It is now time to mention the doctrines held. The cardinal point in Plato's philosophy was the immortality of the soul. Demonolotry, and the whole fabric of Gentile theology, was based upon this. A state of purification by fire after death was also held. As early as the writings of Hermes, purgatory is held up to view. Some must be "tortured and complete the days of their sins." Supererogation, or the doctrine of doing more than is required and thus laying up a fund of goodness, giving more divine honor, is plainly taught.
Dr. Kitto speaks of Ignatius as seeing in the "Catholic Church a continuation of the mystery of the incarnation." And the bishop is by him exalted into a visible representative of Christ; and his power and authority were boundless. He saw the washing away of sin in his own blood of martyrdom, not in the Lord's.
Irenæus is the first to teach that our Lord's ransom was paid to Satan. He believed the Roman Church to have preëminent authority, and that all should agree with her, and "draw from her the waters of life." She was "the entrance into life." Justin Martyr frankly and fully advocated Antinomianism. The law under which the Jew was educated was abolished. He was doubtless the first to advocate this, and for the express purpose of annulling the Sabbath requirement. The "sign of the cross" was everything to Justin. This was about A.D. 150.
Clement held that Christ went to hades and preached to the imprisoned spirits, also the apostles, who doubtless, according to him, would now be thus engaged. Thus probation after death was now an established belief.
Tertullian, "the founder of Latin theology," as also Cyprian, interpreted Matt. 16:16-18 according to the Catholic doctrine of Peter as the pillar and foundation stone upon which the superstructure of the church should be built. According to Tertullian pardon may be secured by penance, by fasting, and by martyrdom. The sign of the cross to him was a charm mighty to break the power of Satan. He believed also in a place of punishment—purgatory. He says: "As oft as the anniversary comes around we make offerings for the dead [martyrs] as birthday (day of martyrdom) honors; we count fasting or kneeling in worship on the Lord's day to be unlawful; we rejoice in the same privilege also from Easter to Whitsunday [Pentecost]. We feel pained should any wine, even though our own, be cast upon the ground. At every step and movement, at every going in and out, when we put on our clothes and shoes, when we bathe, when we sit at table, when we light the lamp, sit on couch, on seat, in all the ordinary actions of daily life, we trace upon our forehead (the sign of the cross). If for these and other such rules you insist upon having positive Scripture injunction, you will find none. Tradition will be held forth to you as the originator of them, custom as their strengthener, and faith as their observer."—De Corona, secs. 3 and 4. This much for Tertullian. With him the water imbibed the power of sanctifying at baptism. At this time there were prayers for the dead and invocation of saints in heaven or hades, they knew not which. "Fall on your knees, fall before God's beloved ones, and entreat their intercession," said he.
The heretic "could not be a Christian," and said he, "they must be forced to do their duty." The bishop was the "chief priest," and the people were not to consider "the honor" or "the peace" of the church safe unless the episcopal dignity stand secure. The mass was the "holy and tremendous sacrifice," a continuation of Christ's sacrifice upon the cross.
The Origenists addressed the martyrs in their sermons as present in the congregations, invoking their assistance and blessing. There was a lower and a higher morality, moral and venial sin. The doctrine of works of supererogation, not necessary, indeed, but very helpful, giving peculiar merit, was taught. Origen enumerates seven ways by which one may be saved from sin: By baptism, martyrdom, almsdeeds, by ourselves, forgiving trespasses of others, by converting sinners, and by abundance of love and open confession. He did not accept the scriptural idea of the fall. He believed in and of course taught the preëxistence of souls, according to the Platonic notion. To him the stars were living creatures. Everywhere the holy water of baptism—the water itself receiving the grace to sanctify the initiate—washed sin away, and according to the same "Father" all men and all demons were at last to be saved. Infant baptism had for some time been held. Cyprian taught the necessity of penance.
It is not through splenetic tendencies that we thus recount the glaring inconsistencies of the Catholic Church of the second and third centuries. Would God the church of Christ might have been saved such a fall.
A PROCLAMATION OF HIS COMING.
By Matthew Larsen
BY ELDER MATTHEW LARSEN.
