Welsh Journals

THE WELSH WEEKLY. February 12, 1892. human nature in the Negro singularly resembles animal nature in the gorilla, the personality of the former, according to Christianity, constitutes an immeasurable difference between them. Therefore, if Christianity cannot effect much in the case of the Negro himself, it seeks to do its best to educate and to elevate his children. The great truth of personality in the Godhead, in the Lord Jesus, in the Atonement, in justifica¬ tion by faith, &c, awakens in men a belief in their own persons and in the persons of each other; and the progress of civilization and culture in a country goes on step by step with an intensity of belief in that personality which lies at the roots of human nature. On account of the human nature which is common to all men, it is possible to fall to regard mankind as one person ; similarly, a nation or community which have grown up together, >nd have the same ideas and customs, might be regarded as one person. In semi-pagan states, such as Rome and Greece, it was the custom to regard the tribe, the nation, the kingdom, as all and in all; but Christianity maintains the rights of individual persons against the tyranny of the majority; it separates man¬ kind from each other, and holds that man has rights of such a nature that all the inhabitants of the world, if they were leagued together, would have no just authority to deprive him of them. However important it is to maintain the rights of the majority against the tyranny of one, it is quite as important to maintain the rights of one against the tyranny of the majority. Christianity presents itself to the world as upholding the claims of the individual, inasmuch as personality is one of the great general principles that lie in its doctrines. In the Atonement we find all the elements of a true sacrifice met together. In addition to personality, we find there love and free will working in obedience and suffering so as to fill an Infinite Mind with satisfaction. Here again is a general principle that is found, in a less measure and degree, in every true sacrifice. It is found, again, that the doctrine of imputation contains a great truth that prevails in civilized countries. This truth is, that the union between a representative and those whom he represents is a ground of imputation, insomuch that the action of the representative is regarded as that of the represented, as if they, in their own persons, had performed it. This is the principle that is at the root of the Parliamentary action of the English Government, as well as of the government of every other country where a fair representation is found. In the Puritan form of Christianity regeneration is based upon justification ; that is (dispensing with theological terms), change of nature is based upon change of state. A special application of this principle is seen in the emancipation of the slaves. Whether to change the state of the slave by emancipation, and then to foster in him the spirit of a free man, or to infuse first the spirit of freedom, and afterward emancipate, was a matter of much discussion. The former alternative prevailed; the state of the slave was changed, and in his emancipation a living example was obtained of a change of nature founded upon a change of state. Again, if it is belief in the Gospel that constitutes the great bond of union between God and a sinner, it is trust that links men to each other, socially, commercially, politically, and religiously. The question naturally arises, Is it not possible to regard the principles and the doctrines apart from each other ? (1.) Is it not possible to believe the principles, while utterly neglecting the doc¬ trines ? Ye.? it is, as fit subjects for the contem¬ plation of pure reason ; but principles need to be embodied in order to realize the practical purposes of life. Besides, it is through doctrines that the mind is able to ascend to principles. A man may speak well of humanity, and at the same time speak contemptuously of certain individual men. It is possible to praise holiness, and yet to malign holy men as if they were hypocrites. It is possible to applaud truthfulness, and to persecute truthful men at the same time. It is through particular doctrines that the mind can grasp prin¬ ciples, so as to comprehend and appreciate them, and to perceive the way by which they can be brought into practice. Herein is seen the advan¬ tage that belongs to Christianity as a religion, not of bare principles, but of principles in a Person as a foundation, of moral conduct as a superstructure, and of doctrines as the Divine method of building upon the foundation. (2.) Is it not possible to defend the doctrines without apprehending the principles which they contain ? Yes, that is possible. When men argue for a doctrine with- j out understanding its principle they resemble I doctors dissecting a dead body ; but too often they manifest an absurdity which doctors are not guilty of—that is, they imagine that they understand a living person because they understand a dead body. A string of doctrines in the mind without a comprehension of their principles is like a graveyard; and one might weep, while wandering 1 among the tombs, in regretful longing for the day when eternal principles shall have been breathed into the dead bodies that lie there, and they awaken in a great multitude of living truths. When a person is seen arguing strenuously for a doctrine, while it is evident that he does not understand the principle that lies in it, he appears, at least, as if he were doing his best to prove that the parrot was among his ancestors. Another bad effect of the study of doctrines apart from their principles is the production of the idea that Evangelical Christianity is narrow, while the narrowness does not belong to Christianity at all, but to the men who have failed to see its prin¬ ciples. The characteristic of Christianity is that its doctrines are instances of general truths which prevail throughout