the Scriptures could be attained by a man or a nation, how speedily would the woes and miseries of life disappear. Universal brotherhood, unselfish work, love to all-these are the facts and precepts of Scripture, and they are also the ideal of philosophers; and it is surprising how the outcome of all social philosophies tends to approach to the ideal of personal, family, political, and social life contained in the Scriptures.

Need we be anxious about a book which comes to us accredited in so many weighty ways? Need we be disturbed when a book of such a character, with such a history, with such claims, has attracted to itself the attention of all kinds of men? It has challenged their notice, provoked the hostility of some, and quickened others to enthusiasm, and throughout the centuries it has stood, and still stands, as the witness of God to man, and as God's message of salvation to sinners. When we have so many claims to make on behalf of the Word of God, claims which can neither be weakened nor denied, why should we put in the forefront of the battle a claim to errorless perfection, which can only be made good at the cost of endless argumentation, often of the kind which is only special pleading at the best?

The Scriptures give us certainty as to the matters which it most concerns us to know. When we read the history of the past, when we study the methods of interpretation, and note how limited were the scientific resources of the exegete, and how inadequate his methods, we are amazed to find how often the scientific exegesis of the present has confirmed the conclusions to which, in earlier days, the evangelical consciousness had come. But when we reflect that the interpretation of Scripture depends on two factors, our wonder becomes less. One factor is scientific exegesis, in the widest sense of the term, but the other is the witness of the Holy Spirit. It has often happened that, under the "testimonium Spiritus Sancti," men were led to the knowledge of saving truth, and to loyal acceptance and obedience to it, when the scientific element was very defective. It has also happened that science has failed to reach the mark, and has wofully failed to reach the highest spiritual truth. It is also the case that we have both factors conspiring to the one great end, and then we reach, and can expect only thus to reach, the highest spiritual end-that knowledge of God in Christ which is life eternal. But both for the giving of Scripture and the receiving of Scripture we need the living action of the living Spirit of God. The mode of action and the aim of the Spirit has a larger scope in the one case than in the other, but in both it is the essential element. Without the action of the Spirit of God moving men, we could have had no Word of God; and without the action of the Spirit, we can have no adequate apprehension of the Word of God. But what are the notes, marks, qualities of the Word of God is a question we can determine only on an examination of the evidence proper and pertinent to the subject.

MRS. BESANT'S DOUBT AND HER INTERVIEW WITH

DR. PUSEY.

BY REV. PRINCIPAL CHARLES CHAPMAN, LL.D.

ONE of the most touching and suggestive pieces of personal history published in modern times, in so far as it relates to religious experience, is the account given in a recent number of the Review of the Reviews of the progress, or perhaps more correctly, the decline of Mrs. Besant from the Christian faith to blank Atheism, followed by a slight return upwards to Theosophy. Its value is enhanced by the fact that it is chiefly autobiographical. Mrs. Besant's association with the late Mr. Bradlaugh in the advocacy of certain social doctrines, her enthusiasm for the Secularist movement, and the not too complimentary allusions in the press to her former domestic relations had conspired to produce an impression on the public mind unfavourable to her. To many, therefore, the article referred to came as a welcome relief, giving as it did information concerning her early domestic troubles, the origin and progress of her mental conflicts, and the upright, blameless moral character manifested throughout her trials. Mrs. Besant may take to herself the consolation that by means of these revelations there has been awakened, in the minds of many who cling to the Christian faith as for very life, a sincere sympathy and respect; and she may rest assured that there are not a few who would count it a privilege, if permitted, to do what in them lay to assist her towards attaining to that sweet rest and quiet confidence in Christ which is the most precious treasure they on earth can call their own. Though they may not have been through all the phases of experience that have formed the web and woof of her chequered .history, they have, in some instances at least, known the "horror of great darkness," and stood on the brink of most awful precipices, looking with sad heart on the deep and gloomy abyss that lay sheer before them. In the future, she need not lack sympathy and most kindly help should she ever care to seek it.

