Review and Herald, Vol. 21, No. 19. (4/7/1863)

Review and Herald

Apr 7, 1863

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 7, 1863

The Bible no Refuge for Slavery.

(Continued.)

Paul to the Corinthians does not justify slavery.

"Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a servant? Care not for it; but if thou mayest be free use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: also he that is called being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the servants of men. Brethren, let every man wherein he is called, therein abide with God." 1 Cor. vii, 20-22.

This text may refer to slavery, the persons here called servants, doulos, may have been slaves. It is not certain that they were slaves because they are called doulos; for this term is often applied to free persons who are merely in the employ of another. The fact is admitted that slavery did exist in that country, and that the word doulos might be applied to a slave, just as our word servant, is used to denote any one who serves, whether voluntary or involuntary, free or bond. This is all the concession candor requires me to make, and in this lies all the proof there is that slavery is involved in the case. The text upon its face contains several things which are unfavorable to the idea that the persons treated of were chattel slaves. I urge two grounds of defense against any conclusion drawn from the text, that slavery is or can be right.

I. It is not clear that the persons were slaves, to whom the apostle wrote. This is a vital point and must be positively proved; inference or mere probability will not do in such a case. Here is a great system of human bondage, sought to be justified, and of course, no text can be admitted as proving it right, unless it be certain that it relates to this subject. Now, where is the proof that this text certainly speaks of slaves?

1. The use of the word, doulos, does not prove it, for that is applied to Jesus Christ, Paul and Peter, to all Christians, and to free persons who are in the employ of others, whether as public officers or mere laborers.

2. The general instruction given does not prove that the persons addressed were slaves. The general instruction is for all to abide in the same calling they were in when converted. The same principle is applied specifically to husbands and wives, as well as to servants. The general instruction therefore does not prove that slaves are meant.

3. The specific application of this instruction to servants by name, does not prove that they were slaves. It might be necessary to give such instruction to free or hired servants. The gospel was making inroads upon a heathen community, and it may be presumed that the greatest portion of the converts were among the lower classes and servants. If these servants were all to forsake their positions and the employ of all unconverted employers, so soon as they were converted, it would not only produce confusion and much inconvenience, but bring Christianity into discredit and provoke persecution. It would not only deprive many families of the requisite number of laborers, but would throw an equal number of laborers out of employ.

4. The exception which the apostle makes to the specific application of his general rule to servants, does not prove that they were slaves. The exception is this, "But if thou mayest be made free use it rather." This is doubtless the strongest point in support of slavery contained in the text, for those who must find slavery in it somehow, will at once say that it supposes that they might not be able to be free, in which case they must be slaves. This is plausible, but it is not a necessary conclusion, and therefore cannot be allowed as establishing the rightfulness of slavery. It may refer to contracts and relations voluntarily entered into for a limited term of years, and for a price stipulated. Such cases exist in every community, and where a considerable portion of an entirely heathen community, should suddenly embrace Christianity, some of the converts would be found sustaining these relations, and involved in these obligations to heathen parties entirely unfriendly to the spiritual interest of such converts. Now, though it would not be proper to violently rupture all such contracts on the conversion of one of the parties, though it would be a good general rule for every man to abide in his calling or occupation, yet where a release could be peaceably obtained in any such case, it would be best to improve it. This is all the text necessarily means, and this is rendered the more probable sense, from the fact that, if they were really slaves, and their state of slavery regarded as right in the light of the gospel, the probability of obtaining a release would hardly be great enough to constitute the basis of a special apostolic rule. Indeed, the exposition is more consistent with the whole scope of the apostle's reasoning than any exposition that can be based upon the assumption that chattel slavery was the thing with which the apostle was dealing.

II. Allowing that the text does treat of slaves, that the person named as "called being a servant," was a personal chattel, it does not prove slavery to be right, or throw over it any sanction, not even by implication. The former exposition is doubtless the right one, upon the supposition that the persons were not slaves, but upon the supposition that they were slaves, that exposition is set aside, and one entirely different must be resorted to. No such exposition can be adopted as will make the text approve of slavery.

1. The direction, "Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he is called," does not teach the duty of a voluntary submission to slavery, upon the supposition that the direction was given to slaves; and unless it teaches the duty of voluntary submission to slavery, it does not and cannot prove slavery to be right. The words, "If thou mayest be free, use it rather," are just as positive and binding as the words, "let every man abide in the same calling," and allowing the words to be addressed to slaves, they command every Christian convert, who is a slave, to obtain his freedom if he can; it leaves him no right to consent to be a slave, if he may be free; if he has power to be free.

