Earlier text: THE ADVENT OF CHRISTSamuel and the Witch of Endor; Or, the Sin of Witchcraft.
By John Nevins Andrews
Isaiah 8:19, 20: “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” I. At what time does this warning have its proper application? This admonition is found in a prophecy that pertains to the gospel dispensation. For the preceding verse, which reads, “Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion,” is quoted in Heb. 2:13, and applied to Christ and the New Testament church. Thus we read, verses 11–14: “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” And it is worthy of notice that in verse 16, which reads, “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples,” the term disciples is used, which is the common designation in the New Testament of a follower of Jesus, though it is not found elsewhere in the Old Testament. The force of this expression, as pointing us to New Testament times, is seen in the fact that he who uses this term, “my disciples,” is evidently our Lord Jesus Christ. A further proof that this passage relates to the New Testament dispensation is found in the fact that the “stone of stumbling” and the “rock of offense” of verse 14, which reads, “And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense,” is our divine Redeemer. For thus the New Testament applies this verse, which it blends in quotation with Isa. 28:16, giving the language of both in one. Thus:— Rom. 9:33: “As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone and a rock of offense, and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.” 1 Pet. 2:7, 8: “Unto you therefore which believe He is precious; but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient; whereunto also they were appointed.” Another evidence that this prophecy of Isaiah pertains to the gospel dispensation is found in the fact that the next verse, which says that many shall “stumble and fall and be broken,” is applied in the texts last quoted, or in their connection, to those who reject Christ. Thus, Paul says of those who stumble at Christ crucified, Rom. 9:32, “They stumbled at that stumbling-stone.” It thus appears that the admonition of Isa. 8:19, 20, belongs to the New Testament dispensation. A further study of the connection will establish the fact that it was designed especially for the last days of this dispensation, when the disciples of Christ are waiting upon the Lord and looking for him. For the prophet, who personates in this chapter, sometimes the Lord, and sometimes his people, says, in verse 17, “I will wait upon the Lord [Douay Bible, “for the Lord”] that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.” The New Testament church was commanded not to look for that event till the Roman Antichrist should have his predicted period of exaltation. 2 Thess. 2. But when the tribulation of those days should expire, the Saviour promised that the signs of his second advent should begin to be seen, and the saints were then to look and wait for their returning Lord. Matt. 24:32, 33: “Now learn a parable of the fig-tree: When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh; so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” Luke 21:25–31: “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, THEN look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable: Behold the fig-tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” Luke 12:35, 36: “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.” Zeph. 3:8: “Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.” Heb. 9:28: “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Isa. 25:9: “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation,” Christian Faith and the Mind
CHRISTIAN faith, more than any or all other modes of discipline, sharpens the perceptive, and invigorates the active powers of the mind, clarifies the judgment, purges the understanding from prejudice, sweeps away bedimming fogs from the reason, inspires unity of aim and effort, and attaches the solemnity of duty, the sanction of an unslumbering conscience, to whatever is worthy of pursuit and endeavor. We once met an individual who claimed to be a minister of the gospel, who also said that he was an Adventist, but not a Seventh-day Adventist; for he said he had such an abhorrence of everything that pertained to the Jews that he could have nothing to do with the seventh day. This remark revealed a misapprehension which exists very extensively at the present day, on two points; namely, first, that everything with which the Jews ever had to do, is to be rejected with scorn and detestation; and, secondly, that the seventh-day Sabbath, had its origin with that people, or was ever peculiarly a Jewish institution. What are the facts in the case? Why should Christians abhor those institutions which existed in the former dispensation, even those which were peculiarly Jewish? What is there in them to excite in us either hatred or disgust? These were the queries suggested by that remark. The Bible furnishes a clear answer to these questions; and any one who professes to be a teacher in Israel should read his Bible to better purpose than ever to be guilty of such a remark. 1. There is nothing to excite in us bitterness and hatred against the Jews in the reasons which led at first to their being set apart as the people of God. Abraham was chosen and made the father of the faithful, because he was found true and righteous in the midst of a generation of apostates from God. So Israel became the people of God, set apart and distinguished from the nations around them, because they alone among them all were found worthy to become the depositaries of divine truth and the guardians of the knowledge of God and his will in the earth. Let us honor their fidelity to God, at a time when all others had enlisted in the ranks of the devil. 