Earlier text: Thy Word Is TruthANGELIA J. EDMUNDS
By Angelia J. Edmunds
“We may seem too earnest before men, but not too earnest before God.” These words were spoken by our dear Bro. Ertzenberger, and they found an echo in my heart; for by bitter experience I have learned that the human heart cannot reciprocate the feelings of another, unless the same anxiety, the same burden, the same load of responsibility, rests with weight upon it. We may seem to be too earnest when we are so anxious that those with whom we meet from time to time should give their hearts to Jesus, that they should see the light of present truth, and obey it; but let me ask, If your neighbor’s house was on fire and you saw the danger he was in, would you not be in earnest? I think you would not stop to ponder over it and wonder whether you had a duty to do in his case or not; but you would immediately tell him of his danger. If he seemed to be indifferent, you would become more and more earnest. Some might say that you were foolish because the man did not believe and heed the warning; but what some may say should not trouble you. Should he be burned up, with all his house, you have the consolation of knowing that you did all you could to save him. If you would know your duty, read Ezekiel, chapters 3 and 33. Yes, we may seem too earnest before men, but not too earnest before God; not too earnest in putting away all our sins, in keeping all his commands, in seeking every opportunity within our reach to secure a spiritual welfare to ourselves and others also, to advance the cause of truth in a proper manner that others now out of the ark of safety may be brought to see their true condition and make haste to escape the time of trouble just before us. Let us remember to live to God, prayerfully study to know what is our duty before him, and fearlessly go forward in performance of it, regardless of what those around us may say. If we trust in him, he will not leave us to grope our way in darkness. He will not leave us to be pushed ahead by the enemy or kept back by him, but we may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that we may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness. Col. 1: 9–11. Wood’s Household Magazine has the following: “Character is often confounded with reputation. A man may have a good reputation, and, at the same time, have a very bad character; in other words, people may think that he is a good man, when, in reality, he is a bad man. Character is what a man is; reputation is what men think of him. Character is the condition of one’s mind. It is the summation of his mental habits. The formation of character is the great work of man. In other words the formation of habits is the great work of man. It is the constant work of man. “Every one is constantly engaged in forming habits, good or bad. The work may be voluntary or involuntary; but it is constantly going on. Since the stream is ever flowing, it is important that we give to it a right direction. . . . . We will mention some habits which it is desirable to form, the means of forming which are within the reach of all. “We should form the habit of industry. If we do not put forth efforts with reference to that end, the habit of indolence will be formed. To form good habits, requires effort. To form bad habits, ‘a let-alone policy’ will suffice. Every one can, if he will, form a habit of industry. He can find something to do, and he can do it. Comparatively few are naturally industrious. Those who are very diligent in work, and who enjoy it, did not enjoy it at first. They, perhaps, found it irksome. They resolved to do it for the sake of the rewards in prospect. By degrees the habit of industry was formed. Labor became pleasant, became necessary to habit. Except for purposes of necessary rest, they do not like to be unemployed. Thus, by the power of habit, their work becomes pleasant and free from difficulty. This habit of industry is needed in every department of life. No one has a right to be idle. God says, ‘Go work in my vineyard.’ “We should form the habit of speaking accurately—that is, of using the English language correctly. Let no one say, ‘I have not studied grammar;’ which is said to be the art of using language correctly. Let no one say, Grammar is dry and hard. You can learn to speak correctly without opening a treatise on grammar. How do people learn to conduct themselves with propriety? Not by reading books on etiquette, but by observing persons of cultivated manners and following their example. Correctness in the use of language is to be [may be] acquired in like manner. The rules of grammar, if accurate, are simply statements of fact in regard to the usage of the best writers and speakers. If that practice were different, the rules of grammar would be different. . . . Select for your reading standard authors, and observe how they use the English language, and follow their example. “We should form the habit of speaking the exact truth on all occasions. It is not to be supposed that the readers of this publication have formed, or are forming, the habit of lying. Lying is uttering an untruth with the intention of deceiving. There are many who would scorn to lie, who need to form the habit under consideration. Sometimes, in relating an incident, they use exaggerations in order to be more interesting. In what they regard as unimportant matters, they are careless in their statements. Hence, though no one would think of charging them with lying, their statements are received with some abatements. This is one evil resulting from the want of the habit of speaking the exact truth.” A Sign of the Times.
