Earlier text: TO OUR PATRONSUNPOPULAR DOCTRINES.
By G.
THE coming of the Lord and the resurrection of the dead are plainly set forth in the Scriptures as the hope of the Gospel. Phil. 3:8-11; 2 Tim. 4:7, 8; Heb. 9:28; Rev. 22:12. Yet, so unpopular has the doctrine of the coming of Christ become in the popular churches, that to be known as an Adventist is to be deemed fanatical. The Scriptures also tell us that "there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." 2 Peter 3:3, 4. Yet these scoffers are proving to be the leaders and influential men of the great churches. Like those mentioned in 2 Timothy 3, as "despisers of those that are good," they have "a form of godliness" but are "reprobate concerning the faith." Their hostility to the doctrine of Christ's second personal advent, as announced by the angels to the disciples of Christ (Acts 1:9-11), is almost as bitter as it is toward the law of God, which Christ declared could not fail while heaven and earth should stand (Luke 16:17). An Adventist minister (not a Seventh-day Adventist either), reporting to the World's Crisis from Florida, gives the following straight testimony on this point:7 "There is no danger of Advent churches joining the Alliance, for it is an impossibility to work in harmony and unity with it. The grand truths of eternal life through Jesus Christ, and the resurrection from the dead, are doctrines which can not be advocated in a union meeting. My experience is that a person who attempts to speak in a union meeting concerning the second coming of the Saviour, the saint's inheritance, the resurrection of the dead, or salvation by grace through faith, will not be allowed much time." "Then we should remember that Adventists are a people fulfilling the prophetic mold; called out to proclaim the last message, with assurance that Jesus will keep us from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world. If we join a confederacy, our usefulness will cease." "Let us stand by the truth, if we stand alone." But the day is coming, is near at hand, when those who do not stand on both "the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" will stand together. There will be virtual, if not nominal, alliance. Nothing short of a stand on both of said doctrines will enable one to fully "proclaim the last message." No one can pass through the experiences of giving the last message while walking on one leg, and come out victor. The last message is a proclamation against receiving the "mark of the beast," and this "beast" symbol represents a power that shall "think to change" the law of God. Therefore to reject the law of God is ultimately to accept "the mark of the beast." The apostle Paul's argument in Romans 3 inseparably connects the law and the Gospel. He concludes with this emphatic statement: "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law." And "the Revelation of Jesus Christ," given through His servant John, connects in a most essential manner the coming of the Lord and the recognition of His law. It is at His coming that His saints are rewarded with an entrance into the holy city. So, in connection with the declaration of His coming "quickly," it is said, "Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev. 22:12-14. Just this minute we picked up two newspapers, both leading papers, both having a large circulation. In the first was an editorial stating that the world, its inhabitants, all conditions, have improved. "There is every reason why we should all be optimistic;" "we have discovered the means of abolishing poverty;" "the greatest of all our blessings is the progressing freedom of the intellect;" "knowledge is making him [man] free;" "in all civilized countries the distribution of knowledge is the most important business of the state." In the second there are several editorials, the first one entitled, "Russia's Shame," the third, "The Wave of Radicalism," the fourth, "A Royal Bigamist," the fifth, "Equitable Corruption," revealing the endless crimes and frauds of the insurance investigations, and so on. In one of these is a tremendous warning against the wave of radicalism. It quotes Governor Holt, of Kansas, as saying, "I want to say to you, not as an alarmist, but as a slight contributor to the American awakening, that, until we find some effective means for the control of the great trusts and corporations in the interest of all the people, a tidal wave of Socialism will sweep over the country one of these days that will do incalculable damage." The paper from which we first quoted is filled from first to last, day after day, week after week, month after month, with one constant record of crime. Referring to the last days, the Lord, by His prophet, says of His watchman, His prophets, and priests, "They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace." Jer. 6:14. Again He tells us, "His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all dumb dogs; they can not bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that can not understand; they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to-morrow shall be as this day, a day great beyond measure." Isa. 56:10-12. But when that time shall come, and even now it is impending, it is declared, "When they shall say: Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, and they shall not escape." 1 Thess. 