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Signs of the Times, Vol. 14, No. 33.

SAUL'S PERSECUTION OF DAVID

Signs of the Times

Aug 24, 1888

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 24, 1888

SAUL'S PERSECUTION OF DAVID.

By Mrs. E. G. White

AFTER Jonathan had pleaded successfully for the life of his friend, Saul's wrath against David seemed to be allayed. The young man went in before the king as formerly, and was in the favor of Saul and his court. But again war was declared between the Israelites and the Philistines, and David led the army against their enemies. Under his wise management, a great victory was gained by the Hebrews, and the people of the realm praised his valor, and wisdom, and heroism. This served to stir up the former bitterness and hatred of Saul against him. While the young man was playing before the king, filling the palace with sweet harmony, Saul's passion overcame him, and he hurled a javelin at David, thinking to pin the musician to the wall; but the angel of the Lord turned aside the deadly weapon. David escaped, and fled to his own house. Saul sent spies that they might take him as he should come out in the morning, and put an end to his life.
Michal, the daughter of Saul, was David's wife, and she loved him, and informed him of the purpose of her father. She urged him to escape for his life, and let him down from the window, and David fled to Samuel at Naioth. The king sent his men to the chamber of David, but they found nothing but an effigy which his wife had placed in the bed. The king was very angry with his daughter, and, enraged with disappointment, he determined that his hated subject should not escape. The same spirit which had actuated Satan, filled the heart of Saul. Like the first great apostate, he was moved by unholy ambition and murderous rage. And this was the first chosen king of Israel! Since the day when the holy anointing oil had been poured upon his head by the prophet of God, how terrible had been his fall!
David found Samuel at Ramah, and told him what Saul had done. The prophet, fearless of the king's displeasure, welcomed the fugitive, and Samuel and David dwelt together at Naioth. This refuge was a peaceful place in contrast with the royal palace. It was here, amid the hills, that the honored prophet of the Lord continued his work, even when the shadows of age were gathering about him. A company of seers was with him, and they studied closely the will of God, and listened reverently to the words of instruction that fell from the lips of Samuel. The closing work of the servant of God was to instruct the seers in the school of the prophets; precious were the lessons that David learned from the teacher of Israel.
David recalled the anointing which he had received at Bethlehem, when Samuel had blessed him in his father's house. He knew that he needed divine instruction, and he believed that the troops of Saul would not be called upon to invade this sacred place. But no place seemed to be sacred to the darkened mind of the desperate, despairing king. When he learned where David was, he sent officers to drag him from his secluded hiding-place, and bring him to Gilgal, where he intended to carry out his murderous designs.
The monarch of Israel was determinedly opposing his will to the will of the infinite God. The will of God is the sole law to which the sun, moon, and stars in the firmament of heaven, yield obedience. At the mandate of Jehovah, they move in perfect order; and yet finite man will set up his will against the will of the omniscient One, and enter into conflict with him who rules the universe. Saul had not learned, while ruling the kingdom of Israel, that he should rule his own spirit. He allowed his impulses to control his judgment, until he was plunged into a fury of passion. He had paroxysms of rage and madness, when he was ready to take the life of any that dared oppose his will. From this frenzy he would pass into a state of despondency and self-contempt, and remorse would take possession of his soul. Satan displayed his own character in inciting the fury of Saul against the humble subject of his court. Saul had the sympathy and support of all the reprobate host of evil; for it was David's blameless character and noble fidelity that had aroused the wrath of the king; and he deemed that the very life and presence of David cast a reproach upon him, and presented him in unflattering contrast before the people.
The messengers of Saul went on their way to Ramah, intent upon taking David's life. But a greater than Saul controlled their spirit, and directed their actions. They were met by unseen angels, as was Balaam when he was on his way to curse Israel. For a time the officers of Saul became imbued by the atmosphere that pervaded the sacred spot where Samuel and the prophets were studying under the inspiration of the Spirit of God. They began to utter prophetic sayings of what would occur in the future, and proclaimed the glory and majesty of Jehovah. It was in this way that God overruled the wrath of man, and manifested his power to restrain evil, while he walled his servant in by a guard of angels.
The tidings reached Saul as he waited in impatience to have David in his cruel power; but instead of feeling the rebuke from God, he was exasperated still more, and sent other messengers. These also were overpowered by the Spirit of God, and united with the first in prophesying. The third ambassage was sent by the king, but when they came into the company of the prophets, the divine influence fell upon them also, and they prophesied. Saul then decided that he himself would go, for his fierce enmity had become uncontrollable. Evil angels conspired with wicked men to destroy the anointed of the Lord. He was determined to wait for no second chance to kill David. As soon as he should come within reach of him, he intended with his own hand to slay him, whatever might be the consequences.
He came to Ramah, and halted at a great well in Sechu. The people were coming together to draw water, and he inquired where Samuel and David were staying. When he was told that they were at Naioth, he made haste to reach that place. But the angel of God met him on the way and controlled him. The Spirit of God held him in its power, and he went on his way uttering prayers to God, interspersed with predictions and sacred melodies. He prophesied of the coming of Messiah as the world's Redeemer. When he came to Naioth in Ramah, he laid aside his outer garments that betokened his station, and all day, and all night, he lay before Samuel and his pupils, under the influence of the divine Spirit. Multitudes had been drawn together to witness this strange and wonderful thing, and the new experience of the king was reported far and wide. Thus again, near the close of his reign, it became a proverb in Israel that Saul also was among the prophets.
The persecutor was again defeated in his purpose. He assured David that he was at peace with him; but David had little confidence in the king's repentance and reformation. He took this opportunity to escape, lest the mood of the king might change, as formerly. David had been driven from place to place, and the king's emissaries had hunted his life as though he were a wild beast. His heart was wounded within him, and he longed to see his friend Jonathan once more. With a burdened heart, and conscious of his innocence, he sought the king's son, and made a most touching appeal. 'What have I done?' he asked, 'what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?' Jonathan thought that his father had changed his purpose, and no longer intended to take the life of David. And Jonathan said unto him, 'God forbid; thou shalt not die; behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will show it me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.'
After the remarkable exhibition of the power of God, Jonathan could not believe that his father would still harm David, for that would be manifest rebellion against God. But notwithstanding the oft-repeated and confident assurances of his friend, David was not convinced. He declared that Saul knew of their attachment for each other, and that this would be a sufficient reason why the king would not make his purposes known to his son. With intense earnestness he rehearsed how he had been driven from place to place, and now he assured Jonathan, 'As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.'

