WE MUST EDUCATE OR PASS AWAY." If Quakerism is to be perpetuated it must be made a part of education. I believe there is not a distinctive doctrine of the Friends that cannot be intelligibly presented to the boys and girls in the classes of our schools. No such mystery or abstruseness belongs to the tenets of our church as should make it necessary to commit their exposition or propagation to a select few. Any young man or woman, competent to take charge of the intellectual training of students in an intermediate school, may master the grounds of belief in our distinctive views, and communicate them to their classes. scribes. No plea is here made for dogmatic teaching To maintain forms of religious.belief simply upon the ground that our fathers in the church held them is to "make the word of God of none effect." This was the sin of the Pharisees and The views of Christian doctrine and practice, which form the basis of our separate existence as a church, are the legitimate teachings of the Holy Scriptures. If this be not true, we are building upon the sand-"our faith is vain." If it be true, it is only necessary, in order that our children may become fully indoctrinated in the *Extract from the Address of President J. J. Mills, of Earlham College, at the Meeting on Education of New York Yearly Meeting, at Glens Falls, Sixth mo. 2d, 1884 Look Towards the Light.. The First Law of Nature.. Items..... principles of the church to which they belong, that they be faithfully taught the written word of God, by men and women who are themselves sound in the faith. Mention has been made in this room to-day of the neglect of Christian doctrine in the instruction that is given in the schools and colleges of the Friends. It is possible that the primary reason of this neglect may be found in the fact that so many of our teachers have not fully and clearly grasped the essential principles and fundamental characteristics of the Society of Friends themselves. Not having been taught the Scriptures, they are unable either to state or to defend our views of that at least a partial explanation of the fact that Christian truth. Further, it may safely be asserted there is so little cohesion in the Society of Friends, so great a tendency to divergence in doctrine and practice, may be found in the want of adequate instruction on the part of our membership, as to the Scriptural foundation of our distinguishing views. It is a matter to be deplored that, in these latter days, so large a part of our doctrinal teaching comes to us "second hand." We know more of what this or that minister teaches than of what the Bible teaches. One minister accepts and preaches the interpretation of Scripture language that is presented by another minister, without that intelligent, critical, and exhaustive searching to see if until they shall be able successfully to compete with the institutions about us for the patronage of our Quaker youth; and in the second place, that they should offer to the young people under their charge a generous course of instruction in religious knowledge. The intellectual progress of the classes ought to be quickened rather than retarded, by reason of the positive religious influences of the school. these things be so, that the great responsiblity in-ards and improve their facilities for secular work, volved in giving spiritual instruction properly demands. By this means the rays of gospel truth are refracted or dispersed. Hence, as of old, one is of Paul and another is of Apollos, and another is of Cephas, and another is of Christ. In a denomination such as ours, with the door to the public ministry of the word standing so wide open, and with no well-digested body of Christian doctrine to which all are required to subscribe who presume to teach publicly, it is of the highest importance that the whole membership be well grounded in the teachings of Holy Writ; and this not only that they may be able to give a reason for the faith that is in them, and to defend it at every point with a "thus saith the Lord," but that they may be able to judge wisely of the teaching of others, who stand as exponents of the doctrines of the church. The Bible schools are doing much to give to young and old an acquaintance with the Scriptures. But their work, from the conditions under which it is necessarily done, is at best both desultory and fragmentary. The Bible study that is needed to give stability and unity to the doctrinal views of the church must be methodical and extensive. The opportunity for this must be sought in our schools and colleges. I The time was when the Holy Scriptures were more prominent in the programmes of the Christian colleges of this land than they are to day. believe it is a matter of history that, at one time in Harvard College, one of the necessary conditions upon which a young man could receive a diploma was that he should be able to translate both the Old and the New Testament out of the original tongues into the Latin. So far as I can learn, no such provision exists in the Harvard curriculum to-day. In certain Western colleges of good standing, it was formerly required that was formerly required that students should have three recitations a week in the Holy Scriptures. But at present comparatively little attention is given to Biblical instruction in our higher institutions of