WE left Lodi the 6th with Brn. Crosby and Decker, and made our way over the partly-broken roads twenty-five miles to Bro. Kelley's. Bro. Billings took our trunks through with another team. Bro. and sister Kelley were brought under the fanaticism which prevailed in this part of Wisconsin about eighteen months since under the garb of sanctification, and suffered greatly by it, spiritually and temporally. They are glad enough to leave it by the route of confession. They entertained us and those with us with all possible attention. Here, on the morning of the 7th, Brn. Crosby and Decker left us, to go toward their homes near one hundred miles distant, fearing to go further lest the roads should become impassable before they should reach home, and Bro. Billings took us on to Marquette.
Sabbath morning the house of worship was filled with a promiscuous crowd. Half or more of the congregation were friends of the cause. There was another class of Sabbath-keepers present who have been confused and kept unsettled through the influence of the fanaticism above referred to. These have doubted on the subject of spiritual gifts, and the gathering work of the third message. And there was still another class present, few in number, who profess the Sabbath, whose hobby is consecration, who pull every way but with the body, self-righteous, talkative, and seem to have confusion enough in them to distract the whole 144000. Besides these, a few respectable unbelievers made up the large congregation.
We spoke to them three times Sabbath and evening following, twice on first-day, held two meetings on second-day, one on third-day, and preached in the evening, and on fourth-day the brethren cut open the lake, where we buried in baptism our much-esteemed Bro. Elkins.
Some of these meetings were very searching and profitable. Mrs. W. gave a very plain and pointed testimony against the wiles of the Devil which had prevailed in Northern Wisconsin under the garb of consecration as taught by Eld. Wellcome, one Chaffee, Riley Cooper, and others, which terminated with Bro. and sister Steward in what has been termed the Mauston fanaticism. This testimony took a strong hold of some, and Bro. Cooper, being present, came forward and made a most thorough and heartfelt confession. We trust Bro. C. has taken his stand forever with those who stand upon the third message, seeking to walk in the path of Bible sanctification. We hope the time is not far distant when this miserable garb of extra holiness and self-righteousness will fall off from these wandering stars in Northern Wisconsin, who have done all they could to distract the cause; that the honest ones among them will do as Bro. Cooper has done; that the hypocrites among them may appear in their native wolf-like ugliness, that they no longer deceive the people of God. This extra holiness is no part of the message; it is opposed to the message, as Satan is opposed to God. So far as it is received, it crowds out the message, and no man or woman can stand united in spirit with the body of believers who sympathizes with this bogus holiness, which in fact is only the Devil's whitewash with which he makes self-righteous bigots.
The doctrine of Bible holiness we love, and shall cherish and teach every principle of sanctification we can gather from the word of God. But we have seen enough of that Pharisaical holiness which says, "God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, &c., even as this publican." Enough! enough! These extra holy ones do not hesitate to love and report every lie in circulation against those they have never seen, and really know nothing about, and denounce their spiritual exercises because they do not wear their peculiar stripe of extra holiness. Again we say, Enough! enough! Rather let the saints manifest the humble spirit of the publican who prayed, "God be merciful to me a sinner." "For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
LONG PRAYERS.
LENGTHY prayers are generally wearisome and annoying. They injure the interest of social meetings, and when persisted in, often scatter the praying circle and cause the final death of the prayer-meeting. But these long-prayers seldom see this. They wear out the patience of their brethren, and destroy the interest and spirituality of the prayer-meeting, and at the same time think their prayers the most important part of the meeting. These persons should be patiently instructed. And if they become irritated under such instructions, then they give the clearest proofs that their hearts are not right with God.
We have some examples of prayer, in regard to length, in both the Old and New Testaments. Jesus has given a model prayer in Matt. vi, 9-13. Now we propose that those who pray so long be instructed by this prayer and its connection. Take your watch and your Bible, and read this prayer very slowly, and you will hardly make out one minute. Then ask yourself what example, or what reason of any kind, have you for dragging out a formal prayer from five to fifteen minutes long. In secret, pray as long as you please. And if the Spirit of the Lord especially leads you out in prayer you will not be tedious to occupy from two to five minutes. But as a common custom prayers from one to three minutes long are more in accordance with both reason and revelation. We would here call especial attention to the teachings of Christ in connection with the Lord's prayer.
