“Power belongeth unto God,” wrote the psalmist. Only in the hands of the great Judge of all the earth, who can not fail to do right, can vast power be safely reposed. Only under his direction can great power be exercised unattended by evil results. Upon all the pages of human history stands out clearly the truth that human beings can not be safely entrusted with unusual power. In former times such power was possessed by kings and those who sat in the chief seats of authority. The evils which followed the concentration of great power in the hands of one individual led to the adoption of a form of government which distributes the power of the nation among the people. The founders of the American republic provided as the basis of government in this nation a constitution which they believed would insure protection to the people against the despotism with which individuals had been able, under a monarchical form of government, to oppress the masses of the people.
But our forefathers who so carefully guarded against the evils of political monarchy, did not foresee the rise of monarchs in the industrial world. The men who so resolutely stood out against King George’s system of taxation without representation, did not foresee the far worse system of taxation without representation that was to be established by the power of wealth. They did not foresee the conditions through which men would be lifted to positions of monarchical power independently of the machinery of civil government, and the abuse of that power of which such men would be guilty.
To-day, the prosperity of the nation is threatened from the abuse of power. The tendency to the abuse of power on the part of all classes possessing it seems to be growing. The following extracts from an address made by Mr. James B. Dill, a prominent corporation lawyer, at Oberlin College, June 28, show how this danger is felt by one in the best position to comprehend it:—7
The menace in our so-called prosperity of to-day is that the men among us who become powers—financial, political, social—abuse their power. Conditions in the business and financial world are not wholesome. Let us look a little deeper. The trouble is not with matters in the abstract, it is not with theories, it is not with forms. The trouble is concrete. The evils of the past are our fault. The wrong is personal. The cause of to-day’s existing evils is not that our theories of finance or politics or corporation law are wrong. They may be wrong, but they are not “the” wrong. Back of them are the evils which have their origin within our men and our women. No, the cause is personal; and—this I say deliberately—the greatest wrong-doing is by educated men and educated women. Of pretenders, deceivers of the public, of grafters, the most skilful and dangerous are found in the ranks of educated men and educated women. . . .
Credit and good faith, not money, are the basis of business. Good or bad, our modern prosperity is founded on public confidence. Take that away, and the whole fabric falls. Well, we are taking it away. Distrust—the rust which corrodes public confidence—is spreading in the land. Suspicion is taking the place of belief, skepticism is taking the place of public confidence; many are inclined to view an honest investment with a feeling of doubt and fear; many refuse to invest in new enterprises, because they prefer to place their funds in savings-banks, trust companies, insurance companies, where they think their savings are safe. And there also, we are learning, these savings are used by those in control for private speculation.
The result of this prevalent abuse of power—the manner in which it is a menace to the country—as seen by Mr. Dill, is that it leads directly, logically, and inevitably to “the corruption of our laws and their false interpretation.” The men who are guilty of it, he says, are “sowing the seeds of socialism, anarchy, and despotism.” L. A. S.
Christian Endeavor Headquarters in Washington
ONE more religious body is turning to Washington as the most appropriate location for the headquarters of its work. The Christian Endeavor Society, the twenty-second international convention of which was concluded at Baltimore July 10, has under consideration a project to erect a million-dollar building for the international headquarters of the society, and a strong sentiment in the society favors the selection of Washington for this purpose. The present headquarters is in Boston, and while a more western location, such as Chicago or St. Louis, is favored by members residing in that section of the country, a strong argument is made in favor of Washington as most suitable for truly international headquarters. The following from an article in the Washington Post shows how those favoring Washington reason on the subject:—
As it is to be international headquarters, Commissioner Macfarland has represented to the managers of the movement that the building ought to be in the national capital, upon which the eyes of all countries are now fixed as never before, so that it may properly be considered the international center of the world.
It is the city set upon a hill, and the eyes of the nations are upon it. Its selection by Russia and Japan for their peace conference is but a new evidence of its unique position. The ambassadors of foreign powers are there, it is the official home of the President, the Supreme Court, and Congress, and the meeting place of the representative men of this continent and of all continents. Every international organization founded by Americans should have its international headquarters in that international capital.
