The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-04
OUR RELIGIOUS CONTEMPORA
RIES.

HE'D.
IT is ONO little interest to discern the
| power Of the good man to help another
to find his true
THE POWER place. When Bar
OF "A GODLY LIFE. nabas saw tho pos
sbilitieS os the
work in Antioch. he event forth to Tarsus
| to seek for Saul a good man is like
| magnet, especially If he be full of the
Holy Ghost and of faith He is able to
| discover others; to pick them up and IN
spire them to new power ana influence.
Happy is he who comes within the sphere
OF a good mans life. Paul had already
| been suspected at Jerusalem even by his
brethren Possibly a little discouraged,
ne had gone back to his old home at Tar
s;,s, not knowing what God had in store
for him. 1t remained for Barnabas to
he the means of bringing the young man
and his mission together. A life had at
length been put to. rights. All honor 10
Barnabas the good!
Some one once asked Joseph Cook what
qualities he most admired in man. He
replied: "Sze and symmetry of SOUL
This Barnabas had to Il high degree. This
always counts. John Richard Green, writ
ing OF Gladstone. said: Il felt so proud
Of my leader, because, wise or unwise as
he might seem in this or that, he was
always noble OF soul Barnabas doubt
less had his faults He once had quar-
rel with Saul. But for simplicity of char
acter, symmetry of soul, earnest piety and
ccnsecrated wisdom Barnabas has few
surcriors among those to whom God en-
trusted the mighty work Of laying the
foundations Of his holy faith.-RellGious
Herald.
We can scarcely believe that Rev. DR..
Henry Van Dyke is correctly quoted,
when he is repre-
THE NOVEL AND sented as having said
IT'S INFLUENCE. in q recent lecture
at Detroit that
Novels are doing more than sermons to
mould character and influence conduct"
If this be not 1nisquotation, the report
er must have left out some qualifying
connection in which the words were ut
tered DR.. Van Dyke sets too high an es-
innate upon his own sacred calling as
preacher of the gospel. and is a man Of
too much discrimination and good sense
to raagnify the novel as a moral instru
rlenr above the sermon. The Doctor may
have intended just the opposite meaning
to that attached to his utterance. That
the almost universal practice OF novel
reading has a decided influence upon char
acter and conduct cannot be denied 1t
is as evident that that influence in the
main Is deleterious rather than healthful.
acter and give such eXtravagant and
overdrawn views of life as wholly to unfit
the reader for it's stern realities. Others
contain an undercurrent Of skepticism in
such a subtle and insidious form as to
be only the more dangerous for being thus
disguised. Their tendency is to under
mine religious faith and all reverence for
sacred things.-Christian Advocate.
An article in the last issue Of this paper
called forth the following comment and
questions by our es-
QUESTIONS teened exchange the
AND ANSWERS Richmond Times: "The
Methodist. a church
paDer published in the city of Danville,
contends that the Bible should be read
in the public schools. Among other things
II asks If the church neglects to use the
propitious opportunity that the public
schools offer of acquainting the children
with the Bible and bringing them under
the influence of its teachings, will the
church be gu;lt!ass?'
what church? The Protestant Church?
The Roman Catholic Church? Or the
jewish Church? That is the question.
These three branches of the church must
get together ana harmonize their differ
ences and agree upon what portions Of
the Bible are to be read before it can be
done without producing friction.
Again. the Methodist says that teach
ers in the public schools ought to be Chris
tians Does that mean that no person,
except he be a Christian, shall be per-
m:tted, under the law. to teach in the
public schools? Does that mean that no
| member Of the Jewish Church shall be
| permitted to teach? If SO, what becomes
OF our boosted religious liberty
1t is in our mind and heart to answer
as follows to these questions:
First-The Church of God-It is con-
fined to no sect or denomination.
Il our religious liberty be rot founded
on and in accordance with the word and
law Of God, it is not an occasion for
either boast or gratitude. The most de-
sirabIe freedom is that that comes from
knowing the truth-John viii, 50. They
are free who are made so by the Son
John viii, &c. We desire this freedom
for mankind, and that they, having at
tanned it, shall stand fast in the liberty
wherewith Christ hath made them free.
AS this shall be increasingly accom-
rljshed and righteousness will exalt the
nation, the occasion. not for boast, but for
humble and devout gratitude, increased,
Christ exalted and God glorified. may His
kingdom como and over all prevail. And
let the Church Of God say. Amen
panyille Methodist.