Earlier text: The Atonement of the Hebrew ScripturesGod's Gift to Man.
By S. P. Bollman
"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." 1 John 5:11. THERE is in the world a manifest misunderstanding of much that is very plainly revealed in the Bible concerning eternal life. Jesus speaks of eternal life as a gift (John 17:2); something which is communicated or bestowed upon the children of God, at his appointed time, and in his appointed way. The misunderstanding in relation to this wondrous gift is not so much as to what it is, as to the time of its bestowment, or when it becomes the actual possession of the believer. Some understand the promise, or pledge of eternal life, as equivalent to its actual present possession; but for this there is no Bible warrant. The time when individual Christians (with a few noted exceptions) are invested with eternal life, is at the second coming of the Lord Jesus, when the righteous dead are raised incorruptible, and the living are instantaneously changed, as set forth by Paul in 1 Cor. 15:51-55. The unscriptural theory, held by many, that man is naturally immortal would make the bestowal of eternal life an unnecessary and impracticable act, for how could that be given which is already in possession of the proposed recipient, as his natural and inalienable attribute? But if the sacred Scriptures are to be harmonized on this point, and every part made consistent with every other part in order to have the true interpretation, then natural, or inherent immortality is not a doctrine of the Bible, but a delusion of Satan having a tendency to subvert true faith, and to lead into the dangerous realms of Spiritualism, and eventually, "to destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." 2 Thess. 1:9. The Scriptures very clearly set forth the time of the reception of this gift, as at the resurrection. The body which the apostle speaks of as being sown a natural body, is then raised a spiritual body; that which is sown in corruption is then raised in incorruption, and, to crown all, then "this mortal must put on immortality; then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." See 1 Cor. 15. Yes, this is the overcomer's victory, that for which the Christian sighs and pants. He wishes not only to finish his course joyfully in hope of eternal life, but also to be clothed with the undying existence which entitles him to be where Jesus is, and certifies his likeness to the Saviour, because he sees him as he is. 1 John 3:2. But for all this he must wait "till Jesus comes," and when he comes then shall we (believers), fully invested with eternal life, "appear with him in glory." Then shall be verified that record that God hath given us, namely, that eternal life which is in his Son. 1 John 5:11. "To him that overcometh," says the Saviour, "will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Rev. 3:21. "To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, [God will give] eternal life." Rom. 2:7. It is, then, the patient perseverers in well-doing who are rewarded with eternal life, when the great depositary of this life (the Lord Jesus) comes to claim his own. How strange that any should teach, or claim to believe, that eternal life is now an actual possession of even the most devoted soldiers of the cross, still liable to come under the power of him who has the power of death! Heb. 2:14. It cannot be that eternal life, and liability to death and corruption, should characterize the same individuals at the same time! This scene of conflict and spiritual warfare is not the theater where is displayed the wondrous glory of that life "which is hid with Christ in God." These low grounds of sin and death could never produce or develop those heavenly fruits which are only found on the banks of the river which flows by the throne of God. In the mind of the Spirit, eternal life is always associated with Heaven, with the place which Jesus has gone before to prepare for those who love him, and to which he will receive his redeemed ones, when he cometh in his glory. The eternal life which Jesus says he gives to his sheep (believers, John 10:28), is adapted only to realms from which sin, sorrow, and death are forever excluded; a condition of existence adapted to, and only experienced or enjoyed in Heaven, or in an earth made new, "wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Pet. 3:13. Eternal life then is only intended for an eternal, unending condition or state of holiness; where every breathing of desire is "holiness to the Lord;" where nothing shall molest, or disturb; where all are pure; in short,
"Where God the Son forever reigns,
And scatters night away." Such are the regions peopled by those invested with eternal life. That land is adapted to its inhabitants, and they to their cloudless, Lamb-enlightened home. No wonder Paul was enraptured with the thought when he gave utterance to the expression, "Earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven." 2 Cor. 5:2. When and What to Speak.