Matt. vi, 7. "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking." This is certainly a clear illustration of most of the long, dry prayers of the present day. "Vain repetition." How some of these long prayers would look in print. They are composed of common expressions which everybody has learned by their oft repetition, strung together without the loss of one, till they sometimes reach the distressing length of from ten to fifteen minutes. No one is edified or instructed by such prayers. Christ and angels, and the poor mortals who remain bowed down, or sit upon their seats, are wearied in hearing these long, senseless prayers. "They think that they shall be heard for their much speaking," as if God looked upon the quantity, instead of the quality, of their prayers.
Verse 8. "Be not ye therefore like unto them; for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him." Some have to tell the Lord a great many long stories, as if informing him. It is in God's plan that we confess our sins to him before we find pardon; but besides this we do not believe that his ear is open to long stories from us about ourselves or our friends. "Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him," hence you need not spend your time in informing him about such matters. But how should we pray? Our Lord says,
"After this manner pray ye, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen." Matt. vi, 9-13.
Christ does not say that we should repeat this prayer word for word; but "after this manner pray ye." In regard to this manner of praying taught by Jesus Christ we would say,
1. It is, in usual speaking in prayer, about fifty seconds long.
2. It is free from those vain repetitions so disagreeable in these long prayers.
3. It comprehends the Christian's wants, temporal and spiritual, in few words.
Think of these things, brethren, and if you cannot by kind entreaties induce the long-prayers among you to come up to the injunction of our Lord, "After this manner therefore pray ye," invite them to repeat the Lord's prayer till they learn to pray short.
THE ASSOCIATION.
By Editor
THE Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association has prospered beyond the most sanguine expectations of its most ardent advocates and friends. Its building is sufficiently large for an increase of business, yet every room is occupied, and the friends of the cause who have visited it say there is none too much room in it for present use. Some few persons who have never seen it, and know nothing of what kind of a building is wanted, and care as little, and have not put one dime into the Association, think and talk otherwise. Let them talk on.
The Association also has at the office, and in the hands of agents, a large amount of publications, just what the cause demands, and which are selling well considering the times. The office is also well supplied with all the facilities necessary to execute its business well and with speed.
The amount paid in on shares and donations, including all the donations for the Review Office from its first establishment at Rochester, N. Y., ten years since, is between ten and eleven thousand dollars. The real value of the property in the hands of the Association is between seventeen and eighteen thousand dollars. This property consists of two city lots on which stand the new building and the old, presses, engine, type, and all the material necessary for first-class printing, the library, six or seven tons of publications, stock on hand, and accounts to the amount of three thousand dollars.
These are all necessary except the large amount in accounts. Should our friends diminish these by paying for the Review, Instructor, and for books, it would greatly assist the Association. Besides these, all that is invested in building, books on hand, printing material, &c., is well invested. It could not now be bettered with the cash in hand. And it is all needed. The amount in publications may seem large to those unacquainted with the business. Some explanation here may be proper.
In order that our publications may come low, large editions are printed. The white paper put into the last edition of the History of the Sabbath weighed one ton and a half, and that put into the last edition of the Hymn Book, thirty-two hundred. Now look at our numerous list of publications, and it will be seen that to keep all these in print, necessarily requires a large amount of publications to be on hand. Some one of these are out of print frequently, when a new edition is printed, and thus the stock is kept good. It requires about $3000 to enable the Association to sell its publications at low prices, and to keep them all in print.
The Association still owes about $3500. A large share of this sum should be paid this spring. A portion is not so urgent. The president of this Association133owes $1000, which he could have paid if he had not put it into the building without interest. This, and one or two thousand dollars of other debts, should be paid before the first of June next. It can be raised with a little effort.
The first of June a catalogue of shares, pledges, and donations will be published and sent to share-holders and donors. We would recommend to all who have pledged, the prompt payment of their pledges, that the ugly word, unpaid, may not appear in connection with their names.
