A REVIEW OF SUNDAY LEGISLATION IN CENTURY NINETEEN. NO. 19.
THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, CONCLUDED.
LET us now consider this papal medieval mythological theory. In the last citation but one, the statement is made that the "leading principle" concerning government, in the Middle Ages, was "THE EXACT CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN EARTH AND HEAVEN." Now this is a pet theory with the Church of Rome. It was then. It is now. And, like all the rest of the pet theories of Rome, it is wrong and unscriptural from beginning to end. It is sublimely ridiculous and utterly impracticable. Look at it a moment:—
The government of heaven is one of love. The only law necessary in heaven will be complete, supreme love to God and Jesus Christ. There will be perfect peace in heaven, because there will be perfect love. It will be the supreme and ruling passion of every soul to do the will of God. It is by love and love alone that heaven is and evermore will be ruled.
But the government of earth is not, and of necessity cannot be, of love. The Bible shows this very clearly. "He [civil government, as the context shows] is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." The "sword" is force, not love. Civil government can only be maintained by force. Moreover, although civil government can never be moulded after the pattern of heavenly, it is, nevertheless, ordained of God. As long as men are unregenerate there will be, nay, there must be, force in the earth. Now government is legally authorized force. Anarchy is illegal, unauthorized force. Of the two, government is immeasurably the superior. But when compared with divine government it is imperfect, and ever must be, and can never be operated upon the same basis. It therefore follows logically that this "leading principle" of the Papal Middle Ages governmental ideas is a bad one of the worst sort.
Now it is true that the church of Jesus Christ on earth should be guided and controlled, if so strong a word as "control" may be used, by the same power which controls390in heaven, viz., LOVE. But here the Papacy is at fault again. She never did rule by love. She ever has reigned through force and craft. So that at the only point where there could be a correspondence between the governments of things in heaven and things on earth, the Papacy is at variance.
Next the analysis of the relations of Church and State, by means of the illustration of the relations between soul and body. The Church was represented by the soul. The State, by the body. But anyone will admit that the welfare of the soul is of more importance than the welfare of the body; and no reasonable man can deny that the body is an instrument through which the soul works. This is all true; but, though it is all so, it by no means follows that there is the slightest analogy between the relations of soul and body on one hand and Church and State on the other. Anyone who can see analogy here could no doubt see sense in that famous piece of school-boy logic:—
All men are made of clay;
All bricks are made of clay;
Therefore all men are bricks.
It was, however, good papal logic; that is, it was very convenient in accomplishing her ends. It relegated the emperor to a place of inferiority, and to a place where he must do Rome's bidding in all things. It made him the punisher of heretics at home, and the propagator of the faith, by the means of carnal weapons, abroad.
The truth of the matter is, however, that this kind of a dual government was and would now be an ecclesiastical despotism of the veriest type. It is nevertheless "the one perfect and self-consistent scheme of the union of Church and State." It made the State an ecclesiastical instead of a temporal institution. The churchman assumed the habit of a secular prince, while the emperor adorned himself in sacradocial vestments. "The emperor, besides the sword, globe, and scepter of temporal power, receives a ring as a symbol of his faith, is ordained a subdeacon, assists the pope in celebrating mass, partakes as a clerical person of the communion in both kinds, is admitted a canon of St. Peter's and St. John Lateran." From all this it is manifest beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Holy Roman Empire was a State Church and a Church State. Both names mean the same thing, and either is applicable. Says Bryce:—
In nature and compass the government of these two potestates [pope and emperor] is the same, differing only in the sphere of its working; and it matters not whether we call the pope a spiritual emperor, or the emperor a secular pope. Nor, though the one office is below the other as far as man's life on earth is less precious than his life hereafter, is therefore, on the older and truer theory, the imperial authority delegated by the papal. Nor, as has been said already, God is represented by the pope, not in every capacity, but only as the ruler of spirits in heaven; as sovereign of earth, he issues his commission directly to the emperor. Opposition between two servants of the same king is inconceivable, each being bound to aid and foster the other, the coöperation of both being needed in all that concerns the welfare of Christendom at large. This is the one perfect and self-consistent scheme of the union of Church and State; for, taking the absolute coincidence of their limits to be self-evident, it assumes the infallibility of their joint government, and derives, as a corollary from that infallibility, the duty of the civil magistrate to root out heresy and schism no less than to punish treason and rebellion. It is also the scheme which, granting the possibility of their harmonious action, places the two powers in that relation which gives each of them its maximum of strength. But by a law to which it would be hard to find exceptions, in proportion as the State became more Christian, the church, who, to work out her purposes, had assumed worldly forms, became by the contact worldlier, meaner, spiritually weaker.