Having already shown in previous articles that the second advent of Christ as a personal, visible Saviour is plainly taught in the Scripture (Acts 1:9-11; Rev. 1:7), that we are to know when that event is near (Matt. 24:33), to be watching and waiting for it (Heb. 9:28; Mark 13:34-37), and that there should be signs given by which we might know of its approach (Luke 21:25-27), we are now prepared to entertain a consideration of another important question, namely, a warning message, or
PROCLAMATION OF CHRIST'S SECOND COMING.
In all past ages whenever any event of importance that concerned the human family was about to take place, we notice that God invariably made it known to his people, and caused a warning proclamation to be given, so that the people might have opportunity to prepare for the same. Thus, in the days of the antediluvians, when the world had become so sinful, and "the imagination of the thoughts" of their hearts was only "evil continually" (Gen. 6:5), so that God could no longer endure them, but proposed to destroy them with a flood, he raised up Noah, a "preacher of righteousness" (2 Peter 2:5; Heb. 11:7), and sent him forth for a hundred and twenty years, with a faithful message, warning them of their coming danger,—the flood. So, also, in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, before God sent them destruction, he warned them through Lot (Gen. 19:14), and, although Lot seemed unto them as one that mocked, the rejection of that message proved their destruction. In like manner,6also, in the days of Nineveh, before God would destroy them, he first sent Jonah, the prophet, to warn them. They accepted the message and were saved. Jonah 1:2; 3:3-10.
When Christ was about to come the first time into the world, John the Baptist was raised up, and went forth to prepare the way of the Lord for that event. Nearly seven hundred years before, the Lord had declared that just such a message should go: "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Isa. 40:3.
The years came and passed, and the prophecy was left untouched, until "the fullness of time came,"—the proper time for the message to be given,—and immediately that "voice" began to be heard, and the message was carried far and near. And when the Jews inquired who he was, John answered them with a positiveness, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias." John 1:19-24. There was no guesswork about it. And those who refused to heed that message, did so at the peril of their own souls. "They rejected the counsel of God against themselves," says Christ. Luke 7:30.
These instances will serve to illustrate the importance of our giving heed to whatever message God may have for his people. If God has some special message for us, for our time, we do well to give heed to it. To reject it will be at our own peril.
THE COMING OF THE LORD.
By Marie D. Thorne
BY MARIE D. THORNE.
A CRY rang throughout Judea
Like Sinai's trump of old;
It shook the rocks of old, gray Carmel
And the temple's gates of gold.
Jordan heard it, and the cedars
Of Lebanon bowed at the word,
For it was as a storm, "Make ready
For the coming of the Lord."
The vale of ancient Hebron heard it,
And Machpelah's dust was stirred.
See redemption's plan unfolding
In the shining of his word.
Priest and Levite paused to hear it,
While the victim's blood was poured.
Perish now the type; make ready
For the coming of the Lord.
Put down pride and all oppression;
Perish craft and hate and wrong;
For He comes, the Prince of Judah,
The Deliverer promised long.
'Twas the voice of the desert prophet—
Scorning prison chain and sword,
Speaking yet to us, "Make ready
For the coming of the Lord."
Put down pride and all injustice;
Give the toiler his reward.
Think no evil, and make ready
For the coming of the Lord.
Let thy barns be widows' houses;
Let the oil and wine be poured;
Feed the hungry and make ready
For the coming of the Lord.
O our Father, O our Father,
Give us tender hearts to feel,
For already on the highway
Hear we now thy chariot wheel!
Give to him thy life, thy service,
E'er forgetful of reward.
Faithful work will ever hasten
The blest coming of the Lord.
Keeping Sight of Christ's Righteousness
"IF God's people fall at any time into sin, it is not while they are eyeing the perfection of Christ's righteousness, but when they lose sight of it."
Intellectual Training and Common Sense
By John Stuart Mill
The aim of all intellectual training for the mass of the people should be to cultivate common sense.—J. Stuart Mill.
A WARNING NOW.
We inquire, then, Will there be a warning given to the world of Christ's second advent? or are we to be left in ignorance, unwarned and unprepared for this great event? Is it reasonable to believe that God will change his conduct toward his people, or that there will be an exception to the rule in respect to this event? "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." Amos 3:7. God changes not. "As it was in the days of Noe, . . . likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; . . . even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed." Luke 17: 26-30. There will therefore be a warning message, the same as in those days. In speaking of the time of his second advent, Christ said:—
"Who then [at that time] is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season. Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing." Matt. 24: 45, 46.
