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Review and Herald, Vol. 84, No. 21.

The Sabbath and Service

Review and Herald

May 23, 1907

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · May 23, 1907

The Sabbath and Service

If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking wickedly; and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then shall thy light rise in darkness, and thine obscurity be as the noonday: and Jehovah will guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in dry places, and make strong thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places; thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, and the holy of Jehovah honorable; and shalt honor it, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in Jehovah; and I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth; and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it. Isa. 58: 9-14.

Liberty

By Editor

Faneuil Hall Number

The second number of Volume II, 1907, is just out. It could be appropriately called the Jamestown Exposition Number. The cover is a beautiful salmon color, on the front of which is the above cut of The Landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, 1620. The second cover page contains a full copy of the Jamestown Exposition Hymn. The third page of the cover contains a bird's-eye view of the Jamestown Exposition and Hampton Roads, and on the fourth cover is a beautiful picture of the national Capitol. The body of the magazine is also appropriately illustrated, and the following are some of the topics treated:—
An Appeal to the Friends of Liberty, The Sunday Closing of Expositions, The Peace Congress and Sunday Legislation, The National Arbitration Peace Congress, Religious Liberty, A Return to Medieval Methods, Limits of Civil Authority, Religious Liberty and the Jews, Why We Oppose Religious Legislation, Sunday Laws and Good Government, A Plea for Freedom of Conscience, Some Modern History on Religious Legislation in America, Stereopticon Lecture on the Evils of Religious Legislation, A Court Decision Embracing Principles Involved in Sunday Laws, President Roosevelt on Religious Freedom, Macaulay on the Puritan Parliament, Emerson on Persecution, John Stuart Mill on Liberty, The Early Christians and the Civil Power, Alexander Campbell on Sunday Legislation, Christian Temperance, Which Day is the Sabbath?
In many respects this is the best number yet published, and it will do much good in educating the public upon the principles of true religious liberty. It ought to have a large circulation.

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Review & Herald Publishing Association Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C.

Editorial

By Editor

Editorial Letter

Jottings from the Editor’s Note-Book
OUR conference at Shanghai was the first really general meeting of our workers ever held in China. Up to that time some of these workers had been strangers to one another except by name. It was a great privilege for all to be permitted to meet thus, and to become acquainted with one another and with one another’s work.
The conference continued ten days, and the time was fully occupied. The usual program consisted of a devotional service before breakfast, a Bible study at nine o’clock, business sessions at eleven and four, and another Bible study in the evening. The remainder of the time was devoted to committee meetings and consultations. I will say but little about this meeting, as it will be reported by one of the brethren, only mentioning some special features. It was encouraging to see so large a number who had given themselves to the work in China. While the field is vast, and the number of people is almost overwhelming, and while the corps of workers now in the field is only a beginning, yet it is a cause of thankfulness that a good beginning has been made. When we remember how many other fields have been opened in the five years during which this company has been entering China, we have reason to take courage. There are other societies which have been much longer on the ground, but which have fewer representatives in the field to-day. But consecration than numbers, and my hope for the future of our work in China was strengthened as I saw the spirit of earnestness and devotion that characterized those who are trying to give the gospel message in that field.
In the Bible studies I endeavored to present the threefold message of Revelation 14 as the fulness of the gospel, the saving truth which is to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. I felt greatly blessed in this effort. I am sure that the Holy Spirit illuminated our minds, in answer to our prayers that our understanding might be opened that we might understand the Scriptures. Old truths took on a new meaning, new truths were revealed, and all were seen to be comprehended in the preaching of a crucified, risen, and ascended Christ, our great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, who is the Lord our Righteousness. The doctrine of justification by faith as the essential gospel was found to be the heart and soul of this message. The relation of all the leading phases of the third angel’s message to this vital and saving truth was seen in a clearer light than ever before, and all felt that they could hereafter teach the message as a message of salvation in a sense in which they had never been able to do before. I feel confident that the results of this experience will be seen in the greater fruitage of future efforts.
The Sabbath of the meeting was a day of privilege and blessing. Elder Gates preached a helpful discourse in the forenoon, and in the afternoon we celebrated the ordinances of the Lord’s house, after which we had a social service. Those who have such opportunities regularly can hardly appreciate what it means to those who have been almost wholly by themselves for years, sometimes not seeing the face of a foreigner for months at a time. Hearts were drawn together, and hope and courage were renewed.
Brother D. H. Davis and two of his fellow workers of the Seventh-day Baptist mission at Shanghai attended several of our meetings, and we were glad to greet them. I greatly enjoyed the privilege of taking dinner with these friends at their mission station near the West Gate, where Brother Davis and his estimable wife have been located for twenty-seven years. They have a pleasant home, near which they conduct a school for boys and one for girls. Brother Davis recalled the fact that Elder S. N. Haskell visited him at this place when he made his trip to China about fifteen years ago.
I spent a few hours in a hasty look through a portion of the native Chinese city of Shanghai, but found nothing essentially different from what I saw in other places, unless it be that the beggars seemed to be more numerous and more ragged. The contrast between Shanghai within the walls and Shanghai without is very marked. The latter is in many respects like a modern city of the West, with some fine buildings, both public and private. It is the great distributing center for Central and Northern China, and the shipping interests are very extensive. Being situated on the Whangpo River, fourteen miles from its mouth, the largest ocean-going boats can not come to its docks, but must receive and discharge cargo and passengers at Wosung by means of large tenders, but ships up to six thousand tons come up the river, and of course all the Chinese junks can do the same. The river is a very busy scene where the steamships, the men of war, the Chinese junks large and small, the smaller craft, and the many sampans crowd the channel, and where the commerce of many nations is carried forward.
Shanghai also has the reputation, and so far as my information goes it seems to be justly deserved, of being a very wicked place. Intemperance and immorality are frightfully prevalent. By many the Chinese are looked upon and treated much as the blacks are in the Southern States, and an influence is exerted which is most depressing to missionary effort. Some of the representatives of the so-called Christian nations do not by their conduct commend the civilization of the West as being in any way superior to that of the Chinese, and in fact I think their testimony is in favor of the heathenism of the East. The simple truth is that heathenism is the same whether it reveals itself in the life of one who has heard but refused to obey the gospel, or in the life of one who has never seen the light from heaven. If anything, the former is often the worse of the two. “If the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”
We held our farewell meeting Wednesday morning, February 20, and the workers began to leave at once. Some went the same night, some the next night, and all were gone by Friday night. We maynot all meet again during our warfare here, but we shall look forward to a glad reunion when the conflict is over, and the victory is won. The veterans from many a hard-fought field will then unite in the song of Moses and the Lamb. Glorious prospect! May we all be kept faithful.
W. W. P.

