Earlier text: THE CITY OF THE SUNDO WE WANT HEALING FROM SATAN’S AGENCIES?
By Chas. T. Everson
In the course of a conversation with a woman who belonged to a growing modern healing cult, the teachings of which are opposed to the Word of God, I asked her how she came to embrace that belief. She said that she was sick at the time, and had spent much money doctoring, but still seemed to grow worse. This cult as a means of cure was suggested to her by her sister. She had no faith whatsoever in it; but as she seemed to obtain no relief from the doctors, she finally said that she was willing to give herself into the hands of these healers to do whatever they said, only so she could get well. Thus this woman was willing to jeopardize her eternal life for temporary relief from physical suffering. She was no doubt like the woman whom Christ healed after she had been bound by Satan “lo, these eighteen years.” Luke 13:16. But in her case Satan himself loosed the bands with which he was holding her; for relief could not have come from God, as the belief to which she gave up her mind is diametrically opposed to His Word. The result was that having received her wages from Satan, she necessarily entered his service, and to-day is solacing herself in the Christian Science belief. There are many who are doing as she did. Instead of sowing for health, and abiding the time when God will give them a harvest, they compromise with Satan, with the result that they lose eternal life. Many want a short cut to health even if it does mean a compromise with Satan. They desire to retain their perverted habits, and to make the least possible effort, and still obtain health. Like Naaman of old, they do not like the water-cure, they want a prophet who can come out to them and “stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place and recover the leper.” They do not like to be bothered with dipping themselves in the water seven times, nor of being dipped into water. They seek some “faith-healer,” who can strike his hand over them, and pray for them, and thus heal them. But to obtain anything in a short space of time, without effort, and by compromise with evil, is contrary to God’s plan. Moses might have argued that if he waited until he became king of Egypt, he could more easily liberate the children of Israel; but rather than compromise with evil, he forsook the throne of Egypt, and united his interests with those of a band of slaves, and spent his life in working for their liberation. Instead of receiving the flatteries and compliments of courtiers, he was harassed by the murmurings of the people for whom he had forsaken all. Yet he chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” Satan offered to give Christ the kingdoms of this world if he would bow down and worship him. Jesus came to gain the dominion of the earth, and here he was offered apparently a short, easy way, of obtaining his object. But rather than compromise with Satan, he chose the rough pathway that led to the crown of thorns and the cross of Calvary. Whenever we accept wages from any one, we expect to render him service. Those who are seeking health from the devil’s agencies should remember that by so doing they are putting themselves into the service of Satan. And it is better to suffer, if need be, than to go into destruction. “If thy hand offend thee, cut it off; it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell. . . . And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off; it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell. . . . And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out; it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell.” It would cost some suffering and inconvenience to cut off a hand or a foot, or to pluck out an eye; yet it is better to suffer pain and inconvenience than to take a course that will cause us to go into destruction. Jesus can heal the sufferer; but He does not always do it out of the regular channels. He once made water into wine to meet an emergency; but He usually makes wine on the regular plan of letting the water pass through the vine. Jesus sometimes heals instantaneously when the case requires it; but he usually heals through nature in the regular way. Because Jesus healed many instantaneously, it does not necessarily follow that all shall be healed in that way. We could just as well argue that because Jesus made water into wine instantaneously, therefore all wine must thereafter be made that way. We can afford to trust God to heal us in His own way. It has been aptly said, “Work as if everything depended upon yourself, and then trust as if everything depended upon God.” But whether we are healed or not, we never can afford to compromise with Satan. How They Became Convinced
[Believing it would be of interest to our readers, the editor of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES has asked Sabbath-keeping ministers and evangelical workers to tell in a few words the scripture or scriptures, the truths and principles, which constrained them to accept the unpopular truth of the seventh-day Sabbath. These testimonies must not exceed 500 words. Let us hear from all.] WHY I ACCEPTED THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH.
