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Signs of the Times, Vol. 5, No. 6.

General Articles

Signs of the Times

Feb 6, 1879

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Feb 6, 1879

General Articles.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

The Scripture Doctrine of a Future Life.--No. 4.

BY ELD. D. M. CANRIGHT.
THE NATURE OF THE SOUL.
11. Souls have died. We will now show that souls have died. “He spared not their souls from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence.” Ps. 78:50. “Every living soul died in the sea.” Rev. 16:3. “He hath poured out his soul unto death.” Isa. 53:12. Then some souls have certainly died. They are not therefore undying.
12. We read of dead souls. Turning to the original Hebrew, we find that the Bible speaks of dead souls, just as we should naturally suppose from the above facts. Thus we read: “And there were certain men who were defiled by the dead body [Hebrew, nephesh--soul] of a man.” Num. 9:6. Again: “We be defiled by the dead body [nephesh, literally soul] of a man.” Verse 7. So again: “If any man of you, or of your posterity, shall be unclean by reason of a dead body”--literally, dead soul. Verse 10. “Whosoever toucheth the dead body [literally, dead soul] of any man that is dead.” Num. 19:13. “He shall come at no dead body”--literally, “dead soul.” Num. 6:6. “If one that is unclean by a dead body”-- literally, “dead soul.” Hag. 2:13. On this point see the Englishman's Hebrew and Chaldee Concordance, on the word soul, where these facts are all brought out and noted. Other passages read the same. So there are dead souls.
13. The soul goes into the grave. Though this is directly contrary to the popular view, yet it is plainly and repeatedly taught in the Scriptures. Thus, when David came very near dying, but had been healed by the Lord, he said: “O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave, thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.” Ps. 30:3. Here we see that the Lord kept the soul of David out of the grave by healing him. If he had not healed him, David's soul would have gone into the grave. Again: “What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave?” Ps. 89:48. Here it is declared that just as certainly as no man lives who will not see death, just so certainly no man can keep his soul out of the grave, for it goes into the grave when he dies. So Job relates the case of a man who was almost dead, and tells how near his soul came to going into the grave. “He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain; so that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul, dainty meat. His flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seen, and his bones, that were not seen, stick out. Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life unto the destroyers.” Job 33:18-22. The nearer he came to death, the nearer his soul came to the grave. Had he died, his soul would have gone into the grave--so says the Bible.
The case of Hezekiah is right to the point. The Lord told him to set his house in order, for he should die: He became very sick; and cried to God. The Lord healed him. Then Hezekiah said; “Thou hast, in love to my soul, delivered it from the pit of corruption, for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. For the grave cannot praise thee,” etc. Isa. 38:17, 18. He knew that if he had died, his soul would have gone into the grave, the pit of corruption. This is the doctrine of the Bible everywhere.
14. The soul is never called immortal, deathless, never-dying. How commonly men talk of the “immortal soul,” the “never-dying soul!” To hear them we would suppose the Bible to be full of such expressions. But now consider these facts: The word “soul” occurs 873 times in the Bible; and yet in not a single instance is it called immortal, undying, deathless, never-dying, or anything of the kind. How shall we account for this if the soul is really immortal, and God meant to teach us so? No, the Bible says nothing about the heathen doctrine of the immortality of the soul as we here see. But it does very plainly teach the contrary.
NATURE OF THE SPIRIT.
The believers in the natural immortality of man are sure that they find conclusive proof of it in what is said of the spirit. The spirit never faints, never grows old, never becomes weak, never dies--it is immortal. So they claim. If the spirit is not deathless, then there is nothing about man that is. Very well; to the law and the testimony: What does the word of God say?
1. The spirit is formed in man. If the spirit is an immortal, indestructible entity, from whence came it? Where is it made, and what makes it undying? Is it a part of God? Is it made in heaven? The simple fact is, it is formed in the man, like all the other parts of man. Thus “saith the Lord, which stretched forth the heavens, and layeth the foundations of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him,” Zech. 12:1. Man's spirit, then, is of a very humble origin --is made here on the earth and is formed in a poor, decaying body... Little prophecy of immortality here.
2. Man's spirit grows with his body, and strengthens with his strength. If the spirit of man is a divine spark, an immortal essence, we cannot conceive how it could grow larger or smaller, stronger or weaker; for if it can, then it can die also. Now hear the word of God. Of John the Baptist, it says: “And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit.” Luke 1:80. So in another case. Luke 2: 40. This is a strong intimation that the spirit is unchangeable.
3. The spirit needs renewing. If the spirit is imperishable, it certainly could not need to be renewed; yet the Bible does tell us that the spirit needs renewing. Says David, “Renew a right spirit within me.” Ps. 51: 10. Says Paul, “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” Eph. 4:23. So, then, the spirit must be renewed. It is not immortal, then, surely.
4. A new spirit is received at conversion. This fact is repeatedly affirmed in the holy Scriptures. “I will put a new spirit within you.” Eze. 11:19. “Make you a new heart and a new spirit.” Chap. 18:31. The old spirit is laid aside and a new one takes its place. This shows that the spirit is only transitory like all other earthly things.
5. The spirit needs to be preserved by the Lord. “Thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.” Job 10:12. That which has to be preserved is not imperishable.
6. The spirit faints. That which can faint can certainly die. “All hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint.” Eze. 21:7. All these varied declarations point to the fact that the spirit is mortal, like all other parts of humanity.
