Religious Apostasy.

No Successors of Bradlaugh and Ingersoll? In an address before the Central Y. M. C. A. in the City of Toronto, Mr. George Jackson, Pastor of the Sherbourne Street M. E. Church, who will take up soon a professorship in Victoria College of that denomination, denied boldly the inspiration of the accounts given in Genesis concerning the Creation, the Fall, the Deluge, etc. He declared that these accounts are neither historic nor scientific, but a collection of legends having a deep religious meaning. At the close of his address this critic made the statement that neither Bradlaugh nor Ingersoll had had successors, and they never would, because a changed method of interpretation had robbed them of their miserable stock in trade.

There is some truth in this; but this preacher does not see the true reason why Ingersoll has had no successor, nor will have one. It is not true that Higher Criticism has robbed infidels of their stock of trade. It is positively false. The truth is Higher Criticism has accepted the stock of trade of infidels like Thomas Paine, Renan, Voltaire, Bradlaugh and Ingersoll and the professors and preachers who deny the inspiration and revelation of the opening chapters of the Book of Genesis, the chapters, which contain the foundation truths of the entire Bible, are the legitimate successors of infidel lecturers like the forgotten Ingersoll. There is no need for such infidel lecturers in our times because hundreds of preachers do the same work more successfully, than Ingersoll ever did. Of the two, an outspoken infidel, who disowns all connection with Christianity and a man, who professes Christianity but undermines the faith in God's Word and denies the authority of the Bible, the former is certainly the more honest of the two. The hand of the evil master, who stands behind these continued attacks, is seen in the fact, that these men with their "infidel stock of trade" are put into a position where they can reach and influence the immature minds of the young. We have of late heard of other men of the same stamp, who left the pastorate and became professors to teach their miserable errors.

We are thankful that our friend. Dr. Elmore Harris, of Toronto, wrote such a vigorous and able reply to the remarks of Mr. Jackson. Adr. Harris says at the close of his remarks the following:

As one whose lifelong interest in the work of the Young Men's Christian Association is well known, I sincerely hope that the Board of Directors of the Central Young Men's Christian Association will at as early a date as possible repudiate the statements of the lecturer who under their auspices has recently spoken so disparagingly of a portion of the Word of God, found in the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament which constituted the Bible of our Lord, and of which the Greatest Apostle wrote: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God." Such destructive utterances regarding a portion of the Sacred Scriptures reveal to us the absolute impossibility of reconciling, as some have hoped to do, the contending parties on the great question of Biblical criticism.

We have not heard if the directors of the Toronto Y. M. C. A. have acted on this request.

"The Time Will Come," remarked a skeptic to the philosopher, When men will no more believe in God than they now believe in ghosts." "Should that time come" was the rejoinder, "they will begin again to believe in ghosts." And this time does not need to come. It is here already.

Christian Endeavorers' Convention. Thousands of Endeavorers gathered in Atlantic City, N. J., during July. President Taft was there and was introduced by Dr. Clark. Of course Mr. Taft's address was greeted with tremendous enthusiasm. That Mr. Taft is an outspoken Unitarian, who denies the Lord of Glory, is too well known to need restatement. The Endeavor movement is evidently corrupting itself and must be looked upon as siding with the apostasy.

Triumphant Romanism. The unsettled, drifting and apostate conditions of Protestantism are now constantly used by the Romish "church" to show that the reformation movement is a tremendous failure. Roman Catholicism lifts its head and realizes the great opportunity it has in the English speaking world. Its claims become more bold and vigorous. It is the beginning of that revival, which the Word predicts for the end time. As reported in our November issue the Ecumenical Conference on Methodism endorsed more or less the destructive Criticism, which is so prominent in that denomination. A leading Roman Catholic periodical, published in Canada, makes the following comment:

"We can well remember the day when Catholics throughout the world were pictured as the enemies of the Bible, simply because the Church insisted that every Tom, Dick, and Harry was not competent to Interpret it as they pleased. The Toms, Dicks, and Harrys of our Methodist brethren have certainly been instrumental In creating a great deal of confusion in their own fold, and, after we have read their utterances, we are not surprised at The Guardian's admission that Methodism somehow is losing its grip all along the line. These Methodist critics of the pulpit who are preaching their doubts have unsettled the simple faith of the rank and file; and, in the course of the debate, the pathetic admission stands out forcibly that the people sitting in the pews are looking wistfully and vainly to the pulpits for the assurance that there is at least some one thing upon which Methodist faith can rest."

What a clever argument! The next thing is that "mother church" as they term their system (the Mother of harlots according to the Bible) alone has the foundation upon which faith rests. And such language blinds the eyes of thousands of unsaved "Protestants" who sooner or later will be swallowed up by Rome. Rome is, has been and ever will be the enemy of the Bible.

A Common Religion as the Hope of the World. Some time ago there was held in London the "Universal Races Congress." One of the leaders, Sir Harry Hamilton Johnston, Vice-President of the Royal Anthropological Institute, suggests now in The Contemporary Review a universal religion for all races, and according to his views such a religion would solve forever the problems of race differences, race aversion, hatred, malice in strife. It would be the hope of the human race.

"If only we could agree upon a common interracial religion, and that the most simple, undogmatic form of Christianity -- Christianity without the creeds that were unknown to Christ! The Christian principles that were laid down in the authentic gospels and epistles still remain unsurpassed as a rule of conduct, as a basis of practical ethics. They are unconnected with totemism, sabbaths, fetish-worship, mysticism, vexatious observances, litanies, and the disputable adjuncts of a religion. If we could agree to define and adopt such a basis and make it the state of religion of every country, with leave to each person and community to add, on their own account, the elaborations of ritual necessary to some individualities, we should have gone far to establish a brotherhood of man, a brotherhood which need not mean necessarily a mingling of blood, but a common sympathy and interest in the development of humanity. Applying Christian principles, the white man would treat the other races of mankind with kindness and justice, without scorn or harsh impatience; and they, on their part, would co-operate with him in the tremendous struggle with the blind and heartless forces of nature which ever and again seem to threaten man's very existence."

In such an interracial religion in which Christian principles are maintained, he sees the great advancement of the nations in thus bringing them together.

"Japan would make a tremendous step forward in the comity of nations if to-morrow she declared her state religion to be undogmatic Christianity. The only hope for the continued survival of the Turkish dynasty and empire is for it to have no state religion at present, so that Christianity and Judaism may be placed on at least an equal footing with Islam, so that mass may once more be sung at St. Sophia's, and Jerusalem be restored to the Jews as a religious center, while Christians would be allowed to visit Mecca as freely as Mohammedans are permitted to enter St. Peter's, St. Pau's, St. Mungo's of Glasgow, or St. Sofia's Church at Kief."

But what is this "undogmatic Christianity?" A denial of Christianity itself. Certain ethical teachings, which are also found in some heathen religions, arc to be enforced, but Christianity itself, which is not a system of ethics, but a Person, is to be rejected. All civilized nations surely can be united in a universal, common religion, which excludes the Person of the Son of God, the Death of the Cross and the great redemption truths made known by the Holy Spirit come down from heaven. Unitarianism, Universalism, Christian Science, Bahaism and parts of Protestantism which endorse the New Theology can fall in line with such a scheme. These suggestions are not new. But never before have things been so ready for a practical demonstration as now. Satan's universal church, the predicted anti-Christian world-church is in sight.

