Review and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 38. (9/17/1908)

Review and Herald

Sep 17, 1908

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 17, 1908

Religious Liberty AMMUNITION

The Struggle for Religious Liberty in Virginia

A Documentary Volume of Great Value

CHARLES F. JAMES, the author of this book, sets forth his ideas in regard to religious liberty in the following words:—

“By religious freedom, . . . is meant the natural right of every soul to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience. . . . It does not make it a matter of indifference what a man believes or how he acts, but it places all on the same footing before God, the only Lord of the conscience, and makes us responsible to him alone for our faith and practise.”

When we see the men of to-day trying to take away the rights for which our forefathers fought, we should inform ourselves thoroughly on this question.

“The Struggle for Religious Liberty in Virginia” traces this history through three periods: Before the Revolution; During the Revolution; After the Revolution. It shows the important part taken in this great movement by such men as George Washington and others, as against the party favoring church and state union.

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Prohibition and Sunday Legislation

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Each post-card is a reduced facsimile of some one of those timely cartoons which have appeared in the “Liberty” magazine.

Under the illustration are a few words of explanation. For example,—underneath the picture of the statue of liberty chained by “religious despotism,” are the words, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”

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Teaching by Illustration

FALSE principles can so be presented as to make them appear very plausible by using illustrations specially selected or manufactured for this purpose. By this method, slurs can be cast upon the vital principles of the gospel, and the advocates of the old-time Christianity can be held up to ridicule without making direct charges and without presenting any proof.

An instance of this indirect method of destroying confidence in the value of Christian doctrine, is found in a recent article by Dr. Lyman Abbott, the opening paragraphs of which run as follows:—

Four men are sitting around an open fire in a little inn on the Atlantic coast in the month of February. Their names are Skepticism, Orthodoxy, Emotionalism, and Practise. A furious storm is raging without; the wind is howling and shrieking through the village streets; the rain is beating in great sheets upon the window-panes; the surf is thundering upon the beach. Suddenly the door is flung open, and a man enters. “Help! help!” he cries; “a ship has struck upon the bar outside. We need some hands to aid in rescuing them!”

Skepticism begins to question. “We do not know,” he says, “who you are, or what is your authority. We do not know what is your relation to the government or the life-saving station, or how much of an expert you are in managing a boat; we do not know what you can do, or what sort of a leader you would make.” And Skepticism sits still.

Orthodoxy rebukes Skepticism. “Your doubts are unreasonable and unnatural,” he says; “the earnestness of this man is shown by his whole demeanor; you can see that he has come from the beach by the salt spray upon his hair and garments; there can be no question of his right to speak and call for help.” But Orthodoxy sits still.

Emotionalism begins to wring his hands. “Alas!” he cries, “what a terrible tragedy is this, and how splendid is the character of this man who is seeking to save those who are lost; how we should join our voices in praise to him!” And he begins to sing, “Rescue the Perishing.” But Emotionalism sits still.

Meanwhile Practise has arisen, and taken down his coat from the wall, and is buttoning it about his throat. “Come on, stranger,” he says. “I do not know much about you, and I do not know whether I can be of any use; but if there are lives in peril, I will go out and see what I can do to help.”

With such a stage-setting as this, especially prepared for the occasion, and with actors into whose mouths the desired words are put, this little scene may become very effective in expressing the writer’s estimate of the value of doctrine as compared with doing. To obtain quite contrary results it is only necessary, however, to change the actors and to provide them with a different sort of statements.

Let us then introduce the characters in a different rôle. Let the four men be Evolution, New Theology, Higher Criticism, and Christian.

When the news of the wreck is received, Evolution says: “This is only a necessary step in development. The general average of sailors will be raised by the survival of the fittest. Such catastrophes will stimulate seafaring men to devise better methods of navigation, and will thus contribute to the increase of knowledge.” And so Evolution offers no aid.

New Theology, who is a very near relative of Evolution, agrees in this view of the case, and adds, further, that any who appear to perish in the storm are simply being transferred to a higher plane of existence, and that no alarm need be felt concerning their eternal destiny, inasmuch as if they are now unsaved, they will have another probation in the future state. New Theology therefore quietly continues the preparation of his article on the “Fallacy of Miracles.”

Higher Criticism declares that it is easier to believe that the man is entirely mistaken, although he may be honest in his intentions, than to accept his report, inasmuch as all sea-going vessels are now so constructed as to render their destruction well-nigh impossible. If, later, some wreckage should be found on the shore, he will endeavor to determine from it the kind of ship, and whether it carried any passengers. And Higher Criticism continues his reading of Driver on “Isaiah.”

