p. 5 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 51. (12/24/1896)

THE TEST OF CHRISTIAN LIFE.

By Ellen G. White

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.

THE Bible is an unerring guide for man in every phase of life. In it the conditions of eternal life are plainly stated. The distinction between right and wrong is clearly defined, and sin is shown in its most revolting character, clothed with the robes of death. If this guide is studied and obeyed, it is to us as the pillar of cloud, which led the children of Israel through the wilderness; but if it is ignored and disobeyed, it will witness against us in the day of judgment. God will judge all by his word; according as they have fulfilled or disregarded its requirements, they will stand or fail.

The Bible demands that right principles be observed in all business transactions. In the strongest terms it condemns false dealing, and calls for purity in thought and word and action. "Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassion every man to his neighbor. And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in his heart." "What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

"All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you," said Christ, "do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets." These words are of the highest importance, and should be our rule of life. But do we carry out this divine principle?

Do we, when brought into contact with our fellow men, deal with them just as we would desire them to deal with us in similar circumstances?

God tests men by their daily life. But many who make high professions of service to him, can not bear this test. In their eagerness for gain they use false weights and deceitful balances. The Bible is not made their rule of life, and therefore they do not see the necessity of strict integrity and faithfulness. Anxious to amass wealth, they allow scheming dishonesty to come into their work. The world watches their conduct, and is not slow to measure their Christian worth by their business dealings. God sees their dishonesty, too, and he asks: "Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?" "Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? that we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works." "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight."

God's children should remember that by their conduct in business deal they are deciding whether or not they are entitled to be called his sons and daughters. We determine the character of a tree by its fruits, and Christ said of men: "By their fruits ye shall know them." "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." If we allow unfaithfulness to characterize our work, we are bearing briers and thorns. While we continue in this way, we can not truly serve the Lord, and we can never hope to enter his kingdom.

It is not the greatness of the offense that makes it wrong in the sight of God. He has established principles of justice which he can not change without changing his whole nature; and the least departure from truth and rectitude is looked upon as a transgression of the law of God. The man who will overreach his fellow man in small matters, will, under stronger temptation, overreach him in greater matters. By continued indulgence in petty sins, men become accustomed to wrong-doing. In their eyes, sin loses its exceeding sinfulness; but holy angels, whose work it is to watch the development of character, and weigh moral worth, make a record of every transgression in the books of heaven. In the day of judgment many will be shut out of the city of God by sins which they supposed to be unworthy of notice.

When pecuniary gain is involved, one act of dishonesty is not thought to be so sinful. But those who secure property by false representation bring condemnation on themselves. And the Bible always tells the same story. With it sin is always sin, whether committed by the possessor of millions or by the beggar in the streets. Better a life of deepest poverty crowned with God's blessings, than all the world's treasure without it. We may be very rich; but unless we have the consciousness that God honors us, we are poor indeed.

Men may claim to be true servants of God, but if they swerve from the path of uprightness, deformity and impurity still exist in their character. They may try to appear what they are not; they may talk of the mercy and love of Jesus; but their words are as "sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal." They may be blinded to the guile in their hearts, and may think themselves righteous; but in the eyes of a holy God they are in the bonds of iniquity.

Christ defined an honest man as one who would manifest unbending integrity in all his business transactions, whether his course brought loss or gain to him. And the man who is indeed connected with God, who keeps his law in truth, also keeps his life pure. His plans are in harmony with the lessons of Christ; his words and actions are approved by a just God; for all his dealings with his fellow men show uprightness. His principles are based upon the sure foundation, and his conduct in worldly matters is a transcript of the principles that govern him. His unbending integrity shines forth as a light in the moral darkness of the world.

He who would be a faithful servant of Christ, must listen to the instruction of the greatest Teacher the world has ever known. His ideas and principles must be kept pure by the power of God. Every day he must learn to become more worthy of the trust committed to him. His mind must be quickened by divine power; his character uncontaminated by worldliness. At times he must turn aside from active life to commune with God, to hear his voice saying, "Be still, and know that I am God." The truth as it is in Jesus must be brought into his place of business; his searching maxims must try the purposes of his soul; its principles must be applied to every transaction. The Christian who is thus sanctified to God can take Jesus with him wherever he goes. No guile is found in his mouth; for his affections are placed on things above; not on the things of this earth. He is indeed a light in the world, a living epistle, "known and read of all men."

