p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 36. (9/16/1913)

A Minister Who Knew His Message.

John the Baptist would not have suited some of our theologians of the present time, those who think it quite commendable in ministers to suggest doubts, who feel that it will not do for the minister to be dogmatic. He must even question his own position regarding the great pillars of faith and of vital lines along which truth flows. Not so was it with John the Baptist. The Jews themselves—the scribes and the Pharisees and the Sadducees—had built up their own systems of tradition and higher criticism, and must consult the fathers to know the truth. They wondered who that prophet was, preaching out in the wilderness, who so mightily stirred the people; but instead of themselves going, they sent a committee to interview him. They asked him, “Who art thou?” He replied, “I am not the Christ.” They said, “Art thou Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Art thou the prophet?” they again asked him, and he answered “No.” Then said they, “Who art thou?”—We are not particularly interested ourselves, but we must give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? And his answer clearly shows that he knew his mission and knew his message,—“I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet.” See John 1:19-23. For seven centuries, nearly, the prophet’s words had been unfulfilled. The time came to make them a living message to the world, and God chose John the Baptist for that purpose. For almost three times that number of centuries other prophecies have lain seemingly dormant in God’s word. The time has come for them to be given to the world, and God is choosing men who know their mission and who know their message. So, are you heeding it?

The Law and the Gospel

Our Bible reading this week is on the law and the gospel. It was law and gospel last week; it is law and gospel still. It shows us that the gospel of Jesus Christ is not contrary to the law of the Father, but it brings the believer in harmony with God, and writes His law upon the heart.

Gospel Stories from Meiktila

We print the first of four stories which are interesting reading—at least ought to be—to young men and young women, in fact all who are interested in missions. They are not founded in imagination, but in fact. They come to us from one of our mission workers who is at the head of a school in far Burma. They are concerning natives that have come into that school out of heathenism. They tell us the working of the gospel in the hearts of these boys. Read these stories of actual experience—they are better than all the romances that have been written—and then pray that many more like them may find the Saviour through the school at Meiktila.

God So Loved.

Probably the most familiar text of the whole Bible is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” And yet how little do we hear said on the real object of the love! Men dwell on the love of God,—it is wonderful; on the gift that He bestowed,—it is unspeakable; but He loved, and He gave in order that men might have; and the thing which God desires them to have is beyond all human comprehension—eternal life. We know but the mortal life here. It is as a shadow, and as a vapor, and as a dream that soon passes away. God gives through Jesus Christ, to the believer, eternal life. We begin with it here, where we hold it by faith, a life that will enable us to overcome sin and win the victory which Christ died that we might win; but under the blessed boon of immortality, it will be perpetuated to all eternity in the kingdom that shall never know death, or blight, and where “the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick.” Let us constantly recall the love and the gift; but let us also remember that this came that we might have that which we do not in any wise deserve, but which is infinitely precious, eternal life.

The Right.—

Men are prone to talk about their rights, and strive for their rights, when it means antagonism to some one else, and they think that some one else is encroaching upon their rights. But there is one right given of God through Jesus Christ upon which no one can encroach, of which no one can deprive us, and which, tho ten thousand may appreciate and have the same right, does not deprive us of any of its inestimable blessings. Read John 1:12, 13, of our Lord Jesus Christ: “But as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” Some render, “to them gave He the power,” “the privilege.” What a gracious one it is, isn’t it? Man may be deprived of all the natural rights that belong to him, by the governments of this world; but the privilege is still his to claim his right to sonship with God. The minions of a king may cast him into a dungeon; he has a greater birthright than the king. The dungeon lasts only for a day; his birthright, if accepted, is forever; and all that is required for him to make it his is to believe on the name of the only-begotten Son of God. That believing brings him into harmony with the working of God’s power, and that power changes the natural heart of man from a child of disobedience to one whose highest thought is loyalty to God. Take it home to your heart, fellow pilgrim, whether you be Christian or sinner. Cherish that right above all others, and tell, just as far as influence and voice may reach, that God gives the same blessed privilege to every one.

Immortality and Eternal Life.

Men are called immortal, and souls are called immortal, in common theology, never so in the Bible. Many times people confound immortality and eternal life, but there is clear distinction between the two. Immortality refers to the substance, to the entire physical man: “This mortal shall put on immortality,” but not until Christ comes. Now God “only hath immortality.” But eternal life is the energy and power of God’s Spirit which the believer receives. “He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life” (John 3:36), a life which the worldling does not have, which has not been received by the unbeliever. Life is power, and the life is needed that the sin may be overcome and that the believer may walk at liberty. But it comes only to the believer in Christ. Faith opens the channel, and the current of life from God flows into the heart of the believer. “But he that obeyeth not the Son [the margin has, ‘He that believeth not the Son’] shall not see life [that is, this eternal life], but the wrath of God abideth on him,” and that wrath ends in the ultimate destruction of the unbeliever. How simple, indeed, is the gospel word to the child of faith! We may not understand, but we may apprehend. We may not comprehend the process by which God does this, but we may know that He does it; and it is highly reasonable to believe that the infinite God, who loves His children, will do it.

Britain’s Opium Trade in China

By Editor

No good ever wrought by the British people will atone for Britain’s awful crime of forcing upon China the purchase of opium, the curse of every race that uses it. And Britain is doing this in the face of China’s noble effort to prohibit its production and use throughout her realm, as our China correspondent so clearly pointed out a few weeks ago. It will be well for England to remember that “curses, like chickens, come home to roost.”

Railway Collision Near New Haven

Another fearful railway horror occurred on the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad in the early morning of September 2. One express train telescoped another, nine miles from New Haven. The dead number 21, the injured 40. The accident is in part attributed to the use of condemned ‘banjo’ signals.

Fewer Cattle, More Corn

There are 16,000,000 fewer cattle in the United States than there were in 1907, according to the Department of Agriculture. Does it mean that the people are becoming vegetarians? If so, it is well. There is more corn now than then.

Unrest in Mexico

At the present it looks as tho Huerta, of Mexico, were preparing to defy the United States. Americans in Mexico declare that pandemonium reigns in a great part of the republic. Poor Mexico!