Signs of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 43. (10/25/1899)

Signs of the Times

Oct 25, 1899

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 25, 1899

"AGAINST THEMSELVES."

PRINCIPLES are greater than men; for they make men what they are. A good character is but the development of good principles; an evil character, of evil principles. A good man is a good principle incarnate. An evil man is an evil principle incarnate. Each is the impersonation of the principle which actuates him.

THOUGHTFUL men and Christians will look beyond the man to the principle. If the man's character be evil, they will shun the evil principle which made the man what he is, even tho they endeavor to save the man. While they hate the principle of evil, they love the man because of the possibility of an eternal character of good within him if right principles may only be given the opportunity to rule his heart and life.

THE most precious thing in all the universe is character. The names written to all eternity in "the Lamb's book of life," are names of eternal characters of good. It is to those names and those characters that God calls every morally responsible soul. It is to save men to these characters, having essentially within themselves immortality, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died. But these characters are made up of living principles of righteousness.

IT, therefore, inevitably follows that he who receives the principle without reserve, in that principle receives the character. While it is true that character is a matter of development, covering a period of time and involving choice and test, it is nevertheless all involved in the principle whole-heartedly received and everlastingly held.

HE, therefore, who truly accepts Jesus Christ receives the eternal principles of unselfishness, righteousness, truth, and love, which made the character of Christ what it was,—the character of God incarnate. The acceptance of Christ Jesus can not be merely nominal. The mere name is nothing. A man may be called Christian, or any other name; but that does not make the man. The character—the embodiment of eternal, essential principle—is all-important. And the principles of Christ received will make the character of Christ.

THE reverse of this must also be true. The rejection of Christ is not in mere formal resolution. It may be put in words long after; but it takes place when the human soul meets the principles of right face to face and rejects them. He may be a church-member; he may even be a teacher, a preacher; he may write after his name D.D., or S.T.D., but if he has rejected the principles which made Christ's character, he has rejected Christ. Does he reject righteousness, humility, faith, purity, liberty of conscience?—In these very things he rejects Christ. And this has been as true in men's actions toward Christ's followers. It is an eternal truth.

Photo by the editor, March 2, 1904. House Originally Built by Roger Williams in 1634. Used in the Trials of "Witches," 1692; now a Drug Store.

ANOTHER vitally important consideration is that the rejection of any principle of right is always against the rejecter. He is in the long run the worst sufferer. He may reject that principle in a man. He may persecute, banish, imprison, and even put to death with torture the man in whom the principles are incarnate, yet he is doing it all against himself; and in the ultimate he is the greater loser. For in rejecting eternal principle, he has rejected eternal life; while his victim, who laid down his life for Christ's sake, has in Christ preserved it to all eternity; and Christ "will raise him up at the last day."

THEREFORE when men rejected the preaching of John the Baptist, they "rejected the counsel of God against themselves." Luke 7:30. When the Jews rejected Jesus Christ, of whom John was the forerunner, they hid from their own eyes the things of righteousness which belonged to their peace. Luke 19:41-44. When the Jews a little later at Antioch set themselves against Paul and Barnabas, they also set themselves against the Gospel of salvation, which the apostles preached, and judged themselves "unworthy of everlasting life." Acts 13:46. And so it has been in every age. Pagan Rome and Papal Rome were not merely against so many mere men and women of an obscure sect—heretics; they rejected in their treatment of those men and women the eternal principles of expansive truth and righteousness for which the martyrs stood. It was not Martin Luther which the Papacy rejected, but justification by faith in Christ for which Luther, notwithstanding his faults, stood.

WHEN the Puritans of Massachusetts drove from them Roger Williams, they drove out religious liberty, of which Williams was but the incarnation. But when Salem received him, they did it evidently because of the man; for two years after he had settled in Salem he was driven thence by a superstitious, tradition-loving people.

THESE reflections crowd upon us as we contemplate the history associated with the modest building in our illustration. It was built by Roger Williams when he was invited to Salem in 1634. He was driven from Salem because of his principles of liberty, through the influence of Massachusetts, in 1636. In banishing Williams the people of Salem banished justice and liberty, and belied the name of their town. It was no longer Salem—peace—but superstition, turmoil, strife; and fifty years later their seedsowing

resulted in the baleful harvest of the Salem witchcraft delusion, in which one hundred and fifty persons, including children of five years of age, were tried, and nineteen were hung on Gallows' Hill, and one was pressed to death. And the very house built and inhabited by Roger Williams, whence he was driven in 1636, became the home of Jonathan Curwen, Esq., one of the judges of the witchcraft trials, and the place where some of those trials were held. Principles of righteousness and liberty went with Williams; superstition, and vivid, suspicious imagination were seated upon the throne. No one was safe. A mere suspicion, and the innocent man or woman was incarcerated as a witch, charged with having dealings with the "black man," of holding hellish fasts and feasts, of eating red bread and drinking blood, of changing themselves or their victims into various forms, of making bargains with Satan, of pinching, pricking, or striking others when miles distant, etc. One test was by water, in which the accused was cast. If he swam ashore, he was guilty and was hung. If innocent, he drowned. Either way it was death.

