," Ralph said once, as they talked, "that when the moment
comes, as come it will, that we are called upon to stand for God, or
die for Him, that we may witness a good confession."

CHAPTER IV.

FORESHADOWINGS.

A month had elapsed since the translation of the church. A new order
in everything had arisen--Religious, Governmental, Social. The spirit
of lawlessness grew fiercer and fouler each day, it is true, yet there
was a supreme authority, a governmental restriction, that prevented the
fouler, the more destructive passions of the baser kind of men and
women, having full scope.

A curious kind of religion had been set up in many of the churches.
The services were sensuous to a degree, and were a strange mixture of
Romanism, Spiritism (demonology,) Theosophy, Materialism, and other
kindred cults. Almost every week some new ode or hymn was produced,
every sentiment of which was an applauding of man, for God was utterly
ignored, and the key-note of the Harvard college "class Poem," for the
year 1908, became the key-note of the Sunday Song of the "worshippers"
in the churches:

"_No_ God for a gift God gave us--
MANKIND ALONE must save us."

It was a curious situation, since it was "man" worshipping himself.
Presently, the centre of worship would shift from man, to _The_ Man of
Sin--the Anti-christ.

These religious services were held, as a rule, from twelve-thirty to
one-fifteen on the Sunday once a day only, (without any week-night
meetings.) They were held at an hour when, in the old-days, the
congregations would have been home, or going home, from their services.
But this arranged lateness was due to the fact, that there had grown up
in all sections of society an ever-increasing lateness of retiring at
night, coupled with a growth of indolence caused by every kind of
sensual indulgence, not the least of which was gluttony. Music of a
sensuous, voluptuous character formed a chief part of the brief Sunday
services, and every item was loudly applauded as though the whole
affair had been a performance rather than a professedly religious
service.

Most of the interior arrangements in many of the old places of worship
had been altered. The theatre style of thing--plush-covered tip seats,
etc.--had taken the place of the old pews and the wooden seats. In
many of these Sunday services, too, people of both sexes smoked at
will--for smoking among women had become almost universal.

There were no B