p. 5 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 45. (11/19/1912)

Earlier text: IF YE WILL INQUIRE, INQUIRE YE

"Wooden Swearing"

By Editor

We are asked to say something regarding bywords, expletives, what is sometimes called "wooden swearing." Really, they all belong to the same family—profanity—so-called "wooden swearing" and bywords and expletives. Some of them are disreputable, all of them ought to be.

There are proper oaths. God has sworn by Himself to confirm His promises. Judicial oaths are proper. So Jesus took oath before the high priest of His nation, who adjured him to tell whether He (Jesus) were the Christ or not. Then Jesus responded to the judicial proper oath. But of the extra-judicial oath, the voluntary act, our Lord says: "Swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one." Matt. 5: 34-37.

Now we would not understand that the Lord would confine His prohibitions to the things named,—Jerusalem, the earth, heaven, the head. In fact, what is said after that, precludes not only these things, but all things that are used as bywords. These are simply named as samples of the vast number of oaths heard in every country and in all ages.

The oath was given first as an added confirmation of a statement, as, Thus and thus I have told you, and I swear that it is true. If a man were a worshiper of the true God, he would make oath by Him. If he were an idolater, he might swear by any one of a hundred gods, or by all of them together. So one of the characters of Macauley's poems swore by the "nine gods." Many of those heathen oaths have come down to us, and are commonly used by Christians who do not think they are using profanity at all. Take the words "Jove," and "Gosh," and all such kindred terms. They can be traced back to heathen deities.

There are different motives which prompt men to swear. Some swear because they think it "manly." What a pitiful conception it is of manliness! But some one among their companions swears, and he is their hero, and so they swear. How natural it is to imitate the lowest elements of character in our poor, human heroes!

Some swear to emphasize their statements. That was the old heathen practise. They feared some one would not believe what they said, and so they swore by some one god, or many, that what they said was true. The same practise is still continued. Men and women utter meaningless oaths, such as "I hope to die," or "I cross my heart," etc., etc. What a small opinion such have of their own words! Why is it necessary to multiply expletives, words that are utterly meaningless, to enforce or emphasize a plain, simple declaration?

Some swear only when they are angry. That is, they lack facilities of expression, they can not find words to express their pent up feelings, and so they swear. How foolish that is! It does not help one in any way. It gives no one respect for himself, it certainly does not lead others to respect him more.

Some swear even tho they condemn it in themselves, and others because it is habit. They formed the habit when they were young, perhaps, and yet the greater number of such ones will never swear in the presence of ladies and strangers. If they can abstain from it under such circumstances, they certainly could under all circumstances. Some do not like to take the name of God in vain, and therefore they will substitute adjectives that are of the same meaning, as, "Mercy," and "Goodness," and "Gracious," and "Heavens." Others, fearful that these may be wrong, are prone to use words of weaker signification, like "O dear," and "My land," and "Sakes alive," and one very common word that is heard on almost every hand, "Gee." All of them are modified oaths. People despise themselves for using them, but continue.

Let us plead with our great family of SIGNS readers, to abstain from them, put them away, enlarge our vocabulary, find other ways of expressing ourselves, think so much of our own word that we are willing to let it stand naked and alone, without surrounding it with one to a half dozen expletives. "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."

The Candlestick and the Table

By Mrs. S. N. Haskell

The Golden Candlestick

THE golden candlestick with its seven golden lamps was on the south side of the first apartment of the sanctuary. It was made of gold beaten into shape by the workman's hammer. Ex. 25:31-37. It took many skilful, molding blows to form the flowers and bowls of the candlestick; but the candlestick was to be made after the heavenly model, to teach heavenly lessons to mankind. Ex. 25:40. John the beloved disciple was permitted to look into the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, where he beheld the seven golden candlesticks. He also beheld the Saviour in the midst of the glorious golden candlesticks of which the earthly one was a shadow. The Saviour, in explaining to John the meaning of what he had seen, said, "The seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches." Rev. 1:12-20. Seven is a number denoting completeness. The candlestick of beaten gold, with its seven bowls for the lamps, was an "example and shadow of heavenly things." Heb. 8:5. Its seven branches, each holding aloft a lamp, represented the church of God. The individual that forms a part of the "church of the First-born, which are enrolled in heaven" (Heb. 12:23, margin), will often feel the workman's hammer; "for we are His [God's] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." Eph. 2:10. Then, "beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as tho some strange thing happened unto you." 1 Peter 4:12. It is only the Master Workman fashioning you to become a part of the great church enrolled in heaven.

