"Patching bad law is poor legislation." So is the effort to stultify a bad law by another bad law. But such seems to be the proposition of New York City's district attorney. First they have a law there compelling men to be idle on Sunday. Then it is proposed to remedy the evil results of enforced idleness by opening the saloons part of the day. How much better it would be to prohibit the saloon evil on all days, and permit men to engage in legitimate occupations, making all religious exercise a matter of conscientious scruple. If men will crowd together in large, compact bodies, in a world where there is plenty of room for all, they must expect some inconveniences. The best thing to do with bad law is to repeal it.
A FEW OF THE MANY INSTANCES.
It is reported from New Jersey that "the Millville churches will wage a united warfare against the Sunday sellers of confectionery."
A resolution to enforce the Sunday-closing act was passed by the town board of Hurley, Wis., on March 1.
"The fight of the Cincinnati barbers' union against the alleged violation of the Sunday-closing law will be taken up by the Cincinnati Methodist Ministers' Association," says the Cincinnati Post. "A resolution was passed by the ministers requesting the city authorities to take such steps as will prevent the violation of the barbers' Sunday-closing law, and to prosecute the violators to the full extent of the law."
Acting on the orders of Police Captain Ferris, the detectives of the Tremont Police Precinct in New York City, on March 12, "devoted their detective instincts to ferreting out small delicatessen and grocery store-keepers who were selling goods." When a half dozen of these small dealers were arraigned before Magistrate Baker the next day, he rebuked the detectives, saying to them: "I will have to fine these men, as they have violated the law, but I do not approve of this kind of thing. Instead of you men hunting out poor grocery-keepers, it would be more manly and much more like a detective to round up the crooks which are about the neighborhood. Your captain shows poor judgment." The dealers were fined $3.00 each.
For selling liquor on Sunday, the proprietors of the European Hotel in Rockford, Ill., were arrested on March 5, and in the police court the next day were mulcted in the sum of $50 and costs, and the fine was paid. Should another like offense occur the license of the hotel will be revoked. The Sunday law is to be enforced strictly.
Attorney-General Young, of Minnesota, has decided that "it is no part of the duty of the state labor commissioner to enforce the Sunday-closing law." The labor commissioner has received petitions from retail clerks' associations in all parts of the state, asking him to enforce the law and prevent their being obliged to work seven days each week, and had requested of the attorney-general an opinion as to his duty in the matter. The attorney-general holds that "the enforcement of the Sunday-closing law is the business of the local administrations."
The Boston Traveler, of March 8, reported that "the Rev. M. D. Kneeland, secretary of the New England Sabbath Protective League, addressed the members of the Boston Central Labor Union against the passage of the bill in the legislature which allows the picking of cranberries on Sunday, and in favor of the passage of the bills for the stopping of Sunday shows in the theaters, which are run in the guise of concerts for the benefit of charitable institutions."
Representative Mannix, of Minneapolis, "tried to put a resolution through the lower house" of the Minnesota Legislature "requesting the capitol commission to keep the capitol building open for at least a part of each Sunday." He explained that "to the Minneapolis working people practically no opportunity was given to see the interior of a building which stood unequalled in the list of public buildings in the West," and that by its Sunday-closing the people were denied the pleasure and benefit of viewing its interior architectural beauties and the art treasures contained in the building. But the resolution did not prevail, and the state capitol is still closed to visitors on Sunday. It is said that there have been many applications for its Sunday opening.
Charged with the violation of the Sunday law, six barbers of the Denison Hotel shop in Indianapolis, Ind., were fined $1.00 and costs by Justice Smock in that city on March 5. The barbers' union is back of the enforcement of the Sunday law, and this is one of several prosecutions which the union has conducted. In this case it introduced witnesses who said they had been shaved by the men Sunday morning, having been sent to the shop by the union for that purpose, no doubt. The men fined were the proprietor of the shop and his five employees. The next day the barbers' union filed affidavits against six other Indianapolis barbers, alleging that they shaved their patrons on Sunday in violation of the law.
