Review and Herald, Vol. 41, No. 17. (4/8/1873)

Review and Herald

Apr 8, 1873

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 8, 1873

LIFE OF WILLIAM MILLER.

CHAPTER FOUR.

COMMENCEMENT OF PUBLIC LABORS—PUBLISHES HIS VIEWS IN PAMPHLET—INTERVIEW ON THE HUDSON RIVER BOAT—HIS REGARD FOR THE BIBLE—CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.

The public labors of Mr. Miller, according to the best evidence to be obtained, date from the autumn of 1831. He had continued to be much distressed respecting his duty to “go and tell it to the world,” which was constantly impressed on his mind. One Saturday, after breakfast, he sat down at his desk to examine some point, and, as he arose to go out to work, it came home to him with more force than ever, “Go and tell it to the world.” He thus writes:—

“The impression was so sudden, and came with such force, that I settled down into my chair, saying, ‘I can’t go, Lord.’ ‘Why not?’ seemed to be the response; and then all my excuses came up—my want of ability, &c.; but my distress became so great, I entered into a solemn covenant with God, that, if he would open the way, I would go and perform my duty to the world. ‘What do you mean by opening the way?’ seemed to come to me. ‘Why,’ said I, ‘if I should have an invitation to speak publicly in any place, I will go and tell them what I find in the Bible about the Lord’s coming.’ Instantly, all my burden was gone, and I rejoiced that I should not probably be thus called upon; for I had never had such an invitation. My trials were not known, and I had but little expectation of being invited to any field of labor.”

“In about half an hour from this time, before I had left the room, a son of Mr. Guilford, of Dresden, about sixteen miles from my residence, came in, and said that his father had sent for me, and wished me to go home with him. Supposing that he wished to see me on some business, I asked him what he wanted. He replied that there was to be no preaching in their church the next day, and his father wished to have me come and talk to the people on the subject of the Lord’s coming. I was immediately angry with myself for having made the covenant I had; I rebelled at once against the Lord, and determined not to go. I left the boy, without giving him any answer, and retired in great distress to a grove near by. There I struggled with the Lord for about an hour, endeavoring to release myself from the covenant I had made with him; but I could get no relief. It was impressed upon my conscience, ‘Will you make a covenant with God, and break it so soon?’ and the exceeding sinfulness of thus doing overwhelmed me. I finally submitted, and promised the Lord that, if he would sustain me, I would go, trusting in him to give me grace and ability to perform all he should require of me. I returned to the house, and found the boy still waiting. He remained till after dinner, and I returned with him to Dresden.”

“The next day, which, as nearly as I can remember, was about the first Sabbath in August, 1831, I delivered my first public lecture on the second advent. The house was well filled with an attentive audience. As soon as I commenced speaking, all my diffidence and embarrassment were gone, and I felt impressed only with the greatness of the subject, which, by the providence of God, I was enabled to present. At the close of the services on the Sabbath, I was requested to remain and lecture during the week, with which request I complied. They flocked in from the neighboring towns; a revival commenced, and it was said that in thirteen families all but two persons were hopefully converted.”

“On the Monday following I returned home, and found a letter from Elder Fuller, of Poultney, Vt., requesting me to go and lecture there on the same subject. They had not heard of my going to Dresden. I went to Poultney, and lectured there with similar effect.”

“From thence I went, by invitation, to Pawlet, and other towns in that vicinity. The churches of Congregationalists, Baptists, and Methodists, were thrown open. In almost every place I visited, my labors resulted in the reclaiming of backsliders, and the conversion of sinners. I was usually invited to fields of labor by the ministers of the several congregations whom I visited, who gave me their countenance; and I have never labored in any place to which I was not previously invited. The most pressing invitations from the ministry and the leading members of the churches poured in continually from that time, during the whole period of my public labors, and with more than one-half of which I was unable to comply. Churches were thrown open everywhere, and I lectured, to crowded houses, through the western part of Vermont, the northern part of New York, and in Canada East; and powerful reformations were the results of my labors.”

