Of necessity, this sermon was the product of a very undeveloped thinker, poorly expressing his new-won faith; but it had the merit of being the earnest utterance of an emancipated brain and heart, rejoicing under the liberty of brightening truth, exhilarated by the possession of precious gains made in a free study of the spiritual relationship of God and Man.

The sermon as a whole is not worth repeating; but, as marking the public evidence of my emancipation from bondage to the Calvinistic dogma that "Human Nature is Totally Depraved," parts of it are interesting to read now, however little their objective importance in these more enlightened days may be.

I.

THE DIGNITY OF HUMAN NATURE.

I commenced the sermon by saying that, as we begin our lives, among the things we are earliest taught, is "the greatness, wisdom and holiness of God." As children we are. "taught that from eternity God has existed; crowning eternity with goodness; and that forever He dwells in the majesty of Holiness. Having received this knowledge' of Deity, we are told that our ancestors, once the pure children of God in Eden, rebelled against divine law, and fell to a lower life than that of the brutes; and that for six thousand years Humanity, through Adam, has been allied with the Prince of Evil to destroy the glory of God.

Then, we are told that the Eternal Son, himself God, moved with affection for man, entered the sinful creature's nature, and, after enduring for thirty-three years the assaults of iniqity and the temptations of Satan, died a criminal on the cross of Roman justice; but that His incarnation, suffering and death made a way of salvation for man; being a satisfaction and vindication of the violated divine Law. Of course, viewing the wonderful purity of God, the awful degradation of man, and then the Divine sufferer

incarnate for human redemption, we are amazed, and we find expression for our amazement in such words as, "What is man that Thou at mindful of him?"

For fifteen centuries this question has had this meaning, and has been made to serve this use. And for thirteen centuries this meaning and use have been the most powerful influence to hinder the growth of the Life, which we believe to be the true Life of the world. From them the terrors of diabolic presence had their inspiration; the horrors of magic and of witchcraft, the wars of dominating sects, and the persecutions of ecclesiastical, inquisitions :in fact, all the dreadful results that a low estimate of human nature will produce. From the first, they divided the world into "the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan." The few elect churches composed the one, and all else of man and nature, the other. From the first, the two Powers were declared to be in conflict. Every scoff at creed or Christian was thought to be at the instigation of the Devil, and so, every conversion of a blasphemer was said to be the effect of a wonderful divine condescension and a triumph of grace.

Then came into prominence Demonology. Not only was Satan thought to be active in the midst of a captive humanity, endeavoring to destroy God's partially successful work; but he was served by a host of fallen angels; thus making loving Grace more and more wonderful. With the demons the blaze of their grossly material hell became brighter and brighter; and death, said to be a direct effect of the transgression in Eden, became an opening from this life, through which rebellious men were justly thrust into torture with their kindred fiends.

When, in the Sixth Century, as the author of the "History of Rationalism in Europe " says, "the victory of Christianity over paganism, considered as an external system, and the corruption of Christianity itself, were both complete," then commenced the almost unquestioned rule of the plea of our text, considered as the cry of the humbled soul. Satanic power, and Satanic presence were profound and universal.

From the awe-sticken Church went up the cry to the

Redeeming Diety; a cry into which a meaning was put, of which we can have no conception, "What is man that Thou art mindful of him?" From awe before God, the Church changed to anger towards men. The iniquitous race, it was determined, could not be judged too severely by the earthly representatives of the "Kingdom of God." "Why should a sinner against Holy Law live?" It was asked for justification, "Is he not already doomed as a rebel against Deity?" David's Psalms of vengeance then became ecclesiastical inspirations. It was declared to be doing God service, to blot off from the earth those who manifested any antagonism to the supposed Divine Grace. Doubt became a subject of discipline and penance. Heresy was judged to be crime worthy of death.

After the Crusades came the Oriental enlightenment, and so "the Revival of Letters." Then the Christian paganism was subjected to what is called the "Reformation." But still the cry of our text went up to God, ascending as the summation of a false theology's decisions concerning Man. More than ever, the Devil was declared to be a really existent Being, owning demons and humanity, as a master possesses slaves. An indescribable force was given to Paul's expressions, the "Prince of the power of the air," and the "God of this world."

The Theology of the Reformation, more even than that of Rome, rested on a system of terrorism. It held up, in dark and authoritative speech, the natural degradation of the race, and the power of evil spirits. The climax of the Satanic life was then reached. It was Witchcraft and its persecution. For some time, this curious phenomenon of superstitious supernaturalism had been gradually manifesting itself. In the Twelfth Century, there was added to the prevalent belief in Satan, his active demons and his captive humanity, the idea that, in addition to the general work humanity was doing for "the devil's kingdom," there were employed very special agents, who were men and women. This idea in after years produced and destroyed witches. It was helped in its development by many causes, but by none more than the Black Death, a mysterious disease, which in six years destroyed, in Europe, one-fourth