1. Because in childhood and youth I was taught by a Presbyterian mother that the ten commandments were binding; and having learned afterward that they were not only binding, but unchangeable, it became evident that the seventh day is still the Sabbath of the Lord. To be a consistent Presbyterian, I must keep the Sabbath enjoined in the law of ten commandments. 2. Because in after years I became a Baptist, and the Baptist doctrinal watchword is, “Thus saith the Lord.” The Word of God says, “The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God;” therefore, in order to be a consistent Baptist, I must observe the Sabbath that is backed by His Word. 3. Because I am a Protestant. The observance of the first day of the week was foisted upon the Christian Church by the tradition of men. Catholics acknowledge that the Sabbath of the Bible is the seventh day of the week, and that Sunday observance rests solely on the authority of the Roman Church. A consistent Protestant can not observe any institution that ignores the Scriptures of truth and stands on Roman tradition. 4. Because I wanted to be a child of God, and the seventh-day Sabbath is the established “sign” or token, between God and His children forever. Ex. 31:13-17; Eze. 20:12, 20. I wanted to be reckoned with the Israel of God, as the Gentiles—as such—are “without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.” Eph. 2:11, 12. The seventh-day Sabbath is part of the everlasting covenant with Abraham and his Seed, in whom all the promises of God are yea, and amen. Only the spiritual seed are reckoned as the Israel of the covenant-promise. Gal. 3:29; Phil. 3:3. God’s covenant never changes (Ps. 89:34), nor will one jot or one tittle of His law fail. Matt. 5:17, 18. Therefore, as “the Word of God endureth forever” (1 Peter 1:25), it was evident to my mind that the Sabbath of His Word also endureth without end. See Isa. 66:22, 23. W. N. GLENN. WHAT CONVINCED ME ON THE SABBATH.
In studying the Sabbath question from the New Testament Scriptures I became convinced from Luke 23:53 to 24:1, that Jesus was crucified on preparation day, that the Sabbath drew on, that the women which came with Him from Galilee followed and saw where His body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment. The only commandment I can find to rest, was on the Sabbath, which I found to mean the seventh day of the week. After the women had rested according to the commandment, upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they went to the sepulcher, and took the spices which they had prepared on preparation day, what they would not do on the seventh day, and after resting the seventh day, went to finish their labor of love on the first day of the week. Then the question came to my mind, “Who were these women?” Undoubtedly the disciples of Jesus. Were they followers of Jesus, in keeping the seventh-day Sabbath? I soon became convinced that Jesus kept the seventh-day Sabbath, because there is no other weekly Sabbath known to the Bible. Next the question came to my mind, “Would Jesus keep the seventh-day Sabbath if He were here on earth now?” I became convinced that He would, because He is “the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.” Heb. 13:8. This brought to my mind for the first time in life, the fact, that the Bible does not name the days of the week, but simply numbers them. Then the conviction came upon me with irresistible power, that whatever Jesus did, I ought to do, if I would be His disciple; and I saw at once that I must either keep the Sabbath or give up the Bible. I had been preaching the Gospel the best I knew how for over twenty years, and could not give up the Bible; so I gladly accepted the Sabbath, and with it the blessing and “peace of God, which passeth all understanding.” G. B. DOUGLASS. San Francisco, Cal. GOD loves to be importuned with His own words, to be burdened with His own promises, and to be urged with arguments taken from His old proceedings, “Arise as in the days of old, and perform the mercy which Thou hast sworn to our fathers from the days of old.” Man in the beginning was a temple of God. Divinity dwelt in humanity. God was incarnate. He dwelt in the flesh. When man yielded to the tempter, sin became incarnate, and the temple of God was profaned. From that time to this God has been seeking entrance to the human heart, a dwelling place in human flesh. In order that men might know that it could be done and the wonderfully glorious results that would follow, the Son of God was manifest in Jesus of Nazareth. He was so manifest that we might in simple faith invite Him into our heart as an abiding presence, casting out and destroying all sin, and bringing every member, every faculty, into the blessed service of unselfish love. Many of the object lessons of His ordained worship of the past were given for the great purpose of impressing upon man that the only holy, worthy thing was that in which God dwelt, and so man be led to yield himself a dwelling-place, a temple, a sanctuary of God. The sanctuary in the wilderness taught this truth. The temple built by Solomon taught this truth. The glorious temple of which God showed a pattern to Ezekiel, the center of a restored Jerusalem, taught the great truth that “Jehovah is there.” Ezekiel 40 to 48. His presence would heal all barren land, all salt marshes, all impure waters, and would give life to all. But Jerusalem was never thus restored. That temple was never built, and never will be built. Israel would not yield all to God, and God could not come in and dwell among them; neither could He have built