Earlier text: THE WORKNote and Comment
By Editor
The New World (Catholic), of Chicago, in its issue of April 3, quotes “Father” John J. Wynne, who has just returned from Rome, as representing the sentiments of Pope Pius X respecting the spirit which should characterize Catholic editors and writers toward those with whom they disagree:— The Holy Father above all things warns Catholic writers and editors to be courteous and urbane in their statement about those with whom they occasionally have to disagree. . . . I regret to say that too often Catholic publicists indulged in mutual abuse and recrimination, and seemed to act as if terms and tactics that would never obtain in polite society were the proper stock in trade of the editorial offices of the religious publications. Thanks to the insistence of His Holiness on the amenities and urbanity of editorial courtesy, the solution of vinegar and vitriol that formerly flowed with the printers’ ink has given way to the mixture of honey and balm. That this excellent advice is timely has often been demonstrated by Catholic journals, and that they will heed the admonition of the head of their church is to be sincerely hoped. They have never been slow to demand servile respect on the part of Protestants to all things Catholic, and to resent quickly any real or fancied insinuation against their church. They have not been so prompt, however, to manifest the same spirit of courtesy toward others. An example of this is found in the Catholic Standard and Times, of Philadelphia, in its issue of April 3. The correspondence editor of the Press is taken severely to task for applying the term “Romish” to the Catholic Church:— No one but an ignoramus or one who wants to insult the religion of Catholics would in these generous times use the term “the Romish Church” in connection with the Church Universal, of which the adjective “Catholic” is a synonym. The Catholic readers of the Press could not be blamed if they showed the Press in some effective way that they will not allow the correspondence editor to insult their holy church in so wanton and vulgar a way as this. Here surely is a demand for courteous treatment without the elimination of all the “vinegar and vitriol” from the demand, the editor suggesting to Catholic readers of the Press that in some effective manner they resent an insult “so wanton and vulgar.” Naturally, after this strenuous demand for courteous consideration, we would expect to see the Standard and Times exemplifying the same principles of courtesy in its treatment of others, and thus following the wise counsel of its church head. We are therefore the more surprised to find in the same issue of April 3, as the leading editorial note, the following “vinegar and vitriol” diatribe against the Lutheran Church:— Muses the Lutheran, apologetically: “The Lutheran Church was not born a sect.” Certainly not: it was hatched. Insects come into the world in that way. It was hatched an insect, and did not come into the world as a church. The Lutheran is quite right as to one postulation, anyhow. Surely in this treatment of the Lutherans the Standard and Times forgot to be “courteous and urbane,” and failed signally to mingle the soothing “mixture of honey and balm” with its statements. We commend to our Catholic contemporary the good counsel of Pope Pius, and suggest that the spirit as well as the letter of that counsel applies with quite as much force to Catholic editors as to the editors of secular journals. It should seek to be consistent in the columns of the same issue at least. Moralists should themselves endeavor to exemplify the same standard of ethics which they demand of their fellows. PROTESTANTS have largely ceased to protest against the erroneous doctrines of the Church of Rome. In fact, many so-called Protestants are anxious to adopt the title, “The Catholic Church,” discarding entirely the word “Protestant.” This tendency is thus tersely expressed by the Watchman, a Baptist periodical published in Boston:— During the last twenty-five years there has been a decided rapprochement of public opinion in the United States toward the Roman Church. The genius of Romanism falls in subtly with a very strong tendency of our times. Men crave the voice of authority and the note of certainty. We call this the age of free thought, of inquiry, and investigation, but it is also the age of credulity and superstition. Protestantism, with its right of private judgment, is not to-day striking a universal note. Many people are tired of inquiry and investigation; they do not want to discover the truth, they want to be told what is true, and they believe what they are told if the speaker is dressed like a prophet and talks like one. All this works directly in the interests of Romanism.—Quoted in Literary Digest, Aug. 22, 1903. THERE appears in the Christian Standard, as copied in the Western Recorder of April 1, an article from George W. Hamilton, on the New Theology. In answer to the question as to what constitutes this subtle philosophy, he gives the following comprehensive definition:— “It is a 'compound of the graces and “good things” of Christianity and a new infidelity and an old one, evolution, and disbelief in miracles. These last require the destruction or discrediting of all the books from Genesis to Revelation, for all are full of miracle, and all are diametrically opposed to the theory that man is ascending from protoplasm under the care of evolution. These two “discoveries,” disbelief in miracles and evolution, and their corollaries, constitute the whole pretentious structure of the “New Theology,”—colonnade, architrave, cornice and pillar, foundation and dome,— and all the discoursings and writings of professor, orator, preacher, or editor are variations, or variations of variations, under these two working principles. A Perfected Church
By Ellen G. White
