and is a proclamation of virtue against vice, of honor against dishonor, of freedom against oppression? No. Though dark may be the hour, we should be blind, indeed, if we did not still see the fixed and eternal light. Like the apostle who wrote the last chapter of the New Testament, when, as it seemed, the whole world was convulsed with rage and slaughter, we cry, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with man; and he himself shall lead them, and be their God." He lives still in this great Union to-day, lives in noble intentions, lives in the strength of righteousness, lives in the souls of the people; and this strong, happy, prosperous, and Christian nation, through the anger of debate, through the danger of quarrel, through the false alarms of fiery tongues and ill-spread news, will yet keep its reason stayed on God, and a passionate, unnecessary, evil war can never be! Sunday service some stranger or person unacquainted with Unitarian thought and life." Young People's Union. We have received a good many inquiries from numerous correspondents, asking for particulars as to the formation of the proposed Young People's Union. The committee appointed by the National Conference at Washington is now busily at work preparing a plan to be submitted at mittee desires to hear from every young the May meetings in Boston; and this compeople's society in the denomination, as soon as possible, as to whether they are willing to join a National Union. Circulars have been sent out; but, if there is anywhere a society which has not yet acted upon this question, we urge an immediate correspondence with Rev. E. A. Horton, 25 Beacon Street, Boston, who will give all in formation. A correspondent in New York suggests that a prize be offered to the person who sends in the best name for the new organization, rightly thinking that the choice of an inspiring name will largely affect the future prosperity of the new society. The possible names are, however, so few as to admit of very little choice; and the provisional name adopted by the committee, "The Unitarian Union," is about as good as can be. If any reader can suggest a better, we shall be glad to publish it. Systematized Trifles. THE cent-a-day plan of raising missionary funds approved and adopted by the General Convention of Universalists seems to be working well so far in every locality where it has been introduced. It is based upon thoroughly sound principles. Dr. Parkhurst recently emphasized the importance of right habits of giving, when he said: "A man cannot be trusted to do right in any particular till he can do right easily; that is to say, until it has become his habit to do right. Giving cannot be left to impulse any more than spelling can be left to impulse. We have seen what might be called impulsive spellers, and they make just the same wretched work with orthography that impulse-giving makes with char ity. Nor is the purpose subserved by put ting into the child's hands as a gratuity the money that he is expected to bestow as a beneficence. Merely letting money go through his hands will not make him charitable any more than letting water slip through a lead pipe will make the lead fertile. The act that is going to strengthen the little boy-giver or the little girl-giver in the direction of a matured generous disposition must be an act in which the actor feels that he is parting with something that is his own, not something which he is merely handling in the capacity of agent." THE Commission sent by Mission Work the American Board to in Japan. investigate the condition and prospects of missionary work there has now returned; and, although their report has not yet been presented, we hear that the general tenor of it will be favorable to the extension of missions in that field. The chief point to be made will be to insist upon the highest attainable efficiency in the men sent out, as the members of the commission were much impressed by the culture and intellectual acumen of the Japanese students, who were most desirous of learning about Christianity. We should think they might be; and from the delicate yet biting reflections contained in Mr. Uchimura's recent book, "The Diary of a Japanese Convert," it would seem very wise in the American Board to send only those men who are at least as wise as serpents, as well as provisionally harmless as doves, to cope with Japanese brilliant prejudices. Mr. Uchimura says: "Hosts, surplices, compulsory prayerbooks, theologies, unless they are absolutely necessary to convey Christianity itself to us, in our present state of mental development, we do desire to be spared from. We also like to have no Americanity and Anglicanity imposed upon us as Christianity. I hope none of us ever threw stones at Christ himself. If we did, we stoned at the Almighty Throne itself; and we shall have the truth itself to condemn us. But chide us not for throwing stones at missionaries who in the name of Christ teach us their own views, theologies they call them, and also their own manners and customs, such as 'free marriages,' 'woman's rights,' and others, all We do more or less objectionable to us. this for self-preservation. You who tolerate Catholicism, but not Roman Catholicism, who fling your pulpit addresses and newspaper editorials right at the face of