Many are the religious and philosophical questions raised by the narrative of the experiences of this troubled soul; but on the present occasion I shall confine my attention exclusively to her interview with Dr. Pusey. It is nothing new in the history of the Christian Church for perplexed inquirers to seek counsel of pastors and others whose education and peculiar experience offered some guarantee for readiness and ability to guide the seeker after truth into the right way. Every day there are cases of this kind, and not a few are being constantly led to exchange their restlessness and uncertainty for assured peace and rational conviction. But it is rare that the public is made acquainted, on the one hand, with the sorrows and perplexities of such a notable character, and, on the other, with the procedure, in dealing with them, of so distinguished a counsellor; and the interest aroused in this case

becomes the more pathetic from the fact that the interview proved to be the turning point in the career of the sufferer downwards towards the blankest Atheism.

Considering that, according to her own representation, Mrs. Besant was sincerely and eagerly in search of the truth concerning Christ, and that she regarded her revered and learned adviser to be of all men the most likely to help her in the quest, it may well be asked, Was her difficulty beyond solution in the Christian sense? Or was the counsellor in absolute error with respect to the advice given? Or, if not in absolute error, was there failure to read the real secret of the trouble, and a consequent misapplication of a remedy otherwise good and adequate? Or were there personal elements in this case which, for the time being, rendered the wisest counsels and the most cogent arguments nugatory?

In order to form an approximately correct judgment on the value of the advice tendered, and the general attitude of Dr. Pusey towards his spiritual patient as he regarded her, it will be well to take note of Mrs. Besant's theological position just prior to and at the time that she sought the interview. If we keep to the exact words of the writer of the article in the Review of Reviews, her position is not set before us as clearly as it might have been. There is evidently some confusion of thought in the following:

"ALL CHRISTIAN DOGMAS GO BUT ONE."

"These duties of the parish, however, could not silence the ceaseless strife within. Her health broke down, and she went to London to recover. When there, she found in Mr. Voysey's ministrations a gleam of light across the stormy sea of doubt and distress,' but Theism afforded her only a temporary resting-place. She now definitely rejected what she called all the barbarous doctrines of the Christian faith,' and felt with relief and joy that they were but the dreams of ignorant and semi-savage minds, not the revelation of a God.' One last dogma, however, still remained. Not all her reading of Theodore Parker and Francis Newman and Miss Cobbe had been able to rob her of her faith in the Deity of Christ. She clung to it all the more closely because it was the last and to her the dearest of all."

If in the above paragraph it is intended to state that she first accepted such Theism as Mr. Voysey taught, but afterwards rejected it for Christianity, though with some doubt as to the personality of Christ, it is intelligible and is no discredit to Mrs. Besant's logical acuteness. But if the meaning be that, while finding " a temporary resting-place," i.e., before her final descent to Atheism, in Mr. Voysey's Theism, she cast aside "barbarous doctrines of the Christian faith," and remained in doubtonly concerning the Deity of Christ, then her theological position was most singular, and such as no person claiming one-half her intellectual ability would think of assuming. The idea of a Theist of the Voysey stamp still clinging to the chief doctrine of the Christian faith-the Deity of Christ is certainly a new thing in the world!. Mr. Voysey is in no doubt about the Person of Christ. His rank Theism leaves no room for uncertainty on that point.

But if we turn from the words of the writer of the article to those

of Mrs. Besant herself, it would appear that at the date of her entering upon the special investigation into the question of the actual position of Christ, she was so far a Christian as to accept the Gospel narratives as being on the whole historic, and her desire was to learn from the representations therein contained in what light she ought to regard Him. She was more than a Theist, though in doubt as to what sort of Christian she could be-whether an orthodox believer in the true Divinity of Christ, or simply a Unitarian. The question with her was how to formulate her faith concerning the Founder of the Christian religion. We are accordingly told that "before she finally parted with all her Christian faith, she took a step which in itself is sufficient to render her autobiography invaluable to the historian and theologian." The step alluded to is the visit paid to Dr. Pusey in order to state her difficulties concerning the Person of Christ, and ask his help in solving them conformably to the orthodox view.

