“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” Mal. iv, 5.
There can be no mistaking what day is meant here by the great and dreadful day of the Lord. It is the day mentioned in verse 1 of this chapter, Mal. iv, which shall burn as an oven, when all the wicked and proud shall be stubble, and be burned up both root and branch. It is the day spoken of by Zephaniah as the great day of the Lord, and described as a day of wrath, trouble, distress, wasteness, desolation, darkness and gloominess; a day when the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy, and a speedy riddance made of all them that dwell therein. It is the day of which Isaiah speaks when he says that “the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire.” It is the day when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, and his ungodly enemies will pray for rocks and mountains to hide them from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne. It is the great day of the wrath of the Lamb, which fortunately or unfortunately for this seething world of wickedness, has not yet opened upon them with its terrific scenes. That day is evidently future, but—
Before the coming of that day, Elijah the prophet is to be sent. It becomes, then, a matter of importance to inquire concerning the meaning of this prophecy; for our interpretation of this will materially affect our views concerning the nearness or remoteness of the great day of the Lord. Who is meant by Elijah? Is he personally to appear? Has the prophecy been fulfilled? or is it future?
Some take the ground that the prophecy was wholly fulfilled in John the Baptist; others, and this opinion seems to be growing of late, that Elijah is personally to appear, and that his manifestation is yet future. If we mistake not, both these views are incorrect.
There are certain allusions to this prophecy in the New Testament, from which we must draw our conclusions. It was prophesied of John the Baptist, Luke i, 17, that he should go before Christ in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. When John came upon the stage of action, and commenced his preaching in the wilderness, the Jews asked him plainly if he was Elijah, and he as plainly answered that he was not. Jno. i, 21. And yet when He who was greater than John appeared, he told his disciples distinctly that if they would receive it John the Baptist was the Elias, or Elijah, which was to come. Matt. xi, 14.
In these statements, apparently, at first sight, contradictory, we find a key to the solution of this question. The Jews were expecting Elijah personally to appear. See Bloomfield's Greek Testament on Matt. xi, 14. And when John in answer to their question tells them that he was not Elias, he simply affirmed that he was not that prophet in the sense in which they were expecting him, that is, the same identical person.
But when Christ says that John was the Elias which was to come, he evidently speaks of him in the same sense in which he was prophesied of, namely, as one coming in the spirit and power of Elias. It is the spirit and power, then, and not the person, that fulfills the prophecy. This, it seems to us, should forever settle the question that it is not necessary that Elijah should personally appear. John affirmed expressly that he was not the personal Elijah whom they were expecting; and yet Christ says that John's mission was a fulfillment of the prophecy respecting Elijah, because, as we are compelled to conclude, he came in the spirit and power of that prophet.
But was the prophecy wholly fulfilled in John the Baptist? We answer, No; for it is more intimately connected with the great day of the Lord than was the mission of John. His work had exclusive reference to the first advent; but the prophecy must relate more especially to the second advent, which is the crowning event of the ushering in of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
The first and second advents are in many respects parallel events. Single prophecies often contemplate them both, the prophetic utterances glancing from one to the other in quick transition. Such prophecies receive a partial fulfillment in the events of the first advent, and a complete accomplishment in events connected with the second. Of such a nature we believe are some of the predictions of Malachi. See for instance, chapter iii. “Behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple,” &c. Christ in Matthew xi, 10, applies this to John the Baptist, saying, “For this is he of whom it is written, Behold I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” Yet the very next verse of Malachi iii reads, But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth? glancing right down from the preparation for Christ's first advent to his revelation the second time in power and glory. So with the prophecy respecting Elijah. Fulfilled primarily in the preaching of John the Baptist to prepare the people for Christ's first coming, which was itself an antecedent step looking to his second advent, we may look for its ultimate and complete fulfillment near the coming of the notable day of the Lord, in some work which will be at once both the herald and precursor of that great event. If, then, we can find a work, even if it should be now going on, which is the counterpart of the work of John the Baptist, or which bears the same relation to the second advent that his did to the first, and withal, is the same in character as the work in which the literal Elijah of old was engaged before his transition, may we not take our stand upon it, not timidly and falteringly, but boldly and firmly, as the ultimate fulfillment of this important prophecy? Assuredly we may.
