THE proper support of the gospel ministry has ever been a question of importance. It is one which will be likely to occasion much perplexity among us, ere long. The present time seems to be a very proper one in which to offer some thoughts concerning it, seeing the season for holding our State Conferences will soon be upon us, and our auditing committees will have the work of settlement upon their hands to arrange.
In the plan of God for the salvation of fallen man, he has ordered it that those whom he has endowed with proper gifts of mind and heart, should labor for the benefit of others, to set before them the light of truth. All are not qualified to instruct and interest the people, as speakers and teachers. But a small minority, comparatively, in any age, are possessed of suitable gifts to make a success in this direction, and it ever will be true, so long as probation shall last, as it also has been in past ages, that there will be an abundance of openings for those who are properly qualified to engage in this vocation. The Master always has need of laborers. He has a plenty for all to do, who are true laborers, so that all their time and strength may be employed. And as the work to be done is great and most important, seeing it has to do with the eternal destiny of our fellow-men, it is not fitting that those who possess ability to labor in this sphere of usefulness, successfully, should be obliged, by the necessity of attending to the temporal wants of this life, to leave their proper vocation when there are so many calls to fill.
Here comes in the duty and privilege of those who cannot labor in word and doctrine, to give of their means for the support of those who can. In this way, they can be sharers in the good work, and in the eternal reward attending those who save souls from death. God has ordered it in his word that those who preach the gospel shall live of the gospel. These general principles are admitted by all churches and religions, and are carried out in different ways. Most generally, each local society over which a minister presides, contributes directly for his support, according to the individual pleasure of those who receive the benefit of his labors.
Seventh-day Adventists have adopted another plan. A common fund is raised by the different local societies of every organized State Conference, called the Systematic Benevolence Fund, from the fact that all are recommended to give according to a regular system, in proportion to the amount of property each person is worth. This, however, is left to the free choice of each person. Compulsion is never used to enforce giving. This fund is paid in to the State Conference treasury, and from it ministers receive their support, according to the decisions163of an auditing committee of nine, appointed by the Conference, six of whom must be lay members.
This plan has some excellent features, and is also liable to some abuses. Our general system of labor seems to require some general system of remuneration. As we have no settled pastors, who stay permanently in one place, of course it could not be expected that any one society should have the charge of seeing that any one minister was properly supported. Many of our ministers labor all the time in new fields, where they can look for no support. If it were left to each locality where labor was expended to pay what it chose, with no general supervision, great abuses would evidently creep in. Pleasing, showy gifts, when accompanied by hints for means, and by a plea of great poverty to excite sympathy, would draw largely upon the feelings of the susceptible, while the conscientious, faithful, and modest, who might not shun unpalatable truth, and whose labors were of real value, might not always receive proper attention. An auditing committee of experienced brethren ought to be better able to draw the line of justice, in such cases, than those of lesser experience.
It will readily be seen that the position of an auditing committee is one of great responsibility and delicacy. All of its members should be men who love justice, and have moral courage to stand up for it in spite of any pressure, and who have a sense of discrimination to see what ought to be done, and who can judge correctly as to the value of labor. They are responsible to the cause for the disposition of a sacred fund raised by the benevolence of the membership, for the purpose of benefiting the cause of truth, and helping in the salvation of souls. Not only are the contributions of the wealthy there, but those of the poor, who have sacrificed comforts and almost necessaries of life, that they may be able to assist in the good work of saving the perishing. They have engaged in this work with the same spirit that the poor widow did with her two mites; not from compulsion, but with the noblest benevolence. There is no higher motive in the world than this. It was the same, precisely, which caused our Saviour to come to this earth to die. It only differs in degree. We cannot doubt but that every sacrifice of this kind, made with the right motive, is registered in Heaven. Any member of an auditing committee, or any minister, who can lightly regard this fund, or lavishly use it, for unnecessary purposes, or selfishly seek to aggrandize himself with it, or vote it away without care, rather than to stand up for right, is utterly unworthy of such a position. The frown of God will follow such a course, in this world, or hereafter. We have no question but that in many instances there has been too little care exercised in this matter.
