Earlier text: WILLIAM MILLER.LIFE INCIDENTS.
By James White
Second Advent Conference at Poland, Me.—The Conduct of a Fanatic.—He is Reproved and Humbled.—Satan Works when the Work of the Lord Prospers.—The appearance of Fanaticism evidence that the Advent Faith is from Heaven. In the month of June, 1844, a second-advent Conference was held at Poland, Me., which Eld. White attended in company with Eld. Pearson. He had traveled extensively in the heat and dust of summer, until his plain clothing was much soiled and worn. And not enjoying his usual freedom of spirits, he chose to remain silent and give others the time. He, however, enjoyed the preaching, and the social seasons of this excellent Conference, and at its close felt his usual spiritual strength and freedom. There was, at this Conference, an Eld. H., from Eastern Maine, who had much to say in his peculiar, noisy style. He professed to be a man of great faith, wonderfully filled with the Holy Spirit. If noise, harsh expressions, rough language generally, and frequent empty shouts of, “Glory, hallelujah,” constitute the sum total of the fruits of the Spirit, then this Eld. H. was a very good man. But if love, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness and temperance, are among the fruits of the Spirit, this poor man was sadly deficient. In fact, these precious fruits were not exhibited in him. He enjoyed a shout with those who would join with him, and ever appeared to feel strong and sure of Heaven. Self appeared in this man, and not Christ. He had much to say of humility; but his was evidently on the outside. His style of worship, and pretended humility, are well described by the apostle as “voluntary humility, and will worship.” At times he was so very humble (?) that he chose not to seat himself at the table with others to take food; but, forgetting the words of the apostle, “Let all things be done decently and in order,” he would take food from the table and go behind the door and eat it, attracting attention to his wonderful humility by shouts. But if corrected for his faults, however noisy, the demon in him was aroused at once. This man had no words of tenderness and comfort for the weak and fainting. So far from this, he even boasted of running over, as he expressed it, this one and the other. He spoke and acted as if he regarded himself as being on exhibition, at that meeting, as a wonderful specimen of faith and goodness. His career since that time, in following the spirit that seemed to possess him at that Conference, has proved that the man was laboring under the sad mistake of supposing himself led by the Spirit of God, while being controlled by Satan. The reader may be disappointed at the introduction of this unpleasant matter, choosing to read only of those incidents with which are connected the victories of the work and honor of God. But it may be for the safety and sure advancement of young disciples, and those of little experience in the conflicts of the Christian life, to learn of the trials of the way, and of the wiles of the Devil, as to know only of the power and love of God, and the triumphant victories of his truth and people. The various attacks of Satan in order to mislead and finally destroy even honest men and women, may, with propriety, in consequence of their numbers, bear the name of legion. And the duty of all, as stated by our Lord, is, Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. But he who is filled with pride in spiritual things, and is unteachable—thinks himself especially led by the Spirit, and understands all about the work of the Lord, who regards himself an eminent Christian, yet is easily tempted, and becomes jealous of being slighted, and even ugly, if he does not receive a large share of attention—is a tool for the Devil, and an exceedingly dangerous man. He is a medium in the hands of Satan through which to affect and mislead the precious flock of Christ. Let all beware lest they, in some way, be brought more or less under the influence of such, and, in consequence, weave into their experience uncomely stripes of vain religion. Such things ever have existed, and ever will exist, during the entire period of Satan’s efforts to wrest precious souls from the hands of Jesus Christ. “For there must be also heresies among you,” says Paul, “that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.” These, in the Lord’s providence, constitute a portion of the fuel to heat the furnace of affliction in which the true Christian loses his dross, and is refined, so as to reflect in his life the meekness and purity of the loving Lamb of God. Therefore let not the beloved of the Lord think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try them, as though some strange thing had happened unto them. But rejoice, inasmuch as they are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, they may be glad with exceeding joy. 1 Pet. iv, 12, 13. The reader will please return to Poland Conference, to the case of Eld. H. One morning, about forty