Earlier text: Christ Our All in AllTHE WORLDLY SANCTUARY.
By Elder M. H. Brown
THE worldly sanctuary was built by Moses B.C. 1490. The work of building occupied a period of six months, and it was set up on the first day of the first month of the next year after the exodus. When the sanctuary was ready as a dwelling place of the Lord, "a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." Ex. 40: 34. During the wanderings of the children of Israel in the wilderness the sanctuary was carried from place to place by the Levites who were chosen to do the Lord's work. Being a movable structure it was taken down whenever they went onward in their journey, and it was set up when they camped. The Lord's presence and leadership were manifested by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, abiding over the tabernacle. When the Lord wished them to journey, the cloud rose up from the tabernacle and led them in the direction which the Lord wished them to go. When he wished them to camp, the cloud rested down over the tabernacle. Ex. 40: 36-38. After the entrance of the children of Israel into the land of promise, B.C. 1451, the sanctuary was more permanently located. It was first pitched in Gilgal, where the Israelites first camped after crossing the Jordan. It was next removed to Shiloh, where it was located until the time of Eli and Samuel the prophet, when, because of Israel's apostasy and the wickedness of Eli's sons, Israel was defeated by the Philistines and the ark of God was taken. Shiloh was about fifteen miles north of Jerusalem. Just how long the tabernacle remained at Shiloh after the ark was captured by the Philistines is not known. There is no evidence that the ark was ever placed in the tabernacle after that, or that God's presence was ever visibly manifested in it again. The next mention of the tabernacle in the sacred record is found in the days of Saul. It was then located at Nob, a place about twelve miles north west of Jerusalem. Twenty years later, in the time of David, we find it at Gibeon. 1 Chron. 16: 39; 2 Chron. 1: 3. It remained at Gibeon until the building of the temple by Solomon, and then both the ark and tabernacle were placed in it. See 1 Kings 8, and 2 Chronicles 5. After the kingdom was well established in the time of David, he desired to erect a permanent and magnificent structure which would be more fitting as the dwelling place of God than the temporary structure, which had become old and worn, having been made several hundred years before. The Lord committed this great work to Solomon, who completed the temple in seven years and a half. We find a description of this grand and beautiful structure in 1 Kings 6, and 2 Chronicles 2, 3, and 4. It was built according to a pattern, as was the tabernacle erected by Moses (1 Chron. 28: 10-19), and on the same general plan. It was composed of two apartments, the holy place and the most holy, but these apartments were twice as long and wide and three times as high as those apartments in the tabernacle, and everything was on a larger and grander scale. In addition to the holy and most holy places there was a porch of ten cubits wide and twenty cubits long at the entrance, chambers for the priests, and "various courts and covered porches surrounding the whole. Altogether it covered a large area and presented an imposing and magnificent appearance. Rising from its commanding height like a mountain of marble and gold, it stood before the world a monument of splendor more gorgeous and wonderful than men had ever looked upon before. The carving of the walls of the house with figures of cherubim, the overlaying of it with pure gold within and without, the doors of olive trees adorned with carved work and overlaid with gold fitted to the carvings, with other innumerable costly ornaments and embellishments, were accomplished at an expense, says Dr. Clarke, which it is impossible to estimate. "Two gigantic cherubim of olive wood overlaid with gold, each ten cubits high, were prepared for the most holy place, and put in position on either side of the spot upon which the ark was to rest. . . . Ten golden candlesticks shed their light in the holy place, and ten tables held the consecrated bread which was placed each Sabbath before the Lord. 2 Chron. 4: 7, 8."—Sanctuary and Its Cleansing. The temple was dedicated the next year after its completion, and the Lord accepted it as his dwelling place, for we read that the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. 1 Kings 8: 1-11; 2 Chron. 