Earlier text: QUESTIONS FOR SUNDAY-KEEPING CHRISTIANSIN the seventh chapter of Romans, the apostle Paul states explicitly that “the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth.” From this standpoint he goes on to illustrate the effect of the Gospel of Christ. “For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, tho she be married to another man.” Rom. 7:2, 3. From what was the woman set free?—From the law of her dead husband. He being dead, his law could not hold her any longer. The woman represents the sinner, and her husband is the carnal nature. The law of such a husband would be the law of sin; for the carnal mind “is not subject to the law of God.” Then as long as this husband lives, the sinner is subject to his law. But if this husband should die, and the woman (the sinner) be married to another husband, she is bound (or governed) by his law; that is, she become obedient to him. The Scripture injunction is, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.” Eph. 5:22–24. After stating in Romans 7 that the woman whose husband is dead is no longer subject to his law, the apostle makes this application, “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.” Rom. 7:4. That the first husband is the natural man, is shown in the next verse, “For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.” This is the marriage, and the result of allegiance to the law of that first husband. “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” What is it that is “dead, wherein we were held”?—It is that to which we were married—the flesh, in which were the motions of sins, which wrought in our members, etc. As in Ch. 6:6, 7: “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him [Christ], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin, for he that is dead is freed from sin.” As “sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4), the one whose “old man” is dead is freed not from the law of God, but from the transgression of the law. This is made plain as we follow the apostle’s argument in Romans 7. “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin but by the law; for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” Verse 7. Then if Paul could not know sin without the law, how can any one else? He says elsewhere that “by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Ch. 3:20. The enemy of souls would be glad to have the law set aside, so that men could not have any means of knowing what sin is. Our being “dead to the law” and the law’s being dead are two very different propositions. The sinner’s dying to the law is the death of the “old man,” the death of self, the natural man, the first husband. Note that we become “dead to the law by the body of Christ.” The sinner is condemned to death by the law, but Christ died “that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish.” By faith in Christ the sinner dies in His death. Then as to the demand of the law upon him as a sinner, that has been satisfied; he is dead to the law; but by the same faith he has been raised again to “walk in newness of life,” leaving the old husband, the carnal nature, in the grave. By the same faith, also, he is married to Christ, and henceforth lives in Him, and in harmony with the law which was transgressed when he lived with the former husband in sin. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, which walk not after the flesh [the old husband], but after the Spirit.” Rom. 8:1. This is what the apostle means in Ch. 7:6, where he says, “But now we are delivered from the law.” We are delivered from its condemnation by pardon from the King, and kept free by obedience through faith. But what does it mean to “serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter”? We must remember that this chapter is addressed “to them that know the law” (verse 1), to them who could appreciate Paul’s individual experience from a Jewish standpoint. Like most of the Jews of his day, Paul had been very zealous for the law, but he knew only the letter; he knew nothing of its spirit. Like his Jewish brethren, he had endeavored to keep the letter of the law by his own efforts. Thus the law was “weak through the flesh,” and the effort to keep it only in the letter, without the Spirit, was simply a work of the flesh, a service of the flesh. It was no fault of the law that the Jews used it in this way. It is no fault of the Word of God that men misuse it. He does not abolish it and discard it because men misconstrue it, and make of it an instrument of condemnation rather than of salvation. Of what use is the Gospel to men, if they accept only the letter without the spirit?—It is of no more benefit to them than is the letter of the Ten Commandments without the spirit of obedience. A mere profession of the Gospel without the Spirit is just as sinful as a formal obedience of the law without the Spirit. “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” The Gospel is a witness against unbelievers just as verily as the law condemns the disobedient. The Gospel is just as “weak through the flesh” as is the law, and it is just as unprofitable to those who will not respond to its gracious invitation. 2 Thess. 1:8. “The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Rom. 7:12); it is “spiritual” (verse 14); therefore only by faith in Him who kept it perfectly can its precepts be acceptably observed. The new covenant is the writing of the law of God in the hearts of believers (Jer. 31:31–33; Heb. 8:10), even as it was in the heart of the Saviour (Ps. 40:7, 8). But can the law of God be in the heart of one who believes it is abolished, or proclaims that it is no longer of force? The Lord came “in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin [margin, ‘by a sacrifice for sin’], condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” If we are truly married to Christ, we are bound to Him by the law as long as He liveth. G. The Lord knew the end from the beginning in more ways than one. The confusion of tongues at Babel was not only to defeat the tower project, but to discourage city building. He wanted men to cultivate the land, and get their subsistence from it, rather than by congregating in crowds to forage off one another. He could easily foresee the evils, moral and physical, of city life, and that the tendency would be toward that condition. The wisdom of His purpose is made plain, when we think of the erection of a tenement house on one block in New York City to accommodate 186 families. CATHOLICS WANT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
By G.
