, 1866-12-12

q summation Of nil the iusptrxtIonn of AFT
previous time could 50 overflow our frnil
esIthen vessel with the illinltable bright
ness Of the true and the good, aE TO ulumipe
eighteen hundred years Of mans past with
the sublime hope oftnnostal life, aad cast
into the future, even Of these times. a l,rht
than which Our age, 80 full Of gricG and
longings for eternal life, Ia unable 10 find the
parallel.
A gensaatIon ago, the chilling Strauss
shocked theology ns 4 clap of thunder
from clear tky shocks the hay.msker on
the Hillside, by the publication Of his nL,fe
Of Christ" 4 mine sprung under the very cit-
adel Of Christianity, comprising IL. over
throw with tho weapons Of science
and philosophy. He thought the
Gospels Of very little historic value, denied
the possibility Of miracles and held that such
q character a. Jesus might have been
evolved out Of certain conditions Of society.
Again he comes 10 the field Of criticism and
finds things quite unsuitcd to hts expccta-
tion. just aa the man who went to sea when
boy came back but to find the sailor yi.{on
Of home had vanished, hla feieuds al, dis
persed and the boys and girls all grown up
and married strauss thought be had
started revolution In theology but 1he
world moyes much the Eame as before he
lay him down, rs bears do, for bis long
silent winter of waiting. The fact /. seyo1n
tions canuot be founded on mere ne.ations.
He considers echerkel n comproniser. and
tells him that bis endeayos to reconcile SCI
encc and theology will give him the dis
pleasure Of both, that this science is an at-
tempt to please theology ior which the
latter will not thank him on account of his
numerous admissions. Renau went upon q
scientific mtksion to explore Phenic.a, aud
while eojouzniug In tho native land Of Jesus
the inspiration fell upon him of the "mar.
yellous harmony with the Gospel ideal Of
the country which serves 1t for frame, !"
The Life Of Jesus" appeared, and va have
the Inconsistency Of enloelst of the Son Of
Man presumlng lraud in the assumption OF
His character. Yet Renan would thiu be.
lieve his subject reality, though he hltnself
bea utiiles and mystiies by his peculiar emo.
tional aud rather elevated and spiritual
style. -.
The publication Of Reuan's book led Dr..
| Scberkel to give to the world his twenty five
years. study In tho same field. The ncidel-
berg Professors essay toward better knowl-
| edge Of tho founder Of Christianity Is dis
| tirguished BY method purely historical.
| The author says It Is impossible to write the
! tttc of Jesus; but that the comprehensive
sud thorough renovation OF the Church
which our whole age Is 1nboring for eau bt
accomplished only In hatmony with reno
4 vated faith in tho true, historical Christ, the
Christ living In the history Of tine world. So
the Doctor gives us his mature conviction.
Of the character Of Jesus, and in
| points Of doubt he mcasure;
improbabllity b, the impossip,lity Of fraud
Is ne understand him, his whole ar5umcn
hinges upon the integrity of his subject. II,
assumes the highest virtue Of man to dwell
10 tile meek md lowly Jesus. Un1ik,
Strauss, be expects the "Christ that live
In history" that Is, the Ideal Je5us Of tn
Christian world, will ss accepted as trul,
good. The great sceptEc gave the challcne
10 everybody the Christian scholar pre-
sumcs that whatever Jesus said or did, |
was prompted BY the best Of motives.
The study OF the character OF Jesus Is 1t
own reward. The carueSt man eau sympa
thize with Dr.. Furness In the feeling Of boun
lis researches. The devoted translator In
given to the American reader the best exist
ing ueans Of getting at q consecutive, AZ
preciative, and at the same time critical &C
count OF the most mysterious and the wlll
the best known Of ali historical persons
Few men can read deeply the record Of Jcsu
: without becoming his disciple. The scoGe
Is generally man Of course nature an
superficial culture. The best living man
the one most like Jesus Of Nazcseth, thoug
still IN infinite distance beneath Him.