p. 72 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 5. (2/4/1889)

A TIME PROPHECY.

By C. P. B.

In an article in last week's paper, entitled "The Little Horn of Daniel 7," that horn was identified as the Papacy; but the words, "They shall be given into his hands, until a time and times and the dividing of time," were left unexplained. Let us see if we can find an explanation of this apparently mysterious passage.

The word time, used in the text under consideration, might mean a month, a week, or a day, but in this connection it is generally understood to mean a year. In Dan. 4:16 we read of king Nebuchadnezzar: "Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him." This period Josephus tells us (Book 10, chapter 10, Section 6,) was seven years, and in a foot note the translator, William Whiston, M. A., says:—

"Since Josephus here explains the seven prophetic times which were to pass over Nebuchadnezzar to be seven years, we thence learn how he most probably must have understood those other parallel phrases [Dan. 7:25; 12:7], of 'a time, times, and a half,' as so many prophetic years also; though he withal lets us know, by his hint at the interpretation of the seventy weeks, as belonging to the fourth monarchy, and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in the days of Josephus, that he did not think those years to be mere years, but rather days for years; by which reckoning, and by which alone, could seventy weeks, or four hundred and ninety days, reach to the age of Josephus."

That the word time is used in Daniel 7:25 to mean year, and that the expression "time times and the dividing of time," means three years and a half, "each day for a year" (Eze. 4:4-6), is so generally accepted that little need be said on the subject; those, however, who have never given the subject any thought, should compare Dan. 7:25 with parallel passages in Rev. 11:2, 3; 12:14, and 13:5. In these texts we have the expressions, "Forty and two months," "a thousand two hundred and three score [1260] days," "a time, and times, and half a time." That these all clearly refer to the same power, namely the Papacy, and to the same period of time, is generally understood by Protestants. Dr. Barnes says: "This duration is mentioned as a time, and times, and the dividing of a time;—three years and a half—twelve hundred and sixty days—twelve hundred and sixty years." The time is of course the same in the several texts referred to.

We are then to understand from the prophecy that the power represented by the little horn was to have dominion over the people of God for twelve hundred and sixty years; but from what date, the prophecy does not inform us; this must be determined in the same manner that the fulfillment of any other specification of prophecy is determined, namely, by comparing the facts of history with the prophecy.

Several different dates are assigned by various writers for the establishment of the Papacy, but A. D. 538 is the only one that meets the conditions of the prophecy. Referring again to the text under consideration, we notice that the order is, first, the rise of the ten horns; second, another arises after them; third, the little horn subdues three kings; fourth, this little horn then makes war against the people of God, and they are given into his hands for twelve hundred and sixty years. It follows, therefore, that the twelve hundred and sixty years of Papal supremacy must date from the overthrow of the

last of the three powers that fell before the little horn. We have already learned in a former article, that these three kingdoms were the Heruli, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths, and that the last of these powers was overthrown in A. D. 538.

Now if 1260 years this side of A. D. 538 we find an event to mark the close of Papal supremacy, we shall be doubly sure that we have made the correct application of the prophecy. The following, from "Chambers' Cyclopedia," article "Pius," presents just such a fact. We quote as follows:—

"At length the [French] Directory ordered the invasion of Rome; Berthier entered the city February 10, 1798, and took possession of the castle of St Angelo. Pius [VI.] was called on to renounce his temporal sovereignty, and on his refusal, was seized, February 20, and carried away to Siena, and afterwards to the celebrated Certosa, or Carthusian monastery, of Florence. On the threatened advance of the Austro-Russian army in the following year, he was transferred to Grenoble, and finally to Valence, on the Rhone, where, worn out by age and the rigor of confinement, he died in August, 1799, in the eighty-second year of his age and the twenty-fourth of his pontificate."

Thus we see that from 538 to 1798, A. D., there were 1260 years of unbroken power, plainly fulfilling the prophecy, and marking the Papacy, beyond the peradventure of a doubt, as the power symbolized by the little horn of Dan. 7:25. C. P. B.

