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Review and Herald, Vol. 36, No. 1.

Review of Wellcome and Goud

Review and Herald

Jun 21, 1870

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 21, 1870

Review of Wellcome and Goud.

By Joseph Harvey Waggoner

BY ELD. J. H. WAGGONER.
The Plan of Redemption by our Lord Jesus Christ: carefully examined and argued, by inquiring into God’s revealed purpose in the creation of man, the Adamic law, the old and new covenants, atonement by the death and blood of Christ, universal resurrection of the dead, the Judgment, the Israel of God, Millennium, etc., etc. By I. C. Wellcome and Clarkson Goud.
The above is the voluminous title of a book of 460 pages, published by the authors (Yarmouth and Topsham, Me.). It is divided into twenty-one chapters, the first nine of which treat of the creation, the fall, and the means of recovery; the last twelve, of the new birth, redemption of the earth, the Judgment, the kingdom of God, resurrection, millennium, &c. I make this division because this review will relate mostly to the subjects of the first nine chapters; the remaining chapters containing little that could be of special interest to the readers of the Review, the subjects of the resurrection, kingdom, millennium, &c., having been so frequently written upon by others who occupy the same ground.
Before reading this book, I had seen such strong commendations of it in the World’s Crisis, that I expected to find a work of more than ordinary research and clearness of design and execution. But I must confess to a disappointment in the reading. The most unqualified recommendations were kept standing from week to week in the Crisis; the most persistent efforts have been made to circulate it; and considering the self-contradictory positions of the book, and that some of its main points are directly opposite to what the Crisis has uniformly taught, I could but think the old saying might be aptly corrected for that paper thus—“puffing goes by favor.”

THE OBJECT OF THE WORK.

The object of the writers of this book, in its preparation, was two-fold: first, to oppose the teaching of the perpetuity of the law of God and the Sabbath; secondly, to oppose the doctrine of the non-resurrection of the wicked. For the doctrine of non-resurrection I have no sympathy; I am not a believer in it, having never seen any evidence at all conclusive to my mind of its correctness; and I believe it may be successfully met and refused—but not by such means as are resorted to in this book. The word of inspiration says, “And if a man also strives for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully,” 2 Tim. 2: 5; and it appears to me that Messrs. Wellcome and Goud might have profited by keeping this in view. Let the error be ever so great, or the truth ever so important, we are not permitted to oppose one, or advocate the other, except by lawful means. In this work the error of non-resurrectionism is opposed by making a distinction between redemption by the death of Christ, and by the blood of Christ; a distinction for which there is no warrant in the Scriptures. Not only so, but it strikes at the foundation of every principle the authors have advanced in regard to the nature of man, and the subject of life and death. The only reason why they did not strike a fatal blow at their own views on these subjects is found in the fact that they could not prove the existence of the distinction they claim.

OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE BOOK.

It is a pleasure to me to agree with others when it is possible to do so; I would that we could agree altogether; but my regard for the truth renders this impossible. In this case it is a pleasure to note the points wherein I agree with the book; points which are held to be material in the faith of Seventh-day Adventists. We are all happy to find these points so strongly endorsed in a work, the main object of which is to oppose our faith. And if it be found that the authors have failed to harmonize the other parts of their work with these admissions, it is a dilemma of their own choosing; we accept the admissions, so fatal to their theory, in good faith, and only regret that the authors and their endorsers, (the Crisis and its correspondents) will not receive the plain, inevitable conclusions drawn from premises which they have helped to establish. As before remarked, one prominent object of the book is to oppose the idea of the perpetuity of God’s law of ten commandments. Now we have ever claimed that the argument for its perpetuity rests very much on the nature of the law as a perfect rule of right, and its sufficiency as a rule of justification; and as a means, also, had it not been transgressed. Especial attention is called to the words of the authors of the book on these points.

NATURE AND SUFFICIENCY OF THE LAW.

