Earlier text: General Articles"Evolution" and Evolution.
By A. T. J.
Or those who have read, attentively, these articles on Evolution, and those on Geology which preceded these, no one can fail to see the striking similarity in the essential characteristics, and the manner of treatment, of the two so-called sciences, as drawn from the writings of their most eminent representatives. To carve this, as it were, in bold relief, on the brazen faces of these two sciences, we present the following:— In the Independent of May 27, 1880, appeared an article by President Gregory, of Lake Forest University, Ill., on the question, "Is Evolution Science?" in which occurred the following quotation, and comment:— "Take, as illustration of the quality of the so-called science, the well-known passage from Mr. Darwin: 'The early progenitors of man were, no doubt, covered with hair, both sexes having beards. Their ears were pointed and capable of movement, and their bodies were provided with a tail. . . . The foot . . . was prehensile, and our progenitors, no doubt, were arboreal in their habits, frequenting some warm, forest-clad land. . . . At an earlier period the progenitors of man must have been aquatic in their habits.'" "When men laud this as 'advanced science,' we have to say that it is a double 'no doubt,' and a 'must have been' resting on a hypothesis which is conceivable, but has not a fact to support it. We protest, in the name of sound thinking, against the almighty must-be-ity with which the evolutionist constructs his system; and we do it for the same reason that we protest against the equally patent must-be-ity and per se-ity of the speculative philosophers and theologians. . . . Let us have real science, and not sham science." Now we present for comparison with the above from "Darwin's Descent of Man," an extract from Geikie's Geology, and see whether President Gregory's "protest" will not lie with equal weight against each. The third paragraph under Part III., Dynamical Geology, reads as follows:— "At an early time in the earth's history, anterior to any of the periods of which a record remains in the visible rocks, the chief sources of geological action probably [italics ours] lay within the earth itself. The planet still retained a great store of its initial heat, and in all likelihood, was the theater of great chemical changes, giving rise, perhaps, to manifestations of volcanic energy somewhat like those which have so marvelously roughened the surface of the moon. As the outer layers of the globe cooled, and the disturbances due to internal heat and chemical action became less marked, the influence of the sun, which must always have operated, would then stand out more clearly, giving rise to that wide circle of superficial changes wherein variations of temperature and the circulation of air and water over the surface of the earth came into play." So on this we too would say, "When men laud this as 'advanced science,' we have to say that it is simply 'a "probability" linked with a "likelihood" and sustained by a "perhaps," and all supported by a "must have operated," with not a fact to underlie any of it, because it is all concerning periods of which there is no "visible record." In the words of President Gregory, "we protest, in the name of sound thinking, against the almighty "probabilities," and "perhaps'," and "must have's," with which the geologist, as well as the evolutionist, constructs his system." And with him we say, "Let us have real science, and not sham science." We would not be understood as being, in the slightest degree, opposed to true science. On the contrary, we will yield to none in genuine admiration of science; but it must be "real science, and not sham science,"—a science which, when it says "doubtless," means doubtless in its absolute sense of having removed all doubt by sound reasoning and demonstrative evidence; and not as it is used by the "falsely so-called" science of our day, simply to give expression to a whole system of doubt. The truth is, that the most charming book, the Bible always excepted, of course, that we have ever had the pleasure of reading, is the most profoundly scientific book that we ever read. That is, "Maury's Physical Geography of the Sea." He does not deal much in such terms, but when he does say "doubtless," it is doubtless. As an illustration of what we regard as genuine science, we give the following from Lieutenant Maury's treatise, sections 88-93:— In December, 1853, the fine new steamship, San Francisco, sailed from New York bound for California with a regiment of United States troops on board. While crossing the Gulf Stream she was overtaken by a fearful gale, and by one single blow of a terrible sea, one hundred and seventy-nine persons,—officers and men,—were washed overboard and drowned, and the ship so crippled that she was simply adrift. The next day she was seen by a vessel, and again the next day by another; but neither of these could render any assistance, and so she was left still adrift. When these two ships reached the United States, they reported the matter; and vessels were sent out by the Government to search for and relieve the drifting ship. But the questions were, Which way should they go? and where should they look? Appeal was made to Maury, and he, sitting in the National Observatory, prepared a chart of the Gulf Stream for that time of year, and from a point where the disabled ship was last seen, he drew, as it were, upon the waters of the trackless ocean, two slightly diverging lines, thus, and said that the ship had drifted between them. Then one of