Page:A History of the Brahmo Samaj.djvu/200

Rh the simplicity of his uneducated mind, and without the aid of logic or philosophy "traces nature up to nature's God." He cannot but do so."

"But is God manifested only in matter? Is the volume of nature his only revelation to man—the only source from which we are to derive our knowledge of his nature and attributes and our relations and obligations to him? There is another revelation. There is God in History. He who created and upholds this vast universe, also governs the destinies and affairs of nations, * * * History is not what superficial readers take it to be, a barren record of meaningless facts—a dry chronicle of past events, whose evanescent interest vanished with the age when they occured. It is a most sublime revelation of God, and is full of religious significance." * * *

"But in what manner does God manifest himself in history? Through great men. For what is history but the record of the achievements of those extraordinary personages who appear from time to time and lead mankind? And what is it that we read therein but the biography of such men?"

"Great men are sent by God into the world to benefit mankind. They are his apostles and missionaries who bring to us glad tidings from heaven; and in order that they may effectually accomplish their errand they are endowed by him with requisite power and talents."

"Great men possess a representative character. They are representative in a double sense:—(1) They represent their country and age; (2) they represent specific ideas. This quality is essential to greatness. * * * Every great man comes into the world with a certain great idea fixed in his mind which it is his mission to realize and stamp on his age. This idea is not an accident, but the essence of his being. It is not a doctrine learnt from books or deduced by reasoning. It is divinely implanted in his mind; it is inseparable from his nature, and is interwoven with his being." * * *

"And though Jesus Christ, the Prince of Prophets, effected