Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 8, 1880
General Articles.
By Mrs. E. G. White
NECESSITY OF TEMPERANCE.
BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
THE case of Aaron's sons has been placed upon record for the benefit of God's people, and should teach those especially who are preparing for the second coming of Christ, that the indulgence of a depraved appetite destroys the fine feelings of the soul, and so affects the reasoning powers which God has given to man, that spiritual and holy things lose their sacredness. Disobedience looks pleasing, instead of exceeding sinful. Satan rejoices to see men, formed in the image of their Maker, yield themselves as slaves to a depraved appetite; for he can then successfully control the powers of the mind, and lead those who are intemperate to act in a manner to debase themselves and dishonor God, by losing the high sense of his sacred requirements. It was the indulgence of the appetite which caused the sons of Aaron to use common, instead of sacred, fire for their offerings.
The punishment visited upon the sons of Aaron for their sin in departing from God's commandment, should be a warning to those who transgress the fourth commandment of Jehovah, which is very plain: "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work," etc. Nearly all the professed followers of Christ profane the day which God has sanctified and required them to keep holy as a memorial of the Creator's rest. They labor upon God's holy time, and rest on the first day of the week, thus honoring a common working day, a day upon which God did not rest, and upon which he has placed no sacred honor.
A departure from the fourth commandment will not now be immediately visited with temporal death; yet God does not regard the violation of his commandments any more lightly than he did the transgression of Aaron's sons. Death is the final punishment of all who reject light, and continue in transgression. When God says, Keep holy the seventh day, he does not mean the sixth, nor the first, but the very day he has specified. When men substitute a common day for the sacred, and say that it will do just as well, they insult the Maker of the heavens and the earth, who instituted the Sabbath to commemorate his rest after the six days of creation. It is a dangerous thing to deviate from the commands of God. He who is infinite in wisdom has given explicit directions in regard to his own worship, and all who desire to serve him should follow the exact course he has prescribed. God will teach all his creatures that he means just what he says.
Parents and children should be warned by the history of Nadab and Abihu. Appetite, indulged, perverted the reasoning powers, and led to the breaking of an express command, which brought the judgment of God upon them. Notwithstanding children may not have had the right instruction, and their characters not have been properly molded, God proposes to connect them with himself as he did Nadab and Abihu, if they will heed his commands. If they will with faith and courage bring their will in submission to the will of God, he will teach them, and their lives may be like the pure white lily, full of fragrance on the stagnant waters. They must resolve in the strength of Jesus to control inclination and passion, and every day win victories over Satan's temptations. This is the way God has marked out for men to serve his high purposes.
Men who make laws to control the people should above all others be obedient to the higher laws which are the foundation of all rule in nations and in families. How important that men who have a controlling power should themselves feel they are under a higher control. They will never feel thus while their minds are weakened by indulgence in narcotics, and strong drink. Those to whom it is intrusted to make and execute laws should have all their powers in vigorous action. They may, by practicing temperance in all things, preserve the clear discrimination between the sacred and common, and have wisdom to deal with that justice and integrity which God enjoined upon ancient Israel. Man may cultivate his powers, and with invincible determination rise to the high standard God has set for him in his word. Then with wisdom he may judge uprightly and with a sense that the eye of God is upon him, he will not swerve from the right, but will be kind, sympathizing, despising bribes, and governed by the highest motives in all his service.
Many who are elevated to the highest positions of trust in serving the public are the opposite of this. They are self-serving, and generally indulge in the use of narcotics, and wine and strong drink. Lawyers, jurors, senators, judges, and representative men have forgotten that they cannot dream themselves into a character. They are deteriorating their powers through sinful indulgences. They stoop from their high position to defile themselves with intemperance, licentiousness, and every form of evil. Their powers prostituted by vice opens their path for every evil. An elevated position of trust does not make the man after God's own heart, but too frequently it leads him to despise persevering labor, and to forget that sin alone will make man really mean and low. He who toils in earnest labor, striving to make the most of his God-given powers, in homage and love to his Creator is doing his work as faithfully in his sphere as are the cherubim and seraphim in their most sacred work, and loftiest ministrations.