By H. Clay Trumbull
"I HAVE not refrained my lips, O Lord. . . I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth." Sometimes it is to a man's credit that he keeps his mouth shut, and again it is not. There is a time to keep silence, and again, there is a time to speak. A man does well to refrain his lips from scandals and gossip, from false speaking, from impurity, from irreverence, and from harsh judgments and uncharitable criticisms. But it is a man's duty to speak out lovingly and gratefully in behalf of those who have befriended him; and, above all, in praise of God's lovingkindness and truth. Silence is a sin where outspokenness is a duty. Silence concerning God's dealings with us, and with the world at large, is not to the credit of any child of God. It were better for us all to be continually ascribing praise to God, in ordinary speech, as do the Orientals, than for us to refrain from the meed of praise which is God's due, when the occasion calls for an expression of our feelings with reference to him. If, when others speak complainingly of the weather in our presence, we should speak out frankly to say that God alone controls the weather, and that just that weather which he has sent to us is the best we could have had, because it was chosen by him, we should so far honor God, set an example to others, and gain in the practice of right speaking—which ought to be the practice of all for always.—H. Clay Trumbull. "Professed and Went Back."
"HE professed, and went back." "But," replied an old brother, "did he ever profess and go forward?" And there is no doubt that that is the question. It is an easy matter to make a profession; but the important matter is going forward. Of course, if one only professes, and remains as he is, he can't be said to go back, for the simple reason that one must go forward before he can go back. A man at the foot of the ladder has no distance to drop. And we suspect the reason so many "go back," as it is called, is simply that they have never gone forward, but rested in a mere profession; and when a professed convert makes a tumble, the remarkable thing is that the people who make the most noise about it are and have always been at the foot of the ladder; they make such an ado about So-and-so falling back, and yet So-and-so has only fallen down to where they are themselves. The true child of God will mourn over those who go back instead of rejoicing or talking about it; and he will be always rejoiced to hear of souls professing and going forward.—Messiah's Herald. Some time ago, a gentleman tells us, he was traveling in Syria, and stopped to watch three shepherds who were watering their flocks at a well. All the sheep mixed together, and to a stranger's eye they appeared as one. Presently one shepherd arose from the well-side and called out, "Men-ah!"—the Arabic word for "follow me!" To the American's surprise, about thirty sheep, separating themselves from the others, followed the man up the hill. The second shepherd cried out "Men-ah! Men-ah!" and away went the second flock. The American was very much astonished at this, and seeing the third shepherd gathering up his crook and a few scattering dates that had fallen from the palm under which he had rested, he stepped up to him and said: "Would your sheep follow me if I called them?" The man shook his head. "Give me your cloak and crook, and let me try!" The shepherd did so, even taking off his dirty turban and twisting it around the American's head, with a grin of amusement; and then he stood and watched the American call, "Men-ah! Men-ah!" until he was quite hoarse. The sheep stood lazily blinking at him, basking in the sunshine, but not one moved a step. "Do they never follow any one but you?" asked the American of the shepherd. "Only when the sheep is sick, and then the silly creature follows any one," replied the shepherd. So the American and you and I learn this lesson: that if any of Christ's sheep cannot hear his voice, or distinguish it from the world, the flesh, and the devil, it is because that sheep is sick. Yes, soul-sick, sinful, backsliding, and oh, so foolish! Is that what troubles you? Are you tired of prayer and Bible-reading, and working for Jesus? Oh, poor, sick soul! come back to your Shepherd to-day; let your prayer be this: "Cause me to hear thy voice;" and when you hear it again, keep close to his side.—Sel. Confession and Holy Deeds
CONFESSION of sin and humiliation of spirit bring power for holy deeds. Human Nature and Its Restraints.