A CONTRIBUTOR to the Catholic School Journal, in discussing the question of religious instruction in the public schools, complains that the opinion of the “respectable minority” is ignored in the matter. By this minority is meant the Catholic element. He complains that the editor of the Educational Review holds to the doctrine that public education in the United States never can be otherwise than universally and wholly secular. He complains that this is because the majority are determined to have their own way, without giving any other plan a trial. He claims that this is “out of harmony with American ideas of fair play.” Now it is well to remind this “respectable minority,” without any discount upon their respectability, that the majority of the people are inclined to hold to the secular idea of public education because it is the only way to avoid two great evils, namely, conflict of religious doctrine in the schools, and the perversion of the civil government to the work of teaching (and thereby virtually promulgating) some specific religion. It is also well to remind this acknowledged “minority” that majority rule in secular matters is the original and true American idea of government, with the understanding, of course, that the natural rights of every one should be respected. We are aware that the Catholics hold that their rights are ignored because they are not given their proportion of public school money to apply in support of their own schools. But they have no more right to such a division than the people of other denominations who make no such demand. All of them have denominational schools in which to teach their specific doctrines, but no others than the Catholics are demanding a division of school money. If all should make such a demand, and attempts were made to satisfy the demand, the public school system would be destroyed altogether. The writer to whom we have referred treats the secular public education theory as Protestantism, and he is right in this; so is the non-interference of the State in matters of religion Protestantism. But he assumes a very inconsistent attitude from this premise. He says, “By means of our private schools and ‘our stupendous sacrifices we are holding our people ‘together; they are not.” Ordinarily one would suppose that to be a condition highly satisfactory to a Catholic, a condition for which he would be quite willing to sacrifice. But he (this particular one) becomes suddenly solicitous for the Protestants, and bewails their danger. He says, “The danger is that ‘Protestants will find out too late that they made a ‘mistake in not allowing us to be their allies for the ‘preservation of Christianity.’” How could Protestants make a mistake in this manner, when this same writer admits that Protestants are apprehensive “that Catholics would derive ‘greater benefits than they from any concession to ‘religious sentiment?’” From such a view it is clear that the only mistake they could make would be in being Protestants at all. If the secular public school theory is Protestantism, how could the Catholics become allies of the Protestants in education without joining them in the public schools? Therefore Catholics favor the teaching of religion in the public schools. And that is just what this contributor to the Catholic School Journal says, “What we want is to ‘have the public school system so remodeled that ‘religious teaching will be allowed in them.” And this teaching would needs be such as Catholics could indorse, in order to meet their approval or secure their alliance. And when it comes to teaching religion in the public schools, it might as well be the Catholic religion, for the whole idea is Roman Catholic. And Protestants who are advocating such a policy might as well concede the alliance of the Catholics, with all that such alliance means, because they have already entered upon Catholic ground. It is well that this writer has come out and stated plainly what the Catholics want. In the past they have been clamoring for a division of the public school fund, so they could use their portion in their own way, separate from the public schools. They have always berated the public schools, but we have always maintained that their opposition would cease if they could but utilize them for their own ends. In fact, it has been noticeable for a long time that there is no opposition from that source in places where there is a majority of Catholics on a school board, and Catholic teachers can be secured. THE WAR SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH.
