Earlier text: JUST THINK OF THIS!A Bond of Relationship.
By J. E. Titus
THE present Empress of Russia, wife of Emperor Alexander, comes from the Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt. Prince Karl, of the same house, married a Prussian Princess, daughter of the lately deceased Prince Albrecht. They, however, separated. The Princess is said to be slightly deranged. These two alliances form two links in the chain. The Prussian (now the German) Crown Prince and the Hessian successor, Prince Louis, married sisters, from the royal house of Great Britain, Princesses Victoria and Alice. Their brother, the Prince of Wales, and the Crown Prince of Russia married daughters of the royal house of Denmark, Princess Adelaide and the beautiful Princess Maria Feodorowna. The Crown Prince of Denmark chose a Princess from Sweden, great-niece of Emperor William, connected through her mother with the house of Netherlands, and on its side with the house of Weimar and Wurtemberg, and through the Princess, daughter of Emperor Paul, with the Russian court; and again the Princess Olga Nikolaijewna married the king of Wurtemberg, and the Wurtemburger Princess Sophie, daughter of Princess Katharina Pawlowna, married the king of Holland. The wife of Emperor Paul, Maria Feodorowna, and the deceased Princess Helena were both Wurtemberg Princesses. The second son of the Denmark house, George I., King of Greece, married the Princess Olga Constantinowna. The head of the Saxe-Coburg house, Duke Ernst, is married to a Princess from Baden; the Grand Duke of Baden married the only daughter of Emperor William; the Grand Duke Michael Nikolajewitsch chose a sister of the Grand Duke of Baden and of the Grand Duchess Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and Prince William of Baden chose a daughter of the Grand Duchess Maria Nikolajewna, thus uniting all these houses in close connection. The present Empress Augusta of Germany and her sister, Princess Karl, unite the house of Weimar with that of Hohenzollern, and are related through their mother to the royal house of Russia. The Queen of Sweden, as a Princess of Nassau, is in a two-fold manner related to the Holland house of Orange as a sister-in-law of Prince Peter of Oldenburg and aunt of the Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrowna, while the deceased Queen, a princess of Leuchtenberg, was sister-in-law of the Grand Duchess Maria Nikolajewna. The Grand Duke Constantine and Grand Duke of Oldenburg, King George of Hanover, Prince Albrecht of Prussia, the lately deceased Prince August of Sweden, the Duke of Anhalt, and the heir-expectant of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, all married Princesses of the house of Sachsen-Altenburg, thus making a network of cousinship which binds in a manifold way all the royal houses of Northern Europe. The foregoing is a good illustration of the words of Daniel. “They shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another.” Dan. 2:43. Daniel is here describing a universal kingdom in four grades of succession; and of the last he says, “The kingdom shall be divided.” This division is more fully set forth in the seventh chapter, under the symbol of the beast with ten horns. Commentators and historians very generally agree that the ten kingdoms of Europe are here brought before the prophetic mind. The kingdom has been divided—and it is the hope that these intermarriages will bring about, what other means have failed to accomplish, a bond of union among the fluctuating fragments of this broken State. The exigences of the time call for something to be done; and having forgotten Him who rules in the kingdoms and affairs of men, the people act in their own wisdom, at best but transient and feeble. Vain hope! The kingdom will remain divided, but soon the impending blow will scatter it like chaff. But though hopelessly divided as to the nations of the world, the promise is, that the kingdom in its “greatness” shall be given to the saints of the Most High. May we share in that kingdom which will be unchangeable and everlasting, the benefits of which will be eternal, and subject to no variations or vicissitudes of time and fortune. The Cross of Christ.