By Alonzo T. Jones
LET any one compare the two pictures drawn by Paul, the one in Rom. 1:28-31, of the iniquity of ancient heathenism, the other in 2 Tim. 3:1-8, of the iniquity of the last days, even among those who have "a form of godliness," and he will see that they are exactly alike. In view of all the enlightenment of the present day, many wonder how it can be that men will descend to that depth of violence and iniquity which the Scriptures portray as characteristic of the last days. From a surface view of the subject, judged simply by appearances, it would seem highly improbable, if not impossible. But "all things are not what they seem;" and we must be guided, not by what appears to be, but by what is. Human nature, unrestrained, is the same in all ages. Whether in the days of Christ, or two thousand years before, or two thousand years after; whether manifested in the inhabitants of Canaan, or in the inhabitants of the United States, it is always the same. It is for this very reason that the Bible fits men, wherever on the earth it may find them. It is a book not for one tribe only, nor for one class, nor for one nation, but for the human race. And it is the only book in the world that is. The reason for that is, that the book was given by the One who knows human nature in its very essence. God made man upright. He made him to remain so; he made him to be holy, and ever and forever good; he bestowed upon him powers by which all that was intended for him, and expected of him, could be accomplished. But he turned from the bright course which God set before him; he sinned, and so sold himself to do evil; and now the sublime powers which the Lord bestowed upon him to be exerted in the way of righteousness, are prostituted to evil. Faculties that would have been effectual in the accomplishment of the purposes of God concerning him, are now just as effectual in the accomplishment of the purposes of Satan. In the words of Jer. 23:10, his "course is evil," and his "force is not right." If ever, then, man shall be raised from his fallen state; if ever his lapsed powers shall be restored; if ever his "course" is to be in the way of good; if ever his "force" shall be right; if ever he shall be fitted for that position which he was created to fill; if, in short, he is ever to fulfill the purpose of his creation, it is indispensable that the tendency of every faculty be restrained, turned into the right course, and trained to follow it. The Bible meets this necessity; it meets it in every part, and satisfies it to the full. Therefore, this of itself is proof that the Creator of man is the author of the Bible. Human nature, then, being the same everywhere, the only thing that makes one person to differ from another is the degree of restraint each one recognizes in his own case. If, in a person, all the restraints of the law of God are recognized, he will be a man fitted for the society and fellowship of the angels. If, on the contrary, none of these are recognized, he will be a man fit only for the society and fellowship of demons. Upon many persons, and in many ways, these restraints exert themselves unconsciously, as in the case of the infidel, who denies the authority or the existence of God, and despises his word. Yet the principles of that word are so imbedded in the society of which he is a member that he yields obedience to them, while he thinks he is defying them; but transplant him to the state of society which he advocates, where none of these principles are recognized, and none exerted, and he will run as readily in the way of iniquity as the veriest heathen that ever dwelt in the land of Canaan. And that other class of persons who call themselves "Christians," or even "Christian ministers," who, in their opposition to the obligations of the ten commandments, can hardly frame sentences that will sufficiently express the bitterness of their contempt for the law of God, some of these declaring that "it is dead and stinks," others calling it an "old thunder and lightning law," one preacher that I know of wishing that he "could thunder" his contempt for it—only let the time come when such seed shall have borne its fruit, when society in following such teaching shall have reached that condition which would be defined in the very opposite of the ten commandments, and they will go as greedily in that evil way as did Balaam of old. Again, many will restrain themselves from doing evil through fear of punishment, but take away the prospect of punishment, or satisfy them that there will be none, and they will go to any length that circumstances may allow. Henry VIII., although he regarded not God, as long as he feared the pope, did not dare to divorce his wife, but when he had broken through that restraint, he cut off the heads of three wives, and only a witty speech saved the head of the fourth. Less than a hundred years ago, and more than two hundred and fifty years after the triumph of the Reformation, when in France the party in power, by a national act, legislated God out of existence, and declared death an eternal sleep, men deified a harlot, and terror reigned. "Then came those days when the most barbarous of all codes was administered by the most barbarous of all tribunals; when no man could greet his neighbors, or say his prayers, or dress his hair, without danger of committing a capital crime; when spies lurked in every corner; when the guillotine was long and hard at work every morning; when the jails were filled as close as the hold of a slave-ship; when the gutters ran foaming with blood into the Seine. . . . While the daily wagon loads of victims were carried to their doom through the streets of Paris, the proconsuls, whom the sovereign Committee had sent forth to the departments, reveled in an extravagance of cruelty unknown even in the capital. The knife of the deadly machine rose and fell too slow for their work of slaughter. Long rows of captives were mowed down with grape shot. Holes were made in the bottoms of crowded barges. Lyons was turned into a desert. At Arras even the cruel mercy of a speedy death was denied to the prisoners. All down the Loire, from Saumur to the sea, great flocks of crows and kites feasted on naked corpses, twined together in hideous embraces. No mercy was shown to sex or age. The number of young lads and of girls of seventeen, who were murdered by that execrable government, is to be reckoned by hundreds. Babies torn from the breast were tossed from pike to pike along the Jacobin ranks. One champion of liberty had his pockets well stuffed with ears. Another swaggered about with the finger of a little child in his hat. A few months had sufficed to degrade France below the level of New Zealand."