Earlier text: A PrayerOught Always to Pray
By C. M. S.
JESUS at one time spoke a parable to the intent that “men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” It was not a precept without an example; for Jesus himself put life into the precept by carrying it out in his own life. Wherever he was, and whatever his work, he always found time to draw on the arsenal of divine power through the agency of prayer. If prayer was necessary in the days of Christ’s personal ministry on earth, and necessary to such a one as he, then such as we are certainly can not neglect it in such a time as this. Beyond question, there are forces more subtle at work in our day than during any generation in the past. Satan has come down with great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time. Everything that this world has ever learned in the dark ways of sin it is practising in our generation. No ordinary experience in religious profession, and no semiserious faith on our part will equip us for the struggles that are just ahead. He who has the utmost degree of faith and of religious experience will have none to spare. Like the wise virgins, what he has can not be divided with others. There is the utmost need on our part that we appropriate every means God has given to fit his people to pass in triumph through the experiences of the last days. It will be no child’s play. Every weapon known to the adversary of souls will be in use. The most convincing philosophies and the most subtle dogmas will be spread before the eyes or sounded in the ears of all people, while the innuendoes of doubt and the positive assertions of open disbelief will meet us on every hand. And added to that will be the powerful, insistent force of the great religious systems entrenched behind and supported by the civil power, while strife and war at home and abroad will add to the turmoil and the terror of the times. It is at such a time that men’s hearts will fail them for fear and for looking after those things that are coming upon the earth. But then is the time when the Christian must not faint if he expects to hear the “Well done” from the lips of his Redeemer. Says the prophet:—“For yet a very little while, and he that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry. But my righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him.” Heb. 10:37, 38. But some will go through; for “he shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.” Again: “They overcame him [the accuser] because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony.” Rev. 12:11. “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that come off victorious from the beast, and from his image, and from the number of his name, standing by the sea of glass, having harps of God.” Rev. 15:2. Before that occurs, the record of every soul will be sealed for eternity; every case before the bar of heaven will have been decided. Cases are being decided now. The Advocate of those who have stood for God through the ages pleads, with his blood and the cruel marks of his crucifixion, for the souls of his humble and faithful people. We have cases at that bar, cases that must go by default if our own worthiness or our own ability are depended on to carry us through. They need not depend upon that. The Son of God is our advocate, his righteousness pleads in place of our unrighteousness, and his strength is ours to enable us to stand. The Father is the Judge, and we can know that his judgment will be just. But “the wages of sin is death,” and we have all earned that wage. “So death passed unto all men, for that all sinned.” There is no work that man can do for the future that will be able to make compensation for the penalty of death already earned. In such a condition, and having been led into trusting in “good works” of their own for salvation, thousands on thousands will go down to perdition; or trusting in some scheme of human devising, they will discount the plan of God and pass it by, while they look everywhere but in the Word of God for a lamp to light their pathway. It is a time of tremendous importance. Six thousand years of sin, misery, sorrow, strife, oppression, and deception are culminating now. We are in the focal point of the ages; yet out of this generation, harrassed by the accumulated intrigues of a wily foe, God will bring the polished jewels of his grace. It should be to us a time of deep concern—not a time of fearful trembling and anxious worry, but a time of heart searching, of determined seeking after God. The time is near when the heavens will reveal him who is the hope of the world; but now he stands at the bar of God pleading the case of his people, who have made a covenant with him by sacrifice. His standing in that court is unquestioned; for he is the sinless Son of the merciful Judge, and has already been received at the right hand of the throne of the Father. Everything has been done that even Infinity could do to make possible for man a way of escape from eternal death and a way of attaining eternal life. The only thing that now stands between us and everlasting life is our refusal to repent of sin and put our case in the hands of him who is at once our Friend, our Brother, our Redeemer, and our all-powerful Advocate at the bar of eternity. Our eternal destiny hangs upon our willingness or unwillingness to submit our case to the only One in all God’s universe who is able to carry it through. Having put our case into his hands, thrown ourselves meritless upon his mercy, forsaken sin, and declared our allegiance to the kingdom of righteousness, the power of heaven is ours to see us through. That power comes through prayer. Wherefore, “men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” What Will Be Accomplished?
By F. M. W.