The candlestick in the type held seven lamps. The beloved disciple had also a view of the heavenly lamps, of which the earthly ones were models. Before the throne of God in heaven, he saw seven lamps of fire, "which are the seven Spirits of God." Rev. 4:2, 5. The church of Christ is the candlestick to hold up the light in the midst of moral darkness. The Saviour says, "Ye are the light of the world." Matt. 5:14. The Spirit of the Lord is said to be the eyes of the Lord, which "run to and fro throughout the whole earth, strongly to hold with them whose heart is perfect toward Him." 2 Chron. 16:9, margin; Zech. 4:10. Then the brightness of our light depends upon the condition of our heart. The Spirit is searching throughout the earth for those whose hearts are perfect toward God, and it will strongly hold with such ones; their light will not burn dim. The lamps in the earthly sanctuary were to burn continually. Lev. 24:2. So the Christian is ever to let the Spirit of God rule his life, and thus shed its light abroad.

None but the high priest could perform the sacred work of lighting the lamps in the earthly sanctuary. The high priest trimmed and lighted them each morning and evening. Ex. 30:7, 8. So none but our High Priest, that was "in all points tempted like as we are," can give us the help we need. In the morning, we need His Spirit to direct us during the day; and at evening, we need it to enlighten our minds as we review the work of the day, that we may detect the flaws and dropped threads in the warp of our lives. The trimming and lighting of the lamps was a beautiful type, with a daily lesson for us at the present time. It was a link in that wonderful threefold typical service, celebrated each morning and evening, while the "multitude of the people were praying without" the sanctuary. Luke 1:10. The whole burnt offering in the court, the incense and burning lamps within the sanctuary,—it was a wonderful type, which will never lose its beauty. Whenever an individual will fulfil in his very soul the antitype of the typical "whole" burnt offering—that is, wholly surrender himself to God, place himself and all he has upon the altar, to be consumed in God's service, as He directs—that individual, whether he be rich or poor, learned or ignorant, will be covered with the fragrant incense of Christ's righteousness, and his name will be enrolled with the church of the First-born in heaven; and here in this sin-cursed earth, as he goes to and fro, he will be a part of the great candlestick, and from his life will shine out the bright rays of the Spirit of God.

The question may arise in many hearts, How may I become a light-bearer in the earth? When Zerubbabel was trying, under very adverse circumstances, to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, he came where the difficulties appeared like mountains before him. Then the Lord sent His prophet with a message to help and encourage him. The prophet Zechariah was given a view of the golden candlesticks, and also shown whence the oil came that supplied the lamps. He saw two olive-trees, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side, which through golden pipes kept the lamps supplied with oil, that the lamps burned brightly. Zech. 4:1-10. The prophet asked the angel the meaning of what he saw. In reply, the angel said, "This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts." Then he gave a message to Zerubbabel to go forward, and the mountain of difficulties would become a plain before him; and that as surely as his hands had laid the foundations of the house of the Lord, so surely would he finish it.

Zerubbabel was walking by faith in the words of the prophets who had told how and when Jerusalem would be rebuilt (2 Chron. 36:20-23; Jer. 25:12; Hosea 1:7); but they were dead, and he now faced difficulties he might be tempted to think the prophets had not expected would arise. Then God sends a living prophet with a message of encouragement to keep the light burning, and enable Zerubbabel to press forward and complete the work he had begun.

TYPE	ANTITYPE
Ex. 40:24. Golden candlestick in the first apartment of earthly sanctuary.	Rev. 1:12. John saw the seven golden candlesticks.
Ex. 25:37; 40:25. There were seven lamps upon the candlestick.	Rev. 4:2, 5. John saw seven lamps of fire before the throne of God in heaven.
Ex. 30:7, 8. The high priest trimmed and lighted the lamps in the earthly sanctuary.	Rev. 1:12-18. John saw Christ our High Priest in the midst of the candlesticks.
Lev. 24:2. The lamps were burning continually, always shedding forth light.	John 1:9. The light of God's Holy Spirit through Christ lightens every soul.

The Table of Showbread

The table of showbread was placed on the north side of the first apartment of the sanctuary. The table was two cubits long, a cubit in width, and a cubit and a half in height. It was overlaid with pure gold, and like the golden altar, was ornamented with a crown of gold around the top.