The word here translated mayest, is dunamai, and is translated in this case by too soft a term to do justice to the original in this connection. It is used to express a thing possible or impossible in the most absolute sense. It occurs in about two hundred and ten texts, and is uniformly translated can, and with a negative particle cannot, able and not able, and in very few cases, not over five in all, it is rendered may; once it is rendered might, and in only one case besides the text, is rendered mayest. That is Luke xvi, 2, "Thou mayest be no longer steward." Here a stronger word would do better justice to the sense. The word occurs in such texts as the following:

"God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." Matt. iii, 9.

"A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." v, 14.

"Thou canst not make one hair white or black." 36.

"No man can serve two masters." vi, 24.

"But are not able to kill the soul." x, 28.

"From which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Acts xiii, 39.

"They that are in the flesh cannot please God." Rom. viii, 8.

"To him that is of power to stablish you." xvi, 25.

The word is supposed to be derived from deinos, powerful, and hence in the expression "If thou mayest be free," the sense is, if thou hast power to be free, if thou hast strength to be free, if thou art able to be free, if thou canst be free, "use it rather."

There can be no doubt of this position, that the text leaves those concerned no choice between slavery and liberty; if it refers to slaves, it requires them to take and use their liberty if they can get it, leaving no right to remain in the condition of slaves any longer than up to the time they can be free. This is very important in two points of light.

1. It is a most clearly implied condemnation of slavery as unfriendly to the development of Christianity in the heart and life. This of itself proves that the text does not and cannot justify slavery.

2. This positive command requiring the slave to

take and use his liberty, whenever he can get it, necessarily qualifies and limits what is said of abiding in the condition wherein they were called. "Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called, being a servant? Care not for it, but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather." The sense must be that the slave was to abide in slavery as a Christian, until he could be made free, rather than to give up his Christianity on the ground that a slave must first be made free before he could be a Christian. The obligation was to be a Christian while he was compelled to remain a slave, rather than to remain a slave one hour after he could be free. To abide in the same calling wherein he was called, means that he should remain a Christian in that condition, until he can get out of it rather than waiting until he can get out of it before he undertakes to be a Christian. The fact that the slave is commanded to use his freedom if he can be made free, forbids any other construction than that which I have put upon the words. The command to use his liberty if he can be made free, limits the command to abide as he was called, to the sense of submitting to slavery as an unavoidable evil, until he can get out of it in a manner consistent with the laws of Christianity. This is all the obligation that is imposed upon the slave, and this is not the slightest justification of slavery, for there is not a Christian anti-slavery man in the country, even the most ultra, who would not now give the same advice to all the slaves in the land, could they speak in their ears. Advice or a command to submit to a wrong which we have not power to prevent, is no justification of that wrong. "But I say unto you that ye resist not evil," is no justification of evil. The fact that "charity beareth all things," and "endureth all things," does not prove that all things thus borne and endured are right. So no command, were it ever so plain, to submit, ever so quietly to slavery, as a condition from which we have no power to escape, could be a justification of slavery.

It strikes me that we are compelled to this explanation of the text to save the apostle from confusion and self-contradiction, if we admit that he was really treating of chattel slavery. We cannot suppose that the apostle uses the same word in two or more different senses in the same most intimate connection, without giving any intimation of the fact; if therefore we render the word doulos, slave instead of servant, we must preserve this rendering through the whole connection. In that case the text will read thus: "Let every man abide in the same calling where he was called. Art thou called being a slave, care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord being a slave is the Lord's freeman; likewise, he also that is called being free is Christ's slave. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the slaves of men."

This makes the apostle assert that a converted slave is a slave of man, and God's free man at the same time. This is impossible, for if the obligations of slavery are morally binding on the slave, he cannot be free to serve God; but if the slavery be an entire unmixed moral wrong, imposing no moral obligation on the slave, but only a physical restraint, then can the slave be God's free man, just as clearly as he whose feet and hands should be paralyzed, could still be God's free man, his head and heart being still sound.