7. The spirit sometimes fails. If the spirit were immortal, it could never fail. This cannot be denied. Indeed, this is just the point of contention between us and our opponents. They claim that the spirit can never be destroyed; that it is indestructible, that it can endure the wrath of God eternally. But the Lord has decided otherwise, as witness the following: “For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.” Isa. 57:16. Does not the Lord know the best? Shall we not believe him? He says the spirit could not endure his wrath forever, for it would fail from before him. Then it is not immortal. Hence, the psalmist says; “Hear me speedily, O Lord; my spirit faileth; hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.” Ps. 143:7. If the Lord had not heard him, his spirit would have failed, and he would have gone into the grave.
8. The spirit can be broken. “By sorrow of the heart, the spirit is broken.” Prov. 15:13. “A broken spirit drieth the bones.” Prov. 17:22.
9. The spirit can be cut off. “He shall cut off the spirit of princes.” Ps. 76:12. Can immortality be cut off?
10. The spirit can die. This is plainly implied in the following passage: “O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit.” Isa. 38:16. Then the spirit, like the man, will cease to live unless properly nourished. This shows it to be mortal.
11. At death the spirit returns to its original condition. Was the spirit conscious before it dwelt in man? Did it live somewhere as an intelligent entity? Nobody believes that. Very well. At death it simply goes back to where it was before. “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” Eccl. 12:7. What becomes of the body at death? It returns to the earth as it was before--it becomes dust. What becomes of the spirit? It also returns to its original condition. It does not say that it goes to heaven. It never was in heaven, so it cannot return there.
ORIGIN OF THE WORD “SPIRIT.”
Primarily, the word spirit means simply air. This every scholar knows. The original Hebrew and Greek make this so plain that none can fail to see it. In the Old Testament, the word spirit comes from two Hebrew words, n'shah-mah and roo-agh.
N'SHAH-MAH.
This word is thus defined by Gesenius: “1. Breath, spirit, spoken of the breath of God, i. e., a) the wind, b) the breath, breathing, of his anger. c) Spirit of God, imparting life and wisdom. 2. Breath, life, of man and beasts. 3. The mind, intellect. 4. Concrete, living things, animal, everything that hath breath.” It occurs twenty-four times and is translated breath, seventeen times; blast, three times; spirit, only twice; soul, once; inspiration, once. We will quote every text where it occurs, that the reader may see that it never means an immortal entity.
“Breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” Gen. 2:7. “All in whose nostrils was the breath of life.” Gen. 7:22. “Save alive nothing that breath-eth.” Deut. 20: 16. “Destroyed all that breathed.” Josh. 10:40. “Not any left to breathe.” Josh. 11:11. “Neither left they any to breathe.” Josh 11:14. “At the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.” 2 Sam. 22:16. “Not to Jeroboam any that breath-eth.” 1 Kings 15:29. “Was no breath left in him.” 1 Kings 17:17. “By the blast of God they perish.” Job 4:9. “Whose spirit came from thee?” Job 26:4. “While my breath is in me.” Job 27:3. “The inspiration of the Almighty.” Job 32:8. “The breath of the Almighty.” Job 33:4. “His spirit and his breath--” Job 34:14. “By the breath of God frost--” Job 37:10. “At the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.” Ps. 18:15. “Everything that hath breath.” Ps. 150:6. “The spirit of man is the candle.” Prov. 20:27. “Whose breath is in his nostrils.” Isa. 2:22. “The breath of the Lord.” Isa. 30:33. “He that giveth the breath.” Isa. 42:5. “And the souls which I have made.” Isa. 57:16. “Neither there breath left in me.” Dan. 10:17.
By the above it will be seen that breath is almost exclusively the meaning of the word.
ROO-AGH.
This word occurs four hundred and forty- two times, and is thus defined by Gesenius: “1. Breath, a breathing, blowing, i. e., a) breath of the nostrils, b) breathing, of the mouth, c) breath of air, air in motion. 2. The vital breath, spirit, life, the principle of life as embodied and manifested in the breath of the mouth and nostrils, spoken of men and beasts. 3. The rational soul, mind, spirit. a) As the seat of the affections, emotions, and passions of various kinds. b) In reference to the disposition, the mode of feeling, and acting. c) Of will, counsel, purpose.”
It is translated sixteen different ways. The word spirit, in our version, always comes from roo-agh except in two passages. It is translated wind, ninety-seven times; breath, twenty-eight times; mind, six times; blast, tempest, etc.
In the New Testament, spirit is from the Greek word pneuma, which occurs three hundred and eighty-four times, and is translated ghost, ninety-two times; spirit, two hundred and ninety-one times; wind, once; life, once.
“It may be worth remarking,” says Parkhurst in his Greek Lexicon, “that the leading sense of the old English word ghost is breath; that ghost is evidently of the same root with gust of wind; and that both these words are plain derivatives from the Hebrew, to move with violence; whence also gush, etc.”
Pneuma is defined by Robinson to mean, primarily, “1. A breathing, breath, breath of air, air in motion. 2. The spirit of man, i. e., the vital spirit, life, soul, the principle of life residing in the breath breathed into man from God, and again returning to God.” See also Liddell and Scott, Parkhurst, and Greenfield. Air, or air in motion, is the first and primary meaning of the word spirit. Here are a few samples: “God made a wind to pass over.” Gen. 8:1. Gr., pneuma, Heb. roo-agh. “The Lord brought an east wind.” Ex. 10:13. Heb. roo-agh. “Come from the four winds, O breath.” Ezek. 37: 9. Heb. roo-agh, Gr. pneuma. “The wind bloweth where it listeth.” John 3:8.
The reader can see in a moment that the simple meaning in these passages is wind. From this naturally comes the next meaning of roo-agh, or spirit, viz., breath, because it is the air which we breathe. Any number of examples might be given on this point. Here are a few:--
“All in whose nostrils was the breath of life.” Gen. 7:22. “He will not suffer me to take my breath.” Job 9:18. “My breath is corrupt.” Job 17:1. “Thou takest away their breath.” Ps. 104:29. “Neither is there any breath in their mouths.” Ps. 135:17. “His breath goeth forth.” Ps. 146:4. “They have all one breath.” Eccl. 3:19. “The body without the spirit (margin, breath) is dead.” Jas. 2:26.
So, further, as we live by the air which we breathe, the word roo-agh, air, breath, or spirit comes to be used to mean life, the principle by which we live. So Gesenius defines it as above. It is thus used in the following texts:--
“When he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived.” Judges 15:19. “Thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.” Job 10:12. “All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils.” Job 27:3.