Confusion Worse Confounded. Zion City, founded by the late deluded John Alexander Dowie, seems to have become the Mecca of all the cranks of the different fanatical and fantastic movements. During the past summer seventeen religious bodies, representing thousands of adherents, held their gatherings in Zion. These includde the following:

"Christian Catholic Apostolic Church, Overseer Volivia; Christian Catholic Church, Overseer Daniel Bryant; Original Dowieite Church, Elder Taylor; Star Christian Catholic Church, Overseer J. A. Lewis; Pentecostal Vineyard Workers, Elder Brooks; Parha mites, Holy Rollers, Christian Assembly, Seventh Day Adventists, Original Methodist Church, Feet Washers, Free Lovers, Colored Dowieites, Banner Bearers and Latter Day Saints."

What heresy, confusion and wickedness these names represent! Yet they all seem to prosper and all report numerical and financial increase. Besides these bodies there are scores of other cults which belong to the. same class.

A Bishop's Statements. Among the many reports sent to us recently about men, who deny the faith and reject the Bible as the holy and infallible Word of God, were some which relate to the utterances of Bishop W. F. McDowell of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In the First M. E. Church of Evanston, Ill., he boldly defended the modern conception of the Inspiration of the Scriptures and put himself on the side of ^'Higher Criticism."

"One may still have fellowship with God and surmise that the Pentateuch was riot written by Moses; that the Levitical legislation was post-exilian; that the book of Isaiah is of composite authorship; that the book of Daniel is a story to illustrate how God keeps watch, over his own; that the book of Job is a dramatic putting of the problem of evil in the world, and that Jonah is an allegory setting forth the universality of God's love.

"We may even go farther than that. We may admit that the Bible as we have it is a book derived from secondary sources; that the autographs of the evangelists and apostles irrevocably have been lost; that there are omissions and interpolations, glosses, and misreadings numerous enough to be discouraging; that genealogies and chronologies, are hopelessly confused; and that there are discrepancies of statement about matters of fact which are not to be reconciled. I say we may admit all that and still realize that in its central feature of its commission as a veritable word of God, it is so full, so final, so clean cut, so intelligible, so authoritative, that the wayfaring man has to be a superabundant fool who seriously errs with respect to it."

What schoolboy talk this Is! As one, who claims a high position in a denomination and makes such statements, his responsibility certainly is great. Yet we were told that he used to be a believer in the second, premillennial coming of Christ. We have watched others, who gave up the blessed hope some years ago and now they have lost their spiritual conception and power and follow error.

The drift downward is pronounced in Methodism. Some of their Bishops, professors and preachers deny the fundamentals. One of their book-agents has stated in print the infidel theories of Paine and Voltaire. No wonder that many loyal preachers and members of that denomination are saddened and perplexed. What shall we do? This question has often been put to us. The Word is clear. "From such turn away." Read 2 John, verses 9-11.

Optimistic Visions. A few years before the nineteenth century closed the late Dr. Talmage preached a sermon on "a revival in Washington." He predicted that before the year 1900 would begin, a great revival would start in Washington and sweep over the entire world. We came recently across a quotation from that sermon.

The Senators of the United States will announce to the State Legislatures that sent them here, and members of the House of Representatives will report to the congressional districts that elected them, and the many thousands of men and women now and here engaged in the many departments of national service will write home, telling all sections of the country that the Lord is here, and that he is on the march for the redemption of America. Hallelujah! the Lord is coming! I hear the rumbling of His chariot wheels. I feel on my cheeks the breath of the white horses that draw the victor! I see the flash of His lanterns through the whole night of the world's sin and sorrow! . . . Lord God of Joshua! Let the sun of this century stand still above Gibeon and the moon above the valley of Ajalon until we can whip out the five kings of hell, tumbling them down the precipices as the other five kings went over the rocks of Bethhoran. Ha! Ha! It will so surely be done that I can not restrain the laugh of triumph.

These are indeed "great swelling words." The year 1900 came, but the revival in Washington did not show up. Since then we have heard similar predictions of sweeping revivals, the soon coming conversion of the world, the redemption of the masses, and what not. But all these things have not materialized and the spiritual condition of Christendom to-day is far more desperate than it was ten years ago.

Rome Unchanged. Rome in her hatred of the Gospel and God's Holy Word is unchanged. Abundant evidence to this effect can easily be gathered in countries where she still has the power. Before us is a communication from a dear brother upon whose heart it was laid to scatter the Scriptures and preach the Gospel in the Canary Islands. The priests and the Romish bishop, hating the Gospel, brought about his arrest, and he was put into a vile dungeon and the guard was told to beat him severely in case he did not obey in all things. The brother writes:

"The dungeon was damp and dark and the earthen floor was covered with filth, so that the stench was something awful. There was no chair, not even a straw bed to lie upon. After groping on the floor I discovered two men who had been placed in the dungeon the day before. No food nor even a drink of water had been given to them, so they were desperately hungry and thirsty. I told them later that I would pray for them. But hearing this they became frightened and said, O Sir, if you pray the guard will come and beat us and put a gag in your mouth. One of the prisoners said that he had seen instruments of torture as they used in the days of the inquisition, and that one man was so badly beaten that he died immediately after and was buried like a dog."

After a few days of suffering this brother was released. He also says that he was arrested three times during his stay in the islands, spit upon and stoned. The windows of the little mission and the furniture were broken, etc. Similar persecutions take place almost constantly in Central and South America. "She repents not" we read of her in the book of Revelation. If Rome had the power she would instigate the same persecutions in this country. And she is reaching out for that power.

Apostasy Ripening. Numerous clippings from different parts of the country have reached us, which give reports of men and institutions opposing the Bible and the Truth of God. Many of our readers tell us in letters of preachers who deny the Bible and sneer at the Gospel. Everywhere good people are perplexed, and those who know the truth and love their Bibles are greatly burdened and ask -- What is to be done? The conditions of apostasy are upon us. They cannot be changed. The tares will be in the field till the harvest comes, which is the end of this age. God expects of His people to be loyal to His Word and loyal to His blessed Son. This loyalty must be expressed in separation from evil. May He help us in His Grace to stand boldly for His Truth! The Reward is in sight.

Making Sport with God's Law. The Holy Law of God is often ridiculed. Apostate Jews and apostate Christians laugh at the divine statement that God wrote the ten commandments upon the tables of stone. Others speak of revising the commandments and recently there appeared in the daily papers humorous ten commandments for wives and a similar set for husbands, mocking God's commandment and law, which is holy, just and good (Rom. vii:12). All this shows the spirit of the age.

Death and Hell Ridiculed. "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb, ix:27). This is the simple declaration of the Word of God. The wages of sin is death. "Through one man sin entered into the world and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all sinned" (Rom. v:12). How the solemn fact of death is made light of and God's revelation concerning man's condition is defied may be learned from the organization of "The Jolly Pallbearers' Club" in St. Louis, Mo.:

"The Jolly Pallbearers' Club," whose purpose it is to get what joy there is out of a funeral, has become an organized body. Chief mourners were delegated, officers were elected and a bit of crape was decided on as a badge of membership.

They propose, wholly and singly, not to let a funeral dirge dampen the ardor of their spirits, and to lay a club companion away in his final resting place with as much good cheer as ever characterizes the initiation of a new member.

A clubhouse has been provided and there the mutuality of life and the probability of death will be lightsomely discussed. The motto of the club is "Joy," with a band of crape around it.

They believe in the words of Joe Simmins, one of the promoters, that "there's too much gloom in grief," and that there are really attractive chances of enjoyment in a properly conducted funeral.

