Earlier text: EditorialDID THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST AFFECT THE SABBATH?
By Elder William Covert
A PROPOSITION is proved to be true through the evidence that can be produced in its favor. If the evidence is wanting, the proposition is lost. In defense of the proposition that heads this article Bible evidence is demanded. What can be brought forth from the Scriptures that will prove that the resurrection of Christ from the dead made it necessary to change the Sabbath? "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Tim. 3:16, 17. Every doctrine of faith is revealed in the Scriptures; every sin is therein reproved; and complete instruction in righteousness is therein fully given. What reasons from the Bible are offered why the resurrection of Christ should change the Sabbath? The answer is given, "He arose on the first day of the week and therefore the change became necessary." In response, we will ask, Is the speaker certain that his conclusion is contained in his premise? He should understand that no conclusion can be drawn from a proposition that is not by logic contained in that proposition. It is admitted that Christ arose from the grave on the first day of the week, but it is denied that this fact constituted the day the Sabbath. A work performed on a certain day does not of necessity make that a rest day. We will therefore continue our demand for Bible evidence. We are told that "Christ met with his disciples on the day of his resurrection, and therefore that day is the Sabbath." But again the speaker is reminded that his conclusions629 are not contained in his proposition. Did Christ say that henceforth his disciples must remember the first day of the week to keep it holy, because that on it he arose from the dead? The only true answer is, He did not. If he did not, how then can we know that such a thing is required? Christ told them to do and teach what he had commanded them. Matt. 28:20. Unless it can be shown that there was a commandment given requiring the change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week, the case is certainly lost. What does meeting upon a day of itself prove as to the sacred character of the day? —Nothing. If there had been a commandment given regulating its observance, and then we should find persons regularly meeting upon that day, the fact of their practice could then be taken as evidence of their regard for the commandment. But in the matter referred to above there is no commandment, no practice, no ordination of the day, nor blessing pronounced upon it. In every instance where Christ saw his disciples on the day of his resurrection he labored to convince them that he had arisen. In not one instance on that day do we have any account of a religious meeting or divine services being held, such as characterize a meeting held for worship. At the very close of the resurrection day the majority of his disciples were unbelievers in the resurrection of their Lord. Hear the words of Mark:— "And she [Mary Magdalene] went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue; neither believed they them. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen." Mark 16:10-14. This testimony proves positively that at the time Christ came to them at the close of the resurrection day he found their hearts hardened in unbelief. All of them were just like Thomas. They would not believe until they themselves had seen the Lord with their own eyes. Not one believed with less testimony than did Thomas. It would appear from the testimony of Luke that it took more of an ocular demonstration to convince the other disciples of his resurrection than it did to convince Thomas. When Jesus came in their midst, they were terrified and frightened and thought they had seen a ghost. Therefore it became necessary for him to eat food in their presence before they would be satisfied that he had actually risen. Luke 24:33-42. How grievously then do those people err who claim that Christ met by appointment with his disciples on the resurrection day to celebrate the event, and that because he did this therefore the day should henceforth be celebrated for the same reason. There never was a position taken by anyone on any subject that was more at variance with the facts that cluster around the subject than is this one. The disciples were not only not commemorating the resurrection of Christ, they had no thought of a change of the Sabbath. They had devotedly kept the day before the resurrection according to the commandment. Luke 23:56. What is the next supposed evidence that is offered? —After eight days Jesus again met with the disciples. Very well—what day was that? There are only seven days in a week and only six of these can ever come in between two Sundays. What then does this meeting prove as to the change of the Sabbath? We are not told even so much as what day of the week it was, only as we count eight days from Sunday night, and then settle down on some time after that still. But even if it had been on a Sunday, nothing would thereby be proved as to the sacred character of the day. The fact that Christ met with his disciples did not sanctify the time upon which he met, that it should henceforth be used each week for the same purpose for which he used it. The third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples was at the Sea of Tiberias, when they were fishing. When Jesus came to where they were in their boats, he directed them concerning the casting of their net, and the result was the catching of one hundred and