2. It is nothing against them that God committed unto them his lively oracles, revealed to them his truth, and committed its care to their hands, chose from their tribes men to be the amanuenses of his written word, and proclaimed himself to be their God. All these were surpassing honors, which, though they might cause us to envy, should not lead us to abuse them. 3. It is nothing against the truths of God's word, the knowledge of himself, and his moral law, the lively oracles, that they were for a time committed to the only people who were worthy to have charge of them. 4. It is nothing against the Jews that God chose them as the people with whom to make both the covenants, under the second of which the Gentiles come in to share in the blessings of God's grace, and under which we now live. But some may ask, Was the new covenant made with the Jews? Listen to Paul: “To whom pertaineth the adoption,” says he, speaking of the Jews, “and the glory and the covenants [plural] 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.” Rom. 9:4, 5. And Paul, in writing to the Gentile Ephesians, says, 2:12, 13, “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants [plural again] of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” That is, these Gentiles, so long as they remained in their Gentile state, without an interest in the blood of Christ, were strangers from the covenants of promise, those covenants having been made with Israel and Judah. And this is in accordance with the promise of the new covenant; for God said that he would make it, not with the Gentiles, but with Israel and Judah. See Jer. 31:31, and Heb. 8:8. 5. It is nothing against the Jews, that the truth of God has come down through them to us. Stephen said, speaking as a Christian, that the Jews received the lively oracles to give unto us (Christians). Acts 7:38. 6. It is nothing against the Jews, that they constitute the root and fatness of the olive tree into which God condescends to permit us, Gentiles, to be grafted. See Paul's beautiful illustration of this subject in Rom. 11:17–24. Some of the branches of the good olive tree were broken off through unbelief, and branches from the wild olive tree, the Gentiles, were grafted in. Paul tells such not to boast against the branches, for thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. They were broken off, by unbelief, and thou standest by faith, says Paul; and if the Jew abides not in unbelief, he can come in again. That is, the Gentile comes in by believing, and the Jew can come in in the same way; and if God spared not the natural branches because of their unbelief, much less will he spare the ingrafted Gentile branches, if they indulge in the same sin. The Gentile in this matter has no privilege above the Jew; and Paul says in verse 25, that he wants them to understand that mystery, lest they be wise in their own conceits. But how many do become wise in their own conceits over this matter, and boast against the branches as though they were a race detested of God, and one that ought to be abused and detested of men; and as though the Gentiles had so commended themselves to God by their unparalleled virtue as to become the especial favorites of Heaven! Abhor, forsooth, that with which the Jews have ever had anything to do! Men would do better to abhor their own blindness. What have we of any good thing that has not come down to us through them? We enter into the new covenant made with them and share in its gracious provisions. We are ingrafted into their olive tree. We bring no addition or blessing by coming in, but come in as helpless and undone beggars, to share in their blessings. Through them, we receive the law; of them, as concerning the flesh, Christ came; and salvation itself, said our Lord, is of the Jews. Yet men have an abhorrence of everything with which the Jews ever had to do. Can misconception, and may we not add, ignorance and bigotry, go farther than this? Their unbelief and rejection of Christ, we deplore. All that was typical in their system, pointing forward to Christ, has ceased because the antitype is come, and is no longer practiced. But the knowledge of God, the revelations of his word, and the principles of his moral law, are in no wise tarnished or weakened by coming through their hands. But the Sabbath was not an institution that originated with the Jewish dispensation any more than any other of the commandments of the moral law in which it is incorporated. This, with all the other parts of divine truth, was for a time committed to their hands for safe-keeping. Faithfully they guarded their trust. And having received the lively oracles to give unto us, they have given them to us in the writings of the New Testament. The moral law, Sabbath and all, is the basis of the new covenant, as it was of the old, and it is the same law that is written upon the hearts of the disciples in this dispensation; and it will be written upon the hearts of all who enter in through the gates into the city, each gate of which is inscribed with the name of one of the tribes of the children of Israel. Let us honor the Jews for the good they have done, for the part they acted in the divine economy so long as they remained faithful. Let us receive with thankfulness and humility the blessings that have come to us through them. And let us pray that many of them may turn from their unbelief and share in the blessings of that covenant, in the benefits of which God would still be pleased to have them partakers. Practical Thoughts on Scripture Subjects.
By John Nevins Andrews
THE WISDOM OF GOD IN THE BIBLE.
