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Review and Herald, Vol. 31, No. 24.

THE LOST SHEEP.

Review and Herald

Jun 2, 1868

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 2, 1868

THE LOST SHEEP.

By James White

BY ELD. JAMES WHITE.
TEXT.—“I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance.” Luke xv, 7.
The text plainly declares the interest that is taken in mortals in this world, by sinless beings in Heaven. Do sinners repent? there is joy in Heaven. Do they continue in sin? there is sadness in Heaven. Do the children of God apostatize? shall I say, Heaven is in anguish? The joy in Heaven, we conclude, refers to the joy that the angels feel, and the language proves, with this supposition, that the angels have the deepest interest in our welfare; that angels in their ministrations, are closely connected with our welfare. And this is clearly stated in other portions of the Scriptures. In speaking of Christ’s little ones that believe in him, we read, “Their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven.” Each has a ministering angel. Each has the watchcare of an angel, and, shall I say that this extends to all who are candidates for everlasting life? An angel has charge of all those who have not become joined to their idols, concerning whom, the charge is to the angels, Let them alone. With this view of the subject before us, we are led to feel, I trust, that, through the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are very closely linked to Heaven.
The text declares that there is more joy in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance. Just persons certainly have the watchcare of the angels of God. When they assemble for worship, the angels gather around. When they offer acceptable praise to God, the angels are in sympathy. Are they walking according to the principles of the word of God, and occupying a position to glorify God, Heaven is filled with joy. They are regarded by angels with the greatest pleasure. But there is more joy over one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety and nine of these persons.
When one sinner, whether he be a backslider or one that never repented of his sins, never manifested true repentance, turns from the paths of sin to the ways of holiness, there is more joy in Heaven in his case, than over ninety and nine that are just. What an inducement this is for a sinner to turn to God. Not only the happiness of the church and friends here below, but the happiness of Heaven is affected as far as his case is concerned, by the course that he shall take. Does that backslider continue to go on in his downward course, and remain a reproach to the cause, and a hindrance to the work? Heaven is in sadness. As a moral agent, what power there is in his hands to affect not only earth, but also Heaven. If he will go to perdition, if he will lose his own soul, he does it by causing sadness upon the friends of Jesus here, and sorrow in Heaven. But if he will return, if he will act for his own best interests, if he will labor to secure eternal life, he may gladden the people of God in this world, and cause joy in Heaven, more joy in Heaven than over ninety-nine just persons. Will the backslider continue to backslide, or will he return? Will the sinner continue in his sins under such circumstances, or will he repent of his sins?
But the text seems to be a grand conclusion from important principles illustrated by the parable in the foregoing six verses. “Then drew near unto him all the scribes and Pharisees for to hear him, and the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.” The publicans were a sort of tax-gatherers. They had earned for themselves a bad reputation. Doubtless there were exceptions. Doubtless there were just men among them, but, like our lawyers, as a class, they had a bad reputation. That these publicans were sinners, or many of them, is undoubtedly correct. The prominence is given to publicans, and the common sinners are classed with them. These came to Jesus Christ. The scribes and Pharisees, through prejudice, because of their self-righteousness, suffered to be carried in their breasts feelings of enmity to our Lord because he would stoop to receive, and teach, and eat with these common and sinful men. This is how matters stood, as our Lord continued to speak the parable to illustrate their condition, and to remain as a reproof to them, and to all who should occupy similar positions. “And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.”