Soon after he began to lecture on the subject, Mr. Miller began to be importuned to write out and publish his views. In a letter to Elder Hendryx, dated January 25, 1832, he says:

“I have written a few numbers on the coming of Christ and the final destruction of the beast, when his body shall be given to the burning flame. They may appear in the Vermont Telegraph; if not, in pamphlet form. They are written in letters to Elder Smith, of Poultney, and he has liberty to publish.”

On the same occasion, he adds: “I am more and more astonished at the harmony and strength of the word of God; and the more I read, the more I see of the folly of the infidel in rejecting this word.”

The articles referred to were sent as anonymous to the editor of the Telegraph, who declined their publication unless informed of the name of the writer. This being communicated to him, they appeared, in a series of sixteen articles, over the initials of W. M. The first article was published in the paper of May 15, 1832, and they caused much conversation and discussion.

Soon after this, he addressed another letter to Elder Hendryx, which is so quaintly written, contains so much of general interest, and is so illustrative of his habits of thought and modes of expression, that it is here given:

“HAMPTON, MARCH 26th, 1832.

“DEAR BRO. HENDRYX:—I received your favor of the 19th inst. day before yesterday, and should have begun to answer it then, but, on coming home, I found Bro. D. at my house, a licentiate from Hamilton, who came on purpose to learn these strange notions of ‘crazy Miller,’ or at least to save Bro. Miller, if possible, from going down to the grave with such an error. He was a stranger to me; but, after he introduced himself, we went to work, night and day, and he has just left me,—Monday, 3 o’clock P. M. He has got his load, and, as he says, he never was so loaded before.

“You may say this is boasting. No, no, Bro. Hendryx, you know better. I only made him read Bible, and I held the concordance. No praise to me; give God the glory. At any rate, he will find it hard to resist the truth. He wants me to let him come and board with me, two or three months, to study the Bible. He is a young man, of brilliant talents; he preached two sermons here yesterday, and they were very well done. I have somebody to labor with almost daily. I have been into Poultney, and some other places, to lecture on the coming of Christ; and, in every instance, I have had large assemblies. There is increasing anxiety on the subject in this quarter; but they will see greater signs of these times soon, so that Christians will believe in his coming and kingdom. The harvest is about closing up, and the wrath of God is about to be poured upon our world. Pestilence, sword, and famine, will succeed each other in swift succession, and the kingdoms of this world will soon be destroyed by the ‘stone cut out of the mountain without hands.’ You, brother—it will soon be over when sinners can be converted. I would, therefore, advise you to lead your hearers by slow and sure steps to Jesus Christ.”

“I say slow, because I expect all are not strong enough to run yet; and sure, because the Bible is a sure word;—and where your hearers are not well indoctrinated, you must preach Bible; you must prove all things by Bible; you must talk Bible; you must exhort Bible; you must pray Bible; and love Bible; and do all in your power to make others love Bible, too. One great means to do good is to make your parishioners sensible that you are in earnest, and fully and solemnly believe what you preach. If you wish your people to feel, feel yourself. If you wish them to believe as you do, show them, by your constant assiduity in teaching, that you sincerely wish it. You can do more good by the fireside, and in your conference circles, than in the pulpit. Pulpit preaching is, and has long been, considered as no more than a trade. ‘Why, he is hired to preach!—he must, of course, tell a good story,’ &c., &c. And the very reason why there is more good done in conference meetings, and protracted meetings, is simply this: the god of this world is shut out. They will say, He expects nothing for this; surely our salvation is his anxious desire. Reflections of this sort make strong impressions of conviction on the mind. If this man of God will make so much sacrifice, surely I ought to think, at least, how much my brother has my benefit in view in his preaching.” . . . . WM. MILLER.”

During the summer of 1832, Mr. Miller appears to have been much engaged in attending protracted meetings, which were at that time very common in many parts of the country. Under date of “Hampton, Oct. 1, 1832,” he wrote to Elder Hendryx:

“. . . . When your letter arrived, I was attending a protracted meeting in Westport; and the next day after I got home I went to Poultney, to attend one there. I went to Keesville, to attend one, as soon as we left Poultney, and only arrived home last Saturday. . . . I have spent a great share of my time in attending protracted meetings this summer and fall.”

