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INTRODUCTION

RELIGION has never made a stronger appeal to the thought of the world than it now makes. Japan has just held, under the inspiration of the government, a parliament of the religions of that country for the purpose of more strongly enforcing the sanctions of morality. The same need that has been officially voiced in Japan is felt in China, and the leaders of New China have not been slow to express their conception of the necessity of founding the new government on an ethical basis that shall find support in religion.

There have been manifested in Europe and America in the past twelve months signs of a marvelous quickening of religious consciousness. Reports from every country in Europe indicate that the chapels, churches, and cathedrals are crowded with worshipers at every service. Our book reviews show that in America during the past two years books dealing directly or indirectly with religious subjects far exceed, both in the number written and in volumes sold, any other line of books on serious subjects except the large sale of books on the subject of the war during the first few months of the

year.

On distinctly religious themes there is no subject of more vital interest to-day than the significance of the life of Christ. Perhaps the most significant tendency in religious thought just now is the revolt against the rationalism and liberalism that have prevailed more or less for fifty years. This is a healthy sign. While there is apparent a definite revolt and a definite break with rationalism, it is not at all certain that we shall return to the old orthodoxy. We shall perhaps embody its spirit, but not its letter.

Central in all our thinking to-day is the divinity of Jesus Christ. Whether we shall state our present belief in terms of the old Trinitarian formula remains to be seen, but the most vital article in today's creed is that Christ is God. We welcome, therefore, any book that can throw any new light on this subject.

The author of "The Christ: His Divinity Reviewed" has written from his own viewpoint, that of a lawyer-layman. He does not approach the subject from the theologian's viewpoint; he does not clothe his thought in the customary garb either of the old orthodox school or of the school of higher criticism. He merely examines the record from a lawyer's standpoint and tells us what he finds. To the average reader some of his conclusions may

seem bizarre, even startling; but all will agree that these conclusions are his own, that his treatment is original. The important thing about the book is that the author finds the Christ to be none other than the Son of God, the second person of the Godhead.

Every pastor and every Sunday school teacher who has met the inquiries of young men as to the divinity of Jesus Christ has felt the need of a convincing book to place in their hands. The author writes for the very purpose of proving from the record that Jesus is the Christ of God. There can be no question as to the need for just such a discussion as is here undertaken. For many years past there have been those in the highest positions of honor and of responsibility that have denied the deity of Jesus Christ.

And we believe that the idea of deity is a necessity to the enforcement of any scheme of morality or ethics. Without a Christ who is God, Christianity becomes a mouthful of pious platitudes and the New Testament a beautiful bundle of good advice.

We need more lawyers to advocate the cause of Christ and more to plead his right to command the hearts and consciences of men. JOHN F. KIRK.

March, 1917.

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