3658 — Character and Phrenology
By Editor
Can a person's traits of character be correctly given by applying the rules given by phrenologists and physiognomists? And if what these "ists" say is true, is it not then easier for some persons to lead honorable, yea, Christian lives than it is for some others? and as we have not shaped ourselves, can it then be just of God to require similar obedience and faithfulness of every person? Is it not much harder for some to get saved than it is for others? All of this might be measurably true if man were to be saved by his own works, or by his own power. But this we know is not the case. Every soul, if saved at all, must be saved through the grace and power of God, "for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved," save that of Jesus. Only by His sacrifice are we counted just. Only by the power of His Word are our characters made acceptable. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Now some are more perverse than others. Some have been taught that which is right from their very infancy. But the mere teaching will not save them. The whole secret of harmonizing this condition of things set forth by our correspondent is given in the text, "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that [that is, that saving] not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." Rom. 5:20; Eph. 2:8. God bestows the riches of His grace abundantly, but "in all wisdom and prudence." Eph. 1:7, 8. Therefore what matters it whether we are great sinners or little sinners, whether we have formed an ugly character or are novices in sinning? God's grace is sufficient. The sin may be crimson and scarlet; the grace will wash it away and transform the character. "Ye must be born from above," are the words of our Saviour. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature [a new creation]," are the words of St. Paul. And when God makes the new creation, He makes it—it matters not whether the soul is saturated with sin, or whether he may be called a "little sinner." Peter's wife's mother may not have been very sick of a fever when Jesus touched her, but the fever left her. The leper was sick and corrupt all through and through when Jesus touched him, but immediately his leprosy was cleansed. It depends on our simple faith in grasping His almighty promise, "not of ourselves," "lest any man should boast." And the truth of all this is demonstrated again and again in Christian life. How often do we see the worst sort of sinners come to the Lord Jesus Christ, and from that time on live lives of faithfulness commended by all their neighbors and friends; while on the other hand, here is one who half prides himself in his goodness and benevolence of character, who has never known the depths of sin, and yet professes Christ, but leads a halting, stumbling life all through. The one saw his need, and grasped Christ for it all. The other only seemed to see that half of him needed a Saviour. The whole secret of Christianity lies in our absolute and utter need, and that Christ meets all that need. And that is more than all phrenology, or physiognomy, or any other psychic science can do for us. At the very best, they make very lame and inadequate diagnoses. The Bible gives us one that is thorough and full, and with it, also, the remedy.