PRINCETON, N. J. *^ Presented bylDr-. cS/. N-^Wovn BX 8526 .S78 1906 Studies in the Scriptures Ik APR 1 H 1914 STUDIE^'™"*^' — IN THE — SCRIPTURES 'ThB path 0» TBK JTTST is as the SHIKtNG UOHT, WBICH AiS) MORS WTO THB PSaPBCT BAT." 1,689,000 Edition A VINDTCATIOS OF THK DIVINB CHARACTKR AND GOVERKMTOT t BBOWTIfO, BT A RECOONTTION AHD HARMONIZING OF ALL THE SCRIPTURES, THAT Tint PERMISSION OF EVIL, PAST AND PRESENT, IS BDUCATIOM- AL AND PREPARATORY TO THB USH BRING OF MANKIND INTO THE GOLDEN AGE OF PROPHECY P( WHICH ALL THB FAMILIES OF THE EARTH WILL BE BLESSED WITH A FULL KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND A FULL OPPORTUNITY FOR ATTAINING LASTING LIFE THROUGH THE REDEE5IER, WHO THEN WOiL BE THE GREAT RESTORER AND LIFE-GIVER.— ACTS 3 : 19-21. WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY, 4LLIGHENY, PA,, W,S^ 1906 So tl^e ^ii^g of j^iiigs ar^d Lord of Lords IN THB INTEREST OP HIS CONSECRATED SAINTS, WAITING FOR THB ADOPTION, — AND OF — **ALL THAT IN EVERY PLACE CALL UPON THE LORD," " THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH," — AND OF — THE GROANING CREATION, TRAVAILING AND WAITING FOR THB MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD, " To make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the begiiming of the world hath been hid in God." " Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself ; that in the dispen- sation of the fulness of the times He might gather together in one all things, under Christ." Eph. 3 : 4, s. 9 ; I : 8-io. COPYRIGHT i886. WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY, ALLEGHENY, PA. N. B.— ^rms volume can be supplied in the gbrman, Swedish, dano-nor* WBGIAN AND FRENCH LANGUAGES. STUDIES m THE SCl^IPTURBSo Christian people are becoming more and more awake to the fact that a great tidal wave of unbehef is sweep- ing over Christendom; — not the blasphemous atheisna voiced by Thomas Paine and Robert Ingersoll, but the cultured kind represented in the scholarship of our day, which makes the danger all the more insidious. Not only are the great Colleges and Seminaries undermining the faith of the better educated, but the Common School books, and especially those used in the High Schools, are similarly inculcating a distrust in the Bible, a contradiction of its teachings. For a college graduate oi to-day to declare his faith in the inspiration of the Scriptures would bring upon him the scorn of his companions — a scorn which few would court, or could endure. At very best, a few will be found to claim that they believe that Jesus and his Apostles were sincere, though they blundered in quoting from the Old Testament as inspired. Such a belief in Jesus and his Apostles is no belief at all; for if present-day "higher critics" are wise enough to know when and where our Lord and his Apostles erred in their quotations from the Old Testa- ment, then these wise men of our day are our proper guides, — more inspired than Jesus and his Apostles. Our Society, realizing the need, is seeking to do all in its power to stem the tide and hft up the Lord's standard for the people.^' It has prepared six sets of Bible Studies (of which this volume is one) for Christian people of all denominations to use in lending a helping hand to all perplexed inquirers with whom they may, by God's providence, come in contact. These are supplied at bare cost, and can be had direct from the Society's warerooms or of its colporteurs, who are gradually reaching forth these helping hands far and near. These valuable "studies" are supplied at little more than two cents each; — 16 of them well bouad ia a cloth ease, wabossed i& silver, for 35 cenis.