Piuses and Leos for their interference in your school and other public affairs, sympathize with us in our protest against Americanism, Anglicanism, and other foreign isms. Then when you come to us, come with strong common sense. . . . I know some missionaries who preach to us as if we were their own countrymen. They seem to think that the method of Moody and Sankey that goes so successfully with Americans and Englishmen should succeed equally well with Japanese and Chinese. But Japanese and Chinese are not Americans, as you well know. They had not their childhood mothered with 'The Lord is my Shepherd,' 'Now I lay me down to sleep,' and other angelic melodies. They take as much delight in gong-bells as in Estey pipe-organs." Rise of Ritualism. SEVERAL recent events have called attention to the progress of ritualistic customs in the Episcopal Church. The dedication of an Episcopal Church in New York City called "The Church of St. Mary the Virgin" excited much comment in the daily press. The Tribune went so far as to make this remarkable utterance : "Everybody knows that ritualism has come to mean much more than a deepening of the old spiritual lines in the Episcopal Church. Its ultimate ascendency in the Church would be nothing less than a revolution, in which almost every distinctive characteristic of the Protestant Episcopal Church would disappear, and in its place would arise a reproduction of the mediaval church. The Oxford movement in 1832 began by defending and explaining itself. It felt that it must fight even for a tolerated. existence, and for some years it seemed it would find no permanent lodgment in the Anglican communion. But that day of apology and defence has passed. Instead of trying to show that they are not dishonest quibblers and traitors, the leaders of the ritualistic party have now got to the point of denouncing as dishonest quibblers and traitors those in the Church who interpret its doctrines in the light of modern critical investigation and modern life. This change of attitude is in itself a striking indication that, in its own opinion at least, ritualism has grown to a position of power. It is no longer a question whether it shall be driven out of the Church, but how long it will be before it will drive everybody else out of the Church." Era of Revivals. The Homiletic Review has a paper by Dr. D. S. Gregory upon "Preaching for the Present Crisis," in which he maintains that another great revival of evangelical dogma in religion is about to begin. It seems curious that any one can be expecting a flood-tide of Orthodoxy, while the evidence is so overwhelming in favor of the rapid spread of broader and more liberal religious thought. But, just as ritualism is welcomed as a cloak to attract attention away from the unanswerable arguments of an enlightened religious reason, so there is a school of ecclesiastics anxious for a war of creeds, hoping that in the excitement the unthinking multitudes may be hurried in to swell the ranks of Orthodoxy. Dr. Gregory refers almost gleefully to the past periods of dreadful revivalism, when men and women of nervous temperament were driven into the hysterical contortions of insanity by the ferocious efforts of thoughtless, fanatical, so-called "revivalists." His view of the best methods is ludicrously shown, when, in referring to Jonathan Edwards's time, he says, "In order to leave the sinner hopeless, tremendous stress was laid upon the condemning power of the law." If there is to be any extended effort to revive these methods of violence and out rage, let us at least do our share in spreading the antidote,—the religion of Jesus, the practice of love. Nothing so softens the influence of a revival as a good scattering of Unitarian literature through the community beforehand. Church Entertainments. THERE is a good deal of temptation, in these busy days, for the man who likes to write, to choose such methods of treatment for common subjects as shall transfer the matter in hand to the verge of sensationalism. seems to have succumbed more than once. In his latest essay in the January Forum, upon "A Study of Church Entertainments," one can hardly help feeling that all the innumerable benefits, all the permanent and deep helpfulness directly traceable to modern social life, now recognized as a valuable adjunct of church organization, have been purposely overlooked and ignored, with the intention of forcing into sensational prominence a few possible objections. This is no judicial or reasonable method of treating any subject, even were it of less importance than that of the social life of churches. But, by any reasonable method of treatment, Mr. Hale would be deprived of popular notice. Hence, apparently, the abuses of rational amusement are forced to the front. But Mr. Hale's arguments and reasons, even were they employed in a good cause, are as irrational as his sensational method. He offers, as irrefutable arguments against modern amusements, the undisputed though somewhat barren facts that there was never a strawberry festival at Ephesus, and that Paul never gave a stereopticon lecture! As justly it might be contended that all Christian congregations should squat upon the floor because there were no seats at Ephesus, and that Mr. Hale should send his manuscript to the Forum, indented