Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, December 12, 1880, Page 17

RELIGIOUS. The Doctrine of Endless Fut- ure Punishment Once More. A Historical Consideration of the Question by Dr. Prentiss, ~ hee Modern Engines of Evil—Al- cohol, the Theatre; and the Atheistic Press, " gyrical Life on the Border, as Seen in - the Labors of a Leadville Mis- sionary. General Notes, Personals, Sab- path Reveries, Services To-Day. ” FoR GOOD OR ILL. Only a word! {et it bore on its holy breath ‘A message that God had given ‘Jo kindly warn from the ways of Death— And a soul was led to Heaven. tp Only a word! Spoken in scorn by lips that smiled, But a haunting doubt’s black shade ‘Was cast in the trusting heart of a child, Anda life-long darkness made, Only a word! Yet there iay in its heart, enshrined Like the germ in a tiny seed, it that fell in un earncet mind, rere pate toa noble deed. Only a word! Ko more widely the ocean parts ‘Land from land with its ebb and flow, ‘Than one false word severed kindly hearts ‘That loved, in the long ago. a word! : ‘whispered “ amen" of a prayer; mr ittlew. Uke a Suitl winged dave; From thestormy depths ot a soul's deepatr ‘To the Father's heart of love. Vesely igh it well choose it ly, wel g Bond itforth with lovo and faith; messase one word can tall, iil rescue a soul from aoath. FUTURE PUNISHMENT. WHE DOCTRINE HISTORICALLY CONSIDERED BY THE REV. N. A. PRENTISS. ‘Thefollowing paper on “Endless Future Punishment,” by the Rev. N, A. Prentiss, yastor of the First Congregational Church, Aurora, DL, was read Monday last before the Fox River Ministerial Union: Within less than a year the Aurora Herald published in its editorial columns the follow- ing statement: Several hundred years after the death of Christ there sprang up in the’ Church the doc- tine of endless punishnient, ina hell of torment, of all those who died without having expressed abeliefin Corist. . . . A pall of: darkness mread over the whote earth, and the Dark Ages ‘were one of the consequences of this terrible doctrine of the Church. In Tue Cutcaco Tripune of Oct. 14, 1880, Dr. H. W. Thomas, of the Centenary Church, ina sermon preached the preceding evening, isreported to have used the following lan- guage: AsI have examined this subject as best I could, 1 find that instead of fits being a subject Seen debate upon it at all—that, when I goback to the early Christian ocnturies, the rst 300, or 400, or 500 years after Christ, I'find that this broader hope ‘was the geocral faith of those new and tender centuries. 1 think Dr. Zdward Beecher hos made it plain that of the #x sects of thovlogy that existed in those cen- tries, four of them were unqualifiedty Univer- niists. One of them was Annihilationist,— taught the destruction of the wicked; and one, and only one,—and that was tho Latin one, with the Latin Testament under the Homan law,— taught the doctrine of eternal punishment, Again, in Toe Cuicaco Trmuse of Oct. %, the pastor of the Leavitt Street Congrega- tional Church, the Rev. George I. Peeke, is represented as having said in a sermon'the day before that “The Church of the first three or four centurics never presented the idea of eterna! punishment, and it was not until the sixteenth century that the doctrine was promulgated.” Ihave given these statements as indicating the need of examining this question histor- ically, and as indicating the kind of investi- fatn Ihave attempted. The task assigned me by your Committee has been to ascertain, solarasican, what was the faith and the ‘of the Church: in the early centuries in regard to the doctrine of endless punish- ment, and what has been its historical devel- Opment. Lhave sought to confine myself to ssinglequestion, and now give the results of such investigution ‘as 1 have been able to make, L Tang that belief in eternal ponishment Wasnot®nly in the world when Christ ap- veared, but was actually the prevalent belicf ofthe Jews, and was widely disseminated ‘aniong the Greeks: i a) Among the Greeks. lato, in his Phaedo, tells us “1t was the epinion of Socrates that as there was an elernity of happiness fur the good and virtu- ous ina future state, so.there was a variety of punishments, proportioned to the differ- ent degrees of crime, in the present; but that the very depraved were tortured forever in peburning ‘Lake of Turtarus.” (Quoted from loomfield in the Comprehensive Commen- » Vol IV., page 356, pl the same work of Plato, whick contains s celebrated arguments for the imior- tity of the soul, he also advances a number f brobable arguments” in support Otthe doctrines of “the temporary punish- Ments of sinners, who are not past all heal- tas, of the eternal damnation of incurable euders, amd of the biessedness of those ure and (See Neberweg’s History ayy 1, page 124.) 's “ Theology .of the Greek Poets” question freqently touched upon. ta ens, up the results of an investiga- o,f Homer, the author says (page 197): wae the punishment of sin in another rent Homer is explicit only in regard to a iminals, such as perjured persons fiose guilty of great crimes towards ator lion against the gods.” Tes: in his visit to Hades, sees “ Tityus, antalog, dalautt 01 lives were preéminently it us, Lisyphus, and the like monsters of din Suffering perpetual tortures corre- nding to their crimes.” “Positive pun- omen Seems to be inflicted only on heinous ten ers. Others reap the natural conse- aero t their conduct in this life; only thelr states re is as unalterable as Jo bis “Theol eology of AEschylus,” the author HU (oage 255): Partarus is a part of tar ben or rather a dark, deep dungeon sunk eemjc@2 it in whose dismal depths the chai €s of Zeus are kept in indissoluble Reape nt from which there is no way of Again, page 257: “In the Eumi : Fi enides, the- Fares declare to Orestes thed they will draz the pee the lower world, there to pay like Penalty for his mother-slaymg. And erry one and condign punishment awaits Ran ee sinner, whether against God or in’ d this, punishment is not only cer- Fron 4 Temediless and endless. . . - thisn 22, beginning almost to the end of tangs 1h nt drama, eternal retribution Thave o2,e/¢omy cloud in the distance.” teldes Perhay cited enough to show that Widely an endless future punishment was (0) Aisseminated among the Greeks, Jews Sipser the common faith of the Josephs We only one authority, that of Ooncarng in his “Discourse to the Greeks 5 als 0: of his nation, ant Eydcularly that of the Pharisees, he say: | i . THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY. DECEMIER 12, 1880—TWENTY PAGES 17 4 clsing the righteous judement of the Father towards all men, ange prepared a just Sentence for every one according to his Works; at whose judgment-seat, when all men, and angels, and demons shall si they will’ (send forth one Voice, and say ‘Just is thy judgment,’ the rejoinder to which will bring a just sentence upon both parties, by giving justly to those who have done well an cverlasting fruition; but allo’ the lovers of wicked works eternal punishment. To these belong the faquenchable fire, and that without end, and a certain fiery worm never dying.” V OFk: avius Josep! ippincott’s Family Edition, 1) Josephus was himself a Pharisee of a line of priests, and in this discourse gives, as T understand, the common faith of his people. It is evident, then, that a belief in eternal or endless punishinent was in the world when Christ appeared, and Christianity.as a system began, The idea was by no means a qovaley, gue was earner: 2 prevalent one ONE h Jew and Greek, as it appears from the literature of the times. e IL. Commencing now from this point of time, 1 need not tarry long to show that Christ and His Apostles indorsed and con- firmed this view. The examination