CATHOLIC EDUCATION.

THE school law of Haverhill, Mass., declares that the English language must be the vehicle of instruction in all schools, public or private, and that instruction in United States History shall form a part of the regular course of study. But Father Boucher, a Roman Catholic priest, teaches in open violation of the law, and has thus come in conflict with the school committee. He has about two hundred and fifty pupils under his charge, and two thirds of his instruction is in French, his assistants knowing nothing of American methods of teaching. In the place of United States History, a French history of Canada is taught. As Father Boucher declines to change his course, another conflict is before a portion of the people of the Old Bay State.

Loyal Roman Catholics are not American citizens. They own a higher allegiance to their church than to any civil power. But there would be nothing wrong in this if the Catholic church was only a church, and confined her labors to a religious sphere; but the Church of Rome is an intriguing political organization, which claims power over all nations. And every devotee of Rome will work to the end of bringing this nation under her power. The subversion of education is one of Rome's means of doing this. There are loyal citizens in the Church of Rome, but they are only half Catholics. A true Catholic cannot be a loyal citizen of any Sovereign State, for he owes his first and highest allegiance to the Pope of Rome.

After all, those Americans who indorse the Blair Educational Amendment Bill, ought not to find fault with Rome's theories and demands concerning education and its support. Rome's position is the logical sequence of that bill, which demands that the principles of the Christian religion shall be taught in our schools; Catholics ask no more than this. Let our schools remain totally unsectarian and purely secular, and distinctively American. Leave religious education to the home and the church, where it belongs.

ARE NATIONAL REFORMERS CHRISTIANS?

By M. C. W.

THEY claim to be. They desire to make Christ king of this nation. They aim to establish by civil law what they call the Christian Sabbath. They are determined to have what they call Christian instruction in our public schools. Verily, on the face of it, it would look as though they were Christians. Further, they are determined to compel all to submit to their regulations, willingly if they may, forcibly if they must. If a man who does not believe in Sunday sacredness, concludes that he ought, in duty to his family and for the interests of his business, to work upon that day, he must be compelled to do differently.

Now a Christian is a follower of Christ, one who observes his sayings. And to one of the most blessed of his sayings, known all over the world as the "golden rule," National Reformers are diametrically opposed: "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." Matt. 7: 12. The term men includes more than the National Reformers, or Christians. It means Jew and Gentile, Barbarian and Scythian, Mohammedan and Pagan, believer and atheist. If it is right, therefore, to compel all these classes to observe any of the forms or institutions of Christianity, simply because professed Christians are in the majority, or have the power to enforce obedience, it follows, if National Reformers are Christians indeed, that they believe it would be the duty of the Jew or the pagan to enforce his forms of worship and religious institutions upon Christians, if he were in the majority or had the power.

This is the inevitable conclusion. They say to the grossest idolator, We are Christians, and believe the golden rule of Christ. Now we desire you to be a Christian. We wish you to observe the institutions of Christianity. If you do not desire to do so, we will compel you so to do. By that they say to him, This would be just what you ought to do by us—compel observance of your gross idolatry—if our situation were reversed, and the power were in your hands. And if the National Reform theory be correct and Christian, the golden rule justifies religious prosecution and persecution, in all lands, of all religions. Either Christ taught that it was right to compel religious observance, or National Reformers are not followers of Christ. Do National Reformers ever read the instruction of Christ? Will they follow it? Then they will no longer be National Reformers, seeking through civil laws and penalties to propagate the religion of Christ; for National Reformers and the Christianity of Christ are diametrically opposed the one to the other.

Christ gave the golden rule to keep his followers from the exercise of all oppression and tyranny. And those who believe more in His sayings than they do in their own selfish greed for place and power, will never seek to enforce any religion or religious institution on their followers. But perhaps National Reformers have never learned the golden rule. For their sakes we repeat it again: "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."

