A TRUTHFUL CRITICISM.

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"TO see a Roman Catholic Priest stand within the precincts of his church, and bowing before its altar, while at the same time lecturing from the Bible, and making it his sole arbiter and final court of appeal, is a strange anomaly--indeed we might say a 'new thing under the sun.' One is inclined to ask, What does it all mean? Either he is coming round to Protestantism, which makes the Bible its only standard, and infallible guide, or he is only giving a seeming support to the Bible by keeping out of sight the baneful doctrines of the mass and purgatory, that thereby he may win back numbers to his fold. If the former is true, we welcome him to the green pastures and still waters of the Word of God. If the latter, we trust all those who appreciate freedom--that freedom so dearly bought,--will remember the policy of Rome, 'she changes not;' 'instruments of cruelty are in her habitation,' and she will become more and more the 'hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.' (Rev. 18:2.) Saith the Lord--'Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues, for her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.' (Rev. 18:4,5.) Let us stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.--Gal. 5:1.

"In looking over the subject matter of the lectures themselves, what struck me most was the entire absence of the Gospel of Christ. On such a theme as the destiny of man we might surely expect that 'the only name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved' (Acts 4:12) would have been proclaimed full and free; but no. Little wonder then, that the world is full of agnosticism, gloom and despair when such a Christless Gospel is put forward as the saving truth of God. How one could wish that the rev. father, instead of closing his lecture by quoting the Law as the way to life, had copied the divine wisdom given to the Apostle Paul, who said to the Philippian gaoler, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' (Acts 16:31.) For if through law we have righteousness, then Christ died unnecessarily.--Gal. 2:21.

"The world can draw no comfort from these worn-out husks of gloom and eternal torment on the one hand, or from the new but unscriptural and unscientific (unproved) notion of evolution on the other. Never did the groaning creation need a Deliverer-- and a great one--more than now."

Thus writes Brother C. N. Houston to one of the British journals, commenting on a public discourse on "The Destiny of Man." We commend the method to all who possess the requisite talents. Besides such occasional articles Bro. H. takes betimes "a week off" from his store to colporteur for DAWNS. He usually has excellent success. He is "not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:" his friends know this;--and so does the Lord. To "overcome" pride and "the fear of man which bringeth a snare" is a very important item in connection with a full consecration and a desire to be used up in the Lord's service.

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