By Allie Church
WHY do we droop and languish under the cross of Christ? He says, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” If this be so, why do we complain? No one who professes to believe the sacred word of God will dispute this in plain language; yet thousands who are striving for eternal life virtually deny this in almost every prayer-meeting they attend, when they testify of their trials and troubles. They say, My trials are greater than I can bear. What is this but virtually accusing our Lord of saying that which is not true? It is highly displeasing to God for us to be always complaining of our crosses and trials. Look on the bright side, remembering that every cloud, no matter how black it appears, has a silver lining. Think also of what Jesus bore for you. You can never suffer the agony of mind he did. You can never realize the burden there was upon him. Think how he came to earth, giving up the glories of Heaven, and being subjected to trials and temptations on every hand, and finally dying the shameful death of the cross; and your sins were upon him. If you feel discouraged, tell it to Jesus. Do not discourage others by telling it to them. Think of the goodness of God to you and tell of that. We should lift our cross cheerfully, and proceed on our way, “looking unto Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith.” My brother, my sister, look around you and behold what God has created for us to enjoy. Look up and thank him with a full heart, realizing the source from whence these blessings come. “And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.” Gen. 32:1. He went—walked—on his way—not his own way, only in that it was God’s way for him, and while obeying the command of God, or the leadings of the Spirit, such a wonderful blessing was vouchsafed to him as meeting the angels of God. They might have come to him, it is true, had he remained in his place; but he saw them sooner for going “on his way,” not one, but many; and he knew them, for he said, “This is God’s host.” We all know that beautiful history—his fear of Esau—his anxiety to find favor with him—his tenderness in providing for the safety of his family. Who can read unmoved that remarkable prayer, verses 9–12, where he takes God’s own words and promises, and lays them before him as though he could not be detained: “The Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee,” and, “Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good.” To every Christian, if they will but go on their way—go forward in the path of duty whatever it may involve: a sacrifice of our own ease and pleasure for the good of another—a call—a word of exhortation or prayer—an appeal to some impenitent when we know not how it will be received; to stand by the couch of suffering which we are powerless to relieve; to see another struggling under a burden we cannot lighten; in any and all the daily duties and hourly experiences of the Christian’s life, if we will but go on in God’s strength, we shall surely meet the angels. “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”—Sel. THE WATCH AT THE SEPULCHRE.
From east to west I've marched beneath the eagles;
From Pontus unto Gaul:
Kept many a watch, on which, by death surrounded,
I've seen each comrade fall. Fear! I could laugh until these rocks re-echoed,
To think that I should fear,
Who have met death in every form unshrinking,
To watch this dead man here. In Dacian forests, sitting by our watch-fire,
I've kept the wolves at bay;
On Rætian Alps escaped the ice-hills hurling,
Close where our legion lay. On moonless nights, upon the sands of Libya,
I've sat with shield firm set;
And heard the lion roar; and in this fore-arm
The tiger's teeth have met. I was star-gazing when he stole upon me,
Until I felt his breath,
And saw his jewel eyes gleam: then he seized me,
And instant met his death. My weapon in his thick-veined neck I buried,
My feet his warm blood dyed:
And then I bound my wound, and till the morning
Lay couched upon his side. Here though the stars are veiled, the peaceful city
Lies at our feet asleep;
Round us the still more peaceful dead are living,
In slumber yet more deep. A low wind moaning glides among the olives,
Till every hill-side sighs:
But round us here the moaning seems to muster
And gather where he lies. And through the darkness pale, faint, gleams are flying,
That touch this hill alone:
Whence these unearthly lights? and whence the shadows
That move upon the stone? If the Olympian Jove awoke in thunder,
His great eyes I could meet;
But his, if once again they looked upon me,
Would strike me to his feet. He looked as if my brother hung there bleeding,
And put my soul to shame:
As if my mother with his eyes was pleading,
And pity overcame. But could he save? He who in death was hanging
On the accursed tree,
Was he the Son of God? for so in dying,
He seemed to die for me. All my pitiless deeds came up before me,
Gazed at me from his face:
What if he rose again, and I should meet him!—
How awful is this place! The Number Seven in the Bible.
