For ages it had been noticed that while most of the stars retain their relative positions, a few of them are ever changing their position: and from the creation of man it was observed that apparently the sun rises and sets. These strange and interesting phenomena demanded explanation. Men sought first a connected conception of the apparent movements of the heavenly bodies, that thus they might learn their real movements. Various theories were put forward bearing the names of their originators or advocates. At first all of them might have been called human inventions; and might have been, and by some men were, rejected as mere theories. But at last it was found that one of them explained all the known facts of the case, and was the only conceivable explanation of them. And the careful observation of centuries has long ago made us absolutely certain that the system of Copernicus is correct, that it is a reflection in the mind of man of objective reality. In other words, it is now known to be, not an invention, as were the other systems, but a wonderful discovery of absolute truth.

Not content with this discovery, the restless intelligence of man sought to trace the exact path of the planets around the sun. Circles and complicated epicycles were suggested, and rejected as not explaining, but contradicted by, known facts. Kepler suggested that the orbits were ellipses, and finally suggested that the sun occupied one focus of the ellipse. This theory, or guess, was found to explain approximately all known phenomena, and has long ago been accepted as indisputable truth. In a similar way Kepler further discovered that the planets cover equal areas of orbit in equal spaces of time, thus explaining their quicker and slower motion at certain parts of their orbits; and that the squares of their times of revolution bear to the cubes of their distance from the sun the same proportion. It was afterwards found that these laws apply to the satellites revolving round planets, except that whereas the

just-mentioned proportion is the same for all moons of any one planet it varies for each central body according to its mass. These three laws explain the movements apparent and real of earth, sun, planets, and satellites.

But the discoveries of Kepler themselves demanded explanation. Why do the planets obey these apparently arbitrary laws? It is the glory of Newton to have discovered that Kepler's three laws are but particular applications of the one law of universal gravitation, which determines both the fall of an apple, the flight of a cannonball, and the path of a planet. He proved that, given such bodies as sun and planets, and a certain original impulse to each planet in a certain direction, and the constant operation of universal gravitation, the planets can do no other than revolve in elliptic orbits with the sun at one focus, covering equal areas in equal times, and in periods of which the squares bear always the same proportion to the cubes of the distance of the planets from the sun; and that the same is true of satellites and their central planet. Like Kepler's three laws, it is now universally acknowledged that Newton's law of universal gravitation is absolute truth. In other words, it is now seen that behind these human generalisations, results of man's mental effort, stands objective reality.

Similarly, unless Christianity rests upon a delusion, behind theological theories and religious phenomena are realities and purposes older and loftier than the planets and their orbits, consisting like the solar system of various elements all mutually related. The task of the systematic theologian is to gain, and to present, a correct view of these unseen realities in detail and as one whole. And he is successful only so far as his conception is a correct and full reflection of its great object-matter.

We have now seen that we are compelled to form for ourselves systems of theology, by the historical fact that

the greatest teachers of theology, namely the writers of the New Testament, did so, and that unless we imitate them we cannot understand their teaching; that, to form theories about every matter which deeply interests us, is a necessity of the human mind; and that systems of theology are needful because the object-matter of theology is itself a system, and therefore can be understood only so far as our thoughts about it assume systematic form.

If all this be true, theology claims a place among the sciences. And it claims the first place. Of the practical worth of the natural sciences, it is needless to speak. We see it in the material progress of modern civilisation. Not less evident are the practical results of Christianity. It has changed completely the face of human society; and has saved it from the utter ruin to which in the days of Christ it was evidently hastening. And in our day science and civilisation in their highest forms are found only in those nations in which Christianity is prevalent. All others are either sinking into decay or are being raised by influences from Christian nations. Copernicus and Luther. were born and died almost at the same time. The one was the founder of modern astronomy. The chief work of the other was to propound a theory of man's reconciliation to God unknown to the mass of men in his day. And no Protestant questions now who rendered to mankind the greater service. To thousands the truth taught by Luther is more precious to-day than any material good. All this is a very strong presumption that Christianity rests on a foundation of fact and truth; or, in other words, that the matter of Christian theology is real. And, if so, it is indisputably as much above the matter of the natural sciences as are mind above matter, heaven above earth, the eternal and the infinite above the passing and the finite. The science which investigates matter so glorious is indeed the noblest branch of human research.

In a second paper I shall endeavour to show that this allimportant subject is surrounded by special difficulties; and shall make suggestions with a view to overcoming them. I shall also begin to expound what seems to me the best method of theological research, a method in strict harmony with the essential constitution of the human mind and with the special nature of our object-matter. This method will be further expounded in a third paper. And a fourth paper will investigate the true relation between the results thus obtained and the dogmas of the Christian Church.

JOSEPH AGAR BEET.

JOSEPH AND MARY.

THE first and third Evangelists tell us all we know of Mary. They tell us that she was the espoused wife of Joseph, a carpenter of Nazareth, and that the Divine call came to her after her espousal and before her marriage. What a call it was, and what a prospect it opened up! No sooner was Mary left alone with her own thoughts than she began to realize something of what had been appointed her, and what she must now prepare herself to pass through. The sharp sword that Simeon afterwards spoke of with such pathos, was already whetted, and was fast approaching her exposed heart. On a thousand canvases throughout Christendom we are shown the angel of the annunciation presenting Mary with a branch of lily, as an emblem of her beauty and a seal of her purity; but why has no artist stained the whiteness of the lily with the red blood of a broken heart? For no sooner had the transfiguring light of the angel's presence faded from her sight, than a deep and awful darkness began to fall around Joseph's espoused wife. Surely if ever a suffering soul had to seek its right

eousness and strength in God alone, it was the soul of the Virgin Mary in the weeks and months that followed the annunciation. Blessed among women as all the time she was, unblemished in soul and body as a paschal lamb, yet, like that lamb she was set apart to be a sacrifice, and to have a sword thrust through her heart. With all the assurances and hopes she had to rest upon, she would pass through many dark and dreadful seasons when all she had given her to lean upon seemed like a broken reed. "Hail, highly favoured of the Lord," the angel had said to her, but all that would seem but so many mocking words to her as she saw nothing before her but an open shame, and, it might be, an outcast's death. And, so fearfully and wonderfully are we all made, and so fearful and wonderful was the way in which the Word was made flesh, that who can tell how all this bore on Him who was bone of her bone, and flesh of her flesh, to whom Mary was in all things a mother, as He was in all things to her a son. For,

"Hers was the face that unto Christ had most resemblance."

"Great is the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh. A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. These are the beginnings of sorrows."

Joseph's part in all this is told us by Matthew alone. And as we read that Evangelist's account of that time we see how sharp the sword was which pierced Joseph's soul also. His heart was broken with this terrible trial, but there was only one course left open to him. Take her to his home he could not, but neither could he consent to make Mary a public example, and there was only left to him the sad enough step of putting her away privily. Joseph's heart must have been torn in two; for Mary had been the woman of all women to him. She had been in his eyes the lily among thorns. And now to have to treat her like a poisonous weed-the thought of it drove him mad.