unite on your ground or mine, but on God's ground. The faith he taught was not in human doctrine, but in a Said he: "This is my beloved Son, hear personal Saviour. ye Him." John did not write his gospel to teach doctrine, but he distinctly says: "These are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name." (John xx., 31). Peter preached upon the day of Pentecost: "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses." (Acts ii., 32). If the Christians of to-day would obey the commandments and take the Bible in its purity and simplicity, there would be an end to all controversies and troubles in missionary fields. Our denominationalism is not the gospel. A thousand million souls are, in this age of enlightenment, in utter darkness, without hope and without Christ. great number, however, does not include those in Christian lands who have not yet accepted Christ, but the people who are ignorant of Him. This One thousand millions! Bear in mind your personal responsibility to this vast multitude of unsaved, and, as clever business men, reason promptly what is the wise course to take to hasten the spiritual welfare of this vast multitude. Remember, too, that as the work of Gospel dissemination has been slow in the past, to follow in the future a somewhat different course would be wise. Our spiritual forces have been divided. Let us unite then, let us unite our finances; union is strength; divided forces can not hail the victory. Let us concede, as brethren, the non-essential, and unite fully upon the essential at home and abroad. Let our motto be: "In Christ unity, in opinion liberty, and in all things charity." During the days of the Apostles the only term of membership and test of fellowship was belief in Christ and strict obedience to Him as the declared Son of God. It is so simple that a child can understand it, and so wise that the deepest mind will not despise it. This, God's ground of belief in and obedience to a personal Savior, is the only possible ground upon which His children can and must unite. When we do so: First. We will save an immense amount of money now foolishly spent in small towns to keep in existence many weak churches in place of giving full support and life to one strong one. Second. We will heed the instructions of Paul. Third. We will answer the prayers of Christ. Fourth. We will show a united front to the enemy and the world will believe in our Saviour. Fifth. We will promote the spirit of harmony, the spirit of love, the spirit of God. Sixth. We will glorify Christ instead of the parties to which we belong. Seventh. We will carry to a logical conclusion the present movements of Christian Endeavorers, Young Men's Christian Associations, Young Women's Christian Asso ciations, Kings Sons and Daughters, and other kindred organizations. Eighth. We will stand uncondemned before Him, who is the author of the only sure and harmonious plan of salvation. We do not look to Christ enough and are too much inclined to follow men. St. Paul once discovered that tendency in the Church of Corinth, and listen to the rebuke he gave them: "Every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I am of Apollos and of Cephas, and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" (1 Cor. i., 12-13). He gave them to understand that the "preaching of the cross" was the power of God (18 v.), and besought them to be of one mind (10 v.). The question that united them was: "Who is for Christ?" and it is the one that must unite us all to-day. We are saying, if not by our lips, at least by our actions, "I am for Knox, I for Calvin, I for Wesley, I for Luther, I for Swedenborg, I for Campbell." No injustice to these imperial names, but is Christ divided? Was Knox crucified for us, or were we baptized in the name of Campbell? No, no; we will not be chained to the cemeteries of the past, although those who are buried in them were great men of God. We prefer to look to Christ, the "Author and Perfector of our faith." Let us then take our theology not from the graveyards of the past ages, but from the open tomb of a risen Christ. GLIMPSES OF SOCIAL LIFE. T "Zealous, yet modest; 'tho' free; Patient of toil; serene amidst alarms; -Beattic. HE Orient has never lost its power of fascination, because it has practically never lost its old manners and customs. Its people seem incapable of overcoming their centuries-rooted veneration for old customs, which dominates them with a stronger power than the scepter of kings. Allow me now to extend to you, my reader, a cordial invitation to pass over the threshold of an Armenian home and to spend a few hours within our family circle. They are all deeply interested in your bright country and people, and I am sure, in turn, you would find much to interest you in our country's customs and manners, so old and romantic. As the morning light first touches the mountain tops, so our glimpses of home life begin with the higher classes. Journeying together under Oriental skies, we will find striking contrasts everywhere between Armenian and Turkish homes. Home is a magic word. There is a predominating love, the sunshine of happiness, harmony and beauty in the homes of the Armenians. No matter how old it may be in fashion or how simple in decoration, no human language can ever express the deep remembrances in the heart of an Armenian far away from its ties. It captures the lonely soul with a thrill, on the wings of happy and loving recollections. It is something tender, yet full of inspiration, that fills one with the memories of sweet home! As we are wending our way homeward, you will find to your great astonishment the narrow and zig zag streetsrunning from everywhere to nowhere-so thronged with dogs, horses, donkeys, and sometimes with long trains of supercilious camels and buffalo arabas, that you have to challenge everything and every being for the right of way. Above all, you will have a lively time with the reputed Turkish dogs; fortunately in the portions of the country where Europeans dwell, they have nearly disappeared from the streets. Those you meet are civilized and respectful to Mohammedan and Christian alike, while the old breed would howl at a Christian but remain quiet when a Turk passed that way. Even the dogs are getting civilized, which is more than can be said of the bipeds of the slums. Of the defunct dogs, we may say the red-coats were their assassins, and loaded walking-sticks the weapons used in the night. An English sea-rover vowed he would kill a dog every night when returning to ship from his games. He kept his word and more, for when unlucky at cards he would dispatch two or three curs in ambling down the hill. Ere long dogs were scarce on his route. To be sure he |