5:3. So an article states in the Chatham (Ontario) Daily News of November 11. Of course our friends know that we have stated the same thing many times in this paper. Whatever that science be which enslaves mind to mind is evil. God designed that the human mind should be subject to no one but the Creator, and the Creator never enslaves it. The article above referred to is based on the experience of Dr. Mary E. Sellen, of London, who has had fifteen years' experience with hypnotism. She says it tends to lessen the individuality of the person hypnotized, and renders the subject more or less receptive to allied influences. Of course it does. It takes away all the individuality at last, all the independence and freedom of soul, which God gave. She thinks that the cases are very rare indeed where it truly helps individuals. She refers to two young men, bright young fellows, who were taken as subjects for the purpose of investigating hypnotism, and were always hypnotized by the same person, the hypnotic state being induced two or three times in the course of the evening. After two or three months she noticed that their opinion was always that of the hypnotist. They seemed to have no opinion of their own, and usually appealed to him for support. They had really lost their own individuality and become mentally a part of the hypnotist. Six months later she left town. After three years she returned and learned that one of the young men had been placed in the insane asylum. The other, tho able to follow his usual occupation, was queer in his actions and not firm in his opinion. Previously they were perfectly normal. Another case was that of a brilliant girl fifteen years old, whose father began to practise upon her, hypnotizing her two or three times a week. Up to this time she had stood at the head of her classes in school; but during the year she grew morose and stupid, at times refusing to eat, lost interest in her school work, and no longer cared to mingle with her former companions. Friends of the father warned him against the course he was pursuing, but he was still doing the same work when Dr. Sellen last heard from him. She instances another case of another young man who was affected by a spiritualistic seance to kill some one, but no one in particular. It seemed as tho at times he must commit murder. Another case was that of a man who wished to get rid of his wife. He hypnotized her, inducing her to believe that it would be a benefit to her to leave him. This was kept up at intervals of a few days. On each occasion he suggested that she should dislike him and make an effort to leave him at her own volition. This idea actually possessed her until she concluded that her husband was no longer necessary to her existence, and left him. She was not heard of for weeks. Suddenly she reappeared at the home of her sister, but refused to return to her husband. Apparently she was well. In two or three weeks, however, she began to exhibit signs of insanity, when she was taken to a sanitarium at the expense of her husband. He, becoming terrified at the results of his work, attempted to reverse the process that produced it. His wife recovered her sanity and returned to his home, but always seemed adverse to his presence. Dr. Sellen continues that there are only two classes who can not be hypnotized, the insane and the idiots. Men of strong, positive mind can not be hypnotized involuntarily. She carries this thought still further, and there is a moral to it. She says it is not good in a mixed world to be receptive to everything that comes along, for the most part of what we call public opinion is thought-transference. The opinion formed by the average man is more the opinion of others than his own. All catch this from stronger thinkers in every department of life. The man who would form his own opinions must keep the key to his own brain; and this is true. But how are we to escape the peril? That is the one great question that Dr. Sellen does not answer, and which many others do not answer who see the evil of hypnotism. The great, mighty will of the universe is God's will; the great thoughts of the universe are God's thoughts. None can hinder His will. No thoughts or opinions are as mighty as the living thoughts of God. There is a will set to oppose God's will, and a mind set to the perversion of God's thoughts. The master mind of evil is working through hypnotism, spiritualism, and a thousand other isms to enslave the minds of men and make them subject to the flesh instead of to the Creator. That means dooming them to destruction. The only way to escape this peril is to yield our will to God's will, and think the thoughts of God after Him. He who yields to the hypnotic influence of Satan has no power to break from Satan's spell, but he who yields to the freedom of God's will, will be kept by that will from yielding to evil as long as he yields himself in harmony with it; but at any time and at all times he may choose to depart if he will. The service of God is perfect and absolute freedom. Outside of that, apart from that, it is slavery in one form or another, in one degree or another, and the last degree is absolute submission of soul and body to the prince of darkness. Flee from hypnotism as from a plague. Keep the mind positive for God. NEVERTHELESS ABSOLUTE SECRECY IS IMPOSSIBLE.