"All stores in Perth Amboy are now closed on Sunday by police order, and a similar movement has been started in New Brunswick" recently, says the Hoboken, (N. J.) Observer. "The same influences that prompted Sunday closing in Jersey City—that of journeymen connected with trades-unions—seems to be behind it. The Jersey City enforcement lasted three or four Sundays and then petered out. Chief of Police Murphy's instructions to the police to see that the law is obeyed have not been revoked, but are more honored in the breach than in the observance. Public sentiment, notwithstanding sympathy for the employees who instigated the crusade, is against Sunday closing, and even the authorities are forced to recognize the fact. That's why Chief Murphy's orders are a dead letter."
Sunday Law in New Mexico
In the instructions of Judge Ira J. Abbott to the grand jury at Albuquerque, N. M., recently, was the following with reference to "the Sunday law:"
You are further instructed that if any person shall be found upon the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday, engaged in any sport, or in horse-racing, cock-fighting, or in any other manner disturbing any worshiping assembly or private family, or attending any public meeting or public exhibition, except for religious worship or instruction, or engaged in any labor, except works of necessity, charity, or mercy, it is an indictable offense, and, should any violation of this statute come to your knowledge, it will be your duty to indict accordingly. In this connection, I charge you that selling liquors in saloons and running gambling devices on Sunday are among the occupations which are in violation of the so-called Sunday law, and it is your duty to investigate the subject and make such presentments as the evidence warrants.
So it seems that it is an indictable offense in New Mexico to attend any public meeting on Sunday, except it be "for religious worship or instruction." Most of the Sunday laws elsewhere do not pursue their logic quite that far, but that is exactly what they mean as far as they go. In its very first step and principle the Sunday statute has for its ultimate purpose the complete monopoly of Sunday for religious purposes, and the absolute prohibition upon that day of all things secular.
"CONSOLIDATING THE COMPETITIVE SYSTEM."
By Editor
A New York paper quotes Mr. Rockefeller as saying:
When we (the Standard Oil Company) first began work in consolidating the competitive system it was said that it could not be done. To-day we are vindicated on our judgment, for we can show the world the progress achieved by consolidation and its benefits to civilization. As we become more and more imbued with the spirit of Jesus Christ—individually, I mean—the church will naturally follow in the same channels and tend toward one great end.
The paper from which we take this quotation adds that "perhaps Rockefeller will become a union man." But it is surprising that the editor, who flies the union label at his masthead, does not discern that the Standard Oil magnate is a top-notch "union man." His great success financially has been reached on the union principle of rule or ruin. The union theory is that the man who does not cast in his lot with the union has no right to live—has no right to any public patronage or business recognition at all. And the Standard Oil theory is that all opposition or competition must be crushed. Standard Oil stands as the exponent of confederation success, and the wrecked firms and individual enterprises that strew its pathway fairly represent the laboring men and business concerns that ignore union methods—where unionism holds sway.
Like Standard Oil, labor unionism presumes to be imbued with the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Mr. Rockefeller claims that as Christians become more imbued with the Spirit of Christ, the church will follow in the same channels of progress that Standard Oil has followed. And this labor union editor assumes that the Christian motto of "Love ye one another" is "the grand, beautiful, all-sufficient lesson of unionism," etc. It would be indeed a curiosity to know where Standard Oil ever found any one to love in the ranks of anti-monopoly business men, or where labor unionism ever showed any love for a neighbor of the non-union class.
The editor whose logic we have noted reasons in this wise:
If "consolidation of the competitive system" in respect of church, or petroleum, means progress of civilization, surely, "consolidation of the competitive system" in the field of human labor is a good thing. But will Rockefeller, imbued with the Spirit of Jesus Christ, individually, as he himself intimates, agree to this?
Of course Mr. Rockefeller would not agree to this proposition, neither would the editor agree to the reverse statement, which is equally logical. It is just as true that if "consolidation of the competitive system in the field of human labor is a good thing," surely "consolidation of the competitive system in respect of church, or petroleum," is a good thing. But the spirit of Christ is not in either proposition. His command to "love thy neighbor as thyself" has no exceptions. His Word is, "I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."
