Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 8, 1894
The Power of God's Word
The Power of God's Word.—Last week it was shown that the Holy Scriptures, while given through men, are of God; that the words written and spoken were inbreathed by him, even as the various notes and tones are inbreathed by the musician into the flute or cornet upon which he plays; that God thus spake his word through all the various characters that he did in order to reach the various classes of men; that even as the Eternal Word was made flesh and dwelt among men, so God's written and spoken word has been manifest among the words of men.
God's Power in His Word.—The word of a man is worth just as much as the ability and integrity there are behind it, and is everywhere so rated. But the integrity of God is unquestioned, for he cannot lie; he is Incarnate Truth. His power is infinite, and therefore he has ability to accomplish all he utters. In fact, the power is in the word he speaks. He utters no needless words; infinite wisdom and power and love are in them all. His power being in his word, what he says is necessarily so. He speaks and it is. He calls things that are not as though they were; and that word which so calls them in its own time makes them what they are called.
The Creation.—The power of God's word was manifest in the creation. God said, "Let there be light, and light was." The Psalmist says: "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." "For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast." Ps. 33 : 6, 9. The same voice which called them into existence spoke the laws for their operation and continuance. All these things God did through Christ (1 Cor. 8 : 6); and Christ upholds, maintains, "all things by the word of his power." Heb. 1 : 3. See Col. 1 : 16, 17. "Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number; he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth." Isa. 40 : 26. This is the power of God's word.
That Power Is Life.—All power voluntarily exercised is the result of life. The manifestation of God's power is the expression of his life. Says Jesus, "The words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life." John 6:63. Man may again come into possession of this life, or power, from God by receiving God's word through faith. The receiving of the word of God by faith is the reception of Christ, the Incarnate Word. Paul declares that this word "effectually worketh" in the hearts of all those who receive it by faith as the word of God. 1 Thess. 2:13. All the miracles wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ were for the same purpose. When he said to the poor, loathsome leper, "Be thou clean" (Matt. 8 : 3), the leper by faith received the words, and the life, or power, in the words made him physically a new man. When he said to the waves, "Be still," the power of the words stilled the waves. When he spoke to the sick of the palsy, "Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house," the poor man received the words, and the word "effectually worked."
The Lesson.—Now all that Jesus did, all that he has told us of God's power in the Holy Bible,—the creation of the world, the opening of the Red Sea, the speaking of the dead to life,—are to teach us that this same word will wash away the black record of our sin, will cleanse the inborn and inbred unrighteousness, will keep us from the power of the enemy, will make immortal the mortal body by the same power which cleanses the soul. Phil. 3 : 21. "These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." John 20 : 31. Having his life, we will have his power. As the leper by faith received the life-giving word and was cleansed from disease, so we by faith receive the life-giving word and are cleansed from sin. John 15 : 3; 1 John 1 : 9. As his word of power has kept the worlds, so is he able to keep (and will if we believe) us "from falling," and to present us "faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." Jude 24. Our part is simply to receive Christ by his word, to believe, to submit, to choose him and him alone. He must have the whole heart. Will you not yield it?
BABYLON'S FORNICATION.
IN past numbers it has been shown, as all will admit, that the professed church of Christ is, from a human view-point, hopelessly divided, and that this division is prophetically expressed by the term Babylon—confusion. The message of God's word would heal her, but she will not be healed. Instead of accepting the pure wine of God's word, the saving truth of his gospel, Babylon prefers to quaff the poison liquor of her human brewing, to cling to the errors of tradition; and therefore the Lord sadly declares:—
"Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."
Babylon has not only chosen to retain her errors in preference to the unpopular though not less precious and mighty truth of God's word, but in doing this she has said to the nations of earth that the wine of error is better than the wine of truth. And the wine of2error has she poured out to them lavishly from her ten thousand pulpits and presses. Of course, this has not only corrupted the nations, but has caused the moral fall of Babylon,—the divided churches,—evidence of which from themselves we gave last week, and which could be multiplied indefinitely.
Yes, sad as it is to record it, the great Protestant churches have fallen. The word of God does not mean to them what it once did. Regeneration does not mean what it once did. Protestantism, in the sense of protesting against Romish errors, has lost its power; the Sunday sabbath, wholly a traditional, papal institution, is preferred in the place of the Sabbath of Jehovah, kept by the faithful from Adam to Christ.
