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Signs of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 46.

Requisites to a Good Prayer-Meeting
Earlier text: Requisites to a Good Prayer-Meeting

Preach the Word.

By Editor

THUS the apostle Paul charged his son Timothy. It is a charge and exhortation which needs very much to be repeated in these days to preachers, both young and old. As we have occasion to read and look through many sermons, to say nothing of those we are occasionally privileged to hear, we are struck with the poverty of scriptural thought and quotation. There is a text, indeed, to begin with, and that is from the Bible; and from the text there is a theme, if not evolved, at least suggested; but, for the rest, in many (too many) cases, there is little else than the excogitations of the preacher. We would not venture to say that such sermons are not good sermons of their kind, nor that they do not do good. Certainly they are often very interesting to hear, and give evidence of much careful study, and have in them the suggestion of personal earnestness; but there is little or no preaching of the word in them.
It is a question whether the modern seminary training given to young men is any improvement on the old-fashioned way of training up young ministers in the studies and in the parishes of the more learned and successful ministers, where the chief text-book is the Bible itself, studied in close proximity with the people of the parish. Whether the large place given to the study of science and philosophy and the systems of theology current in our day is not doing much to train the young preachers away from the constant study and practical use of the Bible, is a question fairly open to debate. It probably would not be practicable, in this "fast age," to preach such sermons as the fathers of the seventeenth century did; but it is certainly refreshing to turn away from modern sermons, even the best of them, and spend an hour or two with one of John Flavel's masterly productions, saturated and buttressed as they are from beginning to end with the Scriptures; or with one of Richard Sibb's, or Henry Smith's, or David Clarkson's, or John Bunyan's. The young minister who has not read and studied the sermons of Stephen Charnock or Thomas Adams has lost a treat and help which he can ill afford to lose. After being in company with these old masters of the word, the ordinary sermon, or even the very best of modern sermons, which are found in the printed volumes of the day, seem like the veriest skimmed milk, to say nothing of the lack of the flavor and taste of strong meat.
A return to a more scriptural method of preaching, a wider use of the actual word of God, both in the construction and body of our sermons, is, in our judgment, one of the imperative demands of the present necessity. With a revival of scriptural preaching, by which the conscience and heart of our audiences would be brought face to face with the very word of God, we have no doubt there would be a widespread revival of religion among the churches, and a great ingathering of souls from among those who believe not. It is the word of God that is "quick and powerful," and not our thoughts about that word, or our conclusions drawn from it. It is well enough, and of course necessary, that the preacher furnish the sword of the Spirit with a handle by means of which he may wield it; but it is the sword and not the handle that is to do the work of conviction and conversion. The Holy Spirit is not pledged to make our words powerful, but he is pledged to energize and fill with life and power the words of God. We fear that most of us have fallen into the habit of going out to battle with the handle only; or, at least, we have made the handle so largely out of proportion with the heavenly blade that it is of little use in the conflict.
It was the method of our Lord to instruct his disciples, confound his enemies, and comfort, cheer, and bring life and hope to the perishing, by means of the Scriptures. The great sermons of Peter, Stephen, and Paul, were all drawn from the word of God. It is true that we have, in all probability, but the outline of their discourses given us in the New Testament. But admitting that these records be but the skeleton of their discourses, we have in them the suggestion of the true method of preaching.—Independent.

“This Same Jesus.”

