WHEN God created man He put him upon probation, i. e., trial. This was not a trial of God's power, else man was not in it. To man was delegated the power of doing right or wrong, otherwise he would not have been responsible. Neither was man a machine actuated or moved to act by a higher spiritual power.
If so, he was treated unjustly. Man had not then lost, through hereditary weakness or the result of evil habits, the power (by faith, of course) to obey. His body was strong and vigorous. He was perfect in his organization. In this respect he was superior to the second Adam.
He was born four thousand years this side of the fall, and had entailed upon his physical nature the weakness of degenerating humanity. The sins of the parents are visited upon the children.
The stream does not rise higher than the fountain. Yet Christ, the second Adam, with all the sinful tendencies of the flesh, weakened through heredity by the multiplied sins of his ancestors, successfully contended with the mind of the flesh and with the world without, and with Satan himself.
The life of the first Adam was a manifestation of human righteousness, which proved a failure. The life of the second Adam was a manifestation of God's righteousness, which was a success. Through this same divine power in us we may be able to bring our bodies under, and successfully contend with all outside influences, and thus manifest the righteousness of God. This is the only power to save, and this power in Christ is in us when we receive Him. And to "as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God."
The Spiritual and Physical Birth.
To become like the second Adam we must be born again. This new birth, which begins with a change of heart (mind), is not completed until the body itself is redeemed from corruption. The power that accomplishes this work is from above. It is God's power, the power of the Spirit. John 3:3-7; Rom. 8:11.
When the mind is thus changed it delights in the law of God. Rom. 7:22. But this new mind finds another mind to contend with—the mind of the flesh. This physical mind is corrupt, it is not subject to the law, neither can it be until it is redeemed from corruption. In it dwells no good thing. Rom. 7:18. It wars against the law of the mind. "So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." Rom. 7:25.
But in 1 Cor. 9:27 we read, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection." How could he do this?—"Through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 7:25; 8:13.
Now if by the power of the Spirit I keep my body under, I am not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. Thus the body becomes dead; that is, loses its ruling power. Rom. 8:7-10.
The Redemption of the Body.
In Rom. 8:21-23 we are assured that the deliverance of the whole creation "from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God," includes "the redemption of our body." But when does this deliverance come? "It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption; . . . it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body." 1 Cor. 15:42-44. There is but one way and one time that this natural, corruptible, sinful body can be changed. The way is by a resurrection from the dead, or a translation, which is essentially the same. Phil. 3:20, 21; 1 Cor. 15:42-55. The time is at the second coming of Christ.
There is no such thing as a holy or purified body this side of the resurrection, only as it is made so by the constant controlling power of the Holy Spirit. The flesh will forever war against the Spirit until the end, when corruption shall be swallowed up by incorruption, and mortality by immortality at the coming of Christ. As we now sense the evil tendencies of our nature, and are led by the Spirit to hate sin, we "groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." And in response to His promise, "Surely I come quickly," we are led to cry out, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." C. H. BLISS.
Franklin, Ind.
MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS, IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
By Editor
SOME criticism was directed toward The Christian Advocate for admitting from Dr. William Burt an article on "Mariolatry." In a recent article Dr. Burt furnished his justification for what he had written.
Pope Leo XIII., conscious of his approaching death, has issued his last prayer, of which The Independent, with commendable enterprise, gave the first translation to the people of this country. It is as follows:—
"Leo, now sets thy sun; pale is its dying ray;
Black night succeeds thy day.
"Black night for thee; wasted thy frame; life's flood sustains
No more thy shrunken veins.
"Death casts his fatal dart; robed for the grave, thy bones
Lie under the cold stones.
"But my freed soul escapes her chains, and longs in flight
To reach the realms of light.
"That is the goal she seeks; thither her journey fares;
Grant, Lord, my anxious prayers,
"That, with the citizens of Heaven, God's face and light
May ever thrill my sight;
"That I may see thy face, Heaven's Queen, whose mother-love
Has brought me home above.
"To thee, saved through the tangles of a perilous way,
I lift my grateful lay."
There is but slight reference, if any, in this poem to the Redeemer, and while the aspiration of the pope is that God's face and light may ever thrill his sight, it will be observed that the principal credit is given for his salvation to the Virgin Mary, and his chief aspiration is to behold her face.
