10 THE SABBATH. 



and unity, and out of the embroilment was slowly con- 

 solidated that great organisation the Church of Eome. 

 The Church of Eome had its precursor in the Church 

 at Rome. But Rome was then the capital of the world ; 

 and, in the end, that famous city gave the Christian 

 Church, established in her midst, such a decided pre- 

 ponderance that it eventually laid claim to the proud 

 title of * Mother and Matrix of all other Churches/ 



With terrible jolts and oscillations the religious life 

 of the world hasrun down 'the ringing grooves of change.* 

 A smoother route may have been undiscoverable. At 

 all events it was undiscovered. Some years ago I found 

 myself in discussion with a friend who entertained the 

 notion that the general tendency of things in this world 

 is towards equilibrium, the result of which would be 

 peace and blessedness to the human race. My notion 

 was that equilibrium meant not peace and blessedness, 

 but death. No motive power is to be got from heat, save 

 during its fall from a higher to a lower temperature, as 

 no power is to be got from water save during its descent 

 from a higher to a lower level. Thus also life consists, not. 

 in equilibrium, but in the passage towards equilibrium. 

 In man it is the leap from the potential through the 

 actual to repose. The passage often involves a fight. 

 Every natural growth is more or less of a struggle with 

 other growths, in which the fittest survive. In times 

 of strife and commotion we may long for peace ; but 

 knowledge and progress are the fruits of action. Some 

 are, and must be, wiser than the rest; and the enuncia- 

 tion of a thought in advance of the moment provokes 

 dissent or evokes approval, and thus promotes action. 

 The thought may be unwise ; but it is only by dis- 

 cussion, checked by experience, that its value can be 

 determined. Discussion, therefore, is one of the motive 

 powers of life, and, as such, is not to be deprecated. 



