The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-02-25

incubus Of church debts.
The Rcv. Leonard W. Bacon, d. d.. throws
ont in sparkling article in the Indcp>ndent some very
plain hints for revOlutionizng The meeting Of the
American Board Of Foreign Missions lie objects to the
change which has been made In the OF this
meeting Formerly the meeting was for free debate and
consultation on the best ways OF carrying missionary
work Giants in theology and law made some OF their
most telling speeches on important topics great prin
cipes bearing on the work Of the Board Now the FREQ
dom OF voluntary speech gone The annual meeting
10 regulated by programme carefully prepared by the
officers Of the Board. These officers procure dstiu.
guishcd speakers to make set speeches to all up
nearly all the time The business" transacted by the
meeting is all cut aud dried squared and hung nm nv
the officers beforehand so as to be pushed through in
the odd corner of spare half hour when it can 20
through most quietly DR. Bacon suggests that at euch
annual meeting committee OF persons outside of thu
Board officers should be appointed to make oil the
arrangements for the next years meeting should such
plan be carried into operation It would throw
nation into the cotere Of officials
Io-day's International Sunday School
lesson tells OF the first great scandal which took place i'm
the Christian Church Thus far all had been
me oeheVers had been united in the fellow ship Of Chris,
tan harmony. Events which seemed to promise confu
sion and distress had worked for their good Ananin.
and his wife sapphira had come into the NJ
oene'rs hut they were hypocres and liars The story
oi meir wckednes and Its result is told in Acts " ILL
ana 10 the passage for todAys study They had prop
wy o'"ers VINO hAd property had sold IL and given
the proceeds to the common fund. Ansnius and bis
vile sold theirs and handed oyor what they pretended
was the full sum received for IT, Had they made mi.
aohauoh without such pretence, It would have been
we Tor they were under no obligation to give all they
hsd Their sin was In the deceitful trick they played
and the lie they told about H. Ananas was nrst caught
refer accused him TO his fscs Of lying not TO men but
TO the Holy Ghost" The terrified decviver fell dead on
the hoor. After while his wife. who was psrtner in
the Transaction came into the presenc. of III. Aposes
feter asking her about the sale and the gift received
the same lying answer that Ananias had given She fll
down dead. as her husband had II WAS an aw fl dny
Tor tho infant Church, But the lesson WINS A yauhls
one IN the cause OF truth and purity II the offence Ind
been lightly passed over would have been an encour.
agement TO other meaner and false hearted eviocrs
We may learn from this lesson the batcfunes, and
meannsss OF lying. We may learn the fact that all
hearts are open before God and that lie se,s through a
statements and transactions, however ingenously they
ma" Dc covered from human gaze wcmay also learn
inc value OF stern and stanch honesty In all our deal
hes' not merely the miserable honesty is the best,
poh'y system Hut to he saaare and right and honest
TAR above any questions Of mere poe!, AID trusting 70
God Tor the result