Christ “loved the church, and gave for himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” When God gave his Son to the world, he made it possible for men and women to be perfect by the use of every capability of their beings to the glory of God. In Christ he gave to them the riches of his grace, and a knowledge of his will. As they would empty themselves of self, and learn to walk in humility, leaning on God for guidance, men would be enabled to fulfil God’s high purpose for them. A Lesson From the Baptist’s Teaching The message given to John the Baptist for the people of his day is one that every believer might study to advantage: “And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of God Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” “Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. “And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. “Then came also the publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. “And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.” The work of reformation here brought to view by John, the purging of heart and mind and soul, is one that is needed by many who to-day profess to have the faith of Christ. Wrong practises that have been indulged in need to be put away; the crooked paths need to be made straight, and the rough places smooth. The mountains and hills of self-esteem and pride need to be brought low. There is need of bringing forth “fruits meet for repentance.” When this work is done in the experience of God’s believing people, “all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” “Ye shall know them by their fruits,” Christ said. “Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; and a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree can not bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” The fact that our names are on the church books will not secure for us an entrance into the kingdom of heaven. God asks, Have you used your opportunities for service and for the development of Christian character? Have you traded faithfully with your Lord’s goods? Knowing the will of God concerning you, how have you obeyed that will? Have you sought to benefit and bless those who needed help and encouragement? There are many souls who would be brought to a higher standard of character if they could be taught to appreciate the work of purifying and refining and sanctification that should go forward daily in their lives. If they could be brought to sense the worth of souls for whom Christ has died, they would realize how perilous is the condition of him who does nothing to help in the work of salvation. There is no human being in the world but bears fruit of some kind, either good or evil; and Christ has made it possible for every soul to bear most precious fruit. Obedience to the requirements of God, submission to the will of Christ, will yield in the life the peaceable fruits of righteousness. The inhabitants of this world are dear to God’s family. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The Father permitted his only Son to suffer the penalty of sin; he gave the richest gift that heaven could bestow, that men and women might return from their rebellion to his law, and accept into their hearts and lives the principles of heaven. If men would acknowledge the Gift, and accept his sacrifice, their transgressions would be pardoned, and the grace of God would be imparted to them to help them to yield in their lives the precious fruits of holiness. “Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit.” We have a representation to make to the world of pure principles, holy ambitions, noble aspirations, that will distinguish us from all other people, making us a separate nation, a peculiar people. In the night season I seemed to be repeating these words to the people: There is need of close examination of self. We have no time now to spend in self-indulgence. If we are connected with God, we shall humble our hearts before him, and be very zealous in the perfecting of Christian characters. We have a grand and solemn work to do, for the world is to be enlightened in regard to the times in which we live; and it will be enlightened when a straight testimony is borne. The church is yet militant in a world that is apparently in midnight darkness, and growing worse and worse. While the requirements of a plain “Thus saith the Lord” remain unheeded by the worldly element in the church, the voices of God’s faithful servants are to be strengthened to give the solemn message of warning. The works that should characterize the church militant and the works of the church that has had the light of truth for this time, do not correspond. The Lord calls upon church-members to clothe themselves with the beautiful garments of Christ’s righteousness. Praise and prayer and thanksgiving9 should now be heard coming daily from converted hearts and lips. God needs men and women who will work in the simplicity of Christ to bring the knowledge of truth before those who need its converting power. The message of Christ’s righteousness must be proclaimed from one end of the earth to the other. Our people are to be aroused to prepare the way of the Lord. The third angel’s message—the last message of mercy to a perishing world—is so sacred, so glorious. Let the truth go forth as a lamp that burneth. Mysteries into which angels desired to look, which prophets and kings and righteous men desired to know, the church of God is to make known. Christ’s wonderful sacrifice for the world testifies to the fact that man may be rescued from iniquity. If he will break with Satan and confess his sin, there is hope for him. Man, sinful, blinded, wretched, may repent and be converted, and day by day be forming a character like the character of Christ. Human beings may be reclaimed, regenerated, and may learn to live before the world precious, Christlike lives. God has “made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of the times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will: that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” Walking With Thee
By John M. Hopkins
Let me walk with thee, my Saviour,
Hand in hand, close by thy side;
I would share thy loving favor,
And to thee my all confide. Walk with me—how bright the pathway
Strewn with blessings all along;
Hand in hand to heaven’s gateway—
Praising thee in prayer and song. Walk with thee with hearts united
In the bonds of love divine;
Closely clinging to each other,
As the interlacing vine
Round the oak doth weave its tendrils,
For support its strength to share;
Thus would I, O blessed Saviour,
Cling to thee in faith and prayer. Walk with me on love’s sweet mission
To the suffering ones below,
Bearing light, and joy, and blessing
As we journey to and fro;
Seeking for the poor and lost ones
Who have wandered from the fold;
Binding up the broken-hearted,
Sheltering them from storm and cold. Such to thee I’d bring, dear Saviour,
Once the “Lamb for sinners slain.”
