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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."