Again, the assumption that the apostle is treating of chattel slavery, as the text is above rendered, makes him assert that the converted slave is God's free man, and that the converted free man is God's slave. If by servitude a voluntary state is meant, in which case there is no chattel slavery; or if chattel slavery be understood, as a human crime, inflicted upon them by force, imposing no moral obligation, then the whole is consistent. Finally, the idea that chattel slavery is involved, and that slaves are under moral obligation to submit to it, as per corresponding moral right on the part of the slaveholder to hold them as slaves, makes the apostle command them to abide in slavery and not to abide in it; to be slaves and not to be at the same time. The sense must run thus,—"Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he is called," that is, if a man is called being a slave, let him remain a slave; but as "ye are bought with a price, be not ye the slaves of men."

A more direct and palpable contradiction could not be perpetrated. But allow that there is no justification of slavery, that slaves are only directed to submit to it and bear it as a physical necessity which they have no power to escape, and the whole is plain and consistent; then may they be required to abide in it and endure all its wrongs as Christians, until providence shall open a way for them to escape from it.

I have bestowed full attention to the above text, because it is believed to be one of the strongest in support of slavery, and because it is the first of the class with which I have undertaken to grapple. In disposing of it, I have settled some principles, which can be applied in the consideration of other texts, without having to be again discussed at length.

(To be continued.)

Home for the Weary.

By R. Smith

If there's rest for the weary, a home for the meek, Hope for the trembling and strength for the weak, Take courage, worn pilgrim, nor sink in despair, While braving the storms that but hasten us there.

The waves and the billows will over us go, And waters most bitter will oft overflow, Our hearts with fierce conflicts and anguish be riven, But hope to the end: there's salvation in heaven.

Oh, who will endure the last searching test, With Abrah'm and Isaac and Jacob be blest In the kingdom of God? and who will be lost, To find when too late, what earth's pleasures have cost?

Shall we cling then to what Christ would have us give up? O no: grieve him not, and he with us will sup. He'll shelter us here in the last coming strife, And give us to drink of the water of life.

How blest to be ready and waiting to hear The last trumpet sound, and see Jesus appear! Such then will rejoice that redemption has come, Be changed to his image, and reccived to their home. R. SMITH.

West Wilton, N. H.

Outlines of Prophetic Study.

By Bonar

How are we to study prophecy? First of all, let us study the chronology of the subject. I do not mean to say that this can be done entirely apart from, and previous to, some amount of attention to the details; but still our first object should be to give most careful heed to the chronological parts, and to make our study of details bear upon this especially.

In studying prophecy, just as in studying history, we can make but inconsiderable progress without chronology, or, at least, without some chronological method to keep us from confusion and entanglement. Many a foolish prophetic interpretation might have been avoided had this been attended to. We may, perhaps, be able to strike out some ingenious and correct interpretations of particular passages or visions, and be able to say that such and such events are, some time or other, to fall out in the future, or have fallen out in the past history of our earth, but how, or when, or in what order, we can with difficulty contrive even to guess. We read of a variety of events which future times are to witness; of the coming of the Son of man, the destruction of the apostate nations, the downfall of Antichrist, the first resurrection, the kingdom of the saints; and perhaps we have a tolerably correct idea of them as included events. But without some sort of chronology, or system of arrangement, we can have no more. If we would construct our prophetic map with correctness, we must first sketch our outline, and lay down our latitudes and longitudes. Our telescope must be adjusted to its proper focus before we can expect to have a distinct and regular view of the scene to which it is directed.

The chronology of prophecy ought, then, to have a prominent place in our prophetic inquiries. In proportion to the correctness of our views on this point will be our success in dealing with the details of the subject. Many, we are aware, deny this; they look upon individual prophecies as dark, and upon their chronology as darker still; and hence they cannot conceive of that which is dark being illustrated by that which is darker. They seem to regard most prophecies, especially those which involve chronology, as little better than well-constructed riddles, affording a fair field for ingenious exposition and amusing arithmetical conjectures. They can see little in them but vague, unclassified statements, capable of any meaning or order, according to the ingenuity or caprice of the expositor, and are disposed to think that the best that can be said of them is, that they were not intended to be understood or arranged. They read the Scriptures, but it is with no expectation of thoroughly understanding them, and are content to pick up here and there a few bright gems, all the rest remaining confused and shadowy.