Their positions on these points are partly expressed by direct declarations, and partly by quotations from the Scriptures. After quoting largely from the first chapter to the Romans, they remark: “This graphic description of man’s moral condition, and the cause of it, should be well considered by us all. It is a true account of the heart of all the race although these fruits are not developed in all to the same extent. Some of our readers may wish to be excepted from being identified in this class. Such should read, ‘As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. . . . Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.’ Rom. 3: 10–19.” Pages 30, 31.
That the law here referred to is that of the ten commandments is admitted, for the authors elsewhere quote from this connection and apply it to that law. Hence it is taught by them that all the race are proved guilty by that law. So we think and teach; but for so teaching we have been opposed by the Crisis and its correspondents, and by Messrs. Wellcome and Goud themselves, as errorists. What will they do about it hereafter? Now all know that guilt only results from transgression; and as all are guilty before that law, all have transgressed that law; and, of course, TO CONTINUE TO TRANSGRESS IT IS TO PERPETUATE OUR GUILT. And as Christ died “to put away sin,” which is “transgression of the law,” if we persist in transgressing the law we thereby refuse to have our sins put away, and his death avails nothing for us; sin remains with us, and “the wages of sin is death.” I hope the authors will ponder well this page of their book, and consider the relation they, as sinners, sustain to these facts.
Again they say: “In speaking of the fallen nature of man under the law, he [Paul] declares that the Jew is no better than the Gentile in the eyes of the law.” Page 38.
And then again follows a quotation from Rom. 3. And so “the eyes of the law” are upon all, both Jews and Gentiles.
On page 54, they remark that “the law reveals man’s fallen, sinful, lost condition.” But this it could not do if we were not amenable to its requirements. Thus, living in the United States, we might violate every principle established by British law, and yet that law of England could never be brought to prove us guilty, because we are not under its jurisdiction. So of the law referred to above; if it reveals our sinful condition, (as the Scriptures prove, and Messrs. Wellcome and Goud also affirm) then it necessarily follows that we are under its jurisdiction. And for them to make the above statement, and again affirm, as they elsewhere do, that we are under its jurisdiction, is only to contradict themselves. And if they deny a contradiction in their two assertions, it will then devolve on them to show that we may be proved guilty by a law which has no jurisdiction over us. Will they attempt this? I should be pleased to see them do so. Man is a subject of judgment: “God shall bring every work into judgment;” and they who are in a “sinful, lost condition” now, must have that condition changed, and their lives be brought into harmony with the law, or it will rise up in the Judgment, and there reveal that same sinful condition. Here they may cloak their “unlawful deeds” under the profession of faith in Christ; but there they will realize the truth of that scripture which they here ignore, viz.: that which shows that faith does not make void the law, but establishes it.
On pages 54, 55 they quote Rom. 3: 20–23, to further show that “the law exposes our sinfulness by nature,” and “affords no relief,” &c. We readily admit that the law affords no relief to the sinner; and we claim that the gospel affords no relief to him who persists in sin. Jesus does not save in sin, but “from sin.” He died “to put away sin;” not his own sin, for he had none. But he who continues in transgression does not have his sin “put away;” he retains it; and the law will expose his sinfulness in the Judgment, as it does here. If faith in Christ would save any one in transgression, Christ would be the “minister of sin,” which he is not. Neither law nor gospel will afford relief to the willful, persistent transgressor of the law.
The law affords no relief to the sinner, its object being, first, to prevent sin; and secondly, to condemn sin where it is found. But if it condemns sin and proves the sinner guilty, then of course sin and the law are direct opposites—they can never harmonize. Freedom from sin is harmony with the law. But what, then, shall be thought of those who deny and disregard the claims of the law, and yet claim to be free from sin? We can do no better than to quote to them Rom. 8: 7: “The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” From this it is very easy to see what position we shall occupy when the carnal mind is taken away. Then the enmity to God, and opposition to his law, ceases.
