95 
All these points bristle up in the Scriptures ; and there is much to be sard 
on this side ; for althoughChristianity does not propound any system of patriot- 
ism or political economy, it is sufficient for me and for all Christian minds 
to feel that, taught by the Spirit of God, there are thoughts, truths, and 
principles there recognized, which, if applied practically, and worked out in 
life, will do quite as much as any political or moral system of ethics brought 
out by man. And the two things meet harmoniously ; the one is sent from 
Heaven as a revelation, the other is the light in man of what was once given 
in nature and which is still spared to him mercifully, notwithstanding his 
sin. They meet on a common platform : they meet in the sight of God. 
(Cheers.) . . . , 
Mr. Beddie. — I feel that I am in an unfortunate position compared with 
Mr. Titcomb, for I cannot altogether profess a general approval of this paper. 
Certainly I agree with its conclusions and with the main scope of the argu- 
ment ; but I am bound also to say that I think Mr. Bow has rather exag- 
gerated and overpressed almost all his arguments. But I agree generally with 
the remarks which Mr. Titcomb has made. No doubt, political economy may 
be said to have its principles acknowledged in some slight degree in the 
Scriptures. You have, for instance, the passage, “ Charge them who are rich 
in this world ; ” which shows that the Apostle recognized that there were 
rich Christians. But Mr. Titcomb’s remarks, while elucidating the paper, 
have fallen short somewhat in the same way as the paper itself. Where I 
think Mr. Bow has made his gravest mistake is, in dissociating Christianity 
too much from the Jewish system and from what may have been true in the 
« philosophy ” which he puts in contradistinction to Christianity. But the 
truths of Christianity must not be treated as something that came for the first 
time from God to man, nor must it be considered that man had not in himself 
the principles which would enable him to judge what is right 
Mr. Bow. — I think I have said so. 
Mr. Beddie.— There are many things in the paper that are no doubt quite 
in accordance with this view ; but there are other parts which are quite 
contrary to it. That there is a sharp contrast drawn between all philosophy 
and Christianity, can scarcely be questioned ; but there is also a contrast 
brought out in this paper between Christianity and that which really belongs 
to it— the old Jewish system. Mr. Bow says :— 
“ It is even questionable whether, in any writing composed independently 
of all Christian influences, we can discover a full enunciation of the precept, 
‘ Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,’ although we can unquestionably 
find approximations to it.” 
I suppose the approximations alluded to are those we find in Plato, put 
into the mouth of Socrates, in Seneca, and probably in Epictetus, 
Mr. Bow.— And in the Stoics. 
Mr. Beddie.— But Mr. Bow has omitted to observe that those very 
words which he has quoted are themselves a quotation from the Old 
Testament 