But there is more system in the Bible than these suppose; not in one part of it only, but in all,—historical, doctrinal, prophetical. It is by no means difficult to trace throughout them the existence of a plan most regular and well constructed. It may astonish some to be told this; and to be told, moreover, that it would be difficult for a series of prophecies to be given in symbolical language more plain and systematic than those which the Spirit of God has conveyed to the church in the books of Daniel, the "man greatly beloved," and John, the "beloved disciple." Any careful reader will see that the prophecies they contain are strictly chronological: and that in two respects; both because they preserve a regular order and succession of events in all their details, and because, by many hints thrown in here and there, they give us data for fixing the general period within which the specified events are to occur, and for determining their commencement, duration and close. This is one of the advantages we possess in studying the visions of Daniel and John. We have merely to interpret what is already arranged. In other prophecies, as those of Isaiah, Jeremiah, or Ezekiel, there is little order of succession observed. Events are not detailed so regularly one after the other, nor are their several parts always knit together. We have to search about for links by which to fasten them to each other, so that they may be fully classified and arranged; but in Daniel and John much of this is already done.

In return for this advantage which the chronological possess over the detached or irregular prophecies, there is a disadvantage, if we may call it so, connected with the former from which the latter are free; and this is, that the former are generally conveyed in symbolical language, while the language of the latter is more literal, and approaching, in many places, the style of history. In Daniel, for instance, we have the vision of the great image, in which we have concise views of four great monarchies which were successively to appear on the earth, from the times of the prophet to the setting up of the kingdom of the Son of man. In this we have nothing to arrange, for this is already done by the prophet himself; we have simply to interpret; but then there is a difficulty compensating for this, for the language is symbolical. I do not say that in this particular vision there is much to perplex, for so much of it has been fulfilled that most of the difficulties have been cleared away; I give it merely as an instance of the greater difficulties which, previous to its fulfilment, would have attended it from the nature of its language. Let us look into the predictions themselves.

In the second chapter of Daniel occurs the first of them. It is the vision of a majestic image. Its head is of gold, and denotes the Babylonian empire, of which Nebuchadnezzar was the head, whose throne was in "the golden city." Then there are the breast and arms, which were of silver, inferior to the first, the kingdom of the Medes and Persians. Then there are the belly and thighs of brass, a kingdom still inferior to the two former, the Macedonian. Then there are the legs of iron, and the feet of mingled iron and clay; this is the Roman empire, strong as iron, breaking all things in pieces that stood up against it. Such was that empire in its early days, in its Pagan state, at the first coming of Christ. It had not passed into the condition of the "feet and toes" of mingled clay and iron; that is, it was not then subdivided into ten kingdoms, and these entirely diverse and incongruous in their nature. For centuries after the first coming of Christ it remained undivided in its strength. When the subdivision began I do not now discuss. It is sufficient to say that there was no vestige of it for two or three centuries, at least. And this is demonstration that the falling of the stone upon it could not be the first coming of Christ; for that coming was not for destruction at all; and, moreover, the empire had not then attained its divided state, so that the stone could fall upon its feet and crush its clay-iron toes. Beyond all doubt, then, "the stone that smote the image upon its feet, breaking them in pieces, and then becoming a great mountain, filling the whole earth," must refer to some event connected with the second coming of Christ, as it is written, "In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed." This is the termination of the "times of the Gentiles," which began with the reign of Nebuchadnezzar; and such is a skeleton of the world's history from that day till the coming of Christ, and the setting up of the better kingdom. It is an unbroken period of Gentile dominion and Jewish oppression till the day of the Son of man. It is obvious, then, that the millennium or kingdom must be after the advent, and not before it. There is no room for a thousand years' blessedness between the destruction of the Roman empire and the coming of the Lord, inasmuch as that empire is to be destroyed by the Lord at his coming.

Take another chronological prophecy, that of the seven trumpets in the Apocalypse. I do not here interpret; I merely sketch. The period occupied by these trumpets is not nearly so long as that of the former vision to which I have been referring. They take up a mere section of history, the commencement of which I do not undertake to determine. The first trumpet sounds, and fiery hail descends, mingled with blood. The second trumpet sounds, and the great mountain of fire is cast into the sea. The third angel sounds, and the great star falls from heaven, turning the waters into wormwood. The fourth angel sounds, and the sun, moon and stars are smitten so that the third part of them is darkened. The fifth angel sounds, and the bottomless pit is opened, and the locusts arise out of it to lay waste the earth. The sixth angel sounds, and the four angels bound in Euphrates are loosed for slaughter. The seventh trumpet sounds, and the kingdoms of the earth become Christ's kingdom, and their many crowns are placed upon his head. This is the time of judgment, the time of resurrection, the time of recompense to the saints, as it is written, Rev. xi, 17:

"We give thee thanks, Lord God Almighty! Which art, and wast, and art to come. For thou hast taken to thee thy great power, And hast reigned! And the nations were angry, And thy wrath is come, And the time of the dead That they should be judged."

