Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-16

There ere three distinct characteristics
from all others. They are. first, its rea-
sonableness; second, it's simplicity, and.
third. it's broad catholicity. Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, the son of man not only
saw, but he knew by actual experience a
supreme intelligence, spiritual realm,
moral order back of all that we perceive
with our physical senses. His mission
was to reveal that kingdom unto men. He
knew the way because He had entered it;
He knew the truth because He possessed
It; He knew the life because He had en-
tered into it and it had entered into Him.
Ills authority was supreme, His mission
divine, hence He said to the world: Il
am the way, and the truth, and the life;
no man cometh unto the Father but by
Me-" Again, it is quite evident that lie
was fully acquainted with human nature.
He had studied it's currents. eddies, whirl-
poolh, shoals. and measured it's inter
minable deeps. He knew it's weakness and
it's strength; it's poverty and its riches
Above all, He knew it's eternal POSSIBLE
tiles. and had faith and confidence in it's
ability to enter into and possess that king
dom. But how should He reach mems
hearts and open their eyes to its glories
so easy of access, yet so difficult to at
tain. Ignorance and superstition; selfish
he of al wi faIe
and traditions; the social, political and
religious conditions were formidable bar
riers 1t was plain the divine right of
kings and priestcraft must go. But what
Should He turn revolutionist and sweep
away their political institutions by force?
Should He turn iconoclast and break in
pieces their religious idols? No, Tor the
kingdom He was to reveal is spiritual. 1t
must be developed from within, for there
it is already in the embryo.
He must be a man among men, that He
might enter into their joys and sorrows;
hence we find Him reclining at table with
them, even taking part in their festivities.
He did not adopt peculiar dress; He did
not ask men to build for Him a church.
His pulpit was wherever He found men.
He did not resort to oratorical methods.
He sat down among the people and talked
quietly and gave utterance to the pro-
foundest truths that ever fell from NOR
tai lips. The appeal was to the highest,
purest, best in human nature. Every par
able that He uttered touched a responsive
chord in the heart. Analyze the Sermon
on the Mount if YOU will. Every sentence
is simple, clear. profound. 1t is simple
because it appeals to the rational; it is
universal because it appeals to men in all
ages and conditions of life. The ten great
commandments. for instance would have
long since sunk into oblivion had they not
been written In mems hearts long before
they were written on tables of stone.
Christ's mission, therefore, was not t.
graft something new on to human nature,
but to disclose what was already there in
the embryo.
The kingdom of heaven is, therefore, an
evolution. Christ was not a theologian,
rot a philosopher-not even a logican.
He did not leave behind Him what men
call systematic theology; much less
did He leave behind Him a creed. He did
rot formulate a system OF philosophy.
He left no writing.
He did not argue with men. His enun-