Earlier text: The Likeness of EmmanuelLeaves of the Tree of Life
By J. S. Washburn
We fear that many do not appreciate the work being done by our conscientious doctors and nurses in our sanitariums. If they did, we feel certain that the work of raising the $150,000 fund would be mightily hastened. Washington is in many respects the heart of the world. To that city the eyes of this nation are directed, and we may truly say that the nations of the world are looking also with great interest on what occurs in the city which is the capital of our nation. What will more favorably impress the men of note who gather there than our sanitarium work conducted by experienced and able physicians, loyal to the message, and who are bringing through this means to those who are sick in soul and body the very leaves of the tree of life? Note the following solemn and encouraging words sent to us through the spirit of prophecy:— “Our sanitariums are to be schools in which instruction shall be given in medical missionary lines. They are to bring to sin-sick souls the leaves of the tree of life, which will restore to them peace and hope and faith in Christ Jesus. “Let the Lord’s work go forward. Let the medical missionary and the educational work go forward. I am sure that this is our great lack,—earnest, devoted, intelligent, capable workers. In every large city there should be a representation of true medical missionary work. Let many now ask, ‘Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?’ It is the Lord’s purpose that his method of healing without drugs shall be brought into prominence in every large city through our medical institutions. God invests with holy dignity those who go forth farther and farther still, in every place to which it is possible to obtain entrance. Satan will make the work as difficult as possible, but divine power will attend all true-hearted workers. Guided by our Heavenly Father’s hand, let us go forward, improving every opportunity to extend the work of God.” Atlantic Union Conference
By I. H. Evans
Received on the $150,000 Fund up to July 2, 1907
Atlantic Union Conference
Central New England ............... $ 2,472.26
Chesapeake ......................... 424.26
Eastern Pennsylvania .............. 1,411.85
Greater New York .................. 431.85
Maine ............................. 360.82
New Jersey ........................ 552.63
New York .......................... 1,026.17
Southern New England .............. 880.53
Vermont ........................... 850.70
Virginia .......................... 266.67
Western Pennsylvania .............. 832.57
West Virginia ..................... 241.67
Western New York .................. 1,291.67
Total ............................. $11,043.65 Canadian Union Conference
Maritime .......................... $316.43
Quebec ............................ 33.78
Ontario ........................... 350.48
Total ............................. $700.69 Colorado .......................... $ 878.19
Iowa .............................. 2,244.97
Kansas ............................ 1,655.65
Missouri .......................... 851.45
Nebraska .......................... 4,799.63
Wyoming ........................... 403.87
Total ............................. $10,833.76 Washington churches ............... $1,168.24 East Michigan ..................... $ 1,307.82
Indiana ........................... 4,475.48
North Michigan ..................... 131.51
Northern Illinois .................. 1,619.74
Ohio .............................. 2,662.61
Southern Illinois .................. 750.58
West Michigan ...................... 3,165.35
Wisconsin .......................... 1,812.22
Total ............................. $15,925.31 North Pacific Union Conference
Conference not specified .......... $ 360.26
British Columbia ................... 83.80
Montana ............................ 254.56
Upper Columbia ..................... 1,492.14
Western Washington ................. 1,074.20
Idaho .............................. 844.90
Western Oregon ..................... 1,294.20
Total ............................. $5,404.06 Northern Union Conference
Alberta ........................... $ 144.10
Manitoba ........................... 238.70
Saskatchewan Mission Field ......... 34.85
Minnesota .......................... 4,384.36
South Dakota ....................... 2,614.19
North Dakota ....................... 1,767.41
Total ............................. $9,183.61 Conference not specified .......... $ 73.82
Arizona ............................ 177.87
California-Nevada .................. 5,174.16
Southern California ................ 490.84
Utah ................................ 205.46
Total ............................. $6,122.15 Southern Union Conference
South Carolina .................... $ 103.85
Alabama ............................ 200.63
Tennessee River .................... 502.94
Florida ............................ 337.65
North Carolina ..................... 255.25
Kentucky ........................... 30.36
Cumberland ......................... 552.82
Louisiana .......................... 385.61
Mississippi ........................ 190.63
Georgia ............................ 345.86
Total ............................. $2,905.60 Southwestern Union Conference
Not specified ...................... $ 170.18
Arkansas ........................... 221.64
Oklahoma ........................... 1,414.94
Texas .............................. 1,062.86
Total ............................. $2,869.62 Unknown ........................... $149.20 Algeria ........................... $13.33
Australia .......................... 137.06