BEFORE another number of this paper reaches its readers, the week of prayer for 1909 will have come and gone. As one looks over the great field, it is interesting to contemplate this concert of prayer in which our people will engage. What will be accomplished by this season? Will it bring a revival to our churches, a deeper consecration in the individual experiences of our brethren and sisters? If it does, it will surely accomplish a blessed result; falling short of this, it will signally fail of its purpose. Appointed occasions for seeking the Lord places every believer in a different relationship to God. It serves either to deepen Christian experience or to bring to the heart a spirit of greater indifference, as each individual relates himself to the occasion. While much may depend upon the leaders of the public service, upon the readings that have been prepared and sent out, after all the real burden of obtaining a closer connection with God falls to each individual member. Without this individual effort but little can be accomplished. To make the most out of this concert of prayer, every child of God should seek by an examination of his own heart to prepare the way for the coming in of the Lord Jesus. If he has committed sin, that should be humbly confessed. First, let him make right every wrong in his own family. An acknowledgment may be due the husband or the wife, the parent or the child. Remove out of the way the stumbling-blocks. From there, let the work of righting wrong extend to the church itself. Hasty words should be recalled; misunderstandings6 be cleared away. It is this work of humiliation and confession, followed by complete consecration to God, that brings into the life the power of his Holy Spirit. Nor should each one feel content with bringing himself into a right relationship. Each should reach out for every other. If a member in the church is discouraged and cast down, he should be visited. Every effort should be made to reclaim the backslidden. If this work is entered upon, if this spirit of true revival shall be present in all our churches during the week-of-prayer occasion, and if there possesses the hearts of our people the spirit of true consecration, we need have no fear but that the demands of our mission treasury will be met. When once this people have given their all to God and made a full and complete surrender to their Saviour, there will be no lack of either men or means to carry forward the work. The burden of this work resting upon the hearts of the believers in this message will lead them to respond to its demands. To them the call of God will be more than a call to formal service. In giving themselves, they will give their all to God,—house, lands, flocks, and merchandise,—counting themselves only the stewards of God to use the means entrusted to their care as the Spirit shall lead and the providence of God indicate. Hence, our burden is not primarily to see a large offering, although that is greatly needed, but to witness a refreshing from the presence of the Lord, a revival of true-hearted service, an old-time faith in this message, and a burden of soul for those who know it not. This is the great need. The offering will follow as its first-fruits. There is but little need to argue with an unregenerate heart against following the fashions of the world, and indulging in the pleasures of sin. He who does these things needs a new birth in Christ Jesus. When the heart is truly converted, its chief delight will not be found in dress, or display, but in loving service for the Master, and the time spent in sinful and useless pleasures will be given to the work of soul-saving. It is this way in the matter of gifts and offerings for gospel work. A truly converted heart and consecrated life will find its highest expression of love in service, in imparting to others the newfound joy in Christ Jesus. It will need no urging. A knowledge of existing need will be sufficient to enlist the service of heart and hand in its alleviation. Let all unite to make the week of prayer for this year a great spiritual feast, a time of sweet communion with God. There should be much praying. Let little groups get together and seek for special blessing. Let families unite several times a day in prayer to God. Above all let there be much personal prayer. Alone with God each soul can gain a strength that will come in no other way. Daily searching of the Scriptures, daily quiet meditation and daily prayer, with the putting away of every wrong and the consecration of every power to God,—in this simple but effective way each soul may bring the rich blessing of heaven into his own experience, and become an agent in the hands of the Spirit for imparting the grace of God to his fellows. Forgiveness
By I. H. Evans
