Notes on Current Religious Topics
By Editor
THOSE of our readers who study the International S. S. lessons will notice that there are two lessons covered this week. This is for the purpose of accommodating our readers throughout the East. THE California Christian Advocate speaks of the noble contest which the late Dr. Dollinger made at the "Vatican Council, when he opposed the decree of papal infallibility." While Dr. Dollinger did oppose the dogma, he was not at the council, and most of his opposition came subsequent to that time. THE Primitive Catholic gives to Protestant parents the following piece of advice,—advice which the past history has demonstrated to be always good:— "Your only salvation is in sending your children to Protestant schools. It is a cold day for Protestantism when she has to send her little ones to Rome, the foster-mother of ignorance, to be educated." WE noticed something like a year ago the "World's Missionary Conference Report," a work of two volumes, giving a complete report of the great London Missionary Conference, and many interesting facts and statistics concerning missions, making the work quite an encyclopedia. A friend of missions has now contributed largely for its wide circulation, and authorizes Fleming H. Revell to send the two volumes, of over five hundred pages each, post-paid, to any Protestant minister on receipt of only $1.50. It is surely a splendid offer, and we are glad to give it this notice. Address Fleming H. Revell, 12 Bible House, Astor Place, New York City. THE temperance crusades of the women are changing color as the W. C. T. U. have more to do with politics. When they first began, through the power of prayer to God and persuasion to men, saloons were closed, men were converted, and whisky was poured into the gutter. But in Lathrop, Missouri, lately, the women entered on another kind of crusade. They did not pray or weep, but became indignant, smashed the doors of two law-breaking saloonists, poured whisky and brandy into the gutter, and set it on fire. Something like $1,000 worth was destroyed. The change illustrates the changing spirit of the age. We believe, however, that the praying crusade was the better one. THE short-sightedness of what is called Scripture interpretation is well illustrated by the following from an exchange:— "Any theory that teaches that the saints will be taken to heaven at the coming of the Son of man is speculative. Here are a few texts that forever explode that notion: 'Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me; and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go ye cannot come; so now I say to you.' John 13:33. 'The righteous shall never be removed; but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.' Prov. 10:30. These scriptures positively declare that we cannot go where Christ has gone, and that we shall never be removed from the earth." If the one who wrote that text from John had but read three verses farther on, he would have found there the words of Christ: "Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards." He tells us when in the next chapter, namely, at his second advent. These saints John sees in heaven. Rev. 14: 1-4; 15: 2, 3; 19: 1. And as to the righteous, after they enter their inheritance they shall never be moved, but that will not be until the wicked are cut off (Ps. 37: 29, 34), which will be at the end of the one thousand years (Rev. 20: 13-15). A PERSON who signs herself "Mrs. Dr. Merrill" writes us that the Lord has revealed to her that he is coming next spring, and that he has also shown her that the Bible was true. We need no revelation to show us that the Bible is true, and the truth of the Bible shows that all those who "set times" for the Lord's coming are not in harmony with the truth. No man (or woman) knoweth the day or the hour. The Bible being true, it follows that "Mrs. Dr. Merrill" is false. The SIGNS OF THE TIMES and the people it represents have not, nor ever have had, any sympathy with such fanaticism. It is only the efforts of the wicked one to cast reproach on the advent message. THE following from the Churchman will be of special interest to those so-called Protestants who are advocating the transfer of the week of prayer to the Lenten season, for the reason that many would observe it then who are at other times too much engaged in the pursuit of pleasure and business:— "It is a poor commentary on the result of Lenten services to see the week-day prayers and celebrations so slimly attended as soon as Easter is over. Lent lasts for forty days, about one-ninth of the year, and while it goes on people seem to think that they can pay off their religious scores by accumulation, and often weary themselves, and upset the order of their lives, by attempts at extraordinary devotion. Unless, however, the devotions of Lent produce habits of devotion all the year round, we should be inclined to doubt their efficacy. Prayer and holy communion must absorb time and attention all the year round, or it is useless to have resorted so frequently to them in Lent. In fact, it is quite possible that the excitements and exertions of the Lent season chiefly produce no fruit in spiritualizing lives, because they lead to no fixed habits of religion after Lent has past. Lent is in danger of being overdone, as everything is overdone in these days, and it is certainly overdone if it leads to religious lassitude, weariness of the sanctuary, and distaste for week-day worship from Easter to Ash Wednesday." THE Union Signal of February 13 makes several quotations from the first number of Mr. William T. Stead's Review of Reviews, published in London, Eng. Mr. Stead believes in a good time coming, when there will be a grand federation of English-speaking people, and also a United States of Europe. What hinders this now is this: "The religious side of politics has not yet entered the minds of men." And we say in truth, Woe be to the world when that time comes. This happy result is to be brought about, however, and Christianity is to show forth among the nations through the following:— "Men and women must work for the salvation of the State with as much zeal and self-sacrifice as they now work for the salvation of the individual." And how will they save the State? Will the State repent, confess its sins, make reparation of all its unjust gains, believe, and be baptized? And when it is "saved," will it be taken to heaven? This salvation of the State, of which so much is said, is a deception. The duty of the church and of Christians is to save men and women out from the world. While in the world, they are not to be of the world. Every step in the direction of religion in the State only carries that State so much nearer the Dark Ages, and places so much more power in the hands of that system—the Papacy—which knows so well how to use every advantage gained.