Here is good testimony justifying the selection of Washington as the headquarters of such a truly international movement as the third angel’s message.
Temperance Reform and the Second Advent
By W. A. Colcord
Elder L. S. Wheeler writes as follows to the Atlantic Union Gleaner in regard to the tent-meetings which have recently been opened up in Boston: “We are seeking to especially urge the temperance issue in connection with the signs of Christ’s second coming and the judgment. This was what made Felix tremble, and we are moving out in faith on the statement in ‘Testimonies for the Church,’ Vol. VI., page 111: ‘If these things were presented in connection with the evidences of Christ’s soon coming, there would be a shaking among the people.’ We have a pledge against intoxicating drink and tobacco attached to our advertising circulars, and are encouraging all Christians to unite with us in our efforts to save men. The Bible teaches us that intemperance will be one of the great prevailing sins at this time, and the world needs to be warned against it. It also teaches us that those who are preparing to meet Christ will be doing a work to preserve their bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. Temperance naturally connects, therefore, with the stirring theme of Christ’s coming.”
This is just the kind of work that needs to be done by our field workers everywhere. On the preceding page of the volume above referred to is the following: “Every true reform has its place in the work of the third angel’s message. Especially does the temperance reform demand our attention and support. At our camp-meetings we should call attention to this work, and make it a living issue. We should present to the people the principles of true temperance, and call for signers to the temperance pledge. Careful attention should be given those who are enslaved by evil habits. We must lead them to the cross of Christ.”
W. A. Colcord.
Note and Comment
The Catholic Mirror, which speaks officially for the papacy in this country, states that the pope's recent instruction to Italian Catholics to participate in political contests does not constitute an abrogation of the “Non Expedit” policy maintained by his predecessors, Pius IX and Leo XIII, but is merely a temporary suspension of that interdict, for the purpose of allowing the influence of the church to be brought to bear politically against socialism. It seems also that the pope has in mind the creation of a strong Catholic party in the Italian Parliament, similar to that which has been found so useful to the church in the German Reichstag. The Mirror says:—
The holy father, therefore, exhorts the Catholics of the country to enter into associations for the purpose of defending civil and religious rights, to take steps toward forming organizations to promote the improvement of the economic condition of the people, but, above all things, to remember that, in acting on these counsels, they are to do so in strict co-operation with, and in subordination to, their bishops. Plainly, what Pius X seeks is the creation of a great Catholic party, which will uphold the standards of morality in political and social affairs.
The Worldwide Spread of Bubonic Plague
THE gradual but steady spread of bubonic plague to all quarters of the world, the present vast dimensions of the scourge in Asia, and the absence of any signs of diminishing force in India, the seat of the epidemic, are attracting the attention and exciting the alarm of medical authorities both in that country and elsewhere. From the recently issued report of the Marine Hospital and Public Health Service, on the status and progress of epidemics throughout the world, it appears that bubonic plague is now prevalent, outside of India, at Aden, Arabia; Osaka and Tokyo, Japan; Bangkok, Siam; Amoy, China; Southeastern Russia; Leith, Scotland; Egypt; British South Africa; Cape Colony; New South Wales and Queensland, Australia; East Sumatra and the island of Mauritius; Rio de Janeiro and cities of Chile and Peru, South America; the Philippine Islands, and Hawaii. Of the plague in India the report says: “In India morbidity and mortality for plague are constantly assuming increasing proportions. The disease has so far baffled every effort to stamp it out. The failure to control the epidemic is not only causing great alarm among all classes in India, but is beginning to attract much attention in England and other countries in active relations with India. The reports quote recent statistics given by the British secretary of state for India, showing a steady increase there since 1901, and a total of 1,022,299 deaths from it in 1904, and that it is still prevailing with unremitted violence.”
Lessons From the First Epistle of John
By Ellen G. White
(Concluded)
“He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.”