ONE of the most precious promises in the Word of God is that which the angel made concerning the birth of Christ: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” It is sin that has brought ruin and desolation and death to the inhabitants of the earth. This evil thing has filled the world with prison-houses, and filled the prisons with prisoners; filled cities with crime, and homes with misery. There is no spot in all this world where man has ever trod, that sin has not blighted. Sin has laid its foul hand on every country, city, and hamlet in all the world, and besmirched with its vileness all that is lovely and beautiful and artistic, until even sinners hide their heads in shame. There is no home on earth that sin has not entered. There is no soul in whom is the breath of life that sin has not stung with its deadly poison. The land is filled with the dead, whom sin has smitten. The eye can scarcely look into the face of a living being in whose breast is not hidden some deep, unspeakable sorrow that sin has caused. With all this misery and mortal woe, with the dead and dying all about us because of sin, what word can ever come to man more desired than the promise, “For he shall save his people from their sins”? Some one may inquire, “Can God save me?” and the answer must be, “Yes, if you are a sinner;” for we read, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Not a soul in all the world who comes to God in sincerity and repentance, for forgiveness, but will find pardon. Every lost soul, who in the desolation of his wretchedness feels that there is no hope for him, needs only to turn to Christ and look to him for pardon and mercy, and he will find forgiveness of sin, “for he shall save his people from their sins.” This forgiveness is a most wonderful blessing to man. It is a cover for all his shame and unspeakable guilt; it lifts that awful weight and burden from the heart, relief from which can only be obtained by a taste of the goodness of the Lord. For a poor, vile sinner, who feels his guilt and is suffering the shame or punishment of his wrongdoing, to come to God and find pardon for all his sins in the name of Jesus, is the greatest blessing, and gives the most unspeakable joy, of anything that has ever come into the life of man. With such glorious promises, how strange that all the world does not come to Christ to receive this cleansing and forgiveness! Were there a costly price demanded, beyond the possibility to pay, there might be some show of an excuse for the poor to stay away, but the invitation is, “Ho, every one 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.” None need be so poor that he may not receive this forgiveness of sin. The millionaire and the pauper receive forgiveness from the same God, on the same terms. No amount of money can buy pardon from sin. Nothing of which we know in heaven or on earth can buy this pardon for a single soul. Forgiveness of sin comes as a gift from God, in the goodness of his loving heart, through Jesus Christ. Every poor soul who has a desire for pardon, can get it from God by prayer and faith. Nor is any sin, save one, not to be washed away in the blood of Calvary. The record says, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” So there is cleansing from all our guilt in the blood of Jesus. None need think that his guilt is of that peculiar type which can not find forgiveness in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. Forgiveness of sin, what a wonderful thing for God to give a poor, worthless sinner! He asks no merit, he exacts no promise, he demands no forfeit if we fail again. He says, “Come . . . without money and without price,” “for he shall save his people from their sins.” The invitation is given for all sinners to come. With God there is no favored, special class, save poor, guilty sinners. The sinner is the one whom God invites to come and receive pardon. The whole Word of God is filled with promises to the sinner. Everywhere the invitation is: Come, sinner, come; “come now, and let us reason together;” you who have been bitten by the deceitfulness of sin, come. Those who are ready to die because of sin, are invited to come. Heaven hangs out the invitation everywhere, Come, sinner, come. “And the Spirit and the bride7 say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” The forgiveness offered is for sins committed. The pardon extended is to sinners, and the invitation to come is to those who are guilty of sin. Whosoever will, let him come without money and without price—come to God through Jesus Christ and find pardon and cleansing from all sin. At the Portland Camp-Meeting
By D. E. Robinson
JULY 2, Mrs. E. G. White and her party traveled from South Lancaster to Portland, Maine. At Nashua we were joined by Elder and Mrs. S. N. Haskell, Elder and Mrs. H. J. Edmed, and Brother F. M. Dana. Mrs. White was met at Woodfords Station by Mr. C. S. Bangs, a son of her twin sister, and during her visit she was made welcome at his home, which was but a short distance from the camp. For several years Mrs. White had cherished the hope of once more bearing her message to the people of Portland, Maine, and when at the General Conference old friends urged her to visit Maine, she agreed to do so. Therefore a camp-meeting was appointed to be held in Portland, beginning July 2. A beautiful spot was selected for the camp at Deering's Oaks, about two miles from the business section of Portland. Owing to the associations of her childhood and youth, this visit to Portland was of special interest to Mrs. White. It was in this city that she attended school till she met with the accident that made her an invalid for many years. Here it was that she heard the powerful preaching of William Miller; and here, after a period of despair, Jesus revealed himself, and she seemed to see his blessed face beaming upon her in divine love and gentleness. Across the river formerly stood