Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 8, 1877
FRANCIS WAYLAND, D. D., ON THE SABBATH.
By Wm. Penniman
In the “Elements of Moral Science,” pages 180–184, we read as follows:—
“I. The original institution of the Sabbath.
“First, The Divine authority for the institution of the Sabbath is found in Gen. 2:1–3: ‘Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.’
“Now, concerning this passage we remark, 1. It was given to our first parents, that is, to the whole human race.
“2. God blessed it, that is, bestowed upon it a peculiar blessing, or made it a source of peculiar blessings to man. Such, surely, must be that day which is given, in order to cultivate in ourselves moral excellence, and to prepare us for the happiness of Heaven. He sanctified it, that is, set it apart from a common to a sacred and religious use.
“3. The reason is a general one,—God rested. This had no reference to any peculiar people, but seems in the light of an example from God for all the human race.
“4. The nature of the ordinance is general. God sanctified it, that is, the day. The act refers not to any particular people, but to the day itself.
“5. The object to be accomplished is general, and can apply to no one people more than to another. If it be rest, all men equally need it. If it be moral cultivation, surely no people has ever existed who did not require such a means to render them better.
“Secondly, There are indications that the hebdomadal division of time was observed by the patriarchs before the time of Moses, and that the Sabbath was regarded as the day for religious worship.
“1. Gen. 4:3: ‘And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.’ The words rendered, ‘in process of time,’ literally signify, ‘at the end of days,’ or ‘at the cutting off of days;’ that is, as I think probable, at the close, as we should say, of a section of days; a very natural expression for the end of a week. If this be the meaning, it would seem to refer to the division of time just previously mentioned, and also to the use of this day for religious worship.
“2. Noah seems to have observed the same hebdomadal division of time. The command to enter into the ark was given seven days before the flood came. Gen. 7:4–10. So he allowed seven days to elapse between the times of sending forth the dove. Gen. 8:10–12. Now, I think that these intimations show that this division of time was observed according to the original command; and we may well suppose that with it was connected the special time for religious worship. Thus, also, Joseph devoted seven days, or a whole week, to the mourning for his father.
“3. The next mention of the Sabbath is shortly after the Israelites had left Egypt, when they were fed with manna in the wilderness. Ex. 16:22–30. As the passage is of considerable length I need not quote it. I would, however, remark,
“(1) It occurs before the giving of the law, and therefore the obligatoriness of the Sabbath is hereby acknowledged irrespective of the Mosaic law.
“(2) When first alluded to, it is spoken of as a thing known. God first, without referring to the Sabbath, informs Moses that on the sixth day the Israelites should gather twice as much manna as on any other day. From this, it seems that the division of time by weeks was known; and that it was taken for granted that they would know the reason for the making of this distinction. In the whole of the narration, there is no precept given for the keeping of the day; but they are reproved for not suitably keeping it, as though it were an institution with which they ought to have been familiar.
“Besides these, there are many indications in the earliest classics, that the Greeks and Romans observed the hebdomadal division of time; and also that the seventh day was considered peculiarly sacred. This seems to have been the case in the time of Herod. The same is supposed to have been the fact in regard to the northern nations of Europe, from which we are immediately descended. The inference which seems naturally to arise from these facts is, that this institution was originally observed by the whole human race; and that it was transmitted, with different degrees of care, by different nations, until the period of the commencement of our various historical records.
“From the above facts, I think we are warranted in the conclusion, that the seventh day, or, perhaps, generally, the seventh part of time, was originally set apart for a religious purpose by our Creator, for the whole human race; that it was so observed by the Hebrews, previously to the giving of the law; and that probably the observance was, in the infancy of our race, universal.
“II. The Mosaic Sabbath.