M. C. W.

EVER LEARNING—WHAT?

The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy of some who would be "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." We have known some persons who gravely misapprehended this text, holding that it applies to those who are ever studying the truth, and ever learning some new things in regard to it. Those who hold such a view, do but wrest the scripture to their own destruction; for it is certain that nothing will more surely tend to one's destruction than to cease to learn new things from the word of God. The Bible is an unfathomable deep; no one can ever exhaust its treasures. Of the Bible it may truly be said: "If any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." If anybody thinks that he knows all there is to learn from even the simplest text, he is greatly deceived. The man who is the best acquainted with the Scriptures is the one who is best prepared to study them with profit. The truths contained in the Bible will be the subject of earnest and delightful study throughout eternity, and then they will not be exhausted. Let no one, then, exclaim against continual study of that book, or against drawing hitherto undiscovered truths therefrom.

The class to whom Paul refers are those who are "never able to come to the knowledge of the truth," because that which they are learning is not the truth. It cannot be said of one who is ever searching the Bible for new treasures, that he is not able to come to the knowledge of the truth. He has come to the knowledge of the truth, and is so delighted with it that he wants more. But those who, in spite of their learning, are not able to come to the knowledge of the truth, are "men of corrupt minds, void of judgment concerning the faith." They know nothing whatever of the truth. Like the Athenians of old, they may ever be hearing or telling some new thing, but that new thing only increases their darkness. All the time that they are being "vainly puffed up in their fleshly minds," thinking that they are growing immensely wise, and that they are almost, if not quite, equal with God, they are getting farther and farther away from true wisdom. What a terrible deception! and what a terrible awakening there will be for such ones! Let us accept that truth which seems so simple to the mind of the natural man that it is considered foolishness, and then let us ever continue its study.

OAKLAND'S SUNDAY MASS MEETING.

By John Norton Loughborough

A MASS meeting for the purpose of working up an interest on the enactment of a Sunday law in California, was held, according to appointment, in Hamilton Hall, the evening of January 22. The meeting was presided over by Prof. S. P. Morse, of Highland Park College. The principal speaker of the evening was the Rev. M. C. Briggs, D. D., of Santa Clara. The Political phase of the meeting will be noticed later. We wish at present to call attention to Dr. Briggs's argument from the Scriptures in favor of Sunday.

His position was, that Sunday was the original seventh day; that the Sabbath was transferred from that to the sixth day at the exode from Egypt; and that the transfer back again was at the time of the resurrection of Christ, when the Sunday was again made the Sabbath. The first form of idolatry, he said, was sun-worship, and the Sabbath was perverted, not by changing the day, but by dedicating that day to the sun. The gentleman's statement was all the proof he gave for this point. The whole heathen world followed this perversion, the Egyptians among the rest; and the Israelites, who were in Egypt in bondage, had become idolaters. To save them from this, God discards his own day, upon which he rested, and substitutes another, which he calls his rest day, upon which he did not rest!! And for proof of this, many passages were read which had no more application to the point necessary to be proved than they did to David's sling; neither did the doctor tell us just how they proved it. And lastly, the Sabbath was transferred back to the true seventh day at the resurrection of Christ. For this he perverted the Greek of Matt. 28:1, a perversion which has been exposed again and again.

And all this, said the learned doctor, was indicated by such terms as the eighth day. You will notice, he remarked, that the "morrow after the Sabbath" follows right along after the Sabbath. Strange indeed! In our simplicity we could not help querying if that was not also true of every day in the week,—the morrow after a day follows that day.

Well, we pass over the mistake of a thousand years between the creation and the exode, and other errors much worse. We have heard and read many defenses of the Sunday-sabbath; but we never heard a weaker one than that given by the Rev. M. C. Briggs, D. D. Logical argument was wanting; proof was wanting. An effort was made to supply these vacancies by plastering the slight wall with the untempered mortar of assumption, dogmatism, and an out-and-out wresting of the word of God. To such arguments and proofs, to such pitiful shifts, are defenders of the pseudo-Sabbath driven. So may it be. "Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar."

