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Signs of the Times, Vol. 4, No. 19.

General Articles

Signs of the Times

May 16, 1878

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · May 16, 1878

General Articles.

By Ellen G. White

EVIDENCES OF MESSIAHSHIP.

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
AMONG the chief rulers were many who were convinced that Christ was indeed the Messiah; but, in face of the angry priests and Pharisees, they dared not confess their faith, lest they should be turned out of the synagogue. They loved the praise of men more than the approval of God; and to save themselves from reproach and shame, denied Christ, and lost their only chance of eternal life. To this class the words of Christ were specially applicable: "He that loveth his life shall lose it."
The message of the Greeks, indicating as it did the breaking down of the partition wall between Jew and Gentile, brought before Jesus his entire mission, from the time when it was first decided in heaven that he should come to earth as man's Redeemer, to the death that he knew awaited him in the immediate future. A mysterious cloud seemed to enshroud the Son of God. It was a gloom that was felt by those who were in close contact with him. He sat wrapped in thought. At last the silence was broken by his mournful voice: "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour; but for this cause came I unto this hour." A foreboding of his coming conflict with the powers of darkness, by reason of the position he had voluntarily taken in regard to bearing the guilt of fallen man and taking upon himself the Father's wrath because of sin, caused the spirit of Jesus to faint, and the pallor of death to overspread his countenance.
He remembered the persistence and malice of Satan, who had boldly contended with the angels in heaven that his sentence was unjust, maintaining that there was no self-denial with God, and that Satan, in struggling to carry out his purposes and have his own way, was only imitating the example of God. If God followed his own will perfectly and continually, why should not the first sons created in his image do so? By this argument Satan deceived many of the holy angels. He complained continually of God's severity, just as children sometimes complain of their parents' severity, in restraining them from carrying out plans destructive to the family government. Rather than submit to the will of God he turned from the light of reason, and set himself in opposition to the divine plans.
In the warfare ensuing, Satan for a time seemed to hold the advantage. He could lie; God could not lie. He could move in a thousand crooked and deceiving ways to gain a desired object; God must pursue the straightforward course of truth and righteousness. For a time Satan triumphed in an apparent victory. But God would unmask the enemy and reveal him in his true character. Christ, in taking the nature of man, was divinity clothed in humanity. He came as the light to the world, to shine upon and scatter the thick darkness of Satan's deception and reveal his workings to the children of men. Christ practiced the most rigid self-denial in resisting the manifold temptations of the adversary. He conquered Satan in the long fast of the wilderness, and when he came to him as an angel of light, offering the dominion of the world in exchange for his worship; he made sacrifices that will never be required of man, as man can never attain to his exalted character. His whole earthly life was a demonstration of perfect submission to his Father's will. The course of Christ and that of Satan presented the complete contrast of the life of an obedient with that of a disloyal son.
The final triumph of Christ over Satan could only be perfected through the death of the former. He thus opened free salvation to man, taking upon himself the stigma of the curse, and in laying down his precious life, wrested from Satan's hand the last weapon by which he could gain the kingdoms of the world. Man might then be free from the power of evil through his Saviour Jesus Christ.
As the Son of God meditated upon these things, and the whole burden of his mission passed before his mind's eye, he lifted his head and said, "Father, glorify thy name." He thought it not robbery to be equal with God, and called upon him to glorify himself in his Son. A response came from the cloud which had hovered above the head of Jesus: "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."
A light darted from the cloud, as the voice was heard, and encircled Christ, as if the arms of Infinite Power were thrown about him like a wall of fire. The people beheld this scene with terror and amazement. No one ventured to utter a word. With silent lips and bated breath they stood with eyes riveted upon Jesus. The testimony of Almighty God having been given, the cloud lifted and scattered in the heavens. The visible communion between the Father and the Son was ended for that time.
The spectators now began to breathe more freely and exchange opinions upon what they had seen and heard. Some solemnly declared their faith in Jesus as the Son of God, while others tried to explain away the remarkable scene they had just witnessed. "The people, therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered; others said, An angel spoke to him." But the inquiring Greeks saw the cloud, heard the voice, comprehended its meaning, and discerned Christ indeed; Jesus was revealed to their understanding as the Messiah.
The voice of God had been heard at the baptism of Jesus at the commencement of his ministry, and again at his transfiguration on the mount; and now, at the close of his ministry, it was heard for the third time, and on this occasion by a larger number of persons and under peculiar circumstances. He had just uttered the most solemn truths regarding the condition of the Jews. He had made his last appeal, and pronounced their doom. The wall of partition between Jew and Gentile was tottering and ready to fall at the death of Christ.
The thoughts of the Saviour now returned from contemplating the past and future. While the people were endeavoring to explain what they had seen and heard according to the impressions made upon their minds, and according to the light they possessed, "Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes." It was the crowning evidence of his Messiahship, the signal of the Father that Jesus had uttered the truth, and was the Son of God. Would the Jews turn from this testimony of high Heaven? They had once asked the Saviour, What sign showeth thou that we may see and believe? Innumerable signs had been given all through the ministry of Christ. Yet they had closed their eyes and hardened their hearts lest they should be convinced. The crowning miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus did not remove their unbelief, but filled them with increased malice; and now that the Father had spoken, and they could ask for no further sign, their hearts were not softened and they still refused to believe.
Jesus now resumed his discourse where he had left it: "Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die." In the act of Christ dying for the salvation of man, heaven was not only made accessible to man, but God and his Son were justified before heaven in dealing with the rebellion of Satan, and in his expulsion. The blot which Satan had placed upon heaven itself was thus to be washed away; and no sin could ever more enter there to all eternity.
The holy angels, and all created intelligences of the worlds where sin had not entered, in hallelujahs to the judicial sentence pronounced upon Satan, applauding the act of Christ which removed the mortgage Satan held upon the souls of men. The holy angels, as well as those who are washed by the blood of Christ, are drawn to him by his crowning act of giving his life for the sins of the world. Christ, in being lifted up upon the cross to die, opened the way of life to both Jews and Gentiles, to all nations, tongues, and people.
Alas for the haughty Jews who knew not the day of their visitation! Slowly and regretfully, Christ with his disciples, left forever the precincts of the temple.

