No Christian who concerns himself at all with the condition of things in Christendom can fail to notice the movement active everywhere under such names as " Higher Criticism," " The New Theology," etc. It began by casting a slight upon certain books of Scripture, such as the book of the prophet Jonah. How could a fish hold a man alive three days in its belly ? How could it swallow him at all ?

Then it discovered great errors in other parts. How could one and the same writer call God Jehovah and Elohim at the same time, as Moses does ? Impossible! The books ascribed to Moses, even by the Lord Himself, could not have been written by Moses, but by various men at different times.

Then, how could Daniel describe with such absolute accuracy events which happened a long, long time after he had passed away ? Surely this was a great mistake. The book ascribed to him must have been written by some one much later on, for how can a man foretell events far ahead in such a fashion ?

Mixed with all this blind unbelief which, to deify man, would abase the Creator to the level of the creature, came the discovery of " science, falsely so called," that, spite of Genesis i, man was not an essential, particular creation, but only an evolution from something inferior; an evolution which, having raised him already much higher than he formerly was, would, as time went on, produce something still higher. The hope presented to man in Gen. 3 :5, "Ye shall be as gods," was going to be realized. To suit this " new theology," the deity of Christ must, of course, be set aside; for, if He were God, how could He have made the mistakes which these learned Professors and Doctors and Scientists discover in Him ? Or, if He be allowed to be divine, then we too are all divine; and if He be allowed to have been superior to the men of His time, He would certainly not be allowed to be superior to the learned men of this time, for they are all able to freely criticize Him.

Moreover, if man is a rising being instead of a fallen one, what need can there be of an atoning sacrifice to save him from the coining judgment and wrath from the God against whom he has revolted ? It is all useless and absurd to teach that " Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures."

Thus, piece by piece, Christianity disappears; and what wonder if the anomalous thing which remains under that name be of a nature to be put alongside with Buddhism, Mohammedanism, of any other religion ?

All this has been introduced into the schools, and little children are made to learn that they are descendants of monkeys and beetles. The higher the schools, the bolder the teaching. The late Professor Harper, one of the foremost in this "Higher Criticism," turned the University of Chicago into an infidel institution ; and well-nigh all the great institutions of learning are following on, filling the so-called Christian pulpit with ministers of infidelity.

Look at the progress of this "New Theology." In the Montreal Daily Star, Dec. 29th, 1906, is a long article headed, "Lodge's Union of Science and Faith." It begins as follows :" Sir Oliver Lodge, principal of the University of Birmingham and one of the leading physicists of the day, has prepared a 'catechism,' which is designed for the use of teachers and others interested in the education of the young. In a preface to the document, Sir Oliver says:'From the point of view of a teacher, or trainer of teachers, the following clauses have been drafted by me as affording a partially scientific basis for future religious education':

" ' Question 1:-What are you ?

"'Answer.-I am a being alive and conscious upon this earth; my ancestors having ascended by gradual processes from lower forms of animal life, and with struggle and suffering become man.

"'Question 2.-What, then, is meant by the Fall of man ?

"'Answer.-At a certain stage of development man became conscious of a difference between right and wrong, so that thereafter, when his actions fell below a normal standard of conduct, he felt ashamed and sinful, " etc., etc.

One would suppose that such utterances as this would arouse indignation among the men who are supposed to be preachers of the word of God, but see :" To an intensely interested audience at the Memorial Hall, London, Sir Oliver Lodge gave an address on ' The First Principles of Faith.' The address was delivered to the Congregational Board of Ministers, who invited their brethren of the Baptist and Presbyterian Boards to be present. Sir Oliver, who was warmly welcomed, said that while undergoing a rest cure in Italy he had formulated a catechism of religion grafted on science" (!!), etc., etc.

Following such lines, another, the Rev. R. J. Campbell, occupying no less a pulpit than that of the City Temple, London, says:" The lines of divergence between the old and the new theology go down deep, and there is great cleavage. The starting-point of the New Theology is belief in the immanence of God and the essential oneness of God and man. . . . We believe there is no real distinction between humanity and deity. Our being is the same as God's, although our consciousness of it is limited;" and much more of the same sort.

It is from such men we learn that " the world is growing better, and growing better faster than ever before."

Christian men and women, do you believe this in the face of such blasphemous teaching ? Do you believe that because man has well-nigh reached the climax of arrogance and pride he has thereby improved ? That because he is presumptuous enough to deny the self-evident statements of the word of God, and substitute for them statements for which they have not yet given one single proof, he has made true progress ? Rebels cling to straws which may favor their rebellion, but straws cannot deliver when the Power comes.

But why do we bring up such matters ? Because they are prophesied in the word of God, and the deniers or falsifiers of that unerring, infallible Word are shown in it to be but the ministers of Satan, fulfilling its predictions.

When Israel had arrived at the border of the Land, Moses received the sad message that instead of their heeding the voice of God who had wrought wonder upon wonder in their favor for forty years, they would apostatize from Him, and despise His Word, and turn to idols (Deut. 31 :16) He would therefore cast them off, make their good land desolate and barren, scatter them over all the earth, and bring them through great distresses till they repented and He took them up again in grace. All this has been fulfilled, save their repentance and restoration, which are yet to come (Deut. 32 :1-43).

As with Israel, so with Christendom. It too had its beginnings in mighty wonders, accompanied with the revelation of another and far better land than that of Israel. But the Spirit of God foresaw the downfall of that too, and in many parts of the Scriptures prophesied its degeneracy and final apostasy. The parables of Matt. 13 show this. Rom. 12, 2 Timothy; 2 Thessalonians, with a host more, testify to the same. So complete is the apostasy of Christendom to be, that 2 Thess. 2 declares it will end in a man " exalting himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God" (ver. 4). And the only hindrance to the full development of this is the presence of the Holy Spirit on the earth (vers. 6, 7). The moment the Holy Spirit, with the people of God, are removed from the earth (i Thess, 4 :16, 17), Christendom will be apostate and idolatrous. Who that has eyes to see, and ears to hear, can fail to recognize in the " New Theology," or " Higher Criticism," the very foundations of that apostasy?

Beloved brethren, all you who have been washed from your sins in the blood of the Lamb, beware of all this. " In the last days perilous times shall come." They have come. We are at the end. They prophesy Peace, Peace, whilst sudden destruction is about to fall upon them. We soon shall hear " the last trump," telling that our warfare is over, that grace has ended in glory. But let us not be cowards. Let us "preach the Word" more earnestly than ever, holding up the " unsearchable riches of Christ" everywhere-in city, town, village, country schoolhouse, the wayside, and from house to house; spreading on all sides the pure and precious literature which God in His grace has so richly produced.

Let us invest for heaven in that way. Soon we shall find it again.