it is not mere rhapsody, but the figurative expression of a great
truth when the Psalmist says `"The Lord is my Shepherd," and
"Thou art my God and the Rock of my salvation."



SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS.

What does this saying of the Master's mean? Certainly not a mere
arrogant assumption in favour of His own nationality--such an
idea is negatived, not only by the universality of all His other
teaching, but also by the very instruction in which these words
occur, for He declared that the Jewish temple was equally with
the Samaritan of no account in the matter. He said that the true
worship was purely spiritual and entirely independent of places
and ceremonies, while at the same time He emphasized the Jewish
expectation of a Messiah, so that in this teaching we are met by
the paradox of a universal principle combined with what at first
sight appears like a tribal tradition quite incompatible with any
recognition of the universal reign of law. How to reconcile these
apparent opposites, therefore, seems to be the problem which He
here sets before us. Its solution is to be found in that
principle which I have endeavoured to elucidate throughout these
lectures, the specializing of universal law. Opinions may differ
as to whether the Bible narrative of the birth of Christ is to be
taken literally or symbolically, but as to the spiritual
principle involved there can, I think, be no difference of
opinion. It is that of the specialization by the individual of
the generic relation of the soul to the Infinite Spirit from
which it proceeds. The relation itself is universal and results