of their teachings belongs rather to the Scriptural argument concerning the doctrine. But as the evangélists and apostles were the earliest Christian writers, and as their writings so-‘fully and emphatically indorse the idea of the endless punishment of the wicked, it is but natural to affirm that this mist nave a ie alti of the Church Which w: ounded on the teachings of Christ and His Apostles, sg it was a quite’ prevalent belief among the Gentiles, and the common belief of the Jews with but few exceptions; and .from these sources came the first converts to Christian- ity under the preaching of men in whose minds the fact of man’s lost condi- tion and the fearful doom of the finally impenitent had been intensified a thousand fold by the teachings of Christ. The presumption, then, isthat this was cho gommoen faith of the new Church, and noth- ig but positive evidence “to the contrary would be sufficient to change it. Our friends who make the assertions ‘quoted at the out- set of this paper dught to understand, in view of the facts already cited, that the burden of proof rests with them. They ought to be able to show that in some way the first teach- ersof Christianity corrected the prevalent mistake of the age upon this point. They ought to be able to show that in some way the mistakes of Christ on this point were ex- posed and corrected, so that the first disciples Wereemancipated fromthe error of the ages, and Christ’s indorsement of it. - Something more than mere affirmation is needed to con- vinee as that the “new and tender cent- uries,” begin Ine with the Apostolic aj cherished the “broader hope” of the final restorauon of all men. Weare certain that Christ taught the doc- trine of the endless punishment of the wick- ed; we are sure that the Apostles preached, warning men against the “sin that hath never forgiveness, neither in this world nor in the world to come”; we are prepared to believe, then, unless there is evidence to the cone that the men who were converted under this preaching, and who bowed to the authority of Chris! hrist, and recei embraced the faith of Cc his words as veritable truth, : II. We proceed, however, in the third place, to gather such historical evidence as we may find bearing upon this point. I quote in evidence under this head from Prof. Shedd’s ‘History of Christian Doc- trine,” Vol. 2, pase 414. He'says: “The punishment inflicted upon the lost was regarded by the fathers of the Ancient Church, with very few exceptions, as endless.” In support of this statement he quotes from Clement of Rome, Justin Mar- tyr, Minucius Felix, Cyprian, Augustine, and Chrysostom. . He further says: ‘The only exception to the belief in the eternity of future puuish- ment, in the Ancient Church, appears in the Alexandrian School. Their denial of the doctrine sprang logically out of their an-" thropology. Clement of Alexandria and Origen asserted with great earnestness the truth of a‘plenary and inalienable power in the human will to overcome sin. . . . The power of free will cannot be lost, and, if not exerted in this world, it still can be in the next; and the stimulus of suffering there experi- enced, nothing is more probable than that it will be exerted. Hence, in opposition to the Catholic faith, Origen maintained the doc- trine of the final restoration of all human souls. Atthe same time he acknowledged that this doctrine might easily become dan- gerons to the unconverted, and sometimes speaks of an eternal condemnation and the impossibility of conversion in the world to come. Yet, in close connection with this very statement, he calls the fear of eternal punishment a beneficial ‘deception’ ap- pointed byGod. ‘For many wise men,’ he says, ‘or such as thought themselves wise, after having apprehended the real and abso- region there is acertain place set Pintieg eu ¢ Of unquenchable fire, where- ast: but Pegse no one hath hitherto been fies is prepared for a day aforede- Sentence Py God, in which one righteous Men: vie Ht deservedly be passed upon all decee, the unjust ‘and those who have fudged obedient toGod . . . shall be ad- & ie ceerlaating punishment.” 28 the unjust, her all men, the just, as brought before Seal tha "Wood Sh Sa This person, exer- lute truth’ respecting endless punish- ment, and rejected the illusion, have given themselves up to a vicious life. So that it would have been much better for them to “have coutinued in the delusion, and believed in the eternity of future punishment.’ The views of Origen concerning future retribu- tion were almost wholly confined to his school. Faint traces of a belief in the re- mission of punishments in the future world are visible in the writings of Didymus of Alexandria and in Gregury Nyssa. The annihilation of the wicked was taught by Arnobius. With these exceptions, the Ancient Church held that the everlasting destiny of the human soul is decided in this earthly state.” iv oe Neander, in his “History of the Christian Religion and the Church,” Vol. 2, page 675, says: “The doctrine of eternal punishment continued, as in the preceding period, to_be dominant in the creed of the Chureh.” — The period of which he is speaking is from 312to 590 A.D. The preceding period is from the founding of Christianity to the end of the Dioclesian Prscention, or the year 312, Ps So far as his authority goes, therefore, it is in support of the statement that the doctrine of eternal punishment was dominant in the creed or faith of the Church during the first five centuries. _ % % ‘Weberweg, in his History ot Philosophy,”’ gives an epitome of the teachings of the early Christian writers. Of Justin Martyr (150 A. D.) he says. that he taught that “future rewards and punish- meuts are to be eternal.”” “Fach person will receive eternal punish- |- ment or salvation as his portion according to the merit or demerit of his actions.” Apol. i, 2 He quotes Lactantius as saying: “Our souls, when raised, will be clothed by God with bodies. First, the righteous will arise to beatific life; at the second resurrection the unrighteous or unbelieving will be reawak- ened, and that to eternal torments.” He also represents Augustine,- 100 years later, aes taking, most decidedly the same UT ‘The next author whom J cite, as one who for scholarship is a competent witness, is Prof. Hagenbach, of the University of Basle. His ‘* istory of Doctrines,” a work in two volumes, is scholarly and exhaustive, and the statements he makes are substantiated by ample qactaliens from the early writers of whom he speaks. He divides the whole Christian era into eriods; the first extending to the death of Brigen (254), which he calls the Age of Apologetics. His second period extends to the year 730, the Age of Polemics: his third to the year 1517, the Age of Systematic The- ology; the fourth to 1720, the Age of the Goniliet of Confessions of Faith; the fifth to the present time, which he calls the Age of Criticism. In each of these divisions he has a chapter on Eschatology, in which one topic is treated, and the development of both orthodox and. heretical views are traced. can only outline the results of this author’s investigation upon the doctrine we are con- dering. Of ine first period he says: “Notions more or less gross prevailed concerning the pun- ishment of the wicked, which most of the Fathers regarded as eternal. From the very nature of the case it is evident that purely spiritual views.on this subject could not rea- sonably be expected.” ‘The Fathers whom he quotes as teachin; the doctrine during this period are Clement of Rome, Justin Martyr, Minucius Felix, and Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage. . ‘Speaking of Origen as the prominent ex- ception, he says: “As he looked upon evil rather as