IN His prayer to His Father Christ said: "I have glorified Thee on the earth; I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was." When Christ expired on the cross, crying with a loud voice, "It is finished," His work was completed. The way was laid open, the vail was rent in twain. Man could approach God without sacrificial offerings, without the service of earthly priests. Christ Himself was a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Heaven was His home. He came to this world to reveal the Father. His work on the field of His humiliation and conflict was now done. He ascended up into the heavens, and is forever set down on the right hand of God.
Christ's life on this earth had been a life of toil, a busy, earnest life. He rose from the dead, and for forty days remained with His disciples, instructing them preparatory to His departure from them. He was ready for the leavetaking. He had demonstrated the fact that He was a living Saviour; His disciples need no longer associate Him with the tomb of Joseph. They could think of Him as glorified amid the heavenly host. "Let not your heart be troubled," He said, "ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." "Behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high."
All heaven waited with eager earnestness for the end of the tarrying of the Son of God in a world all seared and marred with the curse. In proportion to Christ's humiliation and suffering was to be His exaltation. He became the Saviour, the Redeemer, only by first becoming the Sacrifice. And having magnified the law and made it honorable, by accepting its condition, He hastened to heaven to perfect His work and accomplish His mission by sending the Holy Spirit to His disciples. Thus He would assure His believing ones that He had not forgotten them, tho in the presence of God, where there is fulness of joy forevermore.
Christ came to earth as God in the guise of humanity. He ascended to heaven as the King of saints. His ascension was worthy of His exalted character. He ascended from the Mount of Olives in a cloud of angels, who triumphantly escorted Him to the city of God. Not in His own interest did He go, but as the covenant-making Redeemer of His believing sons and daughters, who are made thus through faith in His name. He went as one mighty in battle, a conqueror, leading captivity captive, amid acclamations of praise and celestial song.
As He ascended, the challenge was given by the escorting angels: "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in." Joyfully the waiting sentinels make response, "Who is this King of glory?" This they say, not because they do not know who He is, but because they would hear His praises. The answer comes back: "The Lord strong and mighty; the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in."
Again the response is heard, "Who is this King of glory?" for the angels never weary of hearing His name exalted. In strains of heavenly music the escorting angels make reply, "The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory." Emmanuel, God with us, "is gone up with a shout; the Lord with the sound of a trumpet."
What a contrast between Christ's reception on His return to heaven and His reception on this earth! In heaven all was loyalty. There was no sorrow, no suffering, to meet Him at every turn. There were no scowling priests to exercise their ingenuity in finding some word of His which they could misinterpret, and thus gain opportunity to harass, abuse, insult, and deride Him. His entrance to the courts above was not begged; for all heaven was honored by His presence.
As He enters heaven, the angels hasten to do Him homage, but He waves them back, and going to His Father makes the plea: "Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world." What is the Father's answer?—"And let all the angels of God worship Him." The pledge made before the foundation of the world is renewed. Christ's relation to His Father embraces all who receive Him by faith as their personal Saviour.6The time had come for the universe of heaven to accept their King. Angels, cherubim, and seraphim, would now stand in view of the cross. The Father bows His head in recognition of the One of whom the priests and rulers had said, "He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him." [The Father accepts His Son. No language could convey the rejoicing of heaven or God's expression of satisfaction and delight in His only-begotten Son, as He saw the completion of the atonement.]
Christ said to His disciples: "It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send Him unto you." This was the gift of gifts. The Holy Spirit was sent as the most priceless treasure man could receive.
The Holy Spirit was to descend on those who love Christ. By this they would be qualified, in and through the glorification of their Head, to receive every endowment necessary for the fulfilling of their mission. The Life-giver held in His hand not only the keys of death, but a whole heaven of rich blessings.