brethren and sisters bowed at the family altar, at the house of Bro. Jordon, while Eld. H. led in prayer. A portion of that strange prayer was in substance as follows: “O Lord, have mercy on Bro. White. He is proud, and will be damned unless he gets rid of his pride. Have mercy upon him, O Lord, and save him from pride. O Lord, have mercy, and wean him from the pride of life. Break him down, Lord, and make him humble. Have mercy upon him. Have mercy.” He went on telling the Lord a long story about Eld. White, who was present, informing him of his pride, and how sure he was of destruction unless he should speedily repent, and closed up with vehement cries of “Have mercy! Have mercy! Mercy! Mercy!” This was his way of treating those who did not seem to receive him with feelings of great reverence for his special humility, and extra holiness. His object in this was to cast fear upon those around him, and thus bring them directly under his influence, that they might show him all that respect which his especial endowments demanded. But he did not succeed in the case of Eld. White. After the company had arisen to their seats, and had for awhile painfully pondered in silence what these things could mean, he drew his chair beside Eld. H., and in a kind manner said to him, “Bro. H., I fear you have told the Lord a wrong story. You say I am proud. This I think is not true. But why tell this to the Lord? He knows more about me than you do. He does not need to be instructed in my case. This was not your object. But you wished to represent me before these brethren and sisters as proud, and have chosen to do so through the medium of prayer to God. Now, sir, if I am proud, so much so that you are able to give the Lord information on the subject, you can certainly tell me, before these present, in what I am proud. Is it in my general appearance, or my manner of speaking, praying, or singing?” “No, Bro. White, it is not in those things.” “Well, is it manifested by these worn and soiled clothes? Please look me over. Is it in my patched boots? my rusty coat? this nearly worn-out vest? these soiled pants? or—that old hat I wear?” “No, I do not see pride in any of these things you mention. But, Bro. White, when I saw that starched collar on you, God only knows how I felt.” And here the man wept as though his heart would break. This was for effect. It was his usual resort when he had points to carry in a difficult case. In an extremity, tears are not unfrequently woman’s closing and most powerful argument. In her, if her cause be just, they are excusable, and even appropriate and beautiful. But to see a coarse, hard-hearted man, possessing in his very nature but little more tenderness than a crocodile, and nearly as destitute of moral and religious training as a hyena, shedding hypocritical tears for effect, is enough to stir the mirthfulness of the gravest saint. “But let me explain to you, Bro. H., about this starched collar. I may be able to help you. When I came to this Conference, Sr. Rounds offered to do my washing, and as I had no clean change, she kindly lent me her husband’s shirt, which, unfortunately, has a starched collar. Mine have only a narrow binding round the neck. I wear no collars only in cases of necessity like the present. It is this, sir, that has given rise to all your ado this morning. I usually wear a black, alpaca bosom, but am not the owner of a single collar. You have certainly told the Lord a wrong story about me, under circumstances the most inexcusable. And I think your first and most important work is to settle this matter with him.” Eld. H. dropped upon his knees, and said, in substance, “O Lord, I have prayed for Bro. White, and he is displeased with me for it. Have mercy upon him! Have mercy! Mercy! Mercy!” And seeing that none joined with him, not even so much as to kneel, he felt that his effort was proving a failure, and in a subdued tone came to Eld. White and said, “Why did you not kneel with me? O Bro. White, I have felt for you, prayed for you, and have wept over you, and I hope you will not be offended.” Certainly I am not offended. There is nothing in all this to offend a Christian. I pity you. You are suffering from unsanctified feelings arising from an unfortunate application of false ideas. Your prayers are no more to me than the howling of the winds. And when you, under such circumstances, plead your tears, feelings of shame and inexpressible disgust, and pity for you, come over me. I advise you to carry this matter no further. And I hope you will learn a good lesson from the folly you have manifested this morning. By this time Eld. White was fully aroused, and seemed to lose sight of that gloom and despondency under which he had been suffering for several days. He enjoyed the closing portion of the Poland Conference exceedingly well, and from that time felt his usual freedom of spirits. This was his first experience in meeting and rebuking fanaticism, which served to prepare him to deal with it in its ever-varying forms in after