a temple for His name for a half-hearted people to dishonor. Hence the temple builded at the restoration from Babylon fell far short of Ezekiel’s pattern, and never saw the glory of Solomon’s temple save in the person of Jesus Christ, whom the temple-keepers rejected. Ezra 3:12; Hag. 2:3, 7, 9. When Jesus Christ came, He was a perfect human temple of the Holy. His flesh was wholly yielded to God, and the Father dwelt in Him. He was, therefore, Immanuel, “God-with-us.” He did not reveal Himself. The life that he lived, the deeds that He did, the love that He manifested, were the life, the deeds, the love of the Father. Jesus Christ is the great Builder of the only true and glorious temple of God which will ever be built. All other temples were either shadows and types, or real temples in part, in limitation. For example, the sanctuary and temple of Solomon were types of the true. Each individual and the church itself are temples of the Lord (1 Cor. 6:19; 3:16), but not in the fullest sense. Christ’s spiritual temple is identical with His household. It is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone.” The building of that temple is thus declared by the prophet: “Behold, the Man whose name is the Branch; and He shall grow up out of His place; and He shall build the temple of Jehovah; even He shall build the temple of Jehovah; and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His [the Father’s, Ps. 110:1] throne; and He shall be a priest upon His [the Father’s] throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” Zech. 6:12, 13. Jesus is now sitting as high priest on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. Heb. 8:1. He is, by His Gospel, by the finishing tools of truth, gathering out from the world’s quarry all who are willing to be cut, hewed, and polished for living stones in His great spiritual temple. He is transplanting them, growing them in, by life—living stones—into the great, splendidly glorious, eternal temple of God, His own living temple: “in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are builded together, for a habitation of God in the Spirit.” Eph. 2:21, 22. This is the true temple of God. David said that it was in his mind to build God a house, meaning the material temple. God assured His servant that this could not be, tho He appreciated the devotion of David so much that He promised David that He would build him a house, meaning all that makes a house of worth, the continuance of his family or house forever in the seed of David, Christ Jesus. Man can build only a mere material house of boards and brick and mortar, etc.; but God builds a living temple, every stone of which is itself a living temple. This is the only temple of God which is building or ever will be built. “The Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands.” “For we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Wherefore come ye out from among them, and be ye separate; saith the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be to you a Father, and ye shall be to Me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” THERE is a blessed stability about the experience of the true Christian. It is because there is a solid foundation to the Christian life. It is built upon the Rock Christ Jesus, which no storms of doubt or fear, or waves of opposition, can hope to overthrow. Having that, we have the blessed peace which comes of settled conviction and assurance. As outside of this there is no hope, no promise, so outside of this there can be no settled conviction, no assurance, no true rest. On the other hand, there is doubt and fear and a continual yielding to the forces that oppose the principles of Christ, the godly life. It was never God’s design for man that he should be continually harassed by doubt, or ever so harassed. The admonition of our Saviour is, “Neither be ye of doubtful mind.” The assurance which the Father desires we should have is beautifully expressed in that wonderful 23d Psalm: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters. . . . Yea, tho I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me.” It is also well expressed by the prophet Isaiah: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee; because he trusteth in Thee.” Isa. 26:3. But with the ungodly it is not so. Doubt and perplexity are their continual portion, and perfect trust and confidence they never know. The reward of belief is a bulwark of eternal strength. It is a divine shield which the arrows of the enemy can not pierce. “We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.” Isa. 26:1, 2. Again: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe.” Prov. 18:10. Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” Ch. 29:25. There is no occasion for doubt here. He who holds the universe in His hand, who made it and all that in it is, has made Himself surety for every promise that His Word contains. It is more substantial than the mighty hills, for they are but the creatures of His hands. At His word they consume, and at His word they come into being; but His promises can never fail, and He will not amend or nullify the thing that has gone out of His mouth. He who trusts in that stability can never be moved; he who is surrounded by that bulwark can never be overthrown; he who carries that shield can never be pierced by the fiery darts of the wicked one; and he who has this hope in him “purifies himself even as He is pure.” How much better, more restful, more satisfying, is this than the condition of him who doubts God and His Word and refuses to be in harmony with Him and His ways