Bermuda ............................ 25.00
China .............................. 3.00
South Africa ....................... 128.16
Jamaica ............................ 13.41
Yukon Territory .................... 10.00
England ............................ 256.32
West Africa ....................... 14.06
Mexico ............................. 2.00
Costa Rica ......................... 2.00
India .............................. 12.48
South America ...................... 23.35
Switzerland ........................ 9.69
Panama ............................. 9.00
Nicaragua ......................... 4.00
Trinidad ........................... .34
Central American Mission ........... 17.00
Norway ............................. 25.00
Japan .............................. 12.50
Hayti .............................. 5.00
Egypt .............................. 51.55
Palestine .......................... 2.00
Tobago, W. I. ...................... 1.22
Omaja, Cuba ....................... 3.00
Total ............................. $780.47 Grand Total ........................ $67,086.36 The True Standard of Manhood
By Ellen G. White
God designs that improvement shall be the life-work of his followers, and that this improvement shall be guided and controlled by correct experience. The true man is the one who is willing to sacrifice his own interests for the good of others, who forgets himself in binding up the wounds of the broken-hearted. But many fail of understanding the true object of life. Under the influence of cherished errors, they sacrifice all in life that is really valuable. Nero and Cæsar were acknowledged by the world as great men; but did God so regard them?—No! They were not connected with unselfish love with the great Heart of humanity. They were satanic in their cruelty. Wherever they went, bloodshed and destruction marked their path. They were lauded while living; but when they died, the world rejoiced. How wide the contrast between the lives of these men and the life of Martin Luther. He was not born a prince; he wore no royal crown. It was from a cloistered cell that his voice was heard and his influence felt. But he had a noble, generous heart, and a vigorous intellect, and all his powers were exercised for the good of humanity. He stood bravely for the right, and breasted the world's opposition, in order to benefit his fellow men. Intellect is mightier than wealth or physical power. If sanctified and controlled by the Spirit of God, it exerts a strong influence for good. But intellect alone does not give true manhood. Lord Byron had rare intellectual gifts, but he was not a true man, according to God's standard. His passions were fierce and uncontrollable. Throughout his life he sowed seeds that ripened into a harvest of corruption. This man was one of the world's distinguished men, but the Lord regarded him as one who had abused his talents and wasted his life. When great intellect is made to minister to vice, it is a curse to its possessor and to all who come within the sphere of its influence. One's claim to manhood is determined by the use he makes of the powers that God has given him. The members of the human family are entitled to the name of men and women only as they employ their talents for the good of others. It is when ministering to others that man is most closely allied to God. He who is true to his God-given manhood will not only promote the happiness of his fellow beings in this life, but will aid them to secure the reward of the life to come. Before human beings, God has set a high standard. Christ's word to us is, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." It should be our life-work to press forward continually toward perfection of character, ever striving for conformity to the will of God. Man is required to love God supremely, with his might, mind, and strength; and his neighbor as himself. This he can not possibly do unless he denies himself. To deny self means to rule the spirit when passion is striving for the mastery; to resist the temptation to censure and to speak words of faultfinding; to have patience with the child that is dull, and whose conduct is grievous and trying; to stand at the post of duty even though others may fail; to lift responsibilities wherever and whenever duty requires, not to gain applause, not for policy, but for the sake of the Master, who has given each of his followers a work that is to be done with unwavering fidelity. To deny self means to do good when inclination would lead us to serve and please ourselves. It means to work patiently and cheerfully for the good of others, even though our efforts may not seem to be appreciated. Those who are partakers of Christ's love have no right to think that there is a limit to their influence and work in trying to benefit humanity. Christ is our example. He did not become weary in his efforts to save fallen man. And angels are engaged day and night for the uplifting of humanity, in accordance with the plan of salvation. Our work is to be continuous and persevering. Until the Master bids us lay our armor at his feet, we are to fight manfully for him. We are to work and wait, submissive to God's will, ready and willing to spring to duty at every call. Fellow Christians, search carefully and see whether the Word of God is indeed the rule of your life. Do you take Christ with you when you leave the place of prayer? Does your religion stand guard at the door of your lips? Is your heart drawn out in interest and sympathy for those in need of help? Are you seeking earnestly for a clearer understanding of God's will, that you may let the