THE student of the Scriptures is continually finding new beauties unfolding before him. Greater depths, higher heights, and grander and more glorious revelations of truth settle him deeper and more firmly in his faith that the Bible is what its friends claim for it, the inspired word of God. The increasing evidences of unity, harmony, and consistency add every day to his wonder and surprise that any one has ever questioned the validity of his claim relative to the blessed Book.
This short series of papers under the above heading is aimed in part toward showing how utterly without foundation is a criticism that is often heard from certain skeptics concerning the Scriptures,—a criticism that involves one of the most highly honored men of the Bible record, namely, the patriarch David.
David did some dark things, and the inspired recorders have recited in a plain and unequivocal manner the account of his deeds. It is offered as an objection to the inspiration of the Scriptures, that the connection of a man with this sort of a record as one of the prominent authors of the Bible is irreconcilable with the claim made for their divine origin.
The writer would like to lead such readers of this paper as may be in perplexity over David's course as it is recorded, and the prominent connection he has with the Book that claims to be from heaven, to a view-point whence they may look at the whole matter from an angle which, I trust, will shed some light upon them, and help to dissipate their doubts. I trust they may be led to see a new beauty and a deeper meaning, possibly, than they have seen, in the story of David's experience, and its natural sequel in the psalms that he wrote, and that are a part of the sacred Volume.
No one who is familiar with David's writings can fail to have recognized one theme that pervades them throughout, and that characterizes them as a part of the canon of Scripture. The reader's attention is called to the following beautiful examples taken from the psalms of David:
"I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together." Ps. 34: 1-3.
"I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever: with my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up forever: Thy faithfulness shall Thou establish in the very heavens." Ps. 89: 1, 2.
"Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever." Ps. 106: 1.
"Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise Him, O ye servants of the Lord. Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God, praise the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto His name; for it is pleasant. . . . For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods." Ps. 135: 1-3, 5.
There is a wonderful meaning to this characteristic tenor of David's writings. No one has become acquainted with the Psalms without noting a chapter of twenty-six verses, in each of which occurs the expression, which is as significant as the above quotations: "His mercy endureth forever." I trust the reader5may see the meaning of these expressions from the pen of David as they may be viewed from the standpoint taken in these papers.
Attention is invited to the fifty-fifth chapter of Isaiah. First note the language of the third verse,—"Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." The "sure mercies" of David must be here understood to refer to the mercies of God that constituted the one great theme of this interesting man of the Bible record. The theme of God's goodness and His mercy toward the children of men filled his heart and occupied his tongue.
There is a reason why the mercy of God became the all-absorbing theme of David. If this reason is seen, the skeptic will be disarmed, and robbed of his ground for objecting to the prominent place given to him in the Book of inspiration. So full was he of the thought of God's mercy toward men, that to him time seemed all too short in which to vent his gratitude to God, and he looked forward to the eternal years in which to praise Him for His grace. He clearly gives the reason why this is so, in the following words:
"I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord." Ps. 40: 1-3.
Our skeptic friend should take notice of how David regarded the experiences in his life that have given the scoffer a pretext for his railing against him. To David, the place he had been in was "an horrible pit," as any man looks upon his sin after God has rescued him from its toils.
Would that all would seek after God as David did, and find Him as he found Him, and then join with David and all others who have "entered in" to sing the "new song," even praises to our God. This song is known only to those who have had the blessed deliverance from sin. To such a one it is ever new. And so David enjoins the redeemed over and over, "O sing unto the Lord a new song." May we all learn that glad new song, and with him sing it through time and eternity!
LOVE'S BENISON
By Adelaide Bee Evans
By ADELAIDE BEE EVANS
I SAT alone in the shadow,
At shut of a weary day,
For my feet were bruised with striving
To follow the upward way;
And my heart like a wild bird fluttered
'Gainst the bars of grief and care,
While my soul grew weaker, fainter,
Too weak to do or dare.
In vain I turned to the future,
To read from its hidden page
Some token to lighten the burden
That was bowing my heart with age.
And dreams of happier bygones
Crowded my fevered brain,
While the present, with fearful visage,
Sang ever a weird refrain.
