Earlier text: THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE: IT MUST BE GIVENMEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO PRAY.
By William W. Prescott
THE experience of the three Hebrews under the decree of Nebuchadnezzar, as related in the third chapter, and the experience of Daniel, as related in this chapter, set forth the two ways of interfering with the duty of every man to render his service to the true God. In the first case they were not forbidden to worship the true God, but were commanded to “worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up.” Now it was forbidden to ask any petition of any God or man, save of King Darius, during the whole of the time specified in the decree. But when these instances are closely examined, they both reveal one purpose—the exaltation of man in the place of God. They both make the duty of man to God as secondary, and demand the recognition of the right of some men not to be servants of God, but to show themselves that they are gods. But this is wholly contrary to the principles of the gospel of the kingdom of God, and both Daniel and his companions preached the gospel of the kingdom by fulfilling their duty “to obey God rather than men.” The provision of the decree which these men prepared for King Darius to sign showed that there was a spirit working through them which they did not themselves understand. It was just at this time, as is shown by the first two verses of chapter nine, that it was made clear to Daniel, through the prophecies of Jeremiah, that the set time for the restoration of God’s people from Babylonish captivity was at hand; and then it was that Daniel set his face “unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.” It was sin which had brought the people into captivity, and it was only through repentance and confession of sin that they could be delivered. If this could be prevented by forbidding all communion with God, then there was hope of holding the people longer in the bondage of sin, and so in the bondage of Babylon. Thus does the god of this world use men who scorn the idea that they are anyone’s servants, as his agents in trying to accomplish his own plans. With a great outward show of loyalty to the person of King Darius, and with a flattery which appeared to make him as God, these presidents and princes were really using the king as a mere tool for the accomplishment of their purpose to prevent the recognition of true worth and real regard for the interests of the king. They cared much less for the prosperity of the kingdom than did Daniel, whom they were seeking to destroy, and yet they were professing extreme loyalty and devotion to the king. But Daniel revealed the highest loyalty to King Darius by maintaining his loyalty to the King of heaven, and by refusing to compromise in the slightest degree the principles of the gospel of the kingdom. “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree: Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.” By comparing verse ten of this chapter with the portion of Solomon’s prayer, at the dedication of the temple, which is recorded in I Kings 8:44-50, it is evident that Daniel was praying with special reference to the deliverance of his own people from Babylon; and it is further evident that there would be no hope of such a deliverance if Daniel regarded the king of Babylon as greater than the King of heaven, and acknowledged his right of precedence in the matter of service. But with full knowledge of the provisions of the decree, he still recognized God as supreme, “as he did aforetime.” He did not change his course either to defy King Darius or to slight the claims of the King of heaven. By falsely representing it as the desire of “all the presidents of the kingdom,” as well as of the other officials of the realm, these men had prevailed upon the king to issue a general decree, while they had in mind the case of just one man, against whom they fully intended to use it. And after having made use of the governmental power in this way to accomplish their own private ends, they now professed great respect for that creature of their own making, the law, and appealed to the ancient traditions of the kingdom to prevent the king from saving himself from the trap into which he had fallen. The law, the law, said they. It is the law, and it must be enforced. And so it has ever been. Those Roman emperors, under whose rule the Christians suffered the most, were those who were most faithful in enforcing the laws of the empire. Even during the Dark Ages, when the victims of religious persecution were numbered by the hundreds of thousands, the so-called heretics were all tortured in strict accordance with the laws of the state. And even when the Saviour of the world was accused before Pilate, the Jews said, “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” King Darius yielded to the pressure brought to bear upon him, and an innocent man was cast into the den of lions because the man who sat upon the throne was not a king, but simply the tool of designing men. This history is a prophecy, as well as that which has already been studied, and its fulfillment is near at hand. And that is why the message must go forth to all the world: “Fear God, and give glory to him; . . . and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. . . . If any man worship the beast and his image, . . . the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God.” “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” “Behold your God.” “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” W. W. P. AN APPEAL TO SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST PUBLIC-SCHOOL TEACHERS.