By R. F. Cottrell
At a recent meeting of the Universal Peace Union, held in Buffalo, N.Y., the Rev. L. M. Powers is reported in the Buffalo Inquirer as picturing the attitude of the church in the following language:— Why say the world's hope lies in its conversion to the Gospel of Christ? Convert the world to the gospel of Buddha, and there would be wars. Make the world atheist or agnostic, and there would be no wars. While ministers are silent, atheists and agnostics are denouncing the folly and injury of war. Labor organizations are indifferent or hostile to church, but as clear-spoken and vigorous in opposition to war. All the live forces in society to-day, except the church, are against war. I would state that the further you get from the influences of churches, the nearer you get to the religion of Christ. Without the active support of the churches, wars would not be. That is why the world's hope lies in the conversion of the church. “Blessed are the peacemakers,” said Jesus. “But the Filipinos began it,” say the ministers. “Ye are My disciples,” said Jesus. “The Boer is ‘a brute,’ say the ministers. “Overcome evil with good,” said Jesus. “Let us ‘make good war-ships,’ say the ministers. “Love your enemies,” said Jesus. “Let us have ‘a standing army,’ say the ministers. Imagine an army going into battle with its banners bearing the legend, “Resist not evil,” “Blessed are the merciful,” with its rifle bullets stamped, “God is love,” its cannon balls inscribed, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least ‘of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.” Their bayonets on which are written, “See this ‘Man.’” Not only are the ministers incapable of thought, they have no faith in the religion of Him in whose name they are supposed to minister. Sad indeed is this condition! Think of it,—the very ones professing to represent the principles of Christ found calling for weapons and blood; the men who should be seeking souls planning to destroy human lives. Evidently some have forgotten entirely in whose service they are enlisted. An incident parallel to this is found in Luke 9. Instead of receiving Christ, the Samaritans treated Him with contempt. In the minds of the disciples James and John, such conduct merited instant death. But listen to Jesus: “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to ‘destroy men's lives, but to save them.” The work of the Gospel is to go, “not by might, nor by power, ‘but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.’”9 “But,” one asks, “is it wrong to fight for a just ‘cause?”—Certainly not; but before starting make sure that you have the right uniform and arms. “For,” says Paul, “the weapons of our warfare are ‘not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling ‘down of strongholds.” These are the weapons used exclusively by Christians; and if you would know what they all are, just read Eph. 6:11-17. How strange that any should throw off this mighty armor, and abandon the power of the Gospel, which is the power of God, to embrace the seeming power of feeble, helpless man? But conditions will not change for the better. This was expressly stated and written out for future generations nearly two thousand years ago. It may be found in 2 Tim. 3:1-5. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, . . . ‘having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.’” This is but one of the many evidences that we are in the perils of the last days. Let us, then, “hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.” “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life.” Buffalo, N. Y. R. F. COTTRELL. VIOLENCE IN THE LAND.
By S.
WHEN Christ was giving to His followers signs which would indicate the proximity of His second appearing, He declared:— “As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.” Luke 17: 26. The inspired record declares in regard to the days of Noah:— “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” Gen. 6: 11–13. As the conditions existing in the days of Noah were to exist again in the days immediately preceding the second coming of Christ, and as we have seen the fulfilment of other signs which He gave, we are warranted in asking, Has this sign also an application now in our day? While war is a live topic on every hand, and the nations are angry, as God has said they would be, yet we can look farther than this, and see the very spirit of violence itself permeating the mass of the people. Every day brings an increasing number of deeds of violence between man and man. Lynchings are more numerous than ever; and this points back to that other fact that the deeds which stir up lynchings are more numerous than ever before. Robberies and murders are an every-day—almost every-hour—occurrence, while embezzlements, fraudulent dealings, and infractions of every good law, are piling up at a rate hitherto unheard of. Now that a great strike is on, the record of crime is still further increased. The record of violence from this cause during one day in San Francisco is enough to shock and startle those who are looking for peace and safety on the earth, and to sadden every lover of righteousness. A policeman was placed on