our justification；〃 and the Corinthians are expressly told； 〃If Christ
be not raised； your faith is vain； ye are yet in your sins〃 （Rom。 4：25；
1 Cor。 15：17）。 In short； Christ's resurrection is one of the grandest
evidences of the truth of Christianity； a foundation proof that the
salvation of sinners by the vicarious atonement is a finished work； and
a miracle which the cleverest infidels have never been able to explain
away。 Until it is explained away； we need not be troubled by carping
remarks about Balaam's ass speaking； and Jonah in the whale's belly。
Well indeed would it have been for the Church if all her ministers had
always been such as Peter remended to be appointed； faithful
〃witnesses to a personal Christ； His death； and His resurrection。
So much for the upper room at Jerusalem； its congregation； their unity；
their prayers； and the first address delivered within its walls。 So
much for the first prayer meeting； the first sermon； and the first
corporate action of the professing Church of which we have any record。
We need not doubt for a moment that the well…known promise of our Lord
Jesus Christ was fulfilled in that room； 〃Wheresoever two or three are
gathered together in My name； there am I in the midst of them〃 （Matt。
18：20）。 The little pany of worshippers did not see Him； but He was
there。
II。 Let me now try to draw some practical lessons for ourselves from
the whole subject。
（1） In the first place； let us learn to be more thankful for the
liberty of the days in which our lot is cast； and the wise toleration
of the Government under which we live in this country。 By the mercy of
God； 〃we enjoy great quietness。〃 We have no need to meet in 〃upper
rooms〃 with 〃doors closed for fear of the Jews；〃 and with a constant
feeling that there is but a step between us and a violent death。 Men
may build places of worship now； if they please； as costly and
magnificent as the temple of Jerusalem itself； and no one jealously
prohibits or interferes with them。 We need not fear Roman Emperors； nor
mediaeval autocrats； nor Spanish Inquisitions。 The land is before us；
and men may build and worship as they please。 I would to God that all
wealthy laymen in this country would remember from whom riches e；
and to whom they are indebted for their freedom and prosperity。 I would
to God that many more would honour Him with their substance； and e
forward more frequently； saying； 〃Let me build a Church for the service
of God。〃
（2） In the next place； let us learn the source of trite power in the
Church。 This little upper room was the starting…point of a movement
which shook the Roman Empire； emptied the heathen temples； stopped
gladiatorial bats； raised women to their true position； checked
infanticide； created a new standard of morality； confounded the old
Greek and Roman philosophers； and turned the world upside down。 And
what was the secret of this power？ The unity； the soundness in the
faith； the holiness； and the prayers and intercessions of the first
professing Christians。 Where these things are wanting； the grandest
architecture and the most ornate ceremonial will do nothing to mend the
world。 It is the presence of Christ and the Holy Ghost which alone
gives power。
（3） In the last place； let us pray for the Church of England； that she
may continue faithful to the old truths which have done so much good
for 300 years； truths which are embalmed in our Articles； Prayer Book；
and Creeds。 It is cheap and easy work to sneer at dogma； to scoff at
inspiration and the atonement； to make merry at the controversies of
Christians； and to tell us that no one really believes all the Bible；
or all the facts enumerated in the Belief。 It is easy； I repeat； to do
this。 Even children can cast mud； and throw stones； and make a noise。
But sneers； and mud； and noise are not arguments。 I challenge those who
sneer at dogma to show us a more excellent way； to show us anything
that does more good in the world than the old； old story of Christ
dying for our sins； and rising again for our justification。
The man of science may say； 〃e with me； and look through my
microscope or telescope； and I will show you thins which Moses； David；
and St。 Paul never dreamed of。 Do you expect me to believe what was
written by ignorant fellows like them？〃 But can this man of science
show us anything through his microscope or telescope which will
minister to a mind diseased； bind up the wounds of a broken heart；
satisfy the wants of an aching conscience； supply fort to the
mourner over a lost husband； wife； or child？ No； indeed！ he can do
nothing of the kind！ Men and women are fearfully and wonderfully made。
We are not made up merely of brains； and head； and intellect； and
reason。 We are frail； dying creatures； who have got hearts； and
feelings； and consciences； and we live in a world of sorrow； and
