Your ShelfYour Projects

The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 22

Spiritual Gifts

The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald

May 27, 1880

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 27, 1880

Spiritual Gifts.

By L. D. Santee

BY ELD. L. D. SANTEE.
“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.” “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets.” “To another the working of miracles, to another prophecy.” —Paul, in 1 Cor. 12: 1, 28, 10.
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.” Quoted by Peter, in Acts 2: 17, 18.
It is easy to trace the gift of prophecy through the apostolic age, outside of the apostles. “And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.” Acts 21: 9. Verse 10 also refers to another prophet, not of the twelve.
In the last chapter of Mark is found a record of the commission authorizing Christian ministers to labor throughout the gospel age. Christ, realizing that his earthly work is done, sends them as ambassadors for him, to preach the gospel of reconciliation. He charges them to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. This charge reaches to the end of time; for as soon as this work is accomplished, the end comes. Matt. 24: 14.
Why thus preach? To induce belief. What then? “These signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Mark 16: 15–18.
The apostles had these gifts when listening to the charge. Luke 10: 17–19. The promise, therefore, was to future believers. These signs and gifts do not abound in the Christian churches, because they have departed from the faith once delivered to the saints. As we read the promise of these gifts and then look, almost in vain, for their fulfillment, we naturally ask the question,—
Why come not angels from the realms of glory To visit earth as in the days of old,— The times of ancient writ and sacred story? Is Heaven more distant? or has earth grown cold?
Unbelief seems to have been the sunken reef upon which the church has wrecked her spirituality. In Matt. 13: 58 I read of Jesus, “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief;” also Mark 6: 5, 6.
It is evident that God designed the Holy Spirit to exist in the church until the advent of her Lord should forever end her sorrows. It came through the prayer of Christ, and was to abide with believers forever. John 14: 16. The gifts and signs that were to follow believers were given by the same Spirit. 1 Cor. 12: 4–12. It is equally evident that the unbelief which prevented the work of Jesus, would also hinder the Holy Spirit from performing its office.
Says the angel to John on the Isle of Patmos, “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Let us try to comprehend this grand saying. In the 11th chapter of Matthew I read of John the Baptist in Herod’s prison. He had doubts as to whether Jesus was the one that was to fulfill all the prophecies concerning the Messiah, and he sends two of his disciples to Christ, asking him the question, “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” Jesus, without giving a direct answer, shows them his works and then says, “Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see.” It was sufficient, and to John an undoubted testimony of Jesus. As long as the gifts are manifested in the church, they are a proof of the divinity of the commission, a testimony of Jesus. If unbelief is followed by spiritual death, how important that we pray as did the disciples, “Lord, increase our faith.” Luke 17: 5. The wonderful spread of the gospel in early ages was largely due to the signs following believers. Mark 16: 20: “And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following.” Let us look back, and trace the gradual decline of spiritual gifts in the church. When the canon of Inspiration closes, we find the church possessing the gifts, and longing for the return of her covenant Lord. Secular history takes up the theme, and we follow it through its gradations.
One of the first testimonies comes to us from Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna. Later Christian Fathers aver that he listened to the preaching of the apostle John, led a blameless life, and was wonderfully favored with spiritual gifts. He saw in a vision his “pillow on fire,” and exclaimed, “I shall certainly be burnt alive.” The words proved true.