Babylon's Fornication.
The word "fornication" means unlawful intercourse between the sexes. The church, Babylon though she was, was espoused to Christ, and God had not forsaken her. In fact, he desired to heal and restore her wholly. She belonged to him, and professed so to do. But when she turned from his remedy, choosing rather the errors of the world, she fell. When God in mercy sends his truth, in the eyes of her followers and of the world, Babylon must either give up her errors and accept the truth or attempt to justify the errors she holds. The churches as a whole have chosen the latter course. Now and then honest souls have, compelled by conviction of duty, sacrificed all and heeded the Shepherd's voice. But the church organizations have not done this. Their representatives have sought to defend, in what they themselves consider a test, the Sunday sabbath by contradictory and mutually destructive arguments, based on perversions of Scripture. Failing in this, they have sought to tradition. Lying tradition having failed, they have turned and are turning more and more to the nations of the earth and imploring them to use civil power to enforce an unscriptural institution. In other words, they have turned from the gospel of Christ to civil law; from Christ, the lawful husband, and have committed fornication with the rulers of the earth. The "wine of fornication" leads to fornication itself. Breaking her union with Christ in her wantonness leads to unlawful union with the world. Rejecting Christ within by faith,—the mystery of godliness,—means enthroning in his place the mystery of iniquity. Rejecting the gospel, his armor of righteousness and the word of persuasion leads to the acceptation of the law of man, the carnal weapons, and the word of compulsion and tyranny.
It is needed that only one instance be given of this, one world-wide and well known, namely, that of the position of the churches in promoting and upholding the Sunday sabbath. It has been repeatedly shown by Protestant and Catholic authorities that there is no Biblical proof for Sunday observance. The Roman Catholic Church with unblushing effrontery holds the ecclesiastical Sunday aloft as a mark of her authority. Says Eusebius, a most eminent "Father" of the Catholic Church, and the deifier of the corrupt Constantine, "All things whatsoever that it was duty to do on the Sabbath, these we have transferred to the Lord's day (Sunday)." In Butler's catechism, an authoritative work used in Catholic schools, are the following questions and answers on the fourth or Sabbath commandment:—
Question—Say the third commandment.
Answer—Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.
Q.—What is commanded by the third commandment?
A.—To spend the Sunday in prayer and other religious duties.
But all who know how to read the Sabbath commandment know that the above is not commanded. The law says, not the first day but the seventh day. But this Roman Catholics know. We quote from them again:—
Q.—Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals of precept?
A.—Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her,—she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no scriptural authority.
Q.—When Protestants do profane work upon Saturday, or the seventh day of the week, do they follow the Scripture as their only rule of faith?—do they find this permission clearly laid down in the Sacred Volume?
A.—On the contrary, they have only the authority of tradition for this practice.Q.—How prove you that the church hath power to command feasts and holy days?
A.—By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of; and therefore they fondly contradict themselves by keeping Sunday strictly and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same church.
Q.—How prove you that?
A.—Because by keeping Sunday they acknowledge the church's power to ordain feasts, and to command them under sin; and by not keeping the rest by her commanded, they again deny, in fact, the same power.
The following is a letter written by the chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons:—
CARDINAL'S RESIDENCE, Baltimore, Md., February 25, 1892.
JOHN R. ASHLEY, Esq.—Dear Sir: In answer to your first question, directed by the cardinal to reply to your letter, I will say:—
1. Who changed the Sabbath?
Answer—The holy Catholic Church.
2. Are Protestants following the Bible or the holy Catholic Church in keeping Sunday?
A.—The Protestants are following the custom introduced by the holy Catholic Church.
3. The Protestants do contradict themselves by keeping Sunday, and at the same time profess to be guided by the Bible only.
I am faithfully yours, C. F. THOMAS, Chancellor.
Here are some Protestant authorities:—
Centuries of the Christian era passed away before the Sunday was observed as a Sabbath. History does not furnish us with a single proof or indication that it was at any time so observed previous to the Sabbatical edict of Constantine, in A.D. 321.
Not any ecclesiastical writer of the first three centuries attributed the origin of Sunday observance either to Christ or his apostles.
By none of the Fathers before the fourth century is it [the first day of the week] identified with the Sabbath; nor is the duty of observing it grounded by them either on the fourth commandment or on the precept or example of Jesus or his apostles. . . .