ALONE WITH MY CONSCIENCE.

I SAT alone with my conscience, In a place where time has ceased, And we talked of my former living In the land where the years increased; And I felt I should have to answer The question it put to me; And to face the answer and question For all eternity.
The ghosts of forgotten actions Came floating before my sight, And things that I thought were dead things, Were alive with a terrible might.
And the vision of all my past life Was an awful thing to face— Alone with my conscience sitting In this solemnly silent place. And I thought of a far-away warning Of sorrow that was to mine, In a land that was then the future, But now is the present time. And I thought of my former warning Of the judgment day to be, But sitting alone with my conscience Seemed judgment enough for me.
And I wondered if there was a future To this land beyond the grave, But no one gave me an answer, And no one came to save.
Then I felt that the future was present, And the present would never go by, For it was but the thought of my past life Grown into eternity. Then I woke from my timely dreaming, And the vision passed away, And I knew the far-away warning Was a warning of yesterday. And I pray that I may not forget it, In this land before the grave, That I may not cry in the future, And no one come to save.
And so I have learned a lesson Which I ought to have known before, And which, though I learned it dreaming, I hope to forget no more. I sit alone with my conscience, In the place where the years increase, And I try to remember the future In the land where time will cease; And I know of the future judgment, How dreadful soe'er it be, That to sit alone with my conscience Seems judgment enough for me.

THE GREAT CONTROVERSY

By Ellen G. White

BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS ANGELS AND SATAN AND HIS ANGELS.

CHAPTER FIVE,

CAIN AND ABEL.

