The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-06-09

"Now In regard to the swine's flesh.
We are told that the aesh OF this animal
Ia not clean. / think mysrlf that there
arc other kinds Of food TINT are much bet
Ter. think that the body will be better
for not eating 1t. Il Is for that reason
that do not eat II. But we do not hold
the Jewish doctrine, nor Is 10 eur belief
that the soul is prejudiced by its use as a
food. II Mr.. Higgins preached any such
belief, he acted on his own Interpretation
Of the Scriptures, not on that on which
the stuoents OF the Bible school are set
| tied.
There is also the rite Of foot-washing
There is no authority in the Bible 20
make that mandatory. But II any one
wishes to employ It merely as perform
ance to signify humility, it may be so
employed. But in the act there is moth
Ing Inherently sacred. IL is as have
said. simply figurative act denoting hui
mility.
"The too jealous interpretations Of this
and other things Is to be deplored. 1t
doesn't assist the truth. 1t is apt to
bring down adverse comment on honest
meaning people and to stir that oppose
tion that attends on what the world calls
fanatioism.
And yet,.if . man is striving honestly
for the end set forth In the Bible, he
should be allowed TO employ, such simple
and inoffensive methods as be thinks as
sist his faith and his moral resolution.
No two men proceed in the same way to
do certain thing.
1.-THE public undoubtedly Emisunder-
stands the conduct of the instruction In
our Bible school here. There are no en-
piricsl rules governing the reading of the
Scriptures. mean their interpretations
The same things do noslappeai the same
to different men. Our system of instruc-
ton eIubodies the careful reading of the
Scriptures together. and the.comparing Of
beliefs. II a man is in palpable error we
correct 1t. II he has an honest belief in
regard to point on which his judgment
is as good as the rest of us, no attempt is
made. to. unseat that belief.
"But Of course even the most opinion.
ated man by reading and re-reading the
Scriptures and discussion with others Will
have his views modified and mellowed.
1t is in this respect that the Bible school
helps the student to grasp at the real
truth and to be able. to enunciate 1t to the
world.
"Now cannot accept Mr.. Higgins, in
spite of his sincerity, as a regularly ac-
credited missionary of our faith. He isn't
well enough grounded. He is a good and
Christian man. but he is not qualified to
speak absolutely for our crusade
>"He has been at the school for time
and displayed q great interest and made
good impression. But he didn't stay
long enough.
"Our tent was taken into that region
by q man who had been connected with
our work, but not in true sympathy with
1t and with whom found is necessary 60
break off. He didn't represent our
teachings. The tent was left in Hamp-
den and Mr.. Higgins asked permission to
take it up to Levant, having written
me that ne and MIR. Clement had started
quite an interest there. The tent seemed
to be the adjunct that provoked the most
OF the trouble.
Tnis Is the only tent we have out this
summer. And l can hardly say that this
tent Is under the auspices OF the Holy
Ghost and Us school.
mo trouble OF this nature has ever
met any OF the rest oil our >evangeiists
You can scarcely say that they have all
beenamet with open arms Yet they have
always excited much interest In the
towns where they nave worked, and
blessed results have always followed.
The nrst year mat we mad our tents out
tne work was very successful. Inc only
persons who talked real hard against our
work and against the missionaries We're
members OF the denominations.
The churches seem to think that we
are aiming especially at them. They say
that we are trying to break up all the
churches. That isn't so at all. 10 be
| surs we ara obliged to preach against
some OF the ways OF the churches. But