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latter class that the Commission has been mainly concerned. They find unlawful practise amazingly common, especially affecting the service of the Eucharist in which alone they found thirty-four classes of such illegal doings, such as the use of Roman Catholic vestments which, tho so common, has not been prohibited by any bishop; then, the Confiteor and "Last Gospel" have been introduced from the papal church; the chalice ceremonial is mixed, and wafers used in more than half the churches. The ceremony of the Lavabo is practised, while in four hundred and thirty-eight churches the celebrant turns his back to the people, hiding from them the act of consecration. The sign of the cross over the elements, the ringing of the Sanctus Bell, with the use of candles and holy water, are reported as common. In many cases there are no communicants save the celebrant. Children are being trained to attend service without receiving the sacrament. The Host is elevated, and in fiftytwo cases the wafer is held up and the congregation invited to "behold the Lamb of God." Practically, the Adoration of the Virgin is steadily gaining ground, with the "pressing" of the confessional. The Commission says that these practises lie on the Romeward side of the line of deep cleavage between the Church of England and that of Rome. Surely it is no marvel if hundreds of NonConformists in England have preferred the jail to the abandonment of protest against an Education Bill that. in their judgment places the instruction of their children in the hands of Romanizing High Church

men.

A CONSTITUTION FOR PERSIA

Altho there seems little probability of any true government reform in Persia at present, there are persistent reports to the effect that the Shah of Persia, Muzzafered Din, has promised a Constitution for his kingdom, and ordered the organization of a national assembly. It is said that this is to be composed of princes, clergy, high dignitaries, merchants, and representatives of corporations. It will meet at the capital, Teheran, and all civil and constitutional laws are to originate in it, becoming effective on receiving the Shah's signature. It is said that this action is due to the upheaval in Russia. The Shah visited European capitals six years ago, and no doubt made himself acquainted with the character and advantages of representative government. It will be remarkable if Persia should outstrip Russia in advance toward government by the people, but the day of the absolute monarch is past. The day of the sovereignty of the common man is at hand. Wise rulers recognize that fact and act accordingly. We hope that this will mean true advance for Persia.

TURMOIL IN RUSSIA

Russia is still in the throes of a revolution which no autocracy can permanently arrest. The dissolution of the Douma can not dissolve the spirit of liberty which will find some other manifestation and incarnation. When a great nation, long kept down. by the fetters of despotism, the iron rule of absolutism, once gets awake and alive to a sense of its latent energy, it is like a colossal steed when once he learns that if he takes the

bit between his teeth and uses all his strength no hand on the reins can hold him in. Naturalists tell us that the eye of the horse is so constructed that it magnifies external objects, and makes a man seem relatively gigantic, so that while the horse is immensely stronger than his driver or rider he thinks of his human master as much the larger and stronger of the two. However this be, Russia is beginning to learn that an empire embracing 8,500,000 square miles and 130,000,000 people is too large and strong for one little man to hold in check, even tho he be a Czar, and backed by a ministry of a score of advisers. This gigantic steed. has got the bit between the teeth and started to run, and the hand on the reins is too weak to check the wild fury of the charger. Here again is a crisis that appeals for prayer. This is a time to plead with God for another people that form about onetenth of the whole race, that a higher hand may just now rein in the otherwise reckless speed that can not control itself. God only can prevent what is prompted by a desire-a passion-for liberty from rushing toward lawlessness, for there is but a step from monarchy to anarchy, from liberty to license.

JEWISH IMMIGRATION INTO
PALESTINE

The recent Zionist Congress has declared that they will colonize in no other land but their own "promised land."

The London Daily Mail states that according to its Jerusalem correspondent the influx of Jews into Palestine during the last few months

Some weeks

has been remarkable. ago about 5,000 Jewish immigrants from Russia and the Balkan states landed at Jaffa. They will settle in the plain of Sharon, round the towns of Ramleh and Lydda, and in Jewish colonies along the sea coast. A few days ago some Jewish financiers made a trip to the region east of Jordan, in the direction of Kerak. They saw the land, and were highly satisfied with its fertility and the nature of its soil. They are willing to colonize the district, but are rather suspicious of the neighboring Beduin tribes, who are averse to any permanent settlement being effected in their midst. The correspondent goes on to say that the Jews are in communication with the government on the subject, and should the latter give them sufficient guarantee of protection against the raids of their neighbors the sale of large tracts will soon be completed.

COMING LEADERS IN CHINA

It is difficult to find any fit word to express the world-wide movement of our day in the direction of radical and revolutionary changes. It is like the steady and resistless motion of a tidal wave that will not be "swept back," even by a governmental "Mrs. Partington," but moves forward and carries all obstacles before it.

It is no small thing to arouse a hermit nation like China, with nearly one-third of the population of the globe, after being shut up in a cell of exclusiveness for a millenium of years. Yet China is certainly moving, and with all the momentum of a huge mass. What more convincing proof could be asked of a wide

spread discontent, even in the Celestial Empire, with the present conditions, when in Tokio alone there are to-day between 9,000 and 10,000 Chinese students, scholars that have gone to the Island Empire to learn the secret of Japan's sudden emergence into a commanding position in the Orient, and with only one-fourth of China's vast hordes! Even Chinese literati have learned that scholarship is not enough. Mr. Beecher used to compare some sorts of learning that belong to the past, to "cobs that used to have corn on them," and it is plain that even Chinese wisdom is too ancient for modern needs. The literati are at once conservative and influential in the empire, and those who have gone to Japan on this errand are in some cases men of "high degree," who when they go back must help to mold the new empire. Surely it is a time for prayer, that the God of nations would control the influences which are to shape these men, determine their ideas and ideals. While learning the secrets of material progress, it would be an infinite pity if they are also drawn into the snares of materialism, immorality, and infidelity. Efforts are already making to bring these Chinese students under wholesome evangelical influences, and may they be vastly multiplied.

