The Universalist. [volume], October 02, 1897, Image 1

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VOL. XIV. t“#5tYA7K“Il CHICAGO AND CINCINNATI, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1897. NO. 40
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^ CONTENTS.
CHICAGO. SATURDAY, OCT. 2, 1897.
Pace One.
Editorial Briefs.
Bible Criticism.
The Inward Life of Jesns.
The Dominion of Christ.
Cniversalist Thought.
Page Two.
The Next General Convention.
Sheol, Hades. Gehenna.
Restitution of AH Things.
Abner Giles, of LaCrosse.
Prohibition in Maine.
Page I'nree.
The Sunday School Lesson.
Page Four.
Editorial:
The Profession of Faith.
The Jewish idea of the Kingdom.
Does Belief in Hell Make People Generous?
Mrs. Geo. B. Marsh.
Mrs. Lncy McGtantlin.
Views of the Editors.
Universallst Personal.
Pate Five,
Church News and Correspondence.
Page 81*.
The Family Page, Farm. Harden and Dairy.
Page Seven.
Our Boys and Girls.
Page Eight
News of the Week.
Cnnreh Notices and In Memorlam.
EDITORIAL BRIEFS.
BY PRESIDENT I. M. ATWOOD, D. D.
The Chicago Public Library ia at
length boused in a building of suitable
proportions, on an ample and eiigible
site, and (supplied with every device and
appliance for shelfing and handling
books, and foC the convenience of the
public, known to our time. The com
bination of a public library with
assembly rooms for the G. A. R. is a
feature which does not strike one favor
ably. Otherwise we infer from the
descriptions and illustrations that the
new Chicago library will take rank
with the best of its class in the great
cities of the world, We observe that a
majority of the names of the directors
are foreign and the oration of dedication
is to be delivered by Dr. Emil G. Hirscb.
Chicago is a great foreign as well as a
great American city. If the Chicago
papers do not slander their chief of
police he has not been spoiled by atten
tion to books, either of science or of
manners.
—Along with the story of general and
great prosperity in the trades and arts
and finances of the English people,
comes a note of distress from “unhappy
Ireland,” A very short crop of the
potatoe threatens some millions of
people with the horrors of famine.
Though much of Ireland remains in a
condition of primitive rudeness as to
public ways and commercial facilities,
the means of transportation are far
better than they were fifty years ago
when blight added to crop failure a
wholesale destruction which is scarcely
possible now. America is much nearer
than in 1846, and as there are more
Irish people on this side the Atlantic
than on the other, it is not probable that
there will be any serious want or pro
tracted suffering. Somewhere in our
Fathers' house there is always b'ead
enough, if not potatoes, and to spare.
—The art of church building has
much improved in recent years. In the
large and grand styles of former times
no progress has been made in our era.
But in the art of designing and con
structing houses of worship of moderate
cost for the use of the people generally,
and particularly for the smaller cities
and towns, the progress has been
marked and gratifying. While a few
years ago fifty or sixty thousand dollars
would be used up in making a great un
sightly structure, barn-like in external
appearance and incapable of home like
effects within, beautiful churches are
created at half the cost, modest and
graceful without and delightfully suit
able and attractive within. The new
church at Lansing, Mich , is a fine ex
ample of what is now achieved at com
paratively small cost.
—Irving Browne, lawyer, editor, au
thor, has taken some of bis literary
wares to the Roycraft printing shop of
" Mr. Elbert Hubbard, -printer, editor,
author and uncommercial traveller, and
between them they have turned out an
elegant piece of book making, under
the style and title, “In the Track of the
Book-Worm.” The text is as entertain
ing as the letter-press is attractive. We
are all-worms they say, some a little less
twisted and contorted than others; and
the book variety is one of the electest.
We love to browse in libraries—if in any
stage of his wriggling a worm may be
allowed to do that;—and next the com
fort of dipping and sipping here and
there in a boundless collection of books,
is the satisfaction of following some dis
cerning chronicler who has i?een much
on the track of the book-worm. Mr.