the relief cutters, which was at New London, Conn., was told to go along a dotted line between these two lines, thus, to the last dot, and there she would see the object of her search. And right in sight of that very place the disabled ship was found. (For full particulars see the work referred to.) That was science in the fullest sense. When evolution can show such accuracy as that, it may lay claim to being a science; but it is entitled to no such claim as long as "facts can in no way interfere with the theory." And yet Lieutenant Maury was so much a lover of God and the Bible that he saw God's greatness manifested in every and all of the winds, currents, and creatures of the air and the ocean, and constantly found the beautiful truths of the Bible, most beautifully demonstrated in the "wind in his circuits," and by the rivers which "run into the sea," as well as in the "sweet influences of Pleiades," and held his reverence for the Bible at such a height that in one instance at least, and which he has recorded, he actually gave up, entirely, a generally accepted theory, because, for one reason, as he himself says, "I found evidence in the Bible which seems to cast doubt upon it." And so, like the true scientist that he was, he gave up the human theory, adopted the view that the Bible seemed to present, and soon demonstrated it as a scientific truth, although it was in direct opposition to one of the most eminent geologists of the day. That is the kind of science that we love; because, being based on the truth of God, it is a part of the truth of God itself. And so, consequently, when men depart from the truth of God as recorded in nature, we can expect nothing else than, as we think is plainly shown by the evidence of this series of articles, that they will depart from the truth of God as recorded in revelation. But as evolution, with all its "no doubts" and "must have been's" has never been able to give, as Mr. Darwin says, an explanation of the "loss of the tail" by "man," so on the other hand, geology with all its "probabilities," etc., cannot tell whether its changes have been wrought by the means conjectured, or by other, and totally different means and at the same time much more rapidly than is allowed in any of the calculations of geologists. And therefore we, as evolutionists, are willing to admit as a "working hypothesis" that man, as man, was created, and created, without a tail. And as geologists, we will admit as a "working hypothesis" that "once upon a time" "the windows from on high were opened, and the fountains of the great deep were broken up," and that "a flood of waters covered the whole face of the earth." And the "probabilities" are, "no doubt," that, "in all likelihood," we, as evolutionists and geologists, "must be" just as near right about these things as "perhaps" are the evolutionists and geologists of the "advanced science" school. But that geology and evolution are essentially alike, is not all. Evolution is absolutely dependent upon geology. Without geology, evolution can have no place. Proof:— "The high antiquity of man, . . . is the indispensable basis for understanding his origin."—Darwin, Descent of Man, Vol. 1, p. 3, Appleton's Edition of 1871. So geological science goes before and gives to the earth, all the way from ten millions to ten thousand millions, of years of growth and development, and thus the course is laid wide open, and the field entirely cleared, so that there is nothing to obstruct, in the slightest degree, the wildest flights of even the evolutionary imagination. Thus geological science furnishes to the full, the element of "high antiquity" which is demanded as "the indispensable basis" of evolution. Then evolutionary science follows after, and upon this "basis" builds up its atheistical structure. And thus the two "falsely so-called" sciences unite, not only to destroy faith in the word of God, but to rob the Creator of his prerogative and remove him from his throne. Geological science goes before and upon the basis of its deductions demands that we give up the first chapter of Genesis. With this as the "indispensable basis" evolution follows after, and upon its deductions demands that we give up the whole Bible. But that Book, from beginning to end, has been given to us as being, what it is in truth, the word of God, and— "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; PREACH THE WORD." 2 Tim. 4: 1, 2. "The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; the grass withereth, the flower fadeth;" "but THE WORD OF OUR GOD SHALL STAND FOREVER." A. T. J. Moral Nearsightedness
By H. C. Trumbull
"He that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near." Clear and correct eyesight is an exception in the world. Many are color-blind. Many are short-sighted. Many see imperfectly; their two eyes not seeing alike. Many, who suppose that their eyesight is good, have serious defects of vision. It is the same in the mental and moral world, as in the material. Many fail to see nice distinctions between right and wrong. Many get only a one-sided view of any truth they look at. Many cannot see a hand's-breadth ahead of them in their estimates of spiritual forces. Yet not all the morally short-sighted, and all the morally blear-eyed persons, even in the Christian church, are aware that their moral eyesight is defective. If more church-members would bring their eyes to the testing of this spiritual oculist, more of them would have evidence, beyond questioning, that they are more near-sighted, and nearer blind, than they had before suspected.—H. C. Trumbull. Typical Excellence.