While it is acknowledged that the sinner is entirely dependent on the Lord Jesus Christ for restoration to righteousness, attention is called to the words of Rom. 3: 21; and this was my main object in introducing the quotation from page 55. “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.” The righteousness of God would have been manifested by the law had the law never been transgressed: as no remedy can be needed where no difficulty exists. Although the law will not confer righteousness on the transgressor, that coming to him only through Christ, the text says the righteousness is witnessed by the law. And the question arises, Is the witness competent? It must be. Then the righteousness which is conferred on the believer by Jesus Christ is witnessed by the law. But it would not be possible for any law to witness to principles not contained in that law; it cannot testify of matters foreign to itself. Therefore the law contains the very principles that the gospel enforces, and he who rejects the law of the Father virtually rejects also the gospel of the Son. This harmony is again directly affirmed by the apostle in Rom. 8: 1–4; he says “the righteousness of the law” is “fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit,” or, “in them which are in Christ Jesus.” By sin, or transgression of the law, righteousness is lost; for sin is unrighteousness; 1 John 5: 17. Through Christ it is restored to us. And once more we ask, Can the righteousness of a law be fulfilled in any one who continues to transgress that law? Of course not; for transgression or sin is unrighteousness, and most certainly righteousness and unrighteousness cannot exist together. So, to have righteousness restored to us, we must be brought in harmony with the law. This is further shown in that the carnal mind is not subject to the law, because “the law is spiritual;” Rom. 7: 14; and they “who walk after the Spirit” are subject to, and in harmony with, the spiritual law of God. They who are not in harmony with the law which is spiritual, cannot themselves be spiritual, but are carnal.
“The law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient.” 1 Tim. 1: 9. On this text Dr. Clarke says:
“He does not say that the law was not MADE for a righteous man, but ουκειται, it does not lie against a righteous man; because he does not transgress it; but it lies against the wicked.”
“The law doth not lie against a righteous man—doth not strike or condemn him.” Wesley’s Notes.
After enumerating many sins which the law is against, the apostle adds: “And if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God.” Verses 10, 11. This shows, again, the most perfect harmony between the law and the gospel. On this harmony alone we find that the law witnesses to the righteousness conferred in the gospel; thus, the law having condemned the sinner, the gospel grants forgiveness and takes away the carnal mind or opposition to the law: and then the law witnesses to the work; that is, it approves the character so formed. Thus the gospel enables the believer so to walk that the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in him; and the law is against every thing that is contrary to the gospel. And finally, men shall be judged by the law according to the gospel. Rom. 2: 12, 16.
Let us turn again to the testimony of the book. On page 60, speaking of the law of ten commandments, they say: “It was given to rescue God’s name and his law from forgetfulness among the children of men.” And, “In the eyes of this law all men are sinners, condemned to die.”
And on pages 140, 141, speaking of the ten commandments, they say, “It was the code which in its germ was given to Adam, and, in an elementary sense may be called the Adamic covenant for the government of the Adamic race while multiplying, replenishing, and subduing the earth. . . . Had the rules of this covenant been kept, no sin or death would have entered our world, and no other covenant would have been required. . . . The fathers of Israel being a representative people, this covenant is given to them for the benefit of the world, to give the knowledge of man’s relations to God,” &c.
This is very important testimony in regard to the law being given to Adam, and its being the original rule of moral obligation. Also, if it had been kept, no other covenant would have been required, as there would have been no sin nor death; of course the law was of that nature that it would have justified the obedient and insured them life—precisely what we now obtain in or by the gospel. And herein is again shown the complete harmony between the law and the gospel. Says Paul, “The law was ordained unto life.” It was designed to restrain men from sin, and so insure life by preventing death. Say our authors, it was “given for the benefit of the world,” and, “to give the knowledge of man’s relations to God.” Happy had it been for the world had these relations been honored and preserved by obedience to the law. But can it appear consistent to any that Jesus Christ, God’s beloved Son, would abolish a law of such a nature? would destroy a rule given to define man’s relations to God? would break down a code which reveals man’s fallen, sinful, lost condition, and condemns iniquity? No. The Scriptures teach that he magnified the law and made it honorable; that he came to put away its transgression by the sacrifice of himself; that he leads the believer to fulfill the righteousness of the law; and that in the last day the secrets of men will be judged by it. Blessed is the man who follows the Saviour in his perfect obedience, and is brought through faith in Christ in harmony with this law, that he may be free from condemnation when brought into Judgment, for it remains a truth that “the wages of sin is death.”
The testimony contained in the foregoing extracts is very important. No stronger endorsement of the law, or more explicit recognition of its claims, and of its completeness and universality, could we ask. We can only regret that the writers, who were led by the plain declarations of Scripture to make such important admission on this subject, have not preserved a consistency throughout their work by continuing to recognize the claims of the law. Their theories have evidently prevented them from appreciating the force of their own declarations.
(To be continued.)