and works. “The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it can not rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” Isa. 57:20, 21. That peace “which passeth understanding” never comes to the man of the doubtful mind, nor to the “double-minded man;” for he “is unstable in all his ways.” His condition is proof positive that his mind is not “stayed” on God. If it were, he would be “in perfect peace,” and there would be nothing unstable about him. But nowhere in the Word is there any promise to the doubter. Therefore we can not afford to be “of doubtful mind.” The purchase price of peace, assurance, hope, and trust is perfect faith in Christ. That is the key which unlocks heaven and makes its treasures ours. We do not know how many requests have come in during the last two years for an explanation of the above-named scripture. In response to these requests we present the thoughts that follow. Here is the text, quoted from the American Standard Revised Version:— 1 “But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons. 2 Through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron; 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it be received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified through the Word of God and prayer.” 1. The text has no special reference to the last days. It relates to later times than apostolic, to the great apostasy which had in Paul’s day already begun. Acts 20:29, 30; 2 Thess. 2:7. 2. It does not necessarily refer to one special class which does all these things, but to “some,” among whom all these things should be done. It predicts apostasy in general, with particular characteristics or evidences of its manifestations. 3. All the things herein condemned are primarily the result of departing “from the faith.” The only true faith there is, is living, personal faith, that which makes life connection with God, that which dwelt in our blessed Lord, “the faith of Jesus.” “The faith” does not relate to “body of doctrine.” That idea is a fruit of the apostasy, a justification of lifeless formality. 4. The doctrines, or teachings, of demons are teachings that are contrary to the Word of God.7 Primary among these is that old word of the serpent, “Ye shall not surely die; ye shall be as God.” Gen. 3:4, 5. Out of that has grown the doctrine of natural inherent immortality, eternal torment, universal salvation, ultra Calvinism, purgatory, intercession of saints, prayers for the dead, works of supererogation. The system of human merit has been built up on just such a foundation; that Christ’s offering and work and power and life are not sufficient, but that these must be supplemented by man. 5. And all these are the fruits of hypocrisy. One of the fearful denunciations which fell again and again from the lips of Him who “knew what was in man” was that of “hypocrites” applied to the leaders of the Jewish nation. Yet they boasted of their good works, and laid upon others heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, in ceremonial exactings and numerous fastings and ablutions. The same hypocrisy was even more evident in the apostasy. Departing from God’s plan and substituting the human, covering inward sins and selfishness with a cloak of hypocrisy, became ever more manifest as the centuries of apostasy rolled by. Under such influences conscience soon becomes hard and speechless. 6. “Forbidding to marry” would not involve the prohibition of all marriage. Neither would it include advice against hasty and unwise marriages. We can see the fulfillment of the Spirit’s prediction in the enforced celibacy of the priesthood in the Roman Church and in those organizations which, under the pretense of holiness, forbid all marriage of its members as fornication. 7. The word translated “meats” is broma, meaning food of any kind. See John 4:34; Matt. 14:15. In the latter text it is rendered victuals, its literal meaning. “Commanding to abstain from foods” does not mean instruction or advice as to what foods are good, proper, or injurious. It does not say commanding to abstain from flesh meats or cereals or fruit; but from food in general. It would not apply to a physician who should forbid grains and enjoin flesh, nor to a vegetarian who should denounce flesh meats as injurious, and advise with all the ardor of his soul a diet of fruit and grains. The prophecy relates to enjoined and stated fasts as meritorious in themselves, even as the forbidding to marry. These can be seen in plenty in the enjoined fasts in the Roman Church. Fasts are often beneficial if voluntary and reasonable; they are good for the spiritual, mental, physical man; but they should be voluntary. “If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why as though living in the world,” says Paul to Christians, “Are ye subject to ordinances, Handle not, nor taste, nor touch, . . . after the precepts and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity of the body; but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.” Col. 2:20–23. Fast if need be, but be sure it is not will-worship, self-righteousness, or from mere commandments of men. 8. God has created all that man needs for food, of every variety. Let the Christian select from that abundance, as he is able, what will glorify God. 9. “Every creature,” meaning a created thing, whether animal, mineral, or vegetable, would in common sense include only the things that God gave for food. Because “every creature” is used, we would not gather that it meant that men were bound to eat everything that God had created. Nothing that God has created for man’s good and His glory is to be rejected at the command of men. Let every child of God know the truth of this, and so eat with thanksgiving. 