Intemperate men should not by vote of the people be placed in positions of trust. Their influence corrupts others, and grave responsibilities are involved. With brain and nerve narcotized by tobacco and stimulus they make a law of their nature, and when the immediate influence is gone there is a collapse. Frequently human life is hanging in the balance; on the decision of men in these positions of trust, depends life and liberty, or bondage and despair. How necessary that all who take part in these transactions should be men proved, men of self-culture, men of honesty and truth, of stanch integrity, who will spurn a bribe, who will not allow their judgment or convictions of right to be swerved by partiality or prejudice. Thus saith the Lord, "Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of the poor in his cause. Keep thee from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay them not, for I will not justify the wicked. And thou shalt take no gift; for the gift blindeth the wise and perverteth the words of the righteous."
In order to carry out these stern principles of right, intemperance is positively forbidden of God. God requires that the faculties of man should be well balanced, the judgment clear and discriminating, that ideas may be received through the senses and compared with one another, investigating calmly, patiently, critically, evidences presented and arranging the matter with the action of sound judgment without a faculty being perverted. This was God's purpose, and he forbids on penalty of death that the gifts of intellect he has bestowed upon man shall be subverted by narcotics or stimulus of any kind, that the talents he has intrusted to man may be a tower of strength to the people, in the place of a power to ruin and destroy. All who would meet the mind of God and come off conquerors, must bid adieu to ease, luxury, flattery, and vice, and arm themselves for the mighty, soul-testing struggle against indulgence of appetite.
Men would not in our day venture to so recklessly depart from God's requirements were not their moral powers weakened by indulgence of perverted appetite. The example of our first parents, and the result of their disobedience, would deter them from a like experience. The history of this one family is traced by the pen of inspiration for the benefit of all who should live upon the earth, that they should not follow in the same steps.
The history of Nadab and Abihu is also given as a warning to man, showing that the effect of wine upon the intellect is to confuse. And it will ever have this influence upon the minds of those who use it. Therefore God explicitly forbids the use of wine and strong drink. No one can pervert his reasoning powers and alone suffer the consequences. God designs that man should be a help to his fellow-man; that with clear, unimpaired faculties he should study the divine plan for the advancement of God's work, and the upbuilding of his cause in the earth. He is inviting men even in this age to connect with him, and through strictly temperate habits, with clear perception honor God. He has made provision that the life of not one should be profitless. He proposes to lift up and ennoble man to a companionship with himself.
Those who would have the peace that Christ can give must not shrink from self-conflict, and self-denial. Those noble virtues which shine forth in the Christian character amid the fiercest temptations, and that firm endurance which no trial or misfortune can wear out, are not found with those who use wine, tobacco, or strong drink. Men who have formed an appetite for these things may overcome if they but seek the help of Jesus. Their light need not go out in darkness. In Christ they may be strong, and in his all-powerful name they may conquer. They must never allow self-indulgence to come between them and their God. They must be prepared to risk everything, even life itself, rather than defile the soul temple.
They have, contrary to God's will, created unnatural appetites, and now they must seek to undo their former work. The will must be brought under the control of the will of God; this will give them power to lead others into close relation with Christ, and help them to build up a character as fixed in righteousness as the everlasting hills. If we would go in safe paths we must be controlled by divine rules, and must wash our robes of character in the blood of the Lamb from every defilement.
PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERING.
God never would send you the darkness
If he felt you could bear the light;
But you would not cling to his guiding hand
If the way were always bright.
And you would not care to walk by faith
Could you always walk by sight.
'Tis true he has many an anguish
For your sorrowful heart to bear,
And many a cruel thorn-crown
For your tired head to wear.
He knows how few would reach Heaven at all
If pain did not guide them there.
So he sends you the blinding darkness,
And the furnace of seven-fold heat;
'Tis the only way, believe me,
To keep you close to his feet,
For 'tis always so easy to wander
When our lives are glad and sweet.
Then nestle your hand in your Father's,
And sing, if you can, as you go;
Your song may cheer some one behind you
Whose courage is sinking low.
