Earlier text: The Sabbath and Christ’s ResurrectionOVER AGAINST YOUR OWN HOUSE.
By Richard Cordley
In a sense, every man works over against his own house. All the motives of the highest self-interest combine in favor of good work. In Nehemiah's time, personal security, patriotism, and piety all urged the same thing. The wall each man built to defend the city was also the defense of his own house, and of the temple of God. It is a good deal so now. A man serves his country and the church the best by being faithful in his own place and work. A man serves his country best by being a good citizen. The noisy advocate of public reform is of doubtful use if he fail to reform his own life. The public service a man does will avail but little if he fail in the service of good citizenship about his own home and in his own neighborhood. The same law prevails in the spiritual commonwealth, the Jerusalem of God. Her walls are her citizens, and its defense as strong as they are pure. "Ye are God's building," "Ye are God's husbandry," "Ye are the temple of God." As in the Jerusalem of old, so here every man has his part to maintain. No man can do another man's portion, and no man can leave his own portion for another man to maintain. If a man does not bear his own burden it will not be borne; if he does not do his work, it will not be done; if a man is not over against his own house, it will be left exposed. It is a good thing to be concerned for the public good, but a great many will deplore the low tone of public morals, when it would very perceptibly raise that tone if they would bring up their own lives to a fair standard. A great many will mourn over the desolations of Zion, when the most desolate place in the whole outlook is the spot where they stand. They could brighten the prospect marvelously by an increased fidelity in their own field. Parents sometimes wonder why their children are so indifferent to religious things; why their sons neglect the house of God, and their daughters put society before Christ. They will bemoan the coldness of the church, the pointlessness of the pulpit, the inefficiency of the Sabbath-school. They might find the reason nearer home, not only why their children are so indifferent, but also why the church and the pulpit and the Sabbath-school are not more effective. Christ has been put aside in their own homes. And those homes would not have been much different had Christ never been known. It is not at all strange that their children should cast away altogether what with them has been made to yield to every other interest and pleasure. It is easy to say that the tone of piety in the church has been so feeble that their children have not been impressed by it. And this may be sadly true. But how much above the average of the piety about you is your own life, my brother? How successfully have you struggled against the worldly spirit of which you complain? How much have you raised the average spirituality of your circle? You say the walls of Zion are low, and her gates are broken down. How is it about your house, where you are set to build and guard? There is no better way to brighten up the moral aspect of the world than to brighten up your own lives. There is an old rythme which runs,—
"If the world seem cold,
Build a fire and warm it." The day never seems so hopeless as to the deserter in the rear. The church never seems so cold as to him whose spiritual life is nearly frozen out. None speak so discouragingly of the failings of the church as those members who themselves fail most. A man never judges his brethren so harshly as when he judges them by his own short-comings. The church will not seem half so cold to you if your own heart is warm; the prospect will not seem half so gloomy if your own faith is bright. He who is vigorously at work himself is most apt to appreciate the work of his brethren. Every man should encourage and help his brother; but he can best encourage and help him by faithfully filling his own place.—Richard Cordley, D.D., in Advance. Persecution and the Reformation
"WE must never forget that two centuries of cruel persecution was the welcome the world gave to the Reformation," says D'Aubigné. Can we wonder that the world does not receive the last message of reform with greater welcome? The carnal heart is ever the same. Hard-Earned Wealth Retained Longest
By Colton
THAT which we acquire with the most difficulty we retain the longest, as those who have earned a fortune are usually more careful of it than those who have inherited one. SUNDAY-LAW PETITIONS.