M. C. W.

A RELIGIOUS BOYCOTT.

By Editor

The Presbyterian ministers of Minneapolis have invoked the boycott against Sunday papers, as witnessed by the fact that upon a recent Sunday the following paper was read from all the pulpits of the denomination in that city:—

"The Presbyterian pastors, all of whose names are hereunto fixed, believing the use of the Sabbath newspaper to be a distinct violation of the divine law, do most urgently urge and entreat the people of their congregations to abstain from patronizing it as an advertising medium, and from either purchasing it or reading it."

Sunday papers may be an evil; but it would be hard for those ministers to show that they are such, simply because they are published, vended, and read upon the first day of the week. The assertion that labor or business performed upon Sunday violates the fourth commandment, is false; and the commandment itself shows it to be false, for it specifies the seventh day, and everybody knows that Sunday is the first day. There is another commandment, namely, "Thou shalt not bear false witness," that we would commend to the attention of these zealous Sunday advocates. To assert that the fourth commandment enjoins Sunday-keeping, is nothing short of bearing false witness against God, and against his law, and might be fittingly rebuked by the words recorded in Eze. 13:7: "Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The Lord saith it; albeit I have not spoken?"

"SEEING THE BLOOD."

By Lucy Wade Herrick

"FATHER, I cannot sleep; the prophet's words Ring in my ears; they fill my heart with fear; For am I not the first-born, and the one On whom the destroying angel's shaft would fall Were not the token on the lintel found? Thrice have I named the patriarchs, and once The creatures great and small that Noah drove Before him in the ark; but all in vain, I cannot sleep. O father, art thou sure The blood is sprinkled as God gave command?"

"Peace, peace, my child; just as the evening fell The fairest lamb of all the flock was slain, And roasted then with purifying fire; With bitter herbs, and bread devoid of leaven, In haste we ate the Lord's appointed feast. Nor were the means of saving thee forgot. Scarce was the yearling slain ere I gave word For sprinkling of the blood upon the door. Sleep, then, my first-born; God's avenging one Will see the signal, and pass over thee."

Thus on that dark night which God had chosen For passing throughout all fair Egypt's land, To smite on every side the loved first-born, Sparing not e'en the firstlings of the flock, A Hebrew father soothed his restless child; Restless himself, as now with girded loins, Sandals upon his feet, and staff in hand, He waited for that solemn midnight hour, When God's almighty arm should break the chain That bound his people to proud Pharaoh's throne. The bread unbaked was in the kneading-trough, The scattered flocks were gathered in the fold, And all betokened plans for hasty flight. There was a thrilling silence in the air; A quiet joy burned in the Rabbi's breast, Joy that was not unmingled with regret At leaving thus his birthplace, though it was A house of bondage, for the promised land.

The night wore on, And yet again the pleading voice was heard: "Father, sleep will not come; before my eyes I see the angel pass, and at our door Pause sadly, as though he wept to enter, Yet dared not hasten unavenging by. O father, if the blood has been removed, Or if the herd-boy heeded not thy voice, Then never shall my weary eyes behold The land of Canaan with its waving fields."

"Rest, little one; faithful our Jared is. Not only on the side-posts of the door Should be the stain, but on the one above; So if some hungry dog should from its place One token lick, the others would remain. Sleep, my sweet child, for thou hast need of rest; The journey will be rough for little feet."

The anxious voice was silent; for in that home Obedience reigned supreme, though not as yet The law had sounded forth from Sinai's top. With patience dutiful she sought to woo Soft slumber to her long unclosed eyes. Sleep came at last, but with it dreams of fright, Wherein she tossed, and moaned, and oft cried out.

