Earlier text: Publishers' PageThe Gathering for Armageddon
By W. A. S.
All the world is watching the unfolding of events in the East. Yet few see in the daily record a fulfilment of prophecy. So it has ever been. Blind to the true significance of events, deaf to the solemn warnings of the prophets, the great mass have never known the time of their visitation in any crisis that has come upon the world. Statesmen and men of affairs are to-day unconsciously bearing witness to the fulfilment of the words of the prophets. Let us place side by side some of the utterances of the prophets of old and the writings of public men to-day concerning this Eastern question that marks the final crisis of history. One of the leading journals of the world, one that speaks more authoritatively on the political situation than any other, perhaps the London Contemporary Review, says:— Odd things are happening everywhere. . . . Russia, Germany, England—these are great names; they palpitate with great ideas; they have vast destinies before them, and millions of armed men in their pay, all awaiting Armageddon.
Mr. Arnold White, one of the leading political journalists of the day, the London correspondent of Harper's Weekly, says:— The preparations of the universal world for a great killing were never more complete. Amity or Armageddon—which is the end?—Armageddon, notwithstanding the open door in China is a necessity of existence. Millions of unborn English children will either live comfortably on the product of trade with the future inhabitants of the teeming Yangtse Valley, or they will be compelled to draw on a joyless hungry existence. If Britain were ousted from Persia and China, the present generation would immediately feel the blow. But since men will fight rather than famish, the certainty of a collision between Russia and England for the mastery of Asia does not hang on the opinions of ministers or the decisions of the monarch, but on the bread and butter question, which is the dominant factor, in social problems.
Thus men who know the pulse of international affairs see just before us a world-conflict, which they describe as the Armageddon of the nations. Whence do they get this phrase?—From the prophets of old, as we shall see, who wrote concerning these very issues. A few weeks ago there died an aged statesman who has had more to do with the affairs of Europe than any other man in our day. In one of his last Mansion House speeches—an occasion when the heads of cabinets are wont to declare their most serious convictions as to the national and international outlook—the late Lord Salisbury called the attention of the older men in the audience to the fact that the chief characteristic of this time, the great change that had come over the affairs of nations since the older of them were young men, was the great growth of armaments, the preparations for war. Men may cry, Peace, peace, but the world knows that the forces are all the time gathering for a mighty struggle. In one of his last speeches in the British House of Lords, speaking in defense of the financial budget providing extra millions for naval and military increase, Lord Salisbury said:— The tendency to extravagance is increasing. We have had no choice. We have had to protect ourselves, and must pay the cost. For years public opinion was in favor of a pacific policy, but now that state of opinion has passed away. The tide has turned, and who am I, and who are we, that we should attempt to stem the tide? If the tide has turned, we shall have to go with it. We are in the presence of forces far larger than we can wield.
What are these forces against which the best-intentioned statesmen struggle in vain, this flowing tide of strife which sweeps all before it? God's Word answers. In vision of the last days the prophet John saw the working of the very forces that the statesman describes:— “And I saw three unclean spirits like7frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Rev. 16: 13, 14.
Statesmen find themselves in the presence of a force which they can not control. Two thousand years ago God's prophet described this power coming up from beneath, in this last generation. Men of affairs see the gathering of the nations to mighty conflict. The sure word of prophecy says that it is the gathering to the battle of the last great day. The prophet further describes the gathering—and here is where writers and speakers get the word that sums up the final conflict of the nations:— “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” Verses 15, 16.
This is the issue which faces us. That which the prophet of God long centuries ago described, the modern journalist and statesman bear witness to. With express speed the world is rushing on to the great Armageddon. This place, Armageddon, is in Syria, the great battle plain of nations. Two thousand years ago God's prophet declared that this would be the storm-center in the last days. And so it is to-day. Whatever the situation in the far East, all the world recognizes the near East as the pivotal point. Not long ago the Fortnightly Review, of London, discussed the political significance of Palestine and its relation to the three great railway projects, that from the Cape to Cairo, through Africa, that from Constantinople down the Euphrates Valley to India, and the great Siberian system. The Fortnightly said:— With the Siberian railway we have nothing to do now; with regard to the other two this is to be noted; they both of them meet in Palestine. Palestine is the great center, the meeting of the roads. Whoever holds Palestine commands the great lines of communication, not only by land, but also by sea; not only would the power in Syria control the railways, but would be master of the Suez Canal, and, in addition, would dominate Egypt; with a modern power like France or Germany firmly established in Syria, the British could only remain in Egypt on tolerance. Syria, with its mountain ranges, is easy to defend, and hard to conquer; in the case of Egypt, the reverse is true.
