Question Corner by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 19, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 20.

Question Corner.

By Editor

"If ye will inquire, inquire ye." "But avoid foolish questions."

[From time to time we will reply under this head, if deemed advisable, to such candid inquiries as may be sent us. Correspondents wishing a reply to their questions must give their full name and address, not for publication unless they wish, but as an evidence of good faith on their part, and to give us opportunity to reply by letter if deemed best. It is always well to inclose stamp. Let the questions be short and pointed, and such as may be answered in limited space. The questions will be numbered continuously.]

134. VARIOUS QUESTIONS.

FROM a correspondent, F. B. D., we have received the following questions:—

Will you please explain 1 Tim. 4:3.
Will those who die in infancy be in the kingdom?
Is it right to have funerals and bury the dead on the Sabbath?
Should we fast, or fast and pray, now as they did in olden time?
Is it right to play games of any kind?

1. 1 Tim. 4:3, from the connection, seems to refer to the doctrines of Spiritualism, which will be especially manifest in latter times. The verse simply says that those seducing spirits forbid their devotees to marry, and to abstain from foods which God has created to be received with thanksgiving. It evidently refers to the various free-love doctrines and will-worship fasts which have been manifested in various false systems of religion, and which will be probably more and more manifest as we near the end.

2. We have no reason to suppose that those that die in infancy will not be in the kingdom. That is something that God has not expressly revealed. What he is anxious for everyone to do is to so seek him as to insure his own salvation and the salvation of all others in his power. Questions which are not expressly revealed it is much better to leave with God. The gospel appeals to those who are responsible; those who are not we may leave with God.

3. It is right to have funerals and bury the dead on the Sabbath if necessary. Where it can be reasonably avoided we believe that it ought to be, as it involves much work and service many times, which are not in harmony with the best observance of the day.

4. We should not look to any time or any people as to our example in fasting and praying. God would have every soul understand its own duty, and everyone may do this if he will but seek God in faith. There are times when fasting and earnest prayer are demanded, and there would be doubtless much more power in the church if there were much more fasting and prayer. For instruction in this, read the second chapter of Joel and the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah.

5. The matter of playing games is one which every soul must decide for himself. The game, the circumstances, and the condition of the individual all have a bearing on the question. Certainly these games largely connected with gambling, and which naturally involve great excitement and the expenditure of nerve energy and precious time, should be avoided. There are times, doubtless, when the moderate amount of exercise which is necessary in some

games may be good for the sick and for children. And even well people may find recreation in some harmless game. It is impossible to lay down any rule in this respect. The great principle of honoring and glorifying God should be manifest in all these things. Christians who are well may find on every hand plenty of opportunity for the expenditure of both mental and physical energy in a useful way, rather than in senseless games.

135. A QUESTION OF CONSCIENCE.

Please explain 1 Cor. 10:25.

The text reads, "Whatsoever is sold in the shambles that eat asking no question for conscience' sake." By noticing the context it will be seen that the question was whether it was harmful to eat meat which had been offered to idols. Sometimes, after this meat had been offered to idols, it was placed in the market for sale, and the conscience of some was troubled as to whether it would not be doing homage to idols to eat it after it had been so offered. Now, "an idol is nothing" (1 Cor. 8:4), and yet there were those who had been idolaters whose conscience would not allow them to eat anything that was offered to idols without injury to their conscience. In such a case the apostle tells us we should not eat, for the sake of him that has such scruples, but it was perfectly legitimate to purchase whatever was found in the market suitable for food without asking any questions. Of course this would not be true if the food was evil in itself. Then it would be a duty to inquire, that is, if we suspected it to be bad. But when the idol was nothing and could not by any means affect the meat thus purchased, it would be perfectly proper to eat it, asking no questions for conscience' sake, so as not to make it a question of conscience.

136. THE LOST TRIBES OF ISRAEL.

Please inform us of your understanding of the lost tribes of Israel. Are not the tribes found, or a part of them?

The Bible says nothing whatever about the lost tribes of Israel. Jesus speaks of the "lost sheep of the house of Israel;" that is, those who are out of Christ and longing for a Saviour; but we nowhere read in the word of God of the lost tribes of Israel. The Lord told the people of the ten tribes that they would go into captivity and their kingdom be utterly destroyed if they refused to hear his voice (see 2 Kings 17:20, 23), yet we learn from Ezra that when the children of Judah and Benjamin returned to Jerusalem, some from other tribes returned with them (see Ezra 1:5; 2:70). The decree was so broad that it gave to all the permission to return, and that is all that the Lord ever does. It seems also that at the dedication of the temple the twelve tribes were all represented among them at the time. Ezra 6:17. See also 2 Chron. 30:10, 11 and 35:18, which show that those of the ten tribes who desired returned to Jerusalem, and identified themselves with the tribes of Judah. The ten lost tribes is an unscriptural theory.