Earlier text: EditorialGOD'S MEMORIAL OF HIS POWER.
By Anna Agee
He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered. He hath showed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen. Ps. 111:4, 6. WE find from the word of God that the Sabbath is a memorial instituted by the Lord to keep in memory his almighty power as manifested in the work of creation, and that by observing this memorial in the way that he has commanded, we grow stronger in faith, having confidence that He who is able to create, uphold, and control all things can also "redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." The power shown in redemption is the power of creation, for, in order to save a corrupt article, it must undergo a transformation, making it sound and good; and no one but he who has the power to create has the power to recreate or restore. Therefore, those who are "created in Christ Jesus unto good works" have undergone the process of having their hearts, or minds, recreated—renewed—changed from corrupt to clean, from impure to pure, by the same power that made the universe. And when so changed, they must be kept so by the same power—the power which has only to speak and the thing whereunto it is sent is performed. Isa. 55:11. Since the Sabbath is the memorial of these great facts, it becomes important to inquire, What day has God exalted to such a high office? The Lord says, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." In Bible times the days of the week were known among God's people as first day, second day, etc. They had numerical names. So when the Lord said "the seventh day is the Sabbath," it was the day known by that name—the name given it by him at creation. See Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31; 2:2, 3. The Sabbath, then, is just as definite a day as though the Lord had given it in its heathen name, for the names of the days of the week, as used by the world to-day, are of heathen origin. What name did the heathen give to this day the Lord named the seventh? All our calendars and every nation on the earth tell us that Saturday is the seventh day. The Jews who have not forsaken the religion of their ancestors, unitedly observe Saturday, the world over. Ask the world why Sunday is kept; they will answer, "To commemorate the resurrection of Christ." On what day did he rise from the dead? The Bible tells us plainly it was on the first day of the week. Mark 16:9. So Sunday keepers are keeping the first day, which God has not blessed, instead of the seventh, upon which God has placed his blessing, made holy, and commanded us to keep. Perhaps it may be said, "Yes, that is the old Jewish Sabbath, I know." No, it "is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God;" it "was made for man" (Mark 2:27) at the close of creation (Gen. 2:2, 3), before there was a Jew in existence. It is the day our Lord observed when he "was made flesh and dwelt among us." "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit unto Galilee. . . . And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read." "And came to Capernaum . . . and taught them on the Sabbath days." Luke 4:14-16, 31. "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Matt. 5:17. Jesus could not possibly have told the truth when he said, "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do" (John 17:4) unless he did fulfill the law, for that was what he came to do; and in order to fulfill the law, he kept the Sabbath, for God, speaking through James, says, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James 2:10. If he was a Sabbath breaker, he was a sinner, for "sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4), and we know the Sabbath is a part of the law; and we know, too, that "Jesus did no sin" (1 Peter 2:22). Therefore he was a Sabbath keeper not a Sabbath breaker. Jesus is our example (1 Peter 2:21), and we should therefore "walk, even as he walked" (1 John 2:6). "He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me" (Matt. 10:38), says our Saviour. Will he say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant; . . . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord," to one who does not do so? "Just so we keep one day it does not make any difference which one" will not excuse us now from obeying the Lord any more than Nadab and Abihu were excused when they thought they would burn the incense with fire other than the Lord commanded. They thought it didn't make any difference if only they burned the incense. But did it? "And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord." Lev. 10:1, 2. "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." 1 Cor. 10:11. Shall we heed the admonition? "Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord." Ps. 107:43. "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament." Dan. 12:3. Jesus says, "Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." Matt. 10:33. It is not alone in words that men deny their Lord, for in Titus 1:16 we read, "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." Dear reader, "let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." Eph. 5:6. "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" CONFESSION OF SIN.