“The precept for the observance of the Sabbath, at the giving of the law, is in these words: ‘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, nor 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. 20:8–11. Now, concerning this precept, there are several things worthy of remark:—
“1. It is found in the law of the ten commandments, which is always referred to in the Scriptures as containing the sum of the moral precepts of God to man. Our Saviour and the apostles, who made the most decided distinction between moral and ceremonial observances, never alluded to the law of the ten commandments in any other manner than as of permanent and universal obligation. Now, I know of no reason which can be assigned, why this precept should be detached from all the rest, and considered ceremonial, when the whole taken together are allowed, by universal consent, to have been quoted as moral precepts by Christ and his apostles. Besides, our Saviour expressly declares that ‘the Sabbath was made for man,’ that is, for man in general, for the whole human race; and, consequently, that it is binding upon the whole race, that is, that it is a precept of universal obligation.
“2. The reasons given for observing it are the same as those given at the time of its first institution. Inasmuch as these reasons are in their nature general, we should naturally conclude that the obligation which it imposes is universal.”
The careful reader will notice the prominent points which Mr. Wayland briefly yet ably establishes. They are as follows: The Sabbath was given to the human race. This point proved refutes the idea of some, that it was given only to the Jews. The hebdomadal division of time was observed by the patriarchs, and by the Greeks and Romans, and if it was observed by them, it no doubt was observed by all of the first inhabitants of the earth. This division of time, then, is a fact and not a theory; and inasmuch as it is not founded upon any motion of the heavenly bodies, and we can trace its source to no other cause than to the sacred record, that God created the world in six days, and rested on the seventh, we must admit that the theory set forth by some geologists, that the world was six thousand years, six long indefinite periods, in being created, is false. Ex. 16:22–30, establishes the obligation of the Sabbath irrespective of the “Mosaic law.” This demolishes the position that the Sabbath was given by Moses or to the Jews.
We will next notice some exceptions, or one or two inconsistencies, showing how exceedingly difficult it is to support a position which is unscriptural. The reader will notice that he says, “From the above facts, I think we are warranted in the conclusion, that the seventh day, or, perhaps, generally, the seventh part of time, was originally set apart for a religious purpose by our Creator, for the whole human race.” He is not as blind as some of our moral philosophers, who will not admit that the seventh day was blessed, but only a seventh part of time. Again, how careful he is lest he should make a mistake! “Or, perhaps, generally,” he says. Perhaps implies uncertainty; generally, not always; accordingly, the writer was unsettled in his mind whether the seventh part of time was the right thing. He thought perhaps it was generally set apart. From the language, we may infer that he thought a part of the time the seventh day was set apart for a religious purpose, and a part of the time a seventh part of time. This is a singular position, but only one of the many in which the supporters of Sunday-keeping are thrown.
After speaking of the Sabbath as a positive institution, and founding it in Gen. 2:1–3: he next calls it the Mosaic, and lastly the Christian, Sabbath. We see no reason for calling it the Mosaic Sabbath, because the law containing it was entrusted to the care of Moses, and from him given to God’s people, the Jews. The words, “Remember the Sabbath,” mark it as a pre-existing institution.
Again, it does not read, Remember the seventh part of time, or a Sabbath, or the Mosaic, or Christian Sabbath, but “Remember the Sabbath.” On page 183, we read, “Our Saviour and his apostles, who made the most decided distinction between the moral and ceremonial observances, never allude to the law of the ten commandments in any other manner than as of permanent and universal obligation.” And yet on page 187, he says, “The apostles declared that the disciples of Jesus were not under obligation to keep the seventh day;” and in proof of this, he quotes Col. 2:16, 17. This affirmation not only overthrows his own words,—“I know of no reason which can be assigned why this precept should be detached from all the rest, and considered ceremonial,” but it also overthrows what he truthfully ascribes of Jesus and the apostles.
In order to uphold the “Christian” Sabbath, this eminent writer seems to lose sight of his own words. Certainly “this precept” cannot be “detached from all the rest and considered ceremonial.” But does not this writer attempt to make it ceremonial when he undertakes to wrench it from the position it holds in the law, when he tries to make Paul say that the disciples of Jesus were not under obligation to keep the seventh day? Especially is this true, as he quotes Col. 2:16, 17, to prove his point. The context and text read as follows: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. . . . Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days; which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” The Greek ἑορτῆς, means a feast day, and it is thus rendered in the American Bible Union translation. It reads, “Let not any one therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day, or of a new moon,” etc.