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
CAIN and Abel, the sons of Adam, were very unlike in character. Both acknowledged God, both professed to worship him; but while Abel loved and feared God, Cain cherished rebellious feelings, and murmured against him because of the sentence pronounced upon Adam, and because the ground was cursed for his sin. These brothers had been instructed in regard to the provision for the salvation of the human race. They were required to carry out a system of humble obedience, showing their reverence for God, and their entire dependence upon the promised Redeemer by slaying the firstlings of the flock, and in the most solemn manner presenting them, with the blood, as an offering to God. Thus they were ever to keep before their minds the consequences of transgression, and the promise of a Redeemer to come.
God had made known to Adam that without the shedding of blood there could be no remission of sin. But Cain was unwilling to follow strictly the plan of obedience, to procure a lamb and offer it with the fruit of the earth. He brought only an offering of the fruit, thus disregarding the requirement of God. And he was not even particular to bring the best of the fruits. Abel advised his brother not to come before the Lord without the blood of a sacrifice; but Cain, being the eldest, would not listen to him. He despised his counsel, and with murmuring and infidelity in his heart with regard to the promised Sacrifice, and the necessity of the sacrificial offerings, he presented his gift.
Abel brought of the firstlings of the flock, as God had commanded, and with full faith in the Messiah to come he presented the offering. God had respect unto this sacrifice, and fire came down from Heaven and consumed it. But Cain saw no manifestation that his offering was accepted.
Abel came in God's appointed way, while Cain followed the promptings of his own heart, in opposition to the command of God. "By faith, Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." As Abel looked upon the expiring victim he was impressed with the painful fact that the wages of sin is death. He saw that it was transgression of God's law which had separated man from his Creator, and that the sacrifice of life alone could meet the claims of the broken law. Through the dying struggles and streaming blood of the victim, he saw by faith the Son of God dying for the guilty race.
An important lesson may be learned from the history of the offerings of Cain and Abel. The claims of infinite justice, and the demands of God's law, can be met only by the atoning sacrifice of Christ. The most costly offering that man may bring to God, the fruit of his toil, his physical and intellectual acquirements, already belong to his Creator. Man has nothing which he has not received. Neither material wealth nor intellectual greatness will atone for the sin of the soul. Cain scorned the idea that it was necessary to come to God with an offering of blood. In the same spirit many in our day refuse to believe that the blood of Christ was shed as a sacrifice for the sins of men. Although Cain chose to disregard the command of God, he brought his offering with great confidence. He looked upon it as the fruit of his own labor, and hence as belonging to himself; and in presenting it to God he felt that he was placing his Creator under obligations to him. The popular religion of the day virtually teaches the same thing, that men may by their good works merit the blessing of God. Many feel that it is a condescension on their part to make a profession of religion; and that in so doing they are conferring a favor upon God. And there are multitudes who have no desire to come to God's terms, but who make terms for themselves, and expect God to accept them. Such a religion is of the same character as that of Cain. The great question should be, What can I do to meet the approval of God? not, How can I best please myself?
Abel trusted wholly in the merits of the atoning sacrifice of Christ. It was this faith that connected him with God. The promise of a Redeemer was dimly understood; but the sacrificial offerings cast light upon the promise. Cain had the same opportunity of learning and accepting these truths as had Abel. God did not accept one and reject the other without sufficient reason. Abel believed and obeyed; Cain doubted and rebelled. God is no respecter of persons, yet he will reward the obedient, and punish the disobedient.
When Cain saw that his offering was not accepted, he was very angry with the Lord, and with his brother. But God, in his infinite mercy, condescended to send an angel to Cain, to converse with him. The angel inquired the reason of his anger, and informed him that if he would follow the directions which God had given he would respect his offering. But if he would not humbly submit to God's arrangements, and believe and obey him, his offering could not be accepted.
There had been no injustice on the part of God, and no partiality shown to Abel; if he would do well he would be accepted of God, and his brother should listen to him, and he should take the lead, because he was the eldest. But even after being thus faithfully instructed, Cain did not repent. Instead of censuring and abhorring himself for his unbelief, he still complained of the injustice and partiality of God. And in his jealousy and hatred he contended with Abel, and reproached him. Abel meekly pointed out his brother's error, and endeavored to convince him that the wrong was in himself. But Cain hated his brother from the moment that God manifested to him the tokens of his acceptance. Abel sought to appease his wrath by pointing to the compassion of God in saving the lives of their parents, when he might have brought upon them immediate death. He told Cain that God loved them, or he would not have given his Son, innocent and holy, to suffer the wrath which man by his disobedience deserved to bear. While Abel justified the plan of God, Cain became enraged, and his anger increased and burned against Abel because he would not join him in his rebellion, until in his rage he slew him.