learning, outside the theological departments. Some colleges include the evidences of Christianity in their courses of study, but the essential truths of the Christian religion often have little place in the work of their class-rooms. Almost might we say that, as in the inn at Bethlehem of old, so in the institutions of learning to-day, there is no room for Him. In In not a few colleges it would seem that the attempt is made to eliminate as far as possible everything that is distinctively Christian from the training of students. They are becoming more and more Schools exclusively devoted to science, literature, and art. "The fundamental principles of Christianity are quietly ignored. No attempt is made to impart that high moral and religious instruction that is inevitable wherever Christianity is heartily believed. The result is polished weakness." Cæsar's command to his veterans as he once ordered the onset of a battle was, "Strike full in the face." The battle-cry of the educational ranks of our land is, "Strike full at the head." As Christian teachers, believing that moral and religious instruction is requisite to the production of the highest manhood, shall we not the rather strike first at the heart? The Christian idea of development of character puts virtue (moral excellence, manhood) before knowledge in order of importance. "Add to your virtue knowledge." If for the next twenty-five years we might have within our church-limits a sufficient number of schools in which earnest religion was fostered and a thorough intellectual training given, I hazard the opinion that, at the end of that period, it would be found that the Society of Friends had become unified upon all of the more important questions of doctrine. Then would our membership see "eye to eye," and more clearly than now, what has been committed unto us as a church in the matter of faith. Intensity, unity of conviction and purpose, is of immensely greater moment in Christian work than numbers. We would not have the earnestness of evangelists in bringing in the unconverted abated in the least degree. But we would not have the church forget the lesson of Gideon's army. Would that our denomination, to which God has given great and precious truths to hold up before the world, might abundantly increase, both in the vigor of its spiritual life and in the clearness of its apprehension of the truths of nature and of grace. To do this is far better than to fill up our ranks with thousands of members who have no common bond of belief and purpose. (To be concluded.) THE GREAT TEACHER.-Although the term teacher, applied to Christ, occurs only once in the English version of the New Testament, it is worthy of notice that in sixteen out of the twenty-two in stances in the Gospels in which Christ is called "Master" the proper translation is "Teacher." In each of these sixteen instances, in the original Greek, the word used is didaskalos, a teacher. It throws a fresh light on the Saviour's character, and imparts a new dignity to the office of Sundayschool teacher to adopt this reading in such passages as these: "Teacher, I will follow thee whither. soever thou goest;""Teacher, we know that thou In view of these facts, I maintain that it is art true;""Good Teacher, what shall I do that I imperatively necessary, in the first place, that our may inherit eternal life?" "The disciple is not high schools and colleges should raise their stand-above his Teacher," &c.-James Croil. For Friends' Review. MEMORIAL OF TITUS COAN. Titus Coan was born in Killington, Conn., Second month 1st, 1801. He grew up in a home "so beautifully ordered by pious parents, that obedience, truthfulness, and filial and fraternal affection were the characteristics of the eight children reared there." The influence of such a childhood was never lost. Vigorous youthful sports, and severer toils upon his father's farm, developed and strengthened his sturdy frame. Self reliance and quiet dignity were the outgrowth of responsibilities early assumed at the teacher's desk of the village school. After seven winters passed in teaching in the neighboring towns, he accepted a situation at Riga, N. Y., where his brother George was settled as pastor. Here he was led to the companionship of ministers by whose example and conversation his own soul was quickened in all its higher impulses. Here, too, he met with her who was to be his peerless helper. Thoughtful and sober, as he had been for years, he had as yet come to no fixed determination to enlist on the Lord's side. When, at last, this resolve was made, it was one, he says, in which he was greatly helped, comforted and established, so that "duty done for Christ was a sweet and joyous pleasure." Of But how could he best serve the Master? the professions only the ministry attracted him, and for this he felt untirely unfit and unworthy. His choice, therefore, was for a business career, following which he meant to be an active and devoted layman. And for such a career, doubtless, his talents fitted him. His perfect integrity, his abhorrence of debt, which led to an early formed and conscientiously practiced rule of his life never to owe a farthing which he had not means to pay, his sound judgment, unflagging energy and uniform urbanity of manner, would have secured for him a leading place in business circles, and guaranteed