the house where, in November, 1844, she received her first vision, and where she spent a night of anguish at the thought of going out to relate to others the things that God had presented to her. In Portland and its vicinity she and her husband had labored together in the early days of this message. During her stay she visited some of the localities of special interest in connection with her early life. Sabbath morning, July 3, Mrs. White spoke in the tent, giving lessons from the experiences of Israel as rehearsed by Moses in the fourth chapter of Deuteronomy. From this discourse we give the following:— “Your eyes have seen what the Lord did because of Baal-peor; for all the men that follow Baal-peor, the Lord thy God hath destroyed them from among you. But ye that did cleave unto the Lord are alive every one of you this day.” “It makes a great difference whether we are obedient or disobedient to the word of the Lord. Let us make sure that we stand in right relation to God. There is a God in heaven who guards his people, but we need to take heed lest we place ourselves in such relation to him that he can not protect us.” “Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore, and do them; for this is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?” “The success of Israel in the promised land was made dependent upon their observance of God's commandments. This instruction is for us as verily as for them. These commandments have never been abrogated, and in the day of judgment they will be brought forward as the standard by which all shall be tried. Angels of God are writing in the books of heaven our life record; and if we remain true to God, serving him with exact obedience, our faithfulness will be remembered, and will have its reward.” “Furthermore,” said Moses, “the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, and swear that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.” “I feel like weeping every time I read of Moses' mistake, with its consequent bitter disappointment. The children of Israel had come to a place where there was no water. Forgetful of how many times the Lord had delivered them, they murmured8 and complained, and found fault with Moses. Moses and Aaron sought the Lord, and he bade them speak unto the rock, and promised that water should flow forth. But Moses was provoked with the people because of their unreasonable course, and he spoke hastily in anger. ‘Hear now, ye rebels,’ he said, ‘must we bring you water out of this rock?’ He smote the rock twice with his rod, and the water came forth. But the Lord had not told him to smite the rock. ‘Speak ye unto the rock,’ was the instruction given to him, ‘and it shall give forth his water.’” “And the Lord said 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.” Moses entreated of the Lord to let him pass over Jordan, but the Lord would not permit him. With this one exception, he had been so faithful and so true—why was this disappointment placed upon him?—Because of his position. If his disobedience had been lightly passed over, it would have made of little account the requirements of God before the people. “The lesson is for us. We must follow the Word of God exactly. Those who deviate from it, thinking they will come out as well, will in the end find that they have met with a terrible loss. The word of God is precious in his sight, and it is for every one to obey that word to the letter. There must be no careless deviation from duty. Some think that God is not particular, and that, although he specifies in the commandment the seventh day as the Sabbath, yet because it is more convenient for them to observe another day, God will pass by their deviation from his command. Not one of us can afford thus to presume upon God's forbearance.” “It means earnest effort to be among the overcomers. This God would teach his people, even though in order to do so he was obliged to refuse to remit the punishment of faithful Moses. He had made his mistake before all Israel, and God could not pass it by as though he had been obedient. Let us remember that we are serving the same God to-day. Let us prove the Lord. Let us pray to him, and believe that he hears us. If we will trust in him, and be obedient, he will deliver us from all our troubles.” “There is a great work to be done for perishing souls. From the foreign countries, from every part of our earth, there is a call for missionaries. It was my privilege while at Washington to see representatives from many countries. There were some representatives from the heathen world, who had been converted and believe this message. They say, ‘We need help, we need teachers, and we need means for the building of churches, schools, and sanitariums. We are willing to help you to learn our language, if you will come and teach the truth to our people.’” “But we need not look away to the foreign fields to find perishing souls. All around us are those to whom we can explain the Scriptures, showing them the simplicity of the truths of the Word of God. We can show them what God has promised to those who will be obedient to his requirements.” The little band of workers in Maine seemed much encouraged by the suggestions made that the time was ripe for an aggressive work to be carried forward in Portland, and in other cities of the East. After speaking of her own early