On the 7th day God ended his work. On the 7th month Noah’s ark touched ground. In 7 days a dove was sent. Abram pleaded 7 times for Sodom. Jacob served 7 years for Rachel. Jacob mourned 7 days for Joseph. Jacob was pursued a 7 days’ journey by Laban. A plenty of 7 years and a famine of 7 years were foretold in Pharaoh’s dream by 7 fat and 7 lean beasts, and 7 ears of full and 7 ears of blasted corn. On the 7th day of the 7th month the children of Israel fasted 7 days and remained 7 days in tents. Every 7 years the land rested. Every 7 years the bondmen were set free. Every 7th year the laws were read to the people. In the destruction of Jericho, 7 persons bore 7 trumpets 7 days; on the 7th day they surrounded the wall 7 times, and at the end of the 7th round the walls fell. Solomon was 7 years building the temple, and feasted 7 days at its dedication. In the tabernacle were 7 lamps. The golden candlestick had 7 branches. Naaman washed 7 times in the river Jordan. Job’s friends sat with him 7 days and 7 nights, and offered 7 bullocks and 7 rams as an atonement. Our Saviour spoke 7 times from the cross, on which he hung 7 hours, and after his resurrection appeared 7 times. In the Lord’s prayer are 7 petitions, containing 7 times 7 words. In the Revelations we read of 7 churches, 7 candlesticks, 7 stars, 7 trumpets, 7 plagues, 7 thunders, 7 vials, 7 angels, and 7 headed monster. God expects fruit from every tree planted in his vineyard. The Scourge of Small Cords Called For.
“EUSEBIUS” of the New York Observer was not wide of the mark when he wrote some months since: “Now that our churches are painted and decorated more gaily, even than the theaters, and the quartette of artistic performers are elevated to the most conspicuous place in the gaze of the congregation, and the style of music made to correspond, it appears to me that if the Master should come again to our world and enter one of our fashionable churches, of which there are so many of every name, he would use his scourge of small cords and say to those who are called to conduct the worship of the sanctuary, in some such words as these: ‘Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an opera-house.’” The Cause of Present Truth.
By James White
THE cause, of what Seventh-day Adventists choose to call present truth, had a humble and small beginning, and its growth, up to within a year or two, has been slow. In its earlier years, the work would seem to stand still in some parts of the field, or really appear to grow feebler. But in many instances, when the prospect looked darkest, the Lord would send the right kind of help, and prosperity unlooked for would attend the work. And so has the cause moved on from the very first. There are some of our Conferences which show but little progress from year to year. We might here mention Maine, Vermont, New England, and New York. There are, however, as good and true and faithful brethren in these Conferences as in any others. There is no mystery connected with the want of progress in these Conferences. These brethren must not be blamed. They need encouragement rather than censure. And the best way to encourage them is to send them the right kind of help. Maine had the labors of our ablest and best men, such as Loughborough, Cornell, Andrews, Canright and others. But unfortunately it was at a time when their efforts to build up the cause in Maine were valued by only a few. There rose up a number of little preachers in Maine, some of whom regarded the men who were sent from the West by the General Conference as a kind of invaders. These Maine preachers did next to nothing themselves, excepting to stir up jealousy among the brethren against the very men who did about all that was done, and who would have done much more to build up the cause in that good old State had not these short-sighted, unreasonable, jealous men hindered the work. A very few, however, have done well, and still receive credentials. Probably others should be encouraged. While it is a grief to all true friends of the cause in Maine that such a state of things should exist in the past to discourage our best and ablest men, and lead the General Conference to call them to other parts, they should be encouraged with the fact that God is blessing their labors in other fields. The cause of present truth is moving forward under their labors elsewhere, and when things have reached their level in Maine, God will send help to that field. We are sorry to learn that the brethren of the Maine Conference are dropping off in their Systematic Benevolence. But who can blame them? Some saw that their money was paid out to those who had done very much more in tearing down and discouraging than they had done to build up. And they quit paying. Who will blame them? But our brethren in Maine should not carry matters too far. Now that their means is being used properly, they should all come up on their figures, and thus encourage the help from abroad the cause in that State so much needs. We believe that the Atlantic States are quite as good