These certainties involve a human hope so grand that it is impossible for the imagination to measure it in its sweep or its outcome. Certainties! Why, friends, let speculators, let critics, let the scientific men, let the students of the world go on! They are doing God's work. They are doing your work and my work. They are helping to discover the truth. But while the critics are settling as to whether a man by the name of John wrote the Gospel of John, and whether it was written within the lifetime of some one who knew Jesus or a hundred years later, what difference does it make? I am interested in it as a critical question, but I do not know a single question of human duty or destiny that depends upon its settlement. Let people discuss the nature of Jesus, the question as to whether he wrought the miracles or did not, whether his relation to the Father was of this kind or another. I am interested again in that as a critical question; but it does not touch the question of my relation to you, of my duty to give all the help that I can, to do all within my ability to sweeten, to brighten your life. So let all the other great themes to which I have referred be discussed until in some bright and better day they are settled; but meantime there is God's eternal truth for us to stand on, there is God's grand work of human help and development for us to engage in, there is the culture of our own souls to be attained, not selfishly, but by this work for others, there is the dawn of a better day over yonder to be rationally hoped for,- enough to comfort, enough to inspire us to bear, to suffer, to conquer and to attain. Father, may we consecrate ourselves this year to these practical certainties of human life, resting in Thee, trusting in Thee, living and laboring for others, and leaving the outcome and the blessed realization of this hope which still thrills and lifts us in Thy hands. Amen. The preface by Mr. Savage gives the reasons, clearly and concisely, why a book like this is needed. It answers a great demand, and it will supply a serious deficiency. Having had the privilege of reading the contents very thoroughly, I gladly record my satisfaction in the character of the work, my hope of its wide acceptance and use, my appreciation of the author's motives in preparing it. The questions and answers allow of supplementing, of individual handling, of personal direction. It is not a hard-andfast production There is a large liberty of detail, explanation, and unfolding. The doctrinal positions are in accord with rational religion and liberal Christianity, the critical judgments are based on modern scholarship, and the great aim throughout is to assist an inquirer or pupil to a positive, permanent faith. If any one finds comments and criticisms which at first sight seem needless, let it be remembered that a Unitarian catechism must give reasons, point out errors, and trace causes: it cannot simply dogmatize. I am sure that in the true use of this book great gains will come to our Sundayschools, to searchers after truth, to our cause. EDWARD A. HORTON. AUTHOR'S PREFACE. This little Catechism has grown out of the needs of my own work. Fathers and mothers have said to me, "Our children are constantly asking us questions that we cannot answer." Perfectly natural! Their reading and study have not been such as to make them familiar with the results of critical scholarship. The great modern revolution of thought is bewildering. This is an attempt to make the path of ascertained truth a little plainer. This is the call for help in the home. Besides this, a similar call has come from the Sunday-school. Multitudes of teachers have little time to ransack libraries and study large works. This is an attempt, then, to help them, by putting in their hands, in brief compass, the principal things believed by Unitarians concerning the greatest subject. The list of reference books that follows the questions and answers will enable those who wish to do so to go more deeply into the topics suggested. It is believed that this Catechism will be found adapted to any grade of scholars above the infant class, provided the teacher has some skill in the matter of interpretation GEO. H. ELLIS, Publisher, 141 Franklin St., Boston, Mass. 1.00 The Minister's Hand-book. For Christenings, Weddings, and Funerals. Cloth .75 Sacred Songs for Public Worship. A Hymn and Tune Leather 1.00 1.50 Unitarian Catechism. With an Introduction by E. A. Horton. 20 cents. Per doz., 1.50 Cloth, 66 30 2.50 Mr. Savage's weekly sermons are regularly printed in pamphlet form in "Unity Pulpit." Subscription price, for the season, $1.50; single copies, 5 cents. GEO. H. ELLIS, Publisher, 141 Franklin St., Boston, Mass. Published weekly. Price $1.50 a year, or 5 cents single copy. Entered at the Post-office, Boston, Mass., as second-class mail matter. The Minister's Hand-book. For Christenings, Weddings, Sacred Songs for Public Worship. A Hymn and Tune 1.50 1.00 1.00 1.00 .75 1.00 Leather 1.50 Cloth, Unitarian Catechism. With an Introduction by E. A. Horton. 1.50 30 2.50 Mr. Savage's weekly sermons are regularly printed in pamphlet form in "Unity Pulpit.' single copies, 5 cents. Subscription price, for the season, $1.50; GEO. H. ELLIS, Publisher, 141 Franklin St., Boston, Mass. |