time. That fanaticism did arise about this time, and labor to attach itself to the Advent cause, he would not deny. He, however, by no means admits the truthfulness of the highly-colored reports of the bitter enemies of the cause. Not more than one in ten of the slanderous reports had the least semblance of truth in them. Men filled with prejudice, and with bitterness against the proclamation of the immediate second advent of Christ, mingled with fear that it might be true, were totally unfitted to fairly represent the faith, motives, and actions of believers. And there are no good reasons why he who gives a faithful sketch of Advent history, should hesitate to admit all the facts relative to fanaticism which have arisen from the bigotry and blind zeal of such men as Eld. H. and those more designing and shrewd, who have borne the Advent name, and have professed the Advent faith. Is it not one of the plainest facts in sacred history, that when God has especially wrought for his people, Satan has ever improved the opportunity to make especial efforts? And, during the entire period of the controversy between Christ and his angels, and Satan and his angels, when the sons of God come to present themselves before the Lord, may they not expect that Satan will come also? Has not this ever been true in the history of the people of God? And does not the sad experience of the church of Jesus Christ since the time where sacred history leaves it, agree with that of patriarchs and prophets? We read of Luther’s perplexities, and of his anguish in consequence of the conduct of fanatics and the terrible influence the course of these men had on the great reformation, and count these things among the evidences that God was especially with Martin Luther. And there were the Wesleys, and a host of other good men, who have lifted at the great wheel of reform, and have blessed the world with the inspiring influence of their living faith. These men, who kept pace with the spirit of reform, have, in their turn, been annoyed at every step by Satan close at their heels, pushing unguarded souls, over-zealous and illy-balanced ones, into fanaticism. The experiences of these men are in harmony with that of holy men of old, and attest the fact that when and where God works for his people, just there is the time and place for Satan to practice23 his impositions upon those he can get under his foul influence. Did Satan stir up fanaticism in connection with the Advent movement? This is one of the proofs of the genuineness of the great movement. What! He suffer the world to be warned of their and his approaching doom, and he not be stirred in consequence of it? The church be aroused to action, and to readiness for the day of God, and sinners by thousands leaving his ranks and seeking a preparation to meet the King of kings, and he remain quiet? No. He knows his time is short, hence not only his wrath, but his wiles in all their forms. This is well illustrated by what is said to be a dream. A traveler saw Satan seated upon a post, in front of a house of worship, asleep. He aroused him, and addressed him as follows: “How is it that you are so quietly sleeping? This I conclude is unusual for you, considering your reputation for activity in your kind of work. Is it not?” “Yes,” was the reply, “but the people in this house of worship are asleep, and the minister is asleep, and I thought this a good time for me to take a nap.” Let the people be aroused to the living truths of the word of God, and to a life of faith and holiness—let them with gladness receive the news of the return and peaceful reign of the Just One—let them consecrate themselves and all they have to the Lord, and with one united voice swell the note “Behold he cometh”—and you will have good evidence that the powers of darkness are all astir. Satan will not sleep then. With vigilance will he manifest his wrath, and, calling to his aid all the fallen angels of his realm, his wiles will be imposed upon all connected with the people of God, who are not properly instructed and guarded. But it should be distinctly understood that the proclamation of time is the message symbolized by the announcement of the first angel of Rev. xiv, 6, 7, and in the cry of “Behold the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him,” given in great power, in the autumn of 1844, did not produce fanaticism. In those solemn movements, believers were sweetly united in the one blessed hope, and the one living faith. It was when they were left without definite time, during the summer of 1844, that extravagant views of holiness, and being led by the Spirit, prevailed, and brought in, to some extent, fanaticism, division and wild-fire, with their blighting results, among the happy expectants of the King of glory. But when the proclamation of definite time came in the autumn of 1844, fanaticism, ultra holiness, unhappy divisions, and their results, melted away before it like an early autumn frost before the rising sun. AN AGE OF LIARS, OR A LYING AGE.