By E. A. Stillman
“He must be irreproachable in his dress, without being an exquisite; married, but without children; young, but with great experience; learned, but not dull; eloquent in prayer, without being colloquial or stilted; reverential, but not conventional; neither old nor common-place; a brilliant preacher, but not sensational; know every one, but have no favorites; settle all disputes, engage in none; be familiar with the children, but always dignified; be a careful writer, a good extempore speaker, and an assiduous and diligent pastor. Such a person, to whom salary is less an object than a ‘field of usefulness,’ may hear of an advantageous opening by addressing, etc.” The above article, taken from “Pastor and People” of March, 1871, and there copied from the “Riverside Echo,” clearly indicates to my mind that we have fully entered upon the “time” spoken of by the inspired apostle, “when they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” For a pastor or minister of God to comply with certain requirements from the people simply to please the ears, as the above article seems to imply, is not only an erroneous idea, but really detrimental to the cause of true religion, and sinful. A minister must have to look about him pretty often to see if he is really learned, and a brilliant preacher, and to become such, what is requisite? Is it not to become just what the prophecy above quoted says, “having itching ears”? It seems to me this is a fair conclusion, and one which every one would admit. And if so, let us turn to the prophecy again and read: “And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” Now, what are the indications which arise from comparing the above advertisement with the Scriptures of divine truth? I think they are such as warrant us in the belief that we are living in what holy writ describes as “perilous times,” because the above shows plainly that men are lovers of themselves more than lovers of God, having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. And the Scripture injunction to the followers of Jesus when they behold such things is, “From such turn away.” 2 Tim. 3: 5. Truly, if there ever was a time since the foundation of the world that looked perilous, it is now. People and pastors running riot in everything but the cause of Christ, and teaching everything but the pure doctrines of Christ. And yet how often are Adventists sneered and jeered at, because they make these doctrines prominent in their preaching. To this, I would simply quote the language of the apostle again to Timothy: “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them; for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” 1 Tim. 4: 15, 16. Westerly, R. I., May 14, 1871. “Papa, Say Amen.”
By Mrs. M. C. Truesdail
Such was the innocent request of a bright, promising boy between three and four years of age, as he became tired of his father’s long, dry prayer. Carefully he moved away from his own little chair where he was kneeling, till close by his father’s side he cautiously repeated in a low whisper the above words; and kept on urging his request till the father concluded with his usual amen. The above is no fable with which to point a moral. This same little boy is now a presiding elder in the M. E. church. How often parents in their morning and evening devotions weary their children till they respond, as above, in their hearts. Some may inquire Who is to blame? parent or child? I fear it is the parent nine times out of ten. A thousand susceptible little hearts have been taught imperceptibly to disrelish the family altar for no other reason than the one above mentioned. Let those thus accustomed to lengthy prayers, read again the prayer taught by the Son of God, so short, so condensed; and remember that there is not a prayer in the Old Testament over five minutes in length. Contrast these with prayers of many Christians of the present day. As dearly as I love prayer, I often find myself waiting for the closing amen. The prayer of the publican mentioned by our Saviour by way of contrast to the Pharisee’s, is very brief; and it might not be amiss were we to repeat, verbatim, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” He dared not lift up his eyes to Heaven as he repeated it, but with deep feeling of unworthiness, he smote upon his breast. Such petitions come from the heart, and how often such alone reach the heart of a sinful child. It is evident that a greater amount of wisdom is needed in both family and public prayers. If our wants are numerous we may lengthen our prayers in close retirement before God, that the Spirit may help our infirmities; for we know not what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. The same caution might be given in regard to exhortation. An incident might be mentioned which occurred in 1844. A good brother rose up with his eyes full of tears. After standing a moment to gain better control of his feelings, he cried out with a full soul: Good, good is the word of the Lord, and repeated the same three times, giving a stronger accent to the word good each time, and sat down. Not a dry eye remained in the whole house. The blessing of Heaven fell like dew. Many wept aloud. This brother said all the Lord gave him to say, and sat down. Brethren and sisters, if any of us lack wisdom, let us ask of God, who giveth liberally to all and upbraideth not, that all may know when to rise up, when to sit down, and when not to weary the heart of a little child by keeping back so long the desired amen. “And he drave them from the judgment seat.” These were the words spoken by Gallio when the Jews had brought Paul before him, saying, “This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.” While reading these words, the thought came into my mind, Shall I be driven from the judgment seat when Christ who is our life shall appear? or shall I be one among the number that shall hear my Lord say unto me, Well done, thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord? Oh! glorious welcome! and the thought that there will be no more sorrow, sin, nor death, in that heavenly region, is more than mortals can ask for; but the Lord has promised it to those who will continue faithful to the end. I feel to exclaim with the psalmist, “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” Fervent in Spirit.
