"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." John 12:32.
Ordinary iron is not magnetic. There is found in some parts of the world iron ore, commonly called loadstone, naturally possessing magnetism. A piece of such ore is called a natural magnet. It has peculiar attractive power.
Nearly all substances are affected by its subtle influence. This is especially true of iron, which, when kept in close contact with the loadstone for some time, becomes itself magnetized, and is prepared to influence other bodies.
Magnetism is a mysterious power. Of its real nature we know nothing. Its existence is known only by its effects.
With the above well-known facts before us, let us notice some corresponding facts in connection with the relation which the church sustains to Christ, and to the world about it:—
Man does not naturally possess the spirit of God. 1 Cor. 2:14.
There is a being, even the Lord Jesus Christ, upon whom the Father has bestowed his Spirit without measure. John 3:34
All the world are more or less affected by its invisible influence. John 16:8.
When an individual is brought in close contact with Christ, he becomes imbued with his Spirit, and is in turn prepared to influence others. John 15:5.
The Spirit of God is a mysterious power. We are ignorant of its real nature. Its existence is proved only by its effects. John 3:8.
The Lord has a work to perform in the world. His Spirit is the power by which he designs to accomplish that work. Zech. 4:6; John 16:7, 8. The church is the medium through which the Lord works by his Spirit in carrying forward his work. When the Saviour departed from the world, he instructed his followers: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway [by the Spirit], even unto the end of the world." Matt. 28:19, 20. Here we have presented the church of Christ in its infancy, with the promise of the Holy Spirit through all its existence; the iron, so to speak, to be infused with magnetism from heaven, and then to go through the world attracting to itself all who would respond to its divine influence.
What is true of the body must also be true of the individual members. Even the great Head of the church, upon beginning his ministry, said: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel." Here we see the great natural magnet, with unlimited power, exerting its influence upon the world. The apostle Paul says: "My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." 1 Cor. 2:4, 5. Here we see, as it were, an artificial magnet, created by intimate connection with Christ, "filled with all the fullness of God," manifesting that attractive influence which should characterize the follower of Christ.
There is nothing in the appearance of the magnet to indicate strength; nothing in its color, shape, or size by which to determine its power over other bodies by mere contact or proximity. So it is with the servant of God. Happy is that people who can discern in the one who ministers unto them in spiritual things,—whether he have profound learning, or the mere rudiments of worldly wisdom; whether he be endowed with superior eloquence, or "his speech be contemptible;" whether he have commanding dignity, or "his bodily presence be weak,"—I say, happy is that people who can discern in their leader the power of the Spirit of God, who can see behind the agent the principal, beyond the ambassador, the divine authority that has sent him.
Thus we see God's method as simple, yet effective. He works through humble means. His word makes no provision for a great stock of scientific knowledge. It makes no mention of the attractive power of the gilded dome, or the groined vault; of a select choir discoursing "vain repetitions," in charming music. The followers of the meek and lowly Jesus are not required to array themselves in uniform and parade the streets to the blow of the trumpet and the rattle of the drum. The Lord sets forth his method in Jer. 31:3: "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." Also in John 6:44: "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him."
At different times in its history, the church has lost, almost wholly, its spiritual life. This is, to an alarming extent, its condition at the present time. This sad fact is too generally recognized to call for proof. What is the remedy? We know what remedy has been usually applied. When the church has lost its power to attract men to itself and to Christ, it has called to its aid the compelling power of the civil government. Anyone who is at all acquainted with church history knows the results,—corruption, hypocrisy, ignorance, superstition, intolerance, and persecution,—the legitimate fruits of the unnatural coalition of the Church with the State. Christ said to his followers: "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." John 15:18, 19. We may justly conclude from the above scripture that a pure church will always suffer at the hands of the world; that a degenerate church only can hope for support from an earthly power. Furthermore, a church vitalized by God's Spirit will feel no necessity for such support.