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
WE have just received the American Sabbath Union's Monthly Document, No. 13, bearing date of December, 1889, the last page of which contains a copy of the new petition, which is being circulated in behalf of the national Sunday law. The following is a copy of the petition to be presented to the United States Senate, a duplicate being furnished for presentation to the House of Representatives:— Petitions Gathered by the............................................................Sabbath Association. The petition which follows was endorsed by a standing vote of..................to..................(men and women of 21 years of age or more) by a meeting of citizens of the State (or Territory) of............................................................County of............................................................City (or Town) of............................................................on............................................................ Attest: ........................................................................................................Presiding. The petition which follows was endorsed at regularly-called meetings by the following churches, labor societies, temperance unions, and other organizations of the above-named locality: ............................................................Church....................................members, by vote of..................to..................Attest:............................................................ ............................................................Church....................................members, by vote of..................to..................Attest:............................................................ To the United States Senate: The above organizations and undersigned adult residents (21 years of age or more) of the place aforesaid, hereby earnestly petition your honorable body to pass a bill, forbidding, in the United States mail and military service, and in interstate commerce, and in the District of Columbia and the Territories, all Sunday traffic and work, except works of real necessity and mercy, and such private work by those who religiously and regularly observe another day of the week by abstaining from labor and business, as will neither interfere with the general rest nor with public worship. [Individual signatures in their own handwriting, preceded by Mr. or Mrs. or Miss. Add more paper for individual signatures.] There can be no question but that, in a certain sense at least, there is no attempt to deceive in this petition. It is about as bold an attempt to perpetuate a fraud as was ever conceived. It is presumed that petitions represent the will of the petitioners; but here is a deliberate plan to represent people as petitioning who have never expressed an opinion. The securing of the individual signatures is a secondary matter. If they are secured, more paper must be added; but on the petition paper there is no provision made for this. Wholesale representative indorsement is all that is planned for. The reader will notice that the only chance for definiteness of statement in filling out the petition is the number of persons belonging to the church or organization voting. The number of people voting is left indefinite. For instance, if the matter were presented at a meeting of an organization containing 300 members, a part of whom were present, and a portion only of those present voting, the petition would be filled out, stating that the petition which followed was indorsed at a regularly-called meeting of the Blanktown Methodist Church, 300 members, by vote of 125 to 175. Which one of these numbers would be taken as representing the number of petitioners?—Of course it would be the largest number. They would not take the smallest, and they could not use the next larger, as that would not be definite; and so, following the old custom, where there is a doubt, they will count everything and thus be sure to have enough. Of course the exact number voting in any meeting might be ascertained by a simple count, but that would take too long; and the number of petitioners could not be increased so rapidly as by this method. It is evident from the framing of the petition that it is not designed in any instance that the number of voters shall be counted. Only a few moments ago a friend was telling about a Sunday-law meeting which he attended in Milwaukee, which was conducted by Mr. Crafts. At the close those who favored the petition were requested to rise. Then Mr. Crafts said that they would not take time to count those who voted, as it was somewhat late, but that the pastor knew the number of sittings in the church, and he could fill out the petition. Since this is the way the work of securing petitioners for a Sunday law is carried on, we cannot see why they go through the formality of taking a vote; for it is not individual influence that is represented, but church pews. We commend this work to the careful consideration of all who think that the passing of a Sunday law would be a righteous act. If Sunday laws are righteous, how is it that so much iniquity and deceit are indulged in to secure them? Do these people believe in doing evil that good may come? If they do, let them be warned by Rom. 3:8. THE SABBATH IS THE LORD'S DAY.
By Editor
IN our last two issues we have noticed an article in the Christian Evangelist by a Mr. Martin on the Sabbath question. His arguments on the abrogation of the Sabbath we showed to be unscriptural by the plainest and most positive declaration of Holy Writ, that the entire law of God is forever binding on his creatures, as it will be the rule in the judgment. We might go further and show that the very texts he uses to prove the abrogation of the Sabbath of the Lord, prove that there is no sacred day whatever in the Christian dispensation. But Mr. Martin does not believe this, and endeavors to prove Sunday sacredness in a strange way indeed for a man who belongs to a denomination which boasts of its loyalty to the Bible; he attempts to prove it by Scripture inference and quotations from the Fathers, by whom every error in the Roman Catholic Church can be proved, from infant baptism to purgatory. But let us notice some of his Scripture proof. He says:— "Our Saviour kept the last Jewish Sabbath binding on mankind by lying in the grave from evening to evening. He at once and forever hallowed the first day of the week by coming from the grave in glorious triumph. Here, at Christ's resurrection, the Sabbath has ended, and the sweetness, and light, and liberty of the Lord's day is ushered in (Matt. 27:11). Hence, the first day of the week is 'the queen and the chief' of the days; and the Christian church has ever celebrated it in honor of the resurrection. The grandest events connected with the rise and early growth of the church transpired on the Lord's day, and so filled it forever with sweet and tender memories, with lofty and inspiring motives, which lend a charm to its worship and make its observance a joy and delight.
