The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-10
Strongest Effects Upon Us Pro-
 duced By Lives About Us
GENIUS OF CHRISTIANITY
Is Not a Theory of Life, Nor Is It System of Morals, But Personal Relation to Jesus
 Christ.

 on the power of wholesome personality. the sermon being especially directed to young men. He took his text from the twentieth verse of the second chapter of Galatians "He loved me, and gave Him. self for me-"
 Dr. Duncan spoke in part as follows:
 These words explain St. Paurs conduct as an apostle as no other language can. It was this personal relation of Jesus to himself that made Paul the Apostle out of Saul of Tarsus. Herein lies the genius of Christianity. It is not theory of life, not a system of morals. not the worship of an unknown God; but per sonal relation to Jesus Christ.
 Power of Personality.
 The power of personality is recognized universally, but Is not always thought upon as deeply as might be profitable. We speak of some men and say that they have a strong personality, and of others saying that they have not. We mean often, that in some strange way certain men affect us, and affect everything about them; not merely by what they accomplish, but by what they are. The personality of some men diffuses itself so through what they do, that we lose sight of them for all that they are there. In English literature 1t Is the hand of Shakespeare that is often present in some allusion or partial quotation. or entire paragraph inspired by some saying of his, even though the one who reads may not be conscious of the presence of the great dramatist.
 In other lines of life conspicuous ex- amples of the same power of personality are not difficult to find. Napoleon not only exercised a wonderful influence over his own arm, exciting men to the widest enthusiasm by his presence, and inspir- ing them to deeds of valor that looked as though he cast spell of witchcraft over them, but in all the art of war his personality Is still felt. The wonderful personality of Thomas Arnold is still affecting the fortunes of the youth of England, and not of England only, but of the entire school world This is not only true where his name is known, but often even where it has never been heard of.
 The greatest effects upon us are those produced by the lives of the men and women about us. Take it in the aggre. gate, we have that peculiar thing we cal public sentiment. It is the thought O 1 no one man or woman. It Is human per sonality voicing itself in what it believe to be the best way to live.
 Influence of Individual Life. In individual life this influence is al ways being exerted not often conscious ly, but no less really and powerfully. One man can stop on the street In the middle of the day, and begin to look up at the sky. If they do not stop dozens whc pass will at least look up also. They are not being invited to do it. and il is not simply imitation. It may be some. Is looking at. Indeed the man may b, stone blind, but his action will have al least pausing effect.
 The extent of this influence is beyond all con putation. None of us know how far the lives of others enter into oui lives. nor do we know how far our lives enter into and affect the lives of those about us. Christianity takes hold of thl' great truth of human relations, anc uses 1t
 The most powerful personality the world ever saw is Jesus Christ. His charm was felt by the little child oi by the hardened sinner His manner, i must have been as well as his speech, at tracted to Him all sorts and condition. of men, and even those who would not speak good of Him had at least to gran Him such power as to speak great evi of Him. No man ever accused Him of be ing ordinary, commonplace. Like His spech or not He spake as never mar spake. If he were possessed of a devil it was no ordinary kind; He castett out devils by the prince of devils"
 Jesus Personal Relation to Us.
 t Is the recognition of Jesus in his personal relation to US that saves us He loved me- and gave Himself foi me-" The whole of St. Pauls life lies between that He" and inc, "loved and gave" When we get hold of thl. thought, when the love of Christ is q personal thing to us then, and not unti then, do we really become Christians Follow me" is a simple command. Many a man has had struggle because he fel that he should live Christian life, anC yet in some way such a life lacked inspr ation for him. He could see the beauty of Christian ideals, feel the impellins loTCe Ol uuly, put idu HcNtt itit tHe warmth of love.
 St. Paul does not say, q live as I dc because 1t is my duty to do so.' mar of his sort might have succeeded in liv ing q great life even with no further in spiration than that, but he had something better the personal love of Jesus H' was loyal to the sacrifice that love hac made, took 1t as a personal affair, anc blessed the world by showing men wha could be done by the man who gave z human love in ready response to divine one.
 This then must be our life If we ars to have Christian contentment and power as Christians. It Is a personal matter and not a theory. It Is a thing to b' laid hold of by faith, and felt in al the conduct of life. why do you act a' you are doing?' may be asked of you and the answer is simple. 'The Master loved me, and gave Himself for me, in re turn for His great love and his great life I am only giving my little love and my little life"
 RECORD OF THE COURTS