By D. F. Newton
“Dare to be true; nothing can need a lie.” “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor.” Eph. iv, 25. Cheating and lying, lying and cheating. It is cheating here, cheating there; it is lying here, lying there. “A little theft, a small deceit,
Too often leads to more.” “He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much.” Lies are of various kinds, of various degrees of aggravation. There are black lies and white lies, lies of vanity, pride, ambition, flattery, convenience, interest, fear, wantonness, cruelty; lies of first, second, and third rate malignity. There are also passive or practical lies—lies acted out. Point your finger in a wrong direction to an inquiring traveler—you give him the lie. Again, some are habitual liars—lie at nearly every breath; like the common swearer—he swears, and knows it not. “A righteous man hateth lying; but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.” Prov. xiii, 15. “Lying is my trade,” said an auctioneer; “I live by falsehood and deception, it is my meat and drink; when I speak a lie, I speak of my own.” “What! an auctioneer or a lawyer speak the truth? When, where, how? Truth is not taken into account. Lawyers and auctioneers are privileged characters; an honest lawyer or auctioneer these times, would starve to death! Who expects truth from us, excepting now and then perchance? And if so be the truth does slip out occasionally or unintentionally, who knows it? who can tell whether it be the truth or a lie?” Privileged, indeed! when and where has God given license to lawyers, auctioneers, merchants, or any man to lie, cheat, or steal? Lying is stealing, and stealing is lying. “By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.” A little African girl, who lived in the missionary house in Africa, was requested by a woman to steal some article, and bring it secretly to her. The child replied, “What shall I say when God speaks to me about stealing? and when I burn what shall I do?” “Theft will not be always hidden,
Though we fancy none can spy;
When we take a thing forbidden,
God beholds it with his eye.” The man who uses a short yard-stick, “false weights and measures,” is a thief, a violator of the eighth commandment, and the Lord will not hold him guiltless. “Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.” Lev. xix, 11. “And if thou sell aught unto thy neighbor, or buyest aught of thy neighbor’s hand, ye shall not oppress one another.” “Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small; but thou shalt have a just and perfect weight, and just measure shalt thou have.” “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord; but a just weight is his delight.” Prov. xi, 1. “Do justice. ’Tis thy God’s command,
The mandate of thy king;
Be prompt in rendering dues to all,
And let no fraud-spot, great or small,
Unto thy conscience cling.” A beloved minister, standing at our right hand, informs us that several coal-dealers, members of orthodox churches, unitedly combined to give a specified number of pounds less in every load of coal than the law demands. Let every one of these church-members take their pens forthwith, and write opposite each of their names, “THIEF!” Are they not thieves? Again, is not every man a thief who adulterates any article of food, and sells it for genuine? Are there not those (not a few) who adulterate milk, sugar, tea, coffee, molasses, and other articles of domestic use, and sell them for genuine, perfect, unmixed? What is this but a species of theft, a violation of a positive precept? “THOU SHALT NOT STEAL.” Here is a man that sells an article of merchandise as sound and in good order, knowing, meanwhile, it is injured or defaced! Another influential member in an orthodox church, has had goods on his shelves two, three, four, or six years, which he sells to his customers as fresh goods newly purchased! Is not this merchant a liar, a thief? “The love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Again, “They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” The covetousness of these last days is most marked. As a result, men are becoming very dishonest, and trying all possible ways to line their pockets with filthy lucre. He who is the most successful in deceiving his fellow-beings, is thought to be the smartest man. The following illustrates the manner of doing business at the present day: “A London professor lectured recently on adulterations of food. He handed round coffee, which was pronounced excellent, then told the audience that they had been regaled with a mixture of bullock’s blood, chickory, sheep’s liver, dried and old coffee grouts. He gave them capital porter too, made of spirits of wine, gum-arabic, and burnt sugar.” The ingenuity of the age is taxed to its utmost capacity, to invent ways and means to cheat the people without being detected till after the purchase of the spurious articles. All such should remember that they can have no place in the coming kingdom. None but honest men can be there. All money obtained by dishonesty will only help sink the receiver into eternal perdition. The Scriptures inform us that no “covetous” man “shall inherit the kingdom of God.” We have become a nation of liars! Most people love to read and to hear lies, quite as well as others like to write and to utter them. Indeed, the one is a pretty fair gauge of the other. The market and the supply of lies are economically adjusted. The public will have lies, and the man who must get his bread and butter by writing, must have no scruples about lying. One of the most popular writers of a New York journal, said, pathetically: “I detest this coloring of the truth, this eternal exaggeration of lying; but the people will have it, and I must furnish it or starve.” Another popular writer, on recovering from a dangerous illness, told his physician that he should not be able to pay him, until he had got his returns from furnishing the public another of his lucrative stories. That is, a pack of lies in the form of novels, romances, silly love-tales to curse the rising age, pushed into public favor by religious editors, and some professed Gospel ministers! These dealers in intellectual poisons, that intoxicate the mind, corrupt the heart, pollute the soul, will sink lower than the grave! “He that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption.” “They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” Hosea viii, 7. “Can we peruse a book like this,
And seek a Father’s blessing here?
