ALL OVER-RULED FOR GOOD!

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History relates that Seneca filled his own house,—though a "Stoic," with such a collection of Treasures,-that it is shrewdly suspected that his wealth excited the cupidity of others, who compassed his death, in order to obtain it.

THE MYSTERY OF PAIN.

But the Christian approaches the subject of the Necessity of Pain, Disappointment, and Suffering, by the Human Race, with bated breath. He takes an utterly, and entirely, different view of this Mystery of Pain, to that of the Pessimist. To the Believer the presence of Trial, Pain, Sin, and Conflict in this World of Probation, is an absolute Necessity for the Formation of Character, or the "Christian Life!" He cannot conceive anything more hopeless than a World of Puppets! A Race all fed by the Creator, without the necessity of the slightest Labour, Toil, Exertion, or Self-denial, on their part, all "good," because there being no evil permitted in the World,-no temptation,nothing to try them, it is impossible for them to be anything else, whether they wanted to be so or not! It would be a "goodness," (?) of a World of perfect Machines, all going round for ever,-a World of excellently contrived Puppets all doing the same thing! No discipline, no trial, no "tried goodness," which is the only real "goodness!" No Pain to educate us,-to lead us to feel for others,-no distress of others, to give us the opportunites of "doing good,”—no sorrow to induce Sympathy towards our Fellow Men!

Of course God could have constructed such a World,— but Millions of the best,-the wisest, the holiest of Men, -the "God-like" men,-have had cause to thank Him for ages past that,-in His Infinite Counsels,-He did not!

The Mystery of Pain! What a Subject! This entire Book might be filled with it!

It has been over-ruled by God to produce results infinitely precious to Millions of Immortal Souls!

What would you have? A World purposely designed to be a Trial Ground,-a State of Probation,—and yet without Sin, Trial, Temptation, or Pain?

Dear Reader! It is self contradictory! The idea is monstrous! You cannot have true Virtue or Goodness without Trial. How else are they to be produced? How do you know they are there? How can you have "trial," without "temptation?" How can you have temptation without the presence of Sin, Tempters, Evil, and Evil

796 "IS LIFE WORTH LIVING? CERTAINLY IT IS!

Men? And how can Sin, and Evil, be present, without Pain, Sorrow, and Retribution accompanying them?

We Christians believe that we owe everything to the Mystery of Pain. To it we owe the priceless Sufferings, and Death, of our Blessed Lord, upon which alone we rely for our final Reconciliation with, and Acceptance by, our God, our Eternal Salvation, and admission into a Future Life of Endless Bliss!

We look to the Mystery of Pain as an expression of the ultimate, and Eternal, Love of God to His Creature Man! 'My Thoughts are not your Thoughts,-neither are your ways My Ways, --saith the Lord! For as high as the Heavens are above the Earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."—Isaiah lv., 8. 9.

We accept the "Mystery of Evil," and the "Mystery of Pain," as necessary, and in the case of the Believer,(and, dear Reader, you are invited, and urged to be a "Believer" from your Childhood to your Grave),-always over-ruled by God for Good!

We are certain that the Good will ultimately prevail, and there we rest! We Christians do not profess to grasp the Infinite, or to discern the Evil from the Beginning,but "one thing we know,-whatever is,-is right!" The "Pessimist" asks, "Is Life worth living? answers, "NO!"

and

The Christian Believer asked the same question,answers,- joyfully,- gratefully, and hopefully,-emphatically"YES!"

Go down a Country Lane in Summer, amongst the Wild Flowers, -Birds singing, Bees humming, Youths at their Cricket, &c., and, dear Reader, you will admit that the Good God gives us all things freely to enjoy!

DUTY OF CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS. THE "CHRISTIAN," AND THE "FREETHINKER,"-A CONTRAST. A "FREETHINKER UPON AN ATHEIST. ATHEISM ON BOTH SIDES THE ATLANTIC. THE SPEECHLESS POWER OF GOD. "ALPHA CENTAURI." AN AWFUL JOURNEY. THE NUMBER OF THE LOST OBJECTION WILL NOT DO. THE HONEST PHYSICIAN.

"By their Fruits ye shall know them!"

"When the Son of Man cometh, -shall He find Faith in the Earth?"

CHRISTIAN DUTY.

"The Welfare of the Community is the Supreme Law!"