We are not to watch for an opportunity to find fault, if a brother does not speak exactly as we wish him to speak. Perhaps God does not want him to speak as you want him to. His words may cut you to the quick, but even then you are not at liberty to find fault. The talent of speech was given to us that we might speak, not words of fault-finding, but words of counsel, words of encouragement, words of reproof. Because we are not to find fault, this does not mean that we are to pass by things that are wrong, without saying a word. If you see one doing wrong, go right to him, and tell him his fault in the way outlined in the Scriptures. In the meekness of Christ tell him the truth, and you may save his soul from death. But, if you gloss over the mistakes, leaving those who have made them to think that they have done nothing wrong, you must share in the punishment, because you were unfaithful to your trust.
If we desire to see the King in his beauty, we must here behave worthily. We must outgrow our childishness. When provocation comes, let us be silent. There are times when silence is eloquence. We are to reveal the patience and kindness and forbearance that will make us worthy of being called sons and daughters of God. We are to trust him, and believe on him, and rely upon him. We are to follow in Christ’s steps. “If any man will come after me,” he says, “let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” “So shall he be my disciple.” It may be a heavy cross to keep silent when you ought to. It may be a painful discipline; but let me assure you that silence does much more to overcome evil than a storm of angry words.
Here in this world we are to learn what we must be in order to have a place in the heavenly courts. We are to learn the lessons that Christ desires to teach us, that we may be prepared to be taken to the higher school in the courts above, where the Saviour will lead us beside the river of life, explaining to us many things that here we could not comprehend, and teaching us of the mysteries of God. There we shall see the glory of God as we have never seen it here. We get but a glimpse of the glory now, because we do not follow on to know the Lord.
John writes, “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
Talk it, pray it, sing it, and remember that you must eat of the leaves of the tree of life here in this world, if you would know the healing power of the grace of God. When words are spoken that tempt you to feel provoked, ask the Lord Jesus to give you a taste of the healing brought by the tree of life. Get your mind on some subject of eternal interest, and it will be easy for you to keep still when you ought to keep still, and to speak when you ought to speak.
“I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one.”
Are you not glad, young men, that this word of encouragement has been spoken to you? O, what a grand work is this,—to overcome the folly and wickedness that prevails in our world! Young men, God will watch over you, and will give you strength, if you will put on every piece of the armor, and be ready to resist the tempter when he seeks to lead you astray. We are striving for heaven, for a life that measures with the life of God. Keep your eyes fixed on the Author and Finisher of your faith.
“I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”
“Because ye are strong.” Do not spend your time reading magazines and novels. Read your Bible. You have many temptations to meet and overcome. You have a great truth to proclaim. Only by a constant study of the Word of God can you gain the strength needed for this work. Put novel reading out of your lives. You have none too much time in which to gain an understanding of what saith the Scriptures. The Lord wants the young men in his cause to stand where they are worthy of being entrusted with sacred responsibilities.
Do not encourage any appetite for stimulants. Eat only plain, simple, wholesome food, and thank God constantly for the principles of health reform. In all things be true and upright, and you will gain precious victories.
Remember that you can not overcome the wicked one unless you have on every piece of the armor. Do not be turned away from the truth by supposition or sophistry. If you once allow Satan to tamper with your mind, you will find that it is not easy to break away from him. But if you confess your sins before God, and take hold of his power, sophistry will have no power over you.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” There is a great work before us. There are cities to be warned. If you go forth into the work accompanied by the grace of God, success will attend your efforts. The power of heaven will be with you. The righteousness of Christ will go before you, and the glory of God will be your rearward. Let us thank God that provision has been made for every emergency. We can take hold of Christ’s righteousness, pleading with him to cleanse us from all iniquity.
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” He has carried on a faithful warfare against the enemy. He has built himself up in the most holy faith.
“Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”
Brethren and sisters, at all hazards we must hold fast to the truth. I am9so glad that it is not yet too late for wrongs to be righted. I am so grateful for all the precious promises given us, that we may have courage and faith and hope, and that we may stand firm on the platform of eternal truth.
