"We want a Sunday law to protect Christians in their worship on that day," is one of the utterances often heard from National Reformers. It is done to catch the popular favor; for all know that Christians are thus protected now. What State is there in all this commonwealth that does not have laws for the protection of its subjects in their religious worship? Where are Sunday congregations broken up by the lawless without laying themselves liable to heavy penalties? There is quite a difference between protecting the individual who observes an institution and protecting the institution which he observes. All have a right to the first protection. It is the Government's duty to grant it. It is a mere question of equal rights. But if it is the duty of the Government to protect one religious institution of its subjects, it is its duty to protect all; and thus would follow inextricable confusion; for the number of the institutions is legion, and their name, Babel. We would have transubstantiation, consubstantiation, real presence, and the symbolic view of the eucharist all legalized by the Government. Immersion and sprinkling and pouring would all be baptism by law. The first day and seventh day would both be legal Sabbaths. But no, this would never do; for the overwhelming majority of the Christians of "the land" "demand the legal protection of but one day, and that the first day of the week."— Rev. C. M. Westlake, of N. Y. That is just what the clamor for protection to religious institutions means,—the protection of "me and mine," the equal rights of—a "majority of Christians." Rome believed in the equal rights of Romanists. The Puritans believed in the equal rights of Puritans. And the religious rights and liberty promised those who may dissent from the authorized code of the future, is of the same merciful character which Rome extended to heretics, and Puritans to Quakers.
THE COMING OF THE LORD.
By C. P. B.
THERE is no doctrine any more plainly taught in the sacred Scriptures than is the doctrine of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Jude tells us that Enoch prophesied of the glorious advent of Christ, when he shall come "to execute judgment upon all." Jude 15. The patriarch Job, standing, as it were, upon the brink of the grave, exclaimed: "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." Job 19:25, 26. And to the same intent is the testimony of the psalmist: "Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him." Ps. 50:3. This can refer only to the coming spoken of by Enoch and by Job, for it is at that time that the dead are raised, and that judgment is executed upon the ungodly.
It is, however, in the New Testament that the light of divine truth shines most clearly upon this important doctrine. There is recorded the promise of the Saviour himself: "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself." John 14:3. Also the words of the angels to the sorrowing disciples: "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:11. These, together with many other texts in the Gospels and the Epistles, present the doctrine of the second literal appearing of our Lord in a way that cannot be misunderstood. Indeed, it is one of the few points upon which almost all denominations of Christians are agreed; there may be difference in opinion as to the manner of the Lord's coming, and as to the time of his coming, whether it will be pre-millennial or post-millennial, and as to the object of his coming, but there is practically no difference as to the fact of his coming; all receive literally the words of the apostle: "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Heb. 9:28.
But the text just quoted not only asserts the fact of the second coming of Christ; it also asserts the object of that coming; the latter fact is not, however, so generally recognized as the former. In his first advent Christ came to die for his people, but not to afford them deliverance at once from the consequences of sin; he came, not to take them out of the world, but to teach them that while living in the world they were to be separate from the world. But when he comes again it will be to receive them unto himself, that where he is there they may be also. John 14:3. This is also stated by the apostle, who says: "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thess. 4:16, 17.
It is not necessary to dwell upon this point; the texts cited show as plainly as can be shown that when the Lord comes the second time he comes that9his people may be with him; and this at least infers that they cannot be with him till he does come. That this is really true will appear from several considerations. It is evident that though the Lord is with his people at all times by his Spirit, the living cannot in this life be with him in the sense in which the term is used in 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. In order that they be with him bodily he must come and take them, as the Scripture says that he will do. But how is it with the dead? may they not be with Christ before his coming? Certainly not. Says the psalmist: "The dead praise not the Lord" (Ps. 115:17), and with this agree the words of Hezekiah, Isa. 38:18, 19. Surely if they were with him they could praise him; but, as before remarked, even the words of the Saviour, "I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also," clearly imply that his followers can be with him in no other way. Christ knew that those to whom he spoke would die; he gave not the least intimation, however, that they should be with him by that means; but he did promise to come again that they might be with him. How he will come was stated by the angels,—he will come in like manner as he went away, come literally, visibly, personally, "and every eye shall see him." Acts 1:11; Rev. 1:7.