Then the purple shadows deepened,
And the lamps of heaven flashed out,
While faintly the praise of angels
Seemed filling the air about.
Then, with my ear against the ages,
A voice from the long ago
Sounded over the weary centuries,
With silvery accents low:
"O, why will you walk, my daughter,
Alone in the gloom of night,
When the love of the Father is waiting
To lead thee from darkness to light?
Come, for the Father has loved thee!
Come unto Me, and be blest!
Come unto Me whilst thou'rt weary!
Come, come now, and find rest!"
Then I took to the Saviour my sorrow,
And the burdens I could not bear;
And the rest He has promised His children,
Swept from my soul all its care.
O ye who are sin-sick, heart-burdened,
Who are fainting, and weary, and sad,
Remember that One standeth, saying,
"O, come unto Me, and be glad."
The Controversy Shifted to This Earth
By Ellen G. White
The Struggle in the Garden of Eden—The Fall of Our First Parents
By MRS. E. G. WHITE
AFTER Satan was cast out of heaven, his enmity against God found a new field in plotting the ruin of the human race. In the happiness and peace of the holy pair in Eden, he beheld a vision of the bliss that to him was forever lost. Moved by envy, he determined to incite them to disobedience, and bring upon them the guilt and penalty of sin. He would change their love to distrust, and their songs of praises to reproaches against their Maker. Thus he would not only plunge these innocent beings into the same misery which he was himself enduring, but would cast dishonor upon God, and cause grief in heaven.
Like the angels, the dwellers in Eden had been placed upon probation. Their happy estate could be retained only on condition of fidelity to the Creator's law. They could obey and live, or disobey and perish. God had made them the recipients of rich blessings; but should they disregard His will, He who spared not the angels that sinned, could not spare them. Transgression would forfeit His gifts, and bring upon them misery and ruin.
Adam and Eve were warned to be on their guard against the devices of Satan, for his efforts to ensnare them would be unwearied. While they were obedient to God, the evil one could not harm them; for, if need be, every angel in heaven would be sent to their help. If they steadfastly repelled his first insinuations, they would be as secure as the heavenly messengers; but should they once yield to temptation, their nature would become so depraved that in themselves they would have no power, and no disposition, to resist Satan.
TEMPTATION AT ONLY ONE PLACE
The tree of knowledge of good and evil had been made a test of their obedience and their love to God. The Lord had seen fit to lay upon them but one prohibition as to the use of all that was in the garden; but if they should disregard His will in this particular, they would incur the guilt of transgression. Satan was not to follow them with continual temptations. He could have access to them only at the forbidden tree. Should they attempt to investigate its nature, they would be exposed to his wiles.
In order to accomplish his work unperceived, Satan chose to employ as his medium the serpent—a disguise well adapted for his purpose of deception. The serpent was then one of the wisest and most beautiful creatures on the earth, an object to arrest the attention and delight the eye of the beholder. Thus in the garden of peace lurked the destroyer, watching for his prey.
Absorbed in her pleasing labor in the garden, Eve unconsciously wandered from her husband's side. Soon she found herself gazing, with mingled curiosity and admiration, upon the forbidden tree. The fruit was very beautiful, and she questioned with herself why God had withheld it from them. Now was the tempter's opportunity. As if he were able to discern the workings of her mind, he addressed her, "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Eve was surprised and startled as she thus seemed to hear the echo of her thoughts. But instead of fleeing from the spot, she lingered wonderingly to hear a serpent speak.
THE FIRST LIE
To the tempter's ensnaring question, she replied: "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." And the serpent said unto the woman, "Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."
He declared that by partaking of this tree, they would attain to a more exalted sphere of existence, and enter a broader field of knowledge; that he himself had eaten of the forbidden fruit, and as a result, had acquired the power of speech. And he insinuated that the Lord jealously desired to withhold it from them, lest they should be exalted to equality with Himself. It was because of its wonderful properties, imparting wisdom and power, that He had prohibited them from tasting or even touching it. The tempter intimated that the divine warning was not to be actually fulfilled; it was designed merely to intimidate them. How could it be possible for them to die? Had they not eaten of the tree of life? God had been seeking to prevent them from reaching a nobler development and finding greater happiness.
