SOMETHING of a sensation has been made by the Rev. Heber Newton, pastor of All Souls' Episcopal Church, New York, who declared in a recent sermon that the need of the present age is a new religion. He said that Christianity in its present form does not satisfy the present progressive spiritual aspirations of humanity. For our part we can heartily agree with Mr. Newton. We think he is doubly right. In the first place the aspirations of humanity in general can be satisfied only by a fashion-plate, a fancy ball or party, a base-ball game, or a slogging match; and even "Christianity in its present form" cannot satisfy all these longings. And in the second place "Christianity in its present form" is so far removed from primitive Christianity that if the Christianity of Christ and his apostles were taught and lived out, it would be indeed a new religion. That is what the present age needs. Such Christianity will satisfy all the real needs of humanity. Says Christ, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matt. 11:28, 29. God is able to make all grace abound, and to do "exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask or think." He is able to satisfy the highest aspirations of the human heart. But the thoughts and longings of the mass of mankind are too low, and too nearly "only evil continually," to be satisfied by the pure gospel of Christ.
ONE USE OF TRIALS.
By M. C. W.
ONE of the purposes for which our kind heavenly Father permits trials to come upon us, is to reveal to us the imperfections of our character; not to discourage us, but that we may put them away and overcome them. We do not know what lusts are harbored in our sinful flesh till temptation assails us. We are in many things strong only because we have not been tested. Gladly would the Lord reveal to us the defect some other way, but we will not learn our weakness by faith in his word. So God allows it to be demonstrated to us by permitting us to fall. The example of Peter furnishes an instance of this. Peter loved the good opinion of his fellows. He was proud; he wished men to think well of him. Jesus read the defect in his character, and solemnly warned him. Luke 22:31-34. Peter could not believe the warning; he could not read his own heart. Therefore he fell, and his fall brought bitter weeping and humiliation. He doubtless thought he had conquered the inbred pride after that, and so it would seem. Thrice he professes love for the Lord with a full heart (John 21); he is the first speaker on the day of Pentecost; the first notable miracle is wrought through him and John (Acts 2 and 3); he is "filled with the Holy Ghost." Acts 4:8. Surely it would seem that he, if any, had cause to think that he would never fall. But the element of weakness remains in his character still. His pride of heart, or fear of man, leads him to "dissemble," and he is reproved by Paul. Gal. 2:11-16. We read of no lapses after that on the part of this great apostle.
Jesus desired Peter to learn his defect without falling. Peter might so have done if he had but taken to his heart the reproof of the Redeemer. But he did not fully do this, and there was no other way in which the Saviour could teach him his weakness but to let him stand alone against the powers of darkness. He did so, and Peter fell. He realized something of his weakness, something of its sinfulness, but not all. So God permitted him again to fall, and the lesson was learned. The Lord did not desire to deal in this way, but there was no other. It was mercy and not wrath which moved God thus to deal with the bold disciple.
It is even thus that the Lord deals with many. Let us learn the lesson without falling. Search the heart, study the motives, till can be seen the motive power of our deeds of sin; till can be seen the hidden springs of iniquity. Seeing this, "humble yourselves in the sight of God." Suppose that it read, "Humble yourselves as in the sight of God," just as men will when before their very eyes stands revealed the glorified Majesty of Heaven, from whose sight not one thought can be hidden? But the text does not say, "As in his sight;" it says, "In the sight of the Lord." God sees all the heart now as clearly as he will see it then, and he desires us to realize this. Such views of ourselves are not flattering, but they are efficacious. They lead us to realize our weakness and nothingness; and realizing this, if we desire holiness we will seek Him in whom "all fullness dwells," and seeking, we shall find. Let us not be too fearful of getting an adverse and humiliating view of self. The more hatred we have of selfishness the more eager will we be for that love which comes only through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the more fully will we rejoice in the "exceeding great and precious promises" of the gospel. Into these trials or temptations, O Lord, "lead us not;" help us to learn without them. M. C. W.
NO PRACTICAL DIFFERENCE.
