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(4-5) ehurch, and now it is to mean the blessing of all the families of the earth, as the Scriptures have promised. Yea, the Seriptures clearly show that these blessings are intended for those who are in their graves, as well as for the living. IS THERE A_ LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN THE MINISTRY? Rev. Chas, E, Newlin addressed the regular monthly meeting of Methodist preachers in Atlanta some days ago, and in the course of his address Mr. Newlin used the words: ‘‘I can prove by 99 per cent. of the business men of Atlanta that they lack confidence in the real, true manhood of the preachers of the city.’ The Rev. B. Frank White, in leaving the pastorate of the First Presbyterian church, of Connellsville, Pa., is quoted as saying: ‘‘A man can’t be honest in the ministry and hold his job.’’ As Mr. White expects to remain in the ministry, although sceking another field, the inference is that he prefers a station where he can preach the word in a style more in keeping with his conscientious scruples. The writer is inclined to believe that both of the assertions above quoted are rather broad, if not more or less exaggerated. We believe that the great majority of ministers are honest and are doing all in their power to advance the cause of religion here on earth; we also believe that there are some in the pulpit who have no right to be there. The vision they saw in the clouds, ‘‘G. P. C.,’’? meant not to ‘‘Go Preach Christ,’’ as they imagined, but to ‘‘Go Pick Cotton.’’—South Georgia Progress. WHY MINISTERS DESERVE SYMPATHY Christian ministers deserve considerable sympathy. They are at the present time in a very trying position. It is the conscientious ones who are in trouble. Behind them are the creeds and theories of the dark ages, to which they are chained: (1) By the vows which they took at their ordination. (2) By the honor of their position in the sight of their friends and neighbors, (3) By their financial necessities and those of their families. Ministers possessed of an education know not only that the creeds of the past are in conflict with each other and with reason, but also that those creeds are in conflict with the Bible. Better translations and older MSS. have shown us the fallacy of deductions made by our forefathers. Every educated minister now knows that the Hebrew word translated ‘‘hell’’ in the Old Testament Scriptures, means the tomb—the state of death—the only hell that was known for four thousand years. They know that in our Common Version of the Bible this word Sheol is translated grave and pit more times than it is translated hell. They know that it never means and never did mean, anywhere, a place of fire and torture. Baptist ministers have gotten out a new Bible in which they go to the trouble of translating this word Sheol by three English words, ‘‘the under-world.’’ This hides the truth from the average mind about as much as the mistranslation hell does. But it helps our Baptist friends a little in dealing with Sheol, for of course, in the grave, in the tomb, is in ‘‘ the underworld.’’? Of course nobody thinks there is another world of living people in the center of the earth. It is only the dead that are in the under-world—in the tomb. All educated ministers know further that the word Hades, in the New Testament translated hell, is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Sheol, and likewise means the under-world, the tomb, the state of death or condition of death. The trouble with these ministers is that they know that their congregations are not generally aware of the truth on the subject, and they fear to tell those truths lest they should be accused of having practiced deception in the past, when as a matter of fact they had simply taken from theologians of the dark ages what they in turn gave to the people, without examining the Seripture proof. HONESTY TO GOD AND RELIGION MOST COMMENDABLE Another difficulty confronting these ministers is this: For the past twenty years the colleges of the United States, Great Britain, Germany, cte., have been teaching the evolution theory —that man was not created in God’s image, that he was not in God’s sight ‘‘very good,’’ and that he did not fall down from divine favor. It teaches, on the contrary, that he was an evolution from the ape, and instead of falling has been rising in the seale of intelligence and getting nearer to God’s image every year, all the time. Following the evolutionists came the higher critics, declaring that the Bible is really old wives’ fables and not at all inspired. Nearly all graduates of colleges and seminaries for the past twenty years have gone into pulpits, consecrated to the preaching of God’s Truth from the Bible standpoint, in violation of whatever conscience they have. These generally are the great and