Special inducements to members to die in membership will be made, so that the club may enjoy as many occasions as possible for unconfined mirth.

Surely this outdoes heathenism. The heathen at least acknowledge the solemnity of death and express their sorrow. But here are people who would make the wages of sin an occasion of mirth and jollification. What defiance!

Still worse is the ever-increasing denial of "judgment to come" and the punishment of the wicked. The whole country is being flooded with the miserable sheets of Russell's institution. The headlines state "Hell Officially Abolished in Washington." The "Bible Students" of Millennial Dawnism, or, as they call themselves, International Bible Student Association, held a meeting in Washington months ago and passed certain resolutions about their denials of the everlasting punishment of the wicked. Ever since they have sent abroad their blasphemous sheets. How any sane person could ever believe that "hell can be officially abolished in Washington" we cannot understand. But multitudes want to believe it, for they live in sin.

What an awful awakening will come ere long! When God vindicates His Word these wicked apostates will know that "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. x:31).

The Riches of Rome. Few people know of the immense wealth and princely luxuries with which the man is surrounded, who claims to be the successor of Peter, the poor Galilean fisherman. The revenue of the present pope, who lives in a magnificent palace, is $3,000,000 a year. The following gives a little idea of the treasures of the Vatican:

According to an approximate valuation made several years ago the treasures of the Vatican, including the Basilica of St. Peter, and the Lateran Museums, as well as the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, which also enjoys the privilege of extra territoriality, are worth considerably over $200,000,000. The following figures are given:

Picture galleries of the Vatican	$1,600,000
Egyptian Museum	$12,200,000
Numismatic collection	$5,000,000
Museum of ancient statuary	$20,000,000
Other minor collections	$3,000,000
Vatican library	$40,000,000
Vatican archives	$16,000,000
Ancient furniture in the Vatican	$5,000,000
Tapestry and other stuffs	$1,200,000
Jewelry and precious stones	$14,000,000
St. Peter's Church with statuary, marbles, mosaics, sacred objects, and vestments, etc	$40,000,000
Lateran museums, including the treasures and relics in in St. John Lateran	$20,000,000
Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo	$3,000,000

The historical interest attaching to every art object in the Vatican collections, the unique character of most of the ancient statues, bas reliefs and other archaeological specimens, and many other similar special considerations have to be taken into account in estimating the value of the treasures of the Holy See. It is obvious that any valuation under such conditions can only be approximate.

Rome and the Vatican are prophetically described in Rev. xvii and xviii. Read these chapters and notice the luxuries mentioned. Silver, gold, precious stones, pearls, every article of ivory, marble, etc., are enumerated. The bodies and souls of men are also found there. But more than that: "In her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that had been slain on the earth" (Rev. xviii:24). Some day she will be remembered and be stripped of all her luxuries and glories by God's own hand.

Heathendom and Scoffing. Paris held recently a great festival in honor of the "Sun." Many thousands took part in it. Eloquent speeches were delivered in praise of "the Sun." There was much merry-making and ''Sundancing." All sports and ceremonies were in honor "of the Sun. With it there was much debauchery and licentiousness. An old heathen sun-worshipper of past ages would have delighted in it and would have been perfectly at home. It is a sure return to the idolatries of the past, a fact which the Bible predicts, that men shall turn back to the fables and ceremonies of heathendom. Read Ezekiel viii:16. That was one of Israel's sins before the Lord judged Jerusalem. In the United States there are thousands of Sun-worshippers, who really worship the Sun. Abdul-Baha, the leader of Bahaism, is an idolator of the Sun. This heathen spoke in "churches" of various denominations in our country.

And Paris scoffs at divine things. Of late the fashionable people give parties in honor of their pet-dogs, when they are "baptized"; the whole thing is an outright mockery. How long will God stand it?

Sound Doctrine Abandoned and the Itching Ears. We have little to say on the spiritual conditions of many of the churches in this land. If we were to make use of all we see and hear, as well as the many newspaper clippings and personal incidents sent to us by our friends, we fear we would have to devote many pages of this book to this subject. This we cannot do nor do we like to do it. Yet it is necessary to call attention to it. Many of the modern "churches" are nothing else than clubs and societies for social, musical and intellectual entertainment. The men who pose as leaders and preachers are at best self-seeking men, who were perhaps never born again, blind leaders of the blind. No wonder Rome laughs and with a sneer points to Protiestantism as "Babylon (confusion) the Great."

Before us is a newspaper advertisement from Los Angeles. The pastor of the Temple Auditorium announces himself as "the brilliant, fearless, earnest preacher, who makes you think." His topic on a certain evening was, "The Man of the House; Is He the Head of the House?" The third in a series, "How to be Happy Though Married." A special solo is promised entitled "Daddy." Another preacher declared to be ''one of the most brilliant and scholarly pulpit orators" was to speak that same evening on "Doctor S. of Denver." What scholarship is needed to preach on Doctor S. of Denver (what it means we do not know) we fail to see. The advertisement has a full-sized portrait of the preacher. The entire thing is nauseating. But 1 John iv:5 applies to such men, ''They are of the world, therefore they speak of the world and the world hears them."

While in Boston a few weeks ago we were told that Dr. Johnson, another great "divine" (as they call them) announced that he would speak on "the hobble skirt." Of course he had a big crowd of silly women and men as well as curiosity seekers and cranks of every description for which Boston has such a great reputation. According to the Boston Globe, this is what he said:

"There is no more potent influence for good in the modern community to-day than feminine fashion. Not only are the ever changing fashions of women one of the chief delights of civilized communities, but it is a safe statement to make that we have to-day no more conclusive key to a woman's mental and moral development than the clothes she wears. The man or woman who dresses the best, whose personal habits are the most irreproachable, is, in all the countries of the earth, the man or woman whose mental and moral development is the highest advanced. A girl or a woman who is self-respecting will always dress fashionably and well. The hobble skirt, the peach basket hat, high-heeled shoes, and all the thousand and one foibles of the feminine sex are entertaining and products of good. A girl who, on the other hand, does not care about dress and the latest fashions is not a normal girl.

"The young man who contemplates marriage nowadays may fight shy of the girl of fashion, but he makes a mistake. He may be a gainer at first financially, but in the end he pays a terrible price for his shortsightedness. The girl who is lax about her personal appearance is lax mentally and morally. She is not made of the stuff that turns out self-respecting children. She is either a visionary, and as such an unreliable element in the community, or she is downright lax and shiftless. In either race she is not a safe proposition for the ordinary young man."

We asked our Informant if this man has anyone to hear him and were told that "his" church is packed. What a testimony this is to the spiritual conditions of the present day. These men make of the unsaved masses who come to hear them "twofold more the child of hell." The Lord's Word is meant for such "Woe unto you, ye blind guides" (Matthew xxiii:16). Poor man! does he not know that the very luxuries he mentions have been the snare and are the snare into which thousands of girls fall every year to the destruction of their bodies and souls.

From Detroit, Mich., we learn that a moving picture show and theatre is to be conducted by some churches. They have not yet decided whether to keep open on Sunday or not. The Central M. E. Church of that city is giving occasionally moving picture shows for their young folk.

But this will suffice. One dislikes to hold up those sad things to the light. Others we might mention we gladly cover up. Still God's people everywhere should be reminded that the time has come of which the Holy Spirit speaks in 2 Tim. iv:3: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears." That time is here.

