STUDIES OF THE PORTRAIT OF CHRIST.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 55, 6 March 1900, Page 2

STUDIES OF THE PORTRAIT OF CHRIST.

' The Rev. T. F. Robertson, St. Step- ] Itien's, Ponsonby, referred yesterday )to the high value of the recent volume Minder the above name by Dr. George iMatleson of Edinburgh. He remem[bered the writer as a student in his 'last year at the University of Glasgow. He was almost blind led by a (fellow student. And yet that blind Scholar had left the great majority of Students far behind in the race of life iduty and success. By the devotion of ja sister reading- with him, not only (English, but Latin, Greek, Hebrew, iand other languages, he became a Daaghly cultured eloquent Minister of Christ, and one of the most enlightjened and thoughtful Christian authors fin Scotland. His first volume of studies of the portrait of Christ was. the freshest and most suggestive Scripjfcural volume of the hour. Far superior in its quiet mystic musing's and fine flashes of thought to anything {Farrax or Stalker has written. The [high spirituality of Thames A. Kempis is there without his Monkish views of life; it breathes a spirit of large, [liberal hearted humanity. From this liew point a vision of "the King in His Jbeauty" has been granted to this blind jauthor far superior to that given to (other men with eyes. The portrait of (Christ in the great gallery of human (history revealed to this pure soulled fecholar and teacher is truly captivating. It lifts the Redeemer of men far (above passing questions of modern criticism. Hence it is most useful at [the present hour. Christian writers Idwell upon these questions and create jdoubt in many. Roman writers magnify them beyond all bounds, to the injury of Christianity; in order to Idrive us to the arms of an infallible Ichurch. It is cheering to find "the Christ of History, and of humanity, irisJng, as the supreme authority of the ■Christian faith, above all questions of Scholastic criticism. The man of sorrows in sympathy with all the darkest trials and sufferings of humanity, yet the man of deepest joy and highest sense of victory; rejoicing with us dn the joy of the .deliverance of our ■British brothers and sisters in Africa. iWe like Christ must win our crown of try in sorrow our highest victory amidst? ithe shadows of Gethsemane and the Cross. Two fresh gleams of light tfrom this volume as follows: Christ idid not thank God for hiding Gospel light from, the vainly wise, and pruSdent, but for giving it to all by revealing it to lowly child-like souls. For only lowly souls can give light to others. They only can be used by (Christ to give the light of- His life and jteaching to men. The vain teacher .Conceals Christ by his own imposing ishadow. Again Christ was careful of ifche lives of his disciples. They must Siot throw them away in rash martyrdom. "When persecuted in one city ffchey must flee to another; not to hide /themselves, but to face fresh dangers in spreading the light of Christ—just as the brave leader saves his soldiers )by strategy, by retreat and caution. .Christian life is too valuable* to be jfchrown away in the city, in the home or on the battle-field. We do not use (the authors words but what his words Bay and suggest. His words are full of electric Christian light. Other ifceachers he tells us require a preparation, purity, wisdom, goodness in their disciples, before coming to them. Christ takes men as He finds them; in Has presence they are made fit for the highest life on earth and in Heaven. .This commonplace thought of evangelism has an impressive power and ibeauty from the lips of Matheson. His prayers at the close of each/chapter of this volume are idyllic utterances of ithe most inspiring kind.