Thus does the modern writer point out the pivotal center in the very region named by the voice of prophecy. Shall not the certainty of the complete fulfilment of the prophecy stir every believing soul into instant and tireless activity? For what follows?—The voice from the Throne cries, “IT IS DONE!” It is the end of the world. The cities of the nations fall; and great Babylon comes in remembrance before God. Before our very eyes the prophecy is fulfilling. Men of the world bear witness to it. The rest will surely come, and the time is near at hand. Again in the Turkish crisis, men are daily witnessing the fulfilment of prophecy uttered twenty-five hundred years ago through Daniel the prophet. Then it was declared of the “time of the end” that the “king of the north”—Turkey, as every specification in the eleventh chapter of Daniel plainly shows—would come to his end, none helping him. Again and again Turkey has reached a point in this generation when only the helping hand of other powers has held off the expulsion from Europe. At the last, none will help him. Day by day the public press of the world is crying out against this policy of helping Turkey, and sentiment has largely changed within the past few years. The change indicated by the prophecy is now taking place before our eyes. Now let us place side by side the utterance of the modern statesman and the ancient prophet concerning the consequences to the world involved in the destiny of the Turkish power. In a Mansion House speech, when the press of Britain was crying out for a change of policy and a crusade against Turkey, Lord Salisbury said:— Turkey is in that remarkable condition that it has now stood for half a century, mainly because the great powers of the world have resolved that for the peace of Christendom it is necessary that the Ottoman empire should stand. . . . The danger, if the Ottoman empire fall, would not merely be the danger that would threaten the territories of which that empire consists; it would be the danger that the fire there lit should spread to other nations, and should involve all that is most powerful and civilized in Europe in a dangerous and calamitous contest. That was a danger that was present to the minds of our fathers when they resolved to make the integrity and independence of the Ottoman empire a matter of European treaty, and that is a danger WHICH HAS NOT PASSED AWAY.
It is Armageddon that the statesman sees must follow the fall of Turkey—world-wide conflagration such as never has been before. And this is exactly what the angel told Daniel, twenty-five centuries ago:— “Yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Dan. 11: 45; 12: 1, 2.
Here, too, the great conflict of the nations, the Armageddon of the great day of God, is shown to mark the very end. Truly God has not left this generation without witness, and the end is at hand. W. A. S. Religious Liberty in Cuba
NEWSPAPER reports are attributing to President Palma, of Cuba, a recent statement that “Cuba is a Catholic country, and should take steps to avoid the advent of Protestants.” The New York Sun, which feels confident that President Palma has been misquoted, points out that such an attempt on the part of the Cuban government would be contrary to the Cuban constitution, article XXV, section 4, of which provides that the profession of all forms of religion and the exercise of all forms of worship shall be free, and establishes the practical separation of church and state. This provision was supported in the Cuban constitutional convention by a large majority, and may therefore be taken as indicative of Cuban sentiment. Still it can not be doubted that in so far as the Roman Catholic sentiment does prevail and in the island, efforts will be made to discourage the incoming of Protestants, as has been done to a marked extent in the Philippine Islands. Organized Power and the Boycott
ABOUT one year ago there was organized in New York the American Anti-Boycott Association, whose object is to make the labor unions financially responsible for losses by boycott to manufacturers. Now Mr. Thomas J. Kidd, vice-president of the American Federation of Labor, after an investigation of damage suits against trades unions, which suits were supported by the Anti-Boycott Association, says: “Organized capital, through its anti-boycott association, must stop its raids on the savings of trades unions, or the union men will withdraw three hundred million dollars from its savings banks.” Mr. Kidd intimated that it was within the power of union labor to throw the country into a financial panic by taking from the circulation the three hundred million dollars which, he said, labor controls. Thus it is that organized power is met by organized power, and the whole country is threatened with a financial panic if a legal redress is sought against the use of the boycott as a means of bringing employers to terms. There is no telling what will come next, but we may be sure that more than human wisdom will be displayed in organizing and using the forces which are to play their part in the fulfilment of the prophecy concerning the world’s greatest boycott, when no man will be able to buy or sell unless he has “the mark of the beast” in his forehead or in his hand. To this time we are fast hastening. Teach the Word
By Ellen G. White