Not only is what has been said above true, but there are great dangers threatening our prosperity connected with this matter. We are in danger of drying up the liberality of our people. I verily believe there is no people in the world, as a whole, more sacrificing than our people. They are ready to take hold with their means in any enterprise in which they can see the hand of God leading out. Hundreds of them would sell their homes, at once, if they saw it was necessary for the prosperity of the cause, and put the means right in. The reason why they stand thus is because they have faith in the work as being God’s work, and because they have confidence in the integrity of those who have borne responsibilities in the work. But let those who have such confidence lose it, let them see the money for which they have toiled and sacrificed used lavishly and carelessly, and thrown into the hands of unconsecrated ministers, men who love their ease, and preach because they can’t support themselves in any other way, and their sacrificing spirit will soon dry up. When it does, woe to our prosperity. God’s Spirit will never go with a people who have lost the spirit of sacrifice. The responsibility, in that case, would certainly rest upon those who had caused such a state of things.
Again, there is great danger that young ministers will be injured by a too lavish use of means. Poor human nature is far too selfish, at best, and I do not know that candidates for the sacred ministry are less liable to this besetment than other men. They ought to be, but history, sacred and profane, shows a very sad record in this respect. Nothing is more to be dreaded than a mercenary ministry. Men who represent the Lord Jesus Christ, and stand up between God and man, to declare his saving truth to a perishing world, and teach mankind the lofty principles of religion, must be illustrations of it themselves, or they will be a curse rather than a blessing. A spirit of sacrifice lies at the foundation of the whole structure. Without this, it will amount to absolutely nothing. This must be understood by those who go forth to be its exemplars before the world. In the infancy of the cause, no one could well preach its doctrines without sacrificing. They were bound to receive a poor support, because there were few who believed in it, and because of its great unpopularity. Those who did go forth under these circumstances, and with this spirit, were greatly blessed in their labors. God was with them, and we see the fruits now in the noble structure they have aided to rear. But now things have very much changed. Instead of going out now with scythe or axe to earn money, with which to go from place to place, as some of them did, our young licensed ministers go forth, feeling sure of a good support from the systematic fund. Where is the chance for the spirit of sacrifice to come in? Where is the risk, as things have gone in some of our Conferences? Now we have no question but that a portion of our young men who enter the ministry do so with pure motives, and with a willingness to sacrifice. But we do not see evidence of this in some. We have known of instances where individuals have pressed their own claims, and virtually demanded what they seem to regard as a right to a certain amount of this sacred fund. Our auditing committees must look after these things. It will not do for them to divide up the means which happens to be in the treasury, upon the plan of placating the feelings of certain individuals who think they have claims which must be met, and lest they should go home dissatisfied. The questions they have to settle are, What is right? What is just? And no man is fit for a position on an auditing committee, who will let personal sympathy or personal feeling swerve him a hair from justice and equity. It is time to be through with a temporizing policy, where such high and sacred interests are at stake.