fifty-three fish. Surely it will not be argued from this that a certain day of the week should be devoted to this business. John 21:4-11. It will be noticed that the disciples had toiled all the night before without catching a fish; but when Jesus directed the throwing of the net, a multitude were inclosed. Just so is it with those who fish for men, they must let Jesus Christ direct in their labors. In teaching a doctrine we should be sure that Christ is teaching, and not we, independent of him. If we are teaching apart from him, we will only be found false witnesses at last. But we are told that just as soon as the Saviour arose from the dead, he went forth with great activity in the work of salvation; therefore that day should be kept as a Sabbath. This is most illogical. Shall we be required to observe a day as a day of rest, a Sabbath day, because of the fact that that day was one of great activity? and shall we do this in obedience to a commandment which we are required to keep because there was not any work performed upon the day? The fact is that the Sabbath day is not changed in the least by the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Yet the Lord has seen fit to give to man a divinely appointed memorial of the resurrection, and in this memorial is also set forth the death and the burial of our Saviour. These have not been left to man’s appointment. Here is the testimony:— "We are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." Rom. 6:4, 5. The resurrection of Christ has in it the idea of birth and newness of life. If we want to keep it constantly in mind, let us labor for the conversion of sinners, and then through the Lord’s own appointed way introduce them into the church of Christ. In every coming forth of the candidate from the baptismal grave there is to be seen a veritable illustration of faith in the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Oh, that men would leave the Lord’s divinely appointed memorials to be observed in the order and for the purpose that God has given them! They would not then make void the law of God, that they might keep their own tradition. THE CHURCH OF CHRIST.
By Elder A. T. Jones
IN the Scriptures the Christian’s relationship to Christ is described under the symbol of the marriage tie: “Ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.” Rom. 7:4. “I have espoused you to one husband.” 2 Cor. 11:2. And the individual Christian is in this represented as having been espoused “as a chaste virgin to Christ.” Such individuals, gathered in fellowship, form the church of Christ. And the relationship to Christ of such collection of individuals is also described under the symbol of the marriage tie: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it. . . . So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church. . . . For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Eph. 5:25-32. In accordance with this idea, the church of Christ is represented in the Scriptures as the purest and fairest of women, leaning upon the arm of her beloved, drawn to him with the drawings of his love, her only thought being of her beloved, to her the chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely, whose banner over her is love, and who would present her to himself “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Such is the church to Christ; such is Christ to his church; and such is the relationship between Christ and his church. To such a church as this Christ committed his gospel, to be by her made known to every creature. It is only such a church as this that can make known the gospel of Christ. That gospel “is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.” Rom. 1:16. No one can make known that power who does not know that power for himself and in himself. And the church could make known the power of God only by knowing the power in and for herself. And that power being known only by faith, in the nature of things it is only by abiding faithful to her Lord that the church could fulfill the work of the gospel committed to her trust. Again: The gospel is Christ in men the hope of glory. Col. 1:27. This is what the church of Christ is to make known to men. No one can make known Christ in men who for himself does not know Christ in himself. It pleased God “to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him.” Gal. 1:16. But Christ dwells in men only by faith: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.” Eph. 3:17. It is evident, therefore, that the only way in which the church can make known Christ in men the hope of glory, is to have and to know Christ revealed in herself. And as this is only known by faith, it is evident that it is only by abiding faithful to Christ that she can know Christ in herself or make him known in men. Once more: In the gospel the righteousness630 of God is revealed, and the righteousness of God only. And it is the righteousness of God only which the church of Christ is to know, and which she is to make known to all the world. This is the ministry of the gospel which is committed to the church of Christ. This righteousness is known only by faith, and revealed only to faith. “Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith.” “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.” Rom. 1:17; 3:22. As, therefore, this righteousness is known only by faith, and is revealed only to faith, it is plain that it is only by abiding steadfast in faithfulness to Christ that the church can know or make known the righteousness of God which is revealed in the