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•Xovember 5, 1913. A FAMILY PAPER.<br />
these rocks are charted, and their dangerous<br />
nature expressly stated in our guide book.<br />
What more could Jesus have said than that<br />
be did say? "For there shall arise false<br />
Christs, and false prophets, and shall show<br />
o-reat signs and wonders, insomuch that if<br />
it were possible, they shall deceive the very<br />
elect." This warning uttered by Jesus, has<br />
been emphasized by almost every one of<br />
the apostles who took up his pen at tbe Holy<br />
Spirit's command. Peter (II Pet. ii, I ft",),<br />
John (I John, ii, i8 ff), Jude (X'ersc 4 ff.),<br />
Paul (his epistles, especially to Timothy, are<br />
full of it), all spake of the perilous times<br />
in which we are living. Can any one say<br />
that he has not been warned of the peril<br />
of contact witb these doctrines? And beingwarned,<br />
should we investigate them further?<br />
"Can a man take fire into his bosom, and<br />
his clothes not be burned?'' The cautions<br />
man will not be judged in the las.t day for<br />
jheeding these warnings, but the blood of the<br />
curious shall be on his own head.<br />
Third, we ought not to investigate false<br />
doctrines, because they will eat into our<br />
souls like a gangrene. (II, Tim, ii, 16-17).<br />
One who has been fighting valiantly for<br />
years in the very front of the battle, but who<br />
has recently surrendered to Christian Science,<br />
makes a confession something like thisi:<br />
"Some ten years ago, or more, I read this<br />
same literature, and it scarcely interested me,<br />
I thought nothing more about it until I took<br />
it up recently and re-read it. Then it took<br />
such a hold upon me that I could not resist<br />
it," Had the firstreading no effect? Was<br />
nofi that the germ ithat multiplied until it<br />
became a disease? The sieed that produced<br />
such an awful yield? "Be not deceived: God<br />
is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth,<br />
that shall he also reap." "Their word<br />
shall eat as doth a canker."<br />
Fourth, it is a duty not to investigate other<br />
"gospels," because in so doing, Ave indulge<br />
our lust after knowledge. There is a<br />
legitimate desire for knowledge, for Solomon<br />
says, "Get wisdom; get understanding.<br />
seek her as silver, and search for ber as<br />
for hid treasures." But there is also a "lust<br />
after knowledge," as Paul speaks of those<br />
who were "ever learning and never able to<br />
come to a knovvdedge of tbe truth." A lust<br />
for knowledge is a sin not less heinous than<br />
the lust of the Israelites for flesh in the<br />
wilderness. It was not because the manna<br />
given from heaven lacked in the necessary<br />
amount of proteids, caseins, or carbo-hydrates,—nor<br />
did it even lack in flavor,—tbat<br />
the children of Israel were dissatisfied;<br />
hut i^ was because ithey 'themselves were<br />
'stiff-necked and rebellious." Likewise it<br />
Js not because there is any element lacking<br />
in the gospel of Jesus that so many are<br />
seeking after false Christs and false proph-<br />
^'s. Nor is it because these other "gospels"<br />
are able to add anything to the old gospel,<br />
'^'•itit is because "the heart is deceitful above<br />
aU things, and desperately wicked," so that<br />
men are drawn away by their own lusts and<br />
•enticed to search after that which is not<br />
bread.<br />
But it will ijc said that we must investigate<br />
these religions in order to answer those<br />
who believe in them. But was any one<br />
ever turned from the error of his ways by<br />
controversy? True, Peter tells |us tto be<br />
"ready always to give an answer to every<br />
man that asketh you a reason for the hope<br />
that is in you," but 'he says nothing about<br />
being ready to argue the other man's position<br />
with bim. When Nicodemus would<br />
have argued, Jesus only reiterated his own position,<br />
"Ye must be bom again." It is also<br />
true that Paul confounded the Jews in Dama^scus,<br />
proving from the Scripture that Jesus<br />
was the Christ, but he did not debate their<br />
position; he debated the question affirmatively.<br />
Was he not speaking from experience<br />
when he says to Timothy, ".But foolish and<br />
ignorant questions, refuse, knowing that they<br />
gender strifes. And the Lord's servant must<br />
not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to<br />
teach, forbearing, in meekness correcting<br />
tliem that oppose themselves; if peradventure<br />
God may give them repentance unto the<br />
knowledge of the truth, and they may recover<br />