True enough, this is "the one perfect and self-consistent scheme of the union of Church and State." And Rome knows it, and has known it all the time. And this is why she stands by and placidly watches the Protestant denominations try to fix up their petty projects of union with the civil power. Rome knows full well that all their plans of union with Cæsar will fall through, because not one of them is "self-consistent." Then they must ultimately adopt her scheme. And when they do that, then they are themselves ROME on that doctrine. But if they adopt her views on the union of Church and State, it will become necessary for them, in order to be "self-consistent," to admit all her other doctrines. When that day comes, the long game which Rome has been playing ever since the time of the great Reformation of century sixteen will have been played to a finish and won.
This is why Rome is so quietly, yet so interestedly, watching the Sunday-law campaign of the so-called Protestant sects of the United States and of the world. They have started on the religious legislation road. That road knows no ending save in the arms of Rome. And so she watches them and quietly bides her time.
More than all this, not only will the Sunday legislation road land all the Protestant denominations who engage in it in the lap of Rome, but it will land the United States Government there also. These churches claim to control the United States Government, and the United States Government admits the claim. Now listen to the last trap which Rome sprung upon the nations of the Middle Ages, and which she has now already set, and is eagerly waiting the time when all will be ripe to spring again on the United States:—
The complete accord of the papal and imperial powers which this theory, as sublime as it is impracticable, requires, was attained only at a few points in their history. It was finally supplanted by another view of their relation, which, professing to be a development of a principle recognized as fundamental, the superior importance of the religious life, found increasing favor in the eyes of fervent churchmen. Declaring the pope sole representative on earth of the Deity, it concluded that from him, and not directly from God, must the empire be held—held feudally, it was said by many, AND IT THEREBY THRUST DOWN THE TEMPORAL POWER, TO BE THE SLAVE INSTEAD OF THE SISTER OF THE SPIRITUAL.
Exactly, that is the way the thing worked in the Middle Ages in the Holy Roman Empire; and that is the way it will work in century nineteen in the United States. Such will be the outcome of the Sunday legislation now being urged.
Rome has already commenced to propagate the former of the two theories that have formed the leading themes of this paper. In a speech delivered in Baltimore, Md., Oct. 19, 1893, Cardinal Gibbons gave utterance to these words:—
Here [in America] the Church and State run in parallel lines. Here religion upholds the State by proclaiming the distinct authority of civil legislators and holding them up as the distinct representatives of God himself. She [the Papal Church] sanctifies respect for civil laws by declaring that obedience to civil authority is not a servile homage paid to man, but the free homage of men paid to God.
This "parallel lines" theory is simply another wording of the "sister" theory of the Middle Ages. And just as the "State sister" was soon relegated to the place of "slave" to the spiritual in the Middle Ages, so does Rome intend it shall be with the United States government in century nineteen.
How now stands the fact? In the near future the Sunday legislation campaign already entered upon will end in the complete enthrallment of all the so-called Protestant churches who are engaged in it by the Papacy, and then the enslavement of the United States Government.
But enough for Rome. In my next paper I will pass to the consideration of the career of the Church of England.
THE SCHOOL OF CHRIST.
By J. G. Matteson
As soon as we are old enough to consider what is for our own best good in this world, we think of going to school, that we may learn something useful. We do not go to school because we think we are wise and prudent, but because we lack wisdom and desire to obtain it.