Notice too the agreement of Paul's words with those of our Saviour. Says the apostle: "The Lord himself shall descend;" "the dead in Christ shall rise;" "then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Speaking of this same time the prophet says: "He will swallow up death in victory. . . . And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." In view of these things surely every Christian heart can, with the beloved disciple upon the lonely isle of Patmos, respond heartily to the Lord's assurance of his coming, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."
What the Scriptures teach in regard to the time of the Lord's coming must be reserved for another article. C. P. B.
"THE KINGDOM OF RAVENNA."
By James White
IN an article published some time since in the SIGNS, I find the following remark about Sir Isaac Newton's enumeration of the ten kingdoms:—
“We know not at what date Sir Isaac found these, only that, as he names ‘the kingdom [exarchate] of Ravenna,’ it must have been somewhere between A. D. 554 and 752, for that is the time of the existence of the exarchate of Ravenna.”
Thinking that many readers may desire to know what Sir Isaac did say upon this subject, I submit the following:—
Sir Isaac Newton was far from being definite in regard to the rise of the ten kingdoms, as he gives, not the time when kingdoms were established within the territory of Western Rome, but the time of the reign of certain kings of the several nations, whether before or after they entered that territory. But the dates gathered from his comments are as follows: Vandals and Alans, Spain and Africa, 407–533; Suevians, Spain, 407–585; Visigoths, 400; Alans, Gallia, 407–511; Burgundians, 407–700; Franks, 407; Britons, 407; Huns, 406; Lombards, 395–774; Ravenna, 408–800.
Why he gives the Britons 407 is not easy to imagine. Honorius renounced his dominion over Britain in 414, releasing the inhabitants from their allegiance, because he was not able to spare soldiers to defend it. However, some help was sent in 416, and also in 418; but the Roman soldiers took their final leave in 420. (“History of Great Britain,” Robert Henry, D. D., London, 1771.) The Saxons took possession in 449.
The most singular part of his comments is his views of the plucking up of the three kingdoms. He gives them as follows: Ravenna, 752; Lombards, 774; Senate of Rome, 800! Thus he has three of the original kingdoms overthrown before the three are plucked up, and one of the three plucked up did not belong to the ten, except as a part of another of the three, for in his comments he included the city and Senate of Rome in the kingdom of Ravenna.
The plucking up of the last of the three which he names—Senate of Rome—he has accomplished by Charlemagne, A. D. 800, at which date the saints and times and laws were given into the hands of the Papacy. According to that, the 1260 years began at that time, and would end A. D. 2060. After the expiration of that period he thinks the kingdom and dominion will be given—“but by degrees”—to the people of the saints of the Most High.
This system, if it can be called a system, might be considered a curiosity if it had been written in the present century. The copy from which I take these items was printed in London in 1733,—more than half a century before the beast received its deadly wound. Still there are some things in these comments for which no good reason can be offered.
Had Sir Isaac Newton—and others as well—kept in view two expressions of the prophecy, he would of necessity have given a more consistent exposition: “There came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots.” Dan. 7:8.
J. H. W.
AUSTRALIA.
By George C. Tenney
We have now been in this country over four months. I had the misfortune, the evening of our arrival, on the ride through the city, to lose the points of compass, and the result was that I became "turned around" half way, and north seems south. Consequently the sun appears to rise in the west and to set in the east. This is not more confusing than the seasons, which are also turned half way around. It is quite difficult to realize the time of year, and that now, while we are needing the lightest clothing that the law will allow, our friends at home are banking up their houses and making preparations to meet a sturdy winter. Last Friday, November 23, the thermometer indicated 102° in the shade, and 147° in the sun. This happily proved to be the climax, and in the evening a delightful breeze sprang up, and the weather remains very agreeable. The present season is a very dry one, and great damage has already resulted. The prices of all kinds of produce are advancing, and in the interior many cattle and sheep are perishing.
It is the same thing all the world over, a thousand vicissitudes await the results of toil, the earth is groaning under the curse, and the transgression thereof is heavy upon it. Were our hopes all centered here we could but look with anxiety to the future.
But that in which we feel the greatest interest is the advancement of the cause of truth, and we are thankful to be able to realize that the final success of this work does not depend upon any earthly condition. It is evident to our minds that God is at work here for his own cause. Our forces are exceedingly small, there is no laborer in this colony, and yet there is hardly a week passes but someone embraces the truth. And quite a number that we know of not of our faith are engaged in sending abroad our reading. Sermons and articles frequently appear in opposition to the truth, which shows that something is being done. Two weeks since the most extensive fruit preserver in the colonies, who employs over six hundred men in his factories, met with us on the Sabbath, and stated that he had begun the observance of the Sabbath of the Lord. For some time he had been privately keeping it, but now he came out and took a strong stand, and stated that henceforth his factories would be closed upon the Sabbath day. These factories are located in Melbourne, Sydney, Hobart, and New Zealand. The closing of them will have a wide influence, and there are few men in the colonies better known than the owner. It has been his custom for years to open the factories each day with prayer.
