The American Sentinel, Vol. 7, No. 33 (August 25, 1892) | AdventAI

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IN all the gain of godliness, however, there is no concrete thing mentioned. All the steps which reach up to it, and all its fruits, are spiritual,—certainly so far as their present earthly realization is concerned. The profit of godliness is all in spiritual growth and in the inheritance promised to the faithful, which is not of this world, but is to be laid up where moth and rust do not corrupt, and where no thief has entrance. The injunction is, “lay not up treasures on earth”—then godliness and its fruits are not concrete, of the earth, earthy. They are not gold and silver bullion or souvenir coins, for the time is to come when these precious metals will corrode in the rich man's safety vaults, and no multiple, even, of his many millions will suffice to buy him a cooling draught in that great day of the wrath of the Lord. In that day, Job tells us, there is no hope for the hypocrite however great his earthly gain. He has sold his soul.1 paragraphs
This idea of concrete gain, as a premium upon doing right, seems to raise many peculiar questions. It is presented with much fervor in an editorial article of the Mail and Express, of August 6, under the title, “The Sabbath Triumphant,” in which it is said of the act of Congress closing the World’s Fair on Sunday:—5 paragraphs
This day upon which the text says Jesus of Nazareth entered into the synagogue and taught, as was his wont, is the antithesis of that day over which this editorial paragraph so strangely and inconsistently exults. Were the things which Jesus there taught as diverse? They were. These days are as antithetic as the mystery of iniquity and the mystery of godliness; for they are the standards around which gather the legions of darkness and the hosts of light for the last great conflict. But what was it which Jesus taught upon this Sabbath day in the synagogue, at Nazareth? He read from the prophet Esaias:—W. H. M.4 paragraphs
WHAT shall it profit a man, if he lose his soul? Can a man bargain with God for his soul for a money price? How many souls can he ransom for five millions of silver half dollars. To whom is this bribe due? To God, or to Satan? Or to the municipality of Chicago? Or to the Directors and stockholders of the World's Fair corporation? Are the stockholders of the World's Fair paid two and a half millions of dollars to do right, and is this the kind of gain which is the result of godliness? Does godliness receive “concrete” returns such as this? Do the godly promise to the godly such rewards as this for right doing? Is the gain of this money-bought godliness to be for the saving of the souls of the stockholders who receive the money also, or is it to redound to the eternal advantage of those from whom the money proceeds, or do the stockholders hold in their hands the eternal weal or woe of the millions who may attend the World's Fair, and is this to purchase of these stockholders the salvation of those many millions? If this be so, what is the money value of a soul? Was it God, or was it Satan, who once offered the earth and all its kingdoms for the souls of men,—the only time a concrete price was ever offered for such a commodity?1 paragraphs
THE greatest thing in this world is the opportunity here offered to inherit eternal life. The greatest gain to be had here is the inheritance of the hereafter. But the world that is to come belongs to the Son of God. To inherit with him it is necessary to accept salvation through him, and receive his righteousness. Righteousness is godliness. In godliness there is, therefore, great gain.1 paragraphs
GODLINESS is profitable. It is all-profitable. It is a sure defense for this life and it bears within it the certain promise of the life that is to be. He that has godliness certainly has great gain, for it is the sixth in the list of Christian graces which Peter enumerates, that by diligence are to be added one to the other—faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness; and to this great attainment the apostle yet adds brotherly kindness and charity. This surely is much.1 paragraphs
The Gospel; What It Is, and Its Work As Opposed to the Mystery of Iniquity.[^1]A. T. Jones17 paragraphs
Hands Off!C. P. B.6 paragraphs
Some Scraps of New England History.[^1]14 paragraphs
The Sinai-Columbian Christian Sabbath.F. W. Howe.18 paragraphs
The Trial by BattleW. H. M.5 paragraphs
The Agitation Will Continue.3 paragraphs
A Protest Presented.11 paragraphs
Call for a Council of Religion.8 paragraphs
THE Mail and Express, however, exults at this puerile enforcement of a religious law, and exults because it does enforce what the Mail and Express thinks is religion:—3 paragraphs
THE Woman’s Voice, of Boston, has this commendation of the action of a Massachusetts’s Law and Order League in the enforcement of Sunday laws at Nantasket beach. It is noticeable that it is the Sunday desecration which is the objective point of attack, while the riotousness seems but secondary:—2 paragraphs
NATIONAL RELIGIOUS LIBERTY ASSOCIATION.3 paragraphs
A SPECIAL telegram to the Pittsburg Dispatch, from Punxsutawney, Pa., says:—3 paragraphs
Where there is religious intolerance it can not be invariably depended upon to strike just where the religious majority wishes. It uses a double edged sword that is sometimes dangerous to friends as well as to foes. The Interior, of Chicago, is troubled about this evidence of paganism in Massachusetts:—3 paragraphs
The New York World has this editorial item in reference to Sunday fishing:—7 paragraphs
In New Braunfels, Texas, they are having a brisk agitation of the Sunday law question. The New Braunfels Herald takes the proper position in opposition to Sunday laws, that it is not a proper sphere for the exercise of civil authority, and at the same time denies that there is any authority from God for abstaining from labor on Sunday. Continuing, the Herald says:—5 paragraphs
The Supreme Court of the State of New Jersey, has determined that a fine of one dollar only can be levied upon proprietors of open Sunday amusements in that State and the report therefore is that, on Sunday, Aug. 14, at Atlantic City, contrary to the usual custom and the city ordinances, several carousels, toboggan and scenic railways, and other places of amusement were opened to-day, taking advantage of the recent decision of the State Supreme Court that a fine of one dollar only could be imposed upon places of amusement for remaining open on Sunday.2 paragraphs
The Kentucky Journal expresses itself thus incisively upon the late utterances of the Mail and Express on the passage of the bill closing the World's Fair on Sundays:—3 paragraphs