God inquired of Cain for his brother, and attempted to conceal his guilt by uttering a falsehood: "I know not; am I my brother's keeper?" God informed Cain that he knew in regard to his sin, - that he was acquainted with his every act, and even the thoughts of his heart, and said to him, "Thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength. A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth." The curse at first pronounced upon the earth had been felt but lightly; but now a double curse rested upon it.
Cain and Abel represent the two classes, the righteous and the wicked, the believers and unbelievers, which should exist from the fall of man to the second coming of Christ. Cain slaying his brother Abel, represents the wicked who will be envious of the righteous, and will hate them because they are better than themselves. They will be jealous of the righteous, and will persecute and put them to death because their right-doing condemns their sinful course.
Adam's life was one of sorrow, humility, and continual repentance. As he taught his children and grand-children the fear of the Lord, he was often bitterly reproached for the sin which had resulted in so much misery to his posterity. When he left beautiful Eden, the thought that he must die thrilled him with horror. He looked upon death as a dreadful calamity. He was first made acquainted with the terrible reality of death in the human family by his own son Cain slaying his brother Abel. Filled with the bitterest remorse for his own transgression, deprived of his son Abel, and looking upon Cain as his murderer, and knowing the curse which God had pronounced upon him, Adam's heart was bowed down with grief. Most bitterly did he reproach himself for his first great transgression. He entreated pardon from God through the promised Sacrifice. Deeply had he felt the wrath of God for his crime committed in Paradise. He witnessed the general corruption which finally provoked God to destroy the inhabitants of the earth by a flood. Though the sentence of death pronounced upon him by his Maker at first appeared so terrible to him, yet after he had lived some hundreds of years, it looked just and merciful in God, thus to bring to an end a miserable life.
As Adam witnessed the first signs of decay in the falling leaf and in the drooping flowers, he mourned more deeply than men now mourn over their dead. The dying flowers were not so great a cause of grief, because they were more tender and delicate; but when the tall stately trees cast off their leaves to decay, it presented before him the general dissolution of beautiful nature, which God had created for the especial benefit of man.
To his children, and to their children, to the ninth generation, Adam delineated the perfections of his Eden home; and also his fall and its dreadful results, and the load of grief brought upon him on account of the rupture in his family, which ended in the death of Abel. He related to them the sufferings which God had brought him through, to teach him the necessity of strictly adhering to his law. He declared to them that sin would be punished, in whatever form it existed, and he entreated them to obey God, who would deal mercifully with them if they should love and fear him.
Adam was commanded to teach his descendants the fear of the Lord, and, by his example of humble obedience, lead them to highly regard the offerings which typified a Saviour to come. Adam carefully treasured what God had revealed to him, and handed it down by word of mouth, to his children and children's children. By this means the knowledge of God was preserved.
The Sabbath was instituted in Eden, and observed by our first parents before the fall. Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command, and ate of the forbidden fruit, they were expelled from Eden; but they observed the Sabbath after their fall. They had experienced the bitter fruits of disobedience, and learned what every one who tramples upon God's commands will sooner or later learn, that God means just what he says, and that he will surely punish the transgressor. Those who venture to lightly esteem the day upon which Jehovah rested, the day which he has sanctified and blessed, the day which he has commanded to be kept holy, will yet know that all the precepts of his law are alike sacred, and that death is the penalty of the transgression.
On account of the special honors which God had conferred upon the seventh day, he required his people to number by sevens, lest they should forget their Creator who made the heavens and the earth in six days and rested on the seventh. The descendants of Cain were not careful to respect the day upon which God had rested. They chose their own time for labor and for rest, regardless of Jehovah's special command. There were two distinct classes upon the earth. One class were in open rebellion against God's law, while the other obeyed his commandments, and revered his Sabbath.