The tent season is just now opening. Brother W. D. Curtis is holding a series of meetings in Adelaide; and Brother Israel will soon open a series in Tasmania. These are all the preachers we have in a field as large as the United States as for territory. There are many urgent calls for laborers.
We also feel that God is helping us in the building work. Our first building is up, and that and the lot are paid for, and the way to erect the main building appears to be open. The contract is let to one of our own brethren, and sometime in February we hope to be located in our own premises, where we shall have good facilities for the publishing work, and also have a place of our own in which to meet as often as we choose. We are now removing to the press-room, where we shall try to carry on the business until the other building is completed.
We find the brethren here as ready to help to the full extent of their means as in any place we have ever been. But as we look upon the vast work to be done, a feeling of utter dependence upon the Lord of the harvest rests upon us. Hitherto he has carried forward his own work, and we can trust him for the future. It would be a great encouragement, I have often thought, to those who have sacrificed for the cause in this field if they could hear some of the earnest gratitude expressed in prayer by the brethren to "those dear brethren in America who have been the means of sending the truth to them."
G. C. T.
The Sabbath-School.
Old Testament History.
RESISTING THE TRUTH.
(Lesson 3, January 19, 1889.)
(Concluded.)
1. RELATE what we have already learned of the work of Pharaoh's magicians.
2. What have we learned that they could not do?
3. What was the second plague that was brought on the land of Egypt?
4. When this plague was stayed, did Pharaoh keep his promise?10"And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh; and Moses cried unto the Lord because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh. And the Lord did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields. And they gathered them together upon heaps; and the land stank. But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said." Ex. 8:12-15.
5. What was the next plague?
"And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And they did so: for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt." Verses 16, 17.
6. Could the magicians repeat this miracle?
"And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not; so there were lice upon man, and upon beast." Verse 18.
7. What were they forced to acknowledge to Pharaoh?
"Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God." Verse 19, first part.
8. In so saying, what did they virtually admit concerning their own work?
9. What does Paul say will be the character of men in the last days?
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God." 2 Tim. 3:1-4.
10. Among what people will this wickedness exist?
"Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away." Verse 5.
11. What will this sort of people do?
"For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." Verses 6, 7.
12. How will they resist the truth?
"Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith." Verse 8.
13. What other prophecy have we of miracles to be wrought for the purpose of deceiving?
"And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live." Rev. 13:13, 14.
14. What did the Saviour say on this point?
"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matt. 24:24.
15. By what agency are these lying miracles wrought?
"For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Rev. 16:14.
16. What name is given to those who in this age do the work which the ancient magicians and sorcerers did? Ans.—Spiritualist mediums.
17. Is there now any indication that the deceptions of Spiritualism will find a place among those who profess godliness? See notes.
18. What does Paul say of those who shall resist the truth by their lying wonders?
"But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was." 2 Tim. 3:9.
19. How was the folly of Pharaoh's magicians made manifest?
"And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not; so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said." Ex. 8:18, 19.
"And they took ashes for the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians." Ex. 9:10, 11.
NOTES.
It is evident that wherever the principles of Spiritualism are held, whatever manifestations may accompany it will sooner or later be accepted. That almost the whole professedly Christian world is fast getting into a position to readily receive as of heavenly origin all the deceptions of Spiritualism, is evident from the following extracts, which show how universally the principles of modern Spiritualism are held.
In the month of September, 1885, Monsignor Capel, the celebrated Roman Catholic propagandist, delivered a lecture in San Francisco, concerning Spiritualism, of which the S. F. Chronicle, of September 7, gave a report, in which it was said:—
"Monsignor Capel denied that he had expressed a disbelief in Spiritualism. He had simply left out of the category of possible supernatural manifestations all biological phenomena. Aside from these, Spiritualism was but a misrepresentation of Catholic teaching, and it had been in the world from the beginning."