every dray to protect the driver; but in very many cases both police and driver were stoned, clubbed, or otherwise beaten into unconsciousness. Horses were burned and cut on the street; attempts were made to burn barns containing large numbers of horses, and in one instance such a barn was destroyed. One teamster was held while his wrists were beaten with stones till the bones were broken. Vehicles have been prevented from taking badly wounded men to the hospitals. Nuts were taken from the wheels of a cab that was conveying to the hospital a man with a broken leg; and but for its timely discovery the wounded man would have been thrown to the street. Men have been kidnapped and held as prisoners, robbed of their liberty, and sometimes of their personal effects. One prominent man is quoted as saying: “If any one wishes to convince ‘himself that there is violence, let him put on a suit ‘of old clothes, and drive a wagon along the ‘streets.” More than eight hundred cases of violence have occurred in San Francisco alone since the beginning of the strike. Truly there is violence in the land, and some are beginning to see that there is. Some are beginning to recognize, too, that the conditions of these present days show them to be the days when the coming of the Son of man would be near, even at the door. Those days were to be like the days of Noah’s time. These are such days. The Lord said of the people living in those days, “Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” But of this time He has said:— “The world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished; but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” ² 2 Peter 3: 6, 7. On every side evidence is accumulating, showing to all who wish to see, that the coming of that great and terrible day is drawing nigh. It is but the act of wisdom to awake out of the lethargy of death that is creeping over the world, lest that day come upon us as a thief, and find us unprepared to stand before the Judge of all the earth. THE SPIRIT OF THE TIMES.
By G. B. Thompson
THE New York World of Aug. 8, 1901, speaking editorially, expresses the following truth:— Men are still willing to spend more money and work greater marvels in order to kill each other, than to promote peaceful trade and travel. This is a sad commentary on the boasted civilization and piety of the twentieth century, yet it is true nevertheless. When in Cape Colony a few years since, I was conversing with an inventor. He had somewhat recently perfected a device by which some of the accidents at railroad stations which maim and kill people might be avoided. He went to England and sought out some of the prominent railroad officials, hoping to interest them in the invention. One of them said to him, “Young man, you are on the wrong ‘track, if you want to make a fortune as an inventor. ‘Life-saving devices are not so much sought after; ‘but if you want to realize a fortune, go off and invent something by which men can kill and destroy ‘each other faster than ever before, and both fame ‘and fortune await you.’” That the genius of man is used in destructive lines is clear to all. Look at the massive guns of various kinds, huge ships of war, and the numberless devices prepared by the nations to take the lives of each other. The trend of everything betokens a time of trouble such as never was, and only those whose names are in the book of life will be delivered. Dan. 12:1. Reader, is your name in the book of life? The Results of the China Invasion
The news comes from Peking, China, that the peace protocol has at last been signed, and that several of the foreign ministers are leaving the Chinese capital. The San Francisco Chronicle thus sums up the net results of the invasion of China and the negotiations which followed: “The interior of China is no more accessible to western commerce and civilization than it was before. The relative status of the foreign powers with China, excepting Russia, is where it was before the Boxer uprising started. Foreign missionaries are restrained from performing any of the secular functions which they formerly exercised and from intermeddling in the secular affairs of the country. The looting of the palaces of Peking and the raiding of the surrounding country have more intensely inflamed the Chinese against foreigners. The vicarious punishments which were exacted for the massacres humbled nobody in authority. The intensity of the native hatred of foreigners is again in evidence in Peking, where they are being jostled in the streets, now that the foreign troops are not present to afford protection. Europeans are, in fact, regarded more than ever as oppressors, with whom non-intercourse is a duty. . . . As the indemnity must be collected through the customs, its payment reacts upon the nations imposing it. It becomes a direct burden upon foreign commerce. The results to western civilization have thus been practically barren. Russia alone of all the powers has profited by the experience. She has acquired control of Manchuria, with which she has been in contact and has coveted for two and a half centuries.” Thus how little has been accomplished by “Christian nations” that went out as such to