A recent proposal in the French Chamber of Deputies, to abolish the embassy to the Vatican, was rejected by a vote of 307 to 217. On that occasion Prince Goblet made the following speech, for which he was applauded:—
"As long as we live under the régime of the Concordat, it is necessary to maintain relations with the Vatican for the training of the clergy and the appointment of bishops and cardinals. The importance of our protectorate in Eastern countries, also, requires the maintenance of friendly relations with the Vatican. Rival powers dispute our protectorate. The friendship of the Pope is, therefore, precious.
The Pope already has his bitternesses. Is it for us to increase them? It has been said recently that the Pope could no longer count upon any country but France. That does not mean that France will intervene to restore his temporal power; but the more the Pope is deprived of that power the more France ought to honor him by curtailing nothing of her respect for the high authority he represents."
The present Pope may be trusted to make himself indispensable to the Governments of Europe. It matters little whether he has temporal power or not, so long as he practically controls the movements of the great powers. In this connection it may be noted that the Pope has recently received a letter from the Czar, accepting the Vatican's proposals, and promising to restore diplomatic relations between the Russian Government and the Vatican at an early date.
The Commentary.
OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY.
SHRINKING FROM DUTY.
(Lesson 1, Sabbath, Jan. 5.)
1. UNDER what circumstances did the Lord appear to Moses at Horeb?
"Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the back side of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither; put off thy shoes from off thy feet; for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God." Ex. 3:1-6.
2. For what purpose did the Lord appear to him?
"And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their task-masters; for I know their sorrows; and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that hand unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me; and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt." Verses 7-10.
3. By what name did the Lord say he would be known?
"And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM; and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you; this is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations." Verses 13-15.
4. What is the significance of this name?—The One who is; the self-existent and eternal One.
5. What similar terms do we find in the New Testament?
"John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne." Rev. 1:4. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever." Heb. 13:8.
6. What sign was given to Moses, by which the Israelites might know that the Lord had appeared to him?778"And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee. And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand; that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee." Ex. 4:1-5.
7. What additional sign was given?
"And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom; and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh." Verses 6, 7.
8. What further sign was Moses to give in case the Israelites should not believe the first two?
"And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land; and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land." Verse 9.
9. What excuse did Moses then make?
"And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant; but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue." Verse 10.
10. What rebuke and encouragement did the Lord give him?
"And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say." Verses 11, 12.
11. What reply did Moses make?
"And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send." Verse 13.
12. With what did Moses thus indirectly charge God? See note.
13. How did the Lord regard this?
"And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses." Verse 14, first clause.
14. What further encouragement did he give Moses?
"And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee; and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth; and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God." Verses 14-16.
15. What practical lesson may we learn from this occurrence? See note.
NO BOASTING.
THE true soldier of Christ, be he ever so faithful, will never feel to boast of his attainments of character or holiness of life. As he gets nearer Jesus, he comprehends more of the infinite perfection of the Master, and sees less to be praised in himself. He may not have been guilty of conscious sin during a certain period, yet when he reviews that period side by side with the life of the great Example, how imperfect it seems. Like Daniel he feels that his comeliness is turned into corruption. Dan. 10:8. The infirmities of our fallen natures are manifested at almost every step, and the tendencies of sinful flesh and confirmed habits have, in unguarded moments, often unconsciously marred the work we were doing for the Master. God accepts the work because it is wrought in love, through grace, by a heart which is set to do the whole will of God; but he does not condone our faults. These we are to "mortify," "crucify," "keep under," "put off." The graces are to "increase," the love to "abound more and more." There will ever be growth till imperfection reaches perfection, till the babe in Christ reaches the fully-developed man. Then with Paul let the child of God say, "Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
WHAT MORE CAN BE ASKED?