And well, if your lips do quiver,
God will love you better so.
CONVERSION OF THE WORLD.
By U. L. H.
WHAT are the present prospects of a church that has set out in all confidence to convert the world? How may those now putting on the harness boast of greater expected success than is warranted by the experience of those who have put it off after having fought the good fight? The prophets could not convert the world; are we mightier than they? The apostles could not convert the world; are we stronger than they? The martyrs could not convert the world; can we do more than they? The church for eighteen hundred years could not convert the world; can we do it? They have preached the gospel of Christ, so can we. They have gone to earth's remotest bounds, so can we. They have saved "some," so can we. They have wept as so few believed their report, so can we. They have finished their course with joy, and the ministry they have received to testify of the gospel of the grace of God; we can do the same. Can we reasonably hope to do more? "It would take to all eternity to bring the Millennium at the rate that modern revivals progress," said the venerable Dr. Lyman Beecher, before a ministerial convention, held close by old Plymouth rock. And what hope is there that they will progress more rapidly? Is it in the word of God? Glad would we be to find it there. Sadly we read that "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived."
Has God a mightier Saviour—a more powerful Spirit? Has he another gospel which will save the world? Where is it? There is any way to the kingdom other than that which leads through much tribulation? Is there another way to the crown besides the way of crosses? Can we reign with Him unless we first suffer in his cause?
No doubt the world might be converted if they desired to know the Lord. And so, had all who heard received with gladness the word of God, the world might have been converted within twenty years of the day of Pentecost. If each Christian had brought one single soul to God with each successive year, the calm splendors of the Millennial era might have shone upon the declining years of the apostles of Jesus Christ. But instead of this, ages of darkness came on. The world did not repent, but the church apostatized. If the gospel were to convert the world, we should have seen tokens of it ere this. But where are such omens to be found? Shall we look at Judson, who labored ten long years before one sinner yielded to the claims of the gospel? Shall we look at the dense darkness of the heathen world? Shall we look at the formalism of the professed church? Shall we look at the wide extension of infidelity? Shall we look at the abounding of iniquity and the waxing cold of love? Shall we look at a world, where eighteen hundred years of toil and tears have not brought one-twentieth part of mankind even to a profession of true Christianity; and where not more than one-fifth claim for themselves the dubious title of Christian nation? Shall we look over a world in which we can not find one nation of Christians, nor one tribe of Christians, nor one city of Christians, nor one town of Christians, nor one village of Christians, nor one hamlet of Christians, save here and there a questionable faith has led a few, with hypocrites even then in their midst, to withdraw themselves from the world and cherish the untried virtues of secluded life? Surely, after eighteen hundred years of experiment with that system which was to convert the world, men might point to some country, to some province, to some nation, and say, behold the commencement of a converted world.
But will the gospel then prove a failure? That depends upon what is to be expected of it. If the gospel was to effect the eternal salvation of all mankind, then failing to accomplish that work is a failure of the gospel. If the gospel was to convert the world, then if it is not done it will prove a failure. But if the gospel was preached "to take OUT OF the Gentiles a people for His name," then it is not a failure. If it was given that God might in infinite mercy and love "save SOME," then it is not a failure. If it was given that every repentant sinner might have eternal life, and that every good soldier might receive a crown of glory, then it is not a failure. If it was given that an innumerable company might be redeemed OUT OF every nation and kindred and tongue under heaven, then it is not a failure. If it was given that the vales and hills of Paradise restored, might teem with a holy throng who shall be "equal to the angels, and be the children of God, being the children of the resurrection," then it is not a failure. If it was given that the elect might be brought into one great family of holy ones, then it is not a failure. And was this its object, rather than the exaltation of a worldly church, while beneath the theatre of their easy triumph there slumbers the ashes of prophets and the dust of the apostles? Are they to hold jubilee a thousand years, while the martyrs' unceasing cry, "how long, O Lord," goes up to God? Are they to have their songs of triumph, while the whole creation groaneth for deliverance, and while that longed-for day of the redemption of our body is postponed? Nay, verily, the hope of the one body is one hope. The hope of the church stops not at death, it sweeps beyond earth's scenes of tempest and of storm, and reposes in the calm beamings of the Sun of righteousness which shall glow above the bosom of Paradise regained.
