Earlier text: General ArticlesGOD has his own benevolent designs to accomplish; and in every age of the world he has selected his own agencies and instrumentalities for the accomplishment of his gracious purposes. His thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor his ways as our ways. The instrumentalities which human wisdom would approve are not generally such as God selects. He chooses the weak things of the world to confound the mighty. Such has usually been his method. Joseph was taken from prison and made governor of Egypt; Gideon was called from the threshing-floor to be the leader and deliverer of his people; Elisha was taken from the plow to be a prophet unto Israel; and David was called from the sheepfold and placed upon the throne of the kingdom. Christ selected his disciples from the humbler walks of life. We see him by the sea-side calling the fishermen; and at the receipt of custom calling a publican. These men did not occupy the front rank in society, yet they were, no doubt, men of good common sense, and of good character in the various positions they occupied. In addition to this, they were men of industrious habits, and they actively engaged in lowly but honorable pursuits. But when a special messenger is to be sent to the Gentiles, we see Saul of Tarsus, an educated man, and a rigid Pharisee, in the midst of his persecuting rage, arrested by the power of Christ on the highway, and constrained to exclaim, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” The lion is changed into a lamb; the proud Pharisee is a humble learner at the feet of Jesus; and the “chief of sinners” becomes “a chosen vessel” to declare the name of the Lord to “the people and the Gentiles.” All this is different from the method that human wisdom would adopt. But it is God’s plan of saving the world. Feeble instruments, and those most unlikely to be successful, are often chosen, that the excellency of the power may appear to be of God and not of men. God would stain the pride of human wisdom and power, and teach the world that it is not to be saved by the wisdom of men but by the power of God. Men are nothing, means are nothing, only as God condescends to use them. This is a truth that we should have deeply impressed upon our minds, and ever keep in view. Paul declares that he preached not the gospel “with wisdom of words, lest the cross165of Christ should be made of none effect.” And he declares again, “My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” Paul was a learned and able man, but he knew that the most learned and profound sermons that he could preach would accomplish nothing unless accompanied by the power of the divine Spirit. What we need to learn is not to trust in men, however great their ability, but to trust in God. The greatest and best of men, left to themselves, are feeble, and it is only through God that they become mighty in pulling down the strongholds of wickedness. We should not, then, trust in the means, but in him in whose hand any means may become powerful for the accomplishment of his purpose. Let us, according to Christ’s admonition, “have faith in God.”—Methodist Recorder. THE law of the Father and the gospel of the Son are not antagonistic elements. Instead of the former being superseded by the latter, it is honored, magnified, and established by it. The plan of salvation was devised not to abolish the law, but that God "might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." We know that man is a moral being, under the domain of law and directly responsible to his Creator for all his acts. John tells us that in prophetic vision he "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." And again, we are told that "every one of us shall give account of himself to God." Nor are we left in any uncertainty as to the standard of the Judgment to which we are all hastening; the wise man says: "Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." While the Master himself said to the young man, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." But "who then can be saved?" How can any escape death, the wages of sin, "for all have sinned"? and because of what the law says every mouth is stopped and all the world is guilty before God. The question is answered in those matchless words of our Saviour: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." And with Paul every humble, trusting soul may exclaim, "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." And this because there is "no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." "For he [God] hath made him [Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Cor. 5:21. Or, as the apostle expresses it elsewhere, God sent his "Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin [margin, "by a sacrifice for sin"], condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." And all this agrees perfectly with the words of our Saviour:— "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven [Campbell's translation, "of no esteem in the sight of Heaven"]; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven." Matt. 5:17-19. But let every soul that has named the name of Christ remember "that no flesh should glory in his [God's] presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." 1 Cor. 1:29-31; Phil. 2:13. POWER OF THE EVIL ONE.
By John Scott, D. D.