The question remains, Do we find any such work being accomplished? Need we ask this question of any who have had a knowledge of the great Advent proclamation of the past twenty-four years—a proclamation brought to view in Rev. xiv, under the symbols of three angels flying through mid-heaven with important messages for the children of men, and denoting, as we understand, a body of religious teachers going through the land with the blazing light of truth, giving the announcement and warning of coming judgment? John's work was to expose the traditions and corruptions of that age, and prepare a people for the first advent of the Lord. In like manner it is the object of the work symbolized by the messages of Rev. xiv, to prepare a people for his second appearing.
Do you say the prophecy must be fulfilled by one person? We answer, Not necessarily; for the case of John has shown us that it is not the individual but the spirit and power that fulfills the prophecy; and why may not this spirit and power accompany a body of men as well as a single individual, especially if the magnitude and importance of the work demand such an increased agency?
Do you say again that the spirit and power of Elijah is a miracle-working power, and the fulfillment of the prophecy must be accompanied with such miracles as Elijah wrought? We answer, John the Baptist worked no miracles; and his mission was not a failure on this account. He preached a plain and cutting message to the people, and laid the axe to the root of the tree of their pride, errors and corruptions. The Advent message is designed to do the same thing.
In the development of the great Advent proclamation, we have now reached the third message of Rev. xiv; and here we see the striking similarity between this work, and that which Elijah was commissioned to perform. He was sent to the apostate kingdom of Israel to stand up for the honor of the true God and vindicate his name in opposition to the gross idolatry of that people. What says the third message? It comes
heralding the commandments of God and faith of Jesus, enforcing the claims of the down-trodden law of God, which the man of sin has thought to change, and vindicating its immutability and perpetuity to the honor of God's great name, thus endeavoring to restore the true worship of God, in opposition to the traditions and departures from the faith which characterize the present age.
One more point of resemblance will complete our evidence on this subject. Elijah was to be sent to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers. The reading of the Septuagint is a little peculiar here. It reads that he “shall turn the heart of the father to the son, and the heart of a man to his neighbor.” It denotes the earnestness with which a person, on receiving the truth, would seek to impart the same light to his relatives and friends. Fathers would yearn over their children with longing desires for their salvation, and children over their parents, and both over their neighbors and friends. Such has been a characteristic of this work more or less from its commencement. We are happy to see a fuller manifestation of this spirit of late. May it increase still more among us.
We say, then, that we believe that the third angel's message is now completing the fulfillment of Malachi iv, 5, 6. Hence, let none be beguiled with the fancy that Elijah is yet personally to appear, but give heed to the work already going on before their eyes.
R. F. COTTERILL
By R. F. Cottrell
Are the Dead Conscious? No. 8.
"For if the dead rise not, then is Christ not raised; and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." 1 Cor. xv, 16–19.
This text teaches that a future life to the Christian is wholly dependent upon the resurrection from the dead. That if the resurrection should not take place, there is no hope for the Christian after he is fallen asleep, but he is perished. He is forever cut off from life and hope. If the dead rise not, he has hope in Christ "in this life only."
If the soul were immortal, this testimony could not be true. If the dead in Christ are in a state of conscious happiness, should there be no resurrection, they are not perished. If the soul, the real man, is independent of the body for its existence, and is destined to endure to eternity, it is a thing of very little importance whether the body is ever raised. But Paul makes the hope of the gospel as nothing and worse than nothing, provided the resurrection should fail to be realized.
It is of no avail to quibble around this text by saying that the resurrection of Christ was a leading fact in the gospel, and if that is not sustained, the gospel would prove a lie, and consequently those who had died in the faith of Christ are condemned to eternal misery without a resurrection. The apostle is arguing the future resurrection of the dead, because some among the Corinthians had said that "there is no resurrection of the dead." He refers them to the resurrection of Christ as an established fact, and assures them that the resurrection of the dead is rendered sure by this fact—that the resurrection of Christ is a pledge of the resurrection of the saints—consequently, to deny the future resurrection of the dead, was to deny the established fact, that Christ was raised from the dead. This, he argues, would be a legitimate conclusion from the premise assumed that the dead rise not. And another conclusion would be equally sure, namely, "Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished," and that the gospel hope is limited to this present life, and that a future life is altogether dependent, not on the immortality of the soul, but on the resurrection of the dead.