The Downward Road of the Y. M. C. A. We have called attention from time to time to the drifting conditions of many Y. IM. C. A. institutions. Of course there are many associations under the leadership of earnest secretaries, spiritual men who are as much grieved over these sad conditions as we are, but they seem to become less in number. The following paragraph is taken from the "Christian Sentinel," the most prominent Christian Science paper in the country:

Salt Lake City, Utah. An audience that occupied about all the seat space in the Colonial Theatre heard Miss Mary Brookins last night (June 17) deliver a lecture on Christian Science. Oscar L. Cox, Secretary of the Young Men*s Christian Association of Salt Lake, introduced Miss Brookins, reading from a carefully prepared speech. He said in part:

"Utah's welfare demands the spirit of religious tolerance which the Christian Science church has shown by inviting me to speak a word of preface this evening, for I am one whom somewhat careful thought has caused to accept the statement of religious truth as put forth by another denomination than your own. No man should fail these days to secure active identification with that church which stirs his heart to repentant shame for yesterday's failure and to courageous planning for to-day's victory. He need not attempt to coerce his intellect into the acceptance of his present or any other profession -- the intellect cannot be coerced. It must be fed with fact and then followed.

"I am glad that it is my honor to present the speaker of the evening, not as representing my personal viewpoint on religious matters, since I work with another church group, but because she comes to us with the ripe culture of thought and study, bringing the Christian Science viewpoint to our attention in such a manner that we may be intelligent in its consideration."

The N. Y. Christian Advocate (Methodist) comments on this as follows:

"That secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association in Salt Lake, surrounded by Mormonism of the Bringham Young type, which is far from Christianity in its doctrines and teachings, has himself to justify for introducing Christian Science 'as a church' and encouraging the members of the Christian Science organization not to make any particular efforts to change their views. He seems not to understand that nineteen-twentieths of the evils and the foolish ideas in the world arise from one's own disposition and desires which coerce the intellect.

"Logically, this man, representing the Young Men's Christian Association of Salt Lake, laid a platform for hobnobbing with the Mormons. Every word that he has here uttered would apply to them. Christian Science, in several respects, is as far from Christianity as the Mormon religion.

"It should not be inferred from these references that we would suppress by law or by mob Spiritualists, Christian Scientists, non-polygamous Mormons. Citizens can choose their own religion. The question is what a professedly Christian representative of a Christian organization for the benefit of young men should do, or be allowed to do.

"There should be some general supervision of the Young Men's Christian Association. Not infrequently some secretary or other official places the association in a very bad light."

This is about as bad as we have heard yet. Some years ago, the Pastor of the Central Congregational Church, Winnipeg, Manitoba, presided over a Christian Science meeting, the first, we believe, which ever was held in that city. He wished them God's speed. That city has since then become a northwestern stronghold of this anti-christian cult. Men who can endorse and welcome Christian Science are either totally ignorant of what this Science falsely so called stands for, or they have never been born again, possess no spiritual life and therefore talk as natural men. We believe the latter is more the case than the former.

The Brotherhood Federation. The following is taken from The Daily Mail and Empire, published in Toronto:

The Brotherhood Federation of Canada bids fair to prove one of the greatest organizations in connection with men's societies of the Canadian churches. It has affiliated with it the Brotherhood of St. Andrew and Phillip, the Methodist Young Men's Association, the Baptist Young Men's Association, and the Congregational Brotherhood. The aims of the federation are to promote a closer relation between the church and the men, and to reach the great masses of people who are not in touch with religion. In fact, one of the chief characters of the federation is its evangelicalism, and the first clause in the constitution of the organization is that no society may affiliate unless it recognizes this important phase. Its great object is to make religion attractive to the average man, and to reach out individually and secure men for Christ. The Brotherhood Federation is interdenominational, and invites any society or organization to affiliate with it who will respect its ideals, and lend its assistance in the great evangelical work.

Federation and combination is the program of "churchism" of the future. All kinds of associations, alliances, brotherhoods, clubs and societies on religious ground were started during the last twenty-five years and now these are to be amalgamated into one great federation.

The words "evangelical" and "evangelism" are maintained, but stripped of their meaning. Religion of some kind is put in the place of salvation and religion is to be made attractive to the average man. From this kind of federation it is expected that the threatening collapse of churches, which have a name to live but are dead, may be averted. But it is Babylon pure and simple.

"Not by might or by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts" (Zech. iv:6). It is significant that the Hebrew word translated "might" means "a host combined" a "team."

World Conference for Church Union. A very significant attempt is being made now to bring all Christendom together. One marked feature of this movement, in which it has departed from any previous effort, is its Catholic nature. It is not an attempt of Protestantism to ally itself into one camp, but its scope includes both the Roman Catholic and the Greek churches. During the last half of June commissions of English and American preachers met in Lambeth palace,. London, to evolve a plan whereby the unity of Christendom can be accomplished. Lambeth palace where the delegates of all denominations meet is the home of the Archbishop of Canterbury. We quote from an article of the New York Sun showing the attitude of the Roman and Greek churches towards this movement:

At an interview by appointment between two members of the commission and Cardinal Gibbons at Baltimore the Roman Catholic prelate expressed much friendly interest in the subject, a desire to be kept in touch with the progress of the movement and a conviction both that clear statement of positions would show them to be nearer together than they had supposed and that nothing but good could come of the effort to promote the spirit in which such a conference should be undertaken. The interview was closed with prayer offered by the Cardinal.

Archbishop Platon, the ruling prelate in this country of the Holy Orthodox Eastern Church, which is the national church of Russia, Greece and many of the Eastern Mediterranean countries, was equally favorable and satisfactory in his expressions of interest and willingness to help. The Archbishop said very plainly that the subject should have his best attention; that he would co-operate in every way possible as far as his communion in America was concerned, and that whenever the commission should communicate formally with him with regard to the great conference he would give the communication cordial approval and would further cooperate in transmitting it to the Holy Governing Synod in Russia.

Every true Christian, who knows what the Bible teaches concerning the ecclesiastical conditions in the close of the present age, will at once realize that we are here face to face with a most significant move. Commercial, political, ecclesiastical federations are on the program of the age. Babylon is almost in sight; it spells "concentration and confusion." We shall keep our readers informed on what is done by this world conference.

One word more. In looking over the Presbyterian, Baptist, etc., delegates, who are interested in this scheme, we found at least five men, who say they believe in the second premillennial Coming of Christ and in the blessed Hope. We feel sorry for them. They are in very bad company.

Put Him Out. On Easter Sunday evening the pastor of one of the largest Methodist churches in New York City preached a sermon on Socialism. When he had finished his "sermon" he announced that all those who wished could stay and ask questions. The whole audience remained and a Socialist tried to explain different matters. A tumult followed during which shouts came from all over the house. Then a man arose, the daily papers stated that he is a member of the church, and he made the statement to the preacher: "Am I worshipping in the house of God or is this a political convention?" The pastor upon this plain statement got furious. "Put that man out!" he cried. "Have him arrested! I'll sign the complaint myself in court to-morrow." The head usher laid hold on the man who had made the pointed protest and was hurried down the aisle and out into the street.

Comment is hardly necessary on this. The daily Press ridiculed this sad performance and rightly so. We know of other cases where good Christian men were forced out of the denominations because their scriptural testimony and protest against false teaching was obnoxious to the preachers and the majority of their adherents.