By C. H. Bliss
“NOT slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.” Rom. 12:11. The idea as expressed in the original Greek, in the latter part of the verse, is, “fervent in spirit in serving the Lord.” But few men in this age of the world, violate to any great extent the first part of this admonition of the apostle. In accumulating wealth men will labor hard from daylight until dark; not a moment is lost. If it is very hot or cold, it matters not: the work must go on. If it rains, it is all the same: There is some wood to chop, corn to husk, or some other work which can be done under shelter. Thus men labor six days out of seven, and until the very hour which marks the commencement of the Sabbath. They have not been “slothful in business;” will they now be “fervent in spirit in serving the Lord”? Let us see. The holy Sabbath has come. Worldly cares are laid aside; and the family are called around the altar to offer up their evening devotion. The father attempts to pray; but just having laid aside his worldly business and being weary, his prayer is dull and dry. He retires to rest sleepy and tired, and the next morning the church bell at eight or nine, as it may be, calls him forth from his downy bed. Soon the hour for worship arrives; and the people of the Lord come together, to worship the most high God. He is perhaps a little late, yet in time to hear the discourse; but the minister has spoken but a short time when this poor brother finds himself growing sleepy. He tries to arouse himself; but all in vain; for he is soon off in the land of dreams, and perhaps imagines himself out in the field to work, plowing corn, hoeing potatoes, or something of the kind; when suddenly something awakens him, and he finds to his mortification that he has really been asleep in meeting. He feels ashamed of it, yet has so little control over himself that he is again soon asleep. Soon class-meeting time comes and he is called upon to speak; but he has nothing to say. The hour of worship closes and he returns home. It is perhaps needless to remark that after dinner is over he spends the remainder of the day sleeping. But how is it when the first day of labor comes? He is up bright and early, and labors hard from early morn till late at night. No time to sleep now, not a moment is to be lost. How selfish! The Lord could in justice claim our time during the whole seven days, yet in kindness to us he gives us six, only reserving one to himself, and yet men steal that one. May the Lord pity. Let us each resolve that in the future we will so labor during the week that when the time for the worship of the Lord comes, we may be “fervent in spirit in serving the Lord.” C. H. BLISS. They Do no Harm.
By H. A. St. John
WITH the design to praise some, it is said, “They are innocent, they do no harm;” and some professed Christians seem to suppose that following Christ consists in doing no harm. Now it is evident that a log or a stone may receive the same praise, they do no harm. It was a boast of the Pharisees that they did no evil; our Saviour added that we must do good. It is not enough that we eschew evil, but we must learn to do well, if we would be approved of God. It is not written of our divine Lord that he went about doing no harm; but that he went about doing good. In this he set us an example. Occasionally we meet with careful, timid souls, whose chief study appears to be to do no harm; and they are satisfied in proportion as their lives are free from actual wrong doing. No doubt but most of us are affected and influenced more or less by this false idea. It is right, most certainly, to avoid doing harm; but the only proper, successful, and scriptural way to avoid doing evil, is to do good; to so fill up our working moments with well-doing that evil shall have no place. When will the commandment-keeping people of God awake to a sense of their high calling? Let all who want eternal life set their faces as a flint heavenward. Do not be content with doing no evil, but faithfully gather with Christ. Let each night’s rest be sweetened by the consciousness of work done for Jesus through the day. This is your only salvation. God’s people are a “peculiar people.” Their peculiarity consists in being “zealous of good works;” and as their zeal for good works increases, their peculiarity will increase. Have we a name with God’s peculiar people? Then let us grow up to the perfect stature of men and women in Christ Jesus. Hear Paul: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Cor. 15 : 58. For myself, it is my earnest wish, and prayer, to be “in labors more abundant.” The Church That Died From Giving Too Little
There is a great deal of pith and point in the comment of the African preacher on the text, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” He said: “I have known many a church to die ’cause it didn’t give enough; but I never knowed a church to die ’cause it gave too much. They don’t die that way, brederin; has any ob you knowed a church to die cause it gib too much? If you do, just luff me know, an’ I will make a pilgrimage to dat church, an’ I’ll clum by de soft light ob de moon to its moss-covered roof, an’ I’ll ’stan’ and lif my han’s to Heben, an’ say, ‘Blessed am de ded dat die in de Lo’d.’” The One Thousand Years.