"1. On this day Christ rose from the dead. Matt. 28:1.
"2. On this day occurred some of Christ's most interesting appearances to his disciples. John 20:19-29.
"3. On this day the Holy Spirit was poured out on the waiting disciples to qualify them for the gospel ministry. Acts 2:1-4.
"4. On this day the church of Christ began. Acts 11:15.
"5. On this day the early church of Christ was worship. Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 1:1.
"Can anyone ask for the church to do this, then these facts furnish of the church of the Lord's-day observance?" Let the reader be informed of the statement, or rhetorical, that the word of God. In the first place, Mr. M. could not positively prove that Christ rose on the first day. Matt. 28:1 simply states that he had risen. 2. But one meeting is recorded as having taken place on that day, and that at the very close of the day. His disciples had met at their common abode (Acts 1:13), and Jesus met with them and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who had seen him (Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36, 37). His next meeting with his disciples was not on the first day, for it was "after eight days" from that Sunday-evening meeting. This would be the next week, not earlier than Monday, and probably Tuesday or Wednesday. The next meeting, the third and last mentioned in the Gospels, might have been on the first day of the week, but it does not argue favorably for Sunday observance, for it was on a fishing occasion, and Jesus blessed them by giving them success. John 20:1-14. Thus much the Scriptures reveal of the meetings with Jesus on the first day. 3. The Spirit of God was poured out on the anti-type of the pentecostal feast, held by some great first-day divines to have occurred in that year on the Sabbath, or seventh day. It was not the day of the week honored, or it would have been mentioned. But Jesus passes over at least one first day after his ascension before he gives the Holy Spirit. Why?—Until "the Pentecost was fully come." Acts 2:1. 4. This statement is sheer assumption. The church began when Christ chose his disciples. The pouring out of the Spirit was not the beginning of the church; it was the first-fruits of the church, the result of the faith of that little company which had before formed the church. 5. We have the record of but one religious meeting on the first day of the week in all the New Testament, and that is the text cited by Mr. M. above, Acts 20:7. But, unfortunately for Sunday adherents, the context shows this, that if the meeting occurred on the evening of the first day, our Saturday night, Paul's long journey was also taken on the light part of that same first day, while Luke and the other Christians accompanying him spent the time in sailing the boat round the headland from Troas to Assos. Acts 20 proves that the first day was a secular day. The meeting would probably not have been recorded if it had not been for the notable miracle which there occurred, the raising of Eutychus to life. 1 Cor. 16:1, 2 proves the same thing as the passage above considered, namely, that Sunday was a secular day. There is nothing in the text which indicates that meetings were held; in fact, the very opposite is indicated. After the week was over, the Christians were told every one to lay him in store. Some versions render, "lay by at home," "lay up with himself," etc. Every one gives the same idea of laying up by oneself. These are the proofs. Where can there an honest inference be drawn for first-day observance? There is "sanction" in God's word for "Lord's-day observance." This term, Lord's day, occurs once in the New Testament, in Rev. 1:10, but that text does not tell which is the Lord's day; but Ex. 20:11; Mark 2:27, and Isa. 58:13 prove conclusively that it is the seventh-day Sabbath. God has thrown around that day the sanction of eternal and immutable law, and woe be to him who despises God's word. And after the Bible what?—Nothing, says the true Protestant. The Bible to him is the ne plus ultra of faith. What is not written therein or taught thereby is not to be received by any man as an article of faith. The Bible, and the Bible alone, is the rule, and he who turns from the Bible to tradition, as Dowling has said, passes over the line from Protestantism to Popery, and can give no valid reason. He should not accept the entire103 Catholic faith. It will matter not to the true Protestant Christian if the very ones who listened to the apostles taught first-day sacredness; it does not make the day sacred. They belong with the apostasy. The mystery of iniquity worked in Paul's day, and he foretold the apostasy to come, as also did Peter. 2 Thess. 2:7; Acts 20:28, 29; 2 Peter 2:1; Dan. 7:25. We will, however, refer to the testimony of the Fathers in the future. We have answered in these articles Mr. Martin's Scripture arguments, not because they were of themselves worthy of so much notice, but because his arguments and alleged proofs have force with honest Christians. While we have not answered every point raised, to save space and time, we have noticed all of importance, and have shown them to be built upon the foundations of misinterpretation, tradition, and assumption. The Christian indeed will ask: What said my Lord? What day did he keep? How may I walk in his steps? He who would follow Christ will heed the eternal and unchangeable commandment: "Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy; . . . the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." This word, not the tradition of men, will judge all in the last great day.