I HAVE some things to say to our teachers in reference to the new book, “The Living Temple.” Be careful how you sustain the sentiments of this book regarding the personality of God. As the Lord represents matters to me, these sentiments do not bear the indorsement of God. They are a snare that the enemy has prepared for these last days. I thought that this would surely be discerned, and that it would not be necessary for me to say anything about it. But since the claim has been made that the teachings of this book can be sustained by statements from my writings, I am compelled to speak in denial of this claim. There may be in this book expressions and sentiments that are in harmony with my writings. And there may be in my writings many statements which, when taken from their connection, and interpreted according to the mind of the writer of “The Living Temple,” would seem to be in harmony with the teachings of this book. This may give apparent support to the assertion that the sentiments in “The Living Temple” are in harmony with my writings. But God forbid that this opinion should prevail. We need not the mysticism that is in this book. Those who entertain these sophistries will soon find themselves in a position where the enemy can talk with them, and lead them away from God. It is represented to me that the writer of this book is on a false track. He has lost sight of the distinguishing truths for this time. He knows not whether his steps are tending. The track of truth lies close beside the track of error, and both tracks may seem to be one to minds which are not worked by the Holy Spirit, and which, therefore, are not quick to discern the difference between truth and error. In regard to the faith to be cherished and preserved in these last days, very little light is given in “The Living Temple,” and this light is so uncertain that it would not help God’s people at this stage of their work. In the visions of the night this matter was clearly presented to me, before a large number. One of authority was speaking, and he said, “If the suppositions and statements found in this book were essential, if these statements were pure provender, thoroughly winnowed from the chaff, there would be some decided mention of them in the revelation given by Christ to John to give to the churches. To John the Lord Jesus opened the subjects that he saw would be needed by his people in the last days. The instruction that he gave is found in the book of Revelation. Those who would be co-workers with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will show a deep interest in the truths found in the book of Revelation. With pen and voice they will strive to make plain the wonderful things that Christ came from heaven to reveal.” The first chapter of the book of Revelation was then read, with great solemnity. “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: who have record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” Our Instructor presented the solemn messages that have been given in their order in Revelation, and that are to occupy the first place in the minds of God’s people. All through the book, “The Living Temple,” passages of Scripture are used, but in many instances these passages are used in such a way that the right interpretation is not given to them. The message for this time is not, “The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we.” Whom does the Lord receive as vessels unto honor? — Those who co-operate with Christ; those who believe the truth, who live the truth, who proclaim the truth in all its bearings. There are those whose minds will be taken up with smooth words and fair speeches that they can not understand or interpret. Precious time is rapidly passing and many will be robbed of the time that should be given to the proclamation of the messages that God has sent to a fallen world. Satan is pleased to see the diversion of minds that should be engaged in the study of the truths that have to do with eternal realities. The testimony of Christ, a testimony of the most solemn character, is to be borne to the world. All through the book of Revelation there are the most precious, elevating promises, and there are also warnings of most fearfully solemn import. Will not those who profess to have a knowledge of the truth read the testimony given to John by Christ? Here is no guesswork, no scientific deception. Here are the truths that concern our present and future welfare. What is the chaff to the wheat? Our Instructor passed on to the third chapter of Revelation, and read the following:— “Unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” These words were spoken with such strength and force that those present seemed to be afraid, and hid their faces in their hands, as if they were arraigned before the Judge of all the earth. Some seemed about to faint. Then the subject changed. The Speaker read:— “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
“‘And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works; behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy9crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.’” In these words there is no soothsaying. The Speaker held up “The Living Temple,” saying, “In this book there are statements that the writer himself does not comprehend. Many things are stated in a vague, undefined way. Statements are made in such a way that nothing is sure. And this is not the only production of the kind that will be urged upon the people. Fanciful views will be presented by many minds. What we need to know at this time is, ‘What is the truth that will enable us to win the salvation of our souls?’” The sophistries regarding God and nature that are flooding the world with skepticism are the inspiration of the fallen foe, who is himself a Bible student, who knows the truths that it is essential for the people to receive, and whose study it is to divert minds from the great truths relating to what is soon coming upon the world. Let our teachers beware lest they echo the soothsaying of the enemy of God and man. Pointing to some present, our Instructor said, “You are making a mistake. The word, the word revealed by God,—this is to be the foundation of your faith. Study the commandments of God, and the testimony that Jesus has borne to the truth. He is the faithful and true Witness.” Then was repeated the message to the Laodicean church. The whole of the third chapter of Revelation, from first to last, was read. “Unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
“‘As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.’” The Lord is soon coming. The watchmen on the walls of Zion are called upon to awake to their God-given responsibility. Many of them are in the stupor of insensibility. God calls for watchmen who in the power of the Spirit will give to the world a warning message,—watchmen who will proclaim the time of night. He calls for watchmen who will arouse men and women from their lethargy, lest they sleep the sleep of death. Fear No Evil
By Marianne Farningham
Thou art with God beloved:
Yield not to fear!