In the same letter he thus exhibits his fondness for the Bible, and points out the great doctrines which he believed it inculcated:

“I want to see you more than ever, and when we have less company. The light is continually breaking in; and I am more and more confirmed in those things of which I told you, namely, redemption by grace; the efficacy of Christ’s blood; justification by his righteousness imputed to us; sanctification through the operation of the divine Spirit; and glorification by our gathering together unto him at his appearing. I also believe those things to be founded upon election, particular, personal, and certain; governed by the mind, will, and plan of God, which was, is, and will be eternal; and which is revealed to us so far as to give us confidence, hope, and full assurance that nothing in the divine plan, either of the means or end, can or will fail of their accomplishment.”

The church in Low Hampton being destitute of a pastor, in a letter to the same, dated Nov. 17, 1832, Mr. Miller describes the kind of minister they wished for.

“We do not want one who thinks much of his own gifts, and is lifted up with pride; neither do we want a novice—I mean, a fool; one who knows nothing about the gospel of Christ. We want one who will stir up our minds, will visit, is good to learn, apt to teach, modest, unassuming, pious, devotional, and faithful to his calling. If his natural talents are brilliant, with those qualifications, they would not hurt him. If they are only moderate, they may do well enough for us. Some of our people want ‘a quick gab.’ But I should prefer a quick understanding. . . . I set out for Salem to-morrow morning.”

In a letter to the same, dated Hampton, Feb. 8, 1833, he writes: “The Lord is scattering the seed. I can now reckon eight ministers who preach this doctrine, more or less, besides yourself. I know of more than one hundred private brethren who say that they have adopted my views. Be that as it may, ‘truth is mighty and will prevail.’ If I should get my views printed, how many can you dispose of, in pamphlet form? . . . Our people are about giving me a license to lecture. I hardly know what to do. I am too old, too wicked, and too proud. I want your advice. Be plain, and tell me the whole truth.”

Shortly after, he published his views, in a pamphlet of sixty-four pages, entitled:

“Evidence from Scripture and History of the Second Coming of Christ, about the year 1843; and of his Personal Reign of One Thousand Years. By William Miller. ‘Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.’ 1 Thess. 5: 21. Brandon, Vermont, Telegraph Office, 1833.”

Soon after the publication of this pamphlet, he had occasion to visit the city of New York. As he was passing down the Hudson, in a steamboat, a company of men standing near him were conversing respecting the wonderful improvements of the day. One of them remarked, that it was impossible for things to progress, for thirty years to come, in the same ratio as they had done; “for,” said he, “man will attain to something more than human.” Mr. Miller replied to him that it reminded him of Dan. 12: 4—“Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” A pause ensuing, Mr. M. continued, and observed, that the improvements of the present day were just what we should expect at this time, in the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy. He then commenced with the 11th chapter of Daniel, and, comparing the prophecy with the history, showed its fulfillment—all listening with close attention.

He then remarked, that he had not intended trespassing so long on their patience,

and, leaving them, walked to the other end of the boat. The entire company followed, and wished to hear more on the subject. He then took up the 2d, 7th, 8th and 9th, chapters of Daniel. His hearers wished to know if he had ever written on the subject. He told them that he had published the above pamphlet, and distributed among them what copies he had with him.

This was one of his first audiences, and some gentlemen of high standing listened to his remarks.

He scattered the most of his pamphlets gratuitously, sending them as a response to letters of inquiry respecting his views, and to places which he could not visit.

Under date of April 10, 1833, in writing to Elder Hendryx, and speaking of the evil of resorting to excommunication from the church for slight causes, in view of a particular case, he says: “Is the remedy better than the disease? Should we cut off a man’s leg because he has a thorn in his toe? I think not. Should we set a wheat field on fire and burn the whole crop, because of a few tares in the field? No; let both grow until the harvest. Oh, how much injury is done in church discipline! The hypocrite uses it as a tool to make others think he is very pious. The envious use it as a weapon to bring down those they imagine are getting above them. The bigot uses it to bring others to his faith; and the sectarian, to bring others to his creed, &c. But, my dear brother, how many difficulties do you think we have in our churches where the spirit of Christ is manifested through the whole trial, or where it began with ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do’? Therefore, I can frankly and honestly say, the remedy which has been applied to cure this moral disease, is worse, a thousand times worse, than the original cause.”