When Eve "saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband." It was grateful to the taste; and as she ate, she seemed to feel a vivifying power, and imagined herself entering upon a higher state of existence. And now, having herself transgressed, she became the agent of Satan in working the ruin of her husband. In a state of strange, unnatural excitement, she sought his presence, and related all that had occurred.
Adam understood that his companion had transgressed the command of God, disregarded the only prohibition laid upon them as a test of their fidelity and love. There was a terrible struggle in his mind. He mourned that Eve had yielded to the tempter. But now the deed was done. He must be separated from her whose society had been his joy. How could he have it thus? Adam had enjoyed the companionship of God and of holy angels. He had looked upon the glory of the Creator. He understood the high destiny open to the human race should they remain faithful to God. Yet all these blessings were lost sight of in the fear of losing that one gift which in his eyes outvalued every other. Love, gratitude, loyalty to the Creator, all were overborne by love to Eve. She was a part of himself, and he could not endure the thought of separation. He did not realize that the same Infinite Power who from the dust of the earth had created him, a living, beautiful form, and had in love given him a companion, could supply her place. He resolved to share her fate; if she must die, he would die with her. After all, he reasoned, might not the words of the wise694serpent be true? Eve was before him, as beautiful, and apparently as innocent, as before this act of disobedience. No sign of death appeared in her, and he decided to brave the consequences. He seized the fruit, and quickly ate.
THE TERRORS OF SIN AND DREAD FOR THE FUTURE
But soon the thought of their sin filled the guilty pair with terror. The love and peace which had been theirs was gone, and in its place they felt a sense of sin, a dread of the future, a nakedness of soul. The robe of light which had enshrouded them, now disappeared; and to supply its place, they endeavored to fashion for themselves a covering from the leaves of the trees, for they could not, while unclothed, meet the eye of God and of holy angels.
Now the eyes of them both were opened. They began to see the true character of their sin. But this did not lead them to repentance; they gave themselves up to reproaches of each other, and murmuring against God. And yet—for such is the deceptive power of sin—they flattered themselves that He who had given them so many evidences of His love, would pardon this one transgression, or that they would not be subjected to so dire a punishment as they had feared.
Satan exulted in his success. He had tempted the woman to distrust God's love, to doubt His wisdom, and to transgress His law, and through her he had caused the overthrow of Adam.
But the great Lawgiver was about to make known to Adam and Eve the consequences of their transgression. The Divine Presence was manifested in the garden. In their innocence and holiness, they had joyfully welcomed the approach of their Creator; but now they fled in terror, and sought to hide in the deepest recesses of the garden. But "the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And He said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?"
Adam could neither deny nor excuse his sin; but instead of manifesting penitence, he endeavored to cast the blame upon his wife, and thus upon God Himself: "The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat."
EXCUSING SELF AND BLAMING OTHERS
When the woman was asked, "What is this that thou hast done?" she answered, "The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." Why didst Thou create the serpent? Why didst Thou suffer him to enter Eden? These were the questions implied in her excuse for her sin. Thus, like Adam, she charged God with the responsibility of their fall. The spirit of self-justification originated in the father of lies. It was indulged by our first parents as soon as they yielded to the influence of Satan, and has been exhibited by all the sons and daughters of Adam. Instead of humbly confessing their sins, they tried to shield themselves by casting the blame upon others, upon circumstances, or upon God, making even His blessings an occasion of murmuring against Him. The Lord then passed sentence upon the serpent: "Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life." Since it had been employed as Satan's medium, the serpent was to share the visitation of divine judgment. From the most beautiful and admired of the creatures of the field, it was to become the most groveling and detested of them all, feared and hated by both man and beast. The words next addressed to the serpent applied directly to Satan himself, pointing forward to his ultimate defeat and destruction: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."
ARE THE CONSEQUENCES TOO GREAT?
The tide of wo that flowed from the transgression of our first parents is regarded by many as too awful a consequence for so small a sin, and they impeach the wisdom and justice of God in His dealings with man. But if they would look more deeply into this question, they might discern their error. God created man after His own likeness, free from sin. The earth was to be peopled with beings only a little lower than the angels; but their obedience must be tested; for God would not permit the world to be filled with those who would disregard His law. Yet in His great mercy, He appointed Adam no severe test. And the very lightness of the prohibition made the sin exceedingly great. If Adam could not bear the smallest of tests, he could not have endured a greater trial, had he been entrusted with higher responsibilities.