No man, be he minister, or licentiate, has any claims on this fund for a single cent of its means, unless his labors have really benefited the cause for which the fund is raised. This is so plain that it is a self-evident truth. When a person desires a license to improve his gift, and to ascertain if he has the qualifications that will enable him to labor in word and doctrine, he must consent to run some of the risk. The cause always has to run a risk when sending out untried and inexperienced persons to represent it. When it gives a license, it authorizes the person receiving it to represent the cause. Who knows what bad impressions will be received by those who hear an inexperienced person, in his first efforts? Who knows but he may leave a stain behind him? We are glad these results do not often occur. But no one can say they are not liable to occur. There certainly is risk in the premises. And under these circumstances, it would be highly unreasonable for the Conference to have it generally understood that they would pay well for all labor, whether it benefited or injured the cause. Such a precedent ought never to be allowed for a moment. The very idea of the term “license,” is a permission for one to try his gift, to ascertain whether he really has one worth employment. If persons have none, why should the cause pay out its means to them? We see no reason, either, why the cause should be under obligation to pay for labor that ceased to be valuable, because the one bestowing it had become unfaithful, or had backslidden. We claim that the cause of truth, represented by those who believe its doctrines, has as many rights as individuals who employ laborers in the market. A person hiring hands in some honorable and responsible business, would, in permitting a person to work on trial, consider it perfectly right not to pay for labor which was of no use to him, and would claim the privilege of discharging hands which were unserviceable because of unfaithfulness.
We hope none will misunderstand the spirit and meaning of the above remarks. They are prompted by an earnest desire to benefit the cause we love, and to guard a sacred fund which, in some localities, is threatened with serious danger, unless care and faithfulness are used. We think every position taken in it will stand the test of reason and justice. At any rate, as a humble individual associated with my brethren in the ministry, I cheerfully hold myself amenable to a strict enforcement of every suggestion made. Our Systematic Benevolence Fund must be properly guarded. It must be used sacredly for the purpose for which it is raised. Let no conscientious, devoted minister, take an extreme view of what has been said. Our people will ever be ready to liberally support those who faithfully and sacrificingly labor to benefit the cause. We would urgently call upon all who can thus labor, to step in. Thousands of openings await such. Perishing souls are waiting for such laborers, and will receive them with open arms. Our people, with ready means, stand waiting to help them along with hearty good cheer and a reasonable support. Leave money entirely out of the question. Go forward with your hearts overflowing with love and faith. Labor to benefit others. Stand ready to make cheerful sacrifices for the cause, and for your fellow-men. Labor as though the success of the cause depended upon your efforts, and as though there was no fund in the world to bestow upon you money. You need have no fears but that you have brethren who will stand by you if you labor with that spirit. I fully believe there is no one fit to labor in this cause, only those who would go just as quick, and just as far as they could, if there was no fund for them to fall back on, within a thousand miles. If we have it in our hearts that we will labor if there is plenty of means in the treasury, otherwise we will stop, depend upon it, money, and not the fear of God, is our real motive.
In conclusion, we hope our auditing committees will feel their responsibilities in the matter of distributing the funds this year. We hope they will do justice to the cause, and justice to the ministry. We hope they will look closely to the real value of the labor they pay for, to the benefit of the cause. It is not always the most showy that is the most useful. Many are nominally brought into the truth to keep the Sabbath, while the cause would be really better with them out. Thorough conversions are what are needed. To bring individuals in nominally, to stay a few weeks and then give up, or be a curse to us, is simply a snare and delusion. We hope our auditing committees will act like sensible men with the burden of the work upon them. Our brethren generally, if they know facts which have a bearing on the course a minister has pursued, where he has not acted becomingly, are under solemn obligation to make these facts known to proper persons, for the sake of the cause. We want this work to stand upon a proper basis, and we want to get rid of all abuses, as far as possible. Our pioneers have laid a good foundation. If we carry out the principles upon which our institutions are based, success will attend our efforts.
We ask our brethren to carefully read these suggestions, and act upon them as far as they seem reasonable.
GEO. I. BUTLER.
Monroe, Wis., April 22, 1873.
H. F. PHELPS
By H. F. Phelps
Experience.
How necessary that we all gain an experience in the things of God. Indeed, so necessary is it, that we must all have one, and that for ourselves. Nothing short of an individual experience will serve us in the day of trial. If I rely upon another’s experience, in the shaking time I shall be so thoroughly shaken that I shall fall.