The midnight hour drew nigh; unbroken still The darkness' solemn hush; the child awoke With a loud cry, "Father, I thought I heard The cock's shrill crow to greet approaching morn. My heart is beating with a sick'ning dread Of danger near. Oh! take me to the door, And let me see the red blood sprinkled there."

Lighting a torch, the father gently took His first-born in his arms, and bore her forth— Started and paled to see no paschal sign, No warning that their door should be passed by! With trembling hand he snatched the hyssop then, Himself applied the blood in eager haste. A long sigh of relief escaped the child; Almost before he placed her on the couch Sweet sleep had fallen on her heavy lids; Nor when that "great cry" rose did she awake. That agonizing wail of man and beast Reached not her ears, with drowsy slumber sealed, And at the dawn they bore her, sleeping still, Away from Egypt's darkness and despair.

Christ, our blest Passover, is slain for us; The "blood of sprinkling" for our sins is shed; Have we the atoning sacrifice applied, Made sure our entrance to the promised land? —Lucy Wade Herrick, in Christian Weekly.

THE DEPARTURE FROM EGYPT.

(Lesson 6, February 16, 1889.)

1. WHAT was the last plague upon Egypt?

2. What were the Israelites required to do in order to escape it?

3. On what day of the month was the Passover?

"And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening." Ex. 12:6.

4. At what time in the night were the first-born slain?

"And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle." Verse 29.

5. When this great calamity came, what did Pharoah do?

"And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptains; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also." Verses 30-32.

6. Of what word of the Lord was this a fulfillment?

"And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence; when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether." Ex. 11:1.

7. How did the people of Egypt feel?

"And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men." Ex. 12:33.

8. What did the Israelites receive from the Egyptains?

"And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment; and the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required; and they spoiled the Egyptians." Verses 35, 36. See note.

9. With what word of the Lord was this in harmony?

"But every woman shall borrow of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment; and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians." Ex. 3:22.

"And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge; and afterward shall they come out with great substance." Gen. 15:13, 14.

10. Explain the seeming discrepancy between Gen. 15:13, and Ex. 12:40. See note.

11. How large a company went out from Egypt?

"And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children." Ex. 12:37.

12. What did Moses take with him?

"And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him; for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you." Ex. 13:19. See Gen. 50:24, 25.

13. In exacting this promise, by what was Joseph actuated?

"By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones." Heb. 11:22.

14. What precaution did the Lord take against causing the Israelites to become discouraged?

"And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt. But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt." Ex. 13:17, 18.

15. What protection and guidance did he give them?

"And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people." Verses 21, 22.

16. What confidence may God's people ever have?

"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." Ps. 34:7. "They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even forever." Ps. 125:1, 2.

17. Then what should ever be their song?

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation." Isa. 12:2.

18. What sustained Moses all through the contest with Pharaoh, and the departure from Egypt?

"By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them." Heb. 11:27, 28.

NOTES.

"And they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment." Ex. 12:35. It may be noticed, in passing, that the word rendered "jewels," more properly signifies "vessels," "instruments," etc. But the object of this note is to disabuse the minds of any of the idea that the Israelites, according to the word of God, borrowed from the Egyptians that which they knew there was no possibility of repaying. They did not borrow these things, but demanded them, as the Hebrew word indicates. The Hebrew word here rendered "borrowed," is the same that is rendered "require," in Deut. 10:12: "And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways," etc. Here, it will be readily seen, the idea is not of asking something which should be returned, but of asking that which is justly due. So it is in Ex. 12:35. The Revised Version has it, "They asked of the Egyptians." The Israelites had been working for the Egyptians for many years, without compensation. They had added immensely to the wealth of Egypt (see Ex. 1:11); indeed, the Egyptians owed their very existence, under God, to the Hebrews, for if it had not been for the wise counsel and vigorous action of Joseph, they would have perished by famine. And now, when the Israelites were about to leave, they demanded of their former oppressors some little compensation; and the Lord had so moved upon the hearts of the Egyptians that they could not refuse. Just as his judgments had made them willing to let the Israelites go, so they had made them willing to pay something of what they justly owed. Dr. Clarke says that our common English version is almost the only transgressor in representing the Israelites as borrowing; that the Septuagint, the Vulgate, the Samaritan, the Coptic, and the Persian, are the same as the Hebrew, and that the European versions are generally correct.