Through the night's dark or storm
He will be near:
Whatever clouds may lower,
What thunders roll,
Evil shall not befall,
He keeps control. Thou art with God beloved:
Seek thou his face!
Dread not the danger signs,
Rest in his grace:
Where'er the path shall turn,
His lights will shine,
His love shall comfort thee,
His strength be thine. Thou art with God beloved:
Safe as are they
Who in the Father's house
See him all day:
Sing, then, the home-land songs,
Soon will you meet,
Thou art as truly kept
Here at his feet. Thou art with God beloved:
Ay, there or here:
Live thou a joyous life,
Have not a fear;
Safe in so great a love,
Peaceful and calm;
Shall not thy life become
One trustful psalm? Christian Organization
By H. W. COTTRELL
“Let all things be done decently and as in order.” I Cor. 14:40. A true Christian is orderly as the result of organization, or reconstruction, and he will always recognize organization by first being orderly himself. Order is heaven’s law. Lucifer was cast out of heaven because he refused to recognize organization. He who is not orderly is not in harmony with God and heaven. Order must exist in the child of Christ, and in the church in all its manifestations,—in the church local; the church as a conference, which is only a union of local church organizations; the church as a union conference, it being but a larger manifestation of the church caused by a blending of certain local conference interests; the church as a general conference, which may be truthfully regarded, in our work, “the church militant,” which exists as the result of a mutual union of all its departments back to the individual Christian. There is nothing surer than that the work of reorganization must be brought out in the individual heart, before it can be experienced in any department of the church militant, except simply in outward form; which would be only formalism, and this is mockery in the sight of God, who requires true organization. He who is organized within, will not do, or desire to do, unlawful things, and will freely grant to others all the liberties he takes or desires to take himself. Christian organization means the uniting of all the powers of the individual life, to think and to act aright. This requires the surrender of all to Christ,—the surrender of our highest natural aspirations, our property, desire for prominence, the will—self. When this is really done, the work of reconstruction is accomplished. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature” (new creation). If several persons who are thus reconstructed unite their spiritual interests, they form a local church of Christ. Each of these individuals had his Christian rights before they blended their interests to form a local church. And being Christians, they would not have to surrender any right previously held; for they would be in possession of none but those due the real Christian. In true church organization, the rights and privileges of each Christian are multiplied as many fold as there are individuals in the organization, while the rights of no one are in the least diminished. But this would only make them the more Christlike, rather than puff them up. “Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility; for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” I Peter 5:5. That a church may be the best fitted to do the work assigned it by the Lord, there should be at least one man who is full of the Holy Spirit selected and set apart by the laying on of hands and prayer, to serve the church as its elder. An elder should be, and is, a special servant of the church. He should be “apt to teach.” It is a noble thing to be called to service, not as hired servants, but as sons and daughters of a loving Father. There should be other servants in the local church; namely, a deacon, treasurer, etc. The duties of a deacon are set forth in Acts 6:2, 3. The duty of the members of the church, including ministers and officers, is to be Christians. The membership should stay up the hands of those whom they have selected by their own free choice to fill these offices. They need the prayers and assistance of their brethren. The calling to such work is a holy calling. The office implies service for others. The duty of the first servant of a local church—the elder—is to “feed the flock of God . . . taking the oversight thereof, . . . neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” The elder is elected by the membership of his own church, and not by other local churches; hence his ordination and official duties are of course restricted to the church which elected him, and to no higher office than that to which he was