It is the immense merit of Christianity that it has spoken out with no uncertain voice upon this subject; it has never sought to minimise or explain away the fact of moral evil; on the contrary, it has consistently pointed to the true nature of sin, by connecting it vitally and causally with the sacrificial death of the Son of God: _tanta molis erat_ (if we may slightly vary the immortal line) _humanam solvere gentem_. A gospel which lightly dismisses this terrible reality, and seeks to hide its hideousness behind a rose-coloured mist of fine words,--such an emasculated gospel is not a message of life, but has the answer of death within itself. That in the past, in a doctrine such as that of man's total depravity, the fact of sin has been over-emphasised, may be readily granted; but in the present all the symptoms indicate that the peril we have to meet is its _under_-emphasis. Against this whole tendency we must resolutely re-assert the Christian standpoint and attitude. Christianity is that religion which affirms in unfaltering accents the reality of evil--but it sets over against it the greater Reality of atoning Love; it proclaims unsparingly the sinfulness and deadliness {138} of sin, but offers us the victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ our Lord. "_O Timotheus, guard your trust, and eschew the irreverent empty phrases and contradictions of a mis-called 'Science,' professing which some have missed their true aim in regard to the faith._" NOTE. In order to afford an illustration of Christian Science as a thing in being, we reproduce without comment the following report of an inquest, as published in the _Tribune_, on January 9th, 1908:-- Remarkable questions were put by the coroner to witnesses at a Richmond (Surrey) inquest yesterday on Mary Elizabeth Dixon, 58, a Christian Scientist, who died of bronchitis. Mrs. E. D., of St. John's Road, said that at the request of Mrs. Dixon she gave her Christian Science help--prayer which she had faith would be answered. The Coroner (Dr. Michael Taylor): Was it?--She was in a state of collapse on Saturday night, but revived much. When Mrs. Dixon had a cold previously it improved wonderfully under Christian Science. Then Christian Science is effectual if not much is the matter, but is not in the case of a serious illness?--I don't think she wanted to get better. Is that the way you look at it?--No, I don't. I know God is all-power and ever present. But if God is all-powerful, as you say, and as we all know, why did you have no response?--I suppose it was my lack of trust in that all-power. {139} It comes to this, that although He is all-powerful, unless the person praying for another has perfect faith the patient will not recover?--Nothing is impossible to God. The doctor was called in because it was the law. Then it was too late. It was as much the law to have called him in when the woman was alive. What is the practice with regard to illness?--It is prayer.