G.
Peace Efforts and Earthquake in Japan
Reports from Washington indicate that President Roosevelt is making a direct move toward bringing about peace in the Orient. He has had several conferences with the ambassadors of the powers concerned, and there is considerable activity among the ministers of other powers. But from Russia herself there comes no word but that which declares that the czar is unalterably determined to continue the war until Russia shall retrieve her prestige.
A disastrous earthquake is reported to have taken place in Japan, extending from the province of Hiroshima to the straits of Shimonoseki. One report states that 100 persons were killed, and 290 injured. Many buildings have been thrown down, and the inhabitants are living in the open.
A TERRIBLE NAVAL BATTLE.
THE great battle for which the world has been looking for several weeks has at last taken place between the great fleets of Russia and Japan in the Japan Sea, resulting in the almost complete annihilation of the Russian fleet. Three small vessels of the latter fleet succeeded in making their way to Vladivostok; three have now reached the shelter of Manila Bay, in the Philippines; and one disabled destroyer has been towed to port by a British merchant ship; but these seven are terribly battered and torn by shot and shell, and all have lost many members of their crews. The battle opened on May 27, was continued through the night and a considerable portion of the following day. The Russians had thought to outwit the Japanese, take a course that would not be expected, and reach their destination with at least the larger part of their fleet. As it was, they steamed directly into the trap which Admiral Togo had prepared for them, were enveloped on all sides by the swift Japanese cruisers, torpedo-boats, torpedo-boat destroyers, and ponderous battleships. Their gun-fire was actually smothered by the terrific hail of shot and exploding shells that was rained upon them. The commander of the Russian fleet, Admiral Rojestvensky, was desperately wounded, and was captured on a Russian torpedo-boat destroyer to which he had been transferred. Admiral Nebogatof, who was in command of one portion of the fleet, was forced to surrender himself and his ships. His act in surrendering, instead of sinking or blowing up his ships, is depricated by the officials of Russia. Rear-Admiral Folkersham, who was in command of the battle-ship squadron, was killed the first day of the battle. Thus has Russia's great navy been practically swept from the sea, and with an almost insignificant loss on the part of the Japanese fleet. Japan lost only three of her torpedo fleet, and not a single cruiser or battle-ship.
In view of the terrible losses which Russia has already sustained, both on land and sea, all the nations of the world are expecting her to ask for terms of peace as the only logical course; but the Russian war party seem as firmly set as ever against making peace proposals. Russia is increasing her army in Manchuria, and reports indicate that another force of 200,000 men is to be mobilized at once, and sent to the front. It is expected that another great battle between the land forces will be opened within a few days.
A CONTRAST.
By Ellen G. White
BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
ADAM became a law to himself, and discord and unhappiness came into his life. A separation was made between him and God.
Christ's life was one of perfect obedience. Constantly He followed the pathway of obedience that He might set an example that all could follow.
'Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned; . . . even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.'
Think of what Christ's obedience means to us. It means that in His strength we, too, may obey. He came to this world to show us what God can do for us, and what we can do in co-operation with God. In human flesh He went into the wilderness to be tempted by the enemy. He knows what it is to hunger and thirst. He knows the weakness and the infirmities of the flesh. He was tempted in all points like as we are tempted, yet without sin.
Ransomed from Sin.
Our ransom has been paid by our Saviour. No one need be enslaved by Satan. Christ stands before us as our divine example, our all-powerful helper. We have been bought with a price that it is impossible to compute. Who can measure the goodness and mercy of redeeming love?
Those who are indeed adopted into the family of God are transformed by His Spirit. Self-indulgence and love for self is changed for self-denial and supreme love for God. No man inherits holiness of character by nature, nor can any man, in his own strength, become loyal to God. 'Without Me,' Christ says, 'ye can do nothing.' Human righteousness is as 'filthy rags.' But with God all things are possible. In the strength of the Redeemer, weak, erring man can be made more than a conqueror over the evil that besets him.
Christ Our Only Hope.