The school of Christ is the best of all schools. It is free and open to all. The teacher charges nothing for tuition, and he gives all who will come both food and drink, yea, gold and white raiment, all for nothing. John 6:45; Rev. 3:18. He gives his small pupils the most precious wine and the most nourishing milk, without money and without price. Isa. 55:1. And he treats them just as well the first day as the last.
Here comes a poor orphan lad, pale and lean, ragged and miserably dressed. Behold the loving-kindness of our beloved Teacher as he smiles upon the poor creature. Immediately he removes his unclean clothes, and causes him to be bathed in the fountain that is open for sin and uncleanness (Zech. 13:1), a fountain that has sprung from the dear Teacher's own heart. He puts on him clothes as pure and white as snow. They are the divine Teacher's own righteousness. He causes him to eat of the blessed wine and milk of grace and truth. He gives him a better seat than the throne of a king, and bids him heartily welcome in the midst of all the dear pupils.
This is so wonderful that it is difficult to believe it until a person has experienced and seen it for himself. The Teacher looks upon the new disciple with such loving looks, and all the pupils look upon him in such a friendly way, that he is greatly astonished. He cannot understand the reason for this, seeing that he, a poor, forlorn stranger, so lately has joined the school. Then he hears the Teacher's melodious voice. He tells him that all these pupils have been called according to the purpose of God, and have been appointed "to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren." Rom. 8:29. All the pupils in this school are Christ's brethren. "This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes." Ps. 118:23. And it is no less joyful than wonderful. Just think that our great Teacher is our Brother. We are Christ's brethren and sisters. I say we, because I am also a pupil in the school. It seems to be only a short time since I started. Time flies so swiftly in the school of Christ. It is so blessed to learn of our King and our God, of our Saviour and Master, of our best Friend and Brother.
Christ can reveal himself best to the humble and simple hearted. When Jesus at a certain occasion had upbraided the cities that had seen most of his mighty works without repenting, he turned his eyes to heaven and said: "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight." Matt. 11:25, 26. The word "babe" comes from nēpios, which also means unlearned, ignorant. In the Swedish Bible it is translated "simple hearted." It is evident from the context that Jesus speaks of people who have the opposite character of those whom the world calls wise and prudent. We must be converted and become as little children if we desire to learn something in the school of the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 18:3.
Listen now how kindly Jesus invites us to come to his school: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28. That means you, dear soul, who reads these lines or listens to these words. Jesus invites all, and what will he give them?—He will give them rest, a heavenly peace and calm in the soul. He says by the prophet, "I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul." Jer. 31:25.
What are we to learn the first day in the school of Christ? Listen to the words of our dear Master: "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matt. 11:29. What are we to learn the next day?—The same. And what are we to learn the last day in the school, before we close these mortal eyes, or our probation closes as Jesus finishes his high-priestly office?—We are to learn the same.
But afterwards, then, in glory, when we are at home in the mansions of gold, where all the brethren and sisters of Jesus shall shine as the sun in their Father's kingdom and as the brightness of the firmament and the stars forever and ever—what are we to learn there the first thousand years?—The same. We are to learn meekness and gentleness, humility and lowliness of mind. This learning, what Jesus in mercy imparts to us, is just what gives the soul quiet and blissful rest and joy in the bosom of Jesus.
Is it possible that Jesus can continue to instruct us through all eternity?—Yes, certainly. Just as extensive and infinite as his great universe, so extensive and infinite is "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," and the excellency of his power. 2 Cor. 4:6, 7. The eternal treasures will always be his, and we will always be the recipients. There is no end to his wisdom and divine power, no end to his meekness and lowliness of heart. The words of Jesus will shine with the most wonderful glory throughout all eternity. And it will always be a wonderful source of joy to our poor hearts that Jesus, our dear Saviour and Teacher, is our Brother.
