ject of
idolatrous worship. After Christ, partly because of the new spirit
which pervaded the world, and largely because the carnal heart, ruled
by Satan, is glad of any pretext to neglect Christ, Mary, the mother,
became preferable to Christ the Son. Salvation depends upon faith in
Christ. Whosoever believeth in the Son hath everlasting life. For God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. This
being true, a belief in Mary as an intercessor is as sinful in God's
sight, and is as directly opposed to a faith in Christ, as was a
belief in Baal or Jupiter. By whatever means Satan induces men to
reject Christ, he ruins them, and destroys their hope of salvation.
Satan induced Eve to reject God, to believe in him, and to serve him.
There is no evidence that Mary would have consented to occupy the
place to which an idolatrous world has raised her, but Satan cares not
for that, so that "he may work with all power, and signs, and lying
wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that
perish."

The peril arising from the perversion's of biblical truth is
illustrated by the history of the diaconate as well as by the history
of the motherhood of Jesus. The influences set in motion by the life
of Christ deserve to be carefully pondered. Perverted, they have
helped on error. Used and employed as Christ designed them, they are
subservient of the highest interests of society. Truly has it been
said, The life and the cross of Christ shed a splendor from heaven
upon a new and till then unheard of order of heroism--that which may
be called the feminine order--meekness, endurance, long-suffering, the
passive strength of martyrdom. For Christianity does not say, "Honor
to the wise," but, "Blessed are the meek." Not "Glory to the strong,"
but "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Not the
Lord is a man of war; Jehovah is his name, but God is love. In Christ,
not intellect, but love, is glorified. In Christ is magnified, not
force of will, but the glory of a Divine humility. He was obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross; wherefore God hath also
exalted Him. Therefore it was, that from that time forward, woman
assumed a new place in the world. It is not to mere civilization, but
to the spirit of life in Christ, that woman owes all she has and all
she has yet to gain. In Christ, manly and womanly charac