He said, further, that to Catholics the spirit world was as clear as the light of a gas jet; that the dead were but disembodied spirits, with whom they were in daily communication, and to whom they prayed. Thus the great Roman Catholic Church is essentially at one with Spiritualism.
The Sunday School Times, of August 29, 1885, had a long editorial entitled, "What Our Dead Do for Us," in which the following occurred, among much more of the same nature:—
"Much of the best work of the world is done through the present, personal influence of the dead. . . . As a practical fact, and as a great spiritual truth, our dead do for us as constantly and as variously as they could do for us if they were still here in the flesh; and they do for us very much that they could not do unless they were dead."
"Our living friends do much for us, but perhaps our dead friends do yet more."
The New York Christian Advocate, of September 8, 1887, contained an article on the death of Dr. Daniel Curry, in which it was said:—
"But he is not gone. We will not say 'Good-bye' to him. We will keep him among us still. Reserve that seat in the front pew of the conference. Let the old place be kept sacred. He was not the man to leave his friends. In the thick battle, in the time of danger, or holy communion, in the solemn hour of crisis, he will be there. 'Are they not ministering spirits?'"
The Christian Union of November 3, 1887, contained a sermon preached by Dr. Henry M. Field (Presbyterian) at Cornell University, in which he said:—
"Oh, may the dead ever be with us, walking by our side, taking us by the hand, smoothing the cares from the troubled brow, and pointing us upward to the regions of everlasting light and peace."
Many similar passages could be quoted from representatives of all denominations.
THE folly of Pharaoh's magicians was made manifest by their inability to counterfeit all the miracles which Moses performed. So, says Paul, it will be with the last-day wonder-workers. Satan, through his agents, as well as in person, will "show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matt. 24:24. The miracles which in the past have been given as proof of the power of God, and the signs of the coming of the Lord, will be counterfeited. But they will be cut short in their deceptive career, by mighty wonders which will strike terror to their hearts. The mountains and islands will be moved out of their places, the earth shall be turned "upside down," the heavens shall depart as a scroll when it is rolled together, and as the deceivers vainly seek for the rocks to hide them from the face of Him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, they will be forced to acknowledge that "this is the finger of God."
DANGER OF RESISTING TRUTH.
By W.
TRUTH is of God; error is of the devil. "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5), therefore the truth of God is the light of the world. Christ, who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), said also, "I am the light of the world." John 8:12. That truth is light and error is darkness, is shown also by the words of Jesus to Nicodemus:—
"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." John 3:19-21.
The idea is that those who do the truth will be willing to have the light of truth shine upon them; but they who do evil do not love to come in contact with the truth, because that would reveal the error of their course. There are many more in this condition than is commonly supposed. Some people who condemn others as boldly resisting truth, and rejecting light, are doing the same thing themselves. How many are there who congratulate themselves that "we have the truth," who have not often shrunk from reading some portions of the Bible, or from some of the plainest and most direct portions of the testimonies of His Spirit? How many are there who have not, at times at least, felt nervous lest some particular sin should be pointed out in plain terms by the servant of God? Such ones are dreading the light, lest the evil that they are cherishing deep in their hearts, scarcely acknowledging to themselves, should be reproved.
The Lord desires "truth in the inward parts." It matters not how much truth one may possess, how firmly one may hold the theory, if he cherishes evil in his inmost heart, so that he dreads the searching light of God's word, he is resisting the truth just as surely as was Pharaoh, who said, "I know not the Lord; neither will I let Israel go." He is serving gods of his own devising, just the same as Pharaoh was.
Having thus briefly noted how one may resist truth, let us look at the danger of such a course. Said Jesus:—
"Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you; for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth." John 12:35.
The opposite of light is darkness. It needs no argument, therefore, to show that when one rejects light, he chooses darkness. God is merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness, yet his Spirit will not always strive with man. He will plead with a man, will stretch out his hands a long time, but when the man hugs his sin to his bosom, persistently refusing to see the light that would show its deformity, the light will be withdrawn. The man who, in the face of the light which God gives, cherishes impure desires and imaginings, and refuses to let them go, is getting ready to shut the last ray of light away from himself.
And what will be the result? He will soon walk in darkness, and will not know whither he goes. The light that is in him will become darkness, and then how great his darkness will be. All this will come to the man whose eye is not single; that is, who has not one aim and only one thing before him, namely, to serve God in spirit and in truth.