In all this there is a distinct succession of events in chronological order from the sounding of the first trumpet to the coming of the Lord, the resurrection and the kingdom. Where, then, is there room for a millennium before this? How could it be thrust in between the sounding of the last trumpet and the Lord's coming?

Let us select a single specimen of discursive prophecies. They take up only sections or portions of history, and are to be regarded as episodes in the chronological prophecies. When we can ascertain their place in that chronology, or at least discover somewhat of their connection and order, they of course possess the advantages of both kinds of prophecy. The following is such. It is the twenty-fourth chapter of Isaiah. It refers to the last scenes of this present age which are immediately to precede the coming of the Lord, and describes the state of earth in those days of darkness, and tumult, and error. The first ten verses describe the desolation which is to overwhelm the earth because of iniquity. In the midst of this overflowing wickedness there is heard the voice of praise from a remnant in the distant isles, "Glory to the Righteous One." But this is drowned in the abounding iniquity, and the prophet thus proceeds:

"The earth is utterly broken down, The earth is clean dissolved, The earth is moved exceedingly, The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, And shall be removed like a cottage; For her iniquity lieth heavy upon her; And she shall fall and rise no more."

Such is the state of earth as here described, a state which corresponds to that predicted by Peter in the third chapter of his Second Epistle. The vision then proceeds:

"And it shall come to pass in that day, Jehovah shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, And the kings of the earth upon the earth."

Here, then, is a two-fold vengeance foretold: first upon the host of the high ones that are on high; that is, the principalities and powers of darkness, the prince of the power of the air, and the spiritual wickednesses that are in the high places. Then comes the punishment of earth, its kings and its inhabitants, as elsewhere set forth in the second psalm:

"They shall be gathered together, As prisoners are gathered in the pit; They shall be shut up in the prison, And after many days shall they be visited."

We recognize at once here the casting of the beast and false prophet into the lake of fire, as described in Rev. xix, and the binding of Satan, as given in chap. xx. Isaiah says, "After many days shall they be visited;" and John says, "When the thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison." But let us mark what takes place in the interval; that is, between their being cast into the pit and their being visited:

"Then the moon shall be confounded, And the sun ashamed, When Jehovah of hosts shall reign In mount Zion and in Jerusalem, And before his ancients gloriously."

For we know what signs are to be in the heaven and in the earth, in the sun and moon and stars, in that great and notable day. And then comes the song of Israel or of the church in the succeeding chapter, a song like that of Moses and Miriam after the destruction of Egypt and its chivalry, when they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

And after this song of exultation over their enemy, they strike the festal note; a note in unison with that which they sing at the marriage-supper of the Lamb; a song of festival; a song of resurrection-joy and glory, in the presence of their God and King:

"In this mountain Shall Jehovah make for all people A feast of fat things. And in this mountain Shall he destroy The face of the covering cast over all people, And the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; The Lord Jehovah shall wipe away tears From off all faces; And the rebuke of his people shall he take From off all the earth; For Jehovah hath spoken it."

These specimens will furnish the reader with some idea of the true way in which prophecy should be studied. After constructing our prophetic chart—at least in so far as the general outlines are concerned—by means of the visions of Daniel, supplemented by those of John, we are then in the true position for viewing and understanding the isolated prophecies of Isaiah. We shall find how much Daniel helps us to interpret Isaiah, and again how much Isaiah assists us in understanding Daniel. They assist mutually in arranging each other. Had all prophecies been chronological, our difficulties in the way of interpretation would have been greater than they are. Had all been discursive, our difficulties in the way of arrangement would have been considerably multiplied.—Bonar.

Revealed Religion.