7: 1-3. The temple of Solomon then took the place of the tabernacle as the sanctuary or dwelling place of God, for Solomon was chosen to build an house for the sanctuary. 1 Chron. 28: 10. Over 150,000 men furnished by Hiram, king of Tyre, and 30,000 Jews were employed in gathering and preparing the material for, and in building, this wonderful structure. 1 Kings 5. The Bible Dictionary of the American Tract Society says that the value of the gold and silver furnished by David for the building of the temple was more than $2,000,000,000. The apostasy of Israel and the profanation of the Sabbath brought God's judgments upon that people, and the holy city and the beautiful temple shared in the calamities that fell upon them. God had promised that if his people would be faithful to him and observe his holy Sabbath, Jerusalem would stand forever, but if they would not hearken unto him, their city would be destroyed. Jer. 17: 19-27. This warning was given them about 600 B.C. They had already suffered chastisement from the Lord several times because of disobedience. Jerusalem had been pillaged, and at that very time Daniel and his fellows were captives in Babylon. Daniel 1. In B.C. 588, only about two years afterward, Jerusalem and the temple were totally destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, and they were not rebuilt until after Babylon was overthrown by Medo-Persia. Cyrus gave permission to the Jews to rebuild the temple B.C. 536. They began work under the direction of Zerubbabel and Joshua, but were hindered by their enemies, and the work ceased, until Darius issued a decree, B.C. 519, reaffirming and enlarging the decree of Cyrus, and under its sanction the temple was finished and dedicated about B.C. 515. The restoration of the Jewish people to all their rights and privileges, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, were not fully accomplished, however, until B.C. 408, in the time of Darius Nothus. This work was carried forward by Ezra under a decree or commandment issued by Artaxerxes Longimanus B.C. 457, in the seventh year of his reign. Ezra 7: 11-28. The temple was pillaged and otherwise desecrated at different times, and especially by Antiochus Epiphanes, B.C. 168. It was repaired and purified about three years after by Judas Maccabeus, who restored the worship and dedicated the temple anew. Rebuilt by Herod The Great.
Herod, after tearing down the temple to its foundations, began the work of rebuilding it B.C. 19, and it was finished A.D. 28, forty-six years afterward. John 2: 20. To this temple, as was prophesied by Haggai, Christ, the desire of all nations, came. Hag. 2: 7-9. Its glory was greater than the temple of Solomon, although the sacred ark, the Urim and Thummim, the holy fire upon the altar, and the glorious shekinah were not there. Their absence from the temple was more than made up by the personal presence and teaching of the Lord of Glory himself. The building erected by Herod was also larger and more magnificent than the one it displaced. "Its appearance," says Josephus, "had everything that could strike the mind and astonish the sight; for it was on every side covered with solid plates of gold, so that when the sun rose upon it, it reflected such a dazzling refulgence that the eye of the beholder was obliged to turn away from it, being no more able to sustain its radiance than the splendor of the sun. It appeared at a distance like a huge mountain covered with snow; for where it was not decorated with plates of gold, it was extremely white and glistening." The utter destruction of Jerusalem886 and the temple or sanctuary is foretold in Dan. 9: 26, and by the Saviour in Matt. 24: 1, 2, and Luke 19: 41-44. These prophecies were fulfilled to the letter A.D. 70, when the Romans under Titus captured and destroyed both the city and the sanctuary. Efforts were made to rebuild the temple, especially by Julian, the Roman emperor, A.D. 363, but they were unsuccessful. It was said that terrific explosions and outbursts of flames stopped the work. The Moslem Mosque of Omar, built in A.D. 635, is supposed to stand on the very site once occupied by the holy temple. The temple had served the purpose for which God designed it, and we now study the tabernacle and its priestly service to learn concerning the true tabernacle in heaven, and the service of our great High Priest, who is a "minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." Heb. 8: 1, 2. ROME'S CLAIM OF INFALLIBILITY.
By D. J. W.