Name of the Good Samaritan.

By S. W.

THERE are many to whom the pleasure of doing a generous deed is a sufficient reward. It is well that it should be so. There will be no lack of little deeds of kindness, as long as it is true that it is more blessed to give than to receive. And where this is true, the little deeds of kindness may at length come to resemble the little grains of sand in their number as well as in their unobtrusiveness. All that we can do to foster the spirit which tends to this end is work well done.
Oberlin, the well-known philanthropist of Steinthal, while yet a candidate for the ministry, was traveling on one occasion from Strasbourg. It was in the winter time. The ground was deeply covered with snow, and the roads were almost impassable. He had reached the middle of his journey and was among the mountains, but by that time was so exhausted that he could stand up no longer. He was rapidly freezing to death. Sleep overcame him; all power to resist it left him. He commended himself to God, and yielded to what he felt to be the sleep of death.
He knew not how long he slept, but suddenly became conscious of some one rousing him and waking him up. Before him stood a wagon driver, in his blue blouse, and the wagon not far away. He gave him a little wine and food, and the spirit of life returned. He then helped him on the wagon and brought him to the next village. The rescued man was profuse in his thanks, and offered money, which his benefactor refused.
"It is only a duty to help one another," said the wagoner, "and it is the next thing to an insult to offer a reward for such a service."
"Then," replied Oberlin, "at least tell me your name, that I may have you in thankful remembrance before God."
"I see," said the wagoner, "that you are a minister of the gospel; please tell me the name of the good Samaritan."
"That," said Oberlin, "I cannot do, for it was not put on record."
"Then," replied the wagoner, "until you can tell me his name, permit me to withhold mine."
Soon he had driven out of sight and Oberlin never saw him again.
Is it not a principal charm of the story of the good Samaritan that there is no name given, no clue to any person, nothing by which to locate the generous hand that did the deed, except the generous spirit which prompted it?
If you feel prompted to an unnoticed act of kindness, do not hold back because it will be unnoticed! Ask yourself—What was the name of the good Samaritan?—S. W. Presbyterian.

