nosticism.

'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is a hopeless poverty.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they know not whether they shall see
God. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, for ye
have no promise of a heavenly reward.

'Enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut the door, keep silence,
for thou canst not tell whether there is One to hear thy voice in
secret. Take no thought for the morrow, for thou knowest not whether
there is a Father who careth for thee.

'God is unknown, and they that worship Him must worship Him in ignorance
and doubt. No man hath ascended up into heaven, neither hath any man
come down from heaven, for the Son of Man hath never been in heaven.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the
spirit is a dream. Man shall not live by bread alone, neither shall he
listen for any word from the mouth of God. I proceeded forth and came
from darkness, I came of myself, I know not who sent me. My sheep hear
my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, but I can not give unto
them eternal life, for they shall perish and death shall pluck them out
of my hand. Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe not in God, ye
need not believe in me. Keep my commandments, and I will not pray for
you, and ye shall abide without a Comforter. In the world ye shall have
tribulation, but be of good cheer, for ye know not whether there is a
world to come. I came forth from darkness into the world, and again I
leave the world and return to darkness. Peace I leave with you. If ye
loved me ye would rejoice because I said, I go into darkness, and where
I am there shall ye be also.'

Is it conceivable that any suffering, sorrowing human soul should be
comforted and strengthened by such a message as this? Could it possibly
be called a gospel, glad tidings of great joy to all people?

And yet what has been omitted here from the words of Christ? Nothing but
what men call doctrines: the personality of God, the divinity of Christ,
the Atonement, the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the
sovereignty of the Heavenly Father, the truth of the divine revelation,
the reality of the heavenly world, the assurance of immortal life. But
it is just from these doctrines that the teaching of Jesus draws its
peculiar power to comfort and inspire. They are the rays of light which
disperse the gloom of uncertainty. They are the tones of celestial music
which fill the hear