But how can we find rest under a yoke?—"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matt. 11:30. The yoke of Christ is to learn from him to be meek and lowly of heart. The yoke is no hindrance or burden to the ox. It only makes it possible for him to work. Just so the yoke of Christ,—the daily lessons of meekness and humility which we learn in his school,—enables us to work for the Lord. Then comes the burden of Christ. The work for the Lord is the burden, and the burden is light when we have the yoke on, while without it we can do no work at all that may truly be called the Lord's.
Behold, now the fields "are white already to harvest." "And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together." John 4:35, 36. A grand harvest field lies open before us. The field is the world. There is much work for the Lord; but this work does not make us tired. It gives rest. The more we work, the stronger we will be. Only let us not neglect to attend the school of Christ every day, and take upon us the easy yoke of Christ. Then the Lord will bless us when we are learning our lessons; and he will bless us when we work in the mission; and he will bless us at last with eternal life and a glorious reward.
This blessing, dear reader, is for you. "The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." Num. 6:24-26.
College View, Neb.
A TESTING TRUTH.
By D. E. Scoles
BY D. E. SCOLES.
LAST week it was shown that, even as in the days of Noah, God has now a special message. This message is to separate his people from the world. The central testing question, around which all others revolve, is that of the Sabbath. A few considerations will show this.
God's law is the eternal and unchangeable rule of his government. In the very nature of it, it must necessarily stand forever, because it is the only thing which reveals sin; and so long as the gospel is preached, it is manifest to every thinking mind that the law is still in existence and binding, else there would be no need of the gospel, which is the remedy for sin. Sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4); without the law there is no sin (Rom. 4:15); and if there be no sin, Christ died in vain. Therefore, the law must stand with binding force, and require universal obedience to-day. The Sabbath is a part of this great eternal and unchangeable law of the great Jehovah.
Christ said heaven and earth could pass away easier than a tittle of the law could fail (Luke 16:16), much less a whole commandment. The Sabbath was not made merely for the Jews, but was for all men, in all ages of the world. Mark 2:27.
Christ created the world (John 1:1–3; Col. 1:13–16; Heb. 1:8–10); and as the Creator of the worlds, he set up a monument of his creatorship. Creation is a proof of divinity. Only two beings in the universe can create—God the Father and God the Son. The Jewish translation gives Ps. 111:4 as follows: "He hath made a memorial for his wonderful works;" and in Ps. 135:13 God says that his "memorial" shall endure "throughout all generations." The Sabbath is that memorial, as the Lord tells us in Ex. 20:8–11. In Eze. 20:12 he says that the Sabbath is a sign between him and his people, that they may know that he is the Lord who sanctifies them, because it is the same One who sanctifies us that made the world. 1 Cor. 1:30.
Christ, having made the world, must necessarily have made the Sabbath. In Heb. 1:10 God the Father calls Christ, Lord, and says that he (Christ) made the earth and the heavens. In Gen. 2:2, 3 we learn that the One who made the world also made the Sabbath; hence Christ could truthfully say that he was "Lord of the Sabbath." Mark 2:28.
Now, what have we learned?—First, that Christ made the heavens and the earth, and set up the Sabbath as a monument to commemorate the fact—the very reason given in the fourth commandment of the Decalogue.391His creative power proved him divine. The proof of that power was that he made all things, and that which kept this creation in mind was the Sabbath. Therefore, as long as the Sabbath was observed, it kept in mind the true God. But Satan has had the most intense hatred toward God ever since he was cast out of heaven, and has sought to thwart and ruin God's plan in Christ. In no other way could his fiendish malice find such satisfaction, and his own plots of darkness succeed so well, as to dishonor Christ and hide him from view as a divine being—one worthy of worship; and in no way could this be done so well as to tear down the monument—the Sabbath—which Christ established as a proof of divine power. Hence, the Sabbath must stand, and is of necessity in full force and of universal obligation just so long as salvation comes through Christ and he remains a being worthy of worship, which will be forever. Rev. 5:13; Isa. 66:22, 23.