THE Catholic Church claims to have received authority from the Lord Jesus Christ to teach and decide all matters pertaining to the Christian religion. Her claim as the only infallible interpreter of the Scriptures is based principally on the text in Matt. 16:18-19. In this text it is claimed that our Lord referred to Peter as the rock upon which he would build his church. He also gave Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and declared that whatsoever he should bind on earth should be bound in heaven, and whatsoever he should loose on earth should be loosed in heaven. This scripture is thought to be proof that the Lord endowed Peter with infallibility, and gave him authority to decide who were heretics and who were true Christians; and this same power and authority are claimed by the popes as the successors of Peter. By carefully studying the life of Peter, as brought to view in the Acts of the Apostles, we fail to find a single evidence that he ever laid claims to infallibility. On the contrary, in his two epistles, which were written a short time before his death, we find that he claimed no higher dignity than that of an elder of the church and an apostle and servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 5:1; 2 Peter 1:1. Surely if he had claimed the titles which his would-be successors have since claimed, would he not have assumed them in his epistles?—Assuredly. Both Paul and Peter refer to Christ as the rock and foundation of the church. Eph. 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6. Paul, in his epistle to the Colossians, which was written from Rome, calls Christ the head of the church. Col. 1:18. If Peter was the head of the church, surely Paul would not have been ignorant of the fact, as this epistle was written thirty-two years after Pentecost. If Peter had claimed as much for himself as the Catholic Church claims for him, he would not have committed the mistake for which Paul rebuked him. Gal. 2:11-14. And if he did claim such a prerogative, impetuous Peter would not have been slow in acquainting Paul with this fact. Again, when did his infallible career begin? One would naturally think that he could safely claim infallibility as soon as Christ had thus addressed him, and, if so, he must have been infallible when he denied his Master. If the affairs of religion were all in Peter's hands, why did he not choose the apostle who was to succeed Judas Iscariot? Acts 1:23-26. Again, when the Grecians complained that the Hebrews did not treat their widows fairly in the daily distribution of goods, it was not Peter but the whole twelve who decided what was to be done in this case. Acts 6:1-6. Neither did Peter decide religious controversies, for the question of circumcision, which troubled the early church, was decided by the counseling together of the apostles and elders. Acts 15:1-29. Afterward Paul, in his epistle to the Galatians, referring to this same instance, places Cephas, or Peter, on an equality with James and John, and speaks of them as the pillars of the church at Jerusalem. Gal. 2:9. These references are surely against Peter's infallibility. But the fact is that he never claimed to be entitled to any right above the rest of the disciples. A church built upon Peter as a foundation could not be anything else but fallible, and liable to err. No evidence can be produced that Christ gave Peter or the other apostles liberty to teach what they themselves should decide to be truth, and that all who would not accept their interpretation of the word of God should be excommunicated from the church on earth, and also from heaven. In the gospel commission found in Matt. 28:18-20 he tells them to teach them (the people) to observe "all things whatsoever I have commanded you." Thus the people were to be taught to observe only that which Christ had already commanded. Christ made no provision for the apostles to teach doctrines and commandments of their own making. This commission refers not only to the twelve apostles, but to every minister of Christ to the end of the world. No one has a right to command the people to observe anything relating to religion unless it was commanded and indorsed by the Son of God while on earth.887But what does this binding and loosing refer to, then?—Simply this: When the apostles went throughout the world preaching the gospel, the word which they preached released some from the bondage of sin, to walk in the glorious liberty of the gospel, while those who rejected the gospel were left bound in sin. Gal. 5:1; Rom. 6:16-18. The apostles did the binding and loosing by their preaching. Those who reject the truth of God on earth and choose to remain in the bondage of sin, will also be excluded from heaven, while all who remain loosed from sin on earth will gain access to heaven. Paul and his fellow-ministers were a savor of life unto life to some and of death unto death to others. 2 Cor. 2:16. Peter and the apostles had the keys of the kingdom of heaven in the sense that they told the people what they must do in order to gain an entrance to heaven. Thus the binding and loosing are not the arbitrary decrees of the church, from which there is no appeal in earth or heaven, but are simply the results following the proclamation of the gospel. Now, as Peter never claimed infallibility on the strength of these words of Christ, how can his professed successors rest their claim upon these same words? We have many proofs in the Bible that Peter was guided by the Spirit of God, yet he never claimed infallibility on this ground. How, then, can the Catholic Church claim to be infallible as the so-called "spouse of the Holy Ghost"? If she were guided by the Holy Spirit, no doubt her claim of infallibility would be more reasonable, but we think the proofs of such guidance are sadly lacking. When Christ promised to send the Comforter, or Holy Spirit, to his