—Macaulay, "Essay on Barere." And all this was done in the closing years of the eighteenth century; all this was after the light of the Reformation had been permeating Europe for two hundred and seventy-two years. There is another course by which men reach the same state of cruelty. That is, not by denying the existence of God, but by making themselves the depositaries of what they choose to define as his will, and then holding themselves as the sole expositors and executors of that will. As in every single instance it is only their own will which is thus exalted to the supremacy, and therefore is of only human authority, the only way in which it can be enforced is by human enactment; and then instead of being simply executors, they make themselves executioners in carrying into effect their arbitrary will. Making their own will supreme, and themselves the sole interpreters of that will, even though they claim it to be the will of God, they just as veritably put themselves beyond restraint as do the men who deny God outright. Both classes reach the same point, and both commit the same enormous crimes, the one illustrated in the fearful orgies of the Reign of Terror, the other illustrated in the terrible torments of the Inquisition. So, therefore, after the above quotation descriptive of the Reign of Terror, it is not necessary to present a description of the crimes of the papacy, for, with the simple substitution of the stake for the guillotine, the same narrative is equally descriptive of the dealing of the church with heretics. And now at this hour of the nineteenth century, and in our own country, under the profession of National Reform, the harlot daughters of the papacy are preparing to revive the spirit and times of the mother. For when, by constitutional authority, they, after the similitude of the papacy, shall have acquired a power similar to the papal, they will be in position to commit excesses similar to those of the papacy. Human nature without restraint, in these, is as ruinous as in those. True, they would comfort us with the assurance that they will not hurt a "hair of" our "heads." But all the authority that we have for that is their own words, which their actions contradict; for while they are repeating these assurances that they will not coerce any one, they are working most assiduously to obtain the power to coerce every one. If, having obtained that power, they do not intend to use it, even to the weight of "a hair," why do they strive so strenuously for it? We cannot understand why they should so tenaciously fight for powers which they do not mean to exercise. To say the very least, they will then possess the privilege to oppress dissenters; and if these oppressive privileges are to be nominal, and not real; if they really do not intend to exercise them, let them forego them; they lose nothing, and then we shall have reason to believe that they mean what they say. Otherwise, as we know that it is a giant's power which they want, as we know, by human nature as portrayed in human history, that when they get it, they will use it like a giant. The Scriptures confirm all that this investigation suggests. In the beginning of this article we cited Rom. 1:28-31 as the description of ancient heathendom, and 2 Tim. 3:1-8 as the description of the last days of modern Christendom, and we find them exactly alike. But they are alike not only in effect; they are so in accordance with the principle that like causes produce like effects. In Rom. 1:21 we read, "That, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful;" in 2 Tim. 3, "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power," "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God," "unthankful;" in Rom. 1:28, "They did not like to retain God in their knowledge;" in 2 Tim. 3:8, "These also resist the truth." And for this cause in both instances they become "reprobate." It is by resistance to the truth of God that men loosen its restraints upon them, and deliver themselves up to the sway of Satan. In the last days, it is only those who "received not the love of the truth that they might be saved," in whom Satan works "with all power and signs and lying wonders." It is only those "who believed not the truth," who become so deluded that they "believe a lie." Only those are "damned" who had "pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thess. 2:9-12.709 From the beginning of the world God has left no nation without witness. Acts 14:16, 17. By a then "present truth" he has witnessed to different ages. In obedience to that truth, and in the love of it, lay the salvation of the people in each respective age. In the last days God sends a message which reaches to the end of the world, and is therefore his last message to the world. It is the Third Angel's Message, "Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:9-16. The commandments of God are truth. Ps. 119:151. The faith of Jesus is the faith of him who is the truth. John 14:6. Both together embrace the whole word of God, which is truth. John 17:17. And of that people who, in obedience to the message, keep "his commandments that they may have right . . . to enter in through the gates into the city"—when the glad day comes in which they shall enter in, it is said, "Open ye the gates that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in." Isa. 26:2. So, then, the Third Angel's Message is the embodiment of the truth of God to the last generation of men. To reject it is to reject the truth; to receive not the love of it, is to "receive not the love of the truth;" to resist it, is to "resist the truth." Again, the commandments of God restrain men. "Thou shalt not" is their keynote. The faith of Jesus restrains men; "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself," exclaims Jesus. Therefore the Third Angel's Message in holding forth the "commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" presents the summary of all those restraints which are demanded in checking and transforming the tendencies of human nature, and in leading them by the "right course," to goodness and to God. And when the world shall deliberately reject the Third Angel's Message, it thereby places itself beyond those restraints, and is then ready to be led captive by Satan at his will; and then it is that he works with all power in them that perish "because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved." By the Third Angel's Message, the harvest of the earth will be ripened for good or for ill; for glory or for shame; to be gathered into the garner of God, or to be bound in bundles to be burned. Attentive hearkening to the message, faithful obedience to its gracious truth, in the love of it, will fit a people to step from the turmoil of this world into the sweet peace of Heaven; rejecting the message and despising its precious precepts, will plunge the world into that depth of iniquity for which the only remedy is, to be cast "into the great winepress of the wrath of God." ALONZO T. JONES. "In My Flesh Shall I See God."