Almost like an echo to the first comes the testimony of Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, who was arrested by Trajan and exposed to lions in a Roman Amphitheater. He asserts that he had heard the angels sing, and he went to his death as to a bridal.
Apollinaris, bishop of Ravenna, according to ecclesiastical history, went with Peter to Rome. History says that he was “miraculously gifted;” that he opened the eyes of the blind, and wrought many cures by the laying on of hands.
Irenæus was endowed with prophetic gifts. Eusebius quotes him as saying, “Some most certainly cast out demons. Others have a knowledge of things to come, as also visions and prophetic communications, and still others heal the sick by the imposition of hands. . . . We hear of many of the brethren in the church who have prophetic gifts, . . . who also bring to light the secret things of men for their benefit.” Eusebius, in referring to the reasons why these spiritual gifts had measurably declined in the church in his time, says, “The churches had become unworthy of them.”
Tertullian, born at Carthage, A. D. 160, was fearless in his affirmation of spiritual gifts. We quote from his work De Anima: “We had a right to expect, after what was said by St. John, to anticipate prophecies; and we not only acknowledge spiritual gifts, but we are permitted to enjoy the gift of a prophetess. There is a sister among us who possesses the faculty of revelation. Commonly during religious service she falls into a trance, holding then communion with the angels, beholding Jesus himself, hearing divine mysteries explained, reading the hearts of some persons, and administering to such as require it.”
Origen, born in Alexandria, A. D. 185, says in his writings, “There are no longer any prophets or miracles among the Jews, but many vestiges of miraculous works among the Christians.”
Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, swells the amount of testimony. He says, “Besides visions of the night, even boys among us are filled with the Holy Spirit, and in fits of ecstasy see, hear, and speak, things by which the Lord sees fit to instruct us.”
We next consider an extract from Mosheim’s Ecclesiastical History, vol. 1, p. 105. This is in the fourth century. He says, “I cannot assent to the opinions of those who maintain that in this century miracles had entirely ceased, and that at this period the Christian church was not favored with any extraordinary or supernatural mark of a Divine power engaged in its cause.” Constantine’s conversion filled the church with pride and worldly ambition, and a rapid decline of spiritual gifts ensued.
The Roman Catholic Church, enveloped as it is in superstition and darkness, still has one souvenir of her ancient faith. The 2d of October is the Feast of Angel Guardians, “In commemoration,” as Alban Butler says, “of a communication of spiritual commerce between us on earth and his holy angels, whose companions we hope one day to be in the kingdom of his glory.”
The Church of England brought this same faith into its homilies. The following is a sample: “The Holy Ghost doth always declare himself by his fruitful and gracious gifts; namely, by the word of wisdom; by the word of knowledge, which is the understanding of the Scriptures; by faith in doing of miracles; by healing them that are diseased; by prophecy, which is the distribution of God’s mysteries; by discerning of spirits; by diversities of tongues; and so forth.”
As we think of the sneers and the scorn that attend those who enjoy the gifts God has set in the church, the ridicule of those money-changers in the temple, we are constrained to use the eloquent words of another: “Look within, O dying church, and behold thyself entombed with the real Gadarene. Blank skepticism, wintry atheism, ‘legion’ of doubts and bigotries.” In contrast with this is the Eternal Father, whose power bears up the universe. His great heart of love throbs in tenderness down through all time, and sends us as his last gift of affection the spirit of prophecy. Let us whose pale foreheads are lighting up with the dawn of a brighter day, when the Sun of righteousness shall arise,—let us value the gifts God has set in the church.
“Every sentence, oh how tender, Every line was full of love.”
Whether as a comforter or a reprover, the Holy Spirit is sent to save us. Worship God; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

