, +who really bore the iniquities of the children of Israel before the +Lord;--one to whom it was given to translate the ceremonies and +services of the divine house into life and reality. He had been +taught more perfectly, perhaps, than anyone who had served in the +temple, what was implied in its worship and sacrifices. He felt the +burden to which those sacrifices pointed, the burden of individual +and national sins. Yet, with that burden resting upon him, he could +enter into the presence of the Holy One of Israel. He was sure there +was a deliverance for his people as well as for himself; that there +could not be one for him if there was not also one for them. Thus +when part of his work was over, when he had nothing more to say in +the ears of kings or priests or people, this office,--which had been +so closely connected with his prophetical office, and which, if it +had depended upon outward conditions, must have been more entirely +at an end than that,--still remained in all its original power. And +the words of the prophet remained to explain to all generations the +spiritual character and acts of the priest. + +The office of the priest must have seemed to be more utterly extinct +for Ezekiel than even for Jeremiah. He was forcibly removed from +all the associations of the temple while it was yet standing. When +he was called to be a prophet to the captives by the river Chebar, +he might have supposed that the earlier designation which belonged +to him as one of the Levitical family, had been extinguished in +the later one. Yet we have seen how he was instructed, at the +very commencement of his work as a prophet, that the glory of +Him who filled the temple was surrounding him in Mesopotamia as +it surrounded him when he went up to present the morning or the +evening sacrifice in Jerusalem. Such a vision was given him of +that glory as he had never beheld in the holy place. He found that +the earth,--that common, profane, Babylonian earth upon which he +dwelt,--was filled with it. All the powers of nature, the forms of +animals, man as the highest of the animals, the motions and order +of the outward world and of human society, were pointing towards it. +And the central object, the highest object which he could behold, +tho there was an ineffable brightness beyond, was a Man upon a +throne, One who could command him, in whose name he was to go forth, +whose words he was to speak. + +This was no isolated revelation or dream. The very name which the +prophet thenceforth bore, the name by which he was to know himself, +depended upon it. "Son of man, stand upon thy feet and I will speak +unto thee," were the first words which he heard after he fell upon +his face. That great title is bestowed upon him through all the time +in which he was prophesying. It was in many ways more suitable to +him than to those who had gone before him. There was now no Hezekiah +or Josiah to represent the Divine king. The witnesses for the +kingdom seemed to be at an end. Nebuchadnezzar was the lord of the +earth. At such a time the natural position of the Jewish seer became +a human position. The Israelite's glory was to be a "Son of man." + +Yet he was not absolved from any of the obligations of the older +prophets; he was not to expect a more willing or attentive audience +among captives than they had found at home; briars, thorns would be +with him; he must dwell among scorpions. Lamentations and mourning +and woe filled his roll as much as that which Baruch wrote out for +Jeremiah. And he must eat this roll; it must become a part of his +very soul; its words must come forth living and burning out of +himself. + +He must understand, besides, all the fearful responsibilities of +the prophet. He was to speak whether the men about him would hear +or whether they would forbear. There were times when his tongue +would cleave to the roof of his mouth, when he should be dumb and +should not be to them a reprover. But when God opened his lips, +the blood of those to whom he was sent was upon him; it would be +required at his hands if they died in their iniquity and he had +not warned them. He must submit to do all symbolical acts, however +strange and fantastical they might seem in themselves, which might +bring the feeling of coming judgments home to a sense-bound people. +He must act a mimic siege, he must eat defiled bread; he must cut +off his hair and weigh it in balances, if so the people could be +made to understand,--in spite of their false prophets who spoke of +coming peace and enacted their signs, which of course involved no +discomfort or humiliation to themselves,--that the city would really +be destroyed and the sanctuary laid waste. He was to persuade his +brother captives that they were a remnant in which the nation still +lived, a stock out of which it should hereafter grow and flourish, +even tho they were most rebellious, dreaming of good things which +would never come, not waiting for that good which God had designed +for them. There was to be the same end in all the punishments which +were coming upon the land and in all its deliverances. God was +saying in all "I am the Lord." + +This sentence recurs again and again in the prophecies of Ezekiel. +It is the thought of his mind, the one which gives all the sublimity +and all the practical worth to his discourses,--that the knowledge +of God is the supreme good of man, and that the desolation of his +countrymen has come from their not liking to retain it. He is +transported in spirit to the temple. There the same vision of the +glory of God which he had seen by the river returns to him. The +light of it shows him, portrayed upon the wall of the temple round +about, the abominable beasts and creeping things, and the idols +of the house of Israel; what the ancients of the house of Israel +did in the dark, every one in the chambers of his imagery; how the +women were weeping for Tammuz; how the men were worshiping the sun +towards the east. Whether such abominations as these were actually +to be seen in the temple, or whether the prophet's eye opened by the +divine Spirit saw that they were possessing the hearts of those who +seemed to others, perhaps to themselves, to be worshiping the God +of their fathers, it is clear that the mind of Ezekiel was led back +to the place in which he had ministered, that he might be taught +how little the sacred building could preserve the truth which was +enshrined in it. + +What Ezekiel has seen in the temple enables him to answer the elders +of Israel when they come to consult him in his own house. Just what +was going on among those who worshiped in Jerusalem, was going on +in the hearts of those who sought his oracles. They were setting +up idols there. They wanted to know what God would do with them or +against them; they did not want to know Him. And therefore Ezekiel +announces to them a great and eternal moral law, one of the most +varied application; "God will answer you according to your idols." +The truth which is presented to you, will be colored, distorted, +inverted by the eye which receives it. The covetousness which you +are cherishing will make the best and divinest word you hear, a +minister of covetousness. Your pride and your lust will make it a +minister of lust and pride. No bolder or more awful paradox was ever +enunciated than this, nor one which the conscience of everyone will +more surely verify. And there was this special proof of courage in +making such an announcement, that it must have destroyed Ezekiel's +reputation as a prophet. The elders came in terror, feeling that +they wanted guidance and expecting some ready-made answer, such as +the regular traders in prophecy could always furnish. The truly +inspired man answers, "I can tell you nothing,--nothing at least +that will not deceive you and become a lie in your minds. For you +bring lies in your minds, and except they be extirpated, they +must convert whatever is added to them from without, to their own +quality." + +Ezekiel himself illustrates in another case this great principle. +No commandment had established itself more completely by the +experience of the people to whom it was addrest, than the second. +The idolatries of the land had accumulated with each generation. +Each had cause to complain of the last as bequeathing it a stock +of corrupt habits and traditions; the sins of the fathers had been +visited upon the children. These were facts not to be gainsaid. The +captives had leisure to reflect upon them. It might have been a most +profound and profitable reflection. + +The use they made of it was to prove they were under a necessary law +of degeneracy. How could they help themselves? The fathers had eaten +sour grapes, and their teeth were set on edge. Who dared dispute it? +There was God's own word for it. Had he not told them the plan and +method of His own government? Such language addrest to one of the +favorite preachers or prophets of the people, would have silenced +him altogether. He would have said, "It is a mystery, no doubt; we +must take the words of the commandment tho we can not understand +them. God is Sovereign; He can do what He likes. If it pleases +Him that each generation should be more corrupt than the last, we +must submit and not dispute His will." Others there would be who +would complain boldly and with good reason of a will that compelled +to evil, but yet would lazily submit to it, supposing it to be +inevitable, tho feeling the absurdity of calling it divine. Ezekiel +boldly stands forth to dispute and deny the whole principle. He does +not dispute or deny the second commandment,--that was probably the +text of his discourse. But he will not let the second commandment +or any other words in the world be pleaded against the character of +God. Righteousness and equity he maintains to be the foundations +of the divine character and of the divine acts. He will tolerate +no resolution of them into a heathenish notion of sovereignty or +self-will. "The ways of God are equal," he says, "and your ways are +unequal." The sins of the father only descend upon the son, they +are only punished in the son, when the son accepts them, entertains +them, makes them his own. At any time he may turn round and +repudiate them and cleave to the God who doth not will the death of +the sinner, but desires that he should return and live. The doctrine +of the second commandment and of the whole law, is that a man is +righteous so long as he cleaves to the righteous God who has made +a covenant with him, unrighteous when he forsakes that covenant +and acts independently. Therefore the notion of any perpetuity in +righteousness, or in evil, is equally cut off. Every man has the +capacity of righteousness, the capacity of evil. Let him be ever so +righteous, he must become evil the moment he ceases to trust in God +and begins to trust in himself. Let him be ever so evil, he must +become righteous the moment he begins to trust in God and ceases to +trust in himself. + +The enunciation of laws or principles seems more especially to +belong to Ezekiel, as the experience of personal evil and the +sympathy with national sorrow belong more to the tender and womanly +nature of Jeremiah. Nevertheless, Ezekiel was to be a priest in this +sense also, as well as in that higher sense of beholding the glory +of God and proclaiming His name. Suffering was not the destination +of one prophet; it was the badge of all the tribe. Ezekiel's life +was to be a continual parable, illustrative of the life of the +nation. A man scrupulously careful of the law, was to violate the +precepts of it respecting food, and to eat what was loathsome. A man +sensitive probably as to his reputation, and with that kind of lofty +imagination which makes attention to details and all petty acts +unspeakably painful, must submit, for the sake of his countrymen, +to such as seemed most ignominious to himself and perplexing to +them. Finally, the desire of his eyes must be taken from him with a +stroke, and he must not mourn or weep. Even at such a time he must +be a sign to the people, tho by doing so he should seem to refuse +the sympathy that he most wants, and should only lead the captives +to say, "Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us that thou +doest so?" + +Apart from these sufferings which concern him individually and +domestically, the vision of the desolation of Israel became every +day more overwhelming to him. Nor was it only the desolation of +Israel. He who was called "Son of man," was not likely to speak less +of Egypt and Tyrus and the land in which he was himself dwelling, +than those older prophets who had so many more reasons for regarding +Judea as the one garden of the Lord. The arms of Nebuchadnezzar had +been turning the earth upside down and making it waste. Everything +must have seemed to him disjointed, incoherent, withered. Could it +ever be renovated? Was it possible even for that country which God +had blest above all others and man had curst above all others, to +breathe and live again? + +This was the question which was proposed to the prophet on that day +when the hand of the Lord was upon him, and he was carried into +the valley which was full of bones. The vision, clear as it is in +itself, must not be read apart from the context of the prophecy. +You should remember where Ezekiel was dwelling; by what kind of +people he was surrounded; what was the condition of his own land; +what had come and was coming upon all lands; or you will not +understand the picture which now rose up before him. You should +think, too, of the man himself, of the heat of his spirit, of the +words which he had uttered in vain, of the acts which had only +made the captives stare vacantly, of the desolation of his house +and his heart. You should think of those other visions he had of +the ascending scale of creatures, of the mysterious order of the +universe, of the glory of God, before you place yourself beside +him in the valley, and walk with him round about it, and look at +the different bones, and see how each separately how altogether, +they expound to him the condition of the house of Israel. It was +dead,--that body from which he had believed that life was to go +forth to quicken the universe. It had none of the beauty of a corpse +in which there is still form, on which the spirit has left its +impression. There had been a time of gradual decay, a time when the +pulses of the nation beat feebly and faintly, but when they might +still be felt; a time after that when you knew it had ceased to +breathe, but when you could still speak of it as entire. But another +stage had come, the stage of utter dissolution, when each limb +looked as if it had nothing to do with any other, when you could +scarcely force yourself to believe that they had ever been joined +together. Can these bones live? what a thought to come into the +mind of any man gazing on such a scene! It could not have come from +himself, certainly, nor from any of these relics. God must have sent +it to him; He must have led him to dream that such a resurrection +was possible. And now the process of it is also revealed to him. The +prophet is commanded to speak. His speech seems a mere sound in the +air. But there is a noise and a shaking; then a frightful movement +of the bones towards each other, each claiming its fellow to which +it had once belonged. This strange effort at a union of dead things +betokens a power that has not yet declared itself. And soon the +sinews and the flesh come up upon them. They have acquired a form, +tho they have no life. "Then said he unto me, 'Prophesy unto the +wind; Thus saith the Lord God: come from the four winds, O breath, +and breathe upon these slain that they may live.' So I prophesied +as he commanded. And the breath came unto them, and they lived, and +stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army." + +"Doth he not speak parables?" was the phrase by which the Jews +of the captivity exprest their dislike and contempt for the +troublesome and mystical prophet who was among them. "Doth he not +speak parables?" is a question which men, looking round with weary +hearts upon the condition of Christ's Church in various periods +of its existence, have asked themselves, with a very different +intention and spirit, when they have read this vision of the valley +of dry bones. "Is not this written," they have said, "for the ages +to come? Is not this one of parables concerning the kingdom of +God?" Yes, brethren, if we will first read it fairly and honestly, +as describing what Ezekiel says it described to him,--if we will +not search for a distant application till we have acknowledged the +immediate one,--we shall find that here, as everywhere, Ezekiel is +exhibiting facts which belong to other times as well as his own, and +laws and methods of a divine government which belong to all times as +well as his own. + +And that I may not waste your time in enumerating different crises +of history in which the facts may be discerned, and by which the +law and the method may be tested, I say at once, they are all for +us; the vision and the interpretation are of this day. Do you not +hear men on all sides of you crying, "The Church which we read of +in books exists only in them. Christendom consists of Romanists, +Greeks, Protestants, divided from each other, disputing about +questions to which nineteen-twentieths of those who belong to their +communions are indifferent. And meantime what is becoming of the +countries in which these different confessions are established? +What populations are growing up in them? Does the present generation +believe that which its fathers believed? Will the next generation +believe anything?" Brethren, you hear such words as these spoken. I +do not mean to inquire how much there is of truth in them, how much +of exaggeration, what evidences there are on the other side which +have been overlooked; what signs of life there are anywhere in the +midst of apparent death. But this I must say; Christians in general +are far too eager to urge special exceptions when they hear these +charges preferred; far too ready to make out a case for themselves +while they admit their application to others; far too ready to think +that the cause of God is interested in this suppression of facts. +The prophets should have taught us a different lesson. They should +have led us to feel that it was a solemn duty, not to conceal, +but to bring forward all the evidence which proves, not that one +country is better than another, or one portion of the Church better +than another, but that there is a principle of decay, a tendency +to apostasy in all, and that no comfort can come from merely +balancing symptoms of good here against symptoms of evil there, no +comfort from considering whether we are a little less contentious, +a little less idolatrous than our neighbors. Alas, for this Church, +or for any church, if its existence now, if its prospects for the +future, are to be determined by such calculations as these! No, +brethren, our hope has a deeper foundation. It is this; that when +the bones have become most dry, when they are lying most scattered +and separate from each other, there is still a word going forth, if +not through the lips of any prophet on this earth, then through the +lips of those who have left it,--yet not proceeding from them, but +from Him who liveth for ever and ever, the voice which says, "These +bones shall rise." It is this; that every shaking among the bones, +everything which seems at first a sign of terror,--men leaving the +churches in which they have been born, forsaking all the affections +and sympathies and traditions of their childhood,--infidel +questionings, doubts whether the world is left to itself or whether +it is governed by an evil spirit,--are themselves not indeed signs +of life, but at least movements in the midst of death which are +better than the silence of the charnel-house, which foretell the +approach of that which they can not produce. It is this; that all +struggles after union, tho they may be of the most abortive kind, +tho they may produce fresh sects and fresh divisions, tho they must +do so as long as they rest on the notion that unity is something +visible and material, yet indicate a deep and divine necessity +which men could not be conscious of in their dreams if they were +not beginning to awake. It is this; that there are other visions +true for us, as they were for Ezekiel, besides the vision of dry +bones. The name of a Father has not ceased to be a true name because +baptized men do not own themselves as His children. The name of the +Son has not ceased to be a true name, because men are setting up +some earthly ruler in place of Him, or are thinking that they can +realize a human fellowship without confessing a Man on the throne +above the firmament. The name of the Spirit has not ceased to be +a true name because we are thinking that we can form combinations +and sects and churches without His quickening presence, because we +deny that He is really in the midst of us. It is this; that when +all earthly priests have been banished or have lost their faith, +tho there should be none to mourn over the ruins of Jerusalem, or +to feel its sin as his own, yet there is a High Priest, the great +Sin-Bearer, ever presenting His perfect and accepted sacrifice +within the veil, a High Priest not of a nation, but of humanity. It +is this; that tho all earthly temples, in which God has been pleased +to dwell, should become desecrated and abominable, tho all foul +worship should go on in the midst of them, and tho what is portrayed +on their walls should too faithfully represent what is passing in +the more secret chambers of imagery, tho at last the shrines that +have been supposed to contain the mystery which they set forth +should be utterly destroyed, and a voice should be heard out of the +midst of them, saying, "Let us depart,"--yet that this will not be +the sign that the Church of God has perished, only the sign that the +temple of God has been opened in Heaven, and that from thence must +come forth the glory that is to fill the whole earth. + + + + +MARTINEAU + +PARTING WORDS + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +JAMES MARTINEAU, an English Unitarian divine, was born at Norwich +in 1805. He was educated for the Unitarian ministry at Manchester +College, and in 1828 ordained to the Presbyterian ministry in +Dublin. Resigning his pastorate in Ireland, he took charge of the +Paradise Street Chapel in Liverpool, but on being elected to the +chair of mental and moral philosophy in Manchester New College +followed it to London 1853, succeeding J. J. Taylor as principal of +the institution in 1868. + +His sermons, delivered in the course of four years in the chapel +of Manchester New College are specimens of combined eloquence and +philosophical profundity, yet are, perhaps, most valuable for their +ethical quality. He preached in Dublin, Liverpool, and London. +He was a lofty and earnest soul, given to mysticism, a master of +English style, and has been widely read. He died in 1900. + + + + +MARTINEAU + +1805-1900 + +PARTING WORDS + +_Peace I leave with you: My peace I give unto you: not as the world +giveth, give I unto you._--John xiv., 27. + + +This is a strange benediction to proceed from the Man of Sorrows, +at the dreariest moment of His life; strange at least to those who +look only to His outward career, His incessant contact with misery +and sin, His absolute solitude of purpose, His lot stricken with +sadness ever new from temptation to the cross; but not strange +perhaps to those who heard the deep and quiet tones in which this +oracle of promise went forth--the divinest music from the center +of the darkest fate. He was on the bosom of the beloved disciple +and in the midst of those who should have cheered Him in that hour +with such comfort as fidelity can always offer; but who, failing in +their duty to His griefs, found the sadness creep upon themselves; +while He, seeking to give peace to them, found it Himself profusely +in the gift. It was not till He had finished this interview and +effort of affection, and from the warmth of that evening meal and +the flush of its deep converse they had issued into the chill and +silent midnight air, nor till the sanctity of moonlight (never to be +seen by Him again) had invested Him, and coarse fatigue had sunk His +disciples into sleep upon the grass, that having none to comfort, He +found anguish fall upon Himself. Deprived of the embrace of John, +He flew to the bosom of the Father; and after a momentary strife, +recovered in trust the serenity He had found in toil; and while His +followers lie stretched in earthly slumber, He reaches a divine +repose; while they, yielding to nature, gain neither strength nor +courage for the morrow, He, through the vigils of agony, rises to +that godlike power, on which mockery and insult beat in vain, and +which has made the cross, then the emblem of abjectness and guilt, +the everlasting symbol of whatever is holy and sublime. + +The peace of Christ, then, was the fruit of combined toil and trust; +in the one case diffusing itself from the center of His active life, +in the other from that of His passive emotions; enabling Him in +the one case to do things tranquilly; in the other, to see things +tranquilly. Two things only can make life go wrong and painfully +with us; when we suffer or suspect misdirection and feebleness in +the energies of love and duty within us, or in the providence of +the world without us: bringing, in the one case, the lassitude of +an unsatisfied and discordant nature; in the other, the melancholy +of hopeless views. From these Christ delivers us by a summons to +mingled toil and trust. And herein does His peace differ from that +which "the world giveth"--that its prime essential is not ease, but +strife; not self-indulgence, but self-sacrifice; not acquiescence +in evil for the sake of quiet, but conflict with it for the sake +of God; not, in short, a prudent accommodation of the mind to +the world, but a resolute subjugation of the world to the best +conceptions of the mind. Amply has the promise to leave behind Him +such a peace been since fulfilled. It was fulfilled to the apostles +who first received it; and has been realized again by a succession +of faithful men to whom they have delivered it. + +The word "peace" denotes the absence of jar and conflict; a +condition free from the restlessness of fruitless desire, the +forebodings of anxiety, the stings of enmity. It may be destroyed +by discordance between the lot without and the mind within, where +the human being is in an obviously false position--an evil rare and +usually self-curative; or by a discordance wholly internal, among +the desires and affections themselves. The first impulse of "the +natural man" is to seek peace by mending his external condition; +to quiet desire by increase of ease; to banish anxiety by increase +of wealth; to guard against hostility by making himself too strong +for it; to build up his life into a fortress of security and a +palace of comfort, where he may softly lie, tho tempests beat and +rain descends. The spirit of Christianity casts away at once this +whole theory of peace; declares it the most chimerical of dreams; +and proclaims it impossible even to make this kind of reconciliation +between the soul and the life wherein it acts. As well might the +athlete demand a victory without a foe. To the noblest faculties of +soul rest is disease and torture. The understanding is commissioned +to grapple with ignorance, the conscience to confront the powers of +moral evil, the affections to labor for the wretched and opprest; +nor shall any peace be found, till these, which reproach and fret us +in our most elaborate ease, put forth an incessant and satisfying +energy; till, instead of conciliating the world, we vanquish it; and +rather than sit still, in the sickness of luxury, for it to amuse +our perceptions, we precipitate ourselves upon it to mold it into a +new creation. Attempt to make all smooth and pleasant without, and +you thereby create the most corroding of anxieties, and stimulate +the most insatiable of appetites within. But let there be harmony +within, let no clamors of self drown the voice which is entitled +to authority there; let us set forth on the mission of duty, +resolved to live for it alone, to close with every resistance that +obstructs it, and march through every peril that awaits it; and in +the consciousness of immortal power, the sense of mortal ill will +vanish; and the peace of God well nigh extinguish the sufferings of +the man. "In the world we may have tribulation; in Christ we shall +have peace." + +This peace, so remote from torpor, arising, indeed, from the intense +action of the greatest of all ideas, those of duty, of immortality, +of God, fell, according to the promise, on the first disciples. Not +in vain did Jesus tell them in their sorrows that the Comforter +would come; nor falsely did He define the blessed visitant, as +"the spirit of truth"--the soul reverentially faithful to its +convictions, and expressing clearly in action its highest aspirings. +Such peace had Stephen, when before the Sanhedrim that was striving +to hush up the recent story of the cross, he proclaimed aloud the +sequel of the ascension; and priests and elders arose and stopped +their ears, and thrust him out to death; he had his peace; else how, +if heaven of divinest tranquility had not opened to him and revealed +to him the proximity of Christ to God, how as the stone struck his +uncovered and uplifted head, could he have so calmly said, "Lord, +lay not this sin to their charge"? Such peace had Paul--at least +when he ceased to rebel against his noble nature, and became, +instead of the emissary of persecution, the ambassador of God. Was +there ever a life of less ease and security, yet of more buoyant +and rejoicing spirit than his? What weight did he not cast aside, +to run the race that was set before him? What tie of home or nation +did he not break, that he might join in one of the whole family of +God? For forty years the scoff of synagogues and the outcast of his +people, he forgot the privations of the exile in the labors of the +missionary; flying from charges of sedition he disseminated the +principles of peace; persecuted from city to city, yet he created +in each a center of pure worship and Christian civilization, and +along the coasts of Asia, and colonies of Macedonia, and citadels +of Greece, dropped link after link of the great chain of truth that +shall yet embrace the world. Amid the joy of making converts, he had +also the affliction of making martyrs; to witness the sufferings, +perhaps to bear the reproaches, of survivors; with weeping heart to +rebuke the fears, and sustain the faith of many a doubter; and in +solitude and bonds to send forth the effusions of his earnest spirit +to quicken the life, and renovate the gladness, of the confederate +churches. Yet when did speculation at its ease ever speak with +vigor so noble and cheerfulness so fresh as his glorious letters; +which recount his perils by land and sea, his sorrows with friend +and foe, and declare that "none of these things move" him; which +show him projecting incessant work, yet ready for instant rest; +conscious that already he has fought the good fight, and willing +to finish his course and resign the field; but prepared, if needs +be, to grasp again the sword of the Spirit, and go forth in quest +of wider victories. Does any one suppose that it would have been +more peaceful to look back on a life less exposed and adventurous, +on a lot sheltered and secure, on soft-bedded comfort, and unbroken +plenty, and conventional compliance? No! it is only beforehand that +we mistake these things for peace; in the retrospect we know them +better, and would exchange them all for one vanquished temptation +in the desert, for one patient bearing of the cross! What--when all +is over, and we lie upon the last bed--what is the worth to us of +all our guilty compromises, of all the moments stolen from duty to +be given to ease? If Paul had cowered before the tribunal of Nero, +and trembled at his comrade's blood, and, instead of baring his neck +to the imperial sword, had purchased by poor evasions another year +of life--where would that year have been now--a lost drop in the +deep waters of time--yet not lost, but rather mingled as a poison +in the refreshing stream of good men's goodness by which Providence +fertilizes the ages. + +The peace of Christ, thus inherited by His disciples, and growing +out a living spirit of duty and of love, contrasts not merely with +guilty ease, but with that mere mechanical facility in blameless +action which habit gives. There is something faithless and ignoble +in the very reasonings sometimes employed to recommend virtuous +habits. They are urged upon us, because they smooth the way of +right; we are invited to them for the sake of ease. Adopted in such +a temper, duty after all makes its bargain with indulgence, and is +not yet pursued for its own sake and with the allegiance of a loving +heart. Moreover, whoever has true conscience sees that there is a +fallacy in this persuasion; for whenever habits become mechanical, +they cease to satisfy the requirements of duty; the obligations of +which enlarge definitely with our powers, demanding an undiminished +tension of the will, and an ever-constant life of the affections. +It can never be, that a soul which has a heaven open to its view, +which is stationed here, not simply to accommodate itself to the +arrangement of this world, but also to school itself for the spirit +of another, is intended to rest in mere automatic regularities. +When the mind is thrown into other scenes, and finds itself in the +society of the world invisible, suddenly introduced to the heavenly +wise and the sainted good--what peace can it expect from mere dry +tendencies to acts no longer practicable and blameless things now +left behind? No; it must have that pure love which is nowhere a +stranger, in earth or heaven; that vital goodness of the affections, +that adjusts itself at once to every scene where there is truth and +holiness to venerate; that conscience, wakeful and