gospel. And the sum of all these counts, and of many more that might be given, is simply to demonstrate over and over that it is only by abiding wholly in Christ, by trusting in him entirely, by depending upon him completely, by perfect faithfulness to him, that the church can be what she must be in order to do what she is established to do. Such was the church of Christ in the beginning. Such is always the church of Christ indeed. But such neither is nor has been the professed church of Christ. For there has been an apostasy from Christ and from the true church of Christ. In the apostles’ days the warning was given, “Of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” Acts 20:30. And there shall come “a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. . . . For the mystery of iniquity doth already work.” 2 Thess. 2:3-7. The Lord exalted his church, and clothed her with the beautiful garments of salvation and righteousness, and the power of godliness, before the eyes of all the nations. He made her exceeding beautiful, and she prospered, and her renown went forth to all the world for her beauty; for it was perfect through his comeliness which he had put upon her; but, not satisfied with the exaltation which the Lord gave, which could come and remain only through her own humility, the church grew haughty and exalted herself. Not content with the beauty of the Lord, which he had put upon her, she prided herself upon her own beauty; and instead of trusting in him for her beauty, she trusted in herself. Not content that God alone should be glorified in her, she glorified herself, and lived deliciously. Then, trusting in herself, priding herself upon her own beauty, magnifying her own merit, and satisfied with her own sufficiency,—this in itself was to put herself in the place of God. Then it was natural enough that she should seek to draw disciples to herself rather than to the Lord. Not only this, but having exalted herself, and magnified herself, and trusting in herself, it was impossible for her to draw disciples to anybody but herself. Thus came the apostasy. And thus, instead of remaining the church of Christ in truth, manifesting to the world the mystery of God and of godliness, she became, though still professedly the church of Christ, only the manifestation to the world of the mystery of self and of selfishness, which is the very mystery of iniquity. Blessed Are the Sorrowful
“BLESSED are the sorrowful who carry a cheery face.” SANCTIFICATION THROUGH THE TRUTH.
By Ellen G. White
"WHEREFORE laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby; if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. . . . Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God; which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles; that, whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." Among many who have claimed to accept the precious light of truth, there is a perverted idea of what constitutes Christian character. They have not performed the words of Christ, and instead of advancing, following on to know the Lord, they have been retrograding, backsliding. Christ represents the truth as a treasure that is hid in the field, for which, if men would possess it, they must search diligently. In the field of revelation are hid the unsearchable riches of Christ. As yet we have only come in possession of the most accessible treasures, and yet many have settled down, feeling that they are rich and increased in goods, and in need of nothing. Every part of the field of revelation is to be diligently explored, and searched with persevering effort, in order that precious jewels of truth may reward the diligent seeker, and may be restored to their proper framework in the plan of redemption. Let the shaft sink deep into the mines of truth. If you come to the searching of the Scriptures with contrition of soul, with a humble, teachable spirit, rich and precious treasures will reward your search. The Lord sends his ministers to hold forth the word of life, to preach, not "vain philosophy" and "science falsely so called," but the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Paul gives his dying charge in the following words: "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." In this charge every minister has his work laid out before him, and this he can do through the fulfillment of the promise that Jesus gave to his disciples: "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." In the teachings of Christ, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is made prominent. What a vast theme is this for contemplation and encouragement! What treasures of truth did he add to the knowledge of his disciples in his instruction concerning the Holy Spirit, the Comforter! He dwelt upon this theme in order to console his disciples in the great trial they were soon to experience, that they might be cheered in their great disappointment. He said: "These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." The world’s Redeemer sought to bring to the hearts of the sorrowing disciples the strongest solace. But from a large field of subjects, he chose the theme of the Holy Spirit, which was to inspire and comfort their hearts. And yet, though Christ made much of this theme concerning the Holy Spirit, how little is it dwelt upon in the churches! The name and presence of the Holy Spirit are almost ignored, yet the divine influence is essential in the work of perfecting the Christian character. Some are not at peace, not at rest; they are in a state of constant