Unquestionably the first law, either ecclesiastical or civil, by which the Sabbatical observance of that day is known to have been ordained, is the edict of Constantine, 321 A.D. . . .
But it was not till the year 538 that abstinence from agricultural labor on Sunday was recommended, rather than enjoined, by an ecclesiastical authority (the third Council of Orleans), and this expressly that the people might have more leisure to go to church and say their prayers; nor was it till about the ninth century that the emperor Leo, "the philosopher," repealed the exemption [that is, permission for country people to labor] which it enjoyed under the edict of Constantine.
Sunday, therefore, on the strength of Roman Catholic claims and Protestant declarations and admissions, is wholly traditional and papal. It has its origin in apostasy and will worship.
But the sure word of prophecy has also declared that the apostate church, united with the powers of earth, would attempt to make this change in God's law. The Papacy is represented in Daniel 7 by "the little horn," in Rev. 13:1-10 by the leopard "beast," in 2 Thess. 2:3-7 as "the man of sin" and "mystery of iniquity." Of the power symbolized by these it is declared as follows:—
"And he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time, times, and half a time."
"And they worshiped the beast." "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life."
"That day [the day of Christ's coming] shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."
These predictions are concerning the same work and the same power. The message of God to his people is, "Fear God and give glory to him; . . . and worship him." The highest, truest worship men can render a power is implicit obedience. Says our Lord to Satan, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Here we learn that worship is service, and service is obedience, doing just what is told. Jesus says: "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." "If ye love me, keep my commandments." "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"755
By the above and many other texts it is readily seen that the real test of true worship to God is faithful service or obedience to his law. Now note carefully the following: The worship of an opposing power would be to obey that power instead of God. The difference between the worship or obedience would constitute the mark of the worshipers. If the law of God and the law of another power required the same, there could be no mark of opposition. If the law of another power differed from the law of God, the point of difference in each law becomes the mark, or sign, of the power which issues the law. The difference in the service of the worshipers, or subjects, constitutes the mark of the power to which they bear allegiance. Therefore the change which the beast power has thought to make in God's law, but which rather makes it a perverted law of its own, must constitute the mark of the beast. The only material difference between the decalogue of the Papacy and the Decalogue of Jehovah is respecting the Sabbath precept. God commands the seventh day, Bible time; the Papacy commands the first day, Roman time. The papal Sunday is therefore "the mark of the beast."
Again: The "little horn" should think to change "the appointed times and the law," the time connected with the law, referring directly back to the times appointed of God, connected with his worship. The first "times" mentioned in the word of God are the day and the week, the day beginning and closing at evening, and the week, or septenary cycle, closing with the sacred day, the Sabbath. But the apostasy has changed the beginning of the day from sunset to midnight, and the end of the week from the seventh day to the first day, and so thought to change the law of God in the only commandment which refers to time. This, as before shown, the Roman Catholic Church claims, and Protestantism admits.
All this is done by "the man of sin," the one above all others who has caused man to sin by perverting God's law, by trampling it underfoot, by claiming authority to change it, and anathematizing those who do not admit the claim. Thus does "the man of sin," the very "mystery of iniquity," place himself in the temple, or church of God, exalting himself above God, arrogating to himself not only the power which belongs to God, but a power (rather perversion of power) which God has not,—to change that which in the nature of the case cannot be changed, namely, the law of God, the transgression of which is sin.
Sunday therefore, as an ecclesiastical institution, is wholly papal, the mark of the beast. Many, the great majority, of Sunday keepers once did not know this, but all are now rapidly becoming enlightened. But, rather than yield the Sunday, some are yielding their Protestantism, and defending the Roman Church; and the Protestant churches themselves are demanding civil law to enforce the observance of the day. Therefore, when the churches thus deliberately choose between God's Sabbath, the sign of his Deity, as both Creator and Redeemer, and the institution of tradition and apostasy, which Rome claims as her own, choosing the latter in preference to the former; when these churches demand of the governments of earth that these governments, in ways essentially papal, shall by statute law enforce the observance of this pseudo sabbath; and when the governments of this earth thus yield to the blandishments and threats of these apostate churches,—when all this is done, in the face of God's warning message, then it may be truthfully said that the last division of Babylon the great, the modern so-called Protestant churches, has committed fornication with the kings of the earth, and has accepted and is enforcing the mark of the beast.