THE LOVE OF GOD.

By Eliza Scudder

THOU Grace divine, encircling all, A soundless, shoreless sea, Wherein at last our souls must fall— O love of God most free!
When over dizzy heights we go, One soft hand blinds our eyes, The other leads us safe and slow— O love of God most wise!
And though we turn us from thy face, And wander wide and long, Thou hold'st us still in thine embrace, O love of God most strong!
The saddened heart, the restless soul, The toil-worn frame and mind, Alike confess thy sweet control, O love of God most kind!
But not alone thy care we claim, Our onward steps to win; We know thee by a dearer name, O love of God within!
And filled and quickened by thy breath, Our souls are strong and free To rise o'er sin and fear and death, O love of God, to thee! —Eliza Scudder.

NOT UNDER LAW.

By E. S. E.

"For ye are not under the law, but under grace." Rom. 6:14.
THIS is the frequent reply to all questions, when, at the present time, the law of ten commandments is discussed. The question arises, Were you and I ever under the law? Certainly. When? When we were sinners. How do we know this? Because to redeem us from its bondage, Christ was made under the law. See Gal. 4:4, 5. "To redeem us? Yes." Some say, "Then we have nothing to do with the law." But do the Scriptures say this? To redeem those who were under the law, how was Christ made under it? God "hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin." 2 Cor. 5:21. He was made "sin for us," mind, not a sinner; but he took upon himself its consequences; he knew, and felt, and bore for us its penalty. This is what forced from his lips the bitter cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
Then what is it to be under the law? It is to be a sinner; and a sinner is a transgressor of the law. 1 John 3:4. Paul says that by nature he was carnal, sold under sin. Rom. 7:14. Then of course Paul was a slave, or servant, of sin; for sin has dominion or power over one if he is a servant to it, just as a master has power over the servant that serves him. Rom. 6:16, 17. Paul thanks God that, while his brethren were once the servants of sin, they had become obedient to the doctrine he had preached. In the eighteenth verse he continues: "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." "For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness." Verse 20. Who, then, is under the law? Evidently those, as we have found, who needed Christ to be made under the law for them, and thus bear their guilt as sinners. Then who are free? Those, as Paul says, who are the servants of righteousness. What makes us sinners? Breaking the law. Then it must be obedience that makes us righteous.
But some say, "What, then, has Christ done? I thought I read that we were free from the law." Yes; but how? "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Rom. 8:2. What is the Spirit of life? Is it not new life? What is the law of new life? Is it not holiness? Rom. 8:7, 8. The carnal, fleshly, or natural mind is not subject, obedient, to God's law, neither can it be. So we see that holiness by the Spirit of Christ is subjection to the law of God. Does that mean having nothing to do with the law? Paul says again, "I had not known sin, but by the law." Rom. 7:7. Yet he delighted in the law of God. Verse 22.
Christ is a priest. If any man sin, or unwittingly transgress God's law, Christ is his intercessor. "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father." 1 John 2:1. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Then the law of the Spirit of life has made us free from the law of sin and death.
Therefore, "we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die." Rom. 8:12, 13.
To whom are we debtors or under obligation? To Christ; because he has delivered us from sin, we cannot serve that which brings death. If we do, we are not in Christ; we are not freed from sin and death. But if through Christ we mortify or destroy sin by overcoming it, and live in subjection to God's will, we shall live. "There is therefore now [i. e., under these circumstances] no condemnation." Why? Because Christ has been made sin for those who are in him; he has paid their debt; he has taken their place. They walk not after the flesh or natural man, at variance with the law, but after the Spirit or mind of God. There is, indeed, nothing to condemn. Christ is ministering in the heavenly sanctuary. He takes up the case of everyone who walks in him, pleading the merits of his precious blood, which cleanses from all unrighteousness. The Spirit witnesses with our spirits that we are children of God. And if we are children, then are we heirs,—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.
Are we joint heirs with Christ as sons of God? Is Christ our elder Brother? Do we partake of his Spirit? If so, "he that saith he abideth in him [or has his Spirit] ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." 1 John 2:6. Had Christ God's law in his heart, to do it? "Then said I, Lo, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart." Ps. 40:7, 8. In the tenth verse he continues, "I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart," and shows how he had declared it, and would declare; for he came fully to preach the law, and not to destroy either it or the prophets.
Dear reader, are they in Christ who live in sin? Are they Christ's who are carnal, not subject to God's law?—E. S. E., in Bible Echo, Australia.

THE "CONGREGATIONALIST" AND THE SABBATH.