Imagine Christ instructing his apostles thus: "Go ye therefore and teach all nations as long as the Holy Spirit works in you, but when he departs from you; when your words no longer impress the hearts of those who133hear; when iniquity multiplies around you, and you dare not lift the voice of reproof, and are powerless to stay the flood of corruption, then unite as one man, present yourselves before the government under whose protection you live, and by every available means secure the aid of the civil law in enforcing upon the people the dogmas of the church. Raise such a clamor that the protected reputation of those connected with the government shall depend upon their granting your petition." How contrary to the Scriptures, and to the spirit of the gospel!
When a ship is in danger of sinking, it is often necessary to cast overboard weighty things, which, if clung to, would hasten her destruction. No matter what they have cost, they are not to be compared to human life, and must be sacrificed. When the ship of Zion is threatened with destruction, from the waves which roll about her, it becomes those in charge to lighten her of those weights which not only impede her progress, but if retained will drag her beneath the billows of the world which encompass her. Let the princely salaries of those who profess to be "ambassadors for Christ," the "Man of sorrows," be reduced to a reasonable recompense; let the hall of feasting and gambling be cut off from the church, and thrown back on the world, whence it came; let the professing Christian be esteemed according to his good works, and not according to his social standing or the length of his purse; let the downtrodden law of God be exalted and made the rule of life, and the consequent knowledge and confession of sin appear in the church; then would spiritual magnetism return, and the work assigned to her would be accomplished. The prayer of David should be the prayer of the backslidden church,—"Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee." Ps. 51:12, 13.
This is a time when the representatives of Christ should "sigh and cry for the abominations that are done in the midst" of Jerusalem; but, alas! the voice of remonstrance is seldom heard from the sacred desk. This is the time when the watchmen on the walls of Zion should be looking anxiously towards the west to discern the first glad glimmerings of the eternal dawn, that they may report, to those who inquire, the joyful tidings, "The morning cometh!" But, lo! few watchmen are found on the tower. They may be seen hurrying to and fro among the great men of the land, enlisting their support in a movement against which the Lord solemnly warns his people. Rev. 14:9–12.
But all this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. God’s word gives us no reason to hope for any better state of things. In 2 Tim. 3:1–5 we read "that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, . . . lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." In what more positive manner can the power of godliness be denied than by adopting human means to do the work which the Lord designs his Spirit shall accomplish?
Nevertheless, when the Saviour returns, he will find a faithful few who have "kept the word of his patience." Them will he make pillars in the temple of God, and they shall go no more out. See Rev. 3:12.
J. H. ANTHONY.
ON THE SLY.
By Philip Bennett Power
A GREAT deal of this allowance of doing things "on the sly" comes from men's having a false standard by which they set their opinions. Their standard is this: Mere human opinion about anything, and not the absolute nature of the thing itself. What follows is, that so long as men keep square outwardly with opinion, they care little as to fact. So, then, provided only it be withdrawn from the censure of public opinion, or that of anyone they are bound to respect, they do not mind doing it "on the sly." The man who has no motive but respect for opinion or authority will never be kept straight. However straight he might be kept in the outer tenor of his life, he will never be in its spirit and reality. Once let him slip away from it—from the eye which he thinks is on him—and he is ready for whatever he desires "on the sly." There is a great deal of truth in the saying about "kissing the evil one through a gridiron."
A vast number of the things which people do on the sly are small things—small in themselves, but with great results. You remember it was the little foxes which destroyed the vines—sly little creatures, able to do tremendous mischief. These small things are pegs on which great things hang. When we trace back the great things of our life, for good or evil, we find almost every one of them dependent on something very small. If such a little thing had not happened, such and such a great thing (for good or evil, as the case may be) would not have happened either.
The deterioration of our character generally comes by "littles," and it is in littles that people generally act "on the sly." Now as to these littles, no one on earth can tell what they will eventually do. No one can tell how big a tree will grow from a little seed. People trifle with things because they are small. There are many people who to-day would do this and that on the sly, in littles, who perhaps would not dream of going out on the sly in more important matters; but they little know what they will do by and by.—Rev. P. B. Power, M.A.
WATER INSTEAD OF BLOOD.
By William N. Glenn
THE Boston Investigator is authority for the statement that a Catholic contemporary makes the following strange confession:—
“To the heart of the pious Catholic mother nothing brings more pain than the loss of a child who, through some cause or another, dies without being baptized.”