a negative of good than as some- something positive, he was induced, by his idealistic tendency, to set limits even to Hell, and to hope for a final remission of the pun- ishment of the wicked at the restitution of all things, although in popular discourse he re- tained the common -idea of eternal punish- iment.” f remarks upon the second period the author sage: “The sufferings of the damned were represented as the opposit of the pleas- ures of the blessed, and in the descriptions of the punishments of Hell greater prominence was given togross, sensuous representations. Many were disposed to regard the fire in uestion as a material fire; though Lanctan- tius depicted it in more refined images, while others painted it in terrible descriptions. ‘here were still some theologians who fa- and, under the full light of the eternal world |. tory vored the idea of degrees both of bliss and torture. Concerning the duration of the pun- ishments of Hell, the opinion was more gen- eral that they are eternal, but yet Arnobius maintained that they would at last cgase, though with the annihilation of the Indi? yidual; and even the Origehistic humanity, in a few of its representations, still dared to express a glimmer of hope In favor of the damned, .°. . The doctrine of the resti- tution of all things shared the fate of Origen- ism, and made its appearance in after ages only in connection with other heretical no- tions, and especially with the otherwise anti- Origenistic Millennarianisin.” ‘The additional writers whom Hagenbach Mentions as in favor of the orthodox view daring this period are Jerome, Pelagius, Chrysostom, and Basil the Great. itis perhaps needless to ada that belief in the eternity of the punishment of the wicked was almost, if not auite, universal durmg the following period, including the Middle Ages and extending to the Reformation, Hagen- bach mentions only one writer (John Seotus Erigena) who ventured to intimate a revival of the notion of Origen concerning restitu- tion, and yet he did not deny the eternity of Hell punishments, * This was the age m which great promi- nence was given to the doctrine, and breseher and poet, as well anattist also, vied With one another in portraying and puinti the horrors of the damned. i 4 5 “The Catholic Church through this period,” says Hagenbach, “retained the doctrine of the eternity of the punishments of Hell, as is exemplified. in the concise superscription to the Hell of Dante—‘Ye who enter here, leave all hope behind.’ The imagination of the orthodox mystics, in- flamed by the vision of infinit wo, dwelt with painful elaboration upon this iorever and ever. . Concerning the fourth period our author says: “Protestants and Roman Catholics were in almost perfect accord us to the doc- trine of the ‘last things’ with the exception of the doctrine concerning Purgatory. ‘The fanatical notions of the Anxbaptists con- cornbig the restitution of all things were re- fected y¥ the Protestants.” So far, then, as e authority of Hagenbach goes, we find that the doctrine of endless punishment was revalent in the ancient Church, and that it as steadily held its own through the ages as the ortliudox faith of the Church, all oppos- ing theories springing up from time to time being pronounced heretical. 1 will cite only one more authority on the question under discussion, that of McClin- tock und Strong’s Cyclopedia. The writer of the article entitled “Future Punish- ment” says: “(In the Ancient Church the Alexandrian theologians were’ the first to teach that there could be an end to the pun- ishinents of Hell.” e According to them, discipline and reforma- tion were the only ends of punishment, so that it could not be eternal, And the writer quotes from Clement and from Origen utter- ances in favor of restorationalism that sound strangely like some of the utterances we now hear from modern lips, and suggest a doubt whether after ali there is anything new un- der the sun, and'whether or not much of the new Nghe that coines to some men now in favor of final restoration isnotin factkindled by striking their flints upon the old Alexan- drian grindstone. The writer further says: ‘In opposition to these the doctrine of the eternity of future punishment was affirmed by other cqually distinguished teachers—e. g., Basil, Jonn of Constantinople among ie Greeks, and among’ the Latins by Jerome, Augus- tine, and others. . . . The doctrine of Origen was condemned by the fourth coun- cil of Carthage (5, A. D.), and afterwards by many councils, and the doctrine of the eternity of future punishments was estab- lished us the faith of the Church.” Thus we sce from this syrvey that the doc- trine of “endless future punishment” has been steadily held and maintained by the great majority of the Church from the begin- ning until now. It has perhaps never been universally received; there wero Saducces in the Jewish Church who denied it, as in fact thoy denied all future existence, and there were Gnostics in the early Christian Charch who then, as their successors do now, op- posed. the doctrine on philosophical grounds; ut it has steadily held its own, in the con- victions of: God’s Beople, as a revealed doc- tzine of Christ and His Apostles, The conclusion to which, in my opinion, we are led by a careful investigation of his- y is this: that the doctrine in question was in the world and professed by-the Jew- ish Church, and taught by Greek writers be- fore the coming of Christ; that it received an emphatic indorsement and the seal of cer- tainty by the teachings of Christ; that it formed a part of the teaching and preaching of the Apostles, and was the general, if. not uviversal, faith of the Apostolic Churenes; that it was scarcely questioned till near the beginning of the third century, and then by those who taught through philosophy many other things opposed to the Word of God; that in the controversies. which ensued it triumphed over the restorationism of Alex- andria, and was reaffirmed again and again -as the orthodox fuith and the veritable doc- trine of Christ; and that untit now it has held the convictions and swayed the con- sciences of the great majority ot the Chris- tian Church. i As in this paper I am not arguing either for or against the doctrine, although I ‘betieve it to be true in fact,—the true teaching of Rev- elation,—I close with simply a word of refer- ence to the statements with which I com- menced, With reference to the editorialstate- ment of an Aurora paper, I reply: Itis not very rational to suppose that, as a matter of fact, a hitherto unheard of or untaught doc- trine of “endless punishment” could all ut once, “several hundred years after thadeath of Christ,” * seize upon the Church and the world,” and “spread a dark pall over man- kind.” Such sudden revolutions of pub- lic sentiment, and especially of _relig- ious convictions, are unknown to history. ‘The great doctrines of Christianity lie on the page of the historian in the form of a devel- opment rather than in that of a catastrophe As to Dr. Peeke’s statement, I am con- strained in charity to believe he is not:cor- rectly reported. Surely no clergyman with any pretension to scholarship would aflirm that “the church of the first three or four centuries never presented the idea of eternal punishment, and it was not until the six- teenth century that the doctrine was promul- Surely it the Doctor has seen how he was misrepresented by areporter on a question of history he would long ago have currected the faise impression which, with the weight of his name, has been made. to the statement of Dr. Thomas, it is more guarded, yet the impression it gives that orthodoxy on this point was in the minority—one to five—is wholly wrong. One man only taught Annihilation—Arnobius; one school only taught Restorationisin,—the Alexandrian,—although it is true that in the East ¥ for. a time the theory — w: popular with several leading theologians; also, &@ number of distinguished Greek Fathers advocated the orthodox doc- trine, and after the division of the Church into two great branches, the Western ynd the Eastern, the latter, or Greek Church, adopted the Athanasian creed, which has in itatormal statementof the doctrine of end- Jess punishment. 