All power in heaven and earth was given to Him, and having taken His place in the heavenly courts, He could dispense these blessings to all who received Him. The church was baptized with the Spirit's power. The disciples were fitted to go forth and proclaim Christ, first in Jerusalem, where the shameful work of dishonoring the rightful King had been done, and then to the uttermost parts of the earth. The evidence of the enthronement of Christ in His mediatorial kingdom was given. God testified to the great work of atonement in reconciling the world to Himself, by giving Christ's followers a true understanding of the kingdom which He was establishing upon the earth, the foundation of which His own hand had laid.
[The Father gave all honor to His Son, seating Him at His right hand, far above all principalities and power. He expressed His great joy and delight in receiving the Crucified One, and crowning Him with glory and honor. And all the favors He has shown to His Son in His acceptance of the great atonement are shown to His people.] Those who have united their interests in love with Christ are accepted in the Beloved. They suffer with Christ, and His glorification is of great interest to them, because they are accepted in Him. [God loves them as He loves His Son.] Christ, Emmanuel, stands between God and the believer, revealing the glory of God to His chosen ones, and covering their defects and transgressions with the garments of His own spotless righteousness. [The seal of heaven has been affixed to Christ's atonement. His sacrifice is in every way satisfactory.] In Him mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. The Father embraced His Son, and in this included all who receive Him. "To them gave He power to become the sons of God." They are His chosen ones, joint-heirs with Christ in the great firm of heaven. They overcome as He overcame.
MRS. E. G. WHITE.
FORGETTING THE THINGS THAT ARE BEHIND.
By Frances E. Bolton
LIKE a host of dreary shadows,
How they crowd the soul;
Pouring gloom upon the meadows,
Hushing song in dole.
Can we ever cease t' regret them?
What can ease the mind?
Only this: “Forget, forget them—
Things that are behind.”
Let them not, like tyrant wardens,
Chain and guard the heart;
Let them not in life's fair gardens,
Blight the buds that start;
Let them not undo, enslave thee,
And good impulse bind.
There is One who died to save thee
From the things behind.
But press on, undaunted spirit,
Full of zeal and fire,
Hoping still to rich inherit
All thy soul's desire.
Yes, press on, and engrossed solely
With the things that are,
All enraptured with the holy,
All the past debar.
O most blessed, blessed token
Of the love of heaven,
Are the precious words so spoken
To the souls so riven;
God knew how the past would fret them,
And in mercy kind,
Said, “Press on, rejoice, forget them—
Things that are behind.”
So my soul, and my poor brothers,
Dwell not in the gloom;
Turn thy thought from self to others,—
Make life's pathways bloom.
Conquer him who taunts and teases
With defeat that's past;
Through the tender love of Jesus,
Conqueror be at last.
FRANCES E. BOLTON.
FOLLOWING CHRIST.
To follow Jesus Christ, that is Christian living. To say that we will follow no religious practise not found in His life, or that we will "walk even as He walked," is surely a safe thing to do. To take His life as the model—what more ideal position possible?
Yet it is a fact that when Christ came living a life of righteousness, temperance, and godliness, He was reviled and slandered and persecuted by the religious leaders of His time. They were eminently religious, and read and expounded the Scriptures according to the traditions of their schools. What was the trouble?
Some have thought that it was because Christ was bringing in new notions regarding the Word of God, and the religious teachers were standing by the old ways. The facts are exactly the reverse. Christ stood by the commandments of God, and declared that they made void the law of God by their traditions. Matthew 15. He said, "I delight to do Thy will, O My God; yea, Thy law is within My heart." Ps. 40:8. And out of the heart "are the issues of life." He simply lived the law of God. We are "saved by His life;" and by it promise of salvation comes to every man, with the assurance that in Him the weakest and the wickedest may live the same life of obedience.—Oriental Watchman.
"IS IT PEACE?"
MEN desire peace, therefore they predict it among the nations. There are those who believe that the predictions will prove true; that the Congress of Religions in 1893 and the Peace Conference in 1899 are the heralds of the peace of the world, when nations shall sheathe their swords, spike their guns, and cast the metals of their weapons of war into jubilant bells of harmony. Those who can not believe this are called pessimists, croakers, etc., just as if they did not desire peace as well as others.