teach the heathen respect for themselves and their civilization. The lesson which it should teach is that Christianity is not advanced by sword and rifle. God’s Word, accompanied by the power of His Holy Spirit, is the only weapon able to conquer the heathen abroad or at home. “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.” Prince Chun, brother of the Chinese emperor, was received by Emperor William at Potsdam, on September 4, the prince expressing the sorrow of his brother over the massacre of the German minister at Peking. The ceremony was designed to impress the Chinese with Germany’s view of the solemnity of the mission upon which they had come. The buttons and epaulets of the emperor’s white uniform were enveloped in crape. The Chinese envoy was given no salute by the body-guard, nor accorded any honors until his mission had been completed. Afterward the usual courtesies of royalty were accorded the Chinese prince. A despatch from Peking states that the Chinese are chuckling over what they regard as Prince Chun’s victory, and Russia is profiting by the incident. Foreseeing that Germany would moderate her demands, the Russians daily advised the Chinese to remain firm and thus embarrass Germany, declaring that the czar was interceding with Germany to spare China an indignity. Accordingly the Chinese attribute Prince Chun’s success to Russian assistance. President McKinley delivered an address to the visitors at the Pan-American Exposition on September 5, in which he declared the policy of the government to be in favor of reciprocity treaties with other nations, the building of the isthmian canal; the laying of a Pacific cable; and the encouragement of the merchant marine. The speech was at once taken up by all the press of Europe and England as a declaration of America’s policy to forge forward in commercial conquests. While most of the comment was friendly in tone, still much of it showed a fear of America’s domination in the commercial world, the same fear that has given rise to the European discussion of a combination against America. The president’s declaration that isolation was no longer possible nor desirable was in other words a declaration that the policy of “expansion” would continue to be the policy of the government of the United States. Numerous war vessels of foreign nations are assembling in the vicinity of the disturbances in Colombia to be prepared to act in case of danger to foreign residents. The United States battle-ship Iowa arrived at Panama on September 8. Residents of the seaport towns of Colombia are leaving for the United States. The forces of the government and the rebels are face to face, and it is reported that a pitched battle may occur at any time. The little fleet of Venezuela is reported to be about to attack the seaport towns of Colombia. It is also reported that Ecuador is sending a force for the invasion of Colombia. The United States Government has offered to mediate between the two republics, but Venezuela has politely refused the offer, and Colombia has not replied. According to a contemporary, only 4 of Kentucky’s 94 counties permit the open sale of liquor; in these 90 counties liquor can be sold only on a physician’s prescription. The State of Texas has 120 prohibition counties, Georgia 133, Missouri 84, Tennessee 70, North Carolina 60, Florida 39, Virginia 55, Alabama 50, Arkansas 50, and West Virginia 40. The army transport Dix arrived at San Francisco on September 5, with the bodies of 325 soldiers who had died in China and the Philippines. It is reported that the Russian embassy at Constantinople is arranging a settlement of the difficulty between France and Turkey. A decree has been drawn up by the French Government expelling a number of Turkish officials from France. A despatch from London states that Holland is now demanding satisfaction from Turkey for the violation of the Dutch legation in Constantinople by the Turkish police, who forced an entrance while pursuing a man whom they wished to arrest. A British cruiser recently prevented a Turkish vessel from landing troops on a certain island in the Persian Gulf. The Turkish ambassador at London has informed the British Government that such action is incompatible with friendly relations. The troubles of Turkey are increasing. The steel trust still maintains its attitude of non-compromise with the leaders of the strike, and while propositions have passed between the parties at variance, peace has not been declared, and the strike is still on. The trust is operating at least a portion of its mills, and there are some signs of disintegration in the ranks of the strikers. The war between employed and employer in San Francisco has not yet been declared off. Vessels are unloading and drays are moving, but the strikers refuse to yield, and violent assaults upon laborers are of frequent occurrence. At San Bernardino, California, 300 skilled machinists went on strike on September 9 at the railway shops of the Santa Fe railway, the company having refused their demand for time and a half for holidays. The proposition to combine the bituminous coal-mining companies of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia, and