Genre Philosophy. Page - 2

hon, in Loci Communes, or system of Divinity, &c., in Augsburg Confession, and in his Apology to it.

CHAPTER VIII.

GENERAL NATURE OF THE SACRAMENTAL INFLUENCE.....121 Doctrine of the Plea-not fully developed. Scriptural view of Sacramental Influence. Man a sinner by nature and practice, Divine truth the grand instrumentality of the Spirit in our spiritual renovation. The stage of progress in this renovation, morally requisite for pardon, is that of living faith, or entire surrender to God. Evidence of this pardon or justification, is internal; peace, love, joy, testimony of the Spirit, fruits of the Spirit, and not any outward rite-Sacraments therefore only mediate and not immediate conditions of pardon-proofs, Mosheim, Reinhard, Knapp.

CHAPTER IX.

BAPTISMAL REGENERATION.....135 Is taught in Symbolical books and by the Reformers and early Theologians, Hunnius, Gerhard, Buddeus. Influ

was in China the LORD wanted me. It seemed to me highly probable that the work to which I was thus called might cost my life; for China was not then open as it is now. But few missionary societies had at that time workers in China, and but few books on the subject of China missions were accessible to me. I learned, however, that the Congregational minister of my native town possessed a copy of Medhurst's China, and I called upon him to ask a loan of the book. This he kindly granted, asking me why I wished to read it. I told him that GOD had called me to spend my life in missionary service in that land. "And how do you propose to go there?" he inquired. I answered that I did not at all know; that it seemed to me probable that I should need to do as the Twelve and the Seventy had done in Judæa--go without purse or scrip, relying on Him who had called me to supply all my need. Kindly placing his hand upon my shoulder, the minister replied, "Ah, my boy, as you grow older you will get wiser than tha

cording to which this kind of instruction should be imparted. At the outset, however, we are confronted by what certainly is a grave difficulty, and to many may appear an insuperable one. The opinion is widely held that morality depends on religious sanctions, and that right conduct can not be taught--especially not to children--except it be under the authority of some sort of religious belief. To those who think in this way the very phrase, unsectarian moral teaching, is suspicious, as savoring of infidelity. And the attempt to mark off a neutral moral zone, outside the domains of the churches, is apt to be regarded as masking a covert design on religion itself.

The principle of unsectarian moral instruction, however, is neither irreligious nor anti-religious. In fact--as will appear later on--it rests on purely educational grounds, with which the religious bias of the educator has nothing whatever to do. But there are also grounds of expediency which, at least in the United States, compel us, whether

al or tutelary, others Dissocial or Self-regarding. Dispositions.The consequences of a mischievous act. Punishment. Private Ethics(Prudence) and Legislation distinguished; their respective spheres.

MACKINTOSH. Universality of Moral Distinctions. Antithesis or Reasonand Passion. It is not virtuous acts but virtuous dispositions that outweigh the pains of self-sacrifice. The moral sentiments havefor their objects Dispositions. Utility. Development of Consciencethrough Association; the constituents are Gratitude, Sympathy,Resentment and Shame, together with Education. Religion mustpresuppose Morality. Objections to Utility criticised. Duties toourselves, an improper expression. Reference of moral sentiments tothe Will.

JAMES MILL. Primary constituents of the Moral Faculty--pleasurable andpainful sensations. The Causes of these sensations. The Ideas of them,and of their causes. Hope, Fear; Love, Joy; Hatred, Aversion. Remotecauses of pleasures and pains--Wealth, Power, Dignity,

west? He often asked himself that question in some amusement as they approached the coast of China. They entered a long winding channel and steamed this way and that until one day they sailed into a fine broad harbor with a magnificent city rising far up the steep sides of a hill. It was an Oriental city, and therefore strange to the young traveller. But for all that there seemed something familiar in the fine European buildings that lined the streets, and something still more homelike in that which floated high above them--something that brought a thrill to the heart of the young Canadian--the red-crossed banner of Britain!

It was Hongkong, the great British port of the East, and here he decided to land. No sooner had the travelers touched the dock, than they were surrounded by a yelling, jostling crowd of Chinese coolies, all shouting in an outlandish gibberish for the privilege of carrying the Barbarians' baggage. A group gathered round Mackay, and in their eagerness began hammering each other with

nd Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem openly soon after the supposed decree.[2]

There is dispute as to whether Jesus was born in Bethlehem or Nazareth, and the date of his birth has been placed anywhere from 4 B.C. to 7 A.D. Matthew says that Jesus was born "in the days of Herod", while Luke says it was "When Cyrenius was governor of Syria." Herod died in 4 B.C., while Cyrenius did not become governor of Syria until 7 A.D.

The romantic story of the Christ-child is not corroborated by the historians of the time and is in opposition to the theory of evolution by natural processes. And yet it is still one of the main sources of Jesus' fame, being repeated at Christmas-tide in the churches, thus connecting Jesus with God in a superhuman manner.

The consensus of scholarship is in practical agreement that the theory of the virgin birth as a link between Jesus and God is a mistake; but whose mistake was it? Jesus never referred to his miraculous birth. If he was merely a man and never heard of the r

ou," says Christ, "that he will avenge them speedily."

But now, forasmuch as this parable reacheth not (so directly) thepoor Publican in the text, therefore our Lord begins again, and addsto that other parable, this parable which I have chosen for my text;by which he designeth two things: First, The conviction of the proudand self-conceited Pharisee: Secondly, The raising up and healing ofthe cast down and dejected Publican. And observe it, as by the firstparable he chiefly designeth the relief of those that are under thehands of cruel tyrants, so by this he designeth the relief of thosethat lie under the load and burden of a guilty and disquietedconscience.

This therefore is a parable that is full of singular comfort to suchof the sinners in the world that are clogged with guilt and sense ofsin; and that lie under the apprehensions of, and that are driven toGod by the sense of the judgment that for sin is due unto them.

In my handling of this text, I shall have respect to these things

hile life as a whole, history, character, and destiny are objects unfit for imagination to dwell on, and repellent to poetic art? I cannot think so. If it be a fact, as it often is, that we find little things pleasing and great things arid and formless, and if we are better poets in a line than in an epic, that is simply due to lack of faculty on our part, lack of imagination and memory, and above all to lack of discipline.

This might be shown, I think, by psychological analysis, if we cared to rely on something so abstract and so debatable. For in what does the short-winded poet himself excel the common unimaginative person who talks or who stares? Is it that he thinks even less? Rather, I suppose, in that he feels more; in that his moment of intuition, though fleeting, has a vision, a scope, a symbolic something about it that renders it deep and expressive. Intensity, even momentary intensity, if it can be expressed at all, comports fullness and suggestion compressed into that intense moment. Yes, ev

cannot be stationary; it must either decline or grow. Despite all the unworthy fears of our poor hearts, Divine love is destined to conquer. The bride exclaims:--

Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance; Thy name is as ointment poured forth; Therefore do the virgins love Thee.

There was no such ointment as that with which the High Priest was anointed: our Bridegroom is a Priest as well as a King. The trembling bride cannot wholly dismiss her fears; but the unrest and the longing become unbearable, and she determines to surrender all, and come what may to follow fully. She will yield her very self to Him, heart and hand, influence and possessions. Nothing can be so insupportable as His absence! If He lead to another Moriah, or even to a Calvary, she will follow Him.

Draw me: we will run after Thee!

But ah! what follows? A wondrously glad surprise. No Moriah, no Calvary; on the contrary, a KING! When the heart submits, then JESUS reigns. And when JESUS reigns, there is rest