Dr. Wilfred Thomason Grenfell h.'09 gave the first of the four William Belden Noble lectures on "The Adventure of Life" in Sanders Theatre last evening. Dr. Grenfell prefaced his lecture with a few words on the sturdy Christian character of William Belden Noble. The key note of his lecture might be said to be an appeal to accept Christianity on faith as a guide to the highest welfare of life. When still a young man Dr. Grenfell came to realize what for him were the three great adventures of life--"the mere living," the medical profession, and a Christian faith carried out in service.

While in a hospital in London Dr. Grenfell first became convinced of the stupendous value of knowledge, in that it gives power to do great things; this is especially clear in the medical profession where so much depends on skill and learning. At this same period it was brought home very forcibly to him that free will must be exercised in seeking knowledge, above all knowledge of religion, and that great faith lies at the bottom of religion. Those who oppose Christianity most vigorously today are those who have never had the faith to try it; a man who refuses to accept Christianity has done one of three things: he has never faced himself squarely, he has never investigated for himself, or he has never been a man at all. "Unfaith" is too often the synonym of "don't want to" and not "can't." Dr. Grenfell showed how many of the noblest things in life must be taken as such on faith, even those things which seem entirely unreasonable. In this connection he cited numerous examples from his Labrador experiences with fishermen,--rough, brutal men, opposed to all that was harmonious in life, whose lives had been completely changed by their faith in Christ. Today men stigmatize as fanatics even those who are benefited by their faith; surely such scoffers are fools in their ignorance. Since faith has been so unanimously approved, certainly it is not irrational to say "Lord, I believe; help Thou my unbelief."

Dr. Grenfell will give his second lecture in Sanders Theatre tomorrow evening at 8.15 o'clock. This lecture will be open to members of the University and to the public.