The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1894-11-17

but 1t is directed to the history and the
authority of the Scriptures rather than
to their use as revealing God to the soul
seeking Him. Is not the time near when
the nobler thinking will again assume its
sway? when, without needlessly Surren-
Gerlng interest in social and political
movements, the sense of personal ac-
countability to God will give that sa-
credness to mems duties to men without
which social movements will fail of their
highest results? The true revival of
righteousness is a revival of longing for
the presence of the holy God, for inward
assurance OF peace with Him, of over
mastering desire to win souls one by
one to Him by realizing redemption
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Is it
not time to give greater prominence to
these themes In puIpits and prayer meet
lngs, conferences and associations OF
churches?'
There is a great deal of honest doubt
among men," remarks the New York
Out{ook, "but there is also a great deal of
doubt which has its roots not in specula-
tive but in practical atheism, for every
man who violates the laws of life, which
are also the laws Of God, is to that degree
an atheist. Whatever may be his pro-
LESSONS, as matter of TACT he does not
Delleve IN the existence OF those laws and
the certainty that they are to be execu-
ted, or he would not violate them. The
only men who are competent to have or
to express a judgment about the nature
ana ends of human life are those who
i've In absolute obedience TO the laws of
life. a man of unsound mind is inca
pacltated from having any opinion con-
corning the normal action of the mind,
and man who is continually violating
the moral laws of the world, and so
throwing himself out of harmony with
that world, is not in position to COM
Drehend 1t or to pass 81 judgment upon it,
Personal righteousness is the first step
toward clear vision OF things, and a
healthy soul IS the only one which has
any right to speak of the ends and the
nature of human life. 1t is because so
many lives violate the fundamental laws
OF living that there is SO much doubt
abroad, and that so many men are ask
ing the question whether life is worth
living. A large part of the theoretical
atheism and great part of the practical
doubt now in the world would disappear
IL individual lives were brought into har-
mony with the moral and the spiritual
laws.'
1.-THE other Sunday" says the New
York EUdHgctfSt, 1--WE happened into the
infant classroom, and found that the
teacher of the little ones diligently put
ting the lesson for the day upon the
board. The Bible passage from which
the lesson was supposed to be drawn was
that which narrates the determination of
Daniel not to do anything which would
identify him with the worship of idols
The lesson actually taught was the duty
OF avoiding sins against the body and
the conclusion Of the syllogistic process
was found in the third term: Therefore,
don't swear and don't smoke. Some
what dazed by the trapeze-like character
OF these premises and deductions, we
turned to the teachers monthly, and sure
enough it was ali there. We remembered
that st. Paul had something to say about
this making the traditions of men, pro-
hlbltions OF touch and taste and handling
to stand for the simplicity and freedom
of the Gospel, and that was there too
only the course to which Paul objected
was quoted in the Teacher as PauPs own
injunction. Lost in this crazy-quilt exc
gesis, we simply gave it up and went on
to church, wondering whether the COM
mand not TO add to the things written
in this Book had ever been by divine
authority repealed"
The San Francisco Monitor, in an article
In1