Where alone is perfect cleansing,
And a balm for every pain. Thus I pray that I may ever
Walk with thee through earthly night;
Then in heaven, with garments spotless.
May I walk with thee “in white.” What Is the Beast?
By GEORGE I. BUTLER
In the previous article, having quoted at length the prophecy (Rev. 13: 1-10) of the power denominated “the beast,” and showed it to be a symbol of an influential world-power after which all the world followed, we turned for its complete identification to Daniel’s vision of the four great world empires,—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome. We learned that Rome existed in two phases: first, as a heathen imperial power; second, as a professedly Christian—religio-political—power. This was shown by the change in the symbol. While Rome in its first phase was a wonderful power, its second phase was still more wonderful. Rome ruled by the popes exceeded in importance Rome ruled by the emperors. “The little horn” exceeded all the rest of the ten in world influence. Leading Protestant commentators agree that “the little horn” represents the papacy. That which is symbolized by “the little horn” of Daniel 7 is precisely the same as that symbolized by “the beast” of Rev. 13: 1-10. Rome in both its phases is represented by the revelator: first, in chapter 12, by the great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, which stood ready to devour the “man-child,” our Lord Jesus Christ, as soon as he was born (Herod, a Roman ruler, attempted his death); the second phase is symbolized by a sea monster having the same ten horns, and represented as doing the same kind of work attributed to the “little horn” of Daniel’s prophecy. This similarity—really identity—is so forcibly presented by Elder Uriah Smith, author of “Daniel and the Revelation,” page 524, edition of 1897, that we quote it verbatim:— “1. The little horn was a blasphemous power. ‘He shall speak great words against the Most High.’ Dan. 7: 25. The leopard beast of Rev. 13: 6 does the same. ‘He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God.’
“2. The little horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them. Dan. 7: 21. This beast also (Rev. 13: 7) makes war with the saints, and overcomes them.
“3. The little horn had a mouth speaking great things. Dan. 7: 8, 20. And of this beast we read (Rev. 13: 5): ‘And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies.’
“4. The little horn arose on the cessation of the pagan form of the Roman empire. The beast of Rev. 13: 2 arises at the same time; for the dragon, pagan Rome, gives him his power, his seat, and great authority.
“5. Power was given to the little horn to continue for a time, times, and the dividing of time, or 1260 days [years]. Dan. 7: 25. To this beast also power was given for forty-two months, or 1260 days [years]. Rev. 13: 5.
“6. At the end of that specified period, the dominion of the little horn was to be taken away. Dan. 7: 26. At the end of the same period, the leopard beast was himself to be ‘led into captivity.’ Rev. 13: 10. Both of these specifications were fulfilled in the captivity and exile of the pope, and the temporary overthrow of the papacy by France in 1798.