It is certain that the spirit of the Roman Catholic Church attaches much more importance to the mother of Jesus than appears to have been attached to her by the writers of the New Testament. We attended a service in one of the chief Roman Catholic churches of England, and, taking up a volume in the pew which we occupied, saw that it was entitled, "The Ursuline Manual," duly authorized for the use of this teaching order, so widely known throughout the world, and represented on this continent in Quebec. Turning over its pages, we saw one stanza that surprised, and another that pleased us. The one that surprised was this:—
"Heart of Mary, I implore thee;
Heart of Jesus, I adore Thee;
Heart of Joseph, pure and just,
In these three hearts I put my trust."
That which pleased was found in the Appendix. It was Charles Wesley's hymn:—
"Jesus, Lover of my soul,
Let me to thy bosom fly,"
with only a slight modification.—Christian Advocate.
THE LAND OF LIFE.
By L. D. Santee
SOMETIMES, while sitting in a pleasant dreaming,
Faith sees the city that shall soon appear,
Its jasper walls, and pearly portals gleaming,
Grandly descending to our lower sphere.
The tree of Life, the glorious “many mansions,”
The bowers of Eden, and the throne of God;
Faith sees it all, through the glad soul’s expansion—
That home where mortal feet have never trod.
The happy songs from all the glad immortals,
The music flowing from the golden keys,
The faithful passing through the pearly portals,
The “Benedicite” pronounced on these.
The lame shall leap, the dumb shall shout with gladness,
And all the woes of earth be left behind,
The heart shall thrill, once breaking in its gladness,
And brightly beam the eyes that once were blind.
All life’s perplexing problems have their meaning,
But faith looks up to scenes beyond the sky,
And hope is bright, on God’s sure promise leaning,
Knowing the rest is coming by-and-by.
All, all, will soon be seen by human vision,
The joys no mortal tongue can ever tell,
The holy city, and the land elysium,
That home of righteousness where all is well.
Elgin, Ill. L. D. SANTEE.
MUSINGS.
Do THE angels minister to you? and do great thoughts fill your soul when you contemplate what God is calling you to be? He asks you to be His friend. Can you think of this and not be overwhelmed with unspeakable humility? Can you contemplate how wonderful a thing your soul is when the God of the universe condescends to entreat you to be His friend? yea, more, to be His heir?
A Rich Inheritance
Rockefeller is rich, but he obtained most of his money by selling what your Father put into the earth for the children of this earth.
God Our Inheritance
Look out upon the ocean, the mountains, and even up to the stars. Your Father created and made them all. Are you poor with an inheritance like this? Are you desolate with God as your friend? Can anything separate you from your inheritance when God has promised you that He would be with you, and that He has prepared a place for you, that where He is there you may be also?
ELIZA VEEDER DOW
By Eliza Veeder Dow
O arise! Look up! Take on new and lofty and sublime hopes! God is for you, and no one can harm you if you trust in Jehovah!
ELIZA VEEDER DOW
Petaluma, Cal.
GOD'S WILL CONCERNING US.
Chapter 1: 1-12.
[Study for Sabbath, July 4, 1903.]
THE INTRODUCTION, VERSES 1, 2.
By whom is this epistle written?—"Paul."
What does the writer call himself?—"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus."
Through what is he an apostle?—"Through the will of God."
To whom is the epistle written?—"To the saints that are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus."
With what benediction does he greet them?—"Grace to you and peace."
From whom is the greeting?—"From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS, VERSES 3-12.
To whom does the apostle ascribe blessing?—"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
With what has God blessed us?—"Who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places."
In whom are we blessed?—"In Christ."
In accordance with what has God blessed us?—"Even as He chose us in Him."
When did God choose us?—"Before the foundation of the world."
What did God choose that we should be?—"That we should be holy and without blemish."
By whose standard are we to be judged?—"Before Him."
In what did God foreordain us?—"In love having foreordained us (margin)."
Unto what are we foreordained?—"Unto adoption."
Adoption as what?—"As sons."
Through whom are we foreordained?—"Through Jesus Christ."
Unto whom?—"Unto Himself."