As we see the condition of mankind to-day, the question arises in the minds of some, Is man by nature totally and wholly depraved? Is he hopelessly ruined?
Men have sold themselves to the enemy of all righteousness. They can not redeem themselves. Of themselves they can do no good thing. But there is a way of escape. When man sinned, Christ offered to stand as his substitute and surety, in order to provide a way whereby the guilty race might return to loyalty. He took humanity, and passed over the ground where Adam stumbled and fell. Without swerving from His allegiance, He met the temptations wherewith man is beset.
Only by accepting Christ as a personal Saviour can human beings be uplifted. Beware of any theory that would lead men to look for salvation from any other source than that pointed out in the Word. Only through Christ can men sunken in sin and degradation be led to a higher life. Theories that do not recognize the atonement that has been made for sin, and the work that the Holy Spirit is to do in the hearts of human beings, are powerless to save.
Man's pride would lead him to seek for salvation in some other way than that devised by God. He is unwilling to be accounted as nothing, unwilling to recognize Christ as the only One who can save to the uttermost. To this pride Satan appealed in the temptation that he brought to our first parents. 'Ye shall not surely die; . . . ye shall be as gods,' he said. And by belief of his words, they placed themselves on his side.
Of Christ it is written: 'There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.' 'In all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted.'
A STARTING POINT.
By H. C. Balsbaugh
BY H. C. BALSBAUGH.
CONSIDER that God's existence reaches into the past and future further than thought can carry us, and that the extent of His dominions is beyond our reach of thought. Being Creator of all things, and perfect, He is of necessity fully acquainted with all things in the whole universe. The Bible consistently records this truth, giving also such a diversified portrait of good and evil throughout all the centuries since creation, that man, God's highest endowed creature upon earth, may know that God knows all good and evil.
From this it is evident, that as perfect knowledge and power pertain to God, He looks and speaks from the standpoint of a perfect comprehension of all things. Note, then, how incapable, of himself, man is to see as God sees. As a father's view of life is so much larger than a child's, so is the Creator's view incomparably larger than the creature's. Isa. 46 : 5, 10.
Therefore the difference of view-point is the difference between the limited knowledge of man and the unlimited knowledge of God. Tho we may be honest, this explains how our minds naturally are at variance with God's mind, for, consider how the few years of earthly life, tho well spent in gathering knowledge and wisdom, is not a drop in the bucket compared with the knowledge and wisdom of God from all eternity.
With God's perfect knowledge is connected a holy and righteous character, and these attributes together furnish the foundation for an implicit faith in Him. And by faith it is possible, and for the reasons given, reasonable, to see from the view-point of God through belief of His Word, His Word being evident truth.
God's character is holy, which establishes the truth that He estimates all things at their true worth, thereby rendering righteous judgment always. Isa. 57 : 15; Gen. 18 : 25.
Those who only partly believe the Bible, and honestly find it difficult to believe all of it, will find in a sober consideration of the important truth of view-point one of their greatest stumbling-blocks removed.
SURELY I COME QUICKLY.
By L. W. Allen
In the crimson of the morning, in the whiteness of the noon,
In the amber glory of the day's retreat,
In the midnight robed in darkness, or the gleaming of the moon,
I listen for the coming of His feet.
Down the minster isles of splendor, from betwixt the cherubim,
Through the wondering throng, with motion strong and fleet,
Sounds His victor tread, approaching with a music far and dim—
The music of the coming of His feet.
Sandaled not with shoon of silver, girded not with woven gold,
Weighted not with shimmering gems and odors sweet,
But white-winged and shod with glory in the Tabor-light of old—
The glory of the coming of His feet.
He is coming, O my spirit! with His everlasting peace,
With His blessedness immortal and complete;
He is coming, O my spirit! and His coming brings release—
I listen for the coming of His feet.
—L. W. Allen.
The Leaf That Hides the Sun
By Joseph Roux
A POPLAR leaf hides our view of the sun; the slight substance of an earthly care hides from us the immense and radiant God.
A "BURIED" JERUSALEM.