By William Covert
CONVICTION for sin makes the penitent long for that which he does not possess. Sin has become an ingredient of his nature, and when the sinner undertakes to put away his transgressions, he will learn that they have become a part of himself, and that self refuses to go. Solomon says, "His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins." Prov. 5:22. The deplorable state of the wicked is well described by Paul where he says: "Unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." Titus 1:15, 16. Confession must therefore include a letting go of all in nature that begets the wrong act. Without such a confession there is no taking hold on Christ. God will have mercy on those who truly confess. The Lord says: "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." Prov. 28:13. This language will not admit of an apology for sin. Adam admitted that he did wrong in partaking of the forbidden fruit, but offered as an excuse for his wrong course that his wife had been the principal cause of it. Eve placed the blame of her departure upon the serpent. Thus they apologized for their conduct, instead of confessing it. Saul acknowledged that he did wrong in not executing all the Lord enjoined upon him, but then he pleaded that he was excusable because the people prevented his obedience. He went so far as to ask the prophet to honor him before the elders of his people. Self was not renounced. See 1 Sam. 15:24-30. David, who succeeded Saul in the kingdom of Israel, did not attempt to excuse himself for his sins. In Ps. 32:5 he wrote: "I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin." To attempt to cover up sins is a refusal to acknowledge them. To do this is to own self and deny the Lord, who has bought us. The pride of heart abiding in the carnal mind forbids the acknowledgment of wrongs. How seldom do we hear the hearty, full, free confession of sin made to the one who has been wronged. Self is too dearly loved to admit of genuine confession, and unless self is renounced every day, the life becomes polluted and the mind darkened to all danger. This is Satan's manner of keeping moral sensibilities dulled so that sins are not discovered. The adversary of your soul tells you not to confess that you have really done wrong, for if you do, it will disgrace you. Cautiously explain all matters so as to maintain your respectability. But if he can no longer keep6 you blinded as to your sins, he will then tell you that God will not forgive if you do confess. But let none be deceived in either case, for the Lord says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves." 1 John 1:8. And yet he says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Isa. 55:7. The spirit of true penitence and humble confession must be obtained from the Lord, or else all is lost. Without victory at this point no lasting happiness is possible, no conquest obtainable. Unless self is abandoned, and the strongholds in Christ occupied, you will surely be defeated in every contest. Pray as did the publican in the parable, "God be merciful to me a sinner." If you feel the weight of your sins, remember that "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners." There is too much confession that is only general and not intended to refer to anything in particular. The Lord asked that if a soul did wrong "that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing." Lev. 5:5; Num. 5:7. Confession should be vocal; "for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Rom. 10:10. Although the Scriptures teach a formal confession, yet it should be done in a hearty humility, with a proper realization of the hatefulness of sin. Christ convicts only that he may save the contrite one. The stripes of deep conviction are made with the chastening hand of a tender Father. "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." Ps. 34:18. He also says: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isa. 57:15. MAKE ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN.
By Ellen G. White
WHEN the sanctuary was to be built, the Lord directed Moses, saying, "Look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount." Moses was full of zeal to do God's work. The most talented, skillful men were at his command to carry out his suggestions; and yet it was not given to him to make a bell, a pomegranate, a tassel, a fringe, a curtain, or any vessel of the sanctuary, except according to the pattern shown him as God's ideal. God called him into the mount, and revealed to him the heavenly things. The Lord covered him in order that he might see God and live, and behold the things that God would have made according to the pattern. Forty days he was in direct communion with God; and when he descended the mount, his face shone with glory, and he was ready to give directions as to how the sanctuary should be made according to the pattern shown him in the mount. It is in neglecting to follow the exact directions of the word of God that many err. They turn away from God's plans, to follow their own ideas. Christ himself declared, "The Son of Man can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do; for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." So utterly was he emptied of self that he made no plans for himself. He accepted God's plan for him, and day by day the Father unfolded his plans. If Jesus was so wholly dependent, declaring, "I do nothing of myself," how much more should the human agents depend upon God for constant instruction, so that their lives might be the simple working out of God's will. Oh, that failing, erring mortals would be content to seek wisdom from God, and be entirely submissive in working out his directions, in exemplifying his character! If ever mortals needed to send to heaven an earnest cry, "Lord, show me thy way; teach me the way of the Lord," it is now. Only those will have a fitness for the mansions above who give to God full and implicit obedience. God knows that we would not appreciate his rarest gifts if we were not perfectly submissive to his will. And in keeping the way of the Lord there is great reward. We shall be tempted by the adversary of souls to deviate from God's way, to neglect to search the Scriptures in order that we may find out whether we are walking in the sparks of our own kindling, or seeking the light which God has