Kentucky, under the management of Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan, seems to be assuming definite shape. The existing companies are to be maintained, as in the case of the United States Steel Corporation, but the general direction will rest in a great corporation, organized under the laws of New Jersey, which will own a controlling majority of the stock of each company and elect its officers. In this way, to all practical purposes, a trust will be formed, while still maintaining the outward appearance of separate companies; and whatever law might be aimed at trusts would be unable to touch such combinations or limit their activity. General Kitchener’s proclamation threatening death to all Boers found bearing arms in South Africa after September 15 has drawn out counter proclamations from at least two of the Boer commanders in the field. De Wett has proclaimed that he will shoot all British troops found in Orange River Colony after September 15, and Myburg has ordered that all armed colonials found after that date be shot. It is reported that trains are now being operated over the New York Central road with a motive power of hot water. Each car carries a motor underneath its platform and also a tank of hot water. The hot water is injected into the chamber of the motor and exploded into steam in a high-pressure cylinder, after which it is conducted to a low-pressure cylinder. The water is heated at stationary furnaces along the line. A report from China states that the city of Foochow has been practically destroyed by fire. Only sections of the outskirts and buildings along the water-front were left. The loss to foreign traders alone is placed at more than a million dollars. Many of the natives turned looters, and in suppressing the looting large numbers were slashed and stabbed by swords and bayonets in the hands of the soldiers. A new disease has made its appearance among the cattle, horses, and swine of eastern British Columbia and Alberta. The disease resembles influenza, but is severer and quicker in its work. The majority of the animals afflicted are paralyzed for forty-eight hours before death. Those that do not die from the disease remain paralyzed, and have to be killed. The German Government’s annual report in the matter of strikes shows that during the year 1900 there were in Germany 1,433 strikes. By these strikes 7,740 different business concerns and 298,819 persons were affected. Of the business concerns affected by these strikes 2,733 were completely closed. The German war-ship Cormorant recently visited the Mathias Islands to punish the natives for the murder of a German scientist and his party. In the fight between the men of the war-ship and the natives, 80 of the latter were killed and 17 captured and deported. The czar of Russia was met by the king of England at Copenhagen on September 9, and together they journeyed to Fredensborg, where a grand banquet was given at which all the British, Russian, and Danish royalties were present. The Cotton Belt passenger train was held up by six masked men at Eylau, Tex., on the night of September 3, the robbers securing, it is claimed, about $50,000. They have not yet been placed under arrest. Mormon missionaries who are now in Japan propagating their doctrine, have been mobbed in the streets, and have been ordered by the police to leave the villages in which they have been preaching. The steamer Dolphin arrived at Seattle from Alaska, on September 4, bringing, it is reported, $1,500,000, mostly in drafts held by the passengers. Some of our influential editors, liberal tho they are, see the present-day drift in religious matters. For instance, commenting on a remark of the Congregationalist relative to different conceptions of Bible inspiration and authority, the editor of the Christian Advocate says:— If the extreme Higher Critics go much further,—if the Scriptures come to be regarded as really proving nothing against which a man can not set up his “Christian consciousness,” so called, there will be a divorcing of the Protestant churches from the Bible, and that within the next thirty years. Numerous sects will arise, many of them extremely fanatic, and one of them may sweep the country. Meanwhile Catholicism will begin to spread with marked rapidity. For people will have a strong religion; they will not have a jellyfish religion, a misty, or a musty religion. They will take up with absurd superstitions; they will submit to despotic ecclesiasticism; they will profess bald infidelity; turn away in total indifference; or if it is supported by energetic and fervent preaching of positive truth, they will accept and cling to a religion based on the Bible as a rule of faith and practise,—a rule meaning what, in substance, it appears to mean in dogma and precept. And the beginning of this we see now. Most people who want religion want a religion strong enough to save them, certain in its foundation; but the majority of these are so ignorant of the truth that they will accept strong Catholic assertion for truth; and Protestantism is oftentimes too weakly to warn, too unbelieving to instruct. Some will find the truth in the Bible. A GREAT NEED IN EDUCATION.
