Earlier text: THE LIGHT OF THE WORLDTHE SAINTS ARE NOT TO BE WITH CHRIST TILL HE COMES.
By John Nevins Andrews
THE Sadducees, who denied the resurrection, and who also denied the conscious state of the dead, assailed our Lord with reference to the former point. It is worthy of notice that their question was not framed with reference to the state of the dead, though it could easily have been made to include this also had they chosen to include it. The fact that they raised the difficulty with respect to the woman that had seven husbands, only with reference to the resurrection, and not at all with reference to the intermediate state, is strong presumptive proof that they knew Christ as a teacher of the resurrection, but did not know him as a teacher of the doctrine that men enter Heaven or hell at death. Christ said: "The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage; but they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage; neither can they die any more; for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living; for all live unto him." Luke 20:34–38. Our Lord, having disposed of their difficulty respecting the resurrection, proceeds to prove that there shall be such an event. He brings his proof from Moses, whose writings were of the highest authority with the Sadducees. Long after the death of the patriarchs, God called himself their God. But says Christ, "He is not a God of the dead, but of the living; for all live unto him." If they were then actually alive, there could be no proof in this text that there shall be a resurrection of the dead. If they were alive only in the purpose of God, who calleth things that are not yet as though they actually exist at the present time (Rom. 4:17), then the words which Christ quotes are a most decisive proof that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, shall be raised from the dead. It is manifest that this is their true sense. God purposed to raise them from the dead. On the strength of that purpose, he speaks of himself as their God. This implies the existence of the persons named, and that God recognized them as his people. He could do this on one of two grounds. 1. That they were then actually alive, in which case no resurrection was needed in order that these words should have their proper force; or, 2. That they were actually dead, but were alive to God because he purposed that they should live again. And this is precisely the point which Christ made. And thus, though427this text is often quoted to prove the conscious state of the dead, such was not Christ's meaning at all. Indeed, if Christ had held that the dead are now actually alive, this text would not only have had no point to prove the resurrection, but would have told directly against it; for it would show that they needed no resurrection in order to sustain the relation to God which this passage implies. Christ promised that some of those who stood by on a certain occasion should not taste of death till they had seen the kingdom of God. Luke 9:27. So after eight days he took three of his disciples up to the top of a mountain, and there gave them a miniature representation of it in a vision. Matt. 17:9. His face shone as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. He appeared just as he will be in his glorious kingdom. To represent the two classes of his people that shall inherit that kingdom, namely, those who shall be translated, and those who shall be raised from the dead, there appeared Elijah, who had been translated, and Moses, who had passed through death. The case of Moses is often cited to show that the dead are now in conscious bliss in Heaven. But the future kingdom of Christ, which was here represented, will have no disembodied saints in it. They will all have been raised from the dead before they enter it. Everything in this case requires that Moses, in order to fitly represent the resurrected saints in the kingdom of God, should himself have been resurrected. Dr. Adam Clarke is of this opinion. The contention of Michael and Satan respecting the body of Moses indicates this. Jude 9. Moses, as the type of Christ, may have been an exception to the general statement respecting the resurrection. Acts 26:23. But to those who think that Moses was present on the mount as a disembodied spirit, we present these questions: The law of Moses forbade consulting the dead, or holding converse with them. Deut. 18. Christ was certainly under the authority of that law. Now, if Moses, as a dead man, was at full liberty to converse with Christ, was Christ, as subject to the law of Moses, at liberty to converse with dead Moses? If it was a great sin for Saul to seek to converse with dead Samuel, was it not also a sin for Christ to converse with dead Moses? But the questions are asked only to show the absurdity involved in the view that Moses was still numbered with the dead when he appeared upon the mount to represent the resurrected saints in the future kingdom of Christ. "Let not your hearts be troubled; ye believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:1–3. The Saviour here seeks to comfort his disciples in view of his separation from them. He tells them that the separation is not to be eternal. Though he leaves them to go to his Father, he goes there to prepare a place for them. When the place is prepared, he will come back after them and receive them unto himself. It was necessary that he should do this, in order for them to be with him once more. For thus he states the object of his return to our earth: "that where I am, there ye may be also." This fixes the time when the saints shall be with Christ. It is not at