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Review and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 14.

God Cares! Do We?
Earlier text: Life Only in Christ

A. T. ROBINSON

By A. T. ROBINSON

The Light of the World — No. 2

A. T. ROBINSON

THE first eleven chapters of the book of Genesis bring us to the second time that Jehovah looked down from heaven to behold one lone man living in the midst of idolatry in whose life the true light of life continued to burn.
Having promised never again to destroy the earth by a flood, the Lord said to this one man, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.” Gen. 12: 1, 2.
Through that nation which God promised to make of Abraham, the Lord purposed to give the light of salvation to the whole world. In order that the nation of Israel might fulfil this purpose, the Lord promised to make them, on condition of their obedience to his law, “high above all nations.” “Keep therefore and do them [the commandments]; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” Deut. 4: 6. “And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldst keep all his commandments; and to make thee high above all nations which he hath made.” Deut. 26: 18, 19. “And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. . . . And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God.” Deut. 28: 10-13.
Only by occupying an exalted position could Israel be a light to all other nations. The time came in the history of Israel when the people aspired to be, not above, but on a level with, the nations around them. “Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; that we also may be like all the nations.” 1 Sam. 8: 19, 20.
In their attempt to be like the heathen nations around them, they sank to a position far below, and became the despised of all other nations, in which position it was not possible for them to shed light on the peoples around them.
In asking for a king to rule over them, the nation of Israel took the first step in their formal rejection of Jehovah as their King. “The Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.” 1 Sam. 8: 7. All through the history of Israel’s rebellious career, the Lord in mercy sought to restore and to retain their loyalty as the chosen nation. “The Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.” 2 Chron. 36: 15, 16.
The final step on the part of Israel as a nation, in their formal rejection of Jehovah as their King, was taken when Pilate asked the question, “Shall I crucify your King?” and “the chief priests answered, We have no king but Cæsar.” John 19: 15.
The time came when the light of life, which had been so abundantly shed upon that people, became so obscured that in the reading of the Sacred Scriptures they completely lost sight of him of whom the Scriptures testify. They so far misunderstood, misapplied, and misinterpreted the prophecies which they were reading and professing to teach, that they themselves fulfilled those very Scriptures in putting Christ to death. “They that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.” Acts 13: 27. Once again the light of life had almost gone out in the world.
Boulder, Colo.

The Bible on Stewardship of Money

By S. J. Kendall

THE supreme need of the hour is that the disciple of Jesus shall have a clear understanding of the claims of God on his life. The believer must know that he is a steward. 1 Cor. 4: 1; Luke 16: 1, 5; 1 Peter 4: 10. We need an intelligent apprehension of the entire subject of getting, possessing, and using our substance. The principles of stewardship, as set forth in the Word, reveal everything we possess—life, children, talent, influence, training, possessions—to be held as a trust for the extending of the kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 16: 6, 19, 20, and Rom. 14: 7, R. V. It is important for us to understand that—

God is the Absolute Owner of All Things

No man is an absolute owner of anything. He is but a steward. God declares the earth to be his. Ps. 24: 1; Deut. 10: 14. The land is his. Lev. 25: 23. He holds this right by creation. Col. 1: 16; Ex. 20: 11; Rom. 11: 36. We are his. Titus 2: 14; 1 Peter 1: 18, 19; Acts 20: 28. The gold and silver are his. Haggai 2: 8. He has never quitclaimed his right to his possessions.

God is the Giver of All We Get

All that we have comes from him. 1 Cor. 4: 7; Rom. 12: 3. He gave the earth. Ex. 9: 29; Ps. 115: 16. He gives life. Acts 17: 25. The resources of the earth, the mines, the forests, the fields, are his. Deut. 10: 14; Ps. 24: 1; Acts 14: 17; Eccl. 5: 19. Our food, our mental ability, our physical strength, our power to get, come from him. John 3: 27; 1 Chron. 29: 14-16.

Getting and Hoarding Money for Its Own Sake is a Great Evil

The love of money is a great evil. 1 Tim. 6: 9, 10. It is difficult to get men to see this, but the Word is plain. Prov. 15: 27; Mark 10: 23; Matt. 19: 21, 22. It possibly hinders more men from being saved than any other thing. Matt. 13: 22. Abundance of riches does not satisfy. Eccl. 5: 10. Because of undue desire for wealth, many are hindered from coming to the Lord. Matt. 19: 16, 22. A word to the rich. 1 Tim. 6: 17-19; James 5: 1-6.

