Untitled - Electric Scotland

478 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP TAIT [CH. xvn.
"I have been fortunate enough," wrote Mr. Gladstone, "to
hear some of the sermons, and I have read with cordial, admira
tion the powerful arguments and exhortations contained in others."
"I thank you very much," wrote Professor Lightfoot, "for
distinguishing
what is essential and what is non-essential in
Scripture. If the public mind were once impressed with that
distinction, I should not fear the effect of such books as Bishop
Colenso s. But I fear the great mass of religious people in
England have it yet to learn."
In regard to the accusation already referred to, of
a studied indefiniteness in the Bishop s expression of
his own religious opinions, such an episode as the
following may be of interest. An important benefice in
Crown Patronage was vacant. The Bishop was not
directly concerned in the matter, but a leading member
of the Government asked his advice about a clergyman
whose name was under consideration, and quite a volumi
nous theological correspondence ensued. The Bishop s
final letter was as follows :
" MY
DEAR ,- ... I have carefully read the sermons
in question. It appears to me that, carried away by his desire
to protest against certain statements derogatory to the perfect
justice and infinite mercy of Almighty God, he has in these
sermons lost sight of what I believe to be a most important truth.
I believe that the sacrifice of Christ, consummated in His death,
removed certain mysterious obstacles which stood in the way of
man s pardon ; and this" sacrifice was designed by infinite love as
the instrument whereby God and man were again to be brought
together after the disruption caused by the Fall. I dare not
explain the mysterious effect of the Sacrifice of Christ simply by
its reconciling the soul to God through the powerful motives
called up by so wonderful an exhibition of infinite love and of
infinite sympathy with the human race. I believe the Atone
ment to have had effects in altering the abstract relation between
an offended God and fallen man, besides its power of drawing the
soul of man back to that holiness and faithful waiting upon God
from which it had fallen. Whether Mr. A. holds this or not, I