devout, which +enters with instant joy on any career of duty and progress opened +to its aspirations. And even in "the life that now is," the mere +mechanist of virtue, who copies precepts with mimetic accuracy, +is too frequently at fault, to have even the poor peace which +custom promises. He is at home only on his own beat. An emergency +perplexes him, and too often tempts him disgracefully to fly. He +wants the inventiveness by which a living heart of duty seizes the +resources of good, and uses them to the last; and the courage by +which love, like honor, starts to the post of noble danger, and +maintains it till, by such fidelity, it becomes a place of danger +no more. It is a vain attempt to comprize in rules and aphorisms +all the various moral exigencies of life. Hardly does such legality +suffice to define the small portion of right and wrong contemplated +in human jurisprudence. But the true instincts of a pure mind, like +the creative genius of art, frames rules most perfect in the act +of obeying them, and throws the materials of life into the fairest +attitudes and the justest proportions. He whose allegiance is paid +to the mere perceptive system, shapes and carves his duty into the +homeliest of wooden idols; he who has the spirit of Christ turns it +into an image breathing and divine. Children of God in the noblest +sense, we are not without something of His creative spirit in our +hearts. The power is there to separate the light from the darkness +within us, and set in the firmament of the soul luminaries to guide +and gladden us, for seasons and for years; power to make the herbage +green beneath our feet, and beckon happy creatures into existence +around our path; power to mold the clay of our earthly nature into +the likeness of God most high; and thus only have we power to look +back in peace upon our work, and find a Sabbath rest upon the +thought that, morning and evening, all is good. + +But the peace which Christ left and bequeathed was the result of +trust, no less than toil. However immersed in action, and engaged +in enterprises of conscience, every life has its passive moments, +when the operation is reversed, and power, instead of going from us, +returns upon us; and the scenes of our existence present themselves +to us as objects of speculation and emotion. Sometimes we are forced +into quietude in pauses of exhaustion or of grief; stretched upon +the bed of pain, to hear the great world murmuring and rolling by; +or lifted into the watch-tower of solitude, to look over the vast +plain of humanity, and from a height that covers it with silence +observe its groups shifting and traversing like spirits in a city +of the dead. At such times our peace must depend on the view under +which our faith or our fears may exhibit this mighty "field of +the world"; on the forces of evil, of fortuity, or of God, which +we suppose to be secretly directing the changes on the scene, and +calling up the brief apparition of generation after generation. And +so great and terrible is the amount of evil, physical and moral, in +the great community of men; so vast the numbers sunk in barbarism, +compared with the few who more nobly represent our nature; so +many and piercing (could we but hear them) the cries of unpitied +wretchedness, that with every beat of the pendulum wander unnoticed +into the air; so dense the crowds that are thrust together in the +deepest recesses of want, and that crawl through the loathsome hives +of sin; that only two men can look through the world without dismay; +he, on the one hand, who suffering himself to be bewildered with +momentary horror, and in the confusion of his emotions, to mistake +what he sees for the moral chaos, turns his back in the despair of +fatalism, crying, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die"; and +he, on the other, who, with the discernment of a deeper wisdom, +penetrates through the shell of evil to the kernel and the seed +of good; who perceives in suffering and temptation the resistance +which alone can render virtue manifest, and conscience great, and +existence venerable; who recognizes, even in the gigantic growth +of guilt, the grasp of infinite desires, and the perseverance of +godlike capacities; who sees how soon, were God to take up His +omnipotence, and snatch from His creature "man" the care of the +world and the work of self-perfection, all that deforms might +be swept away, and the meanest lifted through the interval that +separates them from the noblest; and who therefore holds fast to the +theory of hope and the kindred duty of effort; takes shelter beneath +the universal Providence of God; and seeing time enough in His vast +cycles for the growth and consummation of every blessing can be +patient as well as trust; can resign the selfish vanity of doing all +things himself, and making a finish before he dies; and cheerfully +give up his life to build up the mighty temple of human improvement, +tho no inscription mark it for glory, and it be as one of the hidden +stones of the sanctuary, visible only to the eye of God. Such was +the spirit and the faith which Jesus left, and in which His first +disciples found their rest. Within the infinitude of the divine +mercy trouble did but fold them closer; the perversity of man did +but provide them to put forth a more conquering love; and tho none +were ever more the sport of the selfish interests and prejudices of +mankind, or came into contact with a more desolate portion of the +great wastes of humanity, they constructed no melancholy theories; +but having planted many a rose of Sharon, and made their little +portion of the desert smile, departed in the faith that the green +margin would spread as the seasons of God came round, till the +mantle of heaven covered the earth, and it ended with Eden as it had +begun. + +Between these two sources of Christian peace, virtuous toil, and +holy trust, there is an intimate connection. The desponding are +generally the indolent and useless; not the tried and struggling, +but speculators at a distance from the scene of things, and far from +destitute of comforts themselves. Barren of the most blest of human +sympathies, strangers to the light that best gladdens the heart of +man, they are without the materials of a bright and hopeful faith. +But he who consecrates himself sees at once how God may sanctify +the world; he whose mind is rich in the memory of moral victories +will not easily believe the world a scene of moral defeats; nor was +it ever known that one who, like Paul, labored for the good of man, +despaired of the benevolence of God. + +Whoever then would have the peace of Christ, let him seek first the +spirit of Christ. Let him not fret against the conditions which God +assigns to his being, but reverently conform himself to them, and do +and enjoy the good which they allow. Let him cast himself freely on +the career to which the secret persuasion of duty points, without +reservation of happiness or self; and in the exercise which its +difficulties give to his understanding, its conflicts to his will, +its humanities to his affections, he shall find that united action +of his whole and best nature, that inward harmony, that moral order, +which emancipates from the anxieties of self, and unconsciously +yields the divinest repose. The shadows of darkest affliction +cannot blot out the inner radiance of such a mind; the most tedious +years move lightly and with briefest step across its history; for +it is conscious of its immortality, and hastening to its heavens. +And there shall its peace be consummated at length; its griefs +transmuted into delicious retrospects; its affections fresh and +ready for a new and nobler career; and its praise confessing that +this final "peace of God" doth indeed surpass its understanding. + + + + +MANNING + +THE TRIUMPH OF THE CHURCH + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +HENRY EDWARD MANNING, Roman Catholic prelate, was born 1808 at +Totteridge in Hertfordshire and educated at Harrow and Oxford. +After graduation in 1830, he studied for holy orders in the Church +of England and was ordained in 1833. The Tractarian Movement +was then at its height and Manning took a leading part in it. +Appointed Archdeacon of Chichester in 1840 he took a commanding +place as a preacher and leader. Newman's recession did not shake +his allegiance, but the decision in the Gorham case, which gave the +Crown the power of deciding doctrinal questions, drove him to seek +refuge in the Roman Catholic fold in 1851. + +He was ordained priest by Cardinal Wiseman and to the end of his +life devoted himself to religious and philanthropic work in London. +He was appointed to succeed Wiseman as Archbishop of Westminster in +1865. He was made cardinal in 1875. As a preacher he was logical and +dogmatic, but his style is imaginative and his flights of eloquence +tinged with poetic coloring and passion. He died in 1892. + + + + +MANNING + +1808-1892 + +THE TRIUMPH OF THE CHURCH + +_We give thanks unto God, who maketh us always to triumph in Christ +Jesus, and manifesteth the odor of the knowledge of Him by us in +every place. For we are a good odor of Christ unto God, both in them +that are saved and in them that perish; in the one indeed an odor of +life, in the other an odor of death unto death._--2 Cor. ii., 14-16. +(Douay Version.) + + +Such was the confidence of the Apostle in the face of all that was +most hostile, mighty, and triumphant in the judgment of this world. +He was confident that through God his mission in the world was being +accomplished, that the Word of God was triumphing over all the +power of man. They may well have said to him, "What is this triumph +you speak of? If this be triumph, what is defeat? You were stoned +the other day in Lystra; you were imprisoned at Philippi; you were +scourged at Jerusalem; you were saved out of the hands of the people +only by Roman soldiers; you were confounded by the philosophers +at Athens; and you were refuted out of the holy Scriptures by the +Jews of Berea. If this is triumph, you are welcome to it." Such, +no doubt, was the lordly and confident language of men in the face +of the apostles of Jesus Christ then, and such is the language of +confidence with which the world looks on the Catholic Church at +this hour. It counts it to be a comedy played out, a stale medieval +superstition, and a name that is trampled in the earth. In every age +the Church has been militant and in warfare. It is under the same +law of suffering which crucified its divine Head. His throne was +a cross, and His crown was of thorns. Nevertheless He triumphed, +and He triumphs still, and shall triumph to the end. And so at +this moment, in this nineteenth century, in the century of modern +civilization, of light, of progress, of scientific affectation, +the Catholic Church is derided. They say to us, "Look at the +Catholic Church in Germany; look at it in Italy; the head of the +Church dethroned; and not a spot on earth for the incarnation to +set its foot upon. If this be triumph you are welcome to it." Our +answer is: "Yes, even now we triumph always and in every place. +The Catholic Church is triumphing now in America, and in Ireland, +and in the colonies of the British empire; aye, and in the midst +of the confusions in Spain, and in France through revolution after +revolution, and in the furnace of infidelity; aye, and in Germany, +in the midst of all that the might of man can do against it; and in +Italy too, where the head of the Church is morally a prisoner, it +is triumphing even now." + +But how can I verify this assertion? It would be enough indeed to +quote the words of the apostle, but I hope to do more. The world +esteems the triumph of the Church to be in wealth, power, glory, +honor, public sway over empires and nations. There was a time indeed +when the world laid these things at the feet of the apostles of +Jesus Christ. There was a time when the Catholic Church and the +Christian world knew how to sanctify the society of men; but there +is this difference--the world then believed, and the world now is +apostate. Nevertheless, there is a triumph in the Christian world +and there is a triumph in the anti-Christian world; and what is it? +It is that the Church in every age and in every condition, and in +the midst of all antagonists, fulfils its mission and accomplishes +its work, and no power of man can hinder it. Men may, as we shall +see hereafter, to their own destruction, resist the mission of +the Church, but its work will be accomplished nevertheless, and +accomplished even in them; and its work will be a good odor of +Christ unto God both in those that are saved and in those that +perish. The world has neither tests nor measures by which to +understand what the mission and the work of the Church are; but they +who see by the light of faith have both. Let us examine, then, what +is its mission, what is its work, and how it is fulfilled. + +First of all, the mission of the Church among men is this--to be +a witness for God, and for the incarnation of God in the face of +the world. Our Divine Lord said of Himself: "For this was I born, +and for this came I into the world, that I should give testimony +unto the truth." As it was with Him, so it is with His Church; and +therefore He said to His apostles: "You shall be witnesses unto +me," and St. John said: "That which was from the beginning, which +we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have +looked upon, and our hands handled, of the word of life; for the +life was manifested, and we have seen it, and do bear witness, and +declare unto you, the life eternal which was with the Father, and +hath appeared unto us; that is to say, the manifestation of God in +the flesh, the incarnation of the Son of God." The Church was the +witness of this divine fact to the world, and it is witness to this +hour. I may say it is an eye-witness. It was eye-witness of what it +declares. It was an ear-witness of what it affirms. I may say in +truth that the Church of God, which testifies at this hour, saw the +Son of God, and heard His words, and was witness of His miracles. +So St. Peter expressly declares, speaking of His transfiguration: +"We have not, by artificial fables, made known to you the power and +presence of our Lord Jesus Christ; but we were eye-witnesses of his +greatness. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, +this voice coming down to him from the excellent glory: This is my +beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And his voice +we heard brought from heaven, when we were with him in the holy +mount." More than this: it was a witness of the day of Pentecost, +and upon it the Holy Ghost descended. It heard the sound of the +mighty wind and it saw the tongues of fire. The Church therefore +testifies at this day as an ear-witness and an eye-witness of the +divine facts which it declares. And how can this be said? Because +that which the apostles saw and heard they delivered to others who +believed in them upon a full test and knowledge of their truth, and +those who received their testimony held it as a sacred trust and +declared it to those who came after. From age to age the testimony +of the apostles has descended unbroken. The intrinsic certainty of +their witness, resting on their own eye-witness and ear-witness of +the facts, has not diminished by a shade, jot, or tittle in the +lapse of time, and the external evidence of that fact has multiplied +and extended throughout all time and throughout the world. Therefore +the testimony of the apostles to these divine realities and truths +is as living and fresh at this day as it was in the beginning. +Then twelve men testified; now the nations of the world, united +in one body by faith and by baptism, take up and perpetuate that +testimony. And part of that testimony is this--that when the Son of +God ascended into heaven, as they saw Him ascend, He fulfilled His +promise that He would send the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Ghost, to +abide with them forever; that when one divine Teacher had gone up +to His Father's throne, another should come in His stead; that the +world should never be without a divine Person and a divine Teacher +in the midst of it; and that the Spirit of Truth by which they +were united to their divine Head in heaven should unite them also +to each other as His members in one mystical body, and should form +to Himself a dwelling-place in which to abide forever. As the soul +abides in the body of the man, so the Holy Ghost abides in the body +of the Church. It is the sanctuary in which He dwells; the organ by +which He speaks, so that the words of our Divine Lord are fulfilled +to the very letter--"He that heareth you heareth me;" for the voice +of the head and that of the body, as St. Augustine says, are one and +the same voice. As they make one moral person, so their voice is +identical, and the assistance of the Holy Spirit keeps the voice of +the Church always in perfect harmony with the voice of its divine +Head, fulfilling the promise of the Lord by His prophet: "My spirit +which is upon thee and my word which I put in thy mouth, shall never +depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor +out of the mouth of thy seed's seed from this time and forever." +Thus, then, the mission of the Church is fulfilled always; whether +the world believe or disbelieve, whether it gainsay or assent, it +matters not; the testimony of the Church forever triumphs in every +place. + +Another part of the mission of the Church is this--to teach the +doctrines of Jesus Christ in the midst of all the controversies and +contradictions of men. In the face of all the errors and heresies +of men there is one divine Teacher perpetually declaring the same +immutable truth. In the clamor and confusion of the human voices +of philosophers and human guides, of the scribes and Pharisees of +the new laws, there is one divine voice--articulate, clear, and +piercing--which cleaves through all the confusion, and is to be +heard above the clamor of men and of nations--the voice of that +one holy, Catholic, and Roman Church, spreading from the sunrise +to the sunset, immutable in its doctrine, teaching the same truths +identically in every place, and abiding always the same unchanging +teacher in every age. This is a fact legible in human history. I +need not offer proof of it from histories written by ourselves; it +is proved by histories and controversies of those who are most +opposed to us. There is an accusation which is repeated from age +to age against the Catholic and Roman Church; and what is it? That +it always persists in its old errors. I accept the accusation. Its +persistence proves its immutability, and that which they account +error we know to be the doctrine of Jesus Christ; because, as I have +already shown from the Word of God, neither can the Catholic Church +ever err in believing, nor can the Catholic Church err in teaching. +These are two impossibilities, and they descend from one and the +same divine truth. God, the Holy Ghost, abiding forever in the +mystical body of Christ, illuminates the whole body of the faithful +from the time of their baptism. From the time that the graces of +faith, hope, and charity are infused into their souls, they are +illuminated with the light of faith as the world is illuminated by +the splendor of the sun at noonday; and the faithful throughout +the world continue passively in their persistence in that one +baptismal faith wherewith they were enlightened from their earliest +consciousness. And further, they can never err in believing, +because the Church which teaches them can never err in teaching. +The episcopate throughout the world, which is the college of the +apostles multiplied and expanded among all nations, has always the +assistance of the Spirit of Truth to guide and preserve it, so that +the errors of men and infirmities of our intellect never prevail +over the light of faith by which the whole Episcopate and the Church +is sustained in the revelation of the day of Pentecost. And more +than this: nineteen general councils, from the first which declared +the coequality and consubstantiality of the Son with the Father and +the Holy Ghost, down to the last which declared the infallibility +of the vicar of Jesus Christ,--those nineteen councils have been +the organ of the Holy Ghost, preserving the truth in all ages; and +the pontiffs, two hundred and fifty-seven in number, have also been +guided and assisted by the same Spirit of Truth; so that no doctrine +of faith and morals from their hand and from their lips has been out +of harmony with the revelation of Jesus Christ. For these reasons +the Church is fulfilling its mission, always and in every place, and +it can say in every age, with a divine certainty of knowledge and +with a divine authority of teaching: "It seemed good to the Holy +Ghost and to us." + +Once more, and lastly: there is another part of the mission of the +Church which never fails, and is never baffled--and that is, that +the Church judges between the truth of God and the errors of men, +and gives decision with divine certainty what is truth, what is +falsehood, what is light and what is darkness. Here again the world, +in the confusion of its discordant witnesses, bears testimony to +our truth. The world disclaims altogether the presence of any divine +teacher in the midst of us. It derides the very notion. There is +not a sect or a communion, or a so-called church, which lays claim +to this divine guidance. They say infallibility exists nowhere but +in God. As the Pharisees said: "Who can forgive sins but God only?" +thereby acknowledging the divinity of Him who forgave the palsied +man. And while they say: "We have no infallibility in us; we do +not claim it; we deny its existence on the face of the earth," the +one Teacher, who never varies in His voice, says: "He that heareth +me heareth him that sent me." It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and +unto us that we should claim that infallibility, and we cite you +before the tribunal of God to answer for your denial of that truth. +We say further that no man knows that any revelation was ever made +to man except through our testimony. You never saw the Word made +flesh, you nor your forefathers; and you have no unbroken succession +of witnesses who trace upward these eighteen hundred years to the +day when the Holy Ghost descended with wind and fire; you are not +in contact with the original revelation of God. How can you rise +up and say: "This was revealed upwards of eighteen hundred years +ago," when you have no proof to give, except that which you borrow +from me, that the Son of God ever came into the world? You take my +witness for the fact of Christianity, and you then contradict me +when I teach you what the doctrines of Christianity are. And if +men appeal to the Scriptures, our answer is the same. How do you +know the Scriptures were ever written? How can you prove that there +ever was a book called the Word of God? You had it from me; you +snatched it out of my hand, and you then read it and interpret it +in contradiction to my teaching. How do you know that there were +four greater prophets and twelve lesser in the Old Testament; that +there were four evangelists and fourteen epistles of St. Paul in the +New? Who told you all these things? You had them all from me--from +me alone, to whom these Scriptures were committed in custody and +in guardianship; from me, who preserved and handed them on to this +day. You, who are denying the inspiration of this book and of that, +of this text and of that text, and who are gnawing away, as a moth +fretteth a garment, the whole written word of God, you rise up and +tell us: "This is the meaning of the holy Scriptures," and you +reject the holy Catholic faith. + +Dear brethren, it needs great patience to hear these things; +nevertheless, the judge is always calm and patient while he is +fulfilling his work among men, and that because it is a grave +thing to be the odor of life unto life and of death unto death to +the eternal souls of men. And when men appeal to antiquity and tell +us that "this is not the primitive tradition," the Church answers: +Were you ever in antiquity, or anyone that belongs to you? I was +there, and as a perpetual witness antiquity is to me nothing but my +early days. Antiquity exists in my consciousness to this hour, as +men grown to riper years remember their childhood. Men of the world +know that the contemporaneous interpretation of a law is the most +authentic and certain interpretation. But I have the contemporaneous +interpretation of holy Scripture; and more than this, men who +practise before human tribunals know that the continuous usage of a +country is the interpretation of its laws written and unwritten. But +I have the contemporaneous and the continuous usage of the Church +of God. The seven sacraments are institutions of Jesus Christ and +every one of them interprets a cluster of truths. The existence +of the Church itself is an interpretation of the words: "Thou art +Peter, and upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of +hell shall not prevail against it." The jurisdiction that I have +over the world, which the hearts of men recognize and to which their +consciences respond, is the interpretation of the words: "Receive +ye the Holy Ghost, whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven +unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." + +But lastly there is another appeal which men make in this day. We +are now told that scientific history is the test of truth; and I saw +the other day in a document having great pretension from a certain +body of men who are troubling Germany and attempting to trouble even +England with the name of Old Catholics, that the way to know the +pure faith of Jesus Christ is to interpret history by science. Alas, +as I said before, the world is full of pretensions to science; but +those who claim to be Catholics, and who yet appeal from the living +voice of the Catholic Church to any other tribunal whatsoever, are +all of them identical in their principle, and that principle is +heresy. Luther appealed from the voice of the Catholic Church to +Scripture, and thereby became a heretic. There are others who appeal +to antiquity, and the appeal is the same--it is an appeal from the +living voice, from the divine authority of the Church, to something +of their own choice and creation. It matters not to what the appeal +is made. That which constitutes both the treason of the act and the +heresy of the principle is that they appeal from the living voice, +that is from the divine voice. This it is that is being done at this +moment by a body of men who profess to be and to intend to live and +die Catholics; and what is more, to purify and reform the Church by +staying in it. What is their appeal? Their appeal is to history, to +scientific history; that is, to history interpreted by themselves. +Luther was much more direct and much wiser. He appealed to a book +which is certainly written by the Holy Ghost; they appeal to I know +not what books, but to books certainly written only by men, and not +by the Spirit of God; to human history, the authenticity of which +and the purity of the text of which no one can guarantee; and even +this they interpret for themselves. + +Now bear with me further if I dwell a few moments longer upon this. +At the time I speak, in the old Catholic city of Cologne there +is assembled together a number of these men--some four or five +hundred--with a handful of unhappy priests, perhaps six or eight, +of whom the greater part had already the note of unsoundness upon +them before they took their deadly step. And what are they? What +are these men who are rising up to purify the Church? What do they +believe? Some believe all the Council of Trent, but not the Council +of the Vatican. Some believe the Church to be infallible, but not +its Head; others propose to reject the invocation of saints, and +purgatory, and compulsory confession, and I know not what. Others +ask for either half or altogether rationalism. And who have they to +assist them? Excommunicated Jansenists from Holland, and members, I +grieve to say, of the Established Church from England; and those +chosen, as it were, by a happy fatality, one the most extreme of +old-fashioned high-church orthodoxy--an estimable and excellent man, +whose person I both respect and love; and another whose advanced +rationalism is such that even his own brethren can hardly forbear +protesting against him. So that we have assembled in this congress, +which is to reform and purify the Catholic and Roman Church of all +ages, men so irreconcilably in contradiction with themselves that +they cannot touch a religious doctrine without discord, and they +cannot find anything on which to unite except in opposition to the +one immutable truth. There was a day when all the Scribes, and all +the Pharisees, and all the Herodians, and all the hypocrites, and +all the men who could agree in anything else or at any other time, +were united together in one conspiracy, and tho their witnesses did +not agree together and their discordant voices could not be combined +they all had one will and one purpose against the Son of God and +against His truth. These men, I bear witness--many of them at +least--have no such intention; but we know from the Word of God that +neither had they who crucified our divine Master a knowledge of what +they did: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." +"Which none of the princes of this world knew; for if they had known +it they would never have crucified the Lord of glory." But they are +at this moment fulfilling the very words of the apostles: "And to +some the testimony of the Church is life unto life, to others death +unto death." + +Such then, is the mission and the work of the Church--to bear its +witness, to teach and to judge; and in doing this, whether men +will believe or whether men will not believe, it is accomplishing +its triumph in the world. The world forgets that there is not only +salvation, but there is also judgment; and God, the just judge of +all, is putting men on their trial. The Church is fulfilling its +office by proposing the way of salvation to men, visibly to the +eye by its own presence, audibly to the ear by its own teachings, +clearly to the intellect by the evident truth of its doctrines. It +is putting men upon trial and applying the test to their hearts. It +tests their faith to see whether men will believe; it tests their +candor to see whether they will choose God above all things; it +tests their courage to know whether they are ready to take up their +cross and follow their divine Master. The Church says to the men of +this day: "Whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever +shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel shall save it." And +in saying this God is separating between nation and nation and +between man and man. His "fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly +purge his floor and gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff +will be burnt with unquenchable fire." "He that believeth and is +baptized will be saved; but he that believeth not is condemned." +"We thank God, who always maketh us to triumph in Christ Jesus and +manifesteth the odor of him by us in every place;" for we now, at +this hour, in the midst of the nineteenth century, in the midst +of science and progress, are the odor of life unto life and the +odor of death unto death. For the purpose of God in the world is +this--to gather out, as He did of old, a people for His name. Among +the Gentiles of the old world He chose Israel; so now amongst the +nations of the new world He chooses those that believe. He knows the +number of His elect and He calls them by their name. He proposes to +them the way of salvation and puts all things necessary--truth and +grace--within their reach. God is putting them on trial, and the +Church in this is fulfilling its mission and accomplishing its work. + +The world is on its probation now. It has been for generations +and generations driving God and Christianity out of its public +life. Christianity is cancelled from its public law; Christianity +is silent in the legislature; Christianity at this moment lingers +in education, but men are endeavoring to close the doors of the +schools against it and so to shut Christianity out of the knowledge +of the rising generation. Wo to the people the tradition of whose +Christian education is cut asunder! Wo to your children and to +your posterity, if they are brought up without the knowledge of +Christianity! The world is laboring with all its might, and all +its fraud, and all its riches, and all its public authority, to +accomplish this end. I do not say that the men who are doing it +know what they do; but I affirm that they are doing what I say. +Unbelievers like those who created the infidel revolution of France +in the last century knew well what they were doing. "Let us destroy +the accurst one," was the language in which they frankly spoke of +Jesus Christ. Men are more refined in the present day. They talk +only of the religious difficulty. "Let us evade or get around the +religious difficulty;" and, under this plea of evading the religious +difficulty, Christianity is to be excluded from our schools; that +is to say, because grown men choose to controvert and contradict +each other as to what is the truth of God, the little ones of +Jesus Christ are to be robbed of their faith. Again, the world is +separating its civil powers, its public authority from the unity of +the faith and of the Church everywhere. It is making it a part of +high and perfect legislation, of what we hear called in these days +"progress and modern civilization," to separate the Church from the +State, and the school from the Church. Progress has deposed the Head +of the Church; it has put in derision a crown of thorns upon his +head; and it believes that at last it has the whole world to itself. + +This indeed is the triumph of the world. But meanwhile the Church +is triumphing, tho men know it not. The Church was never more +widespread than at this moment; never