That the Sabbath of the Lord has been almost entirely lost from view none can deny. The steps by which it has been accomplished do not enter into the discussion at present. The principal thing to consider now is what is our duty just before Christ comes. The Lord tells us, in Isa. 56:1, 2, "Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice; for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed." What is the special message when his coming is "near"?—"Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that LAYETH HOLD on it; that KEEPETH the SABBATH from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil." "And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places; thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then shalt thou delight thy-self in the Lord." Isa. 58:12–14.
This message finds its way to the hearts of all the honest searchers after truth, and gathers out the last church, the "remnant," and thus fits them for the end. "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12:17. And the last thing before the Saviour appears, seated on the white cloud, is a company of whom it is said: "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12. This company have heeded the message, "have purified" their "souls in obeying the truth," have taken hold of the Sabbath reform, and have their "Father's name written in their foreheads." And the pearly gates swing wide, "that the righteous nation which keep the truth may enter in," and they "stand upon the sea of glass, having the harps of God."
Who will accept God's call, engage in the reform, bear the reproach of the world, and a little way in the future share in the everlasting victory?
THE UNCOMFORTABLE BED.
By H. A. St. John
BY ELDER H. A. ST. JOHN.
"For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it." Isa. 28: 20. Such would certainly be an uncomfortable bed. But the prophet evidently uses this as a figure, or illustration, to teach a lesson. From the context we would conclude that the illustration is given to represent that class of religious professors, and teachers in particular, who seek to screen, hide, or justify themselves in error, with a covering of lies, and thus quiet their consciences in a time of reformation. But the false shepherds of the last days, who love their own ease, will be ill at ease after all, in a bed that is too short, and with covers that are too narrow, when God's burning and shining truth is flashing through the earth, revealing the deformity of error.
With covering that is too narrow to wrap themselves in, some parts of the body must necessarily be constantly exposed, and the stalwart advocates of harmonious Bible truth, in order to show the deficiency and narrowness of error, will be always pointing to those naked places. By this constant exposure these people will become very much annoyed, and will straighten themselves occasionally in self-defense. But every time they do this, the bed being also too short, they are sure to strike their heads against the headboard, and no marvel if they then become enraged and threaten.
In the great Sabbath reform now sweeping over the earth with a loud voice, we often witness the verification of Isaiah's homely illustration. The creed of the Catholic Church is such parts of the Bible as they have not abrogated, or changed to suit their notion, together with the traditions of the fathers, decisions of popes and church councils, and so on, all of which make a bed long enough, if not strong enough, for almost anybody to stretch himself upon, and that too in any direction. And all the covering is made to suit. But the entire make-up of this bed and covering is so largely human we are sure that in the day rapidly approaching it will be swept away forever, together with all other human substitutes for divine truth, and human subterfuges for salvation.
When the great Protestant body left the bosom of the Catholic Church in the sixteenth century, they professedly renounced the Catholic rule of faith and practice, the Catholic creed, as unsafe to rest upon. They adopted the Bible and the Bible alone as the only safe rule and resting place for salvation. This is a bed of God's own formation, ample in dimensions, with covers of divine truth, and promises large enough for all vicissitudes in life. It is the sinner's only comfortable and secure resting place. The true Protestant, with the holy Bible as his only and all-sufficient rule of faith and practice, settles every question of religious faith or moral obligation by an appeal to the sacred volume. But since the rise of the Sabbath reformation a large class of Protestants, rather than change their practice, have rejected the only weekly Sabbath of divine appointment, the one clearly instituted, taught, and enjoined throughout the entire Scriptures. They ignore, malign, and spurn the Bible Sabbath, while at the same time they professedly accept the Bible as their only rule of faith and practice. They also cherish, honor, and extol the Sunday rest, an institution entirely foreign to the Bible, making void the Sabbath command of Jehovah, the mark of his power, and exalt the counterfeit sabbath, the badge or mark of the papal power. By this procedure they place themselves in a very unreasonable, inconsistent, and cramped situation, and truly their bed is too short to stretch themselves upon it, and all their defensive arguments and excuses are entirely too narrow to wrap themselves in.