This is well illustrated in the history of the Advent people in 1844. Those who had a living, individual experience, stood well the test; and though the draught was a bitter one, when the time passed, yet, by faith, they held on to the word of God, and did not cast away their confidence till all was made plain; and then were they ready to move on in the openings of God’s word and do their duty to the world and to themselves, and, if faithful, will soon receive their reward. But, on the other hand, those who depended on the faith and experience of others, could not stand the test, and drew back to perdition, denying the word of God, as well as the hand of God in the work. And why? Because they had not an experience of their own upon which to rely.
Thus it will be with many in the time just before us. Not having obtained an experience of their own, all will be darkness to them. Oh! how much I desire an experience for myself in these things. I have just been trying again to drink in the experience of those disappointed ones, by reading “Life Incidents.” And I feel truly thankful that I may partake with them of their joys, of their sorrows, and partake, in a great measure, with them in their disappointment, and thankful above all that we may share in the closing work, even if we begin at the eleventh hour (if we work faithfully during that hour), and soon share in the reward.
Many times, as I passed through their history, I felt my heart soften, my eyes would moisten with tears, and I felt my faith growing stronger and firmer in this closing work. Who can doubt that this is the work of God. Who can doubt that the world is hearing the last message of warning. For many years I have not had a doubt. But I thank God my faith is growing stronger. my hopes are being quickened. And as I write, I feel that I must get a firmer hold upon the Rock of Ages. Jesus, my advocate, is pleading, and I must place myself in the best possible relation to the cause and work of God, so that his pleadings may be available in my behalf.
Come, beloved brethren, let us quicken our pace homeward. Dear brother, is your faith flagging? Read again the history of God’s people. Read “Life Incidents,” “Appeal to Working Men and Women,” and tell me if you do not feel your heart warmed, if you do not feel as never before that this is God’s people, and that, come life or death, you must have a part with them. Join with me in saying, This is my people; their God shall be my God; their trials shall be my trials; when this work prospers, I will rejoice with them. And when this work is finished, may it be ours to enter with them upon the eternal reward.
H. F. PHELPS
Pine Island, Minn.
Chinese Proverbs.
CONFUCIUS said: To dwell with a good man is like entering a house wherein are the fragrant “lan” flowers; after awhile you may not seem to smell the fragrance, because you yourself have changed—(your whole person has become impregnated with the fragrance.)
To dwell with a bad man is like entering a market of abalones (a large shell-fish); after awhile you do not notice the stench, because you yourself have changed—(your garments are saturated with it.)
The vessel in which cinnabar is stored will have the carnation color: the vessel which contains black varnish will become black.
Therefore, all ye gentlemen! take great care with whom ye associate.
Association with good men is like the lanwai flower. Let one man cultivate it, and all people will enjoy its fragrance.
Association with bad men is like carrying a child to the top of a wall: if the man misses his step, both will meet with disaster.
In the family sayings of Confucius it is said: To dwell with a good man is like walking in a gentle mist: although your garments do not become suddenly wet, yet are they all the time imbibing the moisture.
Among mankind we use riches to try friendship—(real friendship is tested by wealth and poverty). Fire is used for trying gold. With water we take a stick to sound it as to deepness or shallowness.—Overland Monthly.
Why Brain Work Demands More Nourishing Food
Brain work costs more food than hand work. According to careful estimates and analyses of the excretions, three hours of hard study wear out the body more than a whole day of severe physical labor. Another evidence of the cost of brain work is obtained from the fact that though the brain is only one-fortieth the weight of the body, it receives about one-fifth of all the blood sent by the heart into the system. Brain workers, therefore, require a more liberal supply of nourishing food than manual laborers.
Kind Attention to the Aged
A LITTLE thoughtful attention, how happy it makes the old. They have outlived most of the friends of their youth. How lonely their hours. Often their partners in life have long filled silent graves. Often their children they have followed to the tomb. They stand solitary, bending on their staff, waiting till the same call shall summon them. How often they must think of faces that are gone. Let the young comfort and cheer them with smiles and kind attentions.