This is still further confirmed by verse 32. "If after the manner of men I have fought with the beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth me, if the dead rise not? let us101eat and drink; for to-morrow we die." The argument here is, "Why stand we in jeopardy," why do we expose our lives by preaching the gospel, if the dead rise not. Paul could see no advantage in it. If the doctrine we oppose were true, Paul was capable of seeing a vast advantage accruing to the faithful followers of Christ in the future, should the resurrection of the body never take place; for his soul could be eternally happy without it. But Paul did not know that the soul is immortal and not dependent on the body. He could see no reward, no advantage to be reaped, as the result of his labors and sufferings, unless the body should be raised. Convince him that that which goes down into the grave will never be raised, and he would speak "after the manner of men," namely, the Epicureans, and say, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." Death would be the final end of man's existence, if the dead rise not.
R. F. COTTERILL
An Anecdote.
By E. Goodrich
WHILE in conversation with a certain man, one Dr. Sabine, he gave me an incident of his religious experience. The doctor was naturally of a combative and destructive turn of mind, and withal, possessed a good deal of firmness and self-esteem. Also, he lived in a time when and place where it was honorable to fight. Said he, Before I embraced religion, while quite a lad, I came across a young fellow who insulted and abused me; whereupon, I resolved to give him a sound thrashing. But, he continued, before I carried my threat into execution, a protracted effort came off in my neighborhood. The power of God settled down upon the people; and, with others, I became thoroughly convicted of my sins and the need of pardon. But then, the young man was not yet whipped. How could I give up my honor and self-esteem, and let him go free? I could not think of fighting after I got or professed religion. Now was the time or never. But, he still continued to narrate, the power of conviction continued to settle down into my soul, and I finally gave up the idea of whipping the fellow, and sought the Lord, and found peace in believing, and joy in the Holy Ghost. I did not then wish to whip the fellow; and so, he said, the young fellow escaped his whipping because I embraced religion.
The above anecdote illustrates one of Satan's snares by which he sought to secure the young man convicted of his sins. It seems a small matter; yet, to the young man thus constituted and situated, perhaps no inducement or consideration could have influenced him so much.
But it is not always that victory turns thus on the right side, and we resolve to obey the truth at whatever cost or sacrifice. 'Tis not always that we decide to walk while we have the light. We are too apt to wait for a more convenient time—a more favorable opportunity. We wait until we have accomplished some favorite object. We wait until the light and opportunity passes away and we are left in darkness. And thus we excuse ourselves by saying, We do not see, we do not feel.
The one to whom Jesus said, "Follow me," replied, "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father." Perhaps the old gentleman was living, yet in feeble health, and having no one to care for him like his son. The son may have been living with the father, or the father with the son; but what the circumstances were makes no difference. The young man wished to be excused or exempted from following Christ until he had paid the last debt of love and gratitude to his aged parent. The answer, Let the dead bury their dead, is plain and positive. It shows that earthly considerations are not to weigh against duty. And we are elsewhere abundantly taught in the scriptures that neither right eyes, nor right arms, nor life itself, can excuse us from doing what God requires of us.
The life of the Christian is a life of self-denial. The way to Heaven is straight and narrow. And although Satan and the carnal mind are always raising excuses, and always proposing some better time, some easier way, some shorter route, to the kingdom of God than that revealed, yet the truth has but one way. She takes no excuses. Her answer always is, Follow thou me.
E. GOODRICH.
Edinboro, Pa.
Report of Meetings.
By Wm. H. Brinkerhoff
Bro. WHITE: Our quarterly meeting at Lisbon began Jan. 8, and owing to the severity of the weather we had but a small attendance from abroad. Bro. Snook was with us and assisted in preaching the word. On Jan. 12, I started from home for my appointments in Northern Iowa. On account of the vast bodies of snow, the railroads were blockaded and we had to travel most of the way to Waterloo by stage line. We suffered much with the cold.