a field of labor as the Pacific. Our brethren of the New England Conference have stood by the cause nobly, and they must have help. The same can be said of old Vermont and the New York Conference. There has been very bad management in both these Conferences. In the first, a sort of colonizing at Bordoville was exceedingly narrow policy, and in the latter, their ministers have succeeded far better in obtaining money from the brethren to purchase them homes than they have in converting men to Christ and the truth. And yet these faithful brethren are true to the cause of present truth. And we solemnly believe that the time has come that these eastern Conferences should have help. They are all ready to co-operate with our well-tried ministers in the most confiding manner. It should be, and will be, the policy of the General Conference to send help where it shall be appreciated, and where it will receive the most hearty co-operation. Should there be want of appreciation on the Pacific, their lack of effort would doubtless prove the riches of Maine and other Eastern Conferences. It was a mistake in the General Conference Committee in keeping our ablest men so long in Maine, laboring under great disadvantages and discouragement. They could have done tenfold more with the same labor where the brethren could have valued their labors, and unitedly worked with them. But a change has come, and Maine must be helped. The fields are all white. Calls for help multiply. In many cases the outside world raise the Macedonian cry. Come over and help is heard from all quarters. We have not one man to spare where twenty are needed. This want is more than painful to those who have felt the power of the great commission, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel.” It is agonizing. Eld. J. N. Andrews, who has nobly defended the truth from his very youth, leaves for Europe, probably before these lines shall meet the eyes of the patrons of the REVIEW. God bless him! Our brother leaves behind him the results of a quarter of a century of toil in the cause of present truth. And while he takes with him his son, Charlie, and his daughter Mary, he leaves nearly half his family behind in the silent grave. God bless him and his dear children, and give them the hearts of the people, and great success in their mission. The reward of the faithful will soon be given. The gathering time is not far off, when Christ will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather the elect from one end of heaven to the other. Reunions of families and friends will then take place, and the reward will be given according to each man's work. God is doing a great work for his dear people. The cause of present truth is onward, but it calls for men of mind, of courage, of judgment, and of willing hands. It does not call for those who are short in intellect, faint at heart, and too lazy to work. Our school should now be full of valuable young men and women preparing to act a part in the cause. The world must be warned of its coming doom in an intelligent manner, and the trusting and true ones sheltered before the vials of Jehovah's wrath shall be poured out, and Christ come in his glory. J. W. Prominent and Important.
By James White
THE second coming of Christ is a subject of great importance to the church. This is evident from the amount of testimony relative to it, in connection with the resurrection of the just and the Judgment, found in both the Old and New Testaments. The inspired writers, in their threatenings against the ungodly, in their words of hope and encouragement for the saints, and in their exhortations to repentance and holy living, hold up the great fact of the second coming of the Son of man, as that which should alarm and arouse, and also comfort, the people of God. Before Adam passed from the stage of life, Enoch, the seventh in the line of his descendants, proclaimed this doctrine in the ears of the impenitent. “Behold,” said he, “the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all.” Jude 14. And as we pass from book to book through the Bible, we find that the prophets, Jesus, and the apostles, have made the same use of the doctrine; and in the very last book, John describes a coming day, when all classes and ranks of men, because they have not prepared for the coming of Christ, will call for rocks and mountains to fall on them, and hide them from the overwhelming glory of his presence, as he appears in the clouds of heaven. Rev. 6: 14–17. Christ’s coming is also held prominently forth in the sacred writings, as the time when the righteous will be rewarded. “When the chief Shepherd shall appear,” says Peter, “ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” 1 Pet. 5: 4. And Paul looks forward to the day of Christ’s appearing as the time when not only he, but all who love the appearing of their Lord, shall receive the crown of righteousness which is laid up for such. 2 Tim. 4: 8. Most frequently, however, is this great doctrine used as an incentive to repentance, watchfulness, prayer, and holy living. “Watch,” is the emphatic injunction of the Son of God in connection with the numerous declarations of his second coming in the gospels. Paul exhorts to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to “live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” Titus 2: 12, 13. James says, “Be ye also patient; establish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned. Behold, the Judge standeth before the door.” James 5: 8, 9. Peter says, “But the end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” 1 Pet. 4: 7. And again, “What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.” 