THE whole Bible is permeated with the thought of a great spiritual conflict between the powers of light and of darkness for the salvation or ruin of man. Eliminate this idea from the Bible, and it becomes confused and utterly meaningless. The agency of Satan is prominently presented in connection with the first great transgression, and as its inciting cause. The existence and agency of evil spirits in opposing the will of Jehovah is clearly presented in the conflict between Moses, acting in the name of the God of Israel, and the gods of Egypt. The conflict was not between Jehovah and a myth, but between Jehovah and wicked spirits who exalted themselves against him. The existence of evil spirits, variously designated as gods, the gods of Egypt, the gods of the heathen, and false gods, meaning more than the images used to represent them, is recognized in almost innumerable instances in the Old Testament. The psalmist represents the people of God as having been seduced to the service of idols, and as sacrificing their sons and daughters, not to a myth, but to devils. This fact is asserted in several other places in the Old Testament; and Paul assures us that "the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils." In the opening of Christ's great mission, he was encountered by Satan, not a creature of the imagination, but a real, spiritual foe, who sought to overcome him and defeat the divine purpose. The fact of demoniacal possessions, the evil influence of the spirits and their opposition to Christ, is presented so frequently and so clearly by the four evangelists that it cannot be denied. That this great spiritual conflict is still going on, and will continue to go on until the end, we are clearly taught in the Bible. This is not a conflict between influences, which can mean nothing aside from agencies, but between real spiritual beings. God's agency in promoting the happiness of the universe is personal and real, and so is the agency of the devil and his angels in opposing him. We are here exposed to the adverse influence of those invisible, spiritual enemies—real spirits—who endeavor to lead us away from God. The apostle Peter assures us that our "adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." The apostle Paul exhorts us to "put on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil," and then proceeds to say, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness," or, as it is in the margin, "wicked spirits, in high places." We are exhorted not to give place to the devil; to resist the devil; to be faithful lest we fall into the snare of the devil. Is all this a mere figure of speech? Is all this, uttered under the inspiration of God, a mere picture of imagination, a mere fancy of the mind? By no means. It is the declaration of plain and simple truth. The conflict in which we are engaged is a conflict with real, spiritual adversaries, and not imaginary foes. Although the conflict is a spiritual one, it is, nevertheless, personal and real. We are not impressed with this truth as we should be. We do not allow it to occupy that place in our thoughts which its importance demands. If we knew that an assassin was lurking about our door to assault us, how careful we would be to avoid or resist his attack? But we know that Satan, or some of his minions, is dogging our steps every day. How important, then, that we be ever on our guard, and especially that we implore divine assistance, and ask God not to lead us into temptation, but to deliver us from evil, and the power of the evil one.—John Scott, D. D. MORE than a hundred years have passed since a young lad in England, who belonged to a pious family, but was himself far from God, was to find God by strange means. He had been the child of many prayers, but to all the entreaties of his mother and others, he answered by inwardly resolving not to become a Christian. In the good providence of God, however, he happened with his good mother to be on a visit to Ireland, and one day they went to a place where a good man was to preach. This good man was that day very earnest in his sermon; he put the question to the unsaved present, whether they would give themselves to Christ or remain rebels. Every time the preacher repeated the question the young man said in his heart, "No, I will not yield." His heart was hardened against God. At the close of the sermon it seemed to be harder than ever it had been. But when the sermon was finished the minister gave out a hymn. It begins,— "Come ye, sinners, poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore."
The congregation, stirred by the earnest sermon, sang the hymn with their whole heart. And what the sermon could not do the singing of the hymn did. It broke the hard, unyielding heart. It forced a way into the very center of the heart. It was the voice of God calling him through the hundreds of voices that day praising God. His pride, his hardness of heart, everything that stood in his way to God, gave way. And that day the son who was in the far land found God, and gave himself to be a loyal soldier for God evermore. And he lived himself to be an honored preacher of the gospel, and the writer of a hymn that has opened a way to God in thousands of hearts. He was Augustus Toplady, the author of the great hymn, "Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee."
—From Children's Sermons. Praise is to most minds what delicately seasoned food is to the sense of taste; and, therefore, as the Abbe Roux observes, "In the matter of praise we rather consult our appetite than our health." Hence he who so feeds on the "praise of men" as to lose his relish for the praise of God, becomes sick unto spiritual death.—Selected. "He that follows the Lord fully, will find goodness and mercy following him continually." "A WEIGHTY AND TIMELY UTTERANCE."
THE FATHERS AND THE EARLY CHURCH.