Doctors George Campbell, James Macknight, and Philip Doddridge’s translation, with amendments by Alexander Campbell, reads as follows: “Let no one therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a festival, or in respect of a new moon, or of sabbaths, which are a shadow of the things which were to come, but the substance is of Christ.” We have, then, unmistakable evidence in regard to the meaning of “holy day” in this contested text. Many able commentators also agree that the “sabbath days” spoken of refer to the Jewish festivals or ceremonial sabbaths.
It is plain to be seen that the object of Mr. Wayland is to get rid of the seventh day, and yet preserve the Sabbath precept. It seems strange that so many able men should make this text one of their strongholds for the overthrow of the Sabbath, when even the very language of the text proves clearly that Paul refers only to the handwriting of ordinances. Notice the words, “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink,” etc. The words evidently refer to the handwriting of ordinances spoken of in the context. To show still further the absurdity of trying to array this text against the Sabbath, we will quote the forcible words of Eld. J. N. Andrews (“History of the Sabbath,” first edition, page 139): “It would be absurd to speak of the tables of STONE as NAILED to the cross, or to speak of BLOTTING out what was ENGRAVED in STONE. It would be blasphemous to represent the Son of God as pouring out his blood to blot out what the finger of his Father had written. It would be to confound all the immutable principles of morality, to represent the ten commandments as ‘contrary’ to man’s moral nature. It would be to make Christ the minister of sin—to represent him as dying74to utterly destroy the moral law. Nor does that man keep the truth on his side who represents the ten commandments as among the things contained in Paul’s enumeration of what was abolished. Nor is there any excuse for those who would destroy the ten commandments with this statement of Paul; for he shows, last of all, that what was thus abrogated was a shadow of good things to come—an absurdity if applied to the moral law.”
Mr. Wayland, after giving the usual reasons for the Christian Sabbath, closes with the following candid words: “If, however, any other person be dissatisfied with these reasons, and feel under obligation to observe the seventh day, I see no precept in the word of God to forbid him.” No command for Sunday-keeping, plain precept and law for the Sabbath. Let the reader decide which is right.
WM. PENNIMAN.
Our Own.
If I had known in the morning
How wearily all the day
The words unkind
Would trouble my mind,
I said when you went away,
I had been more careful, darling,
Nor given you needless pain;
But we vex “our own,”
With look and tone,
We may never take back again.
For though in the quiet evening
You may give us the kiss of peace,
Yet it might be
That never for me
The pain of the heart should cease.
How many go forth in the morning
That never come back at night!
And hearts have broken,
For harsh words spoken,
That sorrow can ne’er set right.
We have careful thoughts for the stranger,
And smiles for the sometime guest;
But oft for “our own,”
The bitter tone,
Though we love “our own” the best.
Ah! lips with curse impatient!
Ah! brow with that look of scorn!
’Twere a cruel fate,
Were the night too late
To undo the work of the morn.
—Narragansett Weekly.
THE GLORIES OF THE COMING KINGDOM.
By F. W. Morse
1. It will be a world of good principles. “We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” 2 Pet. 3:13. No wicked deeds will ever come to light there. Now, our hearts are made sad every day, as we read of the cruel, wicked things that are done under the sun. When some dreadful crime, or some mean, wanton, wicked act is done in our own locality, as it sometimes happens, what a fearful state of insecurity almost insensibly takes hold of us! All mean and unjust behavior of our fellow men, with which we may be brought in contact, gives us painful apprehensions for our own safety. But there in that pure world, where the “work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quiet and assurance forever,” no terrifying cloud of iniquity will ever thrust its dark shadow across the pathway of the redeemed.
Now, men of dark and cruel purposes sometimes go away into the woods, there to watch for, and seize, their innocent, unsuspecting victim, as a wolf pounces upon the lamb. But there “judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.” Isa. 32:16. We all love to dwell in a good neighborhood. How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! But think of the whole vast globe peopled only by the loving and lovely, meek disciples of the Prince of Peace. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matt. 5:5.