The Memory.

By John Harvey Kellogg

"For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass ; for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." James 1:23-25.
So it appears that the memory is helped by doing the will of God, while it is destroyed (at least in this direction) by hearing and neglecting to do his will. How much the memory and all the powers of the mind are affected by habits of living and principles of action, is well known to enlightened persons. The Bible is a rule of life; it affects our every act. "Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
It is surprising to witness the failure of memory upon those subjects upon which there is felt no interest, and its power, on the other hand, to retain those things upon which affection and interest demand place and attention. The man who loves this world will retain his memory of his favorite objects of pursuit; but the words of the Lord are forgotten or seem distant and mystical. On the other hand, the man who loves and fears God, and obeys him in every respect, will retain religious impressions and facts, and at the same time his memory will be good on other points, necessary to this life yet not religious in their nature.
Dear reader, if you would retain your memory, live out all the principles of reform and live near to God. See John 14:26. J. C.

A Broken Heart

If we cannot go to God with a broken heart let us go to him for one.

Personal Effort.

By D. L. Moody

THERE are a great many of us who are willing to do great things for the Lord, but few of us willing to do little things. The mighty sermon on regeneration was preached to one man. There are many who are willing to preach to thousands, but are not willing to take their seat beside one soul, and point that soul to the blessed Saviour. We must get down to personal effort, this bringing one by one to the Son of God. We can find no better example of this than in the life of Christ himself. Look at that wonderful sermon he preached to that one woman at the well of Samaria. He was tired and weary, but he had the time and the heart to preach to her. This is but one of many instances in the life of the Master, from which we may learn a precious lesson. If the Son of God had time to preach to one soul, cannot every one of us go and do the same? Look at the work of John Wesley; the world never saw a hundred such men living at the same time. The trouble is, we are afraid to speak to men about their souls. Let us ask God to give us grace to overcome this man-fearing spirit.—D. L. Moody.

