Signs of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 27. (7/15/1886)

Signs of the Times

Jul 15, 1886

International Tract and Missionary Society · OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA · Jul 15, 1886

General Articles.

By Ellen G. White

A Lesson from the Miracle at Bethesda.

"Wisdom is justified of her children."

THE healing of the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda teaches an important lesson,—a lesson of priceless value to the Christian and of fearful import to the unbelieving and the skeptical. As the paralytic lay beside the pool, helpless and well-nigh hopeless, Jesus drew near, and asked, in tones of pity, "Wilt thou be made whole?" Be made whole!—this had been the burden of his desire and prayers for long, weary years. With trembling eagerness he told the story of his trials and disappointments to the sympathizing Son of God. No friend was near to bear him to the healing fountain at the troubling of the waters. His agonizing appeals for help fell unheeded. All around him were those who sought the coveted boon of health for their own loved ones; and while he painfully sought to reach the pool, another would be hurried down before him.

Jesus said to the sufferer, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." There was no assurance of divine help, no manifestation of miraculous power. What marvel had the man replied, "It is impossible! How can I be expected to use my limbs, that have not obeyed my will for thirty-eight years?" From a merely human point of view, such reasoning would appear consistent. The sufferer might have given place to doubt, and thus have permitted that God-given opportunity to pass unimproved. But no; without indulging a questioning thought, he seized his only opportunity. As he attempted to do what Christ had commanded, strength and vigor came; he was made whole.

Reader, is your mind filled with doubts and misgivings, and yet do you desire to receive the blessing of the Lord? Cease to question his word and distrust his promises. Obey the Saviour's bidding, and receive strength. If you hesitate, and wait to enter into a discussion with Satan, or to consider the difficulties and improbabilities, your opportunity will pass, perhaps forever.

The miracle at Bethesda should have convinced the Jews that Jesus was the Son of God; but they desired only a pretext for unbelief, and it was not hard to find what they sought. At the command of the Saviour, the impotent man had borne away the simple bed, or mat, on which he had so long lain; and Satan, ever ready with his insinuations, suggested that this act might be construed into a violation of the Sabbath. The Jews, by their customs and traditions, had perverted this sacred rest-day from its original design, making its observance a burden rather than a blessing. It was hoped that a controversy on this point would destroy the faith inspired in some hearts by the healing of this poor paralytic.

As the restored one went on his way with quick, elastic step, his pulses bounding with the vigor of renewed health, his countenance glowing with hope and joy, he was met by the Pharisees, who told him, with an air of great sanctity, that it was not lawful to carry his bed on the Sabbath day. There was no rejoicing on their part at the deliverance of that long-imprisoned captive, no grateful praise that one was among them who could heal all manner of diseases. Their traditions had been disregarded, and this fact closed their eyes to the evidence of divine power. Bigoted and self-righteous, they would not admit that they could have misapprehended the true design of the Sabbath. Instead of this, they chose to condemn Jesus, notwithstanding the mighty miracle he had performed. There are men of the same spirit to-day, who are blinded by error, and yet they flatter themselves that they are right, and that all who differ from them are in the wrong.

The man who had been healed entered into no controversy with his accusers. He simply answered, "He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk." The Pharisees, pretending ignorance, still urged, "What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?" It was their policy to question and cavil, that they might perplex and entangle him, and lead him to doubt, or else cast discredit upon his testimony.

When the Jews were informed that it was Jesus of Nazareth who had performed the miracle of healing, they sought to put him to death, "because he had done these things on the Sabbath day." To their charges, Jesus calmly replied, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." Through the operations of nature, and by the ministration of angels, God is constantly working to sustain and bless humanity. I am working in perfect harmony with my Father." This answer furnished another pretext to condemn him. Murder was in their hearts, and they waited only for a plausible excuse to take his life. But Jesus steadily continues to assert his true position. "The Son," he says, "can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do; for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth."