Browne is himself a second and revised
edition of a particularly bright first
Brunonian imprint. We have never
found any of them more to our mind
than Irving is in his chatty, witty and
pretty Bookworm.
—We have read with much interest
and profit Joseph Henry Crooker’s
paper on the “Atheism of Religions.'’
He makes it clear that all religions and
all theologies have erred, not by believ
ing too much but too little in God. But
his study starts and does not answer
some deep questions. If God is equally
present in all "nature” does it not fol
low that there is no ground of discrimi
nation between the beautiful and the
ugly, the helpful and the harmful, the
good and the bad? If all humanity is
divine and therefore to be trusted and
reverenced, are we not under the same
coercion to trust and revere Herod bb
Christ? Granted that Jesus "does not
stand outside the race,” but within it
and part of it, does it follow that he is
not fuller of God ard therefore more
godlike than other men? And if he is,
can it be called atheism to confess and
proclaim the fact?
—When you take the large view ot it
“nature” includes everything; and if we
are to worship nature who shall say that
we are not to bow down before its
plagues, cataclysms, horrors? It must
not be supposed we escape the difficulty
by placing all the "real evil” and misery
to the account of man for on this theory
man is a part of nature, and his so
called evil deeds are as legitimate an
outcome of nature as his so-called good
deede. Perhaps more legitimate, as in
the course of his history hitherto they
greatly out-number the good. On a
thorough going theory of nature wor
ship there is n^ such thing as improve
ment and progress, and no room for it.
The "all” of today gives as good reasons
for itself as any all of any other day. If
there is to be a better "all” by and by,
that discredits the nature that has been
and now is, the only nature we know
anything about, and so upsets our philo
sophy. The truth is, faith in nature is
not the same thing as faith in God.
Nor, concisely, does faith in God carry
with it implicit adoration of nature.
—The State Republican committee
has met and registered the opinion of
Senator Platt on the mayoralty of
greater New York. It has whatever
merit attaches to the view of that emi
nent stateman. He was not consulted
in regard to the candidate the citizens
of the proposed municipality should
want. They have selected with great
unanimity a distinguished gentleman
known to be able, impartial, incorrupti
ble. That kind of man, nominated in
that sort of way, is more offensive to the
Senator than an "out and-out Tammany
candidate.” Simple souls ask them
selves what Senator Platt has to do with
the question any way; or, for that matter,
the Republican state committee. But
in these days ot goveiffiment, not by the
people but by the boss, it should be
known that the first and really import
ant inquiry is, what would our master
have us do?
— It is a sort of second chapter in the
meteorological story begun by Benjamin
Franklin with his key and kite, which
the present experiments with the Blue
Hill box kites are telling. They send up
these fluttering aeronauts to a height of
10,000 feet; and by the aid of delicate in
struments for recording the temperature,
humidity, air currents, let us know even
more exactly than if we went up in a
balloon how it is at two miles elevation.
Preparations are making for using the
box kites at all the more important
points of weather observation in the
country. As they can be sent up almost
every day and, if need be, several times
in a day, it is apparent that a vast ex
tension of the raDge of meteorological
data will presently be secured. This is
kite flying to some purpose.
Canton Theological School.
OUR CONTRIBUTORS.
BIBLE ORITIOISM.
BY REV. J. B. SAXE.
I had overlooked tbe article until
today i«t The Universalist of Sep
tember 4th, by H. Lewellen, entitled
‘‘The New Testament and the Higher
Criticism.” He misses entirely the
point of my argument. He is sur
prised to hud me “declaring the un
conditional surrender of the higher
critics, particularly the Tubingen
school, to the traditionalists.” Now
if 1 understand the usages of the
English language, the “Tubingen
school” consists of those w ho accept
the doctrines of its founders, Strauss
and Baur. I suppose there are some,
among the more ignorant, who do.
But Prof. Hamack does not; there
fore he does not belong to that school.