To what extent the churches have done and are doing this will be considered in our next.
TRULY SAID.
By Editor
In discussing the "Relations of Sociology to Theology," in the Advance of September 6, Prof. F. H. Foster, of Pacific Theological Seminary, utters the following forcible words:—
Even the free American republic seems to have ended in a community in which there is as much discontent as anywhere in the world. There will long be great oppression and consequent distress among men, for the root of all these things is sin, estrangement from God, and it does not seem to be the will of God to make the forces of truth immediately or suddenly triumphant over evil. But a gradual improvement can be made, and in one way. Suffering will be overcome when sin is overcome; and sin can be overcome only by the spreading of the spirit of heaven in the world, and that can be effected only by the conversion from sin to the unselfish service of God of soul after soul. The preaching of the supernatural truths of the Christian religion, of sin, law, ruin, future punishment, a divine Saviour, an atonement, regeneration, and sanctification by an indwelling Spirit—the preaching of these things will alone effect it, and this will remain the great business of the church.
We do not agree with what Professor Foster seems to teach, that the world will grow better, or that there will be any general "gradual improvement," because the word of God has declared otherwise, but we are in hearty accord with the utterance that all the evils in this world are caused by sin, and that the only means which will effect improvement is the preaching of the gospel of Christ. Human law may suppress violence; it will not convert hearts. The business of the church is to preach the gospel, to hold up Christ in his own way. His Holy Spirit will do the rest.
The Watch Tower.
By Editor
"Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night." Isa. 21: 11, 12.
INCREASE OF ROMAN CATHOLICISM.
FROM a biblical and true Protestant viewpoint one of the most alarming symptoms manifest in Church and State circles is the increase of the influence of Roman Catholicism; and this influence is everywhere manifest. It is seen in overweening sympathy and praise for the Roman Catholic hierarchy, clergy, and church. They are fawned upon by Protestant ministers and officials; they are truckled to by Protestant politicians; and secular newspapers are wide open for truculent praise and fulsome laudation of Rome in her various aspects, while Protestantism must be content with a "stick of type." All of this is in harmony with the "sure word of prophecy," which declares that all the world shall wonder after the beast, and worship it; that the harlot Babylon, the apostate church, would cause all nations to drink of the wine of her fornication. See Rev. 13: 3-8; 17: 8; 18: 3. It may be well to note some of the many evidences which are continually rising to the surface:—756
1. Rome in This Country.
Rome controls our great dailies. Note the comparative space given to Catholic news and subjects, as compared with Protestant. Rome controls many of our great municipalities. Witness New York, Chicago, St. Louis, New Orleans, San Francisco. Rome controls, to an extent greater than all other denominations combined, the finances of the United States Government. During the fiscal years 1886 to 1893 there was appropriated by this government to Indian schools under religious control, the vast sum of $3,767,951, of which Roman Catholics alone received $2,366,416, or nearly two-thirds. In 1893 the sum of $525,881 was appropriated for this purpose, of which Roman Catholics received $369,535. It had, as compared with the whole, more than nine-thirteenths. Is not this evidence sufficient?
In speaking of the results of the Parliament of Religions, Rev. J. H. Barrows says, in the Forum of September:—
One of the best results of the Parliament has been a better understanding, among enlightened minds, between Catholics and Protestants in America. When the American Catholic archbishops, with the knowledge and consent of the Vatican, decided to take part in the Parliament, they did much to give the meeting its historic importance. . . . The fanaticism and wicked folly of the methods of the American Protective Association have not destroyed the pleasant recollections of those golden days when, for the first time in history, Protestant and Catholic sat together in loving fellowship.
But all who understand the case know that Rome did not compromise at the Parliament. She took the glory of America to herself, and "Protestants" more than half admitted it. Here is a result. Says a recent number of the Catholic Telegraph:—
The Catholic Church is making converts among Protestants in every State of the Union every day in the year, while, on the other hand, the Protestant sects are finding no converts among Catholics.
