368 
statement. Mr. Greg appeals to the notorious fact, that for certain ages Chris- 
tendom was scarcely better than old heathendom, and the Professor admits 
it. The question comes, How was it that Christendom, having that faith, 
which we say came into the world from God Himself for the world’s 
redemption — how comes it to pass that that faith had become so inefficient 
that it had plainly lost its power, so that the very nations which possessed 
it were only on a moral level with nations that had not possessed it ? I 
believe that there is a sufficient answer to this question, but I do not think 
that the learned Professor has brought it out. I think Mr. Greg does honour 
to Christ when he speaks of “ the kingdom of heaven which Jesus intended 
and foresaw,” as distinguished from “ the proud, cruel, crushing, darkening, 
oppressive despotism of the Vatican, or the mitigated and modified travesties 
of Lambeth, Geneva, or Byzantium.” There we meet Mr. Greg, and say 
“You admit that Jesus Christ did not intend such a state of things, that it 
is contrary to His idea, and mind, and will. It may be a mystery to us how 
it was that Christianity should have fallen — that is, the outward and visible 
forms of Christianity — into a condition so low as it did. We feel that that 
is a mystery, but we go back to the beginning, and we say, “ Admit the 
mystery ; make of it what you can ; but there is the fact, that Christ not 
only intended a different state of things, but foretold that that loving purpose 
of His would be frustrated somehow or other in the world.” This is a con- 
sideration which we cannot overlook. Then, while admitting the mystery, 
we can say that Christianity, when it was received by the world in its purity 
and integrity, did work those marvels which the Professor describes in this 
paper, and which cannot be denied by the most sceptical. And we can take 
this further ground, that Christianity is working marvellously in our own 
times in heathen countries, to which it is sent from this England of ours. In 
this way I only indicate— and I feel that I should apologize for doing it so 
imperfectly — the ground on which I think we may meet Mr. Greg. I 
would take my stand first of all on this : the moral power of Christianity is 
not to be found simply in the beauty of the character of Jesus Christ, won- 
derful as that is. We may say that we cannot account for that character on 
other principles ; but it is not on that character alone, nor on the beautiful 
moral precepts of our Lord, that His moral power rests. His moral power 
is found in this — He is the revealer of God’s love, whereby He seeks to 
restore us spiritually to Himself. The Christianity of the Bible, for which 
alone Christ and Christianity are responsible, works to-day the same moral 
marvels which it has worked before, and is as mighty now as it ever was. I 
hope the President will excuse me for making these remarks, which I should 
not have made but for the reticence of the meeting. (Cheers.) 
Mr. L. T. Dibdin. — I should like to make a few remarks, not by way of 
criticism, but by way of asking two or three questions. If our papers 
possess any defects, it is better to find them here in the armoury than to let 
