I see that our friends of the Watch Tower are predicting a time of
trouble such as the world has never seen; and it is to begin, they say,
in about seven years. On the contrary, in an article just to hand, there
is a most optimistic outlook for the uplift of society. The writer says:
"It is but little more than a century ago that the church awoke to the
fulness of the truth that God would have all men to be saved, and come
to the knowledge of the truth." Then he goes on to forecast the reign of
kindness, and good will and righteousness.

I make the quotation to show how easily, yet with what limitations, we
fall into the generally expressed view that God "would have all men to
be saved," while really ignoring the fact. For the writer evidently
refers to the time when the church awoke to the necessity of missions;
and he evidently thinks that our feeble efforts in that direction prove
in a general way that God "would have all men to be saved." He takes no
note of the millions and millions that have passed away without so much
as hearing the joyful sound. And he is equally oblivious to the fact
that millions who are living now, and other millions yet to come, will
never hear the Gospel in this life. Are not these some of the "all men"
whom God would save? Does it matter to Him whether they are in this
world or the next? Has any one of them gone beyond the sphere of His
love? We must enlarge our conception of God's own words and thoughts;
they are as high as heaven is high above the earth.

I have just received a circular from a pastor of a certain congregation.
It is an appeal on behalf of missions. It asks if this scheme of the
church is a failure; and if not, why it is not supported. Then it goes
on to say that the churches have been assessed in certain amounts, and
that this particular church is far behind in raising its share. Each