EARTHLY VS. HEAVENLY TREASURE.

By N. W. V.

N. W. V.
AWAKENED by the lightning This gloomy night, I find Thoughts sometimes dark, now bright'ning, Dart fitful through my mind; They touch on earthly treasure, Then rise to Heaven's renown; They come in rhyme and measure, And so I pen them down.
All that we here inherit Is loaned us from on high; Improved with grateful spirit, It will a treasure buy More precious and enduring Than earth's best riches be, Our hearts to Heaven alluring, Wealth for eternity.
The gratitude of any Whose wants we may relieve, The welcome glad of many Who thus the truth receive, The smile of Christ our Saviour, As if to him 'twere done, Note made with angel favor By the recording one.
But if our wealth be hoarded Ourselves to gratify, The gifts God's grace afforded Will soon take wings and fly, Swift witness 'gainst us turning; Oh foolish stewards we! Amid our treasures burning, Lost to eternity!
Probation will be ended, Love's work for sinners done; High in the heavens ended, We'll see the Holy One; Then saints, “the books” perusing, We'll see what wealth we hid; Or, if our gifts well using, What we for Jesus did.

A CONFUSION OF TONGUES.

By E. Lanphear

BY E. LANPHEAR.
Among all the Bible questions discussed by the professed Christian world at the present day, there is none that seems more mixed than that of God’s Sabbath. Although there seems to be as plain a “thus saith the Lord” on this as can be found in reference to any other command of God, yet it is wonderful to read and hear the many ways adopted by professed Christian men and ministers, to make it appear that this law is abrogated, or to release themselves from observing this plain, God-given, and sanctified Sabbath day. Some admit that the seventh day of the week was set apart by God, and rested upon at the close of creation; and that the Sabbath was made for man. Others claim that the Sabbath was a Jewish institution, and did not exist until it was promulgated after the exodus from Egypt; and that it was abrogated by the death and resurrection of Christ. Others say that we are not under the law now, but under grace; that the law of the decalogue is now done away; yet they insist that a Sabbath is necessary, and adopt the Sunday, or Lord’s day, claiming that Christ arose upon that day, and redemption is a greater work than that of creation; therefore the first day of the week should be observed as the Sabbath.
I heard a Baptist minister say in a lecture at a Christmas festival, where there was a tree full of presents, that “this 25th day of December, and this tree and gift enterprise, really had nothing to do with the birth of Christ; it was a heathen institution, the same as the Sunday was a heathen institution, and was observed long before Christ was born into the world;” but he had “no objection to their use, if the people could get any good out of them.” Yet he called Sunday the “Lord’s day,” and admitted that a “Sabbath was necessary for the good of mankind.” At another time, in a sermon, he quoted the fourth commandment to prove the sanctity of Sunday. This seems to be customary with nearly all denominations except the Roman Catholics; they claim the Sunday as a church institution by a right of their church, which seems more consistent than the view held by the Protestant church, that “Christ changed the Sabbath.”
Some claim that the seventh day is not the Sabbath, and cannot be observed because of the revolutions of the earth; but they have no difficulty in knowing when the Sunday comes. Some claim that there is no weekly Sabbath under the gospel dispensation; yet admit that if there is any, it is the seventh day, according to the Bible. Others say that God requires us to observe the Sabbath, but they don’t think it makes any difference with God which day we keep, if we only observe one-seventh part of time; so, for convenience sake, it would be better for all to observe the Sunday, because Christ rose upon that day.
Nearly all classes admit that there was an original Sabbath, and that was the seventh day. David Jennings, of England, almost one hundred years ago, endeavored to prove that our “first day of the week, or Sunday, is identical with the day of the Creator’s rest.” Dr. Akers attempted to establish the same fact, but from altogether a different line of argument. Joseph Mead put forth the idea that “the original Sabbath was taken from Israel [though he did not know to what day of our week it applied], and that Saturday was given them in its stead.” One claims, in order to get rid of God’s Sabbath, or rest-day, that “the original week, or seventh division, commenced with Adam’s first day of existence, or creation, and that was the sixth day of God’s work;” and from this standpoint he insists that “the sixth day of God’s creation, man’s Sabbath, came on Friday, until Israel entered the wilderness, when the Jews lost their reckoning, and the seventh day was then given to them as God’s rest-day.” “Thus the seventh-day Sabbath came into use, and was observed until done away by the death and resurrection of Christ.”
E. Fuller attempts to make Adam’s “first day God’s seventh day,” and yet tries to prove that our present first day, as observed, is really the Sabbath day to be observed by Christians. One man claims that “the first day of the week is the Sabbath, because it is the original seventh day;” while another claims that “it is the original first day of the week.”
I might quote further from the different positions that writers and speakers have taken on this subject, showing the wonderful confusion of tongues and pens; but it is not necessary, in this article. All these efforts seem to have arisen in order to get around a plain command of God. An effort to avoid the first, third, or any other command of the decalogue, would be just as consistent; yet no Christian attempts to do that.
How wonderfully strange, O man, thou art before our God! for neither God, Christ, nor the apostles have ever changed the Sabbath, or intimated that the original Sabbath was ever to be abrogated, or changed to the first day of the week. It was God’s original gift to man; and so long as man exists, he will be under obligations to regard it. Man may change his purposes; but God, never. “And they bend their tongues like their bows for lies; but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord.” “And they will deceive every one his neighbor, and will not speak the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.” Jer. 9:3, 5. Are not these words true of the present Christian era?

PRACTICAL THOUGHTS.

By D. T. Bourdeau

BY ELD. D. T. BOURDEAU.

A BRANCH OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE SADLY NEGLECTED.