And such “strong delusion” is a fair specimen of the false theology so prevalent in these last days. What makes that mother sorrow over the fact that her infant was not baptized?—Because she thinks that it is lost, or at least that it will cost a great deal for prayers and masses to redeem it from purgatory. She believes that baptism (sprinkling) would have saved it. To her mind, as a result of her false religious teaching, a little water sprinkled on the child’s head by a priest would have saved it. Here we have the largest denomination of professed Christians in the world virtually holding up a little sprinkling ceremony as the medium of salvation. The matter of the child’s repentance, and confession of sin and faith in Christ, as a scriptural prerequisite to baptism, is not represented as being in any way connected with the mother’s grief. But the child died without baptism; no matter what circumstance might have prevented, the consequences, in the sorrowing mother’s mind, are the same. The sprinkling is, logically at least, presented in lieu of the blood of Christ. From a Protestant standpoint this is antichrist. But we find one of the strongest Protestant denominations warmly discussing the motion to erase from its creed the scriptural clause that the Catholic Church is antichrist. If that motion is correct, if Romanism is not antichrist, then why do not those who favor revision of their creed to conform to that opinion, go at once to the Roman Church? Protestantism sprung from the conviction that Rome was antichristian; then, if any Protestant has become convinced that this was a mistake, consistency would remand him to the Roman remarks. If Protestantism started out on an erroneous basis, then Protestantism is an error, and it is wrong to maintain any organized opposition to the mother church. W. N. GLENN.
Reputation and Character
By Socrates
THE way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.—Socrates.
Christ’s Perfect Holiness
By Lutheran Witness
It must not be forgotten that there is a perfect holiness which Christians make their own by faith. This is the perfect holiness of Christ which is bestowed upon us when we receive him. Christ’s perfection covers our imperfections in our daily Christian walk. Now it is the very height of Christian perfection to know that we are imperfect, and are, even after conversion, always in need of Christ’s perfection.
ON DOUBTING PRAYER.
By George Everard
WE must watch against the least suspicion of unwillingness on the part of God to grant our petitions. We have not to wring a benefit from the hand of one who hesitates to give, but to receive thankfully blessings God delights to bestow. We must not draw a false inference from the parable of the friend at midnight or of the unjust judge (Luke 11: 8; 18: 5). In each case there was unwillingness—unwillingness to rise and give the bread, and unwillingness to avenge the widow. But the point for us to learn is importunity and perseverance. God as a most loving Father rejoices to give the true bread; and as a righteous Judge, to protect and deliver the oppressed. And while we must constantly and patiently wait upon him, we may be sure that no word of prayer, no thought of prayer, is in vain. But we may go a step farther than this: God has been beforehand with us in this matter; he has opened to us his good treasure; he has come forth with free invitations, and exceeding great and precious promises, calling us to his mercy-seat, and pressing upon us the unspeakable blessings there to be obtained, so that prayer becomes the bounty and loving-kindness of a Father and a Friend.—Rev. George Everard.
GOOD WORDS IN A SUNDAY CONVENTION.
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
IN previous numbers of the SIGNS we have shown the fallacy of the idea that civil government may enforce any portion of the moral law, and we have also shown the evil consequences which would necessarily result from an attempt to put such a fallacious idea into practice. We are glad to present in this number a corroboration of our views by a minister of the gospel. And we are the more glad because the argument which we shall quote was made in a Sunday convention, in the second annual meeting of the Sabbath Association of Iowa, which was held in Des Moines, November 12 and 13, 1889. Rev. J. K. Fowler, of Cedar Rapids, gave an address on "The Basis of the Civil Sabbath," which was printed in full in the Iowa State Register of November 13, from which we quote. Speaking of the laws already existing, and of the Sunday laws which the association is seeking to make, he said:—
"If these laws are right, why are they right? There needs to be a clearing up at this point. The ideas of many are vague and faulty as to the genius and intent of these Sunday regulations. Many in the church and out imagine that they prescribe a precept of the Christian religion; that they are simply a transcript of the fourth commandment to our statute-books. More than that, many ardent defenders of the Sabbath justify them on that ground. They say, God has enjoined the observance of the Sabbath, and the State should do the same. But God has demanded that we be good stewards of his bounty, and give liberally to him. Is the State therefore to command this? God has commanded that we be given to hospitality. Is the State to see to it that this be accomplished? God has commanded that we honor one another and in honor prefer one another. Shall the State undertake the enforcement of these divine laws? It is time we had done with arguing for Sabbath legislation before Congress or other legislative bodies on plea of its divine institution and scriptural authority. It is utterly untenable according to the spirit of our charters of government."