Bathe is one of tbe most emiueut,
if not the most eminent, of the higher
Bible critics. Moreover, he is a
skeptical critic, which makes his ad
missions the more significant. For
instance, he believes that John the
Presbyter and not the'beloved disci
ple, wrote the fourth gospel. But he
admits, and proves, that it was written
about the close of the first century,
while its reputed author was still
alive, instead of in the second or
third century, as Baur taught. My
point was that it is absurd, contrary
to common sense, to suppose that
such a forgery could be consummat
ed at such a time, and ever be ac
cepted by the church. Much strong
er evidence will have to be presented
than has ever been yet, to shake the
faith of the “traditionalists.”
The two principal arguments have
been the alleged discrepancy in the
dates of the observance of the pass
over in the synoptics in John, and
the difference in style and spirit be
tween the gospel and the Apocalypse.
As to the first, Dr. Drummond, of
Oxford, has shown, if any thing can
be proved, that it has not the slight
est “validity.” The second can easily
be shown to be equally baseless.
The Book of Revelation was written
as its contents clearly show, and as
we know, as early as 68 or 6!)—before
the destruction of Jerusalem—while
John was a comparatively young man;
but hi3 gospel was written 30 yearB
or more afterwards, when he was a
very old man. The former was in
gubstance a higher wrought poem,
as florid as Milton’s Paradise Lost—
in fact there is no sublimer poem in
any language, ever written. If any
body cannot understand or compre
hend it, so much the more for him.
Of course it has been misunderstood,
but there never was any excuse for it.
And the gospel is in the main a plain
narrative. Now under all these cir
cumstances, ought we not to expect
the Btyle to differ in the two works?
Would Milton or Shakespeare wrile
their letters in the style of their
poems? Did they do so? The sup
position is absurd. Do very old
men write as they did when ycung?
I am almost 78, and when I take up
an old sermon written thirty or forty
years ago, and compare it with what
I write now.it seems almost impossi
ble that the same hand wrote th'. m
both. But I should smile to see any
one gravely insist that it did not! It
would be no more absurd, however,
than to seriously contend that John
did not write both his books because
they differ in style. And the absurd
ity is enhanced when you n fl -ct
that one is a poem, and the other a
plain narrative or history.
But if we carefully examine the
gospel, we find the burning spirit of
the poet shining outthrough thelines
now and then, old as he was, and
unimaginative as was his subject. I
instance the first chapter, especially
verses 1-5, and verse 14. Also the
last verse of the book: “And there
are also many other things which
Jesus did, the which, if they should
be written every one, I suppose that
even the world itself could not con
tain the books that should be writ
ten.” That is a poetical figure; a
hyperbole, worthy of the poet,—we
know John was worthy of the author
of the Apocalypse. What a tremend
ous emphasis it gives to the activity
of the Saviour’s life, and the import
anceof his words! In the light of
such flashes of poetic genius, it seems
to me simply ludicrous to deny that
be wrote the gospel; and that with
out any valid evidence. lamas ready
as anybody to accept all the fair and
valid conclusions of legitimate criti
cism, but it would stultify my com
mon sense to accept this, on the evi
dence offered. If any one has any
proof, worthy of the name, let him
present it.
As to the Apocalypse, Dr. Martin
eau’s remarks simply show that he is
incapable of comprehending [ o )try
and has no idea of the true meaning
of the book, plain as it is. That is
all I care to say on that point, except
that the genuineness of the Book of
Revelation is better attested than any
other book in the Bible, if there is
any difference. The Tubingens them
selves, as well as Prof. Harnack,
admit this. I suppose there is no
question now in the minds of any
competeut critics, that Paul wrote all
his epistles, unless Hebrews is an
exception, before his death, which
occurred in 65. That of itself is
sufficient for our purpose of proving
the truth, the historical truth, of
Christianity. “Only the nightmare
of a gross superstition could ever”
deny it.
Mr. Lewellen i-ays,“Bro. Saxe, judg
ing him by the last sentence I quoted
from his article, seems to be laboring
under the idea that Christianity
stands or falls with the apostolic or
non-apostclic authorship and litera
truthfulness of the New Testament
narratives.” I am quite as much
“amazed” that after reading my
article, as he appears to have done, a
man could write such a sentence as
that, as he professes to be at anything
I have said. The main purpose of
the article, as its title might indi
cate, was to show that the gospel
itself is its own highest evidence.