According to what are we ordained?—"According to the good pleasure of His will."
To the praise of what are we foreordained?—"To the praise of the glory of His grace."
Through whom is this grace bestowed?—"Which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved."
What do we have through this grace in the Beloved?—"In whom we have our redemption."
Through what does the redemption come?—"Through His blood."
What does that redemption bring?—"The forgiveness of our trespasses."
According to what are we forgiven?—"According to the riches of His grace."
How has this grace abounded?—"Which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence."
What does He make known through this grace?—"Making known unto us the mystery of His will."
In accordance with what has He made known His will?—"According to His good pleasure."
In whom is God's good pleasure purposed?—"Which He [God] purposed in Him [Christ]."
Unto what is His good pleasure purposed?—"Unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times."
To what end is His good pleasure purposed?—"To sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in Him, I say."
What are we made in Him?—"In whom also we were made a heritage."
By what means?—"Having been foreordained."
According to what?—"According to the purpose of Him."
What assurance have we of the power of His purpose?—"Who worketh all things after the counsel of His will."
What is God's object in all His purpose, grace, and blessings?—"To the end that we should be unto the praise of His glory, we who had before hoped in Christ."
Suggestions for Study.
"An Apostle."—The word apostle means "messenger," or "one sent with a message." It has been supposed by many that the word apostle applied only to "the twelve;" but Paul was an apostle, and so were Barnabas and Epaphroditus. See Acts 14:14; Phil. 2:25 (Greek, apostle). So also our Lord is called (Heb. 3:11), making sixteen apostles at least mentioned in the New Testament. The apostle seems to mention still others in 2 Cor. 8:23. The important fact of apostleship is not the office or the man, but the message. No apostle carried with him any other authority save what was in the message; and the authority was in the message, not because an apostle gave it, but because of Him who sent it.
"Through the Will of God."—Paul did not make himself an apostle. God's gifts do not come from man's choice. We may desire to be prophets or apostles or evangelists, but the appointment rests with God. His Spirit divides to each one severally, even "as He will" (1 Cor. 12:11), and always according to our power or ability to use His gift (Matt. 25:14).
"To the Saints."—The word saint means a holy one, a separated one, a set-apart one. It means one separated from the world and set apart unto God. Characteristics of latter-day saints are thus given: "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12. This epistle was addressed not only to the saints at Ephesus, but to the faithful in Christ Jesus everywhere in all ages, and, hence, to us. One other thought: We do not read of Bible saints calling themselves such. They thus speak of their brethren; but the terms they apply to themselves is ever "apostle," "messenger," or "servant."
Grace and Peace.—In the grace—God's unmerited favor, the revelation of Himself to sinful man—God gives the peace; and He gives it to us. As to what it is and how it comes we will study later. But herein catch the precious thought. It is bestowed upon His people, alike from Father and Son.
"Blessed."—The word "blessed" means to be "well spoken of," eulogized, praised. And the great God, the Father of all, even of our Lord Jesus Christ, is worthy of all praise, because He has blessed us, spoken well of us. What God speaks is so. His speaking it makes it so. Speaking well of God expresses our sentiments and feelings; but God speaking well of us brings to us all that which He has spoken in our behalf. What is this? How much does it include? "Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings." Do not put them afar off to the future; take them now. It is not God "once blessed," or God "will bless," but God "hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ." "His divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that called us by His own glory and virtue," 2 Peter 1:3. "For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in Him should all the fulness dwell;" "in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and in Him ye are made full." Col. 1:19; 2:9, 10. If we embrace the Son, if we lay hold on Christ, by yielding all to Him, in Him we obtain all. Every spiritual blessing is ours to grasp if we will. We may die of thirst, believing ourselves on the great salt sea; but God's great flowing Amazon of the water of life is all about us; "dip it up" and drink.
God's Choosing.—O the infinite assurance of His goodness. We did not choose Him; He chose us. He did not choose us to be evil, but to be holy and without blemish. He did not wait for us to develop character, and then choose us; He chose our characters in the beginning. He marked them all out in His own righteousness, sons of God through Jesus Christ; each one of these characters having its own individuality, with a name expressive of its inherent righteousness, its individuality, and its experience; and all these names of characters were written before Him in the Lamb's book of life in the beginning. Rev. 13:8; 17:8. And now He comes down into this evil world by His Spirit, His Word, His Son, His messengers, and calls each one of us to one of these characters, holy and without blemish before Him.