fretfulness, and permit impulse and passion to rule their hearts. They know not what it means to experience peace and rest in Christ. They are as a ship without anchor, driven with the wind and tossed. But those whose minds are controlled by the Holy Spirit walk in humility and meekness; for they work in Christ’s lines, and will be kept in perfect peace, while those who are not controlled by the Holy Spirit are like the restless sea. The Lord has given us a divine directory by which we may know his will. Those who are self-centered, self-sufficient, do not feel their need of searching the Bible, and they are greatly disturbed if others do not have the same defective ideas, and see with the same distorted vision that they do. But he who is guided by the Holy Spirit has cast his anchor within the veil wherein Jesus has entered for us. He searches the Scriptures with eager earnestness, and seeks for light and knowledge to guide him amid the perplexities and perils which at every step compass his path. Those who are restless,631 complaining, murmuring, read the Bible for the purpose of vindicating their own course of action, and they ignore or pervert the counsels of God. He who has peace has placed his will on the side of God's will, and longs to follow the divine guidance, while he who is full of unrest is constantly struggling to sustain himself, and make it appear that he is right, and is sustained by what he estimates as wisdom. But he is controlled by caprice and by the changing passions of a soul not abiding in Christ. To the sincere, contrite heart, truth is truth; and if it is allowed, it will sanctify the soul and transform the character into the divine image. To the other, truth is a theory, and is not brought into the practical life. Those who realize what is the character of the work that they must do in order to represent Christ, will walk softly and tremblingly before God, looking unto Jesus, who is the Author and Finisher of their faith. They dare not trust themselves, they dare not kindle a fire of their own, and walk in sparks of their own kindling, for the Lord has said that all such shall lie down in sorrow. The Lord has intrusted to his people the treasures of sacred truth, and in no case will they be excusable if they present the truth in their own unsanctified spirit, or use the truth as a scourge by which to afflict others. OUR LIFE, OUR LIGHT.
By Oliver Wendell Holmes
SUN of our life, Thy quickening ray
Sheds on our path the glow of day.
Star of our hope, Thy softened light
Cheers the long watches of our night. Lord of all life! below, above,
Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love,
Before thy ever-blazing throne
We ask no luster of our own. Grant us thy truth to make us free,
And kindling hearts that burn for thee,
Till all thy living altars claim
One holy light, one heavenly flame.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes. CHRISTIAN GROWTH.
By Alfred Mallett
To the Romans Paul wrote: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith." Rom. 1:16, 17. The apostle realized that the gospel of Christ was, indeed, the power of God unto salvation to him. He knew that from Christ came all the power and strength that he possessed. He had been made to realize by experience that there was no strength in himself. He tells his experience in the seventh chapter of the same epistle, and at the end of it he exclaims: "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." This will be the language of all who have felt their weakness, and have taken Christ as a personal Saviour,—the only source from which they can gain strength and power to overcome sin. Through Christ Paul had boldness to preach the word, and it made no difference how much he was persecuted, he still exalted Him who is mighty to save. And so to the Romans he wrote, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ." Why?—"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith." Now what is the righteousness of God? We find in Isa. 51:6, 7 that the righteousness of God is the perfect law of God. Those who keep the law of God have the righteousness of God; for it says: "Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law." And David says in Ps. 119:172, "My tongue shall speak of thy word; for all thy commandments are righteousness." "All unrighteousness is sin" (1 John 5:11), and "sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4). The gospel of Christ is God's remedy for sin, to bring men into harmony with the law, and to give them power to keep that law. In Eze. 36:27 the promise is given: "And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." But this is wholly a work of faith; for the "righteousness of God" is "revealed from faith to faith"—faith in the beginning and faith in the end; for "the just shall live by faith." "Without faith it is impossible to please Him." Heb. 11:6. All the good deeds a man can do will never save him unless he has faith. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." And the faith we have to-day will not suffice for to-morrow. It must be faith all the time,—"for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith." The Christian life is a continual growth—from faith to faith, from one step to another. In John 15:1-5 the Saviour has illustrated Christian growth by the vine and its branches. The branch grows gradually; but it is only by drawing sap from the vine that it can grow. So likewise is it with the Christian; he cannot grow without Christ. It is only by drawing new life daily, hourly, from him that the Christian can grow, and the only way we can draw this life from him is by faith. Says the True Vine, "Without me ye can do nothing." "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit." By abiding in him we shall bring forth fruit, and thereby glorify God. But if we are professed Christians and bring forth no fruit, what then?