5 Surely, however we may differ in our views of doctrine,-there ought to be no sub- stantial difference among scholars on mat- ters of fact, on questions of history. None of us believe that the doctrine rests ‘upon the opinion of the Fathers; yet if men were to believe from careless statements of those who are supposed to know, that the doctrine in question is asort of modern invention, a thing of priest-craft, rather than a truth that has been accepted for eighteen centuries as the revelation of Christ, it wouldgo tar with many towards (lestroying their faith in either the honesty or the competency of their religious teachers, if not their faith in the Word of God itself. N. A. PRENTISS. BORDER MISSIONS. CLERICAL LIFE IN LEADVILLE. Correspondence Advance. When Superintendent Pickett wassudden- ly killed by the overturning of a stage coach near this city one year ago, there was great mourning, and to those of us who knew him personally it was very deep. This Church absorbed his deepest attention,—is fittingly called Pickett Memorial,—and who should be its pastor was a question most important. Prof. E. A. Paddock, of South Haven, Mich., was most pressingly invited, his ardently attached people only yielding with “strong crying and tears. En route, in Chicago, with admirable tact and faithfulness he secured a car load of windows, doors, pews, finishing lumber, an organ, hardware, and other Tequisits for church completion and equip* ment, coming through with it, and cooking for the freighters, camping with them on the | iF Rround when necessary. Latein March he arrived; early in June the dedication of the 46x66 feet structure took place. Ten hours per day through April and May he was obliged to consume in manual and hard labor, painting the entire outside of the structure, and calcimining the inside, pre- paring oho half-dozen different colors him- self; and a fine specimen of work it' fitted up a 13x14 feet cabin, standinjon the rrar end of the church lot (the buitling be- ing the merest shell. addinz a 5x9 lean-to, laying the chimney himself, and withbdroken. bricks. Avstudy table, with drawers yn both sides, he made out of the boxes conaining some of his goods. The pitch of thervof of the 12xl4is high enough for me 5 feet § inches) to stand in the centre but he being 6 feet tall must stoop. , i‘ 5 This cabin parsonage hag been our home for three days and four nights, and royal has been the entertainment. Gur bachelor host 4s a good cook, and all dine over a small-par- Jor stove, he loaning his cool-stove to one more needy. Army blankets have made us ‘most comfortable on the floor under the roof, the mercury has been 2D degrees below zero. His living expenses have averaged but $83 per week against $10 to $12 for common board and lodging. Mr. Blatchford will. be inferested to know : that the box containing the organ which ho’| gave built the picket fence inclosing the back yard. Within a few dayshe has’ aid the plank walk on two sides of the lot, Havii no money to buy chandelies or pulpit funk ture, he makes them from roots and tops of pine trees, and grand spedmens they are of rustic work, _ile has received $350 fron the Home Mis- sionary Society, and his S:bbath collections average about $5, One mission-school building, 16x24, he paid $50 for (and owes $40), turning a centre par- tition into comfortable seats. Another, simi- lar in size (and seats also nade of partition), he pays $6 per month. ‘Thise missions, halt amile apart, have great piomise. In the Y. F c A. and temperance work he has a large hand. When we said, “Whyare you not mar- ried 2” he replied, x “T know of no woman wh) would be will- ing to share this kind of lif, and the work must be done.” - . ENGINES OF EVIL. ALCOHOL, THE THEATRE, AND THE ATHE- ISTIC PRESS, ! ‘The Intertor. ‘The most discouraging aspect of the pres- ent time is that which is seen in the varied yet combined-forces of evil which are per- petually at work in our mosi civilized Chris- tian society. Every effort which good men are making, or can make to reclaim and Save society inthe educatim of the young and the reformation of the vicious is‘at every point resisted, and in part thwarted and neu- tralized by powerful agencizs of destruction. * The Church of Christ has now, as it has al- ways had from the beginning,.a ceaseless and uncompromising battle against theso forces of evil. But there can be no doubt that with the advancement of our Christian civilization under the influence of ‘Gospel truth, the agencies of evil so far from giving way are only intensified and multiplied. Ungodly men to-day are as much opposed to the Gospel as they ever were; and the God of this world, who is the priine source of the opposition, is certainly-not less opposed than he was at the besinning bf the war. The question is often asked, why does not the Chureh accomplish its work? Why does it not, with its multiplied agencies of good, its pulpit, its presses, its Sunday- schools in’evey town, and city, and hamlet, ityeducated and wide-awake ministry, its thousands of educated men audwomen train- ing the young, and its active evangeli seeking to save the papishing why does not the Church with all thest heaven-appointed means and agents make greater headway in educating, evangelizing, and Christianizing the whole population? The answer is, that the forces of evil are everywhere as multi- plied and as fully organized and - as deter- mined on carrying the day as ave the agents for good. Andin a world like this, where the human heart is naturally allied with evil, all history proves that it is much easier topull down than to build, much easier to pervert and destroy than to reclaim and save men. For example, see what efforts the churches and all the temperance societies have put forth during the last fifty years to stay the tide of drunkenness. What appeals they have made to the public, what -facts and demonstrations they have published, what ceaseless endeavors have they not made to rescue the adult population, and to save the young from the destroyer! ‘These exertions, ad they been unopposed, would have been sufficient to reform whole _ nation, and to save us from the unmitigated calamities .-o€- -vice--nd crime engen- dered by strung. drink. Why have they not succeeded? Why have'they not even ar- rested the onward march of this great de- stroyer? Inthe face of all the arguments and all the appeals from earth and heaven, why have its victims only increased, its pow- ers ot destruction only becume stronger and more multiplied? Itis simply because selt- ish and unprincipled men, impelled by the love of Bain, and backed by the money power created by unlawful gain, have banded to- gether in leagued opposition to the virtuous sentiment of the Christian public, and dete! mined that the liquor traffic in all its hid- eous proportions and iniquities shall be sus- tained,—yes, sustained, though it trample in the dust the sacred day of rest and worship, and with it every law of God! For this end the Christian sentiment of every town and city in the land has been openly defied. For this end Sabbath laws have been repealed or nullified and ignored in almostallour great cities, and the whole Iegislation in many of our States has been so changed as to indorse and legalize this fearful iniquity. Thus the supreine authority, instead of throwing its shield of protection around the young and unwary, and conserving the highest public weal, has become, in Chicago and other great cities, what the Bible calls a “throne of in- iquity which frameth mischief by a law”; and thus the law, which the judicious Hook- er sobeautifully called “the voice of God” and “the harmony ofthe world,” has grown tobe with us the di: of society, the He discord of. Send of violence, and the prolific parent of crime. 