The churches at Monterey, Wright, and Battle Creek, Mich., have donated one hundred dollars each from their s. B. treasuries to the Association, besides individually taking shares liberally, and are ready to do more. Some other churches have been proportionately liberal. Now let all come up to the work in proportion, and the debt is at once lifted. Let the scattered ones come up to the work, and let the donations and the payment of pledged shares, come in from every direction till the debt is paid. Once paid, the Association is free forever, for it will be self-sustaining when once out of debt, and will be able to send donations of its publications into new fields.
Let our preachers take hold of this work in earnest, and help collect the funds to pay the Association debt, until it be paid. Our receipts above traveling expenses shall go to the Association, and we shall use every possible means to have the debt paid as soon as possible. We invite the active co-operation of preaching brethren, and all the true friends of the cause. These are hard times, it is true, but we look for no better, and the sooner the necessary means be raised, the easier, no doubt.
Every subscriber should know that he or she is complying with the terms of our paper, and not fall in debt to the Association under its present struggle. While other small religious bodies are dwindling, and their offices of publication are going down, let us show to the world that we are a living, acting people by prosecuting our greatest enterprise in these times which are the hardest of the hard our country has witnessed for many years. A united effort will do it without any one being burdened.
We say again, let all the pledges be paid before the first of June, that we may present a clean catalogue. And let every s. B. treasury appropriate from $5 to $100, as a donation. Let the scattered friends send a corresponding donation. Let all who are in arrears pay up for the papers and for books, and by the first of June we can have the pleasure of saying, The debt is paid, and our publishing house is free forever.
THE DISCUSSION ON SPIRITUALISM.
By Uriah Smith
THE notice for a Discussion on Christianity and Spiritualism, in Battle Creek, between F. L. Wadsworth, and Bro. M. Hull, having appeared in the Review, some of its readers may be desiroysly waiting to learn the result. The discussion commenced Monday evening, the 17th inst., as per appointment, and continued four evenings. The interest, great at the commencement, continued to increase as the discussion advanced; and on the last evening, though a driving and disagreeable March storm of snow and sleet was raging at the time, the large hall was more densely filled than on any of the previous evenings, it being estimated by some that about eight hundred persons were present.
We can assure the readers of the Review that it is none too much to say that Christianity and its teachings were triumphantly vindicated, and the true nature and tendency of Spiritualism uncompromisingly exposed.
The points made by Bro. Hull in his several arguments were as follows:
1. He produced specimens of the teachings of Christianity from the sayings of Christ and the writings of the apostles, as found in the New Testament, showing that the writings on which Christianity is based, contain the highest standard of morality that has ever been given to the world. He showed that the same Spirit that inspired the writings of the New Testament, moved also the "holy men of old," and that consequently the principles and spirit of Christianity existed long anterior to the Christian era, being at least co-eval with the Old Testament scriptures.
2. The state of the world where the Bible and Christianity were not known anciently, and where they are not known to-day, was faithfully depicted, and contrasted with those portions where the teaching of Christianity has shed its benign light, and the standard of Bible morality has been raised.
3. Testimony of Infidels and Spiritualists was produced in abundance, acknowledging the purity and superiority of Christianity.
4. The tendency of those systems of religion which reject the Bible was shown by that unerring index—the avowed sentiments and characters of their advocates.
5. Spiritualism was shown to be immoral in its tendency, in that
1st. Its communications are unreliable. It is impossible, according to the admissions of leading Spiritualists, to identify a spirit so as to tell with what spirit you are communicating; while it is further admitted that they often indulge in untruth and contradictions against the will of the medium.
2d. Their teachings are contradictory, making the charge of falsehood applicable somewhere.
3d. Spiritualism denies that there is any such thing as sin, destroys all distinction between right and wrong, and hence demolishes every standard of righteousness and morality.
4th. It opposes all law; and hence places its adherents under no restraint.
5th. It annuls the marriage contract, and opens the flood-gates of sensuality and corruption.
6th. It denies the existence of God, and
7th. Its communications are, to a great extent, too absurd and ridiculous to command serious attention.