This I think I did show. The revela
tion of the law of love, and the foun
dations upon which it rests in the
characterof God and the relationship
of mankind; and of the coming end
of evil, and the immortal, glorious
life beyond the grave, are alone suffi
cient to prove the truth of Christian
ity, and of sll the claims Christ ever
made, as related in the gospels. How
then can it stand or fall with the
question of the apostolic authorship
of the New Testament? Therefore
the “lesson from the past history of
the Christian church,” does not con
cern me.
While as I said I am willing to
accept any result of legitimate criti
cism, I regret to see any professed
Christian, and especially any clergy
man, take up the crude and now ex
ploded notions of the Tubingen school
of skeptics, and promulgate them as
true by voice or peD. This was quite
common a generation ago, but those
who do it now are behind the times.
If I believed the gospels taught end
less tcrmeut, I might be glad to see
them discredited. If I understood
the Apocalypse as Bro. Lewellen
appears to, possibly I might be
tempted to say as hard things about
it as he and Dr. Martineau do. Ignor
ance and error, (and we all have
enough of them) sometimes tempt
men to do desperate things. But as
it is, I am as fervent an admirer of the
Book of Revelation as I am of John’s
gospel; and I very much deprecate
any effort to disparage them, without
sense or reason.
In a word, there never was any
valid foundation for the wild assump
tions of Strauss and Baur, and what
once appeared to be such have been
entirely swept away by later investi
gation, of which Prof. Harnack’s
studies are only a portion. As an
instance of the logical methods of
this school, I remerob m thirty years
ago one of their talented and popular
lecturers gave notice in the town where
I lived, that he would on a certain
day give an account of the origin of
the week, and thus refute the alle
gory of the creation, as we have it in
the first chapter of Genesis. I went
to hear him perform this remarkable
feat. But he did not so much as
allude to his subject; and spent his
whole hour in telling us the origin of
the names of the days of the week.
Sunday was the sun’s day, Monday
was the moon’s day and soon. When
asked if he did not know that the
week existed as a division of time,
with its days numbered, long before
they had any names, his only answer
was a sickly smile! And yet he was
an oracle with all the skeptics, and
claimed especially to know all about
the doctrines and methods of the
Tubingen school, which he had made
his study for years. Baur was his
highest authority.
If you can prove the“non-apostolic
authorship,” and fairly refute or dis
prove the “literal truthfulness of the
New Testament narratives,” well and
good. Truth is always truth. But
these men certainly have not done it.
And until it is done, propriety and
modesty if not love for Christianity)
would seem to indicate on the part
of clergymen at least, discretion in
making such wild assertions, or even
intimations.
Ft. Scott, Kan.
THE INWARD LIFE OF JESUS.
BY REV. A. B. CHURCH.
We give annexed extracts from the
farewell sermon of Rev. A. B. Church
at North Adams, MasB.,—a sermon
which was delivered under unusual
circumstances. It was given in the
Congregational churcb, and, as the
local paper says, “had the rare cir
cumstances of a Universalist clergy
man preaching his farewell sermon
in a Congregational church to a
union congregation. The congrega
tion was composed of members of the
Congregational, Methodist, Baptist
and Universalist churches, all of
whom have a strong regard for the
departing pastor. Mr. Church has
recently entered upon his work as
the Universalist pastor at Akron, O.
The extracts follow:
“We have written many lives of
Jesus and yet it is a theme on which
many more can be written. We have
already enough outward lives of
Christ written. Lives that tell us
about places,dates,occurrances, won
der workings, locality, scenery, etc.
But all these need a complement, an
explanation. It might be called ‘The
Inner life of Jesus Christ, the Son of
God.’ It would be after the manner
of the Gospel of St. John, not so
much a life of circumstances as of
thoughts, purposes, feelings, aspira
tions, desires, portraying the inward
spiritual, metaphysical, eternal life of
Christ. It can never be fully written,
because no necessarily limited book
can cover an unlimited subiect.