By W. A. Blakely
"And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." Job. 19:26. THE doctrine of a literal resurrection of the body is denied by a great many theological teachers, and a large number of the professed Christians of to-day suppose it to be contrary to Scripture, and to reason. Why should this be so? Is it according to the teaching of the Bible or not? Let us see, for that is our rule of faith, and is "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, "that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." The immaterialists, not having their doctrine founded upon the Bible, are ready to take anything that looks like proof, in their attempt to overthrow the reality of a resurrection. An instance of this came to notice some time ago. A New York paper, having ascertained that the revisers of the Old Testament have translated Job. 19:26, "Yet out of my flesh shall I see God," jumps to a conclusion immediately, and asks, "What will the materialists do now? This takes the props right out from under the idea of a resurrection of the body." "To the law and to the testimony." We never need to go elsewhere to substantiate our faith. In the first place, that language is not by any means new. If the writer had been a Bible student, he would have noticed that that rendering is introduced by "or," in the margin of his Bible. In the second place, it means exactly the same as "in my flesh shall I see God," as is proved by the word "or." To explain this verse I will commence with the preceding one, which introduces the subject, and then give the marginal rendering of this verse (the nineteenth), which is more nearly a literal translation. If Job had said, "Out of my eyes shall I see God," would the immaterialist have supposed it to mean, "Without my eyes?" If not, when he says, "Out of my flesh shall I see God," why should it be interpreted, "Without my flesh?" The meaning, which is very plain, is, "Though after my skin worms destroy this body," or, "though this body be destroyed, yet [after I shall awake," i. e., be "raised a spiritual body," 1 Cor. 15:44] out of my [resurrected, immortal] flesh shall I see God." This is a good text to prove the resurrection of the body. I will now examine a few more of the numerous passages of Scripture, all of which verify the doctrine of a literal resurrection. "Thy dead men shall live, together with my DEAD BODY shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." Isa. 26:19. Can language be made any stronger, or words express the resurrection of the body any more emphatically? Now read the following:— "The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about; and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live; and I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I behold, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army." Eze. 37:1-10. In this vision is a description of the resurrection. The Lord explains it in verses 11-14: "Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost; we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land; then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord." This being the interpretation of its Author, no one can explain it any better, and no one should presume to say that this is not its meaning. Listen to the words of Paul concerning the literalness of the resurrection:— "It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Cor. 15:43, 44, 53-55. Oh, glorious victory! The Lord will come and break the bands of death asunder, and open the gates of the grave. "O come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation." "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." SOME one has pointed out that the apparent peace of Europe at present, is evidently confined only to the absence of actual international war. Everywhere the people in the Old World seem to be stirred by exciting thoughts and topics. A murderous attack is made upon good King Leopold, of Belgium. Scores of students and a number of young girls of good families are thrown into prison in Warsaw, Russia, on the charge of nihilism. England watches Ireland with nervous attention, and a recent serious dynamite attempt in that unhappy island, has added to the fears of England. Many socialists have recently been arrested at Munich. France and China continue a desultory warfare, while England is excited over the contest between the Liberals and the House of Lords; a contest which threatens to result either in the extension of the franchise to about 2,000,000 of England's inhabitants, or something approaching revolution.—Advance. The Deep Mysteries of Faith
The deep mysteries of faith are not given to the lukewarm and the idle, but to those who are "watching thereunto, with all perseverance and supplication," and who make no bargain as to the way the Lord shall lead them. God’s Requirements and Human Laws
"WE have no right to make laws which will bind ourselves or others to anything which God has not required."—Bible Banner. WHEN you can do no more, stand! "Having done all things, stand." But beware how and where you stand. "Stand fast in the faith." Stand on covenant ground. Stand with face to foe. Stand watching, waiting, victorious. "Stand still and see the salvation of God." Stand not in your caprice, or by human order. Even though Red Sea barriers lie across in your way, it may be the will of God that you go forward without a single halt. It is easier to march than to stand. It is easier to rush forward to the charge than to stand still and receive the fiery assault. The good soldier must be ready for both. They serve well who march and fight for their king. But they "also serve who only stand and wait." Patience and fortitude are precious in the sight of God, and "to obey is better than sacrifice." Where patience can have her perfect work, whether in the stress and strain of conflict, or in the trial of waiting, there it is good to be.—Sel. Helps in Studying the Lesson.