more luminous in the eyes of +men, never more explicitly known in its faith; never more united, +vigorous, pure, and confident in its work. Its kingdom is not of +this world: that is, it is not derived from it; the foundation of +its jurisdiction is in eternity; the source of its truth is in the +Holy Ghost, and its imperishable Head is the Son of God at the right +hand of the Father. His kingdom is in the world, but not of it. The +world may prosper and go its way; it may stop its ears against the +voice of the divine witness to the truth; nevertheless that witness +will be the odor of death unto death. + +And England also is on its probation. I bear witness that in England +errors are vanishing away, as the snow melts before the sun--passing +away, as the hard frosts before the coming of the spring. The errors +which were once dominant, lordly, confident, and persecuting--where +are they now? At this day men are proclaiming that they are not +certain of what their forefathers bequeathed to them; that they +cannot precisely tell what was the doctrine which was intended in +the Thirty-nine Articles, and was incorporated in statute laws. +They are no longer certain of these things; and I bear them witness +that a gentler spirit and a kindlier disposition is working in the +hearts of many. In the midst of this darkness, truth is rising +again, and the old Catholic Church and faith, for which Ireland has +stood inflexible as a martyr, with the aureola upon her head, at +this day is multiplying the children of faith here and throughout +the world. Here too in Lancashire, where the faith of England has +never been extinct--where to this day the little children of our +flock are the descendants of those who were martyrs and confessors +some three hundred years ago--the lingering tradition of faith once +more is embodied in the perfect hierarchy of the Church of God, in +its perfect order, perfect unity, perfect jurisdiction, perfect +authority. And, what is more, the men of England have learned to +know it better. They have heard it speak; they have seen it worship; +they have even knelt together with us before the same altar, perhaps +hardly knowing what they did; and that because the Spirit of God is +working for His truth, and multitudes will be saved. We are only in +the twilight of the morning; but we can see Jesus standing on the +shore, and there is a net in the hands of His apostles let down in +the water. But when we are long gone to our rest, who can say what +shall be the great draft of souls which shall be miraculously taken +in England? + +I must bear witness that in England there are tokens full of hope. +England never rejected the holy Catholic faith. A tyrannous and +guilty king, a corrupt and covetous court, men full of the conceit +of false learning, schemers and intriguers, men that hungered to +spoil the Church for their own enrichment--these tyrannized over +the people of England. The people of England held to their faith +and died for it. The people of England never rejected it. They were +robbed of it; they were deprived of their inheritance, and their +children were born disinherited of their faith; every century from +that hour to this they have gone farther and farther from the light +of the one truth. Poor English people! Bear with them--I speak as an +Englishman--bear with them; they know not what they do in believing +that we worship images, that we imbrued our hands in the massacre of +St. Bartholomew. Let the men who write these things look at their +own hands; there is blood enough upon them. But the English people +do not believe these things now; they are passed away. And there has +come in the place of these impostures a desire after truth--"Only +let me find it;" a craving after unity--"Can we never make an end +of these divisions?" a thirsting for the presence of Jesus Christ +upon the altar--"Where can I find Him?" And what are all these +aspirations? They are the evidences of the good odor of life unto +life. + +And if so, then, dear brethren, you that have the inheritance of +faith are on your probation too. You are called to let the light of +your faith shine like the day. The silent, penetrating, convincing +light of a man who, knowing the faith, speaks it calmly, without +controversy, without bickering, without contention, sheds a grace +around him. As men that possess the greatest gift of God, and who +desire to make everybody else share it to the full, so let your +faith shine. And next, as you have faith, so you ought to have +the warmth of charity. Where there is light, there is warmth; and +where there is greater light there is greater warmth. Where there +is perfect truth, there ought to be perfect charity. You who have +the whole revelation of God ought to have the whole charity of God +in you. Let your neighbors who are round about, even those who are +not of the faith, feel that there is something in you--a warmth, +a kindness, a sympathy and generosity which they find in no other +man. And, lastly, let there be the fragrance of a holy life. This is +the good odor of Christ unto God, and this diffuses life unto life +wherever you go. You are upon this probation. Be worthy of the great +gift which has been given to you. You have it in its fulness. Be +then, worthy of its fulness, in faith and in charity. + +And now, dear brethren, in the midst of all the lordly triumph of +the world, of all that which no doubt we shall hear to-morrow, be +of good heart. As they said to the apostles so they will say to us: +"If this be triumph, what can be defeat? We do not quarrel if you +are content with these victories." Overhead there is a throne, and +round about it are those whom no man can number; the powers and +prerogatives of Him who sits upon that throne are working mightily +in the world. There is one who sits above the water-flood, with all +its confusions, whose voice penetrates through all the jangling +contradictions of men. He is bringing to its fulfilment the purpose +which from all eternity He has predestined. He knows His own by +number and by name, and He will gather them out as the shepherd +gathers his flock, and He will separate the goats from the sheep. +He will reign until the whole of that work is accomplished. When +it is done, and when the last of His elect has been gathered in, +and the last of His redeemed has been made perfect, then He will +manifest Himself to all men, and the world shall then know that He +has triumphed always and in every place. + + + + +PARK + +THE PROMINENCE OF THE ATONEMENT + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +EDWARDS AMASA PARK was born at Providence, R. I., in 1808. After a +short pastorate of two years he became professor at Amherst, and +subsequently at Andover Theological Seminary. He was one of the +well-known exponents of the New England Calvinism, and his teachings +had a wide influence over the ministers of his generation. His +sermons, frequently rewritten, were marked by elegance of style +and great moral force. Both as a preacher and teacher he showed +largeness of view, depth of thought, and a rare facility of clear +and powerful expression. He wrote a number of biographies and other +works. He died in 1900. + + + + +PARK + +1808-1900 + +THE PROMINENCE OF THE ATONEMENT[1] + + [1] Printed here by kind permission of Messrs. W. F. Draper & Co., + Andover Publishing House, Andover, Mass. + +_For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, +and him crucified._--1 Corinthians ii., 2. + + +Should the apostle who penned this eloquent expression resume his +ministry on earth, and should he deign to hold converse with us on +the principles of his high calling, and should he repeat his strong +words, I am now, as of old, determined not to know anything among +you save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified, some of us would feel an +impulse to ask him: + +"Can your words mean what they appear to imply? You are learned in +Rabbinical literature; you have read the Grecian poets, and even +quoted from Aratus; you have examined the statuary of Greece, and +have made a permanent record of an inscription upon an altar in +ancient Athens; you have reasoned on the principles of Aristotle +from effect to cause, and have taken rank with the philosophers, +as well as orators of the world; and now, you seem to utter your +determination to abandon all knowledge save that which concerns the +Jew who was crucified. You once said that you had rather speak five +words with the understanding, than ten thousand words in an unknown +tongue; and here, lest the pithy language of this text should fail +of being truly apprehended, we desire to learn its precise meaning +in three particulars: + +"In the first place, do you intend to assert that our knowledge is +controlled by our will? You determined not to know anything save +one. Can you by mere choice expel all but one of your old ideas, and +make your mind like a chart of white paper in reference to the vast +majority of your familiar objects of thought?" + +"I am ready to concede," is the reply, "that much of our knowledge +is involuntary; still a part of it is dependent on our will. In some +degree, at some times, we may attend to a theme or not attend to +it, as we choose, and thus our choice may influence our belief, and +thus are we responsible, in a certain measure, for our knowledge. +Besides, the word 'know' is used by us Hebraistic writers to include +not only a mental apprehension, but also a moral feeling. When we +know Christ, we feel a hearty complacence in Him. Again, to 'know' +often signifies to manifest, as well as to possess, both knowledge +and love. We do not know an old acquaintance when we of set purpose +withhold all public recognition of him, and act outwardly as if +we were inwardly ignorant of his being. But I, Paul, say to you, +as I said to the Corinthians, that I shall make the atonement of +Christ, and nothing but the atonement of Christ, the main theme of +my regard, of my loving regard, and such loving regard as is openly +avowed." + +Thus our first query is answered; but there is a second inquiry +which some of us would propose to the apostle, were he uttering to +us personally the words which he wrote to the Corinthians. It is +this: + +"Should a Christian minister out of the pulpit, as well as in the +pulpit, know nothing save the Crucified One? Did you not know how to +sustain yourself by the manufacture of tents; and did you not say to +the circle of elders at Ephesus, 'These hands have ministered to my +necessities'? Did you not dispute with the Roman sergeants, plead +your cause before the Roman courts? Must not every minister cease +for a time to converse on the word of Jesus; and must he not think +of providing for his own household, lest he become worse than an +infidel?" + +"I am willing to admit," is the reply, "that the pulpit is the +place where the minister should speak of Christ with more uniform +distinctness than in other places; but there are no places, and no +times, in which he should fail to manifest, more or less obviously, +his interest in his Redeemer. Wherever he goes he has a pulpit. +Whether he eat, or drink, or whatever he do, he must do all for +the glory of God, and the highest glory of God is Christ, and the +highest honor of Christ is in Him crucified. A minister must always +respect the proprieties of life; in honoring them he knows that +appropriate model Man who, rising from the tomb, wrapped up the +napkin that was about His head, and laid it in a place by itself. +Now the proprieties of life do require a minister to speak in the +pulpit on themes more plainly and more easily connected with the +atonement, than are various themes on which he must speak in the +market-place or in the schools. But all subjects on which he may +discourse do lead, sooner or later, more or less obviously and +easily, to the great work of Jesus; and he should converse on them +with the intent of seizing every hint they give him, following out +every line to which they point him, in the direction of the cross. I +have been in many synagogues, and in the temple, and on Mars' Hill, +and on a Mediterranean ship-deck; and once I was hurried along in a +night ride from Jerusalem to Caesarea with four hundred and seventy +soldiers, horsemen and spearmen. I have resided at leisure with my +arm chained to a Roman guard in a prison at the capital of the Roman +Empire; but in all such places I have felt, and everywhere I do +feel, bound to speak out, and to act out, all the interest which +the fitness of the occasion admits, in the atonement of Jesus; and +not to manifest, and not to feel, any interest in any theme which +may lessen my regard for this, the chiefest among ten thousand!" + +But there is a third question which some of us would propose to the +apostle, were he to speak in our hearing the words of the text: + +"Should every man, as well as every minister, cherish and exhibit no +interest in anything but Christ? Should a sailor at the masthead, +a surgeon in the extirpation of the clavicle, a warrior in the +critical moment of the last charge, look at nothing, and hear of +nothing, but the cross? Must not everyone conduct business, and +sustain cares, which draw his mind away from the atonement?" + +"I am ready to grant," is the reply, "that some duties are less +plainly and less intimately connected than others with the work of +Jesus; but all of them are connected with it in some degree, and +this connection may be seen by all who choose to gain the fitting +insight. The great principle of duty belonging to the minister in +the pulpit, belongs to him everywhere; and the great principle of +duty belonging to the minister, belongs to every man, woman, and +child. There is not one religion for the man when he is in the +temple, and another religion for the man when he is in the parlor +or in the street. There is not one law for ordained pastor, and +another law for the tradesman or the mechanic. The same law and no +different one, the same religion and no different one, are the law +and religion for the apostles, and publicans, and prophets, and tax +gatherers, and patriarchs, and children, and nobles, and beggars. +Every man is bidden to refuse everything, if it be the nearest +friend, who interferes with the claims of the Messiah; and therefore +every man, layman as well as clergyman, must keep his eye fixed +primarily upon the cross. He may see other things within the range +of that cross, but he must keep the cross directly at the angle of +his vision, and allow nothing else, when placed side by side with +the tree of Calvary, to allure his eye away from that central, +engrossing object." + +Here, then, is our third question answered; and in these three +replies to these three queries, we perceive the meaning of our text +to be: that not on the first day only, but on every day likewise, +not in the religious assembly only, but in all assemblies, and +in all solitudes likewise, not the preacher only, but the hearer +likewise, every man must adopt the rule, to give his voluntary, his +loving, his secret and open regard to nothing so much as to the +character and work of his Redeemer. + +Having inquired into the meaning of the apostle's words, let us +proceed, in the next place, to inquire into the importance of +making the atonement of Christ the only great object of our +thought, speech and action. + +And here, did we hold a personal interview with the author of our +text, we should be prompted to put three additional queries before +him. Our first inquiry would be: + +"Is not your theme too contracted? It is well to know Christ, but +in all the varying scenes of life is it well not to know anything +else? Will not the pulpit become wearisome if, spring and autumn, +summer and winter, it confine itself to a single topic? We have +known men preach themselves out by incessant repetitions of the +scene at Calvary,--a scene thrilling in itself, and on that very +account not bearing to be presented in its details, every Sabbath +day. How much less will the varying sensibilities of the soul +endure the reiteration of this tragic tale every day and at every +interview! Such extreme familiarity induces irreverence. The +Bible is not confined to this theme. It is rich in ecclesiastical +history, political history, ethical rules, metaphysical discussion, +comprehensive theology. It contains one book of ten chapters which +has not a single allusion to God, and several books which do not +mention Christ; why then do you shut us up to a doctrine which will +circumscribe the minds of good men, and result in making their +conversation insipid?" + +"Contracted!"--this is the reply--"and you consider this topic a +limited one, whose height, depth, length, breadth, no finite mind +can measure? Of what would you speak?" + +"We would speak of the divine existence." + +"But Christ is the 'I am.'" + +"We would speak of the divine attributes." + +"But Christ is the Alpha and Omega; He searcheth the reins and +trieth the hearts of men; He is the same yesterday, to-day, and +forever; full of grace and truth; to Him belong wisdom and power and +glory and honor; of His dominion is no end. Of what, then, would you +speak?" + +"We would speak of the divine sovereignty." + +"But Christ taught us to say: Even so, Father, for so it seemed good +in Thy sight--and He and His Father are one." + +"We would converse on the divine decrees." + +"But all things are planned for His praise who was in Christ, and in +whom Christ was at the beginning." + +"We would discourse on electing love." + +"But the saints are elect in Christ Jesus." + +"We would utter many words on the creation of men and angels." + +"Now by our Redeemer were all things created that are in heaven and +that are in the earth, visible and invisible." + +"We would converse on the preservation of what has been created." + +"Now Christ upholdeth all things by the word of His power. What +would you have, then, for your theme?" + +"We would take the flowers of the field for our theme." + +"But they are the delight, as well as the contrivance of the +Redeemer." + +"We would take for our theme the globes in space." + +"But they are the work of His fingers." + +"Then we would take the very winds of heaven for our theme, lawless +and erratic as they are." + +"But Jesus taught us to comment upon these as an illustration of +His truth. His poetic mind gave us the conception that the wind +bloweth where it chooseth to blow; and we look on, wondering whence +it cometh, and whither it goeth, knowing only that it is the breath +of the wonderful, the counselor, who arouseth it as He listeth, or +saith, Peace, be still. What else, then, do you prefer for your +topic of conversation?" + +"We prefer the laws of nature for our topic." + +"But in them the Father worketh and Christ worketh equally." + +"If it be so, we will select the fine and useful arts for our +subject." + +"But all the materials of these arts and all the laws which +compact them, and all the ingenuity which arranges them are of +His architectonic plan. He is the guide of the sculptor, painter, +musician, poet. He is the contriver of all the graces which we +in our idolatry ascribe to the human discoverer, as if man had +originally invented them. The history of the arts is the history of +Christ's government on earth. Will you propose, then, some other +theme for your remark?" + +"Do let us converse on the moral law." + +"You may; but Christ gave this law and came to magnify it." + +"Then let us comment on the ceremonial law." + +"You may; but all its types are prophecies of Jesus." + +"Then we will expatiate on virtue in the general." + +"Do so; but Christ is the first exemplar, the brightest +representative of all abstract goodness, of all your virtue in the +general." + +"Then we will take up the ethical maxims." + +"Take them up; but they are embodied in Him who is the way, the +truth, the life." + +"We will resort, then, to human responsibility for our subject of +discourse." + +"But we must all appear before the judgment seat of that fair-minded +arbiter who is man as well as God." + +"May we not speak of eternal blessedness?" + +"Yes; but it is Christ who welcomes His chosen into life." + +"Shall we not converse, then, on endless misery?" + +"Yes; but it is Christ who will proclaim: Depart, ye cursed." + +"The human body; we would utter some words on that." + +"But your present body is the image of what your Lord wore once, and +the body that you will have, if you die in the faith, is the image +of what your Lord wears now; the image of the body slain for our +offenses and raised again for our justification. And have you still +a favorite theme which you have not suggested?" + +"The pleasures of life are our favorite theme." + +"Yes, and Jesus provided them and graced them at Cana." + +"The duties of the household are our favorite theme." + +"Yes, and Jesus has prescribed them and disciplines you by them, +and will judge you for your manner of regarding them. What would +you have, then, what can you think of for your choice topic of +discourse?" + +"We love to talk of our brethren in the faith." + +"But they are the indices of Christ, and He is represented by them." + +"We choose to converse on our Redeemer's indigent, imprisoned, +diseased, agonized followers." + +"And He is anhungered, athirst, penniless, afflicted in them, and +whatsoever we do to one of them we do to Him, and what we say of one +of them we say of Him." + +"May we speak in the pulpit of slaves?" + +"Of slaves! Can you not speak of Medes and Parthians, Indians and +Arabians? Why not then of Africans? Have they, or have they not, +immortal souls? Was Jesus, or was He not, crucified for them? Was +He ashamed of the lowly and the down-trodden, and those who have +become the reproach of men and the despised of the people? You may +speak of all for whom Christ died; as all men, bond or free, and all +things, globes or atoms, suggest thoughts leading in a right line +or in a curved line to the cross of Christ. All things, being thus +nearly or remotely suggestive of the atonement, are for your sakes; +whether Paul or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, +or things present, or things to come,--all are yours, for your +thoughts, for your words. If things pertain to the divine essence, +the whole of that is the essence of Jesus; if they pertain to the +divine relations, all of them are the relations of Jesus; if they +pertain to the noblest and brightest features of seraphs, all the +angels of God bow down before Jesus; if they pertain to the minutest +changes of human life, in all our vicissitudes Jesus keeps up His +brotherhood with us; if they pertain to the vilest and darkest spot +of our depravity, they pertain to Jesus,--for to speak aright of sin +is to be determined to speak of Christ and of Him crucified for sin. + +"And is this the doctrine which men call a contracted one? Narrow! +The very suspicion of its being narrow has now suggested the first +reason why you should place it and keep it as the crown of all +your words and deeds--it is so large, so rich, so boundless, that +you need nothing which excludes it. And therefore," continues +the apostle, "I mean to know and to love nothing, and to make +it manifest that I care for nothing, in comparison with, and +disconnected from, the God-man, as He develops all His attributes +and all His relations on the cross." + +But were the author of these laconic words in a familiar conference +with us, we might be tempted to address to him a second inquiry: + +"Is not your theme too large? At first we deemed it too small, but +now it swells out before us into such colossal dimensions that we +change our ground, and ask: Can the narrow mind of man take in this +multiplicity of relations, comprehended in both the natures, and in +the redemptive, as well as all the other works of Christ? Do not +frail powers need one day as a day of rest, and one place as a +sanctuary of repose, from every thought less tender than that of the +atoning death itself? Must we not call in our minds from Christ and +Him crucified, so as to concentrate all our emotions on the simple +fact of Christ crucified?" + +"Too large a theme!" this is the reply, "it is a large theme, too +large to be fully comprehended by finite intelligences. Men have +dreamed of exhausting the atonement by defining it to be a plan for +removing the obstacles which stand in the way of our pardon. It is +too large for that definition, as the atonement also persuades the +Most High to forgive us. Then men have thought to mark it round +about by saying that it is a scheme for inducing God to interpose in +our aid. But the atonement is too large for that defining clause, +as it also presents motives to man for accepting the interposition +of God. Then some have thought to define it exactly, by saying +that the atonement is both an appeal to the Lawgiver and also an +appeal to the sinner. Too large still is the atonement for that +explanation. It is an appeal to both God and man, but it is more. It +is an appeal to the universe, and is as many-sided as the universe +itself is to be variously affected. Can we by searching find out the +whole of atoning love? It is the love of Him who stretched out His +arms on the fatal wood, and pointed to the right hand and to the +left hand, and raised His eyes upward, and cast them downward; and +thus all things above and below, and on either side, He embraced +in His comprehensive love. It is a large theme, but not too large +to operate as a motive upon us. The immeasurable reach of a motive +is the hiding of its power. The mind of man is itself expansive, +and requires and will have something immense and infinite of truth +or error, either overpowering it for good or overmastering it for +evil. The atonement is a great theme, but not too great; and for +the additional reason, its greatness lies, in part, in its reducing +all other doctrines to a unity, its arranging them around itself in +an order which makes them all easily understood. We know in other +things the power of unity amid variety. We know how simple the +geography of a land becomes by remembering that its rivers, altho +meandering in unnumbered circuits around the hills and through +the vales, yet pursue one main direction from one mountain to one +sea. Now all the truths of God flow into the atonement. They are +understood by means of it, because their tendencies are toward it; +and it is understood by means of them, because it receives and +comprehends them. + +"Consider more fully the first part of this sentence; all other +truths are understood by means of the atonement. It gives to them +all a unity by illustrating them all. Other truths are not so much +independent themes, as they are branches growing up or sidewise +out of this one root, and they need this single theme in order that +their relations may be rightly understood. What, for example, can +we know in its most important bearings, unless we know the history +and office of our Redeemer? Begin from whatever point we may examine +the uses of things, we can never measure their full utility until we +view them from the cross. The trees bud and blossom. Why? To bear +fruit for the sustenance of the human body. But is this an ultimate +object? The nourishment of the body favors the growth of the mind. +But is the human mind an end worthy of all the contrivances in +nature? Does the sun, with all its retinue of stars, pursue its +daily course with no aim ulterior to man's welfare? Do we adopt a +Ptolemaic theory in morals, that man is the center of the system, +and other worlds revolve round him? All things were made of God, as +the Being in whom they all terminate. Do they exist for elucidating +His power? This is not his chief attribute. His knowledge? There is +a nobler perfection than omniscience. His love? But there is one +virtue imbedded as a gem in His love, and His love is but a shining +casket for this pearl of infinite price. This pearl is grace. This +is the central ornament of the character of Jehovah. But there is no +grace in Jehovah save as it beams forth in Christ; not in Christ as +a mere Divinity, nor in Christ as a mere spotless humanity, but in +the two united, and in that God-man crucified. All things were made +by Him and for Him, rising from the cross to the throne. Without +reference to Him in His atoning love has nothing been made that was +made in this world. The star in the East led wise men once to the +manger where the Redeemer lay; and all the stars of heaven lead +wise men now to Him who had risen above the stars, and whose glory +illumines them all. He is termed the Sun of righteousness; and, as +the material sun binds all the planets around it in an intelligible +order, so does Christ shine over, and under, and into, and through +all other objects, attract them all to Himself, marshal them all +into one clear and grand array, showing them all to be His works, +all suggestive of our duty, our sin, our need of atonement, our +dependence on the one God, and the one Mediator between God and man. + +"The first part of my sentence was, All other truths are understood +by means of the atonement. Consider next the second part: The +atonement is understood by means of other truths. It crystallizes +them around itself, and reduces them into a system, not only because +it explains them, but also because it makes them explain it. It is +not too large a theme, for all the sciences and the arts bring their +contributions to make it orderly and plain. Our text is a simple +one, because its words are interpreted by a thousand facts shining +upon it, and making themselves and it luminous in their radiations +around and over it. Listen again to its suggestive words: + +"'For I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ, +and him crucified.' + +"Now, what is the meaning of this plain term 'Christ'? It means a +'King.' But how can we appreciate the King, unless we learn the +nature of the beings over whom He rules? He reigns over the heavens; +therefore we investigate the heavens. The whole earth is full of +His glory; therefore we study the earth. He is the Lord over the +angels; when we reflect on them, we catch a glimpse of Him in His +regal state. He is the King of the Jews and the Gentiles. When we +meditate on men, we enjoy a glance at Him who was born for this +end, that He might have dominion over our race. When we contemplate +the material worlds, all the vastness and the grandeur included in +them--the sphere of mind, all the refinement and energy involved +in it--we are overpowered by the reality, surpassing fable, that +He who superintends all the movements of matter and first spake it +into being and once framed, as He now governs, the souls of His +creatures--He is the King who atoned for us; and the more we know of +the stars in their courses, and of the spirit in its mysteries, so +much the deeper is our awe in view of the condescending pity which +moved their Creator to become one with a lowly creature acquainted +with grief for you and me. So much is involved in the word 'Christ.' + +"But our text speaks of Jesus Christ. That word 'Jesus!' What is +the meaning of it? It means a 'deliverer,' and in the view of some +interpreters it means 'God, the deliverer.' Deliverer? From what? We +do not understand the power of His great office, unless we learn the +nature and the vileness of sin; and we have no conception how mean, +how detestable, sin is, unless we know the needlessness of it, the +nobleness of the will which degrades itself into it, the excellence +of the law which is dishonored by it. All our studies, then, in +regard to the nature of the will, the unforced voluntariness of +depravity, the extent of it through our race, the depth of it, the +purity of the commands aiming to prevent it, the attractions of +virtue, the strangeness of their not prevailing over the temptations +of vice--they are not mere metaphysics; they are studies concerning +the truth and the grace of Immanuel, who is God with us, and whose +name is 'Deliverer' because He delivers His people from their sins; +sins involving the power and the penalty of free wrong choice; +a penalty including the everlasting punishment of the soul; a +punishment suggesting the nature and the character of the divine +law, and the divine Lawgiver, in their relation to the conscience +and all the sensibilities of the mind; and that mind, as undying as +its Maker. All these things are comprehended in the word 'Jesus.' + +"But our text speaks of Jesus Christ and Him crucified: and this +third term, 'crucified,' adds an emphasis to the two preceding +terms, and stirs us up to examine our own capabilities--to learn +the skill pervading our physical organism, so exquisitely qualified +for pain as well as pleasure; the wisdom apparent in our mental +structure, so keenly sensitive to all that can annoy as well as +gratify; and thus we catch a glimpse of the truth, that He who +combines all of our dignity with none of our guilt, and with all +of the divine glory, and who thus develops all that is fit to be +explained in man, and all that can be explained in God--He it is who +chose to hang and linger with aching nerve and bleeding heart upon +the cross for you and me. This cross makes out an atonement of the +sciences and the arts and brings them also, as well as devout men, +at one with God; all of them tributary to the doctrine that we are +bought with a price--that we are redeemed, not with silver and gold, +but with the precious blood of a man, who was God manifest in the +flesh. Too large a theme is the atonement? But it breaks down the +middle wall of partition that has kept apart the different studies +of men; and it brings them together as illustrations of the truth, +which in their light becomes as simple as it is great. + +"The very objection, then, that the redemptive work is too extensive +for our familiar converse, has suggested the second reason why it +should be the main thing for us to think upon, and speak upon, and +act upon: It systematizes all other themes, and gains from them a +unity which becomes the plainer because it is set off by a luminous +variety; and for this cause," continues the apostle, "I intend to +know nothing with supreme love, except this