By E. A. Sutherland
For a number of years we have been told that “we are standing upon the threshold of great and solemn events. . . . Old controversies, which have apparently been hushed for a long time will be revived, and new controversies will spring up; new and old will commingle, and this will take place right early. . . . The storm is gathering, the clouds are loading, ready to burst upon the world; and to many it will be as a thief in the night.” Because affairs have not developed as some expected, the love of many is growing cold, and they say, “My Lord delayeth his coming.” Consequently they employ themselves largely with the affairs of this world. Although many of the remnant do not understand where we are in the history of the world, yet there are those outside the faith who do. A well-known minister recently said, “Our age sees an era closely paralleling the period in which Christianity arose, and the period in which Protestantism broke from the great Catholic Church.” This is true; we are living over those momentous times, but we must carry the work further than did the Reformers. We must succeed where they failed. Nothing but a complete victory will do. This victory will not be the result of passiveness or mere desire, but will come as the result of entire sacrifice. Those not willing to yield all are not worthy to receive power. Do we imagine that the adherents of the truth in the early church were content to devote their energy and ability to the cause that was attempting to crush the truth they advocated? Do we find that in the days of the Reformation those who had withdrawn from the corruption of Rome were still content to act as instructors in the papal schools?—Indeed not. So rapidly did Protestant teachers espouse the principles of the new education, that in a few years the youth of all Germany sat at their feet, and Catholics sought almost in vain for teachers for their own schools. High salaries and worldly honors afforded no inducement to the converted. We are repeating the history of the sixteenth century. Are we, as teachers, true to the cause we profess to believe? W. T. Harris, United States Commissioner of Education (see Report of 1897–98, page 24) understands the difference between the work of the secular and the religious school better than many who profess to believe in the Third Angel’s Message. In his history of Sunday-schools, he makes a positive statement that methods which are used in secular schools can not be used in giving religious training; for they encourage doubt and destroy faith. President Harper, of the University of Chicago, says: “It is difficult to prophesy what the result of our present method of educating the youth will be in fifty years. We are training the mind in our public schools, but the moral side of the child’s nature is almost entirely neglected. The Roman Catholic Church insists on remedying the manifest evil, but our Protestant churches seem to ignore it completely. They expect our Sunday-schools to make good what our public schools leave undone, and the consequence is we overlook a danger as real and as great as any we have had to face.” I know of teachers, Seventh-day Adventist public-school teachers, who use the same argument in reference to their work and the Sabbath-school. Do our teachers believe the second angel’s message? That says that Babylon is fallen. Babylon means a mixture of truth and error. A mixture of the true and the false in education forms Babylon. Moreover, this mixture in educational methods renders possible a similar mixture in the churches, and it is for this reason that the schools and the school-teachers are largely responsible for the fall of the church. Do you wish to be responsible for a further decline? Having come out of Babylon, are we not now ready to help others out? This is a work of education, and God has a special work for teachers in these closing days.12 The schools of the first centuries formed the papacy, by mingling with paganism. Christian schools carried the light of the Reformation. The Jesuit schools defeated the work of reform. To-day the conflict is renewed. Where are the Luthers? The Melanchthons? The destinies of thousands of children will be decided by the course pursued by Seventh-day Adventist teachers. Passiveness is equivalent to a choice of the false system instead of the true. To disregard the calls now made upon us by our own children, may prove fatal. Schools can not be started without teachers. Has it not occurred to you that God gave you the means of obtaining the education you now possess, in order that Christian schools should be started? You would need but a brief preparation in principles and methods to enable you to do efficient work for him. Think of it; for the call has now come. “We may bring thousands of children to Christ if we will work for them.” You argue that as a teacher in the public schools, you are working for the salvation of your pupils; but the Lord says, “The education that is generally given in the schools of the world is not that which can be accepted as true education.” Again he says, “One reason why it was necessary to establish institutions of our own was the fact that parents were not able to counteract the influence of the teaching their children were receiving in the public schools, and the error there taught was leading the youth into false paths. No stronger influence could be brought to bear upon the minds of youth and children than that of those who were educating them in principles of science. For this reason it was evident that schools must be established in which our children should be instructed in the way of truth.” We are told that every church where there are children should have a Christian school. Who should teach these schools if not you? The time of the latter rain is here, and it can not yet be received because we are backward about accepting Christian education. The angel has been told to hold the four winds a little longer. God is waiting for us as teachers. Shall we refuse to heed the call? It is possible for the Lord to take the unlearned and fit them for this work, but the offer is to us until we utterly refuse. The precious gift of teaching has been intrusted to us. Shall we bury it, or use it for God’s glory? “To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts,” lest it be said, “Curse ye Meroz, . . . curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord.” E. A. SUTHERLAND. ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.