In this paragraph the question is fairly stated, and the statement in the closing sentence is correct. After referring to certain judicial decisions on certain laws against crime, the speaker continued as follows:—
"The civil law forbids these, not as offenses against God, but as crimes against man. The law has to do with the relations of men to each other, and not with the relations of men to God. To base these Sunday laws thus upon a divine command, as the civil ground, is to that extent to join Church and State, and to violate the fundamental principles of the State and federal governments."
In the above paragraph we have a just distinction made between sin and crime. Sin is the violation of the moral law. Crime is a violation of human law. We wish the reader to notice the latter part of the paragraph just quoted. In agreement with arguments we have before presented, he shows that for the State to base its law upon divine command, or to attempt to enforce any one of the divine commands, is the union of Church and State. This was wholesome truth to present before a Sunday convention. We wish every Sunday convention could listen to similar talk. Mr. Fowler continued as follows, concerning the idea that the State could enact a Sunday law on the basis of the divine commandment:—
"But such a basis of the Sunday law is not only illegal, but it may be even unscriptural. The Bible itself does not warrant us in inscribing upon the civil statute-books whatever we find to be the mind of the Lord. The Bible does give us a divine standard of moral duty, by which we may discriminate between right and wrong. But it also gives a divine model of wise legislation. It shows there are some things reasonable and some unreasonable to undertake by the civil statute, that statutory law is not to be framed always into exact correspondence with the criterion of individual duty. And this scriptural lesson is one of the very first importance for a Christian citizen of a republic like ours to learn."
We wish every citizen of this republic might learn this scriptural lesson. The fact that the great body of the National Reformers desire to have the State attempt to re-enact and enforce the law of God, shows, according to Rev. Mr. Fowler, of Cedar Rapids, that they are very deficient in scriptural knowledge; and in this we agree with him. Again Mr. Fowler said:—
"If our zealous, well-meaning, but deluded friends of the Sabbath, desire to defeat the very ends they aim at, they want to push to the front, and press upon the law-makers this scriptural command for the basis of Sunday laws, until a furor of public feeling like that of 1826 again sweeps the country and takes with it every vestige of Sabbath legislation. Many good people, even in these boasted days of religious liberty, fail to understand that the State is not competent to enact divine precepts because they are divine. The law against murder is not on the civil statute-books because it is in the decalogue, but because society could not exist without such a law. The law against stealing is not in the civil code because it was found essential to maintain the rights of property. Government exists to secure to men life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, to maintain a peaceful and orderly, a mutual, helpful condition of society. Hence its laws simply aim at these ends. They are passed because of some supposed public need, because it is believed the general good requires them. We are bound thus in the matter of the Sunday laws to stand outside the Bible and argue for them on the same line as all the other laws, because the public need and advantage require them. If we cannot indicate them on these grounds then they can claim and deserve no place on the statute-books."
With this also we heartily agree; only one statement might have been made a little stronger, and that is, that laws passed to secure men life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, are passed on account of some supposed public need. There can be no supposition about it. If there is to be any public at all, it is an actual necessity that life and liberty be preserved. But in all these paragraphs which we have quoted the speaker has shown a clear perception of the limitations of human government, and we would that all could read his argument and see the force of it, and agree with him that, if Sunday laws are made to stand, it must be because the public good requires them. The next and closing paragraph of this speech shows how impossible it is to make it appear that the public good requires a Sunday law, and that the Sunday should be enforced for the same reason that laws are enacted against stealing. Said he:—
"That a law-guarded rest-day is one of these agencies will hardly be questioned by any reasonable man. On that day peace of God settles down over Sabbath-keeping land. The din of labor ceases, and the din of strife and merry-making, and a few quiet hours are given in which the most engrossed and toil-burdened soul may at least have the opportunity, if it will, to worship God and learn of truths that bear upon a right life. Remember that the law makes no attempt to enforce religion, or even religious observance, on Sunday. It simply institutes a weekly civil holiday, and surrounds it with safeguards such as subserve the interests of morality and makes as favorable as possible."
