A Popular overseas preacher recently ford students of O.U.: "The believer in God has no real proof: his belief must always be a hypothesis. He must live by faith as there is no other way of living..."

Now a hypothesis is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as a "supposition made as a basis for responding, reference to its truth" and a "groundless assumption." If it difficult to see. If the preacher thought we have nothing more than a groundless assumption for the existence of God, why he came to N.Z. as an evengalist or why anyone should be asked to believe is or, live in accordence with, a more supposition.

But if there is one fact of which we can he absolutely certain, it is the existence of God. St. Paul in his spite to the Romans wrote. "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seas—His everlasting power also and divinity—to they (the pagans) are without excuse, seeing that, although they knew God, they did not glority Him as God or give thanks." The classic mataphysical proofs of the existence of God are perfectly conclusive. This is not the place to repeat them; they are available is dose as of books, many of them in the college library: Vol I of the Dominican translation of the "Summa Theologics:" "The Existence of God:" Mark Pantifax. O.S.B.: "The Existence of God." by the Anglican Eric Jay: "He Who is." by another Anglican. E. J. Mascall; Arnold Lynn. "Now I See:" Frazk Sheed. "Theology and Samity." M. C. D'Arcy. S.J., "Reason and Belief."

Too many people regard Christianity only as a way of life, and not as a system of thought as well; and too many people have not realised that a belief which is based on reason is independent of emotional changes of temperature. Much misery has been caused by the doctrine that Christianity is worthless unless it is the product of a conversion consisting of a vivid religious experience. Many a young person has lost his faith because he tried to capture the "feeling" which he firmly believes should come with prayer.

Even the greatest revivalist. John Wesley. warned his followers against a contempt for reason. "You are in danger of anthusiam." he wrote to a lay preacher. "Every hour...If you despise or lightly esteem reason, knowledge or human learning: every see of which is an excellent gift of God, and may serve the noblest purposes. I advise you never to use the words, wisdom, reason or knowledge by way of speech. On the contrary pray that you may abound in them more and more."