Senator Edmund O'Connor (Republican), of New York State, in speaking of his election and the effort put forth against him because he was a Roman Catholic, says:—
It had not the slightest effect upon the strictly farming portions of that district. . . . Strong Protestants came to the polls, and with great satisfaction deposited their ballot for the Roman Catholic senator. My majority in the district lacked but a few votes of 7,000. The previous vote of the same counties was 3,000 majority. It may be said in this connection that because of the attack made upon me the Roman Catholic vote in the Democratic party was cast for me.
This shows where the church will always stand in politics.
2. Rome's Increase in England.
Says the Catholic Mirror of the 22d ultimo:—
The growth of the Catholic Church in England is remarked by every observer who visits that country. Not many years ago the sight of a religious habit was rare; now that sign of consecrated life no longer excites remark.
It then goes on to speak of the immense Catholic cathedral soon to be built in the Westminster district of London, costing $1,250,000, 370x270 feet and 100 feet high. It will seat 8,000 persons, and will include a monastery for thirty monks and forty-five lay brethren. In speaking of the reason of this increase, the Mirror thus refers to Cardinal Newman:—
By his example and his wonderful writings and sermons thousands have been brought back to the old faith; and in, say a century, or even half a century, from now, who can tell what may be seen?
The Moniteur de Rome, the official organ of the pope, thus speaks of the High Church Anglican clergy:—
The Anglican Church (especially since the accession of Leo XIII.) has endeavored to show that the chasm which separates her from the Roman Church has never been as great as the Lutheran, Calvinist, and various Protestant sects have been passionately anxious that it should be believed to be. The most distinguished members of the Anglican clergy insist and endeavor to prove by an appeal both to theology and history that, though externally divided from one another, they have always remained united in fraternal union with the Catholic clergy.
And then it goes on to say, "That a solution [of the difficulties which now hinder] will come, cannot be doubted." England is fast passing, without knowing it, into the hands of the Papacy.
3. The Papacy and Italy.
For years certain Protestants who have thought that the work of Protestantism was done, have been wont to point with triumph to the Italian Government, the victory of Victor Emmanuel, and the maintenance of it by King Humbert. But poor Italy! her life-blood is sapped by two leeches of heavy war debt and military expenses, and an avaricious priesthood; she is between the upper and nether millstones of the Papacy and Anarchy. She has reached about the limit of her endurance. While the very genius of the Papacy breeds anarchy, the Roman Church ever poses as the only one who is able to save from the dreaded foe. Says the Catholic Mirror of September 15:—
It was rumored soon after the attempt on the life of Signor Crispi that he realized the formidable and desperate character of the Anarchist conspiracy throughout Europe, especially in Italy, and was not unwilling to make terms, if possible, with the church to whom alone it was possible to look for an influence strong enough to cope with that of the great enemy of the social order.
Now comes news that Crispi has made a speech at Naples in which he openly advocated a reconciliation between the Vatican and the Quirinal. One day last week, according to the London Pall Mall Gazette, Crispi's private secretary had a long interview with Cardinal Rampolla.
This visit, the Gazette asserts, began a series of negotiations, the results of which are shown in the pope's prompt establishment of an apostolic prefecture in Massowah, immediately following which King Humbert gave his assent to the appointment of Cardinal Sarto, the pope's nominee, to the office of patriarch of Venice, concerning which appointment there has been a prolonged disagreement between the Vatican and the Quirinal.
The most significant incident of all, however, is the act of Signor Crispi going out of his way in his speech at Naples Tuesday to compliment Cardinal Sanfelice, the archbishop of Naples, and to summon the Church and the State to join their forces against the common enemy. . . .
Still, all the proceedings are significant, and, as the New York Herald says, "At present it seems as though Leo XIII. were to score another triumph before his Papacy comes to a close."
The two last paragraphs but one are taken verbatim (from the word "began" in the first) from the Pall Mall Gazette. Both Protestant and Catholic look upon the matter in the same light. The Boston Herald of September 16 has the following to say (we condense):—
In order to understand the condition of affairs it must be taken into account that, in his early life, Francesco Crispi was a noted revolutionist. He took a very active part in the revolutionary movement of 1848; he was the inspiring spirit in a long series of conspiracies running through the next twelve years. He must have been in constant daily association with conspirators and Carbonari of all kinds, and was indirectly, if not directly, connected with Garibaldi to undermine, not only the power of the various Italian civil rulers, but also the influence and authority of the pope. . . .