Thus teaches the word of the Lord. Thus reponds the universal church. There are, I know, with regard to the details, differences of opinion. But this only strengthens the argument. It shows that the church were not led by blind reverence to the traditions of their fathers. But on the leading features they all agree. Wide apart as the poles in their theological opinions, they all agree in one point, that the coming of Jesus and the scenes of judgment must precede the rest of the church of God. They all agree that the church shall never reign till she reigns complete in the presence of her Lord. They all agree that earth is not her rest until renewed by the power of God. They agree that the world will not be converted, but that the Judge of quick and dead must come upon a race not ready for the harvest of glory, but ripe for the sickle of wrath. And is not this the voice of the prophets and apostles? If we read that God will comfort all that mourn in Zion, is it not at "the day of vengeance of our God?" If Christ is to have the heathen for his inheritance, will he not "break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces as a potter's vessel?" If the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ, is it not when "nations are angry and God's wrath is come?" If the new covenant be made with men, is it not beyond preaching and teaching, that they shall not any more teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, Know ye the Lord, for all shall know him from the least even unto the greatest? If Jerusalem is to be comforted by the blessing of God, will he not make her an eternal excellency? If God create new heavens and a new earth, shall not God's saints "be glad and rejoice forever in that which he creates?" If the "righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father," will not the tares be first gathered in bundles and cast into "the furnace of fire?" So of the whole Scripture. The old earth must be dissolved ere the new one can appear—Satan must be dethroned ere Christ can reign, and death must be swallowed up in victory ere the saints can sing the victor's song.
Toward those scenes we hasten. The coming of the Lord draweth nigh. The rest is before us, and the toil is very brief. But alas for the world. Woe to an earth that will not repent. The deluge and the Dead Sea tell us what God has done. The Scriptures tell us what he will do. The sword shall not always sleep in the scabbard—even now it is about to be unsheathed. Watchman, set the trumpet to thy lips! Sound in the ears of the world the dread alarm—"But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come and take away any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand!"
A SKEPTIC'S ESTIMATE OF CHRIST.
By John Stuart Mill
"It remains a possibility that Christ actually was what he supposed himself to be, . . . a man charged with a special, express and unique commission from God, to lead mankind to truth and virtue. About the life and sayings of Jesus there is a stamp of personal originality, combined with profundity of insight, that. . . must place the prophet of Nazareth, even in the estimation of those who have no belief in his inspiration, in the very first rank of the men of sublime genius of whom our species can boast. When this preeminent genius is combined with the qualities of probably the greatest reformer and martyr to that mission who ever existed upon earth, religion cannot be said to have made a bad choice, in pitching on this man, as the ideal representative and guide of humanity, nor, even now, would it be easy, even for an unbeliever, to find a better translation of the rule of virtue from the abstract into the concrete, than to endeavor so to live that Christ would approve our life."—John Stuart Mill, in Essays on Religion.
THE FIRST PRAYER IN CONGRESS.
In Thatcher's Military Journal, under date of December, 1777, is found a note containing the identical "first prayer in Congress," made by the Rev. Jacob Duche, a gentleman of great eloquence. Here it is—an historical curiosity:—
"O Lord, our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings, and Lord of lords, who dost from Thy throne behold all the dwellers of the earth, and reignest with power supreme and uncontrolled over all the kingdoms, empires and governments, look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor, and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee. To Thee they have appealed for the righteousness of their cause; to Thee do they now look up for that countenance and support which Thou alone canst give. Take them, therefore, Heavenly Father, unto, Thy nurturing care. Give them wisdom in council and valor in the field. Defeat the malicious designs of our adversaries; convince them of the unrighteousness of their cause; and, if they still persist in sanguinary purposes, oh! let the voice of Thine own unerring justice, sounding in their hearts, constrain them to drop the weapons of war from their unnerved hands in the day of battle. Be Thou present, O God of assembly. Enable them to settle things on the best and surest foundation, that the scenes of blood may be speedily closed, and order, harmony and peace may be effectually restored, and truth and justice, religion and piety, prevail and flourish amongst Thy people. Preserve the health of their bodies and the vigor of their minds; shower down upon them and the millions they here represent such tempered blessings as Thou seest expedient for them in this world, and crown them with everlasting glory in the world to come. All this we ask, in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Saviour. Amen!"
