THE CIPHER DISPATCH by A. J. Gordon

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · April 22, 1880

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 17

THE CIPHER DISPATCH.

By A. J. Gordon

A company of gentlemen were engaged, not long ago, in raising funds for the endowment of a college professorship. After having subscribed a thousand dollars among themselves, it was suggested that they should telegraph to a certain very wealthy gentleman who was known to be a strong friend to the college in question, asking him for a subscription. A message was accordingly sent, stating the amount pledged, and requesting a donation. Immediately the answer came back, “Put me down for a cipher.”

It might have been supposed that he had simply given nothing; but the gentlemen at once interpreted his intention, and added a cipher to the sum already subscribed, which at once raised it, as will be seen, from one thousand dollars to ten thousand. The rich man had added a cipher, which standing alone would have been simply nothing, but standing in connection with the numeral and the ciphers already subscribed, amounted to a very large sum.

Is not here a perfect illustration of grace? In the story of the church’s beginning and growth, as written in the Acts of the Apostles, much is said, and said constantly, about addition: “And believers were the more added to the Lord:” “And much people was added unto the Lord,” etc. But what was added? So many men and women of deep piety and great spiritual gifts and eminent holiness? No! the rather so many who had utterly renounced their own righteousness, and thrown away all claim to merit and goodness, and confessed themselves as nothing and having nothing. It is so always in genuine conversion. It is the addition of a cipher to Christ, the joining of an empty soul to him in whom dwells all fullness. And what happens thereby? The same as in the illustration—the soul, which is nothing in itself, shares all the worth and value and righteousness that belongs to Christ, as the cipher takes the value of the numeral which stands at the head of the column of figures.

“Christ is all, and in all.” When the sum of ten thousand dollars had been written, the numeral one, that stood first, was the only figure that had any value in itself. All the rest were so many naughts. And yet that one numeral extended its value to all the other figures, and gave them significance. It was all, and it was in all. Christ Jesus is the only being in the church who has a positive and perfect value in God’s reckoning. Not that others do not exhibit something of righteousness and true holiness in their lives, but the evil so preponderates that they confess it more than neutralizes the good that they do. But blessed be God, the Christ who is all, is also “in all.” He extends his divine value to all who have added themselves to him by faith. He lifts them into a worth and significance of which they were utterly destitute without him. He gives them a standing which can be reckoned in God’s book, who “is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.”

And this is not all—oh, blessed revelation! they are honored to add something to him as well as to receive value from him. The zeros add powerfully to the numeral, as well as take immense value from it. The greatness and worth of Christ are shown in a single expression,—“In him dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead bodily.” But what unthought-of value is assigned to his redeemed and believing church, when it is called “the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.” Such value and importance do they have, who, while nothing in themselves, are joined by faith to Him who is all.—Rev. Dr. A. J. Gordon, in The Watchword.