Drifting?

We received a communication recently, saying that Mr. M., a well-known evangelist, was seeking entrance to minister among them; that it was causing friction–some approving, some disapproving. What would we advise ? As we have more to say on the subject than merely answering a question, we bring the matter into this department of our Magazine.

Upon reading the communication, the question arose at once:How can children of God who know the truth approve of opening their doors to him ? They might as well throw the doors of the house of God wide open at once, and let it be as a highway for every passer-by.

A gifted man, with oratory to make him attractive, seems to have a louder voice with some than principle. Indeed not a few now-a-days seem to have little regard for principles, but shift about in their Christian life like leaves with the wind or a plank from a broken ship on the waves of the sea. A popular evangelist's advice to his converts was, "Select the church which suits you best and join that," forgetting or not knowing that our church place is, by the word of God, no more left to our choice than the way of salvation. Once the word of God has defined our place, obedience takes it and abides in it, whatever difficulties it may encounter there, for truth never changes.

We are living in trying times, when government in the Church, in the State, in the Family, has so weakened that the rule of the mob must soon prevail. What need of the coming of Him upon whose strong shoulder " the government shall be " (Isa. 9:6).

If an evangelist, as Mr. M., loves the souls of men, he will find no end of towns, villages and country neighborhoods where they never hear a clear, full gospel, and where he could be for blessing to them without exciting strife, which his course is bound to excite where he is known. It is not of the Spirit of Christ. It is not the path of the true evangelist as described by the prophet Isaiah :" How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation" (Isa. 52:7).

More Wolves Let Loose

According to a report in the New York Herald of April n, there was hot discussion at a session of the Presbytery of New York recently concerning three young men from that nursery of apostasy-the Union Theological Seminary-for whom licenses were wanted before being ordained for the Presbyterian Ministry. Upon being questioned, the young men proved to be the usual product of "Higher Criticism"- denying the Virgin birth of our Lord, disbelief in His resurrection and miracles in general, and the Scriptures themselves, of course, are very faulty! A strong protest was made by such as Dr. Fox of the Bible House and others against licensing them, but they were disregarded, and so more wolves, arrayed in sheep's clothing, are to be let loose against the flock of Christ. When our Lord came He found the leaders of Israel in deadly opposition to Himself-the divine Light shining among them. When He comes again what will be the end of those more guilty than the scribes and Pharisees because of having had more light than they!

Concerning Ephesians 2:8,9

I would call attention to the fact that the "that" (τoυτo) of verse 8 is neuter and therefore does not directly refer to "grace" (χαριτι), which is feminine, nor to "faith" (πιστεως) which is also feminine. That it refers to the idea involved in the expression, "Ye are saved by grace through faith" there can be no question, I think. The truth of the passage might be expressed thus:The salvation that is by grace through faith is not of us, it is the gift of God. It is an out and out gift of God-made ours on the simple principle of faith; our works being neither the source nor the channel through which it comes to us. It is entirely of God who, in the freeness of His grace, bestows it upon us.