2. No strife and bloodshed among the animals of the peaceful new-earth kingdom. For “the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together.” Isa. 11:6, 7. No ravenous wolf, no cruel bears and lions and tigers to mangle and devour defenseless animals, and even prowl upon the track of man, whose dominion they now rise up to dispute. Nothing to fear in the beautiful forests of the new earth. The tender child may dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in in the woods, for “they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain.” Isa. 11:9.
3. It will be a world of light; for “the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be seven-fold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.” Isa. 30:26. Everybody loves sunshine. How glorious and bright will be the sunshine of the new earth! Not to dry and scald with painful heat; not to create thirst and lassitude; for “they shall thirst no more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.” Rev. 7:16. No aching of the head there from the blazing fierceness of the noontide sun; “neither shall there be any more pain.” Rev. 2:14.
4. The beautiful sun and moon will shine down upon a world free from every seed of rebellion and blessed with every fruitful quality; for “the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” There will be no scattering seeds of tares, thorns, or thistles, to grow up and annoy the dwellers in that beautiful paradise. No room for any deserts, or solitary frozen plains there, for “the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose.” Isa. 35:1.
5. No bleak, monotonous scenery there, for “the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon.” Isa. 35:2. And “the fir tree, the pine tree and the box together” shall “beautify the place” of God’s glorious sanctuary. Every picture that nature opens up to the vision will gladden the beholder with its pleasing, heavenly variety.
6. No disappointment there, for “they shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for trouble.” Isa. 65:23. No weary toiling up the mountains of life, to meet blasted hopes and blighted prospects upon the chilly summit.
Here “the sparkling waters often fade into mocking sands, as we draw near.” But “Oh! how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee!” And then, an eternity in which to develop it! Flower and fruit, field, mountain and river, earth, air and sky, all beautiful, only delightsome, a joy and satisfaction to all eternity!
7. There will be no sad parting there. The happy family who dwell upon the redeemed earth will very often come together and rejoice in the praises of Him who bought them. “It shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.” Isa. 66:23. What a sublime retinue! How vast the throng! How the very arches of Heaven must echo with their triumphant song! What a Sabbath scene! The humble gatherings in reverence to that dear old festival of creation’s birth may now be sneered at; but think of them; think of the Sabbath amid the wonders of the new earth. There will be many, very many, in that vast assembly whom we all love to think about. Enoch, Elijah, Job, Noah, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and a vast throng of the dear worthy ones of God’s love in olden times, besides the lovely John, the earnest Peter, the faithful, sacrificing Paul. Mingled with all these there will be loved ones so near to us, and whose companionship was so precious while they were with us in the journeyings of time. Oh! shall we be there to walk hand in hand with them among that victorious company? Shall we hear the mighty chorus of tireless voices, attuned only to melody, ten times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands in number? Shall we listen to that grand volume of song, rising, mounting, up to Heaven? Entrancing melody, infinitely exceeding all music to which we now listen. Shall we be there to join our voices with the dear ones we have loved here, and sing again the Sabbath songs, with no dread that death may come to hush any sweet chord, or intrude any mournful cadence?
Oh! may we be there, may we be there.
F. W. MORSE.
SHE HAS OUTLIVED HER USEFULNESS.
Not long since, a good looking man, in middle life, came to our door asking for “the minister.” When informed that he was out of town, he seemed disappointed and anxious. On being questioned as to the business, he replied: “I have lost my mother, and this place used to be her home, and my father lies here; we have come to lay her beside him.”
Our heart rose in sympathy, and we said, “You have met with a great loss.”
“Well—yes,” replied the strong man, with hesitancy, “a mother is a great loss in general; but our mother had outlived her usefulness; she was in her second childhood, and her mind was grown as weak as her body, so she was no comfort to herself, and was a burden to everybody. There were seven of us sons and daughters; and as we could not find anybody who was willing to board her, we agreed to keep her among us a year about. But I’ve had more than my share of her, for she was too feeble to be moved when my time was out; and that was more than three months before her death. But then she was a good mother in her day, and toiled very hard to bring us all up.”