10. “Sanctified through the Word of God and prayer” would certainly seem to limit the food to be used to that which God had Himself given and set apart for man’s use, and upon which man could with assurance pray for God’s blessing. This much for 1 Tim. 4:1–5. The food set apart for His children by the All-wise Father is another matter which each one must find out for himself. There will be articles in this paper, there are articles continually in health magazines, which tell us what the best foods are. But the final decision must rest with the individual soul. Let him choose for God. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor. 10:31. Let His Spirit guide. Bring all appetites into subjection to Him, and be guided, not by man-made rules and ordinances, but by the Word of God and sanctified common sense. PERHAPS the most familiar text in all the Bible is John 3:16. It is noted for its plain and comprehensive statement of the Gospel. It tells the whole story in a nutshell. When that text is quoted before an audience, more people can tell where it can be found than could tell the location of any other text. It reads:— “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” There are other three : sixteens which, while not so comprehensive, express in themselves very striking truths. We note the following as a very instructive group:— “And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and he [John] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him.” Matt. 3:16. “Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy Seed, which is Christ.” Gal. 3:16. “Let the words of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Col. 3:16. “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” 1 Tim. 3:16. “All scripture was given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Tim. 3:16. “Where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” James 3:16. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” 1 John 3:16. In the case of 2 Tim. 3:16, quoted above, the text is much strengthened by the complement of verse 17: “That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Another three: sixteen that contains excellent exhortation is dependent for much of its force on the preceding verse. The two verses read as follows:— “Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear; having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.” THE MORAL LAW IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
By G.
The organ of the National Reform Association advocates the placing of the Ten Commandments on the walls of the public school-rooms. Ostensibly this would be a laudable purpose. “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” Therefore no legitimate pains should be spared to make known God’s will in all places, that the creatures of His hand may know how to “give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name.” But the people who are advocating this disposition of the commandments of God are also teaching the people that one of the commandments does not mean what it says. Now if the pupils should be told that the fourth commandment, which says that “the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord,” does not mean what it says, would it be surprising if they should imbibe the notion that some of the other commands meant something else? If told that men had changed the fourth commandment, might they not logically conclude that they had just as good a right to change or ignore the other commands? Suppose, too, that a zealous, conscientious teacher should undertake to enforce the entire law upon the school as a matter of arbitrary discipline (and many of them would), the good purpose would as really be frustrated as though he were an unbeliever (as many of them are), and should take occasion to belittle the law of the Lord. The Ten Commandments are unobjectionable anywhere, and may do good anywhere, if allowed to be their own interpreter—if the Spirit of God be allowed to make the impression of the Word. For, after all, the law of God is of practical benefit to individual character only as it is received in the heart. G. AN INVADED RIGHT AND WHAT IT MEANS.
By S.
The laws of God and man make it the duty, as well as the privilege, of the man who marries, to support, under all normal conditions, the wife he marries and the children born to him; and no self-respecting man seeks to shirk the responsibility. More than that, he is glad of the opportunity. That responsibility is his chiefest pleasure; and such men will work and have worked themselves into the grave in seeking to insure their families against the possibility of want. But there has arisen a despotism more merciless than poverty, which steps between that man and that right, and assumes to dictate how and when that right may be exercised, or when he may not lift spade or hammer, type or chisel, to earn the bread for hungry mouths or clothes to cover the nakedness of his children, or the rent money that keeps a roof above their heads. That is not the despotism of capital, for capital, with all the faults it has, has not undertaken to prohibit the laborer from laboring when labor is in demand. It has remained for labor itself to permit to grow up in its very midst a tyrant more cruel to individual men than kings or capitalists have ever sought to be. It is taking from the individual the opportunity to perform the duty which common decency, to say nothing of the requirements of heaven and