On the Sabbath day, the Levites made twelve loaves or cakes of unleavened bread. 1 Chron. 9:32; Lev. 24:5. These cakes were placed on the table hot, each Sabbath day (Lev. 24:8; 1 Sam. 21:3, 4, 6; Matt. 12:3, 4), arranged in two rows, six in a row, with pure frankincense on each row. Lev. 24:6, 7.

During the entire week the bread lay on the table. By some translators it is called "the bread of the presence." At the end of the week it was removed and eaten by the priests. Lev. 24:9. This explains why Ahimelech the priest had no common bread on the Sabbath to give to David, as the priests were accustomed to eat the "hallowed bread" on that day. 1 Sam. 21:4. It was not lawful to bake common bread upon the Sabbath. The command was very plain that all bread for Sabbath use in the homes should be baked upon the sixth day. Ex. 16:22, 23. But the Lord directed that the Levites should prepare the showbread every Sabbath. 1 Chron. 9:32.

All the service connected with the table of showbread was done upon the Sabbath. The priests served "unto the example and shadow of heavenly things." Therefore there is a heavenly lesson for us in the antitype of the showbread. It was a continual offering before the Lord. It taught that man was wholly dependent upon God for both temporal and spiritual food, and that both alike came to us through the One who "ever liveth to make intercession" for us before the Father.

It, like all other types of the sanctuary service, met its fulfilment in Christ. Christ is the true bread of which the showbread was a type. He said, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and

the bread that I will give is My flesh." Then He added, "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, . . . ye have no life in you." John 6:51, 53. Even His disciples could not comprehend His words, and murmured. Jesus read their thoughts, and said to them, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63. His Word is the true bread of which we are to eat. As the bread in the presence of God was taken out from the sanctuary and eaten, so Jesus said, "The word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father's which sent Me." John 14:24. The Bible came from God. God Himself gave it to Christ. Christ signified it by His angel to the prophets. The prophets gave it to the people. Rev. 1:1.

We often read the Bible as a mere form of godliness, or to get something to give to others; but if we would receive its life-giving power into our own souls, we must have it "hot," warm from heaven. There is no more appropriate time to let God speak to our own souls through His Word than on the Sabbath day, when we lay aside our worldly cares and business, and take time to study the Holy Word, and let it come into our inmost hearts until we hear God speak to us, not to another. The priests were not only to set the hot bread upon the table on the Sabbath day, but later that same bread was to be eaten, and become a part of their very being. God designed that each Sabbath day, His people should gain a fresh experience in divine things, which would make them better fitted to meet the temptations of the week. The soul that never gains a deeper experience on the Sabbath than on any other day, fails to keep the Sabbath as God would have him. We may have a few minutes of quiet study of the Word on the Sabbath day, when we hear the Lord speaking to us individually; but if the words are not incorporated into our lives, they give us no abiding strength. Each Sabbath day, in the type, the priests set hot bread on the table before the Lord, and also ate the bread prepared the Sabbath before; and as they assimilated it, they received strength from it for daily duties.

Peter evidently understood this truth when he admonished the church to desire the sincere milk of the Word, that they might grow thereby, and if they did this, they would be "a royal priesthood." Here is the secret of true Christian living. Eternal life does not come to the soul through forms and ceremonies. They are all right in their place; but eternal life comes from feeding upon the true bread which comes from the presence of God, God's Holy Word, the blessed Bible.

TYPE	ANTITYPE
Ex. 25:30. Showbread always before the Lord.	John 6:48. Christ said, "I am that bread of life."
Lev. 24:5. There were twelve cakes of showbread, the number of the tribes of all Israel.	1 Cor. 10:17. In speaking of the church, Paul says, "We being many are one bread, and one body."

God's Message for To-Day

By Charles L. Taylor

II—Conditions of the Religious World To-Day

[The first article in this series, "God's Great Oneness," appeared last week. It ought to be read in connection with this, that we may see what should be and what is.—Editor.]

CHRISTENDOM divided! Seets and cults numbering hundreds! Religious chaos bordering on spiritual anarchy! Hopelessly separated into independent, non-coöperative, repellent units—a house divided against itself—this is the religious world of to-day.

Through conflict of creeds, differences of faith, counterworking of leaders, variance of standards, and discord of members, the professed church of God of the twentieth century is causing the gospel trumpet to give "an uncertain sound," and the great unsaved world knows not "the meaning of the voice." 1 Cor. 14: 8, 11.

It requires no argument to show that so-called followers of Jesus Christ are far indeed from answering His prayer "that they all may be one." John 17: 21. They are many.