centralizing doctrine +which combines all other truths into a constellation of glories." + +There is still a third inquiry which we might present to the author +of our text, could we meet him in a personal colloquy: + +"Your words all converge toward one point; will they not then become +monotonous, and inapposite to the varying wants of various, or even +the same, individuals?" + +"A monotonous theme!" this is the reply: "What can be more +diversified than the character and work of Him who is at one time +designated as the omniscient God, and at another time as a Mechanic; +at one time as a Judge, and at another time as an Intercessor; now +a Lion, and then a Lamb; here a Vine, a Tree, there a Way, a Door; +again a Stone, a Rock, still again a Star, a Sun; here without sin, +and there He was made sin for us. + +"Monotonous is this theme? Then it is sadly wronged, and the mind of +man is sadly harmed; for this mind shoots out its tendrils to grasp +all the branches of the tree of life, and the tree in its healthy +growth has branches to which every sensibility of the human mind +may cling. The judgment is addrest by the atonement, concerning the +nature of law of distributive justice, the mode of expressing this +justice either by punishing the guilty or by inflicting pain as a +substitute for punishment, the influence of this substitution on +the transgressor, on the surety, on the created universe, on God +Himself. There is more of profound and even abstruse philosophy +involved in the specific doctrine of the atonement, than in any +other branch of knowledge; and there has been or will be more of +discussion upon it, than upon all other branches of knowledge; for +sacred science is the most fruitful of all sciences in logical +deduction, and this specific part of the science is the richest of +all its parts. + +"Here, then, is the first method in which you may keep up the habit +of making 'Jesus and Him crucified' the soul of your activity: Bring +to your help the force of a resolute determination. There is a +tendency in this resolute spirit to divert your thoughts from other +themes, to turn the current of your sensibilities into the right +channel, to invigorate your choice, to exert a direct and reflex +influence in confirming the whole soul in Jesus. God is in that +determination. He inspires it. He invigorates it. He works with it +and by it. There is a power in it, but the power is not yours; it is +the power of God. God is in every holy resolve of man." + +In our interview with the apostle we should address to him a second +inquiry: + +"In what method can we avoid both the fact and the appearance of +being slavishly coerced into the habit of conversing on Christ +and on Christ alone? You speak of taking your stand, adhering to +your decision; but this dry, stiff resolve-comes any genial spirit +from it? Will you not be a slave to your unswerving purpose? Your +inflexible rule, will it not be a hard one, wearisome to yourself, +disagreeable to others? You hold up a weighty theme by a dead lift." + +"I am determined"--this is the reply--"and it is not only a strong +but it is a loving resolve. For the love of Christ constraineth +me; whom having not seen in the flesh I love; in whom, though now +I see him not, yet believing, I rejoice with the joy unspeakable +and full of glory. It is not a business-like resolution. It is +not a diplomatic purpose. It is not a mechanical force. It is an +affectionate decision. It is a joyous rule. It is the effluence of a +supreme attachment to the Redeemer. + +"And this is the second method in which you may retain Jesus Christ +as the jewel of your speech and life: Cherish a loving purpose to +do so. A man has strength to accomplish what with a full soul he +longs to accomplish. Your Christian toil will be irksome to you, if +it be not your cordial preference; but if your undeviating resolve +spring out of a hearty choice of your Savior, then will it be ever +refreshed and enlivened by your outflowing, genial preference; then +will your pious work be the repose of your soul. There is a power in +your love to your work. It is a power to make your labor easy for +yourself and attractive to others. This is not your power; it is the +power of God. He enkindles the love within you. He enlivens it. He +gives it warmth. He makes it instinct with energy. God is in all the +holy joy of man." + +In our conference with the author of our text we might suggest to +him our third and last inquiry: + +"In what method can we feel sure of persevering in this habitual +exaltation of Christ? You speak of your stern purpose, but can you +depend upon the continuance of it? You speak of your cordial as well +as set resolve. But who are you? (forgive our pertinacious query). +Jesus we know. But His disciples, His chief apostles--is not every +one of them a reed shaken with the wind, tossed hither and thither, +unstable as a wave upon the sea?" + +"I know it is so"--this is the reply. "Often am I afraid lest, +having preached the gospel to others, I should be a castaway. And +after all I am persuaded that nothing--height depth, life, death, +nothing--shall be able to separate me from the love of Christ; for +I put my confidence in Him, and while my purpose is inflexible and +affectionate, it is also inwrought with trust in the atonement and +the intercession. I do pursue my Christian life in weakness and in +fear and in much trembling. For all the piety of the best of men +is in itself as grass, and the goodliness thereof as the flower of +the field. Therefore serve I the Lord with all humility of mind +and with many tears and temptations. Yet I am determined with a +confiding love. I am troubled on every side; my flesh has no rest; +without are fightings, within are fears; in presence I am base among +you, my bodily presence is weak and my speech contemptible; and if +I must needs glory, I will glory in the things which concern my +infirmities. Still, after all, I am determined, my right hand being +enfolded in the hand of my Redeemer. I know whom I have believed, +and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed +unto Him against that day. For my conversation is in heaven, from +whence I am to look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall +change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious +body, according to the mighty working whereby He is able to subdue +all things unto Himself. I say the truth in Christ; I lie not; I am +the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, +because I injured the Church of God; I am less than the least of all +saints. Still I am determined; for by the grace of God I am what I +am; and this grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but +I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I but the grace of +God which was with me; for I can do all things through Christ which +strengtheneth me, and therefore I am determined. + +"Borne onward, therefore, by your fixed plan, and no one can succeed +in anything without a plan, yet you must never rely ultimately +upon your determined spirit. Allured further and further onward +by your delight in your plan, and no one can work as a master in +anything without enthusiasm in his prescribed course, still you +must not place your final dependence upon your affectionate spirit; +for if you take, for your last prop, either the sternness or the +cheerfulness of your own determination, then you will know your +determination, and you are not to know anything save Jesus Christ +and Him crucified. Here, then, is the third method in which you may +give the fitting prominence to the best of themes: You must rest for +your chief and final support on Him and only on Him, from whom all +wise plans start, by whom they hold out, and to whom they all tend, +who is all and in all, Jesus Christ and Him crucified." + +My Christian brethren, you are all apostles. Every man, every woman, +every child, the richest and the poorest, the most learned and the +most ignorant of you--who have come up hither to dedicate yourselves +and this sanctuary to your Lord, all being sent of Him to serve Him, +have in fact and in essence the same responsibility resting on you +as weighed on the author of our text. And he was burdened by the +same kind of temptations and fears which oppress your spirit. But he +was held up from failing in his work by a threefold cord; and that +was his resolute determination, as loving as it was resolute, and as +trustful as it was loving, to know nothing save Jesus Christ and Him +crucified. The last that you hear of him as an impenitent man is in +the words: "And Saul, yet breathing out threatening and slaughter +against the disciples of the Lord." It was Christ whom the proud Jew +last opposed. The first that you hear of him as a convicted man is +in the words: "Who art thou, Lord?" It was Christ whom the inquiring +Jew first studied. And the first that you hear of him as a penitent +man is: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" It was Christ to whom +the humble disciple first surrendered his will. And the first that +you hear of him as a Christian minister is: "And straightway he +preached Christ in the synagogs that he is the Son of God." And the +last that you hear of him as a Christian hero is: "I have fought +the good fight, I have finished my course. I have kept the faith; +henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness." And +the secret of this victorious career is in words like those of our +text: "I adhered to my plan (when among the fickle Corinthians), I +was decided (when among the vacillating Galatians) to know nothing +(when among the learned at Athens and them of Caesar's household at +Rome) save Jesus Christ (when I was among my own kinsmen who scorned +Him), and Him crucified (when I was among the pupils of Gamaliel, +all of whom despised my chosen theme); still I was determined to +cling to that theme among the Greeks and the Barbarians, before +Onesimus the slave and Philemon the proud master; for I loved my +theme, and, suffering according to the will of God, I committed the +keeping of my soul to Him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator." + +And herein is it to be your plan, my brethren, and your joy, not to +make this sanctuary the resort of wealth and of fashion, but rather +of humble suppliants, who by their prayers may divert all the wealth +and fashion of the world into the service of your Lord; not to make +this temple the resting-place of hearers who shall idly listen to +the words of an orator, but a temple of earnest coworkers with +Christ--thinking of Him, speaking of Him, loving Him first, and +last, and midst, and without end. As you come to this house of God +on the Sabbath, as you go from it, as your week-day recollections +gather around it, may you renew and confirm your plan to know your +Redeemer, and not only to shut yourselves up to the supreme love +of nothing except Christ, but also--His grace will be sufficient +for you--to worship and serve Christ in the central relation of Him +crucified. Knowing Him alone, He will sustain you as fully as if He +knew you alone. He will come to you in this temple as frequently +as if He had no other servants to befriend. He will listen to your +prayers as intently as if no supplications came up to Him from +other altars, and He will intercede for you as entirely as if He +interceded in behalf of no one else; for remember, that when He +hung upon the cross, He thought of you, and died for you, just as +fully as if He had been determined to think of no one, and to die +for no one, save you, whom He now calls to the solemn service of +consecrating your own souls, and your "holy and beautiful house" to +the glory of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. + + + + +SIMPSON + +THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + +MATTHEW SIMPSON, Methodist Episcopal Bishop, was born at Cadiz, +Ohio, in 1810. He early distinguished himself as an orator, his +style being that of spontaneous unpremeditated eloquence, in which +he carried his congregation to heights of spiritual fervor and +enthusiasm. He visited Europe in 1878 as delegate to the World's +Evangelical Alliance in Berlin, which served to widen his reputation +as a public speaker. He officiated at the funeral of Abraham Lincoln +at Springfield, Illinois. His "Lectures on Preaching" delivered +before the divinity students at Yale have been widely read. He died +in 1884. + + + + +SIMPSON + +1810-1884 + +THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD + +_But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits +of them that slept._--1 Cor. xv., 20. + + +A little more than eighteen hundred years ago, as the light of the +morning was breaking around the walls of Jerusalem, there was a +guard placed about a sepulcher in a small garden near the walls +of the city. They were guarding a grave. Some strange scenes had +occurred on the Friday before. While a man whom they had taken from +the hills of Galilee and around the little lake of Capernaum had +been hanging on the cross crucified as a malefactor, strange signs +appeared in the heavens, and on the earth and in the temple. + +It was rumored that he had said he would rise the third morning. +The third morning was coming, and as the light began to break in +the East, there came two women silently and sadly wending their way +among the tents that were pitched all around the city of Jerusalem; +they had sojourned all night in the tents, for as yet the gates of +the city had not been opened. They came to see the sepulcher and +were bringing spices in their hands. They loved the man who had been +crucified as a malefactor, because of his goodness, his purity, and +his compassion. They seemed to be almost the only hearts on earth +that did love him deeply, save the small circle of friends who had +gathered around him. There had been curses upon his head as he hung +on the cross--curses from the by-standers, curses from the soldiers, +curses from the people. They cried: "Away with him; his blood be on +us and on our children!" and on that morning there were none but a +few feeble, obscure, heart-broken friends that dared to come near +his grave. + +A little more than eighteen hundred years have passed and on the +anniversary of that day, the morning of the first day of the week, +the first Sabbath after the full moon and the vernal equinox, at the +same season, the whole world comes to visit that grave. The eyes of +princes and of statesmen, the eyes of the poor and the humble in all +parts of the earth are turned toward that sepulcher. + +All through Europe men and women are thinking of that grave and of +Him who lay in it. All over western lands, from ocean to ocean, on +mountain top and in valley, over broad prairies and deep ravines, +the eyes and hearts of the people are gathered round that grave. In +the darkness of Africa, here and there, we see them stretching out +their hands toward it. Along the coasts of India and the heights of +the Himalayas they have heard of that grave and are bending toward +it. The Chinese, laying aside their prejudices, have turned their +eyes westward and are looking toward that sepulcher. Along the +shores of the seas, over the mountain tops and in the valleys, the +hearts of the people have not only been gathering around that grave, +but they have caught a glimpse of the rising inmate who ascended in +His glory toward heaven. + +The song of jubilee has gone forth, and the old men are saying, "The +Lord is risen from the dead." The young men and matrons catch up the +glowing theme, and the little children around our festive boards, +scarcely comprehending the source of their joy, with glad hearts +are now joyful, because Jesus has risen from the dead. All over the +earth tidings of joy have gone forth, and as the valleys have been +ringing out their praises on this bright Sabbath morning how many +hearts have been singing-- + + "Our Jesus is going up on high!" + +Why this change? What hath produced such a wonderful difference in +public feeling? The malefactor once curst, now honored; the obscure +and despised, now sought for; the rising Redeemer, not then regarded +by men, now universally worshiped. What is the cause of this great +change?--how brought about? The subject of this morning, taken from +the associations of this day, call us to consider as briefly as we +may the fact of the resurrection of Christ from the dead and some of +the consequences which flow to us from that resurrection. + +It is important for us to fix clearly in our minds the fact that +this is one reason why such days are remembered in the annals of +the Church as well as in the annals of nations; for our faith +rests on facts, and the mind should clearly embrace the facts +that we may feel that we are standing on firm ground. This fact +of the resurrection of Christ is the foundation of the Christian +system; for the apostle says: "And if Christ be not raised, your +faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins; then they also which are +fallen asleep in Christ will perish." If Christ be not risen, we +shall never see the fathers and the mothers who have fallen asleep +in Jesus; we shall never see the little ones who have gone up to +be, as we believe, angels before the throne of God. If Christ be +not raised, we are of all men the most miserable, because we are +fancying future enjoyment, which never can be realized; but if +Christ be raised, then shall we also rise, and them that sleep in +Jesus will God bring with Him. And that our minds may rest as to the +fact of Christ's resurrection, let us notice how God hath arranged +the evidences to secure the knowledge of this fact clearly to man. + +The first point to which our attention is invited is the fact of +Christ's death. Were not this fact clearly established it would +be in vain to try to prove His resurrection from the dead. Christ +might have suffered for man in some obscure place; He might have +laid down His life as a ransom, and yet there would have been +no legal evidence of it. God allowed the wrath of man to become +the instrument of praising Him, in that He suffered Christ to be +taken under what was then the legal process--arrested first by +the great council of the Jews, and then by the authority of the +Roman governor, so that the matter became of public record--a +legal transaction. The highest power, both of the Jewish and Roman +governments, united in this fact of His arrest, His trial, and His +condemnation to death. + +Not only was this permitted, but the time of the occurrence was +wisely arranged. It was at the feast of the Jews, the Passover, when +all the Jews came up to keep the Passover. They came not only from +Egypt but from all the country through which they were scattered. +Jerusalem could not hold the people that came together; they pitched +their tents all around the city, on the hills and in the valleys. +It was the time of full moon, when there was brightness all night, +and they came together with safety and security. The multitude, +then, was there to witness the scene, so that it might be attested +by people from all parts of Judea and from all countries round about +Judea. + +Then, again, the form of the death was such as to be not a sudden +one, but one of torture, passing through many hours. Had the +execution been a very sudden one, as it might have been, the death +would have been equally efficacious, yet it would not have been +witnessed by so many; but as He hung those dreadful hours, from +nine until three, the sun being darkened, what an opportunity was +given to the people passing by to be imprest with the scene! The +crucifixion was near the city; the crowd was there; the temple +worship was in process; the strangers were there; and as one great +stream passes on some festive day through the great thoroughfare of +your city, so passed the stream of men, women, and children by that +cross on which the Savior hung. They wagged their heads and reviled +as they passed by. The very ones whom Jesus had healed, whose +fathers had been cured of leprosy or fever, whose mothers' eyes had +been opened; the ones who had been raised up from beds of sickness +by the touch of that Savior, passed by and reviled, and said: "He +saved others, Himself He cannot save." The multitude saw Him as He +hung suffering on the cross. + +Then, again, the circumstances attending His death were such as +to invite universal attention. It was not designed that the death +should be a private one; not merely a legal transaction, a matter +soon over, but a protracted and agonizing spectacle--one to be seen +and known by the multitude; but, in addition, that man's attention +should be drawn to something to be connected with that wonderful +scene; hence God called upon the heavens and the earth, the air and +the graves, and the temple itself for testimony. It is said that +before the coronation of a prince in olden time in Europe--and in +some kingdoms the custom is still observed--there is sent forth +a herald, sometimes three days in advance, at different periods +according to the custom, to issue a challenge to anyone that dares +to claim the kingdom to come and prove his right, and to announce +that the coronation of this prince is to take place. + +Methinks it was such a challenge God gave to all the powers of +humanity and to all the powers of darkness. There hung suffering on +the cross He who died for human wo, and as He hung God was about +to crown Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords on the morning of the +third day. He sends forth His voice of challenge, and as He speaks +the earth rocks to its center; that ground, shaking and convulsing, +was a call to man to witness what was about to occur. + +Not only is there a voice of earth. Yonder the sun clothed himself +in sackcloth for three hours, as much as to say: "There may be gloom +for three days; the great Source of light hath veiled Himself, as in +a mantle of night, for three days. As for three hours this darkness +hangs, but as out of the darkness the light shines forth, so at +the end of the three days shall the Sun of Righteousness shine out +again, the great center of glory, with that glory which He had with +the Father from the foundation of the world." It was the herald's +voice that passed through the heavens, and that spoke through all +the orbs of light, "Give attention, ye created beings, to what is +to happen!" But it was not alone in the earth, which is the great +center, nor in the heavens, which is the great source of light, that +the tidings were proclaimed. + +Look in yonder valley. The tombs are there; the prophets have been +buried there. Yon hillside is full of the resting-places of the +dead; generations on generations have been buried there; friends are +walking in it, and they are saying, "Yonder is a mighty judge in +Israel; there is the tomb of a prophet." They were passing to and +fro through that valley of death when the earthquake's tread was +heard, and behold! the tombs were opened, the graves displayed the +dead within, and there was a voice that seemed to call from the very +depths of the graves, "Hear, O sons of men!" + +What feelings must have thrilled through the hearts of those who +stood by those monuments and bended over those graves, when, thrown +wide open, the doors bursting, and the rocks giving way, they saw +the forms of death come forth and recognized friends that once they +had known. What was to occur? What could all this mean? Then the +great sacrifice was offered. It was three o'clock in the afternoon +when Christ was to give up the ghost. Yonder the multitude of pious +people were gathered toward the temple. The outer court was full; +the doors and gates which lead into the sanctuary were crowded; the +lamb was before the altar; the priest in his vestments had taken the +sacrificial knife; the blood was to be shed at the hour of three; +the multitude were looking. + +Yonder hangs a veil; it hides that inner sanctuary; there are +cherubim in yonder with their wings spread over the mercy-seat; the +shekinah once dwelt there; God Himself in His glory was there and +the people are bending to look in. No one enters into that veil save +the high priest, and he, with blood and in the midst of incense, but +once a year; but it was the mercy-seat and the eye of every pious +Jew was directed toward that veil, thinking of the greater glory +which lay beyond it. + +As the hour of three came and as the priest was taking the +sacrificial knife from the altar and was about to slay the lamb, +behold! an unseen hand takes hold of that veil and tears it apart +from top to bottom, and has thrown open the mercy-seat, not before +seen by men. The cherubim are there; the altar with its covering +of blood is there; the resting-place of the ark is there; it is +the holiest of holies. Methinks the priest drops the knife, the +lamb goes free, for the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of +the world is suffering for man. The way to the holy of holies is +open,--a new and living way, which men may not close, which priest +alone can not enter; but a way is open whereby humanity, opprest and +downtrodden, from all parts of the earth, may find its way to the +mercy-seat of God. There was a call to the pious worshiper by voices +which seemed to say: "An end to all the sacrifices, an end to all +the suffering victims, an end to all the sprinkled hyssop that is +used in purification, for One has come to do the will of God on whom +the burden of man had been laid." + +Now here were all these calls to humanity from all parts, as if to +announce the great transaction. While all this was occurring Christ +was on the cross, suffering the agony of crucifixion. How deep that +agony we need not attempt to tell you; it was fearful; and yet no +complaint escaped His lips, no murmuring was there. He bore the sins +of many in His own flesh on the tree. He heard the multitudes revile +Him; He saw them wag their heads; He remembered that the disciples +had fled from Him--one followed afar off, but the rest had gone; and +yet He complained not. Friends and kindred had all left Him and He +trod the wine-press alone. He drank the cup in all its bitterness +and no complaint escaped from Him. One left Him that had never +forsaken Him before. "The world is gone, the disciples I have fed +and taught have all fled and passed away,--all have forsaken Me." + +But there was no time until that moment of fearful darkness came, +when all the load of guilt was upon Him and for our sins He was +smitten, that His spirit was crusht, and He called out, "My God, my +God, why hast thou forsaken me?" All else might go--it were little; +"Why hast thou forsaken me?" But it is over; the darkness is past; +the load is borne; and I hear Him say, "It is finished"; He bows His +head and dies. + +Now there is publicity for the transaction. It demanded public +investigation, it received it. There was not only the mental agony +united with the agony of crucifixion, but there was the voluntary +giving up of His life; yet, lest there might be some suspicion, to +all this was added the proof of the fact of His death. When the +limbs of the others were broken and He was perceived to be dead, the +soldier thrust the spear into His side and there came out of that +side both water and blood. + +There is a peculiarity in the sacred writings. A little incident +that seems to be mentioned without care becomes the strongest +possible proof, not only of the fact of Christ's death, but of the +nature of His death. When that sentence was written the human frame +was not understood, the circulation of the blood was not understood. +Anatomists had not then, as they have now, unveiled the human +system; the great science of pathology had not yet been clearly +taught to man; and yet in that sentence we have almost a world of +meaning. For it is well attested now that where persons die from +violent mental emotion, by what is termed a broken heart, a crusht +spirit, there is always formed a watery secretion around the heart. +It was not known then to the soldier who lifted up the spear and +pierced the body; but so much of that water had secreted around the +heart that he saw it issuing forth from the pierced side, unstained +by blood, which showed that the great heart had been crusht by agony +within. + +When taken from the cross He was put in the sepulcher. His friends +had given Him up, His disciples had forsaken Him; some of them saw +Him die; they knew that He was crucified and they abandoned Him. +They were returning to their former employments; but His enemies +remembered He had said He would rise the third day, and they put +a guard around Him. The Roman soldiers were there; the king's +seal was on the stone rolled over the mouth of the sepulcher; they +made everything secure. Here again God ordered that we should have +abundant proof of Christ's crucifixion. + +He was crucified on Friday, which was to them the last day of the +week, resting in the grave on our Saturday, which is their Sabbath, +and then comes the first day of the week, our Sabbath morning, made +our Sabbath because of Christ's resurrection from the dead. There +came an humble visitant to the tomb, Mary Magdalene; she had been +healed of much, forgiven much and she loved Him. Mary, the mother of +James, came also and beheld the scenes that occurred; but there had +been strange commotions elsewhere. + +Heaven had been gathering around that grave. Angels had been +watching there; they had seen the Roman guard; they had seen the +shining spear and polished shield; they had seen that Christ was +held as a prisoner by the greatest powers on earth. Methinks I see +the angelic host as they gathered round the throne of God and looked +up into the face of Omnipotence, and if ever there was a time when +there was silence in heaven for half an hour, it was before the +morning light of the third day dawned. I hear them say "How long +shall man triumph? How long shall human power exalt itself? How long +shall the powers of darkness hold jubilee? Let us away and roll +away the stone; let us away and frighten yonder Roman guard and +drive them from the sepulcher." + +They waited until permission was given. I see the angel coming down +from the opening doors of glory; he hastens outside the walls of +Jerusalem and down to the sepulcher; when they saw him coming the +keepers shook, they became like dead men; he rolls away the stone +and sets himself by the mouth of the sepulcher. Christ, girding +Himself with all the power of His divinity, rises from the grave. +He leads captivity captive, tears the crown from the head of death, +and makes light the darkness of the grave. Behold Him as He rises +just preparatory to His rising up to glory. Oh, what a moment was +that! Hell was preparing for its jubilee; the powers of earth were +preparing for a triumph; but as the grave yields its prey, Christ, +charged with being an impostor, is proved to be the Son of God with +power; it is the power of His resurrection from the dead. + +There was Christ's resurrection from the dead. He became the first +fruits of them that slept. But to give the amplest proofs of His +resurrection He lingered on earth to be seen of men, and to be seen +in such a manner as to show that He was still the Savior Christ. +In my younger days I used to often wonder why was it that Mary +Magdalene came first to the sepulcher, and the mother of James that +stood there--why He should appear to them; but in later days I have +said it was to show that He was the Savior still; that the same +nature was there which had made Him stoop to the lowliest of the +low--the power that enabled Him to heal the guiltiest of the guilty; +that that power, that compassion, were with Him still. + +Tho now raised beyond death and triumphing over hell, He still had +within Him the Savior's heart. Methinks I see, when Peter had run +in anxiety to tell the news, Mary remained there; she could not +fully comprehend it; the grave was open, the napkins were there; +it was said He was not there, but He was risen. And yet, there was +a darkness upon her; she could not fully conceive, it seems to me, +the resurrection of the dead. She stood wondering, when she heard a +voice behind her which said, "Woman, why weepest thou?" Bathed in +tears as she was, she turned round and saw the man standing, and +taking him to be the gardener, and supposing that he had taken the +body and carried it away as not fit to lie in that tomb or be in +that garden, she said: "If thou hast taken, him away, tell me where +thou hast laid him, and I will take him away." If He must not lie in +this tomb, if He can not lie in the garden, if as a malefactor He +must be cast out from man, tell me where the body is and I will take +it away. It was a proof of her affection. + +A voice said, "Mary, Mary." Oh, she recognized it, and her heart +cried out: "Rabboni, my Lord and my God!" and then she would have +thrown herself at His feet and bathed those feet again with her +tears, but He said, "Touch me not, I am not ascended to my Father; +go and tell the disciples and Peter that I am risen from the dead." +See the compassion of the Savior! and then that message! "Tell the +disciples and Peter." Why send a message to him? Because he curst +and swore and denied the Master. The other disciples might have +said, "If Christ is risen, He may receive and bless us all; but +Peter is gone, hopelessly and irretrievably gone; he that forsook +his Master and denied Him, there is no hope for him." And yet said +Jesus, "Go and tell the disciples and Peter"--poor backslidden Peter. + +Jesus knew his sorrow and anguish and almost felt the throbbings +of his broken heart, and He sent a message to Peter. He may be a +disciple still--may come back and be saved through the boundless +love of Christ. Oh, the compassion of the Son of God! Thank God that +Peter's Savior is on the throne this morning! + +Not only was He seen by these, but He met with the disciples +journeying by the way and explained the Scriptures to them; and +as they met in the upper room He was there. When the doors were +unopened He came in their midst and said, "Peace!" breathed on them +and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." Thus