The Christian Nation of December 5 reports that "the committee appointed at the last synod [of the Reformed Presbyterians] to circulate petitions seeking a Christian Amendment to the Constitution, to be signed by those who refuse to accept it in its present form, sent out blank forms to all the congregations of the church during the month of August." They say that "those who did not on November 6 send men to swear to the Constitution should now take opportunity of recording their votes for its amendment." What ails the Constitution now? It grants to all men the privilege of living or refusing to live Christians. So does Christianity. "Whosoever will" may come. Rev. 22:17. The Constitution does not compel men to accept any religion. Neither did Christ. "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." 2 Cor. 5:11. What more can be asked? He who asks for that which will discriminate between men, seeks to build up tyranny and oppression. His object is wholly selfish; and selfishness has no part in the religion of Christ. The so-called Christian Amendment to the Constitution will unjustly discriminate between individuals whose only difference before the amended Constitution will be their religious belief or non-belief. Therefore it is not Christian; it is antichristian.
NOTES.
By Editor
WHEN Moses said to the Lord, "Send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou shouldst send," he indirectly charged God with not knowing whom he ought to send. If the Lord had not seen that Moses was the best man for the place, he would not have selected him. While God does not want a man to run when he has not been sent (see Jer. 23:21), he does want a man to go when he sends him. If God indicates that he wants a man to do a certain work, that is sufficient evidence that he will sustain him in that work. It is a terrible thing to refuse to obey the Lord. To beg off from labor to which one has been appointed, is not always humility. It may be an evidence of pride or stubbornness. This case under consideration may naturally call to the minds of many the case of Jonah, although Jonah was not like Moses except in that he did not want to do what the Lord wanted him to do. The motives of the two men were different. The teacher, however, who exhausts the lesson before the allotted time has expired, will do well to call attention to the case of Jonah, and of others that come to his mind, as different phases of this shrinking from duty.
VERY often people who plead inability to do a certain work in the church or Sabbath-school, to which they are called, think that their refusal is an evidence of their humility, when, in fact, it is an evidence of nothing but pride. They fear that if they should take hold of it, they might make mistakes, and that people might not think so much of them in consequence. And so, in order to avoid possible criticism by men, they are content to be drones, and to risk the displeasure of God. That is one of the worst kinds of pride.
THE golden text of the lesson contains the intrinsic meaning of the Nazarite's vow. It reads, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." The Nazarite was one who voluntarily set himself apart from the unholy practices of the world, to become a vessel meet for the Master's use. He offered himself to God as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable, and took upon him, with his vow of separation, certain marks of his service and appointment, as a priest takes upon him the robes of his office.
ONE of the definite requirements in a Nazarite was entire abstinence from wine and strong drink, and from everything of the nature of an intoxicant. He was also to keep himself from contact with anything of a polluting nature; for he was to be holy unto the Lord. Perfect temperance was to characterize his living, and true temperance is a total abstinence from all that is injurious, and a moderate use only of that which is good.
THE very nature of wine and strong drink is contrary to the reasonable service that is acceptable to God. Says the wise man, "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging; and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." This fact is so apparent that there is scarcely any need of the aid of inspiration to enlighten the mind to the terrible truth. The shore of the past is marked by the wrecks of men and nations, whose noble crafts struck on the rock of intemperance, and plunged down into the sea of degradation and ruin. Even in this our day of boasted light, we see on every hand the direful effects of wine and strong drink. The whole land is under the shadow of its curse, and the whole heart sick under the woe of its evil. Homes are filled with its misery, the streets with its beggars, the poor-houses with its paupers, the asylums with its inebriates, insane, and idiots, the land with its crime, the prisons with its criminals, and the gallows with its victims. Hell is enlarged, and opens her mouth for the offspring of this prolific mother of debauchery and vice.
LIKE a searing stream, intoxicating liquors burn through the fine tissues of the body, till not only the functions of the physical being are wholly deranged, but affection, intelligence, and spirituality are wholly wiped out; and he who was made in the image of God becomes the apparent child and work of the devil, a dishonor to God and a curse and blot upon his creation.