experiences in the city, Mrs. White said:— “The people of Portland were wonderfully stirred by the proclamation of the messages of the first and second angels. There were powerful speakers, and there was a great deal of visiting from house to house. A deep earnestness characterized the labors of those who took part in this movement. There was one speaker who was almost ready for the grave, but he would not leave his work; for he felt that he must sound the note of warning to as many as possible before he should be taken away and his voice silenced. Meetings were held in the homes of believers all through the city, and the Lord wrought with mighty power.” “A work is to be carried forward here in Portland as the proclamation of the Lord's coming was carried forward in 1843 and 1844. There is a great work to be done in our cities, and we are individually to act our part. Let each one ask himself, What shall I do to meet the mind of the Spirit of God? If any of you have lost the evidence of your communion with God, will you not to-day reconsecrate yourselves to his service? You will be elevated, ennobled, and sanctified through a belief of the truth. Then you will be fitted to be workers together with God.” “You can not afford to lose the strength that comes from a union with God; for you are to bear his message. There is a part for all to act in carrying the truth throughout this city. Meetings should be conducted by earnest, able ministers, and many should go from house to house with publications filled with the truth. There is but a little time in which to work; for the Lord is soon coming, and we must work diligently to do all in our power to prepare a people to meet him.” The early morning Bible studies by Elder Haskell were greatly enjoyed. They were of a nature to strengthen faith in the evidences that God has led his people, and that through the gift of prophecy he has made known the counsel of his will. One forenoon was devoted by Elder and Mrs. Haskell, Elder W. C. White, and others to a presentation of the privileges and blessings of personal labor with books and periodicals. Many books were bought by those present for work in their home neighborhoods, and quite a number volunteered to spend a day or a portion of a day during the meeting in house-to-house labor in the city. The evening of the fourth of July was devoted to a stereopticon lecture by Elder Edmed, the views dealing with scenes of native life and our mission work in South Africa. His story of the growth of our work in that field, and also a discourse on the infallibility of the Bible, were a source of great inspiration. The meetings increased in attendance and interest during the week. The daily papers contained favorable reports of the meetings, and this served to advertise the camp. The house-to-house visitations of the “field day” workers also greatly augmented the interest, and on the second Sunday of the meeting, there was a very large gathering, among whom were many of the leading citizens of Portland. When Mrs. White spoke Sunday afternoon, the tent was crowded. The campers were requested to bring all the available chairs from their tents, but when this was done, some were still unable to find seats. Mrs. White spoke with even more than her usual strength and power, and many hearts were melted by her earnest appeals. After a discourse of nearly an hour, she offered a fervent petition to God for his mercy to rest upon the people of Portland, and for the spirit of consecration and service to be poured upon the believers. We believe that a good impression was left upon the congregation who attended this service. It was our privilege to see the beginning that has been made for a Seventh-day Adventist church in the city of Portland. A lot had been purchased, and the walls were up for the basement of what gave promise of being a neat, commendable place of worship. But the work was at a standstill because of lack of means. Because of the importance of having a memorial in this city, Mrs. White has felt an earnest desire that the needed means should be raised and the building completed as soon as possible. In some of her meetings in the Middle West, she presented the needs of this place, and small sums were contributed. These donations were gratefully received and forwarded to the treasurer of the conference. The Home Run
By I. H. Evans
The year 1909 is rapidly passing. Only three more weeks remain, when a new year will be ushered in. How many Seventh-day Adventists have done their full duty during 1909 in contributing to the support of foreign missions? One State secretary writes that he wishes to know the last day of 1909 when money can reach the General Conference Office to be entered on the books for the calendar year. He says, “We purpose not simply to make our offering to foreign missions ten cents a week, but we are struggling to make it reach twenty cents a week.” Both union and local conferences are throwing themselves with great vigor into the effort to raise money for foreign missions. Every Seventh-day Adventist who has not paid his full quota of ten cents a week for foreign missions, ought to endeavor to make up the deficit at the earliest possible date, so that the same can be passed through the books to be credited on the year 1909. Shall not the remaining portion of 1909 witness the most vigorous campaign in behalf of foreign mission funds in the history of our people? May each one endeavor, with God’s help, to do his best. I. H. EVANS. God Speaks to an Eskimo Boy
