THERE is in the thought of mortals an inherent belief that man has fallen from his original perfection as the child of God into a state of imperfection and sin, and that he has thus been separated from his creator. The fear which accompanies this belief, and also the undying love in the human heart for the good and true, have impelled mankind to seek a means of escape from evil, and to find God, the source of all reality. Throughout the ages, primitive efforts in this direction have been expressed mostly in material sacrifices, oftentimes associated with the shedding of blood, and offered to a supposedly angry and punishing god as atonement for sin. Thus a doctrine of atonement forms part of the fundamental teaching not only of Christianity, but almost invariably of religions in general.
The Christian is convinced that the Bible contains God's message to humanity, and that all may turn to its sacred pages for support, comfort, healing, and for enlightenment on the most vital of all questions, namely, deliverance from evil.
Christianity is founded on the teaching and demonstration of Christ Jesus, who thus marked out the way of salvation for all mankind. It has to be admitted, however, that so-called orthodox Christian teachings regarding mankind's redemption have not been satisfying to many in theory and in practice. The vital and practical import of Jesus' life, up to the hour of his trial and triumph on Calvary, has not been fully or scientifically apprehended.