humanity, have put upon him. Recently men have been shot to death or clubbed to death when, with starvation looking straight into the faces of those they had sworn to “love, cherish, and protect,” they have gone back to jobs which they had only left under threat of death. Such men are heroes, as truly heroes as any who ever went to death at the call of their country; but there is no name for such as those who have done these men to death. As a matter of justice between man and man, there is no man nor set of men that has a right to say to another man, “You shall not work until we give command.” Man in general has not yet bartered away that right inherent in the race to labor at his own direction when and where he will. Some have done so, and in so doing have made themselves voluntarily bond-servants to a pitiless tyranny. The writer of these lines is not a capitalist and never will be, and has no sympathy with any unjust exactions of the money power, or with any of the heartless methods of which they may from time to time be guilty in the mad scramble for wealth. Neither has he any sympathy with the cruelties practised in the name of labor upon men whose only offense is a desire to work for the support of their families, and who, as men, have refused to surrender their liberties into the hands of any organization whatsoever. Nevertheless, it is becoming more and more apparent that a time is fast approaching when men who labor as independent men, free men, prizing their liberty as men should, will labor under constant threats, constantly in danger of their lives. Labor is not behind capital in the matter of organization, and the day is coming, and coming soon, when all classes of labor will be under the control of the organization, when that organization will be able to dictate in every branch of human industry, and he who refuses to yield to the domination of the organization will do so at the peril of his life. The stronger these organizations become, the more of that spirit do we see manifest in their treatment of both their own members and those who still seek to maintain the liberty of their own person. The man who does not belong to some union is not looked upon as having any rights that the union is bound to respect. These conditions are the forerunners of trying and perilous times, an indication of that culmination of events to which the prophecies of God’s Word so long have pointed. Fearful times are hurrying toward us; the very air is heavy with the omens of the coming storm; but to those who know the Lord they are harbingers of the coming day. S. MR. S. W. GAMBLE is a noted advocate of Sunday. By an attempted shifting of the days, and a juggling with texts, he has made some Sunday people to hope that he would confirm his theory. His twisting of Scripture to help his theory seems to have affected his belief of the Bible. A correspondent at Ellsworth, Kansas, writes:— S. W. Gamble was here August 12 to 15, and lectured in the M. E. Church on the Sabbath question. One remark which he made was, “You can not make any sense out of this Book (holding up the Bible to the view of the audience); I have tried it for thirteen years, and I give it up.” Another was, “Christ has already come the second time, and we are now in the Millennial Age.” Query: Will our first-day friends follow him here? Please harmonize the statement that what goes into the mouth does not defile the man, with the prohibition against pork? J. J. They do not relate to the same thing at all save as they apply to righteousness and purity in general. In Lev. 11:7, 8 swine’s flesh is prohibited as a food unclean, unfit to be eaten, and God forbade it because He wanted a holy people. Verses 44-47. The nature of the swine has not changed. He is still an unclean, unwholesome, scrofula-breeding beast. In Matt. 15:10-20 the question is not one of diet, or of clean and unclean foods at all. It was between the tradition of the elders and common sense. The hands of the disciples in all probability were not physically unclean; but they had been journeying a little while; they had perhaps come in contact with some ceremonially unclean thing; and, therefore, they ought not to eat bread unless they washed their hands. It was to rebuke this petty spirit that Jesus gave this instruction. The heart, the mind, the seat of the affections, is the principal thing; get that right and the person will wish to do nothing wrong, or to eat otherwise than will glorify God. 1 Cor. 10:31. Please explain through the SIGNS, 2 Cor. 12:2 and Luke 23:43. Is this third heaven and Paradise the same place? and where are the first and second heaven? G. D. M. The last clause of 2 Cor. 12:2 reads, “Such a one caught up to the third heaven.” In verse 4 he speaks of the same place, “How that he was caught up into Paradise.” Luke 23:43 reads, “Verily I say unto thee to-day, shalt thou be with me in Paradise.” Evidently these all refer to the same place. The first heaven is the atmospheric heaven, where the birds fly. The second heaven is where the stars are. The third heaven is where God dwells, and there is Paradise. There is the tree of life (Rev. 2:7), and there is the throne of God (Rev. 22:1, 2). Jesus did not go to Paradise on the day He was crucified. See John 20:17. But Jesus did promise the thief on that day, when He hung upon the cross, when His own people had rejected Him; that day when seemingly He had no power to fulfil His promise; He promised on that day that the thief would be with Him in Paradise when He came into His kingdom: “Verily I say unto thee to-day, Thou shalt be with me in Paradise.”