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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 68

Conclusion

page 59

Conclusion.

This, then, is the sum of what we teach and believe: As a divine purpose of grace has, from the beginning, brooded over humanity, watchfully guiding its entire course, pressing into its service even the sins and frowardness of men,—never despairing, but with patient pity and holy love pursuing its way, neither hasting nor tarrying—through dreary periods scarcely giving any sign, yet ever anew in ripe hours revealing its watchful presence—now pushing men with the hand of righteousness and anon lifting them up in pity—ebbing and flowing, following paths whose orbit passes beyond our vision, yet ever pressing, forward towards the goal of the Kingdom of Heaven; even so also does a divine purpose brood over every single human spirit, pursuing precisely similar ways: for to God humanity is as one man and one man is as humanity—the evolution of human history but as the story of an individual life, and the guidance of each spirit in its entire moral history as great a concern as the story of the race. Thus will the end of the ways of God furnish solution of the theoretically insoluable problem of solidarity and individuality, and reconcile the contradiction that each man born into the world is a product of the race and also a self-enclosed spiritual being; and show to us how each man is a son of the Eternal while seeming to be a chance product of cosmic forces, tossed on the world's shores by the waves of time. The thought is very great, ravishes the heart with joy, and stills it into peace, and page 60 seems worthy to be spoken so loud that all the world should hear. A thousand spoken and unspoken objections against the Gospel of Christ vanish before it like night owls at the rising of the sun. A bright light seems at once to spread itself over all history all human life, and all the labour that man taketh under the sun, the most ignorant, depraved, and abandoned human beings seem now worthy of our love and care; the glory and pathos of Eternal Mercy shields them all from contempt and reprobation; and over every life, even although ushered into dreariest forlornness, we can be glad because a new man has been born into the world. Now, as we look up and forward, our eyes see "a rainbow round the throne of God,"—formed by the bright light of eternal Love shining through the tears rained over all the tragedy of this mortal life. "We know now that no prayers, no tears, no sorrows, no labours for humanity can ever be lost: that all the workers of all the ages have been co-operating to realise a purpose sublime beyond all thought of our hearts, and will rejoice together at the great harvest-homo of God. Now can we understand how it is written: "Proclaim among the nations that the Lord reigneth! Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad: let the sea roar and the fulfill thereof: let the field be joyful and all that is therein!" Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with singing." "Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations: and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation our God." Now, with the assent of all that is in us, can page 61 we join in the angelic hymn, "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, and goodwill to men."

Oh Christ! Son of God! how great was the thought of Thy heart towards all men in all the bounds of space and time! Lift us up into its light: suffer us to feel its pulsations in our hearts: and let us comprehend its height, and depth, and length, and breadth!

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