Ever be true to right principles. Do not disconnect from them for a moment; if they are inwrought with all you do, they will be life to your soul, abiding with you in all your difficulties, witnessing to all your business transactions, guiding you in all the relations of life, controlling in places where no eye but God's sees, no ear but God's hears. If you hold fast your integrity under all circumstances, you may know that God's signature is upon your work.

Then, tho you may hear of wars and pestilences, of thefts, robberies, and bankruptcies, you may rest in the assurance that you possess true riches; for your treasure is laid up in heaven, "where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal."

THE MISSION OF LOVE.

THE Great Sculptor made a beautiful image in clay. And when it was finished Necessity pressed upon it and Toil bent it down. Famine pinched it, and Tyranny hammered it, and Monopoly cast it out from the place which the Sculptor had ordained.

It lay in the kennel, rejected and unclean. Theology passed by on the other side, and said: "See how depraved it is—it is fit only to be cast into the fire."

But Love lifted the figure up and wept over it; and as her tears fell upon the clay it

softened in her arms, so that she smoothed out the bruises with her hands.

Then Justice set it again in its place, and men said: "Behold, it was made in the image of God!"—The Kingdom.

He Shall Save His People

"Thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins."

A SAFE RETREAT.

By Mrs. J. B. Goldsborough

BY MRS. J. B. GOLDSBOROUGH.

THERE is a place we may enter, and shut to the door, Where the world and its burden can worry no more; All sadness and sorrow that weigh on the heart Will vanish like mists and quickly depart; All omens of ill lose their grim threat'ning form, For there is safety and peace and shelter from storm. 'Tis the place we unburden the sins that oppress, And pillow our head on Christ's loving breast.

There the prayer and the promise are blended in one If the words on our lips are: "Thy will, Lord, be done;" In those hours of communion with God's living Son The world is shut out, and heaven has come.

Earth's sneers and its errors lose their hold and their power; His presence makes holy and sacred the hour; Bright angels stand awed when heaven bows down, And mortals, with God, in communion are found.

Doubt, folly, and vice the soul can not reach Who trusts in his word and his Spirit to teach; When the will of a mortal is willed to the Lord, Then love, peace and faith are in sweetest accord.

Let us ask for his mercy and strength every day, Let us enter our closet and kneel down and pray. The "holy of holies" is the light of his face,— There is fulness of strength, and fulness of grace. Minneapolis, Minn.

THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

By Prof. W. W. Prescott

By Prof. W. W. Prescott.

What They Are, and What They Indicate.

IN his dealing with this world it has pleased the Lord to fix upon some events in its history, and certain special experiences of the church and society, as signs which would serve as waymarks toward the setting up of his own kingdom in the earth, which at the same time might mark the nearness of occurrences of unusual importance. Christ himself was set "for a sign which shall be spoken against" (Luke 2:34), and the circumstances of his birth were used as a sign by which his first advent to this world might be known (Isa. 7:14). In his sermon on the day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter quoted a prophecy from Joel, in which the Lord had said: "I will shew . . . signs in the earth beneath," as the true explanation of the wonderful things which the people had witnessed on that day.

To say that the signs which the Lord himself had established can not be understood and correctly applied is to say that the Lord has failed in his purpose to "do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." Amos 3:7. To refuse to accept and act upon that application of these signs which is consistent with itself and with the whole teaching of the Scripture upon the subject under consideration, because some professed interpreters of the word of God persist in urging an application which is not consistent with itself or with the whole teaching of the Scripture upon the subject under consideration, is to reject the light simply because some are putting darkness for light. Only things of real value are counterfeited, but wise men do not reject a good note simply because a counterfeit is known to be in circulation.

In our study of the real significance of the downfall of Turkey, as shown by the prophecies in the eleventh chapter of Daniel and in Revelation 8 and 9 and 11:14-19, we have found that the crisis of the ages is just upon us, "a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time" (Dan. 12:1), a time of which the prophet said, "And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth" (Rev. 16:1). Compare Rev. 11:18 and Rev. 15:1. These events bring us to the second coming of our Saviour, the resurrection of the dead, and the reward of the saints.

But the downfall of Turkey is not the only indication that these things are just at hand. Our Lord said: "There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth," etc. (Luke 21:25, 26); and when the disciples asked him, "What shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world?" he gave a brief outline of leading events from that time until his return to this earth. See Matt. 24:4 to Matt. 25:13.

His reply was given to them, and put on record for us, in order that we might know "the times and the seasons," and make the special preparation needed to meet him in peace. These signs have been seen, and repeatedly recorded.