On the 15th, met with the Brn. in quarterly meeting at Waterloo. Had quite a good attendance from Laporte church. Preached five times. There was not that freedom in the social and prayer-meetings that we should love to see. There is considerable interest to know the truth, and we hope the meeting was one of benefit to the brethren. Two were added to the church at this place. Here we learned in private conversation with a congregational minister that the first Sabbath of time consisted of forty-eight hours, that the first twenty-four hours of that day belonged to Palestine or Canaan, and the last twenty-four to Eden. That the Jews kept the Canaan Sabbath or Saturday and that those that now keep the first-day of the week are keeping the original Eden Sabbath. Oh vain philosophy! We soon caused the Elder with all his learning to fly from this hole (or error) and seek some other.
On the 21st, started for West Union. A son of Bro. Jackson conveyed us to our appointment for which we were truly grateful.
On the 22d, commenced meetings at West Union. The Waukon church was well represented and here we formed many happy acquaintances. We had a happy time at this meeting and think that the churches were benefited by the meeting. While at this meeting we attended to the ordinances. This was a solemn time and as we tried to realize the great price paid to redeem man, we could but weep and determined to try to live nearer to God. There are good openings to preach the word in this vicinity and we would have staid but we dare not commence a course of lectures owing to poor health. The Brn. provided a way to bring us forty miles on our way home. I had expected to stop and preach awhile at Laporte City, but owing to my infirmities I had to return direct home. I might have sold many books if I had had them to sell.
Feb. 6th, commenced meetings at home (Lisbon.) At this meeting we attended to the ordinances and by invitation a goodly number of brethren came from Marion and also from the West Union Church. Never have I seen more unity and love manifested for each other than here, and as we seemed to be gathered together of one accord, we were also of one mind and judgment. This was a good time for the Lisbon church. On first-day we repaired to the water and buried three by baptism whom we trust have arisen to walk in newness of life. Bro. J. T. Mitchell's son, Edwin, and Sr. Armstrong's daughter, Sarah, children of Sabbath-keepers were two of the baptized ones, and the third was my dear companion. Oh that was a blessed time for me. The Lord had in a special manner answered my prayers and now my wife will try to go with us to the kingdom.
The church here is truly trying to keep the commandments of God and faith of Jesus. Next Sabbath I go to Marion. Pray for me that I may remain firm and faithful to the end.
WM. H. BRINKERHOFF.
Lisbon, Iowa, Feb. 11, 1864.
No Change.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
It is wonderful how people will stick to names, and that, too, long after the peculiar traits and characteristics which gave rise to those names have ceased to exist. An established creed, so long as it retains its name, can also retain its followers, though it should change its principles and actions every year.
Thus there are thousands of Roman Catholics who would be ready to fight in an instant if you should say aught against Catholicism; but ask them what its doctrines are and they cannot tell you one. Yet the Catholic church is the church, and all the others are heretics.
This is coming to be the case with many Protestants who profess to be able to "give a reason for the hope that is within them," from the Bible, which is their "only guide." The Methodists, for example, are as much attached to Methodism as the Catholics to the pope. Why? Because, forsooth, their fathers, or Adam Clarke, or Wesley, were Methodists. Yet there is as much difference between a Methodist of to-day, and one in Wesley's time, as there is between a rotten apple and a sound one. The name is about all that indicates any connection between them.
I was struck with a description given of the primitive Methodists by Mr. Tobias Smallet, in his History of England, written about the time they began to attract public attention. He says: "The progress of reason and free cultivation of the human mind had not, however, entirely banished those ridiculous sects and schisms of which the kingdom had formerly been so productive. Imposture and fanaticism still hung upon the skirts of religion. Weak-minded men, seduced by the delusion of a superstition styled Methodism, raised upon the affectation of superior sanctity, and maintained by pretensions to divine illumination. Many thousands in the lower ranks of life were infected by this species of enthusiasm by the unwearied endeavors of a few obscure preachers, such as Whitefield, and the two Wesleys." P. 606.