Then follows the application in the text; “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner, more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance.” The good shepherd of the sheep, literally, on finding that one is lost, leaves ninety and nine for the present, and now his labor, and anxiety, and search, is for the sheep that is lost. He findeth it, and placeth it upon his shoulder rejoicing. He bringeth it home to his headquarters. His joy is such on finding that lost sheep, that he calleth his neighbors and friends, and saith unto them, I have found that which was lost, rejoice with me, my neighbors and friends, for the lost is found. Mark this: In the parable, or figure, the ninety-nine that are comparatively safe are left for the time being, and now the anxious care and search is for the lost sheep, and the search is pursued till the lost is found; and when it is found, the one having charge lays it upon his shoulders with joy, and bears it away. In the representation, there is much joy as well as the deepest interest expressed over the lost but now found sheep.
Jesus had come into the world to seek and to search for the lost sheep of the house of Israel, as the Chief Shepherd of the sheep; and to illustrate the great work which he was about to introduce, he has given this parable. “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,” was the final commission. The lost and scattered sheep must be searched out, and must be borne home. This was the great gospel work. And when we apply this more definitely to the church of Jesus Christ, these lost sheep are more particularly those who, by some means, apostatize; by some means stray from the fold; by some means are lost. To search for these and to bring them to the fold of Jesus Christ, has been our mission for the year that is past. Our souls have been drawn out for those, who, from different causes, have been either in spirit, or name, or both, separated from the flock of Jesus Christ, and in pursuing this work, the words of this parable have come home to our minds with wonderful force. Believing that this is a special time to search, and seek for the lost sheep, we feel the force of this parable.
As the ninety and nine were left, and diligent search made for the one lost sheep, so we feel that our work is not to speak merely for the edification of those who, as a general thing, stand well, that are strong, but the lost sheep claim our attention. The condition of the lost sheep has moved our compassion. The lost sheep is the burden of our labor. The lost sheep must be searched out and brought home. And is it not possible that the time has come that there should be more effort to gather the lost and the wandering, than to strengthen those in the fold who are comparatively strong?
In our experience for the past year, we have seen the blessing of God especially attending this work, and as we have seen its extent, as we have seen the result of this work upon the minds and experience of those who had strayed away, our faith has been increased.The question was asked our Lord, How often shall I forgive my brother? till seven times? They thought that that was the farthest extent, probably, of their faith and patience,—that they might not reach any further than seven times. But did our Lord say that seven times would do? I say not unto you till seven times, but seventy times seven, making four hundred and ninety times. Lord, increase our faith.
I have no doubt but that many in this congregation may make the same request. Lord increase our faith. It may be difficult for us to bring our minds up to forgive a brother seven times. After we have had cause to forgive him two, three, four, five, or six, times, we could hardly come up to the seventh. But our natures are so unlike our Lord’s, we are naturally so exacting, the natural feelings of the heart are so apt to rise and mingle with our religious feelings! Lord pity us, and Lord increase our faith! When we come, however, to four hundred and ninety times to forgive our erring brother, then we may need to pray, and to pray, perhaps, some of us with tears, and pray with repenting hearts, Lord, make us like thyself. Lord, change our natures till they shall be like thine, that we may be able to forgive from the heart, if necessary, four hundred and ninety times. For a want of this forgiving spirit, many may have been discouraged, may have been driven off, may have been cast out. For the want of this forgiving spirit, there may be many to-day outside of the fold, who, with a little help, a little compassion, and a forgiving spirit manifested toward them, would come into the fold again.
Because of this feeling in our bosoms to some degree which the scribes and Pharisees had, there may be a bar between us and some of the scattered and wandering sheep. We may not realize that this is the case, but they may see it, and feel it keenly.