upon strips of papyrus, because Paul never wrote with ink nor employed a typewriter. Indeed, having given himself over to the lures of sensationalism, Mr. Hale loses all sense of reality, and goes so far as to cite, as an object lesson for those wicked Protestant churches which give entertainments from which small sums are raised to be promptly expended in charity, the "Catholic Church," which, Mr. Hale says, is "an institution consecrated to the service of humanity," and generously maintained by those who are "eager to witness the constraining power of the love of our Saviour." As an argument, absurdity could go no further; for it would be hard, indeed, in any community to find a Protestant church that ever offered the enticements for money-raising through lotteries and raffles such as the Catholic Church adopts at its great money-making fairs. The subject of church entertainments is To this temptation Rev. William B. Hale an interesting one, and a legitimate field for suggestion, and, if need be, criticism; but such extravagantly one-sided attacks as Mr. Hale's are likely to be of little service except to the humorist. LITERARY men are True Forgiveness. not noted for lack of personal sensitiveness in the matter of criticism, and perhaps it is particularly hard to forgive sneers at the offspring of one's own heart and brain. An instance of such forgiveness is certainly rare enough to deserve notice. Edward Dowden, in the London Saturday Review, reviewing Matthew Arnold's "Letters," says: "I speak as one who was a victim. I had not to wait until now to ascertain that Professor Dowden in his 'Life of Shelley' was 'too much for my patience.' It would have been a pleasure to me if Matthew Arnold had liked anything that I had written. But one does not need a bribe to feel honor and affection for one to whom we all owe so much; and sometimes it is good to have a loyal regard which is not returned. My feeling toward the writer of these letters is expressed in Goethe's words: 'I love you: what is that to you?"" One of Ours. THE sad accident to Rev. Sewell Baker, our Unitarian minister at Sterling, Ill., by which both feet had to be amputated, called forth the deepest expressions of sympathy from all who heard of it. We are glad indeed to report that the people of Sterling, the Meadville alumni, and many personal friends have immediately and most heartily given very substantial form to their feelings of sympathetic sorrow for Mr. Baker and his wife in their sad affliction, and that everything possible will be done for them. Difficulty is a severe instructor set over us by the supreme ordinance of a parental Guardian, who knows us better than we know ourselves, as he loves us better, too. He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is thus our helper.-Edward Burke. Joy in one's work is the consummate tool without which the work may be done indeed, but without which the work will always be done slowly, clumsily, and without its finest perfectness.-Phillips Brooks. At the meeting of the board held January 14 several important subjects came up for consideration. The one having precedence was the missionary work in the South. On recommendation of the Southern Committee appropriations were made as follows: Atlanta, Ga., $200; Memphis, Tenn., $350; New Orleans, La., $500; Richmond, Va., $500; Austin, Tex.. $500; Rev. Henry A. Westall, Asheville, N.C., $350; and $1,250 for the salary of Mr. Chaney for six months. Mr. Chaney offered his resignation, which, after much earnest and sympathetic consideration, was accepted. The reasons which caused Mr. Chaney to offer his resignation, and the directors to accept it, may be reduced to one; namely, the lack of money to extend the operations and justify the maintenance of a superintendent in the field. Mr. Chaney thinks it would be possible to establish churches in every Southern State; but also he recognizes the fact that the work cannot be done without considerable approbeing such that the amount of money priations long continued. The conditions needed to carry on new operations in the South cannot be appropriated at present, Mr. Chaney had conscientious scruples against the spending of so much money on his office. No more honest, earnest, selfsacrificing, and able work has been done by any one in our missionary operations than by Mr. Chaney and his accomplished wife. The directors fully recognized this fact, and regretted the hard conditions which make the practice of economy imperative. Mr. Chaney's plan will be during the remainder of his term of service to strengthen the churches in the South, and prepare them for the change, in the hope that they may go on steadily toward self-support. The following vote was passed : "Voted, That, in taking this action, the board wishes to express a feeling of regret that lack of means compels such retrenchment of work in the South, and of gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Chaney for the excellent gifts of mind and heart and the spirit of self-sacrifice which they have brought to this work." Reports were received of the action of several State conferences in the Middle West concerning the plan of a missionary council which had been under consideration for several months. Some of these conferences have not accepted the specific plan proposed, but