By Jean Vuillemier
BUENOS AYRES, ENTRE RIOS, AND SANTA FÉ.—I spent six or seven months in Buenos Ayres, dividing my time between the publishing work and the city mission work. The publishing work included editing our Spanish pioneer paper, El Faro, and preparing matter for, and cyclostyle-printing, our monthly mission sheet, both in German and in Spanish. The mission work included a course of English meetings at our suburban Banfield mission, where Sister Post is in charge; church work in Buenos Ayres; and the circulating of El Faro, both through the mail and from house to house. I also took part in Sister Post’s hospital work. Our Buenos Ayres mission family has devoted an evening each week in mailing El Faro to the members of the federal government and to hundreds of business men. During the general excitement about the announced end of the world by a comet, in November, I sent an article on the falling stars as a fulfilment of prophecy, to La Prensa, a leading daily, which published it verbatim. We were planning for a tent-meeting effort in some part of the city, but it had to be given up for the present. Our Entre Rios workers’ and agricultural school is gradually taking shape. A part of the prospected building is up, and school operations have begun. It has been decided that Brethren Town and Leland and their wives settle there, to attend to and supervise the work of teaching, building, and tilling the land. I hope that young men and women will soon be fitted there to enter the many openings for canvassers, school-teachers, and evangelists. So far our brethren, although with few exceptions very poor, have given sufficient work and money to pay all the expenses of the school. About two months ago, Brother Westphal and I started for Camarero, Entre Rios, to make definite plans with Brother Town for the organization of this school, intending afterward to visit several companies and churches in Santa Fé. The Lord having otherwise directed, I went alone to Santa Fé. I am now in San Cristobal, a little frontier town on the railroad line to the Chile border. The people are kept busy by railroad works situated here. There are two families of German-Swiss Sabbath-keepers living in this vicinity, but none in the city. An interest having arisen in town to hear the Word, I postponed my other appointments, and have now preached every night for four weeks. There is no church or chapel of any kind here. The people are Italians, French, Swiss, Argentines, and Belgians. A few have joyfully accepted the truth as far as they have heard it. I hope to see a church raised up here, which will be a light to this unbelieving community. This morning, before day, the people were awakened by the booming of the cannon in honor of the international socialist labor day. THE MINNESOTA CONFERENCE AND CAMP-MEETING.
By H. F. Phelps
This was the thirty-ninth annual gathering of the friends of the cause in Minnesota. It was preceded by a workers' meeting of ten days. Nearly all the laborers of the Conference were present throughout the meeting. Religious services were held two or three times each day, in which most of the ministers of the Conference engaged in mutual instruction, and study of the Word. One special feature of this ten-days' meeting reminded me of the gathering of those ancient disciples in that upper chamber; and as the Master was one of that gathering of long ago, so he was with us by the Holy Spirit and by ministering angels as we all gathered in a hall to celebrate the ordinances of the Lord's house. It was a season long to be remembered. I think that the celebration of the ordinances at the annual and semi-annual meetings of the laborers would be a most profitable experience. The camp-meeting was also a ten-days' meeting continuing over two Sabbaths. Revival services were held the first Sabbath, and were a marked feature of the entire meeting. There were several baptismal scenes, at least fifty persons following their Lord in this ordinance. Many songs of victory were heard. The Lord blessed us with the presence of several laborers from other fields. Among these were Elders Morrison, Hoopes, Wilkinson, and Magan, also Elders Shultz and Johnson. The ministers of the Conference shared in the labors of the meeting. A general review of the main points of the faith of this people was a prominent feature of this occasion; yet it was all of a most practical nature, and served to awaken new courage in despondent hearts, and to strengthen the faith of believers. The Lord blessed richly in the presentation of the Word. It was said that our Scandinavian brethren had the best meetings they ever enjoyed. It is the conviction that a general meeting held over two Sabbaths is the most successful. In the afternoon of the last Sabbath two of our dear laborers, Brethren J. F. Pogue and J. C. Christiansen, were ordained to the work of the gospel ministry, by prayer and laying on of hands. Elder Morrison delivered the ordination sermon, after which Elder Hoopes offered the prayer, and Elder Morrison gave the charge. It was an impressive and solemn occasion, to which the Spirit of the Lord gave witness. The people returned to their homes greatly encouraged. To the Lord be all the praise. A LETTER AND EXPERIENCE.