death, but at the second advent of the Saviour. If each one was going to Christ at death, he could have told them the separation would be very short, and that as each one should die he should be taken into his presence. But he fixes the time of meeting at his second coming, and absolutely excludes the idea of their being with him till then. And the same fact is implied in the preparation of the place. When that work is done, Christ returns for his people. If they were able to go thither before that time, they would go in advance of the preparation of the place. But there is divine order to this. The place must be first prepared for them. Our Lord shall then return and take his people to that place. And till that time they must wait. Happily the period of waiting has no element of time in it to the peaceful sleeper. As there are no thoughts in death, the state of death is to the dead a blank, even as to the living it has proved to be when from brain injury the power of thought is lost. A half-finished sentence has been completed after the lapse of weeks, the moment that thought was resumed. There is the same space of time that the dead wait, so far as the lapse of time to them is concerned, that there is to the living in the act of translation. It is an atom of time represented by the twinkling of an eye. Stephen "fell asleep" with the view of the Saviour plain before his eyes. When he awakes in the resurrection, and beholds the Saviour in his glory in the heavens above, it will be to him as though there had been no period in which he had slept in death. He can be no more conscious that Christ had disappeared from his view than we are that an object disappears when we wink. The resurrection at the advent of our Lord does, therefore, rob death and the grave of all their terrors and of all their gloom. J. N. A. A DEFINITE SABBATH.
By E. J. Waggoner
In the article concerning the Sabbath, which was noticed last week, in which the ground was taken that it is of no particular importance which day of the week is observed as the Sabbath, the following passage occurs: "Doubtless all would prefer the regular hebdomadal successor of the original, if there was no doubt as to which was the original." Although the theory that the Sabbath has been lost is by no means a new one, it is sometimes interesting to note the reasons which different ones give for their expressed belief that it has been lost. The writer starts out with the statement that "under the Mosaic dispensation, our Saturday, the seventh day of the week, was observed as the Sabbath day." He goes on further to say that there is no doubt that "the Sabbath was ordained and observed, together with the law of marriage, in Paradise, and that both these statutes survived the fall, and were observed by the sons of God." Having admitted these facts it would not seem that there could be much doubt as to the identity of the Sabbath, for the Mosaic dispensation brings us down to the time of Christ. If the seventh day was observed in Paradise, was kept by the patriarchs, and was the recognized Sabbath under all the Mosaic dispensation, all the time that has been lost must be in the Christian era, the possibility of which will be duly considered. But our friend is evidently bound to be in doubt as to which was the original seventh day, although he has stated facts which clearly prove that there can be no doubt. He says:—
"After the flood Noah may have begun a series of Sabbaths quite irrespective of the regular day according to the customs before the flood, for we find him upon his coming out of the ark, sacrificing to God. It is not likely that he moved out of the ark upon the then ordained Sabbath, but it is probable that he observed every seventh day after this worship-day—the eventful day of beginning life anew upon the earth—as his Sabbath to the Lord." This is at best only a feeble supposition that the day was lost; but since there are many with whom a supposition against the Sabbath is of more force than a command in favor of it, we will see if this one has any foundation. The fact that Noah sacrificed to God, shows that he was in communication with him, and is therefore evidence that he did not forget God's commandments. Can we suppose that the man who, in the wicked generation before the flood walked with God, should forget him immediately after his miraculous deliverance? Our friend has admitted that the seventh day was the God-ordained Sabbath in Paradise, and through the Mosaic dispensation. And the wise man says: "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." Prov. 28:9. The fact, therefore, that God accepted Noah's sacrifice, proves conclusively that in no respect had Noah willfully neglected to keep God's law. The mistake which our friend makes is in supposing that sacrifices were offered only on the Sabbath, or on the day which was observed as such. In the 29th chapter of Exodus, where the directions are given for consecrating the priests and the altar, we read the following: "And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement." Verse 36. Again in the 38th verse: "Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually." Again in Lev. 4, we read the directions for sin offerings. When a person had committed a sin through ignorance, "if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge, then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats," etc. Thus we see that although special provision was made for sacrifices on the Sabbath, sacrifices were not limited to that day. But to make assurance doubly sure, our friend has the Sabbath changed once more, at the time of the exodus from Egypt. Referring to the supposition that Noah lost the day, he says:—