By S. P. Bollman

“This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11.
THE action of the disciples at the time of the ascension of the Lord Jesus, was very natural, and just what might have been expected from all the circumstances which preceded, and were immediately connected with that grand event. To have been companions of the Saviour during his ministry, was a privilege of precious value. His teachings, so rich and varied,—what a feast to intellectual and moral natures! These the disciples had enjoyed, and by them had grown in grace, and strength of character, to fit them for the tribulations of after days. The short, dark night of gloom which intervened, when Jesus was apprehended by Roman soldiers, crucified, and buried, was soon passed, and comparatively forgotten, amid the splendors which gilded the resurrection morn, and the precious interviews which took place during the forty days which passed between the resurrection and the ascension. These had been of such a character as to knit together in love the hearts of that little band with an affection stronger than death. Is it any wonder then, that when, in the very act of blessing his disciples, he was parted from them and carried up into heaven, their eyes should follow the receding form until lost to view, and then still continue to gaze until the voice of the two angel messengers, standing by, recalled them to a consciousness of the (to them) sad reality,—the Master was indeed gone? And how hope-inspiring that interrogatory, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
Yes, that was the strong consolation, “This same Jesus shall so come;” the very same loving Saviour, the sympathizing One, who “was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin.” Heb. 4:15. Nothing could so cheer and gladden the hearts of the disciples as this thought. We shall in very deed see him again; shall behold him and not a stranger (Job 19:27, margin); though trials and tribulations, and a martyr’s death may await us, we shall see him again, and we shall be like him. He will come again to receive us to himself, that where he is—we may be also. John 14:3. How fitting that he who began the good work of salvation from sin, of all the true children of Abraham, by foundations so deep and broad, should meet in all the splendor of his second advent, the blood-washed throng, who shall ever “hail him blessed Jesus.” And when he comes, will there not be groups, and bands, and companies of disciples looking for him towards the same heavens into which the men of Galilee gazed?
And looking too for the same Jesus. Oh rapturous thought! that the subjects of this “so great salvation” are all indebted to this same Jesus, and constitute together the long line of witnesses looking for the second coming of the Lord, and who will continue to look a little longer. “For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry.” Heb. 10:37.
Therefore “be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” James 5:8. Believers in Jesus who long for the Saviour’s appearing, it will not be long until our descending Lord shall come with a shout to claim his own, and gather his jewels up, to awake his sleeping ones, and change his living, watching ones, making them meet for their “inheritance amongst the saints in light.”
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. Compare 1 Cor. 15:52, 53.
S. P. BOLLMAN.

A Faith to Die By.

By George D. Ballou

To QUIT the active scenes of life and be shut in with death is the most trying ordeal incident to a living, sentient being. Very few there are who can calmly entertain thoughts of the grim monster. The chill of his icy touch shivers our brightest earthly hopes and aspirations. To stand in his presence and hear his dread summons—how the helpless soul then feels the need of support and comfort which no earthly power can give! and how utterly vain do all terrestrial things appear. In that hour a hope which spans the silent, cheerless valley, is a blessed hope; a faith that looks beyond with perfect trust, and triumphs over every fear, is more precious than all earth's costliest treasures.
There is a hope which buoys up the fainting, dying soul; it is the hope of the gospel. Jesus is its author. He has been down into death's prison-house, and has returned, bringing the keys with him. He has promised eternal life to all them that truly accept him as their advocate and Saviour, and lead lives of penitence and obedience. The record he has left us is perfectly adapted to meet the desires and wants of his followers. The assurance that he will ransom us from the power of the grave, and redeem us from death, is full of comfort to every soul that is susceptible of divine impressions.
A dying queen of England cried out in the hour of death, "My kingdom for a moment of time." What a relief to her agonized mind would the Christian's hope have been! What would you not give in the last hour for its comforting assurances? A faith to die by, one that will sustain and comfort, must be a faith that we have lived by. Many think that they will secure this faith after it is too late to do anything else. Such make a fatal mistake; if they have scorned to live by the faith of Jesus, they ought not to be base enough to proffer him the fag-end of a life of presumption. Such conversions are a farce, and a libel on the name of Christianity.
I have known many who, after a life of recklessness and dissipation, thinking their last hour had come, have become very penitent and religious, but who, when health and strength returned, have taken again to their old ways. It requires something more than the fear of the gates of hades to convert the soul to God, and beget a living hope within. A noble, generous sense of gratitude to God for all his boundless goodness, is the true motive. This will lead to such a life as will give a conscience void of offense toward God and man, and secure God's favor. Penitent, contrite sorrow for sin, and earnest faith in Christ, will always characterize such a life.
There may be cases in the hour of death where for the first time the individual is brought face to face with his relations to God, and in such cases they may obtain mercy. But let us not try to build our personal hopes on such a foundation. If we do, it will only prove a failure. The death-bed is too near the harvest-time to begin sowing. Then our battles should be all fought, and our victories won. There will be far less anguish of spirit then if we have lived for a faith to die by. We shall not be judged nor rewarded according to our feeling in death, but according to our actions in life. There are many rules to live by, but none to die by. God wants living Christians, to carry forward his work. If we live right, we need not worry about death. God for Christ's sake will comfort us when we walk through the dark valley. What a consolation to look back and feel that we have done the best we could for Christ and humanity. We shall then have enough to regret. But how precious the hope that Christ will, through his love and mercy, accept our imperfect efforts to serve him, and raise us to immortal life in his kingdom.
Secure this hope now while you are strong and active. Do not wait for the approach of death to drive you to your knees. Let the proud heart yield to the divine will. Join in the work the Lord is now doing in the earth. Help to spread the gospel of the kingdom to the nations of the earth. Jesus will soon come, and if you have a living faith in him, you may have eternal life, without passing through the gates of death. This will be the privilege of the remnant, who faithfully finish the Master's work in the earth. The living faith will sustain you in any event; so that, whether you live or die, you will be the Lord's. Don't plan for death, but for eternal life in God's kingdom.
G. D. BALLOU.