THOUGHTLESS men have walked over the "land of the Bible," and boldly disputed the authenticity and truthfulness of the Scripture records, little knowing that underneath their very feet there were hidden evidences in writing which would turn their boasted wisdom into folly, when God got ready to bring them forth.
A hill in the center of the city of Jerusalem, was an obstacle to the continuation of streets and erection of buildings. "Dig it down," was the order, "and make the street level. So down it came. Imagine the surprise when underneath were found the remains of an arched street of some former Jerusalem. I went in at the opening and walked down under the buried archway. All along were doorways for shops and places of business where thousands of human beings of several generations bartered goods and haggled over "mites and measures."
These "Buried Cities" and "Treasures" speak volumes. Jerusalem, Babylon, Nineveh, are yielding information which throws much added light on the short Bible narratives. Napoleon's general, Boussard, found the Rosetta stone in Egypt and learned fresh facts concerning early life along the Nile. George Smith uncovered a 30,000 volume library at Nineveh belonging to Assyria's last great king, Ashurbanipal. Henry C. Rawlinson learned new items about Darius from the wedge-shaped characters on the high rocks of the Zagros Mountains in Persia. Mr. Taylor unearthed Ur of the Chaldees, the early home of Abraham. Rev. F. Klein discovered the "Moabite Stone" at Dibon, from which have been gathered historic accounts of the reigns of Omri, Ahab and the king of Moab. It is said that six times as much material has been deciphered and printed from these old languages as is contained in the entire thirty-nine books of the Old Testament. In this day, when men are battling with their doubts and crying, "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief," these evidences from buried historic records are a timely stimulus.
THE EARLY AND LATTER RAIN
By T. E. Bowen
The Churches Fallen.
JUST as John's message was the forerunner of Christ's work, preparing His way, so this great work was but the beginning or preparatory work of other solemn messages to follow. A terrible test was brought upon the disciples of Christ. They had high hopes that their Master would be crowned an earthly King. In this they were greatly disappointed. So much so, that on their return from His crucifixion every fond hope seemed forever crushed from their souls.
Likewise, a terrible test and disappointment came to the disciples heralding the glad tidings of Jesus' second return. He did not then come to this earth. They mourned, as did the early disciples, while the world rejoiced. But soon the light again appeared. It was discovered that other messages were to follow. It was also later found that Jesus had, at that time, gone into the most holy place in the heavenly temple on high to complete His ministrations there; and sure enough the great hour of the judgment had struck as announced to the world on the day appointed, Oct. 22, 1844.
This was indeed great light and a source of much joy to the true believers, but those who rejected the message turned to the world as never before. It was demonstrated by this disappointment who really in heart believed, and who did not. Those who, by faith, followed Jesus into the most holy apartment of His heavenly temple work, had light in their dwellings; while those who rejected the great advent movement as a delusion, were left in total darkness, from which they as bodies or organizations never have recovered. Like as the Jews went on with their round of old ceremonial services, with a rent veil and a desolate house, so the churches rejecting the judgment-hour message, have gone on in formal services, having as truly lost out the real living sacrifice as did the Jews of old.
And this fact is faithfully recorded by John under the symbol of a second angel's message announcing this fall: "And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication [unlawful connection with the world]." Rev. 14:8.
Since then the professed church has been filling rapidly with practises wholly unfit for the church of Christ. Lotteries, feasting, merry-making, questionable pleasures—such as dancing, card-playing, and the like—are covered by the garb of Christianity, so that men and women practising these abominations to the Lord, are retained in good standing upon the church enrolment. All this is described in plain, cutting language by the Lord: "And after these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority, and the earth was lightened with His glory. And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become the habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird. For by the wine of the wrath of her fornication all the nations are fallen; and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth waxed rich by the power of her wantonness." Rev. 18:1-3.
The Closing Gospel Message of Sabbath Reform.
Immediately following this solemn announcement came another angel with even a still more solemn message, a most terrible warning against worshiping or receiving the mark of this fallen church. The warning is given from heaven that the wrath of God will be surely visited upon those not heeding the warning. Without going into details it can be stated here only that this angel brings the message of Sabbath reform. It develops a people keeping the commandments of God—the seventh-day Sabbath commandment not changed or excluded. Rev. 14:12.
