Review and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 34.
Abide With Us, O Lord!Page 1
Earlier text: Abide With Us, O Lord!Evolution and Pantheistic Theology
The statement made in The Congregationalist, from which we quoted at some length a few weeks ago, of the changes in belief which have been made during the present generation, has called forth an earnest protest in the same paper, written by a clergyman of some influence. This writer clearly recognizes the true explanation of the wide departure from the fundamental truths of Christianity, and perceives the pantheistic tendency of the doctrine of God in everything. This is shown by the following quotation:— During the past few years the current theology has been sadly warped by the attempt to twist it into harmony with the unproved hypotheses of evolution. Hence miracles and the supernatural now have little value. That attempt ought to be held in abeyance until a fresh supply of scientific certainties appears. . . . So much insistence is now placed upon the immanence of God [the doctrine of the all-pervading Presence] as to bring us dangerously near the border-land of pantheism, and to make it easy for “unwary and unstable souls” to espouse all sorts of pantheistic varieties, like mysticism, theosophy, Christian science, the new thought, and other kindred emotional cults.
The surrender to the claims of evolution and the acceptance of evolutionary ideas have resulted not merely in destroying confidence in the historic character of the first ten chapters of Genesis, but in overthrowing faith in the Bible as a whole, and in a very strong drift toward the pantheistic philosophy of the East. There is no compromise between evolution and revelation. Each excludes the other. Pantheism is no part of Christianity. The tendency toward pantheism is a tendency toward heathenism. An eminent French professor and writer, Mr. Amant-Joseph Fabre, passes severe judgment on what he styles “the worldly policy of the court of Rome,” and openly denounces as “contrary to the spirit of the primitive church” “the long series of dogmas, definitions, practises, and institutions by which has been formed and consolidated, little by little, the mighty structure of the church’s theocratic government.” We are indebted to the Literary Digest for the translation of the following paragraph from Mr. Fabre’s recent work, “Christian Thought;”— Imagine for a moment that one of the actual disciples of Jesus had returned to earth; one of those, I mean, who had heard Jesus preaching the worship of God in spirit and in truth, declaring that his kingdom was not of this world, and informing his apostles that they were to be the servants of all. Suppose this actual disciple of Christ were attending one of the grand festivals celebrated at Rome in honor of the sovereign pontiff. At the end of a long procession of dignitaries in lace and embroidery he would see the Grand Lama of the West carried on a throne of gold, a cape of cloth of gold upon his shoulders, a triple tiara of gold upon his head, and, leading and following his throne, a splendid cortege of mitered prelates and noble guards helmeted and armed. Silver trumpets pour their loud strains, and the prostrate multitude greets the pontiff with delirious acclamation. Would not the returned disciple of Palestine think that he saw an idol carried before a nation of idolaters? If any one were to say to him: “It is his holiness the supreme pontiff, vicegerent and vicar of God on earth; it is the infallible ruler, whose prerogative it is to govern men’s consciences with sovereign sway, and to dictate their faith to millions of believers,” would he not ask, “Who are these pagans of a novel kind, and how can they possibly recognize in this clerical caricature of Christianity the grand religion of Christ?”