In this last paragraph the speaker went against all he had so clearly stated before. His attempt to show that society requires such a law, by stating that on Sunday, if enforced by law, peace settles down over the land, and a few quiet hours are given in which all may have the opportunity to learn of God and truths that bear upon a right life, shows that such laws are at least an attempt to enforce morality. There is not the slightest ground on which a so-called civil Sunday law can be based consistently with justice. If it is said that man needs one day in seven for rest, then we will point to the thousands who are observing the seventh day of the week, and to the scores of thousands who are observing the first day of the week, without any law compelling rest. That is sufficient evidence that no such law is needed. If the law is asked only in order that man may have one day in the week to rest, why is it that many who have strictly and quietly rested on the seventh day have been persecuted for not resting on the first day? They have surely rested one-seventh of the time, and nobody can claim that resting upon the first day of the week will do a man more good than resting upon the seventh. Of course it will be said that the seventh day is not the day that the law recognizes; that the great body of Christians recognize the first day, and therefore the law should demand rest on that day. So then the whole question of the civil Sunday law is given up, and it is admitted that the basis of the law is some supposed superiority of Sunday over other days.
It needs no argument to show that all the physical good that may be gained by resting on Sunday is gained to an equal extent by resting on Saturday, and as to the good of society we challenge anyone to demonstrate that a society observing the seventh day is not outwardly, to say the least, as good as one which observes the first. But in spite of Mr. Fowler's little deflection at the close of his speech, we think it is a good one, and commend it to the careful perusal of all our readers.
E. J. W.
THE JUDGMENT.
WE have shown in previous articles that the closing work of our great High Priest must be a judgment work. This is evident (1) from the typical work of the high priest anciently on the day of atonement; and (2) from the nature of the case itself every probationary work must close with a judgment to determine who have endured the trial and met the test required. This is true of man's probation. And it is also true that the gospel message will bear to the world the proclamation of a judgment near. This matter may be better understood if placed in the form of propositions with Scripture proof.
1. There will be a judgment-day which will decide the fate of all men. This is declared in Holy Writ so many times that it seems scarcely necessary to produce proof. One or two texts of the many will suffice. Says Paul in Acts 17:31: "Because He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." Here the apostle declares that the resurrection of Christ is an assurance of the judgment. That this judgment will involve the cases of all is proved by the following: "For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 2 Cor. 5:10. See also Eccl. 12:13, 14; Rom. 14:10.
2. This judgment begins before probation closes and Christ comes. Every judgment must necessarily consist of three parts, namely, the examination of cases, the passing of sentence, and the execution of the judgment. The investigative judgment begins previous to the close of probation at the coming of Christ. This is shown in the first part of that threefold message of Rev. 14:6, 7:—135"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
This angel symbolizes religious teachers which bear to the world the only gospel of Christ (Gal. 1: 8, 9), and declaring as a part of its mighty import, "The hour of his judgment is come." Paul placed the judgment future in his day; it was yet to come. Acts 24:25; 17:31. Martin Luther and the Reformers believed it to be still future; but when this message is given to the world (as it assuredly must be) it will declare that God's judgment hour is come already, even while probation still lingers; for this is proved by the gospel message.
This is a message which will but shortly precede the coming of Christ. This is shown by the two messages which immediately follow, and go with the first message. The first angel gives the positive side of the one threefold message, or reveals to man what he ought to do. The third reveals the negative side of the message, or warns man against what he ought not to do. The second reveals the natural consequences of rejecting the first. These messages warn men living on the earth in view of God's wrath unmixed with mercy. See Rev. 16: 1. And immediately following, the Son of man comes to execute judgment. Rev. 14:14.