THE ARGUMENT FROM DESIGN.
JOHN STUART MILL advised all who would prove the Divine Existence to adhere to the argument from design. Even Matthew Arnold says that all he can say against the argument from design is, that he has had no experience in world-building. "We know from experience that men make watches, and bees make honey-combs. We do not know from experience that a Creator of all things makes ears and buds."
What if Red Cloud and Chief Joseph had been brought to the Centennial, or to Washington? What if they had seen the majestic dome of our National Capitol and all the marvels of the Centennial? Red Cloud would have said, if he had followed Matthew Arnold's philosophy, "I have had experience in building wigwams. I know the path from my house to the hut of Seven Thunders, or Bear Paw. I know that every such path is made by some cause. I know that every wigwam must have been built by some man, but this railroad—I never had experience in building railroads—I do not know but that it was finished out of the sea. This marble Capitol, these wonderful and strange things in the Centennial! I have never had any experience in making columbiads or spinning-jennies. I know that the flint which I sharpen for my arrow must be shaped by some man; but this columbiad, I do not know but that it grew. This spinning-jennie! I have had no experience in factories and weaving machines and these marvels. I think this loom was evolved!"
The Christian Sentinel’s Duty
By Buddington
The sentinel picketed to watch the enemy, does his duty by giving the alarm if the enemy approaches—not by advancing single-handed to the conflict. So the duty of a Christian, watchfully discerning the approach of temptation, is to convey the case to God; it is foolhardiness to adventure into the combat unsent and unprovided for. —Buddington
"WE WALK BY FAITH."
By R. F. Cottrell
FAITH differs from credulity on the one hand, and skepticism on the other. Credulity believes without evidence, faith upon evidence, and skepticism doubts in the face of all evidence. The credulous person is fluctuating—now he believes this, and now he believes that. The skeptical person is constantly wavering—ever on the fence between faith and infidelity, sometimes inclining one way and sometimes the other; at one time almost believing, at another, full of doubt. But the person of faith, the believer, is constant, calm, and steadfast. His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. While the credulous are carried about with every wind of doctrine, and the skeptical, though desiring to be established, dare not believe anything, the believer is decided and firm; he is the only person securely anchored, having rest to his soul.
To the credulous let me say, Feeling is not faith. Your impulses are a movable foundation. Faith must rest upon evidence. Examine carefully the testimony before you believe. Look before you leap.
But, my skeptical friend, faith is not sight. If you wait to see everything, you never will believe anything. That which purports to be divine revelation should be examined in all its leading features and tendencies. The strong points in the evidences should be weighed. And if it carries unmistakable evidences of truth as a whole system, accept it as a whole, though you may not be able to comprehend every particular part. Faith fixes upon the grand points, the overwhelming evidences of the great system of divine revelation, and no caviling in regard to minor points of a seemingly questionable character, can move it from its firm foundation. If you cannot see clearly every minute particular, turn your eyes to the main pillars. Do not cast away the whole beautiful structure, because you cannot comprehend the utility of each minutest part. Having satisfied yourself of the firmness of the foundation, the beauty and stability of the edifice, evincing the consummate knowledge and skill of the architect, conclude that it is right in every particular, had you the wisdom to understand it. The Lord has given you irrefragable proofs of the heavenly origin of revelation. He wants you to accept it as a whole, upon the evidences he has given, and those points you do not clearly comprehend, upon trust.