The Apostasy as seen in Missionary Movements. During the past year in great missionary meetings a prominent Unitarian was permitted to take a leading part and give the principal addresses. This is but another betrayal of the Lord Jesus Christ and surely the Holy Spirit cannot sanction movements in which the enemies of the Cross of Christ are recognized and fellowship with such is fostered. The denier of the Deity of our blessed Lord, though he be a prominent person is a lost soul just like the most miserable fetich worshipper in Africa. The World Mission Conference in different ways shows the drift of the times. The following we quote from "The Nation" (London):

The freshest and most striking note of the World Mission Conference is the ungrudging tribute it paid, with one or two orthodox caveats thrown in, to the finer elements in the non-Christian religions of the East. This marks a great advance. A generation back, even three-quarters of a century ago, an important minority of missionaries, path-finders in the science of comparative religion, attached great weight to the study of the Sacred Books of the East. But their views were not favored by the rank and file of their fellow-workers. The average missionary was afraid of flattering native pride and discounting the authority of the Christian religion by admitting subordinate and collateral revelations. Various causes have contributed to the great change of which the Conference is a witness. The doctrine of the Divine Fatherhood has driven the reprobationary theologian into obscurity, and encouraged the more modern men to search native literature for "traces of the light that lighteth every man." Closer intimacy with native life has compelled those who have cultivated it to recognize that the non-Christian world has saints and moralists, and that the succession has not failed. Wider experience has driven the missionary worker to the conclusion that the lines of thought already established within the native mind must be followed, if a vivid and intelligible presentation of his own faith is to be attained.

The spirit of anti-Christ and departure from the faith delivered to the saints breathes in these words of comment. According to these statements the heathen religions of the East have in them finer elements, that they also possess "Sacred Books," that there is a "Divine Fatherhood" which includes all the heathen and that they possess "the light that lighteth every man" and that the non-Christian religions also have "Saints." These utterances are in full line with the famous, or rather infamous Congress of the World's Religions held in Chicago during the great fair. They show how all is drifting towards Unitarianism and Universalism. If these things are true as stated above in the quoted paragraph, then why go to the heathen at all with Christianity? Let them alone if the great heathen world is not completely lost and away from God. But what becomes of the most positive declarations of God's revelation concerning the condition of mankind outside of Christ? These solemn declarations are either modified, read, as they tell us in the light of the Twentieth Century, or completely disbelieved as being the inspired Words of God. The denial of the Inspiration of the Bible, the evil seed sown by the destructive Bible criticism, is bringing a harvest. These unscriptural conceptions are likewise the result of that modern dream, which has no foundation in the Bible, that the world must be converted in this age. To what errors and corruption of doctrine has not Post-millennialism led its adherents.

The "New Christianity" again. The pleas for a new religion, a new Christianity are becoming more numerous, more outspoken and they are finding the willing ears of the great mass of the people. During the past weeks and months the so-called "Divinity School" of the Chicago University has come to the front with some very bold infidel utterances. The following appeared in hundreds of newspapers all over the land:

Members of the University of Chicago Divinity school faculty have defined and formulated the characteristics of a "new Christianity."

The professors note the arrival of a new type of religion in an official editorial in the current of the Biblical World, just issued by the university press.

In the anonymous editorial, responsibility for which Is accepted by the thirteen editors, the university authorities point to the coming of the "new Christianity" as a type of faith which shall result in the releasing of man's minds from the bonds of tradition and creed, accept the results of the scientific and deal in every day works more than in theological subtleties. The religion is described as "scientific, ethical, practical and altruistic."

After stating the necessity of scientific study the author of the editorial proceeds:

"If there be a controversy between Genesis and geology the new Christianity will stand with geology. The record left in the strata of the earth cannot be impugned by the poet of the prescientific age, even though that poet be also a prophet of a higher conception of God than had before his day prevailed. In conformity to the same principle the new Christianity will accept the assured result of historical readers into the records of ancient times. Religion has its rights, but so also has history, and one of these is that it be studied by historical methods."

Such language is more than shocking. It is Satanic! It is Anti-christ coming to the front and wishing to be heard. The new Christianity, that child of the pit which rejects both an infallible Word of God and an infallible Christ is bound to come. A little while longer and it will sweep everything till divine judgment sweeps it from the earth forever.

The Beatification of Joan d'Arc. -- Recently the Pope beatified the maid of Orleans, Joan d'Arc. An elaborate ceremony took place. The Pope kneeled in front of the relics, which were upon the altar. Immense crowds witnessed the proceedings and all the church bells rang when the beatification was pronounced. The poor creature which was thus honored was the illiterate daughter of a peasant. She had hallucinations, hearing voices which commanded her to liberate France, which was then in the hands of the English. She gained access to the Court of Charles II and was put at the head of an army. She raised the siege of Orleans and gained a great victory over the English. Later she was captured, and in her 29th year, on May 30, 1431, burned at the stake as a heretic at Rouen. And now she is beatified. Rome is the same old Rome. Even so the Lord speaks of her in the Revelation: "And I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repents not" (Rev. ii:21). Thyatira in these church messages stands for the Romish church.

Her wicked doctrines, idolatries and spiritual fornications are unchanged.

This may be learned from a book published by the Excelsior Catholic Publ. Co. in New York. The book is called *The Glories of Mary." We quote from it:

"God has placed the whole price of redemption in the hands of Mary that she may dispense it at will. Thou, O Mary, art the propitiary of the whole world." Page 85.

"Thou art the only advocate of sinners." Page 95.

"But now if God is angry with a sinner, and Mary takes him under her protection, she withholds the avenging arm of her Son and saves him." Page 98.

"The only hope of sinners." Page 102.

"I worship thy holy heart, through thee do I hope for salvation." Page 105.

"Often we shall be heard more quickly and be thus preserved, if we have recourse to Mary, and call on the name of Jesus our Saviour." Page 112.

"Many things are asked from God, and are not granted; they are asked from Mary and are obtained. And how is this? It is because God has thus decreed to honor his Mother." Page 113.

"To thee does it belong, says St. Bonaventure, to save whomsoever thou wiliest to be saved. Oh then help me, my Queen; my Queen save me; O salvation of those who call upon thee, do thou save me." Page 116.

"In vain shall we seek Jesus unless we endeavor to find him with Mary." Page 138.

"Mary was made the mediatress of our salvation." Page 128.

"The way of salvation is open to none otherwise than through Mary. No one is saved but through thee." Page 143.

"Our salvation is in the hands of Mary; he who is protected by Mary will be saved; he who is not, will be lost; our salvation depends on thee." Page 144.

"There is no one, O most holy Mary, who can know God, but through thee." Page 145

"She is the whole ground of my hope." Page 175.

"Mary is the whole hope of our salvation." Page 1 48.

"All power is given to thee in Heaven, and on earth, and nothing is impossible to thee." Page 154.

"By right she possesses the kingdom of her Son." Page 214.

"It is impossible for any sinner to be saved without the help and favor of the most blessed Virgin." Page 197.

"Thou art omnipotent to save sinners." Page 251.

"She effected our salvation in common with Christ." Page 293.

"We are all God's debtors, but He is a debtor to thee." (Mary.) Page 252.

"There is no one saved but by thee; no one who receives a gift of God but through thee." Page 354.

"Moreover as she is the universal advocate of all men, it is becoming that all who are saved should obtain salvation by her means." Page 570.

"Our salvation is in her hands." Page 576.

"At the command of Mary all obey, even God." Page 155.

We feel almost guilty in reprinting those blasphemies.

Even so she who calls herself "mother church" is described in another part of Revelation: "Full of names of blasphemy is she the mother of harlots'' (Rev. xvii:3-5). And where is Protestantism? It does no longer protest. Protestantism, a veritable Babel itself, confusion of tongues, is drifting. A 'part of Protestantism is swept by Rationalism; another part drifts in Ritualism back to Rome, the one who changes not but goes on in her wickedness.

