It is customary to speak against the Sabbath and the law as Jewish, because it was given to Israel. As well might the Creator be spoken against, who brought them out of Egypt to be their God, and who styles himself the God of Israel. The Hebrews were honored by being thus intrusted with the Sabbath and the law, not the Sabbath and the law and the Creator rendered Jewish by this connection. The sacred writers speak of the high exaltation of Israel in being thus intrusted with the law of God.
"He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord!" "What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God." Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen." Ps.147:19, 20; Rom. 3:1, 2; 9:4, 5.
After the Most High had solemnly espoused the people unto himself, as his peculiar treasure in the earth, they were brought forth out of the camp to meet with God. "And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly." Out of the midst of this fire did God proclaim the ten words of his law.
The fourth of these precepts is the grand law of the Sabbath. Thus spake the great Law-giver:—
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 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."
The estimate which the Law-giver placed upon his Sabbath is seen in that he deemed it worthy of a place in his code of ten commandments, thus causing it to stand in the midst of nine immutable moral precepts. Nor is this to be thought a small honor that the Most High, naming one by one the great principles of morality until all are given, and he adds no more, should include in their number the observance of his hallowed rest-day. This precept is expressly given to enforce the observance of the Creator's great memorial; and unlike all the others, this one traces its obligation back to the creation, where that memorial was ordained.
The Sabbath is to be remembered and kept holy because that God hallowed it, i. e., appointed it to a holy use, at the close of the first week. And this sanctification or hallowing of the rest-day, when the first seventh day of time was past, was the solemn act of setting apart the seventh day for time to come in memory of the Creator's rest. Thus the fourth commandment reaches back and embraces the institution of the Sabbath in paradise, while the sanctification of the Sabbath in paradise extends forward to all coming time. The narrative respecting the wilderness of Sin admirably cements the union of the two. Thus in the wilderness of Sin, before the fourth commandment was given, stands the Sabbath, holy to the Lord, with an existing obligation to observe it, though no commandment in that narrative creates the obligation. This obligation is derived from the same source as the fourth commandment, namely, the sanctification of the Sabbath in paradise, showing that it was an existing duty, and not a new precept. For it should never be forgotten that the fourth commandment does not trace its obligation to the wilderness of Sin, but to the creation; a decisive proof that the Sabbath did not originate in the wilderness of Sin.
The fourth commandment is remarkably definite. It embraces, first, a precept: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy;" second, an explanation of this precept: "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates;" third, the reasons on which the precept is based, embracing the origin of the institution, and the very acts by which it was made, and enforcing all by the example of the Law-giver himself: "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."
The rest-day of the Lord is thus distinguished from the six days on which he labored. The blessing and sanctification pertain to the day of the Creator's rest. There can be, therefore, no indefiniteness in the precept. It is not merely one day in seven, but that day in the seven on which the Creator rested, and upon which he placed his blessing, namely, the seventh day. And this day is definitely pointed out in the name given it by God: "The seventh day is the Sabbath [i. e., the rest-day] of the Lord thy God."
That the seventh day in the fourth commandment is the seventh day of the New Testament week may be plainly proved. In the record of our Lord's burial, Luke writes thus:—
"And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on. And the women also which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulcher, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment. Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them." Luke 23:54–56; 24:1.
Luke testifies that these women kept "the Sabbath day according to the commandment." The commandment says, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." This day thus observed was the last or seventh day of the week, for the following day was the first day of the week. Hence the seventh day of the commandment is the seventh day of the New Testament week.
The testimony of Nehemiah is deeply interesting. "Thou camest down also upon Mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: and madest known unto them thy holy Sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant." It is remarkable that God is said to have made known the Sabbath when he thus came down upon the mount; for the children of Israel had the Sabbath in possession when they came to Sinai. This language must therefore refer to that complete unfolding of the Sabbatic institution which is given in the fourth commandment. And mark the expression: "Madest known unto them thy holy Sabbath;" not madest the Sabbath for them: language which plainly implies its previous existence, and which cites the mind back to the Creator's rest for the origin of the institution.