Withholding from God is Dishonest and Sinful

He who does not make faithful returns to God robs him. Mal. 3: 8, 9; Mark 12: 1, 9; Luke 12: 16-21. Many are withholding from God and using their money in ways he cannot approve. It is offensive to God. Haggai 1: 2, 5, 9, 11.

Giving is to be a Part of Worship

In connection with the first record of worship, we have “offerings unto the Lord.” Cain chose his own way, and the curse of God was upon him. Gen. 4: 3-7. The Old Testament plan was an offering and worship. Ps. 96: 8; Deut. 16: 16, 17. The New Testament presents the same system. Acts 10: 4; Heb. 13: 15, 16. All are to participate: “None shall appear before me empty.” Ex. 23: 15; 34: 20.

Giving Should be Proportionate

The Scriptures are plain as to the portion that is sacredly the Lord’s. Lev. 27: 30. While all our possessions and all our time are the Lord’s, one tenth of our income and one seventh of our time are sacredly his. Neither of these requirements had its origin in the Levitical law. Both are moral obligations. Neither was abrogated by change of dispensation. Our obligation to observe the tithe law rests on the same basis as the observation of the Sabbath law. Abraham and Jacob recognized this law. We should adopt it as the minimum of our gifts. God orders it. Num. 18: 20-24; Deut. 14: 22-27.
One tenth is the least portion; many should give more. Patriarchs and prophets recognized it. Jesus approved it. Matt. 23: 23; Luke 11: 42; Matt. 22: 21. The apostles taught it. 1 Cor. 9: 11-15; Heb. 7: 4-10. The early church fathers practiced it.

Rich Blessings are Promised to Faithful Stewards

To the individual: The blessings promised are spiritual (Prov. 11: 25; 2 Cor. 9: 7, 10) and temporal (Prov. 3: 9, 10; Luke 6: 38). Giving is a spiritual grace. 2 Cor. 8: 7, 9. Spiritual blessings are withheld because of our withholding. Mal. 3: 10. Our giving is to be liberal. Rom. 12: 6.
To the church: Great blessings will come to our churches. Blessings and prosperity were manifest in Israel’s history when they honored God with their substance. 2 Chron. 31: 5, 12. When the tithe was withheld, religion waned, and poverty and captivity followed. The church today has fallen far below the Jewish low-water mark, and yet the people wonder why we do not enjoy the overflow of blessing. Mal. 3: 8, 11.
If we adopt this system, it will make our giving an offering unto the Lord. It will do away with that miserable, grudging feeling that is so often experienced, and put our giving on a higher plane. 2 Cor. 9: 7; 1 Cor. 16: 1, 2.—S. J. Kendall, D. D., in Christian Observer.

The Third Commandment

By MILTON C. WILCOX

The Law of God — No. 8

The Third Commandment

MILTON C. WILCOX
BRIEF but mighty in import is the third commandment. It reads in the American Revised Version as follows:—
“Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Ex. 20:7.
Not by one name or title alone does the great Creator reveal himself to his children.
1. He is known as God, the supreme object of worship. The Hebrew is Elohim, and the word is also used of angels and judges and false gods. The Elohim of the Bible is “the true God,” “the living God,” the “everlasting King.” Of the terms denoting Deity this occurs in the Bible the most frequently. It also occurs in the singular, Eloah.
2. God is called El, the “strong,” “the mighty one.” From this comes Elyon, “the Most High.”
3. He is called Adonai, “the Supporter,” “Lord,” “Judge.”
4. To Abraham, who was to be assured that what God had promised he was able to perform, the Lord said, “I am God Almighty” (El Shaddai). Gen. 17:1, margin.
5. When Moses bore God’s message to Pharaoh, he was divinely instructed to say that he was sent by “I AM THAT I AM,” the self-existent God, the ever-present One, in all his fulness. It is expressed in the Revelation, the one who is, and was, and is to come.
A varied form of this is the name Jehovah, the great I AM. We have only the Hebrew consonants of the original name, JHVH, the vowels have been borrowed from the word Adonai. The Jewish doctors regarded Jehovah as the most sacred and mysterious name of God, and would not pronounce it. (Some eminent Hebrew scholars use this term Jehovah or Yahoveh, and some Yahveh. This latter form is considered generally a better vocalization of the consonants than Jehovah.) This word occurs seven times singly or in combination in our common version, but the original is generally rendered LORD, printed in small capitals.
We know of no reason why it should not be used recurrently, freely, by God’s children, for so the Scripture would indicate. It is used in God’s Word to man about six thousand times. It is God’s covenant name. It means absolute being, existence underived, independent, unchangeable, eternal. “I am Jehovah, I change not.” Mal. 3:6. He is “the Alpha and the Omega,” “the First and the Last,” “the Beginning and the Ending,” and reverently we may say, “Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. It is the one endearing name of the Old Testament. We fear and tremble before the Almighty One, but Jehovah invites our love, our confidence. When “Moses the man of God” pleaded with holy courage, “Show me, I pray thee, thy glory,” the answer was, “I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and will proclaim the name of Jehovah before thee.” Ex. 33:18, 19. Then, calling Moses into the mountain with himself, he revealed to his servant all the glory of the divine person man could bear, and proclaimed his covenant name—