- The thought is this: As a Christian man or woman you have children or relatives or neighbors or friends open to your influence — perhaps, indeed, asking your counsel — asking, "How do we know that there is a God?" or, ''What proofs have we that the Bible is inspired?" It is no longer wise to call these silly ques- tions, nor to ask, "Are you an infidel?" However competent you might be to prepare an- swers to these and a score of other questions, you may not have the needed time and opportunity to do so. How convenient then to step to your book-case, take down the proper study on the subject, and to say to the inquirer, Sit down and read that short study, and the whole matter of your question will be fully and satisfactorily settled; and if your doubts ever again arise come over and read the same again. Possibly you may be a member of an Fpworth League or Christian Endeavor Society, or of a Baptist Young People's Union, and may be called on for an essay on some Scripture topic. How convenient to select one among these numerous studies (covering almost every topic) and to find therein the appropriate Scriptures cited. Ministers use them thus when com- posing special sermons and addresses. Ministers who have large Hbraries touching every conceivable religious topic — many volumes costing $6 to $8 per volume — may not feel their need of these "Bible Studies," but to others they are almost indis- pensable. Indeed, in addition to the price feature, which brings them within the reach of everybody — six vol- umes of over 3,000 pages for $2.25 — the usual price of one such volume — they are written in pure, but simple English, whereas the "scholarly works" are replete with technical terms and only for the few. We invite Christian people all denominations to join us in our work of extending these "helping hands" to the rising generation. A single friend or relative helped — rescued from doubt or unbelief — would repay eost of these studio a thousai^ ^me&. CONTENTS. STUDY I. EARTH'S NIGHT OF SIN TO TERMINATE IN A MORNING OF JOY. A NlOHT OP WkBPINO AMD A MORMINO OF JOY. — TwO MkTHODS OF SSSKtKG Truth. — Thb Method Hbkein Pursued. — Scope of the Work. — A Dif- TBRBNCB BETWEEN THB ReVERENT StUDY OF THB SCRIPTURBS AND THB DaN- OBROus Habit of Speculation. — The Object of Prophecy. — Thb Prbsbxt Religious Condition of thb World Viewed from Two STANDPorirrs.— • Egyptian Darkness. — A Bow of Promise. — The Path of thb Just Pro- SRBSSivE. — Cause of thb Great Apostasy. — The Reformation. — Thb Sakb Causb Again Hinders Real Progress.— Pbrfbctiom op Knowlsdgb Not A Thing op tub Past, but op thb Futurs. .... STUDY II. THE EXISTENCE OF A SUPREME INTELLIGENT CREATOR ESTABLISHED. EVTDKNCB AsIDB FROM THB BiBLE, EXAMINED IN THB LxGHT OF RbASON.— AM Untenable Theory. — A Reasonable Thbory. — Thb Character of God PEMONSTRATBD. — RbASONABLB DbDUCTIONS. .... STUDY m. THE BIBLE AS A DIVINE REVELATION VIEWED IN THE LIGHT OF REASON. Thb Claiics op thb Biblb and its Surface Evidbncb of CRnDiBtirrY. — Its Aktiquity and Prbsbrvation. — Its Moral Influence. — Motives of thb Writbrs. — General Character of the Writings. — The Books of Moms. —Thb Law of Moses. — Pbculiarities of the Government iNsnTryrao bv MosBS. — It was not a System of Priestcraft. — Instructions to CnoL Rulers. — Rich ano Poor on a Common Le\'bl Before the Law, — Safe- wards Against Tampering With thb Rights of the People. — Thb Priesthood Not a Favored Class, How Supported, etc. — Oppression of Foreigners, Widows, Orphans and Servants Guarded Against. — Thb Prophets of thb Biblb. — Is Thbrb a Common Bond of Union Bbtwbw the Law, the Prophets and the New Testament WbitbrsT — Msraoub Nor Unrxasonabu.— Thb Rbasomablb Cqmcxusioh. . grUDY IT. THB EPOCHS AND DISPENSATIONS MARKED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DIVINE PLAN. God's Plan Dbfinite and Systematic. — Three Great Epochs of thb World's History. — Their Distinctive Features. — "The Earth Abideth Forever." — The World to Come, the New Heavens and Earth. — Subdi- visions op These Great Epochs. — The Important Features of God's Plan THUS Brought to View. — Order Recognized Discloses Harmony. — Rightly Dividing thb Word of Truth. , . , STUDY V. «THE MYSTERY HID FROM AGES AND FROM GENERA- TIONS, BUT NOW MADE MANIFEST TO HIS SAINTS."— COL. i : 26. Thb Gummering Light of the First Promise. — The Promise to Abraham.