disappointment； and sickness； and death。 And what can help us in a
world like this？ Certainly not science alone。 Nothing can help us but
the doctrine of that volume which some people call an old worn…out
Jewish book； the Bible。 None can help us but He who was laid in the
manger of Bethlehem and died on the cross to pay our debt to God； and
is now at God's right hand。 None but He who said；〃 e unto Me； all ye
that labour； and I will give you rest〃 （Matt。 11：28）。 None but He who
has thrown light on the grave； and the world beyond it； and has brought
life and immortality to light through the gospel and made a deeper mark
on the world than all the men of science who have ever lived； from the
times of Pythagoras； Aristotle； and Archimedes； down to Darwin and
Huxley in the present day。 Yes！ I say again； let us pray that our
Church may ever be faithful to her first principles； and never lend an
ear to those plausible； eloquent apostles of free thought； who would
fain persuade her to throw overboard her Creeds and Articles as useless
lumber。 Fine words and rhetorical fireworks will never satisfy
humanity； check moral evil； or feed souls。 Men would do well to read
that striking paper which Miss Frances Power Cobbe wrote in the
Contemporary Review for December 1884； and see what a ghastly world our
world would be if it was a world without a faith or a creed。 The age
needs nothing new。 It only needs the bold and steady proclamation of
the old truths which were held in the 〃 upper room〃 at Jerusalem。
__________________________________________________________________
＇1＇ The substance of this paper was originally delivered as a sermon at
the consecration of St。 Agnes' Church； Liverpool。
__________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER II
Colossians 4：14
〃LUKE； THE BELOVED PHYSICIAN。〃
＇2＇
THERE are two things in the title of this paper which I shall take for
granted； and not dwell on them。 One is； that Luke here mentioned is the
same Luke who wrote the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles； and
was the friend and panion of St。 Paul。 The other is； that Luke
really was a physician of the body。 On both these points the consent of
learned men； who have a right to mand our attention； is almost
universal。 I shall rigidly confine myself to two remarks which appear
to grow out of the subject。 For it is a significant fact； I think； that
the great Apostle of the Gentiles； who was ever ministering to men's
souls； makes honourable mention of one who ministered to men's bodies。
I。 I remark then； for one thing； that one great feature of the
Christian religion is the dignity and importance which it attaches to
the human body。
Many readers of this paper need hardly be reminded that some of the
schools of heathen philosophers regarded the body with contempt； as a
hindrance and not a help； a clog and a drag and not an aid； to the
soul。 Even those nations which paid most attention to the burial of the
body when dead； like the Egyptians； Greeks； and Romans； knew nothing of
a future existence of the body after death； even at the most distant
period。 The heroes described by Homer and Viral； in the Elysian Fields；
the supposed place of happiness after death； were only ghosts and airy
figures； with nothing material about them。 When St。 Paul； on Mars Hill；
spoke of the 〃resurrection of the dead；〃 we are told that 〃some mocked〃
（Acts 17：32）。 Even Pliny； one of the most intelligent Latin writers； in
his Natural History； says there were two things which were beyond the
power of God；one was to give immortality to mortals； and the other
was to give bodily life again to the dead。 （See Pearson on The Creed；
vol。 ii。； p。 306； Oxford edition。）
Let us turn now to the Christian religion； and mark what a contrast it
presents。 Whether we look at its leading facts； or doctrines； or
practical instructions for the present； or hopes for the future； the
human body is continually brought to the front； and its importance
magnified。
（a） Look； to begin with； at the great mysterious truth which lies at
the foundation of our holy faith； the incarnation of Christ。 When the
Eternal Son of God came down into this sin…burdened world； to bring
redemption； and change the whole condition of our fallen race； how did
He e？ Not as a mighty angel or a glorious spirit； as we might have
expected。 Nothing of the kind！ He took on Him a bodily nature； just
like our own； sin only excepted。 He was born of a woman as an infant；
and had a body that grew and increased in stature as our bodies do；a
body that could hunger and thirst； and be weary and need sleep； and
feel pain； and groan in agony and suffering； like the body of any one
who reads this paper。 In that body He condescended to tabernacle for
thirty…three years； its members daily fulfilling the Law of God
perfectly； so that in His 〃flesh〃 Satan could find nothing failing or
defectiv