The time when the investigative judgment begins can be definitely ascertained. It has been shown by conclusive proof that our Saviour, in harmony with the types of the past dispensation, began his ministration of priest in the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary. He will close his work in the second apartment, where John saw the ark of his testament. Rev. 11:19. This work in the type was called the cleansing, reconciling, or justifying, of the sanctuary from the sins transferred there through the blood of the sacrifices. So also the heavenly things must be cleansed by the better sacrifice. Heb. 9:23. There is no escaping this plain, positive declaration of Inspiration. The heavenly sanctuary must be cleansed, not from physical defilement or impurity, but from the sins which have been brought in there through the blood of Christ. This cleansing, or putting away of all sin, was in the type a judgment work; it is no less so in the antitype. And as the type ended in A.D. 31, at the crucifixion, when the veil of the temple was rent in twain, whatever cleansing of the sanctuary there is which the prophetic word places this side of the crucifixion, must therefore apply not to the earthly sanctuary but the heavenly. This, all must acknowledge. But the time which points this out we have already shown began in 457 B.C. and ended in 1844 A.D., namely, the 2,300 days of Dan. 8:14. The cleansing of the sanctuary therefore mentioned in the last text is the closing work of our great High Priest on high.
Right at this time a class of religious teachers, embracing nearly all evangelical denominations, heralded to the earth the message, "Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Dan. 8:14. This message is brought to view in the prophecy in Revelation 10: It is based on time (verse 6). This does not mean probationary time, as another message is to follow (verse 11). It means simply this, that the last message containing definite time concerning our Lord's work as high priest was then given. This is shown in what this time pertains to. Says the angel: "But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets." Verse 7.
"The mystery of God" is shown, by comparing Eph. 3:3; 1:9, 10; 6:19; Gal. 1:11, 12, to be that work of Christ which gathers out from all nations a people one with him, or, in other words, the gospel work, including our Saviour's priesthood; for the gospel is nothing without that. But what prophet has said anything about the finishing of that work in connection with prophetic time?—The prophet Daniel, in the words, "Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." The word used to denote this work is, in the Revised Version, in both Dan. 8:14 and Heb. 9:23, the same, namely, "cleansed." Dan. 8:14 is the only passage which refers to this work in connection with time. That this passage in the Revelation refers to Daniel's prophecy is also shown by the little book upon which the angel bases this prediction. It was a little book just opened, showing that it had sometime been closed. This is true of but one book as recorded in the Bible. The book of Daniel was shut up and sealed till the time of the end. Dan. 12:4. The book of Rev. 10:2 was opened in the time of the end, and from that it was declared that time should be no longer. The longest period of prophetic time, and the only period which has especially to do with Christ and his work, the 2,300 days, ended therefore in 1844.
It can be easily shown that the day and hour and month and year of the sixth angel, the second woe trumpet (Rev. 9:15), ended August 11, 1840. A little period intervened, denominated "quickly," between the sixth trumpet, or second woe, and the seventh trumpet, or third woe. Compare chapter 9:12 with 11:14. This coincides with Dan. 8:14, allowing the little term "quickly" to cover the four years between 1840 and 1844. Then the seventh angel began to sound in 1844. In the beginning of the days (years) of his sounding, the mystery of God, the work of the gospel, the work of saving mankind, will be finished. This brings us again to the judgment work. This was the message given in 1840 to 1844.
But were those who gave that message not disappointed?—Yes, in the event to take place at the end of 2,300 days. They supposed that the popular idea of the judgment was correct, that it all occurred at the very time when Christ came, that the sanctuary was the earth, or some portion of the earth, and that its cleansing was to be by fire, at the second coming of Christ. But they were not disappointed in the time; that was as sure as the oath of the angel.
The very prophecy itself indicated that they would not see all clearly, and that they would be disappointed. The angel was clothed with a cloud, indicating obscurity; but this obscurity was not to issue in despair. Over the cloud was the rainbow, token of hope. John, as the representative of the church, was bidden to eat the book, in other words, to receive the message. He did so, and it was sweet as honey in his mouth. Even so was the message given by the faithful in 1840 to 1844. But when he had eaten it, it was bitter; even so was the disappointment to those who bore the scorn of the popular and proud churches and scoffing world in 1844. But God did not forsake his people. Another message was yet to be given,—"Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings." Rev. 10:11. The fact that they were mistaken does not show that they did not fulfill prophecy. The disciples were mistaken when they hailed Jesus as King before his crucifixion. Luke 19:37, 38; 24:21. But all this was necessary that the prophecy might be fulfilled. Zech. 9:9; Luke 19:40.