"Though this is not surely known, yet it is true, and well known, that the Jewish Sabbath was fixed upon the day before the rest-day of the patriarchs and the gentile nations; and that it was so fixed, not because it was, or was not, the regular seventh day from the original Sabbath, but simply to commemorate the redemption of Israel from Egypt." It would have been more satisfactory if he had given his authority for the statement that the Sabbath was changed at that time. To be sure he cites another individual who says the same thing, but how either of them found it out remains a mystery. The Bible gives no hint of it. On the contrary, when the law was given on Sinai, only a short time after the Israelites left Egypt, they were plainly told that the Sabbath which they were to remember was the one which was sanctified in Eden. That should be allowed to settle all controversy. But right here we notice a curious inconsistency in the statements of our friend. He says that the Sabbath which God gave to the Jews, was fixed upon the day before the Sabbath which the patriarchs kept. The Jews, as all know, have adhered to the observance of that day until the present time. It was the seventh day of the week, the day before the day which is observed by Catholics and the majority of Protestants. He has stated that the Sabbath ordained in Paradise, and kept throughout the Mosaic dispensation, was the seventh day of the week (our Saturday), a fact which we fully believe. Now if this be true, how could the Jews keep the day previous to this, and also keep the seventh day? Were there two seventh days in close succession? There is something very curious about the Sunday. Notwithstanding the numerous changes which are alleged to have been made, and the great amount of time which we hear has been lost beyond the possibility of recovery, this wonderful day preserves its identity, and ever comes to the front as the true Sabbath beyond a doubt. Its vitality is marvelous. Besides the cases already noticed, it is claimed that the Sabbath was lost at the time of the Babylonish captivity. But when we remember that this calamity was brought upon the Jews as a direct punishment for their violation of the Sabbath, and that in consequence of this terrible lesson, they observed the Sabbath with unusual strictness from that time until the time of Christ, any one can readily see that such a thing as a loss of the Sabbath was impossible. To complete the evidence that the Sabbath observed by the Jews, and by some Christians, is the original seventh day which God sanctified at Creation, we have only to consider the period of time since Christ's ministry on earth. At that time the Jews were keeping the day for they violation of which they had been severely punished. It certainly was the Sabbath, or there would have been no justice in their punishment. Christ himself recognized it, and kept it. Matt. 24:20; Luke 4:16. Even allowing that the day had been lost centuries before, there cannot be the shadow of a doubt that the original Sabbath was known and kept at this time. Since then, the Jews, who have constantly adhered to the observance of the same day, have been scattered among all nations, but there is a remarkable unanimity among them as to which day is the seventh day. If the Sabbath had been lost, there would be a disagreement among them. Again, all Catholics and Protestants agree with the Jews in their reckoning, for they unite in the observance of the first day, the day following the seventh day, and urge as one reason for doing so that our Lord rose from the dead on that day. This shows that they do not believe that any time has been lost. They would not commemorate Christ's resurrection on that day, if they did not believe that he rose on that identical day. We have now examined the indefinite theory of an indefinite Sabbath, very briefly, it is true, but still to greater length than its real merits deserve. It remains only to notice in what position those persons place themselves, who argue that the Sabbath of God's appointment has been lost. God rested upon and blessed the seventh day in the beginning, and sanctified it, i. e., commanded Adam, and through him, all his posterity, to keep it holy. Gen. 2:2, 3. He afterwards repeated the commandment on Mt. Sinai, and by his prophets frequently enjoined it upon all people. The428 law of which this commandment is a part, is declared to be the standard by which God judges men; those who keep it shall have eternal life, and those who violate it will have death everlasting. Eccl. 13:14; James 2:12; Matt. 19:16, 17; Isa. 48:18; Deut. 7:9-15; Rom. 6:23; Rev. 22:14. Moreover, he has stated that he changes not, Mal. 3:6, and has repeatedly stated in his word that these commandments, by which men are to be judged, are to endure forever. Ps. 119:89, 142, 144, 152, 160; Isa. 40:8; 51:6-8; Matt. 5:17-19. Now those who allow that there is even a possibility of enlightened people losing the Sabbath, thus making it impossible for them to keep the law, impeach God's justice. They virtually say that God will punish men for violating his commandments when he has put it out of their power to keep them. It is very easy for a person to convince himself that he has a good excuse for disobeying God's law, but we have no reason to suppose that God will accept man's opinion as the standard of the Judgment. The very fact that people offer excuses for not keeping the Sabbath is proof that in their hearts they believe that the Sabbath law is still binding. If it were not, there would be no need of an excuse. The Missionary.