given us. Oh, that we may be vessels unto honor, prepared for the Master's use! Oh, that the work of the grace of God may so go forward in our hearts that we may come to see the matchless charms that are revealed in Jesus! Whatever may be our temperament, we are to form a character after the divine Pattern; we have no excuse for retaining the mold and superscription of our own nature; for Christ has died that we may have his mold and superscription. We cannot retain self and yet be filled with the fullness of God. We must be emptied of self. If heaven is gained by us at last, it will be only through the renunciation of self, and the receiving of the mind of Christ. Pride and self-sufficiency must be crucified, and the vacuum supplied with the Spirit and power of God. Are we willing to pay the price required of us for eternal life? Are we ready to sit down and count the cost, and conclude that heaven is worth the sacrifice of dying to self, of having our will brought into perfect conformity with the will of God? Until we are willing, the transforming grace of God will not be manifested upon us. When we present our emptied nature to God, he will by his Holy Spirit supply the vacuum made by the renunciation of self, and give us of his fullness. The Lord would not have us perish. He would have us consecrate to his service all there is of us; for he desires to bless us more than we desire to be blessed. He would have us abide in Christ, receive his blessing, and diffuse it to others while we live, that we may enjoy a blessed eternity. Life is short, but eternity is endless. We should ask ourselves, For what are we living and working? And what will be the outcome of it all? We need the religion of Jesus Christ daily; for everything we do or say comes under the notice of God. "We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men." What we are at heart, we reveal in life. Our thoughts, our words, our actions, are the result of what we are; and our influence is a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death, according to whether we abide in Christ or not. In the judgment we shall be brought face to face with those whom we have had opportunity to help by directing them, through choice words of counsel, into right, safe paths. If we have a daily connection with God, we shall have a living, abiding interest in the saving of the souls of men, and our influence will be a savor of life unto life. The Lord has blessed us with the light of truth, and we are to let that light be seen, by being doers of the word. We are to let the bright rays of God's word extend to others, to cheer and bless all that are in the house. If we do not have oil in our vessels, except of the grace of Christ, which is abundantly provided for us, our light will burn dim, and, if neglected, will die out. But if from the treasure39 of the heart you bring forth good things, then your light shines out to those who are in darkness. But if you indulge in slang phrases and foolish talk, you bring forth from the treasure of the heart evil things, and darkness comes upon your soul, and upon the souls of others; for evil words bring forth a harvest after their kind. Evil words do more mischief than you have any idea of; they are seeds sown to produce a harvest, and your influence as a Christian is weakened. Foolish, idle jesting fails to exalt the character of Christ; and when he is not lifted up, souls are not drawn to him. The Lord Jesus calls upon you to place yourself in the channel of light, that the result of thorough faith in Christ as your personal Saviour may appear. Christianity is not to be put on and off at will, but it is to be our constant adorning; we are to be clothed with Christ's righteousness as a garment. Let no one rob God of the service he requires. Half-hearted service is of no value. Have we not tried our own way again and again, and found it was but foolishness? In following our independent judgment, have we not virtually said, "Lord, I want not thy way, for it does not please me; I want my own way; and if I cannot do as I please, I will not serve thee?" How many have let go of Christ, to follow their own plans? Did Christ, the Majesty of heaven, have his way? Behold him in travail of soul in Gethsemane, praying to his Father. What forced those blood drops of agony from his holy brow? Oh, the sins of the whole world are upon him! It was separation from the Father's love that forced from his pale, quivering lips the cry, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me." Three times was the prayer offered, but was followed by, "Nevertheless, not my will, but thine, O God, be done." This must be our attitude: "Not my will, but thine, O God, be done." This is true conversion. The church of Christ is to represent his character. Its members, if their names are written in the Lamb's book of life, will be united by a vital connection with Christ, as the branch is united with the living vine. Jesus says, "For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." Christ devoted himself entirely to the work of saving souls. He left the glories of heaven, and clothed his divinity with humanity, and subjected himself to sorrow, and shame, and reproach, abuse, denial, and crucifixion. Though he had all the strength of the passion of humanity, never did he yield to temptation to do that which was not pure and elevating and ennobling. He says, "I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified." He devoted himself wholly to God in an infinite sacrifice to redeem the world. What a wholeness in his life, his character! The plan of salvation, devised prior to the beginning of time, expresses the love of Christ to man, the devotion of the Son to the Father's glory. "To the intent that now the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." This eternal purpose embodied before the universe the glory of the divine love in the salvation of man. Charged with his exalted mission, Jesus came into the world as the visible representative of the invisible God. He said to Philip: "Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? . . . From henceforth ye know him and have seen him." "I and my Father are one." What height, and depth, and breadth of meaning in the Saviour's words! They are clothed with a mysterious power that can only be spiritually discerned. THE FREE GIFT.