Ample evidence had been presented that Jesus was the promised Messiah; yet all who desired to doubt found opportunity. God works through whom he will, by ways and means of his own choosing; but there are ever some to act the part of the criticising Pharisees, who could make the healing of a poor sufferer the occasion of a murderous outbreak. They cannot deny that the power of God is manifested through his servants; but still in some points the work does not accord with their judgment, and if they can find but the semblance of an excuse, they are free to question, doubt, and oppose.

Unbelief will always find an excuse for its existence. If men could criticise and condemn the Saviour's work, when they had such evidence of divine power as the miracle at Bethesda, can we wonder that they criticise and condemn to-day? God would have men believe, not because there is no possibility of doubt, but because there is abundant evidence upon which to base an intelligent faith.

Christ bade the Pharisees, "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me." The Jewish teachers professed to expound the word of God; but had they prayerfully studied and rightly understood its teachings, they would not have substituted their own traditions for the Divine law.

Jesus continued: "Ye will not come to me that ye might have life." "Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" The word of God is slighted and looked upon with distrust for the same reason as was its Author—because it reproves and condemns sin. Many who are unwilling to obey its requirements, endeavor to overthrow its authority. They read the Bible, or listen to its truths as presented from the sacred desk, merely to find fault with the Scriptures or with the sermon. Not a few become infidels, simply through their willful neglect of duty. Others are led to adopt skeptical principles from pride or indolence. They do not love close application, and will not put forth the effort necessary to accomplish anything noble or really useful; but they desire to be thought sharp and critical, to secure a reputation for superior wisdom. Turning their attention to the Bible, they find much which the finite mind, unenlightened by wisdom from above, is powerless to comprehend. Here is a field for the display of their talents, where they can gain a reputation for wit and sharpness without much effort; and they begin to express their doubts and cavilings.

These scoffers may utter many sharp, witty, apt things; but the "poison of asps is under their lips." The father of lies lends them his power and his Satanic cunning. Christians should avoid controversy with these men. We may feel that we are in no danger from their influence; but others will gather about to listen, and some soul may be led into the path of doubt and skepticism. Treat them kindly, but give them no opportunity to parade their infidelity. Give no place for Satan to insinuate his presence. Do not take one step on the enemy's

ground.

God would have his people shun the society of infidels, atheists, and spiritualists. He has warned us of their character and their fate: "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." "The transgressors shall be destroyed together; the end of the wicked shall be cut off."

The great adversary will attempt to overthrow the faith of every follower of Christ. To some he appears as a roaring lion; to others he comes clothed in angel garments, his voice subdued to the gentlest whisper. Our only safety is in clinging with unwavering faith to the word of God, and promptly and resolutely shunning whatever that word condemns, no matter how pleasing its appearance or how specious its pretenses. Though the truth of God may be to the "Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness," to them that believe it is the "power of God and the wisdom of God;" for "wisdom is justified of her children."

THE LORDS PRAYER.

By Rev. W. C. Richards

"AFTER this manner shall ye pray,"-- Said He by whom we come to God; Divinely sweet and perfect way, By suppliant men for ages trod. From humble lips with unfeigned sense, When its inspired petitions rise, Through the dear Master's influence, They reach OUR FATHER in the skies.

Pure homage at his unseen throne, We render in its words divine; His perfect law and will we own, And to their sway our hearts incline. Our trust in His great love we place, For daily bread, and supplicate For pardon of our sins His grace, As others our forgiveness wait.

Against the tempter's charms we plead, And every evil thought and thing; So, in our prayer a perfect creed Of faith and life and love we bring To him whose scepter is eterne; Whose power shall ever be as when He made the countless stars to burn, And whose all glory is—AMEN! —Rev. W. C. Richards.

A New Standard of Morals.

By George D. Ballou

IN a recent issue of the Christian Statesman, in speaking of a certain thing that had transpired in connection with efforts to enforce the Sunday laws, the remark is made concerning the circumstances cited, that they "illustrate the guilt of those officials who fail to enforce the laws which are upheld by the wishes and convictions of so decided a majority of the community."

