Year: 1874

n&AioA SOAAcSe, OAAoLus


From the London Times, Oct. 26J


The Master or Bahol college preached be-
fore the oxford University yesterday morning.
The Vice Chancellor and nearly all the heads OF
houses were in their places. and the Undergrad
yates gallery was 1ed to overnowing.


The preacher selected for his text part OF the
fifteenth verse OF the first chapter OF Coiossians-
"Who Is the image Of the Invisible God 20 He re-
marked that the nrst principles OF religion often
seemed to retire from US when lesser questions
and lesser ties were unfoldcd on the mind, and
every man, or at least every Christian man, was
thought to know them by Intuition whatever be
the ignorance OF them which formerly prevailed
in the Gentle world. THIS was especially the case
with the truths which related to the nature
OF God. Tney were buried underground.


ton of our re~ous life was straw nr s,pnnia in
genlously hidden IN the depths OF the EARTH the
divine rock on which the temple was to stand for
eternal ages. They were regarded as trnismS
about which little remained to be said, ana OF
small Importance in comparison with the religious
out them we conid never really attain to the
knowledge Of God. The supersutlons OF religion
dnered more In name than n IN reality. W i The lowest
things which directly anect the human soul are
far more costly and precious than the highest re.
1nement In decorations and art. He pointed out
the nature OF God and His dealings with man In the
physical world, and how we might rise out Of that
aspects in whicn God had revealed HIMSELF to
us as God OF nature, and also how we ought to
worship God and hold communion with Hin. In
the first place, we must acknowledge that God
governed the world by peculiar laws, and did not
alter them at mans wish or request. The natural
philosopher was capable Of seeing creation, not
with our modern notions and hazy fancies but
with really scientific insight into the world In
natural sciences was regarded with suspicion, es-
pecially by religious men, who seemed TO afraid
ting out tile world which God had made. They
wished there might be exceptions to the
rule expressly for them, as 4 Goa could Be
at with candle in q corner and seen vsibly In
the light OF day. II, however, such men were
repei the admonitions OF the law. Was there any
thing IN the controlling power OF law which pre-
vented their coming between right and wrong or
which hlndered their holding communion with
GodY II they looked upon the world as a scene OF
law OF laws upon which countless multltudes were
walking along the highway OF Gods province and
did not break their ranks. but were obedlent to
the win OF God. they would, instead OF shutting
Him. Mankind was divided into TWO camps-the
scientific and religious; and now for the first time
have a mastery over iifc he knew where he
was ana recognized in himself more and
more mo i, inc power OF. OF l controlling: Was 1t
sponslbilty toward other men also increased?
Did they not rather seem TO want he would not
say new religion, but q new Application OF relig-
ion, which should teach them that they were am
swerabc for the consequences OF their actions TO
wnicn they had hitherto seemed indifferent;
answc rabc for the good they neglected as wen as
for the evii which they did9 II another genera
ton grew up IN this country similar to the last, In
the same state Of poverty and misery, who would
be responsible for It 7 small portion OF the en-.
ergy and industry which was shown in the accu
mutation OF wealth would suffice in lew years tc
change the moral aspect Of this nation. Might
they not regard the physical well-beng or their
fellow creatures as the direct service OF God and
even as sort OF worship quite as much as that in
churchesf There have been some in this world
who seemed TO have reached the utmost height Of
religious devotion, and who might be SAID to have
been burned up with the fire OF Divine love; but
their conception OF the character or God had been
narrow and meagre and they never thought OF
asking who governed the world or how they were
to cooperate In it, Their religion had been the
principle Of separation quite as much as OF union,
and they imagined that all that was contained IN
the scriptures Or taught by the Church alien and
antag0nistc to them. There were others who had
been animated by sincere love OF truth, who had
calmly surveyed the world and set out all that
could be Known or nature and man; hut to them
the Gospel or Christ had been dead letter
Both had done part Of the work or God on
earth, and both had lived in mutual mistrust OF
one another. But II ever there was q time when
the spirit OF perfect love and knowledge met to-
gether In the same person or IN many persons, ts
was the present. and they now saw In the i'm.
provement and condition Of the poor and laboring
classes greater harmony uf different ranks and In
the renewal OF their own lives,