But with the truth-loving, prudent mind, the question is not so much, What do I desire? as it is, What shall be? What is bound to come?
But there are those who believe that somehow, sometime, all the various nations of earth will be at peace. Ministers have preached it, poets have sung the theme; and multitudes believe it, and believe that the Bible teaches it.
The prophecy, above all others, perhaps, on which this is based, is found in the second chapter of Isaiah, verses two to five, which read as follows:—
"And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it."
"And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord."
It would certainly be a desirable thing if the swords of earth were all beaten into plowshares and the spears into pruning-hooks.
But does this prophecy teach that such will be the case?
"Mountains" are symbols of kingdoms, of a place of refuge and safety. The mountain of God stands for the kingdom of God. Mountains of earth are symbolical of earthly kingdoms. See Ps. 11:1; 30:7; Isa. 25:6, 7; Jer. 31:25.
"The Lord's house" refers to the church of God. The mountain of the Lord's house ought always to be the mountain of the Lord, but it has not always been. When the church departed from God by backsliding, and united with the world, she forsook the mountain of God for the mountains of earth. Thus the Lord speaks to her:—
"Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot." Jer. 3:6.
"Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed; even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice. Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance; for thou hast discovered thyself to another than Me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it." Isa. 57:7, 8.
The passage from Isaiah has certain reference to the Christian dispensation and the backslidden church in the last days. It is worthy of much study.
In the first five chapters of Isaiah the Lord sends His message to a backslidden people. "They have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward." Isa. 1:4. "They be replenished from the East, and are soothsayers like the Philistines." Isa. 2:6. In the light of symbolism this prophecy thus indicates that the earthly governments—one in profession—with which the church connects herself are stronger than the other powers (mountains and hills) of earth. And this is the fact. The so-called "Christian nations" of earth are far in advance in power and progress of the other nations of earth. This is owing to Christian enlightenment, but instead of using God's blessings to glorify Him, they have been used to exalt man. If these blessings had been used as the Lord designed, the heathen of earth would have been brought to Christ, and He would have been glorified; but nation and church have exalted material things, and instead of the peoples of heathen lands flowing to Christ, they are imitating the "Christian nations," building great war-ships, drilling armies, forming great corporations, and oppressing labor.
Because of all this exaltation of the professed Christian church and Christian nations "many people" shall go and say: "Come ye and let us go up to the house of the Lord." Micah tells us that it is "many nations" that shall come and say the same thing. These "many people" say that God will teach us, and we will walk in His ways; the "many nations" say that the Lord will rebuke strong nations, so that they shall beat their swords into plowshares; the "many nations" say that "they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree" unmolested; the "many nations" declare that the Lord hath spoken this; the "many nations," in their blind union with the world, say, "All the peoples will walk every one in the name of his god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever." It is the many people who utter the prophecy; it is not God who gives it.
Be not surprised, reader. This is but a repetition of all the past,—the prediction and seeking of peace in iniquity; of proclaiming peace when God proclaims war. Read the prophecies of Jeremiah to a nation which had filled full its cup of iniquity—a nation that is the type of a world lying in sin. Note the multitude of7false prophets which rose up and predicted peace. Jeremiah stood alone; the other prophets were many; but the word which the one spoke was more than the dreams of all.
God has predicted what the last days shall be,—the condition of the time which shall usher in the great day of the Lord. Let us put the two prophecies, that of the Lord and that of the "many people," side by side, that we may more clearly see the difference:—
"Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles: Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up; beat your ploughshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears; let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about; thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision; for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision."
"And many people shall go and say: Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord."
And what does God say to His professed people for thus deceiving the world? Read the very next verse in Isaiah 2: "Therefore," because of this false message, "Thou hast forsaken Thy people the house of Jacob, because they be filled with customs from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of strangers. Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots. Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself; therefore forgive them not. Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty."