WHERE there is a loyal heart but no teacher, God can and does speak direct to the soul in darkness. Said Adlooat, an Eskimo boy:— “When I am little boy, I use tobacco, and like it very much. By and by God speaks to me, out on Bering Sea in a storm, and I know God saves me. But do you think I give up tobacco then? O, no! I love God; I love tobacco. No one tells me tobacco will hurt me. One day when walking down by the beach, something seems to speak to me inside, just the same as in the storm, and it says: ‘What for do you use tobacco?’ I say: ‘I don’t know.’ Then I walk along a little way, and again the voice speaks to me and says: ‘What good is that stuff anyway?’ I say: ‘No good, I guess.’ The third time the voice speaks to me and says: ‘Why don’t you quit?’ And I quit, and never use that tobacco again. Now I am poor Eskimo boy, and no missionary or teacher to tell me what is right, and so God tells me himself.” “Lo, I Am With You Alway”
By Worthie Harris Holden
Sometimes, while standing on the rock,
His glory passes by;
Sometimes his presence floods my soul
Though tears bedim my eye;
Sometimes the fog, so damp and cold,
Banks closely round my heart;
But God, I know, is light and love,
And ne’er from me will part. Nor principalities nor powers
Can sever from his love,
Nor height nor depth can isolate
From that great power above;
And though so small, so weak, so vile,
I naught on him impose
By loving him who first loved me,
And all my frailty knows. Ah, when the night-winds shriek and howl,
Know he is very nigh,
Just as when glory-clouds reflect
His shining in the sky:
And when earth’s storms are overpassed,—
Eternal morn awakes,—
My Jesus still will be my all,
Who never me forsakes. Christmas; Its Origin and Character
By S. Mortensen
Since there is no evidence for the observance of Christmas in the Bible, the questions arise, What is its origin? and when did its celebration begin? Lector P. Waldenstrom says: “The custom to celebrate the birth of Christ in the last part of December began first in the fourth century. Before that the sixth of January was celebrated.”—Notes to Luke 2:8. Another author says: “The third one of the great feasts of the church, Christmas, doesn’t seem to be kept during the first three centuries. In contrast to it a9 memorial of Christ’s baptism was celebrated in the Orient as a revelation of his Messiahship and glory of his divinity called Epiphania, the sixth of January. This festival was, in Egypt, also given the meaning as a memorial of Christ’s birth, and in that way they had in a certain sense a substitute for Christmas, which had not yet begun.”—Ecclesiastical History, by C. A. Cornelius, part 1, page 139. Further on, the same author says, “It began first to be celebrated in the Roman Church about 360, and from there it spread to the Orient.” After he has mentioned “Saturnalia,” the Roman feast of joy, which began the seventeenth and ended the twenty-fourth of December with the “Sigillaria,” he continues: “At last the so-called ‘Brumalia,’ or the winter solstice, was celebrated the twenty-fifth of December. It was also called ‘deus natalis invicti solis’ (the birth feast of the unconquered sun), because in that season when the short days are gone, the sun again comes forth victorious from the gloomy night to travel on its orbit like an unconquered hero.”—Id., part 2, page 91. This proves that the twenty-fifth of December was an annual feast celebrated in the honor of the sun. Frederick Neilsen, a Danish bishop, says, “During the first three centuries we find no trace of any feast for the birth of Christ.”—Ecclesiastical History, page 224. The commentator, Adam Clarke, gives the following information: “The Latin church, supreme in power and infallible in judgment (?), placed it on the twenty-fifth of December, the very day in which the ancient Romans celebrated the feast of their goddess Bruma. . . . Pope Julius I was the person who made this alteration, and it appears to have been done for this reason: the sun now began his return toward the northern tropic, ending the winter, lengthening the days, and introducing the spring.”—Notes to Luke 2:8. The valuable testimony of J. Murdock, D. D., is in harmony with the above: “It was Julius I (Bishop of Rome, A. D. 337-352) who first ascertained this to be the right day; and though his authority is not the best, yet it is generally admitted that the designation of the twenty-fifth of December for the festival was first made about the middle of the fourth century.”—Ecclesiastical History, by Mosheim, Vol. I, page 279. From Johnson’s Encyclopedia and other sources we also learn that Julius I, Bishop of Rome, appointed the twenty-fifth of December for the celebration of Christ’s birth. All this proves very plainly, (1) that the birth of Christ was not universally celebrated by the Christians during the first three centuries; (2) that it was the Latin church which first ordained it to be celebrated on the twenty-fifth of December; (3) that it was Julius I, Bishop of Rome, who made the appointment; (4) and this proves that Christmas is a genuine Roman Catholic institution. When it is now generally known that this church has many ordinances of human origin, then it is indeed high time for the Protestants who wish to follow the Bible only to earnestly consider this subject, because when the festival is appointed on the same date as the heathen sun feast, it may be that idolatrous defilement under a Christian garb is threatening us right here. The One Only Remedy