O, WHAT is this world when we have turned away from the cross of Christ, and from the instruction which God has given us in his word? Man is seen upon the earth a strange being, playing a strange part, and encircled by mysteries. He has been created, he knows not by whom, or when, or for what purpose. He finds himself prone to evil by some mysterious law for which there is no explanation. He suffers, he knows not why. He lives, he knows not for what end; and when he dies he goes into another state, and he knows not whither or why. He can do nothing to stay the progress of the plague which sweeps away the race, and he can only stand and weep over the grave which he digs for his pale brother, and which he himself must soon enter. Revealed religion comes and tells him who made him, and why; explains the way in which the race sank into this melancholy condition, and how it may be recovered; proposes promises adapted to him as a rational being, reveals a brighter world, and explains to him how it may be his own. It originates no new form of disease, dips the arrow of death in no new poison, creates no new darkness around the grave, robs the sufferer of no new consolation, and creates no new danger. Then why, Oh! why should he go away?—Sel.

A Word to the Young.

By E. M. Prentiss

AND we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their works' sake. 1 Thess. v, 12, 13.

Here we are exhorted to act kindly toward those who instruct us in the Lord, and that those who teach the whole truth are entitled to more than respect. Yet how often we act differently, by refusing to even receive their kind admonitions, or by expressed contradictions.

And when they come, with fear and trembling, and seek to discharge with fidelity their whole duty to us, how often we wound their feelings by our careless indifference, and all manner of disobedience, instead of showing our love for the truth by earnestly striving to heed their counsel, and reflect honor upon the cause by our example of loving obedience. This is indeed trying to the faithful minister, and to those who stand at the head of this work, who have long felt the responsibility of holding erect the standard of truth for these last days. Too much of their time is required in urging us on to duty, while the world around us are famishing for the want of truth.

We know but little what it has cost to dig up these hidden treasures; hence we do not appreciate them as we should, if we knew more of suffering. We have no realizing sense of the shortness of time, therefore are we slumbering. O my dear young brother, my sister, how long shall it be said of us that we are a hindrance to the cause of God? Shall we not rather labor to 'prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God' concerning us, and to seek for that change of heart which will enable us to look kindly, trustingly, lovingly on our instructors?

We are told that Jesus is now giving us an opportunity to confess, and will you not with me arise and repent in deep humility, and purify your lives by obeying and living out the truth? O that the Lord would give us who are young in the truth, a humble, teachable spirit. O let us seek for it. Let us come up to the help of the Lord. It may be but little that we can do, but let it not be our part of the work to perplex and hinder. Let us walk in God's order, strive to heed all the testimony, and keep pace with God's children. O that we, each one of us, may awake to feel that we have not a moment of time to lose: that soon Jesus is coming, and then will sound the dreadful sentence, 'He that is filthy, let him be filthy still.'

E. M. Prentiss.

North Parma, N. Y.

Christian Warfare.

By E. House

THE Christian warfare is not an imaginary one, but real, and earnest; and those who would leave the battle-field successful, must take heed that none of the instructions given by the great Leader of righteousness be disregarded, but that all are implicitly followed. The enemy ever stands ready to send some unexpected shot or shell, or, lying in ambush, suddenly take us prisoners; and so great is the danger that never for a moment must we desert our post; neither (as far as possible) let a feeling of doubt as to our final success take possession of our minds; for it is one of the qualifications of him who cometh up to battle against us, that he readeth the thoughts; and his forces are thereby strengthened or diminished.

But notwithstanding the formidable appearance of our enemies, the numbers of whom are as "legion," it is our privilege to be victorious, and lay them low. We must remember that in God's armory is everything requisite. We must unlock it by fervent prayer, the key which he has placed in reach of all who will avail themselves of it; and when we have gained admittance all we have to do is to equip ourselves in the habilitments of war, with the shield of faith, the girdle, the helmet, the sword, and the shoes of that peculiar pattern of which we have often read; and then can we step forth fearless and strong to fight the battles of the Lord, realizing that with these we "shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the enemy," and then, though the conflict be never so severe, we shall hear the soul-inspiring voice of our Commander, bidding us lift up our heads, for our redemption draweth nigh, telling us that speedily will the contest be ended, and the victory won.

The Lord is calling by his Spirit for all who will volunteer, to share in the toils and privations of the Christian soldier in this life, and offers as the inducement that, if they will enter the ranks, counting not their lives dear unto them, but all things as loss if they but win Christ, by and by when the reward is given they shall receive a crown of unfading beauty, a robe of righteousness, share with all the redeemed in the unspeakable glories of endless life. Catlin, N. Y. E. HOUSE.