POLISHED STONES AND SHARPENED ARROWS,C. W. BIBB4 paragraphs
FOUND AT LAST!8 paragraphs
THE STORY OF JESUS.Mrs. G. E. Morton5 paragraphs
CRUDEN'S CONCORDANCE,10 paragraphs
HEALTH FOODS.19 paragraphs
THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESSJohn Bunyan4 paragraphs
THE established order of society is not at fault. The system of government is not at fault. The food supply is not insufficient. There is no stringency of currency. The origin of the whole matter is in the hearts of men. Both parties not only desire, but are determined to do by others as they would not be done by. The labor world, the financial world, the political world, the social world, the religious world, all are dominated at this time by that unrighteous spirit. Capital uses relentlessly the silent power of its inexorable tyranny to accomplish selfish ends. Labor is more than ready to appeal to brute force and violence to reach its own coveted purpose.2 paragraphs
A PARIS, Tenn., lawyer recently said to a reporter of the Chicago Tribune, that there is nothing in the law of Tennessee to say how a man shall observe Sunday, “except that he shall refrain from work, such as he follows during the week, and shall not make a nuisance of himself.” The use of the term “nuisance” in this connection is misleading. Private Sunday work is a nuisance only by a legal fiction. Under decisions of the Supreme Court of Tennessee it is not necessary to show that any one is actually annoyed by the work done; and the Attorney-General told the writer of this note that a man working on Sunday where he could be seen and heard only by persons who went there to see and hear him, would be as guilty as though the work were done in the most public manner. The “nuisance” consists solely in the fact that the work is done by those who dissent from the dogma that Sunday is a sacred day. So far as we are aware, this law has never been enforced against anybody but observers of the seventh day. It was invoked a number of years ago against a barber; but the Supreme Court held that barbering on Sunday, though finable, was not a nuisance, and so not indictable. But why not, if quiet farm work is a nuisance, and indictable? Simply because by his work the barber was not emphasizing his dissent from the dogma of Sunday sacredness. He was working on Sunday, not because he denied its sacred character, but simply for worldly gain; hence, according to the Supreme Court of Tennessee, the annoyance occasioned by his work did not amount to a nuisance. A wonderful thing is this nuisance law, truly!1 paragraphs
Now that the Government of the United States has invaded the domain of religious controversy it will dominate it; inasmuch as it has assumed jurisdiction to settle religious questions by act of Congress and by Supreme Court decisions it will surely never yield that jurisdiction. When Constantine had made Rome “Christian” it was only natural that he should seek an authoritative definition of Christianity; and when the Council of Nicea had given that definition in the shape of the creed which it adopted, nothing was more natural than that the emperor should require his subjects to subscribe to it. The Government of the United States has entered upon the same evil course. The Supreme Court has declared the Nation to be Christian. Congress has already taken sides in a religious controversy, and to be consistent must not the Government use all the power at its command to enforce that decision and to uphold the Sunday-Sabbath cause which it has espoused? A United States senator has well said, “The domain which government invades it dominates; the jurisdiction it takes it keeps.” This is true whatever the domain or the jurisdiction; and it always has been true.1 paragraphs
IN three States of the Union there is organized resistance to State and municipal authority. The combined organization which is threatened would amount to an open revolt against present industrial conditions and relations. This resort to violence and armed rebellion is not because of a lack of the necessities of life. Its primary purpose is revolutionary.1 paragraphs
It would be well for statesmen, and political and social economists, and bankers, and capitalists, and directors of great moneyed corporations, to ask themselves why these men have risen against the present state and system of civilization as represented by the industrial interests of which they have been a part. It would be well for labor agitators, and master workmen, and workingmen, to ask themselves why they are in insurrection against the State, destroying the property upon the use of which they themselves, and others, are dependent, and threatening the peace of society. Is there any sufficient civil, social, or economic reason for this? There is not. From that point of view no sufficient cause can be affirmed. The cause arises farther back than civil, social or economic relations, it is in mutual, moral responsibilities which have been ignored, until now this reign of terror is developing. It is the natural and necessary result of mutual error and mutual wrong. Both parties are at fault.1 paragraphs
THE press of Tennessee is demanding a new constitution for the State. No doubt the present constitution is deficient in some respects; it certainly is if it means what the courts of the State hold that it does. The constitution says that “no human authority can in any case whatever interfere with the rights of conscience;” but the courts demand that men educate their consciences by the laws of Tennessee. And the authorities claim that under the laws of the State, Sabbath keepers imprisoned for Sunday work may be compelled to work on the Sabbath; also that any Sabbath keeper is liable to be warned out to work on the road on the Sabbath and mulcted if he refuses to go. That is the sort of equality that exists under the present constitution of Tennessee as interpreted by the courts. But it is not along these lines that the papers of the State are demanding a revision of the constitution.1 paragraphs
Now that the churches and the saloons have united in the support of the Sunday institution, as they have done in securing the Sunday closing of the World's Fair, we may expect to see its sacredness(?), such as it is, increased at a tremendous pace. Of course Sunday has only such sacredness as man has given it, but what it lacks in quality its friends have always endeavored to make up in quantity, and now re-enforced by the Chicago saloon keepers they ought to be able to whitewash the ancient pagan holiday more effectively than ever.1 paragraphs