Such was the description which a popular churchman gave of those zealous Christians. But I think a102historian would hardly give such an account of the Methodists at the present day. What! they a "ridiculous sect," "fanatics," "deluded by a superstition," and composed of only the "lower ranks of life!" Oh, no, that cannot be. Look at their richly-dressed members, talented ministers, and magnificent churches. Does that look like it? Not much. Who builds those churches? who pays the minister? In this city, this year, there are to be built three $16,000 churches, belonging to the Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians, some of them having a $1000 preacher. Now the largest subscriptions to pay all this with, stand against the names of several of the most notorious rascals in these parts, some of them giving as high as $1000. Does not this look like committing fornication with the rich men of the earth? Rev. xviii, 3. And will they not lament and howl when they see their darling destroyed? Verses 9-11.
The time has come of which John Wesley warned them; viz., when through building costly churches, and having high-salaried pastors, rich men should become necessary to them.
I was personally acquainted with a circumstance that happened but a short time since, in which one of the purse-righteous members committed a shameful outrage upon one of the poor brethren, when the latter demanded of the minister a church-trial. Said the minister, "You had better let Bro. T. — alone; he is a lion in the church!" The poor brother had to yield, because he had not the dimes to pay the pastor if the other were expelled. Nevertheless, these are Methodists, the disciples of Wesley and Whitefield. But it may be said of them as Christ said to the Jews, "If ye were Abraham's children ye would do the works of Abraham." One of the great principles of Wesley was to reform; but now the grand principle is, "No Change;" virtually saying to the world, "We have arrived at the summit of perfection. We hold all the truth, but no errors." But while they are thus boasting of sticking to the old paths, they are really changing every day, and wandering far from the old paths. I think that the following from Lorenzo Dow's Journal illustrates this point nicely:
"In England there is much more stress put upon forms, names, and traditions, than in America. You can scarcely give a greater offense than ask, 'Have you got any religion?' 'Got any religion? think I am a heathen? got my religion to seek at this time of day! I was always religious.' 'What is your religion?' 'It is the religion of my father, and he was of the religion of his father, the good old way—we don't change our religion.'
"Suppose a man has a horse that will run a race, win a prize, and is a valuable animal; he wills the horse to his son, and he to his son, and so on; but the horse dies; the grandson boasts, What! have not I got a good horse! I have; my grandfather raised him, willed him to my father, who gave him to me; and I can prove by the neighbors that he ran such a race, and won a prize; but on a close inspection it is found that only the bones remain. Look at the Congregationalists, Independents, Presbyterians, &c., and compare them now with the history of their ancestors, and a change will be visible. And unless people have recourse to their first principles, they will degenerate. Two or three centuries ago, perhaps, ancestors had religion, and were out of stigma called a name that has been attached to their form and handed down from father to son. The children down here, because they bear the same name, think they have the same religion; on close inspection, there is no more divine life about the former, than animal life about the bones of the old horse."
Nothing is truer than that we shall "degenerate unless we have recourse to our first principles." A church may take its rise in the purest principles, be owned and blessed of God; but when its numbers and power are increased, it will become corrupt and backslidden unless daily warned by some faithful watchman. May God help the Advent people to avoid this shoal on which so many have been stranded. This can only be done by giving heed to the testimony which God has placed in the church to guard it in these perilous times.
Report from Bro. Loughborough.
By John Norton Loughborough
My last report was from Providence, R. I. Jan. 26. That evening we had a meeting in the hall, but the Brn. had had but little opportunity to circulate our appointment. There were also several protracted meetings in progress, hence we had but few out to hear; but that few seemed to listen with attention.
Jan. 27th, came on to Dartmouth, had meeting in the evening and remained there till Monday, Feb. 1st, during which time we had five meetings. We completed the organizing of the church by ordaining the Elder that was previously appointed. I was glad to see that some had come out to obey the truth since my other visit there. Two were baptized Monday by Bro. Pierce. We left them, we trust of good courage to press forwaad.