Furthermore, the Scripture mentions some special characteristics of the days just preceding the second coming of Christ and the end of all things of this world. There will be heaping up of treasure through the oppression of the poor (James 5:1-4); but those who suffer these things are urged to "be patient . . . unto the coming of the Lord" (verse 7).

There will be "perilous [hard] times," and men will exhibit the most unchristlike characters while professing to be religious, "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." 2 Tim. 3:1-5.

There will be the spirit of violence throughout the earth. Compare Matt. 24:37 with Gen. 6:11.

There will be a departing "from the faith." 1 Tim. 4:1. The very idea of the return of the Saviour to this earth, and especially that we should be able to know anything concerning the time of his return, will be held in derision, and the "scoffers" will be saying, "Where is the promise of his coming?" Read the third chapter of the second epistle of Peter, and note the great force of this sign. Upon those who thus scoff and reject the light, "the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night" (verse 10); "but ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief" (1 Thess. 5:4).

A careful observer of current events can not fail to see the fulfilment of all these signs at the present time. It is only in the light of the various Scriptures to which we have referred, that we can understand the meaning of the present situation of affairs throughout the world. We are even now in the beginning of the end, and "the mournful roll of war, revolution, plague, drought, famine, explosions, railway accidents, and shipwreck," which is appalling many hearts in the world, is but an indication of what is coming.

But we can fix no definite date for the close of this world's history, for the same Saviour who said, "When ye see all these things, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors," said also, "But of that day and hour knoweth no one." Matt. 24:33, 36, R. V. So while we do not attempt to fix any date for this great event, yet we know that "he is nigh," and we can say, "Yet a little while, how short! how short! the Coming One will be here, and will not delay."

These are times of great solemnity. It becomes each one to inquire, Am I ready for the "time of trouble such as never was"? and, Shall I be "accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man?" He who accepts the salvation which is so freely offered in Jesus Christ, has no cause for fear; for "at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book."

Those who really love the Lord Jesus and have experienced the joy of his presence in their hearts, will be glad to know that his own words, "I will come again, and receive you unto myself" (John 14:3), are soon to be fulfilled. Those who know more of this world than of Christ as a living Saviour, will say, "My Lord delayeth his coming." "Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." "Except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God." "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT.

By C. A. Wyman

Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Continued.

SUMMING it up briefly, the parable is made to teach what the word of God denies, namely, that man is immortal, and that there is now a burning hell, into which the wicked are plunged at death. This teaching is false, and impeaches the wisdom and mercy of God, as shown by the following counts:—

The judgment of the wicked must precede their punishment.
This judgment is still future.
All the faithful in Christ take part in that judgment.
Satan is not in torment.
Hell is this earth.
The resurrection of the wicked alone brings them forth to be punished.
And upon this earth fire comes down from God and devours them.

Application of the Parable.

The language was addressed to the Pharisees, who were "covetous" and who "derided Him," neither would they hear Moses or the prophets. Luke 16:14, 29-31.

It was a parable, for "without a parable spake he not unto them." Matt. 13:34. Things which "are not" were spoken of "as tho they were" (Rom. 4:17; 1 Cor. 1:28), carrying their minds forward to the time when they should see Abraham and Isaac in the kingdom of God, and they themselves thrust out (Luke 13:28).

Pleading indeed was the voice that then addressed that people, telling them that now was the day of their salvation. In all fulness God was showing them that he had raised up that prophet, one among them, like unto their brethren (Deut. 18:15), and that "whosoever would not hearken to that prophet should be destroyed from among the people" (Acts 3:23). If these things, nor Moses and the prophets, would not move them, neither would they be persuaded "tho one rose from the dead." Luke 16:31.

With the earth as the place of hell; with the devils not in "torment;" with all the wicked reserved unto the day of judgment to be punished; with that day of punishment at the resurrection of the unjust; it follows that the "torment of hell" in the parable, must be when they "shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God," and they themselves "thrust out." The wicked will then behold the city and its inhabitants, and seek to take it. Rev. 20:9. The righteous then "behold the reward of the wicked." Ps. 91:8. The life of the wicked will be sufficiently prolonged that all may fully understand "the sinfulness of sin, and that sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." James 1:15.

Eternal Fire.

"Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." Jude 7.

Upon those corrupt cities there fell fire and brimstone from the Lord out of heaven. Gen. 19:24. The same fire comes down at the close of the thousand years of judgment, upon Satan and all the wicked. Rev. 20:9.