Light on the Sabbath question began to dawn upon the believers from 1845 to 1850. It has been preached to the world in connection with the doctrine of Christ's second personal coming for sixty years. Every conceivable form of opposition has been brought to bear against it, and still it gloriously stands as the unshaken truth of God. Nearly every nation on the globe has been entered with this mighty message, and believers multiply wherever it is heralded, and now, just now, the church expectantly should look for and earnestly plead with God that this promised outpouring from on high in the latter rain may be given to prepare it to do its last and most solemn work for the world, even as the giving of the early rain resulted in giving the Gospel to "every creature" in the apostles' day. Col. 1:5, 6.
Result of the Rejection of Truth.
God, by inspiration, joined the early rain and latter rain together. Did it mean anything to the world that the steps leading up to the early refreshing, the work of John and that of Christ, were accepted as from heaven, or rejected?—Most assuredly it did. Great and solemn indeed were the events then taking place. Those messages of warning rejected, or even slighted and neglected, brought swift retribution. Hear Jesus, as He entered Jerusalem for the last time, as He viewed the city upon which God had showered so abundantly of Heaven's blessings: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not." They despised the lowly Man of Nazareth then, but their city and house were nevertheless left desolate, and the besom of destruction made the place a desolation forty years afterward.
John was a lowly man. He wore plain clothes and was not educated, as the world regarded learning. Jesus was of lowly birth. His earthly home was that of a poor peasant. His apparel was plain, His life simple. He was not educated in the schools. After listening to one of His powerful discourses, the worldly wise men, to slur Him, asked in His hearing, "How knoweth this Man letters, having never learned?" The disciples were common fishermen, not talented nor educated. Why was this? God chose the weak things to confound the mighty. He purposed that the work of truth should stand in the wisdom and power of God rather than in the weakness of men. Thus the glory was all His.
It is well to notice also that the men proclaiming the great message prior to 1844 were common men. Farmers, men laboring at lowly trades, and even the children were chosen as instruments, but the great truth of God reached the hearts of men through these humble instrumentalities. The message of Sabbath reform has been proclaimed by the same class. Thus this preparatory work does not, nor could it if it would, claim for its advocates powerful worldly-wise men. But this is simply a testimony added to prove the more conclusively that the work is of Heaven. And if of Heaven, it can not be overthrown.
As John and Christ bore testimony to the world then, which testimony that generation must meet in the judgment, so God through humble instruments has borne to this generation most glorious messages of truth, based entirely upon His unerring, prophetic Word, which words of warning and entreaty will likewise confront those who choose now to spurn and slight them. The record of how the Jews treated the truth in Christ's day is written for our learning upon whom the ends of the world have come.
Men and women will listen with tears now to the story of the ill-treatment of Jesus, condemning the Jews for their great wickedness and hardness of heart; but how do they relate themselves to the truth of Jesus applicable now? Do they listen with joy to the good news that "this same Jesus" is soon to return to receive His people and take them home? Are their eyes closed to the worldliness, the pride, the outward show, so prevalent in the churches of to-day? Do they learn with astonishment that ignorantly their feet have been treading upon the holy time of God's eternal Sabbath, as revealed in the Fourth Commandment? And upon learning it, do they earnestly repent and turn to God and keep His holy commandment? If not, why weep at the story of the cross?
To those about Him who spurned His words then, Jesus sorrowfully said, "Why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" And again He said, "Ye are My friends, if ye do the things whatsoever I command you." John 15:14.
[The next and last article deals with the closing work and the remnant church.]
WHAT YOU BURY.
By Joseph Parker
THERE is room enough on earth to find graves for the finest abilities and noblest powers. The ground which received the one talent will also receive the five. Every man can be his own sexton. You can easily find a spade to dig a grave for your talents and abilities, your money and your time. But understand that in burying your talent you are burying yourself; in burying aught that God has given you, you are burying part of your very life.—Joseph Parker.