By C. P. Bollman

THOUGH an advocate of first-day sacredness, the Congregationalist, in its issue of June 14, answering a question relative to Sabbath observance, after speaking of the difference of opinion regarding the origin of that institution, says:—
"All can, at any rate, agree that—some two months or more before the promulgation of the decalogue—the strict keeping of the seventh day as a Sabbath was enjoined (Ex. 16:5, 22-30) upon the Hebrews. . . . The due obedience of this fourth commandment was guarded by some special statutes; and 700 years before Christ (Isa. 58:13, 14), we find Isaiah uttering solemn warning against its profanation, and promising rich blessings to its just observance. . . . When Jesus came, he found the nation to which he came not only thoroughly grounded in the observance of the day, but tied to it hand and foot by a Rabbinic superstructure of traditional laws, which made a burden of what was meant to be a blessing. All this he corrected, and left the occasion to his followers as the rest day of one in seven which it had been for 1,500 years."
After a few rambling remarks in the usual strain relative to the mythical transfer of the Sabbatic institution from the seventh to the first day of the week, the Congregationalist continues, still speaking of the seventh day:
"There is no lack of evidence outside of Christian circles that both Jews and early Christians observed this weekly festival, and that such observance was a rite which distinguished the Hebrews from other nations. Perhaps five years before the birth of our Lord, Ovid (Art. Amat., 1, 416) referred to the 'septima festa' as a part of the religious cult of Palestine. Twenty years, or so, after the crucifixion, Philo (Vit. Mos., 2, 137) boasted that the observance of the day was spreading among all nations; and, perhaps ten years later, Seneca—in a work which has not survived to our time, but which is quoted by Augustine (Civ. Dei., 6, 11)—complained because this Jewish and Christian observance obliged them 'to spend the seventh part of their life in idleness, and harm themselves by not doing a great many things when they ought to be done,' adding that, through the spread of that wicked custom (victi victoribus leges dederunt), 'the vanquished were giving laws to their vanquishers.'"
As the Congregationalist says, this evidence is not from Christian sources, but from Jewish and heathen writers; and while that paper does not call attention to the fact, it is none the less a significant circumstance that these heathen writers charge that both Jews and Christians kept the Sabbath. The Congregationalist evidently recognizes this fact, however, and so seeks to turn aside the full force of it by saying:—
"The early Christian church for a considerable period appears to have kept both the old Sabbath and the new Lord's day. It would have been clearly very difficult, if not impossible, for the majority of believers at first to observe the Lord's day as the Sabbath. The slaves of a heathen master, the children of a heathen parent, could not be in that respect their own masters."
Just what thought is intended to be conveyed by saying that because many of the early Christians were slaves, "they could not at first observe the Lord's day as the Sabbath," is not clear; but the writer of the paragraph quoted has certainly given ground for the suspicion that he designed to convey the idea that that is the reason why the observance of the Sabbath was so long continued by the early church. Such a proposition is, however, most absurd, since the heathen would naturally have been much more opposed to the observance of the seventh day than they would to the keeping of the first, for the latter was their own great festival, as everybody is well aware; and there is every reason for believing that it was this fact, together with heathen prejudice against all things Jewish, that led to the adoption of the first day by the Western church, which was composed largely of converts from paganism. Indeed it is admitted by all that the observance of the Sabbath was continued in the Eastern church long after Sunday-keeping had become general among the Latin converts.
It matters little, however, what impression the writer designed to give; the fact remains that Sabbath-keeping was so general and so long-continued among the early Christians that even the most zealous first-day advocates cannot deny the facts; and it is very evident that their numerous attempts to explain away these facts are by no means satisfactory even to themselves.
C. P. BOLLMAN.

HOW I CAME TO BE A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST.