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
THE question has been asked, "At what time in the study of the Sabbath-school lesson should helps be brought in, and how should they be used?" To this question it is difficult to give an answer in few words. In order to have a thorough knowledge of the subject, it would be necessary to have a clear understanding of what is meant by "helps;" but that must be waived for the present. We will suppose it to include concordance, dictionaries, atlas, commentaries, histories, etc. Some will derive help from that which would be of no service to others. Taking it for granted that the things at hand are such as may be a help indeed, we would mark out, in brief, the following as a good plan for studying the lesson:— Having learned from the lesson paper what the lesson is about, and what portion of Scripture it covers, take the Bible at once. There is where you will find the lesson to be studied. Read carefully, several times, all the texts that are quoted, so as to get them well in mind. The next step will be to commit to memory the portion that is to be memorized. This, of course, will not be accomplished at one effort; to commit the texts thoroughly will be a work covering the whole week. If the student wishes, and is able, he may commit the whole of the lesson to memory; this is done by some, with profit. But it is not best to attempt too much at once. It is not the design to tax the memory to such an extent that earnest thought cannot be put upon the matter thus committed. While thus learning the texts referred to, the student should bear in mind the object for which they are quoted. Very often many things may be learned from a single verse; the question will indicate for what particular thing the verse is quoted. Then after learning the answers to each individual question, the lesson should be considered as a whole, to see the relation of the questions to one another, and what general point is made by the whole lesson. When this has been done, the student is ready to consult outside helps. In the matter of consulting commentaries, great care and judgment must be exercised, as on doctrinal points they are often misleading. It is not safe for any one to consult commentaries indiscriminately, unless he is previously pretty well grounded in the truth. Commentaries are more for the learned than the unlearned. If one has a good general idea of the subject which he is studying, and is anchored to certain fixed principles, so that he can sift the chaff from the wheat, he will learn much from commentaries. It often happens that a positively erroneous exposition will awaken a train of thought in the mind of the careful student, that will be very profitable. Those, however, who are most familiar with commentaries, know that quite often the text upon which the student most needs light, is the one upon which the least is said. The reason for this is obvious. It is perhaps needless to suggest that if there is any work bearing on the lesson, of whose orthodoxy you are fully assured, that is the one to be consulted first. It will aid your judgment in your further search. One "help" should never be neglected. It is that of the Holy Spirit. It is the author of the Bible (2 Pet. 1:20, 21; Eph. 6:17), and can best give light upon it. One of its offices is to guide into all truth (John 16:13), and it may be had by any one for the asking. Luke 11:13; Mark 11:24. The promise, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him," is given to all. This help should be sought before beginning the lesson, and during all the time of studying it. One thing more: The Saviour has said, "If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine." He who earnestly and prayerfully studies the word, with a sincere desire to profit by it, cannot fail to be enlightened. Jesus also said: "If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him." John 14:23. Now we read that "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." 1 John 1:5. If then he dwells in us, what an all-powerful, ever-present help we have. Without this help, all others are worthless. The Sabbath-School.
By Editor
By an unfortunate combination of circumstances we are unable to furnish the questions for the Sabbath-school lesson, and consequently there are no lesson notes this week. In next week's paper both lessons will appear, with the notes. That will make it impossible for students in the East to get any help from the notes in this week's lesson, but will not be too late for those on this coast. We shall do our best to avoid any recurrence of this difficulty.