— Hope Deferred. — The Mystery Begins to Unravel at Pentecost. — What THE Mystery Is. — Why So Long Kept a Mystery. — Still a Mystery to THE World. — In Dub Time to be Made Manifest to All. — ^When the Mys- T811T Will bb Finished. STUDY VI. ; OUR LORD'S RETURN— ITS OBJECT, THE RESTITU- TION OF ALL THINGS. Oro Lord's Second Advent Personal and Pre-Millennial. — Its Relation- ship to the First Advent. — The Selection of the Church and the Con- version of the World. — Election and Free Grace. — Prisoners of Hope. — Prophetic Testimony Regarding Restitution. — Our Lord's Return Man- ifestly the Hope of the Church and the World. .... STUDY VII. THE PERMISSION OF EVIL AND ITS RELATION TO GOD'S PLAN. Why Evil was Permitted. — Right and Wrong as Principles. — The Moral Sense. — God Permitted Evil, and will Overrule it for Good. — God not THE Author of Sin. — Adam's Trial not a Farce. — His Temptation Sb- ^iBRE.— He Sinned Wilfully.— The Penalty of Sin not Unjust, nor Too SsvBRE,— The Wisdom, Love and Justice Displayed in Coi«demnin« Au. Ot AcAMi— God's Law Umversal. STUDY VIII. ^ THE DAY OF JUDGMENT. Tub GftWERAL View of the Day of Judgment. — Is it Scriptural ?—Th« Terms, Judgment and Day, Defined.— Several Judgment Days Referred TO IN THB Scriptures.— The First Judgment Day and its Results —An- OTRBK Appoththd — Thk Judgb.— Thb Craractbr op tkb Coicimo JtroO* MBNT. — Similarity and Dissimilarity of thh First and Sbcond Judg- »fKNTS. — The World's Present Accountability. — Two Intkrybning Judg- MKNTS and Their Objects.— Widely Different Estimatbs op thb ComM Jodgmbnt. — How Prophets and Apostles Viewkd it. . . . sfp STUDY IX. RANSOM AND RESTITUTION. Thb RBSTmmoN Guaranteed by the Ransom.— Not ErHRLASTiifo Lm, BUT A Trial for it. Secured by the Ransom. — The Conditions and Ad- TANTAGES OF THB TrIAL. — ChRIST's SACRIFICE NeCESSARY. — HoW THE RaCB Could be and was Redeemed by the Death of One. — Faith and Works Still Necessary — The Wages of Wilful Sin Certain. — Will there bb Room on the Earth for the Resurrected Millions? — Restitution vkr- sus EvoLxrrioN. ........ STUDY X. SPIRITUAL AND HUMAN NATURES SEPARATE AND DISTINCT. Common Misapprehensions. — Earthly or Human and Heavenly o« Sns- rruAL Natures.— Earthly Glory and Heavenly Glory.— Biblb Testi- mony Regarding Spirit Beings. — Mortality and Immortality, — Cam Mortal Beings Ha\-e Everlasting Life ?— Justice in the Bestowmbnt of Favors. — A Supposed Principle Examined. — Variety in Perfectioii.— God's Sovereign Rights. — God's PRO\asiON for Man a Satisfying Poh- TioN. — The Election of the Body of Christ. — How thbik CHAim o9 Kature is Effectbs. ........ ||§ STUDY XI, THE THREE WAYS— THE BROAD WAY, THE NARROW WAY, THE HIGHWAY. Thb Broad Road to Destruction.— The Narrow Way to Lipb.— What m Life? — The DmNE Nature. — The Relationship of the Divine and Human Natures. — The Reward at the End op the Narrow Way. — Thb High Calling Limited to the Gospel Age. — Difficulties and Dangers op thb Narkow Way.— Thb Highway of Holiness. . . . . aof STUDY XII. EXPLANATION OF CHART REPRESENTING THE PLAN OF THE AGES. The Ages. — The Harvests. — Planes of Actual and Rbckonbd Standimc. The Course op our Lord Jesus. — The Course of His Followers. — Thrsb Classes in the Nominal Church. — Separation in the Harvest. — The Akointed Class Glorified. — The Great Tribulation Class. — Thb Taus BuBMBo.— Thb Wokud Bus8ss,«-Tub Outcomb Glouovs. . am STUDY XIII. THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD. TUK Fbbt DcKimoN. — Its Fowbiturb. — Its Redbmption and RpsronxTtatk —The TvncAL Kingdom of God. — Thb Usurper.— Two Phases of thb Prksbnt Dominion. — The Powers that be. Ordained of God.— Nebuchad- hkxzar's View of Them.— Daniel's View and Interpretation. — The King- doms OF this World viewed from another Standpoint.— The Proper Re- lationship OF the Church to Present Governments. — The Divine Right OP Kings Briefly Examined. — Claims of Chrjstekjx>m Fausb. — A BBrm Hon ZM TUB Fifth Univbrsai. Empire. . . . . . • aff STUDY XIV. THE KINGDOM OF GOD. FfcOKHfENCB Of Tmt SUBJBCT.— ThB CHARACTER OF THE KmCDOM.— Th« Kingdom During the Gospel Age. — False Views Corrected by Paul. — Results of* Faisb Ideas of thb Kingdom. — Two Phases of the BCiNCDoai OP God.— The Spiritual Phase and its Work. — The Earthly Phasb aku its Work. — Their Harmonious Operation. — The Glory of thb Earthly Phase. — Thb Glory of the Heavenly Phase. — The Covenant Root from which Thesb Branches Grow. — The Earthly Phase of thb Kingdom, Israelitish. — Thb Lost Tribes. — The Heavenly Jerusalem.