Popery in a Walnut Shell.

A FEW years ago some friends were anxious to establish a Bible association in the Netherlands. A meeting was held, and a Romish priest, supposed to be favorable to the cause (but really hostile to it) was present. On his arrival he was asked to propose a resolution. He then assented, and, when he rose to speak, took from his pocket a freshly gathered walnut.
“This walnut,” said he, “is an emblematical representation of three churches, viz., the Lutheran, Calvinian, and the holy Roman Apostolical Church. The green husk, you know, is bitter, nauseous, and useless; this represents the Lutheran Church. I will now take off the husk. Here you see the shell, crabbed, brittle, and worthless; such is the Calvinian Church. Now I will show you a just similitude of ‘the only true church.’ You will see it in the rich, nutritious kernel.” Thus saying, he boldly cracked the shell, and lo, it was completely rotten.—Sel.

Truth Rather Than Error

By Bishop E. O. Haven

“But why is truth preferable to falsehood? Is it universally conceded to be so? Is not a pleasing delusion better than a disagreeable fact? I have heard this doctrine maintained. It has even been said by divines, in their defense of the Christian religion, that were it not true, so pleasing is the doctrine of the love of Christ, so elevating to man is a belief in the immortality of the soul, so productive of the best interests of society are the practical teachings of the gospel, they would still defend it. I do not sympathize with that position. I would say, Let me have the truth, though it be bitter, rather than error, though it be sweet. I do not envy the lunatic his visions, though they make him laugh. If the temple I am building is only a cob-house or a palace of straw, let me know it, though all my hopes are dashed to the ground. I would rather die at once with truth than live any length of time with error.”—Bishop E. O. Haven.

Peace Through Trust in God

PEACE is the result of a restful trust in God; and the enjoyment of peace is the privilege of every returned backslider, and of every other forgiven sinner. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee.”

The Sabbath-School.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

LESSON FOR THE PACIFIC COAST—DEC. 20.

