WHAT CHRISTIANITY IS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1867, 29 September 1913, Page 5

WHAT CHRISTIANITY IS.

BISHOP SPROTT'S-ADDRESS TO STUDENTS. Never in tho history of the Union hfivo its members listened to two moro inspiring and helpful addresses. Words to this effect were used by tho chairman in thanking tho Anglican Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Sprott) on Saturday night after tho conclusion of his second address on "What Christianity Is," delivered under _ the auspices of the Students' Christian Union. There was a large attendance, all the seating accommodation in tho gymnasium at Victoria College being fully occupied. Tho Bishop, who dealt with his subject in a most lucid and interesting manner, commenced by pointing out that' the founders of the great non-Christian religions were not a permanent necessity for the continued existence of these religions. The groat ideas which tjioy enunciated existed quite apart from their personality. Christianity, however, could not exist apart from Christ,, and early Christian literature, whilo' recognising His full humanity, placed Him in tho sphere of the divine, Tho divine was revealed, not only -in His teaching, but; in Hi 3 whole life and personality. Those who came in contact with Him felt a power which did for them what they expected tho Divino to do. Their faith was based on experience, which was subsequently interpreted in intellectual terms. They found in Him the saving and redemptive powers man expected from God. and this revelation of the Divino in tho sphere of the human was tho origin of tho belief_ in tho divinity of Christ. This experience of His presence and influence did not ceaso with His earthly life, nor was it confined to tho first ages of tho Church. It continued through all ages, and was the cause of.tho marvellous revivals which have taken place in the history of the Church. A few Oxford students had a fresh experience of Jesus Christ, and tho Methodist revival resulted. The work of Luther was also the outcome of a fresh experience of God through Jesus' Christ. The Bishop went oil to state, that Christ revealed the character of God. . If they could only judge tho character of tho Government of the universe bv what they knew of Nature they would arrive at a very mixed conclusion. Some other source of knowledge was necessary. Christ taught that man was the child of God—a kinship of naturo between man and God. Ha also emphasised the value of the individual. After referring to the Christian doctrino of sin and redemption, the Bishop went on to deal with Christian morality. It was not a mere code of morals, but it provided-a now motive and new power, and based moral obligation on the will of God. Some people contended that this would mean an arbitrary morality, subject to capricious changes, and contrary-to the idea of law, just as iT tho sun might snddonly pop up whilo they were sitting: in the hall that night But such an idea regarding tho relations of will and law must have come from a mental licspit-al. There was nothing unreasonable in regarding the will of the Creator as the true guido of tho beings ho had created, and His will was shown by consistency in purpose and aim. He j must will what was right, because righteousness was tho expression of the I nature of an essentially righteous Be- j inc. Christian ethics was family mor- i ality raised to its highest power, and summed up in a word it was lovelove shown in a lifo of service. Ho who would bo great must ho tho servant of all.