viii Introduction 



A Local principle oj the Christian faith, and illustrate a 



Responsibility /{ ^ a/ cainc idence oj responsibility. 



Of the duties and privileges of the Christian 

 Church it is pre-eminently true, that its members 

 are: 



inheritors, Inheritors, in Christ, of all that is good, heroic, 



Trustees 8 and noble in the past. Stewards, through Christ, 

 of the duties and responsibilities of the present. 

 Trustees for Christ, of the principles and standards 

 of life and conduct, which are to stimulate and 

 direct those who shall come after. 



What the precise &quot;local coincidence of re 

 sponsibility&quot; was, to which our Lord made refer 

 ence, we have no clear record. Some have 

 thought, with apparent reason, that the marked 



John iv:39-4i readiness of the Samaritans to believe on Him 

 &quot;because of the word of the Woman,&quot; and be 

 cause of His own word,&quot; may be traced to the 

 work and preparation of John the Baptist; 

 particularly when, moving up the stream of the 



John iii:23 Jordan, he &quot;was baptizing in Aenon near to 

 Salim.&quot; 



The &quot;universal principle of the faith,&quot; like the 

 fundamental basis of Christian missionary effort, 



Col. iii:3 is inherent in the nature of the life which &quot;is hid 

 with Christ in God.&quot; It is that which gives con 

 tinuity to the expression of the mind and will of 

 God through His people; it is that which, amid 

 the loosing of the &quot;silver cords&quot; and the breaking 

 of the &quot;golden bowls&quot; of succeeding generations, 

 carries forward and makes perfect the feeble 

 life-work of each believer; it is the supreme note 



