GERMANISM." 



155 



or even more than that, can be found by a careful study of the 

 Scriptures of the Old and New Covenants. 



One thing I cannot help saying before I conclude. It is rather 

 a serious reproach on our Christianity that interest in Christian 

 Evidence is so slight. Christians in all ages have been attracted 

 to the religion of Christ from, different standpoints. Some have 

 been drawn to it from its emotional or spiritual side, which 

 appeals to the affections. Others are influenced by its lofty tone 

 of morality, which appeals to their consciences. Others, again, are 

 most drawn to it by its evidences. These last, in early days, were 

 supposed to consist chiefly of miracles. Nicodemus, for instance 

 (John iii, 2), seems to have been most struck by these. In later 

 days the argument from miracles retires into the background, 

 and the steady growth of Christianity and the moral elevation 

 attained by Christian communities has largely taken its place. 

 We hardly pay sufficient attention to the fact that Christian 

 societies, in proportion to the purity of their Christian teaching, 

 are a " power which makes for righteousness greater than any 

 other the world has ever known. The third class of believers has 

 not received the help which it ought to have received from the 

 other two classes. The study of Christian Evidence has there- 

 fore become an expensive luxury, which men and women of an 

 inquiring mind cannot always afford. Books a^ams^ Christianity 

 are eagerly bought by persons desirous of novelty. Books and 

 other publications in its defence are not sought after save by 

 Christians who have the time, the inclination, and the means 

 to study them. But the Christians who are such, by their home 

 training, or from attraction to the beauty of Christ's character, 

 or the soundness of his moral teaching, should take care that 

 their less fortunate brethren are not debarred from the study of 

 the Evidences of Christianity. Books on those Evidences, and 

 for the genuineness of the accounts of God's dealings with man- 

 kind as contained in the Scriptures do not sell, because in these 

 days few people ever hear of them or recommend them. And no 

 serial publications at present exist in this country devoted to 

 the study of Christian Evidence, or to the support of the authority 

 of its credentials. Even this Institute, which has for more than 

 half a century done such yeoman service for our holy religion, 

 has been forced seriously to contract its work for Christ and His 

 people, ever since this terrible and most anti-Christian war 

 began. 



Is it too much to hope that, at least at the conclusion of this 



