the center, evolving that which was latent in the soul at its inception.

Everything becomes new when viewed from the center of life. This is not to form a mental concept of a personal God; it is simply to realize that God is within, and to look from the God-like part of one's being outward. There can be no true or lasting expression of life till we recognize the highest within us. We may acquire all possible knowledge of the outer life and yet be deficient in wisdom, for wisdom and knowledge are not the same; but when they are combined the individual puts the knowledge he has to practical use. It is only through the right use of our knowledge that we become strong. When we utilize our possessions in the right way, greater possessions are acquired; thus do we learn the true secret of power. Many people think that if they half starve themselves, or if they live on certain kinds of food, or if they do or abstain from doing certain other things, they will bring about conditions that will tend to develop spirituality. But if one is right within he will do everything right without; that is to say, a man that is pure in heart will be clean and whole in body. Mental activity produces physical activity.

Possibly two-thirds of the work of the world is done in the wrong way, because we think about it in the wrong way. One may sit down and say, “Now, I am going to rest," and yet find no rest. One may lie down and have all sorts of thoughts running through his mind that will make him thoroughly tired in both mind and body. When we learn to do things in the right way we will not be tired because of their doing.

The secret of power lies in going to the very heart of things -to the soul-and working from within outward, thus developing love and faith and hope, and in that way becoming "magnetic" by imparting these qualities to others. Think clearly. Get a clear mental conception of what you wish to accomplish and steadfastly adhere to it. Be temperate in all things, and everything necessary in the physical life will come

to you because it is right that it should. The thought of "doing penance" is a perversion of the truth. But it may be necessary to separate one's self from others occasionally. Jesus did this at times; he went into the wilderness or out on the sea, but he returned again to his work.

The one who accomplishes the most in life will be the one who is unceasingly doing good to others; the one who becomes strong without taking thought of self-simply working because he loves to work, doing good because he loves to do good, always working from the highest impulse (which invariably comes from within) rather than from any impression from without. There is nothing strange or mysterious about this. The secret of power is open to all. Any one who chooses may become perfectly strong and well. Failure is due to our having established certain habits in the past that we find hard to relinquish. The old habits having brought us so little, why should we continue to hold them when the new course offers so much? Why should we not claim for ourselves that which legitimately belongs to us? It is by persevering-knowing that we can do, knowing that we can be-that we shall attain our desires. This is the secret of power-to go right to the heart of things and work outward to the circumference of life.

THE earth is not the prison-house of a race condemned to be circumscribed during the first stage of its immortal career by the fearful curse of God; but it is the beautiful and appropriate scene. of human endeavor and trial, of human aspiration and success, on which we are fully persuaded that the tenderest blessing of God's parental love is ever resting.-Charles C. Coe.

HAVE to do with nothing but the true,

The good, the eternal,—and these not alone
In the main current of the general life,
But small experiences of every day.

-Robert Browning.

BY F. EDWIN ELWELL.

Over the brink of yon hill

I see the setting sun
Drop out of sight,

As honest labor's done.

The wind goes howling by,
And the clear orbed moon
Is flecked with rushing cloud;
Snow glistens on the doon.

Alone in Nature's wildest mood
Is better far than cities' crowd,
Where all is maddened rush
And money's strong and loud;

Where callow youths dress fine,
With brainless heads aside
And walk that is not man's,

But a foolish, useless stride.

Man's made to live as man,
In simple, honest ways,
Lifting the inner, higher thought
To build eternal happy days.

THE CHURCH OF THE FUTURE.

BY ADELLE WILLIAMS WRIGHT.

To those who have given any attention to the subject it must be evident that a strong wave of spiritual thought is sweeping over the world at the present time, carrying us with irresistible force onward to higher and better things. A new era has dawned, which we may very properly term "The Age of Spiritual Truth." Its influence is permeating every department of life and is felt both in the churches and outside of them. Not only in the liberal churches, but even in the most conservative, there is a stronger disposition than ever before to get at the truth; and this is evinced by the many controversies and struggles that arise over matters of belief and in regard to discarding old dogmas. It is also felt strongly in the political field, and in no way perhaps is this spiritual evolution more distinctly manifest than in the rapidly spreading principles of Socialistic philosophy.

But aside from all systems of worship and all parties, there is evident a growing disposition to inquire into those things which pertain directly or indirectly to the soul's welfare. It is as if an unseen hand had been at work scattering seeds of spiritual thought, which are everywhere springing into active. life and lifting us onto higher planes.

As the last era has been marked by splendid achievements in things that are the outgrowth of mental advancement, so the one now upon us will be marked by great progress in those that depend upon the development of the higher activities-the education, as it were, of the spirit.

The study of Ethics is now made much more prominent than before in our colleges and universities, and the time will come when even the children in our public schools shall receive

more careful and competent instruction along these higher lines. This is certainly in accordance with the universal law of progress, for, however important we may consider the development of the mind, we must all feel that of the soul to be infinitely more imperative.

Religion, being only another name for that portion of Truth which pertains more particularly to this higher development, is, like all truth, absolute and unchanging. The various doctrines promulgated in her name are only man's interpretation of religion. It is incorrect to speak of the Christian faith, the Buddhist, the Mohammedan, etc., as so many different religions. The same great truth underlies them all, and this truth is Religion. It is given to man in that form in which he is best fitted to receive it, and in the manner that will appeal most forcibly to him. Religion may be likened to a mighty tree that no storm can uproot, while a vigorous stirring of the soil about its roots only serves to aid its more rapid growth. It implies, above everything else, harmony with the divine attributes of the Universal Mind, and the better we understand it the more completely shall we be able to live "in tune with the Infinite" and the more nearly shall we approach the perfect life.

In spite of all their errors and superstitions, in spite of all the accumulated rubbish of forms and creeds with which they are burdened, there can be no doubt that the churches have really done more for the development of spiritual thought than any other agency-not because of any doctrines they have sought to establish, but because they have all striven to cultivate the religious instinct, which is the highest instinct that man possesses.

But, powerful as the denominational churches of the past have been, the time must eventually come when, through a natural and inevitable evolutionary process, all sectarian lines shall disappear, and the great Universal Church-the church of the future-shall take their place. Even now the beginning