One book has been given to mankind which has God for its author. This book contains such stores of wisdom and knowledge as can never be exhausted. In it God has laid up sound wisdom for the righteous. Our love for God is indicated as correctly by the love which we have for the perusal and the study of this book as by our delight in secret prayer. In the one case God is addressing us, and we in our hearts as we read are responding to him; in the other we are addressing God, and he by his Holy Spirit is communing with us. The Bible is like Christ. Why should it not be when Christ is its Alpha and Omega? When men saw Christ as he appeared upon earth, so plain in dress, so unassuming in manner, so unselfish in conduct, so meek and lowly in heart, there was no beauty in him that they should desire him. For the same reason men in these days take no delight in the book of God. Perhaps they read a small portion now and then from a sense of duty, or from shame to be wholly ignorant of its contents, but they are glad when the task is accomplished so that they may turn to books which are more to their taste, or from which they expect greater profit. Oh! sad perversion of the mind. Oh! cruel slight of that book which contains the words of eternal wisdom. Oh! strange blindness and infatuation. One of the old Fathers of the church made in substance this striking remark concerning the Scriptures: “In the Old Testament the New Testament lies concealed: In the New Testament the Old Testament lies open.” This remark is truthful and just. And shall such a book remain in our hands to be read in the most sparing manner, and perhaps not studied at all by us? Shall other books be loved while this one is only tolerated and endured? Other books should be read, but let the Bible have the first place. In fact the best rule that I know to determine the character of our general reading and study is that what we thus gather shall be that which in some measure better prepares our minds for the understanding of divine truth. Our lives at the least are very short. They are even a vapor, appearing for a little time, and then vanishing away. A life so short must be wisely employed or it will indeed be an utter failure. The book of God has been sent us to make us wise unto salvation. This book teaches the way of eternal life. It shows how a life that is only a hand breadth in extent may be exchanged for one of infinite duration. It teaches us by its example of good and evil not less than by its commands, prohibitions, or its warnings. It is not given for the purpose of gratifying idle curiosity. It is not to be studied for the purpose of disputing well, or of making display. Far from this. We can never appreciate the Scriptures unless we come to their study in the same spirit that those were under who wrote them. Here are the words of eternal wisdom. Shall we not make them the theme of meditation by day and by night? Shall they not be the subject of our conversation wherever we may be? Shall we not redeem time from our business, or other reading, and even from our sleep, for the purpose of learning the things of God? And when we read shall not the truths which we learn be received by faith into our hearts? Shall not the terrors of the day of Judgment, the awful voice of God's law addressing itself to our conscience from Sinai, the tender accents of mercy and pardon from Calvary, the love of Christ, the history of our fallen world, the prophecies of its glorious future, the example of good and evil, the doctrine of divine truth, shall not these things make this the book of books to us? The carnal mind is represented in the Scriptures as “the old man.” This old man is described as having “members,” just as the “outward,” or physical, man has members by which it is enabled to act. But what a catalogue of evil propensities and sins constitute the members of the old man, the ruling spirit, or carnal mind, of natural men. Here are the “members” enumerated by the Spirit of God: “Mortify, therefore, your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, INORDINATE AFFECTION, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Col. 3:5.
Inordinate affection is one of the members which pertain to the body of the old man. It is one of the elements that make up the carnal mind, or one of the evil things produced by it. It is found in bad company most certainly. Paul has classed it with the basest of human actions and principles. Inordinate affection is an affection for any person or thing beyond that which may be properly placed on them. It is an affection for any object or person which makes them idols to us. We may know that we have this inordinate, or idolatrous affection, whenever we find ourselves unwilling to give up our friends or our possessions for Christ's sake. We may also know that to be the case when our friends are taken from us by death, and we cannot accept of the Saviour as sufficient to make up the loss. The afflicting hand of God is often stretched forth to reveal to us our idols. If we would regulate our affections by the principles of the Christian religion, we would be saved from many and great troubles. If when we see that we have failed to do this we would at once correct our faults, and yield in unreserved surrender every thing to God, we might still escape his chastening hand. And if this be neglected by us till the providence of God takes from us the objects of our idolatrous affection, we may even then equally bring the controversy to a close by acknowledging the right of our sovereign Lord to the full possession of our hearts' best affections, and humbly asking him to forgive our past idolatry, and henceforth to take that place in our hearts which the idols once filled. We may love our friends tenderly, and yet not with inordinate affection. In fact, the sanctified love which fills the breast where the Spirit of God has the control, is not only purer and sweeter, but it is even stronger, than that love which is inordinate and idolatrous. It is a love that will enable us to lay down our lives for our friends, and yet one whereby we can give them up for Christ's sake with a submissive heart. It is a love that will not resent it when our dearest friends are reproved. It is a love that did enable Abraham to offer Isaac upon the altar. It is one that holds all earthly good as something lent of God, which he has a right to recall to himself at any time. It is an unselfish love. It is kindled