"But those days are past," it is said. That is true; but human nature and essential principles are the same. Rejecting religious liberty incarnate in man now, tho its exponent be less than the least, men reject Jesus Christ, its Author, and the principles which make men like Him. Rejecting Him, man is left to the greatest delusions and self-deceptions. What are you, reader, doing now? What is America doing now? What is the world doing now? Are we—make it personal—am I rejecting the counsel of God against myself?

DANIEL AND HIS ENEMIES.

By Alexander Maclaren

Dan. 6:4-22.

[Dr. Alex. McLaren, in S. S. Times.]

WHAT a different world we enter when we pass from base intrigues, and worship degraded into flattery, and a trap to catch a devout soul, to Daniel's still chamber! We note his calm ignoring of the decree. He "knew that the writing was signed," but he did not deviate a hair's breadth from his usual practise, nor hesitate for a moment what to do. When we take counsel of conscience only, the road is generally wonderfully plain. It is the bringing in of considerations of expediency and personal advantage that introduces bewildering complexities. Suppose Daniel had said to himself: "Should I not avoid open disobedience? Ought I to peril my 'usefulness' by flying in the face of an edict? May I not pray in my heart for a month, and save myself?" If he had faltered, he would probably have succumbed. The only path of safety lay in immediate determination, and execution of the resolution. To leave out one of the appointed seasons of prayer would have been perilous, for it would have been a great deal more difficult to resume the interrupted habit than to go right on without a break. One of the devil's most useful suggestions is, "Just this once, while the storm lasts; you can easily begin again when things have quieted." But if we give an inch, he takes an ell, and suspended habits of goodness are terribly apt to be choked by being suspended.

But Daniel did not flaunt his nonconformity, nor run his head into the noose. He made no parade of his prayers. His "chamber" was probably an "upper room" on the roof where he had privacy, and there he "worshipped towards Thy holy temple."

No doubt the plotters had spies enough. If they did not disdain to be conspirators, they would not disdain to be eavesdroppers, and they got evidence soon. Then, knowing what they would find, they "assembled," or, as the word is rendered in the margin of verse 6, "came tumultuously," breaking in on Daniel, and taking him in the very act. No doubt he had heard their noisy approach, and could have ceased his prayer for the time. But, like a true servant of God, brave because trustful, he would not desist, come what might, and prayed the more earnestly because the blow had fallen at last. Whether they seized him then, we do not know. Apparently, they were contented for the moment with having established his guilt and got a case to lay before Darius. So they hurried to the king, and Daniel had still time to escape; for it was not till the evening that "the king commanded, and they brought Daniel." Verse 16. He probably stayed still in his house, the calmest of all concerned. Why should he flee or be perturbed? He had God with him, and was kept in perfect peace, seeing that in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, he made his requests known unto God.

THE TOUCH OF FAITH.

By Ellen G. White

The Narrative—An Important Lesson—The True versus the Casual Touch—A Friend at Court—Dwarfed Spirituality.

IN answer to an earnest invitation, Christ was on His way to exercise His skill as a divine, compassionate Physician. As He went, the multitude pressed as closely as possible to Him, anxious to get near the center of attraction. In the throng there was a woman who had long been troubled with a painful malady. For twelve years she had suffered with this disease. She had spent all she had on physicians, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse. She was told of Christ's power, but she did not think herself worthy of His notice. "If I may but touch His garment," she thought, "I shall be whole." She watched her opportunity, and Christ in His infinite love knowing her heart's desire, moved in her direction. By faith she put forth her hand, and, touching the hem of His garment, was instantly made whole. Her faith was not in the garment, but in the virtue which the garment covered.

Happiness now filled the woman's soul, and she was seeking to escape from the crowd and go quietly on her way, when Christ's voice was heard, saying plainly and distinctly, "Who touched Me?" It was a strange question to ask, and as He looked round to see who had touched Him, Peter and the other disciples said, "Master, the multitude throng Thee and press Thee, and sayest Thou, Who touched Me?" But Christ desired to teach a lesson which would sound down through the ages to our time, and He said, "Somebody hath touched Me; for I perceive that virtue is gone out of Me." "And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before Him, she declared unto Him before all the people for what cause she had touched Him, and how she was healed immediately."

"Daughter," Christ said, "be of good cheer; thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace."