GEN. 15:13 says: "Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years." Ex. 12:40 says: "Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years." Mark that this latter text does not say that the children of Israel dwelt in Egypt four hundred and thirty years; but that the sojourning of the children of Israel, "who dwelt in Egypt," was so long. Their sojourning was not alone in Egypt, but in Canaan, as Paul says of Abraham: "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise." Heb. 11:9. And in harmony with this is the reading of the Samaritan Pentateuch, and the Alexandrian copy of the Septuagint, which are believed to exhibit the most correct copy of the five books of Moses. They read thus:—

"Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, and of their fathers, which they sojourned in the land of Canaan, and in the land of Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years."

This four hundred and thirty years of sojourning dates from the promise to Abraham; for Paul speaks of the giving of the law, which was immediately after the deliverance from Egypt, as four hundred and thirty years after the promise. Gal. 3:17, 18. But while the sojourning was four hundred and thirty years, the affliction was only four hundred years. Gen. 15:13; Acts 7:6. Therefore, since the four hundred and thirty years of sojourn began with the giving of the promise, the affliction must have begun thirty years after the promise; and this was when Isaac was about five years old, for he was not born until twenty-five years after the promise. Compare Gen. 12:1-4 and 21:5. So the affliction dates from the time when Ishmael mocked Isaac (Gen. 21:9, 10), for Paul refers to this as the persecution of him that was born after the Spirit, by him that was born after the flesh.

Notes on the International Lesson.

By Charles P. Bollman

THE FIERCE DEMONIAC.

February 10.—Mark 5:1-20.

THE occurrence which forms the subject of this lesson is recorded also in Matt. 8:28-34, and Luke 8:26-36. Mark and Luke mention only one demoniac; however, while Matthew speaks of two. It seems probable that one must have been specially conspicuous, either by his great violence or by being the spokesman, or rather the medium through which the devils spoke to the Saviour. The text, however, presents no difficulty, since neither Mark nor Luke say that there was but one. Those who wish to find contradictions in the Scriptures must, therefore, seek elsewhere.

It is impossible to read this narrative without being impressed with the reality of the truth taught everywhere in the Scriptures, of the existence, not only of a personal devil, but of an innumerable company of personal demons. To deny this is to deny the teaching of our Lord, for he universally recognized the existence and the personality of evil spirits. He uniformly spoke of them, and to them, as real beings; which shows that he knew them to be such; for, recognizing him as divine, we cannot for a moment suppose that he was either deceived himself, or that he deceived the people.

JUST how evil spirits can take possession of men and control their actions, we do not know; but that they have done so in all ages of the world, we gather from the Scriptures. In the Old Testament those under the control of evil spirits were called witches, or wizards. In the time of our Saviour they were said to be possessed of the devil, or, as in one case (Acts 16:16), "possessed with a spirit of divination;" margin, Python, which is simply another name for Satan. And in these days one class, at least, of such unfortunates are called mediums; and the system, instead of being called witchcraft, or necromancy, is known as Spiritualism. It is not to be understood, however, that all who are possessed with evil spirits are mediums; nor does it follow that the control must be continuous. Some are undoubtedly under the Satanic influence continually, while others are controlled only when placed under certain conditions.

THAT such control is possible may seem strange to those who have never given the subject any thought, and some may even doubt whether there be any such thing at all or not; but the Scriptures certainly teach that the devil had such power eighteen hundred years ago, and why should he not have the same power now? That he has this power, and that he exercises it, is neither strange nor incredible, when we consider that the nature of fallen men and fallen angels is the same now that it was then; that "Satan as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour;" and that only too many are taken captive by him at his will.