The Justification of War
By T. H. Nelson
The justification of war is the glorification of ignorance.—T. H. Nelson.
The Comparative Method of Bible Study
By W. S. Sadler
HOW TO ENJOY YOUR BIBLE. No. 2.
The Comparative Method of Bible Study.
"WHICH things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual." 1 Cor. 2:13.
The Bible itself is the best commentary on the Bible. One of the best ways of getting light on some difficult passage is to search out other scriptures along the same line, and compare the fruit of your labors.
Of course one should make a free use of the concordance in such work, but many students of the Bible fail to appreciate the wealth of help there is in the ordinary marginal references found in the Bible.
Let us just open the Bible for an illustration, and see the help we can get out of our marginal references. Our Bible is opened at Revelation. It is in the fourth chapter, and we find a verse marked in our Bible, which we have read many times, the fifth verse: "And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices; and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God."
Now, let us suppose that we are especially anxious to understand what is meant by "the seven spirits of God." Elsewhere in the good Book we read of the one Spirit of God—the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost. What can these seven spirits of God mean? Let us proceed by the comparative method of Bible study, and see what help we can get from our marginal references, or, if they fail us, by resorting to the concordance.
By referring to the marginal reference, we are referred to the first chapter and fourth verse. Let us turn there and read: "John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven spirits which are before His throne."
Here we learn again of the seven spirits of God which are before the throne. We turn back to Rev. 4:5, and find that our second marginal reference carries us to the third chapter of Revelation and the first verse, which reads as follows: "And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things saith He that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead."
Here we get more light, which would lead us to recognize that the seven spirits of God are somewhat under the control and direction of Christ. This would lead us to believe that the seven spirits of God must be the same as the one spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. But let us look again.
We are next referred to the fifth chapter of Revelation and the sixth verse, which reads: "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth."
Here again we are led to consider these seven spirits of God to be identical with the one Spirit of God, by which and through whom Christ discerns all things, knows all things, and directs all things in the earth.
Now, we have used up our marginal references; therefore let us go to the concordance. (And if you want to get the best results from the use of the concordance in your Bible study, have a complete concordance, either "Strong's Exhaustive Concordance," or "Young's Analytical Concordance.")
Now, by turning to "spirit" you will find many references, some of which you know as you glance over them in the concordance, and many of which you will readily see shed no light on our subject. But when we strike the references in Isaiah, we at once recognize the use of the word "spirit" in a plural sense. In the fourth chapter of Isaiah and fourth verse, we see a reference to the spirit of judgment, and the spirit of burning. Now we take it for granted that this must be the same Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, being called by different names, according to its different work. But the next reference in the concordance gives us the light we are seeking. Isa. 11:2 says, "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord."
Here we have it; the comparative method of Bible study gives us light. Here we have a reference to the Spirit of God where the Spirit is called by several names: (1) The Spirit of the Lord; (2) The spirit of wisdom; (3) The spirit of understanding; (4) The spirit of counsel; (5) The spirit of might; (6) The spirit of knowledge; (7) The spirit of the fear of the Lord.
And so we could open our Bible to almost any verse and trace it out in this way. Sometimes we shall quickly get the light, and at other times we might search repeatedly, and frequently examine the same scriptures, before gaining the help we sought.
This is the method of Bible study that was pursued by the Bereans in Paul's day, of whom the apostle writes: "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Acts 17:11.
Most likely the Bereans followed out this very method of studying the Bible. Of course it was more laborious in their day, for they did not have the complete concordances and the elaborate systems of marginal references that we find in our Bibles to-day. If you would enjoy your Bible, you must search for its truths with the eagerness and perseverance with which the miner goes in quest of the treasures that lie hidden in the bowels of the earth.
We trust you will not be tempted to refer to commentaries and other works of reference to find out the meaning of scripture, until you have first used your concordance and your marginal references, thus comparing scripture with scripture. In this way, new light and beauty will be discerned in many of the scriptures which have been read in a mechanical way scores of times; your faith will be strengthened, your soul developed, and the Bible become as it were a new book to you.
