ons_,
genitive _Fontis_, meaning a _fountain_ or spring, referring to
Baptism as a Laver of Regeneration, the source of new and spiritual
life.

Foreign Missions.--(See DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY.)

Forms.--One great objection brought against the Episcopal Church by
many persons not members of it is what they call _forms and
ceremonies_. They say what they want is "spiritual religion," and
this objection seems to be so final with them there is evidently
nothing more to be said. It is not the purpose of this article to
go into a vindication of forms, but rather to point out how
unreasonable this objection is. If it were real, it would do away
with all social forms and all forms in business as well as in
religion. But they who make this objection do not adhere to it in
their own religion. They cannot come together, even in a "Prayer
Meeting" without some method or form which must be gone through
with. Even the Quakers who, above all others, lay the greatest
stress on "spiritual religion," must have their _form_--of silence,
speech, dress and of even the architecture of their meeting-place,
and which form is peculiar to them. This being the case the
question, therefore, is not "Shall we have forms?" but, "_What_ form
shall we have in our Public Worship?" for we have learned that we
_must_ have some kind of FORM. The Episcopal Church simply clings
to that which was from the {113} beginning, because the experience
of centuries demonstrates that this is best, more consonant to reason
and more expressive of the religious wants of man. Hence she values
her Book of Common Prayer which is the outgrowth of the devotions
of the ages and she cherishes the usages and traditions that have
grown up around it. The Episcopal Church does not insist on forms
merely for the sake of forms, but she values them for their
helpfulness, for what they convey to the soul faithfully using
them, and also, because they enable us to worship God as did His
faithful people in all the ages past.

Forty Days, The Great.--Easter Tide which commemorates the period
of Forty Days our Lord spent on earth after His Resurrection with
His Apostles "and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom
of God" (Acts 1:2 and 3). From many of our Lord's Parables as well
as from other utterances by Him in His Teaching we learn that the
words "Kingdom of God" mean _His Church_. So, then, during this
mysterious time of His Resurrection Life our Lord was