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THE KEV. CANO^' JAMES O. HANNAY, M.A._, ON 



whicli are \'ital for the practical purposes of life for most men. 

 There are a great many other things which may be of use to a few 

 people but must always strike most men as — let us say — trim- 

 mings. By emphasizing the comparatively unimportant, and 

 perpetually laying stress on what is sure to seem unreal, w^e have 

 set the vital things in an atmosphere of unreality. It would not 

 startle us much if a man were to say : " Tell me, as man to man, 

 is there really anything in that theory of yours about Fasting 

 Communion V It does startle us horribly when he asks the same 

 question about life everlasting. Yet it is very natural that he 

 should. We have all taught, not perhaps Fasting Communion, 

 but something of similar importance, as if it were as vital as the 

 forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. Common sense teaches 

 the common man that for him it is not real at all. He has drifted 

 into the belief that the other things, which we have never specially 

 emphasized, are not real either. 



But in the end it seems to come to this. Faith is not taught 

 but given ; and no one can give it who has not got it himself, 

 strongly, abundantly. Put that way, what I say is, I suppose, 

 highly disputable. Put another way, it is trite, a mere platitude. 

 The ordinary man, the baptized outsider, whom the Church has 

 not built up strongly in the faith, would have a much better 

 chance of a sound working belief, if the inner circle of the 

 Church, the clergy and the pious laity, realized more fully 

 the greatness of the faith aiid held it much more strongly than 

 they do. 



I have spoken so far of the Church's failure to give her sons a 

 sure and clear faith. But there is something which is yet more 

 important than comaction, however clear and strong : a sense 

 of personal relationship with Jesus Christ, or even, if that be too 

 great a thing, a desire for His friendship. You will remember, 

 no doubt, a great scene in John Inglesant, where Serenus de 

 Cressy, the Benedictine monk, speaks thus : 



" Nor do I speak to you as I might to others, of evidences that 

 our faith is true, of proofs that hereafter we shall walk with 

 Christ and the saints in glory. I am wilHng to grant you that we 

 may be mistaken, that in the life to come we may find we have 

 been deceived, may find that Jesus Himself is in a different station 

 and position to what we think. That is nothing to your purpose. 

 To those who know Him, better Jesus, beaten and defeated, than 

 all the universe besides, triumphing and crowned.'' These words 

 suggest exactly what I mean ; that there is a devotion to Jesus 