The Coming of Christ.

THE following excellent remarks on the coming of the Lord are part of a “Sermon Outline,” by Prof. E. A. Main, in the Sabbath Recorder: —
As to the manner of his coming, the Saviour teaches that it will be, (1) Visible to all. Matt. 24: 26, 27. (2) In Power. Matt. 26: 64. (3) Sudden and unexpected. Luke 12: 39, 40; Mark 13: 32, 33.
There will be unbelief and wickedness in the earth at the coming of the Lord. Matt. 24: 37-41; Luke 18: 8. And his coming will be a terrible thing, (1) To those who are ashamed of Christ and his doctrine. Mark 8: 38. (2) To oppressors of their fellow-men. Matt. 24: 49. (3) To the drunken and reveling. Matt. 24: 49. (4) To those so completely absorbed in worldly cares that that day comes upon them unawares. Luke 21: 34.
Thus, as one sees only the highest parts and prominent characteristics of a distant landscape, are we permitted to behold only the principal facts relating to our Lord’s second coming. But these are sufficient to admonish the careless and unbelieving; to comfort the troubled and sorrowful, and to sanctify the devout and trusting. The Saviour has taught us enough to put us on our guard against the deceptions of false doctrines, to stimulate us to watchfulness, and to confirm us in our hope of everlasting blessedness and glory.
In view of our Lord’s sure return, we are commanded to beware of false teachers, to watch for the bridegroom's coming; to endure unto the end, though in trial and persecution, and to pray for guiding and sustaining grace.
This doctrine is therefore exceedingly practical, full of warning for the unbelieving and ungodly, and of strength and consolation for the faithful followers of Him who has left them this blessed word: “I will come, again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also.”

Keep the Heart Pure.

WHEN the heart is right with God—calm, sweet, peaceful, heavenly—everything goes right. In this happy, joyful composed frame of mind, business men, printers, mechanics, husbandmen, doctors, lawyers, ministers, editors, all, great and small, can accomplish tenfold more, walking in wisdom's ways, God-fearing, strengthened with might in the inner man. A man rich in faith, full of the holy Spirit is a giant—he rises above the world, its temptations, trials, conflicts. He does everything in the spirit of meekness and love. He drinks deep at the living fountain. Then, when he goes forth in the battle field, Satan trembles before him! God smiles graciously on his labor, on things secular and divine, all the day gloriously! Get your souls on fire, richly imbued with the spirit of benevolence; built on the solid Rock! "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly."

Wit and Humor.

Wit is the most dangerous talent which a female can possess. It must be guarded with great discretion and good nature, otherwise it will create many enemies. Wit is perfectly consistent with softness and delicacy, yet they are seldom found united. Wit is so flattering to vanity, that they who possess it become intoxicated and lose all self command. Humor is a different quality. It will make your company much solicited, but be cautious how you indulge it; it is often a great enemy to delicacy, and a still greater one to dignity of character. It may sometimes gain you applause, but it will never procure you respect.

Standing With God

HE who stands with God stands firm. He who stands in any position which God cannot approve, must fall at last.

