TO CORRESPONDENTS

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 21, 1878

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

M. A. Hutchins: For an explanation of Rev. 22:8, 9, and Rev. 19:10, see Man’s Nature and Destiny.

W. Crittenden: An article containing the substance of the one you send, entitled, “Terror from the Stars,” was published some time since in the REVIEW. Because the four great planets of our solar system, Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn, and Neptune come in conjunction at the time of their perihelia in 1880-1, people will attribute whatever judgments they may experience to this circumstance, rather than to any interposition of divine providence against sin. Unbelief is always glad of a loop-hole of escape, and is never better pleased than when it can assume the name of science.

W. S. Randall: The thrones of Dan. 7:9 we understand to be the seats, or thrones, of the four and twenty elders spoken of in Rev. 4:4. That these were thrones is evident from the statement that the elders who sat on them had crowns of gold upon their heads. And these are assistants of Christ in his priestly work. Rev. 5:10. The last clause of Acts 13:48 cannot be made to teach unconditional predestination. “As many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” Now if these were unconditionally predestined to eternal life, and were by the fixed decree of God to be saved, and nothing could prevent it, why did they believe? What necessity was there for that act on their part? If it is said that they could not have eternal life without believing, we reply that that is just the kind of ordination we understand the Bible to teach—one suspended upon sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. But it is nowhere said that any are ordained to believe; that is a voluntary act.

Please explain Matt. 5:23, 24? Have these verses any connection with Matt. 18:15-17? B.

Ans. The same wrong seems to be brought to view in both cases, but the conditions in one case are the reverse of those in the other. Thus in Matt. 5, the person in the wrong is supposed to feel convicted of the wrong, and is then instructed to act accordingly. In Matt. 18, we are instructed how to act toward one who does not see or acknowledge his wrong.

ANSWERED BY LETTER. M. Haynes, H. H. Brunsteter, H. S. Boyd, E. P. Daniels, Albert Waters, D. Phillips, J. O. Carlson, L. McCoy.