By M. L. Huntley
It is an exalted privilege to bear some part in the work of God. It is the highest honor that can be conferred upon man in his fallen condition. As the result of personal transgression, every power of man's being has become demoralized and weakened. The fact that God does accept efforts, when put forth in a proper spirit, while in this fallen condition, shows unbounded mercy and condescension, on the part of our Creator, notwithstanding much that is professedly done for Christ's sake is not acceptable to him. Therefore an understanding of what constitutes acceptable service is of the greatest importance. The outward acts of the Pharisee who went up into the temple to pray, so far as we can judge, are not worthy of censure. Doubtless it was his duty to do these very things, yet his service was not pleasing to God; while the poor publican, who perhaps had committed grievous sins, found acceptance. Also it was the duty of rich men to cast much into the treasury; notwithstanding the poor widow's offering was of far greater value in the sight of the Lord than all that they had done. The lesson here taught is not that those only who are poor, and such as the world does not esteem, can find favor with God; but that he regards the state or condition of the heart more than the outward acts. It was the motive which actuated these individuals that rendered their efforts, although insignificant in themselves, acceptable to him. Had those who did much, possessed the same spirit, their services would also have been acceptable. There are motives unseen by man, and underlying every act of life, which God regards. He reads the heart and sees not as man seeth. The apostle refers to this principle when he says that, though he should give all his goods to feed the poor, and his body to be burned, if he had not charity, it would profit him nothing. It is the spirit that is drawn out for others' good, that labors not for earthly reward, but for the salvation of their fellow-men, that is of value in the sight of God. This spirit is everywhere seen in the life of Christ. It is what led him to come into this dark world, and sustained him in the hours of fearful temptation and terrible agony which he endured. It is the same spirit which prompted those who have left all that was dear and desirable to them to go to heathen lands to spend and be spent in the service of God. Many have seemed to think such earnestness, zeal, devotion, and self-denial, as has been manifested in the lives of sacrificing missionaries, only necessary in instances of great responsibility; but it is the spirit of Christ, and without it we are none of his. The importance of the present time demands that every individual who accepts the light of present truth should possess this sacrificing spirit to a large degree. Children should be educated in it. The responsibility and importance of the work of those who in time past have thus gone to foreign lands, does not equal that of ours. A life-time is short to devote to the service of God, but when only a few years remain in which so much is to be done, the importance of rightly improving every day cannot be expressed. This spirit prompts to constant action. It cannot rest in inactivity. It will labor long and suffer much, even though its efforts may seem to be fruitless and although it may meet with almost insurmountable difficulties, and the effort to overcome them may wring from the soul prayers and tears of anguish; but it brings no rest, no reprieve, until the work is done. The dungeon and the stake have been arrayed against it in vain. From the inner prisons and upon couches of suffering it has spoken words of eloquence and power which have resounded through the earth; and sang hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God that melted the stony hearts of those who heard. It has no part nor lot with that kind of voluntary humility which pleads unworthiness and inability as an excuse for not bearing burdens in the work of God; when at the same time the business of this world is performed readily and with success. It rather exclaims, Here, Lord, am I; send me. When any new enterprise is entered upon, as the tract and missionary work, many engage heartily in it at first; but after awhile if they see no direct result of their labor their interest lessens, and they become discouraged. Others do not feel any special burden of the matter. This is not as it should be. We may learn a lesson from the insect creation. The labor performed by the ant or a coral insect may be very insignificant, but they all work in