Magdeburg, Cromwell at Drogheda, the Covenainters at
Philliphaugh, the Anabaptists of Munster, and the early Mormons
of Utah, all found their murderous impulses fortified from this
unholy source. Its red trail runs through history. Even where
the New Testament prevails, its teaching must still be dulled and
clouded by its sterner neighbour. Let us retain this honoured
work of literature. Let us remove the taint which poisons the
very spring of our religious thought.

This is, in my opinion, the first clearing which should be
made for the more beautiful building to come. The second is less
important, as it is a shifting of the point of view, rather than
an actual change. It is to be remembered that Christ's life in
this world occupied, so far as we can estimate, 33 years, whilst
from His arrest to His resurrection was less than a week. Yet
the whole Christian system has come to revolve round His death,
to the partial exclusion of the beautiful lesson of His life.
Far too much weight has been placed upon the one, and far too
little upon the other, for the death, beautiful, and indeed
perfect, as it was, could be matched by that of many scores of
thousands who have died for an idea, while the life, with its
consistent record of charity, breadth of mind, unselfishness,
courage, reason, and progressiveness, is absolutely unique and
superhuman. Even in these abbreviated, translated, and second-
hand records we receive an impression such as no other life can
give--an impression which fills us with utter reverence.
Napoleon, no mean judge of human nature, said of it: "It is
different with Christ. Everything about Him astonishes me.
His spirit surprises me, and His will confounds me. Between Him
and anything of this world there is no possible comparison. He