JUSTIN MARTYR is next quoted as follows:—
"On Sunday we all assemble in common, since that is the first day on which God, having changed darkness and chaos, made the world, and on the same day our Saviour Jesus Christ rose from the dead." This is an incorrect quotation, inasmuch as it makes Justin speak of the resurrection of Christ as a reason for worshiping on Sunday, when he made no mention of that event. What he really says is this:— "And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits."—First Apology of Justin, chap. 67. This is a minor difference, but it serves to show how even the trashy stuff which the so-called Fathers wrote is garbled in order to bolster up the Sunday. But it may be said that we have here evidence in favor of Sunday observance, since Justin really says that they met on the day called Sunday. To that we reply that we shall not attempt to deny that Sunday was observed to some extent at quite an early period. But the fact that a thing was done, is no evidence it ought to have been done. Within three hundred years after the crucifixion of Christ we can find every abomination of the Papacy to the Christian church. In the preface to the "Ancient Church" Dr. Killen says:— "In the interval between the days of the apostles and the conversion of Constantine, the Christian commonwealth changed its aspect. The bishop of Rome—a personage unknown to the writers of the New Testament—meanwhile rose into prominence, and at length took precedence of all other churchmen. Rites and ceremonies, of which neither Paul nor Peter ever heard, crept silently into use, and then claimed the rank of divine institutions. Officers for whom the primitive disciples could have found no place, and titles, which to them would have been altogether unintelligible, began to challenge attention, and to be named apostolic." Justin was a Greek who lived in the second century; and concerning the condition of the church in that century Mosheim has the following:— "Among the Greeks and the people of the East nothing was held more sacred than what were called the Mysteries. This circumstance led the Christians, in order to impart dignity to their religion, to say that they also had similar mysteries, or certain holy rites concealed from the vulgar; and they not only applied the terms used in the pagan mysteries to the Christian institutions, particularly baptism and the Lord's Supper; but they gradually introduced also the rites which were designated by those terms. This practice originated in the Eastern provinces; and thence, after the times of Adrian (who first introduced the Grecian mysteries among the Latins), it spread among the Christians of the West. A large part, therefore, of the Christian observances and institutions, even in this century, had the aspect of the pagan mysteries."—Ecclesiastical History, Book 1, cent. 2, part 2, chap. 4, sections 1-5. If antiquity were to be allowed as evidence of the correctness of any practice, nearly all error would be classed as truth. The question with us is not what people have done, but what ought they to have done, and the Bible alone can answer the question satisfactorily. The next "evidence" that is brought to the support of Sunday is the following:— "Theophilus, bishop of Antioch, about the year 162 says: 'Both custom and reason challenge from us that we should honor the Lord's day, seeing on that day it was that our Lord Jesus completed his resurrection from the dead.' (Edwards's Manual, p. 114.)" It may strike the reader as strange that these testimonies are quoted from Dr. Edwards's "Sabbath Manual," and not directly from the Fathers themselves. By this means the responsibility for any wrong quotation is all thrown upon Dr. Edwards. On this quotation from Theophilus, all that we have to say is that it is entirely manufactured. Not a line of it appears in his writings. He does not use the term "Lord's day," and nowhere even mentions the first day of the week. It is evident that Dr. Edwards, who is primarily responsible for this forged testimony, was no novice in the use of the Fathers, and did not stand in need of any instruction from the Rev. Philetus Dobbs. We will say this, however, for the forged testimony from Theophilus, that it is just as good evidence for Sunday-keeping as any that can be found in any of the Fathers; and it is entitled to just as much weight as though Theophilus had actually written it. But the advocates of Sunday have no lack of testimony in its support, and the next quotation given is "equally conclusive" with that from Theophilus. Dr. Bailey says:— "Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons in France, the disciple of Polycarp, in the year 167, says that the Lord's day was the Christian Sabbath. 'On the Lord's day every one of us Christians keep the Sabbath, meditating on the law and rejoicing in the works of God.' (Edwards's Manual, p. 114.)" Of this we have simply to say that the term "Lord's day" nowhere occurs in the writings of Irenaeus. Our readers, though, have doubtless found out by this time that even if one of the Fathers did not happen to speak about a certain thing, it does not in the least invalidate the testimony quoted from him in favor of it. If he had only realized what straits the advocates of Sunday would be in for argument in the nineteenth century, he might possibly have said what they want him to say, and so it is just the same as though he had said it. This seems to be the plan adopted by those who quote the Fathers. There is one little thing about the writings of Irenaeus which we never remember to have seen quoted, and while we are on this subject we will mention it here, that our readers may see the straightforwardness of the Fathers in general, and of Irenaeus in particular. In the introductory notice of the writings of Irenaeus, we find the following statement by the translators:— "The great work of Irenaeus, now for the first time translated into English, is unfortunately no longer extant in the original. It has come down to us only in an ancient Latin version, with the exception of the greater part of the first book, which has been preserved in the original Greek, through means of copious quotations made by Hippolytus and Epiphanius. The text, both Latin and Greek, is often most uncertain. Only three MSS. of the work 'Against Heresies' are at present known to exist. Others, however, were used in the earliest printed editions put forth by Erasmus. And as these codices were more ancient than any