By James Ussher
WHAT encouragement there is to come for pardon to a throne of grace. Whatever thy state may be, thou needest not hold off. Though thy sins be as scarlet, if thou come to Christ, they shall be made "white as wool." The greatest of sinners is invited. Can any sin be so great as to overtop the value of Christ's blood? Oh, there is not so much vileness and wretchedness in the sinful heart of man as there is grace, and goodness, and virtue in Christ. There is no disease so bad that he cannot cure. Let me be as bad as I can be, there is no reason out of the word of God why I should not come to Christ for salvation. He puts none back. His proclamation is: "Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." "Whosoever will, let him come." What wouldst thou have more? The invitation cannot be plainer. If, then, thou art not saved, it is plain thou hast no wish for salvation; for if thou hast a will, thou hast a warrant. Say not, "I would come if I had so much humiliation and so much faith," for that were to make a bargain with Christ. If God were to say, "You must love me, and I will pardon you," that were an exchange, not a free gift. Away with such a thought! "Whosoever will, let him come."—Archbishop Usher. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."—John 3:16. APPRECIATION.
By Jessie Hocker
THE sweet, cool calm of autumn afternoon
Sleeps where last summer's drifted leaflets lie.
The tinkling bells seem with all earth atune,
But in the midst of this will summer die.
O Summertime, with all your witching grace,
I think how sanguine were your prospects all,
How beauteous was your sweet, fresh, glowing face,
But now the scepter must be given to Fall! Oh, breathe forgiveness ere too late it be
For opportunities you kindly gave,—
Lost opportunities, alas, which we
Must now bewail here at your open grave!
But he who truly grieves o'er past mistakes
Will turn without delay to present need,
Will find within its depths the power that wakes
His soul to zest in life, and word, and deed. Therefore, though summer flowers and tints be dead,
We thankfully will gather Autumn's store.
How beautiful her fruits! her leaflets red
Ne'er seemed one-half so wonderous before!
O loving Father, do thou help us find
In every phase of life thy love portrayed,
In every test to read thine august mind,
For this is joy if it is but obeyed! HOW IT WAS KNOWN.
By Editor
MANY a time in the life of the American Sentinel have we told the people that the union of Church and State with national Sunday legislation would surely come. In fact, the Sentinel never existed for any other purpose than to tell that this was coming, and to awaken the people to the danger and the evil of it. Except in a general way, however, we have never told in the Sentinel how we knew that this was coming. We have demonstrated over and over, by parallels of historical and ecclesiastical procedure, that this evil thing must inevitably come as the result of existing conditions, and of the efforts and aims of the churches; but our knowledge that it was coming antedated by many years both the existing conditions and the efforts and aims of the churches to bring it about. The first thing that was ever done by the churches to bring this about was twenty-nine years ago last February, while on our part we have known for more than forty years that it was coming. The religious denomination that now publishes the American Sentinel published more than forty years ago that there would be formed in this government, though prohibited by the Constitution and the fundamental principles of the government, a union of Church and State, with national legislation establishing Sunday as the sabbath, and with the churches in possession of the governmental power to enforce Sunday observance. More than forty years ago this denomination put this announcement in print, and then, through all the years since, this people have preached everywhere that this was coming, and would surely be done. And now that it has been done, and exists before our eyes, we see exactly and only what we have been looking for all this time. How, then, did we know that it was coming?—We knew it by the word of God, in the scriptures of the prophets. The prophecy that announces it is in the thirteenth chapter of the book of Revelation; and there all may read it. In the first two verses of that chapter there is given a description of the rise and career of a certain power under the symbol of a beast. Then from the eleventh to the eighteenth verse inclusive there is given the description of another power under the symbol of "another beast" and "the image of the beast." The first of these powers is also designated as "the first beast" and "the beast which had the wound by a sword." The full description of the first one is as follows:— And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them; and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity; he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Rev. 13:1-10. Every person not a Catholic, who knows the A, B, C of history, knows that this is a vivid sketch of the Papacy and its career up to 1798 A.D. Every such person knows that the one great power to which all the nations have done homage the most and for the longest time is the Papacy. Every such person knows that the most blasphemous power that was ever on the earth is the Papacy. He likewise knows that the one power that has made war with the saints of God, and has overcome them the most cruelly, and has persecuted them the most widely and for the longest time, is the Papacy. We know that to say this is not considered as proper Protestantism for these days; but proper Protestantism it is, nevertheless; for all this is true of the Papacy, and has been true of it for ages. And everybody, Catholic or