The moral obligation of the fourth commandment which is so often denied may be clearly shown by reference to the origin of all things. God created the world and gave existence to man upon it. To him he gave life and breath and all things. Man therefore owes everything to God. Every faculty of his mind, every power of his being, all his strength and all his time belongs of right to the Creator. It was therefore the benevolence of the Creator that gave to man six days for his own want. And in setting apart the seventh day to a holy use in memory of his own rest, the Most High was reserving unto himself one of the seven days, when he could rightly claim all as his. The six days therefore are the gift of God to man, to be rightly employed in secular affairs, not the seventh day, the gift of man to God. The fourth commandment, therefore, does not require man to give something of his own to God, but it does require that man should not appropriate to himself that which God has reserved for his own worship. To observe this day then is to render to God of the things that are his; to appropriate it to ourselves is simply to rob God.415J. N. A.
THE SABBATH IN THE SENATE OF FRANCE.
By John Nevins Andrews
THE Senate of France some time since considered the propriety of changing the laws relating to Sunday. An eminent Senator, M. Barthelemy Saint Hilaire, has taken this occasion to avow his faith that Saturday, and not Sunday, is the day which men ought to observe, if the Bible is allowed to settle the question. We take his remarks from Le Christianism au 19e Siècle, of the 11th of June, 1880. He speaks as follows:—
"For what reason has the Sabbath day become in the Christian church the Sunday? I have sought in vain in the documents of the highest authority, viz., in the catechism of the Council of Trent, and also that of Montpellier, and of Meaux written by the great Bossuet, the motives which could have determined the church to make this change; I have not found them. It is indeed very difficult to explain a thing that is the result of a kind of tradition. It is likely that Christians, in order to distinguish themselves from the Jews, who made their rest-day the Sabbath, that is to say, Saturday, have taken another day—Sunday. . . . I say that, though you think you obey a divine commandment deposited in books sacred for you, and at least considered as worthy of profound reverence in the sight of all intelligent men, and of all philosophers, it is not the commandment of God that you observe or profess to observe."
It is certainly a matter of deep interest to us that so eminent a man in a place so conspicuous as the Senate of France should call attention to the fact that the Sabbath is not the first day of the week, but the last one. It ought to be enough that the Bible has said this; but inasmuch as tradition has been able to hide this plain truth of the Bible, we are grateful that this distinguished gentleman has spoken the truth with such frankness.
J. N. A.
WILL WE KNOW?
By J. D. Rice
DEAR READER: God's word teaches us that the end will come sometime, the Judgment will set, probation end, and the Lord return. These are momentous events; and may they not be near? God has given us many waymarks pointing down to these mighty events. Do you know what they are, and how many of them we have passed, and consequently how near we are to the consummation of all things earthly? Our Lord gave some special signs, and said, "When ye shall see all these things, know that it (margin, he) is near, even at the doors." And then tells us how near; we are brought to the generation that should not pass till all these things be fulfilled; till the Lord comes with his angels, and gathers his people to himself. And he gives emphasis to these facts by a most positive declaration, and forcible illustration of the certainty of his words. See Matt. 24:32-35. Do you know if these signs have been fulfilled? The Scriptures plainly testify that God's people will not be in darkness, but will know when to look for his coming. See Matt. 24:33; 1 Thess. 5:4. And why will they? Because they are able to "discern the signs of the times." But refusing to investigate these things, will of a necessity leave their minds in darkness. They "shall not understand," Dan. 12:9, 10; and of these are the scoffers to arise, as shown by their query, "Where is the promise of his coming?". They do not "discern the signs of the times," but are "willingly ignorant of them." Matt. 16:3; 2 Pet. 3:3-5.
But, says the scoffer, men have believed the Lord was to come in their day, ever since Christ promised that he would "come again," and they have always been disappointed, so don't be scared, for most probably he will never come, or, at best, not until after the millennium. We do not want the people to be "scared," therefore we ask them to consider the evidence of his near coming, and make ready for it, knowing that those upon whom he comes as a thief will be scared, and then there will be no remedy; "they shall not escape."
Now it is true that some of the disciples believed that Christ would probably come in their day, but John and Paul both reproved them for their belief, by a reference to what Christ and the prophets taught. John says (John 21:23), "Jesus said not," what they were claiming. And Paul told of the great apostasy, etc., which must arise first; 2 Thess. 2:1-12. But they were far from teaching, as any one the least familiar with their writings knows, that that event should never come, simply because some of the disciples had an erroneous belief in regard to the time of that event.
Many since their time have likewise expected his immediate coming. But for the same reasons they have been disappointed. It is because "Jesus said not," and not because any of his words have failed, as we stand ready to demonstrate.