These points were sustained by Bro. Hull by testimony from genuine documents of Spiritualism from which he read on the occasion, a portion of it being from the spirits themselves, a portion from Spiritualists of high standing at the present time, and some from prominent persons who from years of experience in the system, and acquaintance with its hidden working, have openly renounced it.
Mr. Wadsworth, evidently unwilling to go the whole length of the theory with his compears in Spiritualism, before a public congregation, stoutly and repeatedly denied that these things were chargeable upon Spiritualism; but as the testimony produced by the affirmative could not be invalidated, the doctrine was obliged to stand, out of its own mouth condemned.
An effort was made to confound Christianity with the corruptions and abominations of Roman Catholicism, and make it responsible for all the instances of immorality that have occurred among those professing to be Christians; but it was easily shown from the testimony of the New Testament that Catholicism was anti-Christianity, and hence that Christianity was in no way responsible for it, and that any instances of immorality that may occur within the communion of Christians, are only violations and abuses of Christianity, and not, as in the case of Spiritualism, one of the results of its teaching, and an inseparable accompaniment of the system.
Many are not aware of the light in which Spiritualism holds the Bible and its doctrines. It was Bro. Hull's policy to draw out his opponent on these points, that the congregation might see for themselves what position Spiritualism leads people to take in regard to the Holy Scriptures. And when some, who have been disposed to regard Spiritualism as a higher type of Christianity, were enabled to see that it is the direct antagonist of Christianity, that it denies the authenticity and integrity of the Bible, denies the existence of the Devil, denies the divinity of Christ, and scouts the idea of a vicarious atonement, leaving man to depend for his salvation upon his own merits, their eyes were opened as to its true nature and tendency, and the result cannot fail to be good.
In regard to the authenticity and integrity of the Scriptures, Bro. Hull publicly gave a challenge to any respectable Spiritualist, that is to say, any Spiritualist who is not living down to his theory, to meet him on that question, at any time after the first of September next. It remains to be seen whether it will be accepted.
U. S.
EASTERN TOUR.
By M. E. Cornell
IN the good providence of God I arrived at the place of my first meeting in good time, after a fatiguing journey of about six hundred miles. Bro. H. Hilliard was at the station and conveyed me about a quarter of a mile to his comfortable home. After being deprived of usual rest and sleep for two nights, and being oppressed by the idle talk and clamor of the men of this world for thirty-six consecutive hours, the warm Christian greeting, the quietness and rest of a pilgrim's home, was truly refreshing. In consequence of a heavy storm (a regular "down East north-easter," which lasted four days) some were kept from attending the meeting. By first-day the roads were impassable for teams, yet a goodly number braved the blast on foot, and we had a profitable meeting. The burden of our testimony was the necessity of union, church discipline, the chosen means by which the remnant are to be gathered and organized, &c. The testimony met with a hearty response from all. I was much gratified to hear Bro. Buck express a determination to henceforth be on his guard against expressing any opinion, or urging any point, which is contrary to the views and feelings of the majority. Said he had confidence that God was leading the body, and would continue to134lead them into all truth as fast as they can all appreciate and live it out. I hope we may all as the servants of God, learn to do all things without murmurings and disputings, and so seek the things which make for peace. The Lord is guiding the ship, and it is safe to venture all on board. The Spirit will guide into all truth, but it will guide no faster than the whole body can follow. The Lord will reveal many things to the body in his own time. "Nevertheless," says the apostle, "wherein we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing." Phil. iii. 16. We must then be united on what is made plain to the eye of the whole body, and have confidence that in due time the cloud will move before all Israel.
It was with much difficulty that I reached this place (Rouse's Point) in consequence of the deep snow on the track. In some of the deep cuts it was as high as the cars. Three powerful engines were often set in attempting to force their way through, and we occupied thirty hours before the road was cleared the distance of one hundred miles. When we at last arrived, Bro. C. O. Taylor was waiting at the station, and was able to pick me out in the crowd by seeing my charts. In a few minutes I found myself again enjoying the comforts of a real Advent home.
The brethren here could not assemble, as the roads were impassable in the country round about. The oldest inhabitants cannot remember such a time as this so late in the season.
