IN CHURCH HISTORY. IS 



the educated were utterly skeptical, and the very 

 ministers of religion were incredulous as to the 

 truthfulness of their own system. Even among 

 the Jews there was permitted the admixture of 

 heathen errors. 



Clearer light from heaven was needed both for 

 Jew and for Gentile. Man must have a religion. 

 If he do not have a true religion he will accept 

 one that is false. The time was ripe for the clear 

 revelation of a true religion, of one which would 

 suit the needs of man, and satisfy his yearnings. 

 When man needed that religion most, Christ came. 



It is not for us to lament then that so many ages 

 passed away before the true Light dawned upon 

 men. God never suffers His plans and purposes 

 to be defeated by their immature presentation. 



He raised up the Roman power to unify the 

 races of men for the acceptance of a universal re- 

 ligion. When human laws were shown to be 

 inadequate to preserve social order, He caused the 

 Healer to come to purify man's social condition. 

 When the wild plant of heathenism had so grown 

 that all men could see that its fruit was not for the 

 healing of the nations, He planted His own Vine, 

 which shall never be uprooted. When men saw 

 that by their wisdom they could not find out God, 

 the only begotten Son came to declare Him, 