by the Spirit of God, and while it exists in our breasts, all is heavenly serenity and peace. Inordinate affection is selfish, idolatrous, and rebellious. We can never enter heaven till our hearts be cleansed from this. Some Christians are just what all that profess godliness should be. They are “steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” This quality of steadfastness is something admirable. In every church of Christ there are some who possess this noble quality. They are the burden bearers. They stand to their post, especially when everything is sad, trying, and dark. Then there is a much larger number who can hardly stand at all, only as they are held up by these faithful, self-sacrificing disciples. There is the utmost reason to fear that sooner or later such will fall by the way. God gives men fair warning of their dangers, and teaches them how to fortify themselves against the power of Satan. Having done this, he suffers Satan to tempt and to put them to the test just where they are weakest. So the sieve is shaken, and the heedless are sifted out. There is always opportunity for those mindful of the country from which they came out to return thither. Caleb and Joshua had the steadfast spirit. But nearly all the host of Israel in their heart turned back to Egypt. It is right to entreat the people of God not to love the world; not to turn back from Christ; not to harden their hearts; not to make shipwreck of the faith. All this entreaty has to be made, and sometimes with no success. But we love to meet that kind of Christians who do not need such entreaty; the kind that will not turn back, even when as a test of their fidelity they are invited so to do. “Tarry here,” says Elijah. “As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee,” answered Elisha. At the next place Elisha is tested in the same manner. And again the third time is the same entreaty used by Elijah, and the same answer given by Elisha. Elijah did not say this because it was best for Elisha to tarry, but that he might be proved. When the trial had thus been made Elijah says, “Ask what I shall do for thee before I be taken away from thee.” And he receives the blessing of such infinite value to himself, a double portion of Elijah's spirit. Naomi, when returning from her sojourn in the land of Moab, bade her two widowed daughters-in-law, return to their own kindred in Moab, as being every way to their earthly advantage. Orpah, after withstanding some time with tears, kissed her mother-in-law and went back. Then Naomi said to the other, “Behold thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods; return thou after thy sister-in-law.” And Ruth said, “Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee, for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.” Now please to read the book of Ruth. Orpah returned to her mother and to the gods of Moab. Her name is mentioned no more. Doubtless her connection with the people of God ceased here forever. But Ruth is honored with a place in the chief family in Israel; she becomes one of the ancestors of Jesus Christ; her history is preserved in the Bible as a precious legacy to the people of God; and her name, in all probability, is now in the Lamb's book of life. We have a very few in whom exists the spirit of Ruth, a much larger number, we fear, have that of Orpah. The great day will285 reveal the fact that only those whose hearts are steadfast, are accepted in the sight of the Lord. Thoughts on the Book of Daniel.
CHAPTER VIII—(VERSE 14, CONTINUED).
The closing chapters of Exodus give an account of the construction of the earthly sanctuary, and the arrangement of the service connected therewith. Leviticus opens with an account of the ministration, which was there to be performed. All that is to our purpose to notice here, was one particular branch of the service, which was performed as follows: The person who had committed sin, brought his victim to the door of the tabernacle. Upon the head of this victim, for a moment in solemn silence, he placed his hand. By this expressive act, he signified that he had sinned and was worthy of death, but that in his stead he consecrated his victim, and transferred his guilt to it. With his own hand (and what must have been his emotions?) he then took the life of his victim on account of that guilt. The law demanded the life of the transgressor for his disobedience; the life is in the blood; Lev. 17 : 11, 14; hence, without the shedding of blood, there is no remission; with the shedding of blood, remission is possible; for the law demanded life, and its demand is satisfied. The blood of the victim, representative of a forfeited life, and the vehicle of its guilt, was then taken by the priest and sprinkled before the vail in the sanctuary. The sin of the individual was thus transferred from himself to the sanctuary. Victim after victim was offered by the people; day by day the work went forward; and thus the sanctuary continually became the receptacle of the sins of the congregation. But was this the final disposition of these sins? It was not. This accumulation of guilt was removed by a special service which was called the cleansing of the sanctuary. This service in the type occupied one day in the year; and the tenth day of the seventh month on which it was performed, was called the day of atonement. On this day, while all Israel refrained from work, and afflicted their souls, the priest brought two goats and presented them before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. On these goats he cast lots; one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scape-goat. The one upon which the Lord’s lot fell, was then slain, and his blood was carried by the priest into the most holy place of the sanctuary (this being the only day on which he was permitted to enter into that apartment), and sprinkled upon the mercy-seat. Coming forth, he was then to lay both his hands upon the head of the scape-goat, confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, and thus putting them upon his head, was to send him away by the hand of a fit man into a land not inhabited, a land of separation or forgetfulness; the goat never again to appear in the camp of Israel, and the sins of the people to be remembered against them no more. This service was for the purpose of cleansing the people from their sins, and of cleansing the sanctuary and its sacred vessels. Lev. 16 : 30, 33. By this process, sin