By Josephine Cowgill

UNTIL the year 1884 I had known but little of the doctrines taught by Seventh-day Adventists, had only heard their teachings spoken of as being full of error. But during the World's Exposition in the city of New Orleans, a little company of Seventh-day Adventists came to this city to establish a mission. Here I was engaged in Methodist missionary work and met with this people.
I shall never forget my first impressions of the Adventists. The anointing of the holy One was upon them, I could see it in their faces; and their dress and manner seemed to me to be more in accordance with the Bible requirements than that of any people I had ever met. I wanted to love them, but thought of what I had heard of their "dreadful anti-scriptural teachings," and felt that I must avoid them. I tried to do so, but we would meet and they would hand me their papers and invite me to their Bible-readings. I feared to read their papers or give them to others, and so, for a long time, would secretly destroy them. It seemed to me so strange that such seemingly good people could teach such strange doctrines. But with sweet Christian spirit they continued their efforts to interest me.
One day, with much hesitation, I went in to one of their Bible-readings. The subject of that reading was the Sabbath. Step by step we were taken along through Old and New Testaments, until all were clearly convinced that the seventh day was the Sabbath, and ought to be kept. I was then asked whether I would obey God and keep that day holy. I consented to do so, and was beginning to feel a considerable interest in these Bible-readings when some of my Methodist people ascertained this and reproved and warned me against Adventist teachings. Reluctantly, I broke off from the society and teachings of this dear and godly people. But in my own mind I could not help contrasting the sweet Christian spirit, the beautiful humility, the earnest devotion, and conscientious keeping of all God's commandments—I could not help contrasting these with the pride, worldliness, formality, unholy ambition, and lack of spirituality of the church people with whom I was associated. My head and heart ached over these things, but when I spoke of them it only brought persecution upon me.
For two years I was very sad and much discouraged. Then another company of Adventists, Brother and Sister Gibbs, with some others, came to New Orleans. I was soon convinced that they belonged to the same society that the other company of Adventists did, yet because of some of the "strange and anti-scriptural doctrines" I had been told they taught, I resolved not to attend their meetings nor to form any acquaintance with them. But, thank God and them, they did not let me alone, but wherever I met them they were kind and good, and urged me to attend their Bible-readings. At that time persecutions in the church of which I was a member were increasing against me. Oh, how my heart longed and cried out for a true people of God! It seemed to me that God in Heaven was looking down upon the popular churches of to-day, and saying, as he did to ancient Israel: "Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!"
This word of God was "like a fire in my bones." I tried to lift up my voice against worldliness and sin, but the seal of silence was placed upon my lips, and at times I wept until I could weep no more. Many of my professed friends became strange to me and would "pass by on the other side" of me in my grief. But not so with dear Brother and Sister Gibbs, they drew closer to me in my grief. They came to me with such sympathy and help and precious truth as can bind up and heal and save a poor broken heart. Their Christ-like spirit won me. I saw that, like their divine Master, they were no respecters of persons. They took me when I was but the refuse of another church. Their kindness removed my former prejudice against their teachings, and quickly opened my heart and ear to the same, and soon I was convinced that their teachings were only the pure word of God. And under these teachings I was soon convinced that it was my duty and blessed privilege to withdraw from the church of which I had been a member, and unite with the dear people who "keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus."