Tuesday evening Feb. 2d, we met with the little church at Haverhill. Were glad to find most of those who came out under Bro. Cornell's lectures there firm in the truth. After preaching to them, we organized Systematic Benevolence amounting to over $44,00 per year.
Wednesday evening, Feb. 3d, had an opportunity to preach in the Baptist meeting-house in North Berwick, Maine. Had a pleasant interview with friends there, and hope our visit will accomplish some good.
Thursday evening Feb. 4th, preached in the little chapel in Portland, Maine, with good liberty from 1 Tim. iii, 14, 15, and after meeting we considered the subject of order. We found a few ready to enter into church covenant together whose names were enrolled and an elder and clerk appointed. S. B. was also organized here, amounting to $39,52 per year, $35. of which was pledged to the N. E. Mission.
Friday Feb. 5th, came on to North Jay, where we now are. We have had interesting meetings here. There has been no Seventh-day preacher here for over four years and the lonely ones seemed much encouraged by our visit. The neighbors turned out well to hear on Sabbath and first-day. Some of them furnished themselves with books on the Sabbath question, desiring to learn more of this matter. The subject of order "the great remedy for the East," was considered. The few Sabbath-keepers here are desirous of moving on with the body. Systematic Benevolence was organized, amounting to $54,60 per year all pledged to the Missionary fund. A Sabbath-school and Bible-class are now organized; and some steps were taken in organizing the church. The Lord has given a spirit of freedom to his servants here in Maine. The remnant seem to take new courage. May the good work of the Lord move on.
J. N. Loughborough.
North Jay, Me., Feb. 10th, 1864.
Our Faith. What is it?
By M. E. DARLING
Different from the world's faith is our faith. It is not of the world, not inspired by the love of the world. Our faith is in the word of God. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Says the Saviour, "If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done for you." We are a people separate from the world; our hope is the hope of overcoming the world, the flesh, and the evil One. For, he that overcometh shall inherit all things. Our faith, then, consists in this: When we find any word of the Saviour, or any desirable thing or attainment pointed out in the word of truth, we believe it is for us, for us of this day, for us individually. All the promises and invitations are for us, "even for as many as the Lord our God shall call."
But does our faith stop here? Oh no! If it did it were nothing but a dead faith. There is plenty of dead faith in the world—dead faith, grown putrid—faith without works, which "is dead, being alone." Such a faith might perhaps go so far as to take the Bible down once a week, go to church, and if customary, to the prayer-meeting. It may say, the promises are all for me, the invitations to me, and though I am unworthy, yet I expect to be saved through the merits of Christ. It may say all this, and count the blood of Christ an unholy thing. This is the inevitable result of faith without works. It heaps contumely upon the cross of Christ. To say that man may be saved without works, without renouncing the world, without righteousness, (right doing), in short, without doing all that he can do, is to make Christ the minister of sin, to count his blood an unholy thing.
Our faith sees precious promises, yes, and it sees commands, it sees also threatenings, it reaches to the words of the Saviour where he says, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, but shall not be able." It will take all to buy the field. "He that is faithful in that least, is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much." What is it to be faithful? It is to be watchful, to be attentive, always to stand at the post of duty.
"The first approach of sin to see,
And bid the tempter fly."
Says the Saviour in Matt. v, commencing at verse 17, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. 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." A jot is said to be the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. A tittle, a fine mark or part of a letter. 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.
One of these least commandments. Well, what is a commandment? If we keep a commandment we do something, unless it be that we are commanded to do nothing. Then it is of vast importance to know what the commandments are, what the Lord requires. What are the commandments? I ask again. No doubt our Saviour is here speaking of the ten. "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets." The law here spoken of is doubtless the ten commandments, the summing up of our whole duty to God and man.