“Here are points that prove identity; for when we have in prophecy two symbols, as in this instance, representing powers that come upon the stage of action at the same time, occupy the same territory, maintain the same character, do the same work, exist the same length of time, and meet the same fate, those symbols represent the same identical power. ”
With these conclusions, no candid person can disagree. Both must refer to the papacy, that great overshadowing power that ruled the kings of the earth through all the Dark Ages previous to the Reformation. The same Roman Catholic Church exists to-day, representing the largest division of Christendom, still holding all its doctrines of the past, against which the great Reformation protested, and against which the third angel proclaims the most solemn warning to be found in the Canon of inspiration. Its work and influence are still potent in the world, and of late have been steadily increasing, especially in those lands which had once cast off its influence. Every specification of the revelator concerning it has been literally fulfilled, excepting its final destruction, which is now impending. It arose among the ten kingdoms, out of the great sea of European populations, with all its blasphemous titles of pretended divine authority, wholly of Roman parentage. It was a composite power: its body like that of a leopard, Daniel’s symbol of the Grecian power (Daniel 7); its feet like those of a bear (Medo-Persia); its mouth like that of a lion (Babylon), the preceding three universal kingdoms of Daniel’s prophecy having been swallowed up by Rome and become a part of its territory. The dragon, the symbol of Revelation 12,—Rome as a heathen power—gave to papal Rome “his [the dragon’s] power, and his seat, and great authority.” Constantine, the first professedly Christian emperor, moved his own capital to Byzantium, and renamed it Constantinople, in honor of himself, thus leaving Rome, the old capital, to become the great papal capital of Christendom; and Justinian, the emperor of Eastern Rome, by a decree in A. D. 533, made the pope head over all the churches, and gave him the authority to correct heretics. This decree the Catholics themselves quote as a basis of their authority to rule. The papal head was wounded to death when the French, under Berthier, in 1798, captured Rome, and carried the pope a prisoner into exile to France, where he died. The papacy for a brief period was without a pope, and Rome was declared a republic. A new pope was elected, but the papacy was for many years very much weakened. Indeed, up to the present time its previous power has never been fully restored. But recent indications demonstrate that its influence is rapidly increasing. But of this more will be said hereafter. “The forty and two months,” that is, 1260 years of his supremacy, reached to 1798. These wonderful fulfilments demonstrate beyond all question that we have the right view of this prophecy. The symbolic beast, against which the third angel’s message warns, can be no other than the papacy, with all its apostates from the blessed gospel of Christ,—a spiritual system completely antagonistic to the humble, loving spirit of our Master and many of his glorious doctrines. In order to bring this power before the reader clearly, that the absolute necessity of such a warning message to the whole world in the last days as will enable all candid people to renounce the errors growing out of this papal system, may be shown, we notice briefly 2 Thess. 2: 1-8 (American Revised Version): “Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him; to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is just at hand; let no man beguile you10 in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to naught by the manifestation of his coming.” Can there be any question who this lawless one is? Certainly not to the candid one who has read prophecy and history side by side. The papacy is the only power that has dared to claim the prerogative of changing the law of God. He shall “think to change times and the law [American Revised Version],” “He shall speak great words against the Most High,” “shall wear out the saints of the Most High,” and think to change the law of whom?—Without doubt, the law of God. Dan. 7: 25. Surely this is, above all others who have professed to be Christ’s followers, “the lawless one.” “He sitteth in the temple,” or professed church, of God, claiming to be the only true head of the true church, claiming to be vicar of Christ, with power to forgive sins, called by his faithful followers, “Lord God the pope,” that is, the “Holy Father.” He exalts himself even above God by claiming to change his holy law. He has set aside God’s holy Sabbath,—the day God sanctified in Eden before sin entered the world, and with an audible voice from Sinai’s holy mount commanded to be kept, a voice which shook the whole earth upon which we tread,—the Sabbath which all Bible believers must admit was kept by God’s people for four thousand years, yea, by Christ himself, all his apostles, and the whole church for more than one century,—and has substituted in its place the old heathen Sunday, the day on which all idolaters worshiped the sun. This change from the seventh-day Sabbath of Bible authority to another day never in a single instance mentioned as a sacred day or a day to be kept as a Sabbath, in all the Bible, is believed by all good Catholics, and taught by all their highest authorities, to have been made by the papacy. This power is to be finally reckoned with for its abominations and blasphemies and lawlessness when Christ shall come. The third angel’s message embodies its last final warning. One more reference we make to Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth. She is represented as a woman riding on and directing the Roman beast of Revelation 17, with its seven heads and ten horns. She was “drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus,” and it is not strange that John the revelator, should cry out in astonishment: “And when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder.” A professed Christian church drunken with the blood of Christ’s own martyrs; where was ever seen in this world such