pecuniary success. But when he had planned for this the Lord revealed another way. God's providences, the advice of thoughtful friends, and the convictions which sprang from his own religious vitality, led him to reconsider his decision, and to fix upon the ministry. In June, 1831, he entered the middle class of Auburn Theological Seminary. He is remembered by those who knew him then as "unostentatious, devotedly pious, and possessed of a very sweet spirit." The following extracts will be mostly from his letters: "Auburn, July, 1831. From this consecrated spot I sometimes attempt to survey the vast whitening harvest field as it spreads around me to the east and west, the north and south. My eye affects my heart, and I exclaim: Lord, send me where Thou wilt, only go with me; lay on me what Thou wilt, only sustain me; cut any cord but the one which binds to Thy cause, to Thy heart." "January, 1832. My good works need covering, my prayers need praying for, my repentance needs repenting of. I ask not to be pardoned in my sin, but to be delivered from it. "I have now another class in the prison. Most of them I hope are converted. 'Tis truly affecting to hear some of them confess their former sins, and with bursting hearts tell of the love of Jesus. I love to go into that prison, because Jesus loves to go there. I often feel as if I wanted to wash the feet of those who are Christ's freemen there, for it seems as if my Master would do it." "March, 1832. I am pent up here amid the venerable lore of ages, and hurried from field to field of metaphysical, ethical and theological research. After examining the various and contending theories, the magisterial dogmas, the abstruse and subtle disquisitions, the vain and unsatisfying speculations, the grave and confident conclusions of numerous theological disputants, I gain relief from their perplexing speculations by taking my precious Bible and stealing away close to the feet of Jesus. He has told me, when I want anything, to ask Him, and His promise never fails, He never upbraids. He does not, indeed, answer all my irreverent inquiries, but He teaches me not to dive beyond my depth, nor soar amid brightness too dazzling. With Jesus for my teacher, I can sit and quiet myself as a wearied child." "December, 1832. It is but a little time since I found my sins an oppressive load. My Saviour hid His face for a moment. I sought Him at twilight, at midnight. I inquired of the watchmen. I looked, I listened, I fainted. My Beloved spake, my soul melted; I bathed His feet with my tears. I would not let Him go till He pardoned and smiled. Do you ask where I found Him? In Jer. iii. 19. At first His voice was indistinct, but it arrested my attention. I listened, and He spake again. Is this, said I, the voice of my Father? Again the notes became more distinct, and tender, and earnest. He was inquiring how He should put me among His children. He stated the conditions: Thou shalt call me, my Father, and thou shalt not turn away from me.' My heart responded, My Father, my Father, Thou art the guide of my youth.' I had read these words before, but I never found and ate them with such relish as now. The condition- Thou shalt not turn away from me'-seemed equally precious as the privi lege of adoption. I thought I made or renewed an unreserved, unconditional, cheerful, eternal surrender of myself to God. . . I have not only been willing for years to go on a mission, but more than willing. I have been anxious. The Lord may not count me worthy of the privilege. Let God reign." "January, 1833. God blesses me abundantly. My soul is calm and serene. My cup runs over. I sometimes seem to bathe in an ocean of tenderness, and love, and bliss. I have not yet offered myself formally to the Board. Dr. Richards says he can cheerfully recommend me to them. The Lord will direct. I know He will. I don't feel the least anxiety about my future path. Only to be holy." For Friends' Review. ON THE CONTINUED PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. It has ever been the belief of Friends that during man's day of probation, no matter how high may have been his spiritual attainments, there is no time to indulge in a condition of ease and lukewarmness. Idleness of soul is at all times opposed to that state of earnest watchfulness indicated by the language of the Master: "What I "What I say unto you I say unto all, watch." Hence it would appear opposed alike to enlightened reason and to the teachings of Scripture, unprofitable and even dangerous, to teach that the child of God of to-day is in any measure less amenable to the consequences of disobeyed gospel laws, than were our first parents to the laws of Eden. Is there evidence that since the first man was expelled from Eden any of his descendants have attained a higher, safer, holier, or more affectionate place in the counsels of heaven than did Adam in innocency? We may bear in mind, that according to Matt. xviii. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 11, the mission of the "Son of Man was "to save that which was lost," and to effect this by restoring the innocency of child hood, and that those who were thus restored were "greatest in the kingdom of heaven." He was not only innocent, but he reflected the Divine image, and seems to have been constituted the vicegerent of God upon earth, which he was to subdue, and exercise unreserved dominion over the teeming millions that inhabited both the sea and the land; and to him was also given the distinguished honor of naming all the inferior animals of creation. Now, when we remember that he was not only innocent, but that he bore the image of his Creator, and was created only a little lower than the angels, is it logical, is it Scriptural, so to presume upon the mercies of God, as to conclude, that as we are rebels and have been convicted of treason against the King of heaven; that simply because we occupy the position of pardoned criminals, we hold a higher, safer and by consequence a more affectionate position as citizens in the kingdom of our Great Sovereign; that as dear children we occupy a more affectionate place in the household of faith, than we otherwise would, had our allegiance never been interrupted by a voluntary violation of His righteous and benevolent laws? At any period of his probation all attempts to divest a man of responsibility for his acts would seem unprofitable and even dangerous, as it appears to take away the motive to perseverance, to continued strife for the mastery, for that crown which was prospectively before the Apostle. For, if the goal once attained renders its possessor irresponsible by begetting a consciousness of his invulnerable position, a position which he cannot lose, in which no act of his, however gross, can possibly deprive him of a state of bliss, there would appear to be no motive for continued watchfulness. We believe this teaching to be unscriptural; to be at variance with all that is revealed in the Bible in reference to the manner in which God has ever dealt with His people either under the old or the new Covenant. Surely no people could be more signally blest than were the Jews, nor spoken of in more endearing terms. They were called a chosen people, a peculiar people. It was said of them, "This people have I formed for myself that they may show forth my praise." God has chosen Jacob for Himself and Israel for His peculiar inheritance.* God not only manifested His willingness but His power to protect them, and as often assured them of His continued care and protection upon the simple terms of continued obedience. See Numbers xxxiii. 55, 56. According to the apostle they had been thoroughly engrafted into the true Vine, and yet they were broken off because of unbelief, and scions from another stock chosen in their place. But if they continued not in unbelief God was able to graft them in again. The if, shows they were still free agents, bound by no irresistible decree, by no unconditional covenant. So far from this, they were clearly instructed that if they were at any time disobedient and unfaithful God would do to them as He had thought to do to their enemies, namely, devote them to destruction. Numbers xxxiii. 56. Surely it is but reasonable to conclude that the object the apostle had in view in bringing this subject to the notice of a Christian church was to warn them of the danger of lapsing from their faith; a warning wholly unnecessary upon the supposition of their immunity from danger. We are not at liberty to suppose that God ever trifled with His church or people by instructing His servants to caution again st contingencies that did not exist, nor could possibly arise. It will not be denied that the Apostle Paul was an apt scholar in the school of Christ, and it appears that one of the lessons which he learned was, that all the promises of the protecting care and keeping power of the Holy Head were made to a certain condition of mind that must be acquired and maintained, in order finally to secure the blessing sought,—the Pearl of Great Price; that the child of God would ever have need of patience, that after he had done the will of God, he might obtain the promise. We may profitably note, that this good man did not base his hope of a future crown of glory upon the fact of having been caught up into the third hea ven, nor that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus had made him free from the law of sin and death; but upon the great and significant fact that he had fought a good fight, and finished his course, and kept the faith. We would further notice that the Scriptural declaration, that "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life;" as well as, "No man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand"; as also, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin," are all spoken in the present tense, and only apply to a certain condition of mind; the first, to those who believe, and only while they continue to believe; the second, to those sheep who hear His voice and follow Him; and by Read treasure. no rational logic can be made to apply any longer than they continue his devoted followers. It is those who do not commit sin who are represented as enjoying the new birth. It is clearly evident that these passages of Scripture, and all similar ones, apply to a certain condition of mind, and only apply while this condition is perpetuated. It is only those who endure to the end who are saved. It is only those who overcome who are clothed in white robes, and are not hurt of the second death, and are made pillars in the temple of God; and finally, who are faithful unto death, who receive a crown of life. From the foregoing