disciples, he also told them what he would do for them. Said he, "He shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak." John 16:13. Thus the Spirit will not teach of his own account, but only that which God speaks or commands. Now the Catholic Church claims to have substituted Sunday for Saturday as the day for divine worship by the direction of the Spirit of God. (See Catholic "Catechism of the Christian Religion," etc.) Since the Spirit reveals only the will of God, this is a tacit admission that the Lord himself changed his mind in this instance. The Lord was very particular in giving the reason for the keeping of the seventh day; why, then, does he not put forth a reason for the change of the day of worship? But it is folly to hold such a position. The Lord will not lie nor repent, and with him is neither variableness nor shadow of turning. Num. 23:19; James 1:17. The giving of his Son to die for fallen man is proof that he could not reverse or change the law which man had broken. Another of the many instances of the sacred and unchanging nature of his word is to be found in 1 Kings 13:1-32. This man was punished for believing that God had changed his mind. It is unwise to suppose that the Lord would change his mind on a command given to all men in general (Mark 2:27), when we have thus seen that he would not alter a command given to only one individual. We may learn from this that all persons or powers are unreliable who claim the right through divine agencies to alter a command previously given by the Lord. Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord tells us how we may distinguish the false spiritual guides from the true. "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. 8:20. By the testimony is doubtless meant the written word of God, for Christ, referring to the Old Testament Scriptures, says, "They are they which testify of me." John 5:39. The law of God and the Scriptures were thus to be the test between true and false spiritual teachers before the Christian era. Has Christ in the New Testament modified this test any?—No, far from it. Speaking of the work of the Holy Spirit, he says, "He will guide you into all truth." John 16:13. The word of God is truth. John 17:17; 2 Sam. 7:28. Now the Bible is accepted as the word of God by all Christians. Therefore it is truth. The Spirit, therefore, will not teach doctrines contrary to the Bible, as the Bible is truth, and the office of the Spirit was to guide into all truth. The Scriptures nowhere teach the sacredness of Sunday, but in Ex. 31:16, 17 God declares that the Sabbath (the seventh day) was to be kept for a perpetual covenant, and was to be a sign forever between God and his people. In order for it to be a sign forever, it must be kept as long as God's people exist, or, in other words, all through eternity—not only in the present world but also in the world to come. See Isa. 66:22, 23. In the face of these facts, how can Rome claim to be guided by the Spirit? If she is, and the change of the Sabbath is authorized by the Spirit, then we must conclude that what the Scriptures say in regard to the Sabbath being kept as a perpetual covenant is false, and thus the Spirit would be false itself. But all Christians admit that the Bible is the word of God, and, being his word, it is truth. Therefore, the only logical conclusion we can arrive at is that the Catholic Church was not guided by the Spirit of God in attempting this change. Every person or power claiming spiritual guidance is to be tested by the truth of God, the Bible, for his Spirit guides into truth. This change of the Sabbath, not being authorized by the Spirit of God, must be contrary to his will. Dear reader, are you keeping a commandment not in harmony with the will of God? Are all your religious beliefs founded on the word of God? SUBMISSION, SUBMISSION.
By Dwight Lyman Moody
ONE of the sweetest lessons that I have learned since I have been in Christ's school is just to be submissive, and let him choose for me. I tell him what I want, but when I get through, I like to say, "Now, Lord, you know best; thy will be done." I learned a lesson once from my little girl. She was always teasing me for a great big doll. She had a lot of dolls around the house, some without heads, some without arms, some without legs, but she wanted a great big doll. You know if a man has an only daughter he is rather soft (and they find it out, you know), so she was determined to get that great big doll. One day I had a good streak come over me, and I took her to a toy shop to get her a doll; but as we went in the door, we saw a basket of little china dolls. "O papa, isn't that the cutest little doll you ever saw?" "Well, won't you buy it?" "Well, now, Emma, let me choose this time." "Oh, no, papa, I just want this little doll!" I paid a nickle for the doll, and took her home. After the newness had worn off, the doll was left with all the others. I said, "Emma, do you know what I was going to do that day when I took you into the toy shop and you selected that china doll?" "Well, I was going to buy you one of those great big ones." "You were! Why didn't you do it?" "Because you wanted that little doll, and would have it." The little thing saw the point, and she bit her lips, and did not say anything more. From that day to this I cannot get her to say what she wants. When I was going to Europe this last time, I asked her what she wanted me to bring her, and she said, "Anything you like." It is far better to let God choose for ourselves. "Thy will, not mine, be done."—D. L. Moody. As SUGAR is not only sweet in itself, but sweeteneth other things wherewith it is mixed, so love is not only in itself delightful, but maketh all the ways of God both light and delightful, light to bear, and delightful to embrace.—Hayward. THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST; WHAT IS IN IT?