Church Life up to Date. Our attention is called from time to time to the "churches" all over this land, which are turning their edifices into playhouses and tolerate almost everything there, but the preaching of the Gospel. We rarely pay attention to these things. They are only outward symptoms. But a Brooklyn Congregational "church" outdoes a good many of those modern "churches." They have formed classes in "Eugenics," to instruct young men and young women whom to marry and then, how to have children, which are "well-born."

A progressive programme providing for classes in eugenics was outlined by the Rev. Lewis T. Reed, pastor of the Flatbush Congregational Church, and adopted at a church meeting Monday night by a majority of the 250 members present, but not without considerable discussion and opposition on the part of the more conservative.

Two classes are planned, one for young men and one for the women, with well known physicians as instructors.

There are to be weekly dancing classes besides, and provisions for billiards and pool, bowling alleys and other recreations for the young people of the church. It is planned to erect a $10,000 extension to the parish house and to remodel the present hall.

The church will also organize a political club, and twenty clubs of five men each will be formed to compete in a race for new male membership.

"Congregational Church"? No, it ought to be "Congregational Club." Many of these "churches" could not exist if it were not for these attractions, catering to the tastes of the natural man.

Church of England Nearing a Crisis. The Dean of Canterbury has recently raised in an impassioned manner the cry that the English church is in great danger. He told a great convocation in Westminster that the present was the most critical period in the Church of England since the Reformation. The deepest controversies that ever divided the church are now in progress.

The Dean declared that there is an active, earnest and powerful body among the clergy which is avowedly aiming to bring the ceremonial and doctrine of the church in harmony with those of the Church of Rome. They have advocated, he said, the reintroduction of the invocation of the saints and the worship of the Virgin. Those on his (the Evangelical) side of the Church would exert every power they possessed, parliamentary or otherwise, to prevent such changes, one effect of which would be to preclude forever the possibility of the reunion of Christians in England, as even the most orthodox Nonconformists would have nothing to do with a Romanizing of the Church.

The Dean said he did not know whether or not it was too late to secure peace, but a continuance of the present line was certain to bring civil war within the Church and this would entail its national ruin.

The Bible Hated. Postmaster-General Mr. Burleson, has announced that the Post-office department received a petition from a body of citizens, urging that the Bible be excluded from the United States mail, on the ground that it contained immoral and obscene matter.

We do not know who the petitioners are. They may be Romanists, Destructive Critics or Atheists. But we know the men who made the request are the instruments. of Satan.

''Progressive Theology."1 "Progress" is a word that is held in high esteem at the present time. To call a man "progressive" is to pay him a high compliment; and when people speak of this era as a "progressive age," they have bestowed upon it the highest possible praise. In nothing has there been more decided progress in recent years than in theology, and we often read in the secular Press items of news with reference to "progressive theology."

There are at the present time so many departures, new theologies, forward movements, and other religious novelties, that not many people suspect that a common spirit is actuating them all, and that, however different on the surface, they are at heart the same. The common principle actuating all these "advanced" and "new" theologies is the doctrine that man is really divine, that humanity and divinity are identical; or as Mr. R. J. Campbell expresses it, "all men are ;of one substance with the Father.' " This religion is "Humanism," and when fully established on the earth (as it will be when true believers have been caught away "to meet the Lord in the air") it will be headed by Anti-christ, and enforced by all the political power of the revived Roman Empire (the ten-horned beast) and by all the spiritual power of the Dragon (Rev. xiii). Those who pay attention to the signs of the times should carefully note the progress of "Humanism" in its many existing forms.

A London paper, under heading "Progressive Theology" speaks of "an interesting announcement regarding the progressive movement in theology made by the 'Christian Commonwealth' a weekly newspaper closely identified with the teachings of the City Temple." This is the apostate church presided over by Mr. R. J. Campbell, the well known exponent of the "New Theology." This is the announcement:

"What has now been done is to form an editorial board under the chairmanship of Mr. Campbell, with the object of giving expression as far as possible to all phases of the movement which, though many-sided, it is claimed, is fundamentally one. 'Modernism in the Church of Rome, the Liberal Movement in the Church of England, the New Theology in Non-conformity, the New Spirit in Unitarianism, the Reform Movement in Judaism, the Spirit of Modem Scientific Enquiry as represented by Sir Oliver Lodge, are' says the announcement 'all more or less akin.' The new editorial board is to demonstrate the essential unity of the movement."

Then follows a long list of the names of prominent men, leading lights of various denominations, Oxford professors, men of science, etc., who compose this editorial board. This announcement speaks volumes regarding the progress of theology and shows that the "Spirit who now works in the children of disobedience" is beginning to consolidate his numerous followers into one compact body. Surely these are indeed "the last days," and on any one of them that other body, now being formed by the Spirit of God, -- the body of Christ -- may be caught away to meet its already glorified Head.

Dancing in Chuches. Our readers supplied us during the past few weeks with newspaper clippings about dancing classes in churches and dances which were held among the young people of several denominations. In Episcopal, Congregational and Presbyterian churches in different States the dance as the means to keep the young people "in the church" has been resorted to. A Presbyterian preacher in Wheaton, 111., is reported having said in justification of dancing in the church-basement the following:

"Yes, it is true part of the evening was spent in dancing. A little more than a year ago members of the church provided a 'social room' in the basement. This was done at a cost of about $1,800. It was fitted up with a small stage and a large stone fireplace.

"One of the first entertainments given in it was a play by the young people of the congregation, which was repeated later. A second entertainment of the same general nature was 'Alice in Wonderland' by the older children.

"It was understood before the money was raised for the 'social room' that it would be used for dancing under certain careful restrictions, and there has been no serious protest, though not all, of course, are in sympathy with it.

"The department was introduced because of the belief of the pastor and the people that one of the most pressing problems of this community is that of amusement for the young people. And on last Wednesday evening there was a splendid patriotic program, lasting till nearly 10 o'clock, and then about an hour was spent in dancing; and a thing that is frequently seen is a father dancing with his daughter."

What else can be expected in the days of apostasy! This worldliness and craze for amusement is only a symptom of the wicked heart which has never received the love of truth. They are ^'lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God." It will get worse and worse and ere long the professing "church" sowing the wind will reap the whirlwind. But what is the dance, the popular waltz? How and where did it originate."

The waltz was invented about a hundred years ago. As might have been guessed or prophesied beforehand, it was born of the licentious stage, and is twin sister of the ballet. This amorous and gyratory hugging was first seen in a Vienna theatre, December 20, 1787, and for a time was thought to be too indecent to be tolerated anywhere else. After a time, however, it was introduced into houses of doubtful repute, and finally into German society. For a long time even Paris resisted the licentious libertinism of the thing, and it was not until the nineteenth century that it became fashionable. It then went everywhere with a whirl, of course, for Paris set the fashions for the world. The French women of compromising conscience went Into it with an abandon which was hit off by a clever writer by saying before the waltz "they danced with their soles," after it "they danced with their souls"; aye, and soiled and wore out the latter as effectually as the former.

More Mockery of Solemn Truths. Hallowe'en night is often made the occassion of all kinds of sports in churches. From a perfectly reliable source we hear that in connection with the Haywood Street Church of a Southern City, with lights turned low, a "chamber of horrors" had been fixed up for the entertainment of the young people. Amongst the "horrors" the pastor of the Central Methodist Church (having a membership of a thousand) lay in a cofifn representing himself dead, while the pastor of the Haywood Street Church delivered a spook address. In due time the devil put in his appearance, a church member dressed up in the shape and costume of Satan as caricatured by the world. Horrible, is it not!