And all this prophecy concerning the backslidden church of Christ, and the many people among them, is literally fulfilled now. We learn the predictions of peace by the many peoples of the church, of the beating of weapons of war into implements of husbandry, of the hiding of sin, of the soothing message to the wicked over a mutilated Bible, of the heaping together of silver and gold and treasure, of the honor and exaltation of humanity, the worship of the work of their own hands, instead of the worship of God, of the mock humility and hypocrisy of the evil-disposed, and the hypocrite great in position; and the Word of God indicates that their case is hopeless. There is no forgiveness, because there is no genuine repentance and humility.
And the things taking place in the world today are demonstrating the truth of both prophecies above quoted, written in the same generation. Never were there such preparations for war taking place as now. From the greatest to the least of nations the incessant labor goes forward, as tho the very mighty men heard the call of God in their very ears.
And yet, despite the prophecy by the son of Pethuel, and many other prophecies, many people are crying, "Peace, peace." Nay, more, "many nations" are now in representative conference at The Hague talking for a peace which they prophesy, which they doubtless devoutly wish for, but which in their heart of hearts they do not expect this side of war.
In this sinful world there is no hope of peace. The wide-heard cry of peace forbodes destruction. Blessed is he who heeds not the voice of false shepherds, but is warned by the more sure word of prophecy: "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober." 1 Thess. 5:1-6.
WAR AND MURDER.
A GENTLEMAN bearing one of the most respected names our commonwealth has ever known, sends us this:—
In calmest mind, to serve some unknown will,
I swore in soldiers' uniform to kill;
I slaughtered men who never injured me,
Yet that I am a hero, all agree.
If [sudden wrath] I smote with deadly blow
One I had cause to feel a hated foe;
Then, in the eyes of all, a monster I,
And doomed to death upon the gallows high.
Amazed, I ask why people should abhor
A single murder, while they shout for war?
One's fame who kills a thousand widely rings;
Who takes one life, upon a scaffold swings!
—Our Dumb Animals.
“HE THAT BELIEVETH.”
By T. E. Bowen
“AND as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:14, 15, 17.
This is a most comforting assurance. All who believe on the Son may have life. In looking unto the serpent in the wilderness was concentrated both a confession of sin and faith in the One to come who would be lifted up for sin. It was a turning away from the revolting sin of rebellion and murmuring which brought the fiery serpents among them. This was believing.
“That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish.” Here the sure promise is “that whosoever believeth,” shall have life. This does not mean, as commonly supposed, that at one time, ages ago, Jesus Christ came into the world. No salvation attaches to the acknowledging of that historical fact. Devils believe this much. They acknowledged Him to be the Son of God, yet this brought no life to them.
The record goes on to explain the true meaning of “believing”: “He that believeth on Him is not condemned.” Why is he not condemned? It is because he takes advantage of the light, brought to him in the life of Christ, acknowledging his own ways to be wrong, because they do not conform to this light, and then, renouncing these hidden things of darkness belonging to Satan’s kingdom, he follows on in the light of the life of Christ. This is believing on Christ. This course is the only course to ever be pursued, and it ends in everlasting life, always. To simply ignore light is to condemn ourselves. We are exhorted to walk in the light.
“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Verse 19. From the days of Adam light has been in our world. Since the days of Christ it has been shining in increased volume. Light is sent to give life. But it becomes condemnation if men, when they see it or know it can be had, rather than walk in it, continue in darkness. Had not light come, there would be no condemnation, but now is there no excuse. The responsibility for the loss of eternal life rests individually upon those who choose darkness, not upon the loving Father who sent the Light to save men. “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be discovered .”
To illustrate. Here is a room. All is confusion. There is dirt upon the floor, and dust upon the misplaced furniture. It is dark within. There are windows, but their conditions admit only faint rays. People live here. What would you think of the woman sitting in the midst of all this dirt, solacing herself with the thought that if she can only keep the light out nobody will see it? She knows that if the light is turned on, all the wretchedness of her surroundings will be discovered. Is she justified or condemned by such a course? This very course is condemnation.