Here I caught the first glimpse of the Green Mountains, about fifty miles away. Their dark forms appear, towering up into the very clouds. The sight is somewhat interesting to me, having never seen the like before. As I this morning viewed the cloud-capped summits, it occurred to me that these were the very same upon which my dear mother once gazed, and of which she told me in the days of my childhood. It is many years since she fell asleep in Christ, but I love to cherish her memory. It was from her I received my earliest religious impressions, and I hope soon to see her again. How blessed is the Christian's hope!
These mountains are a wonder, but how much more "beautiful for situation is the mount Zion" that will soon greet the eyes and gladden the hearts of all the faithful. The surpassing glories of that bright mountain are for the remnant, and we are well able through Christ to go up and possess the goodly land.
M. E. CORNELL.
Rouse's Point, N. Y., March 19, 1862.
MEETINGS IN INDIANA.
By J. H. Waggoner
WHEN I parted from Bro. Hull in Howard Co., I went to Cicero, Hamilton Co., to attend a discussion between Elds. Shockey, Age-to-come, and Walker, Disciple. I had a desire to form an acquaintance with the ministers who might be present, and this was gratified in part. By the singular exclusiveness of the Disciples I was shut out from their company. When it was suggested to occupy the evenings together alternating, as is customary on such occasions, they refused, and held their own meetings in their own house every evening. At the close of the first session a gentleman arose and said that strangers belonging to the Christian church (Disciple) would be accommodated by the members of that church. Not being a member of that sect I of course stood aloof, but found plenty of generous hearts and open houses with those who recognized the claims of humanity even in those who did not agree with them in all things.
Eld. Shockey stated in the course of the meetings, that he was challenged, but could get no other questions than such as his challenger furnished; and as he was anxious to get his views before that communion, he accepted them. That was some excuse for taking up such one-sided questions. The time was too limited for a fair discussion of such points as were at issue, but I think Eld. S. did credit to himself as a debater. His positions were plainly and fairly stated, and he appeared to defend them from conviction of their truthfulness, rather than from desire of victory.
By request I spoke in the school-house on the operation and offices of the Holy Spirit. In this State there is a very general denial of the Holy Spirit's influence, but I have found that in every place where the Scripture argument is plainly presented, prejudice is removed and feelings conciliated. It is a subject but little understood, and the impression seems to have obtained that we are, or should be, ashamed of our faith on this point; but this is a great mistake. Where much prejudice exists, prudence is always required; and the evidence is so clear and direct on this doctrine that a prudent, yet full and fair, examination of it must carry conviction.
Returning to Howard Co., I held five meetings in a school-house, where Bro. Hull once held a discussion, on Wild Cat Creek. The interest was good, and the house was filled. I spoke on the subjects of the Age-to-come, sanctuary, law, and gifts of the Spirit. I think good was there effected. The brethren were much strengthened, and others appeared to be convinced that there is truth in our position. There was a strong desire for me to remain, but I had sent an appointment in advance, and the roads were becoming impassable there. Last evening I commenced in this place, but the notice was not sufficiently circulated, and the attendance was not large. I look for a change in this respect.
J. H. Waggoner.
South Milford, Ind., March 13, 1862
God’s Blessing and Appointed Means
Never expect God's blessing but in the use of the means which he has appointed: he says, "I will be inquired of."
REPORT FROM BRO. BATES.
By Joseph Bates
DEAR BRO. WHITE : I returned home from Byron Center, Mich., yesterday, where I have been holding meetings over two weeks. Under Bro. Frisbie's labors the past winter eleven decided to keep the Lord's Sabbath there. Soon after Bro. F. left in January, Elder Wheeler, a Disciple minister from Hopkins, came to the place and preached the no-law, no-Sabbath theory, much to the satisfaction of some who had rather believe there is no rest-day for divine worship if the first day of the week is not.
