p. 180 | TO CORRESPONDENTS by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 6, 1877

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

By Editor

W. H. Kynett: An excellent work on Geology by D. N. Lord, entitled Geognosy, harmonizes with the Bible all that can be claimed from Geology. The first edition of the work is out of print; but Dr. Lord has signified his intention of issuing a revised edition, which we trust may be put upon the market soon.

Were the miracles performed by the magicians in Egypt, real or imaginary? M. L. B.

Ans. Real.

Please explain Heb. 6:1–6. M. E. Carter.

Ans. The apostle is here exhorting to perseverance and progress in the Christian life; and he urges them to this course by the consideration that we are in danger of going so far in the work of apostasy and rebellion as to commit the unpardonable sin, and lose the power and the chance of repentance.

QUESTIONS ON PRAYER. 1. Is there any record in the Bible, of Christ or the apostles praying before or after preaching?

2. Did the “commission” to the apostles include praying?

3. Is there anything in the Bible against “crossing” ourselves as the Catholics do?

4. Is there not a difference between “Blessing” and “Thanksgiving” on one side and “Prayer” on the other? 1 Kings 8:54, 55; 1 Cor. 14:15.

5. Is there not danger of our judging of their practices then, by our habits now?

5. Did the speaker in an unknown tongue understand what he himself said? if so, why “pray that he may interpret”? 1 Cor. 14:13. J. L. K.

To the foregoing queries we reply in the order of their presentation:—

1. Yes, respecting both Christ and the apostles. In John chapters 15 and 16, we have one of the most beautiful discourses ever uttered in this world. Christ preached to his disciples. In the following chapter (John 17) we have our Lord’s inimitable prayer which followed this discourse. And it was a public prayer; for the record says that he “lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour is come,” &c. We have a similar record concerning the apostle Paul. Acts 20 states the fact that he called for the elders of the church at Ephesus to meet him at Miletus. He then preached them a discourse, as recorded in verses 18–35. Immediately following this he kneeled down and prayed with them all. Verse 36.

2. Yes. Christ commissioned his disciples to observe all things that he had commanded them. Matt. 28:20. And as he had given them instruction respecting secret prayer, Matt. 6:5–13, the duty and practice of public prayer is implied; for that was then practiced, Acts 3:1; 16:13; and if Christ had wished his disciples to deviate from that practice, he would have so informed them. Moreover, as above noticed, he himself set them the example of public prayer.

3. No; that is, there is no direction stating explicitly that we shall not make the sign of the cross upon our persons, or the sign of circles or squares, or anything else, if we choose to do so, with any innocent design. But if we should do this in obedience to any system of error, or of superstition, the Scriptures would condemn it.

4. We look upon them as being in nature the same, but different somewhat in form, all being included in public invocation.

5. We think our habits have come from their practices, confirmed by the evidence left on record; hence there is no ground to suppose that a wrong conclusion has been drawn.

6. We think he did; but he prayed that he might interpret for the purpose of edifying others.

Is the “hour” of Rev. 14:7 definite time? If so, why is it not the 24th part of that great day of the Lord, 1000 years? M. C. W.

Ans. The day of the Lord we understand to be more than a thousand years in length. It begins with the pouring out of the plagues, before the thousand years begin, and covers the destruction of the wicked, which probably occupies a long space after the 1000 years terminate. Hence if it means the 24th part of the day of the Lord, it is still a period utterly indefinite. Secondly, the definition of the word conveys the idea of an indefinite space of time. It means “time, i. e., a certain definite point or space of time, season; time of the day, the day. Matt. 14:15,” &c. Thus it is defined as meaning sometimes a “season,” or even a whole “day.” We do not think that the term “the doors” in Matt. 24:33, has any reference to the doors of the sanctuary, but is an expression to denote great nearness, borrowed from the figure of one standing even at the doors of our dwellings and about to enter. We understand that in Acts 1:7, our Lord expresses the idea that it was not for them to know the time, or day and hour of his coming, as stated in Matt. 24:36.

ANSWERED BY LETTER. J. H. Waggoner, C. F. Stevens, C. W. Stone, A. S. Hutchins, C. K. Drury, J. N. Ayers, J. A. Holcomb, M. P. Stiles, S. E. D’Aigneau, Mrs. A. Reed, A. H. Wentworth, Mrs. E. M. Hall, H. Grant, Mary Miller, M. C. Wilcox.