HOWEVER moderately intoxicating drink may be used, it will result in evil, and evil continually. In its first entrance it is an alien and enemy to the mechanism and organism of man. Insensibly it blunts his fine moral perceptions, deadens his affections, steals the bloom from his soul, and degrades his entire being. Then when the advantage is sure, and it will be sure finally, it blots out all that is fine and God-like.
FROM this fact it is evident that its use is incompatible with service to God. An entire separation from wine and strong drink is essential in the servant of the Most High. God is a spirit, and he who worships him must worship him in spirit and in truth. This worship requires the exercise of the delicate spiritual faculties and perceptions that are the first to be blunted by the use of stimulants.
THE Lord does not force men into his service, but he kindly unfolds his requirements for the good of those who will choose him and his way. They must cleanse themselves from "all filthiness of the flesh and spirit," and perfect holiness before him. Those who are received by him at last have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They are without spot or wrinkle, blameless before high Heaven. Christ was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil, and save his people from their sins. He calls them to the Nazarite's vow: "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
THE flesh must be in subservience to the spirit, not the spirit to the flesh, and the use of intoxicants helps to bind the spirit in a most bitter bondage to the flesh. While the separation to the service of Christ calls for self-denial, it brings the truest liberty. Says the psalmist, "I will walk at liberty; for I seek thy precepts." When every faculty of the mind is brought into subjection to the will of the Creator, and that is, into harmony with the original law of its being, its possessor knows "the glorious liberty of the sons of God;" he is in Christ Jesus, and there is779no condemnation, but the peace that passeth understanding. The Lord commanded Moses to pronounce a blessing upon those who separated themselves from the pollutions of the world to serve him. He was to say: "The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." These words of blessing belong to all who give themselves in unreserved surrender to the service of their Lord and Saviour.
FANNIE BOLTON.
INDIANS AND THE BIBLE.
At the Thousand Islands meeting the first to speak was the Rev. Egerton R. Young, of Canada, for nine years a missionary amongst the Indians of the far north-land. His home was at Norway House, 400 miles north of the Winnipeg, and on the lake of that name. His circuit was 350 by 550 miles, the temperature falling sometimes as low as 55° below zero. Mr. Young told the following story:—
"At Norway House, on a certain occasion, a number of Indians came into my room noiselessly, after their fashion, so that the room was filled with them before I knew it. When I became aware of their presence I asked whence they were. 'From a journey of fourteen nights,' they replied; for they reckon distance by the number of nights they are delayed to sleep. 'We have got the Keesenaychen [the Great Book], but we don't understand it, although we can read it.' I thought they were joking, for the Indians cannot read unless someone has taught them, and I knew from their account that they must live far away from any missionary; but I asked them, 'From what missionary did you learn?' 'We never saw a missionary nor a teacher!' I took down from our shelf our Bible, printed in the beautiful syllabic character for the Cree language, and opened to Genesis; they read it with ease and correctness. I turned the pages, and they read in many places. I was amazed, and asked them again where they lived. They described it to me; it was far away north of Hudson's Bay, hundreds of miles from any missionary. Their hunting-grounds, it seems, adjoin those of some Christian Indians—they cover great distances in hunting—'and,' continued my visitors, 'we visited your Indians and found that they had the Keesenaychen. We got them to read it, and then to teach it to us; and we were so pleased with it that we all learned to read it during the winter.' Every soul in a village of three hundred population had thus actually learned to read the Bible without ever having seen any white teacher; and having providentially come into possession of some copies that happened to be in the hands of the Hudson's Bay Company's agent, these Indians had journeyed through the snow fourteen nights' distance that to them might be given instruction in the book they had thus learned to love."
—Record of Christian Work.
The Missionary.
By O. A. Johnson
MONTANA.
I HELD my first meeting in the tent at Livingston, Park County, Montana, on July 6, and continued meetings in that place about eight weeks. After that I held meetings in schoolhouses and in private families in and about Livingston till November 24, when I started for home to get ready for work in my appointed field of labor. When I came to Livingston I found a few endeavoring to live out the truth, and quite a number more have since begun to obey, so that twenty-six signed the covenant. There are a few others keeping the Sabbath, and still others deeply interested in the truth. The interest seemed as good when I left as at any previous time. There are a number of scattered brethren in this Territory, some of whom have come into the truth, through reading alone.