harmony, each performing its part. They neither tear down each other's work nor get discouraged, and the result of their labor is marvelous. So if every member of the Tract and Missionary Society should possess the true missionary spirit, and labor, each in the sphere God has assigned him, the result would be far more than has yet been seen. Not one-twentieth is accomplished that might be if all possessed the spirit of sacrificing labor. As the man of this world watches for opportunities to increase his wealth, and takes advantage of every favorable circumstance, so should opportunities for missionary labor be sought out and improved. The providence of God has so arranged it that every one can have a part in his work, and what each individual does is valued in proportion to the ability he possesses to do, and the motive that actuates him in doing it. What then, can be said for those who consider themselves or anything they possess too good to devote to a cause like this? It is worthy of the best affections of the heart; and could we rightly view the blessedness of enlisting our interests in the cause of Christ, we should be led to exclaim, "What shall we render to the Lord for all his benefits to us?" Truly, it is a condescension on the part of God, and an exalted privilege to us, that we are permitted to bear some humble part in the work of God upon the earth. THE STRAWBERRIES AND THE DYING CHILD.
A LITTLE girl once had a bed of strawberries. Very anxious was she that they should ripen and be fit to eat. The time came.429 "Now for a feast," said her brother to her one morning, as he pulled some beautiful ones for her to eat. "I cannot eat these," said she, "for they are the first ripe fruit." "Well," said her brother, "all the more reason for making a feast, for they are the greater treat." "Yes, but they are the first-fruit." "Dear father told us that he used to give to God the first out of all the money he made, and that then he always felt happier in spending the rest; and I wish to give God the first of my strawberries, too." "Ah, but," said her brother, "how can you give strawberries to God? And even if you could, he would not care for them." "Oh, I have found out a way," said she, "Jesus said, 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me,' and I mean to go with them to Mrs. Perkin's dying child, who never sees a strawberry, they are so poor." Away went the children to give them to the dying child, and when they saw her put out her thin arms, and take the ripe, round fruit in her little shriveled fingers, and saw her eyes glisten and her little faded lips smile, they felt that God had accepted their little offering.—Sunday at Home. CAMP-MEETING AT SOUTH LANCASTER, MASSACHUSETTS.
By George I. Butler
THIS meeting was held in a beautiful grove of pines, near the railroad, commencing August 31, and closing September 6. The large pavilion tent, one hundred and twenty-five feet by eighty, in which all the general meetings were held, was pitched at the edge of the grove on the green sod. Eld. D. M. Canright of Michigan, Eld. S. N. Haskell, who lives at the place, Eld. Robinson, and the writer were present, and participated in the preaching. Eld. Isaac Sanborn, formerly of Wisconsin, was present part of the time. The attendance of our people was about the same as last year. The weather was not very favorable. A heavy rain set in Friday afternoon, which continued with little interruption till the next morning, so that no meeting could be held during the time. It was cloudy from that time till the close. Our meetings on Sunday were not largely attended, partly for this reason and partly because so many camp-meetings had been held on the ground before, that novelty failed to draw the people. Excellent attention was given by those who came. Our own people who attended were much benefited, and the meetings were spiritual. The preaching was highly appreciated, and great solemnity prevailed at times during the services. On Sabbath afternoon we had, I think, the best meeting I ever attended in this Conference. The discourse related to a thorough consecration of ourselves to God's service, our bodies becoming "a living sacrifice" upon his altar, Rom. 12:1-3, so that our every effort should be in conformity to his will. If God would be pleased to have our lives, like those of the martyrs, become a sacrifice, and we be offered upon the altar as a testimonial of constancy and faithfulness, we should be willing to glorify him thus. If he preferred that we wear out ourselves in his service, as the patient ox wears the yoke of toil, we should do