Now I do not question the official guilt of men who are derelict in the enforcement of any laws, after having been elected to office and sworn to support those laws; nor would I question the character of a law simply because it is upheld by the majority. All good laws ought to be upheld by the majority of the people. But the above statement is subject to criticism, because it is made with reference solely to the enforcement of certain laws which rest only on a human basis.

In this statement, made with reference to certain existing Sunday laws, we have an expression of the spirit that animates the National Reform Association. The Christian Statesman knows as well as the Christian at Work (and that paper acknowledges the fact) and thousands of leading minds in the Sunday cause, that there is not one scrap of even inferential evidence in the Bible for Sunday observance. Nevertheless, in the absence of all divine authority, the Christian Statesman is doing all in its power to create a strong popular sentiment in favor of strict Sunday observance. Then explicit laws enforcing the papal sabbath will be passed, which will express "the [then] wishes and convictions of a decided majority of the community." Then whoever violates these laws will be held to be guilty of a serious crime, and the officials who fail to enforce these laws will be adjudged guilty too; and the people who proclaim that there is no moral obligation inherent in these Sunday laws, and that it is an open act of rebellion against God to give allegiance to the papal sabbath, will be regarded as the greatest offenders of all.

I have called Sunday the papal sabbath because it was introduced by the papacy into the so-called Christian church during the Dark Ages. If any one doubts this, let him inquire of the first Catholic priest he meets, or of any intelligent papist, and he will receive convincing proof that the Sunday-sabbath is a child of the papacy. It is not the Sabbath of the Bible, which God commanded; it is not the Christian sabbath;—there is no such sabbath mentioned in the Bible; it is not the American sabbath;—it was instituted before America was discovered; it is not the Protestant sabbath—the Protestants never made any sabbath. The Protestant Reformers accepted many doctrines and practices just as the mother church taught them, and among these was the keeping of Sunday. Martin Luther said, in his work, "Against the Celestial Prophets," concerning Carlstadt, who was advocating the keeping of the seventh day: "Indeed if Carlstadt were to write further about the Sabbath, Sunday would have to give way; and the Sabbath, that is to say, Saturday, must be kept holy."—Life of Luther in Pictures, p. 147.

No; Sunday is purely the papal sabbath, and the would-be formers and establishers of a national religion in America are doing their best to get this papal institution established in our national constitution; and are endeavoring to so mould public sentiment that it will sustain this kind of legislation, and regard those who oppose so pious (?) a move (the establishment of religion by law) as the most dangerous of fanatics and criminals.

But I mistake in calling this "A New Standard of Morals." It is only new in America, among professed Protestants. Papal Rome once ruled the world, and corrupted every doctrine of the Bible. She made laws to control the consciences and actions of men, which expressed the "wishes and convictions of a decided majority;" and when men chose to yield allegiance to God's word instead of her laws they were deemed guilty of the highest crime, and Rome became guilty before God of shedding the blood of millions of innocent victims, because they would not yield obedience to the wishes of the majority.

Why it is that these Protestant Christians are so blind that they cannot see that they are following in the foot-prints of Rome is more than I can understand. This effort at religious legislation is based solely on the idea of forming a strong popular sentiment, and making this the foundation or standard of public morals. But this is not God's foundation.

From the present progress and animus of the Sunday movement, it cannot be long before the "decided majority" will be able to express their "wishes and convictions" in laws framed to suit themselves. Then what will be done with dissenters? Already, in some States, those who fail to respect the wishes of the majority in matters where only God should govern are adjudged guilty and punished by fine and imprisonment; and what will be the penalty laid on them when the National Reformers shall have accomplished the reform(?) which they ask? The word of God has foreshadowed what it will be. See Rev. 13: 15-17. There will be a general boycott proclaimed against all but worshipers of the beast, and this will be followed by more severe penalties.