ordained. He is qualified to administer the ordinance of baptism to those desirous of uniting with his local church, but not to those uniting with other churches; for his election and ordination are local, not general. It is his privilege and duty to administer the Lord’s supper. He is not, however, qualified to solemnize the rite of marriage, and if he does this, he violates church order and the laws of the State. If love and harmony prevail in the10life of each member of a church, peace will reign in that church. Several such churches uniting their spiritual interests form a local conference church. This is only a larger expression of the church of Christ. Each local church has its rights by local organization before it unites with others to form a local conference, as truly as a Christ-organized individual has his personal rights before he becomes a member of a local church. As surely as the individual retained every Christian right he had when he united with the local church, and as these rights were multiplied as many fold as there were members in the church, so the local church retains all its Christian privileges when it unites with the local conference; for it is a part of the whole, enjoys all it enjoys; and its rights, as well as its service, are multiplied in the same ratio. To illustrate: Every member of the human body, figuratively speaking, enjoys its own rights, and evidently those of all other members that are joined to form the human body. He who will not unite his interest with others, but must have his own way to the detriment of all others, has only the outward form in theory, and he himself needs reconstruction. The officers, or special servants of the people, in the local conference church are selected by the people in a similar way to those of a local church. The president is the first servant of the conference church, by vote of all the local churches composing the conference church, and all the people composing the churches. While each member of the body of Christ is to serve every other member, yet the church in its larger manifestation may have special servants, such as ministers, teachers, editors, doctors, business men, Bible workers, nurses, canvassers, colporteurs, etc. I will notice the duties of only a few of these laborers. A licentiate is one chosen by the conference—the church in this larger manifestation—to improve his gift in a broader work of ministering to the people. Not having been ordained, he should not administer the ordinance of the Lord’s supper, or baptism, or solemnize marriage; but the ordained minister may celebrate all ordinances of the church, solemnize marriage according to the usage of the denomination and in harmony with the law of the State, and is local pastor for the time being of any local church with which he may be by the conference advised to labor; while the president of the conference, who is servant of all others in a certain sense, is, by the voice of all the people, and from the very nature of his office, the first pastor of every church in his local conference. The selection and ordination of a person to the highest office of service embraces all offices below. But the selection and ordination of an individual to a lower office does not embrace the duties of the higher office. When an individual is called of God and ordained to the ministry of the Word his services are not restricted to any local church, land, or clime, so long as he is loyal and true to his calling. A number of these local conferences, which, for convenience, we have been pleased to call conference churches, may unite, as did the local churches when they formed a conference, and thus is formed a union conference,—the church in a still broader sense. Then several of these may form themselves into a still larger conference, which may well be called “the church militant” so far as our work is concerned. In true Christian expansion nothing is lost, but much gained. No Christian rights or privileges are sacrificed, but each is greatly magnified in Christ the Lord. The future welfare of each person depends upon an individual Christian organization. “THE world appears
To toll the death-bell of its own decease:
And by the voice of all its elements,
To preach the general doom. When were winds
Let slip with such a warrant to destroy?
When did the waves so haughtily o'erleap
Their ancient barrier, deluging the dry?
Fires from beneath, and meteors from above,
Portentous, unexampled, unexplained,
Have kindled beacons in the skies. The old
And crazy earth has had her shaking fits
More frequent, and foregone her usual rest;
And Nature seems with dim and sickly eye
To wait the close of all.
