The record-union., 1897-02-07
al Christ can be a convincing witness
for our faith"


I'VE have often heard the pessimistic
wall that this is lost world" observes
the Christian Register (Unitarian) of
Boston. "A whole pyramid of theolog-
ical treatiseS has been built upon this
melancholy supposition. Yet what is the
basis of It all? Nothing but mythology
ical fable Astronomy does not show
that the world is lost. 1t moves regular
ly in its orbit, turns faithfully on it's
axis. Physical geography does not show
it. Whatever its imperfections, the
earth is a beautiful one; and the He
brew psalmists burst forth into praise
as they contemplated its wonders and
glories. Science to-day is perpetually
revealing them. Nor does history or
religion show that man is lost now, or
that he ever has been. On the contrary,
the area of civilization has gradually
been extending over the world; and,
though it bears evils, it bears more
good Man is gradually rising to high
er consciousness. In other words, God
is in the world, reconciling the world to
himself"
THE latest hampton lecture-'Chris-
tan Ethics by the Rev. T. B. Strong
of Christ Church, Oxford-offers a time
ly and forcible argument" says the
New York observer Pres), against
the view that the whole of Christianity
lies in the Sermon on the Mount. 1t
shows that the weakness of Greek and
Jewish ethics was that they command
ed from without Righteousness could
not, therefore, come of them. w hen
Jesus Christ appeared and preached the
Sermon on the Mount the situation was
not materially changed He revealed
and promised more, but what he en-
joined was commands to the will diff
cult to obey All endeavors to obey
these commands from an external point
of view end in failure and confusion.
The ideal is set up clear and attractive,
but it shines beyond the grasp of un
aided human attainment. Great and
supreme as it is, it must fade away into
the nothingness of a Utopian memory
unless power to reach it be conferred.
How that power was to come Jesus
Christ taught the disciples in his last
hours He explained that through his
death and through his rising again
new force would enter the world. The
Holy Ghost dwelling in the heart would
take of the things that were Christs,
interpret their meaning and give power
to realize them in actual experience.
So Christ the teacher did not after all
eXhort SO much as promise Not in the
gospel narratives, but in the record of
what took place after PentacOst, must
we seek for the ethical dynamic able to
transform sinful men into the image of
the Son. The atonement and the resur-
rection opened in the Holy Spirit the
source of all spiritual power and bless
ing"
Speaking of the nomination Of the
Rev. Charles Cuthbert Hall to the
Presidency of the Union Theological
Seminary, the New York Outlook"
says: Theological education has not in
the last half-century kept pace with
education in our great universities or
in our law or medical schools. The
fierce ecclesiastical and theological bat
ties have turned back from the minis
try many a man who would otherwise
have been drawn to it, and the spirit
of traditionalism has forbidden others
entering the pulpit who loved liberty of
render it. but not enough to volunteer
in q battle to maintain it. These bat
ties We may reasonably hope are draw
ing to their close. The nomination and
election of DR.. Hall will be of itself an
augury of liberty with peace in the
Presbyterian Church. If DR.. Hall is
permitted freedom in administration
and we cannot doubt that the Board of
Trustees will give all the freedom
which the conditions of their endow
ments permit-the way is open to es-
tablish in New York City a theological
university approximating the ideal
which Dr. Fairbairn so admirably pre-
sented some years ago in the Nine
teenth Century" There is no better
place for such a theological university
than New York City. There is probably
no better foundation on which to build
1t than Union Theological Seminary"