By Christian Advocate
So many swindlers pretending to belong to the secret orders have defrauded people that the penal code of the State of New York has just been amended by the following. The act took effect Sept. 1, 1905: Any person who willfully, by aid of any false token or writing, or other false pretense or statement, or without the authority of the grand lodge of the order, obtains the signature of any person to any written application, or any money or property for any alleged or pretended degree, secret work, or secrets of, or membership in, any secret fraternal society having a grand lodge in this state, or in any subordinate lodge or body thereof, is subject to a penalty of imprisonment of not more than three years, or by a fine to an amount not exceeding the value of the money or property so obtained, or by both. Independent of the utility of the law, it reveals the fact that people of common sense and observation have long since known that it is impossible to make and maintain an absolutely secret society. Unless the so-called work of any society has been changed within six months, it is possible to get every ceremonial they have, and with substantial accuracy the language used.—Christian Advocate. Catholicism and Socialism
Catholicism and Socialism.—Whether the old political parties realize anything whatever of the growth of Socialism or not, Roman Catholicism does. The Catholic Mirror of November 4, 1905, referring to the mix-up in municipal politics in New York, says that Mr. Hearst's vote is "another evidence of the Socialistic ideas in the public. During the last ten years these have grown to such an extent that thousands of malcontents, men disgusted with corruption to be found on both sides of the fence, and seeing no hope of reform from men, have joyously hailed Socialism as a realizable Utopia." And yet the Mirror counts the Socialistic piping as seductive music, and sees in Socialism a menace to the government, and counts the admirable reforms which Socialists advocate as not belonging to Socialism, but existing in spite of it, and declares that "Socialism radically and rationally considered is a nightmare vision, and hallucination." Really the one great foe which Socialism has is the Roman Catholic Church, and Romanism counts Socialism as one of its great obstacles, and the fearful struggle is becoming more and more evident and imminent. Separation of Church and State
By Editor
Separation of Church and State.—A despatch from Paris, under date of December 7, states that the senate, after a long debate, has adopted the bill for the separation of church and state, by a vote of 181 against 102. When it was announced, there were enthusiastic scenes and loud cries of "Long live the Republic!" and "Long live Liberty!" That majority under all ordinary circumstances would be considered large, but to our mind it is far from satisfactory. It means continual strife and against the wisest, the craftiest, the oldest, diplomatic persuasive power in the world, the Papacy. We should have more faith in it, too, if the whole thing were based on pure love of liberty rather than enmity against the Roman Catholic Church. We believe that is the case with many who have supported the bill, but with many others it was enmity to Catholicism which animated them. But even now, if the authorities in France will adopt a wise course, revealing the government not to be an anti-religious power but a non-religious power, giving freedom to all religions or no religions, it yet may be seen by many who have opposed religious liberty that the action of the state has been the wisest thing; but the maintenance of this means even more than the adoption of the thing. A free people politically must be a free people religiously, must be a strong people morally, must be those moved by principle rather than by feeling or emotion. Such we wish France to be. IN Winston, N. C., a man was twice convicted of violating the Sunday law by keeping open a small store. In both instances he was fined; in the last instance he refused to pay the fine, and was imprisoned. A few days before his imprisonment, during a firemen's carousal, a stone was thrown through this man's store window and considerable damage was done. But there was no arrest for the malicious mischief. In the city of Minneapolis the saloon-keepers have become prosecutors of other business men for doing business on Sunday. Have they become converted to Sunday sacredness? have they become convinced that it is a sin to sell intoxicating drinks more than six days in the week? O no, it is simply a matter of retaliation. This illustrates the character of the Sunday law. Its peculiar feature as a law is that it can be made an instrument in the hands of vicious people for the persecution of innocent, good-citizen neighbors. Its very first use, on recognition as a church institution in the fourth century, was as a bitter persecuting agent. And that is always its mission where there is sufficient sentiment to enforce it vigorously. THE WILL OF GOD
By W. A. Sweany
The Necessity of Instant Obedience.
THE candid consideration of the primary and fundamental relations between creature and Creator demonstrates the wisdom and justice of instant obedience, even tho the object and result of the mandate may not be understood. It is neither necessary nor possible for the servant or soldier to always fully understand the object or result of the order of his master or captain. It is his to obey, leaving the responsibility for results and consequences with the one in authority. The application of the simple, everywhere-recognized, "right of property" to our relations with Jehovah demonstrates at once His right to command and our duty to obey; for we are His by the double right of creation and redemption. Isa. 43: 1-7; 45: 9-12; 29: 15, 16; Jer. 18: 1-6; 1 Cor. 6: 19, 20; 1 Peter 1: 18, 19. Moreover, intelligent self-interest demands obedience, since, as hereinbefore shown, it is best for us, both here and hereafter. It is evident, however, that the reason why disobedience and death, and loyalty and life, stand thus related to each other is not fully and generally understood as it should be. Jehovah's will or law is the expression in words of His nature and character; a statement of what He is, and what He desires us to be. Matt. 5: 44-48; 1 Peter 1: 13-16. Righteousness is right-doing, or right-being. Jehovah's righteousness is, therefore, what He does and is, and the record or statement thereof is His will or law for us. God's Will a Living Word.