Without looking at the face of the heartless man, we directed him to the house of a neighboring pastor, and returned to our nursery. We gazed on the merry little faces which smiled or grew sad in imitation of ours—those little ones to whose ear no word in our language is half so sweet as “Mother;” and we wondered if that day could ever come when they would say of us, “She has outlived her usefulness—she is no comfort to herself, and a burden to everybody else!” and we hoped that before such a day would dawn, we might be taken to our rest. God forbid that we should outlive the love of our children. Rather let us die while our hearts are a part of their own, that our grave may be watered with their tears, and our love linked with their hope of Heaven.
When the bell tolled for the mother’s burial, we went to the sanctuary to pay our only token of respect to the aged stranger; for we felt we could give her memory a tear, even though her own children had none to shed.
“She was a good mother in her day, and toiled hard to bring us all up—she was no comfort to herself, and a burden to everybody else!” These cruel, heartless words rang in our ears as we saw the coffin borne up the aisle. The bell tolled long and loud, until its iron tongue had chronicled the years of the toil-worn mother. One—two—three—four—five. How clearly and almost merrily each stroke told of her once peaceful slumber on her mother’s bosom, and of her seat at nightfall on her weary father’s knees. Six—seven—eight—nine—ten—rang out the tales of her sports upon the green sward, in the meadow, and by the brook. Eleven—twelve—thirteen—fourteen—fifteen—spoke more gravely of school days, and the little household joys and cares. Sixteen—seventeen—eighteen—sounded out the enraptured visions of maidenhood, and the dream of early love. Nineteen brought before us the happy bride. Twenty spoke of the young mother whose heart was full to bursting with the new strong love which God had awakened in her bosom. And then stroke after stroke told of her early womanhood—of the loves and cares and hopes and fears and toils through which she passed during these long years, till fifty rang out harsh and loud. From that to sixty each stroke told of the warm-hearted mother and grandmother then, and the only strife was who should secure the prize; but hark! the bell tolls on! Seventy—seventy-one—two—three—four. She begins to grow feeble, requires some care, is not always perfectly patient or satisfied; she goes from one child’s house to another, so that no one place seems like home. She murmurs in plaintive tones, and after her toil and weariness, it is hard she cannot be allowed a home to die in; that she must be sent, rather than invited from house to house. Eighty—eighty-one—two—three—four—ah! she is now a second child—now “she has outlived her usefulness, she has now ceased to be a comfort to herself or anybody;” that is, she has ceased to be profitable to her earth-craving and money-grasping children.
Now sounds out, reverberating through our lovely forests, and echoing back from our “hill of the dead”—eighty-nine! There she lies now in the coffin, cold and still—she makes no trouble now, demands no love, no soft word, no tender little offices. A look of patient endurance, we fancied also an expression of grief for unrequited love, sat on her marble features. Her children were there, clad in weeds of woe, and in irony we remembered the strong man’s words, “She was a good mother in her day.”
When the bell ceased tolling, the strange minister rose in the pulpit. His form was very erect, and his voice strong, but his hair was silver white. He read several passages of Scripture expressive of God’s compassion to feeble man, and especially of his tenderness when gray hairs are on him, and his strength faileth.