The term "meat in due season" is quite expressive of the thought we have under consideration. It quite plainly indicates that there is to be a special message of truth, peculiarly adapted to this particular time or "season,"—the "present truth." 2 Peter 1: 12. The nature of this will appear more plainly as we proceed.
There are to be two classes of people on the earth when Christ comes again,—the righteous and the wicked. The one class will be looking and waiting, and ready for his coming, while upon the other class that day will come as a thief in the night. 1 Thess. 5: 1-4; Isa. 25: 9. But the righteous are not in darkness that that day should overtake them as a thief. They will be looking for and expecting it. The other class will be scoffing at his coming. Says the apostle:—
"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." 2 Peter 3: 3, 4.
But why should these scoffers be scoffing at the idea of his coming, or allude to the promise of his coming, unless someone were calling attention to that promise by agitating that question? Or why affirm that all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation unless someone were engaged in declaring the contrary by calling attention to the unnatural phenomena,—the signs of the times,—in those days? There will, then, be somebody engaged in preaching just such a message. "Yes," says the objector, "but that has always been true, even back in the days of the apostles." This, however, is not true. It is contrary to the Scriptures. For Christ taught his disciples that they were not to look for him until after certain signs should first take place. Matthew 24. Certain ones seemed to have gotten the idea in the days of the apostles that he would come in their time. But Paul immediately wrote them a letter, and forever put the question at rest. He positively declared that that day should not come "except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." "Let no man deceive you by any means." "Now we beseech you, brethren, . . . that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand." See 2 Thess. 2: 1-8.
That day—the day of Christ's coming—could not come until after the apostasy, and that huge system of error, destined to develop the Papacy—"the man of sin"—which Daniel had said was to continue 1260 years, might be fulfilled. But when that time is passed, and the proper time for the message to be given has been reached,—"the day of the Lord" near at hand,—God will see that the message is given. Here is one expression of it:—
"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 [or time] of his judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." Rev. 14: 6, 7. See also verse 14.
From this it will appear, then, that an announcement of that event is to be given, and that, too, to every nation, tongue, and people, just before Christ comes. The hour of judgment here mentioned is a short period of time just before probation closes; and "angel," when used as a symbol, represents God's servants, as they are the ones to whom the preaching of the gospel has been committed. Again, God says to his servants, by the prophet Joel, that when the day of the Lord is near at hand, they should—
"Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm [give a message of warning] in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord cometh, FOR IT IS NIGH AT HAND." Joel 2: 1.
The "day of the Lord" refers to the coming of the Lord and the judgment. See 2 Peter 3: 7-10. This is sufficient. It proves conclusively that there is to be just such a message given to the world; and we have already shown that the time for that message to go has already been reached, the signs having been already fulfilled:—
"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing." Matt. 24: 45, 46.
May we, then, give heed to the message, and rejoice in the day of his coming.
THE DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.
By Percy T. Magan
Is It Protestant and Christian?
BY PERCY T. MAGAN.
[This article is No. 23 in the series entitled "A Review of Sunday Legislation in Century Nineteen," but it will be of equal interest to those who have not read preceding numbers. The next will relate to persecutions by that church.—Ed. S. of T.]
ALL of these articles of the Church of England quoted in our last, are biblical. They are a great improvement over the teachings of Rome on the same points. A brief study of the question will reveal the important difference.
Article VI declares that "Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation." Said the apostle Paul when giving his farewell charge to the elders of the church at Ephesus: "And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified." Thus on this point there is no dissonance between the word of God and the Church of England.
But how stands the case with the Church of Rome? Hearken to the answer of his eminence James Cardinal Gibbons:—
A rule of faith, or a competent guide to heaven, must be able to instruct in all the truth necessary for salvation. Now the Scriptures alone do not contain all the truth which a Christian is bound to believe, nor do they explicitly enjoin all the duties which he is obliged to practice.
It does not take any very great amount of wisdom to see that there is everything else but consonance between the word of God and the word of Rome on this point.