WHERE IS THY GOD?

By R. Smith

“My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?” Ps. 42:3.
Through day and night my tears have been my meat, Anguish and grief there find a blest retreat; The spirit crushed, the heart with anguish riven, Almost forgets there will be rest in Heaven.
Dear loved ones sleeping—sympathy, oh, where? Is there no one who will our sorrows share? The flowing streamlet, and the murmuring rill, In ocean find a kindred spirit still.
Do tears oft say, Oh! where is now thy God? Submit to this and every chastening rod. I’d calmly yield to every needed ill, And learn to bear God’s visitation still.
Not unaccustomed to the galling yoke, Though oft uncalled for, I would bear each stroke; Though wet with tears my pillow oft may be, Still to the Lord for succor will I flee.
R. SMITH. West Wilton, N. H.

The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth.

Why should it be thought a thing incredible, that a material earth should constitute the abode of the glorified Church? Is there aught essentially sinful in materialism? Has it not existed in the closest alliance, not only with spotless purity, but with Divinity itself? What is there essentially in materialism why it should not again be the home of the redeemed and the kingdom of the Redeemer? I cannot for a moment believe that the Paradise of the blessed will be a paradise of state rather than of place—an aerial paradise floating in ether, suspended upon nothing, from which all warm, sensible, tangible attendants which inspire with life and pencil with beauteous tints our present abode, will be utterly excluded. Extirpate ungodliness from our present world, annihilate its taint, hush its groans, dry its tears; let there be no more sin and sorrow, disease and death, and I ask, Who would not be willing to reign with Christ upon this globe forever? It is a beautiful world! There are spots of grandeur—there are landscapes of beauty, upon which, as one gazes, one finds it hard to believe the blight of the curse, the breath of sin, hath touched and tainted them. I have stood and wept amidst the glory and magnificence of Alpine scenery. The spot which transfixed me for a while in mute amazement brought before my eyes a range of landscape in which every object of beauty and sublimity, moulded into every form and tint of color, seemed crowded in one vast glorious panorama. And as I gazed upon that overpowering scene—the deep, wide vale stretching at my feet—on my right and left, mountains swelling to the skies, clad with green, purple, and lilac—before me the monarch of mountains encircled by his army of snow-clad companions, reminding one of the four-and-twenty elders around the great white throne—I felt that in all that glorious, that magnificent, that tender, that sublime scenery, there was one object, and one only, upon which the blight and taint of sin had fallen, and from which I turned with tears and loathing—that object was myself. The valley seemed vocal with God's praise; the glacier bathed in the light of the setting sun, seemed a reflection of the divine purity; the mountains, clad with dazzling snow, appeared like Tabor when the glory of the transfiguration rested upon it; every object seemed to please, “and only man was vile.” Let this earth of ours be purified as by fire, let its subterranean flames break forth and consume all that man has marred, and sin has tainted, and God has cursed; and then shall spring from its ashes, in more than phoenix-like splendor, a new material world with every form of material loveliness, bathed in every gleam of material splendor, redolent with holiness and vocal with song, and over and upon it Christ and his Church shall reign and abide for ever and ever!—London Monthly Review.

Wisdom Builds and Establishes a House

“BE thou not envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them: for their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief. Through wisdom is a house builded; and by understanding it is established.” Prov. 24: 1–3.

Beecher on Prayer Meetings.

By Beecher

You know that prayer meetings are proverbially dry and stiff. Men test their consciences by their faithfulness in attending prayer meetings, and take great credit to themselves when they can say, I go to the prayer meeting every week—as much as to say, a man can do any thing on principle. And I sometimes think it is correct. Men go to prayer meeting often, in a room that is big enough to hold four times as many as come together, and each, one would suppose, suspecting others of some infectious disease, sits as far from them as he can; and they sing a hymn coldly; then they read a section of the Bible—if the word of God is the bread of life they take a very dry crust out of it—then they have a prayer, perfunctorily made; then there is another hymn; then there is another regulation prayer; and then the meeting is “thrown open.”
For a while nobody speaks. Then somebody gets up and says the same thing he said two weeks ago—that they are all sinners, that they are all living below their light and privilege; and that they ought to feel roused up and quickened to a sense of their duty. He sits down and another man balances it on the other side. He is an elder, or a deacon, or some other regular speaker; and what he says is all good—they know it is, for they have heard it a thousand times. And when he sits down the hour has elapsed and everybody thanks God that it has. And the meeting is dismissed and they all go home. I really believe that the prayer meetings of churches are often the most waste periods of the whole week. And the most melancholy part of it is, that those men who are so unspeakably dry, have rich fountains of experience in them. They are really good men. The old elder who got up and repeated—for the five hundredth time perhaps—that ritualistic speech, or uttered that stereotyped prayer, is as sweet, and as gentle, and as simple as a child. He is a man of purity.
I have seen one of those stiff meetings seized by an old sailor that had dropped in, who did not know what was “proper,” and who, when he had listened to those dry speeches till he could endure it no longer, got up and let himself out in true Methodist style. Tears ran down his cheeks, and his voice was lifted up and filled the whole room, and thrilled the hearts of all present. Although he used much bad grammar, there was a great deal of sense in what he said. And at such a time I have seen people cry, and little children wake up and look about and wonder what was happening. They had never heard of such a thing in a meeting before. And it was owing to nothing in the world but the fact that there was a man there with a fresh heart who was not ashamed to say just what he felt without thinking of grammar or propriety, or what special thing he should say, but relating his own experience and pouring out his little gospel in an earnest and simple manner. It was the best meeting the people had ever had, and they were delighted; and they got the man to come to the next meeting, and tried to get him to speak again as he did at the previous one; but they were disappointed. The moment you attempt to run two meetings in the same mould, the second will be a failure.