In the great work, then, of gathering these souls, the first thing is to convert the church. The first thing is that we may come to that place where we shall love the spirit of our divine Master. The first thing is to have the spirit of the good shepherd literal, who left the ninety-nine, and went searching for the lost sheep. Just see that shepherd: the cold dews of night come upon him, still he pursues the search. The cold frosts of the morning are upon him, and still he pursues the search. One of the precious sheep has strayed. This should teach all those who work under the Chief Shepherd their duty, not to let any obstacle, or hardship, or difficulty, hinder them in the great work. Do these under shepherds love the flock, who are laboring and seeking to walk in gospel order? This is right. But to love one wandering sheep more than they love ninety and nine just persons, shows the spirit of the good Shepherd. Do they feel their hearts bound up in ninety-nine good church members? Do they feel the strongest and tenderest ties binding these to their hearts? They are to feel tenderness, and care, and love, extending to that wandering sheep more than to ninety and nine just persons.
Said Jesus, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” He came not to weep over the righteous, but to weep over sinners. He came not to labor for the righteous, but to labor for sinners. He came to die for sinners. This was the example set by our divine Lord. I would speak of the blessedness of the work of seeking the lost and straying ones. How much joy there is connected with this blessed work. It may be arduous, yet it pays. It may cost some anxiety and sorrow, but there comes great joy. And this makes up a religious experience that is valuable.
The experience of that worldly man whose heart is never drawn out for his fellows, who never has any ups in particular, or especial downs, may be said to have a very even experience; but let me say, however even it is, however free the person may be from the changes that there are in the experience of the active Christian, in my opinion, such an experience is a very worthless affair. But that experience which is of real value is one in which the soul is drawn out for every one in need of help. What anxiety such feel for that wandering sheep! They follow it, and follow it, for days, perhaps, till finally they find it. With joy they lay it on their shoulders, and with joy they bring it home, and call their neighbors and friends, saying, Rejoice with me. There is a general rejoicing, and this will pay the shepherd. He feels a hundred fold paid by the joy he receives here.
The sentiment we are taught in this parable, and the application of it by our Lord, we find elsewhere in the Scriptures of truth. We find it in the fast mentioned by the prophet Isaiah, the fast to be proclaimed just before the coming of the Lord, in which the heart is to be rent and not the garment; in which acts of benevolence, drawing out the soul to the hungry, and clothing the naked, takes the place of your sackcloth and of your ashes and your bowing down your heads like a bulrush. This is the fast that draws out the soul for the wants of the needy, whether they be temporal wants or spiritual wants. The greatest blessings are promised to those who are engaged in this work; and the final reward of those who are engaged in this work is exceedingly great. The toil, we will allow, is something. The anxiety may be great. The labor may be of the hardest kind. But it is that in which the angels feel the greatest solicitude, and when it is effectual, there is joy in Heaven. Is this spirit in the church? Is it with us? Are we sufficiently imbued with this missionary spirit to seek the lost, and search for the straying? Is not the denunciation of the prophet Ezekiel applicable in some cases? “The diseased ye have not healed, the wounded ye have not bound up, the wandering ye have not gathered.” I feel like refraining from repeating that which is in the connection. I do not believe that it has an application to this people as a general thing. It can apply to us less than in many cases, but in many individuals it may be true. “With force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.”
It is impossible but that offences will come. It is expected in bringing men and women from darkness to light that there will be a struggle. We are aware of the fact, for experience has taught us that those who are brought under the influence of truth and disciplined by the word of God have to learn at every step. It is a work that causes self-denial. It is a close work. Many become offended in this work. Many turn aside. Many cannot stand the test. Many become restless in the furnace of affliction. Many take themselves out of the workshop. They wrench themselves out of the hands of the Lord. Many cannot endure the searching, refining, purifying work necessary to prepare them for the last touch of immortality. These persons do not act for their own best good. They frequently sin against themselves, against God, and against those who try to help them. But, friends, do we always labor judiciously with them? Are we always prepared ourselves to labor for them? Are we not sometimes more guilty than those whom we try