The scepticism of the age strikes deep. It asks not merely, Is the Bible inspired? but, Have we a Bible? It not only questions whether a miracle is possible; it demands whether the Christian religion is supernatural. It not simply seeks to know whether Christ made an atonement; it inquires, Is there a God? It examines less the question of the doctrine of future punishment than the more fundamental question, Is there a future?
How wide-spread is this questioning of the corner-stone of Christianity cannot be said with precision. But it pervades, at least to some degree, the educated classes of the community. It is indicated in papers, in the Nineteenth Century, and other magazines. It is evidenced in the popularity of Mr. Mallock's "Is Life Worth Living?" It is voiced in discussions in philosophical societies and literary clubs. Of the spread of this scepticism among the rank and file of the community, also there can be no doubt. "Materialism," remarks a keen English writer, "has already begun to show its effects on human conduct and on society." [Goldwin Smith, in Macmillan, January, 1877.]
This questioning is in cases a mere cry, and, like all cries, impulsive and aimless. It is as Tennyson sings, "In Memoriam;"