Living for Christ.

SOME who have indulged hope in Christ, are disposed to yield too much to the solicitations of former companions. Remember, the more you yield the more you may. If you yield once, you will be expected to yield again. You must learn to say, No; and the sooner the better. If sinners entice thee to neglect duty, to do anything wrong or doubtful, consent thou not. If you begin to consent, or hesitate and waver, you will be pursued with solicitations by the enemies of religion and of your souls, and your life will be unhappy, miserable, and wretched. A single neglect, a single yielding, may, by laying the foundation for future opposition and future solicitation, destroy your happiness for life, and your usefulness, too, unless you make up your mind firmly and decidedly that, for the future, let the opposition be what it may and from whence it may, or the solicitations be what they may and from whence they may, you will do your duty, and go on and do it; and that you will not conform to the world, and refrain in every instance from conforming to its vain, deceitful, and wicked customs, habits, fashions, and amusements. Remember these things forever. Some years ago, I read an anecdote, in substance as follows: A young woman of rich and fashionable parentage became a Christian. Her parents opposed her. They tried every way to divert her attention, but without success. She was firm, decided, and unyielding. At length they hit upon a scheme which they thought must be successful. She was an excellent singer. A party was invited to her father's house. It was proposed that the young ladies in turn should sing a piece for the amusement of the company. She made no objection. One and another sang. Her turn came. All eyes were directed toward her; all were anxious. This was the moment in which her parents and young companions hoped to triumph over her. Composed and calm she commenced, “No room for sport, nor trifling here!” and sang two or three stanzas. The company were overwhelmed. Before she closed, they were in tears. Many of them dated their first religious impressions from that time, became hopefully pious, and walked with her in the pleasant ways of piety. Her parents opposed her no more. Had she yielded and sung some trifling piece, the wicked would have triumphed. On similar occasions she would have been expected to pursue a similar course, and to have gone farther and farther in levity and rudeness. Take a decided stand, and you will save yourself much opposition and many solicitations, and you may save the souls of those who now oppose you or strive to lead you astray. By yielding you cannot save them, by yielding you may ruin them and destroy forever your own peace and usefulness. Usefulness and duty go together. To be happy you must try to do good. Eastern shepherds have dogs trained to the business of watching and guarding sheep. Sometimes the sheep go astray, just as young Christians are prone to do. Then the shepherd puts a gag in the dog's mouth and sets him after the stray sheep. The dog pursues, and runs the sheep down, but cannot injure them; he can worry and tire, but cannot bite or destroy. So when you depart from God, when you neglect duty and thus forsake the fold of Christ and go astray, he may let the devil pursue you, and worry and distress you, till you return to your duty, as you will, by the grace of God, if a follower of Jesus Christ. The devil cannot destroy you, for Christ has said none can pluck his people out of his Father's hand. The devil is like the gagged dog. He cannot destroy you, but he can distress you, and he will. This is one reason why some Christians are unhappy. They have forsaken their Shepherd, and he permits the devil to distress them for the purpose of showing them their folly—bringing them back to duty. They who have neglected for a long time to unite with the church, know the truth of what I say; and you will find it true if you are unfaithful.

One Vast Grog Shop.