to reform? Are we not sometimes occupying the position of the man with the beam in his eye, trying to take the mote out of his brother’s eye? Do we not sometimes feel that we have embraced all the truth, we have tried to live all the truth, we have kept all the commandments, we have a great amount of religious influence, we have earned a reputation as Christians on earth and in Heaven, we have a position rather dignified after all. And these publicans and these sinners who have not acted as wisely as we have, these are hardly worthy of our labor. And when an appeal is made in their behalf, or when there are those, who, feeling that this is their commission, go out after these lost sheep, are you not in danger of occupying the position of the scribes and Pharisees, who reproached Christ because he would stoop to befriend them and teach them? If there are any such feelings in any heart before me, my advice is, Get rid of them.
I do not stand here to plead in justification of an apostate. Has he wickedly apostatized and wandered? I point out the wickedness of such a course. Has he taken a Heaven-daring position? Let him feel it. Is he to come back again? I will tell him of his apostasy, and exhort him to return and wipe out every stain of the past. And while I tell him this, God help me to feel for him. May I have the feeling of the shepherd who left the ninety and nine, and went in search of the lost sheep. Has he apostatized far away? Has he gone away many times and come back again? Has he been forgiven many times? How many times shall we forgive him? Seven, or twenty-one, or forty-nine? If my Master were here to answer this question, he would say, Until seventy times seven. Lord increase our faith.
It is the duty of the minister of Jesus Christ to lift up his voice like a trumpet, and show the professed people of God their sins, and the house of Jacob their transgressions. It is their duty to point out the way to the kingdom of God as a straight and narrow path, and hold up to those who have a disposition to bend their footsteps thitherward, that they must turn from the pride of life, the love of the world, and be like Christ. They must enter the vineyard. Their talents may be the tongue, the hands, the farm; everything that may be used in the cause of Christ may be called talents. If they use them, they will receive a reward. But if they have buried their talents with the cares of this world, they will be lost. It is the duty of the minister and officers of the church, and all who bear testimony in the house of God, to bear a plain testimony.
I do not stand up here this morning to reproach my brethren who have been in favor of wholesome and strict discipline.
I do not stand here to reproach those who have been laboring to have our people come to the word of God. I have no reproof for any who will deal plainly with their fellow-men, unless they go beyond what is pointed out in the Scriptures of truth. In this we have done well. But with this have we not failed in tenderness, in long-suffering, in care, in anxiety for those who have strayed from the fold of Christ? I think we have. This is our experience for the year past. As we have been from State to State, and from church to church, we have found outside of our churches quite a number who still observe the Sabbath. They are keeping the Sabbath, yet are outside of the church, and we find quite a number of persons who have renounced the Sabbath. The number of such persons is considerable in the field. Our first work before we can help such persons is to convert the church. More or less of the same feelings which the scribes and Pharisees had, have been in the church. Why, it is only natural. It is a thing to be guarded against. But I believe our people have less of it than any other denomination. When you come to the idea of church tyranny, I do not believe we have a tithe of what there is in other denominations. But, friends, we are not measuring ourselves by others. We would measure ourselves by our divine Lord. Never can I cease to labor, nor hold my peace upon this subject, until the principles taught by the Lord shall be found in the church.
I said our first work has been to labor to convert the church. As soon as feelings of love and tenderness, compassion and interest, for the straying ones, as represented by this parable, begin to kindle in the church, the first thing you will see, will be those persons who have kept the Sabbath and have given it up, beginning to return.
But this feeling of shutting ourselves up to ourselves, has been in the church. And just as soon as our people began to manifest feelings that they desired their friends to come and join them, we found these persons crowding in. There is a power attending the call for more of the missionary spirit among us. There is a power manifested in this care for the straying ones, that the straying cannot resist. At least, they do not resist it. I venture the statement here, that wherever the church shall be fully converted to the spirit of all that forgiveness they should have, to the spirit of all that long-suffering that they should have, and get rid of this rigid, exacting spirit, the blessing of the Lord will come richly upon them.