But some will "know when he is near" just as truly as the disciples of our Lord knew that the desolation of Jerusalem was nigh when they saw it encompassed with the armies of Titus (Luke 21:20). It is all based upon the same authority, viz., the words of Christ. They knew the desolation was nigh, notwithstanding Titus, moved by some impulse, withdrew his army from around the city, for they believed the words of Jesus, and obeyed his command to escape in haste out of the city and country. But the unbelieving, of course, remained; and thought, undoubtedly, that their belief was now confirmed; that the followers of Jesus were fanatics and fools, to be rushing out of the city now that the danger was passed as they thought. But God had but provided "the way of escape" for his people, that they might not perish in that terrible siege which the unbelieving Jews had to experience, in which 1,100,000 perished and nearly 100,000 taken prisoners. So much for faith in his words, who said we might "know when he is near even at the doors."
Again the apostle says, "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief." 1 Thess. 5:4. It is evident that there will be just two classes when the Lord is about to come; those who will "know," will not be "in darkness," will not be "overtaken as a thief," and those who will "not know," will be in darkness, will be overtaken as a thief. Among which class are you, my friends? You either know or you do not know. If you do not, are you willing to investigate? We profess to be in the light in regard to this matter, and if so, should you not be also? And will you not investigate our claims to see if they are true or not?
Do you think if you are ignorant of these things you will be excusable, that God will not hold you accountable? Deceive not yourselves, I beseech of you. Listen to the fate of those upon whom he comes as a thief. Paul says, "sudden destruction cometh upon them and they shall not escape." 1 Thess. 5:2-4. See also, Rev. 3:3-5; Matt. 25:50, 51, 37-39, etc. Thus we see your soul's salvation depends upon your knowing these things. Can you afford to be ignorant of them? But will you still say, "If I am only prepared to die, it does not matter whether I know when the Lord is coming or not?"
If this were so, then truly in vain are the words of the Saviour and the apostles, saying His people should "know," that the "brethren are not in darkness" in regard to that day. Furthermore the word of God teaches that a special message is to go forth to prepare a people to stand the test of the Investigative Judgment which decides the eternal destiny for life or death, of every member of the human family, before the Lord comes to execute that judgment. This Investigative Judgment occupies the closing period of human probation. See Rev. 14:6, 7, 9-12, 14; 22:11, 12. Now it is evident that unless we know when these things are to take place, we cannot know that God's message of "present truth" is due, and would therefore give no heed to it. This is why the Lord makes the knowledge of that event obligatory upon those who will be saved at his coming; not merely as a fact of information, but on account of the duties that are immediately connected therewith. Do you say this would exclude all other religious bodies from salvation? We answer, All who are Christ's sheep will hear his voice, and follow him. (John 10:27.) When he sends a message of light and truth to them, they will all give heed to it, and those who neglect it, do so at the peril of their souls, and evidence that they are not his sheep. Says Jesus, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven." Matt. 7:21. God sends by whomsoever he will. He has intrusted this last message to man. It is to go to every people, nation, tongue, and kindred, the whole earth is to be lightened with its glory; it is to be "for a witness unto all nations;" a "savour of life unto life, and death unto death;" and those will be saved who give heed to it, and do what it teaches; while those who reject it, will certainly perish; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.416J. D. RICE.
HOW THE LIGHT SPREAD IN SCOTLAND.
By S. N. Haskell
"Truth crushed to earth shall rise again,
The eternal years of God are hers;
But error wounded writhes in pain,
And dies amid her worshipers."
AFTER Patrick Hamilton returned to Scotland, he was not long permitted to disseminate his views. Pretending to desire a free conference with him, he was decoyed away from his friends by the clergy and thrown into prison. Soon after, Feb., 1528 in the twenty-fourth year of his age, he was committed to the flames. At his trial he defended his faith with firmness, yet great modesty, and the mildness, patience, and fortitude which he displayed at the stake, equalled that of the early martyrs of Christianity. The fire burned slowly. His sufferings were prolonged, and were dreadful. His last words were, "How long, O Lord, shall darkness cover this realm? How long wilt thou suffer the tyranny of man? Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Many of the learned, as well as the common people, beheld this cruel death with interest. His youth, piety, and learning, and the heroism with which he endured the sufferings, affected many hearts. It excited an inquiry respecting the faith for which he suffered, and in many cases it resulted in a conviction of its purity and truthfulness. "His smoke," says a Papist, "infected as many as it blew upon." And an historian in speaking of him says, "The flames in which he expired were in the course of one generation to enlighten all Scotland, and to consume with avenging fury the Catholic superstition, the papal power, and even the Papacy itself."
