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12 THE PRESBYTERIAI1
Prayer Meeting
TOPIC?HOME AND FOREIGN MISSIONS.
Week Beginning October 31.
The topic assigned for special consideration in the department
of Home Missions for the ensuing month is entitled,
"Foes We Face," and under this head are specified "Spurious
Gospels?Mormonism, Christian Science, Etc." y Notwithstanding
Ipcialntinn in Pnn irrnco o ton, ??oro
( tended to prohibit polygamy, writers and speakers, who
have had the best opportunities for information, assure us
that this crime against our civilization is still prevalent, and,
while less bold than formerly, it is yet defiant. Mormonism
dominates the politics of Utah and is a power in the political
life of several other Western States, and is said to be rapidly
gaJning in adherents and influence. It will scarcely be regarded
as creditable to our chief executive that he recently
"preached" in a Mormon church on Sunday and praised Mormon
people for their obedience to law. The Mormon question
is one with which not only will the Christian church have to
reckon, but the government, by a policy of toleration and
patronage, may find that it has been nursing a viper.
Christian Science, while more absurd and fantastic than
Mormonism, is yet less harmful and revolting. It is a religious
cult which is contradicted by the every-day life of its
H horon t o nn/1 4 arofnrn oor? ?/\f loaf al
nuti^avuvo, uuu, VUV1 VAVt V, VUU HUL iaoii its .luuuamcuiai
assumption of the unreality of evil and its consequences is so
preposterous that it must be speedily overwhelmed by the
world of facts that are perfectly obvious to the minds of
honest and sober observers. While it is to be deplored that
large numbers have, in recent times, come under the spell of
this disordered genius, it is to be expected that their erratic
course will soon be run.
More dangerous by far and more to be resisted is the advance
of Unitarianism in recent years, or even months. This
insolent challenger of our lord's right to his throne is entrenched
in many of the high places of our modern civilization,
and assumes to-day an unwonted arrogance. It claims
that it has a liberal representation in all the religious denominations.
It has a formidable representation in the faculties
f many colleges and universities. Its literature is being
published in varied and seductive forms. It is in close alliance
with modern Judaism and Universalism. Its power and danger
consist in the fact that it epitomizes the anti-Christianity
of the age. Its cardinal and distinguishing dictum is that
Christ is not Lord. So far from tolerating it Christianity
nust come to regard it as its most aggressive and insidious
foe. "Jesus Christ is Lord" is the article of faith around
which the conflict of the ages has been waged.
Romanism is another of the "foes we face." Recent
statistics show that it is steadily increasing its adherents in
our land. It is a fpe to civil liberty, to intelligence, to loyalty,
to good morals, to an enlightened conscience, to the Bible, to
the Sabbath. Contrast Southern Europe with Northern
Europe, or South Ireland with North Ireland, or South America
with North America, and see the blight of Romanism.
This brings us to consider the topic assigned for our November
study in the foreign field. The particular territory
selected is South America. Geographers and the best authorities
among observers in general tell us that the South American
continent is quite equal in its natural resources to the
North American. Yet the differences in culture, in moral and
material advancement are in many respects like different
ages of the progress of civilization. Why is this? Why is it
that South America is a mission field not only for religious
enlightenment, but for art and science and commerce, for
education and civil government? There is one answer which
the most competent authorities concur In giving: It is because
Protestantism prevails in North America while Romanism
prevails in South America. Our missionaries tell us that
in that land ignorance of evangelical truth is as dense and
gross among the devotees of Rome as it is in China among
the adherents of Confucius.
I
I OF THE SOUTH. October 27, 1909.
Young People's Societies j
LIFE LESSONS FROM HEBREWS. '
Topic for Sunday, November 7: Life Lessons for Me from
the Book of Hebrews. Hebrews 12:1-7.
DAILY READINGS.
Monday?"Better Things." Hebrews 1:4; 7:19, 22.
Tuesday?More "better thingB." Heb. 9:23; 10:34; 11:14,
JK J A. 10.0J
UU( "TV , , 61,
Wednesday?Heeding the message. Hebrews 1:1-3.
Thursday?The kind of High Priest. Hebrews 2:17, 18.
Friday?The anchor of promise. Hebrews 6:9-20.
Saturday?Faith's heroes. Hebrews 11:1-16.
The Priesthood of Christ is the great theme of this book.
The superiority of that Priesthood over all others is Its
contention.
He is superior because of his nature?the brightness of
God's glory and the express image of his person.
He is above the angels being made so much better as he
hath, "by inheritance, obtained a more excellent name than
they."
He is the Creator. "Thy throne, O God, is forever and forever.
Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation
of the earth."
He has all things put in subjection under his feet. "For
the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that
he, by the grace of God. should taste rtenth fr>r "
He is in complete fellowship with those who come to God
by him. "As the children are partakers of flesh and blood,
he also himself likewise took part of the same." "Made like
unto his brethren."
His priesthood is superior to that of Moses. "He was
counted worthy of more glory than Moses." "Moses was
faithful in all his house as a servant, but Christ as a son over
his own house."
His priesthood surpasses that of Moses again in that it
secures the true and permanent rest to the people of God, of
which that proclaimed by Moses was but the type and was
not attained by many.
The superiority of his priesthood was again evidenced by
the fact that both tho io?oi "" ? "-1* 1
-~o?? unu ayiiipttLiiuLic relations Between
himself and those using his priesthood are perfect.
"Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the
things which he suffered."
His superiority to the Aaronic priesthood was shown by
the fact that being a priest after the order of Melchizedek,
he was as much above the Aaronic priests as Melchizedek
was above Levi, who, in the loins of Abraham, gave him
tithes and received his blessing.
The perfection of Christ's priesthood is the security of all
who come unto God by him. "By one offering he hath perfected
them forever." "He is able also to save them to the
uttermost." "Now hath he appeared to put away sin by the
sacrifice of himself." "We are sanctified through the offering
of the body of Jesus Christ once f#r all."
The securing of the benefit of Christ's priesthood is by
fnith Tt la ?hla ?>?? *?- - *
?. ..Mm eiao|ia me ncn provision and appropriates
it. Would we know what faith is? Let us read the
answer in the lives of Old Testament saints such as Abel,
Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Joseph, Mosee,
Rahab and a host of others.
The practical duties of the believer must not be forgotten
"Let brotherly love continue." "Be not forgetful to entertain
strangers." "Remember them that are in bonds." "Let your
conversation be without covetousness." "Remember them
which have the rule'over you." "Be not carried about with
divers and strange doctrines."
"Let us go forth bearing his reproach." "Let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to Qod continually." "To do good and
communicate forget not." "Obey them that have the rule
over you." In the discharge of all these duties we have the
promise that the God of peace will, through Jesus Christ,
make us "perfect in every good work to do his will."