734
do something for higher education in China?
Why should not the missionary societies
working in this land unite in founding a great
union, Christian University at some center
in this empire? This institution, it was con-
tended, would represent as nothing else could
the spirit and aim of the gospel, and at the
same time prove a great blessing to the Chi-
nese people in educating men for all the va-
ried positions in the life of this nation.
Such a university, it was felt, should be of
the highest type, and rank with the great uni-
versities in England and America. It would
be a great stimulus toward Christian union,
not only in China, but throughout the whole
world; and stand as a concrete illustration of
what education in its highest form should be.
It was further argued that it would give to
the missionary body a standing, and afford a
splendid means of a fuller vindication of the
Christian faith. On the other hand, some
stoutly insisted, with much show of reason,
that the whole scheme was premature in view
of the little that had so far been accomplished
along educational lines; and further, it was
held that an institution of this kind would be
sure to be looked upon by the Chinese gov-
ernment as a rival to the Imperial University
at Peking and similar institutions. Ultimately
the whole question was referred to a commit-
tee, with instructions to study the educational
problem in general and report to the next con-
ference.
That China is in dire need of education, no
intelligent man will for a moment question;
but in the light of the actual conditions now
obtaining, this mammoth university scheme is
premature and ill-advised. Tt is another il-
lustration of the altogether too common at-
tempt to float a great institution with the
avowed intention of doing a work that must
be done by and through the individual. Tt
reflects only too faithfully the spirit of the
times, which seeks by means of federation
and huge combinations to take the world by
storm, trusting the worldly resources ready to
hand — money, education, civilization, what-
ever that may be, and charitable and philan-
thropic institutions. All this instead of seek-
ing the individual by means of the life and
power of the gospel.
J. N. ANDERSON.
SX SL 2
Bro. W. R. ANDREWS reports from Con-
necticut that as the result of tent meetings
held at Bloomfield, one of the deacons of the
Baptist church, with his wife and five chil-
dren, accepted the truth. Besides this family,
two others took their stand. Five persons
were baptized and taken into membership in
the Hartford church, Sept. 28. At Bloom-
field determined opposition was encountered,
“culminating in the gathering of a masked
mob which came one night about one o'clock
and remained until four. They were armed
with shotguns, with which they did some dam-
age to the tent by peppering it with bird-shot.
They were determined to take the tent down;
but in quietness and confidence was our
strength, and without any resort to force, the
Lord gave the victory.”
THE WATCHMAN
OUR SCRAP-BOOK
THE PAPACY AS A PERSECUTING POWER
“Tuar the Church of Rome has shed more
innocent blood than any other institution that
has ever existed among mankind, will be ques-
tioned by no Protestant who has a complete
knowledge of history. The memorials, in-
deed, of many of her persecutions are now so
scanty that it is impossible to form a com-
plete conception of the multitude of her vic-
tims, and it is quite certain that no powers of
imagination can adequately realize their suf-
ferings. Llorente, who had free access to
the archives of the Spanish Inquisition, as-
sures us that by that tribunal alone more than
thirty-one thousand persons were burned, and
more than two hundred and ninety thousand
condemned to punishments less severe than
death. The number of those who were put to
death for their religion in the Netherlands
alone, by Charles V, has been estimated by a
very high authority at fifty thousand, and at
least half as many perished under his son.
And when to these memorable instances we
add the innumerable less conspicuous execu-
tions that took place, from the victims of
Charlemagne to the free-thinkers of the sev-
enteenth century; when we recollect that, after
the mission of Dominic, the area of the per-
secution comprised nearly the whole of Chris-
tendom, and that its triumph was in many
districts so complete as to destroy every
memorial of the contest, the most callous nat-
ure must recoil with horror from the spec-
tacle. For these atrocities were not perpe-
trated in the brief paroxysms of a reign of
terror, or by the hands of obscure sectaries,
but were inflicted by a triumphant church,
with every circumstance of solemnity and de-
liberation. Nor did the victims perish by a
brief and painless death, but by one that was
carefully selected as among the most poignant
that man can suffer. They were usually
burned alive. They were burned alive not in-
frequently by a slow fire."—“Rationalism in
Europe,” by William Edward Lecky, Vol. 2,
Part 2, Chap. 4, pp. 40, 41, revised edition.
To Mr. Lecky's reliability as a historian
Cardinal Gibbons bears this testimony :—
“I have regarded Mr. Lecky as an author
of a sober and dispassionate mind, as well as
of distinguished ability.”— The Tablet (Lon-
don), Dec. 2, 1899, p. 896.
J
‘“‘HE’” AND “THEM” IN REV. 16:16
“AND he gathered them together
place called in the Hebrew tongue Armaged-
don.” Rev. 16: 16.
What are the antecedents of these pronouns,
“he” and “them”? Allow us to answer this
question by quoting other translations of this
into a
verse i—
“And they gathered them into a place called
in Hebrew Armageddon.”— Whiting’s Trans-
lation.
“And they gathered them together to the
place which is called in the Hebrew Armaged-
don.”— Wesley's Translation.
“And they assembled them in the place
called in Hebrew Armageddon.” — Sawyer's
Translation.
“And they collected them together in a place
called in Hebrew Armageddon.”— Syriac
Translation.
“And they gathered them into the place
which is called in Hebrew Har-Magedon.’—
American Revised Version.
“And the spirits gathered the kings together
at a place called in Hebrew Armageddon.”—
Wakefield's Translation.
“And the spirits collected the kings at the
place called in Hebrew Har-Magedon. —
Twentieth Century New Testament.
With these renderings before you, read Rev.
16: 12 - 16.
THINGS HERE AND THERE
A MARVELOUS NEW METAL
RECENTLY a report on rare metals produced
in the United States, made public by Frank L,.
Hess, an expert of the Geological Survey, tells
some of the marvelous properties of the new
metal tantalum.
Tantalum can be drawn into a fine wire,
having a tensile strength greater than that of
soft steel.
A red-hot lump of tantalum may be at once
hammered into a plate which on repeated re-
hammering, becomes so hard that a diamond
drill, running continually for three days at
5,000 revolutions a minute, failed to penetrate
a plate one hundredth of an inch thick, while
the drill was much worn.
Tantalum ore is found in the Black Hills
of South Dakota. It promises to become one
of the most valuable of metals.
Sg SN
FINGER-PRINTS
“Tue French Academy of Sciences,” the
Youth's Companion says, “recently received a
report of a commission appointed to study the
question of the value of finger-prints as a
means of personal identification. The report
is highly favorable, declaring that the value of
the finger-print as evidence of identity at least
equals that of all other physical characteristics
put together. It possesses the great advan-
tage of being applicable at all ages, in infancy,
in middle life and during old age. Lvery day,
the report says, this system is tending more
and more to replace the method of anthro-
pometrical measurements.”
ES EN
Op “Yesterday” has lived its life;
Why linger mid its sorrow?
It bears no part in future joy;
Forget it for To-morrow.
"Tis grand “To-day” must rule supreme;
Away with care and sorrow;
The joy of living right To-day
Will make us glad To-morrow.
— Jesse E. Campbell.