The public labors of this man were brief, and not extensive; but possessing youthful vigor, learning, a high position, with all its attendant attractions, he freely renounced them all for Christ, and submitted to a most cruel death, little realizing the good which would result from the sacrifice. We, of the nineteenth century, commend the wisdom of the choice of this missionary. But how difficult when the truth is unpopular, and difficulties and embarrassments arise to possess the same spirit of sacrifice. Yet this is the true missionary spirit. The principle is ever the same.
The reform movements which cost him his life have become popular in the Christian world. But with the lapse of time and change of circumstances, other truths have shone forth from the sacred pages. The times have demanded new reforms, and other advance steps, but the same principles are involved. These truths in their time have been, and are unpopular, subjecting their adherents to the displeasure of the world, and the loss of friends and fortune. The fires of papal persecution have long since ceased to burn. The examples of worthy men and women, whose wisdom, fortitude, and fidelity manifested in the most agonizing deaths for the truth's sake, we admire and commend, and in view of them we would think no one now would hesitate to accept any unpopular truth, and sacrifice reputation, ease, and worldly goods, for its advancement. But popularity, love of pleasure, and worldly gain, with an almost infinite power has taken the place of the dungeon, rack, and stake, in holding men and women in error, and causing them to reject the precious light of God's word, and we are blind to the sweetness of the spirit of sacrifice. There is as much demand for true heroism, fortitude, and nobility of character, at the present time, as ever before in the history of the human race.
The fruit of Patrick Hamilton's death soon began to appear. Everywhere in Scotland persons were found who affirmed that he died a martyr. Alarmed at the progress of the new opinions, the clergy adopted the most rigorous measures for their extirpation. Between the years of 1530 and 1540, many innocent and excellent men suffered the most inhuman death; others left the country. A favorable change in the administration of the government occurred soon after. In 1542, parliament passed an act declaring it lawful for all subjects to read the Scriptures in the vulgar language. Formerly, it had been considered a sin to look upon the sacred writings, but now the Bible, especially the New Testament, was placed within the reach of all, and the errors of Papacy were attacked in publications issued from the Scottish press. Some who had been banished from the country because of their faith, now returned. Among others, was George Wishart, a person of superior learning, and eloquence. He did much to advance the cause of the Reformation in Scotland. Some interesting incidents in his life will be considered in a subsequent article. S. N. HASKELL.
LOS ANGELES AND SAN DIEGO COUNTIES.
By S. N. Haskell
ELDER WAGGONER and myself arrived in San Diego on the morning of Aug. 24. There are a few keeping the Sabbath in the city of San Diego as the result of Eld. Wood's meetings last spring. After a dreary ride of thirty miles through a very mountainous district we arrived at San Pasqual valley. Here is the home of Bro. Judson, and there is but one other family that observes the Sabbath in the valley. They meet regularly on the Sabbath and have their Sabbath-school.
About twelve miles distant is another valley where there are a few more who observe the Sabbath. We held meetings on Sabbath in Bro. Judson's neighborhood, and on first-day with the friends in Bear Valley. Arrangements were made for monthly meetings at the latter place, and Sister Striplin, who teaches school, opens a Sunday-school for the children. Bro. Judson meets with the small company at San Diego once a month.
On Monday Bro. Judson took us through the country to Bro. Brown's in Santa Ana. This was a two days' ride. As it was not consistent to hold a public meeting with these scattered friends we therefore visited them at their homes. Quite a number embraced the truth and signed the covenant here about a year ago. But many have moved away and their regular meetings have been broken up. Arrangements were made417however for weekly meetings and a Sabbath-school.
On Thursday Bro. Brown took us to Eld. Wood's in Los Angeles. Here we met with the few who had lately embraced the truth under Bro. Wood's labors, and some who had kept the Sabbath for many years. We also met Sister Williams from Arizona who had embraced the Sabbath from reading, this being the first religious meeting of Seventh-day Adventists she had ever attended. We became deeply interested in many of these scattered Sabbath-keepers, and never more fully realized the utility of our missionary work. The Judgment alone will reveal the good accomplished by sending our reading matter, and especially THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES, into those portions of the world where the truth has never been preached. The seed of truth once sown in honest hearts will bring forth fruit, some thirty, some sixty and some an hundred fold; and each additional recruit to the Lord's army becomes a worker to enlighten others. Thus it can readily be seen that to properly prosecute the missionary work where the publications are sent, requires a correspondence to further instruct those who become interested, and in no way can this feature of the work be done more successfully than by a well organized Vigilant Missionary Society.