There is one thing that I want to ask those assembled at this conference to do: pray earnestly for the blessing of the Lord. I am glad to know that you are having early morning meetings. These meetings are of the highest value. Every time you come together at one of these meetings, lay your hearts open before God, and do not be afraid that your experience will be spoiled if you make confession. Take the stumbling-blocks out of the way. May God give us light that will clear away everything which would prevent us from having that love for one another which we should have.
I want you to pray that God will give me strength; for I have received instruction from the Lord, and I want to give it to you. And pray also for yourselves. We want to see the glory of God at this meeting. May he help you to press to the light.
I Know Him
By FRANCIS MCLELLAN
FRANCIS MCLELLAN
I know him as a Father kind,
His patient care, his tender love,
Supplying richly from above
My every need. In him I find
Fulness of joy and peace of mind.
I know him as a Saviour true—
A Saviour from great sin and wrong
The Author of a sweeter song
In my poor life than I or you
Could find in sin’s long ages through.
I know him as a Brother dear,
Oft walks he closely by my side.
To him I safely may confide
My inmost self. Without a fear
I glory in his presence near.
I know him as a loving Friend,
One true and faithful, brave and
strong;
And I can trust his friendship long
As life shall last. If I offend,
He still will prove my truest friend.
I know him as a faithful Guide,
His footsteps point the way to right;
From sin’s dark night to heaven’s
light
He safely leads. No ills betide
The one who in him shall abide.
Our Message
By A. T. Robinson
A. T. ROBINSON
The fact can not be too strongly emphasized that our message is the “third angel’s message.” This is the center from which all our activities should radiate. The more closely we work from that center, the more speedily the work committed to this people will be accomplished. But what is the third angel’s message?
Definition
The third angel’s message is that which gathers up, into a glorious system of truth, every ray of gospel light that has ever shone upon this world, and focuses that light upon the last generation of mankind. Anything short of this falls short of being the message for the hour. Whatever portions of truth men may proclaim, nothing short of the truth, the whole truth, and NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, will meet the specifications of the great threefold message outlined in the fourteenth chapter of Revelation.
Giving the Message
No man can give to another what he does not himself possess. Therefore the only one who can give this message is the one who can do so in a testimony backed up by an experience in the life, of all that is in the message itself. Anything short of this falls short of giving the third angel’s message. There may be the correct form of the message, and it may be given in such clear lines as to convince multitudes of its truthfulness. But the only one who can give that heaven-sent message, with the authority that is back of the message, is the one whose testimony is backed up by an experience in his own life of all that is in the message.
Let me illustrate this point by a quotation from the greatest of all teachers, and a statement concerning his manner of teaching: “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.” Matt. 23:2, 3. Now what was wrong with the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees? We have the inspired testimony that they had the correct “form of the truth.” But they were robbed of all the authority that belonged to the truth they were telling, because that truth was not an experience in the life of those who were telling it. “And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” Matt. 7:28, 29. He not only taught the people concerning the way, the truth, and the life, but he could truthfully say, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” His word was with authority because it was backed up by an experience in his own life of all that he taught.
Let us see if we do not find this in the message itself—in the very words of the message. “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel.” Ah, the people symbolized by those three angels have something. What is this thing which they have?—“Having the everlasting gospel.” What do they have the everlasting gospel for?—“Having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth.” That is the point. They must first have the message, it must be an experience in the life before they can preach it to others. The testimony of the great apostle is right to the point: “When it pleased God . . . to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen.” Gal. 1:15, 16. He might have preached about Jesus, he might have shown the time, place, and manner of his coming, so clearly as to convince all who listened to him that every specification of the prophecy had been fully met. But to preach him fully—to preach Jesus—He who is “the power of God and the wisdom of God,” must be fully revealed in his own life.