But these wicked mockeries of Death and the awful author of sin are but the outward results of the inward departure from God and from His Word.

The pastor of the above Central M. E. Church in a sermon a few Sundays before he "played dead" and mocked death, asserted that the Lord did not tell Abraham to slay his son Isaac, but, living in an idolatrous age, when his neighbors were sacrificing their children to Moloch had the suggestion made to his mind to do as those around him!

We marvel at two things: First, how real Christians, men and women, who know the Lord Jesus Christ, can tolerate such things and secondly, we marvel at the patience of God. But wrath and judgment are gathering fast. God grant that some of these men may repent and be converted before it is too late and they become "the wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness and darkness forever."

The Passion Play Once More. That miserable travesty known as the Oberammergau passion play is now preached about and talked about by those who attended the show. A certain Evangelist who was there writes to the Christian Standard, published in Cincinnati:

"I am thrilled completely with the Passion Play. Eight hours of the most intense moments of my life. All the lectures on it never do it justice, and it is almost folly to attempt it. Even Stoddard s weak on it. We are the guests of Anton Lang and he is a wonder. I have met all the apostles and principal characters and my whole being pulsates with the story of the cross as never before."

A woman gave an account of it in the New York Christian Advocate (Methodist).

Anton Lang plays his most difficult role with dignity and reverence and tremendous reserve. He never offends the most sensitive, He does not simulate the agony of the Saviour, but he shows forth the lamb led to the slaughter, patient, silent, innocent, amid a wild storm of abuse. It is heart-breaking but not shocking. The scourging is being finished as the curtains are drawn back, so that only the last flourish of the cords is seen. The blindfolded, half-naked, fainting victim, enduring without a cry or a remonstrance, opens the fountain of tears. Most pitiful is the bowed form falling by the way beneath the heavy cross amid the infuriated mob; more pitiful still, Mary the mother waiting beside the way to know the cause of the commotion; most lovely the dear Master's recognition of her as He slowly moves on with Simon of Cyrene bearing the cross. When the curtains part for the crucifixion scene, the two thieves are already hanging from their crosses, but Jesus is stretched on His, still on the ground. We had heard the sound of the hammer. Slowly the cross is lifted with its precious weight."

Again we say what a blasphemy it is to depict in such a way the suffering of the holy Son of God! That no protest is heard against this Romish playhouse and some of those who should protest, known by the name (and in name only) of Protestants, laud the wicked travesty to the sky. No heart which loves and adores the Lord Jesus Christ can have any sympathy whatever with this passion play. We understand the show is to be given some time by the actors in this country and the management rests with an infidel concern.

The Religious Conditions in the United States. The religious conditions on this continent, according to the recent census, is a veritable Babylon, a confusion of tongues. The census brings out the fact that this so-called "Christian nation" has now a steadily increasing number of adherents of heathen religions. There are now seventy-four temples of Buddhism in the United States. These recognize and worship three idols, the god Kuan, the goddess of Fortune and the goddess of Mercy. And here and there apostate "Christians" join in this idolatry. Then there are the Vedanta Societies of the Hindu religions. This movement is one of the cursed results of the wicked congress of religions held during the world's fair in Chicago in 1893.

Then certain Hindu teachers had their eyes opened not to the Gospel, but to the fact that this "great. Christian nation" is a good missionary field for Hindu demonism. They started then the Vedanta Society. It means "the end of all wisdom." It is non-sectarian and tries to harmonize all religions. It succeeds in the larger cities by gathering in the Gospel-rejecting apostates. Another Oriental demonized system, which steadily increases, is Theosophy. Then there is Bahaism, which increases at a Still greater rate. This is a Persian delusion and its head claims to be a kind of Christ, another false Messiah.

The division among Christian believers, according to the census, to be issued in a volume, is the saddest feature of all. Over two hundred sects and parties are enumerated,

"The volume will tell of the various Christian sects which are considered more purely American, and will show the various branches thereof. It will show that while there are only fifty-seven main bodies there are 215 church organizations, many of them professing a faith only a shade different from others. For instance, there are seventeen Baptist bodies, twenty-four Lutheran, fifteen Methodist, and twelve Presbyterian. The same is true of less known organizations. There are fifteen Mennonite, seven Adventist, four Dunker or Dunkard, and four Quaker or Friend bodies.

There appears no division in either the Roman Catholic or Protestant Episcopal churches, although it is shown that efforts to modify their creeds have resulted in the establishment of independent bodies. They are designated as the Reformed Catholic and the Reformed Episcopal churches respectively. The Reformed Catholics number only 1,250 communicants, while of the Reformed Episcopalian there are about 9,683.

The cause of origin of some of the branches is indicated by the name. For instance, there are General Baptists, Separate Baptists, United Baptists, Free Baptists, Freewill Baptists, United American Freewill Baptists, Primitive Baptists, General Six-Principles Baptists, Seventh Day Baptists, Duck River Baptists, and Two-Seed-in the-Spirit Predestination Baptists.

The civil war caused splits, giving rise to Southern Methodist and Southern Baptist bodies. In these churches there is also color division. Two or three churches came into existence just after the close of the war as a protest against political preaching. Many of the branches of the Lutheran church are due to difference in nationality.

Of other branches, besides the Duck River Baptists, owing their names to localities, are the River Brethren and the Yorkers, both branches of the Brethren denomination. The former began existence on the Susquehanna River; the latter in York County, Penn. The Brinsers, also Brethren, are called after their first Bishop, as also the Schweckenfelders.

Three of the newest churches mentioned are composed largely of colored communicants. One of these, the Church of God and Saints of Christ, accepts the Ten Commandments as a positive guide to salvation, and uses only scriptural names for its members. The "Church of the Living God" began business in 1899, and already has three branches. The Free Christian Zion Church of Christ, founded in 1905, protests against all attempts to tax members for the support of churches.

There are about seven hundred organizations in the main branch of the Salvation Army, with a membership of about 23,000. There were 455 organizations of Spiritualists with over 35,000 members.

The report records the rapid disappearance of communistic societies, showing that of eight organizations mentioned in the census of 1890 only two are left, the survivors being remnants of the Shakers and of the Amana Society.

That this condition is beyond remedy must be apparent to every intelligent Christian. This confusion of tongues will grov^ worse. The different "Pentecostal movements'' claiming a restoration of the apostolic gifts are not mentioned in the above. There are a number of these errorist movements, which prove clearly by dividing Christians into sects and parties, that it is the work of the fliesh and not of the Holy Spirit. But while all this cannot be changed and these conditions will keep on till the harvest comes, every child of God can walk individually according to the Word of God, worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called and keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Christian Science in Y. M. C. A. The following is a clipping from the Evanston Index.

A distinct addition to Evanston attractions is the new reading room of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in the Y. M. C. A. building. They have the store on the first floor that was occupied by the Public Service company which gives them window room that invites, with dainty, fresh flowers and well bound books, and within there is a delightful atmosphere of ease and rest.

All of the tones are gray, except the rug of rose. The walls are of soft gray paper merging into a figured frieze with but little more color and divided by panels of white. The furniture is all of gray finished oak with a bit of brighter color here and there in the rattan chair upholstering which invites one to rest and when the invitation is accepted proves so satisfactory that one longs to stay there indefinitely.