"Foreordained."—The word rendered foreordained means to determine, limit, mark out beforehand. God marks us out beforehand to be His sons, adopted through Jesus Christ. He foresaw the sin, He knew that it would come in the great testing of character, but the characters written in the book of life remain. The ultimate possible character of each sinful soul that He calls (and He calls all) is there written. The sonship which we lost by sin, He will restore by adoption. What man would not have through creation in His Son, God offers in plentitude through regeneration by grace in Jesus Christ. Nor does He place men farther away because they sinned. In love He marks out beforehand our adoption as sons unto Himself. Not one degree in relationship are we to be removed, so far as Infinite Love can do the work. "Wherefore come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; and I will receive you, and I will be to you a Father, and ye shall be to Me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." 2 Cor. 6:17, 18. How could He do more? This is "the good pleasure of His will;" is it our will to accept it? How can we refuse it?
To His Glory.—The character of the workman is proclaimed by his work. The carpenter who can take the poorest material and make it into a house the first of its class is the best carpenter. The house is to the praise of his glory. The wonderful poem made of a combination of common words, the marvelous painting, produced by a combination of common and various pigments, are to the praise of the singer and artist. A number of years ago a noble lady of France laid a wager with a German lord that Paris would take the most insignificant thing and make of it a creation of glory and beauty. A hair was chosen. It was sent to Paris. In the beak of a German eagle in gold and medallion the hair was placed, and suspended from either end of the hair were the symbols in miniature of the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, underneath was the inscription, "Alsace and Lorraine—you hold them only by a hair." The wager was paid. The thing of art and beauty from the hair was to the praise of the skill of Paris. Infinitely more than this God proposes to do in Christ Jesus; He will take the poor wrecks of humanity sin has made in this world, in whose flesh dwells no good thing, and make them to the praise of the glory of His grace throughout all eternity. We can not see how it is possible to do it, but He "worketh all things after the counsel of His will."
His Grace.—This epistle is a revelation of His grace. "Grace to you," "the glory of His grace," "the riches of His grace;" "by grace ye are saved;" "the exceeding riches of His grace;" "how abundant is the grace," freely bestowed. It brings redemption. It forgives all our trespasses, not according to our poor asking, or conception, "according to the riches of His grace." It "abounds" in our behalf. "Where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly." Rom. 5:20. It gives righteousness for sin, life for death, always sufficient, "in all wisdom and prudence." And in His unfathomable goodness God has made this great "mystery of His will" known, in order that each soul of us may believe and accept His finished work.
"A Heritage."—He goes still farther. He sees us not only as forgiven sinners, not only as sons, not only as a part of that glorious culmination of all the ages when all things shall in Christ Jesus be gathered back to oneness with God; but we inherit it if we are Christ's. In Him "all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." 1 Cor. 3:22, 23. "He that overcometh shall inherit these things." Rev. 21:7. That is God's foreordained purpose, and He is able to do it all. Will you, will I, let Him work it all out in our lives? He can not fail.
THE "CHRISTIAN NATION" FARCE.
By S.
The Lesson of Kishineff.
A STRIKING and impressive illustration of the working-out of the "Christian nation" idea, "Christian patriotism," "national Christianity," etc., etc., was recently set before the world, and the world has set up a strong protest against the object lesson. Our ideas have very much to do with our conduct toward our fellow men. Zealous superstition has often reddened its hands in the life-blood of its fellow men, has racked and burned them, and invented ingenious tortures to propagate its ideals. This suffering world has had long and terrible lessons in the working out of such ideals, and still there are multitudes ready at a moment to repeat the illustration.
The latest working out of such an illustration was seen at Kishineff, Russia; but right here in America great religious organizations are propagating the same ideal that, in its out-working, wrought such terrible havoc among the Jews of Kishineff. That ideal is national Christianity, Church-and-State union.
The feeling of the mass of the Russian people toward the Jews was crystalized into expression in these words by the periodical which did most to bring about the massacre.