It is a marked change for a man with these experiences in past associations to affirm, in his position as the responsible head of the Italian Government, a government that has been for the last twenty-four years in open conflict with the Papacy, that the time has come when the civil and religious authorities must unite in leading the people, must close their ranks together, and, under the flag bearing the motto, "Our God, our king, and our country," must fight against the revolutionary spirit of the age.
An assertion of this kind coming from an English or an American statesman would not have a tithe of the significance that it does when coming from the Italian premier, for the religious recognition here recorded, the precedence given to the Divine Ruler, signifies under these conditions the subordination of the State to the Church, and that in order to defend society, as it is now organized, the Italian premier, in spite of his early experience, believes that it is necessary for the civil authorities of Europe to come to the head of the church, to accept of his leadership, and to work in harmony with him.
If the policy of the Vatican was a purely spiritual policy, such a recognition, while carrying with it a great deal of force, would not have the significance that attaches to it when one takes into account that Pope Leo XIII. has steadily maintained the pretensions of his predecessor, Pope Pius IX., to temporal authority. Since the day in 1870 when, taking advantage of the Franco-German War, the Italian soldiers under Victor Emmanuel entered the sacred city and marched through the streets of Rome, the pope have theoretically held that they were prisoners in the Vatican, and that an enemy, the king of Italy, was in possession of their proper domain. Hence, if Signor Crispi proposes to unite with the head of the church in a struggle against those who would disrupt society, it will become necessary for him to make terms with his chief ally, and it remains to be seen whether this understanding can be brought about on any terms short of an abandonment of Rome by the Italians as the capital of their kingdom, and the reestablishment in that city and in the surrounding country of the temporal government of the head of the church.
More might be given; this must suffice for the present. These events are but the prelude to still greater events. The submission of Italy, the abject servility of Germany, are but the ushering in of that time declared of God when the nations of the Old World "shall have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast," "until the words of God shall be fulfilled." Rev. 17: 13, 17. Then sudden destruction awaits them all. "In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom."
An Oft-Misquoted Scripture.
How many times we hear it said of something which is thought to be easily understood, "It is so plain that he that runneth may read." But the text of Scripture does not read this way. Here it is: "Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." Hab. 2: 2. The prophecy is a double one, looking forward to the great advent movement of the last days. The writer of Hebrews quotes verses 3 and 4, and applies them to the second coming of Christ. See Heb. 10: 37, 38.
The prophet declares that he would stand on the watch, and set him on the tower, that he might have the wherewith to answer when he was "reproved" or "argued with" (margin). The Lord answers: "Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it."
The idea is that he who reads God's message therein set forth may carry the tidings to others. This very thing is set forth as a characteristic of the last days by Daniel.
"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Dan. 12: 4.
And this is what has been taking place in the world for the last fifty years, with ever-increasing effect. God's seal upon his prophecies has been broken, and we may now know that "yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry." Let us read aright the vision, and run with it to the waiting thousands.
For God's Glory.
God created all things for his glory. This is declared in different ways over and over again in his holy word. All that came from him, all creations, all laws governing these creations, all spiritual and material beings, were all for his glory. In his infinite design every atom of substance in every part of the universe would reflect the glory of Him who was the Creator and center of all. But this is not selfish; it cannot be selfish; for love is unselfish. Love always goes out from the heart which possesses it to those outside. It seeks not its own, but others' good. Therefore God's glory is his goodness, and what makes for that glory makes for the highest good and happiness of all his creation.
God Is Love
"God Is Love."—Such he declares himself to be. All that he created, and all the laws that govern his creation, are all of love. Love is the actuating motive in all things. For the exercise of this love there is both omnipotence and omniscience. Love cannot therefore go astray; wisdom therefore cannot fail in its designs; power therefore cannot prove otherwise than beneficial. In all that God does it is infinite power actuated by infinite love and moulded by infinite wisdom.
JOTTINGS FROM EUROPE.
By H. P. Holser
[From our own correspondent.]
Catholicism and Protestantism.
CATHOLICS are beginning to wake up on the old battle field of centuries, and bestirring themselves in a manner that may well cause men to reflect. Leo's last encyclical, which attracted such world-wide attention, is followed by a new wave of activity among the adherents of Rome. There is no titled personage in Europe to-day whose words affect and sway the nations like those of the pope. It is a remarkable fact that in those countries most Protestant the Catholics are the most active.