It is Strange that the directors and Secretaries of a Y. M. C. A. building can permit such a thing. Perhaps they are ignorant of what Christian Science stands for. In that case they are unfit to hold such positions. This Y. M. C. A. Christian Science room is made as attractive as possible, and we doubt not many young men will be cauight in this trap of Satan., It is sad to see such a thing done, but it only shows, as we have pointed out before, that many Y. M. C. Associations are right in with the apostasy. It does not surprise us at all that some of the secretaries who have departed from the faith ask us to stop sending them "Our Hope." They want to keep the Gospel out of the institution as much as possible. Yet there are many Secretaries who have no sympathy whatever with this spirit and who hold firmly to the Gospel.

Apostasy in Methodism. The Apostacy is nowhere so marked as in Methodism. A few months ago Dr. George P. Mains, a Methodist preacher who holds one of the foremost official positions in the Methodist Episcopal Church, published through the Methodist Bookconcern (Eaton & Mains) a volume of which he is the author. In this book he advocates all the wicked claims of the destructive criticism of Astruc, Eichhorn and Wellhausen. Our friend L. W. Munhall has written a pamphlet on Dr. Mains' production, and Mr. Munhall shows that Tom Paine and Voltaire taught and believed what Mr. Mains states in his book. The correspondencies between Tom Paine and Dr. Mains are so marked that it looks almost as if the Methodist preacher quoted from Paine. We make a few quotations from the pamphlet:

Voltaire said "The Pentateuch could not be from Moses" (Ex. of Lord Bolingbroke. . . .). "Those best acquainted with antiquity think that these books (the Pentateuch) were written more than seven hundred years after Moses" (Dialogue 16).

Dr. Mains says, "In the common thought Genesis has been received as the oldest Hebrew literature. It has been assumed that Moses was its author. . . . But in the sense in which these assumptions were held they are denied, and universally so, by modern critical thought. . . . Genesis, in its compilation and present form, is one of the most recent books of the Old Testament. . . . The book was not, and could not have been, written by the hand of Moses" (p. 98).

Paine said, "The book of Genesis, though it is placed first in the Bible and ascribed to Moses, has been manufactured by some unknown person after the Book of Chronicles was written, which was not until at least eight hundred and sixty years after the time of Moses" (p. 99). "The first book in the Bible is not so ancient as the book of Homer by more than three hundred years and h about the same age with Aesop's Fables" (p. 92).

Paine also said, "The Book of Genesis, instead of being the oldest book in the world, as the Bishop called it, has been the last written book of the Bible, and that the cosmogony it contains has been manufactured" (Reply to the Bishop of Llandaff, pp. 256, 257).

Dr. Mains says, "It is now indubitably proven that many of the stories which appear in the earlier records of the Old Testament were simply taken over and adapted from older mythical or legendary sources, and that they are not to be taken at face value as sober and measured history" (p. 98).

Paine said, "Take away from Genesis the belief that Moses was its author, on which only the strange belief that it is the word of God has stood, and there remains nothing in Genesis but an anonymous book of stories, fables and traditionary or invented absurdities or down-right lies" (p. 86).

Voltaire also said, "Is it not plain that Geensis was taken from the ancient fables of their (the Jewish) neighbors" (Ex. of Lord Bolingbroke).

Dr. Mains says, "It is clear, say our modern authorities, that he (Moses) could not have been the author of this book (Deuteronomy). For reasons equally convincing, it is evident that the book must be the product of a period or periods far later than that of Moses" (p. 118). "The date of its origin is probably not far from the middle of the sixth century B. C." (p. 120).

Paine said, "In Deuteronomy the style and manner of writing marks more evidently than the former books that Moses is not the writer" (p. 81). "Though it is impossible for us to know identically who the writer of Deuteronomy was, it is not difficult to discover him professionally, that he was some Jewish priest who lived, as I shall show in the course of this work, at least 850 years after Moses" (p. 83).

Dr. Mains says, "The writers of Genesis had no authentic knowledge of a flood" (p. 103). He quotes, approvingly, from Professor Driver as follows: "We are forced, consequently, to the conclusion that the flood, as described by the biblical writers is unhistorical" (p. 106).

Paine said, "The story of Eve and the serpent, of Noah and the Ark, drop to the level with the Arabian tales, without being as entertaining" (p. 12).

As face answers to face in water, so Dr. Mains answers to Tom Paine. Their business is the same. Their method and principles are the same. Their end and results are the same. Their purpose may not be the same; but that makes no difference, since they do the same. Paine was only earlier at work, but following the same rationalistic and infidel wake, like Dr. Mains.

Mr. Mains of course denies the authenticity of Isaiah and of the Book of Daniel. The entire Methodist Church is honeycombed with this most subtle infidelity. A good deal of their Sunday-school literature is tainted with this subtle infidelity. Mr. Munhall closes his pamphlet with the following paragraph:

Dr. Mains says, "Whatever may be concluded concerning the historic personality of Abraham, the story stands for a great truth" (p 96); and "Abraham was an ideal character" (p. 115). That is to say, Dr. Mains accepts the "Abraham myth" theory of the radically destructive critics. If this theory is correct, the "traditional faith" -- the "faith once for all delivered unto the saints" -- is no more. The covenant of grace, as fulfilled in the atoning work of our risen Lord and His priestly mediation, together with Paul's sublime arguments concerning the same, are thereby swept away. Will the Methodist Church stand for such teaching If she does, as sure as God's Word is true, will He remove her candlestick and Ichabod will be written upon her.

The question Mr. Munhall asks, "Will the Methodist Church stand for such teaching" was answered by the recent General Conference when it elected Dr. Mains by a large majority to fill the same position he has held before. Dr. Munhall sent a copy of the exposure of Mains' book to each delegate, and yet the majority voted for him.

"Ichabod" (the Glory is departed) does not need to be written upon Methodism, it is written there already. But in Methodism there are nevertheless thousands of Bible-loving Christians. What are they going to do about it." Are they going to uphold this kind of thing and thus become partakers of these evil deeds? May their consciences be aroused.

The Progress of Roman Catholicism. Catholics have so increased In number here that the United States now ranks as one of the foremost Catholic countries. It has more of that faith by two to one than the British empire and it approximates even Italy itself. The official Catholic directory, copyright by P. J. Kennedy & Sons, sets forth the following:

Catholic population, United States, 23,329,000; Austria, 23,796,000; Germany, 23,821,000; Spain, 19,503,000; British Empire, 12,968,000; Italy, 30,500,000.

Since American occupation of the Philippines there has been steady improvement in Catholic Church conditions and growths in numbers, the Philippines figures being 7,131,000.

Last year Catholics in continental United States built 373 new churches. They now have 14,312. There are 17,945 priests. About one in four of the priests are members of Jesuits, Paulists, Benedictines or other orders. This proportion holds good in New York, the large majority here being directly under Cardinal Farley. Besides priests there are 6,169 young men studying in seminaries. There are 57,000 women in religious orders.

There are more than 900 colleges and academies, by far the larger number for girls, and 5,256 parochial schools. No fewer than 514 parishes in New York State now have schools attached, and in them are 223,875 boys and girls. Children in Catholic institutions in the whole country number 1,600,000. And this great increase is not at all altogether through immigrations. Large numbers of "Protestants" turn to the Roman church. The work of the Jesuits and Paulist fathers in holding "Missions for Protestants" bears fruit. 

1 This paragraph is by Mr. P. Mauro.