Forsake the path that leads to bliss,
To shed o’er fiction’s page a tear?” Such writers, in the pulpit or out of it, are considered smart. They wake up our imaginations, rouse our sympathies, play charmingly upon our passions, and we pay them well for it. The public hankering for something extraordinary, startling, highly-colored, and exaggerated, has crept into our churches, invaded the pews, and to some extent given laws to the pulpit. There is now a great demand for smart preachers. The question is not whether a preacher is pious, prayerful, faithful, sound in faith, and a winner of souls—one who rightly divides the word of truth, and gives to every man his portion in due season—all this is behind the times, and old fogy. Is he smart? That’s the question. Does he stretch the india-rubber to its utmost tension, and hammer out the precious grain of gold so thin, that it has but one side? Can he do a splendid business on a small capital? Does he sparkle well? Oh, then he is an angel standing in the sun! We must have him at any price. What’s the use of going to the theatre, when we can have what we want at church? But will he also, as occasion may require, let off good round whoppers, thumping stories, and rouse us all up? Then he is the man for us. He will fill the house, sell the pews, youthfulize the congregation, and make us a good speculation. CONCEIT.—Conceit is the most contemptible, and one of the most odious qualities in the world. It is vanity driven from all other shifts, and forced to appeal to itself for admiration. Conceit may be deemed a restless, overweening, petty, obtrusive delight in our qualifications, without any reference to their real value, or to the approbation of others, merely because they are ours, and for no other reason whatever. It is the extreme of selfishness and folly. CHILDHOOD.—Childhood is like the mirror, catching and reflecting images all around it. Remember that an impious or profane thought, uttered by a parent's lips, may operate upon a young heart like a careless spray of water thrown upon polished steel, saluting it with rust, which no after scouring can efface. RUSKIN says, with his old pungency, in one of his new essays, in words that have a wider application than to England alone: “You women of England are all now shrieking with one voice—you and your clergymen together—because you hear of the Bible’s being attacked. If you choose to obey your Bibles, you will never care who attacks them. It is just because you never fulfill a single downright precept of the Book that you are so careful of its credit. The Bible tells you to dress plainly, and you are mad for finery; the Bible tells you to have pity on the poor, and you crush them under your carriage wheels; the Bible tells you to do judgment and justice, and you do not care to know so much as what the Bible word justice means.” NOTHING GAINED BY BACKWARDNESS.
