he
construction of systems and the contention of creeds which once
appeared the central themes of human interest are now {4} regarded by
millions of busy men and women as mere echoes of ancient controversies,
if not mere mockeries of the problems of the present day.' The Church
under the inspiration of this new feeling for humanity is turning with
fresh interest to the contemplation of the character of Jesus Christ,
and is rising to a more lofty idea of its responsibilities towards the
world. More than ever in the past, it is now felt that Christianity
must vindicate itself as a practical religion; and that in view of the
great problems--scientific, social and industrial, which the new
conditions of an advancing civilisation have created, the Church, if it
is to fulfil its function as the interpreter and guide of thought, must
come down from its heights of calm seclusion and grapple with the
actual difficulties of men, not indeed by assuming a political role or
acting as a divider and judge amid conflicting secular aims, but by
revealing the mind of Christ and bringing the principles of the gospel
to bear upon the complex life of society.

No one who reflects upon the spirit of the times will doubt that there
are reasons of urgent importance why this aspect of Christian life and
duty, which we have been considering, should be specially insisted upon
to-day. Of these the first and foremost is the prevalence of a
materialistic philosophy. Taking its rise in the evolutionary theories
of last century, this view is now being applied with relentless logic
as an interpretation of the problems of society by a school of
socialistic writers. Man, it is said, is the creature of heredity and
environment alone. Condition creates character, and relief from the
woes of humanity is to be sought, not in the transformation of the
individual but in the revolutionising of the circumstances of life. As
a consequence of this philosophy of externalism there is a filtering
down of these materialistic views to the multitude, who care, indeed,
little for theories, but are quick to be affected by a prevailing tone.
Underlying the feeling of unrest and dissatisfaction, so marked a
feature of our present day life, there is distinctly discernible among
the masses a loosening of religious faith and a slackening {5} of moral
obligation. The idea of personality and the sense of duty are not so
vivid and strong as they used to be. A vague senti