The Mission of Affliction

By C. M. S.

The pruning process is never pleasant for that which receives the pruning; but when the pain of the pruning has been borne, the wisdom and the fruit of the process appear. The tree puts forth much growth that would interfere with the production of the most perfect fruit. This must be cut away, or the owner can not look with satisfaction upon the best work his tree can do.
As with the tree, so with the individual. In that pruning process which is designed to produce in us the “peaceable fruits of righteousness,” we are tempted many times to imagine we see the hand of the enemy at work. If we resist the operation, the result may be the same as if the very plan itself had been conceived and carried out by the enemy. Our resistance to God’s plan for us will permit the enemy to triumph over us. That makes us the very opposite of “workers together with God.”
Often when we consider we are serving God faithfully, trials arise that are exceedingly “grievous to be borne,” and then we begin to say to ourselves and to others, “I don’t understand this; I don’t see why God permits this to come upon me;” or, “I believe this affliction is from the enemy.” Now that is not the yielding to the pruning process that develops Christian perfection. The rough diamond can never shine till the stone of affliction has polished all its facets. Let us learn the full meaning of this scripture: “It is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:17, 18. How can we tell but that the very manner of our endurance of trials may be leading some one to Christ and the truth or turning some one away from both?
There is some mission in every experience that God permits to come to his children. The child of God is set for an example and a sign. Our query should not be, How can I escape affliction? but, How can I best glorify God through the experiences he permits to be mine? “For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently, but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps.”
In all Christ’s life we hear nothing of rebellion or complaining against the things that he suffered. “As a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.” Can we not also leave our cases in the hands of “him that judgeth righteously”? We must do so, or we can not fitly represent Christ. We must do so, or God can not work in and through us to the salvation of others.
C. M. S.

The Russian Church on the Commandments

By William Ambrose Spicer

Some years ago there was issued from Moscow a “Longer Catechism” of the Russian or Eastern Church, prepared for the use of schools. It was published under the direction of the Holy Synod. Like most of the church standards, it bears witness to the departure of the church from the commandments of God in the matter of the Sabbath. On the ten commandments, it says:—
491. Did Jesus Christ teach men to walk by the ten commandments?
He bade men if they would attain to everlasting life to keep the commandments; and taught us to understand and fulfil them more perfectly than had been done before he came. Matt. 19:17.
Of the fourth commandment it is written:—
536. Why is it commanded to keep the seventh, rather than any other day, holy to God?
Because God in six days made the world, and on the seventh day rested from the work of creation.
537. Is the Sabbath kept in the Christian Church?
It is not kept, strictly speaking, as a holy day; but still in memory of the creation of the world, and in continuation of its original observance, it is distinguished from the other days of the week by a relaxation of the rule for fasting.
That is, “strictly speaking,” the Sabbath is not kept at all in common practise. The catechism anticipates the question that would naturally arise in the student’s mind after such a reply, and the next question is:—
538. How, then, does the Christian church obey the fourth commandment?
A better question would have been, Why does it disobey? But here is the answer:—
She still to every six days keeps a seventh, only not the last of the seven days, which is the Sabbath, but the first day in every week, which is the day of the resurrection, or Lord’s day.
Thus the Russian Church confesses that the Sabbath of the commandment is set aside for a day of human substitution, as if men could honor Christ’s resurrection by transgressing his holy law, to maintain which, and yet save the transgressor, he died and rose again.
“As one other question and answer is of interest, coming from the catechism of a state church:—
572. How ought we to act, if it fall out that our parents or governors require of us anything contrary to the faith or to the law of God?
In that case we should say to them, as the apostles said to the rulers of the Jews: “Whether it be right in the sight of God to harken unto you more than unto God, judge ye;” and we should be ready, for the sake of the faith and the law of God, to endure the consequences, whatever they may be. Acts 4:19.
It is the answer many of our brethren have had to give in Russia in times past, when the state church had full power. Now better days have come in Russia, as regards religious freedom.
W. A. S.