By R. F. COTTERELL
God is leading his people in a great work of reform, in order to prepare them to endure the trials of the days of peril, the hour of temptation and the time of trouble, and finally to be translated at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who move forward with alacrity in this work, and embrace with readiness every step of progress, will receive the benefit which he designs to confer on us, and get the needed preparation. Our Father is pleased with willing and ready obedience, and is displeased with unbelief and tardiness. Every step taken with cheerfulness in the work of reform, prepares us the more easily to take another in the same direction. But those who hesitate, increase their own weakness, and diminish the probability of enduring the tests which are to come. We need not expect our trials and crosses will decrease. We have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin. Small trials well borne will prepare us for greater ones. Hence, what we need is faith and courage now. The fearful are nearly related to the unbelieving. They distrust God, as ancient Israel did. They indulge fears that the Lord is not leading them, as Egypt and its dainties are left behind. Therefore they are slow and hesitating, and at every new difficulty their hearts turn back to the things they have left behind, and they anxiously inquire, What next? Now if we have faith in God, believe he is fulfilling his own promise and doing his own work, we will not fear that he has led us out into the desert to kill us with hunger and thirst. We shall move cheerfully onward, and not go murmuring by the way. We would do better to decide, if we have not, whether this way leads to the promised land, whether we are under divine guidance, a guidance that we can fully trust will bring us safely through. For my part, fellow-travelers, I started to go through. I made up my mind, before I left Egypt, that this was the way to Canaan, and I have now no misgivings or fears that the pillar of light we have followed so far will lead us wrong, or that those who move forward cheerfully with their whole hearts will fail of possessing the goodly land. The Lord will not harm us, but will do us good, if we trust and obey him. He is able to carry the weakest through. What we need is to trust him, and not displease him with our unbelief and reluctance to follow his guidance. Then let us move forward with courage. Let us not draw back to perdition, but believe to the saving of the soul. There is nothing gained, but much lost, by slowness to believe and backwardness to act. Those who come fully up to the light already given, bear the little crosses intended to put the “old man” to death, will be prepared for the real trials that lie yet before us, which none but those who have been faithful to the light they have already received will be able to endure. Our future safety depends on our faithfulness now. Let every one who prizes eternal life and the heavenly inheritance above the fleeting pleasures of earth, and the unsanctified desires of the flesh and of the carnal mind, take courage and press forward. But those who love this world more than the world to come, those who think it hard to become dead to the world, who love the praise of men more than the praise of God, and an earthly inheritance more than the heavenly, unless they can be induced to change their minds and die to self and sin, become dead to the world and alive to God, need not flatter themselves with the hope of the future. Let them make the most of the present, and not hope for the future, while they choose the present. But the whole-hearted need not fear. Those who choose the unseen and eternal things of the future world, and are willing to give all for it, may hope and trust that they will obtain the object of their choice. DEATH FABLES.
By M. E. Connell
How it must please him who first declared to man, “Thou shalt not surely die,” to see that so many who profess to love God, and believe the Bible, are still giving God the lie. When God says, “Thou shalt surely die,” they flatly contradict, and say the “thou” does not, and cannot die—that it is only the cage or house that the man lives in, that dies. To hear such men as Pres. Finney, of Oberlin college, and Pres. Fairfield, of Hillsdale college, on the occasion of the death of Eld. David Marks, utter such sentiments as, “Die! It is not death! It is but the budding forth of eternal life.” “Death has no more to do with him. He lives forever.” And such men as D. W. Clark, Bishop of the M. E. church, speaking of death, says, “These are not dead.” “But never one hath died.” “Death is the crown of life.” The following, clipped from a Methodist paper, at once brings to view the tree, (immortal spirit, and, No death,) and its fruit, Spiritualism. “There is no death!
Walks o’er the earth with silent tread;
He bears our best-loved things away,
And then we call them “dead.”
And ever near us, though unseen, The dear immortal spirits tread,
For all the boundless universe
Is life—there are no dead.”
Rev. W. E. Copeland, on the occasion of the death of the two Joyce children, who were murdered in West Roxbury, Mass., said, “The little ones are not dead, they have entered upon that life which has no end. * They are nearer their friends to-day than ever before. Mourn not; turn away from the sorrow of your hearts, and rejoice that your children have gone to their Father.” Compare Jer. xxxi, 15–17. Could the Father of lies wish to see a more direct contradiction of the truth? How he must rejoice to see such a fine track laid, for his necromantic car to run on! But who can fail to see the blindness of those who are steeped in such errors? They are not only against the truth, but they contradict themselves. This is always the case, when they attempt a defense of their errors, either spoken or written. And sometimes, when only expressing their sentiments in poetry or prose, they utter the most glaring contradictions, and palpable absurdities. On the same occasion last mentioned above, Rev. Mr. Hepworth uttered the following: “In the name of the two dead children who are alive with God Almighty, &c.” Take also the following, clipped from a late paper. “Our friend and sister, lo! is dead,
The cold and lifeless clay
Hath made in dust its silent bed,
And there it must decay.
But, is she dead? No, no, she lives,
Her happy spirit flies
To Heaven above, and there receives
Her long expected prize.”