— "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he [the Father] taketh away. . . . If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." So if we are not growing up into Christ, we are becoming withered, and will at last be cut off. On the other hand, if we abide in him, we shall grow. "Every branch that beareth fruit, he [the Father] purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." How can we abide in Christ?—By faith, and seeking to do his will, not our own. By dying daily to self, and always remembering the words of the Master, "Without me ye can do nothing." "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him." Col. 2:6. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. . . . Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Col. 3:1-3. How did you receive Christ? Was it not by faith? Then "as ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him." Die to the things of this world; set your affections on things above; trust in Jesus fully, and realize that he is indeed all in all to you, as the vine is to the branch. Speak of his wonderful love to you, and say with Paul, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ." Exalt Christ, and as you do this, and think of him hanging on the accursed tree for you, your heart will be filled with love for him. You will grow in grace and in the knowledge of him, and Christ says, "And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me." As said before, the Christian life is a continual growth. The divine admonition is: "Beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:17, 18. And again we are told that the righteous man "shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water." Ps. 1:3. A tree planted by the rivers of water will grow and thrive. The word of God is given us that we may grow. We must study that, for it is life to us. "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life," says Christ. Through the word he is revealed to us, and the less we study it the less faith we shall have in him. To the Thessalonians Paul wrote: "And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men." 1 Thess. 3:12. Love is the outgrowth of true faith; therefore increasing love is the result of increasing faith. If we would grow, we must look to Christ, for in him is life. We can no more live without Christ than the body can live without the blood. As the blood runs continually through the arteries, so must Christ be ever running through the thoughts; and if we have him dwelling in the heart, we shall go on to perfection; "for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Phil. 2:13. Our only work is to submit our wills to his; he will do the rest, and his work will be a perfect work—a work which will gain for us a home in his everlasting and glorious kingdom. "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ." Phil. 1:6. Paul says: "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Gal. 2:20. "I am crucified with Christ." Self is dead; the world has no more pleasure for me. I think only of Christ, "who loved me and gave himself for me." Oh, that each one of the professed followers of Christ might have this precious experience, be crucified with Christ, our lives "hid with Christ in God," and then the words of the wise man would be exemplified in us: "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Prov. 4:18. If our lives are filled with the light of the Sun of Righteousness, we shall shine. "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all;" so if he dwells in us, we shall be light, and in us will be no darkness. God loves us each one as he loves his own Son, and he will care for us if we have placed ourselves in his hands. "Every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." Oh, the wonderful love of God! Let us live for him, and "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." UNWISE CAUTION.
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
THERE is such a thing as being too cautious. This is the case when men hesitate to act upon the word of the Lord. How often it happens that people will acknowledge the clearness of the word of God, and still will hesitate to let themselves rest upon it. “I know that the Bible says so, but I believe in being cautious. I do not believe in moving too hastily.” Such caution is sin. It is simply unbelief. How differently Mary did when the angel announced to her the birth of a son! “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it632 unto me according to thy word.” And the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of Elizabeth, pronounced a blessing upon her for her ready belief. See Luke 1:45. Note also the ready belief of the shepherds when the birth of Jesus was announced to them. As soon as the angels departed, they said one to another, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.” Luke 2:15. The people who are too wise to take things hastily would have said, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see if this thing is so.” But those shepherds were just simple enough to believe the word of the Lord without any questioning. That is the kind of faith with which the Lord is pleased.—E. J. Waggoner. A REVISED VERSION OF THE GOSPEL.