By J. M. HOPKINS
It is not a pessimistic view of the world to say that it is largely filled with ills and trouble. Wrongs abound everywhere, and in almost every department or condition of life where wrong exists, there we see some device, or plan, or combination, or organization for the regulation and betterment of the people and their circumstances. But fondly cherished hopes and undertakings frequently fail entirely, or are only partially successful in remedying the evil. And this is not to be wondered at, for the source of the difficulty is not reached. The cause of any evil must be removed in order to remove the result. Unless the cause is removed, the effect produced by the cause must of necessity remain. Whence arise the numerous wrong conditions of life? I answer, From the wrong condition of the human heart. Here is the chief difficulty. No remedy can ever effect a cure, a radical and complete change in life and earthly conditions, until the heart of man is changed, and earth itself is cleansed and purified. It is true that in many instances legislation has bettered conditions. War has sometimes overthrown cruel and oppressive power. But all over the world evils have again arisen, so that perfect peace and satisfaction, and happiness, and justice nowhere fully obtain. These thoughts are suggested by the effort which Socialists are making to remedy existing evils brought about by the overreaching of money power; the greed and grasping of the rich, resulting in many cases in the oppression and suffering of the poor. But will Socialism effect a thorough and permanent cure? What is the cause?—Selfishness and covetousness, and power on the part of the wealthy to gratify these unholy ambitions. Is it possible for the ballot-box, or human legislation, or the sword to eradicate these evils from the human heart?—It is impossible; and just as long as the evil exists in the heart, just so long will the evil practise follow. Just as long as the cause remains, just so long will the effect remain. Meet the issue fairly and honestly. In all the ages past, has not the same cause produced the same effect? History affirms that it has. And this particular feature of human difficulties is illustrative of the whole. It all proceeds from the wickedness of the human heart. To remedy some of these evils, men are organizing themselves into various societies—secret, oath-bound, political, social, etc. Some good in some degree may be secured from these organizations, but the question is, Do they fully and satisfactorily meet the people's needs for this hour? Is a permanent good established?—No! it never has been, and never will be. No human power or wisdom ever will or ever can do this. There is nothing but the salvation of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the cleansing and regeneration of the human heart, that can ever effect a perfect and lasting remedy for the ills of humanity. That is the one only remedy. In thousands and tens of thousands of individual cases this blessed work has been accomplished, which has resulted in perfect peace and happiness in the individual heart and life. But those who have been thus benefited have always been, and will always be, in the very small minority, as compared with the world's population. Society as a whole has never been, and will never be, thoroughly cleansed, because the gospel does not apply to society collectively, but singly and individually, as one by one men and women accept it. And the hope that Socialism, or republicanism, or any other man-made plan or organization will ever usher in the reign of peace, equity, and justice, is a vain and delusive hope. That happy day will never dawn upon this world while the curse and blight of sin remain. Never, until the everlasting gospel shall have accomplished its work, never until the Lord Jesus comes to claim his own, never until this old earth shall have been purified by the cleansing fire of God's wrath, and Satan and all his followers shall have been destroyed, and the great universe of God be fully and forever rid of all evil causes,—never until all this is done will there be a perfect reign of peace on earth. For this let us toil, and for this let us pray: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Let Christ Precede Criticism
“ONE way to make a critic of the Bible is to rule Christ out of the heart; but one hour in the bosom of Jesus will destroy the keenest critic of the holy Word. Meet Christ at the door of the tabernacle. Let Christ precede criticism. Let the gaze precede the grammar. Let the love precede the learning. Let the song precede the history. Let the prayer precede the probing. Let the Spirit precede the scrutiny. Ask by all means the way to Zion, but ask with your face thitherward.” The True Measure of Success
“THE man who prefers to live a quiet life, doing his daily duty faithfully, is more truly successful and happy than he who aspires to reach the heights of fame and riches, but fails to see that a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth.”