By G. D. Ballou
1. CHRIST as the Son of God, Creator of all things "that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him." Col. 1:13-16. 2. Christ as the Upholder of all things in nature, for "he is before all things, and by him all things consist," hold together, and are upheld by the word of his power. Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3. 3. Christ the Agent in redemption, carrying on the work of recreation in the hearts of men in the old dispensation (Ps. 51:10; Eze. 36:26, 27), furnishing the bread and water of life to Israel in the wilderness (1 Cor. 10:3, 4), giving the word of the Old Testament by his Spirit, as the Lord God of the holy prophets (1 Peter 1:10-12 and Rev. 22:6 in connection with 22:16). 4. Christ as the Son of Man, Babe of Bethlehem, Carpenter of Nazareth, Prophet of Galilee, working miracles, by divine creative power, on the bodies of men (Luke 5:12-14; John 11), by the same word of his power which spake the world into existence, and upholds all things (Ps. 33:6-9; Matt. 28:18), placing a living example of God's requirements before the degenerate men of the new dispensation (John 15:10), and speaking new life into sin-sick souls by assuring them of forgiveness (Luke 7:47, 48). 5. Christ as the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world, the Sacrifice for all human guilt (Heb. 2:9), dying, as the last sinner will finally die, in the agony of despair, meeting the full claims of the divine law upon the sinner (Mark 15:34), passing through death in order that he might unlock the prison house of Satan (Rev. 1:18), destroy him that had the power of death, and "deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb. 2:14). 6. Christ as the triumphant Conqueror, risen from death, that we may be created new creatures in him (2 Cor. 5:17), and rise triumphant with him to obtain the life everlasting, with eternal glory in his kingdom (John 14:19; 2 Tim. 2:10). 7. Christ as the glorified One, returned to the heavenly mansions to minister as a priest of the sanctuary, which the Lord pitched and not man (Heb. 8:1, 2), where he ever liveth to intercede for us (Heb. 7:25), so that we may come boldly to a throne of grace and obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:15, 16). 8. Christ as the coming King, coming to reward his saints and punish the wicked (Rev. 22:12), cleanse the earth of the defilement of sin, and prepare it for the abode of his people (2 Peter 3; Revelation 21, 22; see especially chapter 21:5, 24), coming in power and great glory (Luke 21:27), not as the Man of Nazareth, but as King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16), to reign eternally (Luke 1:33), over the purchase of his blood, the saved ones of Adam's lost race, in the earth made new, redeemed for them from the usurpation of Satan. Thus briefly do we catch a partial glimpse of what is in the gospel of Christ. And, dear fellow-laborer in the ministry, do not think when you have dwelt, even with eloquence and originality, on Jesus as the Prophet of Nazareth and Galilee, and his death of shame, and even his resurrection, that you have preached a whole gospel. The world has listened for years to dull platitudes and commonplace preaching on the sacrifice of Christ, until they are weary with the repetitions. Give them the rest of the gospel. It will cost you prayerful study, but it will rouse your hearers to a new growth in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Do it and find a blessing for your own soul. THE POPE'S INTENTIONS.