Christian is thoroughly aroused by the story of the shipwreck, but realizing his utter inability to render the assistance needed, he leads the way to the neighboring life-saving station, where men with suitable apparatus for life-saving are found, and volunteers as one of the crew. The life-line is thrown across the wreck, the life-boat is launched, and by earnest efforts the imperiled men are brought safely to shore.

No man can deliver his brother from death, but he may be an instrument through whom the sinner may be brought in touch with saving power, and thus rescued from everlasting destruction.

If we are to teach by illustration, the illustration should be in harmony with the truth.

“The Law” in the Scriptures

IN the study of the law question we are more than likely to fall into confusion unless we carefully observe the different meanings of the word law, as used in the Scriptures. The recognition of such differences of meaning is fundamental to any intelligent consideration of this subject.

There are at least five different uses of the word law in the Scriptures, and oftentimes the true meaning can be determined only by a study of the context.

1. The word law may be used to designate that portion of the Bible more commonly called the Pentateuch, or the five books of Moses. The following are some of the instances: Philip said to Nathanael, “We have found him, of whom

Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote.” John 1:45. In reply to the lawyer’s question, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said, “What is written in the law? how readest thou?” Luke 10:26. In his reply the lawyer quoted from the books of Deuteronomy and Leviticus, which shows that he understood Jesus to refer to what we call the Pentateuch. Again: after his resurrection Jesus said to his disciples, “All things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the Psalms, concerning me.” Luke 24:44. This was the usual threefold division of the Scriptures generally employed at that time.

2. The word law is employed in referring to the ten commandments of the decalogue. Thus we read: “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through the law: for I had not known coveting, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” Rom. 7:7. This quotation of a portion of the tenth commandment shows that the law to which the reference is here made, which gives knowledge of sin, must be the commandments spoken from Sinai. In harmony with this, we also read: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4. The word is also used with the same significance in the following scripture: “Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law.” James 2:10, 11. By quoting the sixth and seventh commandments, the writer of this portion of Scripture makes it evident that “the whole law” is that which comprehends the ten commandments.

3. The word law is also used in the sense of teaching, or doctrine. An example of this is found in Ps. 19:7: “The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul.”

4. The word law is often used to designate the ritual service or the established forms of worship. There are many examples of this, a few of which must suffice. Those false witnesses who testified against Stephen in the council, made this charge: “This man ceaseth not to speak words against this holy place [the temple], and the law: for we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered unto us.” Acts 6:13, 14. By “the law” they evidently referred to the law of ceremonies. Again, the elders at Jerusalem said to Paul, “Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of them that have believed; and they are all zealous for the law: and they have been informed concerning thee, that thou teachest all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.” Acts 21:20, 21. “The law” here is evidently the ritual law. In the epistle to the Hebrews there is repeated reference to the established ceremonies by the term law. Of Jesus it is said, “Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are those who offer the gifts according to the law.” Heb. 8:4. Again, it is written, “And according to the law, I may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood.” Heb. 9:22. The reader will easily find other instances in this same epistle.

5. As in writings at the present day, so also in the Scriptures the word law sometimes has the force of principle, or method of operation. Thus the apostle Paul writes: “I find then the law, that, to me who would do good, evil is present. . . . I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.” Rom. 7:21-23. The different laws here mentioned are evidently those methods of working which from constant repetition have become so established as to be designated as laws. In the same way we speak of the laws of nature when we mean the usual methods exhibited in various phenomena. So again in the same epistle the apostle Paul speaks of the law of works and the law of faith, in referring to the method by which boasting is excluded.

A clear comprehension of the facts stated in this article will clear up some of the difficulties which have perplexed many readers of the Scriptures in their effort to understand the proper relation between the law and the gospel.

Editorial

The weakness and dependence of human nature and the strength and grace provided in the gospel—these are the essential things for us to know. “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Confidence in one’s self, and a lack of a feeling of dependence upon divine power, are the sure forerunners of failure in the Christian life. “Without me ye can do nothing.”

The Sobering Effect of Responsibility

By W. A. S.

THE Philippine correspondent of the Chicago Public says that before the establishment of the Filipino Assembly, the leaders of that people were continually criticizing and condemning the governing commission. But now that responsibility is laid upon these men by their election as assemblymen, there has come a change. The correspondent writes:—

They are exemplifying the axiom that responsibility begets conservatism, and for eighty Filipinos of consequence,—men whose influence is dominant and whose word carries decisive weight,—who might otherwise have been a disturbing and disquieting element, we have eighty men who are trying their best to grapple with and solve the problems of the country and to promote its welfare. Many of them, from being destructive, are now constructive, and they are beginning to realize that successful administration is not the light and easy task they thought it while they were on the “outside.”