Every indication shows the proximity of the time when this man-made standard of morals will be established in the United States. The decline of true godliness in the churches; the popular efforts at evangelical alliance; the growing tendency among the clergy to dabble in politics; the manifest thirst for political power on the part of the church; the recent efforts at persecution in those States which have strict Sunday laws; and the wide-spread effort to secure national Sunday legislation; all these evidences growing more manifest every month foretell with certainty what the near future will bring forth. And the Bible, too, says it is coming.

Who is ready for such times as will follow the success of the National Reform movement? There is safety only in adopting God's standard of morals (Eccl. 12: 13, 14), and by his grace bringing our hearts and lives into harmony with that law which Jesus honored, so that we may be among those of whom it is said in that trying time: "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." G. D. BALLOU.

Humanity Not Christianity.

By Frank Hope

"THAT man has given more to the poor than any man in the town; now that's what I call being a noble Christian," is the remark that a friend made a few days ago. This is also a sample of the opinion of quite a large class of people; they hold that because a man is benevolent he must naturally be a Christian, but this does not necessarily follow. A man may love the poor, sympathize with those in distress, and in the fullness of his heart relieve the wants of the pauper, and yet not be a Christian. He gives for humanity's sake, while the Christian gives only for Christ's sake. Humanity must not be mistaken for Christianity. Many noted highwaymen have given largely to the poor, but of what they robbed from the rich. That they possessed humanity no one will doubt, but there was not a particle of Christianity about them. The virtue in humanity's gift lays in the amount given, but the test in the Christian's gift is in the amount that's left behind; and while humanity rejoices in having given so much, Christianity will weep because she has no more to give. The gift for humanity's sake is good, but to give for Christ's sake is better. The Pharisee who ostentatiously cast in of his abundance pales into insignificance before the poor widow who cast in her all.

Says Christ, "For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always." Christ first, the poor afterward. Had Mary given the money to the poor she would have done well, but in that she gave it to Christ she did better. Had she given for humanity's sake, three hundred souls would each have had the temporal satisfaction of a pennyworth of bread, but in that she did it for Christ's sake, millions have been cheered and encouraged while reading of her devotion and the tenderness of Christ. This is all expressed by Paul, in a single sentence: "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor . . . and have not charity, I am nothing." To feed the poor is humanity, but charity is Christianity. Humanity is transitory and passes away. Christianity is eternal, and, like a river, is continually fed by countless tiny tributaries that, however small and powerless in themselves, all combine to form one golden current that flows into a far more exceeding and eternal sea of glory.

FRANK HOPE.

Priestly Absolution.

By Converted Catholic

INTELLIGENT and respectable Roman Catholics deny that the priest forgives them their sins when he gives them absolution. Here are the facts of the case: They confess all their sins of thought, word, and deed; they make an act of contrition, saying they are sorry for them, and purpose amendment; then the priest raises his hand over the confessing penitent and says, "May our Lord Jesus Christ absolve thee, and I by his authority absolve thee, from all excommunication, suspension, and interdict, as far as I am able and thou needest. Now then, I absolve thee from all thy sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen." As the Council of Trent says, followed by all Roman Catholic theologians, this is a judicial act. The priest is the judge who declares the penitent "not guilty." There is the whole thing in a nutshell.—Converted Catholic.

Faith Shown in Daily Conduct

HE that hath clothes will surely wear them, and not be seen naked. Men talk of their faith, repentance, and love to God; these are precious graces; but why do not such persons let us see those graces walking abroad in their daily conversation? Surely if such guests were in the soul, they would look out sometimes at the windows, and be seen abroad in this duty, or in that holy action.—Christian at Work.

A Loving Heart Presents a Loving Gospel

By H. Clay Trumbull

ONLY a loving heart can effectually present a loving gospel.—H. Clay Trumbull.

The Change of the Sabbath.

By C. P. Bollman

(Concluded.)