— IsRABL A Typical Peoplb. — Israel's Loss and Recovery. — The Elect Classes. — The Heirs of the Kingdom. — The Iron Rule. — An Illustra- tion OF the Object op the Millennial Rbign. — The Kingdom Deltvbrbd TO Tus Fatubr.— God's Original Design Fuu.y Accomflishbo. . . ajg STUDY XV. THE DAY OF JEHOVAH. Thb " Day of Jehovah," thb " Day of Vengeance," thb " Day op Wrath." — A Time of Great Trouble. — Its Cause. — The Bible's Testimony Rbgabd- iHG rr. — Its Fire and Storm, Its Shaking and Melting, Shown to be Sym- bolic. — David's Testimony. — The Revelator's Testimony. — The Present Situation and the Future Outlook as Viewed by the Opposing Parties, Capitalists and Wage-Workers. — A Remedy Which Will Not Succeed. — The Veil Lifted and Light Admitted Just in Due Time. — The Proof of This. — The Condition of the Saints During the Trouble, and Tubir Proper Attitude Toward It. o . . . , . • Jtg STUDY XVL CONCLUDING THOUGHTS, Ooa Durr T >wari> thb Tkuth.— Its Cost, Its Vai.i;b, Its PBom. SCRIF>TXJRE STXJDIE^S. STUDY I. EARTH* S NIGHT OF SIN TO TERMINATE IM A MORNING OF JOY. >>.NioHT OP Wbbping and a Morniwg of Joy. — Two Mbthoos of Sbuino Truth. — The Method Herein Pursued. — Scope of the Work. — A Dif- PBRENCB Between the REVERBhrr Study of the Scriptures and the Da»- 9KHOUS Habit of Speculation. — The Object of Prophecy. — The Present Religious Condition of the World Viewed from Two Standpoint*. — Egyptia.n Darkness. — A Bow of Promise. — The Path of the Just Pro- gressive. — Cause OFTHE Great Apostasy. — The Reformation. — TheSamk Cause Again Hinders Real Progress.— Pekfection of Knowle£>cb Not A Thing of the Past, but of the Future. 'HE TITLE of this series of Studies— "The Divine Plan of the Ages," suggests a progression in the Di- vine arrangement foreknown to our God and orderly. We believe the teachings of Divine revelation can be seen to be both beautiful and harmonious from this standpoint and from no other. The period in which sin is permitted has been a dark night to humanity, never to be forgotten ; but the glorious day of righteousness and divine favor, to be ushered in by Messiah, who, as the Sun of Righteousness, shall arise and shine fully and clearly into and upon all, bringing healing and blessing, will more than counterbal- ance the dreadful night of weeping, sighing, pain, sick- ness and death, in which the groaning creation has been so long. *' Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." — Psa. 30:5. (9) lO The Plan of the Ages, As though by instindl, the whole creation, while it groans and travails in pain, waits for, longs for and hopes for the DAY, calling it the Golden Age ; yet men grope blindly, because not aware of the great Jehovah's gracious purposes. But their highest conceptions of such an age fall far short of what the reality will be. The great Creator is preparing a feast of fat things," which will astound his creatures, and be exceedingly, abundantly beyond what they could reasonably ask or expedt. And to his wondering creatures, looking at the length and breadth, the height and depth of the love of God, surpassing all expe6lation, he explains : My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord ; for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." — Isa. 55 : 8, 9. Though in this work we shall endeavor, and we trust with success, to set before the interested and unbiased reader the plan of God as it relates to and explains the past, the pres- ent and the future of his dealings, in a way more harmonious, beautiful and reasonable than is generally understood, yet that this is the result of extraordinary wisdom or ability on the part of the writer is positively disclaimed. It is the light from the Sun of Righteousness in this dawning of the Millennial Day that reveals these things as " present truth," now due to be appreciated by the sincere — the pure in heart. Since skepticism is rife, the very foundation of true re- ligion, and the foundation of truth, is questioned often, even by the sincere. We have endeavored to uncover enough of the foundation upon which all faith should