The apostle calls that eternal fire that befell Sodom and Gomorrah, yet who would contend that those cities are still burning. But if that "eternal fire" ceased with the destruction of the cities of the plain and their wicked inhabitants, who shall say that with the final destruction of root and branch the "everlasting fire" shall not cease?

Unquenchable Fire.

"And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched." Mark 9:43.

"But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched." Jer. 17:27.

Thus, for Sabbath-breaking, the city of Jerusalem was burned with fire that should not be quenched, and yet Jerusalem is not now burning. The fire that God had kindled, neither men, nor devils were able to quench it; yet having done its intended work to devour, the fire ceased to be.

"Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matt. 3:12.

"Behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." Mal. 4:1.

The wicked shall be consumed as "the chaff" (Isa. 5:24), as the "stubble" (Nahum 1:10), as the "fat of lambs" (Ps. 37:20), as "tow" (Isa. 1:31). Certainly the Lord does not mean that the wicked can be enduring when he likens them to such combustible materials as these.

"And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched." Isa. 66:24.

The worm is a destroyer. Job 17:14; Acts 12:2. It is not the fire devouring and "tormenting" the worm, but their worm and their fire devouring the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against God. There is a time, prolonged "according to their deeds," in which the righteous "behold the reward of the wicked." Ps. 91:8. The city with its ransomed throng dwells, as we have seen, in "everlasting burnings," unharmed. Isa. 33:14, 15. With no eternal life or immortality, with no power to quench their fire, the destroyer goes on till root and branch are consumed.

Seeing that "eternal," "everlasting," and "forever" are sometimes positively limited in the Scripture as to time, the question may naturally arise, How can we determine the true meaning of these terms? As applied to created beings, it is obvious that the character held determines the destiny of each. As life is inherent only in God and Christ (John 5:26), as they alone possess inherent immortality (1 Tim. 6:16), it follows that to all other beings life and immortality are gifts bestowed only upon condition that they seek for them, and that too, with all the heart (Rom. 2:7; 6:23).

As all sin originates in the mind and is of the mind (Matt. 15:19), it follows that to be sinfully minded is death (Rom. 8:6), and that life and peace only are for the spiritually minded. "Enmity" towards the law of God, refusal to keep in love its requirements, brings death to that mind in which sin is; for that which sins "shall die." Eze. 18:20.

Kind reader, we have sought candidly, scripturally, and logically to examine the doctrine of "eternal punishment." If you have thought that somewhere in the dominion of God there is a burning hell, into which the wicked are plunged at death, doubtless in your perusal of the foregoing there are some thoughts new and strange to you, by which your former ideas are found to be at discord with the Scriptures, the mercy and justice of God.

Summed up in brief, these thoughts are largely:—

That the wicked will not have eternal life to endure eternal suffering.
That the devils themselves are not in torment.
That the place of hell is this earth, where devils are.
That the righteous only can dwell in "everlasting burnings."
That the earth is the place of final reward of both righteous and wicked.
That the inheritance of the earth by the saved is not until the wicked are in ashes.

If you have believed in the doctrine of "eternal torment," your belief has been based upon the premise alone that "the soul of man is immortal," and you now see that "the soul that sinneth it shall die."

You also perceive that the logic of the immortality-of-the-soul doctrine upholds and necessitates the perpetuity of sin, by which God himself will be unable to suppress it, or secure a punishment equivalent to the deed; for the sinful mind, heaping up its load of iniquity, and punished "according to its deeds," would make the strife between God and sin of such magnitude that the infinite God could not punish "according to the deeds;" for whatever punishment was inflicted, there would still remain unsatisfied justice.

Do you not see that the same being that has created, can for sin "destroy both soul and body in hell"? Matt. 10:28.

Can you not see that God had a clean universe once, and that it is not planned by the infinite mind to perpetuate the horrible rebellion of Satan against his law and government?

Can you not see that it is Satan alone who promises life in sin, saying, "Ye shall not surely die"?

With all the number of times that ministers and writers say that "the soul is immortal," does it not seem strange that God has never said so once? The word "immortal" is but once used, applying to God only. 1 Tim. 1:17. And immortality is also inherent in him alone, and comes to us only at the resurrection. 1 Tim. 6:16; 1 Cor. 15:53.

He who upholds, believes or teaches the doctrine of the "immortality of the soul" and "rewards and punishments," logically upholds and teaches the perpetuity of sin and the utter incapacity of God to cope with it by punishment, and nullifies the "judgment," the "return of our Lord," and the resurrection.