‘‘Only in the degree that we get
into this inward life of Jesus will his
outward life cease to be a plague to
us. As it is, we are constantly com
ing upon th ngs in his life that we
cannot understand or explain and
that often defy intelligence, and
these create doubt and indifference.
But as we get into sympathy with
the spirit of this inner life of Christ
we begin to do as he did—see theee
outward things in their rigtt rela
tions, color and proportions. When
we hear his words our minds expand,
our hearts burn within us, and our
souls leap with joy as did the travel
ers to Etnaus.
“In all human lives the inward ex
plains the outward. Stop with the
outward only and we get controversy,
discrepancy, intellectual annoyance,
moral surprises and often spiritual
disappointment. But first thoroughly
know a person’s soul, get into sym
pathy with his purposes and motives
and know the scope of his mental
and moral nature, and we at once un
derstand his words and deeds as
never before. His life of mystery and
character of disappointment and con
troversy becomes a simple life of un
derstanding and a character of satis
faction and mutual agreement. This
is true with the inner spirit and life
of Christ.
“This study of the inner life of
Christ becomes intensely interesting
and fruitful. By it we are brought
to set the same value on his outward
acts of miracle as he did. What was
the miracle to him; of any particular
value in itself? None. When did
he ever say: “Behold the mighty tri
umph of my power.” Never. When
did he sound the trumpet and wake
mighty^hosts to see the loosing of
a dumb tongue or the opening of
bi nd 'yes? Never. If he had per
formed the‘miracles with the skill of
his fingers only, as the wizzard, he
would be proud of them; but when
they fell out of the infinity of his
thinking they were but mere drops
trembling on the ocean’s brink. Like
our Bimple breathing in the mighty
wind, nothing because of our greater
life. The miracles and puzzles, en
igmas, confounding surprises to peo
ple who come to Jesus in the outward
and circumstantial alone. But if
they come to him through his heart
and speak to him soul to soul, they
then feel the heaving of his great
sympathetic bosom; they then see
the miracles as he eaw them; mere
examples to guide children through
the introductory elements of a higher
law. Jesus once surprised people by
saying: ‘Greater works than these
shall ye do,’ but nowhere did he say:
‘Greater thoughts than these shall ye
think, greater love than this shall ye
show.’ There he touched the un
searchable riches of his own nature.
“Study the inner life from another
point; watch him day by day, watch
his deeds. What is the impelling
power, why does he do these things?
When but a boy he answered this
frankly: ‘Wist ye not that I must be
about my father’s business?’ Work
ing from father’s point of view 1 This
the key has given ustohis whole life.
It is but a chilli’s expression; can he
keep it up?”
“Later he says. My Father worketh
hitherto and I work, “I and my Fa
ther are one.” Can he sustain this in
trouble? “Father, if it be possible let
this cup pass from me.” Still higher,
—“Father into tby hands I commend
my spirit. “Isn't that the richest har
mony of music? Keynote, “Father.”
Out rolls the anthem high as heaven,
deep as hades, broad as nature, yet
the keynote, “Father” is sounded at
every brace, and the fundamental air
of nature’s lullaby is never lost. And
we must give Jesus, the Galilean
peasant, the credit for this persever
ance in a rythmic consistency in a
course of life that was rugged, tragi
cal and unparalle’e 1.
“Once more, in studying this inner
life what do we hud to be his supreme
feeling? Was it pride or jealousy
for the dignity of the law, or for his
own glory? No, not at all. We are
told many times through the New
Testament, and I ask you tocote how
it accords with the first statement,
‘Jesus was moved with compas-i on.
Ye of musical soul and critical miml
tell me if here is not harmony? Wist
ye not that I must be about my Fa
ther’s business? Jesus was moved
with compassion. Did he wait for
some one to say, ‘Jesus these thou
sands of people, who have been with
you three days have nothing to eat?’