It was a sweet day to my soul when I did this. Peace like a river flowed through my heart. With this people I delight to worship. My long-starved soul now feeds on wine and milk and honey, and I find a power and blessedness brought out of the word of God in their Bible-readings which I had not before known. And, oh, these sweet lessons of humility and love which my cold and proud heart so much needed, and the freedom which I now have from a cold and worldly church! How these things make me love my blessed Lord for taking my feet out of the miry clay and placing them upon a rock!
"This is the way I long have sought, And mourned because I found it not."
And what a relief it has been to have cleared away by the word of God that dreadful doctrine of an eternally burning hell. God only knows the days and nights of intense suffering I have had on account of this dreadful belief which I have constantly taught to others, one of whom I have reason to believe is now in an insane asylum because of what he heard me say on that subject. Now I can love God more than ever before. "God is love" seems written on everything.
How unspeakably precious are the lessons we have from the Bible in regard to the new earth and the second coming of our dear Lord! And how I love the tracts and papers—precious messengers of love and truth, which my ungodly hands used to tear up! Yes, I am glad that I am now a Seventh-day Adventist. May I ask an interest in the prayers of this dear people, that I may be kept faithful until Jesus comes.
JOSEPHINE COWGILL. New Orleans, La.

HIS FACE.

By Independent

In olden times, when miracles were wrought, A pious monk, whose only care or thought Was of God's glory, lived and strove to win The suffering world from sorrow, pain, and sin. A pure and blameless life the good man led; He clothed the naked, and the hungry fed; He nursed the sick, and loosed the bondman's chain, And suffering never sought his aid in vain. His faith was great; and yet he oft was moved By strong desire to know his life approved; To get from Heaven some miracle or sign, Some sanction of his life by Love divine. And thus he prayed: "Lord, if I go astray, Do thou direct me in the heavenly way! "And if my life's acceptable to thee, Do show, dear Lord, thy loving face to me." But days went by, and summers went and came, His life unchanged, his daily prayer the same, But all in vain; for to his yearning cry All Heaven seemed deaf. The Lord made no reply.
At last, with age grown gray, with suffering bent, His earthly substance gone, his strength all spent, Upon a mossy bank, with weary sigh, He breathed a prayer, and laid him down to die. Then what a change came o'er his wondering soul! His pain departed, and around him stole A heavenly radiance, and before him stood, Not the dear Lord, only an angel good. And in a voice so sweet that it awoke Strange thrills of rapture in the monk, he spoke: "To do God's will, my son, thou'st nobly striven; And to thy prayer an answer now is given. "Affix thy thoughts on Christ, gaze on my face, And soon thou'lt see the dear Lord take my place."
The monk complied; but at that instant came A wounded traveler, bleeding, bruised, and lame, With tattered garments, and with feet unshod, Who cried, "I need thy help!" and sank upon the sod. At the faint cry, the monk half turned his head, But paused an instant as the angel said: "What! for this beggar would'st thou turn from me, And from the dear Lord who would honor thee?"
A passing struggle; then the monk replied: "E'en for this beggar the dear Lord hath died. "Since he hath done so much, can I do less Than comfort this poor man in his distress? "I surely cannot leave this man to die." So saying, he arose, and, with a sigh, Unto the stranger's side he, tottering, sped, Bound up his wounds, pillowed the aching head Upon his cassock, bathed the bleeding feet, And soothed the suffering soul with solace sweet. While thus he labored, to the monk there came A sense of joy and peace, as if a flame Of love breathed on him from Heaven's open door, Thrilling his soul with bliss unknown before.
Wondering, the monk beheld the stranger rise. What glorious transformation met his eyes! The tattered garments shone a robe of light! Around the face an aureole gleamed bright! Each shrunken limb rounded by perfect line, The haggard features changed to lineaments divine! The monk his Saviour knew, and bowed in prayer; And then a sweet voice sounded through the air: "Who can, to do my work, his dearest wish resign, He, and he only, sees this face of mine."
A dreamer's legend, say you? It may be. And yet the lessons taught in Galilee Of love to God and man, can ne'er grow old; And he who learns them well need not be told That sacrifice of self to do God's will Will win sweet glimpses of the Lord's face still.

