hority to rule the
conscience, which has been so terrible a curse to the church in all ages.
And His fearful denunciations of the scribes and Pharisees, and His
warnings to the people not to follow these blind leaders, were placed on
record as an admonition to future generations.

The Roman Church reserves to the clergy the right to interpret the
Scriptures. On the ground that ecclesiastics alone are competent to
explain God's word, it is withheld from the common people. Though the
Reformation gave the Scriptures to all, yet the selfsame principle which
was maintained by Rome prevents multitudes in Protestant churches from
searching the Bible for themselves. They are taught to accept its
teachings _as interpreted by the church_; and there are thousands who dare
receive nothing, however plainly revealed in Scripture, that is contrary
to their creed, or the established teaching of their church.

Notwithstanding the Bible is full of warnings against false teachers, many
are ready thus to commit the keeping of their souls to the clergy. There
are to-day thousands of professors of religion who can give no other
reason for points of faith which they hold than that they were so
instructed by their religious leaders. They pass by the Saviour's
teachings almost unnoticed, and place implicit confidence in the words of
the ministers. But are ministers infallible? How can we trust our souls to
their guidance unless we know from God's word that they are light-bearers?
A lack of moral courage to step aside from the beaten track of the world,
leads many to follow in the steps of learned men; and by their reluctance
to investigate for themselves, they are becoming hopelessly fastened in
the chains of error. They see that the truth for this time is plainly
brought to view in the Bible, and they feel the power of the Holy Spirit
attending its proclamation; yet they allow the opposition of the clergy to
turn them from the light. Though reason and conscience are convinced,
these deluded souls dare not think differently from the minister; and
their individual judgment, their eternal interests, are sacrificed to the
unbelief, the pride and prejudice, of another.

Many are the ways by which Satan works through human influence to bind his
captives. He secures multitudes to himself by attaching them by the silken
cords of affection to those who are enemies of the cross of Christ.
Whatever this attachment may be, parental, filial, conjugal, or