Bible Helps and Religious Notes
By Editor
THE greatest helps to the understanding of the Bible are an unprejudiced, humble mind, an overruling desire to know just what God’s will is, that it may be performed, and the Bible itself. “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant.” Ps. 25:14. THE Lord does not ask us to wait till we are worthy before we come to him. If we should do this, we would never seek him. He invites us to come just as we are, with humble hearts, realizing our unworthiness; and then God says, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Could we ask more? Thus by coming in God’s way, he makes us worthy. THE statement is definitely made in several London papers that the episcopal bishop of Glasgow has inhibited Canon Wilberforce from talking temperance in the churches of that diocese, because he coöperates with the ministers of the Church of Scotland in his work. Commenting on this fact the Christian at Work says: “The establishment will not gain much headway in Presbyterian Scotland by this sort of proceedings.” Certainly it ought not to gain much. WE suppose that some will see in the fact that the new United States cruiser Vesuvius can send four and a half tons of dynamite into another vessel in six minutes, and send a thousand men into eternity in the same time, an evidence of the approach of the time when war will be no more, because it will be so terrible that none will dare engage in it; but to us it is an evidence of the approach of the final clash of the nations of the world before they are dashed to pieces by the Lord at his coming. AN association has been organized in Japan, the object of which is to maintain Buddhism, especially in view of its political character in the empire. The members pledge themselves, in the selection of representatives in Parliament, provincial assemblies, town councils, or local offices, and in the appointment of school-teachers, officials of societies and business companies, “carefully to exclude all who are disloyal to our emperor or untrue to Buddhism by believing in the foreign religion called Christianity.” This is simply National Reform in the interest of Buddhism. But there is hope for Christianity in the fact that many of the Japanese newspapers which have no special interest in Christianity are condemning severely this attempt to drag religion into the sphere of politics. And it ought to be condemned not only in Japan but in the United States. If it is right that the majority should rule in matters of religion in one country it cannot be wrong in another, and Japan would have the same right to exclude or boycott Christianity that the United States would have to discriminate in religious matters. THE only real growth in Christian life comes by appropriating God’s word. The Christian is begotten through the word of God (1 Peter 1:23; James 1:18), born of the water and the Spirit (John 3:5); and it is by the word of God that he grows up into Christ, the Incarnate Word. 1 Peter 2:1-5. He must not only read the word, or understand the word, but he must appropriate or engraft the word (James 1:21), till the truth of God becomes a very part of his being. It is this that the psalmist means when he says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Ps. 119:11. THE ceremonies of the Christian religion are few. It needs no more than it has to manifest its true character; for from that individual who possesses true religion, there are ever flowing words and acts which show the hidden spring within. Ceremonies are outward; religion springs from within; its seat is in the affections and principles which control the individual. The multiplying of needless ceremonies, the increase of ritual pomp and splendor, always calls attention from the real inner life to an unreal outer life, till at last religion is lost in form and ceremony. This is the way it was with the early church, and Rome was developed. Are not our Protestant churches walking in the same path in their aping of Rome in ornate display and multiplication of days and times? SAID the Father, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” Matt. 17:5. Jesus says, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt. 19:17. Again he says, “Blessed are they that do His [the Father’s] commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev. 22:14. And this is the testimony of the whole of the inspired word—keep the law of God; “for this is the whole duty of man.” Eccl. 12:13, 14. But that man cannot keep the law of God is true; nevertheless, it is his duty. And in order that he may perform that duty, and be brought into harmony with his law, God gives him the gracious privilege of doing through Christ what he could not do in his own strength. The righteousness of God is imputed for past sins (Rom. 4:5-8; 3:25, 26), the man is regenerated (2 Cor. 5:17), and his works become the righteousness of faith in Christ; for God works in him to will and to do of his good-pleasure. The law is ever a rule of duty, the gospel is the power of God which brings man into harmony with that rule.