  1. Where do you find the story of the rich man and Lazarus? Luke 16:19-31.
  2. What description is given of the rich man? Verse 19.
  3. What is said of Lazarus the beggar? Verses 20, 21.
  4. What happened to them both? Verse 22.
  5. Throughout the narrative, in what condition are they both represented as being? Verses 30, 31.
  6. What further shows that they are not considered as being alive? Verse 23.
  7. What is cited in the narrative as sufficient authority concerning the future? Verses 29, 31.
  8. In the Old Testament, what do we learn as to the condition of the dead? Eccl. 9:5, 6.
  9. What becomes of their thoughts? Ps. 146:3, 4.
  10. How much interest are they able to manifest in the affairs of their friends who still live? Job 14:21.
  11. Where is the rich man represented as being after his death and burial? Luke 16:22, 23. (See Revised Version.)
  12. What does the word "hell" (hades) signify? 1 Cor. 15:55. (See marginal reading of the word "grave.")
  13. What have we learned as to the dominion of death and the grave over mankind? Ps. 89:48.
  14. To what place did Christ go when he died? Acts 2:29-32.
  15. What kind of a place is the grave? Job 10:20-22.
  16. What can you say concerning the activity of the wicked in the grave? Ps. 31:17.
  17. Why should people not put off that which they find to do in their life-time? Eccl. 9:10.
  18. In view of this state of things, what kind of a land is the grave called? Ps. 88:10-12.
  19. In the narrative before us, where is the beggar represented as having been taken? Luke 16:22.
  20. What does the inspired record say of Abraham at his death? Gen. 25:8.
  21. Can this mean that he went to Heaven? Josh. 24:2.
  22. What is meant by "being gathered to his people"? Gen. 15:15.
  23. Was any different disposition made of Abraham than of the rich man in our lesson? Compare Gen. 15:15; 25:8, with Luke 16:22.
  24. Then must not all of these persons, if all of them ever really existed, have gone to the same place?
  25. What is the place to which all the dead go?

LESSON FOR DECEMBER 27.