Upon the points of justification by faith, good works, and works of supererogation the Church of England undoubtedly has a biblical platform. There are comfort and hope to the sin-sick soul in her sentiments upon all of these lines, and this because they express Scripture truths. But how stands the case with Rome?
They [Protestants] have framed a new dogma, not to be found in any of the creeds, or in the canons of any general council; I mean, the new dogma of justification by faith alone, or by faith only. . . .
By adding the word alone Protestants profess to exclude all exterior, ceremonial, pious, or charitable works, works of obedience or of penance, and good moral acts whatever, as means of apprehending justification, or as conditions to obtain it. Protestants by that word alone mean also to exclude the sacraments of baptism and penance as means of apprehending or possessing themselves of justification, which they maintain is only apprehended by faith. . . .
Indeed some of them go so far as to consider these interior good acts, as well as other exterior good deeds, rather hindrances than dispositions to justification.
To do these acts with the view of being justified is, they say, like giving a penny to the queen to obtain from her a royal gift. Come as you are they add; you cannot be too bad for Jesus. Through faith alone in his promise, they assert you can and should accept Christ's merits, seize Christ's redemption and his justice, appropriate Christ to yourself, believe that Jesus is with you, is yours, that he pardons your sins, and all this without any preparation and without doing anything on your part; in fact, that however deficient you may be in all other dispositions which Catholics require, and however loaded with sins, if you only trust in Jesus that he will forgive your sins and save you, you are by that455trust alone forgiven, personally redeemed, justified, and placed in a state of salvation.
And let every true Protestant say amen, for we are prepared to stand upon this very platform of
JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE.
It is the truth, the Bible truth—and thank God for it. We recommend it to all the world as the true and only gospel. On the precious texts of Scripture which teach us all of this every soul on earth may safely take his stand. And when challenged by the sentry at heaven's gate as to his right to enter in, these words of Scripture—"that a man is justified by faith without the works of the law"—will prove a never-failing passport. Amen and amen from every grateful redeemed soul throughout the universe.
But what saith Rome?
We are clearly told by St. Paul that we are "SAVED BY PENANCE,"
therefore neither faith, nor hope, nor humility, nor prayer, nor anything else is necessary for salvation, but penance alone is required and is sufficient, or at least penance is the only thing that apprehends justification.
This is the papal doctrine. Dear reader, which do you choose—the penitence of God, which is a fruit of faith, or the penance of Rome, which is a seed prolific with devilry?
Once more, the Church of England is correct on her doctrine concerning works of supererogation? What are works of supererogation? Thus: The Papacy states that Jesus Christ did much more than was necessary to reconcile God to man. It was said that one single drop of his blood would have been sufficient. "But he shed it copiously in order to form a treasure for his church that eternity can never exhaust. The supererogatory merits of the saints, the reward of the good works they had done beyond their obligation, have still further augmented this treasure. Its keeping and management were confided to Christ's vicar on earth. He applies to each sinner, for the sins committed after baptism, those merits of Jesus Christ and of the saints, according to the measure and the quantity his sins require.
Such is the Romish doctrine of supererogatory works. It makes every saint a saviour. But the Bible says there is only one Saviour. So here again the Papacy and the Lord are at variance. And it makes out that men are saved by works, and that they can do more than enough. Could there be greater blasphemy?
But all of these man-made schemes are instantly swept away in the grand doctrine of JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE, the true and only gospel. On it we take our stand against Rome and all the world. Well has it been confessed by the great reformer of century sixteen:—
Well then, I, Doctor Martin Luther, unworthy herald of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, confess this article, that faith alone without works justifies before God; and I declare that it shall stand and remain forever in spite of the emperor of the Romans, the emperor of the Turks, the emperor of the Tartars, the emperor of the Persians; in spite of the pope and all the cardinals, with the bishops, priests, monks, and nuns; in spite of kings, princes, and nobles, and in spite of all the world, and of the devils themselves; and that if they endeavor to fight against the truth, they will draw the fires of hell upon their heads. This is the true and holy gospel, and the declaration of me, Doctor Luther, according to the teaching of the Holy Ghost. There is no one who has died for our sins, if not Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I say it once again, should all the world and all the devils tear each other to pieces and burst with rage, that it is not the less true. And if it is he alone that taketh away our sins, it cannot be ourselves, and our good works. But good works follow redemption, as the fruit grows on the tree. That is our doctrine, that is what is taught by the Holy Ghost, and by all the communion of saints. We hold fast to it in the name of God. Amen.