We are warranted therefore by the foregoing testimony in placing the beginning of the justification, or cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, in 1844; and we are further warranted in calling it a judgment. Right here also began the message of Rev. 14:6, 7, declaring that the hour of God's judgment is come. That message calls men away from will-worship, and man-worship, to the fear and worship of the one true God, who created all things. The very words almost of the fourth commandment are used in calling men back to the true worship of God, such worship as will stand the test of the judgment, which begins with the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Under this trumpet is also opened in heaven the most holy place, where is seen, by the representative of the church, the ark of the testament, containing the holy law of God, another proof that our Saviour went in at that time to finish his work.
Another confirmation of this is shown in Dan. 7:9-14. Before the papal power represented by the little horn comes to an end the judgment is set. It is after this that the dominion of the papal power is taken away, which occurred in 1870. Verse 26. The prophet sees the Son of man go in before the Ancient of Days to receive his kingdom, and when the kingdom is given and the coronation takes place, the Son of man has ceased to be priest.
That the judgment begins before Christ comes is also shown by the resurrection of the righteous dead, who are raised at his second coming to this earth. See 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. They are not raised, and then judged, and then changed to immortality, but they are "raised incorruptible." 1 Cor. 15:52. This shows that their cases have been previously decided. This also is shown by the words of our Saviour in Luke 20:35: "But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage." If they have been accounted worthy of the resurrection out from among the dead (as it is literally), it follows that there has been examination of their cases previous to their resurrection.
The above proof is sufficient to show that the investigative judgment, which separates the righteous from the wicked, takes place before Christ comes. When the investigation ceases, the following decree will go forth: "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. 22:11, 12.
(Concluded next week.)
RELIGION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
By C. P. B.
At a recent meeting of the Presbyterian Union of New York City, Rev. Dr. Howard Crosby took strong ground against teaching religion in the public schools. The Doctor said:—
“We have got into an educational craze in this matter, and the way to get out of it is to limit the work of the State to where it belongs. We should no more expect to teach religion in the public schools than to teach it in a mechanic's institute for the learning of a technical trade. We have many excellent organizations for benevolent work that are not concerned with the subject of religion. Are these benevolent institutions atheistic or irreligious? I believe it is not the business of the State to teach religion. It is the business of the church. Before the State can teach religion it must get a little religion itself. Of course if we are to have religion taught by the State in this democratic country, we shall have it taught by the local government. What kind of a religion shall we get from the aldermen? The moment we go one step beyond what is the proper limit of a public school, that moment we give each sect a right to claim that its dogma shall be taught. The only safe way is not to teach any.”
The idea that because a school is strictly secular it is irreligious is utterly absurd. It is no more so than a paper is infidel simply because it does not devote some space to the discussion of religious doctrines, or to the inculcation of godliness. Nobody8expects secular papers to do anything of that kind, and so nobody thinks of branding an otherwise unobjectionable paper as ungodly simply because it does not teach religion. It would be just the same in the case of the public schools if people could only once get the idea out of their heads that it is the duty of the State to give religious instruction.
The question, “What kind of religion shall we get from the aldermen?” is a pertinent one, and is quite as applicable to other cities, and even to many rural districts, as it is to New York. If religion is to be taught in the schools it must be the religion of the party in power. In many places it would be the Roman Catholic religion, pure and simple, and those who did not like it might keep their children at home or send them to private schools.
Another suggestion which Dr. Crosby makes is to the point; it is that “before the State can teach religion it must get a little religion itself.” Probably by that he means that only those who have experienced in their own hearts the power of religion are qualified to teach it. But it is quite as true in the sense that before the State can undertake to teach religion it must have a well-defined creed, that is, an established religion, and a State religion means nothing short of a union of Church and State. It is, therefore, not a matter of surprise that Dr. Crosby is opposed to teaching religion in the schools; the wonder is that any minister is in favor of it.