  1. Relate what is stated in the 16th of Luke concerning the rich man and the beggar.
  2. What happened to them both?
  3. To what place have we learned that they both went?
  4. Do you know of any people who are exempt from going into the grave?
  5. What does the psalmist say about all men going into the grave? Ps. 89:48.
  6. Of what was "man" formed? Gen. 2:7.
  7. What did he afterward become? Ib.
  8. What was imparted to him to bring about this change? Ib.
  9. Does the breath have life and consciousness in itself?
  10. How does the wise man describe the death of man? Eccl. 12:7.
  11. Since there is nothing to man but that which is formed of dust, and the breath, can there be any conscious entity when the dust returns to the earth?
  12. Give a brief summary of the Scripture statements concerning the dead—their place and condition.
  13. Since both Lazarus and the rich man are represented in Luke 16 as dead, could the conversation ascribed to them have been real?
  14. What other instances can you cite of inanimate objects represented as talking? Gen. 4:10; Hab. 2:10; James 5:4.
  15. What are such representations called? See Webster's definition of "apologue."
  16. What important lesson is taught by this apologue?
  17. With what precious statement of Christ is it in harmony? Luke 16:11-13.
  18. What action of the Pharisees made its recital necessary? Luke 16:14.
  19. Why is human judgment as to the comparative worth of men liable to be at fault? 1 Sam. 16:7.
  20. When will every man be judged according to his real merit? 1 Cor. 4:5.
  21. What will the righteous Judge give to those who love his appearing? 2 Tim. 4:8.
  22. How will the despised, humble poor man stand then? James 2:5.
  23. When will the angels actually take the righteous to the mansions of rest? Matt. 24:30, 31.
  24. When will the wicked be tormented? Matt. 13:40-42.
  25. When the separation is thus made, what fixes the gulf between the righteous and the wicked? Rev. 22:11.
THAT which forms the basis of these two lessons, is the story of the rich man and Lazarus, as found in Luke 16:19-31. It is given in the lesson under the general heading, "Immortality," although the scripture has really nothing to do with that subject. The condition of the dead, or the final reward of the righteous and the wicked, was not the subject under consideration, and Christ did not design by this passage to teach anything concerning either of these things. The only object, then, in considering it as bearing on the subject of immortality, is to show what it does not teach, rather than what it does, and to make it the means of refreshing our minds on certain plain declarations of Scripture already learned.
THE idea that has become popular in regard to this passage of scripture, is that a real occurrence is described—that the soul, or spirit, of Lazarus, at his death, was borne away to a place called Abraham's bosom, in the full enjoyment of unutterable bliss, and that the disembodied soul, or spirit, of the rich man, as conscious as when it inhabited the body, was cast down to hell, there to suffer the torments of the damned. So firmly fixed is this idea in the minds of the majority of people, that it will be necessary to show its inconsistency before stating what the text is really designed to teach.
LET us, then, for a moment suppose the passage to be a plain narration of fact. "And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom." Verse 22. Now there is no law of language by which it can be made to appear that that which "was carried" is not the same thing that "died." The popular theory would have it that the body of Lazarus died, and that his soul, or spirit, was carried to Abraham's bosom. But the language forbids any such construction. "The beggar died and [the beggar] was carried." If only the body died, then only the body was carried; if it was the soul or spirit that was carried, then it was only the soul or spirit that died. Let us suppose, by way of illustration, that a man is describing a hurricane and its effects. Of a certain building, he says: "The house trembled to its foundation, and was blown down." Now if, when you inquire the amount of the loss, he should say, "Oh, the house was not blown down, it was the people who were in it," would you not think that he needed to learn how to use the English language? So we think concerning those who would argue from this passage that one part of Lazarus died and another part was carried to Abraham's bosom.
AGAIN, we meet with the same difficulty in the case of the rich man. "The rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes." In this case the language plainly says that that which died was the same that was buried, and this again was the same that is next said to be in hell. If it was only the body that died and was buried, then it was only the body that was in torment. If it was the soul that was in torment, then it was the soul that died. It will be noticed that throughout the narrative, all parties are represented as possessed of all the organs and faculties of ordinary living beings. These things are sufficient to show that the popular idea is inconsistent with itself, and that we cannot look upon this scripture as containing the relation of an actual occurrence.
THIS conclusion is still further sustained by a consideration of the fact that both parties in this narrative are represented as dead. It is said of both that they died; Abraham says to the rich man, "Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedest thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." Here is a direct contrast between their present condition and their life-time. Now when we remember that "the dead know not anything;" that when man's "breath goeth forth and he returneth to his earth, in that very day his thoughts perish;" that they perceive not when their friends are exalted or abased (Job 14:21), we conclude that this passage must partake of the nature of a fable.
WE find, moreover, that the word here translated "hell," is hades, and this, we are told, is the Greek word signifying the place of all the dead. If we turn to 1 Cor. 15:55, we find that "hell" (hades) is placed in the margin as the equivalent of "grave" in the verse. Now in Ps. 89:48 we learn that there are none who can deliver their souls from the power of the grave; and in harmony with this, we find that both righteous and wicked go there. Gen. 37:35; Job 14:13; Ps. 31:17. Still further, we find that this place where all go is a "land of forgetfulness" (Ps. 88:10-12); a "land of darkness, as darkness itself," "where the light is as darkness" (Job 10:22); and that in it "there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom" (Eccl. 9:10). Since all the dead go there, this narrative concerning those who are expressly declared to be dead, could not have been an actual occurrence.
THIS narrative may then properly be called a fable or an apologue. The latter, Webster defines as "a story or relation of fictitious events, intended to convey useful truths; a moral fable." It differs from a parable, in this respect: A parable relates things which do take place among mankind, and which therefore might occur in the case supposed; but an apologue relates the supposed actions and words of brutes and inanimate things. Of this figure of speech there are many instances in the Bible, as in Gen. 4:10, where Abel's blood is said to cry; in Hab. 2:11, where the stone and the beam are said to speak together; in James 5:4, where the hire of the laborers is said to cry; and an extended instance occurs in Judges 9:8-15, where the trees are represented as talking among themselves, and choosing a king. In all of these cases, some truth is designed to be conveyed in a striking manner.
IN order to understand what this fable is designed to teach, we must observe the connection. The chapter opens with the parable of the steward. He was commended because he prudently provided for the future. From this, the Saviour showed the necessity of using the wealth with which God may intrust us, in his service, so that he may commit to our trust true riches. Said he, "Ye cannot serve God and mammon." "And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things; and they derided him." They regarded riches as a mark of God's especial favor, and poverty as indicating his displeasure. He therefore, by a fable, drawn from their own tradition, showed that if a man has all his good things in this life, he can expect nothing more. He may seem to be far above his poverty-stricken but pious neighbor, but when things are seen as they really are, as God sees them, it will appear that there is indeed a great gulf between them, but that the advantage is all in favor of the poor man. Death ends the probation of every man, and thus fixes this gulf, so that there can be no changing of positions. E. J. W.

