some sages of antiquity, feebly recommended by poets and rhetoricians-a notion which, under the pressure of circumstances, much more than of conviction, slowly and tentatively introduced itself into the jurisprudence of a world-welding empire. Hence the abolition-partial even as yet-of deep national distinctions: the extinction incomplete even yet, but marching on inevitably under the banner of Christianity—of the great social crime of slavery. Hence the elevation of woman, and the respect paid universally in words, imperfectly, indeed, but far beyond the highest heathen example, to personal purity, to temperance, soberness, and chastity among Christians. And hence, once more, the progress among us of philanthropy generally, in ever-widening circles—the principle that no man lives for himself, but every man for the benefit of his neighbour-that it is the duty of every Christian, in his sphere, to teach and to preach, to spend and to be spent, as a minister, layman though he be, of one common religion;—the principle, I repeat, of self-sacrifice, which is the Christian counterpart to sacrifice among the heathen. The sage of early Grecian culture-a Thales, a Pythagoras, a Plato, went about the world learning, as best he might, truth and wisdom; and therein he recognised a duty. The sage of the later and completer culture of Rome-a Dion Chrysostom, a Musonius, an Apollonius-went about teaching and preaching such truth. and wisdom as he had acquired; and he, too, recog nized a duty, and acted according to his light. But none of these, if he believed in deity at all, was exempt from the degrading influence of superstitions which we Christians have exploded. Socrates, the wisest of the heathen, sacrificed a cock to Æsculapius. Aurelius, the most virtuous of the heathen, slaughtered his hecatombs to Jupiter. None of these conceived the example which Jesus Christ first gave, and which I trust a multitude of His followers have humbly tried to follow-the example which forms in itself the one most striking contrast-the one most significant and most fruitful contrast between Pagan and Christian society-of none of these was it said, of no Pagan that I ever heard of has it been said, or could it be said, "He went about doing good." I believe, then, that the contrast between Pagan and Christian society lies mainly in the development of the principle of Self-sacrifice. To prove and illustrate this position in vindication of our Christian belief would require, as I have said, the space of a volume rather than of a lecture. Whether I may have an opportunity of carrying out the argument, such as I have sketched it, here or elsewhere on future occasions, I will not pretend to anticipate. I have yet to learn whether the foundation we have this day laid is deemed sufficient to bear the noble superstructure, as I venture to call it, which I have indicated only in a feeble outline. I trust at least, that what has been said will not be wholly thrown away, but will have led |