light shine forth to others? Is your speech seasoned with grace? Does your demeanor show Christian nobility? "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." Remember that you need to be braced by constant watchfulness and prayer. So long as you look to Christ, you are safe; but the moment you trust in yourself, you are in great peril. He who is in harmony with God will continually depend upon him for help. It is difficult for human beings to give attention to the lesser matters of life while the mind is engaged in business of seemingly greater importance. But should this be? Do not become so engrossed with business cares that you neglect to give your children the instruction they need. Do not look upon your home work as a lesser duty. This work lies at the foundation of the well-being of society. The happiness of families and of churches depends upon home influence. The world is not so much in need of great minds as of good men, men who are a blessing in their homes. “Here Are They that Keep the Commandments”
By T. E. Bowen
The three messages of Revelation 14 develop a commandment-keeping company. The record given of them is not testimony borne by themselves, but by Jesus himself. Of them he says: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” The prophet John’s attention is directed to them, after viewing the great mass of humanity represented to him as worshipers of the beast or his image, and designated by a mark as belonging to those who “dwell upon the earth.” By another passage of Scripture we are shown that this company far exceeds the little company pointed out as keepers of the commandments: “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him [the beast], whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Rev. 13: 18. What an encouragement and victory for the grace and power of God’s living word it is, that in the midst of all the corruption and sin down at the end of the world, even amid the last generation of men, a few actually “keep the commandments.9 We are told so often that it is impossible to keep God’s holy law, even by those who stand forth as representatives of Christ. But it can be kept. Jesus kept it. And the same faith that was in Jesus when he trod the rugged pathway on earth, if in us now, will enable us to keep it, also. The Word of God hidden in the heart works these wonderful changes in the life. It is through the power of the word that life is given. Paul recognized this in the charge he gave the elders of Ephesus: “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” God’s people have power through the simplicity of the Word. Through that, the Spirit will operate with power. “The flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” It was the word of Jesus that bore Peter up as he left the boat to walk upon the water. It was through the faith Peter and John had in Christ’s word that the impotent man arose, and with joy accompanied them into the temple. It was through believing the word that thousands were joined unto the Lord in a day at Pentecost and afterward. It was by faith in that Word made flesh that all the mighty miracles were performed which followed the believers everywhere. God’s word is the same to-day. Life and healing are in it for the believing child of God, as when Peter and John, Paul and Silas, labored for their fellow men. The power of God’s word is now found in the three angels’ messages. Men may fail, and even fall out by the way, and turn and oppose the truth with all their power, but the message never will change nor fail. It is infallible. “Man is fallible; but the message is infallible. With it all should be in harmony; it is the center of interest, in which all hearts should be united. We may get up points that are of no consequence, and seek to maintain them; but we shall gain no strength by so doing. The message is to prepare a people to stand in the last great day, and to be united in heaven above. None should feel that it is of no special importance whether they are in union with their brethren or not; for those who do not learn to live in harmony here will never be united in heaven.”—Mrs. E. G. White, in “Historical Sketches,” page 124. This message develops a commandment-keeping people. Some will be truly united upon this holy platform of truth, and filled with the love and unity of heaven, thus becoming prepared to enter that holy place as citizens of the better country. God is no respecter of persons. By complying with the conditions given us in the Word, and through its sanctifying, subduing influence by the operation of the Holy Spirit upon our hearts and lives, we may be a part of that commandment-keeping company that shall one day ere long stand upon that Mount Zion and “sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.” While the cobbler mused, there passed his pane
A beggar drenched by the driving rain;
He called him from the stony street,
And gave him shoes for his bruised feet. The beggar went, and there came a crone,
Her face with wrinkles of sorrow sown;
A bundle of faggots bowed her back,
And she was spent with the wrench and rack;
He gave her his loaf, and steadied her load
As she took her way on the weary road. Then came to his door, a little child,
Lost and afraid in the world so wild,
In the big, dark world. Catching it up,
He gave it the milk in the waiting cup,
And led it home to its mother's arms,
Out of reach of the world's alarms. The day went down in the crimson west,
And with it the hope of the blessed Guest;
And Conrad sighed, as the world turned gray:
“Why is it, Lord, that your feet delay?