They need not change their views as to discipline, as to what constitutes a Christian. They may hold all this. They may speak as pointedly as the most faithful among us, yet they may be converted to all that long-suffering, all that tenderness that you may find in the teachings of Jesus Christ. I venture the statement that where this change is brought around in the church, those persons who have been holding on outside of the church, or have given up the Sabbath,will come back every time. And do you want them to confess? Be sure to confess your exclusiveness, your lack of love for them, and where you have erred. Thus throw the burden upon them. Offer to lay them upon your shoulders and bring them to the fold.
Before I close, I will speak of the long-suffering of our Lord and his tender mercies. Has he borne long with this or that man who has apostatized from the truth in a great measure? Have these apostates been fighting the truth, been wounding the reputation of those who have been preaching and sustaining the truth? Can Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, look on and bear with them? Is it possible that there is mercy for such? Experience is teaching us that our Lord does not leave those who have once borne the cross and are apostatizing, as soon as we do. He does not leave that one that has wandered even far away, until repeated calls are given. But his long-suffering, compassion, and mercy, oh! how great!
Now, friends, when you remember the Lord’s prayer, ponder this expression well, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us?” As we wish forgiveness from our Lord, so should we cherish a spirit of forgiveness toward others.
Remember what the Lord said to the man who owed ten thousand talents and had nothing to pay. The debt was forgiven. But one of his fellow-servants was indebted to him one hundred pence. He met him, seized him by the throat, and required him to pay. How differently he felt from what his Lord felt toward him. Now he who had been forgiven ten thousand talents, could he not forgive his fellow-servant who owed only one hundred pence? You see the illustration. God help us all to feel the force of it. What great sinners we were! How much we owed our Lord. The amount was infinite. It called for the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet it was all forgiven us. But here are our fellow-servants who have trespassed against us in an unguarded moment, or spoken to injure our feelings. And how apt we are to have a feeling in our breasts represented by the man who seized his fellow-servant by the throat and cast him into prison who owed him one hundred pence. As we wish to be forgiven of our Father in Heaven, so must we forgive our brethren their trespasses.
Look at these great facts. Behold the tender care of our Lord, and angels working in harmony with him. All Heaven is interested for us, is weeping over those who are outside of the fold. Christ and angels weep over apostates. And what are we doing? Christ and angels manifest the greatest interest for those who have strayed. God help us to feel.
But because the Lord’s arm is so long as to reach the sinner in every depth of sin, that is no evidence that he can be saved without being freed from his sins. We are prone to go to extremes. Some of us love to see the church walking up to church discipline, and becoming as square as a brick. And those who have their minds turned in that channel, the greatest danger they have to watch against, is an exacting and unforgiving spirit toward those they would bring up to the standard.
Others, shunning the extreme in this direction, run to a greater one, in supposing that leniency, love, and kindness, is to do the whole work of discipline, without plain preaching, without close work. This is a fatal error. Take both faithfulness and love with you, dear friends. Have the armor on the right hand and on the left—the whole armor. Let the truth of God be preached as it is in the word. Let church discipline be administered properly, at proper times, by proper persons. Let the church come up to the high standard in every particular. But while we labor for this, may the Lord give us on the other hand all that compassion and love, and spirit of labor illustrated in the parable of the lost sheep. God help us to work, and work heartily; and when the workers are all gathered home, the Chief Shepherd there, the under shepherds present, and the flock all there, our happy ears shall hear the declaration, “Well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” Amen.