How much more noble to come to the light! Let it shine into our souls to discover all the hidden uncleanness, and then let the Light—Jesus—cleanse us. “But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” This is righteousness; this is life. This is believing on Christ. It crosses our nature, but our natural hearts can not be saved. New hearts are for all who choose the light, and walk in it.
Evil angels piled the rubbish into our souls. Angels of light stand ready to assist in removing it. Let us come to the Lord, and this great task—impossible for us—of being renewed, will He make easy, and we may know it is wrought in God. This is believing. This is life eternal.
OUR RESCUER.
By C. F. Ladd
HOLD up the Christ, that the whole world may see;
Let us point from ourselves to the cross.
We shall soon hear a voice crying out, "Who is He?"
In His name there is gain, never loss.
Then earnestly tell the old story again;
Point the way to the pathway of life;
Tell the story of Jesus, the Lamb that was slain,
Who will rescue from danger and strife.
C. F. LADD.
SHAME AND EVERLASTING CONTEMPT.
By Wm. Penniman
THERE are only two texts in the Old Testament which can be claimed to support the "endless misery" doctrine. We will first notice Dan. 12:2: "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." If the original would admit of the rendering of everlasting torment, instead of "everlasting contempt," then those who so tenaciously cling to the false doctrine would have some proof for it. But everlasting contempt is one thing, and everlasting misery quite another. On this text we read in "Thoughts on Daniel" (old edition), page 307:—
What is here said is supposed by some to furnish good evidence of the eternal conscious suffering of the wicked, because those of this character come forth to shame and everlasting contempt. How can they forever suffer these unless they are forever conscious? Shame implies their consciousness; but it will be noticed that this is not said to be everlasting. This qualifying word is not inserted till we come to contempt, which is an emotion felt by others towards the guilty parties, and does not render necessary the consciousness of those against whom it is directed.
We also read on page 323 of "Here and Hereafter," that the
Syriac sustains this idea. It reads, "Some to shame and the eternal contempt of their companions." And thus it will be. Shame for their wickedness and corruption will burn into their very souls, so long as they have conscious being. And when they pass away, consumed for their iniquities, their loathsome characters and their guilty deeds excite only contempt on the part of the righteous, unmodified and unabated, so long as they hold them in remembrance at all. The text therefore furnishes no proof of the eternal suffering of the wicked.
How important it is to have a part in the resurrection which is "to eternal life."
WM. PENNIMAN.
SOME NOTES FROM THE PEACE CONFERENCE.
THE Peace Conference at The Hague has drawn up for the approval of the respective governments the series of conventions and declarations that follow:—
“Convention for the pacific settlement of international disputes.
“Convention concerning the laws and customs of war on land.
“Convention for the adoption of laws against the use of asphyxiating or deleterious gases for balloon projectiles and for the prohibition of the use of bullets that easily expand in the human body.”
The final act contains five expressions of opinion, as follows:—
“The conference considers that limitations of the military charges which at present oppress the world are greatly to be desired for the increase of the material and moral welfare of mankind.
“The conference expresses the opinion that the question of the rights and duties of neutrals should be inscribed on the program of a conference to be held at an early date.
“The conference expresses the opinion that the questions relative to the type and caliber of rifles and naval artillery as examined by it should be the subject of study by the different governments with a view to arriving at a uniform solution by a future conference.
“The conference expresses the wish that an early convention be called to revise the Geneva Convention.”
The conference had resolved that questions relating to the inviolability of private property in war on land and the bombardment of towns or villages in naval war be reserved for future conferences.
A mere casual reading of the foregoing abundantly discloses the idea that the acts of that august body at The Hague savor more of war than of peace. And the more the work of the conference from first to last is studied the more abundantly does this appear. The conference was called to arrange a program of disarmament. But instead of doing the work for which it was convened, the conference busies itself in defining the methods by which the preparations for war may be continued. It is more properly a war conference, rather than a peace conference.