He met with them and +said to Thomas, "Reach hither thy fingers, and be not faithless but +believing." + +Then afterward He was seen by five hundred, and from the Mount +of Olives, while the disciples were gathered around Him, He was +received up into glory. They saw Him and as He went He blest +them. The last vision that ever humanity had of the Son of God +ere he ascended to heaven was that of spreading out His hands +in blessing. Oh, my Savior hath thus gone up, and He dropt from +those outstretched hands a blessing which falls to-day like the +gentle dew all over the earth; it reaches heart after heart. It +hath reached patriarchs, apostles, martyrs, fathers, and mothers +and little children, and, thank God, the heavenly dew, as from +those outstretched hands, is coming down on our assembly this very +morning. On this glad day blessings are dropping from the throne of +God upon us from this risen Savior. He hath ascended up on high, the +gates have opened for Him, and He hath gone to His throne in glory. + +Let us look at a few of the results that flow to us from these facts +thus sustained of His death and resurrection from the dead! + +In the first place it established all Bible declarations. It had +been predicted that He should not stay in the grave, and when He +arose it put the seal to the Old Testament as the Word of God. The +prophecy in Him fulfilled gave glorious proof that the other parts +of it should be also fulfilled as the word of an unchanging God. + +Again, in His resurrection we see a proof of His divine power. No +man hath been raised from the dead by his own power. All died, from +Adam to Moses, with the exception of Enoch and Elijah, who, because +of their devotion and acknowledgment of the divine head, themselves +became prophets of a coming Savior. He rose by His own power. He +conquered death itself, the grave, and the whole powers of humanity. + +Jupiter is represented by an old classic writer as saying to the +lesser gods that if all of them combined together and should +endeavor to throw down his throne--if all power was arrayed against +him--he, by his own might, would be able to overcome them all. +What was fiction with the ancients becomes gloriously realized in +Christ. Take all the powers of humanity--the Jewish power, the +Roman power; the power of learning, of art, of public opinion; take +all the powers of earth and hell, death and the grave, and combine +them all against the Savior and, without one effort, without one +single apparent movement--the Sleeper lies in death, His eyes are +sealed, and, as if all unconscious, for the warning had not been +given before--in an instant those eyes were opened, that frame +rises, the grave yields up its prey, death retires conquered, and +Christ demonstrates Himself to be the ruler of the whole universe. +He made the earth to tremble, the sun to put on sackcloth, the very +air to grow dark, the graves to open, the dead to come forth, and +proclaimed Himself to be the conqueror of death and hell. So we have +proof of His being the Son of God with power. + +In that resurrection from the dead we have a pledge of our own +resurrection. Christ has become the first-fruits of them that slept. +You know the figure of the first-fruits as understood by the Jews. +Their religion was connected with the seasons of the year--with +the harvest crops; one of their feasts was called the feast of the +first-fruits, and was on this wise: When the first heads of grain +began to ripen in the field, and there was thus a pledge of harvest, +they cut off those first ripened heads and went up to Jerusalem. + +Before that the grain was not crusht, no bread was baked out of +it, and nothing was done to appropriate that crop to man's use +until those ripened heads of grain were brought up to Jerusalem +and presented to the Lord as a thank-offering. He was acknowledged +as Lord of the harvest and they were laid up as a kind of +thank-offering before God. They were the first-fruits. Then they +went away to the fields and all through Judea the sickle was thrust +in, the grain was reaped and gathered into sheaves, and when the +harvest was secured they baked the bread for their children out of +this first grain. They came up to the temple, where the first-fruits +had been laid, and they held a feast of thanksgiving and shouted +harvest home. The old harvest feast seems to be descended from this +ancient custom. + +Christ rose as the first-fruits, and there is to be a glorious +resurrection. Christ came, the first man to rise in this respect, +by His own power, from the grave, having snatched the crown from +death, having thrown light into the grave, having Himself ascended +up toward glory. He goes up in the midst of the shouts of angels; +the heavens open before Him; yonder is the altar; there is the +throne, and around it stand the seraphim and the cherubim; and +Christ enters, the victor, and sits down upon the throne, from +henceforth expecting until His enemies be made His footstool. He is +the first-fruits of the harvest, but the angels are to be sent out +like the reapers, and by and by humanity is coming. + +As Christ, the first-fruits, passed through the grave and went up +to glory, so there shall come forth from their sleeping dust in +Asia, in Africa, in Europe, and in America, from every mountain +top, from the depths of the sea, from deep ravines, and from plains +outspread--oh, there shall come in the time of the glorious +harvest--the uprising of humanity, when all the nations, waking from +their long sleep, shall rise and shall shout the harvest home! Thank +God! At that time none shall be wanting. + +Oh, they come, they come, from the nations of the past and from the +generations yet unborn! I see the crowd gathering there. Behold the +angels are waiting, and as the hosts rise from the dead they gather +round the throne. Christ invites His followers to overcome and sit +down with Him on His throne, as He overcame and sat down with the +Father on His throne. In that is the pledge of our resurrection from +the dead. Can I not suffer, since Christ suffered? Can I not die, +since Christ died? Let the grave be my resting-place, for Christ +rested there. Is it cold? The warmth of His animation is in it. He +shall be beside me in all His spirit's power. Does the load of earth +above me and beneath which I am placed press upon me? Christ hath +power to burst the tomb, tho deep it be, and I shall rise through +His almighty power. + +Yet, let the malice of men be directed against me; let me be taken, +if it must be, as a martyr and be bound to the stake; let the fagots +be kindled, let the flame ascend, let my body be burned; gather +my ashes, grind my bones to powder, scatter them on the ocean's +surface; or carry those ashes to the top of yonder volcano and throw +them within its consuming fire--let them be given to the dust--and +yet I can sing: + + "God my Redeemer lives, + And ever from the skies + Looks down and watches all my dust, + Till He shall bid it rise." + +Thank God! it may be scattered on the wings of the wind--Christ is +everywhere present; He has marked every particle and it shall rise +again by His own almighty power. And what is it to sleep awhile if I +am Christ's? To die, if I am like Christ in dying? and be buried, if +I am like Christ in being buried? I trust I shall be like Him when +He comes forth in His glory. I shall be like Him, for the apostle +says, "We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is"; "We +shall be changed from glory into glory, into the same image as by +the Spirit of God." + +It would be a great change to be changed from glory to glory, +from saints to angels, from angels to cherubim, from cherubim to +seraphim, from glory to glory; but, thank God! we shall not stop +being changed; for the change shall go on from glory to glory +until we shall be transformed into the likeness of the Son of God, +brighter than angels ever shone, more glorious than were ever +cherubim. + +We shall be near the throne; we shall sit beside Him, for He hath +made room for us there. Then, if we can calmly look at death and +face him, because his strength has been overcome, it reconciles us +to parting a little while with friends. A father or a mother may be +taken from us, but we shall see them again; they shall not sleep +forever. The little ones that drop from our arms, we can almost see +them this morning; some of us can almost feel them in our arms--can +see the glance of that beautiful eye and hear the sound of that +little prattling lip; they seem to be with us now, as a little while +ago they dropt from out of our arms. We followed them to the grave +and left them there, where the winter's storm has been howling +around them. + +Sometimes loneliness like that terrible storm has swept over our +hearts and left them almost in despair; but through Christ's +resurrection we see our children yonder in glory, safe in the +Savior's arms. Their little forms shall rise all-glorious from the +tomb in the morning of the resurrection; we shall find them, for +Jesus is the resurrection and the life. + +All this comes to us from the resurrection of Christ from the dead. +He died once; He dies no more; the condemnation of death is forever +gone; He sits on the throne of everlasting dominion; His kingdom +is an eternal kingdom; and as He died once and has risen to die no +more, so when we have died once and gone to the grave and entered +the dark valley and shadow of death, and we come up safely on the +other side, thank God! death is passed forever; we shall then put +our feet on the neck of the monster and shall be able to say: + + "Oh death, where is thy sting? + Oh grave, where is thy victory?" + +Looking at the resurrection of Christ we exclaim, Thanks be unto God +who hath given us the victory! Such is the eternity and blessedness +that awaits us. Thank God for a spiritual body! Here some of us long +to triumph over nature. We would grasp, if we could, angelic wisdom; +but our brows will ache with pain, our frames decay, our eyes grow +dim, our hearing fail. This flesh of ours will not stand hours of +painful study and seasons of protracted labor; but, thank God! when +the body that now oppresses us is laid in the grave a spiritual +body will be given to us, pure, ethereal, and holy. Oh, what an +extent of knowledge shall flash upon us; what light and glory; what +spirituality and power! Then we shall not need to ask an angel +anything. We shall know as we are known. Jesus will be our teacher; +the Everlasting God, the Man whose name is Wonderful, the Counselor, +the Prince of Peace. He Himself shall be our Leader. We shall know +then as also we are known. + +Then rejoice in God. Dry up those tears. Cast away that downcast +look. Child of the dust, you are an heir of glory. There is a crown +all burnished for you; there is a mansion all ready for you; there +is a white robe prepared for you; there is eternal glory for you; +angels are to be your servants and you are to reign with the King +of Kings forever. But while you wait on earth, be witnesses for +God; attest the glory of your Master; rise in the greatness of His +strength; bind sin captive to your chariot wheels; go onward in your +heavenly career, and be as pure as your ascended Head is pure. Be +active in works of mercy; be angels of light; be names of fire; go +on your mission of mercy and convert the world unto God before you +go up higher. When you go, not only go forward to present yourself, +but may every one of you be able to say: "Here am I and those which +Thou hast given me." + + + + +THEODORE PARKER + +THE TRANSIENT AND PERMANENT IN CHRISTIANITY + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +THEODORE PARKER, American divine and reformer, was born at +Lexington, Mass., in 1810. He was educated at Harvard and graduated +from the Divinity School of that University in 1836. The following +year he was ordained pastor of Roxbury Christian Church, and first +attracted attention by his sermon on the "Transient and Permanent +in Christianity," preached in 1841. This sermon was ultimately the +cause of his practical exclusion from the Unitarian body, and in +1846 he became minister to the Twenty-eighth Congregational Society +in Boston. + +In this pastorate he became well known to all denominations from +the remarkable sermons he preached for seven years in Music +Hall. He died of consumption at Florence, Italy, in 1860. His +powerful intellect and vigorous eloquence were exhibited in the +many controversial sermons he preached, both as a believer in the +nonsupernaturalism of present Christianity and as a practical +humanitarian. He figured as one of the leading abolitionists of New +England. + + + + +THEODORE PARKER + +1810-1860 + +THE TRANSIENT AND PERMANENT IN CHRISTIANITY + +_Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass +away._--Luke xxi., 33. + + +In this sentence we have a very clear indication that Jesus of +Nazareth believed the religion He taught would be eternal, that +the substance of it would last forever. Yet there are some who +are affrighted by the faintest rustle which a heretic makes among +the dry leaves of theology; they tremble lest Christianity itself +should perish without hope. Ever and anon the cry is raised, "The +Philistines be upon us, and Christianity is in danger." The least +doubt respecting the popular theology, or the existing machinery +of the Church; the least sign of distrust in the religion of the +pulpit, or the religion of the street, is by some good men supposed +to be at enmity with faith in Christ, and capable of shaking +Christianity itself. On the other hand, a few bad men, and a few +pious men, it is said, on both sides of the water, tell us the day +of Christianity is past. The latter, it is alleged, would persuade +us that hereafter piety must take a new form; the teachings of Jesus +are to be passed by; that religion is to wing her way sublime, +above the flight of Christianity, far away, toward heaven, as the +fledged eaglet leaves forever the nest which sheltered his callow +youth. Let us therefore devote a few moments to this subject, and +consider what is transient in Christianity, and what is permanent +therein. + + * * * * * + +In actual Christianity,--that is, in that portion of Christianity +which is preached and believed,--there seems to have been, ever +since the time of its earthly Founder, two elements, the one +transient, the other permanent. The one is the thought, the folly, +the uncertain wisdom, the theological notions, the impiety of man; +the other, the eternal truth of God. These two bear, perhaps, the +same relation to each other that the phenomena of outward nature, +such as sunshine and cloud, growth, decay and reproduction, bear +to the great law of nature, which underlies and supports them all. +As in that case more attention is commonly paid to the particular +phenomena than to the general law, so in this case more is generally +given to the transient in Christianity than to the permanent therein. + +It must be confest, tho with sorrow, that transient things form a +great part of what is commonly taught as religion. An undue place +has often been assigned to forms and doctrines, while too little +stress has been laid on the divine life of the soul, love to God, +and love to man. Religious forms may be useful and beautiful. They +are so, whenever they speak to the soul, and answer a want thereof. +In our present state some forms are perhaps necessary. But they are +only the accident of Christianity, not its substance. They are the +robe, not the angel, who may take another robe quite as becoming +and useful. One sect has many forms; another, none. Yet both may be +equally Christian, in spite of the redundance or the deficiency. +They are a part of the language in which religion speaks, and exist, +with few exceptions, wherever man is found. In our calculating +nation, in our rationalizing sect, we have retained but two of the +rites so numerous in the early Christian Church, and even these +we have attenuated to the last degree, leaving them little more +than a specter of the ancient form. Another age may continue or +forsake both; may revive old forms, or invent new ones to suit the +altered circumstances of the times, and yet be Christians quite as +good as we, or our fathers of the dark ages. Whether the apostles +designed these rites to be perpetual seems a question which belongs +to scholars and antiquarians,--not to us, as Christian men and +women. So long as they satisfy or help the pious heart, so long they +are good. Looking behind or around us, we see that the forms and +rites of the Christians are quite as fluctuating as those of the +heathens, from whom some of them have been, not unwisely, adopted by +the earlier Church. + +Any one, who traces the history of what is called Christianity, will +see that nothing changes more from age to age than the doctrines +taught as Christian, and insisted on as essential to Christianity +and personal salvation. What is falsehood in one province passes +for truth in another. The heresy of one age is the orthodox +belief and "only infallible rule" of the next. Now Arius, and now +Athanasius, is lord of the ascendant. Both were excommunicated +in their turn, each for affirming what the other denied. Men are +burned for professing what men are burned for denying. For centuries +the doctrines of the Christians were no better, to say the least, +than those of their contemporary pagans. The theological doctrines +derived from our fathers seem to have come from Judaism, heathenism, +and the caprice of philosophers, far more than they have come +from the principle and sentiment of Christianity. The doctrine of +the Trinity, the very Achilles of theological dogmas, belongs to +philosophy and not religion; its subtleties cannot even be expressed +in our tongue. As old religions became superannuated, and died out, +they left to the rising faith, as to a residuary legatee, their +forms and their doctrines; or rather, as the giant in the fable left +his poisoned garment to work the overthrow of his conqueror. Many +tenets that pass current in our theology seem to be the refuse of +idol temples, the offscourings of Jewish and heathen cities rather +than the sands of virgin gold which the stream of Christianity +has worn off from the rock of ages, and brought in its bosom for +us. It is wood, hay, and stubble, wherewith men have built on the +corner-stone Christ laid. What wonder the fabric is in peril when +tried by fire? The stream of Christianity, as men receive it, has +caught a stain from every soil it has filtered through, so that now +it is not the pure water from the well of life which is offered +to our lips, but streams troubled and polluted by man with mire +and dirt. If Paul and Jesus could read our books of theological +doctrines, would they accept as their teaching what men have vented +in their name? Never, till the letters of Paul had faded out of +his memory, never, till the words of Jesus had been torn out from +the book of life. It is their notions about Christianity men have +taught as the only living word of God. They have piled their own +rubbish against the temple of truth where piety comes up to worship; +what wonder the pile seems unshapely and like to fall? But these +theological doctrines are fleeting as the leaves on the trees. They-- + + "Are found + Now green in youth, now withered on the ground; + Another race the following spring supplies; + They fall successive, and successive rise." + +Like the clouds of the sky, they are here to-day; to-morrow, all +swept off and vanished; while Christianity itself, like the heaven +above, with its sun, and moon, and uncounted stars, is always over +our head, tho the cloud sometimes debars us of the needed light. It +must of necessity be the case that our reasonings, and therefore +our theological doctrines, are imperfect, and so perishing. It is +only gradually that we approach to the true system of nature by +observation and reasoning, and work out our philosophy and theology +by the toil of the brain. But meantime, if we are faithful, the +great truths of mortality and religion, the deep sentiment of love +to man and love to God, are perceived intuitively, and by instinct, +as it were, tho our theology be imperfect and miserable. The +theological notions of Abraham, to take the story as it stands, were +exceedingly gross, yet a greater than Abraham has told us, "Abraham +desired to see my day, saw it, and was glad." Since these notions +are so fleeting, why need we accept the commandment of men as the +doctrine of God? + +This transitoriness of doctrines appears in many instances, of which +two may be selected for a more attentive consideration. First, the +doctrine respecting the origin and authority of the Old and New +Testaments. There has been a time when men were burned for asserting +doctrines of natural philosophy which rested on evidence the most +incontestable, because those doctrines conflicted with sentences in +the Old Testament. Every word of that Jewish record was regarded +as miraculously inspired, and therefore as infallibly true. It was +believed that the Christian religion itself rested thereon, and must +stand or fall with the immaculate Hebrew text. He was deemed no +small sinner who found mistakes in the manuscripts. On the authority +of the written word man was taught to believe impossible legends, +conflicting assertions; to take fiction for fact, a dream for a +miraculous revelation of God, an Oriental poem for a grave history +of miraculous events, a collection of amatory idyls for a serious +discourse "touching the mutual love of Christ and the Church"; +they have been taught to accept a picture sketched by some glowing +Eastern imagination, never intended to be taken for a reality, +as a proof that the infinite God spoke in human words, appeared +in the shape of a cloud, a flaming bush, or a man who ate, and +drank, and vanished into smoke; that He gave counsels to-day, and +the opposite to-morrow; that He violated His own laws, was angry, +and was only dissuaded by a mortal man from destroying at once a +whole nation,--millions of men who rebelled against their leader +in a moment of anguish. Questions in philosophy, questions in the +Christian religion, have been settled by an appeal to that book. +The inspiration of its authors has been assumed as infallible. +Every fact in the early Jewish history has been taken as a type of +some analogous fact in Christian history. The most distant events, +even such as are still in the arms of time, were supposed to be +clearly foreseen and foretold by pious Hebrews several centuries +before Christ. It has been assumed at the outset, with no shadow of +evidence, that those writers held a miraculous communication with +God, such as He has granted to no other man. What was originally +a presumption of bigoted Jews became an article of faith, which +Christians were burned for not believing. This has been for +centuries the general opinion of the Christian Church, both Catholic +and Protestant, tho the former never accepted the Bible as the +only source of religious truth. It has been so. Still worse, it is +now the general opinion of religious sects at this day. Hence the +attempt, which always fails, to reconcile the philosophy of our +times with the poems in Genesis writ a thousand years before Christ. +Hence the attempt to conceal the contradictions in the record +itself. Matters have come to such a pass that even now he is deemed +an infidel, if not by implication an atheist, whose reverence for +the Most High forbids him to believe that God commanded Abraham to +sacrifice his son,--a thought at which the flesh creeps with horror; +to believe it solely on the authority of an Oriental story, written +down nobody knows when or by whom, or for what purpose; which may +be a poem, but can not be the record of a fact, unless God is the +author of confusion and a lie. + +Now, this idolatry of the Old Testament has not always existed. +Jesus says that none born of a woman is greater than John the +Baptist, yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than +John. Paul tells us the law--the very crown of the old Hebrew +revelation--is a shadow of good things which have now come; only a +schoolmaster to bring us to Christ; and when faith has come, that +we are no longer under the schoolmaster; that it was a law of sin +and death, from which we are made free by the law of the spirit of +life. Christian teachers themselves have differed so widely in their +notion of the doctrines and meaning of those books that it makes one +weep to think of the follies deduced therefrom. But modern criticism +is fast breaking to pieces this idol which men have made out of the +Scriptures. It has shown that here are the most different works +thrown together; that their authors, wise as they sometimes were, +pious as we feel often their spirit to have been, had only that +inspiration which is common to other men equally pious and wise; +that they were by no means infallible, but were mistaken in facts or +in reasoning,--uttered predictions which time has not fulfilled; men +who in some measure partook of the darkness and limited notions of +their age, and were not always above its mistakes or its corruptions. + +The history of opinions on the New Testament is quite similar. It +has been assumed at the outset, it would seem with no sufficient +reason, without the smallest pretense on its writers' part, that +all of its authors were infallibly and miraculously inspired, so +that they could commit no error of doctrine or fact. Men have been +bid to close their eyes at the obvious difference between Luke and +John, the serious disagreement between Paul and Peter; to believe, +on the smallest evidence, accounts which shock the moral sense and +revolt the reason, and tend to place Jesus in the same series with +the Hercules and Appollonius of Tyana; accounts which Paul in the +Epistles never mentions, tho he also had a vein of the miraculous +running quite through him. Men have been told that all these things +must be taken as part of Christianity, and if they accepted the +religion, they must take all these accessories along with it; that +the living spirit could not be had without the killing letter. All +the books which caprice or accident had brought together between +the lids of the Bible were declared to be the infallible Word of +God, the only certain rule of religious faith and practise. Thus the +Bible was made not a single channel, but the only certain rule of +religious faith and practise. To disbelieve any of its statements, +or even the common interpretation put upon those statements by +the particular age or church in which the man belonged, was held +to be infidelity, if not atheism. In the name of Him who forbids +us to judge our brother, good men and pious men have applied these +terms to others, good and pious as themselves. That state of things +has by no means passed away. Men who cry down the absurdities of +paganism in the worst spirit of the French "free thinkers" call +others infidels and atheists, who point out, tho reverently, other +absurdities which men have piled upon Christianity. So the world +goes. An idolatrous regard for the imperfect scripture of God's word +is the apple of Atalanta, which defeats theologians running for the +hand of divine truth. + +But the current notions respecting the infallible inspiration of +the Bible have no foundation in the Bible itself. Which evangelist, +which apostle of the New Testament, what prophet or psalmist of the +Old Testament, ever claims infallible authority for himself or for +others? Which of them does not in his own writings show that he was +finite, and, with all his zeal and piety, possest but a limited +inspiration, the bound whereof we can sometimes discover? Did Christ +ever demand that men should assent to the doctrines of the Old +Testament, credit its stories, and take its poems for histories, and +believe equally two accounts that contradict one another? Has He +ever told you that all the truths of His religion, all the beauty +of a Christian life should be contained in the writings of those +men who, even after His resurrection, expected Him to be a Jewish +king; of men who were sometimes at variance with one another, and +misunderstood His divine teachings? Would not those modest writers +themselves be confounded at the idolatry we pay them? Opinions may +change on these points, as they have often changed--changed greatly +and for the worse since the days of Paul. They are changing now, and +we may hope for the better; for God makes man's folly as well his +wrath to praise Him, and continually brings good out of evil. + +Another instance of the transitoriness of doctrines taught as +Christian is found in those which relate to the nature and authority +of Christ. One ancient party has told us that He is the infinite +God; another, that He is both God and man; a third, that He was +a man, the son of Joseph and Mary, born as we are; tempted like +ourselves; inspired as we may be, if we will pay the price. Each of +the former parties believed its doctrine on this head was infallibly +true, and formed the very substance of Christianity, and was one +of the essential conditions of salvation, tho scarce any two +distinguished teachers, of ancient or modern times, agree in their +expression of this truth. + +Almost every sect that has ever been, makes Christianity rest on +the personal authority of Jesus, and not the immutable truth of the +doctrines themselves, or the authority of God, who sent Him into +the world. Yet it seems difficult to conceive any reason why moral +and religious truths should rest for their support on the personal +authority of their revealer, any more than the truths of science on +that of him who makes them known first or most clearly. It is hard +to see why the great truths of Christianity rest on the personal +authority of Jesus, more than the axioms of geometry rest on the +personal authority of Euclid or Archimedes. The authority of Jesus +as of all teachers, one would naturally think, must rest on the +truth of His words, and not their truth on His authority. + +Opinions respecting the nature of Christ seem to be constantly +changing. In the three first centuries after Christ, it appears, +great latitude of speculation prevailed. Some said He was God, with +nothing of human nature, His body only an illusion; others that He +was man, with nothing of the divine nature, His miraculous birth +having no foundation in fact. In a few centuries it was decreed by +councils that He was God, thus honoring the divine element; next, +that He was man also, thus admitting the human side. For some ages +the Catholic Church seems to have dwelt chiefly on the divine +nature that was in Him, leaving the human element to mystics and +other heretical persons, whose bodies served to flesh the swords of +orthodox believers. The stream of Christianity has come to us in two +channels,--one within the Church, the other without the Church,--and +it is not hazarding too much to say that since the fourth century +the true Christian life has been out of the established Church, +and not in it, but rather in the ranks of dissenters. From the +Reformation till the latter part of the last century, we are told, +the Protestant Church dwelt chiefly on the human side of Christ, +and since that time many works have been written to show how +the two--perfect Deity and perfect manhood--were united in His +character. But, all this time, scarce any two eminent teachers +agree on these points, however orthodox they may be called. What a +difference between the Christ of John Gerson and John Calvin,--yet +were both accepted teachers and pious men. What a difference between +the Christ of the Unitarians and the Methodists,--yet may men of +both sects be true Christians and acceptable with God. What a +difference between the Christ of Matthew and John,--yet both were +disciples, and their influence is wide as Christendom and deep as +the heart of man. But on this there is not time to enlarge. + +Now, it seems clear that the notions men form about the origin and +nature of the Scriptures, respecting the nature and authority of +Christ, have nothing to do with Christianity except as its aids or +its adversaries; they are not the foundation of its truths. These +are theological questions, not religious questions. Their connection +with Christianity appears accidental; for if Jesus had taught at +Athens, and not at Jerusalem; if He had wrought no miracle, and +none but the human nature had ever been ascribed to them; if the +Old Testament had forever perished at His birth,--Christianity +would still have been the word of God; it would have lost none of +its truths. It would be just as true, just as beautiful, just as +lasting, as now it is; tho we should have lost so many a blessed +word, and the work of Christianity itself would have been, perhaps, +a long time retarded. + +To judge the future by the past, the former authority of the Old +Testament can never return. Its present authority can not stand. It +must be taken for what it is worth. The occasional folly and impiety +of its authors must pass for no more than their value; while the +religion, the wisdom, the love, which make fragrant its leaves, will +still speak to the best hearts as hitherto, and in accents even more +divine when reason is allowed her rights. The ancient belief in the +infallible inspiration of each sentence of the New Testament is fast +changing, very fast. One writer, not a skeptic, but a Christian of +unquestioned piety, sweeps off the beginning of Matthew; another, +of a different church and equally religious, the end of John. +Numerous critics strike off several epistles. The Apocalypse itself +is not spared, notwithstanding its concluding curse. Who shall +tell us the work of retrenchment is to stop here; that others will +not demonstrate what some pious hearts have long felt, that errors +of doctrine and errors of fact may be found in many parts of the +record, here and there, from the beginning of Matthew to the end +of Acts? We see how opinions have changed ever since the apostles' +time; and who shall assure us that they were not sometimes mistaken +in historical as well as doctrinal matters; did not sometimes +confound the actual with the imaginary; and that the fancy of these +pious writers never stood in the place of their recollection? + +But what if this should take place? Is Christianity then to perish +out of the heart of the nations, and vanish from the memory of the +world, like the religions that were before Abraham? It must be so, +if it rest on a foundation which a scoffer may shake, and a score of +pious critics shake down. But this is the foundation of a theology, +not of Christianity. That does not rest on the decision of councils. +It is not to stand or fall with the infallible inspiration of a +few Jewish fishermen, who have writ their names in characters of +light all over the world. It does not continue to stand through +the forbearance of some critic, who can cut when he will the +thread on which its life depends. Christianity does not rest on +the infallible authority of the New Testament. It depends on this +collection of books for the historical statement of its facts. In +this we do not require infallible inspiration on the part of the +writers, more than in the record of other historical facts. To me it +seems as presumptuous, on the one hand, for the believer to claim +this evidence for the truth of Christianity, as it is absurd, on +the other hand, for the skeptic to demand such evidence to support +these historical statements. I can not see that it depends on the +personal authority of Jesus. He was the organ through which the +Infinite spoke. It is God that was manifested in the flesh by Him, +on whom rests the truth which Jesus brought to light, and made clear +and beautiful in His life; and if Christianity be true, it seems +useless to look for any other authority to uphold it, as for some +one to support Almighty God. So if it could be proved--as it can +not--in opposition to the greatest amount of historical evidence +ever collected on any similar point, that the Gospels were the +fabrication of designing and artful men, that Jesus of Nazareth had +never lived, still Christianity would stand firm, and fear no evil. +None of the doctrines of that religion would fall to the ground; +for, if true, they stand by themselves. But we should lose--oh, +irreparable loss!