preached faith, that is, that men should come to him with willing minds, of their own motion, with confidence and devotion. He entirely dissociated himself from the Jewish theocracy, and claimed no worldly power or domination. Upon the greatest public occasion of his life, standing before the Roman governor, interrogated by him when accused of the Jews, he said expressly that his kingdom was not of this world, neither would his servants fight. Pilate was convinced of Jesus' innocence and would have released him, but was intimidated by a maddening crowd. Paul refers to that occasion, and honors Jesus' witness to himself as "a good confession." In the same spirit, setting forth the methods, the ways and means of Christianity, Paul declared that its weapons of warfare are not carnal, but spiritual. His ministry had the same characteristic as the ministry of Jesus. It was a ministry of persuasion, beseeching and praying men to be reconciled to God.

It was the folly of the fourth century that Church leaders reversed the method of Jesus and of Paul, and clothed Christianity with civil power, and armed the Church with the sword. It was well intended. When the peaceful religion that had survived ten persecutions of so many emperors came under the protection and patronage of Constantine, and he sat with fathers of the Church in the Nicene council, it was heralded as a great triumph of the faith, as though Christ had come to reign. But it proved a delusion and a snare, and made Christianity what our Lord said his religion was not, a kingdom of this world. It gradually reduced Christianity to a priestly and hierarchal and dogmatic system. It gave to Cæsar the things that are God's. The religion in which Jesus taught his disciples to look up and say, "Our Father which art in heaven," degenerated into one that called a human being "The Holy Father." A pope took Cæsar's place, and wore imperial robes, and held both purse and sword. Where in the first century martyrs bled rather than

worship Cæsar's image, in a degenerate age the Roman Church bowed the knee to one clad and bedizened in Cæsar's place as Pontifex Maximus.

After more than a thousand years that delusion holds a considerable portion of the world in its snare. The catastrophe has been compared to man's first disobedience, "Paradise Lost." When, however, the general ignorance and shortsightedness of man on other subjects is considered, it need not seem strange that men have been blinded and misled in religion. Until recent times, the size and shape of the earth and its place in the universe were entirely misapprehended. Men correct their errors slowly and stubbornly. Repentance and reformation are our constant imperative. A Christian man and a Christian church should keep abreast with all knowledge and maintain that superiority of soul in the practice of virtue and goodness which shall give unanswerable proof that Christianity is a pure religion, accordant with the moral nature and the reason of man, the divine remedy for sin and misery, the saving health of mankind, rich in blessing for all who will keep its laws. And I bless God that once more, and on this day, I can lift up the preacher's voice and say, "Ho, every one that thirsteth; come ye to the healing waters. It is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."

In conclusion, the congregation will pardon a personal reference. Fifty-eight years have passed this present month since my ordination, when I seemed to be put in trust with a humble share of responsibility to preach the gospel. I had been trained in a Christian home and church; and the Holy Faith had won my youthful heart. At my ordination it was my felicity not to be hampered by subscription to a creed, or by denominational restriction, but to know no other duty than to teach and preach Jesus Christ. After two years and three months of missionary

labor at Maquoketa, Andrew, Bellevue, and other new settlements in Jackson county, I was invited to the pastoral office in this congregation, and since that time have discharged my ministry among you as of the ability which God giveth, though in weakness and with a sense of insufficiency for these things. To speak of the love of God which passeth knowledge, of the glory of the Son of God, the man Christ Jesus, of the Holy Spirit of truth; to speak of repentance and faith and the holy laws; to preach as Jesus and Paul preached, and bring the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to instruct the children, to comfort the stricken in heart, to help in every righteous and good cause, and do as the duty of every day required in useful service this has been the work of my life.

At seventy years of age I offered my resignation as your pastor, knowing that I could not longer trust myself for full performance of duty. You told me, No; that you would call another to do the work, but I should remain among you to the end of my days in comfort and honor. And now gracious Providence has brought me to the end of fourscore years in the pilgrimage of time. In the last ten years I have suffered the heaviest sorrow and trial of my life, but the mercy and loving kindness of the Lord have not forsaken me, for which I record my devout gratitude. I wish also to express my grateful appreciation of your care and regard in innumerable acts of sympathy, love and consideration. I almost feel that I should say with Simeon, "Lord, now lettest Thou thy servant depart in peace; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation." We leave all in the hands of Infinite Wisdom and bow to His will.

1

Brethren beloved, my joy and crown, and my dear brother 1 in charge of this pulpit and the pastor's work, and the trustees, and the deacons, and every member of the congregation, I implore

1 Rev. Robert Luvern Marsh, D.D., Associate Pastor, 1899-1905. He died in Los Angeles, Cal., August 31, 1906.

upon you, and upon my thousand friends in this city, and upon the whole people of Burlington, the blessing which Moses the servant of the Lord gave to the ancient congregation of Israel:

"The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:

The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." And in the words of Paul:

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

the English language the word Bible has a special and exclusive meaning. It denotes one book, one book only. It came into English from the Latin, and it came into Latin from the Greek language. In Greek the word is applied to the book of Moses the "bible of Moses," as Jesus spoke of it (Mark 12: 26). The "bible of Isaiah" was handed to Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke 4: 17). Many things which Jesus did are not written in "this bible," says the Gospel according to John (20:30). Paul asks Timothy to bring "the bibles" (2 Timothy, 4: 13). In the Greek Old Testament, the "bible" of Moses, the "bible" of Samuel, the "bible" of Nathan, etc., are mentioned, and it is said that of making "many bibles" there is no end.

Although in Latin another word denoted a book (liber), from which comes library, yet as there grew up an ecclesiastical Latin, the Greek word "Biblia" was applied to a collection of the Old and New Testament books. They were entitled "Sacra Biblia," which, literally translated, would be "Sacred Books," or "Holy Bibles." This translation might have averted the error, into which children and the unlearned fall, of regarding the Bible as one book, of one date and origin, and all its parts of the same value. This misconception multiplies the difficulties in understanding the Bible, and has led to many superstitions.

To correct these things, to instruct the people that they may read the Bible with discrimination as to its different parts, and distinguish what is obsolete and done away from what is of essen