By Watchman
IN purging Judah of abominable idolatries, and carrying forward other great and important reformations, King Josiah is said to have "turned not aside to the right hand or to the left." There was, in his times, a pressing demand for a straightforward reformer. The places and arrangements for idol-worship were abundant. Even in the Lord's temple were to be found "vessels made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the hosts of heaven." Idolaters stood in the two courts of the Lord, and at the very doors were stabled "the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun." Incense was burned to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets. Just beyond the eastern gate of the city were altars used for the worship of Ashtaroth, Chemosh, and Milcom, gods of the neighboring Zidonians, Moabites, and children of Ammon; while in the valley bounding the city on the south, the devotees of Moloch were offering their sons and daughters as bloody sacrifices upon the most horrible of all the altars of idolatrous worship. To the work of thorough reformation, Josiah applied himself with unyielding resoluteness. Nothing could turn him aside from his determined purpose to abolish idolatry and restore the worship of God in the desecrated temple, and throughout the ungodly land. Though a young man of scarcely more than a score of years, he engaged in the most unpopular and unwelcome of all the undertakings of his degenerate times, with a zeal which could not be dampened, and an energy that could not be in the least abated. Nothing could turn him aside from the course upon which he had conscientiously entered in his endeavors to remove existing evils of appalling magnitude. His perseverance was truly heroic. All honor to those who, like him, keep right on in the path of duty, regardless of all obstructions, so as to have for their commendation the testimony which he had, that he "turned not to the right hand or to the left." Certainly, if not obviously, more Josiahs are needed at the present time, to fearlessly do what is right in the sight of the Lord, if not of man, without turning aside to the right hand or to the left. Hardly need it be said that churches are suffering deplorably for want of the Josiah type of piety, in the general prevalence of which, among professed Christians, there would soon be seen a new era in the cause of Christ. It would work as great a reformation in Christendom as was wrought in Judah when Josiah banished multiplied idols, repaired and beautified the temple of the Lord, and restored the neglected services of Jewish worship. Piety of this stamp would introduce the most desirable changes into all religious movements, and give a new character to every Christian enterprise. Too evidently, there is not enough of unswerving devotion to the claims of Christian duty, but rather too much turning to either the right or the left, if not to both, in the discharge of the most imperative of all obligations; and thereby, religion suffers much reproach, and its prosperity is lamentably hindered. Of all worthy aims, none can properly be regarded as more worthy than that of doing right conscientiously and undeviatingly.—Watchman. Self-Made Men.
By Methodist Recorder
WE sometimes hear a great deal about self-made men. The fact is, every man that amounts to anything, it matters not what his capabilities or opportunities, is a self-made man. Capacity and opportunity never made any man great or good. A man's capacity must be developed and his opportunities improved before either of these results can be attained, and this is a work that devolves upon himself. One man, it matters not what efforts he may make, cannot develop the talents and improve the opportunities of another. Every man must build up his own character, and determine his own destiny. He may be greatly assisted in this, but without his own efforts all assistance will be in vain. This is as true in the Christian life as it is in everything else. Hence the apostle exhorts us to build ourselves up on our most holy faith. Christ, the great author and finisher of our faith, is the only true foundation on which we must build; and, building on this foundation, in the faithful use of the means which God has ordained, we must cultivate all the virtues and develop all the graces of the Christian character, if we would attain to the full stature of a man in Christ Jesus. Notwithstanding all the aids, human and divine, that may be afforded a man, the development of his Christian character ultimately devolves upon himself. Individual effort, individual responsibility, and individual destiny are inseparably connected. A man is usually influenced by his environments, but notwithstanding this, he is at last what he makes himself. He possesses a self-determining power that fixes his character and destiny. How important that this power be properly exercised.—Methodist Recorder. THE last instrument through which to try to get a comprehensive idea of any large object is the microscope. It does not take more than the fractional part of such an object to cover the whole field of vision; and while the larger part of what you would see is wholly hidden, the single point that you do see is exaggerated into something thousands of times larger than it really is. Above all do not try to get a comprehensive view of a man through a microscope. To gain that, you must stand off at a sufficient distance to include the whole man in your range of vision, and to let every limb and every feature fall into due proportion. But if you turn your microscopic keenness of vision upon a single point in the man's make-up—some surface fault of habit, some slight defect of mind or spirit—you will find that that single point, enlarged beneath your microscopic examination, will fill your whole field of vision, and will shut out the whole and real man. You cannot come to know a man in that way. You may know the pathology of the mole on his cheek, and be learned in the history of the wart upon his hand, but to know the wart and the mole, however accurately, is not to know the man. And, after all, it does not argue either singular breadth of vision or singular depth of insight to lose sight of the man in your view of the magnified wart which really bears as much relation to the whole man as the scratch on the precipice does to the whole mountain.—S. S. Times. Preaching on Boston Common.