His commandments are not simply spoken and written; they are what He Himself has done and still does, in truth and uprightness. And since we know that whatsoever Jehovah doeth, it shall be forever; nothing can be put to it nor anything taken from it, and Jehovah doeth it that men may fear before Him, "they stand fast forever and ever." Ps. 111, especially verses 7, 8; Eccl. 3: 14; Ps. 119: 152, 160, 172; Matt. 5: 17-19; Luke 16: 17. The righteousness or life of Jehovah that is thus described in the written Word, is fully revealed, illustrated, and manifested in the living Word—the Word made flesh. So fully was God in Christ—"manifest in the flesh"—that to see Him was to see the Father. John 1: 1-14; Rev. 19: 11-16; 2 Cor. 5: 17-19; 1 Tim. 3: 16; John 14: 1-11. He is therefore our Pattern and Example, and nothing is required of us but what He does and is. 1 Peter 2: 21; 1 Tim. 1: 16. And so, by beholding, considering, believing, obeying, and following Him, we become "partakers of the divine nature," and "are changed into the same image." 2 Peter 1: 3, 4; 2 Cor. 3: 18. The law, like its Author, is righteous, holy, pure, spiritual, just, true, and good, and through obedience thereto, we become partakers of His fulness, which is made up of these various characteristics, graces, and attributes. "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" converts the soul, and makes "free from the law of sin and death." Rom. 8: 1-5; Ps. 19: 7-11. But in Him all fulness dwells, "and ye are complete in Him." Col. 2: 9, 10. So not only is He the Author, Source, and Giver of all the above-mentioned graces, but He is also the Source, Fountain, and Giver of life. Ps. 36: 9. And, just as His Word and commandment, when believed and obeyed, transmits to the obedient believer the foregoing graces of His character, so the words that He speaks to us, they are spirit and they are life. John 6: 63. "His commandment is life everlasting." John 12: 50. "The man that doeth them shall live in them," for "the commandment is ordained unto life." "In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death." Prov. 12: 28. "Sin is the transgression of the law," and "sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death," for "the wages of sin is death." "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." 1 John 3: 4; James 1: 15; Rom. 6: 23; 5: 12. It is therefore certain that if Adam and Eve had never sinned, they would still be living, as are the angels "that do His commandments, harkening unto the voice of His word." Ps. 103: 20-22. It is true, in the eternal nature of things, that— In Obedience and Righteousness There Is Life,
while in disobedience and sin there is death. Lev. 18: 5; Neh. 9: 5-38, especially verses 28, 29; Eze. 20: 1-44, especially verses 11, 13, 21; Matt. 19: 16-22; Luke 10: 25-28. It should be carefully noted that Jehovah did not say, In the day that thou eatest thereof, I will kill you. It was not a threat of vengeance or retribution, but a solemn, loving warning of an inevitable consequence. Death was in the disobedience, not in the fruit. But just so surely "as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners," "by the obedience of One, shall many be made righteous." Rom. 5: 15-21. "Tho He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; and being made perfect, He became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him." Heb. 5: 8, 9. But it should always be remembered that the obedience of Christ avails nothing for us unless it is reproduced and wrought out in us. "Of our own selves," "without Him," "we can do nothing;" but we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Rom. 8: 1-17; John 15: 4-7; Phil. 4: 13. And so it is that the faithful, loving, tested, tried, unyielding, continual obedience of Him who dwells in the heart by faith, restores His image in the soul, and insures and secures eternal, immortal, life for the believer. Gal. 2: 20; 2 Cor. 4: 10, 11; Eph. 3: 17; Rev. 22: 14. It is because of this that Satan uses to the utmost every art, blandishment, deception, influence, and power at his disposal, to cause us to sin. It is for this reason that Jehovah, with infinite love and longing, beseeches us to obey, and warns us against transgression. He is "not willing that any should perish." He has "no pleasure in the death of Him that dieth;" "wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." "Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" "Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin." "He that sinneth against Me wrongeth his own soul; all they that hate Me love death." 2 Peter 3: 9; Ezekiel 18, especially verses 30-32; Prov. 8: 35, 36. Surely, in view of all this, obedience should not be regarded as a cross. Rather, let every one say, "Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep Thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments; for therein do I delight. . . . So shall I keep Thy law continually forever and ever. And I will walk at liberty; for I seek Thy precepts. I will speak of Thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed. And I will delight myself in Thy commandments, which I have loved." Ps. 119: 33-47. (Continued in our issue of February 14.) POLYGAMY.