--the example of that character, so beautiful, so +divine, that no human genius could have conceived it, as none, after +all the progress and refinement of eighteen centuries, seems fully +to have comprehended its lustrous life. If Christianity were true, +we should still think it was so, not because its record was written +by infallible pens, nor because it was lived out by an infallible +teacher; but that it is true, like the axioms of geometry, because +it is true and is to be tried, by the oracle God places in the +breast. If it rest on the personal authority of Jesus alone, then +there is no certainty of its truth if He were ever mistaken in +the smallest matter,--as some Christians have thought He was in +predicting His second coming. + +These doctrines respecting the Scriptures have often changed, and +are but fleeting. Yet men lay much stress on them. Some cling to +these notions as if they were Christianity itself. It is about +these and similar points that theological battles are fought from +age to age. Men sometimes use worst the choicest treasure which God +bestows. This is especially true of the use men make of the Bible. +Some men have regarded it as the heathen their idol, or the savage +his fetish. They have subordinated reason, conscience, and religion +to this. Thus have they lost half the treasure it bears in its +bosom. No doubt the time will come when its true character shall be +felt. Then it will be seen that, amid all the contradictions of the +Old Testament,--its legends, so beautiful as fictions, so appalling +as facts; amid its predictions that have never been fulfilled; amid +the puerile conceptions of God which sometimes occur, and the cruel +denunciations that disfigure both psalm and prophecy,--there is a +reverence for man's nature, a sublime trust in God, and a depth of +piety, rarely felt in these cold northern hearts of ours. Then the +devotion of its authors, the loftiness of their aim, and the majesty +of their life, will appear doubly fair, and prophet and psalmist +will warm our hearts as never before. Their voice will cheer the +young, and sanctify the gray-headed; will charm us in the toil of +life, and sweeten the cup death gives us when he comes to shake +off this mantle of flesh. Then will it be seen that the words of +Jesus are the music of heaven sung in an earthly voice, and that +the echo of these words in John and Paul owe their efficacy to +their truth and their depth, and to no accidental matter connected +therewith. Then can the Word, which was in the beginning and now is, +find access to the innermost heart of man, and speak there as now +it seldom speaks. Then shall the Bible--which is a whole library +of the deepest and most earnest thoughts and feelings, and piety, +and love, ever recorded in human speech--be read oftener than ever +before,--not with superstition, but with reason, conscience, and +faith, fully active. Then shall it sustain men bowed down with many +sorrows; rebuke sin, encourage virtue, sow the world broadcast and +quick with the seed of love, that man may reap a harvest for life +everlasting. + +With all the obstacles men have thrown in its path, how much has +the Bible done for mankind! No abuse has deprived us of all its +blessings. You trace its path across the world from the day of +Pentecost to this day. As a river springs up in the heart of a +sandy continent, having its father in the skies, and its birthplace +in distant unknown mountains; as the stream rolls on, enlarging +itself, making in that arid waste a belt of verdure wherever it +turns its way; creating palm groves and fertile plains, where the +smoke of the cottager curls up at eventide, and marble cities send +the gleam of their splendor far into the sky,--such has been the +course of the Bible on the earth. Despite of idolaters bowing to +the dust before it, it has made a deeper mark on the world than the +rich and beautiful literature of all the heathen. The first book +of the Old Testament tells man he is made in the image of God; the +first of the New Testament gives us the motto, Be perfect as your +Father in heaven. Higher words were never spoken. How the truths of +the Bible have blest us! There is not a boy on all the hills of New +England; not a girl born in the filthiest cellar which disgraces a +capital in Europe, and cries to God against the barbarism of modern +civilization; not a boy nor a girl all Christendom through, but +their lot is made better by that great book. + +Doubtless the time will come when men shall see Christ also as He +is. Well might He still say, "Have I been so long with you, and yet +hast thou not known me?" No! we have made Him an idol, have bowed +the knee before Him, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" called Him +"Lord, Lord!" but done not the things which He said. The history +of the Christian world might well be summed up in one word of the +evangelist--"and there they crucified him"; for there has never +been an age when the men did not crucify the Son of God afresh. +But if error prevail for a time and grow old in the world, truth +will triumph at the last, and then we shall see the Son of God as +He is. Lifted up, He shall draw all nations unto Him. Then will +men understand the word of Jesus, which shall not pass away. Then +shall we see and love the divine life that He lived. How vast has +His influence been! How His spirit wrought in the hearts of His +disciples, rude, selfish, bigoted, as at first they were! How it +has wrought in the world! His words judge the nations. The wisest +son of man has not measured their height. They speak to what is +deepest in profound men, what is holiest in good men, what is +divinest in religious men. They kindle anew the flame of devotion +in hearts long cold. They are spirit and life. His truth was not +derived from Moses and Solomon; but the light of God shone through +Him, not colored, not bent aside. His life is the perpetual rebuke +of all time since. It condemns ancient civilization; it condemns +modern civilization. Wise men we have since had, and good men; +but this Galilean youth strode before the whole world thousands +of years, so much of divinity was in Him. His words solve the +question of this present age. In Him the Godlike and the human +met and embraced, and a divine life was born. Measure Him by the +world's greatest sons--how poor they are! Try Him by the best of +men--how little and low they appear! Exalt Him as much as we may, +we shall yet perhaps come short of the mark. But still was He +not our brother; the son of man, as we are; the son of God, like +ourselves? His excellence--was it not human excellence? His wisdom, +love, piety,--sweet and celestial as they were,--are they not what +we also may attain? In Him, as in a mirror, we may see the image of +God, and go on from glory to glory, till we are changed into the +same image, led by the spirit which enlightens the humble. Viewed +in this way, how beautiful is the life of Jesus! Heaven has come +down to earth, or rather, earth has become heaven. The Son of God, +come of age, has taken possession of His birthright. The brightest +revelation is this of what is possible for all men,--if not now, at +least hereafter. How pure is His spirit, and how encouraging its +words! "Lowly sufferer," he seems to say, "see how I bore the cross. +Patient laborer, be strong; see how I toiled for the unthankful and +the merciless. Mistaken sinner, see of what thou art capable. Rise +up, and be blest." + +But if, as some early Christians began to do, you take a heathen +view, and make Him a God, the Son of God in a peculiar and exclusive +sense, much of the significance of His character is gone. His virtue +has no merit, His love no feeling, His cross no burthen, His agony +no pain. His death is an illusion, His resurrection but a show. For +if He were not a man, but a god, what are all these things? What His +words, His life, His excellence of achievement? It is all nothing, +weighed against the illimitable greatness of Him who created the +worlds and fills up all time and space! Then His resignation is no +lesson, His life no model, His death no triumph to you or me, who +are not gods, but mortal men, that know not what a day shall bring +forth, and walk by faith "dim sounding on our perilous way." Alas! +we have despaired of man, and so cut off his brightest hope. + +In respect of doctrines as well as forms, we see all is transitory. +"Everywhere is instability and insecurity." Opinions have changed +most on points deemed most vital. Could we bring up a Christian +teacher of any age, from the sixth to the fourteenth century, for +example, tho a teacher of undoubted soundness of faith, whose word +filled the churches of Christendom, clergymen would scarce allow +him to kneel at their altar, or sit down with them at the Lord's +table. His notions of Christianity could not be exprest in our +forms, nor could our notions be made intelligible to his ears. +The questions of his age, those on which Christianity was thought +to depend,--questions which perplexed and divided the subtle +doctors,--are no questions to us. The quarrels which then drove +wise men mad now only excite a smile or a tear, as we are disposed +to laugh or weep at the frailty of man. We have other straws of our +own to quarrel for. Their ancient books of devotion do not speak +to us; their theology is a vain word. To look back but a short +period,--the theological speculations of our fathers during the last +two centuries, their "practical divinity," even the sermons written +by genius and piety are, with rare exceptions, found unreadable; +such a change is there in the doctrines. + +Now who shall tell us that the change is to stop here; that this +sect or that, or even all sects united, have exhausted the river of +life, and received it all in their canonized urns, so that we need +draw no more out of the eternal well, but get refreshment nearer +at hand? Who shall tell us that another age will not smile at our +doctrines, disputes, and unchristian quarrels about Christianity, +and make wide the mouth at men who walked brave in orthodox raiment, +delighting to blacken the names of heretics, and repeat again the +old charge, "He hath blasphemed"? Who shall tell us they will not +weep at the folly of all such as fancied truth shone only into the +contracted nook of their school, or sect, or coterie? Men of other +times may look down equally on the heresy-hunters, and men hunted +for heresy, and wonder at both. The men of all ages before us +were quite as confident as we, that their opinion was truth, that +their notion was Christianity and the whole thereof. The men who +lit the fires of persecution, from the first martyr to Christian +bigotry down to the last murder of the innocents, had no doubt their +opinion was divine. The contest about transubstantiation and the +immaculate purity of the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Scriptures +was waged with bitterness unequaled in these days. The Protestant +smiles at one, the Catholic at the other, and men of sense wonder +at both. It might teach us all a lesson, at least of forbearance. +No doubt an age will come in which ours shall be reckoned a period +of darkness, like the sixth century,--when men groped for the wall, +but stumbled and fell, because they trusted a transient notion, +not an eternal truth; an age when temples were full of idols, +set up by human folly; an age in which Christian light had scarce +begun to shine into men's hearts. But while this change goes on, +while one generation of opinions passes away, and another rises up, +Christianity itself, that pure religion, which exists eternal in the +constitution of the soul and the mind of God, is always the same. +The Word that was before Abraham, in the very beginning, will not +change, for that Word is truth. From this Jesus subtracted nothing; +to this He added nothing. But He came to reveal it as the secret of +God, that cunning men could not understand, but which filled the +souls of men meek and lowly of heart. This truth we owe to God; the +revelation thereof to Jesus, our elder brother, God's chosen son. + +To turn away from the disputes of the Catholics and the Protestants, +of the Unitarian and the Trinitarian, of old school and new school, +and come to the plain words of Jesus of Nazareth,--Christianity is a +simple thing, very simple. It is absolute, pure morality; absolute, +pure religion,--the love of man; the love of God acting without let +or hindrance. The only creed it lays down is the great truth which +springs up spontaneous in the holy heart,--there is a God. Its +watchword is, Be perfect as your Father in heaven. The only form it +demands is a divine life,--doing the best thing in the best way, +from the highest motives; perfect obedience to the great law of +God. Its sanction is the voice of God in your heart; the perpetual +presence of Him who made us and the stars over our head; Christ and +the Father abiding within us. All this is very simple--a little +child can understand it; very beautiful--the loftiest mind can find +nothing so lovely. Try it by reason, conscience, and faith,--things +highest in man's nature,--we see no redundance, we feel no +deficiency. Examine the particular duties it enjoins,--humility, +reverence, sobriety, gentleness, charity, forgiveness, fortitude, +resignation, faith, and active love; try the whole extent of +Christianity, so well summed up in the command, "Thou shalt love +the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and +with all thy mind; thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself"; and is +there anything therein that can perish? No, the very opponents of +Christianity have rarely found fault with the teachings of Jesus. +The end of Christianity seems to be to make all men one with God as +Christ was one with Him; to bring them to such a state of obedience +and goodness that we shall think divine thoughts and feel divine +sentiments, and so keep the law of God by living a life of truth +and love. Its means are purity and prayer; getting strength from +God, and using it for our fellow-men as well as ourselves. It allows +perfect freedom. It does not demand all men to think alike, but to +think uprightly, and get as near as possible at truth; not all men +to live alike, but to live holy, and get as near as possible to a +life perfectly divine. Christ set up no Pillars of Hercules, beyond +which men must not sail the sea in quest of truth. He says, "I have +many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.... Greater +works than these shall ye do." Christianity lays no rude hand on the +sacred peculiarity of individual genius and character. But there is +no Christian sect which does not fetter a man. It would make all +men think alike, or smother their conviction in silence. Were all +men Quakers or Catholics, Unitarians or Baptists, there would be +much less diversity of thought, character, and life, less of truth +active in the world, than now. But Christianity gives us the largest +liberty of the sons of God; and were all men Christians after the +fashion of Jesus, this variety would be a thousand times greater +than now; for Christianity is not a system of doctrines, but rather +a method of attaining oneness with God. It demands, therefore, a +good life of piety within, of purity without, and gives the promise +that whoso does God's will shall know of God's doctrine. + + + + +MACLEOD + +THE TRUE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +NORMAN MACLEOD, the eminent Scotch preacher, was born at +Campbeltown, in Argyleshire, in 1812. In his preaching he departed +from the rigid conventionality of the Scottish Church. His +large vision and broad culture gave unusual distinction both to +his writings and to his pulpit oratory. He was conspicuous for +philanthropic efforts, and frequently held evening services for +workingmen. He distinguished himself by his popular Christian +writing and by his pulpit oratory. He was practical and manly, of +godly nature, with extreme adaptability, and greatly esteemed by +Queen Victoria, who made him her chaplain in 1857. He died in 1872. + + + + +MACLEOD + +1812-1872 + +THE TRUE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY[2] + + [2] Printed here by permission of the publishers, Messrs. Wm. + Blackwood & Sons. + +_Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall +believe on me through their word;_ + +_That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, +that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that +thou hast sent me._--John xvii., 20, 21. + +"These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and +said, Father, the hour is come!" The hour was indeed come for which +the whole world had been in travail since creation, and which was +for ever to mark a new era in the history of the universe. The hour +was come when, having finished the work given Him to do, He was to +return to His Father, but only after ending His earthly journey +along the awful path on which He was now entering, and which led +through Gethsemane, the cross, and the grave. At such a moment in +His life He lifted up His eyes in perfect peace, from the sinful +and sorrowful world, to the heavens glorious in their harmony and +soothing in their silence, and said, "Father!" One feels a solemn +awe, as if entering the holy of holies, in seeking to enter into +the mind of Christ as exprest in this prayer. Never were such words +spoken on earth, never were such words heard in heaven. I ask no +other evidence to satisfy my spirit that they are the truth of God +than the evidence of their own light, revealing as it does the +speaker as being Himself light and life, who verily came from God +and went to God. + +But let me in all reverence endeavor to express a few thoughts, +as to the general meaning of this prayer, with reference more +especially to that portion of it which I have selected as the +subject of my discourse. + +The one all-absorbing desire of our Lord, as here exprest--the +ultimate end sought to be realized by Him--is that God might be +glorified as a Father, and that by the world seeing His love +revealed in sending His Son into the world to save sinners. "God +is love," but "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, +because that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world that we +might live through him"--a love which, when spiritually seen and +possest by us, is itself life eternal; for "This is life eternal +that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom +thou hast sent;" but "He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God +is love." + +All "religion" accordingly, all good, all righteousness, peace, +joy, glory, to man and to the universe, are bound up in this one +thing, knowing God as a Father. Out of this right condition of love +to God, must necessarily come our right condition towards man, +that of love to man as a brother with special love, the love of +character, to Christian brethren. Such a religion as this was never +possest as an idea even by the greatest thinkers among the civilized +heathen nations; far less was it realized by any. Whatever knowledge +many had about God, they knew Him not as a Father to be loved and +trusted, and therefore obeyed. When St. Paul addrest the Athenians, +he could find such a thought exprest by a poet only, who had said, +"We are also His offspring." It is only in the line of supernatural +revelation of God to man, as given to and received by Abraham, "the +friend," and perfected by Christ the Son, that this knowledge of +God has been possest by man. But even among those to whom this true +revelation was given about God, how few truly knew Him! + +The want of this religion, whatever else might exist that was called +by that name, was the complaint made by God against His people of +old, "They do not know me!" "They proceed from evil to evil," He +cries, for "they know not me, saith the Lord." "Through deceit they +refuse to know me, saith the Lord;" and again: "Thus saith the Lord, +Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty +man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; +but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and +knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, +judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I +delight, saith the Lord." (Jer. ix., 23, 24.) + +This was the sorrowing cry of Christ, "O righteous Father, the world +hath not known thee!" This was His joy, "I have known thee, and +these have known that thou hast sent me!" + +But if Christ desired that His Father's name should be glorified, +how was this to be accomplished? By what medium, or means? Now I +would here observe that God's method of revealing Himself to man has +ever been to do so by living men; and the Bible is a true record of +such revelations in the past. Christianity is not the philosophy of +life, but life itself; and is a revelation, not of abstract truth, +but of the living personal God to living persons as His children, +whom He hath created to glorify and enjoy Him for ever. The first +grand medium of this revelation is the eternal Son of God. The very +essence of God's character being love, He did not exist from all +eternity with a mere capacity of loving, but without an object to +love; like an eye capable of seeing light, but with no light to +see. The object of His love was His Son, who from all eternity +responded to that love and rejoiced in His Father. This eternal +Son, when manifested in the flesh, revealed His Father directly, +so that He could say, in all He was, and in all He did, and, in a +true sense, in all He suffered, "He that hath seen me, hath seen the +Father;" and men could say of Him, "We beheld His glory, the glory +as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth;" +"The glory of God" was "in the face of Jesus Christ." Again, He had +also, as the Son of Man, glorified His Father; and, by His reverence +for, confidence in, and obedience to, Him, and by His joy in Him, +had indirectly revealed what he knew God to be to Him and to all +as a Father. "I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished +the work which Thou gavest me to do." Such was His finished work. +But something more was yet to be accomplished. Ere He descends to +Gethsemane, He desires anew to have the joy of revealing a Father's +heart by revealing to the world His own heart of love as a Son to +that Father. Hence His prayer, "Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also +may glorify thee." He does not prescribe the new circumstances in +which His long-tried and perfect filial confidence and love as a +Son were to be manifested. With the absolute consecration of true +sonship He leaves these circumstances to be determined by His +Father. Now, as on the cross, He commits His spirit, as a little +child, into His Father's hands. He desires only that in any way, by +any means, He may have the joy of showing forth the reality, the +endurance, and the triumph of His Sonship. His Father may fill His +cup according to His own will, the Son will drink it. The Father +may permit a crown of thorns to be placed on His brow, and every +conceivable horror of great darkness from the hate of men and devils +to be cast over Him like a funeral-pall; He may be rejected by all +His brethren and by the Church and by the State--"Amen!" He cries. +Let His body be broken and His blood shed, He will give thanks! One +thing only He prays for, "Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may +glorify thee!" As a further end to be accomplished, He prays that +He may have the joy of making others share the same divine love and +joy, and therefore adds, "As thou hast given him power over all +flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast +given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the +only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." + +But while He as the Son was to be the first revealer of God the +Father, He was not, therefore, to be the only revealer. He was +the firstborn of many brethren in whom the same love was to be +reproduced, and by whom the same high duty was to be performed. If +the light of the glory of God shone directly in the face of Jesus +Christ, that light was to be transmitted to those who were to shine +as lights in the world, that others seeing them might glorify the +same God. For now, as ever, God in a real sense manifests Himself +in the flesh. Hence our Lord's desire that His brethren should, as +sons, reveal the Father, like Himself the Son. He says accordingly, +"As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them +into the world." Sent whom? Not apostles only, but those also who +should believe through their word; not ministers of the Church only, +but members also; all, in short, who were qualified to convince the +world that God was a Father, by convincing it of this truth, that +God had sent His Son to save sinners--the "faithful saying, worthy +of all acceptation." + +But the question is further suggested, What is this qualification? +What is this which men must possess in order to accomplish Christ's +purpose of inducing the world to believe? What is this evidence of +Christianity which they are to present to the eyes of unbelieving +men, by seeing which these are to know and glorify God as their +Father in Christ? We reply, it is the oneness of those who are to +be ambassadors from God and fellow-workers with Christ. "I pray for +them," He says, and not for them only, but "for them also who shall +believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, +Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in us; that +the world may believe that thou hast sent me." + +Now this leads me to consider more particularly the nature of this +oneness which is essential for such a successful mission as will +convince the world of the truth of Christ's mission from the Father. +What is meant by this oneness, or this union? + +We are guided in our inquiry by three features which characterize +it. First, It is a oneness such as subsists between Christ and God; +secondly, It is a oneness which can be seen or appreciated; thirdly, +It is a oneness which is calculated from its nature to convince the +world of the truth of Christ's mission. + +Now there are many kinds of union among men, which, however +wonderful or excellent, may be set aside as obviously not fulfilling +these conditions, and not such, therefore, as Christ prayed for. +There is, e. g., the unity of an army which marches as one man, +implicitly obeying its commander even unto death and without a +question. Yet, however grand this is, and however illustrative of +the character of good soldiers of Jesus Christ, it does not fulfil +the conditions specified. Nor does the wonderful unity of a State, +which makes and imposes laws, proclaims war or peace, administers +justice, and executes its judgments. In neither case is there any +union such as subsists betwixt God and Christ; nor such as is +in any sense adapted to convince the world that God has sent His +Son to save sinners. The same may be alleged of any outward and +visible unity of a body of men which might be called a Church. Its +organization might be as wonderful, and its members as disciplined, +and its power as remarkable, as those of an army; it might be held +together like a state by its laws and its enactments, its rewards +and punishments, and might energetically advance until it possest +the dominion of the world, and attracted such attention as that all +men might marvel at it; its members might assent to all the details +of a creed however large; the same rights and ceremonies and modes +of worship might be repeated throughout all its parts; and it might +be able to continue its organized existence from age to age,--yet it +would by no means follow that any such system, however remarkable, +possest that inward spiritual unity desired in Christ's prayer, no +more than the compact unity of Brahminism does, nor the still more +extraordinary unity of Buddhism, with its temples, its priesthood, +its creed, its rites and ceremonies, continuing unchanged during +teeming centuries, and dominating over hundreds of millions of the +human race. May not all these and many similar unities be fully +and satisfactorily accounted for by principles in human nature, +altogether irrespective of the fact of a supernatural power having +come into the world to which their origin or continuance is owing? +For there is a oneness in the churchyard as well as in the church. +There might be a oneness of assent amongst a deaf multitude with +regard to the beauty of music, because determined by the fiat of +authority, but not as the result of hearing and of taste; and the +same kind of oneness of judgment as to the beauty of pictures, on +the part of those who were blind. Unity alone proves nothing, apart +from its nature and its origin. + +There is but one kind of unity or oneness which fulfils the +specified conditions, and that is, oneness of character or of +spiritual life--in one word, the oneness of love;--for this is the +highest condition of a personal spirit. It is such love as God had +and has to Christ; "That the love wherewith thou has loved me may +be in them;" such love as the Son has to the Father, and such as He +manifested to His disciples that very evening when, conscious of +His divine glory, and "knowing that he was come from God, and went +to God," He girded Himself with a towel and washed His disciples' +feet. Hence the declaration, "The glory," that is, of character, +"which thou gavest me I have given them, that they," through its +possession, "may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in +me." Hence again His saying, "They are not of the world, even as I +am not of the world;" and His prayer, "I pray not that thou shouldst +take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from +the evil." Such love as this, when in the soul of ordinary men, does +not originate in their own hearts, however naturally benevolent or +affectionate these may be. Our Lord in this prayer recognizes it +as inseparable from faith in His own teaching, and from personal +conviction of the truth which they themselves were to preach; for +they had received His words, and had "known surely that I came out +from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me"; and so +He prays, "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." + +Now, if we would divide, as with a prism, this pure light of love, +we might discern it as being composed, as it were, of at least two +colors, or features--first, love to God, exprest in the desire that +He should be known; secondly, love to man, exprest in self-sacrifice +that all should share this true love. But these very features we +discern as first existing in God the Father and in Christ the Son; +for God desires, from the necessity of His own nature, that He +should be known, and that all His rational creatures should see +the glory of His character, and, in seeing it, should live. God +has also manifested His love, according to the law of love, by +giving and by self-sacrifice, inasmuch as He "spared not his own +Son, but delivered him up for us all." In like manner, the Son +desired that His Father might be known, and to accomplish this He +became incarnate. He has manifested His love also in the form of +self-sacrifice, in that His whole life and death were an offering +up of Himself as a sacrifice unto God, and as an atonement for the +sins of the world, in order that all men might be made partakers +of His own eternal life in God. This, too, is the "mind" of the +Holy Spirit, for He glorifies the Son, that the Son may glorify the +Father, and glorifies Him in and by His true Church. Hence, wherever +true love exists in man, it will manifest itself in these two forms; +it will ever desire that God may be known, and will never "seek its +own," but sacrifice itself that this end may be attained. In such +oneness as this