In comparing this portraiture with that obtained from the Gospels, two things are especially noticable. (1) The great meagerness of reference to the historical events of the earthly life of Jesus. We have found reference to his birth as a Jew of Davidic descent, to his death by crucifixion, burial, and resurrection on the third day, and to his institution of the Lord's Supper. Had we these four Epistles alone, this is absolutely all we should know of the historical life of our Lord upon earth. I cannot explain this fact more admirably than Baur himself has done it in his Church History.

The

2" The only question comes to be how the Apostle Paul appears in his Epistles so indifferent to the historical facts of the life of Jesus. He seldom appeals to any traditions on the subject, though his apostolic activity, as well as that of the other Apostles, would have been meaningless without them. He bears himself but little like a disciple who has received the doctrines and the principles which he preaches from the Master whose name he bears. But this only shows us how large and how spiritual his conception of Christianity was. special and particular vanish for him in the contemplation of the whole. Christianity stands out before him as a great historical fact, which can be understood and grasped only in its unity and its immediateness as a divine revelation. The great facts of the death and resurrection of Jesus make it what it is. Around these facts his whole Christian consciousness revolves; his whole Christian consciousness is transformed into a view of the person of Jesus which stands in need of no history to elucidate it. Why should he go to eye-witnesses and ear-witnesses of Christ's life to ask what he was according to the flesh, when he has seen himself in the spirit? Why should he ask whether what he is teaching agrees with the original teaching of Jesus, and with the discourses and sayings which have been handed down from him, when in the Christ who lives and works in him he hears the voice of the Lord himself? Why should he draw from the past what the Christ who is present in him has made to be the direct utterance of his own consciousness?"

If I were to add anything to this magnificent statement of the main reason why Paul makes so very slight reference to the historical events of the life of Jesus, save the great events

2 English translation, p. 50.

of his death and resurrection, it would be the very obvious consideration already alluded to in the introduction to this paper, of the purpose of these Epistles. They were letters written to particular churches, in order to meet certain particular conditions in those churches. The minor historical events of Christ's life had no relation to this object; there was, therefore, no reason why they should be mentioned or alluded to. The death and resurrection, on the other hand, are essential parts of the gospel. The solitary exception to the rule that Paul ignores all the historical events of Christ's life save these two, is the institution of the Lord's Supper; and had it not been for the rise of abuses in the Corinthian church in connection with its observance, there is no reason to suppose that we should have had that.

(2) The other noteworthy point of difference in comparing the Pauline portraiture of Christ with that given in the Gospels is really included under the preceding head, but has sufficient interest to deserve special mention. Not a single reference is made to any miracle of Christ, nor to Christ himself as endowed with wonder-working power. From this fact, many critics, using the much-abused argument from silence, much more in favor a generation ago than now, have jumped to the conclusion that Paul does not know Christ as a wonder-worker, or, stated still more positively, the Christ of Paul is not a worker of miracles. Allow me to present three considerations which may have some bearing upon the soundness of this conclusion.

(a) Paul claimed to have the power of working miracles himself. 2 Cor. xii. 12: Truly the signs [onusia] of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, by signs [oqueios] and wonders [Tigaois] and mighty works [dvváμeow].

(b) He speaks of miracle-working powers as possessed by a comparatively wide circle in the early church. 1 Cor. xii. 8ff: "For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom to another workings of miracles [dvráμeon]," etc. 1 Cor. xii. 28: "God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles [dvráμes]," etc. Compare, also, Gal. iii. 5.

(c) The exalted and superhuman dignity ascribed by Paul to Christ, as has already been set forth.

Bearing in mind, now, these considerations, ask yourselves this question-Is it credible that Paul should have claimed miraculous power for himself, and more than that ascribe it as a matter of course to a relatively large circle in the church, while denying it to his Master, whom he regarded as a superhuman being, of a unique and lofty dignity, second only to God? I affirm that, so far from the assertion being justified that the Christ of Paul is not a miracle-worker, it is simply impossible and incredible that he should not have regarded him as such. Well, what is the conclusion of the whole matter? We have taken our stand upon the most extreme position with reference to the original documents of our faith that any reputable critic has ever occupied. We have asked the question What sort of a Christ is left to us upon this supposition? And we have found the picture to possess all the essential features of the Master that we have learned to know and love as we have read the other accounts of his life and words.