non-Catholic, knows that the Papacy is the union of Church and State, with the Church in possession of the power of the State to use in enforcing her decrees and compelling men to submit to her dictation. The description of the "other beast," or the image of the beast, is as follows:— And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by the sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six. Rev. 13:11-18. This prophecy says that it would be said unto them that "they should make an image to the beast." This would be to make an image to the Papacy. The Papacy being a union of Church and State with the Church using the power of the State to enforce the doctrines of the Church and to compel submission to her decrees, the making of an image of this would be only to make or establish an order of things by which a union of Church and State would be created, with the civil power in the hands of the Church to compel submission to Church doctrines and observance of Church institutions. But in order for this to be made, it must be that before this there was no union of Church and State in the place where this is to be done. As it is necessary to say "that they should make an image" of the Papacy—that is, union of Church and State—it is plain on the face of it that8 this is said, and must be said, in a place where there is no union of Church and State, and where the Church has no control of civil affairs, and no connection with the civil power. Now where was there ever a place or a nation on earth in which there was no union of Church and State except in the United States alone? With the single exception of the United States Government, there never was a government on earth, pagan, papal, or professed Protestant, in which, from the beginning of its existence as such until this day, there was no union of religion and the State, in which the religious power had no control of, or connection with, the civil power. This is the truth, and anyone may satisfy himself of it by thinking, whether little or much. This being the truth, it follows that in the United States is the only place on earth where it could be said that they should make a union of Church and State. Consequently, in the Government of the United States alone could the image of the beast—the image of the Papacy—be made. There are many other points corroborative of this, but this is sufficient for this place. It was because of this prophecy of Rev. 13:11-18 that it has been preached and published for more than forty years that there would be formed in the United States a union of Church and State with national Sunday legislation—that there would be made here an image of the Papacy. For instance,— last January—January, 1853—a little pamphlet of about seventy-five pages, perhaps two and one-half by five inches in size, was published, giving a brief exposition of Revelation 13, and especially that part in verses 11-18. On this point there was then written and printed the following:— The two-horned beast says to them that dwell on the earth, "Make an image." The dwellers on the earth, or territory of this beast, it seems, have a part to act in this work. This clearly marks the United States as the scene of action. This is the manner in which laws are made here—by the representatives of the people. As all men by the Declaration are declared to be equal, it became necessary that some course should be taken by which all could have equal privileges in the construction of the laws. If the whole mass were called together, there would be an endless discussion and no laws made. Therefore the people were to elect such representatives as would carry out their principles; and they were to meet and make laws, which, when passed, should be considered the laws of the people. The image is to be formed by the people or their representatives. It appears probable to us that this Sunday institution is the very point on which this union will be effected. Here is a point on which all Protestant sects can unite. A point which we may safely say is the important item in the faith of Protestants is their Sunday worship. Verse 15: "And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed." From this text we may draw two conclusions:— 1. The image of the beast is to be made in the same territory where the two-horned beast rules; for the two-horned beast can exercise that authority in no territory but his own. 2. That it already has it in its power to give life to the image of the beast, or cause the decree to be made and executed. Is it not in the power of the United States to pass such laws? They declare "all men shall be protected in worshiping God according to the dictates of their own consciences." We see the mass hold the first day of the week as a holy day. If a memorial should be sent in to Congress with one million names signed to it, declaring that their rights were infringed upon, and praying them to pass a solemn enactment that the first day should not be profaned by labor, how soon the result would be a law upon the point! Were the United States, as a body, to pass a law that Sunday should be kept holy, or not profaned by labor, there would be, I conceive, an image to the Papacy; for the law would then be in the hands of the church, and she could inflict penalties on those who did not obey the Sunday institution. Now bear in mind that on the strength of that Scripture prophecy this was printed thirty-nine years ago. And no man can deny that in this present year the very things have been done which in this exposition of the prophecy were said would be done. The churches did this year memorialize Congress, with threats, in behalf of Sunday sacredness; and as the result Congress responded, as expressed by Senator Hiscock:— I would write the provision for the closure in any form