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February 10, 1909. 1 V eternal life, the fact that they <lied incapable would prove their election. But in the absence of such evidence, how the death of an incapable, for example the infant child cf an Egyptian enemy of God and his people on the night of the Exodus, is a certificate of his election to eternal life, passes the comprehension of a plain mind, unbiased by a theory. What then is our conclusion? That any one of these incapables is finally lost? By no means. 1 should have great zeal to keep such an utterance out of our confessional statements. The conclusion is that God has kept his purposes as to the salvation of the incapable children of reprobate parents, to himself. He has not revealed them to us. It becomes us to leave his purposes where he has left them. There are two very good reasons for this: One is that the modern American mind is prone to think that it is wiser than God, and that it knows a great deal more about God and his purposes thap God has seen fit to reveal. In the past our Sruthern Presbyterian Church has teen, in some wavs n stnn<ltni* rt>v?iiro to this mental temper. It will be well for us to maintain our ground in this respect. Should it now dogmatically affirm, what God has not authorised it to affirm, that he has elected all the incapable children of all his enemies to eternal life, it would be a needless and shameful concession to the rampant, rationalistic spirit of the age. Because learned, devout and honored brethren have either done this, or suffered it to he done without effective protest, Is all the more a good reason why we should be loyal to our God; speaking when he speaks; and am-m, in an Humility or minn, wnen ne is silent. The other reason is a "very practlcaf one. The silence of God as to the Incapable children of reprobate parents gives us a plea with which to urge unbelieving parents to faith, to covenant keeping, that they may have assuranos that they and their children are of the number of God's elect. Let us say plainly and boldly to unbelieving parents that as long as they are unbelieving they can have no assurance that their incapable children are saved or are to be saved. On the other hand, we can say t > vhem. what Paul said to the Phllipptan jailer: "Believe on the Ixtrd Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thine house." Lexington, Missouri. The "Year nook of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, 1909" has been published by the Richmond committee. It is a booklet of sixty-four pages, sold at five cents a copy or more copies at a greatly reduced rate, down to two and a half cents. A few pages are devoted to a brief statement of the history and characteristics of our church. Next come a summary of statistics, an outline of the acts of the last OeneraT Assembly, an account of ih? nnrotii?oHnn and work of the several Executive Committees facts and suggestions as to Sunday schools, Young People's Societies and Brotherhoods. Eater pages contain the Prayer Meeting Topics and the Sunday School lessons for 1909. rHE PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOU' _____ ... Books and Periodicals ; "Introduction to Christian Missions." by \ Thomas Cary Johnson, author of "The j IJfe and Letters of Robert Lewis Dabney"; The Life and Letter? of Benjamin Morgan Palmer," etc. sin. S vo., i 220 pages, cn sale by the Presbyterian | Committee of Publication, Richmond, Va., 1909. Ten lectures, dealing with the fundamentals of missions and having very little of details of missions. Dr. Johnson's j purpose is to give a philosophy of mis- i : sions, not an unfolding of the work, exppnt co far ac? V* I leads up to the philosophy. It Is. as he claims, an introduction to the study, showing its underlying principles. In the f'rst chapter he unfo'ds the fact that the church is God's ordained missionary ; society and all her members its members, pledged to her utmost as such, and all under an imperative and exclusive obligation. This thesis he maintains fron: the Abrahamic covenant, the Mosaic provisions. and ine New Testament teaching. His next lecture unfolds the New Testament principle regulative of the church's missionary effcrt. illustrated in the fcnir. It's Work, the command to go out and bear witness, the teaching of universal Chr'stianity, and the general apostolic wcrk. Special attention is given in the third chapter to Paul's relation, in sense of obligation and respcnse, to the work of missions. Following this are chapters on the early Christian or patristic mission, up to A. D. 590, beginning with the literary efforts of the early Fathers and running through the post-Nicene period. IhA 1 i * * ? wie iiiciiiciui missions lip 10 A. 11. 1517, and the attitude of the Reformers, the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Reformed Churches to the work. A fine chapter follows on the age of voluntary missionary societies, beginning in 1781. and another on the chuVch's realization or con- j sciousness of herself as a missionary society, and the last is a stirring declara- j tion of the motives to missionary endeavor. _ . I me mook or Kstner." A critical ami i exegetical commentary. By I^ewis Bayles Paton. I). D. CloTh, 8 vo. $2.50. New York, Charles Scribners" Sons, 1908. Dr. Briggs' an?l Dr. Driver's editorship j i of the International Critical Commentary, of which this volume is a part, is a suffi- | i cient Indication to the critical standpoint of Dr. Paton. Our wonder is that he esteems such a book as *he regards Esther to b9 worthy of any serious thought. Be- j | ing utterly unhistorical, with not "even a Historical Kernel underlying Its narrative," it is a falsehood on the face of it. Why waste time in unfolding such a fraud 1 as Dr. Paton thinks it is? The highest conception of it is that it is of the "de- ' rived from the same cycle of legends" as the Apocrypha, and is simple romance. BELLS. Staal Alloy Church and School Bells, rysend for Catalogue. The C. H, BELI, CO., HlUabor* , o 4 rH. 29 University Virginia Sun. mir School For Hijrh School Teachers. Principals. College Teirhers. and those preparing for Entrance Rfquirements Larire lacnitjr. On dits riven. Mountain climate. Session June ISth?Jn y 3:?t. Write for announcement to Dir. ctor Summer jchool. E. A. ALDERMAN. President. University, Virginia. FREE To Teachers and School Committeemen: Our thirty-two page educational pocket calendar and memorandum notebook. Send postal card request, stating location of school. SOUTHERN EDUCATIONAL BUREAU, Raleigh, North Carolina. DEWBERRY SCHOOL AGENCY. This Agency was established in 1892 and for many years has served teachers and schools in all parts of the South and Southwest. Schools desiring teachers, or teachers desiring positionsshould address R. A. Clayton, Manager. Birmingham, Ala. Sfatesville Female College Able faculty; thorough courses; large attendance; modern equipment; a delightPill Mnmo Sphonl Board and tuition and all Fees for thenine months, $152.00. Send for catalogue. REV. J. A. SCOTT, D.D., Statesville, N. C. HOME INSfif % 1440 TO-1446 CAMP STREET* M Ctif ADl r A kl O a A ntn unutAM^o, LM. YOUNG LADIES' DAY AND BOARDING SCHOOL. Twenty-sixth term. Latest methods ia all departments. Term commences OCTOBER 1, 1908. Complete course. Experienced teachers. Special Classes in Normal and Business Courses. For catalogue, address MISS S. B. WRIGHT. Principal. Tha I uui Crhnnl vanderbilt 1UU vun JVHUU1 UNIVERSITY NASHVILLE, TENN. ihree years' course leading to the decree of LL.B. For catalogue or special information^ address ALLEN Q. HALL. LL.D., Chairman of the Faculty. I AM NOW PREPARED TO DO YOUR SEASON'S SHOPPING. Whether you want STREET SUIT, BVENING or RECEPTION GOWNS, or 5VEDDING TROUSSEAUX, get my sano (IICJ aim cauuiaiBB uciura yuu aeciae WllD whom you will place your order. With my knowledge of correct styles, combined with taste and good judgment, and the personal interest I take in every order, t am sure I can please you. 1 guaranteeperfect fit and satisfaction. MRS. CHARLES ELLISON, Louisville, Ky.