Gentlemen of the Divinity School, I would that in addition to whatever useful exegetical instruction this little study may give you it might also teach you, if you have not already learned it, a practical lesson which I think the ministry of our own, in common with all other churches, needs much to learn. It is this. Do not allow yourselves to be thrown off your feet by every new and startling theory which seems at first sight to sweep away the foundations of your hitherto accepted faith, even though put forward by men of undoubted ability. Face them, see what their consequences really are, not what their advocates or their weak-kneed opponents imagine them to be, and discriminate between those which really affect something essential and those which do not. It is a good answer to make to an opponent, Your position is not true, and back it up with proof. It is a much stronger answer to say, as in many cases you can, Your position is not true, and even if it were it would amount to nothing — and prove both assertions. Rev. E. L. Houghton.

[NOTE. Without raising any question as to the correctness or otherwise of Mr. Houghton's interpretation of Romans iii. 21-26, given in the foregoing Article,—since we desire to secure to our contributors the utmost freedom in the presentation of their personal opinions-we deem it proper to state that Universalists generally do not find in the New Testament the doctrine that the death of Christ was in any sense necessary as the condition of forgiveness on the side of God."-EDITOR.]

ARTICLE XXIV.

Evolution and Miracle.

A study of the solar system shows that the sun revolves on its axis from west to east, and that such of the planets does the same, that the orbital motions of such is in the same direction, that the satellites or rings of each planet, with the possible exception of those of Uranus, move from west to east, that the orbits of the planets are very nearly in the plane of the sun's equator, and that the orbital velocities of the several are in the ratio of their distances from the sun, those nearer that body moving faster than those more remote.

The animal kingdom is divided by naturalists into radiates, mollusks, articulates and vertebrates. These are each subdivided, the last into fishes, reptiles, birds, mammals, the last again, into quadrupeds, quadremana, bimana, and these severally into species, the elephant, horse, ox, monkey, man, and each of these again into varieties.

This classification implies relationship, and is based upon a certain likeness of structure and similarity of functions in the organs of one animal and those of another, however much they may differ in other respects. The turtle and the snake are quite unlike in externals, but both are reptiles and vertebrates, and so akin the one to the other. The ox and whale differ much in organism and habitat, but both are mammals and vertebrates, and so related, though remotely. As every creature resembles some other, and that other a third, and so on, there seems to be a kinship of all.

However great the distance organically from the protozoan

to man, it is spanned for the most part, at least, by a succession of animals, the one above anywhere in these series differing only slightly from that next below it. It is far also from the seaweed to the oak, but the space is filled by lichens, mosses, ferns, brakes, pines, and so on, the last anywhere in the order more highly organized than its predecessor.

Moreover, paleontology, shows that the first forms of life upon the earth were relatively low, and, as time advanced, higher ones appeared. In the palezoic eon were only gelatinous fishes, succeeded by vertebrate fishes. In the mesozoic eon reptiles and birds flourished. The cenozoic eon gave birth to mammals, at the head of which is man.

Such are some of the facts given by a study of the solar system, the earth and animal and plant life upon it. No competent authority disputes them. But when an explanation of the facts is sought, inquiry is made, how came these things thus? when the cause of the present order is demanded, different and conflicting answers are given.

Four hypotheses, at least, are offered in explanation of the facts.

1. That the sun and planets exist in their present relations, the earth in its structure and strata, and animal and vegetable life, are such by the operations of chance.

2. That the solar system, earth with its population and all the laws which rule in the heavens and earth are eternal. There was no beginning, no creation. Things always have been as they now are.

3. That God made the sun, planets, their moons and rings, gave them their rotations on their axes, the planets their orbital movements; determined their several distances from the sun, and their densities. He also made the dry land and gathered the waters into the sea. He caused the earth to bring forth grass and herb and tree. He peopled the sea with fish, the land with beast, the air with fowl. He either created all extinct and living species of animal and plant life in six days, or from time to time as the earth was suited to them. And all this he did by a personal and direct supervis

NEW SERIES. VOL. XXIV.

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