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concerning the character and purpose of this new Order from the authori tative pamphlet above mentioned. ÜThe founders of the new Order as sume the near advent into the world of a Personage pf commanding im portance. Its declared object is “to draw together those who . . . be lieve in the near coming of a great Spiritual Teacher for the helping of the world.” This personage is spoken of as “a Mighty Teacher,” “the Great Teach er,” “the World-Teacher,” “the Lord of Gentleness and Compassion,” “the Christ,” “the Lord of Love,” “the Su preme Teacher,” “the Mightiest of all Figures,” “the Supreme Teacher of God and men.” All who are expect ing such a Personage are invited to join the Order. AMBIGUOUS CREED. In order to secure membership in the “Order of the Star in the East,” it is only necessary to accept the “Declaration of Principles,” which we quote in full : i “1. We believe that a great Teacher will soon appear in the world, and we wish so to live now that we may be worthy to know Him when He comes. “2. We shall try, therefore, to keep Him in our minds always, and to do in His Name, and therefore to the best of our ability, all the work which comes to us in our daily occupations. “3. As far as our ordinary duties allow, we shall endeavor to devote a portion of our time each day to some definite work which may help to pre pare for His coming. “4. We shall seek ■to make Devo tion, Steadfastness, and Gentleness prominent characteristics of our daily life. “5. We shall try to begin and end each day with a short period devoted to the asking of His blessing upon all that we try to do for Him in His Name.
“6. We regard it as our special duty to try to recognize and reverence greatness in whomsoever Shown, and to strive to co-operate, as far as we can, with those whom we feel to be spiritually our superiors.” It is perhaps not without signifi cance that the “principles” of this Or der are six in number, that being the number of man, which is to have its final development in the coming poten tate whose number is 666. Hn transcribing this statement of principles we have italicised certain words which are of special import ance; and we call attention to the use of the capital “H” in the pronouns “He” and “His.” A CUNNING NET. It is manifest that the Order of the Star in the East is a net cunningly prepared and baited to ensnare those who may have heard, or are likely to hear, of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God from heaven, and so to hold them in bondage to a lie cis to insure their de struction when He comes. Some of the expressions employed in the pam phlet are familiar to Christians; such, for example, as “the Lord when He comes,” and “Christ when He comes.” On the other hand, the expressions, “World-Teacher,” -“Another Manifes tation,” etc., are calculated to harmon ize with the expectations of Buddhists for another manifestation of Buddha, and with those of Moslems for anoth er appearance of Mahomet, etc. In fact, as the pamphlet plainly states, “The Order of the Star in the East is intended to be a world-wide Order, not merely in thè territorial sense, but in the sense that it can leave none out side its ranks who, holding that com mon hope, desire do enter.” The object of Satan in bringing this Order into existence will be quite plain to those who are not ignorant of his devices. The “blessed hope”
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