Lessons for Bible Students.

LESSON VII.

(History of the Sabbath, pp. 92–103.)

When we leave the books of Moses, what do we find in regard to the history of the Sabbath?

Is any mention of it found in Joshua?

In Judges?

In Ruth?

In first and second Samuel?

In the first book of Kings?

In what book and in what chapter and verse does the next mention of the Sabbath occur?

With what history are the books of Chronicles parallel as a narrative?

Is the Sabbath mentioned in these books and where? [In point of chronology this is the same as if it had been mentioned in the book of Samuel.]

How long a space does this leave without any mention of the Sabbath?

What kind of a history of the Hebrew people, have we during this time?

Mention a favorite argument with anti-Sabbatarians.

If the silence of one book, which, after giving the institution of the Sabbath, in its general history of twenty-five hundred years, does not again mention it, proves its total neglect during that time, what may be said of the silence of six successive books, which give a minute history of the period which they cover?

But the Sabbath during this time was enforced by the penalty of death, and can such an argument as this be adduced to prove that it was neglected?

And as this is a much better argument than that based on the silence of Genesis respecting the Sabbath, what becomes of that argument?

In the history of these five centuries from Moses to David, several facts are recorded, which claim our notice; what is the first of these?

State how the siege of Jericho was conducted.

One of these seven days must have been the Sabbath; then did not the children of Israel here break the Sabbath? If not, why?

What is Dr. Clarke's testimony on this point?

The second fact worthy of notice is the sun's standing still in the days of Joshua; did not this great miracle derange the Sabbath? and why?

What difficulty does this miracle involve, to the seventh-part-of-time theory?

A third notable case is the act of David in eating the show-bread, mentioned in 1 Sam. xxi, 1–6; upon what day in all probability, did this transaction take place?

How does this explain our Lord's reference to it, in Matt. xii, 3, 4?

What distinction may here be pointed out, which should never be lost sight of? p. 98 first paragraph.

While these rites were in force with what did they necessarily to some extent connect the Sabbath?

When the ceremonial law was abolished, what effect, then, did it have upon the Sabbath?

From the days of David how long a time elapses without a mention of the Sabbath?

In the days of Elisha, what mention have we of the Sabbath, and in what scripture is it recorded?

What renders it probable that the Sabbath of the Lord is here intended?

If this is correct, what does it show?

What does Amos give as the language of the people in regard to the Sabbath in his day?

When were these words written?

What do they indicate?

How long after this, before another mention of the Sabbath is found?

In what year did Isaiah utter a forcible prophecy in reference to the Sabbath?

In what chapter of his book is it found?

This prophecy contains several features of peculiar interest; what is the first one?

What is meant by the salvation of God, and when is it to come? p. 101, note.

What does the prophecy show in the second place?

What is the third point worthy of note?

Fourth, to what conclusion are we led?

In chapter lviii, 13, 14, Isaiah again presents the Sabbath; from what does his language here emphatically distinguish it?

To what does the promise contained in this prophecy, have reference?

Sanctification.

By R. F. Cottrell

"Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth." Jno. xvii, 17. Thus prayed Jesus for his disciples. From this it appears that the truth is the instrumentality through which Christians are to be sanctified, and that the truth is the word of God. Yet many seem to think that they are sanctified independently of the word, and indeed use their sanctification to parry the plain declarations of the word. Tell them that God's word requires them to keep the seventh day which is the Sabbath of the Lord, and they will tell you that the Lord blesses them—that they enjoy salvation within daily—and this could not be if they were wrong about the Sabbath. That the Lord would certainly show it to them, if it were their duty. As if the Lord will give an immediate revelation, for the benefit of those who refuse to believe his word! The Lord will do no such thing. He has spoken once, why should he repeat it? It is asking too much of him. When his will is once plainly expressed, it is a sin to ask him to reverse it, or to repeat it. And when this course is persisted in, the Lord will leave them to the deceptions of the Devil, who will give them of his spirit and blessing, and deny the word of the Lord, and thus grant the petition which they desired. A person that pursues this course is not sanctified through the truth.

But a person that believes the testimony of God's word, and then adds to his faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity, will, when the process is completed, be fully and scripturally sanctified, and fitted for the Master's use.

R. F. Cottrell.

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