Mrs. Besant seems to have been influenced by powerful reasons in thus seeking the guidance and help of Dr. Pusey. She was under the constraint of an intense longing to find intellectual rest. Her life had been one of weary conflict with distressing doubts concerning most momentous subjects; and she felt it was now high time that some clear and restful views were attained respecting Him whose name and influence were indelibly impressed on Christendom. Then, she had been a member of the Church of England, the wife of a clergyman, and so far as party feeling and preference had had sway, she was, in name and by customary worship, attached to the High Church section. It was thus only natural that, in seeking aid, she should turn her thoughts towards the section of the Church of England with which she was in sympathy; and as Dr. Pusey was in her judgment its most distinguished representative, and had, by his writings, taught her for many years, and "in former days" wielded over her " a great influence," it was most proper that she should endeavour to secure the benefit of his sympathy and advice at this critical juncture. Her confidence in his character and ability was such as to induce the conviction that if there was any man in the world who could, by the reasons he adduced, lead her to a full and unreserved acceptance of the doctrine of the Deity of Christ, that man was Dr. Pusey. Referring to her difficulties she says, "If he resolved them for me, I should escape the trouble I foresaw; if he could not resolve them, then, no answer to them was to be hoped for." Thus she staked her entire future on the ability of one man. It was a desperate venture. How much of reason and how much of wild passion there was in it must be left to the calm judgment of men.

The narrative given of Dr. Pusey's bearing and conduct is in Mrs. Besant's own words. After referring to certain correspondence with him in which it appears he had recommended a course of reading and finally agreed to an interview, she says, "He treated me as a penitent going

to confession, seeking the advice of a director, not as an inquirer struggling after truth, and resolved to find some firm standing ground in the sea of doubt, whether on the shores of orthodoxy or of heresy. He would not deal with the question of the Deity of Christ as a question of argument: he reminded me, 'You are speaking of your judge' when I pressed some question and asked him if he could recom

mend me any books that would throw light upon the subject: 'No, no, you have read too much already. You must pray, you must pray.' Then, as I said I could not believe without proof, I was told, 'Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed'; and my further questioning him was checked by the murmur, O my child, how undisciplined! how impatient!'"' The rest of the narrative I give entire on account of its graphic form and touching character.

"AT YOUR PERIL YOU REJECT IT!'

It is your duty to

"It is not your duty to ascertain the truth,' he told me sternly. accept and believe the truth as laid down by the Church; at your peril you reject it; the responsibility is not yours so long as you dutifully accept what the Church has laid down for your acceptance. Did not the Lord promise that the presence of the Spirit should be ever with His Church, to guide her into all truth?'

"But the fact of the promise and its value are the very points on which I'am doubtful,' I answered.

"He shuddered. 'Pray, pray,' he said; 'Father, forgive her, for she knows not what she says.'

"It was in vain I urged I had everything to gain and nothing to lose by following his directions, but that it seemed to me that fidelity to truth forbade a pretended acceptance of that which was not believed.

"Everything to lose? Yes, indeed. You will be lost for time and lost for eternity.' "Lost or not,' I rejoined, 'I must and will find out what is true, and I will not believe until I am sure.'

"You have no right to make terms with God,' he answered, 'as to what you will believe and what you will not believe. You are full of intellectual pride.'

"I FORBID YOU TO SPEAK OF YOUR DISBELIEF.'

"I sighed hopelessly. Little feeling of pride was there in me just then, and I felt that in this rigid unyielding dogmatism there was no comprehension of my difficulties, no help for my strugglings. I rose, and, thanking him for his courtesy, said that I would not waste his time further, that I must go home and just face the difficulties out, openly leaving the Church and taking the consequences. Then for the first time his serenity was ruffled.

"I forbid you to speak of your disbelief,' he cried; 'I forbid you to lead into your own lost state the souls for whom Christ died.'

Slowly and sadly I took my way back to the railway station, knowing that my last chance of escape had failed me."

There can be no doubt but that Christian men of all denominations and shades of belief have already passed silent judgment on the whole case as presented by Mrs. Besant herself. The question has been asked and in the privacy of individual minds has been answered, Was Dr. Pusey right or wrong in his treatment of Mrs. Besant? How far is her subsequent departure from all faith to be ascribed to herself, or how far to the particular conduct and bearing at this critical juncture of Dr. Pusey? Now, it seems. to me that there are two considerations that should moderate our judgment: