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Signs of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 1.

A Happy New Year
Earlier text: A Happy New Year

Turkey and His End

By E. E. Andross
(Concluded from last issue)
Beginning with July 27, 1449, a period of 391 years and 15 days was given to the supremacy of the Ottoman power, which terminated August 11, 1840. On that very day the political ascendency of the Ottoman Empire, which had been maintained for nearly four centuries, passed into the hands of England, Russia, Austria, and Prussia, which powers had undertaken to save Turkey from being crushed by Egypt. July 15, 1840, they had, with Turkey, signed a treaty containing terms of peace between Turkey and Egypt, who were then at war with each other. From that time till now the very existence of the Turkish government has been dependent on the support of these great powers.

Turkey “the King of the North”

But let us now return to the consideration of the prophecy in Daniel 11. The fact has been established that the powers holding the territory originally given to Lysimachus in the north and Ptolemy in the south remain the king of the north and the king of the south so long as they have any place in prophecy. Since 1453, Turkey has held possession of the territory of the king of the north, with his seat of government at Constantinople. From that city the Seleucidan kings governed the same territory for 250 years, during which time the angel gives more attention to the king of the north than at any other period covered by the prophecy, except it be in the closing verses of the chapter.

Russia’s Attitude Toward Turkey

In verse 44 of Daniel 11, we are brought to the very time in the history of the Turkish power (the king of the north) where we left it in our study of the fifth and sixth trumpets in Revelation 9. “But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.” For many years, Turkey had occasion to be troubled because of Russia’s designs against him. This prophecy, however, met its special fulfilment in the Crimean War (1853–1856), when Russia, lying to the north and east, was about to crush Turkey, but was prevented from doing so by the intervention of Great Britain and France, sanctioned by Austria and Prussia. Again in 1877–1879, Russia was at war with Turkey; but when he was at the gates of Constantinople, Great Britain again interfered, preventing the accomplishment of his purpose.
For more than a thousand years, Russia has desired to secure possession of Constantinople, and has made repeated unsuccessful attempts to accomplish his design. During the reign of Vladimir, the latter part of the tenth century, Russia adopted the Greek religion from Constantinople. When, in 1453, Constantinople fell to the Turks and became a Moslem city, Moscow became the metropolis of orthodoxy. Russia henceforth came to regard himself as the successor to Greece, and the czar, the legitimate heir to the throne of the Cæsars. Since the taking of Constantinople by the Turks, Russia has “regarded the destruction of the Ottoman Empire as the great object of his existence.” (“Historians’ History of the World,” Vol. 24, p. 426.)

Turkey “Shall Come to His End”

“And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” Verse 45. This verse tells of two events that all Europe is expecting to see accomplished—the driving of the Turk from Europe, and his coming to his end, both of which at this very hour seem imminent. That the Turk will be driven from Europe at this time is uncertain even tho it may seem that from the human standpoint nothing can prevent its immediate accomplishment. That he will be compelled to go in the near future is absolutely certain, for God has spoken the word.
He will “plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain” (“mountain of delight of holiness,” margin). This can be none other than Jerusalem, which is situated between the Mediterranean and Dead seas. “Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of Hosts the holy mountain.” Zech. 8:3.
But if it is certain that the Turk will leave Europe and locate his seat of government in Jerusalem, it is equally certain that he will come to his end. Till now, this long-looked-for day has been deferred because of the help extended to him by the European powers; but the prophecy declares that this help will be withdrawn before his end comes.
From a little pamphlet on the Turkish-Armenian question, published in London, I take the following:
“We are responsible for Turkey. We saved the Turk twice at least from the doom which he richly merited. The duke of Wellington sixty years ago lamented that the Russians had not entered Constantinople in 1829 and brought the Ottoman Empire to an end. We have much more reason to lament that it was not destroyed in 1853, and again in 1878. On both of these occasions we interfered to save it. But for us, there would be no sultan on the Bosporus.” (Page 17.)
In an article in the London Times, 1895, the duke of Argyle says:
“It is not too much to say that England has twice saved Turkey from complete subjection since 1853. It is largely—mainly—due to our action that she now exists at all as an independent power. On both these occasions we dragged the powers of Europe along with us in maintaining the Ottoman government.”

“And None Shall Help Him”

From the present outlook, it would seem that the time has at last come when the exit of the Turk from Europe is at hand, and the journey toward Jerusalem about to begin. The Fresno Republican says:
“The historic concert of Europe in the supreme test has failed to suppress the Balkan clash, which it averted time after time in the last quarter of a century.”
The New York Evening Mail says that “the Turk is past bolstering up,” and now “must go.” “In like manner” the New York American sees the Turks’ doomsday dawning, and wonders if his exit from Europe is not now at hand.”—“Literary Digest,” October 12, 1912.

The Significance of Turkey’s End

But what will the removal of the Ottoman Empire from Europe mean to all the world? The greatest statesmen of Europe have felt that it would mean a great war in which the nations of Europe and possibly of Asia would all be involved, and have frequently so expressed themselves. It has been referred to ofttimes as “the Armageddon of the nations,” “the world’s approaching Armageddon,” etc. It will certainly mean that the end of the Turkish power is imminent. But what is to occur when the Turk comes to his end? It has long been the belief of many Bible students that the fall of the Turk would mark the beginning of the reign of Christ and the end of the world.
Upon one occasion Martin Luther said: “If we beat back the Turk, the prophecy of Daniel will be fulfilled and the end at hand. Then the day of judgment is surely at our doors.” (“Martin Luther,” by Gustav Freytag, p. 11.)
When that great event to which Luther looked forward, and which he evidently thought might occur in his day, does take place—when the help of earth’s powers is finally withdrawn, and the Turkish power does “come to his end,”—“at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Dan. 12:1, 2.
Michael is Christ (Jude 9; 1 Thess. 4:16; John 5:25), the “great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people.” Acts 3:15; 5:31. The standing up of Christ will be the beginning of His reign. The seventh trumpet of Rev. 11:15–18 brings us to this very time when the “kingdoms of this world” “become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever.”

“A Time of Trouble”

Preceding the appearing of Christ in the clouds of heaven as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, there will be a “time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation.” This time of trouble will come as the result of the pouring out of the vials of God’s wrath upon the earth in the seven last plagues, a record of which is given in Revelation 16. In this chapter the story of the sixth plague is given as follows:
“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.”
In symbolic language waters are used to represent “peoples” (Rev. 17:15), and rivers are used to represent nations (Isa. 8:7; Rev. 9:14). In the latter text, there can be no question but that the Euphrates symbolizes the Turkish power. It drains the territory in Asia over which the Ottoman power has reigned for many centuries. The drying up of the waters of the Euphrates is therefore the destruction of the Mohammedan or Turkish power. This is done that “the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.”
This “drying up” process has been going forward for a considerable period.
“For two centuries Europe has been elbowing him out of the continent. The present Balkan war, whatever it may amount to or finally involve, is merely another step in the continuous process of the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire, going on ever since 1683, when Sobieski checked the advance of the Turk at Vienna. This is the way province after province has fallen away since Byron swam the Hellespont to die in defense of Hellenic liberties:
“Greece: Independent kingdom, 1830.
“Algeria: French occupation, 1830; now a province of the French republic.
“Servia: Autonomous principality, 1830; independent principality, 1878; kingdom, 1882.
“Rumania: Autonomous principality, 1862; independent principality, 1878; kingdom, 1881.
“Montenegro: Independent principality, 1878; kingdom, 1910.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina: Occupied by Austria-Hungary, 1878, annexed to Austria-Hungary, 1908.
“Bulgaria: Autonomous principality, 1878; independent kingdom, 1908.
“Eastern Rumelia: Administrative autonomy, 1878, annexed to Bulgaria, 1885.
“Cyprus: Ceded by Turkey to England, 1878.
“Tunis: French protectorate, 1881.
“Egypt: Occupied by Great Britain, 1882.
“Crete: Autonomous, 1898; now striving for annexation to Greece.
“Tripoli: Occupied by Italy, 1911.
“Albania: Now in rebellion.
“Macedonia: About to be liberated by the Balkan States.”
“For more than a century this regular evolution has been going on, while the Turk has been slowly expelled from Europe. His territory has been carved into, first, ‘sphere of influence,’ then provinces under ‘suzerainty,’ then ‘autonomous principalities,’ then independent sovereign states. The Turk understands. What will he do in this new crisis in his history? Of course he will fight. But what will it avail him? And will Europe be able to hold her vast armies back from joining in the struggle?”—“American Review of Reviews,” November, 1912, p. 541.
Through the agency of evil spirits, all the kings of earth will be gathered to the battle of Armageddon—the battle of the great day of God. Already the nations of earth are making rapid preparation for that dreadful carnage. Speaking of the Boxer movement in China in 1901, the Sphere, of London, says: “It may mean the break-up of China; it may lead to the long-expected war between Russia and Japan; it may lead to the Armageddon of the nations, in which the five continents and the seven seas would be none too large an arena, and would be besmeared with the red stain of battle.”
From an article by Harold F. Wyatt which appeared in the Nineteenth Century and After (London), I take the following:
“Never was national and racial feeling stronger upon earth than it is now. Never was preparation for war so tremendous and so sustained. Never was striking power so swift and so terribly formidable. What is manifest now is that the Anglo-Saxon world, with all its appurtenant provinces and states, is in the most direct danger of overthrow final and complete. The shadow of conflict and of displacement greater than any which mankind has known since Attila and his Huns were stayed at Chalons is visibly impending over the world. Almost can the ear of imagination hear the gathering of the legions for the fiery trial of peoples, a sound vast as the trumpet of the Lord of Hosts.”

Why the Winds of War Have Been Held

“This gospel of the kingdom,” said Jesus, “shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Matt. 24:14. The last gospel message to be preached to the world contains the announcement of the coming of the King and the establishment of His kingdom. It will also contain a solemn announcement of the judgment, and will call upon all men everywhere to prepare for the final test of that awful tribunal by bringing their life into perfect harmony with the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Rev. 14:6–19. This message was first proclaimed to the world in the great advent movement of 1840 to 1844, and since then has been swelling into a loud cry, till it may now be heard in almost every country and language of earth. Till this work shall have been finished, four angels have been stationed on the four corners of the earth, and have been commissioned to hold “the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree,” till the servants of our God are sealed in their foreheads. Rev. 7:1–3. Winds, in prophetic language, represent strife and commotion and war. Jer. 49:36, 37; 25:31–33. Note the fact, in this connection, that four of the great powers of Europe have been very prominent in maintaining the peace of Europe for more than half a century. God is still working by His angels through human instrumentalities to hold back the nations from any protracted or general conflict that would interfere with the progress of the last message of mercy to the world.

The Storm About to Burst

To the prophets two thousand years ago and more, the veil that hides the future was drawn aside, and in holy vision they beheld the nations of earth gathering to the battle of that great day of God. To-day we behold with our natural vision the fulfilment of these wonderful predictions with absolute accuracy in every detail; and now we wait only for the curtain to be lifted on the final scene of this awful tragedy, the sweet voice of mercy is heard by the impenitent no more forever, and Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, will come back to earth to deliver His people and to receive them to Himself. “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Dan. 12:2.
Surely, with the unprecedented preparations for war on the part of all the nations of earth, with the condition of unrest prevailing in society everywhere, it needs no special intuition to see that we are on the verge of some great change in the destinies of the human race. The “time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation,” is at hand.
For more than eighteen hundred years, ever since the Saviour of the world ascended to the right hand of God, we have had “an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Through all these years, sinful men have been able to approach boldly the throne of grace through that ever blessed name, for “He ever liveth to make intercession” for them. “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” Heb. 8:1, 2; 4:14–16.
Jesus has been a priest upon His Father’s throne (Zech. 6:12, 13); but He will soon step down from that throne, put off His priestly robes, and lay down the scepter of peace. The Father will then give to His Son the kingdoms of this world, and He will break them with the rod of iron, and will dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel. Ps. 2:8, 9.

Then “Shall Michael Stand Up”

“At that time shall Michael stand up.” Probation’s hour will then close for all the world, and to the ungodly the words of irrevocable justice will be pronounced, “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” The One who through the ages has said, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” will say, with weeping eyes and with tearful voice: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Matt. 11:28; Jer. 13:16, 17; Rev. 22:11, 12.
This, dear reader, is what will take place when the Turkish power comes to his end and Michael stands up.
To-day the whole world is looking with wonder and amazement upon the remarkable success that has attended the armies of the Balkan States as they have driven the Turk to the very verge of Europe, and tremblingly watches each part of the program which threatens to precipitate a crisis and to plunge all Europe into war. What the morrow will bring forth, no one but God can tell. What we do know, is that the end is rapidly approaching; and that while He who stilled the tempest on stormy Galilee holds, through His angel messengers, the winds of strife, it behooves every soul to prepare to meet his God.

The Importance of the Scriptures

1. What honor has God bestowed upon His Word?
“I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy name for Thy loving-kindness and for Thy truth: for THOU HAST MAGNIFIED THY WORD above all Thy name.” Ps. 138: 2.
2. What is God’s purpose in giving the Scriptures?
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and IS PROFITABLE for DOCTRINE, for REPROOF, for CORRECTION, for INSTRUCTION in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tim. 3:16, 17.
3. What will ignorance of its truths bring?
“My people are DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to Me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” Hosea 4: 6.
4. How are we kept from sin?
“Thy WORD HAVE I HID IN MINE HEART, that I might not sin against Thee.” Ps. 119:11.
5. What was David’s experience in this respect?
“Concerning the works of men, BY THE WORD OF THY LIPS I have KEPT ME from the PATHS of the DESTROYER.” Ps. 17: 4.
6. What special promise does God give us respecting the keeping of His Word?
“Because thou hast kept THE WORD OF MY PATIENCE, I also will KEEP THEE from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” Rev. 3:10.
7. How will the power of His Word be manifest in the judgments of the last day?
“Sanctify them through Thy truth: THY WORD IS TRUTH.” John 17:17.
“He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: HIS TRUTH SHALL BE THY SHIELD AND BUCKLER.” Ps. 91: 4.

Studies in Ephesians

Introductory Note.— The apostle Paul resided in Ephesus for more than two years (Acts 19:8, 10), and did a marvelous work there, and must have given them fullest instruction in Christian life. Yet this epistle contains no reference to his experiences in that great city, and no salutations to any persons who may have resided there. The words “at Ephesus” are wanting in the first verse from the best manuscripts, and it has been concluded, therefore, that the epistle was probably a general one, a circular letter for the churches of the provinces of Asia, that perhaps which the Colossians were instructed (Col. 4:16) to receive from Laodicea. By comparing Col. 4:7 with Eph. 6:21, it would seem probable that it was written immediately after the epistle to the Colossians. Tychicus was the bearer of both epistles. Similarities of thought in the two epistles are also marked and clear. God’s eternal purpose in the reconciling all things in Christ, is common to both (Eph. 1:10; Col. 1:19, 20). In both, Christ is set forth as the Head of the church. Practical exhortations are quite similar; but to whomever it was addressed originally, it has come down to us, and the language shows that it is ours.

Chapter 1, Verses 1, 2, A.R.V.

Questioning the Text

1. Who is the writer of the epistle?
“Paul.” Verse 1. Note 1.
2. Who was Paul?
“An apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God.” Note 2.
3. To whom is the epistle addressed?
“To the saints that are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.” Note 3.
4. What salutation is given?
“Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Verse 2. Note 4.

Notes on the Text

1. Paul.— Formerly Saul of Tarsus. He was in early life reared a strict Pharisee, and later sat at the feet of the famous Gamaliel as a doctor of the law. As a Jew he was a zealot, and persecuted to the death the Christians, because he thought they perverted the law and were destructive to the commonwealth of Israel. But in his honest, tho mad, career, God arrested him on his way to Damascus, revealed Himself to the greatly humbled man, sent him to an erstwhile despised disciple for further instruction, called him to be an apostle,—nay, more, God would show him what things he must suffer for His name’s sake. Paul therefore became the great apostle to the Gentiles, dropping his Hebrew name, Saul, and designating himself by what was probably his Roman name, Paul—“little.” His later zeal was not surpassed by his earlier, but it was tempered by divine love. The one thing of his life was to preach Christ; the motive,—“the love of Christ constraineth me;” the constant inspiration,—“the heavenly vision.” “In labors more abundant, in perils and suffering above measure,” he fought the fight for his Saviour and God to the triumphant end.
2. An apostle.— The word “apostolos” means one sent,—a messenger of Christ Jesus, one invested with the highest of spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:28), an ambassador of God, called to lead out in new fields in the proclamation of the gospel in the establishment of God’s work. “Through the will of God.” God’s gifts for service are not of man’s choosing. There are many who prefer to be apostles, and prophets, and preachers, and strive so to be, with an ambition which will not be satisfied. No one is convinced of this but themselves. Sometimes Satan comes into the ambitious, unsanctified heart and deceives the man, and perhaps others, into believing he is what he wants to be. There is but one test for all manifestations and exercises; that test is the Word of God and the fruit which is borne according to that Word. God knows our limitations, knows what gift we can exercise best, and therefore He bestows upon every one, not as His children will, but “dividing to every man severally as He will.” 1 Cor. 12:11. Is it God’s call? Let us respond. Is it the gift of His Spirit? Let us use it. Working in harmony with His will, the work is always both blessed and successful.
3. To the saints.— The holy ones, those separated from the world and set apart unto Christ,—all true Christians. The word “saint” does not mean necessarily one that is perfect, that he has overcome, that he has won perfect victory in Christ. It simply means the one who has yielded the heart, the perfect heart, and is placed in the way where, through Christ, he will work out all that God designed that he shall be. Over and over again the children of God, with all their imperfections, are called saints. They do not, however, call themselves so. Paul does not speak of himself as a saint. He exalts the gift which God has bestowed, by calling himself sometimes “an apostle.” Sometimes the apostles call themselves “servants.” They do not boast of their holiness, or of their perfection. They leave God to look upon them through His own righteousness, and see in them the character that is expressed in the motive of the heart, and which He will Himself work out if the motive holds true, and perseverance does not fail. And so this epistle, with all its wonderful comfort, its marvelous depths of the revelation of God’s goodness and grace, is revealed to the saints and to the faithful in Christ Jesus everywhere. And, reader, if we are among those, however imperfect we may count ourselves, if we have yielded ourselves to Him, to be all that He would have us to be, all the riches which come to us in this marvelous book are ours.
4. Grace to you.— Unmerited favor, full of love and forgiveness and power. And peace.— How much the old, warring world needs peace. How many hearts there are that long for peace. How many times hearts are disappointed in finding strife where they looked for peace. But God gives not as the world gives. The grace and the peace are from God. He is not at war with us; man is at war with Him. “Because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be.” Rom. 8:7. But the wonderful grace of God gave His Son to die, that the enmity might be taken away, and that His infinite love might win us to loyalty to Him. The grace and the peace come from both Father and Son. There is perfect union with Them. Let there be perfect union between us and the Giver of grace and peace. Yield all rebellion and enmity to Him, and “have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”—the “peace of God, which passeth all understanding.” “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.”

Brothers

“What have I said to make you sad, Big Brother? What do you care for a kid that's bad, Big Brother?”
“The city is full of temptation still, Of the things that hurt, and the things that kill; If I don't care for my boy, who will, Little Brother?”
“Will you take me back, as you said you would, Big Brother? Will you stick to me till I do make good, Big Brother?”
“There's never a thing you could say or do To shake the faith I have in you; We started as pals—we're pals straight through, Little Brother.”
“What do you hope I'm going to be, Big Brother? What do you see in a kid like me, Big Brother?” “I see the Child that the feet, rough-shod, Of the streets have trampled and torn and trod; I see the very image of God, Little Brother.”
“Why aren't there more good friends like you, Big Brother, To show us boys what we ought to do, Big Brother?”
“It's the old, old question, lad, to make The eyes grow wet and the heart to ache; But we'll have the men—when the men awake, Little Brother.” —The Churchman.

A Prayer for the New Year

By Miriam Switzer
God Triune, with perfect healing, Grant Thy Spirit's aid to-day, Thee in love and truth revealing Heavenly consort on man's way. Source of purity and power, Cleanse and free my soul this hour.
Bid Thy Spirit search me thoroughly; Light each darkened hold of sin; Purge with fire; then stablish truly All Thy righteous law within. Tho by error long beguiled, Make me God's obedient child.
Holy One, instruct, protect me 'Neath Thy panoply divine; Guide and bless, chastise, correct me; To Thy will my heart incline, That each thought and act may chord With the purpose of my Lord.
God of Grace, with Thy rich blessing, Fill, O, fill this life of mine. Worldly claimants dispossessing, Make me, Saviour, wholly Thine. Thou, the truth, the life, the way, Draw me nearer day by day.
Mighty God, by word creating, Blessed Advocate above, Holy Spirit,—all are waiting My dull soul to wake to love. Life eternal, power divine, Wake, O soul, and claim them thine.

Benedictions

By Worthie Harris Holden
The flower looked up in gratitude For blessings from on high, And soon its cup was filled with dew Descending from the sky.
A plant turned toward the sun to thank Its warm and genial light; Anon its blooms burst forth to bless Who'er might pass in sight.
The spring ran forth with joyfulness To bless the thirsty flowers, And bubbling cheer welled constantly Through all the passing hours.
A mortal bears a friend in need Before the throne of grace, And gazing up, reflects indeed The radiance of His face.
For him who often seeks that Heaven On others may bestow, God's benediction will redound, Which else he ne'er might know.

Upon Completing Twenty-Eight Years of Life

By Delwin Rees Buckner
Full many of our manhood years are spent, And O, how poorly Thou alone canst know! O God, who knowest all things here below, How often precious talents Thou hast lent We've squandered uselessly, or been content To wrap them in a rag and leave them so! Yet from henceforward we would use them to Thy greater glory and our betterment. If we have failed to clothe the naked limb, Or minister to him whose days to live Are few; set bread before the hungry, too, Or guide the groping one whose eyes are dim; Dear Lord, we would that Thou wouldst us forgive, For we, this day, would start our life anew.

Love Shown by Works

By T. E. Morgensen
We love because God first loved us. And we believe it true That faith and love are shown by works. The things we say or do Are faithful witnesses indeed; Unerringly they prove A sinful, cruel, selfish greed, Or pure and holy love.
Tygh Valley, Oregon.
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