"Exhort one another,-while it is called To-day,-lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin,-lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of Unbelief, in departing from the living God !"-Hebrews iii. 13-12

Note. The following Chapter is written under the conviction that there are Diseases of the Mind as horrible, and corrupt, in God's sight, as the most repulsive Diseases of the Body can be to us. That Unbelief,-not of the mere head, or intellect, on the part of the Young needing instruction, but wilful, resolute, Unbelief of the Heart,determined, life-long, rejection of God, and Christ, is the

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UNBELIEF THE SIN OF OUR DAY.

worst of these Diseases, the most Deadly, and, unfortunately, contagious.

Christian Reader. "I object to the Subject of 'Unbelief,' Infidel Literature or Notions, being brought before Young People at all. I consider that,

"Where ignorance is Bliss,-'tis Folly to be Wise'!"

Undoubtedly! All Christians object to it! Ignorance of Unbelief, and of Unbelievers, is Bliss ! It would be a happy thing for Old England if there did not exist a Sceptic, or Atheist, in our Country! The entire subject, is objectionable, but where are our Young People to go to avoid it? Object to it as much as we like, the subject of Scepticism,-Unbelief,-is absolutely forced upon Young People in 1891, whether they like it, or whether they do not!

They meet with Unbelief.-in our day,-everywhere! In the Magazines,-the Monthlies,-in the Newspapers,in Publicly Advertised Lectures,-at School,-at Colleges, -in the Workshop,-and in the Writings, Lectures, and Views, of (so-called) "Scientific" Men!

Even in Modern Works of Fiction, the Bias, or Tendency is, too often, on the side of Scepticism. Indeed Memorials, Statues, &c., are openly proposed to commemorate noted Atheists, and the Public seem to make no protest!

There never has been a day in which there were so many things calculated to excite doubt in the Truths of Revelation, and to spread the Poison, and deadly Nightshade of Unbelief amongst Young People!

Well! Reader ! Use your ears,-your eyes, your common-sense! Look around you and say if it is not

so !

Now that there is a Lull in the Wars, and Bloodshed, of former days, now that Mankind have learnt to Worship God in their own way, without any desire to Murder, any longer, those who Worship in a somewhat different manner to their own, now that Education and General Enlightenment, has dawned upon the Nations,-it would seem that the Devil is attempting a new departure, endeavouring to persuade Mankind that he does not exist, and that there is no God! He is "shamming dead" once more,-though never more active, and wherever his agents go they are instructed to whisper,—and whisper loudly too,—" Hell is but a Fable! Heaven a Poet's Dream!"

Then are you, Christian Reader doing your Part,-your Duty, as a Follower of Christ, by simply ignoring the

WHY THE CHAPTER IS WRITTEN.

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existence of a Dread Disease, which is spreading,-like a Blight,-over our Country, and indeed over all other Nations!

This final Struggle with Atheism is entered into with the firm Conviction that the Future Contest for the Human Race will now be between Scepticism, and Faith,-Unbelief and Belief, Piety and Atheism; that every Young Reader who peruses this Chapter, will, before he dies,-have made his final decision by his life,-practice,-example,and influence over others,-which cause he will promote, -either the Religion of Jesus Christ, or the Views, and Indifference, of the practical Atheist or Unbeliever,―and,finally, that upon that decision will rest his own Salvation, -or his own Perdition through all Eternity!

The Religion of this Empire, and also that of the vast Empire of America,-since the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers, has ever been the "Christian" Religion,-having Christ for its Central Figure. This Religion is,-and ever will be,-precious to Millions of the English Speaking Race! It has been the means of raising us to become Nations such as this fallen World has never seen!

By the year 2,000, it is believed that the English Language will be spoken by 1,700 Million People, as against 500 Million employing Continental Languages.

The population of British India, and India under British rule, has been estimated (1891) at 273,533,000; of whom 211,936,000 are in British territory. (The official return for China is 303,000,000, which is probably overstated by three millions. Russia has a population of about (in Europe) 91,861,910, in Asia 17,000,000; and Germany of 46,855,704).

Surely with all these Millions placed under our Influence, it is the duty of every true Christian in 1891, firmly, boldly, and constantly, to state, that the Religion of our Lord Jesus Christ we are resolved to maintain; that we are prepared to defend it at all times,-under all circumstances, and against all Foes, with our Property,-Time,-Talents, and if needful,—once more,-with our Lives!

The continued Public Sale of Infidel Literature,—the License now permitted for delivering Blasphemous Lectures in Public, and the placing of notorious, 'aggressive Infidels' into offices of authority as, (Heaven save the Mark,) our Rulers, are thus legitimate Subjects for Christian Criticism, and Reprobation.

Why? Because these Persons, and this Literature are, -so to speak,-forced upon a reluctant Christian Nation, --and Christian Country,-against the wishes of the vast