Historical Gleanings.
DESTROY NO FRUIT TREES.
In a prophecy, which by common agreement is applied to the Saracens, we read that it was commanded them not to hurt any tree. Rev. 9: 4. A fulfillment of this has been found in the particular directions issued by Abubeker, the successor of Mahomet, to the Arabian tribes, as they were about to go forth on their excursions of blood and pillage. See Thoughts on the Revelation, p. 162. But it appears that not only on this particular occasion was such a command given, but it was a general law of Mahomet that no fruit trees should be destroyed. Gibbon, describing the siege of Tayef by Mahomet and his followers, says:—
“A friendly tribe, instructed (I know not how) in the art of sieges, supplied him with a train of battering rams and military engines, with a body of five hundred artificers. But it was in vain that he offered freedom to the slaves of Tayef; that he violated his own laws by the extirpation of the fruit trees; that the ground was opened by the miners; that the breach was assaulted by the troops.”—Dec. and Fall, Vol. v., p. 139.
From this it appears that it was a standing law with them, not to destroy fruit trees; which still more clearly serves to identify this power as the one brought to view in Rev. 9: 4.
A TRUE ESTIMATE OF WORLDLY FELICITY.
About the middle of the eighth century, the caliphs of the house of Ommiyah were ruling in Spain. Of the riches and pomp of the most illustrious of these, Gibbon thus speaks:—
“Three miles from Cordova, in honor of his favorite sultana, the third and greatest of the Abdalrahmans constructed the city, palace and gardens of Zehra. Twenty-five years, and above three millions sterling, were employed by the founder: his liberal taste invited the artists of Constantinople, the most skillful sculptors and architects of the age; and the buildings were sustained or adorned by twelve hundred columns of Spanish and African, of Greek and Italian, marble. The hall of audience was incrusted with gold and pearl, and a great basin in the center was surrounded with the curious and costly figures of birds and quadrupeds. In a lofty pavilion of the gardens, one of these basins and fountains, so delightful in a sultry climate, was replenished, not with water, but with the purest quicksilver. The seraglio of Abdelrahman, his wives, concubines, and black eunuchs, amounted to six thousand three hundred persons: and he was attended to the field by a guard of twelve thousand horse, whose belts and cimeters were studded with gold.”—Id. pp. 298, 299.
As a picture of earthly happiness, this would seem to be complete. What other feature could be added by the most worldly worldling, as a source from which happiness in this life is supposed to be derived. Here are riches, honor, power, and every pleasure of which the imagination can conceive. But what was the result? Listen again to the words of Gibbon:—
“Our imagination is dazzled by the splendid picture, and whatever may be the cool dictates of reason, there are few among us who would obstinately refuse a trial of the comforts and the cares of royalty. It may therefore be of some use to borrow the experience of the same Abdalrahman, whose magnificence has perhaps excited our admiration and envy, and to transcribe an authentic memorial which was found in the closet of the deceased caliph: ‘I have now reigned above fifty years in victory or peace; beloved by my subjects, dreaded by my enemies, and respected by my allies. Riches and honor, power and pleasure, have waited on my call, nor does any earthly blessing appear to have been wanting to my felicity. In this situation, I have diligently numbered the days of pure and genuine happiness which have fallen to my lot: they amount to FOURTEEN:—O man! place not thy confidence in this present world!’”—Id. p. 299.
In fifty years, there are eighteen thousand, two hundred and fifty days. All these he had passed with every advantage for pleasure at his command; and yet in all these he found just fourteen days of happiness. A genuine Christian, though living in the lowliest dwelling, and on the poorest fare, would have found as many in two weeks. No wonder this pampered devotee of luxury, this man of wealth and power, exclaimed, “O man! place not thy confidence in this present world!” Long ages before him, another, under similar circumstances, tried all the world has to give of happiness, and pronounced it all “vanity and vexation of spirit.” Eccl. 1: 14. Let us heed the lesson, and suffer not ourselves to be cheated into a delusive chase after happiness, in a direction where it does not exist. In God it lives, and in his service alone is it to be found.