Do you say, That is "going it blind?" We reply, It is walking by faith. It would be the greatest, the most complete blindness, that would deny the beauty and glory of the whole creation, because we cannot discover its remotest spheres, or discern its minutest animalculæ, with the naked eye. So it is blindness indeed to reject the whole beautiful fabric of faith, because our darkened eyes cannot discern the beauty of all its parts. It is blindness to shut ourselves away from the light of day, and then deny that the sun shines. It is better to acknowledge and receive the light, that our weak eyes may be strengthened to see more and more clearly.
Abraham, the father of the faithful, walked by faith. He believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. After God had promised the great blessing to mankind, the blessing of the Messiah through his son Isaac, he said to him, Take your son, even Isaac, and go and kill him for a sacrifice. Did Abraham say, I can't see it—that would be going it blind? No. He walked forward by obedient faith, trusting in God in whom he had believed; and the difficulty was cleared up to his entire satisfaction.
My friends, you who are troubled with doubts, either of the volume of inspiration, or of the present work of the Lord, grasp with steadfastness the firm and immovable pillars of the faith, and drive your doubts to the wind. Let not your pride of opinion brood over this objection or that, till it hatches a nest of vipers. Your salvation is depending. Settle it in your mind. Is God the author of revelation? Does he live? and is he leading his people? Is his down-trodden truth being restored? and is he thus preparing a people for translation? If every invulnerable argument, and every infallible test prove this to be so, venture your all upon it without reserve. If God has manifested his strong hand and his outstretched arm in bringing his people out of Egypt and to the border of the sea, falter not at the command to move forward. A path will be opened to them that believe.
Oh, believe on the Lord; believe his word, believe his work. We have no new revelation, only what prophets and apostles and Jesus Christ himself declared should be; even that Christ would be with his people always, even to the end of the world. Learn to weigh evidence—learn to believe. Take fully the yoke of Christ and learn of him, and you will find rest to your soul. Walk by faith, and you will not walk in the darkness of doubt.
R. F. COTTRELL.
THE POPULAR SERMONS
IN the following language the Oakland Daily Times reads a lesson to the ministers who complain of Sunday amusements:—
It is not uncommon for some of our clergymen to occasionally lament that their churches do not appear to be as attractive as the beer gardens and the Sunday picnics. Their invectives against carousals on Sunday would be equally well merited if directed against excesses on any other day of the week. It is not likely that these people would become church-goers if Sunday amusements were prohibited altogether. The churches have lost little or nothing from any defection of that kind. Their diminished congregations are not due to the absence of the thoughtless pleasure-seekers or the participants in public carousals. There is an enormous number of men and women who naturally should be attendants at religious exercises, because they are moral, intelligent and prosperous, but who stay away. When the ministers discover the reason for the indifference, they may adopt an entirely different theory. There must be some powerful and deep seated reason why so many thousands of educated and moral people, of high standing, absent themselves from church. Perhaps it is because the preaching is not adapted to their mental wants. It may be that the sermons are too much like lectures upon public questions on which public opinion is divided. It might be a novelty in some pulpits if there were more of the old-fashioned, orthodox sermons. Some people like the skepticism and vagueness of ministers without a doctrine, but under the name of liberalism, it is finding its way into all of the denominations. If there were more clergymen who adhered to the ancient landmarks of the faith they profess, we believe that their sermons would prove more attractive, even to people who make no religious professions. The knowledge that a sermon is to be upon some of the topics that are under discussion in the newspapers every day, is as apt to repel as to attract an audience. There is far too much cheap preaching, by men who have not the talent or the educational attainments that used to be thought essential. The good men have indulged in a good deal of scolding because the sinners and the sluggards will not listen to them, and the trouble of which they complain is all the while becoming more serious. They might try another experiment: stick closer to the doctrines of their own denominations, let politics alone, and be more discriminating in the admission of future candidates for the sacred calling.
THE PUREST PEARL.
By Jennie A. Harmon
BESIDE the church-door, aweary and alone,
A blind woman sat on the cold door-stone.
The wind was bitter, the snow fell fast,
And a mocking voice in the fitful blast
Seemed ever to echo her moaning cry,
As she begged for alms of the passers by:
"Have pity on me, have pity, I pray;
My back is bent and my head is gray."