of mind, spirit, character--in one word, love--there +is realized the first condition of that oneness for which our Lord +prayed. + +Secondly, This unity of character fulfils the second condition in +its being such as the world can in some degree see and appreciate. +Blind as the world is, it can see love in the form of self-sacrifice +at least, seeking its good, even tho it may not at once see in +this a revelation of such love as has its origin in the love of +God to man. The world's heart can perceive more things and greater +things than can its intellect. The child of the statesman or man +of science may not be able to comprehend the world-politics of the +one or the scientific discoveries of the other; but it can see and +feel the love revealed in the glance of the eye, in the smile on +the lips, or in the arms that clasp it to the bosom; and in seeing +this, it sees an infinitely greater thing than the politics of the +one or the scientific discoveries of the other. It sees, too, in +this, tho unconsciously, the love of the Father's heart which fills +the universe with glory, even as its eye, when opened to a little +light, sees the same light which illumines a thousand worlds. And +thus can the world see the light of love. Those who are in prison, +in nakedness, or in thirst, are quite able to see and to appreciate +the love that, for Christ's sake, visits them, clothes them, and +gives them drink. The wretched lepers in the lazar-house, into which +no one could enter and ever return to the world, could see and +appreciate the love of the Moravian missionary who visited them, +and who shut the door for ever between him and all he knew and +loved, that he might share and alleviate the horrors of his wretched +brethren whom he loved more than all. Blind as the world is, it can +see this or nothing; bad as it is, it can appreciate this goodness +or none. + +Thirdly, Such a character is calculated also to convince the world +that God has sent Christ to save sinners. Observe again what is +our Lord's idea of the mission which was to convert the world; it +is this, that those whom He sends, even as God had sent Himself, +whether as apostles or as disciples, should give to their fellow men +what they have first received from their living Head, Jesus Christ. +They were to give "the words" which they received from Him, and +which He had received from God--they were to give "the truth" which +they received from Him, and which He Himself had glorified in His +life and death, that God had sent Him to be the Savior of the world. +They were also to manifest that life which they had received from +Him, and which He had received from God, and which in them was the +necessary result of their faith. Now, it is in the seeing of this +life in those who proclaim the truth that the truth itself appears +worthy of all acceptation, and that God verily, who has sent His Son +to save sinners, is love. It is thus, you perceive, that the mission +of the Church, whether of its ministers or its members, is not only +to preach glad tidings, but to show their reality in their actual +results; not only to preach salvation, but to preach it by saved +men; not only to preach eternal life, but to preach it by those who +possess it; not only to preach about a Father, but to reveal also +that Father through His regenerated sons, who themselves know and +love Him. Further, the idea of a Church is that of a society whose +members are united through faith in the same truth, and are in +possession of the same life. Such a society necessarily springs out +of faith and love, and its members cannot choose but unite outwardly +because united inwardly. Our Lord assumes its future existence and +provides for its continuance. A Church realizing Christ's ideal +would, therefore, possess, as its creed this, at least, of believing +Christ's words, and the truth that "God had sent his Son to be the +Savior of the world." For "every spirit that confesseth not that +Christ hath come in the flesh is not of God." "And whosoever shall +confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in +God." Its initiatory sacrament, that of baptism, does but express +the nature of this society--viz., that its members are the children +of God the Father through Christ the Son, and by the indwelling of +the Holy Spirit--their character being a spiritual baptism into the +possession of "God's name," which is "love." + +Another characteristic of it is their possession of that eternal +life which is exprest as well as maintained by the "communion" in +which its members meet together as brethren, their bond of union +being a common union with God in Christ and one another, through +the constant partaking of Him, the living bread; eating His flesh +and drinking His blood--that is, His whole life of self-sacrifice +and love becoming a part of their very being. Worship in spirit +and in truth is also necessarily involved in the idea of such a +society; and I might add, worship, not from a command merely, but +as a necessary result of spiritual character, becoming in a true +sense "infallible" as to religion; but religion in this sense,--that +of knowing God because of its members being able to say, "We know +that he dwelleth in us, and we in him, because he hath given us +his Spirit, and we know and testify that he sent his Son to be +the Savior of the world." Such a Church would likewise, in a true +sense, have an apostolical succession--that is, a succession of +teachers and members who had the apostolic spirit, or the oneness as +described by our Lord; for it would be able, from its possessing the +Spirit of God, to discern those who were like-minded, and to select +such as were specially fitted for the work of the ministry. This is +the ideal of the Church. + +But has such a Church been realized? Has there ever been a visible +organized body of men who carried out this sublime purpose? Once, +indeed, there was. For we perceive, more or less clearly, all these +features in the early Church when it had received the Spirit on the +day of Pentecost, and when its members met together and "had all +things in common," and manifested such sonship towards God, and +brotherhood towards each other; and sent forth everywhere its public +minister and its members also to bring men into the same blessed +unity. But supposing the ideal had no more been realized since that +time than God's ideal as described by Moses had been fully realized +in the Jewish Church;--yet must the ideal, nevertheless, be ever +kept before the spiritual eye. For we do not produce high art by +keeping a low rather than a high standard before the artist; neither +can we reach to great things in the Church unless we keep a high +standard before its members. It is unnecessary here to inquire how +it came to pass that the Church, to such a great extent, lost this +ideal as one visible society, and became so corrupt as to substitute +innumerable vain appearances of spiritual realities for that which +alone could satisfy a true and righteous God. But as things now are, +the "Church" is broken up into various "churches" or societies, +striving more or less to realize the ideal. Each society does so +just in proportion as it is able to carry out our Lord's purpose +as to its ministry being one in faith, believing Christ's words, +in its knowing truly that He came from God to save sinners, and in +its seeking, from love to God and man, to make all men know their +Father, in the knowledge of whom is salvation. + +But to confine myself to our own particular duties, let me remind +you, fathers and brethren, of our high calling as profest ministers +of Christ's Church. The cry of earnest souls, weary of their many +burthens, unsatisfied with their husks, conscious of being in a +distant land, and finding nothing which men can give to allay +their hungering and thirsting, is this: "Show us the Father, and it +sufficeth us!" Now supposing an earnest spirit, seeking after the +Father, comes to us as His profest ministers in order to discover +the truth of what we preach, he might very naturally say, "You +preach to me a Savior who came a long time ago into the world +professing to save sinners, and you tell me that He is coming again +at some future period to judge the world and to bestow salvation +upon many; but I want to know whether there is a Savior now; or +is it all empty space between that past and that future? You tell +me about salvation from the suffering of sin; I ask, 'Is there +salvation from sin itself, without which I feel there can be no +deliverance from suffering'? You tell me about a medicine that is an +infallible cure for 'this ineradicable taint of sin,' and describe +the terrible consequences of the disease to me if I be not cured, +and the blessed results of joyous spiritual health and peace; but +'Can you show me any person who has actually been restored from +disease to health by this divine medicine'? Is all this preaching a +mere idle theory of life? Or if not, where is the life itself? Art +thou thyself saved? If not--'physician, heal thyself'; for until +then thou canst not cure me." But suppose, further, that this same +person comes into close contact with the mind of the preacher, and +that the more he sees and knows it the more he discerns in the man +such thoughts regarding God, such a knowledge of Him, such a love +to Him, as convince him that here at least is a reality and not a +pretense; suppose that the more he discerns his whole inner life, +the things which give him pain and joy, the things which he desires +and loves, with his whole feelings towards his fellow-men--feelings +expressed in a life of action, which, in spite of infirmities and +shortcomings belonging to all human beings, the questioner cannot +but recognize as a kind of life he never saw before--a life, too, +which commends itself, from what it is, as being the most real +and the most satisfactory to reason, conscience, and heart: can +anything, I ask, be more calculated to convince him of the account +which its possessor gives him as to its origin, when he says, "The +life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, +who loved me, and gave himself for me." "It is a faithful saying, +and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ came into the world to +save sinners, of whom I am the chief." What then? What else must +be the result of such a vision of true life than the conviction +that God is our Father and that God is love, because it is evident +from observation as well as from testimony that He hath sent His +Son to save men, not in the past only, but to save them now--not +to save only those who are called "good," but to save those who +are the chief of sinners? If a man truly believes all this, then +does he know God, and in so doing possesses eternal life. But more +than this, how will his convictions be deepened if, in searching +for others who may have the same life, and if, tho failing to +discover any one visible body of Christians that show it forth in +the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace, he is yet able +to satisfy himself that there have been, during the last eighteen +centuries, and that there are now, in every church, in every land, +among all races of men, among those of different temperaments, +different culture, and amidst a variety of all possible outward +circumstances, men with like passions as himself, who have faith in +the same Lord, and are thereby possest of a true love of God and +of one another--how will this, I say, deepen in him the conviction +that God is a Father, because a Savior, who "gave his Son, not that +any should perish, but that all should possess everlasting life?" +Will he not be thus led to "believe the record that God has given +us eternal life, and that this life is in his Son?" I am persuaded +that a man of the highest intellectual culture and the greatest +learning, earnestly searching after God and Christ, and the truth +of Christianity, would be more convinced of the love of the one +as manifested in the truth of the other, by coming into contact +with one true soul which, without perhaps intellectual culture or +learning, yet truly loved God and man, than he would be by all the +volumes on the evidence of Christianity ever written, without such a +spiritual vision of a holy life. + +On the other hand, supposing that no such evidence of the truth of +Christianity could be discovered in the preacher of Christianity; +nay, if his character contradicted his preaching; if, while +he preached love to God and man, he manifested neither, but +indifference, to say the least of it, to both; if, while he preached +the necessity and the excellence of the Christian life, he himself +revealed its very opposite--what effect would this have upon an +earnest spirit, but that Christianity was a mere ideal system +unsuited to the world, a philosophy of life that might be believed +in, but not a life itself that might be possest? + +This want of personal character, however imperfect, yet real, may +account for the want of success in the mission of the Church to +convince the world, whether at home or abroad. We may give religion +but not godliness; the means of grace, as they are called, but not +the grace seen and exprest in the living man. We would thus hear of +Christianity without seeing it; hear about the love of God, and the +love of Christ as a Savior, without being convinced even by those +who send missionaries to India, who, altho they may individually +reveal this life, yet how often are looked upon as mere official +teachers; while the "Christians" from "Christendom" may, in coming +into contact with the heathen, show by their denial of Christianity +that it is a matter for the priesthood, not for all men; a book +theology, but not an actual power working in humanity: and of such +persons it may be said that they have profaned God's great name +among the heathen. + +And this, too, may also account for the secret of success by many +a minister of whom the world knows nothing: "For greatest minds +are those of whom the noisy world hears least." They may not be +great in the ordinary sense of the word--great as thinkers, great +as orators, or great in the possession of any remarkable gifts; but +they are nevertheless great in the kingdom of heaven; great because +little children--great in meekness, in patience, in humility, in +love of God and man, and who carry this music in their heart, +"through dusky land and wrangling mart." What is the secret of their +power? What but an eternal reality! the reality of a godly, godlike +life obtained from God, and sustained by God, and seen in the eye, +felt in the hand, heard in the words--a light of life which shines +beside many a dying bed in many a home of sorrow, as well as in the +pulpit. This is a kind of life whose biography will be written with +the tears of the grateful orphan and widow, and of many a saved +soul which remembers its possessor as its spiritual father. Such a +ministry as this can no more fail than the love of God which gives +it birth. Let us thank God, therefore, that such a secret power as +this is within the reach of us all. We may not be men of talent, +and for that we are not responsible; but we may be good men because +little children towards God, and for that we are responsible: "I +thank thee, heavenly Father, that thou hast hid these things from +the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes." + +And now, fathers and brethren, such is our high calling, to proclaim +the glad tidings that God has sent Christ into the world to save +sinners. Our chief authority for doing this is that we know it to be +true; and if so, no one can deprive us of the high privilege and joy +of proclaiming it. A glorious work is thus given us to do; we are +ambassadors for God, beseeching men to be reconciled to Him, and we +are fellow-workers with our Lord Himself. But this involves a great +responsibility, corresponding to the greatness of our calling. For +it is at once a glorious and a tremendous thought that Christ perils +the chief evidence of the truth of Christianity, not upon what we +say, but more upon what we are; and what we are is neither more nor +less than what God knows us to be. Our preaching may, nevertheless, +fail in some cases to convince the world, as it has done before; for +the glory of Christ Himself was not seen by Judas. Indeed the light +of life, when it shines, requires the single eye to see it. But in +so far as the ministry of men, as an instrumentality, can convince +the world, let our ministry be such as is calculated according to +Christ's purpose to produce this result. Let it consist of those who +can say, "We know whom we have believed." "We know and believe the +love that God hath to us." "We testify that he sent his Son to be +the Savior of the world." + +But I must bring my sermon to a close. + +Pardon me, my brethren, if I have appeared to address you in any +other spirit than that of one who would with you confess his sins +and shortcomings, and lament with shame and sorrow how much time and +power have been lost never to be regained; how many gifts and noble +opportunities have been neglected and perverted through unbelief and +sloth, which might have been used for our own good and that of our +fellow-men. Verily the day is far spent with many of us, and the +night is near in which no man can work. Whatever our hands find to +do must be done now or never. Let us pray that the living Spirit of +God, given to all who seek Him, and whose work it is to glorify the +Son, may take of His things and show them to our souls, and open +our spiritual eye to see the glory of God in the face of Christ, so +that we may be changed into the same glory. May we strive to keep +the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, and be enabled so +to preach and so to live that the world may be convinced, by what +it sees and hears, of the reality of the love of God the Father in +giving us and all men eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son! May +He who makes us sons of God enable us, as sons, to be glorified in +the perfection and revelation of our characters, so that with our +elder Brother we may glorify His Father and our Father! + +And now, to Father, Son and Holy Ghost, one God, be glory, dominion, +and praise for evermore. Amen! + + + + +MOZLEY + +THE REVERSAL OF HUMAN JUDGMENT + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +JAMES B. MOZLEY, English divine and philosopher, was born at +Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, in 1813. He was educated at Oxford, +and is particularly known for his discourses on Baptism and +Predestination. Gladstone appointed him as professor of divinity at +Oxford. His Bampton Lectures on Miracles (1863) are still considered +of classical authority. Dr. Brastow, in speaking of his clear and +well-ordered thought, says: "He was intent upon getting at the heart +of all subjects investigated, and his slowness in clearing up a +subject and his deliberation and fastidiousness with respect to his +diction embarrassed him. The result was a mastery of thought and an +exactness and clearness and strength of speech that are more than an +offset for the difficulties he encountered; and one can hardly fail +to see that this patient, self-poised mental habit saved him from +one-sidedness and kept the balance of his judgement and made him +the safer guide. We see here the immense value of thorough mental +training." He died in 1878. + + + + +MOZLEY + +1813-1878 + +THE REVERSAL OF HUMAN JUDGMENT[3] + + [3] By permission of the publishers, Messrs. Longmans, Green & Co. + +_Many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be +first._--Matthew xix., 30. + + +Perhaps there is hardly any person of reflection to whom the thought +has not occurred at times, of the final judgment turning out to +be a great subversion of human estimates of men. Society forms +its opinions of men, and places some on a high pinnacle; they are +favorites with it, religious and moral favorites. Such judgments are +a necessary and proper part of the present state of things; they +are so, quite independently of the question whether they are true +or not; it is proper that there should be this sort of expression +of the voice of the day; the world is not nothing, because it is +transient; it must judge and speak upon such evidence as it has, +and is capable of seeing. Therefore those characters of men are by +all means to be respected by us, as members of this world; they +have their place, they are a part of the system. But does the idea +strike us of some enormous subversion of human judgments in the next +world, some vast rectification, to realize which now, even if we +could, would not be good for us? Such an idea would not be without +support from some of those characteristic prophetic sayings of our +Lord, which, like the slanting strokes of the sun's rays across +the clouds, throw forward a tract of mysterious light athwart the +darkness of the future. Such is that saying in which a shadow of the +Eternal Judgment seems to come over us--"Many that are first shall +be last; and the last shall be first." It is impossible to read this +saying without an understanding that it was intended to throw an +element of wholesome scepticism into the present estimate of human +character, and to check the idolatry of the human heart which lifts +up its favorites with as much of self-complacency as of enthusiasm, +and in its worship of others flatters itself. + +Indeed, this language of Scripture, which speaks of the subversion +of human judgments in another world, comes in connection with +another language with which it most remarkably fits in, language +which speaks very decidedly of a great deception of human judgments +in this world. It is observable that the gospel prophecy of the +earthly future of Christianity is hardly what we should have +expected it beforehand to be; there is a great absence of brightness +in it; the sky is overcast with clouds, and birds of evil omen fly +to and fro; there is an agitation of the air, as if dark elements +were at work in it; or it is as if a fog rose up before our eyes, +and treacherous lights were moving to and fro in it, which we could +not trust. Prophecy would fain presage auspiciously, but as soon as +she casts her eye forward, her note saddens, and the chords issue +in melancholy and sinister cadences which depress the hearer's +mind. And what is the burden of her strain? It is this. As soon as +ever Christianity is cast into the world to begin its history, that +moment there begins a great deception. It is a pervading thought +in gospel prophecy--the extraordinary capacity for deceiving and +being deceived that would arise under the gospel; it is spoken of +as something peculiar in the world. There are to be false Christs +and false prophets, false signs and wonders; many that will come in +Christ's name, saying, I am Christ, and deceive many; so that it +is the parting admonition of Christ to His disciples--"Take heed, +lest any man deceive you"--as if that would be the greater danger. +And this great quantity of deception was to culminate in that one +in whom all power of signs and lying wonders should reside, even +that Antichrist, who as God should sit in the temple of God, showing +himself that he is God. Thus before the true Christ was known to the +world, the prophecy of the false one was implanted deep in the heart +of Christianity. + +When we come to the explanation of this mass of deception as it +applies to the Christian society, and the conduct of Christians, +we find that it consists of a great growth of specious and showy +effects, which will in fact issue out of Christianity, not implying +sterling goodness. Christianity will act as a great excitement to +human nature, it will communicate a great impulse, it will move +and stir man's feelings and intellect; this impulse will issue in +a great variety of high gifts and activities, much zeal and ardor. +But this brilliant manifestation will be to a large extent lacking +in the substance of the Christian character. It will be a great +show. That is to say, there will be underneath it the deceitful +human heart--the _natura callida_, as Thomas a Kempis calls it, +_quae se semper pro fine habet_. We have even in the early Christian +Church that specious display of gifts which put aside as secondary +the more solid part of religion, and which St. Paul had so strongly +to check. Gospel prophecy goes remarkably in this direction, as to +what Christianity would do in the world; that it would not only +bring out the truth of human nature, but would, like some powerful +alchemy, elicit and extract the falsehood of it; that it would not +only develop what was sincere and sterling in man, but what was +counterfeit in him too. Not that Christianity favors falsehood, any +more than the law favored sin because it brought out sin. The law, +as St. Paul says, brought out sin because it was spiritual, and +forced sin to be sin against light. So in the case of Christianity. +If a very high, pure, and heart-searching religion is brought into +contact with a corrupt nature, the nature grasps at the greatness +of the religion, but will not give up itself; yet to unite the two +requires a self-deception the more subtle and potent in proportion +to the purity of the religion. And certainly, comparing the +hypocrisy of the Christian with that of the old world, we see that +the one was a weak production in comparison with the other, which is +indeed a very powerful creation; throwing itself into feeling and +language with an astonishing freedom and elasticity, and possessing +wonderful spring and largeness. + +There is, however, one very remarkable utterance of our Lord Himself +upon this subject, which deserves special attention. "Many will say +to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, +and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful +works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you." Now +this is a very remarkable prophecy, for one reason, that in the +very first start of Christianity, upon the very threshold of its +entrance into the world, it looks through its success and universal +reception, into an ulterior result of that victory--a counterfeit +profession of it. It sees, before the first nakedness of its birth +is over, a prosperous and flourishing religion, which it is worth +while for others to pay homage to, because it reflects credit on +its champions. Our Lord anticipates the time when active zeal for +Himself will be no guaranty. And we may observe the difference +between Christ and human founders. The latter are too glad of any +zeal in their favor, to examine very strictly the tone and quality +of it. They grasp at it at once; not so our Lord. He does not want +it even for Himself, unless it is pure in the individual. But +this statement of our Lord's is principally important, as being +a prophecy relating to the earthly future of Christianity. It +places before us public religious leaders, men of influence in the +religious world, who spread and push forward by gifts of eloquence +and powers of mind, the truths of His religion, whom yet He will +not accept, because of a secret corruptness in the aim and spirit +with which they did their work. The prophecy puts forth before us +the fact of a great deal of work being done in the Church, and +outwardly good zealous work, upon the same motive in substance, upon +which worldly men do their work in the world, and stamps it as the +activity of corrupt nature. The rejection of this class of religious +workers is complete, altho they have been, as the language itself +declares, forward and active for spiritual objects, and not only had +them on their lips. + +Here then we have a remarkable subversion of human judgments in the +next world foretold by our Lord Himself; for those men certainly +come forward with established religious characters to which they +appeal; they have no doubt of their position in God's kingdom, and +they speak with the air of men whose claims have been acquiesced +in by others, and by numbers. And thus a false Christian growth is +looked to in gospel prophecy, which will be able to meet even the +religious tests of the current day, and sustain its pretensions, but +which will not satisfy the tests of the last day. + +We are then perhaps at first surprized at the sternness of their +sentence, and are ready to say with the trembling disciple, "Who +then shall be saved?" But when we reflect upon it, we shall see +that it is not more than what meets the case; i. e., that we know +of sources of error in the estimate of human character which will +account for great mistakes being made; which mistakes will have to +be rectified. + +One source of mistakes then is, that while the gospel keeps to one +point of its classification of men,--viz., the motive, by which +alone it decides their character, the mass of men in fact find it +difficult to do so. They have not that firm hold of the moral idea +which prevents them from wandering from it, and being diverted by +irrelevant considerations, they think of the spirituality of a +man as belonging to the department to which he is attached, the +profession he makes, the subject matter he works upon, the habitual +language he has to use. The sphere of these men, of whom the +estimate was to be finally reversed, was a religious one,--viz., the +Church, and this was a remarkable prop to them. Now, with respect +to this, it must be observed that the Church is undoubtedly in its +design a spiritual society, but it is also a society of this world +as well; and it depends upon the inward motive of a man whether it +is to him a spiritual society or a worldly one. The Church, as soon +as ever it is embodied in a visible collection or society of men, +who bring into it human nature, with human influences, regards, +points of view, estimates, aims, and objects--I say the Church, +from the moment it thus embodies itself in a human society, is +the world. Individual souls in it convert into reality the high +profest principles of the body, but the active stock of motives in +it are the motives of human nature. Can the visible Church indeed +afford to do without these motives? Of course it cannot. It must +do its work by means of these to a great extent, just as the world +does its work. Religion itself is beautiful and heavenly, but the +machinery for it is very like the machinery for anything else. I +speak of the apparatus for conducting and administering the visible +system of it. Is not the machinery for all causes and objects +much the same, communication with others, management, contrivance, +combination, adaptation of means to end? Religion then is itself a +painful struggle, but religious machinery provides as pleasant a +form of activity as any other machinery possesses; and it counts +for and exercises much the same kind of talents and gifts that +the machinery of any other department does, that of a government +office, or a public institution, or a large business. The Church, +as a part of the work, must have active-minded persons to conduct +its policy and affairs; which persons must, by their very situation, +connect themselves with spiritual subjects, as being the subjects +of the society; they must express spiritual joys, hopes, and +fears, apprehensions, troubles, trials, aims, and wishes. These +are topics which belong to the Church as a department. A religious +society, then, or religious sphere of action, or religious sphere +of subjects, is irrelevant as regards the spirituality of the +individual person, which is a matter of inward motive. + +One would not of course exclude from the sphere of religion the +motive of _esprit de corps_: it is undoubtedly a great stimulus, and +in its measure is consistent with all simplicity and singleness of +heart; but in an intense form, when the individual is absorbed in +a blind obedience to a body, it corrupts the quality of religion; +it ensnares the man in a kind of self-interest; and he sees in +the success of the body the reflection of himself. It becomes an +egotistic motive. There has been certainly an immense produce from +it; but the type of religion it has produced is a deflection from +simplicity; it may possess striking and powerful qualities, but +it is not like the free religion of the heart; and there is that +difference between the two, which there is between what comes from +a second-hand source and from the fountain head. It has not that +naturalness (in the highest sense) which alone gives beauty to +religion. + +Again, those who feel that they have a mission may convert it into a +snare to themselves. Doubtless, if, according to St. Paul, "he who +desireth the office of a bishop desireth a good work," so one who +has a mission to do some particular work has a good office given +him. Still, where life is too prominently regarded in this light, +the view of life as a mission tends to supersede the view of it as +trial and probation. The mission becomes the final cause of life. +The generality may be born to do their duty in that station of life +in which it has pleased God to call them; but in their own case the +mission overtops and puts into the shade the general purpose of +life as probation; the generality are sent into the world for their +own moral benefit, but they are rather sent into the world for the +benefit of that world itself. The outward object with its display +and machinery is apt to reduce to a kind of insignificance the +inward individual end of life. It appears small and commonplace. The +success of their own individual probation is assumed in embarking +upon the larger work, as the less is included in the greater; it +figures as a preliminary in their eyes, which may be taken for +granted; it appears an easy thing to them to save their own souls, a +thing, so to speak, for anybody to do. + +What has been dwelt upon hitherto as a source of false magnifying +and exaltation of human character, has been the invisibility of +men's motives. But let us take another source of mistake in human +judgment. + +Nothing is easier, when we take gifts of the intellect and +imagination in the abstract, than to see that these do not +constitute moral goodness. This is indeed a mere