By George Bond
“I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” The words, which we find in Matt. 25: 36, are familiar to all readers of the REVIEW, and I would like to ask you, Brethren, what are you doing with them?429 “In prison, and ye came unto me.” Let me tell you about my own prison life, which was similar to the experience that many have had, and will have. For more than two years I was in State prison; and although I thank God for the experience, I can never forget the agony of heart and soul I suffered. Two months after I went there, I gave my heart to Christ, determined, as far as my light and knowledge went, to obey his commandments. The first twelve months was a severe trial. Sometimes I was halting between belief and unbelief, and at other times I was down in the depths of despair. Ashamed to write to those who knew me, I determined to struggle on, believing that in God's good time all things would come out right. All the religious instruction we had was one hour's service every alternate Sunday, the one Sunday being conducted by the priest, and the other by the Protestant chaplain. In the evening the Protestant chaplain used sometimes to call on the inmates; but during a residence of two years and three months, I had an opportunity of conversing with the chaplain only three times. But what man did not do, God did. One night as I lay on my cot, reading the prophecy of Isaiah, God showed me plainly that he had accepted me. I was in great spiritual darkness, and felt that God was unkind to me, because I had such a poor understanding of his word, and was shut off from all fellowship with his people. The words which comforted me are found in Isa. 56: 3, 6, 7: “Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, ‘The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people.’” “Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer.” It was indeed a wonderful revelation of God's power. This was the beginning of a brighter life. Some of the inmates began to give me Seventh-day Adventist literature, which was sent them by brethren and sisters in the State. These papers are kept by the men until a holiday, and then given to others. They are thus passed from one to another until they are literally worn out. The public holidays are the only occasions when they have opportunity to exchange papers, liberty of speech being granted for a brief time. Some time before my sentence expired, I received in a missionary letter from a lady an invitation to write to her. This sister belonged to the Seventh-day Adventist church at Dodge Center, Minn. How I thank God to-day for those bright, cheery letters, full of loving-kindness and spiritual comfort! And I am glad to say that other prisoners were receiving letters from the Seventh-day Adventist people in other parts of the State. It is impossible to describe the effects of these letters; but on holidays little groups of men might be seen listening to letters received by the more fortunate ones, and wishing some good person would write to them. It is a difficult matter to gain the confidence of a prisoner, but I know that the letters which have been received from God's people have been the means of leading men to Christ. Once more I enjoy freedom. The family which wrote to me in prison invited me to become a member of their home. May the richest blessings of God's mercy rest upon them! Now I have tried to explain by my own experience how hard it is for one to grow in the knowledge of God when entirely shut off from Christian reading and instruction, and I plead with God's remnant people for those in prison. There is no field that will pay better interest on the investment of a little brotherly love, and this field is right at hand. Many, regretting that circumstances prevent them from going into foreign work, fail to see the unlimited field which God has for them at home. “Love one another, as I have loved you.” That is the way to succeed in this work. Write to the warden of your State prison and reformatory, and ask him to send you the names of those whom your correspondence might help. If he is a man who cares for his wards, he will do it gladly. Thus you will soon find persons to send your old papers to; and oh, what a glorious thing it will be if, when the Saviour comes, you hear those blessed words, “I was in prison, and ye came unto me”! The trouble is that people do not understand a man in prison. They think he must naturally be degenerate and bad. But the fact remains that men in prison are just the same as those whom you meet on the streets every day—men of education and culture; men in the depths of ignorance, through perhaps no fault of their own; men who have fallen in a moment of passion, or who have given way to a terrible temptation; and the men who never had a chance. And they are all open to your love and sympathy, if you like to take up the work. At the Dodge Center church, a collection was recently taken up, to send the Prisoners' Number of the Life Boat to the Minnesota State prison; and the prisoners will be made happy by receiving several copies of the paper. I was present at the meeting, and after the service a number of the members asked for the names of prisoners to write to. One sister who wrote to a prisoner received an encouraging reply, telling her that her letter had awakened longings for a better life, and thanking her for her kindness as well as pleading for her to send papers. I feel sure that the Lord's hand is in this work; and that he will wonderfully bless his people who are taking part in it. So I appeal to those chosen of God, who are carrying his last message, to remember those in bonds, and to endeavor to open up a correspondence with some of those in their State prisons. And please remember that Seventh-day Adventist literature, no matter how old, will be read with avidity, and perhaps by God's grace will be the means of leading some to Christ. I never knew anything about the Seventh-day Adventists until I got into prison. I have now fully accepted the truth; and I pray daily that the Lord will use me in the work of helping those who are in prison. I know that this article does not properly bring before you the prisoners' longing for better things; but I pray that by it others may be led to take up this work. Since I have been free, I have gathered up considerable Seventh-day Adventist literature, and sent it to the prison, to men whom I knew. I have the addresses of about fifty men to whom I intend to send reading-matter. Hoping and believing you will help in this work I am— Yours in the one hope,
GEORGE BOND. DID WE PRAY FOR YOU?