the whole dominion of the Most High, possessing infinite scope and eternal validity. (1.) In Christianity we find the general prin¬ ciples in a particular form. (1.) They are in it in their highest and purest form—in their home— in God Himself; while every where else they are confused, defective, finite in their operation. Holiness is in the Essence of God, while it cannot be higher than in the nature of man. In God, the Persons are in one Essence ; among creatures we have only persons in one nature. Representa¬ tion among fallible and corrupt men is imperfect and degenerate ; but when a Divine Person is a representative, we have representation in the per¬ fection of glory. Men are found making a sacri¬ fice for each other as the fruit of their love ; that love finite, involving suffering; that suffering limited as to degree and measure, and giving satisfaction to the minds of fallible men ; but it is when we find love, obedience, suffering, and satis¬ faction, in their purity and in their infinity, that we find, among a multitude of sacrifices, the one Sacrifice that is sufficiently great to be an Atone¬ ment. Inasmuch as the Divine Essence pene¬ trates through all the doctrines of the Gospel, in them are seen great principles in their purest and most perfect form. (2.) In Christianity they have been placed to operate so as to save men from their sins. Some¬ thing of the same nature is seen in connection with art. Wherever water and fire are brought into contact the laws of steam operate. Wherever there are wheels revolving certain mechanical laws work. But on the railways the general laws of the steam and of the wheels are made to work to the end of drawing men in carriages to their destination. It is not a power to make laws that is at work, but a clever invention using old laws for a special purpose. Similarly, it is not a power making new principles that we see in the Gospel, but the great plan of eternal love, using the principles which had their home from eternity in the Essence of the Most High, and directing them to the end of human salvation. These are the principles which are the themes of the contem¬ plation of the Most High Himself. Upon these the highest and brightest creatures of the dominion of the Most High love to dwell as their favourite subjects of meditation. These are the subjects which we have been endowed with suitable faculties to understand, to trace, and to apply to the different circumstances of the world, and thus to enjoy the pure and exalted joy of seeing the circumstances of time clothed with eternal glory until " mortality is swallowed up of life." To Him who has given us such faculties to know, and has revealed to us such truths to be known by them, be the glory for ever. NOTES FROM MANSFIELD. Though a notice was issued by the University authorities that on account of the influenza which was prevalent in Oxford, the term would be a fortnight later, thetfceflogical students of Mansfield entered upon their studies at the usual time. Fortunately, none of the Mansfield students who came to Oxford suffered from the epidemic, though one of the most distinguished of the students, Mr. A. E. Gawie, was unable to be present at the beginning of term owing to an attack of illness. The first of the services for the term was held at Mans¬ field on Sunday, February 7. Dr. Fairbairn was the preacher, and delivered a very powerful sermon on the text: "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?" Dr. Fairbairn dwelt in the first part of his sermon on the majesty and immensity of nature as compared with frail humanity. He reviewed the pathetic history of humanity, passing in review the great empires and kingdoms of anti¬ quity which had perished, and seemed apparently to realise only the glory of leaving great ruins after them. He reviewed the phases of the individual life and the tragic destiny of man as compared with the eternity of nature. But he again showed, in the latter part of his sermon, the glory of humanity as compared with nature. Nature could only exist in her glory for a mind : the interpreting mind stands above nature, in spite of her immensity in space and time. The glory of man consists in the Divine spark of reason within him, and the fact that he can live in a nobler and wider sphere of being than the pursuit of merely self-regarding ends. After thus discussing the relation of man to nature and God, Dr. Fairbairn proceeded to speak of the throe distinguished men who were cut off during the vacation. He spoke in appropriate language of the Duke of Clarence, a man of amiability and promise, possessing qualities which are highly needed in a King when the power of the throne has decreased, but its social influence corre¬ spondingly increased. Again of Cardinal Manning, whose talents were not like those of his brother-Cardinal, Newman, the delight of the select, but the succour of the toiling multitude. In every church a noble man could serve God while serving humanity. Another moreover had passel away, bjlonging to a denomination nearer to those present than that of the other. Mr. Spurgeon was a man of an open, honest, and noble character, and commanding respect by his noble honesty, the wielder of manly English, second to none in his day. He was in every way a power for good in the land; his philanthropy was extensive and judicious. Dr. Fairbairn pities the man who, while priding himself on his own Divine ordination by Apostolic succession, could hold that a man like Mr. Spurgeon was outside the true fold of the people of God. Before such a man, human orders shrivelled. There was a good attendance, and we saw several Welsh members of the University present. After tbe service the Dead March in Saul was played by Mr. John Farmer, organist of Balliol College, tbe congregation standing! Among the preachers of the term are to be Dr. Eustace Conder, Dr. Francis Brown from America, Bev. W. G. Selbie, M.A., of Highgate, formerly Lecturer in Old Testament Exegesis at Mansfield College, Oxford.