2 Pet. 3: 11, 12. Such is the use which holy men, who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, have made of the doctrine of the second coming of Christ. Have not they, therefore, lost the spirit of the gospel, who openly contend against so prominent and weighty and precious a doctrine, or who even pass it by in silence? Ministers and popular professors may cast this doctrine aside as not essential to the Christian faith; nevertheless, it may be traced through the sacred Scriptures, as made prominent by prophets, Jesus, apostles. The Bible dwells upon essentials. It does not deal in non-essentials. When the Lord in his word gave his people a rule of faith and practice, he was careful to leave the non-essentials all out. Hence, “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine.” 2 Tim. 3: 16. And let all the people say, Amen! J. W. The Spirits of Just Men Made Perfect.
By John Nevins Andrews
The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is a wonderful testimony relative to the time of the saints' reward. It takes up all the Old-Testament saints, and says: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Verse 13. And this statement is repeated at the close of the chapter in even stronger language: “And these all having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise; God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” Verses 39, 40. One of these promises which they did not receive was the possession of the city which has foundations, which is the New Jerusalem. Verse 10. When they died they saw the things promised “afar off.” Paul does therefore forbid the idea that the saints from the time of Abel to his own time had entered into the holy city. They were all in the situation of David of whom Peter speaks thus: “For David is not ascended into the heavens.” Acts 2:34. And Paul says of him: “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers.” Acts. 13:36. The other saints who had died were in the same situation. But does not Paul in the next chapter teach that these ancient worthies are actually now in the New Jerusalem? He says: “But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, . . . and to the spirits of just men made perfect.” Heb. 12: 22, 23. The first thing to be noticed here is that the apostle speaks not of perfected spirits, but of the spirits of perfected men. The original is decisive on this. And the next thing worthy of attention, is that the previous chapter closes with the statement that the saints of the Old Testament are not to be perfected till the same is accomplished for the saints of the New. A comparison of Heb. 11: 40, with Heb. 12: 23, proves positively that these spirits of perfected just men cannot be the body of Old-Testament saints set forth in that chapter. The fact is made more manifest in the original than in our translation, and it is sustained by statements already examined that they received not the promises, but saw them afar off. But there is however no contradiction between Heb. 11: 40, and 12: 23. The latter text speaks of perfected or immortalized just men who were then in the New Jerusalem. The former speaks of the saints who had died before Paul's time, that they were not to be perfected, that is, immortalized, till those of the New Testament should be. This is true of the body of Old-Testament saints. But there were some exceptions. Enoch and Elijah had been translated, and there were many saints who were resurrected when our Lord arose from the dead. When Paul speaks of Christ in his resurrection state he terms him “a quickening spirit.” 1 Cor. 15: 45. He is thus distinguished from the first Adam, who is spoken of in the same verse as “a living soul.” Paul goes on to say that “as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” Verse 49. This will be in the resurrection state. The new birth which begins with conversion and extends forward through Christian experience, is perfected at the resurrection when the just become immortal. And thus our Lord describes it: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” John 3: 6-8. This will be true of every immortalized saint, as it was certainly true of Christ when he showed himself to his disciples. John 20. It was true in Paul's time, not of all the Old-Testament saints, but of those above named, while those still sleeping in death are not to be thus perfected till the resurrection of the just. Scriptures Perverted.