In the same letter, he says: “We have no preacher, as yet, except the old man [Mr. M.] with his Concordance. Last Sunday I tried to hold forth the truth from Isa. 65: 25; the Sabbath before, from the same chapter, verses 17–19. I wish I had the tongue of an Apollos, and the mental powers of a Paul: what a field might I not explore; and what powerful arguments might be brought to prove the authenticity of the Scriptures! But I want one thing more than either—the Spirit of Christ and of God; for he is able to take worms and thresh mountains. O my brother, let us pray for each other, especially on the Sabbath, each that the Lord would bestow this gift of the Holy Spirit upon the other. Peradventure the Lord will answer.”

NEW AND OLD.

By Dr. H. Bonar

That which hath been is now; The now repeats the long ago, 'Twas the old sun of Paradise, Unchanged, we saw this morning rise, In all its ancient glow.

And that which is to be, On earth it hath already been; The future will repeat the past, And as the first shall be the last— Ages of change between.

The loathsome, fatal sin Of man, it hath been long ago; Sin's penalty of death and pain Has held earth in its iron chain For ages dark of woe.

The wondrous love of God To man, it hath been long ago; It is, and it shall be revealed, Though long in mystery concealed; Earth with that love shall glow.

The paradise of God Hath been, and yet again shall be, In beauty on this tarnished earth, When at creation's second birth Death and the curse shall flee.

Once the first Adam reigned, Ere earth had known the deadly stain; Soon the last Adam shall appear, And with his church in glory here, Begin the holy reign. —Dr. H. Bonar.

John's Mission and Death.

By Ellen G. White

BY ELLEN G. WHITE.

Herod had been exalted by his lordly guests for constancy and superior judgment. And he did not wish to appear fickle or rash in character. The oath had been made on the account of Herod's guests. And had one of them offered a word of remonstrance, to deter him from the fulfillment of his promise, he would gladly have saved the life of John. Herod gave them opportunity to speak in behalf of John. They had traveled long distances to the mountains in the wilderness to listen to his earnest, intelligent, and powerful discourses. Herod told them if it would not be considered a special mark of dishonor to them, he would not abide by his oath. It was on their account he carried out his promise. Why was there no voice to be heard in that company to keep Herod from fulfilling his mad vow? They were intoxicated with wine, and to their benumbed senses there was nothing to be reverenced.

Although the royal guests virtually had an invitation to release him from his oath, their tongues seemed paralyzed. Herod himself was under the delusion that he must, in order to save his own reputation, keep an oath made under the influence of intoxication. Moral principles, the only safeguard of the soul, was paralyzed. Herod and his guests were slaves, held in the lowest bondage to brute appetite. The guardians of the people, men in authority, upon whose decision the life of eminent men have hung, should have been condemned to death if found guilty of intemperance and crime. Those who have power to enforce laws, should be law-keepers. They should be men of self-government, fully enlightened in regard to the laws governing their physical, mental, and moral being, that their vigor of intellect may not be clouded, and that their standard of refinement and moral feeling may be exalted. Herod commanded the executioner to perform the terrible act of taking the life of John. This request was carried out, which branded Herod forever with dishonor. The very act which he thought, while his reason and judgment were perverted, was maintaining his honor and dignity, made his name detestable. The head of the honored prophet of God was soon brought in before Herod and his guests. Those lips that had answered the inquiry of Herod why he could not be his disciple, and which faithfully declared the necessity of reform in his life, were now sealed. Never more would his voice be heard in trumpet tones calling the sinner to repentance. The reproofs of John had stirred Herod's conscience, and had caused his proud heart to tremble. But now he, himself, had commanded the head of this remarkable prophet to be severed from his body, to gratify the revenge of a licentious woman.

Herodias received the bloody head of John with fiendish satisfaction. She exulted that she had her revenge, and that Herod's conscience would no more be disturbed. But this inhuman act on her part made her name notorious and abhorred. She had, by this satanic conduct, enshrined this good and self-sacrificing prophet in the hearts not only of his disciples, but very many who had listened to his warning message, who had been aroused and convinced by his teachings, yet had not moral courage to take their stand openly as his disciples. His reproofs and his example in reform were remembered, and this inhuman act of Herod, in taking the life of John, rejoiced Herodias, but brought sorrow and regret to many hearts. But Herodias could not silence the influence of John's reproofs. They were to extend down through every generation to the close of time, and her corrupt life, and her satanic revenge, stand upon the page of sacred history, making her name infamous.

