nstitution now so opposite to the ancient Scriptural and Covenanted
Constitution of the realm? The Reformed Presbyterian Churches of
Scotland and Ireland are the only Churches within the British Dominions
that take this position of political dissent. Their fathers took it at
the Revolution settlement, and they have maintained it all through these
centuries till now; and they have done so not because they love the
nation less, but Christ more. If this position were assumed by larger
numbers throughout the land, who knoweth whether they would "not come to
the kingdom for such a time as this?" "Shall the throne of iniquity have
fellowship with Thee, that frameth mischief by a law?" "Wherefore, come
out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord."

"Hope thou not, then, earth's alliance,
Take thy stand behind the cross;
Fear, lest by unblest compliance,
Thou transmute thy gold to dross.
Stedfast in thy meek endurance,
Prophesy in sackcloth on;
Hast thou not the pledged assurance,
Kings one day shall kiss the Son."

The popular acceptance of these doctrines and principles by the State
and the Churches at present, would imply a vast mental upheaval--a vast
moral revolution. But the best hopes and wishes for the nation at large
are that it will come and come soon, and the present evils, however
great, must not be allowed to produce a pessimistic tone. Very hopeless
seemed the prospects before the first Reformation, but that Reformation
came. Very hopeless seemed the prospects before the second Reformation,
but that Reformation came. And however dark the prospects now before a
third Reformation, that Reformation shall come! The world is nearing the
last stage of its history, as pointed out by Daniel in the dream of the
monarch of Babylon, prior to the overwhelming and triumphant progress of
the stone-kingdom, cut out of the mountain. That immense image of
Nebuchadnezzar, in its gold and silver and brass and iron, represented
those four vast monarchies which, in their successive periods, swayed
the government of the world. But in the fact that the image was in the
form of a man, the spirit that actuated these four empires of earth is
strikingly emphasized--the spirit of the idolatry of humanity. They were
all embodiments of the man-will: Babels for the incarnation of
heaven-daring human aspirations, and so carried within even their
colossal proportions the elements of confusion