The following despatch from Washington emphasizes the spirit of war that has possessed the delegates of two of the most enlightened nations who send representatives to the conference:—
“WASHINGTON, July 24.—The United States will not be bound by the reported decision of The Hague conference to prevent the use of the dum dum bullet in warfare. So far we have not been obliged to resort to the use of this bullet, but the ordinance officers have been making experiments to secure an increased “stopping” effect for the small caliber ball used in the Krag-Jorgensen, and these experiments have proceeded somewhat on the lines of the dum dum ball.
“The specific reason why Captain Crozier and the remainder of the American delegates voted against the proposal to prohibit the dum dum bullet was because their general instructions forbade them to pledge this government in any line of action that would retard the development of inventive genius in war. Adhesion to the protocols is voluntary. Great Britain also refuses to prohibit the use of the dum dum bullet.”
If the United States and Great Britain are not willing to lessen the barbarities of war, what may be expected of some of the other nations that are considered less advanced in civilization? “The development of inventive genius in war” must not be “retarded.” And as the new inventions are developed there ever will be, as there always has been, a feverish desire to put them into actual use. The idea that these modern weapons, so terrible in their destructive power, will deter men from war is one of the greatest delusions of all time. The soldier is nothing if he is not brave. And the greater the danger the better his opportunity to display his bravery.
THE NEW ISHAM SHELL.
A SUCCESSFUL trial of a new shell was made at the Sandy Hook proving grounds a few days since that was most remarkable. Much study has been put upon the problem of using the high explosives as a bursting charge in shells that are thrown from cannon by ordinary slow burning powder and in the ordinary way. But until the present, success has not been attained because the shock from the powder is so great that the shells would be exploded before leaving the gun.
Mr. Isham, however, has overcome this difficulty by the invention of a shell that has its chamber divided into several smaller chambers by diaphragms at right angles to the long axis. "These diaphragms so break the shock of firing that even such a dangerous high explosive as explosive gelatine can be safely used as a bursting charge."
In the recent trial at Sandy Hook, the shell fired was the regular 12-inch projectile, and weighed 1,038 pounds. It was charged with 113 pounds of explosive gelatine, and 450 pounds of brown powder was used in firing it from the gun. Just one such shell exploding in the hull of the most formidable battle-ship afloat would send her at once to the bottom of the sea with no one left to tell the story.
This country—neither any of the other countries of the world—is not in the least degree slackening its efforts to prepare for war. And since the "Peace Conference" went into session at The Hague on May 18 last, there have been some of the most remarkable developments in the work of waking up the mighty men for war. There is a most intensely unnatural war spirit prevading the whole world. But there are comparatively few who keep sufficiently clear from the excitement of it to calmly view it and recognize what it means.
Whether men will receive it or not, there is one strong, clear passage of Scripture that tells the whole story. It reads thus:—
"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Rev. 16: 13, 14.
The great day of God Almighty is right at hand. And one of the evidences by which we so positively know it is the marvelous war spirit that is taking possession of the whole world in direct fulfilment of the foregoing scripture.
Sects in Syria and Palestine.—In Syria and Palestine at the present time there are said to be 140,000 adherents to the Greek Russian Church; of Protestants about 2,000 to 6,000 (14,000 attend their schools); 1,800,000 Mussulmans, 300,000 Maronites, 100,000 Druses; probably about 75,000 Jews; 600,000 Catholics. When the American Protestants established a medical college at Beyrout, and gathered 100 students, the Jesuits founded another, French in its personnel, which soon had a hundred students, and reduced the American college by more than half. Catholicism is having a wonderful growth in the East as well as elsewhere.