SENATOR WILSON declared in public that we have now five hundred thousand drunkards in the country; and Mr. Murry, with a terrible earnestness, declares: “Bear me witness if I exaggerate when I say that the country is rapidly becoming one vast grog-shop, to which half a million of its youth are introduced, and over whose threshold sixty thousand are annually carted to a drunkard’s grave.” With these facts before us, it is easy to see that a desperate and fearful struggle is at hand. Will the Christianity of this age, the moral conscience of the country, meet and defeat this tidal wave of hell? We shall see. Thus far, heedless of law, careless of death or the Judgment, bidding defiance to all restraint, and all appeal, crime, drunkenness and murder stalk right on, bold and impudent, mocking all hope of reform or better days.
These are not the ages of darkness, nor are we writing of heathen lands, such as India, where Archdeacon Jeffries declares that “for every person truly converted to Christianity, the drinking practices of the English have made fully a thousand drunkards,” but of countries whose united ministry would perhaps reach a hundred thousand, and where Bibles are as thick as the green leaves of summer. If these things be done in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry? Alas, man is proving himself, every day, incapable of governing the earth, and the great want of the times is “another king, one Jesus,” to rule over the world in everlasting righteousness.
It is our solemn conviction that this Carnival of Crime, this Age of Murder, this sad era, when a country of nearly forty millions of free, enlightened people has become one vast grog-shop, this overflowing wickedness of the careless multitudes, is the predicted iniquity of the waning years of time that was to come to its full tide, not only as proceeding from the depravity of human nature, but also from the increased activity and the intense anger of Satan, who is the prince of this kingdom of darkness;—and that the Last Days, with all their foretold deluge of evil are upon the world, and that the coming of the Lord is near. And it is our deliberate opinion that the crimes of this last age are provoking the most terrific judgments on cities and countries, and that before long there will be such calamities and catastrophes in the earth as will cause the ears of men to tingle when they hear the tale. The Judge has said, “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed;” and in Noah’s time, just anterior to the world’s destruction, not only was man’s heart given to continual sin and evil, but this inward evil overflowed until “the whole earth was filled with violence.”
And while there remains for the pure and good one blessed hope, namely, the coming of Jesus to the everlasting joy of all those who love his appearing, there waits for the impenitent, the prayerless, and the persistently wicked, the nearing Judgment throne, the solemn Depart, and the fiery lake. In view of these things we cry to the child of God, Stand fast! and in the ears of drunken, bloody men, proclaim God’s law, “Thou shalt not kill;” “Woe unto him that puteth the bottle to his neighbor’s lips and maketh him drunken;” “No drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of God;” “No murderer hath eternal life in him;” but “murderers shall have their part in the lake of fire, which is the second death.”
Thus saith God: REPENT!

Show Me Christ.

A MAN blind from his birth, a man of much intellectual vigor, and with many engaging social qualities, found a woman who appreciated his worth, and was willing to cast in her lot with him and become his wife. Several bright, beautiful children became theirs, who tenderly and equally loved both their parents. An eminent French surgeon, while in this country, called on them, and examining the blind man with much interest and care, said to him, “Your blindness is wholly artificial; your eyes are naturally good; and could I have operated upon them twenty years ago, I think I could have given you sight. It is barely possible that I can do it now, though it will cause you much pain.” “I can bear that,” was the reply “so you but enable me to see.” The surgeon operated upon him, and was gradually successful; first there were faint glimmerings of light, then more distinct vision.
The blind father was handed a rose; he had smelt one before, but had never seen one; then he looked upon the face of his wife, who had been so true and faithful to him; then his children were brought, whom he had so often fondled, and whose charming prattle had so frequently fallen upon his ears, but whose beaming countenances he had never beheld. He then exclaimed, “Oh! why have I seen these things before inquiring for the man by whose skill I have been enabled to behold them? Show me the doctor!” and when he was pointed out to him, he embraced him with tears of gratitude and joy. So when we reach Heaven, and with unclouded eyes look upon its glories, we shall not be content with a view of these. No. We shall say, “Where is Christ?—he to whom I am indebted for what Heaven is; show me him, that with all my soul I may adore and praise him through endless ages.”

The Cross of Christ.

THE cross of Christ is the sweetest burden that ever I bore; it is such a burden as wings are to a bird, or as sails to a ship to carry me forward to my desired haven.
Those who by faith see the invisible God and the fair city, make no account of present losses and crosses.
Truly it is a glorious thing to follow the Lamb; it is the highway of glory; but when you see him in his own country at home, you will think you never saw him before.
More than CHRIST I can neither wish, nor pray, nor desire for you. I am sure that the saints are at best but strangers to the weight and worth of the incomparable excellence of CHRIST. We know not the half of what we love when we love him.
That CHRIST and the sinner should be one, and should share Heaven between them, is the wonder of salvation; what more could love do?
I find that when saints are under trials and well humbled, little sins raise great cries in the conscience; but in prosperity, conscience is a pope that gives dispensations and great latitude to our hearts. The cross, therefore, is as needful as the crown will be glorious.—Rutherford's Letters.

Begin the Journey Heavenward Early

THE most important truth cannot be too early learned, nor the journey that leads heavenward too soon begun. The enemy lies awake while we slumber, and if we neglect to cultivate the good seed, his tares will cover all the surface.
Continue reading: Thoughts on the Book of Daniel