We secured pledges for between two and three hundred dollars for the Tract and Missionary Society, besides influencing some of the brethren to adopt the tithing system.
We felt in our hearts to pray for our missionary workers, and the scattered Sabbath-keepers.
S. N. HASKELL.
HE SHALL BE CALLED A NAZARENE.
By J. O. Corliss
OBJECTIONS to the Bible are numerous, and many of them upon examination appear very trivial. The above expression has been seized upon by infidels to harass the young and destroy their faith in the veracity of the Bible. Some, strange to say, after reading their rash statements, have followed in their train, loudly denouncing the Bible as a forgery, and those who believe in it as silly and stupid.
But what is the objection urged against the statement that Christ was called a Nazarene in fulfillment of the prophets? Infidels say it is a gross falsehood, and challenge the world to show where any prophet has ever made such a statement. Although no prophet has stated in so many words that he should be called a Nazarene, yet we think his being called such was in fulfillment of what had been uttered by a number of them in their prophetic allusions to Christ.
By taking Christ in childhood to dwell at Nazareth, and bringing him up there, his parents opened the way by which he acquired from his enemies the name of Nazarene (of Nazareth), which signifies a branch, shoot, or scion, and was in fulfillment of the prophecies of Isaiah and Zechariah, who called him the BRANCH. Had they not taken him there, he would not have been called a Nazarene (Branch) by the people, who by so doing fulfilled the prophecy and condemned themselves.
Thus the text is not only relieved from its objection but becomes a decided proof of the veracity of the prophets, and a record of how a little incident in the life of Christ was shown to be a fulfillment of the prophecies concerning him, and that by his enemies.
J. O. CORLISS.
ORGANIZATION OF THE S. D. A. CONFERENCE OF THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC.
By James White
AUG. 16, 1880, at 6 P. M., a meeting was held at Magog, P. Q., in connection with the Seventh-day Adventist camp-meeting, for the purpose of organizing a Conference for the Province of Quebec, Eld. James White, President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, presiding. Sister White and Eld. Geo. I. Butler were also present and took part. Eld. D. T. Bourdeau was chosen Secretary.
On motion, it was voted that we organize a Conference, after the plan of other S. D. Adventist Conferences; also, that it be called the Seventh-day Adventist Conference of the Province of Quebec.
Bro. White gave a brief and clear exposition of the Constitution of State Conferences, and it was then voted that said Constitution be adopted.
The Conference embraces the churches of Stukely, Barford, and Westbury, and companies in Sutton and Broom.
The officers were elected separately, by vote, with the following result: For President, A. C. Bourdeau; Secretary, D. T. Bourdeau; Treasurer, Andrew Blake; Executive Committee, A. C. Bourdeau, John Claxton, and Andrew Blake.
A Camp-meeting Committee was appointed, consisting of Brn. A. B. Cushing, O. P. Terrill, and Horace McClary.
Bro. and Sister White made important practical remarks, pledging the aid and co-operation of the General Conference, as the young Conference should come up to their duty. One encouraging remark was, that if all were faithful in contributing of their means for the support of the cause in the Province, as God should prosper them, and if all engaged in the missionary work, not leaving all this labor to be done by the preachers, nor permitting the preachers to spend their energies in serving tables, the number of believers might be more than doubled by the time of the next camp-meeting.
Voted, That we tender our thanks to the General Conference for sending us such competent laborers as Bro. and Sister White, and Bro. Butler, whose earnest, heart-searching, and encouraging testimonies at this meeting have been very profitable.
Voted, That we express our gratitude to Mr. Webster for the use of the camp-ground.
Voted, That we express our gratitude to the railroad and steamboat companies for favors conferred in bringing passengers to the ground at reduced rates.
Voted, That we express our high appreciation of the good order and respect exhibited during the camp-meeting.
Adjourned, sine die.
JAMES WHITE, Chairman.