M. C. W. THE PRIESTS AND THE CIVIL POWER.
By C. P. B.
THE Catholics of this country, as well as those of Italy and indeed of the whole world, are highly incensed at the passage by the Italian Chamber of Deputies of the "Pious Works" bill, which removes from clerical to secular hands the management of a fund the income of which amounts to $27,000,000 annually. The reason for this action was that an inquiry instituted by the government proved that the priests who have hitherto had the handling of this vast fund did not use the whole of the income for the proper purpose, but put the most of it where it would do the most for the church, and aid them in keeping the people under their power. The Catholic Review denounces the bill most bitterly, and says that it has but one aim, namely, "to render intolerable the life of the Catholic priest in Italy, and, if possible, separate him entirely from the people." It will be very hard for the average American who is not a Romanist to see how this can be, unless, indeed, the priests in Italy must be able to make it an object financially for people to be religious. If they were administering impartially and honestly a fund devoted to charity, it is not easy to understand how relieving them of the responsibility could even tend to make life unendurable to them. The reason for the action of the government must, we think, be sought for, not in any hostility of the Italian Government to religion, or even to the Catholic Church as a spiritual power, but in the fact that the priests are untiring in their opposition to the government. Formerly Italy was ruled by "the church," that is, by Rome, which has never become resigned to the present state of affairs in that country. The priests are constantly intriguing for political power, and in self-defense the State has passed several laws the purpose of which is to prevent the clergy from using the influence of the church to overthrow the government, and drive king and cabinet from the city of Rome. It is undoubtedly true that were the priests to content themselves with spiritual things and engage in politics, if at all, only as citizens, and not as priests, they would be accorded the same rights extended to other citizens; but this they will not do, hence the "Pious Works" bill and other laws restricting their power and limiting their influence. The first and highest political allegiance of a Romish priest is not due, in his opinion, to the government under which he lives, but to the pope, and this is especially true of Italian priests. As a whole, they are the enemies of the Italian Government, and that government has no option in the matter; it must treat them as enemies and restrict their power. Much the same condition of affairs exists in Mexico. There Church and State are supposed to be entirely separate, but it was only recently that the government was compelled to suppress certain so-called religious orders because they were in fact hot-beds of treason and revolution. It is not many years since Germany expelled the Jesuits for the same reason, and from time to time other powers have found it necessary to adopt measures of self-defense against the political power of the hierarchy which claims to be the only true church of Christ. These facts are not stated because they are new, or because they are not familiar to the readers of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, but because they have an important bearing upon the attitude of the Protestant clergy of our own land, to our own system of government. The writer believes that neither Romish priests nor Protestant pastors should take any part in politics other than as citizens, and their influence should be simply that of citizens. If they are content to do this, well and good; if not, it is not unreasonable for the State to say, as Italy and Mexico have said to the priests, that they shall have neither part nor lot in the matter. A committee of the United States Senate once said that in their opinion "religious combinations to effect political objects are dangerous," and it is for this reason that governments have found it necessary to curtail, from time to time, the political power of the priests of Rome. Protestant ministers have never taken advantage of the influence of their sacred office to the same extent that the priests of Rome have, hence governments have not found it necessary to adopt the same measures of protection against them; but whether this is always to be so or not remains to be seen. Hitherto Protestant clergymen have been too much divided among themselves to be at all formidable in politics, but at the present time indications are not lacking that they are uniting to change, if not the form, at least the fundamental principle, of our government, namely, that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. This principle the National Reformers deny, and demand that the law of God shall be declared to be the supreme law of the land; this would of course be unobjectionable if it could be so in fact, and if God were to administer the government in reality; but to declare it to be so would only be to put men in the place of God, and empower them to administer, not the law of God, but their interpretation of that law, and enforce it upon all men by civil penalties. This is a papal principle, and by adopting it and trying to make it practical Protestant preachers are adopting the very same tactics which have made the priests of Rome the enemies of purely civil governments everywhere, and which have deprived them of civil rights in Italy, and exiled some of them from Germany. That it will ever thus react on the heads of Protestants in this country is not likely, but that it will be destructive of religious liberty we firmly believe. Would that we could believe otherwise. C. P. B. THE SANCTUARY.