Union with Christ

“Union with Christ sweetens everything.”

IS GOD PARTICULAR?

By Dr. Parker

"THEN Elisha said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full." 2 Kings 4:3, 4. Someone will say, "Why all this bother about shutting the door and gathering vessels, and pouring out oil? could he not have helped the woman without all this detail?" But so it was; and if she had failed in aught, she would have lost the blessing.
I remind you of Israel's first king, Saul was told to go and slay the Amalekites; and he returned saying he had fulfilled God's command. "What mean the bleating of those sheep and the lowing of those oxen in mine ears?" "Oh!" said Saul, "I forgot for the moment; yes, to be sure, I did spare a few sheep and oxen, but it was for the purpose of sacrificing to the Lord." This was an obliviousness with a consequence; he lost the kingdom through it. Just so, my friend, when you begin to question what God commands, "What is the use of this appointment?" "Where is the good of that injunction?" you are lost.

THE MOVEMENT IN BEHALF OF THE BLAIR SUNDAY BILL.

By C. P. Bollman

Most of the readers of the SIGNS are aware that a bill known as the "Blair Sunday Bill" is now before the United States Senate, and that the purpose of the bill is to establish a national Sunday law. But few probably are aware of the pressure which is quietly being brought to bear to secure the passage of this bill, which, should it pass both branches of Congress and be signed by the President, would put a stop to all "unnecessary" Sunday work in the military and mail service of the Government, and also in the several Territories, and in the District of Columbia. Of course it could not be used in any event to enforce Sunday-keeping in the several States except so far as it may affect Government employes.
Some idea of what the friends of this bill are doing to secure its passage may be gained from the following, by Rev. Wilbur F. Crafts, in the Chicago Daily News of July 17. After stating the purpose of the bill, Doctor Crafts says:—
"The Central Labor Union of New York, the Knights of Labor Council for Chicago and vicinity, the Mail-carriers' Assembly of New York, and other labor organizations, and the Presbyterian General Assembly, the State Sabbath-school conventions of New York, Missouri, and Kansas, and many churches have all adopted the following resolution in substance:—
"Resolved, That we indorse the petition to congress asking it to stop Sunday work in its mail and military service, and in interstate commerce.
"Every labor organization in the country, and every humane and religious organization, is invited to adopt a similar resolution and forward it, with statement of the number of members in the organization, and whether the vote was unanimous, or nearly so, attested by signatures of the officers, with place and date, to Senator Blair, at Washington."
What the doctor hopes to accomplish is thus stated by himself:—
"Ours is a wheelbarrow Government, which moves forward in new reforms only when pushed by the people from behind. If the workingmen push together on one handle and Christians on the other, the Senate will hardly tip the new bill onto the refuse heap, but let it go forward to enactment."
But the movement is not confined to the East, the churches of the Pacific Coast are likewise moving in this matter, as is witnessed by the following account of a recent preachers' meeting in San Francisco:—
"Rev. Dr. Anthony called attention to a circular which had been sent from the East to all the pastors, asking them to take action in favor of the bill which had recently been introduced into Congress, to establish a national Sunday law. He said that a large number of the churches of the East and middle West had already taken action in favor of the bill, including not a few German churches. Instead of circulating petitions to Congress, he thought it would be better for each of the churches to take action and forward the result, duly attested by the pastor, to the committee at the East having the matter in charge, and he moved a resolution pledging the pastors to present the matter at an early date to their several congregations."
The resolution was unanimously adopted, which shows that the leaven of National Reform is working, even in this State.
The magnitude of this movement, and the influence that it is likely to have upon Congress, will be apparent when we consider carefully the "plan of campaign" which has been adopted. The work is not to be done by petition, for the circulation of petitions takes time and money, and then they represent only those who sign them; but in this case entire churches and labor organizations, as such, are to be wheeled into line in behalf of this Sunday bill. It is obvious that in this way a very much larger showing can be made in favor of its passage than could be made in any other way, for the reason that by this plan thousands will be counted as favoring the bill who are either opposed to it or are indifferent on the subject.