When a man has thus shut light away from him, there is nothing bad that he may not be expected to do. How can he be expected to distinguish between truth and error when he is walking in darkness of his own choosing. He may be, in a certain sense, sincere; that is, he may think that he is doing just right, because he is in the dark and all things look alike. There are men to-day in the ranks of blaspheming Spiritualists and blatant infidels, who once preached the plain truth of God's word, and they are as earnest in their advocacy of error as they were once in their defense of truth. They cannot by any possibility see that which once looked so plain to them. It is now impossible for them to believe truth. Why? Because they received not the love of the truth. They cherished some secret sin which the light of truth condemned. They yielded themselves to the service of Satan, and now they are led captive by him at his will.
Yet such an one will talk about morality, and will imagine that he is continually rising higher in the scale. How is this? Simply because his standard of truth and morality is constantly being lowered. He is continually drawing nearer his ideal, and so becoming nearer and nearer satisfied with himself, because as he sinks in the scale of morality, his ideal is lowered to a still greater degree. Terrible delusion! Fighting God and his truth, yet imagining that he is serving God; and what is worse than all, having no power ever again to know what is truth. How can those upon whom the truth shines as clear as the noonday sun, avoid this fate? Only by cherishing every ray of that light. Let it light up every corner of the heart. Say, with the psalmist, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Then shall your path be as the shining light, shining more and more unto the perfect day.
Study to Show Thyself Approved
"STUDY to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed."
IMMEDIATELY after his baptism by John in Jordan, Jesus was "led by the Spirit into the wilderness," where he was "forty days tempted of the devil." Following this he spent probably six months in Judea, after which he went into Galilee accompanied by Andrew, Peter, James, and John. "And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine; for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes."
THE scribes, who were the teachers of the people, had but an imperfect understanding of the Scriptures, and their teachings were vague and involved, better calculated to befog the mind than to assist it to an understanding of the inspired writings. Not knowing the truth themselves, they certainly could not intelligently instruct others. With Jesus, however, the case was different. "He taught as being authorized by his own right and power to teach." He not only knew the truth, but he had been divinely commissioned to proclaim it; he had received the special anointing of the Holy Spirit at his baptism, and the testimony of some who heard him was, "Never man spake like this man." His words were with power, and they struck home to the hearts of those who heard as the cold and formal teaching of the scribes had no power to do. These teachers explained the law as a matter of custom, but their own hearts were unconverted, and their words had no power to move their hearers.
WHILE at Cana, Christ had healed the ruler's son who lay sick at Capernaum, and on this occasion the synagogue was filled with people who were anxious to see and hear one who had such power. Some were there, no doubt, from mere curiosity, but others from a desire to hear the truth; and as the multitude hung upon his gracious words, a man in the congregation who had an unclean spirit, cried out, saying, "Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him."
AFTER leaving the synagogue the Saviour healed Simon's wife's mother, and then the same evening after the setting of the sun, which marked the close of the Sabbath, great multitudes came unto him "and he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils." The influence of the Pharisees who accused the Saviour of breaking the Sabbath, "prevented many from applying to Jesus for relief from their infirmities upon the Sabbath day. They feared being stigmatized as transgressors of the law. But no sooner had the sun passed out of sight in the west than the diseased flocked to him from every quarter." And Jesus in his infinite compassion healed them. This circumstance suggests the question, "How did Christ regard the Sabbath, and what is his relation to it?" The Saviour said, "It is lawful to do well on the Sabbath day;" the Pharisees said that in working miracles upon that day he violated the Sabbath; what saith the Scriptures?
"THE Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2: 27), therefore that which is for man's highest good is lawful upon that day. "What is the chief end of man?" is a question asked in an old catechism, and it is well answered in these words, "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever;" and it is as a means to this end that "the Sabbath was made for man," i. e., for the race. In order to glorify God, men must know and remember him as God, and it was that they might do this that the Sabbath was instituted in the beginning. "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy," "for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth," is the divine command and the divine reason for the command. And to the same intent are the words of the Lord relative to the children of Israel: "I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them." And as the design of the Sabbath is to keep in memory the work of the creation and the true God, it follows that whatever tends in the same direction is proper on the Sabbath. In this category must come assemblies for the worship of God even though they involve some labor, and manifestations of the divine power such as the working of miracles. The command specifies, "Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work," but healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, etc., is not man's work, but God's work, and they who see in it a desecration of the Sabbath have more zeal for human traditions than for the honor of him who is the Lord of the Sabbath. But aside from these considerations, the fact that Christ did these things upon the Sabbath proves that they were not violations of the divine law. He came not to destroy the law (Matt. 5: 17), but to magnify and make it honorable (Isa. 42: 21), and just before his crucifixion he testified to his disciples that he had kept his Father's commandments. John 15: 10. Therefore we know that in no sense nor in any case did he break the Sabbath.