HAIL! CHRIST OF GOD!

Hail! Christ of God, we worship thee! Thou on the cross for us wast slain! Thy peerless name is all our plea; We in thy glory thus shall reign. Jesus! thy praise shall never cease— Thou art our surety, thou our peace.
Thou spotless Lamb! thy blood alone Washed all our crimson sins away; Thy presence on the Father's throne Tells of salvation free to-day. Priest, Advocate, and Saviour thou! Thou art the truth! to thee we bow.
O Son of man! rejected here, Come, for we wait thy sure return; Scoffers deny thy coming near, Mock at the lamps for thee that burn. Jesus! thy voice doth still the strife; Thou art the Bridegroom, thou our Life.
Eternal Word, in grace revealed, Conqueror o'er the rock-hewn tomb; Thou hast with blood our charter sealed, Thou art our Hope 'mid nature's gloom. No other name, Jesus, than thine, Giveth salvation, full, divine!—British Herald.

Seventh-Day Sabbath.

By I. Lamb

The World's Crisis, for May 6th inst., contains a very ingenious article on “Sunday Sabbath,” by T. M. Preble, in which he quotes the following from Josiah Litch, in reference to Matt. xxviii, 1. (literal rendering).
“And in the end of Sabbaths, as it began to dawn toward one of Sabbaths. Does not this indicate that one series of Sabbaths there ended, so far as obligation to observe it was concerned, and a new series was introduced? At any rate the first is as positively called Sabbath as the seventh day. . . . Thus the four evangelists do agree in calling the first by the same name they do the seventh day of the week, and that word as certainly signifies rest in the one case as in the other. Let no one therefore hereafter contend that the writers of the New Testament never call the first day Sabbath or rest, for no New Testament writer has called it anything else, except John, (Rev. i, 10,) where it is called the Lord's day.”
The above reasoning is vicious, and calculated to mislead the uninformed. The first day is never called Sabbath, but uniformly “one of Sabbaths.” Where the word one is, in Greek, it is an adjective of the feminine gender, agreeing with day understood, and consequently means “first” and not “one;” but Sabbath is, in Greek, a noun of the neuter gender. Again, it is impossible for it to imply a new series of Sabbaths, because the same expression is used in a more emphatic manner with the articles in Acts xx, 7, “On the first day of the Sabbaths;” again the word translated “in the end” is the same word which is translated “evening” in Mark xi, 19; and xiii, 35, the word for “end,” in Greek, is neuter gender, but the participle epiphoskousa, translated “as it began to dawn,” is feminine gender, agreeing with day understood. To suppose that “evening” here refers to the close of a series of Sabbaths is to give it a poetical license unusual and unbecoming such a serious narrative; but if the apostles knew that the old series of Sabbaths had ended, why did they continue to call that day Sabbath as in Acts xv, 21; xviii, 4; xvii, 2; xiii, 14, 15. Acts xv, 21, is conclusive that the seventh day was expected to be continued, or else its assertion in the apostle's speech has no meaning; for it is not said, “having been read,” but “being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.” The same remark applies to Acts xiii, 27. The reference to Rev. i, 10, is as much in favor of the seventh day as the first.
The inference from Acts xx, 7, is, that the Lord's supper was partaken of on seventh-day night, after sunset, which was the first day of the week with the Jews, whose days consisted of evening and morning, as in Gen. i. Should it be contended that it was first-day after sunset, then, as it was taken after midnight, it was on the second day, even according to Roman reckoning.
From Troas, (part of one of the four divisions or horns of the Brazen Empire,) went forth Oneas and founded Rome; and from Troas (Acts xx, 7,) is revealed the antidote to the mark of the beast, the Agag of Amalekites. Why should the first-day Sabbath be preserved as an offering to the Lord? God says he is a jealous God. He must, then, be jealous to see men keeping the Pope's Sabbath and slighting his. As the fourth commandment is the only place where God says he made Heaven and earth, he has set his seal and signature to it, which the wise virgins and sealed ones will observe. Rev. vii, 3, 4.
I. Lamb.
Vineland, N. J., May 14, 1868.

THE SECRET.

What selfishness asked for Was vain; What came from that asking Brought pain.
Heaven’s manna in keeping Was spoiled; All beauty self-seeking Hath soiled.
Complacency blazoned Dull dross. No gain came of hoarding, But loss.
Gain! none save the giver Receives. Yet who that old Gospel Believes?
No pauper, nor beggar Then be; Nor niggard of bounty Most free.
But one way is Godlike— To give. Then pour out thy heart’s blood, And live!

OUR LORD'S RETURN.