popular preachers of all denominations. They consider not the vows of their ordination, THE WATCH TOWER Brooxtyn, N. Y but practically say, ‘‘We do not hide our unbelief to any extent. We answer questions of the people with a measure of candor, dodging occasionally; and if they know anything about the Bible themselves, they know that we do not believe in its inspiration. If they wish to continue us as their preachers and to honor us and to pay our salaries, we will continue to serve them. By and by we will get their faith in the Bible thoroughly undermined; and then we will come out into the open. Then we will tell them that we falsified a little for their good, as a mother would tell her babe some fairy story for its entertainment.’’ The preachers who are in trouble are the conscientious ones who believe the Bible to be true and who have not yet gotten their bearings. They cannot long believe in an eternity of torture, yet are afraid to follow the course of the International Bible Students Association in a thorough Bible study which ignores the erceds. These poor men know not what to believe, and are in great trepidation when a question is asked them by the people who pay them for religious advice. They cannot dig. To beg they are ashamed. And to tell the whole truth about what they know and what they do not know respecting the Bible they are afraid. They have our sympathy. Our advice to all such is, ‘‘Tell the truth and shame the devil!’’ Take your stand for what truth you sec, and seek for more light upon God’s Word in this glorious dawning of the new era, in which God declares that He is pleased to give an increase of light on things divine. ‘‘The wise shall understand, but none of the wieked [or hypocrites] shall understand.’’—Daniel 12:10. It would appear as if we are living in the time of special testing so clearly foretold by the Lord. Everything hidden would be uncovered, he said. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness. (1 Cor. 4:5.) Jf we would not be put to shame before him, we must be honest. Who can doubt that honesty, especially in respect to God and religion, is most estimable from the divine standpoint? None of us have anything whereof to boast. But if we are honest with our God, we can look up to him, by faith realizing that we are acceptable through Jesus Christ our Lord. THE REMEDY FOR INEQUALITY OF CONDITIONS ‘<The struggle under the competitive system is not worth the effort,’’ wrote the publisher at Girard, Kan., of a widely circulated Socialistie newspaper, just before he committed suicide. Covld there be a more mistaken reason for a Socialist’s self-destruction? This man’s peculiar creed had been accepted within a few davs of his death by a million of his countrymen. A new political party that subscribed to many of his beliefs had polled 4,000,000 votes. If Socialism is a true remedy for political and industrial ills, those who preach it should be filled with confidence and hope. It is to be feared that it is not a true remedy. Human nature is competitive. No matter how it may be governed, it will not be radically changed.—N. Y. World. * * * We agree with the Editor of the World, that four millions of American voters and as many millions abroad are Socialists from the conviction that Socialism is the proper remedy for the world’s difficulties. We agree with the Editor of the World, also, that these well-meaning men are deceiving themselves. The only remedy for the inequality of human conditions is the one which God has declared he will provide. Selfishness is so ingrained in humanity that apparently none can be absolutely just when self-interest is in the opposite balance. God purposes to settle the whole matter for rich and poor in his own way—and his way must be the best way. He purposes to change the hearts of men. In the Bible he tells us that he will take away the stony heart and give a heart of flesh. (Ezek. 36:26.) This signifies that he will make mankind more tender-hearted, more sympathetic. He will restore that condition of things which existed at the beginning, when father Adam and mother Eve were created in the divine likeness, and declared to be very good and aeceptable in God’s sight.—Genesis 1:26, 31. The fall drove our first parents from Eden and necessitated the battle for daily bread, against thorns and thistles, ete. Under this influence selfishness has developed and now, after six thousand years, is deep-seated. What a blessing it will mean for God to take away this stony heart and to give the heart of flesh! When that time shall come and that change shall have been effected, Socialism will be a success and surely will prevail throughout the whole earth. But, you ask, by what mighty miracle ean this change of heart he accomplished? How can the whole world be thus converted? The Bible answers that it will be done, not by sudden [5154]