2 Is this the language of metaphor and ex- Secradon ? It is the language of soberness and truth; and we defy any man to deny it who will follow the victims of drunkenness from their places of carousal and debauchery in thousands of licensed Sunday saloons to their once happy homes, vow blasted and ruined with a dread harvest of wo and de- Spair, of which those saloons have sowed the seed. It reqnires no voice of prophecy and no index-finger of the future to point out the places where this kind of seed has been Jong sewing, and where this kind of harvest is already reaping. Some men’s sins, says the Bible, “tare open beforehand, and go be- fore to the judgment.” “The friends and abettors, not ‘less thun the victims of the liquor-traffic, should consider this. ‘There is ahigher law which is not repealed, and can- not be always evaded; andit is as much ‘a Jaw of nature as itis of the Bible. St. Paul has stated it: ‘‘ Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.” 5 Another tremendous engine of evil eon- stantly at work in our great cities, and send- ing its deteriorating intluence far and wide over the land, is the theatre, (specially the Sunday theatre. It isclaimed by some of its admirers that the theatre is an educator of the people. Unquestionably itis a most potential‘educater. Probably its direct and indirect. influences, especially upon the minds of the young and the less edu- cated classes, is mot much inferior to those of the pulpitor the press, But then it is an education which at best is wholly secu- lar, and often extremely vicious, It is op- posed to everything like spirituality and god- liness. It is opposed in its whole influence to Christianity and the Church. Its intluence perpetually counteracts all the Jessons and teachings of the Church, the Sabbath-school, and the Bible; and so strong is that tendency that wherever men and women, boys and girls, come fully under it, and from the habit of constant theatre-going, they cease to attend the Church, or read the Bible, or respect the Sabbath. ‘There may be a few exceptional cases, but as for the whole class of theatre managers, actors, and habitual at- tendants, what do they care for those sacred things? So faras they are concerned, the Church, the Bible, gud Christianity might become extinct. ‘Their whole education and training are for this world plone, and they have little use for religion, except_to point a nioral or adorn a tale. The very fact that in our great cities the theatres, not only Ger- man but Arasticas are now opentd tor gain and amusement oi the Sabbath evening just as on other days, is of itself enough to show their animus, as it regards religion and their downward tendency. The ‘educa- tion of the theatre is, at the best. of the carth. | and wholly earthly; it is often extremely. sensual, approaching to indecency, lewdness, and vice; and itis not uwntrequently, in its low! and: most popular representations, devilish. At iy a perpetual feeder of the sensuat and vicious passions. ‘T'o the pure and the good it may sometimes do good, by showing how deformed vice may become, and how deep villainy sometimes reaps its recompense. But to those already vicious, to the ignorant, and to the wayward (always the vast majority), itcan only do harm. ‘To all these classes, it is onlyan education in wrong ideas and wrong-doing. It familiarizes their minds with vlulence and murder, lust, and crime, by a most vivid, realistic, life-like, and even exaggerated representation of the worst pas- sions and the worst aspects of human nature. Think of the effect of # perpetual enactment before @ great promiscuous audience, young and old, male and female, of the precise way in-which infuriated, or despairing, or half- maniac - men and women, stab each other to death, or blow out each’ other’s brains, or kill themselves, on the stage. Suppose such svenes of violence, blood, and murder were . represented every Sabbath churches. Suppose that, in place of our quiet worship, we should inaugurate these high tragedies and low tragedies, while half maniac actors and actresses strut about our day in our | pulpit platforms for an hour, and close the ‘scene at last in bloody death. Would our wise men, the art critics, and the lovers of great acting, call this education,—education or the people, education for childhood and youth? Truly it would be -education, and education with a vengeance. Precisely such is the education which civilized ladies and gentlemen, along with the vicious and the vulgar, are constantly getting at the theatre. There is a third popwiar agency of evil, perhaps not Jess influential and not less in- jurious than the other two. {t is the un- christian and atheistic press, whether in the form of the widely-read book or the still more widely-read newspaper. If the Devil sometimes turns teacher and takes the stage, he also at times turns author and mounts the editor’s tripod. What less is it than Satan’s work, when the publishers of licentious books and tracks pour them upon the read- ing public by thousands, and seek to poisun the very waters of life by sending them into the schools and colleges of the country? And what less is it when the daily newspa- ber of a great city sends out its issues, full of the disgusting details of vice and crime, dressed up in all the attractions of fine writ ing? ‘The daily newspaper is a great edu- cutor, either for good or for evil; but in many cases it is only for evil. With all these and other forces of evil per- petually at work in all our great centres of population, itis manifest that the Church of Christ has no easy task when she undertakes toconvert the world aud traiu up a right- cous, God-fearing generation. Nor is the task materially easier in the great citiesof a nom- inally Christian land than in those of Pagan- ism. Perhaps it is even more difficult, be- eiuse the forces of evil aresustained by those who call themselves Christians, but at heart aesplee Christianity. It is no idle problem which the Bible propounds when it says, ‘if the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do?” For as each new generation comes on the field of action, they are not wanting thousands of wicked men and de- ceivers who stand ready to mistead, to op- pose, and to destroy. Through eighteen centuries this battle has gone on. and it is to- day as determined on both sides as it was at beginning. GENERAL NOTES. The Japanese Christians contemplate a cammp-inceting to be held at an early date in Uyeno Park, Tokio. Fifteen years ago there were only two Congregational churches south of Mason & Dixon’s line. Now there are seventy-three. ‘The Ladies’ Social Society will holda grand fair during the week, for the benefit of the Congregation Bnai Sholom in the temple, Michigan avenue, between Fourteenth and Sixteenth streets. The Bishop of Manchester, who objects to his parochial priests wearing chasubles, neg- lects to wear the cope which the Canon and the Purchas judgment authorize. Evidently “non-essentials” are a big thing in English theology. The Rev. J. A. Dobson, of Muncie, Ind., has abandoned Universalism and taken ref- uge with the Congregationalists. He gives as his reasons for his change of base