By W. E. Howell
HAVE you heard that the gospel is being revised? Our National Reform friends have gone so far in their work of reform (?) that they have begun to print a new edition of the gospel, and have kindly given us a few advanced sheets. Having long felt a lack of that power which alone is effective in promulgating the gospel of Jesus Christ, it has evidently occurred to them that if they would revise the gospel and make it conform to their course of operations, instead of conforming their work to it, they might at least appear a little more consistent in using it as one of their “pries” over which to “elevate the nation.” Naturally the first step in the work would be to find a new definition for the gospel. The Bible definition is “the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.” Rom. 1:16. Then the preaching of the gospel is the preaching of the power of God. What is the new definition? “Preaching the gospel is telling men in good round English their sins and the penalty of them.” (Christian Statesman, July 15, under the heading “Reform Articles.”) And this is the very gospel they are preaching, and the very reform they are instituting. Their burden seems now to be for the “heathen” in Chicago, especially those connected with the World’s Fair, both officially and otherwise. Consistently with their definition they have been faithfully telling the management of the Fair their sins in opening the Fair on Sunday, in such terms as the following: “Lawless and gilt-edged anarchy,” “national outrage,” “rebellion against the national government little short of those who fired on the flag in 1861,” “sabbath breaking, law breaking, contract breaking,” “another edition of rum, Romanism, and rebellion,” “what is the difference between the conduct of Higginbotham and Spies,” “compromising sot to Satan,” etc., etc. They characterize the directors as “broadcloth mob,” “little squad of inflated officials,” “Sabbath breakers, law breakers, contract breakers,” etc.; and style the Fair a “pagan show,” “gigantic grogshop,” “propaganda for untruth,” etc. The penalties are, “consumed like Sodom and Gomorrah, with fire from heaven,” visitation of the death-dealing cholera, a great tidal wave from the lake to sweep the Fair out of existence, financial failure, ruin of the nation, America disgraced by setting a bad example before the world, etc. A gospel contains good news. But what is there either good or new in “telling men in good round English their sins and the penalty of them”? Men are already conscious of their sins and the penalty of them, and what they want is release from them. And so far from its being good news to remind them of their sins and their consequent penalties, without pointing out the remedy, it only increases their misery and remorse of conscience. But do they not offer a remedy?—Yes, what they consider a remedy. The nature of it may best be understood perhaps from that adopted for “Sabbath desecration.” Mr. Crafts, in a mass meeting at Boston, May 18, said American people were bound as Christians to enter their protest, and call upon President Cleveland to send troops, if necessary, to enforce the laws of the State and laws of the sacred sabbath. And at the close of the meeting it was unanimously decided to telegraph Cleveland “to suppress with Jacksonian firmness Chicago sabbath nullification . . . with troops if necessary.” The Pittsburg Advocate said, “The only way to reach the management,” who “trampled on . . . the sabbath for greed,” “is with a financial club, and the Christian people are ready to swing it.” In harmony with this idea of clubbing, the Michigan Advocate says, “Sabbath breakers generally will never receive any very hard knocks from the secular press, especially from the Sunday newspaper.” So, in short, the remedy is the use of armed troops, financial clubs, and “very hard knocks.” “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel; which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” Gal. 1:6, 7. Satan is satisfied as long as he can get everything “wrong end to,” persuade men to believe that to lead means to drive, and to mistake deform for reform. But, judging from the forerunners of this new edition of the gospel, someone who is at least well acquainted with the devil’s method must be the reviser. Reader, do you want to buy?