— Cowper. The Measure of Our Love
By John M. Hopkins
How much do we love the Master and his cause? How much, as compared with earthly interests, do we love things of eternal importance? Certainly the Word of God teaches industry and economy, and that by every honorable and legitimate means we should acquire property. Idleness and slothfulness are most emphatically denounced in the Book of God. But while we are thus instructed, what is the object in view?—Evidently the supply of bodily necessities and the advancement of the higher attainments and conditions of life; and these, not for ourselves only, but for the human family. The great heart of God pulsates with love for all mankind. And when one has become a child of God, should not his interests be identical with those of God? Should he not have the mind of God, of Christ? “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2: 5-8), the most cruel, shameful, terrible death one could die. This was, and is, expressive of the love of God the Father and of Christ for sinners. In all this there was not the least possible vestige of selfishness. And now how is it with us, his professed children and followers? He has abundantly blessed many with landed estates, others with gold or silver. All have some gifts expressive of his goodness. How are we using them? How many there are who, like the rich man, are tearing down and building larger, are adding farm to farm, thousands to thousands, increasing indulgences and luxuries, while Jesus is reaching out his wounded, bleeding hands, pleading for help to save some poor lost soul. Of course God wants us to be clothed and fed and sheltered, to be comfortable and respectable. But there are so many of his creatures, our brothers and sisters in the one common family of humanity, who are absolutely suffering for the barest necessities of life, who know not God, or Christ, or the blessings of the gospel; these are pleading for help. And how wicked and foolish it is, when we know we can not long retain our possessions, to hoard them up for ourselves. “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” at the very longest we can not long keep our possessions. Death will surely overtake us. And how strange it is that so many, even with palsied, trembling hand, clung so tenaciously to their gold. What can it signify to them when decaying in the grave? If a long life of enjoyment were before them, there might then be some little seeming excuse or reason for holding and increasing wealth. But now, when the end of all things earthly is upon us, what sensible, consistent reason have we for so doing? It certainly is right to increase our means all we can properly, but not to set our affections upon riches. The Lord requires us to make every dollar we can honestly, to be a blessing to the world, not an idol that will shut us out from the kingdom. O that God's remnant people were awake to their own best interests! O that their hearts were filled with Christ's holy love and zeal, and they fully identified with him in his cause! The Lord’s Day Alliance of Ontario
By G. B. Thompson
The Lord’s Day Alliance, though somewhat disconcerted by the decision of the privy council concerning the Sunday laws of this province, have issued a manifesto stating that while the “whole Lord’s Day act as it is found in R. S. O., 1897, Cap. 246, has been declared ultra vires, that, happily, does not mean that we have not left any legal protective against the inroads upon the integrity of the Lord’s day that greed and selfishness and ungodliness are ever ready and eager to make.” They go on to state that the upper Canada Sunday law, enacted in 1845, remains in force, and can not be shaken by the privy council. This law, they claim, makes it “unlawful for any merchant, tradesman, artificer, mechanic, workman, laborer, or other person whatsoever, to sell or to publicly show forth or expose or offer for sale, or to purchase any wares, merchandise, goods, chattels, or personal property, or any real estate whatsoever on the Lord’s day, or to do or exercise any worldly labor, business or work of their respective callings upon that day.” Other prohibitions are also given concerning barbers, bathing, playing ball, etc. Then they say:— “It is now ‘on to Ottawa’ for legislation in defense of the priceless heritage of our Canadian and Christian sabbath. There can be no doubt that all11the churches—Roman Catholic and Protestant—and all labor organizations will stand with the Lord’s Day Alliance in seeking such legislation as is needed.” It is seen that in this work they are seeking a union with the papacy, and truly Sunday being a child of this great organization of apostasy, help will no doubt be granted to lift this sign of papal authority to the front. The manifesto of the Alliance calls forth from the Hamilton (Ontario) Spectator the following remarks, editorially:— “In its manifesto . . . the Lord’s Day Alliance makes a mistake when it speaks of protecting Sunday against the inroad that greed and selfishness and ungodliness are ever ready to make. That is simply saying that those who do not look upon the first day of the week through the spectacles of the Alliance are ungodly. Had the Christians kept to the observance of the Sabbath established by the Lord,—Saturday,—there might have been reason to charge those who failed to obey the Mosaic law with being ungodly. And aside from the fact that Sunday is not the Sabbath appointed by the Lord, good men differ in their views of how the Sabbath ought to be observed. The Lord’s Day Alliance people arrogate to themselves the privilege of deciding not only how they shall observe the so-called Sabbath themselves, but they insist upon the government compelling all people—no matter what their honest views may be—to observe the Sunday according to the instruction of the Lord’s Day Alliance.” The Sunday movement is making its way. The foes of the Lord’s Sabbath are not asleep, and while they are “on to Ottawa,” seeking for laws to fetter the conscience of men, we should not lose a single opportunity to enlighten them concerning the wickedness of the whole movement, and the manifest destiny of those who persist in forming an image to the beast, and receiving the mark of its authority and power. We have a mighty work to do. It is high time to awake out of sleep. While the Alliance is “on to Ottawa,” will not all our people in Canada awake to the opportunity, and circulate our literature throughout the country? Let churches and individuals do aggressive missionary work everywhere. It is a terrible thing to sleep or be inactive now.