NOTES ON THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON.

By A. T. Jones

DECEMBER 21—ECCL. 12:1-14.

REMEMBER now thy Creator. Remember him as Creator. "There are gods many and lords many," but there is but one Creator, and he is the one living and true God. It is by this fact that in his own word he distinguishes himself from all other gods; as in Isa. 40:18-20, 25, 26: "To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved." "To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number; he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth." And again in Isaiah, thirty-seventh chapter, the king of Assyria wrote a letter to king Hezekiah, in which he said: "Let not thy God, in whom thou trustest, deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed, as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Telassar?" "And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up into the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubim, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear; open thine eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God." And in answer to that prayer "the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand."
THE fact that he is Creator is the primal reason given why all should worship him; and why he should be worshiped. "Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God; it is he that hath made us and not we ourselves." Psalm 100:2, 3. "Worship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." Rev. 14:7. "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for [because] thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Rev. 4:11. "In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind." Job 12:10. "In him we live and move and have our being." Remember therefore thy Creator in the days of thy youth, and all thy days.
THE fact that he performed the wonderful works of creation does not stand separated from him and us. He not only made these wonderful works; "He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered." Psalm 111:4. The proper remembrance of him as Creator can only be by remembering the creation. And he has not enjoined upon us the duty to remember him without fully showing us how to do it. He has established an institution, the observance of which will ever keep in the mind the remembrance of the Creator—an institution by which, if properly observed, it is impossible to forget him. That institution is the Sabbath of the Lord. "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." Ex. 20:8-11.
"AND hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God." Eze. 20:20. It is by hallowing the Sabbath that it becomes a sign by which we know that he is the Lord. And it is thus a sign that he is the Lord, because "in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested." Ex. 31:17. By hallowed observance of the seventh day we remember the "wonderful works" of the creation, and thus remember the Creator. This is God's own appointed way for us to remember him. It is the truth that the hallowed observance of the seventh day, the works of creation, and the remembrance of the Creator are inseparably connected. "What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."
AGAIN, the Lord's appointed way of bringing things to remembrance is by memorials. Num. 5:15. Of the passover the Lord said: "And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial." Ex. 12:13, 14. "The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar; and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel. And they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar; to be a memorial unto the children of Israel." Num. 16:38-40. Therefore when we read in the Bible of the Sabbath as a sign, we may lawfully read it as a memorial; thus Eze. 20:20: "And hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a memorial that ye may know that I am the Lord your God." He desires that we shall ever have him in remembrance; to that purpose he established a memorial; that memorial is the Sabbath, and "the seventh day is the Sabbath." "Thy name, O Lord, endureth forever; and thy memorial, O Lord, throughout all generations." Ps. 135:13. "Remember now thy Creator."
"THE preacher sought to find out acceptable words; and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd." The Lord is that one shepherd. Ps. 23:1. "We are the sheep of his pasture." Ps. 100:3. These words are the words of the Lord, and are therefore words of truth. "And further, by these, my son, be admonished; of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh."
"LET us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man." In all the millions upon millions of books that have been or shall be made, there has not been a single principle of ethics set forth that is not contained in the ten commandments. And although many books are valuable, and worthy of deep study, yet the sum of all that is said in the books, and the most worthy subject of all study, is the law of God. Study it, therefore, ever and always with the prayer of him of old, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." Ps. 119:18.
"For God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." The law of God being the rule of life, it must be the rule of judgment. "As many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law," "in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." Rom. 2:12, 16. They who shall stand in the Judgment are those whose "delight is in the law of the Lord," and who meditate in his law day and night. Ps. 1. Oh, how carefully we must meditate therein, for it is a discerner of the very "thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:12), and in that day the Lord "will make manifest the counsels of the heart" (1 Cor. 4:5), "with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil." Oh, that we might realize how fearfully searching the Judgment will be! Then, too, we could realize the blessedness of that salvation, and the riches of that precious blood which blots out all our transgression, so that it is remembered no more forever. But realizing, faintly as we do, the awful importance of that event, we may pray with David: "Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer." Ps. 19:12-14.