now available, it is greatly to be regretted that they have disappeared or perished. One of our difficulties throughout, has been to fix the readings we should adopt, especially in the first book. Varieties of reading, actual or conjectural, have been noted only when some point of special importance seemed to be involved." "After the text has been settled, according to the best judgment which can be formed, the work of translation remains; and that is, in this case, a matter of no small difficulty. Irenaeus, even in the original Greek, is often a very obscure writer. At times he expresses himself with remarkable clearness and terseness; but, upon the whole, his style is very involved and prolix. And the Latin version adds to these difficulties of the original, by being itself of the most barbarous character. In fact, it is often necessary to make a conjectural re-translation of it into Greek, in order to obtain some inkling of what the author wrote. Dodwell supposes this Latin version to have been made about the end of the fourth century; but as Tertullian seems to have used it, we must rather place it in the beginning of the third. Its author is unknown, but he was certainly little qualified for his task. We have endeavored to give as close and accurate a translation of the work as possible, but there are not a few passages in which a guess can only be made as to the probable meaning." This assurance must be a great comfort to those who dote on Irenaeus. It must be a great satisfaction to his admirers to know that they have his exact language just as nearly as can be guessed at by people living 1,600 years after he died. The plan adopted by the translators is very much like trying to arrive at an exact amount of a certain sum of money by guessing at half of it and multiplying that by two. And this is a specimen of the value of all the writings of the so-called Fathers. Many of them are wholly forged, and the others have been altered and interpolated and garbled so that the ones who wrote them would not recognize them, if they were alive. As Dr. Mosheim says, it is of no importance that much of the writings of the Fathers has been lost, since they are utterly unreliable. We do not know that they are ever quoted except in support of a cause which cannot be sustained by the Bible. They are simply blind leaders of the blind. To go to them for light on the Bible is like taking the shades of midnight to illuminate the face of the sun. We have followed Dr. Bailey thus far in his proofs from the Fathers, not because we thought it necessary to try to refute the so-called argument, but that our readers might see clearly the broken reed upon which the Sunday institution rests for support. We think enough has been said to demonstrate this point, and we will not follow it any further. Dr. Bailey says: "How silly and shallow is the falsehood that Constantine changed the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week." So we say; and we have never heard of a Sabbath-keeper who was foolish enough to make such a claim. There was no man who could change the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week. As Dr. Scott says, the truth is that the change was made gradually. All deviations from the right are made in the same way. But it is true that the change from the seventh to the first day was made by "the man of sin," "that Wicked," the mystery of whose iniquity was working even in the days of the apostle; and it was just such perversions of truth as this that made the Papacy the "mystery of iniquity," "the abomination of desolation." But while Constantine did not change the Sabbath, he did have a hand in perpetuating the wicked change that had already been made, and in establishing the Papacy on a firm basis. "Chambers's Encyclopædia," speaking of the custom of the early church, says:— "Whatever may have been the opinion or practice of these early Christians in regard to cessation from labor on the Sunday, unquestionably the first law, either ecclesiastical or civil, by which the Sabbatical observance of that day is known to have been ordained, is the edict of Constantine, 321 A. D." We have seen this statement denied by those who asserted that Christ and the apostles changed the Sabbath, but we have never known anyone to quote a commandment for Sunday-keeping earlier than that of Constantine. It is very easy to say that Christ changed the Sabbath, but it is impossible to find a commandment to that effect. W.
(Concluded next week.) WHY WE KEEP THE SABBATH.
By Editor
IN reply to a request in the Signs for someone to send one direct Bible text showing Sunday to be the Sabbath, a gentleman writes: "I do not propose to discuss the subject, for I am not sufficiently versed; but, Yankee-like, I can turn the question by asking you the same in regard to Saturday. Please give chapter and verse to sustain you in Sabbath or Saturday worship." This we are very happy to do. "And God spake all these words, saying, . . . Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day, and hallowed it." Ex. 20:1, 8-11. This is direct, simple, easily understood, and comes direct from Heaven.167 It is the foundation of all Sabbath observance. It is sufficient of itself, and the Bible contains abundance of corroborative testimony, but not a word for first-day observance. In spite of the rapid increase of crime and violence on every hand; in spite of the most gigantic preparations for war that the world has ever seen; in spite of the increasing worldliness of the church, the pulpit and the religious press continue to talk of peace and safety, of a millennium in which there shall be no war, and in which the world will be converted. In the midst of violence and crime, it seems a strange proceeding to talk of peace and safety. In the presence of the greatest possible preparations for war, it seems rather incongruous to announce the speedy approach of a time when there shall be no war. In the face of the increasing worldliness of the church, and the loss of her power of godliness, the prospect does not appear very flattering for the conversion of the world to Christ. Yet under these very circumstances, in these very times, these very things are preached. But is such preaching, the preaching of the truth? Is it so that through the practice of violence and crime there is to be developed an era of peace and safety for those who commit these things as well as for those who do not? Is it true that by these immense preparations for war, by this