By M. C. W.
IN our last we showed that the sacrifices of the past dispensations, if properly offered, were offered by faith in a Saviour to come. They were the gospel ordinances for that time. They were simple at first, adapted to the times and necessities of the situation, the father, or patriarch, of the tribe acting as priest. When we reach the Levitical dispensation, the same offerings are continued, only more elaborate, adapted to the nation as well as to the family and individual. The Lord called Israel out of Egypt under the promises made to the fathers. These promises embraced the coming of Christ in the flesh, not only through that particular nation, but through one particular tribe, and finally through one family of that tribe. It became necessary, therefore, that this people should be kept together as a nation, that the promises, and those things which centered in and were connected with these promises, the law and the truth of God, should be preserved till the Messiah came. Additional promises were given from time to time, predictions were made concerning the time and place of his birth, and a record of these must be preserved, in order that the divine mission of Christ could be fully proved to the world. All this made a national existence of Israel necessary. These records must be kept, the genealogy of the tribes and families of Israel must be kept, especially of that tribe through which Christ was to come. God chose one tribe as his, namely, Levi; therefore the genealogy of the Levites must be preserved. All this, of course, would have been entirely impracticable if they had mixed among surrounding nations. To preserve these records and genealogies, and truths of law and gospel, God made a covenant with this people. Ex. 19:3-8; 24:3-8. No changes were made in the character of the gospel ordinances of the patriarchal dispensation; the same beasts were offered in sacrifice as previously, but the rites were more elaborate, the ceremonies were multiplied, necessitating laws and ordinances to regulate the priesthood and sacrifices. A central place was established for the worship of God and the offerings of the people. In later times, the center of this worship was the temple at Jerusalem, but to accommodate the circumstances of Israel during their wanderings in the wilderness, and until they were settled in the promised land, the sanctuary was built. This was the one to which the writer of Hebrews refers in chapter 9: "Verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary." Verse 1. We do not understand by this that this sanctuary and these ordinances were a part of that covenant, for they were not; but the sanctuary was one which was adapted to the conditions existing under that covenant. The meaning of the word "sanctuary" is "a sacred or holy place." Its use is shown in the instructions which God gave concerning its building. These instructions are principally found in Ex. 25-30, 35-40, the first six chapters giving the directions for building the sanctuary and making the furniture, the last six the record of how the directions were complied with. The object of the sanctuary is shown in part in the instructions given by God to Moses in the first year after Israel came out of Egypt. After saying that all who would give "willingly with his heart" should bring gold, silver, brass, precious stones, blue, purple, and fine linen, skins, spices, and oil, God said, "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." Ex. 25:8. Here God's glory was to remain till driven away by the persistent sinning of Israel. Here their worship was to center. The object of the building shows its sacred character. It was not, therefore, left to man's fancy as to how it should be built, or how large; God gave explicit instructions concerning this matter, even to show the pattern after which it was to be made, and to endow special ones with sufficient wisdom to carry out directions. Ex. 25:9, 40; Acts 7:44; Ex. 31:7-11. These instructions were not to be disregarded under penalty of death.104 The size of the building was thirty cubits (45 feet) long, ten cubits (15 feet) wide, and ten cubits high. It was made of upright boards of acacia wood, overlaid with gold, set in sockets of silver, making it look like a building of gold. Over these walls was spread a surpassingly beautiful fabric or curtain of fine-twined linen, wrought with all manner of cunning needle-work and figures of angels. This formed a ceiling of great loveliness. Over this building was erected a tent, or a tent roof, covered with a curtain of goat's hair, red ram-skins, and seal, or porpoise, skins. See Ex. 26:9; 36:14-19. It was divided into two parts,—the first, or holy place, and the second, or most holy place. The first, or holy place, according to the proportion in the