p. 117 | TO CORRESPONDENTS

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 3, 1878

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

A correspondent inquires whether a person belonging to the S. D. A. church, moving into a new place, can properly meet with those who have been turned out of the church for apostasy, or Sabbath-keepers hostile to S. D. Adventists, in preference to those belonging to his own church. Such a question need not be asked. If the person belongs to that class, let him go with them; and if he goes there, he shows that he does belong with them; for, as in Acts 4:23, every man having the opportunity will go to his “own company.”

Why should Christ curse the fig-tree when the time of figs was not yet? Mark 11:13. An infidel in our neighborhood points to it as an inconsistency in the Scriptures. J. P. H.

Ans. That infidel must give the writer of Mark’s gospel credit for marvelous obtuseness, if he supposes him to say that figs were expected upon the tree when it was not a season of the year in which figs were produced, and then that the tree was cursed because it had no figs out of the season of figs. Such a man would be destitute of common sense. And then what shall we say of the millions of the best minds in the Christian world whom Mark has caused to believe, not only that he was a consistent and sensible writer, but also that he wrote by inspiration of God? A wonderful result truly to be wrought out by an idiot! The fact is that the fig-tree, in favorable localities, sometimes has fruit upon it all the year round. Dr. Clarke says that he has often seen this. Consider further that the fig-tree puts forth its figs first and afterward its leaves. Therefore, in whatever season of the year this tree was seen having leaves, it was to be taken as an evidence that there was fruit there, unless that fruit had been gathered.

But of course the fig-tree, like other fruit-trees, has its regular times of bearing its fruit, and hence there was a regular time for gathering the crop; and this time of gathering was called “the time of figs.” Figs ripened shortly before the passover; but the Jews did not begin to gather them till the passover. Now when Jesus passed this tree, it was five days before the passover; it was therefore time for the figs to be ripe. But they were not gathered; for that did not take place till the passover; “the time of [gathering] figs was not yet,” and the tree showed abundance of leaves, which was to be taken as an evidence that figs were there. Therefore it was consistent to expect to find figs on that tree.

Finding none under these circumstances, the Lord invests it with moral qualities, and makes it to stand as a representative of the Jewish people. Like the tree, they were covered with leaves—the leaves of high profession and great pretensions; but there was no fruit. It also represents the formal professor even of to-day. There are persons who are hypocritical pretenders. They loudly profess great things; and from their profession one would have a right to expect to find in them the fruits of the Spirit; but when their lives are examined, it is found that their religion is all a sham. There is no fruit there—“nothing but leaves.” And the fate of the fig-tree shows the danger they are in. This is the moral lesson taught by this incident. And a most solemn and impressive one it is too.

Questions by C. L. B.: 1. Does Eze. 8:16, have reference to the observance of the sun’s day?

Such an inference might perhaps be made to appear quite plausible; but after all it would be only an inference.

2. Do Eze. 9 and Rev. 7:1-4, have reference to the same sealing?

We think so.

3. Does the work of Eze. 9, of the men with the destroying weapons refer to the seven last plagues?

So we think.

K. B. C. asks if it is right to examine candidates for church membership, or choose delegates to Conference, on the Sabbath.

Ans. The asking of the question implies doubt in the writer’s mind. Then give the Sabbath the benefit of the doubt, and attend to these things on some other day.

W. P. HENDRICKSON: We publish no work on the subject of communion.