be built — the Word of God — to give confidence and assurance in its testimony, even to the unbeliever. And we have en- deavored to do this in a manner that will appeal to and can be accepted by reason as a foundation. Then we have en- deavored to build upon that foundation the teachings of Jay in (he Morning. ii Scripture, in such a manner that, so far as possible, purely- human judgment may try its squares and angles by the most cxa6ling rules of justice which it can command. Believing that the Scriptures reveal a consistent and har- monious plan, which, when seen, must commend itself to every san6lified conscience, this work is published in the hope of assisting students of the Word of God, by suggest- ing lines of thought which harmonize with each other and with the inspired Word. Those who recognize the Bible as the revelation of God's plan — and such we specially ad- dress — will doubtless agree that, if inspired of God, its teach- ings must, when taken as a whole, reveal a plan harmonious and consistent with itself, and with the charadler of its Divine Author. Our objedl as truth-seekers should be to obtain the complete, harmonious whole of God's revealed plan ; and this, as God's children, we have reason to expe<9:, since it is promised that the spirit of truth shall guide us into all truth. — John i6 : 13. As inquirers, we have two methods open to us. One is to seek among all the views suggested by the various sedls of the church, and to take from each that element which we might consider truth — an endless task. A difficulty which we should meet by this method would be, that if our judg- ment were warped and twisted, or our prejudices bent in any diredion — and whose are not? — these difficulties would prevent our correal seledtion, and we might choose the er- ror and rejedl the truth. Again, if we should adopt this as our method we should lose much, because the truth is pro- gressive, shining more and more unto the perfedl day, to those who search for it and walk in the light of it, while the various creeds of the various sedls are fixed and station- ary, and were made so centuries ago. And each of them must contain a large proportion of error, since each in some important respeds contradidts the others. This method The Plan of the Ages. would lead into a labyrinth of bewilderment and confusion. The other method is to divest our minds of all prejudice, and to remember that none can know more about the plans of God than he has revealed in his Word, and that it was given to the meek and lowly of heart ; and, as such, earnest- ly and sincerely seeking its guidance and instru(5lion only, we shall by its great Author be guided to an understanding of it, as it becomes due to be understood, by making use of the various helps divinely provided. See Eph. 4 s 11-16. As an aid to this class of students^ this work is specially designed. It will be noticed that its references are to Scrip- ture only, except where secular history may be called in to prove the fulfilment of Scripture statements. The testimony of modem theologian's has been givewi no weight, and that of the so-called Early Fathers has been omitted. Many of them have testified in harmony with thoughts herein ex- pressed, but we believe it to be a c mmon failing of the present and all times for men to believe certain dodlrines because others did so, in whom they had confidence. This is manifestly a fruitful cause of error^ for many good people have believed and taught error in all good conscience, (A(5ls 26 : 9.) Truth-seekers should empty their vessels of the muddy waters of tradition and fill them at the fountain of truth — God's Word, And no religious teaching should have weight except as it guides the truth-seeker to that fountainc For even a general and hasty examination of the whole Bible and its teaching, this work is too small , but, recogniz- ing the haste of our day, we have endeavored to be as brief as the importance of the subje(5ls seemed to permit. To the interested student we would suggest that it will be useless for him to scan or skim over this work, and hope to obtain the force and harmony of the plan suggested, and the Scripture