This is the doctrine of the "thirty-nine articles" of the Church of England. And so from all these reasons we do again declare that the Church of England, in point of doctrine, is better than the Church of Rome.
AFFAIRS AT THE CORNERS.
By M. B. Duffie
SEVERAL years ago a lot of us church folks, of whatsoever creed, persuasion, or denomination, formed what we called a union church here at the Corners, or something which a lot of scoffers up at the corner grocery called a theological trust, or combine. We put up a neat little church building at our own expense, for the purpose of carrying on the work of the gospel in the unity of the Spirit, or as much so as we could be expected to, considering the diversity of opinion held by its occupants. For instance, there was always more or less friction among the Baptist members whenever a Methodist minister came along and said, while immersion was valid baptism, perhaps, it was all right to sprinkle people out of a bowl. I have no doubt in the least but it was just about as galling to the feelings of the Methodist brethren when a Baptist minister hitched his horse to the railing in front of the church and came in and stated that immersion was the only valid and scriptural mode. Then, again, an occasional believer in the view of life only in Christ would come along and deny that people have natural, or inherent, immortality.
While such views struck some as being entirely logical and scriptural, others manifested an emphatic, a lively dissent. One of our best members, or attendants, rather, for she never would join us, and she never was urged to do so very strongly, old Mrs. Wilson, almost lost her influence among us when she said that she was not exactly satisfied that Sunday had a very good right to its title, "Sabbath." Her husband, Squire Wilson, is a lawyer, and, lawyer like, he has been prying into the subject. He says he has been examining the records, and finds a flaw in the title. He thinks he can't keep it himself, on account of his business, but what he has had to say about it has caused his wife to study into it so much that now it is simply impossible to get her out again.
Though several persons side with her in her views, she is looked upon as a sort of thorn in the flesh by a great many, and the various ministers who have visited the Corners, though their attention has been called to her views, have none of them seemed to manifest any particular burden to get "the poor old soul" out of her "delusion," as some of them have called it.
We have had a good many different ministers "on trial" since we started, but we have either weighed them in the balance and found them wanting, in some respect or another, or the echoes of a "call," however faint, have been wafted to their ears from some other and more lucrative Macedonia. In this way we have several times been left without a shepherd, and exposed to the ravages of time, and dangers from whatsoever heretical prowler might approach to scatter and tear. We were precisely in this predicament, wandering in the foggy highways and byways, so to speak, when the Rev. Mr. Splurgin appeared in town with a magic lantern with which to illustrate a pleasure trip he had recently made through various foreign countries, under the auspices of some other denomination. After several nights thus spent, and as Mr. Splurgin for some reason at the present time was without a charge, and would be glad to come to anyone on six months' trial, we told him to come along. He immediately started a revival effort, and some for whom our previous pastors had long and patiently angled, were caught and safely landed, while others, so to speak, squirmed off the bank and were lost. We felt that we had captured a prize in Brother Splurgin, and more than ever when it became known that he had come to us from those people who keep Saturday for Sunday. That wouldn't stand in his way the least mite. With us, though, all we cared to know was that he had left them, and joined us. That was a good enough recommend for all practical purposes.456After the days of his probation were finished, he was joined by his wife, a sweet-faced lady, and a manly little son, Tommy, of some fourteen summers. It was not long till it was noticed that Mr. Splurgin's wife and boy did not enter very zealously into his church work. In fact, she had several times been seen through the window, by Sunday passers, with knitting or needlework in hand, while Tommy had horrified the feelings of certain members of his father's flock on the several occasions he had been seen strolling along the edge of the trout stream early of a Sunday morning, with fishpole across his shoulder and bait box in hand.