By Uriah Smith
ONE of our Adventist exchanges remarks: “We have followed the current of events as laid down in the Scriptures till we arrived at the period when we found the saints reigning ‘with Christ’ ‘on the earth,’ during the period intervening between the first and second resurrections.” In what part of the Scriptures proof is found that the saints reign on the earth during the 1000 years, between the first and second resurrections, many students of prophecy have yet to learn. The saints are to reign with Christ a thousand years. This is plainly stated. That they are to reign on the earth, during this time, is only a supposition; and there are considerations which destroy all ground even for that. 1. The saints are taken to Heaven. Rev. 7: 9; 14: 2, 3; 15: 2 (compared with 4: 1, 2, 6). And we have no evidence that they leave this place till the end of the 1000 years. For when taken to Heaven they are taken to the Father’s house which hath many mansions, which Jesus has gone to prepare. John 14: 2, 3. There can be no question that this house of many mansions is the city of God, the New Jerusalem on high. The saints, once taken to this city will not of course return to this earth till the city itself comes down; and that is not till the end of the 1000 years. Rev. 21: 1, 2. 2. But the greatest embarrassment under which the theory before us labors, is the fact that after the saints, with Christ at their head, have held possession of the earth for one thousand years, the wicked dead are raised from its surface, and, led on by Satan, force Christ and his people to retire to the city and endure a siege by their ungodly hosts. Thus the wicked come up with their polluted tread upon the fair surface of the new earth. They ravage its delightsome provinces. They find themselves in the very heart of the kingdom of Christ and engaged in a siege of its capital city. Away with so execrable and unscriptural a view. This embarrassment is seen and felt, and efforts are made to avoid it. The last attempt is the view that only a little portion of the earth, that is, Palestine, is cleansed when Christ commences his reign here on earth at the beginning of the 1000 years. And this, in utter defiance of the laws of type and antitype, and contrary to analogy, and Scripture, is called the cleansing of the sanctuary. So in this cleansed sanctuary Christ and his saints reign a thousand years—reign over an earth still polluted with the curse! But how is this? When Christ establishes his kingdom on the earth, when the tabernacle of God is with men, is not the curse removed? Are not all tears wiped away? Are not the former things passed away, and all things made new? Rev. 21: 1–5. Where is the evidence of a mixed millennium, or mortals and immortals on this earth, during the thousand years? Or, if the wicked living are all destroyed when Christ comes, and the wicked dead are not raised till the end of the thousand years, where is the evidence that Christ reigns for a thousand years over a limited portion of this earth, unscripturally called the sanctuary, the rest lying in ruin and desolation? And where is the evidence that it is this little kingdom which Christ delivers up to the Father? But, says the article under notice, when the wicked are raised at the end of the 1000 years, and come up around the camp of the saints and are destroyed, then “the Saviour will have completed his work, and the time will have come for him to deliver ‘up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power’ (1 Cor. 15: 24); and will himself become ‘subject’ to the Father, that God may be all in all.” This writer must certainly be laboring under a misapprehension of the Scriptures; and he seems even to misapprehend his own position. For what, according to this view, does Christ do during the thousand years? Nothing except to reign with his people in renewed Palestine. And when the wicked are destroyed at the close of that period, it is by fire from God out of Heaven. There is, then, no special work brought to view which Christ completes. And moreover the putting down of all rule and all authority and power, is not the work of Christ, but of the Father. God does this work in behalf of his Son. “Sit thou at my right hand,” says the Father, addressing the181 Son, “until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” Ps. 110: 1. But, again, is not the kingdom which Christ has upon earth, his own kingdom, or the throne of his father David? If so he never gives it up; for of that kingdom there is to be no end. Luke 1: 32, 33. Look at the following order of events, and compare it with the Scriptures: 1. When Christ triumphed in the work which he came to do at his first advent, the Father raised him to his own right hand far above principalities and powers, and every name in this world or the one to come. Eph. 1: 20, 21; Heb. 1: 3; 8: 1; 10: 12; 12: 2; 1 Pet. 3: 22. And this has been his position, ever since his ascension, associated with his Father on the throne of universal dominion, Rev. 3: 21, as priest-king. Zech. 6: 12, 13. 