JUST how evil spirits control men we do not know, but we know as much about it as we do about many other things which we believe. We do not know how one mind can influence another, or how one person can mesmerize another, and yet we know that it is so. Probably it is in a similar manner that devils gain and hold control of those who give themselves up to be led by them. Of course there are different degrees of spirit control, and different manifestations. Not all who are possessed are mediums. The one of whose case we read in our lesson, was not a medium, but a wild and violent maniac, endowed with supernatural strength, while, on the other hand, the damsel who had the spirit of divination (Acts 16:16) was probably as mild-mannered and tractable as any one, yet she was under the control of one or more evil spirits.

THE tombs referred to in this lesson were sepulchers, or caves, made in the hill-sides for the reception of the dead, some of them hewn out of solid rock. But though intended originally for burial places, many of them had become the dwelling-places of fierce robbers, and places of shelter for such men as the one whose story forms the basis of this lesson. It was from one of these caverns that this fierce and repulsive creature emerged, bruised, bleeding, and covered with filth. But repulsive and horrible as was his appearance, the Saviour had compassion upon him, as he also has upon the sinner, of whom this demoniac is a fit representative. All who live in sin are in a measure under the power of Satan, and morally they are just as repulsive as was this fierce demoniac. The pitiable condition of such is thus described by the prophet: "The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores; they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment." Isa. 1:5, 6. But Jesus has compassion on them, and though, like the poor man in our lesson, they cry out to be let alone, if the Saviour can discern in them anything whatever that responds to his love, he rebukes the unclean spirit, and gives the poor sin-sick souls power to become sons of God.

"For the love of God is broader Than the measure of man's mind; And the heart of the Eternal Is most wonderfully kind." The salvation of any sinner is a miracle of divine grace, and as he contemplates his former degradation, each renewed soul will feel to exclaim, "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me!"

[For additional notes upon this lesson the reader is referred to the article on the first page, entitled, "The Men from the Tombs."] C. P. B.

The Missionary.

By Frank Hope

SUSANVILLE, LASSEN CO., CAL.

I HAVE spent two weeks in this place. The church here seems very much encouraged and strengthened, and the week of prayer has indeed proved a blessing to them. During my stay we had some precious meetings, especially on Sabbath, January 5, when all said they never had been so blessed. Surely God is refreshing his people everywhere. I delivered a lecture in one of the halls here on the "Blair Bill."

I also visited Crescent Mills and Greenville. In the first-named place I found several who had not built on the True Foundation, and the storms and cares of life had carried them away. Nevertheless there are some precious souls in these places who are determined to endure to the end. One signed the covenant.

FRANK HOPE.

Reno, Nevada, January 22.

Acknowledging God

"In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."

SACRAMENTO.

By William Ings

I HAVE recently spent ten days with the church at Sacramento. We held ten public services which were well attended. The interest increased to the last. Two, a man and wife, providentially came from an adjoining county, attended the meetings, were converted and baptized, and connected with this church. When the heart is prepared, it does not take long for seeds of truth to germinate. "It is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." As the work advances, we can expect that the number of such conversions will increase. There were others that attended this meeting who had been attending Bible readings, and are convinced of the truth, and feel that they must lift the cross. May God help them to decide speedily.

The quarterly meeting had been postponed one week. The ordinances were celebrated, and all felt like consecrating themselves anew to the Lord. Advance moves were made in the missionary work. They voted to place twenty-seven paper-holders in nine of the leading hotels in the city. These will be filled with copies of the SIGNS, Sentinel, and Pacific Health Journal.

The city is still being canvassed for the petition, and many names are secured. This will be followed with a canvass for the Sentinel.

This Capital City has many advantages to extend the truth, and could there be a few more added to that church, they could extend their usefulness. WM. INGS.

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