an astonishing wonder as that? Is it surprising that God should see the necessity of a final terrible warning to go with a loud voice to all peoples, nations, tongues, and kings, previous to the end? The reader must not fail to remember that the influence emanating from this apostate, blasphemous power has been world-wide, permeating with its subtle, so-called religious influences all people and nearly all religious bodies. In many instances this fact has not been understood by these bodies themselves; many have come out from the Roman communion carrying out with them many of the errors of the mother church. In the very last days of time, these errors must be laid aside. Every scrap of the old Babylonish garment must be laid aside, and the beautiful garment of Christ’s righteousness must be the attire of his pure church who will be translated. The only people who ever pretend to be proclaiming this closing message are Seventh-day Adventists. They have made this claim from the very beginning of their existence as a people. This is their message to-day. They explain it, believe it, proclaim it. From a feeble, humble little flock of disappointed believers in 1845, they have grown, with their unpopular doctrine, to be a people more than a hundred thousand strong, and their missionary work is reaching to the ends of the earth. The progress of this message has been phenomenal. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17. Every gift that is good and every gift that is perfect, comes from God, and they are all given because of his love to man. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” John 3:16. His Holy Spirit is a gift. See Rom. 5:5; 1 John 3:24. The Scriptures are a gift from the Father. 2 Tim. 3:16. Eternal life also is a gift. Rom. 6:23. God has made his people colaborers with himself, to labor for the salvation of those for whom he made these gifts. We are “workers together with him.” 2 Cor. 6:1; 1 Cor. 3:9. The first gift man is invited to make is his heart. “My son, give me thine heart.” Prov. 23:26. Then man is required to give of his substance; and this is to be given as he purposeth in his heart. The Lord says, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” 2 Cor. 9:7. The Lord specially blesses those who make offerings with willing hearts. In Ex. 25:2 we read: “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.” See also Ex. 35:5, 21; 1 Chron. 29:3, 5, 9, 14. “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.” 2 Cor. 8:12. We can see the truthfulness of this in the case of the poor widow. Christ said to his disciples, “This poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury.” Mark 12:43, 44. As there are calls coming in for means with which to carry forward this work, our people would do well to adopt a plan of giving systematically. Plan to give to every branch as the calls come in, and God’s blessing will surely follow the cheerful giver. The Circulation of Our Periodicals
By U. P. LONG
Do we fully realize the importance of giving an extended circulation to our periodicals? Surely the world has never before seen a periodical literature which is so nearly perfect as that brought to us in our religious, missionary, educational, temperance, and liberty papers. These periodicals faithfully publish the greatest of all Heaven-sent messages ever given this sinful world. Each week or month they carry the truth wherever we send them. Eternity alone will reveal the results arising from their circulation. Many souls have embraced the truth through this agency alone, and yet only a beginning has been made. The Signs, REVIEW, Watchman, Life and Health, and Liberty are our leading periodicals in the English. We also have excellent papers in the other leading languages of the world. As a result of special efforts in this work during recent years, better methods have been learned and put into successful operation. They deserve careful consideration. Our papers can be sold. Indeed, this is being done quite successfully in many parts of the world, especially in cities and towns. Special advantages arise from selling the papers rather than giving them away. By this means a much larger number of papers (perhaps from three to five times as many) can be handled by a church than when the number circulated is limited by donations. As a rule, people appreciate more highly what they pay for than what is given to them, and they are more likely to read it. The profits of paper sales make this work, to a considerable extent, self-supporting. Other advantages might be named, but surely these are important. Instead of paying for these papers out of the missionary treasury, another plan is recommended. The members interested, and this should include all, each become personally responsible for a certain number of papers each week, to sell or give away, or to place in the hands of those who can. The cost is but a11 few cents a week, and according to their means, spare time, etc., members can take from three to one hundred or more. The librarian orders the whole number, and the subscribers pay enough to cover the cost of the whole club. This relieves the society of the burden of carrying the club, and yet the club may be greatly increased. The policy should be, “Pay as you go.” We also have many other opportunities of using our papers besides selling them. While traveling on the cars or otherwise; during intermissions at factories, workshops, or schools, or at certain public gatherings, and on many other occasions, we can engage others in conversation, and hand them a paper or a tract. Almost every one has opportunities of this kind, and no work is fraught with greater results for good than that in which we come into personal contact with the people. In all our large cities there are public institutions, prisons, almshouses, hospitals, reading-rooms, and even railroad depots, where some of our periodicals would be welcomed. Send the officials (or hand to them) marked copies of our papers, write them of our interest in their work, asking the privilege of sending our papers regularly. If you do your work discreetly, many will be pleased to accept. Papers may be sent to certain institutions direct from our publishing houses, at cheap rates, when desired. Another excellent plan is to mail copies to our friends or to certain selected names, following up the papers by correspondence. This plan has long been used with good results. However, there is danger, at times, of spending money for both papers and postage to but little purpose, while we neglect the personal-contact work all around us, which could be done at one half the expense. Success in the spiritual life depends not only on prayer and study of the Word, but also on daily, systematic labor for others. The periodical work affords such an opportunity. The work with our papers is a pioneer work. It opens other avenues of usefulness. We can all readily see how any one going from house to house, as one must do in handling our periodical literature, will discover and develop other fruitful opportunities of missionary endeavor. What We May Know