This same steadying effect of responsibility is often seen in religious work. Many a man, given to easy criticism as he looked on, has been wonderfully sobered by having laid upon him the responsibility of bearing the burden himself. It is one thing to tell how it ought to be done; quite another to actually do it. The man who finds it easiest to tell how a managing board or a conference or church committee ought to have done, is by no means always the most useful man on a committee. But if the easy critic does get where he must take actual responsibility and share burdens of planning and executing, he is sure to learn lessons of humility if he improves his opportunities. W. A. S.

Does It Pay?

By W. C. White

Is it worth while to give so much to missionary work? Are the results proportionate to the sacrifice? And why should there be a special offering made each year for the support of the work among the colored people in the Southern States?

The full answer to these questions will be found by the careful reader of the REVIEW, in the reports from the men laboring in these mission fields. My heart has been thrilled with gratitude and praise as I have read from week to week the record of God's marvelous work through humble men who have given their lives to the teaching of the gospel in the dark places of the earth.

Regarding the amount of our giving, let us ask ourselves two questions: Have we given as much during the last year to the work in foreign and neglected fields as to the work in the more favored home fields? Have we spent more on foreign and neglected mission fields than we have used in unnecessary expenditures for ourselves? To both of these questions the answer of many must be, No.

What we have given looks pitifully small when compared with the results sought for and attained by the workers in the field.

Some of the reasons why we should make a special effort in behalf of the colored people are very apparent when we study their condition and their need. Millions are in the depths of distress resulting from poverty and ignorance. Practical education and the religion of Jesus Christ are what they need to enable them to better their condition. Shall we help them to learn to read the Bible, and to find the Way, the Truth and the Life?

The Scripture says: “If thou forbear

to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; if thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not He that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth he not know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his work?”

Are there not manifold reasons why we whose necessities and wants have been so abundantly supplied by our Heavenly Father, should search out the necessities of those less favored, and minister to their needs?

Job said of his experience in this matter: “I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.” “The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.”

The success of our work among the colored people should give us courage. And recent events call upon us to hasten the work. W. C. WHITE.

A Useful and Valuable Report

By Arthur Grosvenor Daniells

THIS week’s REVIEW contains the statistical report of our cause for the year 1907. This report is so full of useful and valuable information that it deserves special mention here, and should receive careful study by our people. Here are some of its interesting and instructive items:—

1. A brief history of the beginning and growth of our cause, giving groups of general statistical summaries.

2. A summary of facts regarding our membership, funds, and laborers for 1907. These are given separately for the United States, and all other lands are combined, thus showing at a glance the relative standing of what we call the home and foreign fields.

3. The statistical tables. These tables give a vast amount of information respecting every union and local conference and every mission field in the world. No less than thirty-nine different items of information are accurately given in these tables. Here are some of these items: The date of the organization of every union and local conference; the year when we entered every mission field in which we are now operating; the population of each conference and mission field; the number of Sabbath-keepers in each; the tithes paid, and the contributions raised by each; the number of laborers supported in each; and full information concerning the standing of the Sabbath-school, Educational, and Missionary Volunteer departments.

4. A table giving the names and location of all our colleges, academies, and intermediate schools, our publishing houses, and our sanitariums. This table also gives the value of each of these institutions, the number of buildings and acres of land, the capacity and patronage, also the number of persons employed.

5. A table giving the most important statistics of our cause for each year from 1863 to 1907, thus showing at a glance our progress year by year for forty-four years.

6. A list of all the countries in which we have established mission stations, and the number of members and churches in each.

7. A list of all the languages in which we are now publishing our message to the world.

It is hardly necessary to say that a report containing such a vast amount of information regarding our cause is worthy of careful study by all our people. Our ministers, conference officers, leaders of departmental work, and managers of institutions will find the details of this report of great service.

This will be a good number of the REVIEW for all our people to lend to their friends and neighbors. This cause is beginning to attract the attention of many thoughtful people, and it will do them good to learn of its progress. Not long ago one of the leading denominational papers in the United States gave its readers more than a column of facts taken from one of our annual reports. We are glad to have all men know that the prospering hand of God is in this movement. A. G. DANIELLS.

The Last Appeal

By GEO. A. IRWIN.