In the martyrdom of John, we have the result of intemperance. This eventful birthday of Herod should carry an earnest and faithful lesson of warning, and exhortation to Christian temperance. The lovers of pleasure should look upon the birthday feast of Herod as a warning to beware of self-indulgence and popular pleasure. Herod and his guests were partly intoxicated. Reason was servant to the baser passions. And after Herod and his guests had gorged themselves, like beasts, with luxurious food, they added to their surfeiting, drunkenness. The mental powers were enervated by the pleasure of sense, which perverted their ideas of justice and mercy. Satan seized upon this opportunity, in the person of Herodias, to lead them to rush into decisions which cost the precious life of one of God's prophets.

The minds of Herod and his guests, under the effects of intemperance in eating and in drinking, were in a state of animal excitement. Herod was under the delusion that his oath, made under the excitement of feasting, dancing, and revelry, when nothing was too sacred for them to profane, must be kept. The life of one of the greatest prophets that God had sent as a messenger to the earth, was in the balance, and this company of great men pronounced sentence of death after the intellect and manhood had been sacrificed to sensual indulgence.

Herod was brought to the test before his guests. Would he lift himself up against the Lord of Heaven, and exalt his oath above the commandment of God, which saith, “Thou shalt not kill”? Would he preserve his honor and dignity as a king, and violate the law of God in sacrificing the life of an innocent man? Or would he humble himself to ask his guests to release him from his rash oath. If Herod and his guests had preserved the vigor of their intellect, their minds would have been awake to sense the noble demands of justice and duty. Calm reason would have borne sway, and they would have recoiled with horror at the thought of beheading an innocent man, and he an exalted prophet of God.

When Herod commenced his feast of revelry, if one had suggested to him the part he would act before its close, in taking the life of John, he would have answered, “Is thy servant a dog that he should do this?” But, under the excitement of wine, his rash vow was made, that led to results that he would not cease to regret as long as life should last.

After the feast of Herod had ended, the effects of his intoxication and revelry had passed away, and reason had resumed her throne, the king was filled with remorse. He was constantly seeking to find relief from the sting of a guilty conscience. His faith in John as an honored prophet of God, was unshaken. As he reflected upon the life of self-denial, his powerful discourses, his solemn, earnest appeals, his sound judgment as a counselor, and then reflected that he had put him to death, his conscience was fearfully troubled. While engaged in the affairs of the nation, receiving honors from men, he bore a smiling face and dignified mien, while he concealed an anxious, aching heart, and was constantly terrified with fearful forebodings that the curse of God was upon him.

When Herod heard of the wonderful works of Christ in healing the sick, casting out devils, and in raising the dead, he was exceedingly troubled and perplexed. His convictions were that God, whom John preached, was indeed present in every place, and that he had witnessed the wild mirth and wicked dissipation in the banqueting room, and that his ear had heard his command to the executioner to behead John. His eye had seen the exultation of Herodias, and the taunting and insult with which she reproached the severed head of her enemy. And many things which he had heard from the lips of the prophet, seemed now to speak to his conscience in louder tones than his preaching in the wilderness. He had heard from the lips of the prophet that nothing could be hid from God.

When Herod heard of the works of Christ, he thought that God had resurrected John, and sent him forth with still greater power to condemn sin. He was in constant fear that John would avenge his death by passing condemnation upon him and his house. “And king Herod heard of him [Christ] (for his name was spread abroad); and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him. Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets. But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.”

The Lord followed Herod as is described in Deuteronomy, “The Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind. And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee, and thou shalt fear, day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life. In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.”

The life and mission of John were ended. Christ had said of him that he was more than a prophet. Again he said, “Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist.” He had been executed as a criminal, not because of any guilt resting upon him, but for the reason that he had fearlessly reproved crime. His spotless life, his practical piety, his virtue and justice, condemned the dishonest and sinful lives of the Jews as well as the Gentiles.