By J. H. Waggoner
Any Scripture is perverted when it is made to prove what it was not designed to prove, or made to teach what a harmony of the Scriptures will not teach. As an instance, we may refer to Luke 20: 27–38, which is made to prove that the patriarchs have not died. But the Saviour spoke these words to prove that they will have a resurrection from the dead. Whenever they are quoted to prove another doctrine, or a contrary doctrine, they are perverted. Not long since I was conversing with a family who are not of our faith; the failing health of one of the family led me to recommend to them the Health Reformer and the practice of the hygienic system. The man, who was a professor of religion, and a church member, promptly objected to the system, quoting the words of the Saviour: “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man.” He asserted that it was perfectly right for a man to eat and drink whatever he pleased. He chewed tobacco, of course.101 I told him, I feared he did not understand the intention of the Saviour in speaking those words; we are admonished to do all, even to eating or drinking, to the glory of God, and we are informed that a drunkard cannot enter the kingdom of God. Therefore we are shut up to the conclusion that the liquor which the drunkard takes into his mouth defiles him, for it shuts him out of the kingdom of God. His answer to this was that it was not wrong to drink the liquor, but it was wrong to drink it to excess! so as to get drunk. But, I inquired, if a man drinks to excess, and gets drunk, is it not true that it is all taken into his mouth? And if the words of the Saviour will apply to a pint of whisky, will they not also apply to a gallon, used in the same manner? To this he made no reply. This modification of the Saviour’s language, to make it except only the excessive use of that which is shown to be wrong in itself, is a virtual acknowledgment that the language is misapplied or perverted. Ceremonially, that is, as to Jewish customs and traditions, a man is not defiled by eating without washing his hands if he has been into the market place, or in contact with his fellow-men. But it is a truth not contradicted by our Saviour, that a man may be defiled, ruined for time and eternity, by what he eats and drinks, and this is more clearly proved by the New Testament than by the Old. Eve was ruined by eating that which she ought not to eat. And this first gratification of self and appetite “brought death into the world, and all its woes.” Israel fell under a curse by reason of their perverted appetite. “Eating and drinking,” for self-gratification, were among the sins of the wicked in the days of Noah, and of which we are warned in the last days. Luke 21: 34. How easy it is to see that to quote these words of the Saviour as applying against the health reform is to pervert them. Missionary to Europe.
By George I. Butler
ELD. J. N. ANDREWS will probably sail for Europe the 15th of this month. He leaves us to go abroad to look after the general interests of the cause in Europe. This sending of one of our leading men, as a missionary to the old world, is an event in the progress of the cause of great interest. We can but expect it will open the way for the progress of the work in all directions in Europe. We can but feel sad to say farewell to one who has so long been identified with the work in our midst. We shall greatly miss him, especially at our large gatherings. But we are consoled with the hope that his labors may be greatly blessed in Europe. May God go with him. Brethren, let our prayers follow him. At our Maine camp-meeting, Bro. Andrews had special freedom from the Lord. I have not heard him speak with such clearness and freedom for years in the past. God is leading out the mind of his servant, and qualifying him for his work. On Sunday, we had a great concourse of people on the ground. They came from all directions with their teams, till the grounds were literally covered. Bro. Andrews spoke on the Sabbath question, and I think I never heard him equal that discourse upon that theme, which we all know he has handled ably so many times. The claims of God's great memorial were gloriously vindicated. Never did the contrast seem clearer between the day of God's rest and the day of heathen and popish origin than then. We greatly rejoice that God is preparing his servant for the great work before him. There is no point of greater encouragement to me than the evidences that God is preparing the pioneers of the cause for the great work to be done. He is certainly blessing them by his spirit greatly, and uniting their hearts for the battle which lies before us. Doubtless we shall have to fight every inch of our way, for we contend with “principalities and powers,” and the “rulers of the darkness of this world;” but God is giving us tokens of his favor. May God go with his servant to Europe, and may he be a blessing to the cause there.