evidences herein presented. We have endeav- ored throixghout to preseiat the vmoias fragments of trathj Joy in tki Momiftg, 13 not only in such language, but also in such order, as would best enable all classes of readers to grasp the subje6l and general plan clearly. While thorough and orderly study is necessary to the appreciation of any of the sciences, it is specially so in the science of Divine revelation. And in this work it is doubly necessary, from the fa(5t that in addi- tion to its being a treatise on divinely revealed truths, it is an examination of the subjedl from, so far as we know, an altogether different standpoint from that of any other work. We have no apology to offer for treating many subje6ls usually negledled by Christians — among others, the coming of our Lord, and the prophecies and symbolism of the Old and New Testaments. No system of theology should be pre- sented, or accepted, which overlooks or omits the most prominent features of Scripture teaching. We trust, how- ever, that a wide distindtion will be recognized between the earnest, sober and reverent study of prophecy and other scriptures, in the light of accomplished historic facts, to obtain conclusions which sandlified common sense can ap- prove, and a too common pra6tice of general speculation, which, when applied to divine prophecy, is too apt to give loose rein to wild theory and vague fancy. Those who fell into this dangerous habit generally develop into proph- ets (?) instead of prophetic students. No work is more noble and ennobling than the reverent study of the revealed purposes of God — which things the angels desire to look into." (i Pet. i : 12.) The fa<5t that God's wisdom provided prophecies of the future, as well as statements regarding the present and the past, is of itself a reproof by Jehovah of the foolishness of some of his chil- dren, who have excused their ignorance and negle<5l of the study of His Word by saying: There is enough in the fifth chapter of Matthew to save any man." Nor should we Kippose that prophecy was given merely to satisfy curiosity 14 The Fh% # eM Ages. concerning the fiiturCo Its obje^ evidently is to make the consecrated child of God acquainted with his Father's plans, thus to enlist his interest and sympathy in the same plans, and to enable him to regard both the present and the future from God's standpoint. When thus interested in the Lord's work, he may serve with the spirit and with the understand- ing also ; not as a servant merely, but as a child and heir. Revealing to such what shall be, counteracts the influence of what now is. The effect of careful study cannot be other- wise than strengthening to faith and stimulating to holiness. In ignorance of God's plan for the recovery of the world from sin and its consequences, and under the false idea that the nominal church, in its present condition, is the sole agency for its accomplishment, the condition of the world to-day, after the Gospel has been preached for nearly nine- teen centuriesp is such as to awaken serious doubt in every thoughtful mind so misinformed. And such doubts are not easily surmounted with anything short of the truth. In fa(Sl, to every thoughtful observer, one of two things must be ap- parent : either thi church has made a great mistake in sup- posing that in the present age, and in her present condition, her office has been to convert the world, or else God's plan has been a miserable failure. Which horn of the dilemma shall we accept ? Many have accepted, and many more doubtless will accept, the latter, and swell the ranks of in- fidelity, either covertly or openly. To assist such as are honestly falling thus, is one of the obje6ls of this volume. On page sixteen we present a diagram, published by the London Missionary Society,'* and afterward in the United States by the Women's Presbyterian Board of Missions.'* It is termed " A Mute Appeal on Behalf of Foreign Mis- sions.