By H. A. Washburn
THESE words are addressed to the young man and the young woman, members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, who are now teaching in the public schools. Many were prayed for by name. How do you know but that your name was mentioned before God? Sabbath, June 23, at a meeting of the Conference of church-school teachers, held in Battle Creek, Mich., after considering the urgent needs of thousands of our children and youth, and the great dearth of Christian teachers, those assembled were so impressed with the words of Matt. 9: 36-38 that they were moved as a body to call upon God to raise up laborers for the ripened harvest. A great burden was rolled upon the assembly, especially for those of our young people who are teaching in the public schools, and whom God would have in his schools, dispensing the bread of eternal life, and ministering in his Spirit, to his perishing little flock. In little groups of earnest petitioners scores of persons in different parts of the United States were prayed for by name. Are you sure that your name was not brought to someone's mind by God's Holy Spirit? And as you read these words, does that Spirit now whisper a conviction in your heart that you should be ministering the word of life, even the Christ-life, to the lambs whom you are commanded to feed? John 21: 15. Could you realize how richly God would bless your own soul, how he would minister to you out of his abundant grace, in doing the work he now offers you, no longer would you be content with dealing out lifeless husks. Seek a preparation, and seek it now, that during the coming year you may be laying up a rich treasure in heaven, insuring to yourself the fulfillment of Dan. 12: 3. H. A. WASHBURN. UPPER COLUMBIA.
By W. F. Martin
Many times during the last few months the Lord has richly blessed me in laboring for him. Oct. 1, 1899, I went to Lewiston, Idaho, and secured the Grand Army hall in which to hold meetings. Elder C. L. Taylor was to join me in a few days. After arranging for the meetings in Lewiston, I went by invitation to Troy, to attend quarterly meeting at that place. The members of that church are mostly Scandinavians. We had a good meeting. I returned to Lewiston, where I was stricken with smallpox the day that Elder Taylor arrived. We were quarantined for a month, so had to abandon all idea of holding meetings. The Lord graciously spared Elder Taylor from taking the disease, although he nursed me through its entire course. On being released from quarantine, I spent a month at home, then went into the field again. I visited Pullman, Moscow, Genesee, and Lewiston. In each place the Lord blessed the labor put forth in his name. From January 8 to April 18 I labored in Walla Walla and College Place, then took another trip to the Palouse country, holding quarterly meeting with the church at Genesee, Idaho. From Lewiston I went to Lapwai, on the Nez Perces reservation, where a family had recently accepted the truth, through the influence of an Adventist family that moved into that neighborhood. After visiting, instructing, and praying with them, four of their number were baptized. During the Walla Walla camp-meeting, I had general charge of the young people's meetings. The devoted workers rendered valuable aid. At first the work moved hard, but the Spirit of the Lord came in, and we had wonderful meetings. There were several conversions, and some who had drifted away were reclaimed. It was a real pleasure to see the ready response to the efforts put forth in behalf of the youth. Many testified that they had never attended such good meetings as were had with the young people the last few days of the camp-meeting. It is to be hoped that the good work begun may be carried on in the homes where these youth have gone. There is great responsibility resting on parents to assist their children spiritually. Unless the work begun at camp-meeting is seconded by the parents, the good results desired will not be obtained. I am now at Echo, Ore., a small village on the Umatilla River. There was once a good-sized church here, but it has been broken up by removals. There is now only one family of Adventists in the community. There seems to be some interest. If the Lord has honest souls here, I am sure he will lead them to accept the truth. My courage is good.