Had some great test been appointed Adam, then those whose hearts inclined to evil would have excused themselves by saying, This is a trivial matter, and God is not so particular about little things. And there would be continual transgression in things looked upon as small, and which pass unrebuked among men. But the Lord has made it evident that sin in any degree is offensive to Him, that it is an evil ruinous to the transgressor, an evil which, if it were allowed to prevail, would be fatal to the well-being of the universe.
After their sin, Adam and Eve were no longer to dwell in Eden. In humility and unutterable sadness, they bade farewell to their beautiful home, and went forth to dwell upon the earth, where rested the curse of sin. The atmosphere, once so mild and uniform in temperature, was now subject to marked changes, and the Lord mercifully provided them with a garment of skins as a protection from the extremes of heat and cold.
THEY MOURNED AT SIGNS OF DECAY
As they witnessed, in drooping flower and falling leaf, the first signs of decay, Adam and his companion mourned more deeply than men now mourn over their dead. The death of the frail, delicate flowers was indeed a cause of sorrow; but when the goodly trees cast off their leaves, the scene brought vividly to mind the stern fact that death is the portion of every living thing.
The Garden of Eden remained upon the earth after man had become an outcast from its pleasant paths. The fallen race were permitted to gaze upon the home of innocence, their entrance barred by the watching angels. At the cherubim-guarded gate of Paradise, the divine glory was revealed. Hither came Adam and his sons to worship God. Here they renewed their vows of obedience to that law the transgression of which had banished them from Eden. When the tide of iniquity overspread the world, and the wickedness of men determined their destruction by a flood of waters, the hand that had planted Eden withdrew it from the earth. But in the final restitution, when there shall be "a new heaven and a new earth," it is to be restored, more gloriously adorned than at the beginning.
Then they that have kept God's commandments shall breathe in immortal vigor beneath the tree of life; and through unending ages, the inhabitants of sinless worlds shall behold, in that garden of delight, a sample of the perfect work of God's creation, untouched by the curse of sin, a sample of what the whole earth would have become had man but fulfilled the Creator's glorious plan.
THE COMING MILLENNIUM
By Allen Moon
What Takes Place During the Thousand Years? — How Is Satan Bound in That Time?
The Bottomless Pit into Which He Is Cast
By ALLEN MOON
"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years." Rev. 20: 1, 2.
It is evident that the event foretold in this scripture follows in chronological order those outlined in a former study; namely, the harvest of the parable of the wheat and the tares; the gathering of the elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other, and the gathering of the wicked into the great wine-press of the wrath of almighty God. The elect are caught up to meet the Lord in the air, according to 1 Thess. 4:17; and the wicked meet destruction on the earth, according to Rev. 19:17, 18.
Let us follow the elect after they are caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord, during the thousand years. The revelator says: "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." Rev. 20: 4.
Inspiration does not leave us to doubt or speculate in matters so vital to the child of God. In this scripture it is emphatically stated that the saints are with Christ, and that they live during the one thousand years, which proves that they are immortalized. Some of them at least sit upon thrones, and judgment is given to them. The Saviour told the twelve that they should "sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Matt. 19:28. The saints, when caught up to meet the Lord, are taken with Him to heaven, and their employment for a thousand years is a work of judgment.
The presence of the saints in heaven is accounted for by the statement, "This is the first resurrection." Rev. 20: 5. Their judgment was past. Their names had been found written in the book of life when the Saviour came and restored life to all the righteous. "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." Rev. 20: 5. The wicked of all ages are still in their graves. The living wicked, at the second coming of Christ, are cast into "the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of almighty God," and are dead. The punishment to be meted out to them has not yet been determined, but the saints join in the work of judgment during the thousand years. Hear Paul as he says: "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?" 1 Cor. 6: 2, 3.
The revelator proceeds with the scene in heaven, saying: "And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Rev. 20: 11, 12.