tliemselves out of the snare of the devil,<br />
having been taken captive by him unto his<br />
will." Does the Christian Scientist make his<br />
converts by a'ttacking evangelical truth? Not<br />
he: tbat would be a waste of time. He reiterates<br />
his own position; for they are wiser<br />
in tbeir day and generation than the<br />
children of light. To prepare to attack his<br />
position is only to urge him to fortify himself<br />
in that position.<br />
Finally, it is our duty not to investigate<br />
jiresent day "gospels," because such a course<br />
is tempting God. From Jesus's reply to<br />
Satan, we may infer his definition of tempting<br />
God. Satan said, "Cast thyself down<br />
from the pinnacle of the temple, for have<br />
you not the promise that the angels shall<br />
bear thee up, so that thou canst not dash<br />
thy foot against a stone?" Jesus replied, "It<br />
is written, 'Tbou shalt not test the Lord thy<br />
God." That is to say when we take any unnecessary<br />
risk, we are testing God. That<br />
present day "giospels" are subtle, we know<br />
bot'b from observation and from prophecy.<br />
"If it were possible, they would deceive even<br />
the elect." Shall we deliberately put ourselves<br />
into the hands of Satan to be tempted<br />
of him, by studying false doctrines? Not<br />
only are the present day apostasies a warning<br />
against such a course, but the darkness<br />
of tbe whole heathen world came about in<br />
this way. "Knowing God," says Paul, "they<br />
glorified Him not as God, neither gave<br />
thanks; but became vain in tbeir reasonings,<br />
and their senseless heart AVAS DARKENED.<br />
Professing themselves to be wise, they became<br />
fools." And then there follow those<br />
appalling words, thrice repeated: "Wherefore<br />
GOD GAVE 'i'HEM UP m the lusts oi<br />
their hearts unto uncleanness, . . . for<br />
Ithey exchanged the truth of God for a lie.<br />
. . . For this cause GOD GAVE TITE.M<br />
UP unto vile passions. . . . And even<br />
as they refused to have God in their knowledge,<br />
GOD GAVE THEM UP unto a reprobate<br />
mind."—Rom. i, 21-28. If in the face<br />
of these warnings we put ourselves in the<br />
way of temptation by investigating "another<br />
gospel," how shall we answer to Him who<br />
bath warned us, in the last great day ?<br />
It is with no feeling of bitterness toward<br />
those who have been led away that I am<br />
writing this; for them I bave only tove and<br />
pity. But I fear that the weight of their influence<br />
might lead others into like temptation.<br />
May we not all prayerfully take to<br />
beart the anxious works of Paul to his beloved<br />
Timothy: "O Timothy, guard that<br />
which is committed unto thee, turning away<br />
from profane babblings and oppositions of<br />
the science wbich is falsely so called; which<br />
some professing have erred concerning the<br />
faith."<br />
D. RAYMOND TAGGART.<br />
Tak Hing, S. China.<br />
We take tbe following from the Pittsburgh<br />
correspondence of The Presbyterian of October<br />
15:<br />
A<br />
rumor has reached Pittsburgh that the<br />
directors of Princeton Theological Seminary<br />
are about to elect a successor to Rev. Dr. F.<br />
L, Patton, who has resigned the position of<br />
president, and that Rev, Dr. William L. Mc-<br />
Ewan, the popular pastor of tbe Third Presbyterian<br />
church of this city, is favorably mentioned<br />
in this connection. The movement<br />
does not seem to be looked upon favorably<br />
by the clergy of tlds city. While Dr. Mc-<br />
Ewan is eminently qualified for the position,<br />
and would be a worthy successor of the<br />
mighty Dr, Patton, yet tbey feel that he ia<br />
needed here, and has a great work to perform,<br />
which he alone can do.<br />
On Sabbath, SeptemJber 28, (about 250<br />
members of the Neighborhood Bible Class,<br />
North Side, Pittsburgh, under the leadership<br />
of Rev, Dr. John McNaugher, instructor,<br />
paid a fraternal visit to the Brotherhood<br />
class of the Emory iM. E. Church, East End,<br />
Pittsburgh. It required the services of forty-four<br />
automobiles to carry tbe class to its<br />
destination.,' A p'rocession of this kind is<br />
seldom seen here. On their arrival at Emory<br />
Church, they were met by about 400 members<br />
of the Brotherhood class, and addresses<br />
of welcome were delivered by Mr. Harry W.<br />
Dunlap, the teacher, and Mr. Wakefield, the<br />
president of the class; also by Rev, Dr. Piper,<br />
pastor of tbe Emory congregation. Rev.<br />
Dr, John McNaugher delivered one of bis<br />
able lectures to the combined classes, and fully<br />
sustained his well-earned reputation of being<br />
a prince of teachers.