170 REV. CAKON E. B. GIKDLESTONE^ M.A.^ ON 



paramount for some time in all the earth, but after a while it waxes 

 old, as does the individual, and another takes its place. Laws have 

 ruled these changes. 



But the history of the Jews is a standing marvel ; long dis- 

 possessed of their land they have remained a scattered people, many 

 of them endowed with very great powers of intellect in statesman- 

 ship, business, arts, and sciences. Who can doubt that they have 

 a great future ^ But why are they thus preserved ? In the Bible 

 we are told that they were divinely selected, and their present 

 condition was long ago prophesied. 



In the Scriptures we meet with grand unities. All creation and 

 rule is ascribed to one God. No local god, or gods of the different 

 forces of nature are recognised. In its spiritual teaching also a 

 grand unity pervades the Book, written as it was in different ages ; 

 for instance, it is explained in the Epistle to the Hebrews that the 

 arrangements of the ancient Tabernacle refer again and again to the 

 Lord Jesus Christ. Consistently throughout the Bible it is taught 

 that all men have sinned, that one Saviour died for us, one Mediator 

 between man and God is pointed to throughout. A grand unity 

 pervades the whole. 



In Heb. i, 2 and 3, the One by whom the worlds were made is 

 spoken of as the One who made purification for our sins. A grand 

 Unity, supreme in both the physical and spiritual spheres. 



Observing then the thread of unity in God's world of nature, 

 we naturally look for a similar harmony in His spiritual revelation, 

 we are not disappointed in our expectation. 



The Rev. E. Seeley said : Both the last speaker and the Canon 

 showed us that Christ's work glorifies the scheme that they see in 

 the Universe. May I suggest that the Scriptures authorize speaking 

 much more confidently than they have spoken. 



St. Paul's epistles tell us of " the Eternal Purpose of God" (Eph. 

 i-iii, Col. i, and i Cor. ii, T)."^ This assures us that there is " a 

 Scheme in the Universe," Divine and wonderful. 



Why did Christ come 1 was it really to undo a failure of God's 

 Plan, as many think 1 



Those who so regard it fail to see the grandeur of God's Scheme 

 in the Universe. 



^ More fully treated by E. Seeley in a volume in the library of the 

 Victoria Institute entitled The Great Reconciliation. 