The duty of dealing with the erring is one that is sadly neglected in most modern churches, and how can we expect the church to keep pure? In many cases, the sins of the erring are handled, not in the Bible way, but by way of backbiting before the offended one has spoken to the offender. Such a course is censurable, and is productive of mischief, division, and rebellion; and it devolves on pastors and evangelists to check it whenever it is observed or heard of. Says the Saviour, “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.” Matt. 18:15–17.
Here is the order laid down by the Saviour for the application of church discipline. First tell thy brother his fault between thee and him alone. You will be more likely to succeed this way, than by publishing the wrongs committed, and going to the offender with a large force, as though you were going to overpower him. Go to the erring with tenderness, as his friend, one who has his good at heart, and does not wish to publish his wrongs, but to exercise that charity that covers a multitude of sins, if they are repented of. If this course fails, take the other steps, being sure to employ spiritual and disinterested persons as helpers, and avoid cramping the erring, and using the sharpness of the lawyer.
In many cases, if the aggrieved would go directly to the offender, with a right spirit and in a proper manner, there would be far less talking about the erring, and the trial need not be brought before a second party, nor before the church.
Pains should be taken to guard the reputation of those who have erred in a private capacity, unless the cause of God demands that their course should be published. Paul had this in view when he said, “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.” 1 Tim. 5:19.

JUDGE NOT BEFORE THE TIME.

“Judge nothing,” says Paul, “before the time, until the Lord come.” 1 Cor. 4:5. These words imply two things: 1. That now is not the time to judge; and 2. That the saints shall judge after Christ comes. Matt. 19:28; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3; Rev. 20:4. Even Christ did not come as a judge, but as a Saviour. He says, “I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.” John 12:47. Again, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” Chap. 3:17. And we should labor in harmony with Christ.
The Saviour forbids judging. He says, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Matt. 7:1, 2. This is not simply pronouncing a thing wrong that is wrong, or saying that right is right; for in the same discourse Christ says, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” Verse 16. Jesus is speaking of brother dealing with brother in the church, and forbids the passing of rash, censorious, and unmerciful sentences upon erring brethren. He condemns viewing their errors in an exaggerated light, as though their case were hopeless, demanding that they should be treated only with severity, and judged in a final sense. To such he says, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.” Whatever unmerciful sentences we pass upon our brethren, God will pass upon us. Fearful work! In another passage, Jesus says, “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in Heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven.” Matt. 18:10. It is dangerous to exclude from our respect and tender feelings those who still enjoy the watchcare of good angels, and who have not yet been rejected by Jesus or his Father.
Again the Saviour says, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matt. 6:14, 15. The great thing that tends to make some view the errors of their brethren in an exaggerated light, is looking at the mote in their brother’s eye, without considering the beam (the serious sins) in their own eye. While weeding our own gardens, we are led to view the wrongs of our brethren in a merciful light, and are preparing to be a real help to the erring.

BLEND MERCY WITH JUSTICE.

In the plan of salvation, mercy and justice kiss each other; and wise and successful is the man who, while laboring for his own salvation and that of his fellow-creatures, blends mercy with justice. It will not do to look at ourselves or others simply in the light of justice; if we do, justly condemned, we shall fail of salvation, and cannot be successful messengers of salvation to others. Neither should we view ourselves and others merely in the light of mercy; for mercy is dispensed only to those who, feeling their need of it and humbly begging for it, honor justice by embracing it and earnestly striving to carry out its principles in their lives.
There probably never was a man who had a greater regard for justice, and was more law-abiding than Moses; but Moses was ever ready to implore mercy for his erring people, as well as to show mercy to them. This he did repeatedly, notwithstanding their continual murmurings and grievous rebellions. See Num. 14. When they had sinned in making them a golden calf, and had forsaken God, who had brought them out of Egypt, and proclaimed his law to them in so wonderful a manner, Moses pleaded thus for them: “Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.” Ex. 32:32.
What love! what mercy! He preferred to be lost himself, rather than to see his people lost. He had labored hard for them, loved them; and could not easily turn away from them. This was like Paul, who could wish himself accursed from Christ for his brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh. Rom. 9:3.
On another occasion the Lord proposed to destroy the children of Israel, and make of Moses a great nation. Did Moses accept this flattering offer? Here was a fine opportunity for promotion; and surely, had he looked only at justice, he might have left his people to receive the just deserts of their sinful doings. But again he pleads for mercy in their behalf, and God is merciful.
Moses, in this respect, was a type of Christ, who said, “Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy.” Matt. 5:7. Had Christ been shut up to stern justice, he would have left man to perish in his sins; but mercy moved his soul to its very depth in man’s behalf, and we may now have hope. May we, in our spheres, dispense sweet mercy, while honoring eternal justice, the sure and immutable rule of God’s moral government.

Malodorous: Lecturers on Crime and New Converts as Leaders

Malodorous.