Divorce.—In 1895 "infidel" and "fickle" France was shocked that statistics showed an average of one divorce a day. But it is said that a conservative statistician estimates the divorces in this country at 200 a day or about 63,000 divorces a year. The four States most guilty are California, Oklahoma, Illinois (Chicago), and South Dakota. This fearful sowing is bringing a harvest of half-orphan children. All over the world there is growing laxity in marriage relations. One paper says: "Sociologists have sought in vain for a reason for the startling increase in divorce, but they have been unable to find one, or even to formulate a satisfactory explanation. Education has been held responsible for the invasion; others have declared that it is a sign of universal degeneration. Neither explanation seems to be satisfactory." The true reason is that God's law is9ignored in both Church and State. When ministers will sneer at one precept of the law, the Fourth, they must not wonder that thousands despise the Seventh precept. Lawlessness is one of the signs of the last days. "And because iniquity [lawlessness] shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Matt. 24:12.
LYNCHINGS.
By Editor
Within the last few days the governor of Georgia ordered a company of the State militia to Bainbridge to disperse a mob bent on lynching; a negro was lynched at Saffold, Ga.; another was lynched near Leesburg, Ga.; and still another in Grimes County, Texas.
At one of the lynchings the body of the dead man was cut into strips and distributed among the mob. Some will try to pass these things by with the suggestion that nothing of this kind could be done except in the South. But there have been lynchings in some of the northern States during the last few years that are not very far behind the barbarities of the ones committed in the South.
It has been the boast that our great nineteenth-century civilization would eradicate all forms of barbarism and enthrone peace and justice. But it takes something beyond mere civilization to do such a work as this. Nothing short of the real Christianity of the true Christ of God will do it. And how sad it is that the great majority of the millions who profess the name of Christ to-day live so far from Him that they do not see nor sense the growing violence of this time. Neither do they understand its awful portents.
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.
By T.
THE New York World has recently been making quite a fight against Christian Science. A reporter was hired to go to the “Science” school and take a full course in their so-called arts of healing. The reporter completed his course, and received his degree and diploma at the end of three weeks.
He was first taught that God is all in all and that God is good. And since God is all in all and good, then there can be nothing which is not good. Sickness is not good, therefore, says the “Scientist,” it does not exist. And it is only another step to their statement that sin is not good, and therefore it does not exist.
All of the foregoing is to lay the foundation for the Christian Science doctor to go to the sick and not try to help them get well, but try to convince them that there is no such thing as sickness and therefore they are well.
Such a delusion has never before crossed the threshold of our world. Just think of it! It is not good for a man to have a broken leg. Therefore Christian Science would have us believe that the leg is not broken. It seems inconceivable that intelligent men and women of the boasted nineteenth century could be led into such dreamy and worse than fairy-land nonsense.
“Christian Science,” no matter what its claims may be, in reality would have us ignore every one of the senses and every perception and faculty. And after this is done, what is there left to man? Our senses are among the greatest gifts of God to man. And they are given to be lawfully and properly used, and not to be set aside or ignored.
The Master has forewarned us that His second coming shall be preceded by “false christs, and false prophets,” and they “shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Matt. 24:24. We have come down to the very last of the last days. All the prophecies point this out plainly. And we should understand what all these mysterious workings of this time mean. Satan is making his last and supreme effort to deceive and destroy, and, unless we are securely anchored to God’s Word, we will be swept away by the mighty delusions of this time.
The Word of the Lord—not as some men pervert and distort it, but as it really is in truth—is the only secure thing in which we can trust to-day. And unless you know and believe that Word you will surely be borne down by the ruinous delusions of these days.
CORRECT PROHIBITION.
MR. HOWARD, a leading prohibitionist of Rochester, has the correct ideas of prohibition, even if his notions in regard to the sacredness of Sunday and the temporal kingship of Christ are not so good. At the recent Christian Endeavor convention he said:—
“The only solution of the side door is no front door.
“The only solution of the Sunday saloon is no Monday saloon.
“The only solution of the saloon problem is no saloon.
“Anything that stops short of that is treason to the country, treason to humanity, and treason to the cross of Christ.”
The saloon is bad any day in the week. It is no worse on Sunday than it is on Tuesday or Wednesday, and the sooner all of our temperance workers awake to this fact the better it will be.