No. But as soon as Jesus looked out
upon them he was moved with com
passion, for they were as sheep hav
ing no shepherd. And he wondrously
fed them. When he saw the funeral
procession, without suggestion, he
was moved with compassion and re
stored the lifeless son to his stricken
mother. Mighty deeds to ub; but to
him the simple breathing manifesta
tion of a mightier soul of thought
and love. He spoke and acted like a
dutiful son about his father’s busi
ness. Till the last pulse beat was
gone in behalf of our atonement with
God, He was mighty, self-consistent,
simple, natural, divine.
THE DOMINION OF OHRIST.
BY REV. F. L BUCKNER.
The universal dominion of Christ
was one of the favorite themes of
Paul. He taught that this dominion
extended over the living and the dead.
‘ For to this end Christ died and lived
again, that he might be Lord of both
the dead and the living.” There is
no reason to doubt that this language
is inclusive of all creatures who dwell
upon the earth, and those who have
taken their departure to the spirit
world. The mission of truth does
not end with the grave, but the spirit
of Christ inspires human develop
ment after death. Take these words:
“Wherefore also God highlv exalted
him and gave unto him the name
which is above every name; that in
the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of things in heaven and things
on earth and things under the earth,
and that every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, the glory
of God the Father.” If we entertain
a doubt about the universal dominion
taught in the first quoted words, we
can not in the last. Former versions
contained the language “at the name
of Jesus,” as if his name were going
to inspire fear and shame in unfor
tunate men and women who had died
impenitent when brought to judg
ment. Many times have we heard
ministers ask “will you confess him
now to your glory and happiness, or
will you wait and confess him to
your shame?” The “new version”
gives us the correct meaning of the
original. “In his name” means in
his spirit. We are commanded to
pray in the name of Christ, and to
baptize in the name of the Father
Son and Holy Spirit. If all in heaven,
on earth and under the earth are to
bow the knee and confess their sins
in the name of Christ; does not the
fact imply a complete salvation? It
is a statement most consistent with
the words of the Saviour. “And I, if
I be lifted up from the earth will
draw all men unto me,” or with Paul’s
declaration that God wills that all
men be saved and brought into a
knowledge of the truth. Never have
believers in eternal misery been able
to interpret these words consistently
with their creeds. We wonder if
they have been wholly satisfied with
their efforts ? For reading our Bibles
with perfect fairness, and taking
words to mean just what they do
mean, no more, no less, we have been
called heretics for a hundred years,
and we can afford to be.
This same dominion of Christ is
spoken of in the 15th chapter of
First Cor. We there see that it is of
a progressive nature. The Lord came
to subdue all things to himself. For
this purpose he lived, died and insti
tuted his church. It is God’s will
that all intelligent beings shall be
perfected and brought into the image
of Christ. When all things shall be
subdued, then Christ’s dominion shall
be at an end and he shall deliver all
rule and all authority up to God
who shall be “all in all.” If you
doubt that this'is taught by Paul read
his letters and you will be convinced
that this constituted the greater part
of his theology. W’ith the hints here
given you can not avoid seeing the
beautiful system of which God is the
author, and Christ the centre.
Whenever a soul mounts into the
perfection of spiritual and moral life,
Christ’s dominion over it ends. He
is my teacher and guide while my
life is imperfect and sinful, but when
I reach the destiny which God de
signed for me, I pass from under the
dominion of Christ as a teacher, and
enter upon a life of blessedness such
as Christ himself leads. His domin
ion, however, shall endure until his
work is completed, all men saved
fiom sin, all things subdued. Then
shall he lay down the sign of his
authority and there shall be no sin,
sorrow, no tears, but all the universe
shall be as heaven Hnd all shall s ng
the praises of Gv d.
Macomk. 111.
^ Uni versalist Thought^
OUB OWN WRITERS. ^5
Doubtful Theology and Ethics
I beard the preacher say that it mat
ters not how many or how black one’s
sins may be they will all be washed
white if he will but "plunge into the
crimson tide” of Jeeu9’ blood, for Jesus
"paid it all upon the cross.” And I
thought, that renders it pretty easy for
him who can believe, but it makes of
doubtful ethics the judgment of God.
