Yet
the whole Christian system has come to revolve round His death,
to the partial exclusion of the beautiful lesson of His life.
Far too much weight has been placed upon the one, and far too
little upon the other, for the death, beautiful, and indeed
perfect, as it was, could be matched by that of many scores of
thousands who have died for an idea, while the life, with its
consistent record of charity, breadth of mind, unselfishness,
courage, reason, and progressiveness, is absolutely unique and
superhuman. Even in these abbreviated, translated, and second-
hand records we receive an impression such as no other life can
give--an impression which fills us with utter reverence.
Napoleon, no mean judge of human nature, said of it: "It is
different with Christ. Everything about Him astonishes me.
His spirit surprises me, and His will confounds me. Between Him
and anything of this world there is no possible comparison. He
is really a being apart. The nearer I approach Him and the
closer I examine Him, the more everything seems above me."
It is this wonderful life, its example and inspiration, which
was the real object of the descent of this high spirit on to our
planet. If the human race had earnestly centred upon that
instead of losing itself in vain dreams of vicarious sacrifices
and imaginary falls, with all the mystical and contentious
philosophy which has centred round the subject, how very
different the level of human culture and happiness would be to-
day! Such theories, with their absolute want of reason or
morality, have been the main cause why the best minds have been
so often alienated from the Christian system and proclaimed
themselves materialists.
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