Jehovah

“Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth; keeping loving-kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.” Ex. 34:6, 7.
“Holy and reverend is his name,”—“Jehovah,” the ever-existing, omnipresent God; Jehovah, the covenant-keeping God, who has repeatedly demonstrated the surety of his promise and the sureness of our refuge; Jehovah, the merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, but abundant in mercy, loving-kindness, and truth. He has mercy for the sinner, “freely by his grace.” If sin abounds, grace superabounds. Rom. 5:20. Let sin be forsaken and confessed, and he will give the sinner his own righteousness. Though there has been repeated sin, if the sinner will return, our gracious God will “multiply to pardon.” Isa. 55:7, margin. “He delighteth in mercy.” “He will subdue our iniquities.” He will cast all our sins into the depth of the sea. Micah 7:18, 19. There is no limit to his love, or mercy, or power. Thank God, he is pleased with “those that hope in his mercy.” Ps. 147:11.
The text refers not to thousands of persons alone, but to thousands of generations. There are millions in darkness; but he is “keeping loving-kindness” for them; and he waits “that he may be gracious.”
He cannot clear the guilty. It would overthrow his government if he did. It would condone sin. It would make the death of the Son of God of none effect. He will not clear the guilty because he cannot. Therefore he “gave his only begotten Son,” therefore that Son “gave himself,” that the guilt might be transferred to our divine Substitute, our Lord Jesus Christ. But let man retain the sin, and he retains the guilt. Our hope of eternal salvation rests in God’s holiness. For this and much more his name stands,—his ever-blessed covenant name, Jehovah, the one and only living God.
Take not his name in vain. In arrant blasphemy it is often thus taken. An instance of this is recorded in Lev. 24:10-16. The holy name must be respected, or many souls would be led away and confirmed in sin. It is shocking today to listen to the ribald profanity, the awful irreverence of God, which one occasionally meets in a promiscuous crowd of men. Oftentimes, because of pernicious education or association, the use of intensive bywords results from sheer force of habit, with no design of irreverence in them. Profanity is useless, senseless, sinful, wicked.
Take not God’s name in vain. The margin of the American Revised Version reads “for vanity (or, falsehood),” instead of “in vain.” How many there are who tell lies for gain, testify falsehoods for temporary advantage! But the result is not temporary. Any act or word that builds permanently into character, anything which affects morals, is not temporary, but eternal. We shall meet it in the judgment unless it is forsaken and repented of.
Needless and frequent repetition of God’s name in prayer, whatever may be the motive, is in bad taste and has a bad influence. Some good men repeat some name or title of the Father or Son in every sentence or oftener. It is unnecessary and irreverent. “Use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do,” is an injunction needed now.
Praying formally in God’s name, with no sense of the meaning of the law or name of God, is taking it in vain. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” “If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” These are awful scriptures if our heart is hard, unrepentant, and resisting. All our praying avails nothing with God unless our heart is in harmony with him. When we rightly appreciate the holy name of the covenant God, we shall not take his name in vain.
Mountain View, Cal.

Hearing and Doing

By Philip E. Howard

EVERY time we know what we ought to do, and then fail to do it, we become by just so much the weaker in character. Hearing good advice and saying, “Yes, that’s so,” is pretty poor business unless we do something with the good advice we receive. You can sit around for hours talking about the things you ought to do, and you can even feel that you have been busy, very busy. But if some one comes along and says to you, “Oh, yes, I know what you believe; but what have you really done about it today?” how will you answer? That’s a fair test for any of us.—Philip E. Howard.