The Scriptures present it as the great hope of the church, Titus ii, 13; 1 Peter i, 13; Job xix, 25-27; Isaiah xxv, 9; Col. iii, 4; 2 Tim. iv, 8.
They give it as a motive—
to take up testimony for Christ, Luke ix, 26.
to heavenly-mindedness, Phil. iii, 20.
to moderation, Phil. iv, 5.
to mortification of the flesh, Col. iii, 4, 5.
to faithfulness in God's service, 1 Tim. vi, 14; 2 Tim. iv, 1, 2, 8; 1 Peter v, 4.
to soberness and godly living, Titus ii, 12, 13.
to perseverance, Heb. x, 37.
to patience, James v, 7, 8.
to holy conversation and godliness, 2 Peter iii, 10, 11.
to diligence and activity, Matt. xxv, 14-30; Luke xix, 13; 2 Peter iii, 14.
to hold fast what we have in Christ, Rev. ii, 25; iii, 11.
They give it as a motive—
to carefulness in intercourse with the world, Rev. xvi, 15.
to fraternal affection, 1 Thess. iii, 12, 13.
to abide in Christ, 1 John ii, 28.
They refer to it as a subject of peculiar comfort under bereavement, 1 Thess. iv, 18; 2 Tim. i, 5, 7; ii, 12; Isa. xxx, 18.
They employ it as an encouragement to labor for souls, and as a subject of solemn appeal in the charge to ministers, 1 Cor. i, 4-7; 1 Thess. ii, 19, 20; 2 Tim. iv, 1.
They direct attention to it as corrective of, and support under, censoriousness and judging of others, 1 Cor. iv, 3-5.
They speak of it as a thing which should possess absorbing importance and interest to all who desire to be prepared for the eternal kingdom, Matt. xxiv, 42-51; xxv, 13; Mark xiii, 33-37; Luke xxi, 34-36; 1 Thess. v, 4-6.
We are to pray for it, Matt. vi, 10; Luke xi, 2; Can. viii, 14; Rev. xx, 22.
We are to wait patiently for it, 1 Thess. i, 10; 2 Thess. iii, 5; 1 Cor. i, 7; Isaiah xxv, 9.
We are to expect it, and look for it continually, Phil. iii, 20; Titus ii, 13; Heb. ix, 28; 2 Peter iii, 12, 14; Rev. i, 7.
We are to love it, and anticipate it with cheerful and fond desire, 2 Tim. iv, 8; Rom. viii, 23; 2 Cor. v, 2; Titus ii, 13.
We are told to keep ourselves in constant readiness for it, Matt. xxiv, 44; Mark xiii, 33, 36; Luke xii, 35, 36, 40; xxi, 34; Rom. xiii, 11-14; 1 Thess. v, 6; Rev. xvi, 15.
We are to provide ourselves with oil in our vessels, Matt. xxv, 1-13.
To lay out our talents for the Master, Matt. xxiv, 14-30; Luke xix, 12-17.
To be thoughtful of his afflicted people, Matt. xxv, 31-46.
To have on the wedding garment, Matt. xxii, 11.
The doctrine of the speedy coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ, and what connects with it, has a very prominent place in the Holy Scriptures. There is not a writer who does not speak of it, and scarcely a book in the Bible, however brief, which does not recur to it again and again.
The apostles and first Christians constantly employed this doctrine as one of the most powerful instruments for awakening men's consciences, for inciting to Christian duty and fidelity, for restraining people from sin, and for comforting and establishing believers amid their trials and privations.
The church of our times has drifted far away from the primitive method of dealing with this subject. The apostles could not write even a short letter to a Christian friend without introducing it, and there is not a church-address in the New Testament which does not repeatedly refer to it; and yet we may read dozens and dozens of pastoral addresses, pious books, and evangelical tracts of our day, without being able to learn from them that there is any such idea among Christians as that the Saviour is to come again to this world! We have ourselves taken up volume after volume of approved and widely-circulated modern sermons, in which there is not an allusion to the subject. Alas! for modern Christianity.—Millennial Concordance.

Scripture Notes.

LAPPING WATER LIKE DOGS.