was removed, but only in figure; for all that work was typical. The reader to whom these views are new will be ready here to inquire, perhaps with some astonishment, what this strange work could possibly be designed to typify; what there is in this dispensation, which it was designed to prefigure. We answer, A work in the ministration of Christ, as Paul clearly teaches. After stating, in Hebrews 8, that Christ is the minister of the true tabernacle, the sanctuary in heaven, he states that the priests on earth served unto the example and shadow of heavenly things. In other words, the work of the earthly priests was a shadow, an example, a correct representation, so far as it could be carried out by mortals, of the ministration of Christ above. These priests ministered in both apartments of the earthly tabernacle; Christ therefore ministers in both apartments of the heavenly temple; for that temple has two apartments, or it was not correctly represented by the earthly, and our Lord officiates in both, or the service of the priest on earth was not a correct shadow of his work. But Paul directly states that he ministers in both apartments; for he says that he has entered into the holy place (Greek, plural, holy places) by his own blood. Heb. 9 : 12. There is, therefore, a work performed by Christ in his ministry in the heavenly temple, corresponding to that performed by the priests in both apartments of the earthly building. But the work in the second apartment, or most holy place, was a special work, to close the yearly round of service, and cleanse the sanctuary. Therefore Christ’s ministration in the second apartment of the heavenly sanctuary must be a work of like nature, and constitute the cleansing of that sanctuary. As through the sacrifices of the former dispensation the sins of the people were transferred in figure by the priests to the earthly sanctuary, where those priests ministered; so, ever since Christ ascended to be our intercessor in the presence of his Father, the sins of all those who legitimately seek pardon through him, are transferred, in fact, to the heavenly sanctuary where he ministers. Whether Christ ministers for us in the heavenly holy places with his own blood literally, or only by virtue of its merits, we need not stop to inquire. Suffice it to say, that his blood has been shed, and through that blood we have remission of sins in fact, which was obtained only in figure through the blood of calves and goats. But those sacrifices had real virtue in this respect: they signified faith in a real sacrifice to come; and thus those who employed them have an equal interest in the work of Christ, with those who come to him by faith in this dispensation. This continual transfer of sins to the heavenly sanctuary (and if they are not thus transferred, will any one in the light of the types, and in view of the language of Paul, explain the nature of the work of Christ in our behalf?), this continual transfer, we say, of sins to the heavenly sanctuary makes its cleansing necessary on the same ground that a like work was required in the earthly sanctuary. An important distinction between the two ministrations must here be noticed: In the earthly tabernacle, a complete round of service was accomplished every year. For three hundred and fifty-nine days the ministration went forward in the first apartment. One day’s work in the most holy, completed the yearly round. The work then commenced again in the holy place, and went forward till another day of atonement completed the year’s work. And so on, year by year. This continual repetition of the work was necessary on account of the short lives of mortal priests. But no such necessity exists in the case of our divine Lord, who ever liveth to make intercession for us. See Heb. 7 : 23–25. Hence the work of the heavenly sanctuary, instead of being a yearly work, is but once completed. Instead of being repeated year by year, one grand cycle is allotted to it, in which it is carried forward, and completed once for all. One year’s round of service, in the earthly sanctuary, represented the entire work of the sanctuary above. In the type, the cleansing of the sanctuary was the brief and closing work of the year’s service. In the antitype, the cleansing of the sanctuary must be the closing work of Christ, our great High Priest, in the tabernacle on high. In the type, to cleanse the sanctuary the high priest entered into the most holy place to minister in the presence of God before the ark of his testament. In the antitype, when the time comes for the cleansing of the sanctuary, our High Priest, in like manner enters into the most holy place to make a final end of his intercessory work in behalf of mankind. We confidently affirm that no other conclusion can be arrived at on this subject, without doing despite to the holy word of God. Reader, do you see the importance of this subject? Do you begin to perceive what an object of interest for all the world is the sanctuary of God? Do you see that the whole work of salvation centers there; and that when the work is done, probation is ended, and the cases of the saved and lost are eternally decided? Do you see that the cleansing of the sanctuary is a brief and special work by which the great scheme is forever finished? Do you see that if it can be made known when this work of cleansing commences, it is a solemn announcement to the world, that salvation’s last hour is reached, and is fast hastening to its close? And this is what the prophecy is designed to show. It is to make known the commencement of this momentous work: “Unto two thousand three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” In advance of any argument on the nature and application of these days, the position may be safely taken that they reach to the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, for the earthly was to be cleansed each year; and we make the prophet utter nonsense, if we understand him as saying that at the end of 2300 days, over six years, even if we take them literally, an event should take place, which was to occur regularly every year. It is the heavenly sanctuary in which the decision of all cases is to be rendered. The progress of the work there, is what especially concerns mankind to know. If people understood the bearing of these subjects on their eternal interests, with what earnestness and anxiety would they give them their most careful and prayerful study. Camp-Meetings.