Probably every pastor in the United States will be (most of them have already been) asked to present this matter to their congregations, and a very large majority of them will do it. The resolution will of course be put to vote in each congregation, and will in almost every instance be carried unanimously, that is, none will vote against it. The result will then be certified to Senator Blair as the unanimous action of a church of so many hundred members, when perhaps, as a matter of fact, not one-half of them actually voted upon the resolution at all. In this way it will be made to appear that a very large number of people are in favor of the bill, a great many more than it would be possible to secure by petition.
There may be no deliberate intention to make a false showing in favor of this movement, but Dr. Craft's statement of the case can mean nothing else than that the action of the several churches and labor organizations is to be reported as the action of the total membership of those associations, less, perhaps, the number actually voting against the resolution. For instance, Mr. A is pastor of a church of two hundred members, he presents the proposed resolution, or a similar one, for the consideration of his congregation; very likely only one-half of the members are present, but a vote is taken, and all who vote at all vote for the resolution; the result will, of course, be reported as the unanimous vote of a church of two hundred members.
The effect of this mode of procedure will be not to remove the indifference and lack of conviction which a prominent New York religious paper recently complained was the greatest hindrance to the success of the Sunday movement, but to overcome the effect of it. For by this plan every church-member who fails from any reason to oppose this movement for national Sunday legislation, will be counted as favoring it; and it matters not how great may be the indifference of thousands, they will count just as effectually in favor of the Blair Bill as though they were its most earnest advocates. Thus the plot against religious liberty in this country is thickening; the strength of the party which is saying, "Let us make an image to the beast," is rapidly increasing, and erelong religious liberty in the United States will be a thing of the past.
C. P. BOLLMAN.

SINS OF IGNORANCE.

By George Dana Boardman

WHAT a multitude of such sins hide in the nooks and crannies of the human heart! Even the wisest of us—those best skilled in the Christian morality—are perpetually stumbling through ignorance. For example, many are the occasions on which we sin through simple unacquaintance or misunderstanding of the circumstances in which we happen to be placed. This was the significance of the sin-offering as set forth in the fourth chapter of Leviticus. But, though ignorance may palliate a sin, ignorance cannot justify it. And he who sincerely longs for a complete purification of his nature, cannot bear that even the comparatively venial sins of ignorance should lurk behind to cast their shadows upon the heavenly pictures with which Christ has begun to adorn the chambers of his soul. Sins of ignorance may not rend asunder the new robe of righteousness, but they sully it. They may not be venial; nevertheless, they need forgiveness. For did not the Son of man, in the very act of being nailed to his cross, pray for his murderers, saying: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do"? I do not think that Christ, in offering this prayer, had in mind the Jewish authorities so much as the Roman soldiers who were executing Pilate's sentence. These soldiers were pagans, under control of a pagan procurator, who himself was a representative of a pagan emperor. And this accords with what an apostle says: "Had the rulers of this world known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." And yet can anyone believe that this sin of the crucifixion of Jesus, committed though it was ignorantly, and especially commended though it was to the forgiving mercy of the heavenly Father by his dying Son, was stripped of its wickedness because committed through ignorance? Alas! sins of ignorance may lie with terrible weight of vengeance on our heads. And as we think of the ten thousand unconscious sins which we have committed ignorantly, we may well exclaim, "Cleanse thou me from secret faults." —George Dana Boardman.
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