3. Christ's sinlessness asserted early and kept in the account to the end, as a marked feature of his life, accords with the supernaturalness that all along distinguished the account of him. Many men live good lives and mark their careers with great usefulness, but none live without sin. No honest man will claim freedom from sin in the sensual and selfish besetments in this life, in the high sense in which Christ is represented as living without sin. His tempations are represented as the severest known to men. His greatness was a powerful appeal to him to seek the earthly elevation to which it would open an easy way. His uniqueness was a lure to awaken in him the love of human distinction. Indeed, he was tempted in all points as men are, and in those which appeal to ambition, as no men are, because of his superiority, and yet he was without sin. This gives him a singularity that marks him as more than human.

4. Christ's wisdom, not less than his sinlessness, intimates the superhumanness of his being. The greatness of men does not insure them against mistakes. It is human to err. Especially in the line of ethics, greatness is liable to error. But here is a character signalized by a wisdom altogether above any known among men. In spiritual things he is represented

as astute above all teachers, and so clear and familiar as to indicate his personal acquaintance with the affairs of the spiritual world. He speaks of his Father as from personal knowledge; of his heavenly home as his own peculiar field of work; of the angels as his ministers; of men as his to save; and of the mysteries of life as open to his insight. In all these things he had a knowledge too wonderful for men, and in his teachings and in the conduct of his life in relation to them, he showed a wisdom as great as his knowledge. Beyond question in all this he was more than human. Not another character has been drawn by human pen so exalted and wise, or who was so fraught with power to move upon the world with uplifting influence. There is a superhumanness in this which harmonizes with what is said of him in other regards.

5. The closing scene of Christ's life, more than any other

part of it, was an exhibition of his alliance with God and of his more than human power. Somewhere near a quarter of the New Testament account of him is occupied with the last week of his life; and the pivotal and powerful point of that week was his resurrection. His death was human and natural; but his resurrection was more than human, and was supernatural. No fair reading of the New Testament sinks, or evades his resurrection. It is a superhuman reality which is an evidence of his alliance with those life forces which belong to the world of spirit. His trial, condemnation and death were such as any man would have experienced under the same circumstances; but his resurrection was what no man could have experienced. All men die; no men are raised from death in this world to demonstrate again their conscious personality and power, except as they have aid from above themselves and from the spirit world.

There may be different interpretations of the language which gives the account of his resurrection. Some may say that his physical body was reanimated with life and took into itself again his spirit which had left it at his death, so that he was the same as before he died, making it necessary for him to die again to become an inhabitant of the spirit realm, or be parted from the flesh in some extraordinary way. Others may say that his resurrection was spiritual, that is, his return to his disciples in his spiritual and immortal form such as they will see him in the "house of many mansions," of which he had so lately told them as their final home, and that his body was supernaturally remanded to its native elements.

Both interpretations have their difficulties; but they both refer his resurrection, whatever may have been its mode, to his own transcendent power and his Father's accompanying spirit. They both make him a more than human being, give him power over death and ally him with the spiritual world. It seems impossible to read out of the account the wonderful and higher-world part of it, and have anything left. But read it as given and it is in harmony with the life from beginning to end abounding with signs of superhuman knowledge and power.

The effect of his resurrection on his disciples in transforming them from cowards before the authorities and people, to enthusiastic advocates of their crucified Leader, and in sending them out life-long preachers of him and his resurrection, to suffer martyrdom for him at last, was so sudden and powerful as to be a part of his wonderful victory over death. It is a significant part of the evidence of that victory. By it, the cause lost in Christ's death was regained in his resurrection, to go before the world with renewed force. That triuuphing cause at once became a witness of its Leader's resurrection and has continued so to this day. On the whole, Christ's resurrection gives the account its crowning power and glory.

The conclusion seems inevitable to an unprejudiced reading of the New Testament, that the being and life of Christ were superhuman and were set before the world to demonstrate the great purposes of his gospel. George S. Weaver.

ARTICLE VI.

Hymns as a Basis of Christian Union.