We need to understand this lesson; for it has a deeper meaning than many realize. It is possible to be in Christ's presence, and even to press close to Him, and yet receive no blessing, because we touch Him only with the casual touch of the multitude. There are hundreds and thousands who think they have faith in Christ; but they do not touch Him with the faith manifested by the suffering woman.

Why do we not show more faith? We do not know what blessings we are losing because of our unbelief. To exercise faith it is not necessary to become worked up into an ecstasy of feeling. This is not at all essential. Exercising faith means taking God at His word, believing in His power to save to the uttermost all who come to Him, relying on His word because He is behind the promise and can do all things. If we come to Him in living faith, we shall receive of His fulness. "If ye ask anything in My name," He says, "I will do it." Then comes the condition: "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." Obedience makes us witnesses for God.

We need to take in the real meaning of Christ's words. We may read them over and over again, and yet miss their true significance. In this way we lose the blessing of the promises here given. Do not be satisfied to follow Christ a great way off. Many to-day are doing this. They think that they are trusting in the Saviour, but their faith resembles that of the multitude, who touched Him with only a casual touch.

What a friend we have at court! After His resurrection Christ spoke to His disciples, saying: "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." This promise is as surely given to the people of God in 1899 as it was to those to whose hearing Christ spoke. But do we not often forget this promise, and limit the Holy One of Israel? God can not honor indifference, neither can He honor unbelief. Why need any one be mystified? Why do human beings so often go to human beings with inquiries regarding their temptations and their desire to please God? Where is their faith?—It is centered in human instrumentalities, not in the One who "so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

"God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because He hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God." Many are wearing continually the yoke of condemnation because they do not take the Word of God as yea and amen in Christ Jesus. They may have a casual faith in Christ as the Son of God, but this is of no avail.

"This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light." They will not come to the light, for fear their deeds will be reproved. This is the position taken by many. Their names are in the church books; they observe a round of ceremonies; but they do not love the truth. They have been satisfied to stand at the door. They do not press their way into Christ's presence, to share with Him the

glory of His royal life. Their characters are not brought into harmony with the truth. They have not that faith which works by love and purifies the soul. Evil speaking, evil surmising, dishonest actions, cast a dark shadow across their pathway. Their faith sinks into this shadow of shame, and they feel that they are separated from Christ. There is a sting in the conscience, a condemnation in the life. They feel a desire to hide away from God. Light has come into the world, but they love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.

Is not this the reason of our dwarfed spirituality? Is not this the reason why we have so little faith? We live under a sense of condemnation. The time has come when it is for our eternal interest to believe in Christ. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." He is "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." He says, "I will write My law in their hearts." In those who come to Him in faith He will create a divine principle of holiness which will rule in the soul, enlightening the understanding and captivating the affections.

Why did God permit the children of Israel to be bitten by serpents in the wilderness?—It was because of their wicked unbelief and continual rebellion, their perversity and murmuring. They did not stop to think how much God was saving them from, how many evils He was holding in check. He had forbidden the poisonous serpents to touch them. He had restrained the wild beasts of the forest. He had saved His people from a thousand dangers. He sent them test and trial, to see whether they had learned the lesson of submission, and were prepared to receive the rich blessings He had in store for them. Thus He sought to correct their selfishness, that they might take their place in His divine theocracy as a representative people. It was His purpose that they should reveal His character and bear a living testimony to the world that God honors those who honor Him. He desired them to be a pure, holy, intelligent people, who could be used as light-bearers to the world. But instead of remembering that the Angel of the Lord was constantly guiding and protecting them, the children of Israel lost sight of God's merciful and wonderful dealing, and magnified the trials sent to prove them. God could not work with a people who continually lost sight of their advantages, and dishonored Him by unbelief.

MRS. E. G. WHITE.

THE DIFFERENCE.

By Anonymous

SOME murmur when their sky is clear And wholly bright to view, If one small speck of dark appear In their great heaven of blue.

And some with thankful love are filled If but one streak of light, One ray of God's good mercy, gild The darkness of their night. —Anon.

THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS.

By A. T. Jones

THE Lord is coming.

And without holiness, no man can see Him in peace.

Have you holiness?

How can anybody have holiness without 'the Spirit of holiness'?

And how can anybody have the Spirit of holiness without the Holy Spirit?

Have you the Holy Spirit?

'Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?'

Then, surely, with such a spirit as that, no man can see the Lord in peace.

But He says, 'A new Spirit will I put within you,' and, 'He shall . . . abide with you forever.'

He does not want the spirit that lusteth to envy to abide with you forever. Do you?

He wants His own Spirit—the Holy Spirit—to abide with you forever. Do you?

Having thus the Spirit of holiness abiding with you forever, you will have holiness.

And, having holiness, you can see the Lord in peace when He comes.

And He is coming soon. Get ready, get ready, get ready!

'Ask, and it shall be given you.' 'Receive ye the Holy Ghost.'

