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Christianity, in the main, is more, perhaps, of a preventive than of an active 
force. Again, one does not see all the effect of Christianity at first ; it is 
only when you come to look into it that you find its real character and the 
real nature of the work it has done. Christianity must be judged not only 
by what it has done, but by what it has prevented from being done ; if we 
look at what humanity without Christianity became, and then look at what 
humanity, with all its native evil, has really become under the influence of 
Christianity, then, by comparing the two, we find a vast difference. Hu- 
manity, both with and without the influence of Christianity, has arrived at 
unsatisfactory results, but in the one case it is horrible, and in the other it is 
simply blamable. "We must regard Christianity as the power which prevents 
the great mass of humanity from becoming corrupt. Civilization, if we look at 
it in the widest acceptation of the word, may certainly exist, and does exist, 
without Christianity : it is the full recognition of a man’s being not only an 
individual but also what Aristotle calls TroXirrji;, a member of the com- 
munity. It is to his social rather than individual capacity that civilization 
belongs. Now, Christianity introduces a higher civilization than any other. 
We have had Roman civilization, Chinese civilization, Arabian civilization, 
and Mussulman civilization, and we find the social as well as the individual 
character of the man recognized in all these ; but Christ gives us a better and 
higher society, and therefore the grandest form of civilization which the 
world has yet seen. Thus, though deplorable effects have sometimes 
been produced by the innate evil of humanity, yet I conceive that on the 
whole Professor Lias is right in his conclusion that the result of Christianity 
and its effect upon human civilization, have been far higher and better than 
the effect of any other system which the world has yet known. (Cheers.) 
Rev. J . W. Buckley. — I must say that I totally differ from our Chairman 
in the observation that Christianity is merely a preventive system. It 
appears to me that it is exactly the contrary ; it seeks to bring the heart of 
man truly and entirely into subjection to the will of God and Jesus Christ. 
It is true that Christianity fails to some extent, because the excessive cor- 
ruption of man constantly rebels against it, and because Christianity has not 
yet got to its maximum ; but you take a very erroneous view of Christianity 
if you say it is merely a preventive system. It is a system to crush man’s 
sin, and bring man’s will back into subjection to the will of God.* 
Mr. Buckley. — I agree with what has been said about its failure ; for 
while man is what he is that must be so. Christianity has only done part 
of its work, but the rest will come in time. I say that Christianity is meant 
to correct all the evil in the world, and it will do it. The object of Christianity 
is to bring man’s heart back to God, from Whom at present it is separated. 
The Chairman— I think you havo quite misunderstood me. 1 never 
was guilty of anything so preposterous as to suppose that Christianity 
* What law of civilization can we break without breaking a precept of 
Christianity l — Ed. 