Under the above heading, the Christian Weekly of May 22, 1880, speaks of two bad practices. The first is “that of persons who have been charged with crime, upon their discharge or acquittal, setting up as lecturers on their sensations while undergoing trial, or upon circumstantial evidence, and the like.” A case of this kind recently occurred in New York City where the receipts of the lecture were $25, and the expenses $117. If all are treated in this way, the practice will soon go into disuse. Of the second practice the editor speaks as follows:—
Analogous to the practice we have just condemned is one that we fear has gained a wider currency, and which, as it seems to us, is equally malodorous. It is the practice that obtains in some quarters, of putting forward as leaders and guides those who have just professed conversion from the ways of sin. It is right to rejoice profoundly over any one rescued from the “horrible pit and from the miry clay.” There are, doubtless, circumstances where the “testimony” of such a one to the power of grace is of great value. A modestly told “experience” has power in moving others. But when such persons are allowed to elbow aside men whose whole lives have been clean, and who have been years under discipline in the school of Christ, whatever may be the effects for the time being, the ultimate result will be only disastrous. It is nothing of which to boast, as some of these of whom we speak seem inclined to do, that one has been steeped in sin. But the cases are not few in which the boast seems to be—not the all conquering grace of God, but the depths of the pit in which one has been wallowing. The natural result from this is spiritual pride, arrogance, and a sort of contempt for those who have not passed through the same bitter experience.
Paul exhorted Timothy to “lay hands,” as setting apart to official work in the church of Christ, “suddenly on no man.” In another place, in mentioning the characteristics of a minister in the church, he says he is to be “not a novice [margin, one newly come to the faith], lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” It would be well if some Christian workers held these cautions in mind.

THE TWO LAWS.

By A. Weeks

BY A. WEEKS.
The distinction between the moral and ceremonial laws is well understood by the religious teachers of the different denominations. It is thus expressed in the American Tract Society’s Bible Dictionary under the word “law”:—
“The ceremonial or ritual laws, concerning the forms of worship, sacrifices, priests, purifications, etc., were designed to distinguish the Jewish nation from the heathen, and to foreshadow the gospel dispensation. They were annulled after Christ’s ascension. Gal. 3:24; Eph. 2:15; Heb. 9; 10:1–22.” “The moral law, Deut. 5:22; Matt. 5:17, 18; Luke 10:26, 27, is more important than the others, from its bearings on human salvation. It was written by the Creator on the conscience of man, and sin has never fully erased it. Rom. 1:19; 2:12–15. It was more fully taught to the Hebrews, especially at Mount Sinai, in the ten commandments, and is summed up by Christ in loving God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves. Matt. 22:37–43. It was the offspring of love to man, Rom. 7:10, 12; required perfect obedience, Gal. 3:10; Jas. 2:10; and is of universal and perpetual obligation. Christ confirmed and enforced it, Matt. 5:17–20, showing its demand of holiness in the heart, applying it to a variety of cases, and supplying new motives to obedience, by revealing Heaven and hell more clearly, and the gracious guidance of the Holy Spirit. Some have argued from certain passages of Scripture that this law is no longer binding upon Christians; that they ‘are not under the law but under grace,’ Rom. 6:14, 15; 7:4, 6; Gal. 3:13, 25; 5:18; and the perversion of these passages leads men to sin and perish because grace abounds. Rightly understood, they harmonize with declarations of the Saviour. Matt. 5:17. To the soul that is in Christ, the law is no longer the arbiter of his doom; yet it still comes to him as the divinely appointed teacher of that will of God in which he now delights. Ps. 119:97; Matt. 5:48; 11:30.”
In the face of the above, we find ministers of the different denominations confounding the two laws, when the claims of the fourth commandment are presented, leading “men to sin and to perish because grace abounds.”

WHAT ROMANISM IS DOING.