There are some good openings for meetings in Montana. People do not seem to be so bound by church creeds as in older settled places. They are more independent. It seems to me that this Territory is a very good place for ministers to work, as well as for canvassers. The people are mostly intelligent and ready to hear and read. I sold over $100 worth of books and tracts, mostly of our own publications. Collections and offerings amounted to $65.58, and the tithes, which were paid mostly by those who signed the covenant, amounted to $329.78. I never saw people more ready to accept and act upon the tithing system than these were. The total expenses I think will not exceed $190, and this includes my expenses to and from Montana, and all tent and tent-master's expenses and time. Hence those who now compose this company have already paid in nearly enough to cover all the expenses of the of the work there, including my time.
Two Sabbath-schools were organized, one of about twenty members in the city, and one of about fifteen members in the country. A Tract Society was organized, which has already secured a good supply of tracts. They also take a club of the SIGNS and a club of Sentinels.
These brethren are anxious to have a minister go there and carry on the work already begun, and extend the work to other parts of the Territory. May God bless and help these dear souls to be faithful to the end.
O. A. JOHNSON.
"BREAD UPON THE WATERS."
By Adoniram Judson Gordon
JAMES BRAINERD TAYLOR was a graduate of Princeton, and only twenty-eight when he died, yet he did a work that any man might envy. He got hold of the idea that there was something in this doctrine of the enduement of the Spirit. Studying the subject, he became perfectly sure that the Holy Ghost might come upon him as upon the original disciples. So he prayed, and his prayers were answered. Whenever he went out he stirred all with whom he came in contact. Sinners used to fall before his preaching as grass before the scythe. It was spontaneous. He could not help speaking to men, and his words were mighty.
There is one very beautiful experience in his life. One day he was out driving, and he drew his horse up to a watering-trough. It so happened that another young man was doing the same thing. While the horses' heads met in the trough, he turned to the young man and said, "I hope you love the Lord. If you don't, I want to commend him to you as your best friend. Seek him with all your heart."
That was all. They turned and went their ways. But what was the result? The young man thus spoken to was converted, was educated for the ministry, and went as a missionary to Africa.
Said this missionary afterward: "Over and over again I wished I knew who that man was who spoke to me at the watering-trough. But I never knew till someone sent to me in Africa a box of books. I opened them, saw a little black-covered book, opened it, turned to the title-page, and there I saw a portrait—a beautiful face. Ah! said I, that is the man that preached the gospel to me at the watering-trough. To him I owe my salvation."
And that of how many more on the Dark Continent! What we want to-day is to be filled with the Spirit. We are filled with so many other things—pride, selfishness, ambition, and vainglory. May the Lord enable us to empty our hearts, and have them filled as by a mighty rushing wind!—Rev. A. J. Gordon, D. D.
A TRUE REVIVAL.
EVERY revival of religion recorded in the Bible seems to have been a revival of personal righteousness among God's own people. No amount of outward prosperity, no increase of numbers, no new and attractive forms of worship, can possibly make up for or take the place of the faithful conformity to the whole will of God on the part of those who are called by his name. The sooner the ministers and churches recognize this fundamental truth and necessity and bend all their energies toward the bringing about of such a revival, the better it will be for the church as such, and the speedier shall we all reach the desired end of seeing ungodly and skeptical unbelievers brought under the power of the gospel.—Independent.
Prayer and Spiritual Life
"PRAYER is the pulse of the renewed soul, the constancy of its beat is the test and measure of the spiritual life. Better fail a thousand times, and in everything else, than attempt to shape for yourself a life without God, without hope in Christ, and without interest in Heaven."
Give Room for Faith
We should believe God. All that he has said he will make good. He will reproduce his words in facts. His great promises are fulfilled with as much ease as the less ones. He can make an ocean as readily as a dewdrop. He can give you a large blessing as readily as a small one; only give him room in your faith.