Church Review/Vol. 3/No. 18

VOL3NO18P09

THE CHURCH REVIEW. <br><br> Epworth League Dep't. <br><br> FIRST M. E. <br> The Mystery of Evil. <br> Job 6:5-4 and 7:1-11. Job in the sixth chapter replies to Eliphas and in the seventh turns from men to God. He turns Complaining however. The burden of his complaint is, that he is watched as though he is able still to commit some awful crime, and, that he is punished as though he had committed some unpardonable sin. From the human side we cannot but sympathize with him. But it is always unwise to murmur. It always increases misery; it breeds forgetfulness of mercies and may lead to rebellion against God. Evil is mysterious, in its origin, in its continuance. <br> It is sometimes said that good shall ultimately come out of evil. We are glad to believe this to save us from despair, but we are not to believe that evil came into existence or is permitted to continue for the purpose of bringing about good. <br> For every case where affliction and chastisement, seemingly evil, and only evil, have sweetened the character and heightened the moral sense, there are ten cases where the reverse has resulted. <br> But "The judge of all the earth will do right." In Job's case we may suppose that his affliction did perfect his character and the conclusion of the poem would lead us to believe that good came out of evil also. <br> Perhaps the best explanation of the mystery of evil which we are able to find would be a composite made up of the righteousness of God, the perfecting of character and an universal good. There is no mystery of evil in Job's case as here is in ours. The author of the book has let in the light on the governing causes, which in our cases still remain obscure. The following quotation may aid in solving perplexities. "The path of danger is the path of honor. Could Job have known as Jehovah did know, that he was being put to the proof in order both that all the hierarchy of heaven might be convinced of man's capacity for a sincere and genuine piety, and that all subsequent generations of men, looking back on the trial of his faith, might find it pregnant with incentives to courage and patience and hope, he would have rejoiced that he was counted worthy to suffer for an end so large and noble." <br><br> The meeting will be led by Messrs. Douglas and Inger and will be of special interest. <br><br> Leaves. <br> The second International Epworth League conference convenes at Chattanooga, Tenn., June 27-30. The city is making great preparations. It expects to entertain 15,000 visitors. <br> Two thousand new Sunday school superintendents and ten thousand teachers are demanded by the Methodist Episcopal church this year. Where are they to come from? Largely from the Epworth League. What a glorious mission! <br> Hon. Charles A. Scheren, mayor of Brooklyn is an enthusiastic member of the Luther League, an organization of Lutheran Young people which is rapidly springing lip in that communion. <br> Cabinet meeting Thursday evening, May 2nd, after meeting in League room. <br> The Leaguers are urged to be present as often as you can and help in the special meetings. This is your opportunity to help save some precious souls. <br> Salt Lake City. <br><br> Iliff League Notes. <br> The social at F. A. Grant's residence was a decided success, the way the cake and lemonade disappeared was a caution. <br> Next Sunday the League will commence at 7 p. m. so the church services will also change one half hour later. <br> Salt Lake City. <br><br> AMERICAN FORK, PRESBYTERIAN <br> The attendance, interest and collections of last Sabbath morning were good; the evening audience was fair. The sermon from I Cor. 15:14-20, was an "Easter-sermon" which the preacher was prevented by sickness from delivering on the previous Sabbath. <br> One of our faithful young members, who recently experienced "the new life in Christ," and has since given us special joy and help in all our work, has gone from us the past week to engage in work for the summer. when he expects to enter Park College, Mo., to prepare for further service of the Master. We shall all be deeply interested in the future success of our dear young brother, Crooks. <br> Another of our members moves east next week, and before the summer is ended-we shall lose at least two, and perhaps three, others. Such is mission work in Utah. The Lord grant the grace to sustain those who go and those who remain and "labor on." <br><br> "Many a devotee of right would fight corruption in the community but for one thing, and that is the improper habit corruption has of fighting back. But men ought not to do this. When they are exposed they should be ashamed and quit; but they aren't and they don't. They die hard and they throw mud and rocks, too, at their assailants. When the good man reflects on the damage the bad man can do [to] the good man's business or to his property or his reputation, the good man often concludes that reforming things is not his job." <br><br>