With these thoughts we leave the subject with you, praying that the God of all grace may help you to "adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour," by the revelation of, and obedience to, his righteous will.

THE SABBATH COMPLETE IN JESUS.

By William Covert

THERE is nothing more clearly taught in the Bible than that Jesus is everything to the Christian. He is "all in all," and that which is not found in him does not belong to the child of God. "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him." Col. 2:9, 10.

This fulness includes every part of creation. "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible; whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities or powers; all things were created by him, and for him; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist. . . . For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." Col. 1:16, 17, 19.

In redemption we receive the fulness which is in him (John 1:16); our life is in him (Col. 3:3); and in him we are rooted, and grounded, and built up, and established in the faith (Col. 2:7). To us he is "wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." 1 Cor. 1:30. "As he is, so are we in this world." 1 John 4:17.

This completeness is as truly met and enjoyed by the Christian, in devout Sabbath observance, as in the fulfilment of any other requirement. And certainly it should be so, for Jesus is as much the Author of the Sabbath for man as he is the Creator of man. With the Father, Christ was associate Creator. The apostle says God "created all things by Jesus Christ." Eph. 3:9. Through the word of creative power Jesus now upholds all things. Heb. 1:3. The creative word still gives and sustains life through Jesus Christ. "For he spake and it was done; he commanded, and it [the world] stood fast." Ps. 33:9. By the commandment of creation the world still is kept and life maintained.

The Sabbath to man is therefore a memorial and sign of what Christ is to his people. It is to man a holy keepsake, which speaks of Christ's love both as Creator and Redeemer. "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." Ex. 20:11. "Hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God." Eze. 20:20. Every person who faithfully observes the Sabbath commandment knows by experience the significance of the above. But he that opposes the Sabbath by habitually transgressing this commandment, places himself where he can not know the sweets of Jesus' presence through this heaven-blest memorial.

In his personal teaching the Saviour said he was Lord of the Sabbath, and that it "was made for man." Mark 2:27, 28. In his prophetic word this significant statement is made: "I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them." Eze. 20:12. In this scripture, man is promised the knowledge of the Lord and also of sanctification through the Sabbath. There is much in this promise; for Christ is made unto us sanctification. See again 1 Cor. 1:30. Question—What is it to know him? Answer—"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent."

John 17:3. Thus it is shown that the knowledge of God and sanctification is only for those who truly become Christians. Conclusion—Therefore, the person who properly understands and enjoys the Sabbath according to the Scriptures, shows by so doing, that he knows God and is sanctified through the Lord Jesus Christ. This attitude further shows that the righteousness of Christ has been imputed to this same person and he has thereby been made righteous.

But the righteousness of Christ embraces his obedience to the commandments. "I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." John 15:10. "So by the obedience [the keeping of the commandments] of one [Christ] shall many be made righteous." Rom. 5:19. "Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength. . . . In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified." Isa. 45:24, 25. "This is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." Jer. 23:6. "This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." Isa. 54:17. The keeping of the commandments by Christ was the obedience which he rendered for his people. It is that obedience which is imputed to them for righteousness when they believe. "Even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." Rom. 5:18.

The obedience of Jesus to all his Father's commandments includes his keeping of the Sabbath. This Sabbath obedience is imputed to every one who truly believes in Jesus for salvation. It is Christ's obedience to the Sabbath day described in the commandments, which is imputed to the Christian for Sabbath observance. It can not possibly be otherwise if he receives righteousness through Christ. The righteousness must be that which is found in the life of Christ. The true Christian does not look to the works of some one else apart from the Saviour, to find righteousness for himself. He must find it all in Jesus. "Ye are complete in him," not apart from him, not in the Virgin Mary, not in the "Christian Fathers", not in Mohammed. It is not in self nor in our own works that we may do that we are complete. The Christian's righteousness is none of these. It is in Jesus, ONLY JESUS. "For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12.

The Christian's Sabbath-keeping is not found in the keeping of a day that Jesus never kept, approved, nor commanded. It is not service rendered to an institution which grew up from the worship of the sun, and whose rootlets drink from the befouled waters of idolatry. But true Sabbath-keeping must grow up in the obedience of the Son of God, and flourish in the power and life of him who alone can save from sin, and whose righteousness is perpetually imputed to him that is constantly willing to be swallowed up in it.

Milton Junction, Wis.

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