that the religious sentiment of the country demands, and not stand here hesitating and quibbling about it. . . . I should make this closure provision satisfactory to those petitioners who have memorialized us against the desecration of the Lord's day. And, as expressed by the representative "Christian lobbyist" of the churches:— I have learned that we hold the United States Senate in our hands. Yes, they have the Senate, and Congress, and the law, and the government in their hands by which to sustain Sunday as a sacred day, and prevent its desecration. By the prophecy we knew forty years ago that it was coming; and by the facts we know now that it has come. The prophecy is fulfilled. Again: Eight years ago this same denomination printed the following on the same prophecy of Rev. 13:11-18:— By this first beast is represented the Roman Church, an ecclesiastical body clothed with civil power, having authority to punish all dissenters. The image of the beast represents another religious body clothed with similar power. The formation of this image is the work of that beast whose peaceful rise and mild professions render it so striking a symbol of the United States. There is to be found an image of the Papacy. When the churches of our land, uniting upon such points of faith as are held by them in common, shall influence the State to enforce their decrees and sustain their institutions, then will Protestant America have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy.—Great Controversy, Vol. 4, page 278. This has been done. The churches of our land have united upon the Sunday issues, and then united with the Catholic Church itself, and in this unity they have influenced the State to enforce the Church decree for Sunday observance and to sustain the Church institution of Sunday. They have done it, but in the doing of it they have the living image of the Papacy in this land. Eight years ago we published that this would be done; and now it has been done. On the strength of the prophecy we published that it would come; and on the strength of facts, everybody may know that it has come. The prophecy is fulfilled. The image of the beast is made, and lives, in the United States to-day. Once more: Seven years ago this same people published on the same subject these words:— To secure popularity and patronage, legislators will yield to the demand for a Sunday law.—Testimony 32, page 207. This present year the churches made their demand for a Sunday law. They presented their memorials and petitions, backed up with such persuasive words as follows, from Presbyterian Churches in Brighton, N. Y., Parma Centre, N. Y., and Rochester, N. Y., and recorded in Congressional Record, May 25, 1892, thus:— Resolved, That we do hereby pledge ourselves and each other, that we will, from this time henceforth, refuse to vote for, or support for any office or position of trust, any member of Congress, either senator or representative, who shall vote for any further aid of any kind for the World's Fair except on conditions named in these resolutions. To secure the popularity and patronage which were thus put up at public auction by the churches, our nation's legislators assembled in Congress did yield to the demand for a Sunday law, and did enact such a law in three distinct ways and places, and for the reasons, as stated by themselves, thus:— If I had charge of this amendment in the interest of the Columbian Exposition, I would write the provision for the closure in any form that the religious sentiment of the country demands, and I say to the junior senator from Illinois [Mr. Palmer] he had better yield to this sentiment, and not let it go out to the country that there is the slightest doubt that if this money shall be appropriated, the Exposition will be closed on Sunday. . . . I should make the closure provision satisfactory to those petitioners who have memorialized us against the desecration of the Lord's day.—Senator Hiscock, Congressional Record, July 18, 1892, page 6755. And again, upon this demand for Sunday law, it was said:— Now, if gentlemen repudiate this, if they desire to reject it. . . . I should like to see the disclaimer put in white and black and proposed by the Congress of the United States. Write it. How would you write it? . . . Word it, if you dare; advocate it, if you dare. How many who voted for it would ever come back here again. None, I hope. . . . You endanger yourselves by opposing it.—Senator Hawley, Id., page 6759. In the light and upon the strength of the prophecy, we published seven years ago that they would do it. And now in their own words we can publish and do publish that they have done it. The prophecy is fulfilled. The image of the beast is made, and lives in the United States to-day. And this is how we have known all these years that there would be a union of Church and State formed in the United States, with national Sunday legislation. This is why we have been telling the people by voice and pen, in the Sentinel and out of the Sentinel, all these years that this was coming. Now it is here, and no man can deny it. Here are the words which we published years ago that it would come, and no man can deny that. Men may disbelieve it, but they cannot deny it; they may reject it, but they cannot disprove it. Many would not believe it and said it would never come. We knew it and published that it would come. Now it has come. It is here. And this demonstrates unmistakably that we were right and they were wrong. To all these we now say, Come now and stand with us, that you may be in the right now on this great question. And there are other things yet to come of this which has come, which are to be told, and we are going to tell these things, as we have told the others, for they are true.—A. T. J., in American Sentinel.