BUT the Jews charged repeatedly that the Saviour did break the Sabbath, and some even who call themselves by his name, bring against him the same accusation, but he himself has most explicitly denied the charge. To those who made it anciently he said: "If ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless" (Matt. 12: 7), and his word says the same to-day. Christ was and is Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2: 28), not to abolish it, or to desecrate it, but as its author, the one to whom it belongs. He it was by whom the worlds were made (Heb. 1: 2; John 1: 3; Col. 1: 16), and he it was who rested upon the seventh day at the close of creation week, and who blessed and sanctified it, setting it apart as the memorial of that work. To keep it in the proper spirit is to honor him even as we honor the Father (John 7: 23), and to disregard it is to say by our acts that we do not recognize him as the Creator.
C. P. B.
The Missionary.
By R. Hare
NEW ZEALAND.
THE winter has passed, and we are now holding a series of meetings in Napier, a small yet picturesque town of the North Island, bordered on one side by the sea and on the other by tall, dark mountains that rise to bathe their snowy crests in the flush of the morning cloud. Brother Daniells spent a few weeks in Melbourne, where a Conference was being organized, but returned in time to let us pitch our tent and start meetings before the end of October. The attendance and interest have been very encouraging, and promise well for a company of Sabbath keepers in Napier. Fourteen have already taken their stand as the result of Bible-readings and tent work, and many others are thinking of taking the same steps. We believe God will raise up a people here who will be waiting for the Master.
There has been considerable opposition manifested by the enemies of the truth. The papers are teeming with warnings and anathemas against Adventists and Adventism, but this is nothing more than we may expect, and nothing more than every reform has had to meet. The message must go and God will take care of his truth.
The churches at Auckland and Kaeo are beginning to see more importance in the message, and the Sabbath-schools are deepening in their interest; but we long to realize more fully the converting power of God, and to reach the standard to which he would have his people attain.
The canvassing is progressing, there having been nearly $2,000 worth of books disposed of since July, the tent sales alone amounting to $140. We are glad to see the good reports from other fields, and pray that the great Lord of the harvest will bless the seed sown in weakness.
R. HARE.
Napier, New Zealand.
AMONG THE CHURCHES IN NEVADA.
By William Ings
In company with Brother Shannon I visited all the companies of Sabbath keepers in Nevada. It was a pleasure to visit the old friends once more and make new acquaintances of those who have lately embraced the truth.
We spent some days with the friends at Reno, Carson, Dayton, and St. Clair, and held two meetings at Virginia City. We endeavored to impress upon the minds of the people the importance of living holy lives in order to be fitted not only for Heaven, but to prove a blessing to others.
As we unitedly drew nigh unto God, we realized his promise that he would draw nigh unto us. Confessions were made, hearts were united, backsliders were reclaimed, and all were benefited.
The missionary work had our attention, and all heartily indorsed the new method of uniting the prayer and missionary meeting, and mailing the papers the same evening. All could see readily the importance of sending out our "able minister" fresh from the press.
Eighty-six copies of the SIGNS were added to the list, and fifty-two missionary boxes were gladly taken, in which to deposit their offerings each first day as God prospers them. Brother Shannon was a good help to me, and we spent over one month together with profit to each other, and left all that we visited much encouraged; and if the vows are kept that were made, and witnessed by the Spirit of God, we shall expect to see an advance movement of the cause of truth in Nevada.
WILLIAM INGS.
Work and Play
Work and play are necessary to each other, but they should not be mixed.
Faithful in Little Things
By Michigan Christian Advocate
Be faithful in little things. Delude not yourself with the idea that you can be uncertain and untrue in trifles, and yet be reliable and trustworthy in great matters. Trifles make up our life, and are the ultimate test of fidelity. The best will cannot ripen into permanent greatness when the fearful power of negligent habit in trivial things has given bent and character to the soul. God's laws are not broken with impunity. Character is not constituted by a brilliant dash now and then, but is what we make it by the use of our powers in the routine affairs of current life. Only those who are faithful in the few things of common life are to rule over many things in the exalted stations of the heavenly realms.—Michigan Christian Advocate.