RUSSIA TO TAKE CONSTANTINOPLE.
The idea of the conquest of European Turkey by Russia, and the seizure of Constantinople as the southern capital of the Russian empire, an event which now seems so near, and which is to furnish so startling a fulfillment of prophecy, is no conception of modern times. The following remarkable language on this point is found in Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. v., p. 431. Speaking of fleets of Russian ships that used to descend their rivers from high northern latitudes, into the Black Sea, and visit Constantinople, he says:—
“The memory of these arctic fleets that seemed to descend from the polar circle, left a deep impression of terror on the imperial city. By the vulgar of every rank, it was asserted and believed, that an equestrian statue in the square of Taurus was secretly inscribed with a prophecy, how the Russians, in the last days, should become masters of Constantinople. In our own time, a Russian armament, instead of sailing from the Borysthenes [now the river Dnieper], has circumnavigated the continent of Europe; and the Turkish capital has been threatened by a squadron of strong and lofty ships of war, each of which, with its naval science and thundering artillery, could have sunk or scattered a hundred canoes, such as those of their ancestors. Perhaps the present generation may yet behold the accomplishment of the prediction, of a rare prediction, of which the style is unambiguous and the date unquestionable.”
Where Are We?
By G. W. A.
WHERE are we, on the highway of time? is a question of deepest interest to every Christian traveler. Says the prophet, with an eye to the events of the end, “Watchman, what of the night? watchman, what of the night?” and the answer was returned, “The morning cometh, and also the night.” If we go to the Bible for light on this question, the student of prophecy is gratified with the most exact information in regard to his whereabouts. God’s word is the Christian’s calendar, in which he can learn his place in the closing hours of probation. And take our standpoint wherever we may, the one same conclusion is invariably arrived at, namely, that the coming of Christ is the next great event in the history of the world. If we go to the second chapter of Daniel, our position in the metallic image is startling. The gold, the silver, the brass, and the iron, have passed away, and where are we? In the toe state of the image, next to be succeeded by the fifth everlasting kingdom, which the God of Heaven is about to set up.
In the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, the Saviour certifies the church of his return by three great signs—the darkening of the sun and moon, and showers of falling stars—all of which have been fulfilled, to the letter, and may be pointed out with historical accuracy. Says Christ, When these things come to pass, then KNOW that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
The proclamation of the Advent doctrine is an unmistakable token of the end. Three messages, based on the gospel of the kingdom, were to be given before Christ should come; and the last one of the three has already been pressed home to the consciences of men, by the Holy Spirit, for more than twenty-five years. The next event is the Son of man on the white cloud.
The predicted part which our own government, the two-horned beast of Rev. 13, should act in the closing struggle between truth and error, is just ready to be fulfilled, which will be followed by the loud cry, the time of trouble, and eternal deliverance.
The waning of the papacy, and the removal of its temporal dominion, was to occur in close proximity with the end. Rome did surrender to Victor Emanuel’s troops, Sept. 20, 1870. The next event in papal history is, the beast will be destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming. The exact order of the prophecy is, 1. The Judgment shall sit (investigative judgment). 2. They shall take away his dominion. 3. The beast goes into the lake of fire. But the Judgment did sit in 1844. The dominion was taken away three years ago, and therefore the next thing is the end.
Also the “great words” of the beast, Dan. 7: 11, just before his body was given to the burning flame, have all been fulfilled. Dec. 8, 1854, the Virgin Mary, by the Roman Council, was decreed to be a sinless woman; and July 18, 1870, the pope was declared infallible at the fourth session of the great Ecumenical Council.