D. T. BOURDEAU, Sec.
A Remarkable New Testament Publication
A REMARKABLE publication has been issued by a Jesuit of high standing in the Order, named Father Curci. Four years ago he published a volume of lectures on the Four Gospels, for which he was publicly censured by his superiors. He has now published an entire version of the New Testament, with copious notes. In the preface he makes the following statement: “The New Testament is the book of all others, the least studied, and least read among us. So much so that the bulk of the laity—even of those who believe they have been instructed, and profess religion—is not aware that such a book exists in the world; and the greater part of the clergy themselves scarcely know more of it than what they are compelled to read in the Breviary and the Missal.” Protestants have frequently made this charge, but it is something new to find it in a Jesuit’s writing.
WEALTH.
WEALTH is potent in its own sphere but unimportant beyond it. It can put a telegraph under the sea and cover the land with a net-work of wires as with a spider's web. It can build railroads and bridge oceans. It can buy houses and lands, and every material advantage; but here its power stops. It cannot purchase goodness, or justice, or gentleness, or patience, or love, or true friendship. It cannot do anything to make the character stronger or life sweeter. It can say to the minister, I will feed you and clothe you while you are making men wiser, but it can do nothing without the brain of wisdom or the heart of goodness. It can build railroads, but it cannot build men.
Temperance.
SMOKING AND CHEWING TOBACCO UNCLEAN HABITS.
"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 1 Cor. 7:1.
"If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, whose temple ye are." 1 Cor. 3:17.
The central idea of the religion of Christ is purity, and it applies to the body as well to the soul. Is it any wonder that God requires a pure temple to dwell in? Would we offer a dear friend, who came to see us, a filthy room to occupy? Nay, but we would provide for his reception with the greatest care. How much more careful should we be to furnish a pure temple for the Holy Spirit to dwell in.
We are to present our bodies a living sacrifice, and to keep under the body, of course we include here the passions, lusts, carnal affections, anything contrary to the principle of faith or the law of love, anything that in any way supplant the stay of the Divine Being. Now how can a man be said to keep under the body when at his leisure he must partake of that which, to a considerable degree, clogs the brain with a breathed smoke, and pampers the affections of the flesh.
Now, the common use of tobacco is a most filthy habit to lungs, mouth and clothes; it is a perfect stench. It is not necessary to see a pipe in a man's mouth to know whether he is a smoker, he literally stinks as he goes about, his very breath is fetid and loathsome. How can such uncleanness be reconciled with the purity required in the above passages of Holy Writ, and indeed not by them only, but by the whole gospel? If cleanliness is a part of Christianity, and it undoubtedly is, to be filthy is to be wicked; yet the common use of tobacco is extremely filthy, and therefore sinful. Besides, God positively asserts in his word that he who dares to defile his temple shall be destroyed.
We do not expect anything better of horse-jockeys and debauchees than that they should indulge in such filthy lusts of the flesh, but the children of God—the men and women who profess the holy religion of Christ—are expected to put away every unclean thing, and to abstain even from the appearance of evil.
A Methodist exhorter and class-leader came to the writer one day and said: "Brother, I am going in for sanctification," while the tobacco spittle was running down each corner of his mouth. Of course we said: "Brother, begin right in your mouth."
The following case, it is hoped, will convince some tobacco devotees of the impurity of their habit. A certain blacksmith used tobacco for about sixty years: he became convinced of the filthiness of his practice in the following manner: When working on hot iron there would arise an odor very offensive, yea, almost unbearable. Its character was like tobacco spittle falling upon a hot stove. The English language fails to express the feelings that a clean, sensitive, pure body, has when it comes into contact with such fluid. This man could not bear this awful condition of things, and wondered from whence it came. It was hot weather, and he was working hard and sweating freely, and drops of sweat would fall quite often on the hot iron. To make the thing certain he put a hoe into the forge, and when it was red hot he took it out, and with his hand wiped the sweat from off his face upon the hot hoe. And, Oh whew! What an odor! Can it be that I am so filthy! He was more than convinced, and resolved to abandon the filth forever. He has been free from it for about ten years. I think that all excessive tobacco consumers are in the same boat, and might be convinced in a similar way. Neither is filthiness of the flesh condemned only by the Christian religion, for Mahomed, in harmony with Bible sentiments, anathematizes impurity, and in his fifth commandment says, KEEP THY BODY CLEAN.
