1S90 THE ADDKESS AT TOYNBEE HALL 227 



Christ's teaching and influence has been the carrying 

 into eflEect of the doctrine of universahsm, for pre- 

 viously the idea of human brotherhood can not be 

 said to have existed. Again, in the exaltation of 

 the benevolent virtues at the expense of the heroic, 

 the change effected is fundamental and abrupt. 

 Christ may be said to have created the virtues of 

 self-abnegation, universal beneficence, unflinching 

 humihty — ^indeed, the divine supremacy of com- 

 passion. Whether Christ be regarded as human or 

 divine, aU must agree in regarding the work of His 

 life as by far the greatest work ever achieved in the 

 history of the human race. A topic of great impor- 

 tance is the influence of Christ's personahty in secur- 

 ing the acceptance of His teaching. The personal 

 character of Christ is of an order sui generis, and even 

 the most advanced of sceptics have done homage to it. 

 The more keen the intellectual criticism, the greater 

 is the appreciation of the uniqueness of the person- 

 ality. ]\Ien may cease to wonder at the effect of 

 Christ "s teaching; for, given the wonderful person- 

 ality, all the rest must follow. Whatever answers 

 different persons may give to the questions, " What 

 think ye of Christ ? "^Miose son is He ? " everyone 

 must agree that •• His name shall be called Wonder- 

 ful!-- 



This brought on him two characteristic letters, 

 one from an Agnostic lady, blaming him for attach- 

 ing so much importance to Him whom she was 

 pleased to call ' The Peasant of Xazareth,' the other 

 from Dr. Paget : 



Qi 