By J. H. Waggoner
THE camp-meeting in Indiana was a decided success. The brethren and sisters of all the churches were mostly there, the outside attendance was large, and the interest manifested to hear was good. The ground was large and well arranged. Some defects in preparation will no doubt be remedied in the future. The labor for the unconverted was satisfactory in its results. Quite a number of young people, and some older ones, took a good stand for the truth of God. Fifteen were baptized. At a meeting in a small tent appointed especially for those just starting, thirteen young people attended and every one joined in prayer. At the closing meeting, Brother A. W. Bartlett was ordained to the ministry. The Lord's blessing was there. I have been impressed this year that the camp-meetings might be more profitable if a few points were generally guarded. Preparations should always be early made to lodge ministers coming from abroad. The Conferences cannot afford to call ministers from a distance and have them spend their time in seeking or preparing lodgings. Their time can be more profitably spent. I speak for others as well as myself, for I am not alone in meeting with this difficulty. Another serious mistake is in not being prepared to commence meetings at the time appointed. Although considerable work had been done in Indiana, the work stood at the commencement of the Sabbath just where it should have stood on Wednesday evening, to have the full benefit of the meeting, except the book-stand, which was made Sunday morning during a meeting. All who have observed know that the brethren do not generally enter heartily into the meetings till their work is done. To many, there is only a two days' meeting when the work is so delayed. In Ohio, the sickness and almost unavoidable absence of the energetic president delayed the preparations, and this is liable to be so in any case where both the president and his brethren have not learned that he cannot do everything. There can never be more than the appearance of strength where all the labor is gathered into the hands of one, and all the rest have no burden resting on them. Some mothers find it easier to do all the work than to instruct their daughters, but the daughters grow up weak and inefficient. I do not speak this specially for Ohio, for the difficulty in this respect is found to be greater in some other places. A fact in the management of the Illinois camp-meeting is worthy of mention. The brethren chartered a car at Freeport and another at Gilman, and ran them down to Clinton on Wednesday. The great body of believers gathered on those lines to avail themselves of the cheap fare, and of course were on the ground in good season. These cars will run back to those points on Tuesday morning, so the brethren will not be scattering off on Monday. And the fare is reduced below excursion rates. This may be the true method to adopt where many believers live on the line of a road. Clinton is a new field, the truth not having been preached near it. There seems to be a spirit of inquiry, and a large attendance is expected. The ground is rather small, and would hardly accommodate so many thousands as were present in Indiana and Ohio. Of these three meetings, Indiana alone was privileged with the labors of Sister White. Her testimony there was well received, all agreeing that her discourse on Monday afternoon well repaid them for all the trouble of coming to the meeting. Camp-Ground, Clinton, Ill., Aug. 24. Genuine Christians and Holy Living
Genuine Christians, by their holy lives and holy conversations, are the means of directing others, not only how to escape all of the dangers to which they are exposed on the rough and tempestuous ocean of human life, but also of leading them into the haven of eternal safety and rest. Lost Moments Cannot Be Recovered
We could as rationally set out to find a sound that had expired in air, as to find a lost moment. Combat Discontent Through Prayer
Combat all thy discontent through prayer, every care through faith, every fear through hope.