One Sunday morning good old Deacon Thomas met him, and, laying his hand upon his head in a fatherly manner, exclaimed, "Don't you know that this is the Sabbath, my boy?" "No, sir, I do not," Tommy respectfully responded. "If I thought it was, sir, I certainly would not wish to break it. My Bible says the Sabbath comes on the seventh day of the week. What day of the week is this," he queried. "Why,—this is, the,—the,—the,—ah—there is the last bell,—I must hurry along." "Ask pa about it," called Tommy, and the deacon ambled along, querying to himself, "How in the world would Brother Splurgin be able to quiet the nerves of an anxious inquirer concerning this Sunday business if he isn't able to take such quirks out of the heads of his own wife and boy?"
Some of the good sisters, noticing the absence of the minister's wife at the Sunday morning services at the sanctuary, formed themselves into a committee and called upon her. She received them kindly, and, with the open Bible upon her knee, gave the reasons for the hope within her with meekness and fear. As a result of this and other interviews, and the literature placed in their hands, several of the most intellectual and spiritual-minded women of our society said they would rather attend the little meetings at her house, where the Bible was searched, than to go to the church and hear Brother Splurgin speak so often about that trip of his through Mexico, Central America, Brazil, etc.
With great joy old Mrs. Wilson heard of the views held by the wife of the pastor. She had never before felt entirely at home in any meetings she had attended since she left "York State." So many hard questions and knotty problems were being submitted to Elder Splurgin, which he could not, or did not, answer to the entire satisfaction of the querists, that he thought the best thing he could do was to drop the work, which he could not carry forward much longer with credit to himself or satisfaction to his people, and accept the position of superintendent of village schools, an office lately made vacant by the grim hand of the destroyer. His wife, faithful to her conscience, continued her work until such an interest had been awakened and a desire kindled to hear the living preacher that a corps of evangelists and Bible workers were assigned to duty at the Corners, and a series of meetings began right in our church. Would you believe it?
At the close of the meetings, which lasted about two months, all were invited to arise who believed away down in their hearts that what they had heard was the truth, and that it was, furthermore, their intention to obey it. Brother Splurgin had only attended a few of the meetings along towards the close, but then he began to attend quite steadily with his wife and boy. When the request was made to stand up, some were somewhat surprised to see him take an erect position with the rest of us, and, with the tears streaming down his manly face, acknowledge his past shortcomings, and express a desire to be reinstated in the hearts and confidence of his former brethren.
While there was great rejoicing in that household that night, we have the right to believe, and base our belief on the divine word, that there was greater rejoicing among the angels of heaven over the one penitent returned than over the ninety and nine who went not astray.
HIDDEN TREASURES.
By E. C. Chapman
BY E. C. CHAPMAN.
At different times in the history of mankind glowing reports have been borne hither and thither of newly discovered mines, rich in precious metal. The valuable deposits of the Rocky Mountains, the Sierra Nevadas, and the Andes have led thousands of brave men to risk their lives and their fortunes in a wild rush for riches, which were supposed by many to bring happiness and the greatest of blessings to men. The diligence of some was awarded by obtaining a portion of what they sought, while others perished in the struggle for wealth.
Not only on the land but in the sea do we find men bending all their energies toward obtaining hidden treasures. In the Gambier Islands, Torres Straits, and many other places in the broad Pacific, thousands of men are risking their lives in the dangerous work of diving for pearl shells. Some gather in considerable riches in this way, while others go below the surface of the deep to return no more till the judgment day. In many cases the riches themselves have been a snare to the possessor, and through drunkenness and debauchery have led to destruction. It is said that in the Gambier Islands, which are especially rich in shells, there are eight deaths to one birth among the people, and from several thousand inhabitants they have dwindled down to a few hundred.
To those who trust in the riches of this world there is always a day of separation and trouble ahead; for "he that trusteth in his riches shall fall," says the word of God. Prov. 11: 28.
There is, however, a mine of truth and blessing, the greatest which could possibly come to mankind, which by the majority is treated as a common thing, and left quite unexplored.
The word of God is a revelation of Christ (John 1:14), and in him "are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2: 3). Life, and that eternal, liberty as free men in Christ, and happiness which bears no bitter sting, are some of the precious jewels that are within the reach of all, and are revealed within the word of God, which is the grandest reservoir of enduring treasures ever brought to light.