Become Christians and our brothers, and enjoy all the privileges of Russian citizenship. If not, you have one year to go where you please. After that term has expired, there must not remain a single Jew in Russia unless he is Christianized, and thereafter entrance to Russia will be forbidden to the Jews forever.
That this Russian declaration of purpose respecting the Jews is a "Christian-nation" purpose is evident. Notice the similarity between that "National Reform" utterance of the Orthodox Russian and the declarations of purpose uttered by American National Reform advocates, as follows:—
Our remedy for all these malefic influences is to have the government simply set up the moral law and recognize God's authority behind it, and lay its hand on any religion that does not conform to it.—Rev. M. A. Gault, district secretary of the National Reform Association.
We might add in all justice, If the opponents of the Bible do not like our government and its Christian features, let them go to some wild, desolate land, and in the name of the devil and for the sake of the devil, subdue it and set up a government of their own on infidel and atheistic ideas; and then if they can stand it, stay there till they die.—Rev. E. B. Graham, Vice President, N. R. A.
We want State and religion, and we are going to have it. . . . Now we are warned that to engraft this doctrine upon the Constitution will be oppressive; that it will infringe the rights of conscience; and we are told that there are atheists, deists, Jews, and Seventh-day Baptists who would be sufferers under it. These all are, for the occasion, and so for us our amendment is concerned, one class.—Jonathan Edwards, D.D.
Mr. Edwards, after classing all who oppose the Church-and-State idea of the National Reformers as Atheists, declares:—
Tolerate atheism, sir? There is nothing out of hell that I would not tolerate as soon! The atheist may live, as I have said; but, God helping us, the taint of his destructive creed shall not defile any of the civil institutions of this fair land! Let us repeat, atheism [in which he includes Jews and Christian denominations that believe in religious liberty] and Christianity are contradictory terms. They are incompatible systems. They can not dwell together on the same continent!
Now compare these utterances with the Russians' declaration of purpose toward the Jews, and note the similarity of the sentiment, of the spirit which they breathe. It is the same spirit. It is simply "national Christianity," the "Christian nation" idea, worked out—or, rather, working out; for when it is worked out, we see the blood-spattered dwellings, the ravished women and girls, the nameless cruelties, and the dead-strewn streets of Kishineff.
And wherefore slew they them? Russia is a Church-and-State government. If the Jews would embrace the doctrines of the Russian Orthodox church—become Greek Catholics instead of Jews—then all the privileges of Russian citizenship would be granted them; the oppressive laws enacted against them would be, apply; the fury of the people would be stayed; there would be no more Kishineffs. That is the meaning of the language in the expressed sentiment above quoted from the Russian spokesman. The animosity against the Jews is not because the Jews are money-lenders and merchants. The quotation shows that; for they would doubtless continue their occupations after "conversion" to the Greek Catholic Church. It is because the Jews are not yet "Christianized" that the so-called "Christian nation" of Russia has turned its hand against them.
But the "Christian nation" idea might not work out so in America.—It has worked out so already, only not to "the same excess of riot." That idea wrought into the laws of our States has put the most conscientious, God-fearing, Christian men in this country into the chain-gangs and the prisons, side by side and cell-mates with ordinary criminals. What had they done?—Obeyed God, and worshiped Him "according to the dictates of their own consciences," which is supposed to be the sacred privilege of every American. But in doing that they had disregarded an ordinance of man which has set up for itself the claim of divine right over the consciences of men—the divine right to dictate religious ceremonies to Divinity and enforce them under pains and penalties upon humanity. That human ordinance claiming a right which Divinity has never asserted over the consciences of men, is the Sunday law in the States and Territories. Hundreds of Christian men have suffered under it, and many are even now resting under its condemnation. If they would keep Sunday they would not be molested; if the Jews of Russia would keep Sunday and join the Russian State Church, they would not be persecuted. Verily, Satan is exceeding wroth against the Sabbath of Jehovah, whether kept by the Jew or the Christian.
It would be well for Americans to learn the lesson of Kishineff, and cast the mote out of their own eye before seeking to pluck the beam out of the eye of Russia. It is all right to protest against the cruelties; but they are the result of the system, and the system is just as wrong in America as in Russia, and the cruelties and the system here much less excusable. S.