By H. A. St. John
I HAVE just read a small sheet published by the Catholic press of San Francisco, entitled "Rosary Sunday." Rosary Sunday in the Catholic Church is the first Sunday in October. This sheet purposes to set forth the origin, objects, and blessings of the Rosary, and to define the proper observance of Rosary Sunday. Great benefits and blessings, in the form of indulgences and otherwise, are herein held out to all the faithful upon certain conditions, one of which is that they earnestly, fervently, and frequently pray for the pope's intentions. I was at once interested to know what the pope's intentions were, for which he desires the great body of the Catholic Church everywhere to pray. The importance of praying for the pope's intentions is set forth not less than ten times in this little sheet. The meaning of the phrase is defined, or explained in parentheses as follows: (1) "The harmony of all Christian princes;" (2) "the extirpation of all heresy;" and (3) "the exaltation of the Catholic Church." Thus, again, in another way we are enabled to see that this great hierarchy, from the pope down to the lowest member, are thoroughly impregnated with the central idea of their existence from the beginning, namely, the extirpation of all heresy, the exaltation and supremacy of the Catholic Church, even at the fearful cost of the downfall and extinction of everything else. Once for hundreds of years this theoretical church came near realizing its highest ambition, rising to power and spiritual supremacy over the bodies and souls of men, by deception and the sword. During the long centuries that she sat as a queen, exterminating heresy and heretics, she was unable to make a clean sweep of the earth. God hid his truth and witnesses for the same in the wilderness until the time of reformation came, when he bade his people arise; and, by the sword of truth, strike the Papacy a deadly blow. But the sure word of prophecy assures8 us that that wound will be healed. The process of healing has been going on for a long time, and now the indications are favorable to a speedy recovery. Then, for a brief space, war will be made upon the remnant seed of the true woman, or church, because they keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Sharp, severe, but short will be the conflict. She who will again sit as a queen, having in her communion earthly potentates, and under her domination earthly governments, will strike with all her power for the extermination of the seed of the true woman. But all to no avail. God defends his own; he sends his Son the second time for their everlasting deliverance; and the other mother church of worldly wealth, worldly ambition, worldly power, with all her abettors, like a great millstone cast into the sea, will sink to rise no more. Who will be on the Lord's side in the impending conflict? THE tide of human life ebbs to and fro,
For night and sleep's forgetfulness are past,
And toiling men awake to come and go,
Upon the turmoil of a city cast.
Afar from ways that breathe of sordid care,
Of aching hearts, and many a life forlorn,
In weary want I turn my sleepless eyes
To where the maiden Morning's smiles are fair,
By rippling streams beneath unsullied skies,
Where winds come murmuring through the balmy air,
With sounds of angels' wings in Paradise,
And still beyond, where blossoms have no thorn,
And souls no striving, shades of grief and woe
Lost in the glory of eternal morn.
—Selected. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7. JOTTINGS FROM EUROPE.
By H. P. Holser
[From our own correspondent.] Of late, European journals have not wanted for matter. Besides the many daily dispatches concerning the war between China and Japan, the sickness of the czar receives special attention. At the present writing his death is daily expected. The event is anticipated as a critical one for Europe. That it will have a material influence on the general state of affairs is evinced by the fact that exchange rises and falls, according to the latest news of the czar's condition. In general, there is a great sympathy for him; he is regarded as a peace-loving man, and an important factor in the peace-assuring elements of Europe. Prayers for his recovery have been offered, not only all over Russia, but in other nations, especially in France. The extent of faith exercised in these prayers, however, is illustrated by an event which occurred in St. Petersburg. At the order of the czar's faithful cabinet, special prayers for his recovery were offered in the great cathedral. But while some were celebrating these prayers with great pomp and solemnity, others were engaged in another part of the same building in preparing ornaments with which to decorate the building in mourning at the first news of the czar's death. The wedding of the czarowitz, set for October 29, was postponed, as at that time there were hopes of an improvement in the czar's condition; but it is expected that the marriage will take place before his death, that he may give his blessing to the future imperial pair. The German princess, Alix, who is soon to be the empress of Russia, is a Lutheran; but, as generally known, she can become empress only on condition that she join the Greek Church. A magnate of this church was sent to Germany to instruct her in her new faith, and, in due time, presented a creed for her to sign, but she refused. How the matter has been arranged has not come to my notice. Like a peal of thunder from a clear sky came the news of the resignation of the German Chancellor Caprivi and the Prussian Prime Minister Eulenburg. The papers had no intimation of what was coming till it was an accomplished fact. For once the reporters were outdone. Indeed, they had just reported a friendly interview between the emperor and Caprivi, in which the former expressed himself on the side of his minister in his policy for arranging internal difficulties. But no more sudden were the resignation and its acceptance than was the appointment of a new chancellor, Prince Hohenlohe, of Bavaria. This is but another item illustrative of the fact that Emperor William is a minute man. He evidently likes to demonstrate that he is independent, and to a