** It tells a sad tale of darkness and ignorance of the only name given under heaven, or among men, whereby we must be saved. Joy hi Ihe Mortttn^, The PFafc/tman—the " Y. M. C. A." journal of Chieago — ^mblishcd this same diagram, and commenting on it said : The ideas of some are very misty and indefinite in re- gard to the world's spiritual condition. We hear of glorious revival work at home and abroad, of fresh missionary efforts in various dire6tions, of one country after another opening to the gospel, and of large sums being devoted to its spread : and we get the idea that adequate efforts are being made for the evangelization of the nations of the earth. It is es- timated to-day that the world's population is 1,424,000,000, and by studying the diagram we will see that considerably more than one-half — nearly two-thirds — are still totally heathen, and the remainder are mostly either followers of Mohammed or members of those great apostate churches whose religion is practically a Christianized idolatry, and who can scarcely be said tp hold or teach the gospel of Christ. Even as to the 116 millions of nominal Protest- ants, we must remember how large a proportion in Ger- many, England and this country have lapsed into infi- delity — a darkness deeper, if possible, than even that of heathenism — and how many are blinded by superstition, or buried in extreme ignorance ; so that while eight millions of Jews still rejecft Jesus of Nazareth, and while more than 300 millions who bear his name have apostatized from his faith, 170 millions more bow before Mohammed, and the vast remainder of mankind are to this day worshipers of stocks and stones, of their own ancestors, of dead heroes or of the devil himself ; all in one way or other worshiping and serving the creature instead of the Creator, who is God over all, blessed forever. Is there not enough here to sad- den the heart of thoughtful Christians?" Truly this is a sad pidlure. And though the diagram represents shades of difference between Heathens, Moham- medans and Jews, all are alike in total ignorance of Christ. Some might at first suppose that this view wdth reference to the proportion of Christians is too dark and rather over- drawn, but we think the reverse of this. It shows nominal Christianity in the brightest colors possible. For instance, i6 1^ P^n of the Ageio DIAGRAM ExmBiranrG TSts Actuas. and RBi^xnrB Numbers ov Mawksmo Cukssmn According to Religion Mobamaw- Roman Greek Protest HeatiiciL dans lews Catholics CathoUcs. wts. 856 iTo S ioc 84 ss6 ^ill^^sA mSJjQoias oa^IHoffis imiiUoQe. ^uiiioas^ ^RlSUoan Jt^ the Morning* the T 1 6, 000,000 put down as Protestant is ixi in excess oC the true number. Sixteen millions would, we believe, more nearly express the number of professing church members of adult years, and one million would, we fear, be far too lib- eral an estimate of the "little flock," the " san6lified in Christ Jesus," who " walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." It should be borne in mind that a large propor- tion of church members, always numbered in the reckoning, &re young children and infants. Specially is this the case in the countries of Europe. In many of these, children are reckoned church members from earliest infancy. But dark as this picture appears, it is not the darkest pi(5lure that fallen humanity presents. The above cut rep- roicnts only the present living generations. When we con- sider the fa<5l that century after century of the six thousand years past has swept away other vast multitudes, nearly all of whom were enveloped in the same ignorance and sin, how dark is the scene ! Viewed from the popular stand- point, it is truly an awful pi6lure. The various creeds of to-day teach that all of these bil- lions of humanity, ignorant of the only name under heaven by which we must be saved, are on the straight road to everlasting torment ; and not only so, but that all of those 116,000,000 Protestants, except the very few saints, are sure of the same fate. No wonder, then, that those who believe such awful things of Jehovah's plans and purposes should be zealous in forwarding missionary enterprises — the won- der is that they are not frenzied by it. Really to believe thus, and to appreciate such conclusions, would rob life of every pleasure, and shroud in gloom every bright prospedt of nature. To show that we have not misstated "Orthodoxy"