this with perfect submission, as this is no more than our "reasonable service." When we consider that God has given us life, and all our powers, and every blessing, surely he has a higher right to us than we to ourselves. And when we consider the "mercies of God" to us, and how Christ has purchased us, then we must realize he has a double claim. At the close of the discourse, nearly the whole audience arose when asked if they would thus try to consecrate themselves to God. When sinners and backsliders were called forward, one hundred came forward, some weeping aloud. The precious solemn Spirit of God was present. Our closing meeting, Tuesday morning, was one of interest. Many of the old staunch friends of the cause expressed themselves as greatly blessed and edified by the preaching. Some who remembered the great Advent movement of 1844, when great power attended the preaching of the truth, said the preaching reminded them of that time. Some of these expressed themselves as having never attended a better meeting. There seemed to be two classes present: those who were greatly encouraged, and those who did not participate very much in the spirit of the work. Those who had sought the Lord were greatly blessed by him. We had the most encouraging Health and Temperance meeting Sunday forenoon I have attended this year. Quite a number participated in it, and many good things were said, which we have not space to relate. There were some temperance veterans on the ground, nearly eighty years of age, who had retained health and vigor of mind by habits of temperance. Their testimony had the right ring to it, and was weighty. The truth lived out always testifies strongly in its own favor. Probably in no part of the field has the Tract and Missionary work had a more thorough trial than here in New England, and nowhere have I seen better fruits of its work. Intelligent souls are embracing the truth from this agency in many places. This encourages the faithful workers. Such are not among the discouraged and murmuring. What a testimony in favor of the value of faithful service for the Master, that those who bestow it love his service better and better, and the grumblers are always found among the half-hearted. The brethren and sisters went to their homes with good courage. REPORT FROM SALINAS, CALIFORNIA.
By M. C. Israel
I HAD the pleasure of visiting this place for the first time one week ago, and meeting with those who had accepted the truth through the missionary efforts of Brn. A. D. Benton and Frank Lamb. Quite a number were present on Friday evening. On Sabbath at eleven the Sabbath-school met, consisting of twenty-three members, having been organized the previous Sabbath. Bro. Henry Reicke acted as Superintendent. All took hold in earnest. One brother brought his mother and two sisters seventeen miles, and some came fourteen, and some five miles, to attend the meetings. After preaching we had a good social meeting. Sixteen of the twenty-one who had signed the covenant were never members of any church, nearly half of them are heads of families, and all are highly respected. At the place where most of these came out, the Presbyterian minister had previously circulated a covenant through the neighborhood, pledging not to do secular work on the first day of the week. We had ten interesting meetings while there. Tuesday was appointed for baptism. All came together at 11 A. M. The Lord gave freedom in speaking on the subject of overcoming, after which a social meeting was held. Hearts were made tender by the Spirit of the Lord, many were in tears, and the testimonies gave evidence that souls had been really converted. At 2.30 P. M. we all went to the water where we found quite a congregation to witness the baptism. Twelve followed the Master and were buried in the likeness of his death, and brought up we trust to live only to him, having buried the old man of sin. A Tract and Missionary Society was organized, consisting of twelve members. Quite a number more are deeply interested in the truth, and we think will soon unite with the little company here. We visited the Reading-room of the Good Templars and found a file of the SIGNS, hanging in a conspicuous place, and nearly a whole volume nicely sewed together in two packages, lying on the table, and one of our bound books in the library. California needs colporteurs to go out all over the State to do the kind of work that is being done here; and we hope that from our coming camp-meeting, volunteers fully consecrated to the Lord will be found to enter the field. Oakland, Sept. 16, 1881. M. C. ISRAEL.