certain extent his own minister. It is a fact which attracts considerable notice that the new prime minister is a Catholic. But this does not have the significance that it would if he were an obedient son of the Vatican. When the dogma of papal infallibility was passed, he entered a vigorous protest, and worked diligently against it in the Bavarian Parliament, and tried to stir up all the Catholics of Europe to rise against it. As a rule, those Catholics that oppose the dogma of infallibility are the worst enemies that the Vatican has. It is said that the Central, or Catholic party in the Reichstag is none too well pleased over the choice of Hohenlohe as minister. Prince Hohenlohe is from a family that dates from the twelfth century, and is a man of excellent political record. He has rendered great service to Germany, and has been engaged in the affairs of government since 1846. Although past seventy-five years of age, he is robust and in full possession of his mental and physical powers. He was one of the chief factors in establishing the German Empire, and for eight years after the Franco-Prussian war, filled with great efficiency the difficult position of German minister at Paris. There is quite a general satisfaction in his choice; it is expected that he will succeed rather better than Caprivi, as he is more politic. It is claimed that Caprivi was truly glad to have his resignation accepted. For some time his position has been growing more difficult, the chief reason for which, it is claimed, is that he is too honest, and did not understand manipulating the various warring parties as well as Bismarck. In leaving his high office, he acted in thorough military style; in less than half an hour after his resignation was accepted, he had bade his special friends adieu, and the next morning part of his goods were already loaded in preparation to leave. Being a bachelor, such matters could be more hastily arranged than had he a family. For a period of rest, he will come to our beautiful Switzerland, to regale himself amidst the charms which nature has so lavishly bestowed about Lake Leman. A rather bold step, one that was anticipated with some anxiety, has just been successfully taken in Italy,—the suppression of all socialistic societies. In 35 provinces 271 organizations were suppressed in one day. Also many of their documents and publications were confiscated. But these vigorous police measures do not improve the condition of the heart; the evil is only aggravated thereby, and will seek expression in another way. Belgium has just passed through an exciting political campaign, the war being between the clericals and the socialists. Although the former won, the contest was so close in many places that the election resulted in a tie. The clericals, seeing danger ahead, are planning to meet it. To assure their party in future elections, they are actually working for woman's suffrage. They do this on the theory that woman, being more religious than man, will surely vote for the clergy. But the black-frocked gentlemen may burn their fingers, for it might occur to the oppressed laboring women to vote the socialistic ticket, to better their condition. Under many years of clerical rule their condition has constantly grown worse, hence there is little to encourage them that its continuance will be for their interests, and they may be the first to vote for a change. A rather amusing case recently occurred in Denmark, illustrating the tyranny of the clergy of the State Church. In Copenhagen cremation is allowed, but the clergy bitterly oppose it as an unchristian act. A man who died some months since decreed that his body should be burned; the clergy, however, declared that they would not perform the funeral services if this decree were carried out; the relatives, bent on carrying out the wish of the deceased, finally found a pastor of a free church who was willing to perform the funeral ceremony. But suit was promptly brought against him for meddling with things of which the State Church had a monopoly. The Circuit Court fined the offender 100 kroner; but he appealed to the Supreme Court and was acquitted. Although the court justified him, the case goes on record as another illustration of the papal spirit of the State Church pastors. The difficult position of army chaplains was recently illustrated by a case in the Swiss army. Complaint was entered at the Military Department by an Israelite that he was obliged to attend religious service where he heard things that hurt his religious feelings. Hereupon, the department sent out a circular, admonishing the chaplains not to use words that might be injurious to those of other confessions than themselves. In order to heed such instructions, how much liberty has a man to preach the word? And while this department of the government goes through the mock ceremony of preventing even the religious feelings being injured, another department is robbing men of their goods and imprisoning them for no other reason than that they keep the ten commandments according to God's word. This illustrates the perfection of religious liberty that human governments can bestow. Religious liberty in Europe exists only in name; it stands in many of the constitutions, but there it ends. When one makes complaint, he is told that what he presents is not a question of conscience. That is, you are to have liberty of conscience as long as you believe what the majority believes; but when you believe otherwise, your belief is not to be considered as a matter of conscience. This is practically the decision of the Supreme Court of Switzerland in a recent appeal to the constitution in a question of conscience. But the child of God is not to look to man for his religious liberty. God gives him liberty; all man has to do is to assert his liberty and exercise it. "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." Human governments cannot take this liberty away; they may lock a man up, but he is still free in the Lord, and has the only perfect liberty there is. The Heart of Christ’s Gospel
By Charles A. Berry
CONSIDER what Christ's gospel is. Centered at the heart of it is the truth that God lives, that God loves, that God saves.