"There are but three kinds of animals which generally use tobacco. The Rock Goat of Africa, whose stench is so insufferable that no other animal can approach it. The tobacco worm, whose intolerable visage gives to every beholder an involuntary shudder, and one other nondescript animal whose tobacco-frothings and spittings defile his own visage, bespatter and bedaub everything within his reach; who besmudges and pollutes the atmosphere with his nauseous fumigations, and whose Stygian breath seems to denote approximation to some bottomless pit."—Dr. Coles.
In 1492, as Columbus lay with his ships side by side at the Island of Cuba, he sent two men, a "Caleb and Joshua," to search the land, and report what they might see. On their return, among others things, they said they saw "the naked savages twist large leaves together, light one end at the fire, and smoke like devils!" Smokers should bear in mind their pedigree! Barbarous! Sensual!
"In the house of God, where of all other places decency and cleanliness should be observed, it is appalling to notice the repulsive and abominably filthy state of many pews, rendered so by the spitting habits of tobacco smokers and chewers. Churches are most scandalously abused by the tobacco chewers who frequent them; and kneeling before the Great Jehovah, which is so becoming when sinners approach their Maker in prayer, is rendered impossible in many seats for ladies, because of the large quantity of tobacco saliva which is ejected in all directions."—Dr. A. Clarke.
The language of God is wonderfully significant: "Thou hast defiled my sanctuary with thy abomination,"—"I will take this abomination from between thy teeth;" "I cannot hear for this abomination." Thus and thus, my hearers, God speaks to you. We beseech you, break off this habit, and all the gold of California could not bless you as much as this single decision. "Break, my brother, from these bonds of iniquity," "Take hold," as a Christian—a dauntless reformer—and wake the church, and the nation, to this great and insidious curse.—Rev. A. Sims.
THE CAUSE IN ENGLAND.
By John Norton Loughborough
On Sabbath afternoon, Aug. 7, a severe gale raged in this part of England, tearing four sections out of the top of our tent and damaging it so that we can use it no more until it is thoroughly repaired. Thus suddenly was our Romsey tent-meeting brought to a close. We gave in the tent twenty-nine discourses. We continue our meetings each first-day, afternoon and evening, in the Town Hall which we obtain for $2.00 a day, including the lighting with gas in the evening. We have some attentive listeners although the attendance is not as great as in the tent.
Since my last report three more have been baptized at Ravenswood, making in all twenty-four baptized at Southampton, and still new ones are becoming interested there.
Last Sabbath we had the pleasure of the presence of brethren Jones and Carpenter and their families in our meeting. In the afternoon Bro. J. gave us an interesting account of his recent trip to Haarlem, Holland, and of the condition of the Sabbath cause there. Bro. J. has recently completed a very interesting table of the days of the week in eighty-one different languages with their equivalent in English. This chart should be in the hands of every Sabbath-keeper. Its great value is that it shows so completely, at a glance, two things: 1. That all these nations count the days of the week alike. 2. That more than a score of them, although paying no religious regard to the seventh day, call the seventh day "the Sabbath."
Our readers may see a difficulty in sending for this chart with explanations, as American stamps if sent are of no postal value here. To obviate this difficulty I will say, any who wish this chart of days with explanation, please write to the Review and Herald, Battle Creek, Mich., inclosing fifteen cents in stamps, with name and address, for the "Chart of Days," and I will post them directly to you as fast as the names and addresses are forwarded here.
The chart is valuable for any one who has a desire to trace the name of days or weeks in these eighty-one languages, whatever their faith or views in other matters.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
ALMA, MICHIGAN.
By A. O. Burrill
We closed our tent-meeting here last evening. Eighteen have united with the church, and there are five or six more who will soon join them. Obtained some more than forty subscriptions for our periodicals, the most of which were taken by Bro. Goodrich. About $50.00 worth of books were sold. A church building will soon be in process of erection.
A. O. BURRILL.
WHAT I HAVE SEEN.
I have seen a young man sell a good farm, turn mechanic, and die in the insane asylum.
I have seen a farmer travel about so much that there was nothing at home worth looking at.
I have seen a man spend more money in folly than would support his family in comfort and independence.
I have seen a young girl marry a young man of dissolute habits, and repent of it as long as she lived.
I have seen a man depart from truth where candor and veracity would have served him to a much better purpose.
I have seen the extravagance and folly of children bringing their parents to poverty and want, and themselves to disgrace.
I have seen a prudent and industrious wife retrieve the fortunes of a family when the husband pulled at the other end of the rope.
I have seen a young man who despised the good counsels of the wise, and advice of the good, and his career ended in poverty and wretchedness.