It is of no particular credit that religious teachers, many of them, are ready to step forward and proclaim that, after all, the differences existing are apparent rather than real. "Is it not true," they say, "that denominational faiths are but different roads leading to the one great center?" They seem to forget that the roads of which we speak begin at the center and end at the circumference; and that those following these roads are traveling from the center rather than toward it.

Reference to the words of inspiration makes it plain that divergent denominational pathways are certain evidence of worldly weakness and carnality. The trouble began in a lack of conversion, in forgetfulness of Christ Jesus. Writing to the Corinthians, the apostle said: "It hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, . . . that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" "For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?" 1 Cor. 1: 11-13; 3: 3, 4.

No apology may reasonably be offered for the unlovely, unattractive picture presented at this time by the church. Only one answer may be given to those who inquire why the church is now split into hundreds of sects; and that is that the great Teacher, God's Holy Spirit, has not had and does not now have its rightful place in men's lives. Men follow men rather than God, and man's word rather than God's word.

Over and over again the honest in heart have been thrown into confusion and distress by the various conflicting church teachings; and in despair they have asked, "How may I know what is right, when all the churches say, 'We are right'?" Certain it is to every candid mind that somebody is wrong.

A Survey of the Field

Scan the field! Behold the Babylon of organization! First and foremost stands Rome, the church of many centuries—tho by no means apostolic—proud, intolerant, and declaring as heretical all who fail to acknowledge her teachings or submit to her customs; whose unity is based on coercion; and whose communion admits of neither actual freedom of conscience nor true liberty of action.

Behind the great overshadowing presence of the Roman Church, with her marvelous array of mystery and inconsistency, stand the multitude of so-called Protestant churches. I say so-called, because it is a sad fact, and one which is well known, that many Protestant bodies have ceased to protest against the principles of the Papacy, and are ready to join hands with her in certain lines of church work which they believe will prove an uplift to society.

As an illustration to the point, take a statement made not long ago at a meeting of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America. Appealing for the unity of all Christendom, the Rev. Dr. Lloyd, of the Protestant Episcopal Church, said, "There never will be anything like unity until the Greek and Roman churches unite with us." What must be the condition of Protestantism when it stands ready to welcome a unity which embraces Romanism? Protestantism has almost ceased to protest.

Church Federation—Its Meaning

In this connection, let it be noted that the great Federation of Churches has committed itself, in principle, to a union of religion and the state, thus sanctioning and laboring to sustain the very fundamental doctrine of papal errors. And remembering that this federation includes within its membership "over thirty denominations, representing eighteen million adult communicants, and fifty million adherents," we may easily see how fully Protestantism has given itself up to Rome, and thus may see also how little of the old-time Protestant material is really left. And yet this is only one of present-day chaotic religious conditions.

Great efforts are made nowadays to bring about a condition, or at least an appearance, of unity. The federation movement has for its chief end concert of action. The fact remains, however, that there is no true basis for real spiritual unity. Whatever of unity comes through federation is based on compromise. The Baptist is still a believer in immersion, the Episcopalian still a believer in sprinkling. They may appear to be a unit, but they are not. They have not the same mind. And when they work together as missionaries, they continue to teach divergent views. If they divide the field, and do not work together, but each in his own sphere, then each has abandoned his right and his duty to give to a part of the world, at least, that which he holds to be God's truth. Such unity is worse than open disagreement, for it robs men of all genuine liberty, and smacks of hypocrisy and utilitarianism. It may succeed politically, but not spiritually, and in the end, leaves the world to perish in doubt and confusion.

Think of it, dear reader! If you are a church-member, bear in mind that your church, if federated, has abandoned her original gospel position, and has agreed to bury much of her true faith, in order to participate in a great movement which ultimately shall prove her complete spiritual overthrow.

Higher Criticism

Practically all the great churches of to-day are honeycombed by that infidelity which masquerades under the garb and name of "higher criticism." Old-time faith in the Bible as an authoritative, inspired word of God, as the great inflexible, unchangeable standard of divine truth, has almost ceased to be. Comparatively few of those who occupy the pulpits of the land are willing longer to stand on the old Protestant rock of "the Bible and the Bible only;" but, contrariwise, seek to introduce the various man-made teachings of the time, holding that the Scriptures are but a part of a great evolutionary system, which includes within its scope the writings of great modern scholars.