The following inscription, amusing to infidels, and disgusting to every lover of consistency who has his eyes open, is found on a monument at the head of a pious young man’s grave. “This happy soul has taken his flight,
Beyond the realms of bliss and light,”
This soul made such rapid flight that he went entirely beyond the bliss, (where there is no bliss!) and beyond the light, where of course there is only darkness! Could an immortal soul be happy in such a place? Some very strange specimens are still found in the hymn books of nearly all denominations. “Beyond the bounds of time and space
Look forward to that heavenly place,
The saint’s secure abode!”
What a “secure abode” that must be, located in a “place” where there are neither “bounds,” nor “space?” In another hymn we have the idea plainly expressed, that, “A never-dying soul” may “forever die.” And this reminds us of the very common saying, that the wicked will “Die the death that never dies!” Here our curiosity is excited, and we wonder what sort of a death that must be! As life and death are set before all, and the reward of the righteous is exactly the opposite of the wicked, we conclude that the righteous will “Live the life that never lives!” The saints always living without life, while sinners are always dying without death! O Orthodoxy! Orthodoxy! Do we not say, truly, that thy head is turned with the wine of Babylon! Do not these men, while teaching, and trying to prove that they have immortal souls, in the very effort show that they are destitute of such an attribute? Would an immortal soul originate such unmitigated nonsense? And could immortal beings be fooled with such contradictions and absurdities, so that they would feed upon it for years and call it good? Impossible! Immortality would not run so crazy, crooked, and blind. Nay, at the resurrection, when this mortal shall put on immortality, there will be an end of such sentiments. The whirlwind of the Lord will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the immortal ones will know better than to cherish contradictions. They will “see as they are seen, and know as they are known.” Oh! that men would, even now, cease to feed on chaff, and rejoice in the clean wheat of God’s word.233 “Men’s books with heaps of chaff are stored,
God’s book doth golden grain afford,
Then leave the chaff and spend your pains
In gathering up the golden grains.”
EDIFICATION.
By James White
Many speakers in religious meetings, and writers for religious papers, make a great mistake in regard to edification. They express a fear that they shall not be able to edify any one, as though it was necessary to give much instruction, or even to make a brilliant display, in order to edify their brethren and sisters. We wish to correct this mistake. It is very generally supposed that to edify means to instruct. This is only a secondary or remote meaning; its true meaning is to build up. The original in the N. T. is οἰκοδομή (οἰκοδομε) from “οἰκία, a house,” (edifice). Οἰκοδομέω is defined by Robinson, to build a house; and generally to build, to construct, to erect. 2. Spec. to rebuild, to renew. 3. Trop. to build up, to establish, to confirm; spoken of the Christian church and its members, who are thus compared to a building, a temple of God, &c. Greenfield says: The act of building; met., edification, improvement in piety. It is rendered buildings, Matt. xxiv, 1; Mark xiii, 1, 2; 2 Cor. v, 1; Eph. ii, 21; and in many other passages either as a substantive or verb; and edify in 1 Cor. xiv, 3, 5, 12, 26; 2 Cor. x, 8; xii, 19; xiii, 10; Eph. iv, 12, 16, 29. The English word instruction is from a different original. Instruction may edify and build up, and it may not. There is “instruction that causeth to err.” Prov. xix, 27. Such instruction will tear down rather than build up. Hence, instruct bears only a secondary relation to edification. We may edify or build up one another by words of comfort and encouragement. That little child who gets up tremblingly and says, “I love the Saviour and want to go and live with him,” speaks to the “edification and comfort” of the church; while he who arises to give a harangue with a flourish of learning often destroys the comfort of his hearers and pulls them down to a level with his own coldness. Edification comes from the heart as well as from the head. A well-informed and well-trained mind is designed to give instruction; and as far as the church is in ignorance and may be benefited by an increase of light, it will be edified or built up thereby. But in social meetings or in the conference department of a religious paper, where this professedly modest disclaimer is most often made, it is entirely out of place. There instruction is not the main object, but edification or building up is. Let all bear in mind that if they would edify they must get the love of the truth deep in their hearts. Let the words be in the humble simplicity of love; high sounding words and all effort to display learning spoil their effect. And may the God of all comfort assist us through our Saviour, who was meek and lowly in heart, that we may be “rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” J. H. W.