As the light of God's down-trodden Sabbath comes to them, many will forsake the uncomfortable bed, and find a secure shelter in the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, while very many more will begin to call to the old mother Catholic Church to come to their aid, and help them to keep the covers on. But we hear the Catholic Church saying to these people:—392
"My wayward children, your profession of holding the Scripture alone as the standard of faith is false. The proof is, the written word explicitly enjoins the seventh day as the Sabbath. You do not observe the seventh day, but reject it. If you did really hold the Scripture alone as your standard, you would observe the seventh day, as enjoined in the Scripture throughout. You not only reject the observance of the Sabbath enjoined in the written word, but you adopt and practice the observance of Sunday, for which you have only the tradition of the church. Hence you see that your position is only a selfish and ambitious rebellion against church authority, self-contradictory, self-stultifying, and suicidal; and we can only aid in exposing your nakedness where you are. If you will not live up to your principles, or come back to the fold, there is but one way by which we can help you for a little time, and that is to coöperate with you in an appeal to State authority, to weave you some large covers—Sunday laws—to wrap yourselves in."
To this the Sunday Protestants, who have ceased to protest, make reply: "That is just the thing we are after, and the government has a cover for us in the loom now; and for a while the shuttles were flying briskly, and the work went on well; but just at present it is found that the beam of the loom—the Constitution—must be changed before the big cover can be completed, and we know how anxious the pope is to have the Constitution and legislation of earthly governments modeled on the principles of the true church; so we will count on your help now to change the beam of the loom." And they are bound to succeed.
They are in earnest, and becoming quite thoroughly incensed against those whose biblical teaching and exemplary lives annoy them, condemn them. Religion shorn of true spiritual power always seeks to wrap its deformity with civil laws.
AUNT HANNAH ON THE PARLIAMENT OF RELIGIONS.
By Minnie A. Snell
BY MINNIE A. SNELL.
Wall, I'm glad enough I'm hum ag'in, kin rest my weary brain,
For I've seen an' heered so much, too much; I guess I've heered in vain,
I thought th' Fair was mixin' an' th' Midway made me crawl,
But th' Parl'ment of Religions was th' mixin'est of all.
I seen th' Turks agoing round th' Midway in th' Fair;
But our minister reproved me when he seen me peep in thair.
"Defilin' place" he called it, an' th' Turk, "a child of sin;"
But th' Parl'ment of Religions took all them heathen in.
It made me squirm a little to see some heathen's air,
As he told us Christians 'bout our faults an' laid 'em out so bare;
But thair flowin' robes was tellin', an' th' air mighty talkin' folk,
So th' Parl'ment of Religions clapped to every word they spoke.
I listened to th' Buddhist, in his robes of shinin' white,
As he told how like to Christ's thair lives, while ours was not a mite;
Tel I felt, to lead a Christian life, a Buddhist I must be,
An' th' Parl'ment of Religions brought religious doubt to me.
Then I heered th' han'some Hindu monk, drest up in orange dress,
Who sed that all humanity was part of God—no less—
An' he said he was not sinners, so I comfort took once more,
While th' Parl'ment of Religions roared with approving roar.
Then a Catholic man got up an' spoke about Christ an' th' cross;
But th' Christians of th' other creeds, they giv' thair heds a toss.
When th' Baptist spoke, th' Presbyterians seemed to be fightin' mad,
'Tel th' Parl'ment of Religions made my pore ole soul feel sad.
I've harkened to th' Buddhist, to th' Hindu an' th' Turk;
I've tried to find th' truth that in our different sects may lurk,
'Tel my pore ole brain, it buzzes like it's goin' religious mad—
For th' Parl'ment of Religions nigh put out th' light I had.
—Open Court.
The Wisdom of Accepting Censure
"Few persons have sufficient wisdom to prefer censure, which is useful to them, to praise, which deceives them."