In order to give this message with a loud voice, which is to prepare a people for the coming of the Lord, like him who was the herald of his first advent, one must be the message himself. John, who gave that message “in the spirit and power of Elias,” could say, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, . . . as said the prophet Esaias.” One of our ministers, in the western part of Nebraska, who preached this message in the demonstration of the Holy Spirit, was pointed to as he walked the streets, with such expressions as, “There goes the third angel’s message,” or, “There goes the signs of the times.” The great outlines of prophecy may now be presented in such clear lines that it will convince the intellect; but we can never go forth proclaiming this message in all its Elijah spirit and power until everything in the message becomes an actual experience in the life.
The gospel is declared to be “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” Rom. 1:16. The gospel being the power of God unto salvation from sin, and the third angel’s message being the everlasting gospel, what less than the everlasting power of God to save from sin can this message be? But how can any man give such a message as that, backed up by the authority which belongs to the message, unless he can present in his own life the evidence that there is power in the message to accomplish that thing? We must be able to say, like one of olden time, “Such as I have give I thee.” But being thus delivered from all conscious sin is nothing more nor less than the “righteousness of God by faith.” Then what is the third angel’s message but righteousness by faith? No one need fear that this is getting away from the “old landmarks.” The spirit of prophecy has told us that righteousness by faith is “the third angel’s message in verity.” I bless God that I am learning more and more that this grand old third angel’s message, which has made us a people, is the everlasting power of God to save from sin now, and to deliver from the dominion of sin every day. That same power of God that will keep the one hundred and forty-four thousand from sin, for at least one whole year after the close of probation, is the power of God that is in the third angel’s message now.
The Judgment Hour
In 1844 the hour of God’s judgment was reached. There is no possible mistake about this great fact. The work of judgment is the final putting away of all sin. “Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Heb. 9:26. The sins of God’s people can never be borne from the heavenly sanctuary and placed back upon the anti-typical scapegoat so long as sins are going into the sanctuary, in other words, so long as sinning and repenting is continued. Therefore, until this great threefold message becomes an experience in the life of every believer, of the everlasting power of God to save from sin, and from sinning, this work can never be closed up. The cleansing of the soul temple must be an accomplished fact before the sanctuary in heaven can be cleansed. Before our High Priest gathers up the sins of the redeemed and bears them out from the sanctuary, your sins and mine will have ceased to go in there; and if our sins cease to go in there before the last one has been repented of, confessed, and forsaken, then we shall be left to perish in our own sins.
Perfect Obedience
Many people tell us that it is impossible for any one to keep the law of God. This is charging God with having given a law which it is not possible for man to keep. This is the same charge10that Lucifer brought against the principles of God’s government in the beginning of the great controversy between God and Satan. It is perfectly true that after man had sinned, he could not possibly render obedience to the law of God of himself. He stood in need of a helper, or rather of some one to come into his life, bringing to him the power to render obedience to the law of God. Man was in slavery to sin and in need of a deliverer. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law.” Gal. 3:13. The curse of the law was slavery to sin, or inability to render obedience to the law of God. “For it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” Gal. 3:10. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law [disobedience] . . . that the blessing of Abraham [obedience or righteousness by faith] might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Gal. 3:13, 14. Sin being the transgression of God’s law, deliverance from sin is freedom to keep the law. Hence of those who experience the third angel’s message—the everlasting power of God to save from disobedience—the Lord can say, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14:12.
Out of Babylon
The people who give this message are to extend the call to all of God’s people to come out of Babylon. Babylon is confusion. Sin and everything outside the truth of God is confusion. In order therefore to call others out of Babylon, one must himself be wholly separated from all that pertains to Babylon. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2 Cor. 6:17.
Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast
Two classes are being developed under the sounding of this message. Upon one class is being stamped the mark of the beast and of his image. The image and superscription of this world is being placed upon them. “The show of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not.” Isa. 3:9. The other class is being sealed “with the seal of the living God.” They have the “Father’s name written in their foreheads.” Rev. 7:1-4; 14:1. The image and superscription of God, instead of that of the beast, is being placed upon them. Transformations of character are taking place which cause the holy angels to look on with amazement, and the evil angels to stand aghast. “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor. 3:18.