It is a [strange justice that puts upon
the innocent the punishment of the
guilty. And this is saying nothing of
the encouragement to sin that is given
to those evilly disposed by apian where
by they can escape the consequences of
their wrong doing.-—lieu. Carl F. Henry.
Not Proof of Total Depravity.
I know that many truly conscientious
people quote passages from the Old Tes
tament cencerning the iniquity and
grossnesB of humanity, really believing
that the strong and even exaggerated
language used by prophets, against re
bellious Israel, were statements that ap
ply to the entire human race. But this
is not proof of the depravity of human
ity, of whom it is more justly said in
Scripture, “God made subject unto van
ity, by reason of hope.” History, rea
son, observation and experience tell us
that while there iB an admixture of
weakness in our nature that leads to
evil; that by heredity, environments and
influences, natural instincts that are
not evil of themselves become perverted
and corrupted, leading to an almost end
less procession of wrong here in this
world.—Mrs. Mary A. Billings.
The Church a Sacred Place.
The place where we meet to wor
ship God is made sacred by that wor
ship. It becomes "holy ground” in
deed. And we derive the greater bene
fit from the environment in which we
sing and pray and meditate, as that en
vironment is kept free from all distract
ing or nullifying associations. Does not
the introduction of entertainment into
the place set apart for worship have a
tendency to disintegrate the moral
power of the environment of that place?
Of course the higher the grade of that
entertainment the lees of the disinte
grating effect. But whatever the grade,
will not the mind of the worshiper, by
the very law of association, recall the
entertainer and entertainment even
when he sits in that place for worship?
This law of association operates when
we wish it would not; and it brings into
the mind events, occasions, figures, per
sonalities, which it were better should
not be there at the hour of prayer and
worship.—Rev. C. T. Nickerson.
The Work of the Church.
Mighty changes have affected the
whole range of human thought and cus
toms, but the mission of the church re
mains unique. It has a definite work
to do in this world. It is still the soul
con servator of spirituality in theory and
its field of endeavor must not be con
founded with that of other institutions
better equipped for secular aims. We
are in fullest sympathy with the use of
literature, science, art and all culture as
aide to religion, but we insist that they
shall not serve as substitutes for the
same. When we consider the ingenious
devices invented by churches to induce
people to become attendants perhaps,
or members, we wonder if religion has
deteriorated to such a degree that a
bo nus must be given in consideration of
the poor, shrunken article that can no
longer pass on its merits. Has religion
ceased to be an urgent necessity? May
we still experience a hunger and thirst
after righteousness that does not mock
of church suppers; or must the bread of
life be sandwiched with amusements to
be palatable? A cause is hard pushed
when depending on “pin money,” teased
out of men who were fairly nagged to
church by their lives.—Rev. F. W. Dick
er man.
The New Motives.
Herein ie the excellence of the Chris
tian thought, that it plants new motives
in the human soul, makes life to consist
not in having but in being. The Chris
tian measure of life ie not what are you
worth? what do you for the earth time
own? but how much spirit growth have
you made? what are vou? and are you
conscious of making some progress in
the better things of life day after day?
If any man can answer these last three
questions in a positive manner, if heoan
say he ie compassing spirit growth, that
he ie kind, noble, generous, that he ie
conscious of finding himself advancing
on the upward tracks as the days glide
by, I think we must accord to him the
honor of fulfilling in some measure at
least the claims of God upon him.
Whether he is advancing as fast as he
ought and as he might, are other ques
tions deep with solemn meaning to every
one, who would be perfect. There iscredit
to a man if he is entering the kingdom,
it he is keeping the lesser laws of help
ful life; there is greater credit if one is
striving to be perfect in the kingdom of
G >d. It ie a high standard of life to
love the Lord thy God with all the
power of thy being, and thy neighbor as
thyself; it ie a still higher Christian
standard for which we all who name the
uaiue of Christ o ught to strive, viz.: to
lost- the world of suffering need as Jesus
oiit in his day and in his work.—Hev.f'.
-4. Cray.