Compromise.

By A. P. Lawton

MUCH is couched in the term compromise. It has decided the destiny of many individuals and nations. When righteously used, it has resulted in untold peace, happiness and prosperity. It is a mighty lever in adjusting differences that no legislation could affect. "Yielding pacifies great offenses." We should find a pleasure in yielding to others when it can be done without compromising principle or justice; but my friend asks too much when he wants me to compromise the word of God.
We may be called bigoted, conservative, and fanatical; be it so. These epithets we can bear, but we cannot endure the frowns of Him, one jot or title of whose word will not fall to the ground till all be fulfilled. Take as we would another book, just as it reads, and all is plain.
Men have changed the law, broken the everlasting covenant, and their children and children's children have done what Ezekiel said they would do. "One built up a wall, and lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar." Read Ezekiel, 13th chapter, and learn what became of the wall and those who daubed it. Many boast of their large charity and Christian tolerance, while they abate not a jot of their sectarian prejudices. Excuse me if my cloak of charity will not cover so much. A permanent, solid structure cannot be expected from such incohesive particles. While one says, "I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; I of Cephas; and I of Christ," are we not carnal, and walk as men? We are exhorted to be of one mind and of one judgment, and all to speak the same thing. When we heed this counsel, the building will go up without the sound of a hammer; and all the parts fitly joined together, will grow up into a perfect building in Christ.
Jesus said he came not to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfill. He kept his Father's commandments, and said that he said and did what his Father told him.
But, says my friend, do you suppose none will be saved only those who keep the seventh day? Paul says, "I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." Where there is no law, there is no transgression; but when its claims are brought home, we have no excuse; we know our duty. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city."
It is a good thing to be established, but always in the truth. There should always be room to pray, "If I am right, thy grace impart, Still in the right to stay; If I am wrong, Oh, teach my heart To find that better way." God will bless the honest seeker after truth. A. P. LAWTON.

A Deserted House.

I HAVE no guest-chamber to offer, Lord, No furnished upper room to bid thee to; The dwelling that I have might be abhorred, If other eyes its wretchedness should view.
I would not scorn the building—it is thine, Thou mad'st it for thyself, and mad'st it fair; But ravenous beasts, through carelessness of mine, Have seized and used it for their unclean lair.
The walls that glorious pictures should adorn, Are well-nigh hid with worthless imagery; The snowy, silken curtains droop forlorn— Alas! that soiled and tattered they should be!
And overlaid with rubbish and with dust Is the white beauty of its marble floor; Yea, it might fill a stranger with disgust, For miry feet have trod it o'er and o'er.
The windows that thou mad'st like diamonds pure, To admit unchanged the pure and spotless light, Alas! are dim, and clouded, and obscure— 'Tis hard sometimes to know the day from night.
I have no guest-chamber to offer, Lord, No furnished upper room to bid thee to; Unless thou wilt thyself the power afford To sweep its floor, and deck its walls anew.
Earth's meanest hovel would with glory shine If thou wert there—would be with splendor gilt; Filled with thy presence, it would grow divine; Then how much more should this which thou hast built. —Sel.

LIFE SKETCHES.

By Ellen G. White

CHAPTER V—CONTINUED.

PARENTAGE AND EARLY LIFE.

