Religion Books

Invitation. 1 Come to the house of prayer, O ye afflicted, come! The God of peace shall meet you there, He makes that house His home. 2 Come to the house of praise, Ye who are happy now; In sweet accord your voices raise, In kindred homage bow. 3 Ye aged, hither come, For ye have felt His love; Soon shall ye lift a holier song In fairer courts above. 4 Ye young, before His throne, Come, bow; your... more...

INTRODUCTION Praesentia tangens. . . . .  Futura prospiciens. Problems characterize every age, sum up the complex life of nations and give them their distinctive features. They form that moral atmosphere which makes one period of history responsible and tributary to another. And indeed, in every human problem there is an ethical element. This imponderable factor, which often baffles our calculations,... more...

CHAP. I. ON THE CEREMONIES OF THE MASS CONTENTS. Origin of the word ceremony—object of ceremonies—institution of the mass—its earliest ceremonies—discipline of secrecy—liturgy of the Roman church—general review of the principal ceremonies of the mass—mass of the catechumens, ambones—mass of the faithful, blessed water, secrecy, prayers for the dead—Latin the language of the Roman... more...

HAPPY NEW YEAR Happy New Year, Juniors! The morning of the first day of every year we enter into a contest. We see who will be the first to give that day's greeting. Before I was awake this morning my boy ran into my room shouting, "Happy New Year! Happy New Year!" He won in the contest. Now, however, you are in Church and it is not proper for you to speak out loud, so I am able to get... more...

INTRODUCTION. The contents of this volume will be found, I hope, to be in agreement with its title. Amongst the helps of Christian life, the highest place is due to the Christian church and its ordinances. I have been greatly misunderstood with respect to my estimate of the Christian church, as distinguished from the Christian religion. I agree so far with those, from whom I in other things most widely... more...

CHAPTER I. THE GOTHS IN SPAIN. Just about the time when the Romans withdrew from Britain, leaving so many of their possessions behind them, the Suevi, Alani, and Vandals, at the invitation of Gerontius, the Roman governor of Spain, burst into that province over the unguarded passes of the Pyrenees. Close on their steps followed the Visigoths; whose king, taking in marriage Placidia, the sister of... more...

LECTURE I [Greek: "Hêmin de apodeikteon hôs ep' eutuchia tê megistê para Theôn hê toiautê mania didotai hê de dê apodeixis estai deinois men apistos, sophois de pistê"] PLATO, Phædrus, p. 245. "Thoas. Es spricht kein Gott; es spricht dein eignes Herz. Iphigenia. Sie reden nur durch unser Herz zu uns." GOETHE, Iphigenie.   "Si notre vie est moins qu'une... more...

DEATH—AND AFTER? Who does not remember the story of the Christian missionary in Britain, sitting one evening in the vast hall of a Saxon king, surrounded by his thanes, having come thither to preach the gospel of his Master; and as he spoke of life and death and immortality, a bird flew in through an unglazed window, circled the hall in its flight, and flew out once more into the darkness of the... more...

PREFACE TO THE TENTH EDITION. THIS work has passed through nine editions, and has been out of print now for nearly a year. During the twenty years which have elapsed since it was written, the question of immortality, the faith and opinions of men and the drift of criticism and doubt concerning it, have been a subject of dominant interest to me, and have occupied a large space in my reading and... more...

To my reverend Friend Mr.SAMUEL WARD. Sir, your Sermon which I copied partly from your mouth, and partly from your notes, I have adventured into the light; encouraged by the approbation, and earnest entreaty of such, whose judgements you reverence, and whose love you embrace: who also have made bolde heere and there to varie some things, not of any great consequence, if I can judge. I was loth to... more...