JUDGES vii, 6. And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men; but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.
Lapped.] “A token of their temperance and nobleness of spirit.”—Patrick. “It was not uncommon among the ancients, when unprovided with vessels, to take up the water in their hands, and lap it thence, like a dog; and it is remarkable that the Hottentots, at this day, have a custom very similar.” Campbell says, “When they come to water, they stoop down; but no further than to reach the water with the right hand, by which they throw it up so dextrously, that their hand seldom approaches nearer to the mouth than a foot; and I never observed any of the water to be spilt, so as to wet their breasts. They perform it nearly as quick as the dog, and satisfy their thirst in half the time taken by another man.”—Williams.

WINE WHICH CHEERETH GOD.

JUDGES ix, 13. And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
Wine, which cheereth God and man.] “This form of speech is perfectly justifiable as connected with Jewish sacrifices. Wine was not only used in their libations, but, till the drink-offering was poured out, they did not begin the hymn which was then sung to God.”—Hewlett.

PUT OUT HIS EYES.

JUDGES xvi, 21. But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
Put out his eyes.] “Travelers in the East inform us, that this custom is common there. The unhappy victims of the courts are deprived of sight by drawing or holding a red-hot iron before the eyes, piercing the pupils, or taking the eyes out whole with the point of a dagger. In Persia it is no unusual practice for the king to punish a rebellious city or province by exacting so many pounds of eyes; and his executioners accordingly go and scoop out from every one they meet, till they have the weight required.”—Chardin, Thevenot, Malcolm, Sir R. K. Porter, in Evang. Syn.

BENJAMIN’S MARKSMEN.

JUDGES xx, 16. Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; every one could sling stones at a hair breadth, and not miss.
“Such excellent marksmen there have been in other countries, particularly in the islands called [from the Greek word signifying to dart or to throw] Baleares, [Majorca and Minorca,] where they were bred from childhood to hit a mark with a stone slung out of a sling, or else to lose their breakfast, as Strabo relates. [There is still a remnant of this race said to exist in the middle of Minorca, who think it shame “to miss their mark once out of 17 times,” firing with a gun.—Jenks.] Benjamin’s warlike disposition was prophesied of by Jacob, when he said, Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf.”—Patrick.

ANARCHY WITHOUT A KING.

JUDGES xx, 25. In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
No king, &c.] “Repeated no doubt to account for the disorders and enormities in the four preceding chapters.—The writer of Judges ought to be admired for the impartiality with which he relates facts so little to the credit of his nation.”—Dodd. Right in his own eyes.] “It was a custom among the ancient Persians, to let the people loose to do what they list, for five days after their king died, that, by the disorders then committed, they might see the necessity of a king to govern them; and when they had one, be more obedient to him.”—Id.

THE SCHOOL OF SUFFERING.

GEN. xxxix, 20, 21. And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound; and he was there in the prison. But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
“If Satan cannot induce us to sin, he will do his utmost to distress us; and we must expect the embittered resentment of those whose wicked inclinations we disappoint; and to be accused of the very crimes which we abhor, yea, because we abhor them. It is, however, far better, if the will of God be so, that we suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing; a clear conscience and the presence of a merciful God will support us not only under our trials, but under the most injurious calumnies; and we need not use much labor to vindicate ourselves, for in due time the Lord will vindicate us and clear off every aspersion. The more meekly and patiently we suffer, the less bitterness shall we experience in our trials, and the more consistent will our conduct be with the Christian character. By all these things the Lord is training up his people for glory; perhaps for better scenes, and important services in this present world; and if we are not in a wrong spirit, or out of the path of duty, we can never be out of the way either of comfort or usefulness. But let us not forget, through Joseph, to look unto Jesus, who suffered, being tempted, yet without sin; who was calumniated and persecuted, yet without cause; who was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth, to recriminate, or vindicate himself; and who by the cross ascended to the throne.”—Scott.
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