Replenished from the East
By T.
It has not been many years since we were sure that the "civilization" of this time, and particularly as it was manifested in its finest fruitage in this country, had carried us far beyond any of the mystic and superstitious religions of the Orient. But we have seen Christian Science come forward and claim its adherents by the hundreds of thousands. Christian Science is simply another phase or guise of the mystic religions of India; but men and women of culture and education have taken hold of it simply, and often solely, because it relieves them from that class of disease that is all in the imagination. It does not cure real consumption nor set broken bones; it can go no further than to tell you that your consumption is all "a delusion of mortal mind." And if it turns out that all the consumption you have is in your imagination, why, of course, you can proclaim yourself well, because you have not in reality been sick. But the mystic vagaries of Christian Science can not satisfy all minds. And so we are having an epidemic in some parts of the country now of "Bahaism." The philosophy of Baha is "the brotherhood of man," as if there was anything new in that doctrine. But there is a mystic air about the prophet from India that furnishes food for the superstitions of the people, and so they flock to him. And the curious thing about it all is that they think they are advancing to higher planes of culture and living when they step under his banner. Men of standing in the official world, and women of education and social distinction are brought under the hypnotic spell of the Oriental mystic. If men would read and believe their Bibles, they would know better than to be led away by any of these mystic cults. For God's Word has plainly said: "For Thou hast forsaken Thy people the house of Jacob, because they are filled with customs from the East; and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. And their land is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land also is full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots." Then in a time when the land is full of silver and gold, and when there is no end to the horses and chariots — and chariots would certainly include automobiles and the like — the people will be filling themselves with "customs from the East," and will be soothsayers. And if the time when the scripture applies is not clear, we need only to read the first part of the chapter from which the text is taken. There it is definitely stated that the prophet is viewing what "shall come to pass in the last days." It is intensely interesting as well as assuring to find that the prophecies go so minutely into detail as to tell us of those who in the last days will be turning to the old religions of the East in filling themselves with their customs. It is also both interesting and assuring to find that these predictions are being so literally fulfilled. It enables one to know where we are in the world's history, and also to understand that the prophets of old actually foresaw the conditions that exist to-day. And this is only one of the many predictions that have foretold the actual conditions and doings of this time. The grand old Book is very specific and definite in telling what we will see in the world when the last generation is reached. The studies that should engage our attention the most, are the prophecies contained in the Book which also discloses the divine plan of salvation. T.