The message to the Laodicean church is a startling indication of the end. In 1856, it was announced that Christ was knocking at the door of our hearts for admittance. For seventeen years, he has thus stood knocking, till his locks are wet with the dews of night. This divine forbearance, this long-suffering of God, will finally cease to be a virtue, and will be followed by the shaking, the loud cry, the King coming in to see the guests, and—the translation of the faithful.
Our position in the seven seals is portentous of the end. These seals delineate the experience of the church from the apostles’ days to the incoming of the new heavens and new earth. Five of the seals are in the past. We are living under the sixth, which reaches to Christ’s coming. This seal was opened Nov. 1, 1775, by “the great earthquake of Lisbon,” which destroyed sixty thousand persons, in six minutes, and shook three-fourths of the terraqueous globe. History describes it as “the most terrible earthquake that has ever occurred.” The particular events of the sixth seal are, 1. “The great earthquake.” 2. The three great signs in the sun, moon, and stars, which are all in the past. 3. The heavens are rolled together as a scroll, and Christ appears. Where are we?
The gradual, sure, but certain consumption of the great Ottoman dynasty, represented by the drying up of the river Euphrates, is one of the political signs of the times which speaks Christ very near. The “Eastern Question” is one of awful importance to the world. When the Turk is driven out of Europe to his Asiatic possessions, an event which sagacious statesmen of our time are expecting continually, and plants the tabernacle of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain, then shall Michael stand up, the great time of trouble come, the resurrection take place, and the redeemed stand on Mount Zion.
The position of the last church, in reference to the seven trumpets, inevitably brings us down to the end. The seven trumpets are a kind of seven-fold prophecy, spanning the entire period from the first advent to the final restitution, and relate more especially to the nations which have been brought into connection with the people of God. Six of the trumpets are in the past. We are living under the seventh, which began to sound in 1844. For twenty-nine years this trumpet has been sounding. But the prophecy says of the seventh angel, “When he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished.” In view of this, how long can it be before the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ?
But it would take a volume to set forth all the evidences which show where we are—that we are very near the end.
Every train of cars that goes thundering by, proclaims in trumpet tones that we are “in the day of God’s preparation.” The vast increase of knowledge, sacred and profane, shows that truly we are in the “time of the end.” Peter’s scoffers and Jude’s mockers, proclaim every day, everywhere, continually, that we are in the last days. Eleven millions of spiritualists, with their corrupt, seductive teachings, are a mighty sign that the end is just upon us. Corrupted Christianity, with its long catalogue of predicted sins, shows that we are in the perils of the last days. While the angry attitude of the nations—the cry of peace and safety in the church—the vast preparations for war, even among the heathen—vice rearing its defiant head, and stalking forth unblushingly—truth crushed to the ground, and struggling for an existence—men’s hearts failing because of the fearful portents in heaven and earth—earthquakes in divers places—the sea and waves roaring in consequence of strange tidal disturbances—singular extremes in the seasons, in regard to heat and cold—new diseases breaking out, baffling the skill of the wisest physicians—scourges and epidemics in the animal kingdom—droughts, fires, floods, famines, and pestilence, desolating the earth by their awful visitations—the moral bonds of society gradually loosening up, and crime greatly on the increase—corruption in high places—surfeiting and drunkenness everywhere—embezzlers of public funds and defaulters increasing—pride and oppression so common as hardly to receive a passing notice—disobedience to parents proverbial—the land polluted by blasphemy—murder and seduction so frequent, so awful, that the particulars are not allowed in print—while an almost universal foreboding of a something awful to take place, tell, as plainly as language can, that we are in the closing hours of probation.
Surely, we need not be at a loss to know where we are.
G. W. A.
“Vain Conversation.”
By R. F. Cottrell
An apostle teaches the church that they are redeemed by the blood of Christ from their vain conversation received by tradition from their fathers. 1 Pet. 1:18–20. The word conversation, in former times, had a wider range than at present, since it is now applied almost exclusively to mere talk. It extended to actions in general, to our dealings or commerce with men. Hence, it is said, “Let your conversation be honest among the Gentiles.” For vain conversation in our text, Campbell gives us “foolish behavior,” which extends to our general habits and deportment.