THE motives of the leaders in the early church who consented to the commingling of Christianity and paganism are thus stated by Gibbon:—

"The most respectable bishops had persuaded themselves that the ignorant rustics would more cheerfully renounce the superstition of paganism, if they found some resemblance, some compensation, in the bosom of Christianity. The religion of Constantine achieved in less than a century, the final conquest of the Roman Empire; but the victors themselves were insensibly subdued by the arts of their vanquished rivals."—Decline and Fall, chap. 28.

But, as shown in a previous article, notwithstanding the use made of this edict by those leaders in apostasy, the bishops of Rome, the Bible Sabbath was observed, especially in the East, till the Roman Catholic council of Laodicea prohibited it under anathema. And Lyman Coleman, Ancient Christianity Exemplified, chap. 26, sec. 2, says: "Down even to the fifth century the observance of the Jewish Sabbath was continued in the Christian church."

But it was not alone their pagan predilections that influenced the early Gentile Christians in their choice of Sunday; prejudice against the Jews had no small share in the matter as appears from several considerations. That this hatred of the Jews was not only common at that time, but active and virulent, is shown by the following expressions attributed to Constantine himself by Eusebius: "Let us have nothing in common with that most hostile rabble the Jews." "Let us withdraw ourselves from that most odious fellowship." "Use every means that the purity of your minds may not be affected by a conformity in anything with the customs of the vilest of mankind."

These sentiments were expressed by the emperor after his conversion(?), and in view of such utterances it has been most justly remarked that "to have nothing in common with the Jews, they rejected the Sabbath; and to be in conformity with them in nothing, they adopted the Sunday and the image-worship of their heathen neighbors. Surely they made a success of having nothing in common with the Jews."

Protestants all agree that the papal system has in it many features borrowed from Paganism; and just so surely as it has, Sunday-keeping is one of them. Every Bible student knows that the Scriptures contain no hint of a change of the Sabbath by divine authority; scores of first-day writers have acknowledged the fact; ecclesiastical historians of note have repeatedly said that "the festival of Sunday was always only a human ordinance;" and the Christian at Work, a respectable Presbyterian journal, has acknowledged the same truth, and twice published it to the world within the last two years; what need we further witness? Do we not justly accuse "the mystery of iniquity," which even in Paul's day was working for the corruption of the church, with the crime of thinking to change the law of God, especially the fourth commandment?

It matters not that apologists for the change plead that "it was no irreverent or undelightful thing to adopt it [Sunday], inasmuch as the first day of the week was their own high day at any rate;" nor that the change was necessary, as the North British Review pleads (vol. 18, p. 61), "because of the contempt, scorn, and derision they thereby should be had in among all the Gentiles with whom they lived" had they kept any other day than Sunday. It was none the less entirely unauthorized, and therefore a sin against God; and in blindly accepting this false sabbath from the Church of Rome, Protestants have been made to "drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."

But what do Catholics themselves say about this matter? How do they account for the change? Let a Catholic work entitled Abridgment of Catholic Doctrine answer:—

"Ques.—How prove you that the church hath power to command feasts and holy days? "Ans.—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. "Ques.—How prove you that? "Ans.—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."

Another Catholic work, the Doctrinal Catechism, offers proof as follows, that Protestants are not guided by Scripture:—

"Ques.—Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals of precept? "Ans.—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."

This is the view which Catholics take of this matter; and as both history and Scripture prove that they did make the change, the only question for each dividual to settle is, whether or not he will follow the plain teaching of the word of God. The Lord in thunder tones from Sinai said: "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God;" but the Church of Rome says, through emperors, popes, and councils, "The first day is the Sabbath." Which shall we believe? "If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." C. P. BOLLMAN.

The Certainty of Prophecy.

By J. D. Herr, D. D.

MUCH of the prophecy of past ages has crystallized into history of the present. Nothing tests prophecy like history, and therefore the wonderful statements of the Bible must stand or fall, as the verdict of history is written. The unique character of the Bible is most clearly shown in the numerous statements concerning future events.