By J. A. L. Derby
To persons who have not been brought up in the midst of Mormon practises and influences, it may seem superfluous to inquire into the Biblical teaching on the subject of polygamy. The records of the spread of Mormonism, however, show that not a few persons in recent years have become confused on this matter. To those not familiar with Scripture principles and their application, who know no duty unless it come as a direct command, a very plausible argument in favor of polygamy may be drawn from the examples of Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon, and other individuals of sacred history. The fact is, one whose conduct is governed by precepts and examples only, who has no discernment for principles, will find abundant excuse to dance, play cards, use strong drink, hold slaves, go to war, marry wives many, and have concubines. But it is certainly true that the Word of God is opposed to all these things, as any one acquainted with its spirit knows. This could be shown in each instance; but the purpose of the present article is much more limited. Suffice it to say here that the development of pure religion since the time of Abraham illustrates what is often the case in individual experience—a gradual growth toward higher and truer conceptions of what the will of God is; and to the mind that has once grasped these purer ideals, any return in practise to the baser conceptions is as positive a sin as if it were the direct transgression of an express command. "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." James 4: 17. We shall not stop to show how God in the beginning revealed His will concerning the number of husbands a woman should have and the number of wives a man should have, and how Jesus put His stamp of approval on the principle when He interpreted the indefinite "they" of Gen. 2: 24 to mean explicitly two. The former text says that "they [the man and woman] shall be one flesh." Christ says in Matt. 19:5 that this "they" includes only two.9 Neither shall we take time to enlarge upon the fact that only by families so constituted could a pure morality be attained in the world or the church, as is said in Mal. 2: 15, "Did not He [God] make one [woman for one man, —see verse before]? . . . And wherefore one?—That He might seek a godly seed." Nor shall we even refer to the numerous texts which show the discord and unhappiness that resulted when this divine purpose was not heeded. At present we shall emphasize but one point; namely, that there is in the New Testament a positive prohibition to servants of God against having more than one wife at a time. For those who want the direct statement, it is there. Every one might read it plainly for himself had not King James's translators, in obedience to his express command, for fear of disturbing the ecclesiastical order,—which in his mind was absolutely essential to the existence of a king,—mistranslated the word diakonos and its derivatives in more places than one. "No bishop, no king," was the way James summed up his belief. Not to change "the old ecclesiastical words" was his command. That they followed the injunction is shown by their words, as found in their preface to the larger Bibles: "We have avoided the scrupulosity of the Puritans, who leave the old ecclesiastical words, and betake themselves to others." The words referred to are such as tend to uphold the hierarchy, the various ecclesiastical orders as found especially in the Episcopal Church. One of these words is diakonos. Of the thirty times this word is used in the New Testament, not once does it in the original Greek have the official and technical import implied in the English words deacon and minister used to translate it. Its true meaning is most nearly given by the word servant. Concerning its use we quote the following, which illustrates the point: "Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister [diakonos]; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant [doulos, slave]." Matt. 20: 26. "If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant [diaconos] of all." Mark 9: 35. "If any man serve [diacone] Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant [diaconos] be; if any man serve [diacone] Me, him will the Father honor." John 12: 26. This is a very important instance of the usage of the word, as it is in fact a description of all Christ's deacons, ministers, or servants. Any one that serves Christ is His diakonos. "Jesus Christ was a minister [diaconos] of the circumcision for the truth of God." Rom. 15: 8. "I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant [diaconos] of the church which is at Cenchrea." Rom. 16: 1. In the following texts, the Authorized Version has the word "minister" where we have used "servant," the correct translation: "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but servants [diaconi] by whom ye believed." 1 Cor. 3: 5. "Our sufficiency is of God, who hath also fitted us to be servants of the new covenant." 2 Cor. 3: 6. "Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his servants [diaconi] also be transformed as servants [diaconi] of righteousness." 2 Cor. 11: 14, 15. "Are they servants [diaconi] of Christ? I am more; in labors more abundant," etc. 2 Cor. 11: 23. "Tychicus, a beloved brother, and faithful servant [diaconos]." Eph. 6: 21. "Timotheus, our brother and servant [diaconos] of God." 1 Thess. 3: 2. "These instances, then, will be sufficient to show that the diaconos of the Greek text is a word generally expressive of service, and that to translate it deacon or minister . . . is not to represent the true meaning of the original, but rather the ecclesiastical prejudices of the translator. And, in fact, the word 'deacon,' and 'the office of a deacon,' tho making a conspicuous figure in the English Bible, have no existence in the original."—"Ministry According to the Scriptures," Pages 40, 41. We turn now to examine a text where this word is mistranslated, and where the proper rendering gives the point we are after. In 1 Tim. 3: 12 we read, "Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife." Since the Greek word is here diaconi—also spelled in English diakoni—it is clear from what has been said above, that the proper word to be used is servant, or minister (without the official or clerical import). In the next verse, 13, we read of the "office of a deacon." This phrase is wholly imaginary. There is nothing to warrant it in the original. The word thus translated is diakoneitosain; its meaning is simply "let them serve," or "let them be in service." Here, then, we have the direct, explicit command that servants of God, Christians, shall have but one wife. J. A. L. Derby.