Two considerations give to such an inquiry a peculiar interest and encouragement. In the first place, as is evident from what has been already Closer to the modern social spirit, more exegetical in character, and for the general student a sufficient guide, is the thorough and discriminating book of Shailer Mathews, "The Social Teaching of Jesus," 1897. (Compare also his article in the American Journal of Sociology, January, 1900, "The Christian Church and Social Unity.")

Of German literature, specifically devoted to this subject, the only comprehensive work lately produced is the learned but conservative book of M. von Nathusius, "Die Mitarbeit der Kirche an der Lösung der sozialen Frage," 2. Aufl., 1897; see also his “Christlich-soziale Ideen der Reformationszeit,” 1897. Of less systematic German studies may be named: Schmidt-Warneck, "Die sozialen Verhältnisse und die ethischen Grundgedanken des Evangeliums," 1891; Uhlhorn, "Vermischte Vorträge über kirchliches Leben," 1875 (s. 353 ff., “Zur sozialen Frage"); Böhmer, "Brennende Zeit- und Streitfragen der Kirche," 1898; Sabatier, "Die Religion und die moderne Kultur" (übersetzt aus dem Französischen), 1898; Russland, “Die Wirtschaftspolitik des Vaterunsers,” 1895.

Further should be noticed the increasing emphasis on the social aspects of the gospel in the general works of New Testament interpretation: .g. Wendt, "The Teaching of Jesus" (tr. 1897); Beyschlag, "New Testament Theology" (tr. 1895); Weiss," Biblical Theology of New Testament" (tr. 1882), I, 62 ff.; Bruce, "The Kingdom of God," 1891; and Gilbert, "The Revelation of Jesus,” 1899.

Here also may be named less formal studies of the influences of Christianity on modern life: e.g. Fairbairn, "The Place of Christ in Modern Theology," p. 515 ff.; and his "Religion in History and in Modern Life," 1894, Lect. III; Gore, "The Social Doctrine of the Sermon on the Mount" (Economic Review, April, 1892); Rade, "Die Religion im modernen Geistesleben," 1898, and his "Religion und Moral," 1898; Söderblom, "Die Religion und die soziale Entwickelung," 1898; Church, "Christ's Words and Christian Society," in his "Gifts of Civilization," 1880, p. 39; G. Hodges,

said, we here approach the one subject in Christian teaching where, on both sides of the present social issue, there is sincere appreciation and reverence. The theology of Christianity, as the slightest glance at its present tendency will indicate, is laying aside its confidence in metaphysical definitions and elaborate formulas, and with a new humility of mind is turning to the simpler task of interpreting and perpetuating the teaching of Jesus Christ. "The Church hears none but Christ," said the earlier and broader statement of this return to the gospels; the modern spirit, with more simplicity, inquires, "What would Jesus say?" To follow Christ, even though one cannot adequately define him; to be, not of those who name his name alone, but of those who desire to do his will; to direct the life of one's own soul and the life of the world in ways of which Jesus might say, "Well done, good and faithful servant," these principles, to the modern Christian, are not incidental to the Christian life, but are the essence of

"Faith and Social Service," 1896; E. W. Donald, "The Expansion of Religion," 1898; R. T. Ely, "Social Aspects of Christianity," 1889; J. Ll. Davies, "The Gospel of Modern Life," 1875, and his "Social Questions," 1885; "The Message of Christ to Manhood," Noble Lectures, 1895; Flint, "Socialism," 1895 (supplementary note, "The Church's Call to study Social Questions," p. 493 ff.); Washington Gladden, "Applied Christianity," 1886, and his "Tools and the Man," 1893; Westcott, "Social Aspects of Christianity," 1887; Harris, “Moral Evolution,” 1896, Ch. IX and X; Drummond, “Via, Veritas, Vita,” The Hibbert Lectures for 1894, Lect. VI, p. 209 ff.; Lyman Abbott, "Christianity and Social Problems," 1897.

it; and this discernment and obedience, even when accompanied by a high degree of ignorance as to the interior nature of the Godhead and the purposes of the Infinite, may still, it is now widely believed, receive the great word of acceptance, "Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace." "1

And if it is thus true that the imitation of Christ has supplanted opinion about Christ as the test of Christian discipleship, it is equally true, on the other hand, that the social movement also has reached a point of peculiar reverence for the person of Jesus. Inadequate and superficial as may be the estimate on which this reverence is based, it gives a point of contact between the Church and the world. The ecclesiastics may argue their claim to authority, and the theologians may devise their systems of orthodoxy; yet all these assumptions and deliberations will wholly fail to impress the people of the trades-unions, or the social democracy of the city slums. Let the social teaching of the gospels, however, be told ever so simply with its tender summons, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden," 2 with its test of discipleship, "Inasmuch did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me,' "3 and the heavy

as ye

laden and those who are least in the modern world become responsive to the teaching, and touched with reverence for the person whom they thus dimly discern. Hopeless, therefore, as one may

1 Luke vii. 50.

2 Matt. xi. 28.

8 Matt. xxv. 40, 41.

be of coming to any understanding with the social movement through the prevailing methods of Christianity, there is still ground for hope that the teaching of Jesus may have new adaptations to the need of the new time. The talk of the churches is for the most part in a language as unintelligible as Hebrew to the modern hand-worker; but in the teaching of Jesus he seems to hear the welcome accents of a familiar tongue. A common reverence may beget a mutual understanding. The Christian believer and the social reformer may perhaps meet each other as they both approach the simplicity which is in Christ.1

To this characteristic of the present inquiry must be added a further encouraging consideration. The problem to which we are invited, of determining the relation of the teaching of Jesus to the special needs of the real world, is in its nature not, as may be supposed, a new problem, but a continually recurring one. Each period in civilization has had, in turn, its own peculiar interest and its own spiritual demands, and each, in turn, following its own path back to the teaching of Jesus, has found there what seemed an extraordinary adaptation of that teaching to immediate issues and needs. This is one of the most surprising traits of the

1 Göhre, "Drei Monate Fabrikarbeiter," 1891, s. 190. "Only one quality (of religion) remains - respect and reverence for Jesus Christ. It is, indeed, a new picture of Jesus of Nazareth. He lacks the supernatural light in his eyes, the divinity assigned to him by the theologians is a subject for smiles; . . . but they all stand reverently and quiet before his great personality."

gospel. It seems to each age to have been written for the sake of the special problems which at the moment appear most pressing. As each new transition in human interest occurs, the teaching of Jesus seems to possess new value. In one age the focus of human interest was at that point where the Greek mind met the Hebrew tradition, and developed the beginning of Christian theology; and to that age there spoke the great sayings of Jesus concerning his relation to the Father, as though the determination of the place of Jesus in theology were the essence of the gospel. To another age, absorbed in ecclesiastical development, the teaching of Jesus seemed specially directed to establishing the organization of the Church. This illumination of each view and tendency is felt in turn by each modern student of the gospels as he considers from some fresh point of view the teaching of Jesus. One scholar, on the watch - as was Renan for the picturesque and Oriental traits of a Galilean peasant, finds in the visionary hopes of such a youth a key to the teaching of Jesus; another scholar, with the habit of mind of a constitutional historian, sees in the teaching of Jesus primarily the work of the framer of a constitution, and defines his mission as "the rise of a monarchy, the purest and most ideal that has ever existed among men";1 still another scholar, profoundly impressed by the note of melancholy and despair which is heard in modern literature, turns again to

1 "Ecce Homo," Ch. X, "Christ's Legislation."