Prophecy is peculiar to the word of God, and distinguishes it from all other systems of faith. False religions do not deal much with future events. Mahomet, in his public life, expressly disclaimed reliance on prophetic testimony. He was much too sagacious to lay the writings of the Koran open to the certain and unrelenting detection of history. What Mahomet failed to do has been grandly assumed by the inspired word, and the Bible challenges history to detect a flaw in the marvelous assertions made concerning the future.

The Bible does not confine itself to predictions fulfilled within its own limits, and confined alone to its own records. This earth bears the footprints of prophecy, and nations, cities and temples have all met their doom through the blast of Scriptural trumpets. The record of such doom is so plainly written upon the face of history as to be beyond any cavil of the skeptic. If any man doubts whether Jerusalem and its magnificent temple were ever destroyed, he can read Josephus or Gibbon. If he will not accept the statement of Christians concerning Babylon, Tyre, Petra or Nineveh, he can walk among their ruins as he follows profane history or visits the places upon the face of earth where once these proud cities stood in grandeur. The literal fulfillment of predictions which have passed into history should be to each and all an earnest of the future unfolding of those statements yet lying in the womb of coming events. The very certainty of prophecy should induce to its faithful study. We cannot be too deeply impressed with the fact that every word of prophecy shall yet be fulfilled. "Hath He said, and shall he not do it?" What was declared to John amid the awful and sublime revelations on the Isle of Patmos should be carefully remembered by each one as he reads that wonderful book, "These are the true sayings of God." The more fully the mind can penetrate with a conviction of the certainty of prophecy, the higher will be its elevation and enrichment. Nothing is so stimulating to the devout student as to mark the footprints of God along the highways of the centuries. It is the privilege of every student to emulate the Bereans by searching the Scriptures daily. Such an attitude is honorable to God and worthy the stupendous issues involved in future events.—J. D. Herr, D. D.

THOUGHTS AFTER PRAYER.

WHAT though we hear no voice In answer to our prayer? Something subdues despair, Something directs our choice, And we are led as we had sought, "In word, in action and in thought."

O soul, thou waitest still To hear the Voice divine. As on the printed line Thou look'st to find God's will, Look at thy life, and there find wrought The blessing that thy lips have sought.

—Sunday School Times.

God's Power and Man's Need.

By H. R. Kitchel

THE Bible says, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." It is said by scientists that the earth makes a movement backward and forward like the pendulum of a clock every great cycle. As man's invention ticks seconds, so God's invention ticks centuries. So man, compared with his Creator, is as nothing. The smallest worm is far greater as compared with man than man is as compared with his Creator. "What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou visitest him?" We are told that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive of the glorious splendors of that heavenly abode; and how is man to gain this heavenly home? Simply by fearing God and keeping his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

It is a noted fact that nothing is gained in this world without self-denial. No less so in the Christian life. As our lives are naturally inclined to evil instead of good, in order to gain that future life we must deny ourselves the sinful pleasures of this world, and do all to God's honor and glory.

What a great responsibility God has placed upon us! Would it not crush us, if we did not know that the all-seeing Eye is ever upon us, and that God is willing and ready at all times to assist, if we ask him, and in the end give us a rich reward? Shall we not as Christians this day resolve to live better lives, remembering that good thoughts and good deeds, as well as good words, are an evidence of true religion? And may our prayer ever be, that the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in thy sight, O God, our strength and our Redeemer!—H. R. Kitchel, in Christian at Work.

The Family as Society’s True Unit

By Selected

You cannot make people moral or virtuous by Act of Parliament or State control, at least when the nation has outgrown patriarchal government. The family is the true unit of political as well as moral life, from which real and permanent improvement must be sought. Improve the State and you do not necessarily improve the individual. Improve the individual and you necessarily improve the State.—Sel

Continue reading: Establishment of the Vandals in Africa