It is not necessary that a disciple of Palestine should return to recognize the paganism which has been substituted for Christianity in the great apostasy predicted by the apostle Paul. A comparison of the teaching and practises of the Roman Catholic Church with the principles and practises advocated in the Scriptures and revealed in the life of our Saviour ought to make it clear to any candid investigator that the system which finds its headship in the supreme pontiff at Rome is only a counterfeit of Christianity which has no valid claim whatever to the name of a church. And this same spirit of paganism is asserting itself in the churches which are called Protestant, and which profess to be a living testimony against the false doctrines of “the mother of harlots.” How much the times demand the preaching of the original gospel of Christ in its purity and simplicity! This is the message which the Lord has for this generation. Fashionable Women’s Drinking, Smoking, and Gambling
It is impossible to look with complacency upon the increasing practise of cigarette smoking, drinking, and gambling among fashionable women of the larger villages and cities. Card-playing and card-parties have taken this form to a deplorable extent. In a paper read before the New Jersey Medical Association, Dr. H. J. Symmott, of Mt. Clair, N. J., said:— The possibility of secret drinking and cigarette smoking, even among women of education and refinement, must not be disregarded in looking for causes of nervous prostration among women. It is indeed quite common among fashionable women for wine, and sometimes stronger drink, to be served, not only at their card-parties, but at fashionable restaurants. The generally higher nervous temperament of women makes them much more susceptible to the evil results of these practices than are men. Add the excitement of the gambling table to these, and we have a trio that is hard to excel in the ruin of physical and moral stamina. Says the Baltimore Christian Advocate:— Physicians tell us that both of these habits [drinking and smoking] are largely on the increase, and along with the morphin habit are undermining the health, not to say the morals, of a large number of the women of our land, and wholly unfitting them for their relations as wives and mothers. This is a sad and serious fact, and one fraught with the most baneful foretokenings. Unless something is done to arrest the evil, the unhappiest results to our home life and to society will ensue. SOME weeks ago at a convention of Presbyterian ministers held in Valparaiso, Ind., it was recommended to strike out of the Presbyterian creed the words “eternal torment,” which have stood there for more than two hundred years. The milder word “destruction” was to be inserted in its place. These ministers, representing seventy-five churches, agreed unanimously to work for the elimination of the words “eternal torment” from the creed throughout the world. They declared that the doctrine was unscriptural; and so it is. The only wonder is that they have clung to it so long as they have, and that so many still adhere to it. The Papacy and Spanish Bull-Fights
Is the Roman Catholic Church sincere in its effort to prevent the continuance of bull-fights in Spain? The London Chronicle says:— The Roman Catholic Church, which is usually supposed to be an accessory, has waged war upon bull-fights—a war in which she has been worsted. Popes have issued bulls against this diversion, but these papal bulls have not made themselves heard in the clamor surrounding the bulls in the ring. It is the papal bulls that have got no quarter. Referring to this matter, the Northwestern Christian Advocate says:— The issuance of bulls against bull-fights did not exhaust the powers of the pope. He possesses one power which, if employed, would put an immediate stop to the cruel sport. Let him direct that the sacraments be refused the king and queen of Spain if they attend bull-fights. Attendance at cruel bull-fights in Spain is surely as grave an offense against righteousness as attendance upon the public schools in America, yet Roman Catholic prelates in America have threatened Catholic parents in this country with deprivation of the sacraments if they send their children to the public schools. The papacy has learned the necessity of being somewhat discreet in its exercise of arbitrary authority where it lacks the power to enforce its decrees. It requires both courage and power to successfully rebuke the follies of a king. It is easier to condone the sins of royalty. Divine Protection
By Andrew McClintock
Under His wing—when the trial and sorrow,
Of life's weary load, that belongs to the morrow,
Is laid at the feet of “an infinite Love,”
We rest, and gain strength from the Power above. Under his wing—when the heart grows in gladness,
And joy in the soul takes the place of our sadness,
We rise to a higher and holier frame,
And dwell with delight on our Saviour's loved name. Under his wing—how the world grows in brightness!