Did you forget that this was the day?” Then soft in the silence a voice was heard:
“Lift up your heart, for I kept my word;
Three times I came to your friendly door;
Three times my shadow was on your floor.
I was the beggar with bruised feet;
I was the woman you gave to eat;
I was the child on the homeless street.” An Earthquake Escape
By K. C. Russell
THE frequency of earthquakes and other calamities is filling the hearts of many people with fear and consternation, and they are asking the pertinent questions, What is the cause of earthquakes? What is their meaning? Is there any escape from them? In answer to the first question, we will look in vain for a satisfactory reply from scientists. This was forcibly illustrated by an incident connected with the San Francisco earthquake. Professor Burckhalter, one of the great astronomers of the West, wrote on a bulletin-board outside of the observatory a brief statement of the cause of earthquakes according to the best scientific theories; but when the people blocked the streets, and wanted to know when the next one would come, he erased the preceding bulletin, and wrote: “The man in the street knows just as much as I do of the cause of earthquakes, and when the next one will come.” An editorial in the Washington Post of April 25, 1906, makes the following significant and interesting reference to the scientific aspect of this earthquake: “Scientists in all parts of the world are rising up with proclamations, specious, alluring, and more or less satisfactory to the educated mind. The trouble is that they do not harmonize; and, therefore, the individual has no refuge more substantial than a guessing match.” Thus it will be seen that science can not be relied upon for a solution of the earthquake problem. We must look elsewhere for an answer to this question. The following from the pen of Mrs. E. G. White is the clearest and most comprehensive statement concerning— that has ever been written, and it is in harmony with the Bible, which has withstood both lower and higher criticism throughout the ages:— “Before the flood there were immense forests. The trees were many times larger than any trees which we now see. They were of great durability. They would know nothing of decay for hundreds of years. At the time of the flood, these forests were torn up or broken down and buried in the earth. In some places large quantities of these immense trees were thrown together and covered with stones and earth by the commotions of the flood. They have since petrified, and become coal, which accounts for the large coal-beds which are now found. This coal has produced oil. God causes large quantities of coal and oil to ignite and burn. Rocks are, intensely heated, limestone is burned, and iron ore melted. Water and fire under the surface of the earth meet. The action of water upon the limestone adds fury to the intense heat, and causes earthquakes, volcanoes, and fiery issues. The action of fire and water upon the ledges of rocks and ore causes loud explosions which sound like muffled thunder. These wonderful exhibitions will be more numerous and terrible just before the second coming of Christ and the end of the world, as signs of its speedy destruction.” “Coal and oil are generally to be found where there are no burning mountains or fiery issues. When fire and water under the surface of the earth meet, the fiery issues can not give sufficient vent to the heated elements beneath. The earth is convulsed, the ground heaves, and rises into swells or waves, and there are heavy sounds like thunder under ground. . . . “God controls all these elements; they are his instruments to do his will; he calls them into action to serve his purpose. These fiery issues have been, and will be, his agents to blot out from the earth very wicked cities. Like Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, they go down alive into the pit. These are evidences of God’s power. Those who have beheld these burning mountains pouring forth fire, and flame, and a vast amount of melted ore, drying up rivers and causing them to disappear, have been struck with terror at the grandeur of the scene. They have been filled with awe as if they were beholding the infinite power of God.” The Purpose of These Manifestations
“These manifestations bear the special marks of God’s power, and are designed to cause the people of the earth to tremble before him, and to silence those who, like Pharaoh, would proudly say, ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?’ Isaiah refers to these exhibitions of God’s power where he exclaims, ‘O that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, as when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.’ Isa. 64: 1-3. “The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, . . . and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth. The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.’ Nahum 1: 3-6. “ ‘Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.’ Ps. 144: 5, 6. “Greater wonders than have yet been seen will be witnessed by those upon the earth a short period previous to the coming of Christ. ‘And I will show10 wonders in heaven above; and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.’ ‘And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.’ ‘And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.’ “The bowels of the earth were the Lord’s arsenal, from which he drew forth the weapons he employed in the destruction of the old world. Waters in the bowels of the earth gushed forth, and united with the waters from heaven, to accomplish the work of destruction. Since the flood, God has used both water and fire in the earth as his agents to destroy wicked cities. “In the day of the Lord, just before the coming of Christ, God will send lightnings from heaven in his wrath, which will unite with fire in the earth. The mountains will burn like a furnace, and will pour forth terrible streams of lava, destroying gardens and fields, villages and cities; and as they pour their melted ore, rocks and heated mud, into the rivers, it will cause them to boil like a pot, and send forth massive rocks, and scatter their broken fragments upon the land with indescribable violence. Whole rivers will be dried up. The earth will be convulsed, and there will be dreadful eruptions and earthquakes everywhere. God will plague the wicked inhabitants of the earth until they are destroyed from off it. The saints are preserved in the earth in the midst of these dreadful commotions, as Noah was preserved in the ark at the time of the flood.” The Meaning of These Things
“The Saviour plainly teaches that ‘earthquakes in divers places’ are among the heralds of his return, when he will receive his faithful children unto himself. These things also herald the eternal night to those who have rejected his proffered grace. “The signs of that coming day are thickening all around us. Cyclones and hurricanes, earthquakes and tidal waves, and strikingly fearful volcanic action are no longer among the unusual things, neither are they confined to a few localities. But storm-swept lands, bursting mountains, and lashing oceans tell in unmistakable language that the days of earth’s tranquillity are at an end.” “Christ’s coming is stealing gradually upon the world as a thief. The sun shines in the heavens, passing over its usual round, and the heavens still declare the glory of God. Men are still pursuing their usual course of eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying and giving in marriage. Merchants are still engaged in buying and selling. Publications are issuing one upon another. Many are jostling one against another, seeking to get the highest place. Pleasure lovers are still attending theaters, horse races, and gambling hells, and the highest excitement prevails. Yet probation’s hour is fast closing, and every case is about to be eternally decided.” The question of paramount interest to the reader should be, How may I escape these things, and be ready to welcome the Saviour’s return? Many people fled from San Francisco, and many have fled from Kingston, with the hope of escaping a repetition of the experience. It is certainly a natural and wise thing for one in danger to escape, if possible, to a place of safety. All should understand that the time is soon coming when there will be no place in this world to which one may flee from the terrors of an earthquake; for the Lord says, by the mouth of Jeremiah the prophet:— “I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. . . . I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place [the country where the products of the earth are the most plentiful] was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger.” Jer. 4: 24, 26. It will be easy for the remaining inhabitants of these stricken cities to appreciate these thrilling words of the Lord, and to understand how quickly the Lord can destroy “all the cities” of the earth. Again the prophet, in speaking of this time, says: “And every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” Rev. 6: 14. In view of these facts, it is not strange that Abraham “looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Heb. 11: 10. The apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, also said: “The things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Cor. 4: 18. From these infallible statements of Inspiration, we can plainly see that we can not look to this world or anything it contains as a place of refuge or escape from these things. The only way of escape is through Jesus Christ, by obtaining a character which will survive the final dissolution of this earth. Here are some of the many promises which afford sweet assurance to all who will place their trust in God and build upon his word as a means of escape from the destruction which is swiftly coming upon the world:— “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.” Ps. 46: 1, 2. “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Ps. 55: 22. “When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.” Prov. 3: 24-26. “Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” Ps. 91: 9-11. “At that time [the coming of Christ] thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” Dan. 12: 1. “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke 21: 36. Dear reader, will you not comply with the conditions upon which you may escape all these things, by repenting of all your sins and receiving Jesus as your personal Saviour to enable you to live a life in harmony with God’s law, and so be among those of whom it will be said, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city”? Rev. 22: 14. Do You Study Your Bible?
