he cannot be my disciple." He asserted that those who take him as their Redeemer enter upon an everlasting life, and he engaged to raise up these believers in glory at the judgment day, saying, "He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." He promised mansions in heaven to his servants, and said to God, "Father, I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, the glory which I had with thee before the world was." He taught that he is one with the Father, that to see the Son is to see the Father, and that whatsoever things the Father doeth these doeth the Son likewise. He sent the message to all nations that they should observe all things whatsoever he had commanded, and assured his ambassadors that he would be with them alway even to the end of the world. He declared, "The hour is coming when all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of Man and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation." He loved souls with a boundless love. He gave himself a sacrifice for our sins, a lamb without blemish and without spot, and he is now "in the midst of the throne of God" while ten

thousand times ten thousand angels proclaim with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing."

NOT MYTH, BUT HISTORY

These teachings respecting Christ are not myths concerning a person who had lived in prehistoric times and whose fictitious exaltation was employed to give form to religious faith and worship. They are the statements of the immediate disciples and companions of Jesus Christ, and of our Lord himself. They were not issued as instructive stories but as assured verities. They were received as truth by the first Christians, as they are by believers in the present day. They entered a world wholly disinclined for such revelations, yet they found favor and adoption because of great facts, such as the crucifixion and the resurrection, attested by eye-witnesses; because of miracles wrought in the name of Christ; because of the innate reasonableness of the Gospel and its fitness for man's spiritual needs; and because of the inward persuasion of the Holy Ghost.

BIBLICAL LANGUAGE EXPLAINED

But while the New Testament writers ascribe divine honors to our Lord, it is to be noted that they do so in a double way; sometimes as if his greatness belonged to him independently, and sometimes as if it were conferred on him by his Father. This mode of speech arises because of the two natures which unite in Christ. Considered as a human being his high distinctions are bestowed upon him and come to him as that beloved Son in whom God is well pleased. But considered in the total of his character we see that the immediate source of his exaltation-the agency rendering it a reality-was the conjunction of the human with the divine. By the adoption and fulfilment of the Father's will the eternal Word became man and dwelt among us. This was the basis of Christ's direct divine activity. And in realization of that same will the man Jesus became "heir of all things" and was given the glory which is his forever.

THE DOCTRINE OF THREE PERSONS IN ONE GOD

We have now considered Scriptures which set forth our Lord's divinity without reference to the Christian belief in a triune God. There are, however, passages which speak of Christ in con

nection with God the Father and God the Holy Ghost, and thus bring before us the doctrine of the Trinity. As this doctrine not only helps to an understanding of Christ's person, but is also important in itself, it may profitably be the subject of a separate discussion.

IX

THE TRINITY

IN planning to discuss some Christian doctrines it was thought best to ignore the authority of creeds and confessions and even to abstain from quoting the Bible as the Word of God. This course was adopted not from any want of respect for the deliverances of church councils, nor from any doubt that the Scriptures were written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. It was felt that citations from formulas of faith and even from standard theological works might tend only to prolong controversy. The hope was that an independent re-examination of Biblical teachings might contribute to that unity of faith which is greatly to be desired among Christians.

AUTHENTICITY ASIDE FROM INSPIRATION

Moreover, as no one among us questions the value of the Scriptures as sources of religious instruction, while yet it is not agreed that the different books of the Bible are of equal evidential worth, it seems wisest to deal with each book