2. To this position which he now occupies, Ps. 110: 1 applies, God bidding him thus remain on his right hand until he [God] makes his [Christ’s] foes his footstool. 3. God has undertaken in behalf of his Son, to subdue all opposing powers; that is, all which would stand in the way of Christ’s securing the position which the Father has decreed for him; namely, to reign on the throne of David over a redeemed earth surpassing in loveliness and beauty the glories of Eden, and over a class of subjects all righteous and all immortal. In order to this, all sinners and evil angels, who oppose the work of Christ must perish, and death which holds myriads of the saints under its dominion must be destroyed. Hence we read, “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” 1 Cor. 15: 26. And this is spoken in reference to Christ and his people. The last thing that stands in the way of the redemption of those for whom Christ died, is death. When that is removed, the work is accomplished. And death is destroyed so far as it affects the people of God, at the first resurrection when they are released forever from its power. That this language must have reference to the righteous, is evident; for as it pertains to the wicked, it never is destroyed. It receives them into its fatal embrace in the second death, and holds them there to all eternity. 4. In connection with this putting down of all opposing powers on the part of the Father, the Son gives up his position as priest-king; that is, he ceases his work as great High Priest, and delivers back to the Father the kingdom he received when he entered upon that work, or when at his ascension his Father gave him a joint position with himself upon the throne of universal dominion, according to the texts already referred to. 5. Then Christ takes his own throne, the promised throne of David, and proceeds to establish his own kingdom which is to be without end. He then returns to this world for his saints, and takes them to the Father’s house, according to his promise, John 14: 2, 3, where they reign with him a thousand years. Rev. 20: 4. Here, and here only, we find a place for the fulfillment of those portions of John’s vision in which he saw the great company of the redeemed before the throne; the throne having previously been located in Heaven where God now is. And here only, also, we find a place and time for the fulfillment of 1 Cor. 6: 2, 3, which declares that the saints shall judge the world and angels. Here, during the thousand years they do judge the wicked of the earth, then sleeping in their graves, by examining the records of their deeds done in the body, and assigning the degree of punishment suitable thereto; and they judge the evil angels by apportioning their retribution in like manner. 6. During this thousand years the earth lies in a desolate condition, Jer. 4: 23–27; and is called the bottomless pit (ἄβυσσος), Rev. 20: 1, as in its original chaotic state. See Septuagint of Gen. 1: 2. In this place Satan is confined during the thousand years. Rev. 20: 2, 3. 7. At the close of the thousand years, the city comes down and is located upon the earth. The wicked dead are raised out of the earth yet unpurified. They come up over its desolate surface, and surround the camp of the saints, the beloved city. They behold the saints, those they had despised, scoffed at, persecuted and destroyed on the earth, safe in that secure and glorious abode. Then are fulfilled the words of Christ to the wicked Jews: “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and ye yourselves thrust out.” Luke 13: 28. 8. Fire comes down from God out of Heaven and destroys the wicked. With this fire the elements are melted, and even Satan and his evil angels are unable to endure its infinite intensity. They all perish together. Thus this earth, where Satan has wrought his ruin, and succeeded in marring for a time the handiwork of God, becomes for a thousand years his gloomy prison house, and at last his eternal grave. Upon the new earth which is then formed from the purified elements of the old, the saints go forth and enjoy an inheritance of everlasting loveliness and purity and peace. Thus when the wicked are cut off, the righteous behold it, as the psalmist declares. Ps. 37: 34. They look upon those who have transgressed against God, as they are consuming away, according to the testimony of Isaiah, 66: 24. They tread down the wicked as ashes under their feet, as Malachi predicted; Mal. 4: 1–3; and both the righteous and the wicked are recompensed in the earth, as Solomon affirms. Prov. 11: 31. With this view there seems to be a “place for everything and everything in its place;” but in no other that we have ever seen upon this subject, are we able to discover either harmony or beauty.