Mr. Darwin visited Terra del Fuego in 1833, he wrote: "The Fuegians are in a more miserable state of barbarism than I ever expected to have seen any human being." He thought it would be impossible to civilize them. On his second visit in 1869, he was astonished to find that these people, whom he had regarded as below the domestic animals, had been transformed into Christian men and women. In his astonishment he wrote: "I certainly should have predicted that not all the missionaries in the world could have done what has been done. It is wonderful, and it shames me, as I always prophesied failure. It is a grand success." In a letter to the London Missionary Society, enclosing twenty-five pounds for its work, Mr. Darwin said: "I shall feel proud if your committee shall think fit to elect me an honorary member of your society." It is evident that Darwin perceived that a revolutionary rather than an evolutionary force had been at work on Terra del Fuego. Such is the Bible, because the living Christ goes with it and works as He will. As I went through Greenwood Cemetery the other day, I saw the evidence of abundant life clothing the hills in the beauty of shrub and grass and flower, but underneath the granite and marble shafts there was no appearance of life. Death is revolutionary. It soon destroys feature and form, and reduces our friends to dust. If evolution were my hope, I should stand in Greenwood full of despair. But I believe in the God of revolution. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, the dead shall be raised." From underneath those heavy shafts of marble, shall come forth bodies of our loved ones, glorified and immortal: "Wherefore, comfort one another with these words." Scripture Inspiration and Authority BY TEN The Reverend S. D. McCONNELL, D.D. 'EN years ago Professor Thayer of Harvard spoke thus to his hearers: "But inquirers, you tell me, demand certainties. They clamour for immediate and unequivocal answers. "Doubtless, and overlook the fact that divine Wisdom rarely vouchsafes such. If God's Book had had the average man for its author, no doubt it would have abounded in direct and categoric replies to all questions. The most complicated problems of time and eternity would be solvable by a process as simple as the rule of three! But, alas, impatient souls. His people do not get into the promised land that way.' 66 Nothing is more pathetic than the century long reluctance of Christians to admit the elemental truth of their Master's teaching. He came to set His people free,-but they shrink from the responsibility of freedom. He assured them that they were no longer servants but children,-whereupon they long for the minute directions which a master gives to a slave. In a word they have persistently sought for an Authority." It is so much easier to live by rule than to live by a spirit. At least it seems to be easier. In point of fact the distinguishing feature of the religion of Christ is that it vacates all external mastership, turns the individual soul in upon itself and declares that by so doing it will find itself face to face with God. It has been well said that of the words which express religion, neither the verbs "to love," or "to believe" has any imperative mood. Christianity is loving and believing. In neither can any "Authority" coerce. One loves the things which he himself finds lovable: he believes the things which, for him, are believable. In the presence of an Authority he may be silent, or he may lie to the authority, or he may lie to himself, but the absolute situation remains unchanged. |