A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING IN

DAMASCUS

Encouraging news comes from the missionaries of the Irish Presbyterian Mission at Damascus in regard to an interesting spiritual movement among the pupils of the Jewish and the Gentile mission schools. Mr. Fransen, an American evangelist who has been visiting foreign mission stations

in various parts of the world, recently held some meetings in Damascus for the deepening of the spiritual life. According to the London Christian a deep impression was made when he addressed the senior pupils in some of the Presbyterian schools, as well as several public meetings in the church. The senior pupils of the Jewish boys' school attended, and two of them were brought to an open confession of Christ, while all were deeply moved. A general spirit of inquiry came over all the boys of that school, and many came to the teacher to have the Scriptures explained to them, so that it became apparent that the Spirit of God was at work in their hearts.

At the same time, Jewish men, hitherto almost unreachable, asked directly for the services of a Bible reader. An equally encouraging spiritual movement is taking place among the boys in the Gentile boys' school at Damascus. One of the Moslems was deeply touched, and the lads made a little meeting among themselves twice a week for Bible reading, prayer, and to hear short religious papers written by one or two of their number. In the Gentile girls' school a similar movement has been going on and we trust will continue to spread throughout this ancient city.

TURN ON THE SEARCHLIGHT

This is an era of investigation. There is a spirit of exposure abroad which may easily run riot in its methods. It is the day of the searchlight and we all know that the searchlight is attended by a false glare. Missions must undergo this process of search, and we are glad to believe

that the work, as a whole, challenges investigation. It is interesting to see that even a prominent secular paper sends abroad its correspondent to make an impartial examination and report. Let us have, from every quarter, a careful examination of the work. Disclosure of what is actually going on can not do any harm. If there are excellencies, they will be found; if there are deficiencies, exposure will bring remedy; even if there were dishonesty or immorality in exceptional cases, every genuine friend of missions would welcome exposure as the only hope of reform and cure. But, thus far, we rejoice that all careful investigation has proved vindication. No work of which we know bears the searchlight so well. Missionaries as a class are the formost men and women in the world, in all that constitutes real worth and heroism. Whatever defects there are, they are like spots on the sun. We hope to see the day when it will be common for churches to send their own pastors or officers to see for themselves and report. Unofficial visits weigh more in evidence because they are not official.

THE USE OF EYE-GATE

The appeal to the sense of sight in education is an important development of the present day and it has a philosophical basis. There is a large aggregate of what may be called "sense power" in humanity.

This,

in a normal human being, is distributed through the five senses which Bunyan quaintly calls "eye-gate," "ear-gate," "nose-gate,' "mouthgate," "touch-gate." Now, whenever one of these gates is closed, as in

the deaf or blind, the flood of sense power flows with greater rapidity and volume through the remaining senses, or, to maintain our figure, the impressions that seek entrance crowd, as in greater numbers, through the doors of the remaining senses. On the other hand, whenever more than one of these entrances to the soul is used for impression it is conversely true that we thus double or treble the amount of power in our appeal. This truth is becoming more and more recognized. Hence the use of charts, maps, stereopticon views, and visible objects, appeals by way of intensifying the impression upon the mind. The wide application of this method is modern. It is becoming more and more characteristic of all methods of education, secular and sacred. For instance, the use of the stereopticon as a cheap and available method of training congregations in biblical and missionary information is becoming more and more common. The various missionary boards are accumulating fine sets of missionary views illustrative of work among heathen tribes, presenting pictures of missionary stations, native costumes, the habits of the people, and indicating the progress of the work, and hence a wonderful increase of interest and information in the congregations. From personal observation and experience we strongly commend this method to the attention of readers. Oftentimes in obscure and rural churches where visits from missionaries are rare, correspondence with missionary boards will secure the use of such materials at a comparatively trifling cost. Let pastors of such churches try it.

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BY REV. S. M. ZWEMER, D.D., BAHREIN, ARABIA
Author of "Arabia, the Cradle of Islam," etc.

The Arabian Mission of the Reformed Church in America has for its purpose and plan the occupation of the interior of Arabia for Christ. To that end three stations on the eastern coast, Busrah, Bahrein, and Muscat, are now occupied by eighteen missionaries. Out-stations have also been opened at Amara and Nasariya, on the Tigris and Euphrates, and recently in the important town of Nachl, in Oman. But the real heart of Arabia, the vast interior of Nejd, Jebel Shommar, Asir, Nejran, and Yemama, with Hassa on the

east, are still a neglected country. All
of these provinces, and Hejaz on the
west and Hadramant on the south,
are without a witness for Christ! Be-
yond Bahrein and westward the main-
land stretches for
for eight hundred
miles to the Red Sea. As Jiddah is
the western port, so Bahrein is the
chief eastern port and entré-pot for
all Arabia. It is therefore a gateway
to the interior, but Turkish suspicion
and political fear of everything West-
ern have kept the door closed. Twice
it seemed to be ajar and I was privi-
leged to enter, tho also forced to re-

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