After a few discourses some began to settle on the truth again, and before we closed eight more declared their intention to keep the Sabbath. During this time we gave four lectures in a school-house near four miles distant. Subsequently we learned that one of the principal men of the district who had believed the first message, kept the last Sabbath. Others believed and advocated the Bible Sabbath, but declined keeping it at present, because it interfered with their business. Last Sabbath we rode six miles toward the Grand Rapids to find water sufficiently deep to baptize in. I have appointed to meet with them again the 22d and 23d inst. if the Lord will.
Where the no-law, no-Sabbath theory has been preached and advocated, it requires much additional labor to divest the people of their prejudice. This I found by experience in Wakashma, Kalamazoo Co., where I labored several weeks since, as well as here.
On my way home, evening before last, I was detained at Wayland, the half-way place on the Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids plank road. By inquiry I soon learned that the people would like to hear about the second coming of our blessed Lord and Saviour. They said the subject was new, as no one had ever lectured there before. We gave them the signs of the times, and stated that we should be pleased to meet with them again when convenient.
JOSEPH BATES.
Monterey, Mich., March 12, 1862.
RE-ENACTMENT OF THE NINE COMMANDMENTS.
By R. F. Cottrell
It was certainly a most astonishing oversight in the "one Law-giver," by which the Jewish Sabbath—a mere shadow of good things to come—was placed by the finger of God in the very midst of the nine moral precepts, so that it should become necessary to abolish and re-enact those that were "holy, just, and good," in order to get rid of that Jewish ceremony. Had it not been for this, the ceremonial law might have come to an end, and the commandments remained just as they were. And there would have been this advantage, that the present dispensation would have had all the great moral principles of law embodied in one perfect code or constitution, instead of having them scattered in fragments throughout the writings of the apostles. Human wisdom, it is true, might have corrected the first great mistake, and avoided the confusion of scattering a code that was once embodied, by singling out and abolishing the ceremonial and shadowy intruder, the Sabbath, and left the nine standing as they were; but if Divine Wisdom sees otherwise, we have no right to complain. If he who engraved his law on tables of stone thinks best to abolish the nine commandments and re-enact them, some years afterwards, by the apostles, we have no right to call his wisdom in question.
It is true there is some show of reason why the Sabbath should be distinguished above "the balance of the Levitical law," by being written in the moral code. It was "made for man," in his innocency in Eden. Mark ii, 27; Gen. ii, 2, 3. The commandment enforcing its observance is the first precept recognized in the Scriptures as the "law" of God. Ex. xvi. The Sabbath precept is the only one of the ten that traces itself back to the creation. Ex. xx. As far as inspiration or Bible history extends, the Sabbath is called the Sabbath, as though the institution really existed; and prophecy predicts its existence and observance in the new earth. Isa. lxvi, 22, 23. It is true also that Jesus affirmed the perpetuity of every jot and tittle of the law, "till heaven and earth pass." Matt. v, 18. But if Paul tells us that the law that was written and engraved on stones was abolished, Jesus must have meant some other law than the ten commandments, though, in that case, it is difficult to tell what law he did mean, since it is clear that the hand writing of ordinances was nailed to the cross.
But taking it for granted that the ten commandments were abolished, being nailed to the cross, we enquire about the re-enactment of the nine. Jesus, in his teaching, referred his hearers to five of the ten commandments; but it is difficult to conceive how he could re-enact them before they were abolished. If the ten were abolished at the cross, the labor of re-enacting five of them before the crucifixion, was lost unless that doubling them before prevented their breaking, and so they escaped the fate of the other five, not being abolished at all. It is true that the pious women "rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment," after the crucifixion; Luke xxiii, 56; but they had not yet learned that it was abolished. It is a little singular, however, that Luke, aided as he was by the Holy Spirit, had not discovered their mistake when he wrote his gospel, more than twenty years after the occurrence. But we need not try to solve every difficulty. Some things will remain unaccountable.
As the nine commandments were not re-enacted before they were abolished, we must look to the writings of the apostles for their re-enactment. What they command all must admit to be binding upon Christians. But there is a little difficulty in the outset. All their epistles, and, in fact, every syllable of the New Testament, were written years after the crucifixion, the point of time where the commandments were abolished. But this is but a slight objection, as it was but a very few years, say from thirty to sixty, that men were without any law to God whatever—from the crucifixion to A. D. 54, when Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, or to A. D. 97, when John finished his writings. Antinomians, it is probable, held jubilee during this period, but their rejoicings soon came to an end. The apostles soon re-enacted the nine commandments, or as many of them as they repeated in their writings.