Said Christ, in vindication of John, “But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.” Not only was John a prophet to foretell future events, but he was a child of promise, filled with the Holy Spirit from his birth, and was ordained of God to execute a special work as a reformer, in preparing a people for the reception of Christ. The prophet John was the connecting link between the two dispensations.

The religion of the Jews, in consequence of their departure from God, consisted mostly in ceremony. John was the lesser light, which was to be followed by a greater light. He was to shake the confidence of the people in their traditions, and call their sins to their remembrance, and lead them to repentance; that they might be prepared to appreciate the work of Christ. God communicated to John by inspiration, illuminating the prophet that he might remove the superstition and darkness from the minds of the honest Jews, which had been, through false teachings for generations, gathering upon them.

The least disciple that followed Jesus, that witnessed his miracles, and listened to his divine lessons of instruction, and heard the comforting words which fell from his lips, was more privileged than John the Baptist, for he had a clearer light. No other light has shone, or ever will shine, upon the intellect of sinful, fallen man, save that which was, and is, communicated through Him who is the light of the world.

Christ and his mission had been but dimly understood through the shadowy sacrifices. Even John thought that the reign of Christ would be in Jerusalem, and that he would set up a temporal kingdom, the subjects of which would be holy.

While John was in prison, he had contemplated Christ's taking his power and authority, and subduing the kingdoms of the world under his rule. Then he expected to be released from prison. As his expectations were not realized, he became impatient. Unbelief took possession of his mind, and he sent his disciples to inquire of Christ, “Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?” John did not clearly discern the character of Christ's kingdom. The future immortal life through Christ was not distinctly understood by him. Christ's first advent to the world was to dispel the dense moral darkness and blindness of fallen man, in consequence of sin. “The light shone in the midst of darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.” The lessons of practical instruction which Christ gave the people shed a flood of light on the prophecies.

Although not one of the prophets had a higher mission or greater work to perform than had John, yet he was not to see even the result of his own mission. He was not privileged to be with Christ and witness the divine power attending the greater light, which was manifested in the recovery of health to the sick, of sight to the blind, of hearing to the deaf. He did not see the light which shone through every word of Christ, reflecting glory upon the promises in prophecy. The world was illuminated with pure light from the brightness of the Father's glory in the person of his Son; but John was denied the privilege of seeing the display of wisdom and power of God in the unsearchable riches of the knowledge of Christ.

Those who were privileged with being with Christ when he walked a man among men, and listened to his divine teachings under a variety of circumstances while preaching in the temple—walking in the streets, teaching the multitudes by the way-side, and in the open air by the sea-side, and while an invited guest seated at the table, ever giving words of instruction to meet the cases of all who needed his help; healing, comforting, and reproving, as circumstances required—were more exalted than John the Baptist.

Christ’s Commission to his Disciples.

By Chas. B. Reynolds

The most beautiful and touching evidence of the deep love and gentle compassion of our Saviour is found in that solemn prayer—a prayer that should endear him to every human heart—uttered just on the eve of his betrayal and great sufferings, when he prays to the Father for us. “Neither pray I for these alone; but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” John 17: 20, 21. It is self-evident that if Christ is one with the Father, he could have no will, wish, or purpose, in the least particular, differing from that of the Father. And if all power was given into his hand, if it were possible, the first commandment could be changed. If the Father could descend from his throne and become secondary or subject to the Son, even then, if the Son is one with the Father, he must still continue to carry out his Father’s law, that law declared and proved to be perfect for the conversion of the soul and the government of the whole world. Ps. 19: 9.

Christ, alike by precept and example, teaches implicit obedience to the Father’s law—every jot and tittle. Obedience, even to the very least of these commandments, he declares essential to obtaining eternal life. “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets, I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily, I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven; but whosoever shall do, and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven.” Matt. 5: 17–19. “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt. 19: 17. “But he said, Yea, rather blessed are they

that hear the word of God, and keep it.” Luke 11: 28.

Christ, being one with the Father, commands obedience to each and every one of the ten commandments, including the fourth, which requires observance of the seventh day, the Sabbath of the Lord.