Learning From Past Mistakes

“LET us profit by the mistakes and defeats of the past year, by avoiding them in the year before us. Each passing year should make us wiser and better, more discreet and painstaking to redeem the time.”

Kind Words and Forgiveness

“GREATER than keeping silence is the answering of angry words with kind ones. Self-control is magnificent, but forgiveness is divine.”

Australasia

By J. E. FULTON

J. E. FULTON
AUSTRALASIA has been more or less affected during the last year and a half by the great European war, and has suffered also during a part of this period from some rather severe droughts. But notwithstanding all these hindrances, we are glad to say that the work of the Lord has gone forward very encouragingly. There has been a greater interest in the truth than before, and in spite of the financial stringency, the tithes and offerings have increased. This speaks for increased faithfulness.

Eight Conferences in Australasia

There are now eight organized conferences in Australasia, six in the Australian Commonwealth and two in New Zealand. Until the beginning of 1915 New Zealand was one conference; but steamer travel from the extreme north to the extreme south was difficult and expensive, and the field was very hard to operate. By the division it is thought the work can be carried on to better advantage and more economically. Tasmania has also recently been organized into a conference. It was once a conference by itself, but some years ago the brethren decided to make it part of the Victorian Conference. However, the organization did not prosper as it should, and it was thought that more care should be given to the churches than could be given when the president must take a steamer voyage to reach the field. Since the reorganization the work is coming up, and we are sure the step was a wise one.

The First Island Conference

It has been decided to organize the churches of Fiji into a conference. There are ten churches, made up of two hundred and thirty members. There are about fifteen native evangelists in this field. There are eighteen Sabbath schools, with a membership of three hundred and sixty. The headquarters of our work in Fiji is at Suva Vou, near the capital; and at Buresala, on the island of Ovalau, we have a training school for native workers. This school has a membership of forty, and has proved a great blessing to the field. It has supplied workers for other islands, four missionaries having been sent to New Guinea. It is expected that the new organization will go into effect about July 1, 1916, and that Pastor C. H. Parker, now in the New Hebrides, will be the president. Brother Parker labored in the Fijian field a number of years, and we are sure the work will prosper under his earnest labors.
There are over fifty thousand Indians in Fiji, who have been brought there to work on the sugar-cane plantations and in the large sugar mills. Sugar making is a great industry. Fiji has one of the largest sugar mills in the world. How to get the truth before these people is a great problem. Their illiteracy, immorality, caste, and local surroundings make the task a most difficult one. Sister Ellen Meyers, formerly of India, has been toiling faithfully there for some years. She has done a good work in visiting among the Indian women, and in holding schools and Bible studies for them.

Good News from the Cannibal Islands

We have some faithful missionaries laboring in the New Hebrides and Solomon Islands, in districts where no other missionaries have ever labored, and we are glad to be able to report progress. People whose lives and whose attitude have been most forbidding are now turning to the light and welcoming our missionaries.
Brother Parker is now starting a mission on the island of Mallicolo, among the Big Nambus people who massacred several Presbyterian missionaries about two years ago. We believe that the Lord is especially working upon the hearts of the people at this time. Brother Parker has been holding meetings with the natives in their villages. From one place he writes:—
“The Lord is opening the way for us to start the work in Lalip, and we have had three Sabbath meetings with the villagers. Out of forty-four, forty-one were present yesterday. All but one man and his wife had laid aside their work and were resting on the Sabbath. The people were waiting for my coming. They are beginning to talk about a church; and I think we shall have one before long.”
Brother Parker asks God’s people for their special prayers in behalf of this new work.
Pastor G. F. Jones, who has been a few months in Australia on furlough, gives us equally thrilling reports about the work in the Solomon Islands. Some of the natives who seemed so far from God are making wonderful progress.

Other Southern Islands

Other islands in the Pacific are sending in encouraging reports. Samoa, where the work has gone so hard, now presents a very encouraging aspect. There have been two baptisms of native converts, and the interest seems to be growing. Pastor J. E. Steed is in charge. He does not have good health; but we pray that God may sustain him in his earnest labors.
From Tahiti, Society Islands, where Pastor F. E. Lyndon is in charge, good reports come of new converts being brought in. From the Cook Islands Mission, of which Brother G. L. Sterling is the superintendent, we learn of the work starting on a new island, and encouraging progress is reported from the work as a whole.

