The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-09
orR RELIuIoys CONTEMPORARIES.


that the offer was accepted.
i
OUR RELIGIOUS CONi thiPORARiES-
The season of Lent has it's associations
with the idea of temptation. Its forty
DAYS of commemoration of our blessed
Lords whole earthly
THE USES OF life of humiliation in
TEMPTATION. cludes also, and is
reminder of. His spe-
cia1 forty days of trial, fasting and temp
tation with which He began His minis
try As He suffered. being tempted, so
is He able to help, is q source OF strength
to them that are tempted.
In the petition preceding that lead us
not into temptation, we are dealing
with our old sins, those of the past, seek
ing their forgiveness and the removal OF
their consequences. In this. it may be
said we are anticipating those that may
be new and coming in the future: The
temptations preceding, by which we may
be led astray and fall into SIM Forgive
US our trespasses' of the past. Lead US
not, keep us from the temptation to do
anything like these, and from all KINGS
of trespass in the future.
And here is to be carefully noted, and
ever borne in mind, the two ideas, the
two meanings connected with this word
temptation Sometimes that idea or
meaning is simply that of trial or test
C character. and with no implication OF
evil in it. Then, again, 1t is that OF In
ducement, enticement TIC sin; not only
trial, but positive temptation, enticement.
allurement to wrongdoins. The first OF
these, trial, test, is something that IL
| needed to the formation of character.
Such trials, or tests, are diviueiy sent,
and intended for blessing; to fit men for
Gods work here on earth. as for His
presence hereafter In heaven. We do not
properly pray to be kept from trial. but
to be helped to understand and improve
it. In the experience Of such trial the
proper petition is test and enlishten and
help and sanctify US. Enable us to re-
ceive it's divinaIy intended benefits
Southern Churchman-
It is a singular fact that while some OF
| the "hiSher critics are seeking to elimi-
| nate the supernatural from both the Old
and New Testa-
| IN THE NATURE OF ment Scriptures
A PARADOX. there are 9th
erS who hold
the inspiration OF the Bible lightly and
vet give peculiar pre- eminence to the SUI
| pernatural element in their creed. Ths
| Christian Scientists, for instance, contend
| that all is spiritual and supernatural, and
| that the material exists only In tbs
| ina gination. No form of disease is proof
against their belief in the supernatural.
| No miracle of healing accredited to oul
Lord in the New Testament is beyond
| the province of their faith as to existing
maIadies, even those of a conSenia1 char
-acter. We are not endorsing this view,
| but we refer to it as an illustration o:
| the truth. which crops out In very many
other forms of belief, that man instinc-
| lively recognizes the existence of the SUI
| pernatural. There is also prevalent con-
viction, which does not always take a
| religious form, that the power which has
! put into operation the laws of nature
! must be superior to them, and can sus-
| pend or override them at will. It Is at
| certain periods in the worlds history
| God has seen proper to do for certain i'm
| portant ends. He may not repeat this
| exercise of power at the present time.
| because increased spiritual knowledge and
| more perfect spiritual agencies render It
| unnecessary. Hume's argument against
miracles. that they are :. contrary to ex-
| perience," is very weak one,
| ence in one age may not be in an
! other. And then there is a manifestation
| of the supernatural continually going on
! Every soul renewed by divine power is
a miracle OF grace. and involves as di-
/ rect divine agency as in any external
miracle. and perhaps to greater ex-
tent.-Christian Advocate.
Il
The folly OF trying to kill cause by
persecution was never more clearly de-
monstrated than in the efforts to stamp
I. out Christianity
THE BEGINNING OF just after the
MISSIONS. stoninS of Ste
phen. Emboid-
| ened by their apparent success In SO easily
dispatching this bold defender, the Jew
1 ish leaders decided to make q united at
l tempt to throttle the new religion in its
/ cradle Saul OF Tarsus. by his Intensity
/ OF nature, at once came forward as a
i valuable and trusted aid In the enter
i prise. But even the trained, astute youn e
/ man of Tarsus did not understand the Si-
/ sautfc nature of his undertaking., as LIS
4 entered house after house, committing
A men and women to prison. His threatens
/ ing and slaughter were hot and terrible,
Il but he was reckoning with "a seyen-day
wonder.n To be sure. with the whole,
sanhedrin and the majority of the Jewish
neopie behind him. and with all the en-
gineering of Jewish power and oppression,
i he could succeed In making havoc OF tha
4 young church. till, In sheer desperation.
the afflicted would fee for their lives and
be scattered to the four winds OF heaven.
4 This happened. But they that wsrs
scattered abroad went everywhere preach-
ing the word Herein lay the undiseoy-
cred factor that cast the mad efforts Of
4 tina Jewish leaders so wide Of the mark
i They were. not scattering the dead ashes
Il OF q lost cause. but the living firebrands
OF an imperishabla faith. PentecostaI
4 tongues Of fame were un1oossd eyasys
y WHARF aliginas Haral as