all have expressed a desire to work toward some general plan of co-operation. The directors therefore instructed Mr. Batchelor, the secretary of the Associa tion, to arrange, if possible, upon his return from the Pacific Coast, to attend a meeting of delegates in Chicago, to consider with them any plans of co-operation which may seem feasible, and report the result to the directors of the American Unitarian Association at the meeting in March. At a meeting of the Western committee Mr Forbush made a general estimate of the appropriations necessary for the ensuing year. He then, contrasting the cost of superintendence with the amount to be expended, advised the abolition of his office at the expiration of his term of service, Oct. 1, 1896. The committee so recommended, and the board voted to accept the recommendation. The following resolution was passed: Voted, That the board desires to put on record its sense of appreciation of the vigor, prudence, and good judgment with which Rev. T. B. Forbush has conducted the work of church extension in the Western department for the past six years." 66 The secretary, when this goes to press, will be on the Pacific Coast, hoping to greet all the missionary workers, from Southern California to Washington, and to come into sympathetic relations with those who are advancing our cause. He may be addressed, until February 17, at the Unitarian headquarters, 300 Post Street, San Francisco, Cal. GEORGE BATCHELOR. SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. The first part of the third year current leaflet lessons has come to an end. In that portion the parables were used to illustrate the "Teaching of Jesus." They covered some twenty lessons. So far as heard from, they have been popular. The lessons in the last half are now ready for February, in which the subject is changed to the "Beginning of Christianity." This promises to be a highly interesting course of lessons. The exciting events which attended the missionary work of the apostles will be treated in the coming twenty lessons. Of course, most of the interest centres around Saint Paul; but we are to have glimpses of Saint Stephen, Peter, and other earlier workers. The subjects for the February lessons are "At the Beautiful Gate," "The First Martyr," and "What Peter saw on the House-top." These appear, as heretofore, in three grades. The Intermediate and Advanced are bound together in one leaflet. Price, 50 cents a hundred. The Primary, illustrated, sells at the same rate. The Primary are prepared by Mrs. J. C. Jaynes, the Intermediate by Rev. Edward A. Horton, and the Advanced by Rev. Thomas R. Slicer. It will be remembered by some readers that announcement was made some time ago that the Unitarian Sunday School Society would publish lessons for the very youngest pupils in the kindergarten grade. This project is not given up; but certain obstacles have appeared, so that the Sunday School Society does not feel like issuing original lessons in this direction the present winter. It so happens that in Buffalo there has appeared a new series, which promises to meet, in a certain degree, this demand. The first quarter of these kindergarten "symbols" is entitled "Heart Gardens." The set consists of twelve lessons printed on card-board. The emblems are of varied character, which can be perforated, crayoned, or cut out. With each symbol there are a golden text and a seed truth. Although published under Trinitarian auspices, these cards are quite free from objectionable doctrine. In any case they can be used with discretion, the teachers in Unitarian Sunday Schools either discarding certain lessons and using the remainder or adapting and modifying as they go along. There is a division of opinion over this kind of publication, as there is concerning many of the modern methods of Sunday-school instruction. But the Sunday School Society is desirous of meeting the wants of the entire denomination, so far as possible. In view of that fact, it has laid in a stock of these cards, and is prepared to supply them at the following price: a set of "Heart Gardens," twelve cards in a set, for five cents, postage prepaid. The demand for the New Song and Service Book continues. Published some nine months ago, there has been an average of a thousand each month printed. One hundred and five schools have introduced the book. As a publication of this sort is of prime importance to the denomination, the following commendations, from sources that will be recognized as every way authoritative, are quite in place. They will assist in determining the judgment of those who are not so well versed. "After two or three years of continuous inquiry and investigation the Sunday-school of the Church of Our Father, Brooklyn, accepted your new song book almost as soon as issued. To say that they are pleased with it is to speak weakly. The tunes and statements have grown into increasing favor, and the opening services are greatly appreciated. On the whole, I do not hesitate to pronounce it, all in all, much the best musical publication for use in liberal Sunday-schools I have ever seen."-Rev. C. Ellwood Nash, D.D. "I have only just found an opportunity to examine your new Sunday school hymnbook, and am delighted with it. It seems to me by far the best book for its purpose that |