He then made some touching remarks on human frailty, and of dependence on God, urging all present to make their peace with their Master while in health, that they might claim his promises when heart and flesh should fail them. “Then,” he said, “Eternal God shall be thy refuge, and beneath thee shall be the everlasting arms.” Leaning over the desk, and gazing intently on the coffined form before him, he then said reverently, “From a little child I have honored the aged; but never till gray hairs covered my own head did I know truly how much love and sympathy this class have a right to demand of their fellow creatures. Now I feel it. Our mother,” he added most tenderly, “who now lies in death before us, was a stranger to me, as are all these descendants. All I know of her is what her son has told me to-day—that she was brought to this town from afar sixty-nine years ago; a happy bride—that here she had passed most of her life, toiling as only mothers have strength to toil, until she had reared a large family of sons and daughters—that she left her house here clad in the weeds of widowhood, to dwell among her children; and that till health and vigor left her, she lived for you, her descendants. “You, who together have shared her love and her care, know how well you have requited her. God forbid that conscience should accuse you of ingratitude or murmuring on account of the care she has been to you of late. When you go back to your homes be careful of your words and your example before your own children, for the fruit of your own doing you shall surely reap from them when you yourselves totter on the brink of the grave. I entreat you as a friend, as one who has himself entered the evening of life, that you may never say in the presence of your families or of Heaven, ‘Our mother outlived her usefulness—she was a burden to us.’ Never! Never! A mother cannot live so long as that. No! When she can no longer labor for her children, nor yet care for herself, she can fall like a precious weight on their bosoms, and call forth by her helplessness all the noble, generous feelings of their natures.”
“Adieu, then, poor, toil-worn mother; there are no more sleepless nights, no more days of pain for thee. Undying vigor and everlasting usefulness are part of the inheritance of the redeemed. Feeble as thou wert on earth, thou wilt be no burden on the bosom of Infinite Love, but there shalt thou find thy longed-for rest, and receive glorious sympathy from Jesus and his ransomed fold.”—Sel.
REMEMBER
By Chas. F. Stevens
There are many things we should remember. In our youth we should remember our Creator, and as we grow older we ought not to forget all his benefits towards us.
Probably nothing has a greater tendency to stimulate us to right returns in the service75of the Lord, than gratitude for past mercies when rightly appreciated. “In my distress,” says the Psalmist, “I called upon the Lord, and he heard me.” This great God is just as ready and willing to help us when we call upon him in sincerity; and then it becomes our solemn duty to remember his loving kindness and show our gratitude by our obedience.
There is danger when everything goes smoothly in this life, and we are prospered in the things of this world, that we forget the Source from whence all our blessings come (Deut. 8:11, 12), and so he permits distress and affliction to come upon us, that we may learn how frail we are, and remember God. The Lord has made his wonderful works to be remembered, Ps. 111:4, and has given us his holy Sabbath as a weekly memorial of the wonderful works of creation, and commands us to “remember” it. In Num. 15:39 the Lord teaches his people to remember all his commandments to do them; hence, we see that the object the Lord has in reminding us of our duty is that we may perform it. So also James exhorts us not to be forgetful hearers, but doers, of the word.
While our first duty is to God, we must not forget our duty to our fellow men. The apostle not only teaches us that we should remember the poor, Gal. 3:10, but also tells us to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said it is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35. And now, when we are so apt to forget our duty to God and our neighbors, and hesitate so long after we are reminded of our duty, let us pray God to help us remember how short our time is, and give us his Holy Spirit to bring all things to our remembrance, that God has required in his sacred word, and help us to render cheerful obedience, that we may not be cast away with all the nations that forget God.
CHAS. F. STEVENS.
THE ART OF SILENCE.
By Hannah E. Sawyer
This art of silence is one of usefulness. It is well to know when to speak and when to keep silent. It is not always proper to say what we think.
This is sanctioned by the word of God. Holy men of old have observed this. The psalmist says we must set a watch over the door of our mouth. “If any man bridleth not his own tongue, that man’s religion is vain.” If he is able to bridle his tongue, it is better than taking a whole city. Solomon says in Prov. 10: 11, “The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life.” “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” He calls them men of understanding, who have attained the art of silence.
Thus writes the evangelist: “Let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” The apostle Paul informs us that instead of jesting and joking, we should rather give thanks. And again, “Let your speech be always with grace seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Much there is to learn to become a model Christian,—one after the similitude of our great Pattern, in whom was found no fault. Truly, there is a great work before us to be enabled to attain to this position; and while attempting to cultivate other Christian graces, we must not forget that the art of silence is one.
To attain this art we must avoid uttering what is foolish. Vain and light expressions are no help nor lasting benefit to any one. Prov. 16: 23. In speaking without reflection we are apt to say too much; unwise thoughts are uttered, sentiments expressed, that are not edifying, instructing, and elevating, to the human mind. Instead of expressing our opinion on the faults and weaknesses of others, we should be engaged in a business far more profitable—searching for our own.