Australasia and the Far East

Australasia is now linked with the Far East. At our recent union conference council held at Warburton, Victoria, the plan was further considered, and this union is now taking on its responsibilities for the extension of the work, not only in the needy island fields which form a part of the union, but also in sending recruits and means for the great and populous countries of the Orient. The following recommendations passed at the council, having reference to the extension of the work, will be of interest:—
“That in addition to the tithe of our tithe received, we appropriate our Sabbath-school offerings as a contribution to the funds of the Asiatic Division Conference for the year beginning July 1, 1916.
“That we set our aim for missions at one shilling a week per member for the next fiscal year.
“That in view of the increasing need for the extension of our work in the needy mission fields, and in view of the nearness of the end, we make it our aim to raise £2,000 (about $10,000) in annual offerings during the coming week of prayer.”

New Officers for the Union

The writer having been appointed to the Asiatic Division, it was necessary to make provision to fill the vacancy caused by his resignation as president of the Australasian Union. Pastor C. H. Watson, a native of Australia, who has been vice president, was unanimously chosen to this office, and Pastor W. W. Fletcher, who has labored in various departments of our work, was chosen vice president. Brother Fletcher has also had a foreign mission experience, having labored in the East Indies some years ago. We are sure that these brethren, who have gained the confidence of our people here as leaders, will carry the work forward faithfully and efficiently.
While to the writer it will be a joy to work in that wonderful field, the Far East, there comes a keen sorrow at the thought of being called to a work that will of necessity separate him much of the time from local mission fields, local conferences, and institutions, with their constituencies and workers. Twenty-one years ago Mrs. Fulton and I, with our two little girls, arrived in this field, and here we have labored ever since. It has become a home as no other country is to us. To sever this close association with brethren we have learned to love and respect cannot be done without feelings of intense regret. But I take comfort in the thought that since the union conference is now linked with the Far East, from time to time I may have the happy privilege of attending meetings in Australia.

Mission Notes

THIS picture shows how the life of one English soldier was saved at Armentières, Aug. 20, 1915, by a New Testament carried in his vest pocket. The Word hidden in the heart likewise preserves the man unto life eternal, even though he may fall temporarily in death.
AMID troublous times in Persia, Brother and Sister F. F. Oster are continuing their work at Maragha. Brother Oster wrote, Dec. 30, 1915: “We are right at the close of a long series of meetings. During the last two weeks I have presented the Sabbath question. We find human nature here the same as elsewhere. Satan tries to keep the people in darkness, and is especially opposed to commandment keeping. There is even talk of driving us out, though there is little danger of that, for most of the people want us here in these troublous times. Our meetings have been attended to the full right along. Minds are being agitated, and the people are beginning to think about these things. We hope and pray that God will give some of these souls the victory.”
“THE cause of God in our division conference is progressing,” writes Brother Guy Dail, January 26, “even in the midst of hardship and trouble. Brother H. F. Schuberth wrote me the other day that in his field [East German Union] there had been a net gain of nearly 700 believers, and an increase of 60,000 marks in tithe, as compared with 1914. I am glad Brother H. Steiner, who was sent home from his station at Asmara, has safely reached Lausanne, Switzerland; and Brother Lorntz, who came back of his own accord on account of illness, telegraphed us yesterday from Bern, Switzerland, for money. Sister Steiner, the brave woman, is all alone with her younger children in the mission station at Asmara. I suppose this will be merely a temporary arrangement, as I hope Brother Steiner can return as soon as the war is over.”