A TRUE hymn I maintain is unsectarian. It is worshipful, addressed to the Lord. It appeals to imagination and faith, to memory and hope. It is a spiritual song that stirs the melody of the heart. It accords best with the sentiments of devotion. A good hymn has that largeness of scope which forbids it to be monopolized by any sect of religion, or any school of philosophy. It expresses qualities which belong to, are common to, all denominations. Sometimes these winged creatures of the spirit are sadly required to wear the yoke of narrow creeds and do the wearisome service of bigoted controversy; but this is not their nobler use. They are intended to unite all hearts in the same spirit of love, reverence and praise; to join all voices in the full chorus of resignation, gratitude and hope.

A noble hymn is permeated with the feeling of awe and trust, dedicated to the supreme source of wisdom, holiness, love,

It so opens the unseen that the flesh seems transparent and the soul clairvoyant. The treasured hymns of the church have crystallized the trials and triumphs, the griefs and raptures of the deepest and holiest lives; they have given utterance to the intensely religious and subjective emotions; to the most inspiring and heavenly themes; to those rare experiences, so mellowed and enriched, that "Thy will be done" is not a sigh, but a song. The strains most kindred to the sacred poet, the thoughts to which his heart is most sensitive are those of forgiveness and charity, of exultant hope, of quenchless love, of dauntless trust, of victory mid sore defeat, of service done for Christ.

Good hymns are not of necessity the product of great poets. They have more often been composed by writers who lack the highest poetical genius. In very truth the finest art of the poet has seldom contributed any verse of real meri: to the hymnody of the churches. Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelly, Keats, Byron, Milton, have left very few hymns; they were not hymnists, had not that subtle, indefinable quality essential to a hymn-writer,—the faculty which can clothe with lyrical expression the mystical oracles of God. Writers that can catch up the hidden aspirations, doubts and hopes of a truly Christlike life, the feelings of a God awakened soul and shape them into sufficiently rhythmical verse, hit upon what constitutes a long-lived hymn. There are hymns retained in our song books that are bad poetry and poor sentiment. Being there, associated with our worship, does not make them hymns. Stringing words into rhyme by poetasters is not the all-essential of a hymn. A helpful hymn not only requires a facility of versification and a rare lyric quality, but it has its source in a cheerful, reverent piety, in a trustful, devout love; in a lowly, Christ-like spirit, in a teachable, dutiful discipleship. Holiness and not dogma is the key-note for all worshipful hymns and in this I find the basis of Christian fellowship. I hazard this statement. In all churches the essence of Christianity is catholic, one and indivisible, one mid varying views; one fold with many flocks, to which all belong. Beneath the harshest dis

cords of opinion there may be a spirit of life which may join all in the sweetest concord. One music note, though in union with itself, cannot produce a magnificent song. That requires the harmony of many voices blending in one melodious strain. All the old sectatrian hymns should be, are being, discarded as pernicious and hurtful in their influence. Hymns that breathe the spirit and teach the lessons of Christian tolerance and loyalty should be, are being, hailed and cherished as beneficial and healthful.

Beddome has a good old union hymn worthy of our continual remenbrance. It may be found and will be retained in all collections. Though all know it, it serves my purpose to quote it:

Let party names no more

The Christian world o'erspread;
Gentile and Jew and bond and free,
Are one in Christ their head.

Among the saints on earth

Let mutual love be found;

Heirs of the same inheritance

With mutual blessings crowned.

Thus will the church below

Resemble that above.

Where streams of endless pleasure flow,

And every heart is love.

Rowland Hill wrote some verses of like import which deserve mention, called an Epitaph on Bigotry:

Here lies old Bigotry abhorred
By all that love our common Lord;
No more his influence shall prove

The torment of the sons of love.

We celebrate with holy mirth

This monster's death, of hellish birth.

Glory to God, we now are one

United to one Head alone;

With undivided hearts we praise
Our God for his uniting grace.

Doctrine is not a suitable theme for hymns; it makes poor poetry, especially if it be poor doctrine. Doctrine, if true is good, is indispensable, is vital; but it can be presented better iu plain and pungent prose. It is not easily set to flowing music. Hymns are not and cannot be controversial essays.