^ I dare say that you remember the often quoted saying of Lessing, that " the Christian religion had been tried for eighteen centuries, and that the religion of Christ remained to be tried." It seems rather boastful and extravagant, but it expresses the spirit in which any new movement for the improvement of theology must be carried on. It means that Christians should no longer be divided into Churchmen and Nonconformists, or even into Christians and non-Christians, but that the best men every- where should know themselves to be partakers of the Spirit of God, as He imparts Himself to them in various degrees. It means that the old foolish quarrels of science with religion, or of criti- cism with religion, should for ever cease, and that we should recognize all truth, based on fact, to be acceptable to the God of truth. It means that goodness and knowledge should be in- separably united in every Christian word or work, that the school should not be divorced from the Church, or the sermon from the lesson, or preaching from visiting, or secular duties from religious ones, except so far as convenience may require. It means that we should regard all persons as Christians, even if they come
1 Life of Frindpal David W. Simon, 339.
JOB XXII. 21 103
before us with other names, if they are doing the works of Christ.i
^ Can man by searching find out God ? Yes ! There is no need to seek Him in the unreachable heavens, or in the depths of the invisible darkness to look for Him. He is here in the life, and intelligence, and beauty of Nature. He is here in the conduct of the world. He is here in the sense I have of my own righteousness before Him. He is here in the sense of an absolute justice, even though that justice punish me. He is here, 0 God ! how deeply, dearly, how intensely, in my undying, unquenchable trust that He is mine and I am His for ever.^
^ I have just read that testimony by Goethe that you have quoted from Professor William James. I am about seventy-four — his age. My circumstances have not been nearly so favourable as his, but I am thankful to be able to speak much better of life in this world than he does. I have had many sorrows, and though I am not of sanguine disposition, life has been a joy to me, and is so still. Two great beliefs give me rest from the worry and dissatisfaction which torment so many: (1) that God is a Person. I cannot define the specific sense in which He is a Person. And (2) that God is Love. He must be love. An Agnostic will confess that if there be a Creator He must at least be the equal of His highest creation. It is a logical absurdity to say that any creature can love more than God loves. If, therefore, there is anything in creation that I cannot harmonize with love, it is because of my limited faculties. All must be right. When this, the great burden of Bible teaching, is heartily received, how much of perplexity and pain is taken out of the life ! ^
3. Acquaintance with God is man's highest and most glorious privilege. Do we not count it a privilege to know earth's great men and women ? How often have we heard the note of pride in the voice when one has been able to say of some distinguished person, " I know him ; I am acquainted with him ; I am on terms of familiarity with him, even of affection ! " And there is a glow on the face, and a light in the eye, which seems to give the lucky man a reflected glory. When we admire some one greatly, we count it an honour to know him personally, and especially to be known by him ; and we can conceive no higher privilege than to
^ Life and Letters of Benjamin Jowelt, ii. 362. ^ Stopford A. Brooke, Sunshine and Shadow, 7. ^ John Brash : Memorials and Correspmidence, 70.
104 ACQUAINTANCE WITH GOD
live on terms of intimate fellowship with him. What, then, must be the nature of his privilege who walks with God as did Enoch, who is the friend of God as was Abraham ? There cannot possibly be a higher privilege than that.
When the light is in the west,
When the day goes liome to rest. When the busy pulse of city life in mart and lane beats low,
Then in earth's garden lonely
I hear Thy footsteps only, And the ancient words to me are new, " Be still, and thou shalt know."
Thou hast been walking here Each hour of every year; 'Twas not the evening coolness brought Thy presence to my side: But in my heart's great flutter The day was darkness utter, And I missed thee in my madness, and 1 passed Thee in my pride.
Thy holy, heavenly will
Must bid my heart be still Ere it can catch a note so low as ripples in Thy rest;
For in its constant quiver
I cannot hear the river That glides, to make Thy city glad, from gardens of the blest.
Why should I wait for even