By New York Examiner
Our New York brethren will be shocked, in common with all good people in Boston, to learn that the great preacher, Dr. A. J. Gordon, in whose character and services we have taken an honorable pride, has been brought as a criminal before our Municipal Court, and fined ten dollars for a breach of the peace. What can be expected of inmates of the slums when ministers of the highest standing are guilty of such gross offenses! But it is some relief to know that the city of Boston is at fault and not the preacher. One would not suppose it possible that in the nineteenth century, under the shadow of Bunker Hill, in the city that struck the first blow for independence, free speech can be a civil crime. But, with Catholic priests and Irish saloon keepers ruling our government, it is made a crime to preach the gospel on the Common, and for this mortal sin Dr. Gordon was arrested and fined. Patrick Henry ought to come from the grave to defend him, as the Baptist ministers of Virginia were defended a century ago, when indicted for the crime "of preaching the gospel of the blessed God." The great orator had only to read the indictment three times with his impressive utterance, when the judge, shuddering with a cold sweat, shouted, "Sheriff, release the prisoners at the bar," and all attempts to strangle free preaching in Virginia ended. Boston may see a new revolution if such an infamous law is sustained by the courts. An appeal was taken to a higher court, and all good citizens will await the decision with anxiety.—New York Examiner. WE live in times of growth. In the mediæval years, the progress of knowledge and of civilization was so slow that a man might in his youth gain a fair knowledge of the whole science of his time, and then rest upon his laurels for the remainder of his life, knowing that the march of events would not leave him very far behind. Now, knowledge rushes on at a railway speed that leaves far in the distance him who ceases to follow her progress for ever so short a time. Our fathers might be excused for learning a thing once for all, and thereafter teaching it dogmatically—they knew so little; to us it is hardly permitted to be more than learners. We may to-day build up our laborious sciences out of dusty tomes, and fondly fancy that we have placed the crowning stone in our arch of knowledge; to-morrow, a chance discovery on the banks of the Nile the turning of a stone in the valley of the Euphrates, may make the whole laborious system as antiquated as the Ptolemaic astronomy; and half a column's news in a morning newspaper may supersede a dozen bulky volumes filled with the grave surmises of past generations of scholars. It is hard, isn't it, that one cannot learn a thing once for all, and be done with it? But perhaps God gave us to live in a time of growth that we might grow; and perhaps, though rest is pleasanter, growth is better, since God willed that it should be so.—Sel. MANY persons join the preacher instead of the church. If the preacher pleases them they will support the church, and be regular in their attendance on the means of grace; but if they do not like the preacher, their places in the house of God are vacant, their contributions are withheld, and what influence they have is practically thrown against the church. Such persons are unstable as water, no reliance can be placed upon them, you never know when to trust them, and the more numerous they are, the worse it is for the cause. The church is greater than the preacher. If the preacher is not what we could desire, for the sake of the church we should be the more faithful, and endeavor, so far as we can, to make up for his lack. Preachers may come and go, but the church remains, and for her our tears should fall and our prayers should continually ascend. Whether you like the preacher or not, stand by the church.