In these accounts we have the great white throne of the Eternal, and other thrones on which the saints sit in judgment. The wicked dead are said to stand before God, but this is by means of the record found in the books. They are judged while they are dead, according to the twelfth verse, and they live not again until the thousand years are finished.
It may be well, now, to turn our attention to this earth and its condition during the thousand years.
Satan, when bound, was cast into the bottomless pit, and a seal set upon him, that he should deceive no more for a thousand years. "Bottomless pit," or "abyss" (R.V.), means a place of darkness. The wicked of earth are all dead; the saints are in heaven. Satan was cast out of heaven to the earth when Jesus ascended on high after His resurrection, and he can not return to heaven. The earth has been the theater of his acts of rebellion and deception. It is to be his place of punishment. The prophet, looking forward to this time, exclaimed: "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by His fierce anger." Jer. 4: 23-26. What Jeremiah saw in vision was also in accord with God's own promise, by another prophet, saying: "I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord. I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord." Zeph. 1: 2, 3.
The state of desolation described in these passages is the result of the curse that followed the introduction of sin into the world; and therefore when God is about to restore the dominion of the earth to Christ and His seed, according to His promise, He brings the earth, which is cursed by sin, to a state of chaos, and Satan, the author of sin, is chained amid the darkness—which is "the bottomless pit," or "abyss"—when the Lord has made the earth again void. "For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end." Jer. 4: 27.
Satan, sin, and the curse will finally depart; and the sinner, being found in sin, will likewise cease from off the earth. Of Satan it is said:696"Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness. I will cast thee to the ground [earth], I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more." Eze. 28: 17-19.
This decree will form a part of the judgment rendered in heaven during the thousand years of the reign of the saints and the imprisonment of Satan in the abyss. The new earth and the new heavens that will come forth from the state of chaos will be in fulfilment of the promise, "Yet will I not make a full end." Jer. 4: 27. The infallible promise of God will not fail though the heavens be no more and though the earth may be dissolved; yet the Word says: "For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Ps. 37: 10, 11. A concluding study on this subject will relate to this promise.
Wisdom Given Liberally
By H. A. St. John
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." James 1: 5. Wonderful promise, and so important and precious, to be granted on the simple condition of faith! God is infinitely wise. He is the all-wise God. He knows just what is best for us in all places, and in all things. He is lovingly and deeply interested in us, and it gives Him great pleasure to give needed wisdom to those who love and serve Him. Heavenly wisdom is more precious than rubies. We may get many things without this wisdom, but all will be lost at last, if only the wisdom of men, which is foolishness with God, has prompted our getting.
Wisdom means more than simple knowledge. It includes discernment and discretion. O, how much we need continually to know how to say the right thing, at the right time, in the right manner, and in the right place, and to do the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, and in the right place! Only with the Lord's help can we know how to please Him in all things. The Lord always knows what is for our best and highest good, and also for His glory. And if we are always in that place where He can guide us, He will establish all our thinking, saying, and doing, that none of our steps shall slide. He will cause all things to work together for our good and His glory. Then why should we go through this world continually stumbling, and traveling in crooked and forbidden paths, when our loving Father above is so ready and willing to guide us in the straight path, that will lead us to Himself and to eternal glory?
O, pray earnestly, sincerely, and in faith, for heavenly wisdom to guide in loving obedience to God in all things! then you will be a blessing to yourself and to all around you. Your light will so shine that others, seeing your good works, will be led to glorify God. You will gather with Christ, instead of scattering abroad. Then, in the end, you will hear the blessed words, "Well done," and enter into the eternal joys of Christ. H. A. St. John.
The Judgment
By Andrew Nelson
THE subject of the judgment is one of special interest to all, as all are involved; "for we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."
There are many books of record in heaven in which the names and deeds of the human family are registered. Says the prophet Daniel, "The judgment was set, and the books were opened," and John the beloved, describing the same scene, adds, "Another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books." The law of God is the standard of the judgment. "So speak ye and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty."
How solemn the thought that the record of our deeds day by day is entered in the ledger of heaven, and that words once uttered, actions once performed, can never be changed! The mightiest conqueror who ever lived on the earth could not call back the record of a single day, or change it in the least. Our acts, our words, and our most secret motives will all have their weight in that day of final reckoning, and will decide our destiny for weal or wo.