The bells were ringing the hour of prayer,
And many good people were gathering there,
But covered with furs and mantle warm,
They hurried past through the wintry storm.
Some were hoping their souls to save,
And some were thinking of death and the grave;
And, alas! they had no time to heed
The poor soul asking for charity's need.
And some were blooming with beauty's grace,
Closely muffled in veils of lace;
They saw not the sorrow nor heard the moan
Of her who sat on the cold door-stone.
At last came one of noble name,
By the city counted the wealthiest dame,
And the pearls that o'er her neck were strung,
She proudly these to the beggar flung.
Then followed a maiden young and fair,
Adorned with clusters of golden hair;
But her dress was thin and scanty and worn—
Not even the beggar seemed more forlorn;
With a tearful look, and a pitiful sigh,
She whispered soft, "No jewels have I,
But I give you my prayers, good friend," said she,
"And surely I know God listens to me."
On her poor, weak hand, so shrunken and small,
The blind woman felt a tear-drop fall,
Then kissed it, and said to the weeping girl—
"It is you that have given the purest pearl."
—Jennie A. Harmon.
Forebodings About Others
HALF our forebodings about others are only wishes which we are ashamed to utter as wishes.
Children Perish in Angola Fire
A DEPLORABLE accident has occurred at Angola, Ind. A dwelling in that town, occupied by Mrs. Smith, was destroyed by fire on May 15th. Mrs. Smith was absent at the time attending a dance several miles distant. She left three children at home, a boy fourteen years old, and two girls of the ages of nine and five years, who perished in the flames. A man who was sleeping in the cellar also perished. He had gone there late at night in an intoxicated condition. He was unmarried, and twenty-five years old. The roof of the building fell in before the fire was discovered. The charred remains of the children were gathered together for interment when the mother returned from her dance.
FEET WASHING.
WE copy the following remarks on this subject from a correspondent of the Baptist Banner, omitting that part of his article which refers to another writer:—
“As there are many that are not scholars enough to translate, there is no safer plan than to take the word as we have it, and practice it in our lives. If we have not the pure word let us get some of our learned brethren to give it to us. We need something to bring us on a more common level, as Christians. To-day we need more union, more communion, more manifest love to each other. Could we do any better than to obey the injunction to wash each other’s feet as the blessed Lord said we ought? He must have known what was best for us. In John 13:3–15, Jesus says, ‘If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet ye also ought to wash one another’s feet; for I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you.’ It does seem to me that this passage is too plain to cavil about. Brethren, let us lay aside caviling about words and be willing to do just what the Saviour said we ought, as obedient children. If a parent says to a son, “you ought to do this or that,” if he is obedient will he not go and do it and not excuse himself by saying that he was not told he must? So far as man’s opinions are concerned they are worth nothing unless backed up by the word. Submitted in love of truth and the brethren. Humility.”
PETER'S PRAYER.
It was one of the shortest prayers recorded in the Bible—only three words, and yet it brought an immediate answer.
What was it in those words, "Lord, save me," that secured such a prompt and effectual response?
It was a humble prayer. Peter knew that he was beginning to sink—that he was utterly helpless in the midst of angry waves which were ready to swallow him up, and he was willing to acknowledge his helplessness. In that sudden sharp cry for help he did acknowledge it.
It was a sincere prayer for just the thing that he wanted. Those three significant words went exactly to the point of his need. He wanted to be saved, and without any vain repetition of unmeaning words he cried, "Lord, save me!"
If he had time enough, he might have said, "O, thou omnipotent Ruler of the universe, in thine infinite compassion condescend to stretch out thine almighty arm for the succor of one of thy feeble children." But such a prayer could not have received any better answer than the simple pointed one that he did utter.
May we not learn from this example to say just what we mean when we come before the Lord and to call upon him in a few words when we have no time for more?
But while we rejoice in this privilege, let us guard ourselves against the mistake of supposing that a short prayer is necessarily better than a long one. Three words will not ordinarily be enough to cover all our needs.
"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray."
—American Messenger.