First Experiences in Salvador

By John L. Brown

JOHN L. BROWN
It is a great comfort to the gospel messengers when they arrive in an unentered mission field to find that God has gone before them, and that earnest hearts have prayed for their coming. At such times the workers’ hearts overflow with joy and thanksgiving.
Shortly after arriving in San Salvador it was our privilege to become acquainted with the pastor of the Baptist church. He had studied his Bible prayerfully, and had become convinced that the churches of today are not following Christ in precept and practice. He had separated from the Roman Catholic Church, with the hope of finding the straight and narrow way. He first joined a body of Protestant people who claimed to take the Bible, and the Bible only, as the foundation of their church creed; but to his surprise, they said he must be resprinkled in order to belong to their church. This set him searching the Scriptures further, and he found that he must die to sin, and be buried with Christ in baptism. He was therefore baptized by immersion, and united with the Baptist Church.
While serving the Baptist Mission he continued his earnest Bible study, and it was not long until the Holy Spirit led him to further light. He saw that the practices of his church in regard to the fourth commandment are not in harmony with the teachings of Christ. For a long time he prayed that some one would come to Salvador who would teach and live the whole Bible truth.
When he visited us first, it was for the purpose of telling us that we were wrong in teaching Adventist doctrines, as he had been informed by his mission director and by tracts and books from the same source. But after two hours’ study he changed his mind. He said, “I have been misinformed concerning you, and now I see that my prayers are answered, for I have found a people who take the Bible as their only guide.” He realized that his prayers had been answered, while we experienced God’s direction in bringing us here.
Another case will serve to illustrate God’s care for his faithful followers. One of the very first converts from the Roman Church to the first Protestant church of Salvador gave her experience in one of our testimony meetings as follows:—
“Long before the Baptist missionaries came to Salvador, I saw that my church was not living up to all the light of the Bible. I prayed earnestly that some one would come here to establish a better work. My prayer was answered when the Baptist workers were sent. But the Lord again showed me by his Word that the true people of God must have a sign, or mark. That sign I found to be the Sabbath, the seventh day. Over three years ago I began to keep the Sabbath. My pastor worked hard to get me to leave such ‘Jewish customs,’ but I was too deeply set in my conviction of Bible truth. I would not be moved. I began to pray that God would send some one here to teach the truth, or to raise up some people for himself in this country. Today I thank the Lord for these workers that he has sent here in answer to my prayers.” This dear old sister is happy for having found God’s people who have the “sign” and the faith of Jesus. She did not know that God had such a people waiting for Christ’s return.
Another Bible worker of Salvador had prayed for more than a year for more light on Bible subjects. When I visited her for the first time, she said to her daughter, “Our prayers are answered. God has sent this brother here with new light. Let us thank God for his goodness .” Both she and her daughter are now rejoicing in the new-found light, and are faithful Sabbath keepers.
Photo by G. A. Wiles, in Bible in the World. A Testament that saved a soldier's life. Note the verse pierced by the bullet.
Photo by G. A. Wiles, in Bible in the World. A Testament that saved a soldier's life. Note the verse pierced by the bullet.
In a recent visit to the next largest city in this republic, in the interest of the colporteur work, I met a lady who told me that she thanked God for my visit. She continued: “Some years ago I had a precious experience in the Lord. I read in the Bible that the people of God ought to keep the Sabbath, not Sunday. I began to fast, to pray earnestly, and to keep the Sabbath. The pastor of my church reproved me and made fun of me for being so foolish and Jewish. I became discouraged after a time, and returned to Sunday keeping. But, let me tell you, I have never experienced such a blessing and happiness as I did while I kept God’s day.” We are praying earnestly for this family, and hope to encourage them to return to the way of true happiness and rich blessing.
Other families in the same city are much interested in God’s Word, and some are now at the parting of the ways. I am visiting these interested ones as often as my time permits. We feel sure that God has prepared the way, for honest hearts have prayed for light and help.
I wish I might tell you of other interesting experiences of people who have come to us from other towns, far and near, to inquire about our work. Even in this little, forgotten republic God’s Holy Spirit has been at work on the hearts of the people, leading them to accept his truth, and prayers have been offered to God that workers might be sent here to preach the message for this time. Now our hearts are full of joy because we are here in this neglected corner of God’s vineyard, to search out the honest in heart. We ask an interest in the prayers of God’s people for the finishing of the work in Salvador.

Reading the Bible Daily

By J. Quincy Adams

THE Bible is the book of all others, to be read in all ages and in all conditions of human life; not to be read once, or twice, or thrice through, and then laid aside, but to be read in small portions of one or two chapters every day, and never to be omitted unless by some overruling necessity.—J. Quincy Adams.

Conducted by Mrs. I. H. Evans, Takoma Park, Washington D. C

By Mrs. I. H. Evans; Miss Lora E. Clement

Assisted by Miss Lora E. Clement
Through the columns of this department, hints will be given on all matters pertaining to the home life. Short articles and letters are solicited from home makers, telling of their everyday experiences,—their joys and sorrows, their failures and successes.