As the glorious gospel call invites us all homeward, in the beautiful words, "Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely," it must be that whosoever has not drawn from the wells of salvation the sweetest drafts has neglected a glorious privilege and missed the very cream of happiness. Every such one should meditate upon the words, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Cor. 6: 2.
In meditating upon the things of God as revealed in his word we become changed more and more into his likeness (2 Cor. 3: 18), and as in our onward journey we look into the Book which is a revelation of the Man of Calvary, love for the pure and holy fills our hearts, and ere we are aware peace and happiness meet us in the way. Phil. 4: 7.
To be heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8: 17) brings to mortal man an inheritance brighter and more enduring than anything the eye can see, or the mind of man does comprehend; as it is written, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Cor. 2: 9.
Hamuta, Tahiti.
SUNSET ON THE EQUATOR.
By E. H. Gates
BY ELDER E. H. GATES.
FEBRUARY 26 was a glorious day. The wind was light, and the sea smooth. Of course our ship, the Pitcairn, made but little headway; but as comfort was more desirable than speed, we were perfectly satisfied with our slow movements. At sunset we were five or six miles south of the equator, sailing about four knots per hour.
As the sun sank into its watery bed, the floating clouds above the horizon were lighted up with a glory that seemed like the radiance from the gates ajar. The long bars of clouds stretching from north to south glowed with a splendor which is indescribable. Great banks of cloud also lifted their tops all along the western horizon, looking to the beholders like the shores of fairyland, seeming not substantial enough for mortals to tread upon, but well fitted for the feet of celestial beings. The brilliancy and splendor of the scene was something unearthly, beyond anything we had ever witnessed before at sea, and which can be seen only in tropical climes.
The sea stretching from our ship to those imaginary shores was softly lighted up, each dimpling wave seeming to catch some of the glory of the scene and reflect it to us. The wind blew soft and balmy, seemingly trying to entice us to stay in these favored regions that it might woo us with its caresses forever. The temperature of the air was agreeable, neither too warm nor too cool.
As the sun sank lower, the splendor on sky and cloud changed to a deep crimson hue, and the banks of cloud assumed the forms of lakes, bays, and inlets with islands dotted about, the shores of which were clearly defined and from whose depths were reflected the fleecy clouds that floated above them.
The dog star, Sirius, now shone forth in its bright beauty, while directly in the zenith was seen the constellation of Orion. As the darkness deepened, one by one the shining hosts of the skies came forth to take the place457of the fading beauty of the western horizon.
As we sat long in silent contemplation of the scene, our minds involuntarily reverted to the inspired Psalmist: "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard."
POWER OF PRAYER.
WHEN Moody first visited Oxford, England, the first night of his meeting he was received by the students with derisive shouts, which drowned his voice. It was a little better the second night. But he then gathered a company of praying mothers, who unitedly sent up prayer and supplication to God, who has the hearts of all men in his hand, and can turn them as the rivers of water; and the third night fifty students rose for prayer, and Moody wrote, "It was not the preaching, it was not Sankey's sweet singing, it was the prayers of the mothers that did it."
Yes, with prayers and supplications like those preceding the pentecostal blessing, like results would still follow, and thousands be added to the church of the saved. The faithfulness of God is concerned in answering such prayers; and the history of the church testifies that in every age the church can sing, as did the Psalmist of Israel, "I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications."—Methodist Protestant.
A VISION OF HOME.
By Mrs. D. E. W.
BY MRS. D. E. W.
BEAUTIFUL heaven, blissful abode,
Evergreen fields in the Eden of God,
The gates ajar by faith I see,
And the blessed Saviour who died for me.
Beautiful fields forever green,
With nothing but the veil between.
When the veil is rent, and life is come,
My vision clear shall behold that home,
The jasper walls, the streets of gold,
The Lamb of God, the Shepherd's fold,
Immortal saints by the crystal sea,
The river of life, the healing tree.
My soul in its vision would fain take flight,
And soar to that blissful land of light,
Away to that peaceful home on high,
Where we'll live to love and never die.
And there, where white-robed angels are
Within the gate that stands ajar,
I long to dwell in that land so fair,
With the saints at rest forever there.
O beautiful home, sweet Eden land,
No storms e'er beat on thy shining strand!
O gracious Saviour, fain would I flee,
And be forever at rest with thee!