Grace, Not Merit

WHY should it be so hard a lesson for some of us to learn that we have no claim upon God, whether for life or salvation? All that we have has been given us, and even if we were sinless all that we could do for God would never exceed our debt, so that in any case we are servants from whom God receives no profit. It is pure, unmerited grace which has made us what we are; and those who have done most and who have borne most for God, are always the readiest to admit that only pure, unmerited grace gives them any claim to the reward which God promises to give, freely, to those who trust themselves to his grace here. We merit nothing, we earn nothing, we receive all; yet some of us, so far from being even decently thankful, seem to think that the Lord is largely in our debt, for the trivial work which we have been enabled to do for him.—Sel.

Study of the Scriptures

By Staupitz

LET the study of the Scriptures be your favorite occupation.—Staupitz.

Doing the Word.

It will avail nothing to hear the truth unless we obey it. The word spoken will bring us no profit, no advantage, unless we reduce it to practice. It must be seed in our hearts which will spring up and bear fruit in our lives. We may store it away and treasure it carefully in our memories and be in no way benefited thereby. There is needed a rich soil, such as the human heart furnishes, and the warm sunlight and awakening showers given by the gracious action of the Holy Spirit in order that the seed may grow and bring forth fruit. These influences we are sure to find in honest effort to obey the truth as it is made known to us; in putting into practice the principles inculcated, and in doing the duties enjoined upon us. The word of God is a mirror in which we may see portrayed the features of our characters. It is of no advantage to look therein unless we remember what we see. No more will it profit us to learn the will of God unless we do it. We must be doers, as well as hearers, if we would be prepared to give an account of our hearing with joy and not with grief.—Sel.

Nineteenth Century “Sport.”

By Editor

THE latest move in the line of “sport” comes from New York, where the first of a series of “select” pugilistic entertainments for ladies, was recently given. Nearly all the invitations were accepted, and the “ladies” are said to have gone home in a state of great excitement, highly delighted with the exhibition, which was given by a few old prize fighters.
We read with horror of the gladiatorial contests among the ancient Romans, but we have never read anything more revolting than the descriptions of prize fights, which disgrace the columns of our daily papers. There is scarcely an issue that does not contain a detailed account of one or more, with glaring head lines. This is bad enough, but when women become educated to look with pleasure upon the prize ring, how much will our boasted nineteenth-century civilization be ahead of that of ancient Pagan Rome?
We do not plead guilty to being a pessimist. We claim that we look at things just as they are. It is not alone the fact that these brutal contests are becoming more and more frequent that makes the outlook so gloomy, but the fact that they are published with such minuteness of detail. The publishers of popular newspapers aim to print that which will please the most people; it is the carrying out of this desire that makes them popular. Now when papers having several hundred thousand readers find it to their advantage to devote whole columns to an account of how two human beasts pounded each other, it certainly does not indicate a very healthy taste on the part of the majority of their patrons. And the worst of it is that these reports not only supply a demand, but they create one. They also tend to beget familiarity with scenes of bloodshed; in short, they foster the worst passions of the human heart, which is “desperately wicked.” Surely it is now no tax upon one’s credulity to believe the Saviour’s assertion that the last days will be as it was in the days of Noah; the indications are strong that the days are fast approaching when the earth shall be filled with violence. Who will be warned in time to escape the destruction that shall follow?
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