26 Other consequences of Drummond's theory. CHAP. 



constantly uses the word conversion instead of re- 

 generation, and that (except in one passage where 

 for a moment he half -unconsciously deviates into a 

 deeper truth), he defines conversion as the result of 

 an action of the Spirit of God on a soul which in 

 relation to that Spirit was but as dead matter. Let 

 us compare this view of regeneration with mine as 

 set forth in the foregoing chapter. The legitimate 

 consequence of Professor Drummond's theory of 

 conversion appears to be this : That as matter con- 

 tains no potency or promise of life, it is not 

 responsible for being without life (or dead, to use 

 his misleading word); and if it is ever to live, it 

 must wait for the life-giving influence to come un- 

 sought ; so, the human soul, having no promise or 

 potency of spiritual life in itself, is not responsible 

 for being spiritually dead, and cannot seek for life, 

 but must passively wait for the Spirit of God to come 

 unsought ; and may in the meantime make the best 

 of this present world without taking thought of any 

 other. If the natural man has no spiritual nature 

 whatever, and consequently no spiritual privileges 

 which he can abuse, how can he be held blame- 

 worthy for being unspiritual 1 Further, What is 

 the position of young children in the spiritual world ? 

 Professor Drummond appears to teach that conver- 

 sion is a process which necessarily occurs in con- 

 sciousness ; he does not expressly lay this down, but 

 he seems everywhere to imply it ; and the doctrine 

 of " the necessity of conversion " appears to be 