—Selected. Judge Stewart, of Baltimore, in charging the grand jury in that city, referred to gambling at church fairs, and said: "The vice will probably continue until the people are educated up to the point that raffles at fairs will be considered an evil to be frowned upon, and chances in holiday presents as a thing to be avoided. The grosser forms of this vice are liable to punishment; and, when the business of gambling is carried on in violation of law, the duty to society requires that the offense should not be lightly passed over, but should be prosecuted." This is very wholesome talk, and all the better for coming from judicial lips.—Independent. "Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens." "WHEREUPON the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold." These calves were the images of the Egyptian gods. Jeroboam had learned about them and their worship, during his sojourn in Egypt, when he fled from Solomon. The worship was of the same degraded nature as that of the gods of the Ammonites, Moabites, and Zidonians, with the exception of burning the children in the fire. Jeroboam’s Modern Inducements
But was Jeroboam the last one who ever held out to the people such inducements? Hardly. We need not go very far to find the same thing to-day. When the Sabbath of the407Lord, and the coming of Christ, are now presented to the people, and their holy claims urged upon them, there are plenty of would-be leaders, who, like Jeroboam, will appeal to their love of ease. "Oh," say they, "it is not necessary for you to keep the Sabbath. Just think, you will lose your position, and your standing in society and in your church. And oh, worse than all, those people who keep the Sabbath, and are looking for the Lord, don't have any church fairs, nor festivals, nor "mum" socials, nor fish-ponds, nor grab-bags, nor sleeping-beauties, nor kissing-bees, nor gambling—why you cannot even put up your young ladies at public auction, and sell them to the highest bidder! And that is "too much for you," just stay where you are. We worship the same God that they do, only in a different way. Of course we don't do as he has commanded, but all cannot see alike, you know." The Sabbath-School.
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
LESSON FOR THE PACIFIC COAST—AUG. 1.
Inheritance of the Saints.—Continued.
1. Relate the circumstances which led to the rejection of Saul as king of Israel. See 1 Sam. 15. 2. Where is this narrative recorded? Ib. 3. When Samuel said that the Lord had taken the kingdom from Saul, to whom did he say it had been given? 'And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou.' 1 Sam. 15:28. 4. Who was this one whom the Lord chose in the place of Saul? 'And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul.' 2 Sam. 12:7. 5. From what occupation was David taken to be made king? 'Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel.' 2 Sam. 7:8. 6. Where do we have an account of the choosing and anointing of David? 'And the Lord said unto Samuel, . . . Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have provided me a king among his sons. . . . And Samuel did that which the Lord spake. . . . And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him. But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him; for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance; but the Lord looketh on the heart. Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he come hither. And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.' 1 Sam. 16:1–13. 7. When the Lord placed David over his people, what did he do for him? 'Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel; and I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.' 2 Sam. 7:8, 9. 'And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.' 2 Sam. 7:9. 9. What did the Lord say he would yet do for David? 'Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee a house.' 2 Sam. 7:11, last clause. 10. To whom did the Lord say he would establish the kingdom? 'And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.' 2 Sam. 7:12. 11. For how long a time did the Lord say that David's house and kingdom should be established? 'And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee; thy throne shall be established forever.' 2 Sam. 7:16. NOTES ON THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON.
