THE SIGN[FICANCE OF THE GEOGRAPHY OF PALESTINE. 191 



What the World owes to the Chosen Eace. 



We are so apt only to dwell on the failure of the Chosen 

 Eace to act up to the high standard allotted to them, that we 

 are not inclined to recognize the enormous benefits we have 

 derived from the position they maintained in the world as a 

 bulwark on the side of the freedom of mankind. 



So far as the physical effects of Palestine are concerned, I do 

 not think that they can have had any appreciable effect on the 

 mind or actions of the people, beyond influencing the imagery 

 used in their writings. 



I take it that if the lot of the Chosen People had been cast in 

 Holland or Switzerland, the sentiments expressed in the Psalms 

 would have been the same, but the imagery used would have 

 been tempered by the physical features of the surroundings. 



We must, then, look upon the Chosen Eace as having been 

 entirely responsible for bringing down to us what has been 

 entrusted to them. It seems to be admitted that the capacity 

 of man, morally and intellectually, has not increased since the 

 beginning of history, but his moral knowledge has had several 

 additions by revelation ; and the Chosen Eace has been the 

 vehicle by which they have been brought down to us. I men- 

 tion the following : — 



(1) Personal purity. 



(2) Love to God and mankind. 



(3) The importance of the freedom of man, physically and 



intellectually. 



On the other hand, man has advanced on his own account in 

 civilization, and amongst his assets are the following : — 



(1) Wealth : fertility of the land, buildings, works derived 



from former generations. 



(2) Experience handed down. 



(3) Economy of time and labour in use of machinery and 



by means of water and steam power and electricity. 



(4) Increased accuracy of work owino- to improved tools 



and the study and application of the natural sciences. 

 Then the question arises, " Does civilization with natural 

 religion alone make for the benefit of mankind ? How does it 

 compare with the new culture impressed on the Israelites at 

 Sinai ? " 



Civilization, as defined by Guizot, is the development of man- 

 kind socially and morally. From this arises the question, " Is 