Work of the Gospel.

By Editor

ON every side the discussion of the advent goes on, and we rejoice. Paul was pleased to know, that Christ was preached, even "of contention." Though we cannot indorse all that is said by those who favor the doctrine of the pre-millennial advent, we are right glad to have them set this truth before those who might not be reached by other means. A correspondent of the Evangel, of San Francisco, thus replies to another writer in that paper:—
"Has our confidence been too strong in the Holy Spirit? Is it true that He must be set aside? Is His work almost ended? Must we abandon the hope that under His dispensation the nations are not to be shaken and the world not to be transformed?"
These questions reveal the fact that our brother is a post-Millennialist, and that he expects the whole world to be converted to Christ by the preaching of the gospel. Will our brother please show us a single passage in the Bible to prove that the world is to be converted before Christ comes? Will he tell us where to find the passage that teaches that the church is to embrace all nations before Christ comes? Does not the word ecclesia mean "those called out?" Does not Simeon declare "how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name?"
"Our confidence in the Holy Spirit," has not "been too strong"—nay, not half strong enough. Neither "is it true that He, must be set aside." But we must "abandon the hope that under his dispensation, the nations are to be shaken and the world transformed," for the reason that God never promised to transform the world simply by the agency of the Holy Ghost without the personal return of Christ. On the other hand God has plainly foretold that the present dispensation is to end in apostasy. Every dispensation in the past has ended in apostasy, and the present will end in the same way. The dispensation of Eden ended in apostasy, curses and judgments; the Antediluvian dispensation ended with the deluge that overwhelmed the world; the Patriarchal dispensation ended amid the plagues of Egypt, with the children of Israel fleeing for dear life, and dying in the wilderness by millions; the Mosaic dispensation ended in the total apostasy of all the tribes—it went down in idolatry, and was ground to atoms by the iron heel of Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian and Roman despotism; the Messianic dispensation ended in the rejection of Christ, and his crucifixion, and as judgment on the Jews, which has sent them as outcasts among all nations. The gospel dispensation is sure to end in "tribulation such as was not in the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be."
Now I do not deny God's power to convert all nations in a day by the preaching of the gospel. It is not a question of God's power, but of God's purpose. The Bible is not a revelation of what God can possibly do, but of what He will do. The Bible is His revealed will, not His revealed power merely. True, he has said, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature," etc., but He nowhere says that every creature will receive it and be saved. "Go teach all nations" by no means implies that a hundredth part of mankind will believe. God has nowhere said that all nations will be converted and then the Son of man will come, but "this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, then shall the end come." Not for the conversion of all nations, but for a witness, and then shall the end come. God alone in His infinite wisdom can tell how much the gospel must be preached in all nations to constitute a witness, a savor of life or death; hence He alone knows when the end will come. But we are to go forth as missionaries of the cross and preach the gospel among all nations, and so "hasten the coming" (2 Pet. 3:12) of our Lord Jesus Christ. Is the church a failure? No, for the reason that it will accomplish just what God intended it to accomplish, viz., to preach the gospel to all nations as a witness. Of course God desires men to believe the gospel and be saved by it, but if they will not believe, it will stand as a witness against them. Is the Holy Ghost a failure? No. But man is a failure, and every dispensation of God, when left to man's responsibility to carry it forward, even with the Holy Ghost to aid him, has failed of saving the world.
Do the tares and wheat growing together, until harvest, look much like the transformation of the world by the gospel? When the seed sown by the wayside, on stony ground, and among thorns, all fails, and only that which falls into good ground brings forth; in other words, when only one part in four yields anything, does that look like transforming the world by sowing gospel seed? When God plainly says "that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition," "whom the Lord will consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming." Does that look as if the world was to be transformed by the preaching of the gospel? Does that falling away look like victory or apostasy?"
Continue reading: Renunciation of Mr. Hayden