Symmetrical Character Development

By WORTHIE HARRIS HOLDEN

WORTHIE HARRIS HOLDEN
In the mountains where the echo slumbers do you like to linger awhile and waken it over and over again? Are you enraptured by the quiet lake which so clearly reflects the mountains sloping to its edge that you can scarcely discern the dividing line? Or, when night throws her mantle over all else, do you revel in watching each new star that blooms in the heaven, counting them until they spring forth too fast to number?
“No,” says one; “I live on a plain with neither lake nor river beside our city, whose glare and smoke hide the luminous eyes of night.” Ah, your children are echoes of your thoughts and aspirations; they are reflectors of their environment; and, in addition, new glimmerings of traits of loveliness or sordidness will spring forth before you are aware of them. Here you will find a nature study that will tax your ability to its utmost, and crown your efforts, not with fleeting, but with permanent results.
From my window I view fir trees that are pleasing to the eye. There are two, however, which have had their tops lopped off either by storm or because some one desired that nothing should obstruct the view of the snow-capped mountain beyond. Nature has sought to make up for this deficiency. The branches now left at the top are larger than they should be in proportion to the lower ones. These trees will always lack the beauty of symmetry.
As mothers we should strive for a symmetrical development in soul, mind, and body. Sometimes we have erred in reversing the order,— in thinking that the infant requires only bodily attention, that the little child needs also some attention to its mental development, but only later is attention to be given to soul growth. But the three must forever go hand in hand.
Take vigilant care of bodily growth and leave the mental or spiritual unattended, and it will not be left barren soil. It is while men sleep that the enemy sows tares. The child you regard as “so innocent” may have learned more evil and erroneous ideas in a day than you can obliterate in a week. It may have imbibed them from associates, from undesirable books, or from conversation overheard. To correct a wrong conception of anything is much harder than to teach truth to the ignorant. When I was a small lassie, some one gave me a booklet called “Little Robin Redbreast.” The bird was pictured with a flaming-red breast, and I gleaned the idea that he was very tiny. There were no robins in our vicinity. Now when robins hop about our yard, I find myself correcting, by comparison, my very youthful idea of them.
If your child is a natural lover of books, it is so much easier to let her remain curled up in a chair with a favorite volume than to call her to dishwashing or some similar task. You would prefer to let the lad continue his play or work at his invention than to disturb him with thoughts of an empty wood box or of other chores. Remember the tree. Do not foster an unsymmetrical growth. The beloved son or daughter will suffer in after years from your neglect.
Teach the children that no work is degrading; that all labor, if done for our King, is granted his commendation. In the sanctuary service the priest held an office of honor. His duties were more or less spectacular. But lowly service also was his. He was to “take up the ashes” that accumulated from the burning offerings, “and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place.” Every menial task, whether of the altar or within the veil, was committed to the priests, and was to be done by them alone; yet was not all this, when done for Jehovah, acceptable service to him?
The students in our schools not only have set before them the ideal of doing work for the Lord when their preparation is completed, but opportunities are given for actual work while they are in training. In the home school, before the children are old enough to leave the paternal roof, the mother has the opportunity of directing their minds to unselfish thought and to service for others, and should let them into the secret of being little helping hands.
If you are making up a box for some mission, let the children contribute even to the point of sacrifice, perhaps some cherished toy or doll. If you are planning for some neighbor’s comfort, let them help in some way. Admit them to your councils, so they may feel they have a part in the matter. Some one, perhaps, is invited to your home who needs cheering on life’s rugged way. Let the children minister to such. There is no stimulant so excellent as that of feeling that some one needs you—that you may really contribute to his happiness. It will require thought and planning for the mother to implant in her children the desire to minister to others, but she should not fail to improve every opportunity.
When the child has some choice edible given him, teach him the joy of sharing it. Sometimes a mother refrains from accepting a portion herself, so Johnnie or Mary may have it all, not thinking that by so doing she is contributing toward the formation of a self-centered character. Have the little folks share the use of their playthings with their companions. Unselfishness is one of the underlying principles of a character that can bear the signet of heaven.
Symmetry of our threefold natures will not hide the view of the Perfect One from any. It will make more attractive the perfection of his life. The mother’s goal is that her children may be called “trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.”
Portland, Oregon.
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