But will not first-day observance do just as well now, under the new, the gospel dispensation? No! for Christ NEVER, either by precept or example, taught or commanded observance of the first day, or released us from the obligation to keep the Sabbath—the seventh day. The gospel positively proves that first-day is not the Sabbath, but that the Sabbath (the day which God commanded, and Christ alike, by precept and example, requires us to keep) is past, gone, ended, before the first day (Sunday) begins. See Matt. 28: 1; Mark 16: 1, 2; Luke 23: 55, 56, and 24: 1.

When Christ gave his commission to his disciples, it was that they might carry out his will, as he carried out his Father’s will: “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matt. 28: 19, 20. Apostles, disciples, evangelists, ministers,—all must do and teach the things Christ did and taught (Luke 4: 16), or they are apostates, false to the high commission under which they claim to act. If they are one in Christ, they will do his will, as he, being one in the Father, does the Father’s will. This completes the chain, and makes perfect harmony under all dispensations. John 14: 24.

Let us beware, then, of those, however great or learned, who add to or subtract from the teaching and example of Jesus; for any who teach, either more or less, than Christ commanded, cannot be his true disciples. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me ye that work iniquity.” Matt. 7: 21, 23. “To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isa. 8: 20.

CHAS. B. REYNOLDS.

The Single Eye.

By A. M. Lindsley

“If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” Matt. 6: 22.

PERHAPS there is not in the whole Bible a more comprehensive text than the above. Our object and aims, or purposes, for life in this world, and the next, are all centered in the first clause, “If thine eye be single.” The Saviour, in his sermon on the mount, was, in this connection, bringing out and enforcing our duty and service to God. Matt. 6: 22, and Luke 11: 34. It supposes, in the first place, the position of a humble, whole-hearted Christian; in the second, the result of his faithful efforts in that direction. “If thy whole body, therefore, be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light; as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.” Verse 36. This position necessarily includes all the various steps, from the very commencement of a knowledge of the way of life, which, as it dawns on the mind, begets faith. The judgment and understanding have been reached and convinced. At this point, choice is made, either to follow out these convictions in the service of God, or to let the light which is now in us become darkness. Then if our choice is to follow our own way, our eye is evil, therefore our whole body is full of darkness. When the decision, however, is made for God and Heaven, the willing soul may seek, with a full consciousness that it may be reached, a perfect conformity to the will of God, and realize the blessedness of his whole body being full of light. Duties will not then seem hard and irksome; he will not be wandering through mists and darkness, unbelief and indecision; but, with faith in God, and confidence in his providence, will stand, as it were, with his head above the clouds—his eye fixed on Jesus as his hope, his great exemplar. The time and strength of a thoroughly converted Christian will not be all taken up in allaying insurrectionary movements in his own heart, for these will be overcome in such measure that his whole body is full of light. Although he must always stand on the defensive against the wiles of our common foe, he may, and it is his duty to, wage a war of aggression upon the ranks of the enemy.

How, think you, an army on the field of battle would win a victory, if, when called upon to meet a foe, they must first stop to quell disorder and insubordination among themselves? and should their time be wholly taken up in this way, where would the conflict with the enemy be? or, at least, where would be the victory? God has given special directions for the drilling of, and bringing into order, the members of Christ’s body—the church. Explicit and full, line upon line, here a little and there a little, often repeated, so that a mistake or failure must result from indifference, or hardness of heart on our part, or a failure to understand the rules laid down.

Peter, addressing the church, says, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, . . . According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Here the Christian’s privilege is plain. He then gives a method of growth in grace which must be added to the former experience. He says, “And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” If we do these things, we shall not fail of an entrance being ministered abundantly unto us into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord.

The whole tenor of the Scriptures implies a thorough conversion, a whole sacrifice, a single eye, and as the result, we shall “walk in the light, as he is in the light; have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.” John 1: 5, 6. Again, “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us; God is love: and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, there is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear.” This is solid ground, and we may come up to it if we will. In this, God is for us; Jesus and the angels are enlisted for our salvation, a salvation that is full and free. We may lay hold; the veracity of God’s word stands out as proof that we may. His promises are arrayed on our side, and what shall hinder us? Paul says, “For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 8: 38, 39.

A. M. LINDSLEY.

Continue reading: Then and Now