, 1881-05-22

any other why, for it is not the Book which COM
peis our belief, any more than re mira c4Gs
Is because He Is In Himself tho most stupenaous
miracle Of the .ages: because bis life ana chaas
acter were such us no mere man conio naEe ~.
vented or described: and, indeed, the miracles
themselves become credible from the greater:
miracle Of His life, for 1t would have. appeared
festcd 10 the s word no Unusual display Il Divine
10 tho objection that, after all, the Christian
,s a superor SntS tS tho G MohaMesao the
Or the Buddhist VIC reply, that to compare anGm en-
is to, retutc the sugqestion. Place 9esiao .ne
life Of the blood-stained conqueror, ls Mahomet, met
the life Of the meek ind gentle Christ .Conss:
trast tho moral. teachtng of Confucius: aSano
though it be- with tho iife-teachlng Of the say "
Budtlha, in approaching most nearly 70 Cnrlst,
do but display the vast gulf which e1'sts De-
lin it may | perhaps be said that to attempt to re-
ply to attacks upou the Christian faith, when
are evidently for the most part mere dec!ama-
aon1 and Ita@nt M fetaini fa ohappy e how
ever, such: attacks = hive = their ln1nrii.'
Gus effects not indeed IN the 1ess mInas no5
ct sncer ] 8 seekers 9ftee the
Christian faith after careful study Of rs
claims. To such persons the sarcasms OF tne
Asnostic and TIE caiunnes 3av o. r tue mere exnres
sions of helpless Ignorance: rs II q bina man
were heard leclaimnE aEalnst the lghI oecaIse .st
and hubbllb which at Sunrise ofokc tno lulre l
stiffness OF the night; or, as II u deaf man were
hcurd declnfmng against music, from oostr ~,
what would of necessity appear 70 nl9 ~
meaningless and grotesque movements OF lno
musicians. just as these lack the correspond ~
ing senses which would enable them 70
appreciate the beauty OF light or OF music.
10 our skepttcn1 writer's seem ito have no CORE :
spending sense whereby to appreciate anytnlnK
which Is not provable by. sight or toncn; Oh
their principles they would be Justified ~ deny
Ing the spiritual power which breAthes III some
noble book, because the soul which pcrsaueS ~
cannot be perceived by Il microscope; nno ne-
cuuse nll their chemical tests and scien1iuc us
section would only .preclpftato the consttueu.s
Of paper nld Ink. 1t is in such y spirit tney cA-
umine the great book Of creation. refusing 10
recognize the Mighty Spirit which spcaks
through Nature because It Is not protAuit ~
their Scientific methods" But though tneiT ~
taclss on the Christian faith are harmless 70 tne
candid and sincere student. they are TOO oltGi.
hurtful and even fatal to others, VINO are ou!y
TOO anxious to find some support ~ e relusin9
credcncc TO that which condemns their liIo: anu
to many an ambitious youth eager to DC thougnt
worthy Of Il place in the ranks or culture aho ~
sit ut the tect Of tho illunlinnt-
Tho life of Jesus is In very truth tnat nignty
's~powcr which appeals to our noblest AIections
and symputhje5, o1, which we eau look with VEN
Grafton attachment, and gratitude. 80 1hat our
sleyoundal instincts grow to be the aonahnnt
motive Of our lves.'' 1t Is the sole illun nns1on
Of the dark mystery Of existence, without wh1ch
human life is I'm unmeanng comedy or nystefl-
Gus tragedy, death horrible catastrophe, etcs-
nifty blank. ...~... !