The sun., 1900-12-23
rHs,sr,as,ry - xor co,vrcsA Sssx.
The Gicsioas ssd Usspprosehsbie Disuset'on
~ the Skststtsa Rsiislos.

| The Gicsioss sad uWsppfosehshie Dtsuset'or
~ tke Ckststtss Rslislcs.
To rps Enron ~ THy srS SIR II Ia
do,ibtIc.. q sign Of the intellectual tension
which oh ataoterlres our are that NJ this lata
day, and In q christian country. 80 much
serious attention has been accorded to Min
ister wu's presentstlon ~ the doctrines of
Confuolus and to tho comparison which he
has drawn between these doctrines and those
ot Jesus Christ. IL sc~rns hardly necessary
to formally refute any arguments which may
bo adva anood to prove the superiority of tho
former. indeed. Minister Wa has himself
furnished q most convincing argument on
the other side by somewhat maladroitly
inviting q Judgment based upon observed
results as between the two. We freely
! admit that wars and bloodshed and much
other savagery exlst In Christian countries.
But what Of Chinaf Truly. these are evil
days for disciple OF Confuclus 10 ask that
the tree be Judged by its fruits.
Considered as mere subject for learned
disquisition, or tho speculations OF ethic al
| dilcttanteism. Christi anity a. compared
with rival systems OF purely human origin.
may show to dissdv vantage 1t is too stern
and lacks picturesque coloring To the
learned II Is illogica al to the witty. ridiculous
| 70 the dreamer. prosaic. 1t Is stumbling
block to the jew. and foolishness to tho
Greek. The reason is not far TO seek As
pfomul atod BY its 10 under. IL Ia prsem inentIy
the gospel OF action. very slight ex-
animation Of its fundamental principles
shows that IL sweeps aside all Intellectual
refinement and demands clean-cut and de-
oslve acts. Its simplicity constitutes the
difficulty Of It's practice. There Is nothing
70 discuss. but ev cry thing TO do. He that
dosh His will. shall know OF the doctrine.
Clearly. then. it does not AFFORD those fasci-
! mating intellectual delights which study OF
other systems Of ethics furnishes.
Let no man think he can find Christ till
no needs Him To the mere seeker after
a sentimental religion which shall charm
| tho imagInation and appeal t. the sense Of
tho intellectually beautiful the gospel of
| Jesus the Christ Is a sealed book. When all
| goes well and man Is successful. happy and
| wel-to-do, II IL only given 70 few chosen
| spirits 10 truly know the love of Christ. To
all others. in such cases. and as far as the
! Individual himself Is concerned, one tystem
ofmor ality Is pretty nearly as good as another.
| But let the stress and strain OF sorrow and
| trial intervene. and then the strength and
mai esty Of the religion of Christ towers up
! to its full stature OF prominence. dwarfn 9
! all others.
The ision Of Jesus Christ, tho Son Of
| God, offers singular peculiarly that
| itcomprehends at once the blackest pesslmisrn
| with the brightest optimism. 1t embraces
AID exhausts the widest possible range of
human capacity for despair and triumph.
1t shows man first as the wretched inh abIta1t
of a wrecked and ruined world. himself its
most helpless ruin. IL next depicts him us
| heir t. Joys so pure. so exalted and 30 IN
tense that his fnits faculties are unable N
| comprehend them 1t teaches that this
! amazing transition has been rendered pos
| sible by the agency Of One who came not
A, a mighty sovereign 10 Danish sorrow AND
despair from the world hy q sweep Of His
! sceptre. not to do away with them by Q blast OF
the trumpet. but IA one of the humblest NJ the
! human race 70 destroy the power OF death
sorrow and despair by experiencing them.
| This Ia the extraordinary feature OF the
Christian system, and one not dreamed OF
In any other philoso ply. The idea OF a sorrow.
Ing despalrlng and crucifed Redeemel
Is so paradoxical. so apparently self-contra.
dictorv as 10 be beyond the power Of Aumar
invention. Yet when this idea has beer
exempl!aed to a sufIeI,n word. how plainly
Is IL seen that thus only can the power o.
suffering be destroyed. Pain. sorrow ano
despair NAV be temper arily and to SOM
| NAteIll SCI dNtut NY dNtIdiliS IhN
which inned ately produce them. but the,
can only DO really overcome and destroyed
by hracin and enduring them, The Founde
of our rell zion came among US TO be as on
OF us. and drained to the dregs every cur
of bitterness which can be presented tc
human lips. even TO that Of defeat and des
pair. By doing this He forever broke the
power and that OF sin and death and hell
and established q kingdom that oh all know
no end. in which He reigns until He a. pu
al enemies beneath His feet.
To this conception Of Saviour the hum ~
heart has sprung responsive for 1900 years
and every succeeding year but strengthen
the hold which the ChrIstl'n religion hal
upon humanity. II works. II produces
practical results. And II 10 destined e
spread until II covers the earth as the wateri
cover the SEQ. @.
YoSKERs. Dec. 10.