I will here quote an extract on this subject: “The possession of this art will enable us to govern our feelings and direct our trains of thought. He who gives expression to his feelings increases their strength. He who gives expression to anger increases its power over him. He who gives utterance to improper thoughts increases their number. It will increase our influence with our fellow-men. ‘A fool uttereth all his mind, but a wise man keepeth it until afterwards.’ Gravity and reserve are associated with wisdom. We can be useful only as we are influential. Finally, it will enable us to follow the example of Christ. He was ever affable and ready to communicate instruction, but no useless utterance escaped his lips.”
Let us labor to attain this art of silence, that our speech may always abound with grace.
HANNAH E. SAWYER.
Battle Creek, Mich.
LOVE
By J. M. Gallemore
“God is love.” He “so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He “commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” We see from the above Scripture texts that God is a being of love. His love, mercy, and tender compassion, toward his trusting and faithful children is beyond our conception. “No good thing will he withhold from them.” “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that love him.” “Like as a Father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” Truly, then, “God is love.”
Does he require love at our hands? The essence of his commandments is love to God and love to man. Upon these two principles hang all the law and the prophets. “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” Love to God and man insures the fulfillment of God’s law. God’s commandments enjoin love—love to God and man. Do we love God? And do we love the children of God? “We know we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren.” “He that loveth not, knoweth not God.” God’s people must possess love. No man can keep the commandments of God in the spirit without love.
Love for the people of God is a test of our love to God. Proof: “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.” 1 John 4:20, 21. Do we then love the people of God? There is a test. “By this we know we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments.” 1 John 5:2.
“The commandments of God are exceeding broad.” They cover a great deal. And whenever we become possessed of that love to God and man which they enjoin, we shall have reached the full stature of men and women in our Lord and Saviour. Let the people of God remember that new commandment (and not a new one either, for we had it from the beginning, and it came from God); let them never lose sight of its teachings. Says the apostle Peter, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.” Says the apostle Paul, in 1 Cor. 13:1, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (or love, properly), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal,” etc.
We cannot be the children of God, and not love. Let us think of this, and if we find ourselves lacking in love, pray God for a spirit of love. While we are without it, we have neither the Spirit of God nor of our Lord and Saviour. We want more love for God and his cause, more love for the children of God, more love for perishing souls. Let us pray for it.
J. M. GALLEMORE.
“THE JEWS REQUIRE A SIGN.”
By A. H. Barnes
WHILE reading the article with the above title in a late REVIEW, an incident in my own experience when the truth was first presented to me came forcibly to my mind. Some one had said to me that Sabbath-keepers had the healing power; and as I was entirely deaf and otherwise afflicted the thought came to me three times to say to them if they would heal me I would believe the doctrine they taught. Each time the answer from my heart was, If I cannot believe from the evidence of God’s word, I will not believe at all.
I took my Bible, and knelt before the Lord, and made this solemn promise, that if from his word I was convinced the seventh day was the Sabbath, I would not hesitate to obey and keep it. The Spirit of the Lord illuminated the sacred pages of his word, and the light of truth became clear, as passage after passage came to my mind; and before I arose from my knees, I had decided to obey. Had I hesitated, and asked for a sign, it is doubtful if I had ever received the truth.
If convinced of truth, why hesitate, and ask for a particular sign to know if it is our duty to obey. Is not the word of God plain? “The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” If we believe this, then our duty is very plain,—Obey. The Bible is God’s word and voice to us, and no precept of the Bible is plainer than this: “The seventh day is the Sabbath.” It is better to obey God than man. Trials and persecutions may be the lot of those who keep the Sabbath of the Lord; yet if it be kept faithfully and with a right motive, the reward is sure. Precious promises are given to those who regard the Sabbath of the Lord. Great blessings will rest upon those who give willing, cheerful obedience.
When Christ comes, may reader and writer be found with those who are keeping all the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. A. H. BARNES.