So far has this infidelity found place among Protestant teachers and believers, that the Roman Church now stands up and poses before the world as the great defender of the Scriptures. And multitudes actually believe her claim. Speaking of the uncertain, confusing teachings of the time, a certain editor remarks: "We would venture the opinion that it is just here Protestantism fails. The world misses the splendid assurance, the serene reliance, and the courageous faith that challenges skepticism, materialism, and ungodliness through the voice of the Catholic Church."

Even in matters of faith where the churches seem to agree, there is to be found a perfect Babylon of conflicting claims, illogical logic, inharmonious reasonings. Take the question of the Sunday. One church holds it to be a sabbath; another, not sabbath, but Lord's day. One says the Sunday is to be observed out of respect to the fourth commandment; another, that the fourth commandment is not now obligatory. One tells us that Sunday, without doubt, is the first day of the week, the day of Jesus' resurrection; another, that time is lost, and we can not tell which day of the week is the first or resurrection day. One church teaches that God requires the observance of one seventh of our time, that it matters not which day is chosen; another declares rigidly for the one day—Sunday—and asks for a law to compel everybody to keep it. One teaches this, another that, opposing one another in phases ad infinitum.

The Consequences

In view of all the foregoing, it is not at all strange to find the churches down spiritually. "Lovers of pleasure" is written everywhere. Never so much form, and never so little power! Commercialism has supplanted the love of God, formality the warmth of the Spirit. "The world is growing better," declare a thousand pulpit orators; but they are really saying that the church is growing worse. It is only because of spiritual retrogression and religious deterioration that church leaders view the world as they do.

It is only to be expected that low spiritual standards, so prevalent in all localities, bring great weakness and inefficiency. The church has no power to draw sinners or to hold saints. Conscious of this, ministers are resorting to cheap, worldly advertising to attract crowds and fill the empty pews. Of course, they sometimes succeed, but ever to the shame and further weakening of the church which they seek to build up.

The great doctrines and mighty arguments of the gospel of the Lord Jesus are made to give place nowadays to political and other present-day, stirring questions. High-salaried divines are expected to keep their religious ideas up to date, abreast with the times. Municipal reforms and cleansing of politics have therefore crowded out individual conversion and heart cleansing. The result is X—I—the church minus Christ.

With power gone, the churches earnestly seek what Rome sought and found centuries ago,—connection with worldly authority. What they fail to accomplish by the agency of the Spirit, they hope to bring about by the strong arm of law. This, dear reader, is the secret of the great effort of church federation. By banding together, the great churches hope to become so strong that they can dictate to the state, and secure the passage of civil laws which shall compel respect for religion and religious observance.

But why go further? The case is one of open, self-evident confusion and spiritual discord. God calls it Babylon. Surely it is not His planning, and it receives not His sanction. He has better things for His children. He has them for you, dear reader. He has them for me. Those better things will be pointed out in a future article.

[The third article in this series is "The Healing Remedy" for the divisions of Christendom.]

Sermon Attendance and Attention

“SOME people get no good of the sermon because they are absent-minded, others get no good of the sermon because they are absent from the services.”

A Perpetual Memorial

By Mrs. E. G. White

HE law of God is immutable in its character, for "it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail." The law of God is a revelation of the divine will, a transcript of the divine character, and must forever endure. Not one command has been annulled; not a jot or a tittle of the law has been changed. The psalmist says, "Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven." "All His commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever." In the very bosom of the Decalogue is the fourth commandment, as it was proclaimed:

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it."

The claim so often put forth that Christ changed the Sabbath is disproved by His own words. In the Sermon on the Mount He said: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Both by precept and example the Saviour taught the sacred obligations of the Sabbath commandment. Throughout His ministry upon earth no small share of His teaching was directed toward instructing men as to what was lawful to do upon the Sabbath day. He set aside the traditions of men, and because He did not concede to the perverted customs of the Jews, by which they heaped exactions upon the people in regard to the Sabbath, He was accused of Sabbath-breaking. But this was a false charge, for He declared that the works of mercy and necessity which He had done were lawful works and in harmony with Sabbath-keeping. In their ignorance and superstition the Jews had condemned the guiltless. Are there not others who have followed this course and have charged Christ with Sabbath-breaking, with violation of the law of God?

Jesus said at the close of His earthly ministry, "I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love." Neither the Saviour nor His followers ever broke the law of the Sabbath. Had the Jews been able to sustain their charge against Christ as a Sabbath-breaker, as they tried to do, they would have had no need of bringing false witnesses in order that they might secure His condemnation and death. But because no fault could be found with Him, in order to secure His death it was necessary that men should perjure their souls by testifying to a lie.

