hills of New England; not a girl born in the filthiest cellar which disgraces a capital in Europe, and cries to God against the barbarism of modern civilization; not a boy nor a girl all Christendom through—but their lot is made better by that great book.
Doubtless the time will come when men shall see Christ
also as he is. Well might he still say, “Have I been so
long with you, and yet hast thou not known me?” No!
we have made him an idol, have bowed the knee before
him, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” called him “Lord,
Lord!” but done not the things which he said. The
history of the Christian world might well be summed up
in one word of the evangelist—“and there they crucified
him;” for there has never been an age when men did not
crucify the Son of God afresh. But if error prevail for a
time and grow old in the world, truth will triumph at the
last, and then we shall see the Son of God as he is.
Lifted up, he shall draw all nations unto him. Then will
men understand the word of Jesus, which shall not pass
away. Then shall we see and love the divine life that
he lived. How vast has his influence been! How his
spirit wrought in the hearts of his disciples, rude, selfish,
bigoted, as at first they were! How it has wrought in
the world! His words judge the nations. The wisest
son of man has not measured their height. They speak
to what is deepest in profound men, what is holiest in
good men, what is divinest in religious men. They
kindle anew the flame of devotion in hearts long cold.
They are spirit and life. His truth was not derived from
Moses and Solomon; but the light of God shone through
him, not coloured, not bent aside. His life is the
perpetual rebuke of all time since. It condemns ancient
civilization: it condemns modern civilization. Wise men
we have since had, and good men; but this Galilean
youth strode before the world whole thousands of years,
so much of Divinity was in him. His words solve the
questions of this present age. In him the Godlike and
the human met and embraced, and a divine life was born.
Measure him by the world's greatest sons—how poor they
are! Try him by the best of men—how little and low
they appear! Exalt him as much as we may, we shall