"THEN Jeroboam built Shechem." He enlarged and fortified the city, and made it his capital. Shechem is one of the most noted places mentioned in the Bible. It was the first place at which Abraham stopped, when he departed out of Haran and came into the land of Canaan; there the Lord appeared to him and made him the promise of the land; and there he built his first altar in the land of Canaan. Gen. 12: 6, 7. When Jacob came out of Mesopotamia, on his journey back to his own land, he pitched his tent before the city, and "bought a parcel of a field, where he spread his tent." Gen. 33: 18, 19. In this "parcel" of ground at Shechem, the children of Israel buried the bones of Joseph, which they had brought out of Egypt. Josh. 24: 32. On each side of it, on Mts. Gerizim and Ebal, stood all the people after crossing over Jordan, when the blessings upon the obedient, and the curses upon the disobedient, were pronounced. Josh. 8: 33. Here all Israel assembled to make Rehoboam king; here they rebelled and chose Jeroboam; and thus it came that he made it his capital. It was near the town that the Saviour, "being wearied with his journey, sat thus" on Jacob's well, when the woman of Samaria came to draw water. See John 4: 1-42. Shechem was thirty-four miles north of Jerusalem. Jeroboam’s Selfish Policy
"AND Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David; if this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem." There probably was some truth in this observation. For, as all were to assemble in Jerusalem three times in the year especially, besides the many other important occasions of worship; and as the Levites that were in all the cities would have to go up from time to time to fill the order of their course in the temple service; the chief religious interest would be at Jerusalem, and therefore the interests of the whole nation would be centered there, and Jeroboam's rule would be to a certain extent only nominal. Even if all this were so, it could only be for the best interests of the nation in every way. But that was nothing to Jeroboam. Like every other professional politician, his own personal interests must take precedence of everything, even to the usurpation of the prerogatives which God had reserved to himself. Jeroboam’s Altar at Bethel
"AND he set the one in Bethel." It was, no doubt, an easy task to turn the people to Bethel instead of Jerusalem to worship, for there Abraham had built an altar and had worshiped, both before and after he went to Egypt (Gen. 12:8; 13:4); there the Lord appeared unto Jacob, and there Jacob set up a pillar, and called it God's house (Gen. 28:10-22); there Jacob built an altar when he returned with all his substance from the house of Laban, and there the Lord appeared to him again, and renewed to him the promise made to Abraham and Isaac (Gen. 35:6-15); in the troubled times of the judges there was the ark of the covenant, and there the people came to inquire of the Lord (Judges 20:18-28); and there Samuel went in his circuit once a year to judge Israel. So when Jeroboam built an altar there, and established a system of worship, idolatrous though it was, he could appeal to them upon all these sacred memories, as against Jerusalem, and especially when by the cry, "These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt," he would palm off upon them the idols as simply representations of the God of their fathers. "And the other put he in Dan." Dan was already the place of an idolatrous worship by the tribe of Dan. When the tribe of Dan sought for an inheritance in the land, they first sent out five men, who, in their search, came to Laish, and found a place where there was "no want of anything that is in the earth," and returned and told their brethren. Then the tribe sent 600 armed men to take the place. As they were on the way, they came to the house of Micah of Mount Ephraim, and there they found a graven image, an ephod, a teraphim, and a molten image, and a Levite whom Micah had hired as his priest in the worship of these his gods, and the Danites took priest, idols, and all, and carried them with them to Laish. They attacked and destroyed Laish, and there they built a new city and called it Dan, and established their idolatrous worship there, and maintained it till the captivity of the ten tribes. It was easy enough, therefore, for Jeroboam to set up his golden calf at Dan, and to turn the people there to the worship of it, not only because the people were prone to idolatry, but because they were actually practicing it. And so with one place of worship in the northern, and another in the southern, part of his kingdom, he could present very forcibly his next appeal: "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem." Yes, it is too much for you to go to the place that the Lord himself appointed, and to worship him as he has directed. It is too hard for you to obey the Lord, you can obey me, that will be much easier. It is too hard for you to travel away down to Jerusalem, here is a place to worship almost at your own doors as it were; this will be ever so much easier for you. These are thy gods, anyhow, that brought you out of Egypt. You worship the same gods here that they worship at Jerusalem, only in a little different way; but then everybody cannot see alike; there is unity in diversity; we are all only branches of the same church; we are only different departments of the same army; the Lord is the one great Commander! Yes; Jeroboam could thus offer them ease, and that is the one thing desirable with many who pretend to worship the Lord. They will willingly worship if they can only do it in their own way. But such people don't worship the Lord, they worship themselves. IMITATION in education is as objectionable as elsewhere. Indeed, with many teachers imitation has become almost a vice. The tendency to imitate rather than to originate, create, or develop, is a natural one, but it should be resisted. Our methods and practices should be individual, peculiar to ourselves, else they are of little value. The imitator is essentially an automaton. His models may be good—but his copies, lacking the spirit and appropriateness of the original, are deficient in every essential quality. Hence the servile following of even good methods often leads to ridiculous results. Hence the periodical crazes in various directions, because they generate nothing but foolish imitation, soon die out, and give place to others. The remedy is plain. In all things grasp the idea, seize the underlying principle—assimilate it, make it your own. Then whatever you do will be natural, reasonable, sagacious. Your methods then will be suitable, adapted to both time and circumstance—your work spontaneous. In a word, possess your methods, do not be possessed by them.