Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IV.djvu/546

 534 CHRISTIANITY tion and endurance as the primitive apostolic churches ? All the Christian heroes that have lighted up the darker history of many centu- ries have only renewed the martyr spirit which was exhibited first by Christ on the cross, and then by countless other bleeding victims nobly offered up to God in the golden age of the church. These are only a few of many facts which have a veritable and incontestable place in history, and there is no other satisfactory explanation of them than that of referring them to the mysterious power which Christ exerts upon the minds of men. If it be ob- jected that the facts on which we rely in con- struing Christianity are themselves dependent on the authority of the New Testament as an inspired volume, and that this is an undue assumption in a historical argument, we say in reply that we make no such assumption. We take the New Testament writings in this case for just what they are found to be worth as historical documents. Waiving all discussion in respect to their inspiration, we have good reason to say that the epistles of Paul, the writings of Luke, and the Gospel of John have passed the ordeal of the severest historical criticism, and that Strauss himself, the most destructive of all the Biblical critics, while he fluctuates in regard to the last, admits sub- stantially the historical authority of the two former. Let the writings of these three authors be tried by the same rules as those applied to other historical documents, and we think the credibility of their main facts will be called in question by no well in- formed and sober-minded critic. Their in- spiration is not their only title to being re- ceived as historical authority. Even occa- sional errors and discrepancies would not ne- cessarily destroy their authority, any more than those found in Plato and Xenophon destroy the credibility of these writers in their accounts of Socrates. If it be conceded, as it generally is, that the New Testament writings above named, whether inspired or not, are in the main genu- ine sources of historical information, then the view which we present of Christianity is a strictly historical view, and has a place in the history of the world as much as the expeditions of Hannibal or Alexander. With this explana- tion, we proceed. In respect to the method which Christ pursued in beginning the work of the conversion of mankind, we observe some- thing like the following. On entering upon his public ministry, his first aim was to impart his own temper and spirit to a few others, scatter- ing at the same time the seeds of truth among the people. He began by effecting what others before him had failed to do, improving the hu- man heart, and allying it to himself in the bonds of holy affection. His instructions and his acts were means to this end. Among John's dis- ciples, .plain and simple-hearted fishermen, he found those who were most susceptible of pure spiritual ideas and spiritual impressions. By gradually forming their hearts to true piety and virtue, by unfolding to them the nature of his spiritual kingdom, by removing their ignorance, by correcting their misapprehensions, by over- coming their prejudices, by elevating them into his own region of moral purity, simpli- city, and truth, by training them to meek- ness and humility, and at the same time to the most exalted moral heroism, to a supreme regard to the will of their heavenly Father, and to an unlimited confidence in him and contempt of the world, the Divine Teacher moulded the character of his disciples till it resembled his own, and prepared them to propagate the same spirit and principles in all the world. The apostolic office was not arbitrarily conferred, but was given to those who had been sedulously trained for it. His public ministry was as re- markable in its character as was his private training of the twelve. While he was chiefly concerned with the profoundest truths, and the most comprehensive and far-reaching principles, his manner of teaching was inimitably natural and simple, growing out of the incidents and occurrences of life, or called forth by questions arising from them. Whether the matter was more sublime and weighty, or the manner more easy and simple, it were difficult to say. And yet most of his teaching was preparatory to something more complete which was to follow. Prejudices and errors which hung like a cloud upon the mind were broken in upon by de- grees, as the darkness of night is by the ap- proaching morning. Important moral truths were stated in their most elementary principles in a living, natural, concrete form. Unwelcome truths, relative to his own future authority and greatness, were more or less veiled in tempo- rary obscurity, till events should set them in a clear light. Facts not yet known, or events near at hand, if they would too much startle the mind and prematurely excite the murderous hostility of men, were hinted at enigmatically in public and then more fully explained to the disciples privately, to be made public only when the proper time should arrive. The crucifixion and the resurrection would make all these things plain. Till then, no small part of Christ's teaching was necessarily obscure. His particu- lar aim evidently was not merely to convert individual men, but more especially to prepare the public mind for the days of Pentecost and for what followed. Never was a plan more evi- dent than that observable in Christ's ministry as introductory to the ministry of the apostles. His teachings were morally the leaven of the succeeding age, pervading the whole mass of society. Let us now take our stand among the disciples on the day of Pentecost. The image of him whose glory they saw as that of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth, was still fresh in their minds. His mira- cles, such signal manifestations of divine power and love, had not faded from their vision. His remarkable discourses, as repeated by John, which made the multitude exclaim, "Never man spake like this man," were treasured up as a