The Dying Christian to His Soul

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PRELIMINARY PROGRAM SELECTIONS.

[Criticism has reached us that some of the selections, or rather some of the ideas in the selections, published last month for the convenience of members who did not have the text-books containing the articles re- ferred to in the Manual, were not orthodox in doctrine. Let the reader remember that these selections, while it is sought to have them high- class and appropriate, are given more for their literary merit and power to awaken thought, than for any orthodox religious doctrine they may contain. If you find wrong ideas in them, discard such, and show how much better and grander are the true doctrines of the Gospel which you have learned. It is important that we discriminate between truth and error in all that is read. It is absurd to picture the soul as possessing wings, but nevertheless, that is a beautiful thought, expressed in Pope's Dying Christian to his Soul: My ears With sounds seraphic ring: Lend, lend your wings! I mount! I fly! grave! where is thy victory? Death! where is thy sting?

We wish further to say that the selections named in the Manual are merely suggestive. If you are displeased with their simplicity, provide others of deeper meaning; and if you have better ones, use them; but be sure that those you pick out are as meaningful and as good. You will find under, "Choice Selections," in Volume Four of the Era, a number of excellent and instructive readings; try some of them. In choosing, it is well to bear in mind that those compositions are best which are most ap- propriate to the main subject under discussion; so also with hymns and songs. Editors.]

THE DYING CHRISTIAN TO HIS SOUL. BY ALEXANDER POPE.

[Alexander Pope, the renowned author of "Essay on Criticism," was born in Lombard Street, London, 1688. He translated Homer and went