"At this time Brother Wm. Hyde was very sick with bloody dysentery. His symptoms were alarming, and the physician pronounced his case almost hopeless. We visited him and prayed with him, but he had come under the influence of certain fanatical persons, who were bringing dishonor upon our cause. We wished to remove him from their midst, and petitioned the Lord to give him strength to leave that place. He was strengthened and blessed in answer to our prayers, and rode four miles to the house of Brother Patten. But after arriving there he seemed to be rapidly sinking. "The fanaticism and errors into which he had fallen through evil influence seemed to hinder the exercise of his faith. He gratefully received the plain testimony borne him, and made humble confession of his fault. Only a few who were strong in faith were permitted to enter the sick room. The fanatics whose influence over him had been so injurious, and who had persistently followed him to Brother Patten's, were positively forbidden to come into his presence, while we prayed fervently for his restoration to health. I have seldom known such a reaching out to claim the promises of God. The salvation of the Holy Spirit was revealed, and power from on high rested upon our sick brother and upon all present. "Brother Hyde immediately dressed and walked out of the room praising God, with the light of heaven shining upon his countenance. A farmer's dinner was ready upon the table. Said he, 'If I were well I should partake of this food; and as I believe God has healed me, I shall carry out my faith.' He sat down to dinner with the rest and ate heartily without injury. His recovery was perfect and lasting. "From Topsham we returned to Portland and found there quite a number of our faith from the East. Among them were the very fanatics to whom I had borne my testimony at Exeter, declaring that it was not their duty to visit Portland. These persons had laid aside reason and judgment; they trusted every impression of their excitable and over-wrought minds. Their demonstrative exercises, while claiming to be under the Spirit of God, were unworthy of their exalted profession. We trembled for the church that was to be subjected to this spirit of fanaticism. My heart ached for God's people. Must they be deceived and led away by this false enthusiasm? I faithfully pronounced the warnings given me of the Lord; but they seemed to have little effect except to make these persons of extreme views jealous of me. "These false impressions of theirs might have turned me from my duty, had not the Lord previously showed me where to go and what to do. Although so young and inexperienced, I was preserved from falling into the snare of the enemy, through the mercy of God, in giving me special instructions whom to fear and whom to trust. Had it not been for this protection I now see many times when I have been led from the path of duty. "About this time I was shown that it was my duty to visit our people in New Hampshire. My constant and faithful companion at this time was Sister Louisa Foss, the sister of my brother-in-law. She has been dead several years; but I can never forget her kind and sisterly attention to me in my journeyings. We were also accompanied by Elder Files and his wife, who were old and valued friends of my family, Brother Ralph Haskins and Elder White. "We were cordially received; but there were wrongs existing in that field which burdened me much. We had to meet a spirit of self-righteousness that was very depressing. I had previously been shown the pride and exaltation of certain ones whom we visited, but had not the courage to meet them with my testimony. Had I done so, the Lord would have sustained me in doing my duty. "While visiting at the house of Elder Morse, the burden did not leave me, but I did not yet feel sufficiently strong to relieve my mind and place the oppressive burden upon those to whom it belonged. During our stay at this house I was very ill. Prayer was offered in my behalf, the Spirit of God rested upon me, and I was taken off in vision. While in this state, some things were shown me concerning the disappointment of 1844, in connection with the case of Elder Morse. He had been a firm and consistent believer that the Lord would come at that time. He was bitterly disappointed when the period passed without bringing the event that was expected. He was perplexed and unable to explain the delay. "He did not renounce his faith as some did, calling it a fanatical delusion; but he was bewildered, and could not understand the position of God's people on prophetic time. He had been so earnest in declaring that the coming of the Lord was nigh, that when the time passed, he was despondent and did not nothing to encourage the disappointed people, who were like sheep without a shepherd, left to be devoured by wolves. "The case of Jonah was presented before me. God commanded him to go into Nineveh and deliver the message that he gave him. Jonah obeyed, and for the space of three days and nights the solemn cry was heard throughout the streets of the wicked city, 'Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown!' The city was a marvel of wealth and magnificence; yet the king believed the warning and humbled himself