WHY CHOOSE DEATH?
By George
ONE would naturally suppose that the ordinary course of death would suffice. The death sentence has passed upon all men because of sin. "All have sinned," says the scripture, and therefore "death passed upon all men." Adam, the father of us all, disobeyed the law of God, and thus brought death upon all his posterity. "In Adam all die." And men are not ignorant of the fact that they must die. The infallible Word of God says, "The living know that they shall die."
This being the case, does it not seem strange that men are not still willing and anxious to live as long as they can? Even those who are most fearful of death will virtually commit suicide. The great deceiver who led mankind into the way of death—through a promise that they should not die—has imbued the race with a kind of unwitting mania for death, an innate desire to destroy life. Perhaps the greatest single manufacturing enterprise in the world is devoted to the invention and manufacturing of engines of destruction, weapons of war. The nations are vieing with each other in preparations for destroying life, and make pretext of very insignificant incidents, of even trifling affairs, for belligerent agitation and the extension of death-dealing facilities.
Men spend large sums of money in the manufacture of poisonous and debilitating drinks and other injurious luxuries. They spend more for unhealthful drinks and for tobacco than for the necessaries of life. They spend more substance in order to live in unhealthful manner, because it is the style, than would support them well and happily in good health. They will waste large fortunes in suicidal manners and customs of existence, and then commit suicide outright because the fortune is gone. Many persons would rather pine away and die in some pent-up city quarters than to live in the open country and do plain work. The majority of people pass away their short allotment of time in utterly reckless regard of the precautions that would add years to their natural lives, and also add comparative comfort. The dangers to life in the large cities are many times as great as in the country; yet fully one-half, in many States and countries more than half, of the population will crowd into these death-traps to body and soul.
But the mass of human beings not only court death as contrasted with this life; but they choose death rather than eternal life. This they do by rejecting Him who alone can give them life. Christ is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life," and His counsel is, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Matt. 19:17. This was the principle set before ancient Israel, as pertaining to both temporal and eternal life. See Deut. 30:15-20. The situation is plainly set forth in the Gospel: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." This is truth, for "the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." Then why choose death, when life is at hand? G.
Question Corner
By Editor
1374.—Flesh Foods.
Please explain about eating meat. The Bible says that the swine is not good to eat. R. H.
Well, the Bible, then, settles a part of the flesh food question to those who believe it. God had a reason for absolutely prohibiting the use of certain living creatures as food. See Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. We can conceive of no other reason than that their flesh was totally unfit for food, unclean, unwholesome, in the very nature of the animal. And certain it is, the Jews who have heeded the clear instruction are among the healthiest of the people of earth, notwithstanding their use of tobacco and excesses in other directions. Other animals used for food are becoming more and more diseased. Vegetables, grains, and fruits are much cleaner and more wholesome, almost universally. Wisdom is needed, however, in making the change from a flesh diet to a vegetarian diet, and good common sense should be used in the cooking and combinations of food. See Bible Student's Library, No. 158 ("Natural Food of Man,") containing the Biblical argument, and many recipes, price, 25 cents.
1375.—Congregation or Church.
In Deut. 23:2 what is the difference between membership in the congregation then, and church membership now? J. H.
Practically the same. It would be better if the New Testament Greek word (ekklesia) rendered "church" had been rendered "congregation." It would have enabled us better to connect the Old and New Testament congregations. However, that ancient congregation and its rules were adapted to that people of one blood and nation. Restrictions then physically, nationally, and otherwise, are not operative now. They were symbolic of spiritual things.
1376.—Sabbaths and Feasts.
Will you please explain the difference between the Sabbaths or feast days and God's Sabbath or the Lord's Day? A. L.
The Sabbath of the Lord is eternal. It was applied to this earth as the memorial of God's creative power. Gen. 2:1-3. It comes to sinful man as a sign of God's power to sanctify. Eze. 20:12. As it was through Christ the Lord that God created the world, as it was Christ who wrought and rested (John 1:1-3; Col. 1:16; 1 Cor. 8:6), so the Sabbath is, therefore, the Lord's Day (compare Mark 2:27, 28; Isa. 58:13; Ex. 20:8-11; Rev. 1:10). That Sabbath will exist forever. Isa. 66:22, 23.