Last year the recall of the Jesuits in Germany was for a time believed to be an assured fact; but the final defeat of the measure was not its death knell. The question is again being agitated with a good degree of energy and boldness. Last week the chairman of a large Catholic gathering in Cologne on Catholic day remarked, amidst stormy applause: "The Jesuits must return; we want them, and we shall have them; we shall have them yet in this century; we shall have them not out of love, but out of necessity. And there are already Jesuits among us. To avoid misunderstandings, I would state that we are all Jesuits, and I am an arch-Jesuit."
In Switzerland the Catholics have also manifested new life. Hitherto they have been united in politics with the Protestant Conservative party, sometimes called the clerical party. But last week the Catholics assembled in convention, formed a new and independent party of their own, leaving the Protestant faction entirely out, without saying good-by, or thanking them for past services. As soon as the Catholics felt strong enough to run alone, they had no more use for the Protestant faction. As the indignant Protestants expressed it, "The Moor had served them as long as they needed him, and now the Moor could go."
Evidently the Catholics have reached a stage of progress where they wish to achieve ends in which Protestants would be more hindrance than help to them.
There are also frequent local agitations on the subject of religious liberty. Not long since a man in Prussia left the State church, and hence was labeled Konfessionslos (without creed). He refused to purchase religious books for his son, from which he was to receive religious instruction in the schools. He was hereupon taken in hand by the police, but appealed from one tribunal to another till the highest was reached, the final judgment being that children must receive religious instruction according to the laws of the757land, whether the parents are church members or dissenters. Thus the children must receive just such religious instruction as the State decrees, even though it be entirely antagonistic to the faith of the parents. And this instruction is given by teachers who in general ridicule the Bible and religion. If this be not full-fledged popery, it is a most faithful image of it.
Not long since a court in Bavaria had to decide the question, Is there a Christian religion? The origin of this question is this: On registering the birth of a son, the father was asked by the authorities what religion he professed, to which the father replied, "The Christian religion." In astonishment the official declared that there was no such religion. But the father declared that he was neither Protestant nor Catholic, as these terms were understood, and refused to subscribe to either. They then tried to register him as without creed, but he refused also to sign this statement, hence the matter was brought before the court for decision. The court decided that the term "Christian religion" was not sufficient. Another faithful image of Rome! If a man does not accept for religion what the State specifies, he has no religion!
While Catholics are active, Protestants are not asleep; and yet they are asleep to their own interests, for their activity is largely in the interests of Rome. Although Switzerland is quite well supplied with Sunday laws, Sunday zeal is not satisfied. Last year a great victory was won in the canton of Zurich. The canton already had the national Sunday law, prohibiting Sunday work in factories. This law leaves it optional with the cantons to legalize other holidays, not exceeding eight in number per year. The agitation last year led to the adoption of seven church days, such as Good Friday, Ascension day, Easter, Christmas, etc. But this left room for one more church day, and now there is an agitation to secure this day, and at the same time make a sweeping revision of the whole Sunday law, making it much more rigid. Thus the cords are constantly being drawn tighter.
In Basel the Sunday law is being applied with much zeal to Seventh-day Adventists. Their publishing house in this city has been repeatedly fined of late for Sunday work. The director is personally held responsible, and because he would not pay the fines imposed, his personal property has been seized and sold at public auction, leaving himself and family with one chair apiece to sit upon. As Sunday work in the publishing house continued, another fine of 200 francs and three weeks' imprisonment was imposed. The case, being appealed, resulted in a decision by the cantonal court of appeals affirming the decision of the police court.
The defendant decided to appeal to the supreme court, and, according to law, has sixty days in which to make his appeal, but as soon as the cantonal court rendered its decision, the police department proceeded to execute its sentence at once. But, under remonstrance, they did grant eight days of grace in which to secure an order from the supreme court to suspend operations till after its decision. Thus the sixty days' time was nullified, and the defendant obliged to appeal at once. It gave the impression that the police were rather hungry for their victim.
It is a sad commentary on the present state of so-called Christianity, when, in a city world renowned for its missionary zeal, quiet, harmless citizens are persecuted for no other reason than for keeping the ten commandments. Mr. Editor, are these some of the first rays of the millennial dawn?