and his people before the Lord in fasting and sackcloth. "A merciful God accepted their repentance and lengthened the days of their probation. He turned away his fierce anger and awaited the fruits of Nineveh's humiliation. But Jonah dreaded being called a false prophet. He murmured at the compassion of God in sparing the people whom he had warned of destruction by the mouth of his prophet. He could not bear the thought of standing before the people as a deceiver. He overlooked the great mercy of God toward the repentant city, in the personal humiliation of seeing his prophecy unfulfilled. "Elder Morse was in a similar condition to that of the disappointed prophet. He had proclaimed that the Lord would come in 1844. The time had passed. The check of fear that had partially held the people was removed, and they indulged in derision of those who had lookd in vain for Jesus. Elder Morse felt that he was a bye-word among his neighbors, an object of jest. He could not be reconciled to his position. He did not consider the mercy of God in granting the world a longer time to prepare for his coming; that the warning of his judgment might be heard more widely, and the people tested with greater light. He only thought of the humiliation of God's servants. "I was shown that although the event so solemnly proclaimed did not occur, as in the case of Jonah, the message was none the less of God, and accomplished the purpose that he designed it should. Subsequent light upon the prophecies revealed the event which did take place, in the High Priest entering the most holy place of the sanctuary in heaven to finish the atonement for the sins of man. Nevertheless God willed for a wise purpose that his servants should proclaim the approaching end of time. "Instead of being discouraged at his disappointment, as was Jonah, Elder Morse should gather up the rays of precious light that God had given his people and cast aside his selfish sorrow. He should rejoice that the world was granted a reprieve, and be ready to aid in carrying forward the great work yet to be done upon the earth, in bringing sinners to repentance and salvation. "It has been reported that on the occasion of this vision I declared that in forty days the end of the world would come. No such words were uttered by me. I had no light concerning the end of time. The subject of Nineveh, her lengthened probation, and the consequent grief of Jonah, was presented to me as a parallel case with our own disappointment in 1844. The case of Elder Morse was presented to me as one that represented the condition of a large class of our people at that time. Their duty was plainly marked; it was to trust in the wisdom and mercy of God and patiently labor as his providence opened the way before them. "It was difficult to accomplish much good in New Hampshire. We found little spirituality there. Many pronounced their experience in the movement of 1844 a delusion; it was hard to reach this class, for we could not accept the position they ventured to take. A number who were active preachers and exhorters in 1844, now seemed to have lost their moorings, and did not know where we were in prophetic time; they were fast uniting with the spirit of the world. "Upon one occasion when I was delivering the message that the Lord had given me for the encouragement of his people, I was interrupted several times by a certain minister. He had been very active in preaching definite time; but when the appointed period passed, his faith utterly failed, and he wandered in darkness, doubting and questioning everything. He was ever ready to array himself against any one who claimed more light than he possessed. The Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, as I related what he had shown me. This minister interrupted me several consecutive times; but I continued speaking, when he became very angry and excited, violently opposing what I said. He raised his voice to a high key, and abused me till he was forced to stop from sheer exhaustion. In a few moments he left the house, being seized with hemorrhage of the lungs. He rapidly failed from that time, and died not long after. "Our testimony was welcomed by some; but many received us suspiciously. Fanaticism and spiritual magnetism have to have destroyed the spirit of true godliness. Many appeared unable to discern or appreciate the motives that led me in my feebleness, to travel and bear my testimony to the people. Those who had little interest for the salvation of souls, and whose hearts had turned from the work of preparation, could not comprehend the love of God in my soul that quickened my desire to help those in darkness to the same light that cheered my path. Could they also have seen what had been revealed to me of God's matchless love for men, manifested in giving his only Son to die for them, they would not have doubted my sincerity. "I believed all that had been shown me in vision. Truth was to me a living reality, and my labor was for eternity. However others might view my work, the weight of its importance was heavy on my soul. In feeble health I was toiling to do good to others unto eternal life. Moments seemed precious to me, delays dangerous."
J. W.
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