It is evident that the religion of Christ is intended to correct our false habits in every particular, so that whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we should do all to the glory of God. If a man cannot glorify God in the use of that most poisonous plant, tobacco, or in eating unwholesome food and drinking intoxicating liquors, it is his duty to abstain from these things, and use only those things which he can use to the glory of God and the benefit of humanity.
Some “stumble over the health reform,” one of the very things which ought to commend our work to the hearts and consciences of all. This work is of God; for it tends to his glory. The precious blood of Christ was shed to redeem us from our vain conversation, our foolish and sinful behavior.
Let those who would be Christians indeed—those who would not have the blood of Christ shed in vain for them—leave all the false and injurious habits received from our fathers, “purify the soul by obeying the truth,” cleanse themselves “from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord,” and do nothing which cannot be done in the name of Christ and to the glory of God.
R. F. Cottrell.
Objections to the Sabbath Answered.
EIGHTEENTH OBJECTION.
“The priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.”Heb. 7: 12. In this change of the law, the Sabbath was doubtless left out.
Answer. Here again our opponents make the same blunder that we have had to notice so often, viz., applying to the moral law what the apostle has spoken only of the ceremonial law. Look at the statement of Paul. The change of the priesthood, he says, necessitated a change of the law. Why? “For,” he continues, he of whom these things are spoken [Jesus] pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the priesthood.” Verses 13, 14.
By the law of Moses concerning the priesthood, no one could be a priest except he was of the tribe of Levi; but Jesus was not of the tribe of Levi, but of the tribe of Juda; therefore, that law of the priesthood must be changed, or Jesus could not be a priest. Was this the law of ten commandments? Certainly not. Is there anything in that law about the priesthood? Not a word. Therefore, we claim that this language has no application whatever to the decalogue.
So verses 18 and 19 we understand to apply in the same manner to the ceremonial law, and not to the moral law. “For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope.” This was all true of the Levitical law of which the apostle was speaking, but not of the moral law. Of the latter law, the psalmist says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” Ps. 19:7. This is directly the opposite of what Paul says of the other law.
Indeed, the whole subject of the book of Hebrews is touching the priesthood, and the temple, and its ceremonies, which Paul compares with the priesthood of Christ, the heavenly sanctuary and its worship. Hence, it is the law relating to those things of which he is speaking, and not the moral law (except in chap. 8:10, where he brings the law into the new covenant), which says nothing about them. Chap. 10:1 may be taken as another illustration. “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect.” That this law was the one pertaining to sacrifices, any one cannot fail to see. There is not a word in the ten commandments about sacrifices, hence, that is not the law spoken of. The reader cannot fail to notice that in every passage where anything is said about the passing away of the law, it always speaks of that relating to circumcision, sacrifices, the priesthood, or something like that, but never once to the law against murder, adultery, theft, &c. This is an important fact which should be remembered.
NINETEENTH OBJECTION.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
The old covenant, the ten commandments, has been abolished, and we are now under the new covenant, and hence have nothing to do with the old law.
Answer. We think the subject of the two covenants furnishes the strongest proof of any in the Bible, showing the perpetuity of the decalogue. But as we have a tract by Eld. J. N. Andrews, for sale at the Review and Herald Office, Battle Creek, Mich., price 5 cents, which fully and completely answers this objection, and as the subject is too lengthy for these articles, I pass it by and refer the objector to the above tract. D. M. Canright.
The Land Wants Such as Dare to Execute the Laws
The land wants such
As dare with vigor execute the laws;
Her festering members must be lanced and tended.
He's a bad surgeon that for piety spares
The part corrupted, till the gangrene spread,
And all the body perish. He that's merciful
Unto the bad is cruel to the good.