By L. D. Santee
We have become Seventh-day Adventists by the study of the Bible, and by recognizing its authority. It has taken us from other churches and from the world, and has united us on the platform, “the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” It teaches of the life that now is, and that which is to come. It should be inexpressibly dear to us, as all our knowledge of the future is gotten from its revelations. All our hopes of the life to come rest upon its promises. It thoroughly furnishes us unto all good works. It is our chart and compass in life’s voyage, and if studied and obeyed, will take us safely into the harbor of heaven. Every one who so regards the Bible certainly ought to study it thoroughly and prayerfully, and to know what is in it. It seems strange that many of those who call themselves Christians, and even those who profess to be teachers of the way of life, have never read this book through to know what is in it. That man who is ignorant in regard to the teachings of his Bible is sinning against his own soul. With the perils of the last days thickening, and with the coming of the Lord and immortality for the righteous less than a generation away, it would seem that all that revelation tells us of these thrilling events would be themes of earnest study and absorbing interest. People generally claim to believe the Bible inspired, and yet they do not know its contents. The most of our people have read it much, probably by subjects mostly. There is no doubt that parts of it have been often and thoroughly studied. This is all proper and necessary, but it seems strange indeed that any could accept a book as a rule of action, and yet never read it through,11 to see what it contains. It is right to study it by subjects, but we should become familiar with it as a whole. We should be so well educated in its teachings that we could never be carried away by anything that is antagonistic thereto. A lack of Biblical knowledge is at the root of apostasy. The declaration comes down through the ages, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6. Of Israel, his adopted people, a nation blessed with priests and prophets, the Lord says, with sorrow, “Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” Isa. 1:3. Contrast Israel in her idolatry, and suffering from the judgments of God, with another class mentioned by the apostle: “I have written unto you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.” 1 John 2:14. Which record do you desire shall be yours? It is as true as truth that what we study will affect the life; that the thoughts we harbor will mold the disposition, and shape the mind. This is why God has given us Phil. 4:8. Carefully followed, it will develop a charity that the schools of earth have never been able to equal. It will fill the home with sunshine, and produce the atmosphere of heaven. It was the first way that Paul did. Read verse 9. It produces the tenderness of Christian character. Never were truer words than are found in 2 Cor. 3:18: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image.” Unless your experience has helped you, you do not know the joy and sunshine that will come to you by practising Phil. 4:8. It is easy to “love thy neighbor as thyself.” The change that will come to you (if you never have tried it) is described in Isa. 61:3: “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.” If you think that this description of the change that will be wrought is too strong, try it. I am willing to let your experience be the test. The Bible is emphatically the text-book for those that go out to labor in the cause of God. How inconsistent that such should not know the contents of the text-book they intend to teach. Those who have the “blessed hope” should know all that Inspiration has said about that hope and that life. Those who claim an inheritance in the earth made new, will certainly want to know of the conditions, of the joys, and of the surroundings of the redeemed inheritance; of the “fulness of joy” (Ps. 16:11) that is waiting them in the near future, and in what it consists. It is not strange that you should try to “read between the lines.” Thank God, these mysteries will be made plain when faith is lost in sight. No wonder that Christ said, “Search the Scriptures.” John 5:39. No wonder that God commanded through the apostle, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim. 2:15. The pioneers in our work were men “mighty in the Scriptures.” Their knowledge of the Bible enabled them to build on a sure foundation, and the result has been that the blessing of God has attended the work. We ask you, if you never have read the Bible through, to begin at once. Become familiar with God’s commands and his promises. It takes but little time each day. Don’t say that you have not the time. Three chapters each day, and five on the Sabbath, and you will read the Bible through in a year. Will you do it?