temple, occupied two-thirds of the building, and the most holy place one-third, the latter apartment being in the form of a perfect cube of ten cubits, or fifteen feet. The entrance to the first apartment was toward the east, differing in this respect from the ancient sun-worship, and the forms of to-day derived from that. The priest ministered in the sanctuary with his back to the entrance, hence his face to the west. The furniture of the holy place was, on the right, or north side, of the holy place, the table of shew bread; on the left was the seven-branched candlestick, beaten out of solid gold; directly in front of the door, and before the second veil, which separated between the two apartments, was the altar of incense. Within the veil in the most holy place was the ark of the covenant, overlaid with gold, within which were the tables of stone, containing God's holy law. Over this ark was the mercy-seat, whereon were two cherubim, between which abode the holy Shekinah, the visible manifestation of God. Sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4), and before the mercy-seat the atoning blood was sprinkled, and favor was extended to the penitent. Around this sacred ark all the service of Israel centered. Surrounding this sanctuary, in proximity thereto, encamped the Levites and priests, the latter encamping before the entrance. Encamped about the priests in perfect order were the twelve tribes under the four standards of Judah, Reuben, Dan, and Ephraim. Thus were the tents pitched when Baalam exclaimed by inspiration, "How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!" The services of the sanctuary were performed by Aaron and his sons, assisted by the Levites, brethren of the same tribe. None could usurp their place, under penalty of death. The daily offering for the service of God consisted of two lambs of the first year, one lamb in the morning, and one at evening. With each lamb was offered flour, oil, and wine. Ex. 29:38-42. For individual sins various offerings were prescribed. See the first six chapters of Leviticus. It may be briefly described thus: When a man sinned he brought a clean beast without blemish to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. He then placed his hand upon the head of the beast, thus confessing his sins, transferring them in figure to the head of the beast, and accepting that beast as his substitute; he then took a knife and shed the blood of this innocent victim, thus acknowledging that he himself was worthy of death. The priest takes the blood, in which is represented the life (Lev. 17:11), and carries it into the holy place, and sprinkles it before the altar of incense, and places some of it upon the horns of the altar. The sin of the individual who made the offering is thus transferred to the sanctuary in figure. In some cases the blood was not taken into the sanctuary, in which case the flesh was eaten in the holy place, and the sins transferred in this way. This manner of work went on day after day for every day in the year, except the last, namely, the tenth day of the seventh month, or the day of atonement. On this day the priest offered a bullock for himself, that he might stand free before God. The offering for the people was as follows:— Two goats were brought to the door of the tabernacle, upon which lots were cast, one lot for the Lord, and the other for Azazel, translated "scape-goat," in Lev. 16:5-10. The Lord's goat was slain, its blood brought into the most holy place, and sprinkled before the mercy-seat. The sins of the people were confessed in the presence of God. The priest, taking them upon himself, comes out to the door of the tabernacle and confesses over the head of the scape-goat all the iniquities, sins, and uncleannesses of the children of Israel, and sends the goat away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness, laden with sins, where he disappears forever. This was a very solemn day. Every soul must come before God with humility of heart, confess his sins with fasting and prayer, or that last offering would avail nothing. Only the confessed sins could be put away. Every soul that did not afflict himself was cut off from among the people of God. Lev. 16:29-31; 23:27-29. It will be seen from these passages that the work of this day was really a judgment work of most solemn importance. This round of service was performed year by year continually, while Israel was faithful to God. Heb. 9:1-7. But this service was all typical. Sin was real, the people real, but the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin. Heb. 10:4. They expressed faith in the Redeemer to come, in the Availing Sacrifice. They were the gospel ordinances of the Levitical dispensation. The anti-type of this we will consider in our next. IT WAS CHRIST ALL THE WAY.