constant readiness for war, and this increasing jealousy and war-like spirit amongst nations, there is to be brought about a time when all nations shall voluntarily lay down their arms and make no more preparation for war, and when there shall nevermore be either jealousy or warlike spirit? Is it a fact that through a world-loving church seeking for worldly power and worldly favor, there shall flow such a flood of divine grace that it shall irresistibly overwhelm the world? Such results from such causes or by such means, are moral impossibilities. Then why is it that from one end of Christendom to the other the pulpits ring with it? Is it because the Scriptures say that this shall be? Let us see. There are certain scriptures quoted to prove that these things are so. Let us read them. Psalm 2:7, 8: "I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." There, does not that say that the world shall be converted? Well does it? Plainly it does not. It says that the heathen and the uttermost parts of the earth shall be given to the Son of God. But it does not say that this shall be by conversion nor for conversion. Before the conversion of the heathen or the uttermost parts of the earth can be found in that scripture it has to be put into it by the one who wants to find it there. And that is not the best way to interpret Scripture. It is not the best way to read into Scripture what we want there, rather than to read the Scripture to find what really is there. But it may be asked, Is not conversion the necessary conclusion from the text? It is not, because the next verse shows the contrary: "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." That is certainly anything else than their conversion. This is shown further by the remaining verses: "Be wise now therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little." This shows that the time is coming when the Son will be angry, and his wrath will be kindled; and that now men must make their peace with him, that they be not broken and dashed in pieces when his wrath shall be kindled, for that is to be done with the heathen and the uttermost parts of the earth when they are given to him. This is confirmed by another scripture in which this wrath is spoken of. Revelation 6:16 speaks of "the wrath of the Lamb." And when that wrath is revealed, "the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" It is certain therefore that the second psalm does not teach the conversion of the world; nor will it allow any such teaching to be read into it. Another scripture quoted in proof of the conversion of the world is, Revelation 11:15: "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever." But this text is much the same as the other. It does not say that these kingdoms become his by conversion nor for conversion. It is evident that this text bears the same meaning as that in the second psalm. Read the two together: "I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ." These two texts certainly speak of the same time and the same event, and we have seen that these heathen are given him to be dashed in pieces. And that this is the same with "the kingdoms of the world," is evident from the context. The whole verse reads, "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever." "The seventh angel" here spoken of, is the seventh of the seven trumpet angels of the eighth to the eleventh chapters of this book. And each of the last three trumpets is accompanied by woe, for Rev. 8:13 says, "Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!" There were three trumpets yet to sound and there were to be three woes because of the three trumpets. This is further shown by Rev. 11:14: "The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly." Then follows the sounding of the seventh trumpet and the announcement that the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ. Now as the seventh trumpet is accompanied by the third woe, and as it is under the seventh trumpet that the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, it is certain therefore that it is in the midst of a time of woe that the kingdoms of this world do become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. This is further shown by verse 18: "And the nations were angry [precisely the attitude of the nations at this moment], and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which corrupt [margin] the earth." The time of reward of the saints, etc., is at the coming of the Lord, for he says, "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. 22:12. Then it is that his wrath is kindled and the angry nations are given him, and in the midst of a time of woe they are dashed in pieces, and destroyed because they corrupt the earth. This is confirmed by the prophecy in Daniel 2:31-45. There was a great image seen, with head of gold, breast and arms of silver, sides of brass, legs of iron, and feet of iron and clay. Then a stone was seen to smite the image upon his feet, "and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them." And in explanation of this the word says: "In the days of these kings shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." It is evident that in none of these texts is the conversion of the world, nor a millennium of peace, spoken of at all nor even suggested. Instead of the nations being at peace, they are "angry;" instead of there being safety on the earth there is "woe;" instead of the conversion of the world there is to be destruction that shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked. And yet in the face of these plain declarations of the word of God, and of the events that mark their fulfillment, men will preach directly the opposite. But even this is shown by the word of God as that which will be at this time. In the last verses of 1 Thessalonians 4, the coming of the Lord is spoken of. Then in the first verses of the fifth chapter it is said: "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." This shows that at the time when destruction is impending there will be men saying, "Peace and safety," and then sudden destruction comes upon them. Therefore if there is any one thing that men should disbelieve, it is the preaching of peace and safety, the preaching of a millennium of peace and the conversion of the world. The very preaching of it is evidence of its falsity, because the word of God says that then "destruction cometh." There are other texts upon this subject, the examination of which we defer till next week. J.