One point here calls our attention, and that is the fact that the ten commandments do embrace the whole duty of man. In proof of this, we need simply to ask, If man had never broken the law would he have needed a Saviour? It was said of Jesus, For he shall save his people from their sins. The apostle John in the third chapter of his first epistle, gives us the definition of sin. Verse 4. "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law." Verse 5. "And ye know that he (that is Christ) was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin." Rebellion is death. Our first parents rebelled, became subject to death. They fell, and were held down by the cords of their sins. Prov. v, 22. Obedience is life. Christ came and died, that he might loose the pains of death, and bring again the captives where they might, if they would, keep the commandments of God and be reconciled to him through his (Christ's) blood. He that rejects Christ cannot keep the commandments of God. Nay, more, he is treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath, multiplying transgression and rebellion. If he makes mention of the name of the Lord it is in vain, while he is setting up idols in his heart and worshiping Mammon, the god of this world.
Thus, it appears clearly that we cannot keep the commandments of God unless we keep them in his appointed way. "It is not for man that walketh to direct his steps." We cannot receive Christ as a Saviour unless we acknowledge him to be what he is, a Saviour from sin. So that whoever receives him in this way, comes, virtually saying, Lord, here I come according to thy word, to be cleansed from the least and last remains of sin. "I consent unto the law that it is good, but I am carnal, sold under sin." Rom. vii, 16, 18. I come to thee as a Saviour. Such and such only have the promise of free and full salvation. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." The Bible is the book which teaches us the will of God. The Bible and the Bible alone is our only rule of faith, practice and discipline. We adopt the plain literal interpretation, taking God at his word, believing he means what he says and says what he means.
The Bible is a book of authority. Yes, the great Lawgiver's precepts are all divine commands. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Tim. iii, 16, 17. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable. The word of the Lord is one, and so completely woven and linked together are the commands of God, that the apostle James tells us that whosoever shall keep the whole law and offend in one point, he is guilty of all. That is, he is guilty of breaking the law.
The commandments of the Lord are exceeding broad. Covetousness is idolatry. He that hateth his brother is a murderer. He that looketh with an evil eye is an adulterer. He that biddeth God-speed to the man that teacheth another doctrine than that of Jesus Christ, is partaker with him in his evil deeds. And, "As a mad man that casteth firebrands, arrows and death, so is the man that deceiveth his neighbor, and saith, Am not I in sport?" Prov. xxvi, 18, 19. Says the Saviour, "For every idle word that man shall speak he shall103give an account in the day of judgment."
'The little foxes spoil the vines.' How many thousands of professors there are in good standing in the so-called evangelical churches of the day, who deem it unnecessary to bridle their tongues or curb their inclinations any farther than to appear well in the eyes of the world. But, brethren, we have not so learned Christ. We know that the world will love its own, but Jesus has said of his followers, 'I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.' John xvii, 14.
Our faith is in the promises of God, that what he has promised he is able also to perform. The Saviour has promised to come again to this earth to receive his saints, and has commanded us to watch. He has given signs which should foretoken his coming, and by which we may know when he is near, even at the doors. We see the signs fulfilled, we know he is near. Jesus Christ led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. Eph. iv, 7, 8. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. How long? We turn again to the apostle's words. 'And he gave some apostles and some prophets, &c.' See verses 11 and 12. Verse 13. 'Till we all come into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive.'
Yes, we endeavor to keep the commandments, even every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. For blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life and enter in through the gates into the city. Rev. xxii, 14.
M. E. DARLING.
Preston, Fillmore Co., Minn.
To Bereaved Parents.
By L. M. Gates
Blest are the early dead,
Calm in their peaceful sleep,
Unconscious is their quiet rest
While we are left to weep.
No more shall fell disease
Those bodies rack with pain,
Their aching heads are now at rest,
Nor can they die again.
How much we miss them here
Language cannot express,
None but the parent thus bereft
May know our loneliness.
Faith looks beyond the tomb,
Where all is bright and fair;
No fevered pulse, no bleeding lungs,
No sorrow's night is there.
Father, we humbly bow
Submissive to thy will,
While ev'ry fibre of our hearts
Is freshly bleeding still:
And what we know not now
We shall hereafter know,
For we believe it was thy hand
That dealt the dreadful blow.
The resurrection morn
Is swiftly drawing near,
When Christ who is our Hope and Life
Shall in the clouds appear;
Our lov'd ones then shall rise
With shouts of victory,
Rejoicing in eternal life
And immortality.