tration of the method of interpreting the Bible upon the basis of a preconceived idea so as to make it to confirm our preconceived idea. The theory to be proved is that the Plan of Salvation is true.
Let us see what the shedding of blood really means? Obviously the pouring out of the life. In the use of the Jewish sacrifices, and of the sacrifice of Jesus, it was representative of the pouring out of the life of Jesus by means of which it was possible for Jesus to make effective His victory over the hells. By that victory He was conqueror and by that victory He makes us to be conquerors through His domination of the hells. Sins are remitted only as we repent of them, shun them as of hell. "cease to do evil, learn to do well." Jesus said to the Jews, "Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish." Repentance is therefore indispensable in order to secure forgiveness of sins. But the power to overcome our sinful tendencies results from the shedding of blood by Jesus—by His life poured out which secures for us the spiritual victory. Our sins are not remitted by the mere shedding of blood, but by the victory of Jesus enabling us no live His kind of Life.
When Jesus said at the Last Supper to His disciples. "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you," just what did he mean? The cup was not His blood, nor were its contents. He was speaking in symbols. Did He not mean, This cup, representing or symbolizing my blood, represents my life which is now poured out to enable you to keep my new covenant with you?" The Old Covenant was the Ten Commandments which men failed to keep because they were external men and tried to keep these commandments as external men in their own strength. Now Jesus had come into the world and had conquered the hells and was thenceforth to give men power to keep them by His personal presence with them in His truth. His new covenant with men was His promise to be with them and give them a perpetual victory as they lived His truth. The cup represented that truth of victory which if they drank they would have eternal life. What warrant is there in believing it meant the ideas of the Plan of Salvation? Why read into every passage of Scripture a confirmation of that doctrine which has taken away from men the sense of need to keep the Lord's commandments and by destroying that sense of need, destroyed the effectiveness of Christianity in