This will be the last REVIEW that will be received by many of our people before the first Sabbath in October—the day set apart for a general collection for the work among the colored people in the Southern States. While much has already appeared in the REVIEW upon this subject, yet I feel constrained to make this last appeal, feeling confident that if our people in general could be made to see and feel their need as those who live among and work for them see and feel it, the proper assistance in the shape of means with which to carry forward the work would be cheerfully and gladly given.

It will require no argument on my part to convince those who keep abreast of the times, and are well informed concerning current events, that our work among and for this people will close before it will for any other people in the world. The feeling of race prejudice that for years has existed against the colored people, and is becoming intensified in both the North and the South, will at no distant day make it impossible for white people to labor for them except at great risk. This being true, and the way being still open, we should put forth extra efforts now to help Sabbath-keeping colored people to obtain the necessary education and training to become successful workers in carrying the message to their own people. The general situation and need of the hour demand that this October collection be the largest ever yet given to this work. A rich blessing is in store for those whose hearts are touched by the appeals in behalf of this people, and are thereby constrained to give liberally of their means to carry forward the work among them.

The following paragraphs from articles written by Sister White relative to this work are both pertinent and forceful in this connection:—

DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: I greatly desire to impress your minds with the importance of doing what you can to help forward the work for the colored people in the Southern States. In this field there are thousands and thousands of negroes, many of whom are ignorant and in need of the gospel. Upon the white people of the United States the Lord has laid the burden of uplifting this race. But, as yet, Seventh-day Adventists have done comparatively little to help them.

There are many, many places in the South in which no earnest Christian effort has been made for the colored people. These unentered fields, in their unsightly barrenness, stand before heaven as a witness against the unfaithfulness of those who have had great light. When I think of the way in which this line of work has been treated, there comes over me an intensity of feeling that words can not express. Like the priest and the Levite, men have looked indifferently on a most pitiful picture, and have passed by on the other side. For years this has been the record. Our people have put forth only a hundredth part of the earnest effort that they should have put forth to warn the indifferent, to educate the ignorant, and to minister to the needy souls in this field. . . .

No line of work will be of more telling advantage to the colored people in the Southern field than the establishment of small schools. Hundreds of mission schools must be established; for there is no method of giving the truth to these people so effectual and economical as small schools. This line of work has been specially presented before me. But the work is almost at a standstill for lack of money to provide facilities for training teachers, for building schoolhouses, and for paying the wages of teachers. . . .

Those who for years have been working to help the colored people, know their needs; and they are the best fitted to open schools for them. Colored teachers must work for the colored people under the supervision of well-qualified men who have the spirit of mercy and love. How important it is, then, that we place our training-school at Huntsville on vantage-ground, so that many may be educated to labor as teachers of their own race! . . .

I would call your special attention to the needs of the Huntsville School. This school is on a farm of over three

hundred acres, which was purchased by the General Conference, and given to the work for the colored people of the South. This school farm is to be made a representation of what can be done to help the colored people. . . .

It was in the providence of God that the Huntsville farm was purchased.

The students are to be carefully disciplined. They are to be given a thorough education, an education that will fit them to teach others. As soon as possible they are to be prepared for service. The young men who attend school should be taught how to put up buildings and how to cultivate the soil. At present white teachers can take part in the work of this school, educating and training students. But soon it will be impossible for them to do this. Let us make earnest efforts to help this school to act its part now, while the way is still open. At present there are no outside opposing influences to hinder its progress.

I now ask you to give of your means for the Huntsville School. Facilities are needed there. . . . I present this matter to you, my brethren and sisters, and I ask you to do what you can for the advancement of the work that a few faithful laborers are trying to do for the colored race. This work has been greatly retarded by neglect and because means sufficient to supply its needs have not been provided.

I ask you, my brethren and sisters, to do your best. . . . By willing liberality let us prepare the way for the laborers in the South to do a work of mercy for this people. I urge you in the name of the Lord to do something, and do it now. I pray that God will open your hearts, and help you to do justice to the needs of the work for the colored people.

I trust that church elders and leaders of companies will preserve not only this number of the REVIEW, but the September 10 number, which contains Sister White’s article entitled, “Medical Missionary Work Among the Colored People of the South,” and have both articles read Sabbath, October 3, before the collection for the day is taken. May the Lord put it into all our hearts to be especially liberal on this occasion.

GEO. A. IRWIN.