Christ not only honored the Sabbath throughout His life upon the earth, but He provided that its sacred claims should be remembered and honored after His death and resurrection. When warning His disciples of the destruction of Jerusalem, which did not take place until forty years after His ascension, He said, "But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time." In accordance with His instruction, the followers of Christ were enabled to depart from the besieged city, and escape to the mountains, not taking their flight either in the winter, or upon the Sabbath day. After the death of Christ the disciples "rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment." After the ascension of Christ, Paul, the great apostle to the Gentiles, preached to both Jews and Gentiles "on the Sabbath day."

Then how can we account for the observance of the first day of the week by the majority of professed Christians, when the Bible presents no authority for this change either in the precepts or in the example of Christ or His followers? We can account for it in the fact that the world has followed the traditions of men instead of a "Thus saith the Lord." This has been the work that Satan has always sought to accomplish,—lead men away from the commandments of God to the veneration and obedience of the traditions of the world. Through human instrumentalities he has cast contempt upon the Sabbath of Jehovah, and has stigmatized it as "the old Jewish Sabbath." Thousands have thoughtlessly echoed this reproach, as tho it were something to which was attached great weight of argument; but they have lost sight of the fact that the Jewish people were especially chosen of God as the guardians of His truth, the keepers of His law, the depositary of His sacred oracles. They received the lively oracles to give unto us. The Old and New Testaments both came through the Jews to us. Every promise in the Bible, every ray of light which has shone upon us from the Word of God, has come through the Jewish nation.

Christ was the leader of the Hebrews as they marched from Egypt to Canaan. In union with the Father, Christ proclaimed the law amid the thunders of Sinai to the Jews, and when He appeared on earth as a man among men, He came as a descendant of Abraham. Shall we use the same argument concerning the Bible and Christ, and reject them as Jewish, as is done in rejecting the Sabbath of the Lord our God? The Sabbath institution is as closely identified with the Jews as is the Bible, and there is the same reason for the rejection of one as of the other. But the Sabbath is not Jewish in its origin. It was instituted in Eden before there were such a people known as the Jews. The Sabbath was made for all mankind, and was instituted in Eden before the fall of man. The Creator called it "My holy day." Christ announced Himself as "the Lord of the Sabbath." Beginning with creation, it is as old as the human race, and having been made for man it will exist as long as man shall exist. Hallowed by the Creator's rest and blessing, the Sabbath was kept by Adam in his innocence in holy Eden, by Adam fallen, yet repentant, when he was driven from his happy estate. It was kept

by all the patriarchs from Abel to Noah, to Abraham, to Jacob. When the chosen people were in bondage in Egypt, many, in the midst of the prevailing idolatry, lost their knowledge of God's law; but when the Lord delivered Israel, He proclaimed His law in awful grandeur to the assembled multitude, that they might know His will, and fear and obey Him forever.

From that day to this the knowledge of God's law has been preserved in the earth, and the Sabbath of the fourth commandment has been kept. Christ has given no hint that the seventh-day Sabbath has ever been or ever could be changed, and no apostolic example for the change from the seventh to the first day of the week can be cited. The custom of observing the first day of the week instead of the seventh day of divine appointment has no authority save that of tradition, popular custom, and the command of the

Church of Rome. The Church of Rome has been the agent by which Satan has made this breach in the law of God, and turned the professed Christian world away from the precepts of Jehovah. Through his insinuation men made the claim that because Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week, therefore the first day of the week should be celebrated as the Christian sabbath, but the Scriptures give no authority for this manner of reasoning. The prince of evil well knew that could he set aside the true foundation for Sabbath observance, he could make the fourth commandment of no significance in the minds of men. Thus, under the pretense of honoring Christ, Satan succeeds in tearing down God's great memorial, turning the minds of men away from their Creator in a false zeal for a spurious institution. He led the Jews to have a false zeal for the Sabbath, and then induced them to reject Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath.

(Concluded next week)

Frequent Prayer

"It is far better to pray often, than to make long prayers. As in our taking frequently a temperate supply of fresh nourishment, the Lord providentially repairs the continual wastes of our bodies, and keeps the fluids in a healthy state; so, in our frequent use of private prayer, He graciously restores the soul (Ps. 23:3), and causes it to prosper and be in health (3 John 2). The Christian, therefore, can not too frequently approach his blessed Saviour, and hold communion with his God in prayer."

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