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PARISH PAPERS

BY

NORMAN MACLEOD, D.D.,

One of Her Majesty's Chaplains for Scotland;

AUTHOR OF "WEE DAVIE," "THE GOLD THREAD," ETC.

1863

DEDICATED,

WITH MUCH AFFECTION,

TO THE PARISHIONERS OF LOUDOUN, DALKEITH AND THE BARONY,

TO WHOM I HAVE MINISTERED

As Their Pastor.

CONTENTS.

THOUGHTS ON CHRISTIANITY

1. What is Christianity?2. Who was Jesus Christ?3. What can we Believe if we do not thus Believe in Jesus?4. What if Christianity is not True?

THOUGHTS UPON THE FINAL JUDGMENT1. The Judge2. Who are to be Judged?3. "The Books shall be Opened,"4. Results of Judgment

THOUGHTS UPON FUTURE LIFE1. Our Physical Life in Heaven2. Our Intellectual Life3. Our Devotional Life4. Our Social Life6. Our Active Life

FUTURE PUNISHMENT

WHAT AFTER DEATH?

MOMENTS IN LIFE

"LABOURERS TOGETHER WITH GOD,"

REVIVALS—1. Their Need2. Objections to Revivals

THE CHRISTIAN CONGREGATION

THE CURE FOR SCHISM

THE UNION OF MAN WITH MAN

PROGRESS OF MISSIONS

THE MYSTERY OF SORROW

THE BEGINNING OF A YEAR
Advices on Entering a New Year

THE CLOSE OF A YEAR

THOUGHTS ON CHRISTIANITY.

I.

WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY?

This question refers to a matter of fact. I do not ask whether theChristian religion is true, but only, What is the Christian religion?What is that religion which has existed for eighteen centuries; whichis professed by Christendom; and which has been more precious thanlife itself to millions who have died in its faith, and is so still tomillions who possess it as their peace and joy?

But how are we to obtain a satisfactory reply to this question? Arewe to examine the opinions of all the various "churches," "sects," or"bodies," professing Christianity, in order to determine what it isthey profess? If we adopted such a process of investigation as this,I believe we would reach, by a longer road, the very same point whichmay be reached by a shorter and more satisfactory process.

For I suppose it will be admitted that the Christian religion is whatJesus Christ and His apostles taught, and that we may rely upon theinformation conveyed to us in the New Testament as to the sum andsubstance of that teaching.

I do not even insist, as essential to my argument, upon theinspiration of Scripture, according to any theory whatever of thatdoctrine; but assume only that we have in the New Testament a trueaccount of the teaching of Jesus Christ and His apostles, and thatwe are able, therefore, to ascertain from its pages what theirChristianity was as an historical fact, with as much certainty,surely, as we can learn from the Koran what Mohammedanism was astaught by Mohammed, or from any work of philosophy what were theopinions of its author.

Now, if we read the New Testament with ordinary attention, we must,I think, be struck by one f

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