A. T. JONES.

THE ONENESS OF GOD'S PURPOSE.

By H. F. Phelps

"O LORD, how great are Thy works! and Thy thoughts are very deep." Ps. 92:5. Truly, "the works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein." Ps. 111:2. In studying the eternity of God's works, we must also study the eternity and depths of the thoughts of God. And in doing this we must forsake our own thoughts, for "the Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity." Ps. 94:11. Then why should we cling to them so tenaciously? Let them go, for they "are vanity." "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts." "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord." But God's thoughts are very "high," as well as "very deep." "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isa. 55:7, 8, 9.

Now there is no such thing as mind vacuum. Fighting evil thoughts will always be defeat. Evil thoughts can not be put away except by filling the mind with good thoughts. But the wicked man can not think good thoughts of himself; for every good thought and purpose is from God. He formed man's mind. We do not think one noble thought that does not come from Him. He knows all the mysterious workings of the human mind, for did He not make it? It is apparent, then, that the only successful way is for a man to think God's thoughts after Him. And there is no better way to do this than to contemplate the works of God, and to study His Word. All the works of God, and all His words, are but the expression of the thoughts of God. And if we will but put away our own individual ideas, for they are vanity, and think the thoughts of God as He has expressed them, we may be assured of this one thing, we shall behold most wonderful things.

Our study of the thoughts of God is altogether too superficial. We frequently read them, and then attach our own meaning, not stopping to consider what He says. Again, we are like children, content to play on the beach when there is an ocean beyond. Never was there a more needed time for the study of His thoughts; for never did Infidelity walk forth with a more brazen face than to-day. And never has the Holy Spirit been more urgent that each individual should study the Bible for himself, and that before God. We must depend upon no living man. We must study the Word of God upon bended knee, and with bowed head; for it is our God that is speaking. We must not be satisfied till we shall know more of its richness, its sweetness, and its purity. We must not be content with a few drops, when there is an ocean from which to drink; nor with a few gems of truth, while there are mines yet unexplored. Nor should we wonder or rise up in unbelief if some one should go deeper than we have gone. God will discover rich gems of truth to all who will think His thoughts after Him, whether he be high or low, rich or poor. But let us not vainly imagine that a single thought of the infinite Mind is to be fathomed, or measured, at one sitting. Others may find in the same thought more than we have ever seen.

"Many, O Lord my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done, and Thy thoughts which are to usward; they can not be reckoned up in order unto Thee; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." Ps. 40:5.

Why are men so loath to think God's thoughts in the study of His words and His works? Why not say with David, "I hate vain thoughts; but Thy law do I love" (Ps. 119:113)? "The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord" (Prov. 15:26); for they are vanity; but "the thoughts of the righteous are right" (chapter 12:5); because he has given himself to think God's thoughts. And, for our encouragement, God tells us, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end" ("a happy future," Jewish translation). Jer. 29:11.

Reader, explore some of those mines of revealed truth. Yes, thanks be to His name, His Word is not an unfathomable mystery, but a revelation of His own thoughts, and that of peace, concerning you and me, notwithstanding we have been rebellious against Him. Let us study them. And as we do so, we may expect to see wonders, for wonderful things are there revealed. Let the mind expand to take them in. As we come to the fountain for ourselves, we shall need a much larger vessel than we have been wont to carry with us. And let us be sure that the vessel we carry is not already filled with the rubbish of our own preconceived opinions, that will only prove a hindrance in our investigations. Let us take earnest heed to the exhortation, "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things." 2 Tim. 2:7.

H. F. PHELPS.

TRUST.

By Pauline S. Fife

THE night is here. The stars Keep watch in heaven's blue, And seem to say to me, "O, trust! thy God is true." The birds do sleep. They fold Their tiny wings and rest, Content to trust in Him Who always doeth best.

How still it is—no sound Save of these solemn trees, Which whisper secrets strange To every passing breeze!

I can not choose nor see My way. When darkness drear Hides from mine eyes the path, My heart grows faint with fear.

But hush! I hear a voice; I feel a presence near; And, tho I see no form, i know that God is here.

Ah, surely He will guide Me home! I need no light, Nor fear with such a One To walk in blackest night.

My soul, be still! Some day Shall lift the night of sin, As fades the morning mist To let the sunlight in.

Sad heart, canst thou not trust As do the birds? O, fling Away thy foolish fear, And in the darkness sing!

And now, while sorrow's night Lets down its dreary pall, Teach me to trust, O Thou Who watcheth over all.

Oakland, Cal. Pauline S. Fife.

Advance Upon Our Knees

By Joseph Hardy Neesima

LET us advance upon our knees.—Joseph H. Neesima.

Continue reading: THE GREAT APOSTASY, OR THE FALLING AWAY