ry thought of the present day.

It will be impossible to give more than a few illustrations of present
needs and opportunities for service in this respect in the smaller
communities. One of the first tasks of the church is the introduction
of correct thought in regard to religious beliefs. It is almost
unbelievable the amount of actual superstition and positively harmful
beliefs that prevail under the guise of religion not only in rural but
in urban communities. An example of this is the widespread belief in
the second coming of Christ at an early date. Educational institutions
of national note are continuously laboring to extend this form of
belief. The question as to whether Christ will ever come again is one
that does not appear to have any immediate social significance other
than it may have some influence on conduct as to the method of
preparation for his coming. Those who believe in such coming may
either believe that all efforts at social improvement now are
fruitless, because the ultimate inauguration of the Kingdom will
result from the sweeping away of everything that now exists and in the
inauguration of a new social order out of the ruins of the old. Or
they may believe that the efforts of the churches and other agencies
now are preparing the way for such coming, and the inauguration of the
Kingdom will be but the next step in an orderly process of social
progress. There is reason to believe that many of those who are
teaching the second coming are inclined to the former point of view;
and wherever they gain a hearing their influence practically nullifies
all efforts to enlist their followers in any program of social
improvement.

The effect of a belief in an immediate coming of Christ as indicated
by present world conditions interpreted in the light of Old and New
Testament prophecy is to paralyze all motive for social action. Such
action, if this belief is correct, is useless. The devotee is driven
to the position of finding his sole religious duty that of getting
himself and those in whom he is interested ready to enter the new
kingdom through the observance of the personal elements in religious
life.

Another belief that in some sections has a limited influence is that
of observance of Saturday instead of Sunday as the day set apart by
biblical authority as the Sabbath. Without commenting on the rightness
or the wrong of the contention, it should be remembered that this
belief has resulted in some sec