By W. N. Glenn
THERE is much undue contrast drawn between our day and those of the past; between the "patriarchal age," the "Jewish age," and the "Christian age." The variations in customs and in ceremonial requirements or ordinances are often presented in a manner to indicate that Christianity is a comparatively new feature in the divine economy. This idea is generally advanced by those who assume that the law of God is abolished; that because the ordinances of the Lord's house have of necessity been changed, on account of the death and resurrection of Christ, consequently the commandments must be annulled, or changed. Such theories have no basis only on the untenable ground that Christianity began with the ministry of Christ, and that there were no benefits in him prior to that time. A few points will show clearly that all of the probation granted to mankind after the fall of Adam is one Christian dispensation. On what was that probation based? and what was its object? are questions the scriptural answers to which will make clear the matter of the Christian dispensation in its full sense. Peter says that we were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, "who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world." See 1 Peter 1:18-20. In Rev 13:8, Christ is referred to as "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." We learn from the Scriptures that God "hath chosen us in him from the foundation of the world." In the day of judgment, when the kingdom is prepared for the righteous, the King shall say, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." These scriptures very plainly set the beginning of the plan of salvation clear back to the beginning of such a necessity. And we are told that "there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved," but the name of Jesus Christ. See Acts 4:10-12. Paul tells us (Eph. 2:8) that by grace we are saved through faith; and that "being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1. From this we turn to Hebrews 11, and find that faith was exercised all along from Abel to the later prophets. And it was so even to the time of Simeon, who was permitted to live to see the infant Messiah presented in the temple, and confessed him by faith. The "seed of the woman" who should "bruise the serpent's head" was Christ. That serpent was Satan (Rev. 20:2), and no other seed of woman but Christ could bruise his head. The seed of Abraham, to whom the inheritance was promised, was Christ (Gal. 3:16). The "affliction" which Moses chose to suffer with the people of God, is also called by Paul (Heb. 11:25, 26) "the reproach of Christ." The angel of God that went before Israel in the wilderness was one in whom was God's name, and who had the power to forgive sins. It was his voice the people were to obey. See Ex. 13:21; 14:19; 23:20-23. This could have been none other than Christ. Enoch and Elijah were fully saved, taken bodily into heaven; they could only have been saved by faith in Christ, as shown by the words of Peter already quoted from Acts 4:12. Moses was resurrected, as shown by Jude 9, and also by his appearance with Enoch and Elijah on the mount of transfiguration; and a resurrection could only come through his having had faith in Christ, who said of himself, "I am the resurrection, and the life" (John 11:25). It is true that, of themselves, the ordinances during the existence of the old covenant, which were but types and shadows, could make nothing perfect. But the same may be said of the ordinances commanded since the death of Christ. No Protestant will claim that there is salvation in the ordinance of baptism, or the Lord's Supper, or the washing of feet, without the essential of faith in Christ. Then, so far as ordinances are concerned, those that point backward in commemoration are no more effectual in themselves than those which pointed forward as types. Faith in Christ is absolutely necessary to make either of any value. We find, then, in all ages since the fall of man, certain principles covering the entire plan of salvation:— 1. "By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Rom. 5:12. 2. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. Only the righteousness of God, which is by the faith of Jesus Christ, is of any avail as a qualification for salvation. See Phil. 3:7-11; Rom. 10:3, 4. Abel was accounted righteous. Noah was recognized as a man of faith and a preacher of righteousness. Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. And this principle runs all the way through. The ordinances of all ages or "dispensations" were merely acts expressive of faith in Christ, as are those of to-day. Christ is the central figure all the way from Paradise lost to Paradise restored. As "sin is the transgression of the law," the law must have existed when Adam fell; and so long as sin exists it is evident that the law is in force. The basis of both the old and the new covenants was the law of ten commandments. It was the promises of the old covenant, and not the basis,105 that were faulty. See Heb. 8:6. Had it been the law that was faulty, it would not have been made the basis of the new covenant also. See Jer. 31: 31-33; Heb. 8: 6-10. Christ's death was to vindicate the law, and not to abolish it. The law had to be satisfied; either the sinner's life or that of an accepted substitute must be forfeited. "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law." Rom. 3:31. All the way down we have the fact presented that transgression of the law must be atoned for by the blood of Christ, or the transgressor must pay the penalty himself, which is death. Rom. 6:23. This principle continues to the end, where, at the very last of probation, we find the adversary making war with them that "keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12:17. Christ has ever been a help in time of need, and the throne of grace has ever been accessible to all who would come unto God by him.