ution of
opinion, such as that we are now living through, has always produced in
the past, and will, we are justified in believing, produce again. But
the hour and the men will come, and "they also serve who only stand and
wait!"'

Voice and look had kindled into fire. The consciousness of his audience
was passing from him--the world of ideas was growing clearer.

'So much, then, for personalities of one sort. There are some of
another, however, which I must touch upon for a moment. I am to speak to
you to-night of the Jesus of history, but not only as an historian.
History is good, but religion is better!--and if Jesus of Nazareth
concerned me, and, in my belief, concerned you, only as an historical
figure, I should not be here to-night.

'But if I am to talk religion to you, and I have begun by telling you I
am not this and not that, it seems to me that for mere clearness' sake,
for the sake of that round and whole image of thought which I want to
present to you, you must let me run through a preliminary confession of
faith--as short and simple as I can make it. You must let me describe
certain views of the universe and of man's place in it, which make the
framework, as it were, into which I shall ask you to fit the picture of
Jesus which will come after.'

Robert stood a moment considering. An instant's nervousness, a momentary
sign of self-consciousness, would have broken the spell and set the room
against him. He showed neither.

'My friends,' he said at last, speaking to the crowded benches of London
workmen with the same simplicity he would have used towards his boys at
Murewell, 'the man who is addressing you to-night believes in _God_; and
in _Conscience_, which is God's witness in the soul; and in
_Experience_, which is at once the record and the instrument of man's
education at God's hands. He places his whole trust, for life and death,
"_in God the Father Almighty_"--in that force at the root of things
which is revealed to us whenever a man helps his neighbour, or a mother
denies herself for her child; whenever a soldier dies without a murmur
for his country, or a sailor puts out in the darkness to rescue the
perishing; whenever a workman throws mind and conscience into his work,
or a statesman labours not for his own gain but for that of the State!
He believes in an Eternal Goodness--and an Eternal Mind--of which Nature
and Man are the continuous and the only revelation....'

The room grew absolutely