Dr. Arthur T. Hadley, President of Yale University, tells us of a need in education, in the Outlook of August 3. Thus concludes his article:— Now as never before there is a need for schools which shall give to their boys the habit of valuing what is permanent as distinguished from what is transient. It is not necessary that their course should be classical in the narrow sense, but classical it must be in the broad sense, in laying stress on those things which have impressed themselves upon the world's experience as distinguished from those which are merely ephemeral. It is not necessary that their training should be predominantly religious in the sense of laying undue tension on any theological doctrine or any series of outward observations; but religious it must be in the sense that it teaches them from one day's end to the other to regard life as a trust held for the benefit of the community, and exercised with that regard for one's fellow-men which is the mark alike of the gentleman and the Christian. Thus shall we build up a race of men whose money and whose knowledge shall be made subservient to the good of the people. This is good all but one thing. When God's Word teaches the definite, decided doctrine, in loyalty let the youth be taught to follow. To help his fellow-man, to know truly how to enter into his sympathies, one must know God and His Word. This knowledge of God and His Word, this loyalty to doctrine and precept, was what made Daniel and his fellows what they were. Religion is necessary, but it must be of no namby-pamby, milk-and-water sort. Men who are saviours of humanity must be vitally connected with a divine Saviour. He who would distinguish between the ephemeral and eternal must see them in the seeing of God. All education short of this, whatever may be its seeming success, will prove an eternal failure. OUR PARENTS.
By Mrs. M. C. DuBois
NOT long since I read the following:— In the school-room of the little princes of Germany occurred an incident that shows the blood of kings and peasants to be one. The teacher was declaring that all mankind are sinners. Up spoke the little crown prince and inquired whether it applied to the noble as well as the humble. “Certainly,” said the teacher. “Well,” said the prince, “my father may be a sinner; but my mother is not.” God pity the boy who does not think his mother the best woman in the world. How is it with you, young reader? Do you hold your parents, and especially your mother, in heartfelt respect? or are you careless and neglectful in your deportment toward them? Disobedience to parents is one of the prevailing sins of the last days. To me there are few sadder sights than a saucy, disobedient child. When I hear a boy or girl speak disrespectfully to father or mother, it always brings to my mind a sad incident of my own early life—the only time I ever spoke thus to my dear mother, who was then in poor health. I was sorry as soon as the words were spoken, but too proud to tell her so, and ask her forgiveness. Not many months after this my mother was taken ill, and the third day she died. I can not tell you how deep was the sorrow I felt as, looking upon her cold, still form, those unkind words came to my mind. I have never forgotten them, tho many years have passed, and I never will forget them while I have anything in memory. Be careful, young readers, how you treat the dear old father and mother. I doubt not they have watched beside your sick-bed many, many hours in your helpless infancy. They have worked hard that you may have a pleasant, comfortable home. They have denied themselves many comforts, perhaps, to give you an education. How are you repaying their love and care? Are you doing all you can to make the sunset of their lives bright and peaceful? or are you still adding to their care and burdens? Be thoughtful and tender toward father and mother. It is true, young woman, that at times your mother may be fretful; but do not do anything to make her more fretful. Think seriously. When mother grows fretful, there is a cause. She is probably worn out, and needs rest. Are you doing all you can to make her life less toilsome? Perhaps she is sick. Then turn doctor for a week or two; prescribe rest and quiet. Coax her to play visitor; invite her to take the cosiest nook in the house, and then wait upon her as you would upon an honored guest. She may not want to take your medicine at first; but if you can not persuade her to yield to you, do the next best thing. Watch for chances to save her steps wherever it is possible; do all in your power to lighten her work; and I think it won't be long before she will become your willing patient, and gladly submit to being treated. It is worth a trial anyway. Perhaps, boys, father is sharp and severe with you at times; but don't be saucy in turn. You do not know the burdens he is bearing. He may be passing through a financial pressure or some other trial. Then be careful not to add to his burdens; rather seek to lighten his load of care. You may feel, young people, that your parents are too strict with you; but you will see by and by that they were right in restraining you, and keeping you from wholly choosing your own company. You will thank them for it in after years. Never think it a hardship to deny yourself some coveted pleasure for the sake of the “old folks.” Each year that passes over their heads lessens their hold upon life. Soon father and mother will be sleeping in death, and their places will be vacant. Now, while you have them with you, do all you can to make them happy. Then when called to stand at their grave, you will not have to grieve over neglect. It will lighten the loss in this sad hour to feel that you did all you could to make their last days pleasant. God bless the youth who may read this, and help them to honor their father and mother.