The yearly feast days and Sabbaths all came in in consequence of sin. They were of the nature of types and prophecies pointing forward to Christ. They are all enumerated in Leviticus 23 and were connected with the great feasts of the Passover, the First-fruits, the Feast of Trumpets, and the Atonement. All these met their fulfilment in Christ Jesus, and are distinguished from the weekly Sabbath. The weekly Sabbath was always the seventh day of the week, in constant succession; the yearly sabbaths might fall on any day of the week. The Lord distinguishes between the two by the expression, "besides the Sabbaths of Jehovah" (Lev. 23:38), and by the very nature of the institutions.
THE PRESIDENT'S "TOLERATION" IDEA.
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT is sanguine regarding the religious harmony of the people of this country, and regarding the permanence of that supposed harmony. But it is often true that optimism is based upon an ardent desire to see certain conditions rather than upon a reasonable assurance that they are permanently fixed. That the President desires mutual good-will among all classes, and will endeavor to the best of his judgment to have it so, we do not question; but when he is content to see mere "toleration" where there should be liberty, he displays a lack of appreciation of the true basis of religious harmony. In a speech at Salem, Oregon, during his recent tour, the President is reported to have said:—
Fundamentally, in this country, we are free from the dreadful curse of religious hatred and persecution, which has worked so much evil in the world at large. We realize that a cornerstone in the building of this government must be not merely religious toleration before the law, but a genuine religious toleration among ourselves.
Unfortunately, instead of being "fundamentally" free from religious hatred, we are only theoretically free from it because of our profession of fundamental freedom. Toleration implies obligation, on the part of those who are tolerated, to those who are gracious enough to do the tolerating. In this republic, because of the profession of religious liberty, the government of the nation and the governments of the States are obligated to the protection of every individual in his religious belief. Therefore the right to the exercise of religious belief (that does not contravene the rights of others) is more than a matter of toleration; it is a matter of protection of vested right. And the right of one is as sacred as the right of the mass. Toleration is not a question of law at all, "merely" or otherwise; for, properly, law either prohibits or protects. In a republic, law is supposed to be regulated by a recognition of the principle of equal rights. But toleration is a question of grace on the part of a superior toward an otherwise helpless inferior. Therefore when the individual assumes an air of mere toleration toward his neighbor's religion, he assumes an air of superiority. And the assumption, on the part of the law or of the individual, of the position of a tolerator, implies the right not to tolerate when such a course seems expedient. Moreover the power to enforce intolerance will surely inspire action in that direction.
Again, the President is reported to have said:—
We in America are to be held thrice blessed that the chance for animosity between Jew and Gentile, or between Christian sects, has become infinitesimal to the vanishing point.
But when the highest ideal of our very optimistic President, in his desire for religious harmony, is reached by the low idea of "toleration" surely "the chance for animosity," instead of being at "the vanishing point" is really at the danger point.
Immediately following the foregoing quoted remarks the President added:—
Once more, not only must there be no line of demarcation among our people on the grounds of creed or on grounds of sect, but there must be no line of demarcation down among them on grounds of class or occupation.
But there are lines of demarcation among our people on these grounds, and the presence of laws on our national and State statute books prescribing the observance of Sunday are indubitable evidence of the enforced observance of a religious tenet, and the official denial of the right not to observe it. And these constitute the ever-ready weapon of a large class of intolerant individuals. The labor unions, the non-union unions, the leagues of employers, the contests of labor and capital, the race and color lines, all testify to the existence of those lines of demarcation. They are here, and they will not vanish because our well-meaning President shakes his fist at them. And if he would prevent in this country "the dreadful curse of religious hatred and persecution, which has worked so much evil in the world at large," he must needs raise his standard from the illiberal plane of "toleration" to the high eminence, the true republican goal, of absolute religious liberty and equality before the law.
Yet with all that the best President can do to ameliorate conditions, these lines of demarcation are here to stay. "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their own selves," etc. See 2 Tim. 3:1-7. As prophetic proof that bitter contests will continue to the very end, and that this country is not immune, read James 5:1-8 and Revelation 13. "The sure word of prophecy" always portrays conditions in their true light. G.