that he does not believe in modern Universalism, whichis nothing more than a pretext to theism; that there is no Christianity in the Severinghaus’ Lutheran Almanac for 1881 gives for allthe Lutheran Churches in the United States, 3,177 ministers, 5,963 congre- gations, und 703,382 compiunicants, The largest body, the Synodical Conference, has 1,206 ministers, 2,072 congregations, and 291,- 916 communicants, The Independent Synod have altogether 80,473 communicants. Bishop Ryte has declared his firm convic- tion “that if the Bishops and clergy of the last century had done their.duty and under- stood their times as many do now, an im- mense proportion of English nonconformity would never haye existed, and John Wesley and his companions would never have se- ceded from the Church of’ England.” The International Lesson Committee, atits recent meeting, decided to give the entire year 1882 to the study of the Gospel of Mark. talso recommended that that Gospel be committed to memory by Sunday-school scholars. This is the first time that the Old Testament has had no place in the plan of study fora year. After 1382 the plan of six months in each Testament will be resumed. The Board of Managers of the Episcopal Church Society for Vromoting Christianity Among the Jews met in New York recently. Provision was made for new missionaries for the Jews in the Cities of Baltimore, New Or- Teans, Pittsburg, Cleveland, and Louisville, and also in Iowa, bringing the present force up to eleven. Local Secretaries were ap- pointed in nineteen aduitioual Dioceses, ut the nomination of their Bishops. Representatives of the various British Methodist bodies held a conference recently in London concerning the proposed Methodist Ecumenical Congress. ‘The bodies _repre- sented were the Wesleyan, the Primi Methodist, the United Methodist ee, Churches, the 3lethodist New Connection, the Bible Christians, the Wesleyan Reform Union, and the Irish Wesleyan Conference. The Rev. W. MeMullen, of Ireland, presided, and the basis of the Congress, as agreed upon py American Methodists, was considered and adopted. ; Universalist Church, and having been frozen out he had gone over into orthodoxy to re- ceive some warmth and fire; that there are over sixty organizations of that denomina- tion in Indiana, and none of them have regu- lar services; over ninety in Ohio, and only ten have services every Sunday; that the Church was going down because of its unbe- lief; that he fad lost nine years of, carnest labor, in the Universalist fields, and he wished to atone for it by doing some good work in an Orthodox Church, where it would be effective. The English revisers of the authorized version of the New ‘Festament met for their hundred and third and Jast session on Nov, ‘| 9,in the Jerusalem Chamber, Westininster bbey, and coneldded their work on the lth, here were present during the session the hop of Gloucest ‘istol, who pre- sided; the Deans of Westininster, Roches- ter, Lincoln, and Lichfield; the Master of the ‘femple, Canon Westcott; Principals Angus and Newth; Profs..Mort and Moulton; and Prebendiaries Hunphry and Scrivener, with Mr. Troutbeck, the Secretary. ‘The company has sat}407 days, ard the average attendance has been sixteen on each day of meeting. In the City of Milan there are sixty-four Roman Catholic ‘churches, besides the great Cathedral. ‘There are seven varieties of Protestant worship regularly maintained. ‘The Church of England has services in En- | glish, in the Italian Janguage may be en- joyed the services of the Waldensians, the Free Independents, the Free Church ot Scot- Jand, the Wesleyan Methodists, the Metiod- ist Episcopalians, and the Baptists. ‘fhe supported by their wealthy friends in this country. The Waldensians have a new and beautiful church, costing about $25,000, on which they owe $4,000. The Rev. Signor Turino is its pastor. Z At the recent celebration of the 150th anni versary of the Plaistow (New Hampshire) Church, the ojd baptisnral font, presented to the church in 1730, and trom which the first pastor, the Rev. James Cushing, baptized 1,285 persons, was brought out. and from it two infants were baptized, the one represent- ing the sixth generation from the first Deacon of the church, the other the-fitth generation from the first pastor. The old bass-viol French horn, clarionet, and pitch-pipe uses ighty years ago or more were in prominent position near the pulpit. ‘The names of all the ex-ministefs were in large plain print, decorated with evergreens and autumn léaves, arranged in their order on the wall, —Cushing under 1730 and Kyte under 1830. During the 159 years the church has had ten pastors, including the preseot. The first served thirty-four years; the second, the Rev, xyles Merrill, neatly thirty-seven years; and the first threv just one-half the sesquicenten- nial, Up to abort 1800 the Ilalf-way : Cove- nant was in vague, and there are, therefore, two lists of church members: one, of those who “owned the covenant” and received baptism; and the other, of those who “ joined this parish are a i ’ in Plaistow and Atkinson, The State line Baptists are the most recent comers, and are, runs across the church Platform leaving niost of the house in New Hampshiré, while the parsonage stands on the other side the line in Massachusetts, » ‘The Executive Cominittee of the “Church of the Disciples ” contemplate the erection of anew church edifice in Washington. The need of a larger and more commodious house of worship bas been a long-felt want in the Capital. Several years ago an_ effort was made to rebuild; but the plan did not suc- ceed, The present building, a small frame, is situated on Vermont uvenue,. between Jowa and Thomas circles, an extremely Pleasant location, but, as the building was not an attractive one, the members of the de- nomination out of Washington, as well as in, have been looking forward to the time when they would be able to adorn their beautiful Jot with u building in harmony with its sur- roundings, Prof. Mead, of Oberlin, m advocating a creed for Congregationalism; says: ‘That we need a confession stated in the phraseol- ogy of our own day, and that shall state more accurately than does the Sayoy Confession the views now held ought to be as evident as that we need a new revision of the Script- ures, | A new’ symbol is needed in the inter- ests of the laity. That it would sive a pro + tound impulse to the study of Biblical theol- ogy is one of the very weightiest considera- tions in its favor. ‘The reasans seem to be strong and convincing enough, but it is said iteannot be done. A. hearty and united at- tempt will either confirm or refute ab- fection. Failure to Institute some measures looking towards the result in question will seem to show either that we are not willing tocontide in the wisdom of thuse who may be asked to prepare the declaration, or that we cannot, like our Puritan tathers, confide in the Congregational common sense‘of our | churches to make the right use of it when it is formed. How this may best be done it is not the province of this paper to suggest, any further. Bian, ip stiould be done, with due allowance of time, deliberately, carcfully, aud prayerfully.” * , “i “I SINCERELY OWN AND BELIEVE.” Puit Mall Gazette. ‘The Scotch divines are at present discus- sing avery fine point, nately: the amount of insincerity thatis legitimate in subserib- ing assent to their confession of faith. It ap- pears that on assuming their offices they de- clare publicly that they ~ sincerely own and believe” the “whole doctrine” of the con- fession, and “renounce all doctrines, tenets, and opinions whatsoever contrary to, or in- consistent with, the saiddoctrine.” It might be thought that this formed a wall high