But now the question arises, How did they re-enact them? An examination of their writings will show. Paul is the only apostle, with the exception of one passage in James, who in his writings repeats any one of the nine commandments. As he was the apostle to the Gentiles, it seems reasonable that he should be the one to re-enact the commandments for them. It is true that it was some few years after the gospel dispensation was fully begun, when he was converted, he having persecuted the church, even unto strange cities. But this, as we said before, is but a small break in the law of God. The beloved disciple, in his general epistle has much to say about the commandments, and attaches great importance to the keeping of them, affirming that "this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." Says he, "Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." But John does not re-enact or repeat one of the nine commandments. It was unnecessary for him to re-iterate what had already been given. So he only refers us to the "old commandment," "the word" which had come down from the beginning, and the "new commandment" which Jesus gave his disciples, that they love one another.
How then did Paul and James re-enact the nine commandments? We will read.
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law; for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. Rom. vii, 7.
He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Rom. xiii, 8-10.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. Eph. vi, 1-3.
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. Jas. ii, 10, 11.
Such are the apostolic re-enactments; and these are all though but six of the nine that are binding are given. There are other references to the moral duties contained in the commandments, but they are treated as principles already established and acknowledged. And these too, it must be admitted, appear as much like appeals to a standing code of acknowledged authority and supremacy, as like new enactments for this dispensation. Had the apostles left out such expressions as "I had not known sin but by the law," "the law had said," "hath fulfilled the law," "if there be any other commandment," "which is the first commandment with promise," and "he that said," or "the law that said,"135&c., they would have appeared to us more in the character of law-givers. If a judge, in giving a charge to a jury, should tell them that the law in the case said so and so, it would be strange, if any one should conjecture that he had assumed the duties of legislator, and was enacting laws by which to try the cause in question. And it must be confessed that the apostles appear before us rather as appealing to an existing, supreme law, from which there is no appeal, than as enacting new laws or re-enacting old ones which had been abolished. Says Paul, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right." How do you know, Paul, that it is right? Have you any known and acknowledged law to prove it? "Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise." This commandment, with the annexed promise, is found in the decologue; but not in any other place in the New Testament. And as this is the only place in the apostolic teachings where it is inserted, it follows, that had not Paul had occasion to back up his teaching to children by authority, this commandment would not have been re-enacted in the "new law." But we have it; and it is well for us, for we could not well do without it.
Paul is the only writer in the New Testament that gives us the tenth commandment; or rather, the precept, Thou shalt not covet; for there can be no tenth commandment in the "new code," which consists of but nine. The two places where it is repeated have been quoted above. Read them again as re-enactments. Paul had found himself a sinner, but had repented and found pardon through Christ. But it seems he would not have discovered his sinfulness, had he not re-enacted the law, Thou shalt not covet. It seems indeed strange how this commandment could convict him years after it was abolished, and years before he re-enacted it.
Such as the foregoing is the flimsy covering with which thousands are trying to cover themselves, against the day of wrath, which is just before us. It will be found too narrow and too unsubstantial in that day when "the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place." Not one of the ten commandments have been re-enacted in the New Testament, for the very good reason that none of them have been abolished. If even the Sabbath commandment had been abolished, there would have been a necessity for its re-enactment; for all are agreed that we need a Sabbath. "But," says the objector, "the fourth commandment is left out of the New Testament." So, I reply, is the first, the second, and the third.
"But the principles of these commandments are recognized in the New Testament." So is the Sabbath and the commandment enforcing its observance. The women rested the Sabbath day, according to the commandment, after the hand writing of ordinances had been nailed to the cross. And the Sabbath is mentioned as an existing institution, many times more than any other commandment of the ten.
The wise will find a better shelter than the no-Sabbath system affords. God's truth will be their shield and buckler. His law is the truth. All his commandments are truth. And the truth has never been abolished, though so many desire it should be.