By William Penniman

BY WILLIAM PENNIMAN.
Romanists mourn over the lost glories of their church. They look back to the time when popes crowned and uncrowned kings, and long to see the day when they can have this power again.
They contend that the taking away of the temporal power of the pope is at the bottom of the wars and rumors of wars which afflict nations, ignoring the fact that the glorious times of papal supremacy were also warlike. It is evident that they intend to restore those “good old times,” if possible; and to accomplish their object they work with an untiring zeal,—a zeal which would be worthy of commendation were they engaged in a better cause. Despairing of at present accomplishing their object with the sword of persecution, their next grand scheme seems to be to make use of the lever of education, and by a deceptive, alluring policy, they have accomplished, and are accomplishing, very much. Says a writer:—
“In the Roman Catholic parochial schools of Springfield, Ill., the grossest idolatry is taught. In ‘The Catholic National Series, First Reader, by Right Rev. Richard Gilmore, D. D., Bishop of Cleveland,’ and published by ‘Benziger Brothers, printers to the Holy Apostolic See,’ page 67, Lesson 57, we have what purports to be a picture of the trinity. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, with angels around them, and a child sleeping before them, accompanied with the following doggerel effusion:—
“Child.—O Ma! do tell!—in sleep last night, I saw a place, it was so bright; I saw the angels clad in white, I saw Jesus at the right Of God the Father, in his might; O Ma! how could I have this sight When I was sleeping all the night?”
“Mother.—My child, when sleeping, we may go, In dreams, to Heaven from earth below, That when we die to God we’ll go.”
This is but a specimen. Roman Catholic pictures of priests, nuns, beggars, etc., are interspersed through these elementary books. “The Young Catholic’s Illustrated School Series, First Reader,” contains ninety-four crosses. The catechisms used in these schools in Springfield teach the blasphemous doctrine of transubstantiation, which requires children and adults to adore as God Almighty a wafer made by the priest, and in confessional to regard the priest “as Jesus Christ himself.” The above is a small part of the instruction which Protestant children will receive in attending such schools. In these schools there is but one central idea, and that is Romanism.
The following from Brownson’s Review will show the aims of Romanists:—
“Heretofore we have taken our politics from one or another of the parties which divide the country; and have suffered the enemies of our religion to impose their political doctrines upon us; but it is time for us to begin to teach the country itself those moral and political doctrines which flow from the teachings of our own church. We are at home here, wherever we may have been born; this is our country, as it is to become thoroughly Catholic, and we have a deeper interest in public affairs than any other of our citizens. The sects are only for a day, the church forever.”
Notice their object is “to teach the country” till it becomes “thoroughly Catholic.”
O. A. Brownson, in an address at St. Mary College, spoke of our common-school system as follows: “The education we are aiming to give American children is only fitted to make them infidels, libertines, sharpers, and rogues.” It is evident that Catholics are looking forward to the time when their doctrine will triumph over all opposition. They make a prediction, and then go to work with untiring zeal to bring it to pass.
Says Archbishop Hughes, in the Freeman’s Journal:—
“We say to them: We were the first, we have been the sternest and the deadliest enemy of the State free school oppression. But we tell them that the whole State school system is foreign and antagonistic to the American political institutions and traditions. It is abhorrent to the national sentiment and spirit. We tell them, again, that whatever is antagonistic to the national fundamental institutions and spirit of a living country needs only time and circumstances to eradicate. Passion has been stimulated to carry and sustain the State school law. But passion must soon cool. Reason and experience will come to the judgment of the question. Our opposition to the State school system will be seen to have been as truly for patriotism as for religion. It will be a proud day for us, perhaps the proudest of our life—for we shall live to see it.”
Our object in giving these quotations is to show what popery and priestcraft are now doing; volumes have been written to record what has been done by the papal power in the past. Although Romanists may talk of patriotism, yet it is evident that religion is at the bottom of their designs, and a kind of religion which will destroy the civil and religious liberty of our country.

HOSANNAS

By Ray Palmer

“And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” “And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David, they were sore displeased.” Matt. 21:9, 15.
Who is this that rideth meek and lowly, While the throng Crowd about him—press him—as he cometh, Borne along?
Hark! how rends the air the shout of thousands That rejoice! How e’en children cry aloud, “Hosanna!” With one voice.
’Tis the Son of David; lo, he cometh Christ, a king! Glory in the highest! bid him welcome; Pæans sing.
Yet he cometh not to take the scepter, Now to reign; But, a sufferer, with his blood his raiment He shall stain.
Changeful crowd! To-day their high hosannas Echoes wake; Naught perchance to-morrow but hoarse curses Silence break.
Yet the Christ by men despised, rejected, Shall at length Sit on David’s royal throne triumphant, Girt with strength.
Courage! ye who stand for God and goodness, Bearing shame; Ye but drink the cup that he hath drunken, In his name.
Seek not human praises, fear not scorning— Empty breath! Called with Christ to suffer, all unshrinking On to death!
Tread ye in his footsteps, never fainting In the strife; If for him thou diest, he shall give thee Endless life.
—Ray Palmer, D. D., in S. S. Times.
Continue reading: THE ARMY OF SALVATION