By Claude E. Holmes
The apostle John's experience was that of a personal, loving companionship with Christ our Lord. John was Christ's beloved disciple. By his association with the Master he became thoroughly established in the truths which Christ came to teach to the human race. While John spoke by the inspiration of the Spirit, he had also the witness of his own eyesight. In the perils of the last days, when infidelity and doubt are stalking through the world, those seeking such acquaintance with our Lord as John enjoyed, might well consider what John says, and inquire if they “know” the things which he says we should or may know. In the first epistle of John we find the following essential truths, which, if we are sure “we know,” will keep us in the love of the truth, and preserve us from the tendencies of modern liberalism:— “Hereby know we that we are in him.” Verse 5. “We know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him.” Chap. 3: 2. “Ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins.” Verse 5. “We know that we have passed from death unto life.” Verse 14. “Ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” Verse 15. “We know that we are of the truth.” Verse 19. “We know that he abideth in us.” Verse 24. “Know ye the Spirit of God.” Chap. 4: 2. “Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” Verse 6. “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us.” Verse 13. “We know that we love the children of God.” Chap. 5: 2. “Ye may know that ye have eternal life.” Verse 13. “We know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” Verse 15. “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not.” Verse 18. “We know that we are of God.” Verse 19. “We know that the Son of God is come.” Verse 20. “We may know him that is true.” Verse 20. Walk Over It
By John M. Hopkins
EVERY one is subject to trials and discouragements. With some they are not so severe, while with others they seem to follow in rapid succession. Some natures are timid and weak, and with such, trials weigh more heavily than with the strong minded. But there is a vast difference in the nature of difficulties. Some ought not to be. They are occasioned by the wrong-doing of others,—by slights, or snubs, or the turning of a cold shoulder. There are some extremely sensitive persons who feel hurt and grieved, and go about gloomy and sad, with the head down, looking and acting as if forsaken by all. But what does this course avail? It saddens one’s own life, and robs it of all its joy and sweetness. It ought not to be that way. When one is conscious of having done right, what real difference does it make what others think or say? There is such a thing as manly, womanly, dignified independence. And it is the right and duty of every person who is performing duty to the best of his strength and wisdom to hold up the head, to put those annoyances, those slights, or even real troubles, beneath his feet; to walk over them, ignore them, treat them as if they had no existence. I know what I say. I know what trials and troubles mean. I know that if allowed to do so, they will darken and embitter and destroy the whole life. I have learned, or am learning, to look up, to keep my eyes looking straight ahead, to sing, and to be as happy as possible. Just try this, my brother, my sister. Walk over them. Don’t get the blues because of some imaginary evils, or even real ones, but conscientiously do right by all mankind; then hold up your head like a man, trust in God, and walk over those things that would mar your life and destroy your usefulness. Try it. Life, Labor, Rest
By S. O. JAMES
“TRULY the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.” Thus wrote the wise man many centuries ago. It has always been so. Once gifted with life, once upon the stage of action permitted to witness God’s harmonies, the endless variety in his workmanship, to love and be loved, how we prize his gift! Tenaciously we cling to it, and only when sin has dethroned reason, do we dare to put forth the hand for its destruction, to launch into the ocean of eternity and meet its Giver unprepared. Even the poor criminal tramp, homeless, wifeless, childless,—that one who apparently has the least to live for,—will work, if it be only to walk the road and beg, that he may live. Then at close of day, weary in the exercise of his graceless trade, if haply he shall find a bed, he must rest. To live is to labor. To labor is to become weary, but what heart so calloused, so hard and inhuman, that it may not feel at least one throb of gratitude when a kindly voice and loving hand invite and beckon to a resting place? There was labor in that sweet life whose influence still prompts and quickens the toiling worker. The walk to the mountain in the gloomy night, that he might commune with a loving Father,—a soul-refreshing privilege,—the journey over the burning sand by day and the sail over the lashing waves of Galilee, were made that he might rescue one wandering away from his love, and prove to him the sweetness of that rest eternal. Hear him, dear reader, brother, friend. He sends out the invitation, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Physical weariness is a light thing. It may even be sweet as the price of a day’s work well done; but my Saviour was weary of sin and its heart-rending effects. Are not you also?