AND HISTORICAL RESEARCH UPON THE NEW TESTAMENT. 169 



We think of the Incarnation, the Miracles, the Divine 

 Teaching, the Crucifixion, the Eesurrection, the Ascension, as 

 central truths of Christianity ; but the central truth of all 

 these is that JESUS IS " THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE 

 LIVING GOD." He could say " I am the truth," and " I am 

 the Light of the World." Tlie rays of all the great truths of 

 Redemption shine out from the Sun of Righteousness. He is 

 the centre of all. Our faith is not built on abstract doctrines 

 but on Him who is the Truth. Without Him they would be 

 non-existent. It is " the Christ, the Son of the Living God," 

 who became flesh, who Divinely and humanly lived " among 

 us," taught and worked with Divine wisdom and power, was 

 crucified and offered Himself a ransom for us — a ransom of 

 infinite price, because Divine, and for us, because human — rose 

 again, because possessed of Divine power over death, and 

 ascended on high to reign over and rule principtalities and 

 powers as only God can, and as " Head over all things for the 

 Church, which is His body," as only God the Son of man can.* 



When we have before us the testimony of those who were 

 with Him, who " beheld His glory," who were " eye-witnesses of 

 His Majesty," and who offered their lives as pledges of the 

 truth of the facts which tiiey related about Him, shall we 

 disbelieve them ? 



We will not, we cannot. We will worship and bow down, 

 and with Thomas cry " MY LORD AND MY GOD." 



Ex Elore Fructus. 

 Before the paper was read Dr. Thirtle said : 



By way of preliminary, some words may be spoken in explanation, 

 for it is quite likely that Members and Associates who have joined 

 the Institute in recent years may be asking "What is the Gunning 

 Prize Competition 1 " 



The scheme owes its origin to His Excellency Robert Halliday 

 Gunning, M.D., LL.D., F.R.S.K, who died in 1898. Dr. Gunning 

 became a Life Member of the Institute in 1871, but his financial 

 support of the work did not stop with one payment. In fact, during 

 a period of upwards of a quarter of a century, he was a warm and 

 generous benefactor ; and one of his benefactions took the form of 



* Hebrews iv, 15. 