Sabbath Rest
“There remaineth therefore a rest [keeping of a Sabbath] to the people of God. For he that is entered into his [God’s] rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.” Heb. 4:9, 10. Our own works are sin. Once more, then, the conclusion is reached that the realization of the third angel’s message as an experience in the life, is the everlasting power of God to deliver us from the dominion of sin. And, having ceased from our own works (sin), we can enter into spiritual rest of soul, which is the only true Sabbath-keeping.
When this kind of Sabbath-keeping is an experience in the life, we can then go forth and preach the Sabbath more fully. Then will be fulfilled that statement in “Early Writings:” “At the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully. This enraged the churches and nominal Adventists, as they could not refute the Sabbath truth. And at this time God’s chosen all saw clearly that we had the truth, and they came out and endured the persecution with us.” By reading the following explanatory note we are not left in doubt as to when the time of trouble here mentioned will be: “The commencement of the time of trouble” here mentioned, does not refer to the time when the plagues shall begin to be poured out, but to a short period just before they are poured out, while Christ is in the sanctuary. At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the third angel. At that time the “latter rain,” or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, will come, to give power to the loud voice of the third angel, and prepare the saints to stand in the period when the seven last plagues shall be poured out.
What is wanted to-day more than anything else, or more than everything else, is a spirit-of-the-message-filled ministry, to go to a lost and perishing world, in the spirit and power of Elias, carrying to them the last message of the everlasting gospel to humanity.
College View, Neb.
How to Help the Church
By T. E. BOWEN
T. E. BOWEN
SOME people spend more time in lamenting about the terrible spiritual condition in the church than it would take to at least begin a genuine reform.
“O,” but some one says, “our church is in a terrible condition, almost beyond help. The elder and superintendent do not help us much, and no minister is sent our way, and —”
Yes, yes, this sounds familiar, but that is not the trouble with your church spirituality.
“Well, then, it is Brother So-and-so. He talks too much. He has said some things about me even, and —”
But stop. That isn’t the trouble with your church.
“What is your opinion, then?”
Well, brother, to be plain, “my opinion” was similar to yours until the other day I found God’s answer in the Testimonies, and since then I have been thinking considerably about that.
“Do tell me what it is; for if anything can help our church, I want to know what it is.”
All right. Turn to page 169 of “Testimonies,” Vol. VIII, and you will read this: “We are working for eternity. If we eat of the bread which came from heaven, we shall be Christlike in spirit and character. We are living in an age when there is to be no spiritual idleness. Every soul is to be charged with the heavenly current of life. The question is often asked, ‘What is the cause of the dearth of spiritual power in the church?’ [Note carefully the answer.] The answer comes, ‘The members allow their minds to be drawn away from the Word of God.’”
Ah! here is the secret. The blessed bread of life is not eaten by the members. They do not study their Bibles, sometimes not sufficiently to get the Sabbath-school lessons thoroughly. This thing and that thing of a trivial nature is allowed by the individual members to hinder them from feeding on the Word; and nourishing their souls by the contemplation of the sublime themes of thrilling interest found in the sacred volume of God.
Brother, sister, stop talking about the dearth in your church, and draw your chair up to God’s table, and eat for yourself of the Bread of life.
Rome, N. Y.
The One-Talented Man
BESIDES a knowledge of God, the man with the one talent needs to understand himself—who he is, and what is his destiny. It is clear that the man in the story, besides having a totally wrong conception of his master, had a wrong view of himself. He thought of himself as a slave, or worse, and no one has ever thought of himself as a slave and done good work. It is simply impossible. Do we regard our work on earth as a slave’s work? Do we feel that it is hard to work for God? Do we do our church work, or anything we feel God has laid upon us, altogether from a sense of compulsion? Then we are not free. Our talent will never increase in our hands. At best we can only keep it for a time wrapped up in a napkin, buried. On the other hand, the man who knows himself as a child of God, and not a slave, has not only the blessed sense of freedom, but with it a confidence that makes possible large investments for the kingdom of heaven. He is not afraid to invest, for he knows the returns are sure.—Northwestern Christian Advocate.