Beauty and grace are the marks of its lightness,
Peace and the love of a Father befriended,
All the way through, till life's journey is ended. Under his wing—in the mansions of glory,
We'll sing the new song, as we tell the old story
Of grace and of love, by the God-man, who gave
His life as a ransom, the sinful to save. — Andrew McClintock, in New York Observer. Teachers as Examples of Christian Integrity
By Ellen G. White
I was referred to the fourth chapter of Deuteronomy. The whole of this chapter is to be studied. Notice particularly the statement: “Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, forever.” The eighth and eleventh chapters of Deuteronomy also mean much to us. The lessons that they contain are of the greatest importance, and are given to us as verily as to the Israelites. In the eleventh chapter God says:— “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; a blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: and a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.” I have been instructed, as God’s messenger, to dwell particularly upon the record of Moses’ sin and its sad result, as a solemn lesson to those in positions of responsibility in our schools, and especially to those acting as presidents of these institutions. Of Moses God’s Word declares, “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.” Long had he borne with the rebellion and obstinacy of Israel. But at last his patience gave way. They were on the borders of the promised land. But before they entered Canaan, they must show that they believed God’s promise. The supply of water ceased. Here was an opportunity for them to walk by faith instead of by sight. But they forgot the hand that for so many years had supplied their wants, and instead of turning to God for help, they murmured against him. Their cries were directed against Moses and Aaron: “Why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into the wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.” The two brothers went before the multitude. But instead of speaking to the rock, as God had directed, Moses smote the rock angrily, crying, “Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?” Bitter and deeply humiliating was the judgment immediately pronounced. “The Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.” With rebellious Israel they must die before crossing the Jordan. From the experience of Moses the Lord would have his people learn that when they do that which gives prominence to self, his work is neglected, and he is dishonored. The Lord will work counter to those who work counter to him. His name, and his alone, is to be magnified on the earth. For more than twenty years strange things have at different times been coming in among us. Those who have become unfaithful, who have not exalted the principles of righteousness, need now to seek the Lord with deep humiliation of soul, and be converted, that God may heal their transgressions. The one standing at the head of a school is to put his undivided interests into the work of making the school just what the Lord designed it to be. If he is ambitious to climb higher and still higher, if he gets above the real virtues of his work, and above its simplicity, and disregards the holy principles of heaven, let him learn from the experience of Moses that the Lord will surely manifest his displeasure because of his failure to reach the standard set before him. Especially should the president of a school look carefully after the finances of the institution. He should understand the underlying principles of book-keeping. He is faithfully to report the use of all moneys passing through his hand for the use of the school. The funds of the school are not to be overdrawn, but every effort is to be made to increase the usefulness of the school. Those entrusted with the financial management of our educational institutions must allow no carelessness in the expenditure of means. Everything connected with the finances of our schools should be perfectly straight. The Lord’s way must be strictly followed, though this may not be in harmony with the ways of man. To those in charge of our schools I would say, Are you making God and his law your delight? Are the principles that you follow, sound and pure and unadulterated? Are you keeping yourselves, in the life practise, under the control of God? Do you see the necessity of obeying him in every particular? If you are tempted to appropriate the money coming into the school, in ways that bring no special benefit to the school, your standard of principle needs to be carefully criticized, that the time may not come when you will have to be criticized and found wanting. Who is your bookkeeper? Who is your treasurer? Who is your business manager? Are they careful and competent? Look to this. It is possible for money to be misappropriated without any one’s understanding clearly how it came about; and it is possible for a school to be losing continually because of unwise expenditures. Those in charge may feel this loss keenly, and yet suppose they have done their best. But why do they permit debts to accumulate? Let those in charge of a school find out each month the true financial standing of the school. My brethren in responsibility, exalt the law of Christ’s kingdom by giving to it willing obedience. If you are not yourselves under the control of the Ruler of the universe, how can you obey his law, as required in his Word? Those who are placed in positions of authority are the very ones who need most fully to realize their amenability to God’s law and the importance of obeying all his requirements. In some respects, many of those connected with our schools should be standing on a higher platform. We know that it is the determined purpose of some to be obedient to every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Such men and women will be given power of intellect to discern the difference between righteousness and unrighteousness. They have the faith that works by love and purifies the soul, and they reveal God to the world. We all need to gain a much deeper experience in the things of God than we have gained. Self is to die, and Christ is to take possession of the soul temple. Physicians, ministers, teachers, and all others in responsible positions, must learn the humility of Christ before he can be revealed in them. Too often self9 is so important an agency in the life of a man that the Lord is not able to mold and fashion him. Self rules on the right hand and on the left, and the man presses his way forward as he pleases. Christ says to self, Stand out of my path. Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Then I can accept him as my disciple. In order to serve me acceptably, he must do the work I have given him in harmony with my instructions.