Note and Comment

Universal Disarmament

WHILE the British government was giving a banquet to the peace-congress delegates on July 31, the British prime minister Mr. Asquith, took occasion to express his opinion in reference to universal disarmament. He cordially welcomed the delegates, and approved their ideals, but declared that he “could not indulge in the hope that the youngest person now alive would witness the advent of the day of universal disarmament.” He was not impressed with the idea that the completeness of the preparations for war would serve to prevent nations from declaring war upon each other. He stated that the principal nations were now spending two and one-half billion dollars annually for war preparations, and that they did not purchase these things “for ornament. They were intended for use, and some day they would be let loose upon the world.” The British secretary of war stated, at the same banquet, that “these were not the days when any nation could prudently lessen its national defenses.” These men, who are constantly in touch with the feelings and purposes of nations, are better able to speak with certainty concerning the prospects for universal peace than are those who are giving the cry of peace and safety, which is, in itself, a sign of the perils of the last days.

Evolution and the Bible

The recently imported pastor of the Fifth Avenue Baptist church of New York, Dr. C. F. Aked, has made a declaration from the pulpit of that church, which, if true, would put the writings of Darwin and Spencer in the place of the Bible in every church in the world, and relegate the Book of God to oblivion. He said:—

There was a time when church people held up their hands in holy horror at the thought of believing any of the teachings of evolution. But this evolutionary philosophy has been a tremendous benefit to Christians. It is time that we gave up the things that our fathers believed.

That in which “our fathers believed” most implicitly was the Bible; and it marks a very important era in the history of the church when an ordained minister of the gospel can stand in the sacred desk, and tell Christians they ought to forsake the inspired Word, and rally around the writings of agnostics and evolutionists. The strangest and saddest part of the situation is that these large bodies of professed Christians will listen to such preaching in place of the gospel. All that evolution has done for Christianity is what open and avowed infidelity has been doing in the past; that is, it has undermined the faith of some in the atoning work of Christ, and so has left such without a Saviour and without a hope of salvation. The infidel and the evolutionist D. D. are accomplishing the same work, and Christians owe nothing to either, and have nothing to hope for from such sources.

An Unjustifiable Dictum

In spite of the assertion, oft reiterated in certain quarters, that “this is a Christian nation,” violence and crime are increasing so rapidly as to command the attention of sober people who have not committed themselves to the Christian nation platform. Thus the Washington Post asks:—

In view of the enormous number of murders per million of our population, is it not pertinent to inquire, “Are we civilized?”

The daily record does not harmonize with the dictum of the Supreme Court, and evil passions are not controlled even by the conclusion of a learned judge. This is a Christian nation only in so far as its citizens are followers of Christ.

Disquieting Fears

THERE are political complications arising in the Old World which are causing no little anxiety to those desirous of preserving international peace. Says a London despatch:—

Every statesman in Europe is afraid of the outlook. There is a fear that Germany, which is being driven into a corner by the successful efforts of England to isolate her, will turn round suddenly one day and strike out with the mailed fist before any one realizes what has been done. Predictions are being made that there has got to be one big blood-letting in Europe, at least, before general peace reigns. Such a conflict would involve all the civilized countries of the world except the United States, and would be the greatest calamity in the history of the world.

This feeling of apprehension is not without foundation; and without being aware of the fact, the nations are preparing for the battle of Armageddon.

Politics and Mob Rule

A CORRESPONDENT of the Northwestern Christian Advocate furnishes a vivid report of the recent outbreak of mob violence in Springfield, Ill. He declares that “the remote and real cause was the indescribable ‘black belt,’ which through twenty-five years of municipal misrule, has grown to such proportions as to be a menace to the whole city.” He continues:—

To such depths of debauchery has politics descended that the “nigger vote” in this wretched district was more patronized and coddled than the decent citizenship of the entire remaining portion of the city. The price of votes was raised from time to time until it reached the five-dollar-a-head level. Leaders were naturally developed with which candidates dickered. . . . The heroic struggle of the colored churches and the better element of the negro population to uplift their race, has been neutralized and defeated by shameless politicians and corrupt officials, who for personal gain or greed have not hesitated to debauch and destroy, so far as they were able, the manhood and self-respect of this unfortunate people. What could be expected of such conditions but riot and disorder?

The stability and permanency of a republican government are assured only by the self-control of its citizens. Anarchy and mob rule are encouraged when the self-respect and the self-control of the individual citizens are bought and sold in the market. The outbreak at Springfield, Ill., is only an indication of what will become more and more general as the result of the more wide-spread corruption in politics, and the almost uncontrolled sway of the evil passions.

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