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CHRIST, THE TRUTH.

LECTURE I.

THE preceding series of Angus Lectures may perhaps give me a link of connection, which I am glad on personal grounds to recognise, and supply a point of departure for my own Essay.

Let me, then, with an unfeigned sense of my own limitations, with which I shall have to struggle throughout, unfold the subject which I have selected for my own treatment; and especially for the moment-the motive which has chiefly impelled me, and the end to which I would fain, to the extent of my powers, contribute. And it will somewhat relieve my own sense of deficiency, and give a truer presentment of my exact purpose, if I say here, that I write not for the learned few-i.e. not for professed

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theologians and metaphysicians-though with no wish to avoid any legitimate criticism; but more especially for others, a much larger class whom I am more likely to be able to help.

I might perhaps describe them as persons who, while their hold on the Christian Faith is vital and even absolute, are yet very keenly alive on the intellectual side. Their Religion, therefore, is a subject on which their intelligence is continually at work. They are sensitive to the impact of ideas, cultivating openness of mind on all accessible subjects, and reading many books-possibly too many. It is no infrequent experience with such persons to find the intellectual and the spiritual streams of ideas and emotions often tending to become cross-currents, if not even in direct antagonism. traction of energy a weakening of the full force of vitality, both intellectual and spiritual; a certain waste of life, a certain falling short of that true buoyancy which is necessary in order that any life may reach its full measure of power

and happiness.

There results from this dis

Now, with no absurd pretension to the possession of any perfect remedy for such a state of

things, one may perhaps, without presumption, suggest that it is within the competency of most to endeavour, in a more strenuous and connected manner than they have yet attempted, to get their governing and guiding principles into some sort of order, ie. to organise their thinking. And, indeed, we must all often become acutely aware how much we lose by reason of incoherence among our ideas. What a confused miscellany of thoughts, opinions, and beliefs meets us when we turn our gaze inwards! And what a revelation of confusion is given to the insight of many a listener when one of these is hastily, perhaps violently expressed! It is so easy to say, 'I think this' or 'I think that' but if the thoughts do not share in the essential unity of the thinker, they come to be stricken with a certain vanity and ineffectiveness.

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I am, indeed, far from believing that any such organisation and unification of our thoughts can be perfectly realised. But it may be good for us to contemplate the governing and guiding Ideal, which, if not within our reach, yet rightly claims us, and is for every life, in the degree in which it is approached, a source of strength and

of inspiration. Were this Ideal actually realised,

and the organisation completely effected, this would surely be the salvation of the mind. A central conception would so completely hold sway, that every item of thought would fall into its place. Each would furnish its measure of corroboration and illumination to every other. No thought would antagonise or neutralise another. The 'I think' would then stream forth with all the power of full vitality from the centre, instead of being a mere wilful spurt from this point or that of the tossing waters.

My conviction, then, is, that without any prerequisite of exceptional powers, or of the exceptional knowledge of the specialist, something -nay, much even-may be accomplished in this direction; and, moreover, that for students for the ministry, who are not less in danger than others, it is essential that it be actually

attempted.

Some strenuous, continuous, and patient effort is doubtless required: it is no light task to endeavour to bring our several items of opinion and belief into right relation to one another, and ultimately into an ordered harmony. But for those who will consent to be tolerant of dis

cipline, who are capable of self-restraint, and content to move slowly but consecutively forwards along certain lines of sober, yet aspiring thought, there will not fail a due reward. This, doubtless, will vary according to those finer idiosyncrasies-intellectual, imaginative, spiritual— which for each of us are bound to become the medium of interpretation for all our experience; yet, for all, it may be found that in time the clashing of intellect and spirit has somewhat abated-nay, perhaps, that it is gradually falling into a unison which is one main part of a full harmony-the harmony of a perfected human life. And faith, so far from losing any of its hold of the unseen and eternal as it grows more reasonable, will become for us stronger, simpler, more absolute.

Striking a connection, then, with the last series of Angus Lectures, which dealt historically with the Creeds of Christendom and the Christian Creed, I may state a question now to be taken up and discussed: viz., How much, and how little, may reasonably be expected from a creed, i.e. from any formulated statement of things to be believed?