enough and thick enough to keep out the boldest heretic, but several of the Edinburg divinity Professors seem to have got a whole procession of couches-and-six through it the other day with periect ease. According to these gen- temen, the “ whole” doctrine merely means a good deal of the doctrine, the remain- der, in short, after deducting what they call the *‘non-essentials.” Asked what are the “‘non-essentials,” they tell us that they are those doctrines which do not form a neces- sary part of the “system.” Asked what the “system”? is, they inform us that it is what each subscriber regards in his own mind a3 the system; and if one thinks the system to be one thing, and the other thinks it to be something entirely different, the divinity Professor assures us that it is of no conse- quence, for * Who is authoritatively to judge between those-two mien, and say to the one, “You are right,’ and to the other, ‘You are wrong’? After this it was scarcely mreees- sary to express a disbelief “that every minis- ter who was not ultra-urthodux was coin about with a conscience burdened an troubled with a sense of a broken vow.” Why should he, if his vow means whatever and however little he chooses to regurd it as meaning? Only we should advise the divin- ity Professors not to interpret any other of their contracts in this way, as the other party night not always be satisfied to accept their view. a NEW TESTAMENT REVISION. The revised New Testament will be in the hands of the public, before the Robertson Smith case is tried by the Free Chureh Assembly. From what we have seen of the opinions of the Committee of Revision in other works, it is probable that the aceused Professor will be able to make a rampart of the new work. Fur instan mentary edited by Prof, P| published -by Charles S passage trom John, vii 3, vill, U1, ine clusive, is stricken out of the text and con- demned as an interpolation. There is not a stronger passage in the Bible, nor one that has had greater descriptive power in pre- senting the character of Christ, than this. The intrinsic evidence of its genuineness is remarkably strong. In its.severity to hypoc- risy, which is suddenly stripped bare and sent out astonished and ashamed, and in its tenderness to the confessed sinner who is sent away with a tender admonition, itis al- together Christlike. Standing in its sur- roundings, he who fully considers it is forced to the opinion that the incident coula not have been invented. ‘he boldness of the teaching and its character could not have come from any authority less than Christ. as. Dr, Schaff is the lending mind, Chairman of the American Branch of the Committee, we may take this new commentary of his as aconfirmation of the report that the passage in question is to be eliminated. ‘The most heretical thing that Dr. Robertson Sinith has. said is that Sulomon’s Song is coutaminated with interpolations. Si:ch an offense is venial compared with the excinding from the words of Christ of one of the most serene and beau- tiful moral jeweis to be found among them, and one that has reflected new light and hope into many a darkened and despairing soul. PERSONALS. of: Father Gavazzi, the Italian evangelist, preaches to-day in Richmond, Va. a The Rev. Thomas R. Bacon was installed pastor of the Dwight Place Church, New Haven, Friday. . A daughter of the late Rev. J. S.C. Abbott is Principal of a Congregational Academy in Santa Fé, N. M. The Rev. Dr. Stone is about to return from California to Boston. His health has been seriously impaired. ‘The Rev. John H. Barrows, of Lawrence, Mass., has been installed pastor of the Maverick Church, East Boston. The Rey. E. A. Ince, of Centralia, Ill, has received and accepted the call of the First Baptist Church, Middletown, O. ‘The Rev. Father Hert was recently frozen todeath near Battleford, Manitoba, while outon_a hunting expedition. We strayed from his party and got lost. The Rey. Sylvanus Stall, author of the’ new and popular book entitled “How to Pay Church Debts and How to Keep Churches Out of Debt,” has accepted a call to St. John’s Lutheran Church, of Lancaster, Pa. ‘The Rev, William Urie, of the Wilmington AM. E. Conference, who died in Smyrna, Del., Nov. 2, after a long and painful iliness, had preached nearly fifty years, and had oceupied many important pulpits in the Conference and elsewhere. ' The Rey. Mr. Schneider, who ‘is not con- nected with any church,” and has been a minister for twenty-six years, does a large business In New York in the matrimonial line. In a recent bigamy case he was de- nounced by one of the counsel as the “ keeper of a matrimonial bucket-shop.” ‘The Advance says: “It is now probable that Prof. F. L. Patton will not after all zo to Princeton. The gift of Mr, McCormick to the Presbyterian Seminary of Chicago with certain changes and projects conneeted there- with, alters the case. ic. Herrick Johnson, itis stated, will be called to the Professor- ship of Sacred Rhetoric, but, we presume, without leaving his present pastorate of the Fourth Presbyterian Church.” The Rev. W. A. P, Martin, D. D.. Presi- dent of the Lnperial Collége at Pekin, China, hhas been for some inonths in this country, but has now ‘sailed for Europe. Ie hasa long leave of absence from his duties among the Celestials, which he intends to improve by traveling in the principal countries of Europe and gathering information concern- ing their various systems of education. ‘The results of his investigations are to be laid be- fore the Chinese Government. A council has been called for Dec. 16, after- noon andzevening, by the Church of Chris- tian Endeavor, Lea Avenue Congregatjon, to advise with regard to the installation of the Rev. Af = Crafts a8 its pastor eal the Con- gregational church mM rooklyn are in- cluded in the invitation, with Dr. Taylors and Dr. Davis’, of New York, with Dr. Vir- gin’s, of Harlem, and several in New Jersey and Connecticut,—besides several Congrega- tional preachers without churches: Dr. Ly- man Abbott and Secretaries Brown, Storrs, and Clapp. PIOUS SMILES. Somebody has figured out that Vanderbilt’s Income would allow him to, in one day, visit 8,000 circuses, eat 10,000 pints of peanuts, and drink 5,000 glasses of lemonade. Yes; it would also enable him to go to several thousand church fairs and get a square stew. 2 . “Never mistake perspiration for inspira- Hon,” said an old ininister in, his charge to a young pastor just being ordained.—Boston Herald. ‘ : “My umbrella is getting decidedly shab- by,” said a young man about town one night last week, “I believe I will have to strike another prayer-meeting the first rainy night.” . Formality in approach to God culminated in the reply of a dying man to a pastor of our acquaintance, in Connecticut. ‘Shatl I pray with you, my friend?’ “If you please. a think it would belit the occasion!“ And is there anything on your mind that you wish. ne to remember“in prayer?” “No, sir. lease use your own jud in the selec- tion of topics ?? dndemens't Teacher in Sabbath-school class—“I rave you last Sabbath, ‘What Is Truth? How many are ready to answer?’ All hands Went up, and one, more impulsive than the others, cried out “I know!” “Well, James, « what is it?’ “Tasked papa, and he said it Was a lying newspaper in New York!” The pose her, sued, and said simply, “That wiil 10." * at the recent restoration of achurch occu-- pied by the advanced Ritualists in England oue of the workmen einployed ascended the pulpit aud exclaimed: “{ publish the bans of matrimony between this church and the Ckurch of Rome!’ “And 1,” said another artisan, turning toward the first speaker, “forbid the bans.” “Ou what grounds ?” inquired he of the pulpit. ‘*Because the parties are too near o” kin,” was the reply. One of the eccentricities of Paris is Abbé Moigne, aged $0 years, who started 3 news- paper, Les Mondes, with a capital of 150,000 francs. to harmonize the Bible and science. 