Page:The Relation of the Sunday-school System to our Christian Patriotism.pdf/4

4 hands;” recognising our own spiritual nature, we can see no means of communication between the Divine Being and our own souls but truth, the life from God, which is the light of men. The faith which unites us to Christ, as our Saviour, must be founded on, and maintained by the testimony of God alone. If we are asked the reason of our Christianity, our answer is: “we believe, therefore have we spoken.” If asked again by what process we were brought to believe, we rejoin: “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Hence our Lord declared before Pilate: “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth;” hence he prayed for his redeemed: “Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth;” and hence he said, as his parting command: “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Therefore do we rely upon no method of bringing back the world unto God, but by word, ordinance and example.

The second rule,, is equally clear from the teaching and practice of our all-wise Master. While he announced the glad tidings of salvation to all who would listen, his main reliance was upon the young; nay, he suffered no adult to enter his kingdom until, through a new birth, he became as a little child. He began his course on earth as a babe, that by the holy parable of his own blessed life, he might show the necessity of early piety to the highest