that Revival seemed to be 'repulsive' and 'monstrous.' Religion was
good enough in its own place, but it must not interfere with their
amusements. They wanted their religion well iced. To-day when only
another such outrush of spiritual energy can save a poor sick world,
there is no need to trouble about the mocker. There is only reason to
rejoice that there are manifest stirrings in the depths of human life
which no earthly theory can explain. Often and often on wearied men
there comes the breath of a new life, and armies, long worn out, arise
and snatch redemption out of ruin. The prelude to these triumphs of
the Spirit has always been a sense of expectation springing up
mysteriously out of the depths. That expectation is wholly natural.
We have come through the most awful carnival of blood and tears in the
world's history, and so far there has been no result commensurate with
the sacrifice. The old world is dead and the new tarries while men are
left

'Wandering between two worlds, one dead,
The other powerless to be born,'

If man's extremity be God's opportunity, then, once more, it is the
fulness of the time.

CHAPTER XIII

VICTORY OUT OF RUIN

The world has always been a hard place for minorities. Majorities are
capable of crimes which, as individuals, they would shrink from in
horror. And no crimes that stain the pages of history can equal in
ghastly cruelty those which have been perpetrated under the influence
of religious passions. The Founder of Christianity was crucified at
the frenzied call of those who were the most devout and religious of
their day. The Pharisees prayed nine hours a day! Their cry,
'Crucify! Crucify!' still rings in the ear.

I

Human nature has not changed very much in these nineteen centuries.
And the majority of mankind are still pretty much as they were. There
is not much good in getting suffused with sentiment over a minority of
one crucified so long ago. It is more important to realise that the
grim tragedy is for ever and for ever being repeated. It is a grim
thought to think that the very passions of self-righteousness and
self-interest which crucified the Galilean are now operating in His
name. In a little village in the Hebrides well known to me, four
Presbyterian churches celebrate the Communion in August. Here they
are--the Parish Church; the United Free Church; the Free Church; the
Free Presbyterian Church! If you attended a service in