QUESTION CORNER

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 9, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 41.

(Continued from page 7.)

1172. The “Other Sheep.” John 10:16.

To whom did Jesus refer in John 10:16 by the “other ‘sheep’?” E. O.

Primarily to the Gentiles, and all others outside the fold who could be brought in. See Isa. 56:8. His flock was Israel. Eze. 34:11, 12. Read the whole chapter. See also Luke 2:32; Eph. 3:3-5.

1173. The Spirits in Prison. 1 Peter 3:19.

Please explain the spirits in prison. 1 Peter 3:19. Mrs. U. C.

Twice during the past year the SIGNS OF THE TIMES has published extended articles on the spirits in prison. In brief, we see no light in that idea, suggested by the minister, which makes the angels mix with unlawful marriage with women before the deluge. The sons of God were the seed of Seth. See Gen. 4:26, margin. The sons of men were Cain and his followers. The spirit of worldliness took possession of God’s people when the wicked daughters of the world became mothers in the church.

As to 1 Peter 3:19, the spirits in prison are those bound in sin. See Ps. 107:10, 11; 38:4; 40:12; Prov. 5:22; Ps. 142:7. The psalmist prays, “Bring my soul out of prison.” The mission of Christ through all time is to open the prison to those who are bound. Isa. 61:1; Luke 4:18. The “spirits in prison” referred to by Peter were the sinners bound by their sins in the days of the deluge. Christ went and preached to them by the Spirit through Noah. 2 Peter 2:4; 1 Peter 1:10, 11; Heb. 11:7. He did this “while the ark of God was a preparing.” He did not preach to those disobedient ones when they were dead, but when they were alive. The testimony of the Scriptures is: “The dead know not anything.”

1174. “Hate.” Luke 14:26. R. O.

“Hate” in Luke 14:26 means to love less. It is explained by Matt. 10:37: “He that loveth father or mother more than Me is ‘not worthy of Me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than ‘Me is not worthy of Me.” In a general sense, if a man forsook his wife or child of choice, it would be said that he did not love them, he hated them. The love of Christ causes men to forsake all, to choose Him exclusive of all. In comparison with the love the redeemed soul has for Him, all earthly love is nothing. But the man that loves Christ Jesus with all his heart, so that he would forsake all of earth if called to, truly loves his father and mother, son and daughter, etc., more,—loves them with a purer, holier, more devoted love than he could possess did he not love Christ. He does not love sin nor sin’s association; and if he leaves those he loves, it will be because they prefer to remain associated with sin; but he will do all in his power, even to die if need be, to win them from sin. We can paraphrase Luke 14:26 to read: “If any man come to Me, and love not less than he loves ‘Me his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren ‘and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he can not be My disciple.” Love to God must be so clear and positive that love for all creatures must seem to be negative. The thought is this: Loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength, and one’s neighbor—all others—as himself. Matt. 22:37-40.

1175. Refining Sugar.

I am told that blood is used in refining sugar, and that in making maple sugar salt pork is used to refine it, and to keep it from boiling over. Is this so? A. T. B.

In very low and crude sugars, blood albumen was formerly used in purifying, but we believe that recent processes dispense with this.

We have seen men use a piece of fat pork to prevent a kettle of maple sap from boiling over. Possibly it may be used in boiling the syrup. The hot sap “tries out” the oil or grease, and that quiets the “troubled waters.” By all good sugar-makers the grease is taken off with the scum. Fat pork is rarely used now, we believe, and by no good sugar-maker so as to leave aught of it in the sugar. We have seen much sugar made without the use of pork or any grease. Milk is often used in purifying the syrup.