How important that we now repent of every sin, and confess it, that our "sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord"! The last work of Christ, our great High Priest, before His second coming, is a work of judgment, and is soon to be finished; and solemn are the scenes connected with the closing work of atonement, and the results are of tremendous importance to us, as our cases are involved.
ANDREW NELSON.
God the Author of Order and Decency
By J. W. Lowe
GOD is the Author of order, refinement, and decency, but never of confusion, unseemly conduct, and mere noisy demonstration. The religion of Jesus Christ will never lead any person into fanaticism, but will lead one to become more sane and exemplary than he was before.
The Holy Spirit will not lead one into such clownish actions and unintelligent speech as to excite mirth and hilarity on the part of others who witness it. The office of the Holy Spirit is to convict people of sin, and cause them to be sober-minded and thoughtful, and to sense the importance of living better lives than they have been living.
The power of God does not manifest itself in mere excitement, noise, and senseless actions in general, but rather manifests itself in mental equilibrium; and it will lead its possessor to become an instrument to edification and good works.
The gifts of the Spirit always have been given, and always will be given, for the upbuilding of the church. God never bestowed one of these gifts without a wise purpose in view. When people claim to have the gift of tongues, and it is a mere gibberish that nobody can understand, you can safely conclude that this manifestation is counterfeit.
Even if one should speak in a tongue that he had never learned, and should be understood by another, that fact alone would not be sufficient to prove that the thing was of God. Spiritualist mediums can and do speak with tongues. The devil and his angels know every language that is spoken on this planet, and can undoubtedly impart that gift to any who yield themselves to their power.
But here is the test: If those who speak in tongues speak not according to the "law and the testimony"—if they speak contrary to what the Bible says—it is certain that their gift is not from God, but proceeds from another source. Hence the importance of not being led astray by every wind of doctrine and delusive manifestation that presents itself. Test all by the word of God, and never allow yourself to accept anything that is not in perfect harmony with this Word.
J. W. LOWE.
The Manner of His Coming
By W. A. S.
IT is more than ever essential to emphasize the scriptures that describe the manner of Christ's second coming. One finds the strangest teaching abroad. And there is danger of being deceived unless the Word be made the guide. It was concerning this very matter that Jesus left the caution, "Take heed that no man deceive you."
In the days of the first advent, wrong views as to the appearance and work of the Messiah deceived many. They looked for the pomp and splendor of an earthly king, and failed to recognize the "Man of sorrows" of the prophecy.
In our time, when the "sure word of prophecy" points to Christ's near approach as King of kings and Lord of lords, more and more there arise voices teaching strange theories of the second advent. Some see it in Christian Science. Others see in the rise of Babism in the deserts of Persia, signs of an approaching revelation of a new Messiah. A lecturer representing a large following urges that we heed the admonition to entertain strangers; for it might be, he says, that Christ is already among men. The newspaper reports put it:
"The ministers of the various churches should pay more attention to the stranger within their gates; perchance he may be the meek and lowly Nazarene. He urged the need of this attention on account of the fact that many believe to-day that Christ is now upon earth for the second time, and man can not distinguish Him."
To a time when such suggestions abound, Christ's warning applies:
"Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth: behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 24:23-27.
In the same discourse, Christ further said:
"Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
It is no secret coming. All the world shall behold it. In its suddenness, it breaks upon the unwatchful as a thief in the night. The close of probation, which just precedes it, will overtake men unawares. But the second coming of Christ is described by all the prophets as attended by such glory as earth has never seen. In the Revelation, it is said:
"Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him." Rev. 1:7.
When He returned to heaven after His resurrection, the disciples watched Him ascending higher and higher, until a cloud received Him out of their sight — and the Master was gone.
"And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." Acts 1:10, 11.
What is to be the manner of His second coming? — A "like manner" to that of His going, a visible, bodily coming, in the clouds of heaven. The manner will be the same, but the glory of it transcending all human conception.
And some day soon it will burst upon the sight. The heavens will open, the earth will quake, and a glory will be revealed before which no sinner unsaved can endure.
"Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that great day."