it will be seen that our views are, that man, during the whole period of his earthly existence, occupies a position-so far as to be accountable for all his acts,-analogous to that of our first parents in Eden; that the transgression of the law, by whom soever committed, remains to be sin, and that the effect of sin is death; and that a fresh application to the only source of help, through repentance and faith in the Saviour of sinners, is the only remedy for sin; and that sin under all circumstances indicates a state of unbelief, of sin, "be cause they believe not in me." We have no sympathy with the idea sometimes propounded, that God looks with less disapprobation upon the sins of believers, or professors, than of non-profes sors. We think the reverse of this is strictly true; that our responsibility is in exact proportion to the measure of light received; that if after we have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we are again entangled therein, the latter end is worse than the beginning; and that there is absolute need that the Christian, admonished as he is to be always ready for the coming of his Lord, be diligent, that he may be found of Him in peace, without spot and blameless, constantly taking heed lest he fall, and become a castaway, and to remember that, if such do fall away, it will be impossible to renew them again to repentance, seeing they crucify the Son of God afresh, and put Him to open shame. It is well to notice the words carefully "seeing they crucify "-not indeed, seeing they once crucified, but seeing they are now engaged in the unholy work of rejecting the Saviour through hardness of heart and unbelief, having cast off their first love, and that while this state is abode in, their renewal again to repentance is impossible. That the apostle did not intend to teach the impossibility of reclaiming the penitent backslider, is clear from James v. 19 and 20, where he Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his ways, shall save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins"; as also, from the recovery of the Corinthian backsliders, II. Cor. ii. and vii. says, From all which it will appear, that through unwatchfulness the believers may fall into sin and condemnation; that it is possible for such as have known the way of righteousness to "turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them," to the former filthiness of their own evil hearts of unbelief; that just as in the case of the man physically diseased he may be restored to health through the aid of a skillful physician, and again become diseased by falling under former unhealthful influences, he finds it necessary to renew his application to the physician, that his restoration to health may be again secured. In like manner the spiritually diseased, whether before or after conversion, never have, nor ever will find but one remedy. There is one, and only one Physician whose application alone is able to meet all the requirements of their case; and just so often as man becomes diseased by sin, he will need the help of this Great Physician and His sovereign remedy, namely, -the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, which, applied by the Spirit, can alone avail for relief to the penitent heart through faith. To recapitulate in a condensed form: The Bible teaches from Genesis to Revelation the origin of sin and its remedy, to be the same. The former, the legitimate fruit of disobedience, itself the outgrowth of unbelief; twin conditions always inseparably connected. Man chooses his own way; is ever in one of the two paths, the broad, or the narrow; is constantly following one of the two leaders, either the Good Shepherd or the old deceiver; and the fact of his following the one proves he has lost faith in the other; and which he is following, his works will ever show. These twin brothers turned man out of Paradise, induced the first murder, caused the destruction of the Old World, as also of the sons of Aaron who offered strange fire, made an end of Korah and his confederates, kept Israel wandering in the wilderness forty years, caused the crucifixion of the Lord of glory, and the final rejection of the whole nation except the few who received Him; as it was only to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in His name. See John xv. 2 and 6, as also Romans xi. 31, 32. Grafton, Ontario. THOMAS CLARK. OUR LONDON LETTER. We have news from our Friends in Madagascar down to the 10th of Tenth month. One of them writes: "Politically all is quiet. . . . I think we are more favored with peace and quiet here [up in the capital] than you are in Europe. . . . We are holding on, constantly having to combat little ailments, longing for our next change into the coun try, which we hope to take at Ambatovory in December, which will be just over a year since our last starting out for a change, -a longer time than we have yet endured in town without a break. I say endured-fresh in the recollection of the last few months, for with illness in one's nome and constant work (albeit the in-patient work was stopped for about a month and a half) at the hospital .. it has been rather an endurance. The work still goes on, but much has to be altogether left, put off, or delegated to the Malagasy. A new departure during the last month has been the students going |