1n order to prove the Exodus, the worthy Abbé strove to organize a stock company to dry the Red Sea and find at the bottom the remnants of Pharaoh and his army. As divi- dends he promised the treasures which were to be found. Batwhen it became known that the Isruclites had all the treasures of the Egyptians, and the latter were pursuers after their weaith, the company suddenly dissolved, and the «Abbé is diseonsolate, CHURCH SERVICES. EPISCOPAL. Cathedral Church SS. Peter and Paul, corner West Wusbington and Pcoria streets; the Ku- Rev. W. E. MeLaren, S.'T. D., Bishop; the Rev. J.H. Kaowles, priest in charge. Holy Com- munion, 8 a. m. Choral Morning Prayer and celebration of the Holy Communion, 10:30 a. m. Sunday-school and children’s service, 3 p.m. Choral Evening Prayer, 7:30 p. m. —The Key. R.A, Holland will officiate in Trinity Church, corner of Michigan avenue and Twenty= sixth street, at 10:45 a. m. and 7:50 p.m. Morn- tug subject: “Repentance.” Evening subject: “fhe Morals of the Dramu.” —The Rev. Henry G. Porry will officiate in St, Stephen's Church, Johnson street, between Tay- lor and Twelfth streets, morning and evening. Celebration of the Holy Communion at oon. " —The Hev. Frederick Courtney, will officiate in St. James’ Chureh, corner of Cass and Huron streets, at 10:30 a. m. and 7:30 p.m. Celebration lv Communion at 8 a. m. and 12 m. —The Rev. W. H. Knowlton will officiate in St. Andrew's Church, corner of West Washingwa and Robey streets, at 10:0 a. m. and 7:0 p. 1. —The Kev. John Hedmun will ottieiato in St. Ansyurtu: Sedgwick street, near Chis cayo avenue, at, 2. m. und 7:30 p.m. —The Kev. Clinton Locke will officiate in Grace Church, Wabash avenue, near Fourteenth street, at Iln. in. und 7:0) o. a. Celebration of the Holy Communion at 13 m. :Seats free in the evening. —The Kev. Arthur Ritchie will officiate m the Churen of the Ascension, corner of North La Salle and Elm streets, at lla. m. and 7:2 p. m. Communion at § a.m. —The Rey. B. F. Fleetwood will officiate tn St. Mark’s Church, corner of Cottage Grove urenue and Thirty-sixth strvet, at 10:30 a. m. and 7:30 p. m. Communion at 12m. —The Kev. Luther Pardee will officiate in Cal- vary Coureh, Warren avenue, betwoen Oakley street und Western avenue, at 10:d0a. m. and 7:30 p.m. Communion at 12 m. —fhe Rev. T. N. Morrison, Jr., will officiate inthe Church of the Epipiiny, ‘Throop stree! between Monroe god Adums, nt 0:0 a. Mm. uti Ta p.m Communion at 12 m- —The Rev. W.J. Petrie will officiate In the Church of Our Savior, corner of Lincoln Belden avenues, at ila. m. and 4 p. m. —The Rev. Jumes E, Thompson wit officiate in St ‘Thomas’ Church, indiana avenue, between, Twenty-ninth und Thirtleth strects, at a. i. and 7:45 p.m. Communion at 12 m. —F. B. Townsend will conduct the services at St. Luke's Mission, Nos. 987 and 989 Polk street, at 10:45 a. m. and 7:30 p.m . 7 “BAPTIST. ‘The Rev. George C. Lorimer will preach morn- ing und eventug'in the First Church, corner of ‘Tuirty-frst street and South Parxavenue. Morn- ing subject: “Completion of Redemption.” Evening subject: “Nuturalism.”—being the iifth of u series on * Isms, Ut) und New.” —fhe Rev. E. Wingeen “wi! preach morning: and cyening in the Second Sweuisn Church, cor- ner of Thirty-lirsc and Buttertleld streets. —The Rey. Kerr B. ‘Tupper will preach in the Micbiean Avenue Church, near: 'fwenty-third street, ut 1 a.m. No evening-service. Rev. W, M. Lawrence will preach in the at 10:45 a. m. and 7:00 p. in, —The Rev. E. B. Hulbert will preach in the Fourth Church, corner West Washington and Paulina streets, at 10:30 a. m, and 7:3) p. m. bi T. Burhoe will preach in the Uni- versity Place uglus place and Rhodes avenue, xt a.m, and 7:30 p. m. —The Kev. C. Perren will preach in the West- ern Avenue Churea, corner Warren avenue, at 10:30 a. m. and 7:30 p.m. —The Rey. W. H. Parker will preach in the Coventry Street Church, corner Bloomingdale road, at 10:0 a. m. and m —The Rev. K. De Bupt iit preach in Olivet Church, Fourth avenue, near Taylor street, at 1 4. In. and 7:45 p. in: = 5 he Hey. N. F. Ravlin will preach in the Mission, No. 431 Ogden avenue, morning —The Kev. D. B. Guon, will preach in the South Church at 11 a.m. une 7 ‘a m. —he Rev. A. K. Parker will preach in the Centennial Church, corner Lincoin and West Jackson streets, ut 10:30 a. in. and 7:30 p. m. * —The Key. E. O. Taylor will preach in tho Cen= h, No. 200 Orchard street, near Sophia, p.m. —The Rey. W. a. Broudburst will preach in the Dearborn Street Church, corner Thirty-sixth street, at 10:30 a. m. and 7:8 p. m. —The Rev. H. C. Leland will preach in the Evangel Church, Rock Island Car-Shops, Deur- born street, near Forty-seventh, at 10:45 8. m. and 7:0 p. ma. ’—The Kev. Mr. Mayer will preach in the First Germun Church; corner Bickerdike and Huron a. mm. and 7:30 p. m. GB. Sunth wilt preack in the First: Norwegian Church. corner Novie and West Ohio: streets, at 10:0) a.m, and 7:30 p.m. —The Kev. John Ougman will preach in the First Swedish Chureb, Oak street, near Sedg- Wick, at 10:40 1. m. und 7:0 p. m. —Services will be held in the Halsted Stroet Church, between Forty-first and Forty-second. strects, at Ll a. m. and 7:30 p.m. - METHODIST. ’ The Rev. J. Linebarger will preach morn- ing und evening in Grant Place Methodist Chureh, corner Larrabee street. wick stree! ‘The Kev. G. R. Vanhora will preach morning andevening in the Michigan Avenue Church, * corner Thirty-second strect, —The Rev. George Chitse will preach moming and evening in Fulton Street Church. Morning subject: “The Christian Race.” “fhe lev. J. W. Phelps will preach morning and evening in St. Paul's Church, Maxwell, ocur Newberry street. _ —The Rev. Frank MI. Bristol will preach morn- ing and evening in Wabash Avenue Church, cor- ner Fourteenth strect. —The Rev. Joun Williamson will preach this morning in the First Church, corner Wushingwa and Clark streets. Eveoing sermon by the itev. W. P.Stowe, —The Kev. Robert D. Sheppard will preach morning and evening in Grace Church. corner of La Sulle and White uta. Morning subjects “The Advent Ho; Evening: “Mary's Choice.” * * —The Rev. K. B. Pope wilt preach in Trinity Church, Indiana avenue, near Twenty-fourth street, at Ila. m. and 7:80 p. m. ‘—Tho Rev. Watson Thatcher will preach in the State Street Chured, near: Forty-seventh street, and 4:30 p. m. atte Key, A. A. Gorn, will preach in the Adu Stree! urch, coracr Fulton street, at 10:30 @. in, and 7:30 p. ™m. = George will preach in Cen- ‘The Kev. tenary Church, Stunroe street, near Morgan, ing and evening. motine Hey. J. M. ‘Catawelt will preach in the Western Avenue Church, corner Monroe street, morning und erentog: art —The Kev. k. M. Hatfield: will preach in the Lanziey Avenue Church morning and evening. —The Rey. Acthur F. Ferris will preach (a the Free Church, corner May and Fultun streets, at 10:30 a. m. and 7:30 p.m. Love feast at 6 p.m. PRESBYTERIAN, The Rev. Arthur Swazey, D. D., will preach in the morning at the Forty-tirst Street Church. —The Rev. James Maclaughlan will preach morning and evening in the Scotch Church, cor- ner Adums and Sangamon streets. . —There wiil be services on Sunday evening at the Railroad Chapel, on State street, ueur Four- teenth, conducted by Charles M. Morton. Seats ure free, and strangers will be mude especially welcome, 3 —The Kev. J. M. Worrall will preach morning and evening in the Eighth Church. ~The . D. 8. Gregory, D. D.,of Lake For. rest, will preach in the morning in the Second Church, corner of Michigan avenue and ‘Twene —The Rev. J. Ho Walker will preach in _the