truism; and yet, +in the concrete, it is impossible not to see how nearly they border +upon counting as such; to what advantage they set off any moral +good there may be in a man; sometimes even supplying the absence of +real good with what looks extremely like it. On paper these mental +gifts are a mere string of terms; we see exactly what these terms +denote, and we cannot mistake it for something else. It is plain +that eloquence, imagination, poetical talent, are no more moral +goodness than riches are, or than health and strength are, or than +noble birth is. We know that bad men have possest them just as much +as good men. Nevertheless, take them in actual life, in the actual +effect and impression they make, as they express a man's best moods +and highest perceptions and feelings, and what a wonderful likeness +and image of what is moral do they produce. Think of the effect of +refined power of expression, of a keen and vivid imagination as +applied to the illustration and enrichment of moral subjects,--to +bringing out, e. g., with the whole force of intellectual sympathy, +the delicate and high regions of character,--does not one who can +do this seem to have all the goodness which he expresses? And it is +quite possible he may have; but this does not prove it. There is +nothing more in this than the faculty of imagination and intelligent +appreciation of moral things. There enters thus unavoidably often +into a great religious reputation a good deal which is not religion, +but power. + +Let us take the character which St. Paul draws. It is difficult to +believe that one who had the tongue of men and of angels would not +be able to persuade the world that he himself was extraordinarily +good. Rather it is part of the fascination of the gift, that the +grace of it is reflected in the possessor. But St. Paul gives him, +besides thrilling speech which masters men's spirits and carries +them away, those profound depths of imagination which still and +solemnize them; which lead them to the edge of the unseen world, +and excite the sense of the awful and supernatural; he has the +understanding of all mysteries. And again, knowledge unfolds all its +stores to him with which to illustrate and enrich spiritual truths. +Let one then, so wonderful in mental gifts, combine them with the +utmost fervor, with boundless faith, before which everything gives +way; boundless zeal, ready to make even splendid sacrifices; has +there been any age in which such a man would have been set down as +sounding and empty? St. Paul could see that such a man might yet be +without the true substance--goodness; and that all his gifts could +not guarantee it to him; but to the mass his own eloquence would +interpret him, the gifts would carry the day, and the brilliant +partial virtues would disguise the absence of the general grace of +love. + +Gifts of intellect and imagination, poetical power, and the like, +are indeed in themselves a department of worldly prosperity. It +is a very narrow view of prosperity that it consists only in +having property; a certain kind of gifts are just as much worldly +prosperity as riches; nor are they less so if they belong to a +religious man, any more than riches are less prosperity because +a religious man is rich. We call these gifts worldly prosperity, +because they are in themselves a great advantage, and create +success, influence, credit, and all which man so much values; and +at the same time they are not moral goodness, because the most +corrupt men may have them. + +But even the gifts of outward fortune themselves have much of the +effect of gifts of mind in having the semblance of something moral. +They set off what goodness a man has to such immense advantage, +and heighten the effect of it. Take some well-disposed person, +and suppose him suddenly to be left an enormous fortune, he would +feel himself immediately so much better a man. He would seem to +himself to become suddenly endowed with a new large-heartedness and +benevolence. He would picture himself the generous patron, the large +dispenser of charity, the promoter of all good in the world. The +power to become such would look like a new disposition. And in the +eyes of the others, too, his goodness would appear to have taken a +fresh start. Even serious piety is recognized more as such; it is +brought out and placed in high relief, when connected with outward +advantages; and so the gifts of fortune become a kind of moral +addition to a man. + +Action, then, on a large scale, and the overpowering effect of +great gifts, are what produce, in a great degree, what we call +the canonization of men--the popular judgment which sets them up +morally and spiritually upon the pinnacle of the temple, and which +professes to be a forestalment, through the mouth of the Church +or of religious society, of the final judgment. How decisive is +the world's, and, not less confident, the visible Church's note of +praise. It is just that trumpet note which does not bear a doubt. +How it is trusted! With what certainty it speaks! How large a part +of the world's and Church's voice is praise! It is an immense and +ceaseless volume of utterance. And by all means let man praise +man, and not do it grudgingly either; let there be an echo of that +vast action which goes on in the world, provided we only speak of +what we know. But if we begin to speak of what we do not know, +and which only a higher judgment can decide, we are going beyond +our province. On this question we are like men who are deciding +irreversibly on some matter in which everything depends upon one +element in the case, which element they cannot get at. We appear +to know a great deal of one another, and yet, if we reflect, what +a vast system of secrecy the moral world is. How low down in a man +sometimes (not always) lies the fundamental motive which sways his +life? But this is what everything depends on. Is it an unspiritual +motive? Is there some keen passion connected with this world at +the bottom? Then it corrupts the whole body of action. There is a +good deal of prominent religion then, which keeps up its character, +even when this motive betrays itself; great gifts fortify it, and +people do not see because they will not. But at any rate there is a +vast quantity of religious position which has this one great point +undecided beneath it; and we know of tremendous dangers to which it +is exposed. Action upon a theater may doubtless be as simple-minded +action as any other; it has often been; it has been often even +childlike action; the apostles acted on a theater; they were a +spectacle to men and to angels. Still, what dangers in a spiritual +point of view does it ordinarily include--dangers to simplicity, +inward probity, sincerity! How does action on this scale and of +this kind seem, notwithstanding its religious object, to pass over +people, not touching one of their faults, leaving--more than their +infirmities--the dark veins of evil in their character as fixed +as ever. How will persons sacrifice themselves to their objects? +They would benefit the world, it would appear, at their own moral +expense; but this is a kind of generosity which is perilous policy +for the soul, and is indeed the very mint in which the great mass of +false spiritual coinage is made. + +On the other hand, while the open theater of spiritual power and +energy is so accessible to corrupt motives, which, tho undermining +its truthfulness, leave standing all the brilliance of the outer +manifestation; let it be considered what a strength and power of +goodness may be accumulating in unseen quarters. The way in which +man bears temptation is what decides his character; yet how secret +is the system of temptation? Who knows what is going on? What the +real ordeal has been? What its issue was? So with respect to the +trial of griefs and sorrows, the world is again a system of secrecy. +There is something particularly penetrating, and which strikes home, +in those disappointments which are especially not extraordinary, and +make no show. What comes naturally and as a part of our situation +has a probing force grander strokes have not; there is a solemnity +and stateliness in these, but the blow which is nearest to common +life gets the stronger hold. Is there any particular event which +seems to have, if we may say so, a kind of malice in it which +provokes the Manichean feeling in our nature, it is something which +we should have a difficulty in making appear to any one else any +special trial. Compared with this inner grasp of some stroke of +providence, voluntary sacrifice stands outside of us. After all, the +self-made trial is a poor disciplinarian weapon; there is a subtle +masterly irritant and provoking point in the genuine natural trial, +and in the natural crossness of events, which the artificial thing +cannot manage; we can no more make our trials than we can make our +feelings. In this way moderate deprivations are in some cases more +difficult to bear than extreme ones. "I can bear total obscurity," +says Pascal, "well enough; what disgusts me is semi-obscurity; I +can make an idol of the whole, but no great merit of the half." And +so it is often the case that what we must do as simply right, and +which would not strike even ourselves, and still less anybody else, +is just the hardest thing to do. A work of supererogation would be +much easier. All this points in the direction of great work going +on under common outsides where it is not noticed; it hints at a +secret sphere of growth and progress; and as such it is an augury +and presage of a harvest which may come some day suddenly to light, +which human judgments had not counted on. + +It is upon such a train of thought as this which has been passing +through our minds that we raise ourselves to the reception of that +solemn sentence which Scripture has inscribed on the curtain which +hangs down before the judgment-seat--"The first shall be last, and +the last shall be first." The secrets of the tribunal are guarded, +and yet a finger points which seems to say--"Beyond, in this +direction, behind this veil, things are different from what you will +have looked for." + +Suppose, e. g., any supernatural judge should appear in the world +now, and it is evident that the scene he would create would be one +to startle us; we should not soon be used to it; it would look +strange; it would shock and appal; and that from no other cause +than simply its reductions; that it presented characters stripped +bare, denuded of what was irrelevant to goodness, and only with +their moral substance left. The judge would take no cognizance of a +rich imagination, power of language, poetical gifts and the like, +in themselves, as parts of goodness, any more than he would of +riches and prosperity; and the moral residuum would appear perhaps +a bare result. The first look of divine justice would strike us +as injustice; it would be too pure a justice for us; we should +be long in reconciling ourselves to it. Justice would appear, +like the painter's gaunt skeleton of emblematic meaning, to be +stalking through the world, smiting with attenuation luxuriating +forms of virtue. Forms, changed from what we knew, would meet +us, strange unaccustomed forms, and we should have to ask them +who they are--"You were flourishing but a short while ago, what +has happened to you now?" And the answer, if it spoke the truth, +would be--"Nothing, except that now, much which lately counted as +goodness, counts as such no longer; we are tried by a new moral +measure, out of which we issue different men; gifts which have +figured as goodness remain as gifts, but cease to be goodness." Thus +would the large sweep made of human canonizations act like blight or +volcanic fire upon some rich landscape, converting the luxury of +nature into a dried-up scene of bare stems and scorched vegetation. + +So may the scrutiny of the last day, by discovering the irrelevant +material in men's goodness, reduce to a shadow much exalted earthly +character. Men are made up of professions, gifts, and talents, +and also of themselves, but all so mixed together that we cannot +separate one element from another; but another day must show what +the moral substance is, and what is only the brightness and setting +off of gifts. On the other hand, the same day may show where, tho +the setting off of gifts is less, the substance is more. If there +will be reversal of human judgment for evil, there will be reversal +of it for good too. The solid work which has gone on in secret, +under common exteriors, will then spring into light, and come out +in a glorious aspect. Do we not meet with surprizes of this kind +here, which look like auguries of a greater surprize in the next +world, a surprize on a vast scale. Those who have lived under an +exterior of rule, when they come to a trying moment sometimes +disappoint us; they are not equal to the act required from them; +because their forms of duty, whatever they are, have not touched +in reality their deeper fault of character, meanness, or jealousy, +or the like, but have left them where they were; they have gone +on thinking themselves good because they did particular things, +and used certain language, and adopted certain ways of thought, +and have been utterly unconscious all the time of a corroding sin +within them. On the other hand, some one who did not promise much, +comes out at a moment of trial strikingly and favorably. This is +a surprize, then, which sometimes happens, nay, and sometimes a +greater surprize still, when out of the eater comes forth meat, and +out of a state of sin there springs the soul of virtue. The act of +the thief on the cross is a surprize. Up to the time when he was +judged he was a thief, and from a thief he became a saint. For even +in the dark labyrinth of evil there are unexpected outlets; sin is +established by the habit in the man, but the good principle which +is in him also, but kept down and supprest, may be secretly growing +too; it may be undermining it, and extracting the life and force +from it. In this man, then, sin becomes more and more, tho holding +its place by custom, an outside and a coating, just as virtue does +in the deteriorating man, till at last, by a sudden effort and the +inspiration of an opportunity, the strong good casts off the weak +crust of evil and comes out free. We witness a conversion. + +But this is a large and mysterious subject--the foundation for high +virtue to become apparent in a future world, which hardly rises up +above the ground here. We cannot think of the enormous trial which +is undergone in this world by vast masses without the thought +also of some sublime fruit to come of it some day. True, it may +not emerge from the struggle of bare endurance here, but has not +the seed been sown? Think of the burden of toil and sorrow borne +by the crowds of poor: we know that pain does not of itself make +people good; but what we observe is, that even in those in whom +the trial seems to do something, it yet seems such a failure. What +inconstancy, violence, untruths! The pathos in it all moves you. +What a tempest of character it is! And yet when such trial has been +passed we involuntarily say--has not a foundation been laid? And so +in the life of a soldier, what agonies must nature pass through in +it! While the present result of such a trial is so disappointing, +so little seems to come of it! Yet we cannot think of what has been +gone through by countless multitudes in war, of the dreadful altar +of sacrifice, and the lingering victims, without the involuntary +idea arising that in some, even of the irregular and undisciplined, +the foundation of some great purification has been laid. We hear +sometimes of single remarkable acts of virtue, which spring from +minds in which there is not the habit of virtue. Such acts point to +a foundation, a root of virtue in man, deeper than habit; they are +sudden leaps which show an unseen spring, which are able to compress +in a moment the growth of years. + +To conclude. The gospel language throws doubt upon the final +stability of much that passes current here with respect to +character, upon established judgments, and the elevations of the +outward sanctuary. It lays down a wholesome scepticism. We do not +do justice to the spirit of the gospel by making it enthusiastic +simply, or even benevolent simply. It is sagacious, too. It is a +book of judgment. Man is judged in it. Our Lord is Judge. We cannot +separate our Lord's divinity from His humanity; and yet we must be +blind if we do not see a great judicial side of our Lord's human +character;--that severe type of understanding, in relation to the +worldly man, which has had its imperfect representation in great +human minds. He was unspeakably benevolent, kind, compassionate; +true, but He was a Judge. It was indeed of His very completeness +as man that He should know man; and to know is to judge. He must +be blind who, in the significant acts and sayings of our Lord as +they unroll themselves in the pregnant page of the gospel, does +not thus read His character; he sees it in that insight into +pretensions, exposure of motives, laying bare of disguises; in the +sayings--"Believe it not"; "Take heed that no man deceive you"; +"Behold, I have told you"; in all that profoundness of reflection +in regard to man, which great observing minds among mankind have +shown, tho accompanied by much of frailty, anger, impatience, or +melancholy. His human character is not benevolence only; there +is in it wise distrust--that moral sagacity which belongs to the +perfection of man. + +Now then, as has been said, this scepticism with regard to human +character has had, as a line of thought, certain well-known +representatives in great minds, who have discovered a root of +selfishness in men's actions, have probed motives, extracted aims, +and placed man before himself denuded and exposed; they judged +him, and in the frigid sententiousness or the wild force of their +utterances, we hear that of which we cannot but say, how true! But +knowledge is a goad to those who have it; a disturbing power; a +keenness which distorts; and in the sight it gives it partly blinds +also. The fault of these minds was that in exposing evil they did +not really believe in goodness; goodness was to them but an airy +ideal, the dispirited echo of perplexed hearts,--returned to them +from the rocks of the desert, without bearing hope with it. They +had no genuine belief in any world which was different from theirs; +they availed themselves of an ideal indeed to judge this world, and +they could not have judged it without; for anything, whatever it +is, is good, if we have no idea of anything better; and therefore +the conception of a good world was necessary to judge the bad +one. But the ideal held loose to their minds--not anything to be +substantiated, not as a type in which a real world was to be cast, +not as anything of structural power, able to gather into it, form +round it, and build up upon itself; not, in short, as anything of +power at all, able to make anything, or do anything, but only like +some fragrant scent in the air, which comes and goes, loses itself, +returns again in faint breaths, and rises and falls in imperceptive +waves. Such was goodness to these minds; it was a dream. But the +gospel distrust is not disbelief in goodness. It raises a great +suspense, indeed, it shows a curtain not yet drawn up, it checks +weak enthusiasm, it appends a warning note to the pomp and flattery +of human judgments, to the erection of idols; and points to a day of +great reversal; a day of the Lord of Hosts; the day of pulling down +and plucking up, of planting and building. But, together with the +law of sin, the root of evil in the world, and the false goodness in +it, it announces a fount of true natures; it tells us of a breath of +Heaven of which we know not whence it cometh and whither it goeth; +which inspires single individual hearts, that spring up here and +there, and everywhere, like broken gleams of the supreme goodness. +And it recognizes in the renewed heart of man an instinct which +can discern true goodness and distinguish it from false; a secret +discrimination in the good by which they know the good. It does not +therefore stand in the way of that natural and quiet reliance which +we are designed by God to have in one another, and that trust in +those whose hearts we know. "Wisdom is justified of her children"; +"My sheep hear my voice, but a stranger will they not follow, for +they know not the voice of strangers." + + + + +[Illustration: ad page 1] + + From the Pen of + ALPHONSO A. HOPKINS, Ph.D., + +_Professor of Political Economy and Prohibition in the American +Temperance University._ + +=Wealth and Waste= + + The Principles of Political Economy In their Application to the + Present Problems of Labor, Law, and the Liquor Traffic. + + In a broad, philosophic, and patriotic spirit the author seeks + to apply, in this volume, the accepted principles of Political + Economy, as to Production and Wealth, Consumption and Waste. + + "A book which contains very much of great value."--_Herald and + Presbyter_, Cincinnati. + + "The argument is impressive, and well buttressed with statistics + and apt citations."--_The Watchman_, Boston. + + "Dr. Hopkins contributes to the literature of political + economy a volume worth the attention of students and + thinkers."--_Christian Herald._ + + "Dr. Hopkins brings thorough preparation to this work on the + particular line of reform in which he has labored."--_Christian + Observer_, Louisville. + + "Unquestionably the ablest book upon Political Economy in its + various relations which has been put upon the market."--_Herald + of the Coming One_, Boston. + + "Dr. A. A. Hopkins's 'Wealth and Waste' will prove itself + one of the most effective contributions to the literature of + reform."--_Western Christian Advocate._ + + "It is a book both for scholars and students and plain laboring + men, with clear, concise definitions and practical illustrations + for all these classes."--_The Religious Herald_, Hartford, Conn. + + "Unique, fascinating, and suggestive.... No one assuming the + attitude of a reformer can fail of being quickened in his great + work by an earnest review of the book."--_Baltimore Methodist._ + + "The incisive mind and rare culture of Professor Hopkins have + never been more signally set forth than in his new book entitled + 'Wealth and Waste.' It comes as a much needed reinforcement + to the literature of the temperance propaganda."--_Frances E. + Willard._ + +12mo, Cloth, 286 pp.----Price, $1.00. + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 2] + +_="Ranks Next to a Concordance."--SPURGEON.=_ + +=Biblical Lights and Side Lights= + +A cyclopedia of ten thousand illustrations and thirty thousand +cross-references, consisting of fact, incident, and remarkable +declarations taken from the Bible; for the use of those in every +profession who, for illustrative purpose, desire ready access to the +numerous incidents and striking statements contained in the Bible, +students, teachers, public speakers, lawyers, ministers, and others, +as also for the family library. Prepared by Rev. Charles E. Little +(author of "Historical Lights," etc.). + +=Royal 8vo, 620 pp. Price, Cloth, $4.00; Library Sheep, $5.50.= + + "'Biblical Lights and Side Lights' is a specially useful + book.... It ranks next to a concordance.... Mr. Little's work is + a great success."--_Rev. C. H. Spurgeon._ + + "We have never seen a work on Bible reference so thoroughly + systematized.... Admirably arranged.... =Topics are taken from + the demands of religion, philosophy, science, art, social life, + and politics.... Has great value for educated persons in every + calling.="--_National Baptist, Phila._ + + "'Biblical Lights' may be welcomed to a place among the very + useful books which few can afford to put aside."--_Presbyterian + Review._ + + "Will unquestionably prove a mine of information and of + illustration."--_Observer, N. Y._ + + "A work of great solidity and merit."--_Lutheran Church Review, + Philadelphia._ + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 3] + + _The Outlook (Edited by Lyman Abbott., D.D., successor + to Henry Ward Beecher as pastor of Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, + New York):_ "It is with the aspect of Mr. Beecher as a reformer, + rather than as a theologian, author, or preacher, that Mr. + Barrows deals.... It gives the story of Mr. Beecher's life in + less space and in handier form than any other volume with which + we are acquainted." + + +Henry Ward Beecher + +=THE SHAKESPEARE OF THE PULPIT= + +=By JOHN HENRY BARROWS.= + +=12mo, Cloth; 557 pp.; With Portrait. Price, $1.50. Post-free.= + +The certified points of merits of this work conclusively place it +foremost as the standard popular biography of Henry Ward Beecher. + + "=Altogether it is= a valued contribution to Beecher + literature."--=_New York Herald.=_ + + "=It will give= to many a far better and truer conception + of Mr. Beecher than they before possessed."--=_Christian + Inquirer,=_ New York. + + "=All in all= it is the best summing up of the life and + character of this great preacher and orator that I have ever + read."--=_Hon. Nelson Dingley,=_ Washington, D. C. + + "=I am especially pleased= with the chapters relating to + the famous trial. The subject is handled very delicately, and + at the same time thoroughly vindicates the pastor of Plymouth + Church from all intentional wrong doing."--_=Francis M. Clark, + D.D.,= Pres. Soc. of Christian Endeavor,_ Boston. + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 4] + + "A well written biography."--_=New York Sun.=_ + + "Lucid and sympathetic."--_=New York Tribune.=_ + + +=William E. Dodge= + +THE CHRISTIAN MERCHANT + +By CARLOS MARTYN + +=12mo, Cloth; 349 pp.; With Portrait. Price, $1.50. Post-free.= + +This biography of one of New York's most successful merchants, whose +public acts gave him a national reputation, is largely interspersed +with the history of events happening in the stirring times of his +greatest activity. + + "=Such books as these= are of incalculable value to the + young, and an inspiration to all who are seeking to do good as + well as get gain in this world."--=_The Gospel Banner_=, + Augusta, Me. + + "=The Editor= has handled his subject in so able a manner + that the reader is entranced, and is carried on and on until + with a sigh of regret the book is laid down."--_=The Chicago + Herald.=_ + + "=Many of the passages= are taken from the lectures and + speeches delivered by him in his lifetime which give a vivid + impression of the home, business, and public life of the great + merchant and philanthropist."--_=The Plaindealer=_, + Cleveland, Ohio. + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + +[Illustration: ad page 5] + + _=The Commercial Gazette=_, Cincinnati, says: "This volume + contains considerable matter never before published, is full of + fascinating reading, and is of inestimable historic value." + + +=John Brown And His Men= + +WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE ROADS THEY TRAVELED TO REACH HARPER'S FERRY. + +=By COL. RICHARD J. HINTON,= + +A Contemporary of John Brown. + +=12mo, Cloth; 752 pp.; 22 Portraits. Price,= +=$1.50. Post-free.= + +In an Appendix are given the principal and more important documents +prepared by John Brown, or relating directly to the enterprises +against American slavery in which he was actively engaged; also a +copious Index to the volume. + +=EXTRACTS FROM A COUPLE OF LETTERS.= + + ANACOSTIA, D. C., CEDAR HILL, Feb. 11, 1895. + + MY DEAR COLONEL HINTON: + + Your History of the raid upon Harper's Ferry, by John Brown + and his men, leaves nothing in that line to be desired.... You + were in the center of the circle, and hence have had an inside + view of the whole transaction. You have done for John Brown and + his men, and for the truth of history, a magnificent service. + _=Frederick Douglass.=_ + + * * * * * + + Feb. 14, 1895. + + MY DEAR COLONEL HINTON: + + Your work on 'John Brown and His Men' is most strongly and + vividly done. In fact, wherever I open the book, I find it alive + with the undying interest of the greatest hour of our history. + Perhaps mankind must yet make another struggle; but so far Brown + remains the hero of the supreme endeavor for freedom, and this + is what you make your readers feel, without weakening any fact + concerning him. + + _=William Dean Howells.=_ + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 6] + +Who Wrote the Hymns we Love so Well? + +CONSULT + +=ENGLISH HYMNS;= + +THEIR + +_AUTHORS and HISTORY_ + +=By REV. SAMUEL W. DUFFIELD.= + +8vo, 675 pp., Cloth, Price, $3.00, Postpaid. + +It cites in alphabetical order the first lines of over _=1,500 +hymns=_. Under each is given a brief biographical sketch of the +author, circumstances attending its composition, and incidents in +connection with its use. Exhaustive indexes to authors, to first +lines, and to topics, are appended. To Leaders of Praise-meetings, +Sunday-school Teachers, Parents, Pastors, and the general +hymn-loving public, it will be found invaluable. The selection of +hymns has been made with great care, and only well-authenticated +incidents are given. American as well as English hymnology has been +drawn upon. Honey has been gathered from the choicest flowers of the +garden. + +=REPRESENTATIVE OPINIONS.= + + "It pleases me altogether. It is full of information, ranging + from positive erudition down to racy anecdote."--_Charles S. + Robinson, D.D._ + + "This is by far the most complete, accurate, and thorough work + of its kind on either side of the Atlantic."--_Theodore L. + Cuyler, D.D._ + + "Bears evidence of immense research and years of labor.... The + full and admirable sketch of the author of 'Lead, Kindly Light,' + is worth the cost of the book."--_Hon. Edwards Pierrepont._ + + "A noble volume; a monument to the author's tact, learning, and + faithful industry."--E. C. Stedman. + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 7] + + =_"Should reach its hundred-thousandth edition."--Chicago + Journal._= + + +=Ethics of Marriage= + +=A Most Valuable Book= + +By H. S. Pomeroy, M.D. Prefatory note by Thos. Addis Emmet, M.S., +LL.D., and introduction by Rev. J. T. Duryea, D.D., Boston. With +an Appendix showing the laws of most of the States and Territories +regarding certain forms of crime. + +=12mo, Cloth, 197 pp., Price, $1.00,= + +POSTAGE FREE. + + "To the earnest man and woman everywhere, who has watched the + reckless manner in which marriages are contracted, the wicked + way in which responsibilities are shifted and ignored, and the + slow and sure defilement of society because the criminal classes + are allowed to propagate their vile species, while Christian + households and moral parents ignore their duty to this and to + the next world, this book is almost like a voice from Heaven. + Should reach its hundred-thousandth edition."--_Chicago Journal._ + + "It deserves to lie alongside the Bible in the foundation of + each home."--_Rev. O. P. Gifford, Boston._ + + "I have read your book with deep interest and heartily concur in + it.... May God bless your words."--_Elizabeth A. Tobey, Pres. + Mass. W. C. T. U._ + + "A subject of great delicacy and yet commanding present + importance is treated with the utmost propriety of tone and + expression; with adequate knowledge, both theoretical and + practical; with unflinching thoroughness and courage in the + exposure of the evil, and with a reformatory purpose worthy of + both the man of science and the Christian."--_Rev. Joseph Cook._ + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + +[Illustration: ad page 8] + +_A UNIQUE CYCLOPEDIA._ + + +Historical Lights; + +Or, Six Thousand Historical Articles, illustrating Thirty Thousand +Topics. Especially arranged for the Family Library, as also for +Conversationalists, Lecturers, Public Speakers, Writers for +the Press, Lawyers, Students, and all who have occasion to use +illustrations drawn from History. Compiled by REV. CHARLES E. +LITTLE, author of "Biblical Lights and Side-lights." + + "These 'Lights' are a galaxy taken exclusively from standard + Histories and Biographies. They consist of Facts, Incidents, + Examples and Precedents, selected for illustrative purposes, and + chiefly from the Civilized Races of Antiquity and the American + and English people. The Subjects relate to Religious, Social, + and Political Life, to Moral and Civil Government, etc. The + historian's name is appended to every quotation. _There are no + fugitive anecdotes in the work._" + +Complete in one volume, 8vo, 900 pages. + +Prices, Cloth, $5; Sheep, $6.50; transportation free. + + Peculiar Value of the Work: + + It is unique in design--no other publication occupying this + field in literature. It meets a want common to the large class + who desire ready access to historical precedents, examples and + incidents. It furnishes a mass of choice illustrations drawn + from History, which are immensely more valuable than statements, + anecdotes or incidents which cannot be vouched for. + +=FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,= +=NEW YORK and LONDON= + + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's note: + +Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. +Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as +printed. + +Missing page numbers are page numbers that were not shown in the +original text. + +Page 116: The transcriber has supplied the missing closing +bracket--"and Him crucified (when I was among the pupils of +Gamaliel, all of whom despised my chosen theme)". + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The World's Great Sermons, Volume 5: +Guthrie to Mozley, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WORLD'S GREAT SERMONS, VOL 5 *** + +***** This file should be named 44420.txt or 44420.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/4/2/44420/ + +Produced by Julio Reis, Moises S. Gomes, Julia Neufeld and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/44420.zip b/old/44420.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8bcbb4c --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44420.zip |