“It Is More Blessed to Give Than to Receive”

By GEO. I. BUTLER.

These are the words of our Lord and Saviour. They are true words, and embody momentous principles that lie at the very foundation of God's work in the earth. What is this life as set before us in the Bible? It is a probation; a brief period of time given to all that live, to determine what is their conception of its nature. It is a stepping-stone to all who seek to make it so, to a greater and far higher life than this, which measures with the life of God.
Wise people will seek to get the very best results possible out of this “brief period between two eternities.” The Bible is the only book that furnishes a true view of life. In saying this, of course, we are not speaking of treatises drawn from the Bible, endeavoring to make clear and enforce its precepts.
The Bible is the only book from which spring the wells and streams of salvation, the living waters of which if we partake, we shall never thirst, and which are ever springing up unto everlasting life. Its truths are the only hope of the world.
Which is the true philosophy of life? Is it to acquire all we can get? Or is it to disseminate, diffuse, and do all the good that we can? Was Christ's life the proper one for us to imitate? Or should it be that of an Astor or a Rothschild or a Rockefeller, et al? The one is the godlike life seen in the mission of Christ our Redeemer; the other is the embodiment of selfishness.
Christ tells us, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Do we believe it? If we do, we are truly trying to follow the instruction that he gives. Actionsspeak louder than words. It is more “blessed.” “Blessed” means to make happy or joyous, imparting bliss or felicity. In short, the Saviour's statement necessarily implies that conferring blessings upon others brings greater joy into our hearts than to receive those blessings ourselves. This statement is true by actual experience. Who are the happiest persons in this world? — Surely benevolent souls who are always doing good. Did you ever see a supremely happy selfish man? Are rich misers who are always gathering and never giving, happy people? They are the most wretched people in the world. Stagnant pools are not inviting. Selfish souls are far from being interesting, agreeable, or lovable.
We are looking for the fruition of all our hopes. True Seventh-day Adventists are not transgressing the command, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth.” Because one works hard, acquires property, and abundant means passes through his hands, by no means necessarily implies that he is laying up treasures on the earth. To “lay up” is defined “to store, or deposit for future use,” etc. One who is industrious makes money with which to do good to others and wherever the cause of God needs it. Such a one is doing just what the Lord would have him do. He is like a stream coming up out of the earth and constantly blessing others. This is a very different use of life from that of the one who acquires means for the purpose of storing it up so that he can put his trust in it and feel that he is abundantly provided for. The Saviour tells us of such a one in Luke 20:15: “Beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Would that we all could believe it.) “And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
What a lesson that is for the poor rich to consider! Suppose when this rich man's fields brought forth so plentifully, he had said: Now I have a great plenty and can help others a great deal. I can be a help to others who are very needy, and can help the cause of God. Would the Lord then have said to him, “Thou fool”? Not a soul of us could be made to believe it. He would rather have said, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” The fact that he was a rich man was not the occasion for the loss of his soul. It was because, when he had plenty, he used it selfishly and covetously, piling up his treasures that he might have a jolly time in eating and drinking. Because he did this, the Lord calls him a “fool,” that is, a man who acts contrary to good sense. Selfishness is never a sensible thing. We should be like Christ, a stream through which blessings should flow to others. Then our hearts would be watered from the river of life.
Is it possible that there are any Seventh-day Adventists who are imitating this man whom Christ calls a fool? Are they spreading out their possessions, banking their money capital, grasping their bonds and notes, speculating to increase the filthy lucre that is already endangering their souls? Can we suppose that the Saviour has changed his mind any in regard to covetousness? What is covetousness? — It is loving this world more than we love Christ. Christ is shut out, and the love of money takes the place he should fill. This is why covetousness is called idolatry. Can an idolater be saved? — By no means, unless he ceases to be an idolater and repents of his covetousness.
The greatest blessing that can come to those who love this world too well is to furnish them with better objects than self and mammon upon which to bestow their means. Such calls as the $150,000 fund should be prized as special blessings. God's precious cause needs help. Most worthy objects greatly needing help are held out before our people. Souls will be saved eternally if these schools and sanitariums and other institutions are put in condition to do their noble work. The cause is languishing for the money called for. Supplying it is emphatically missionary work. If our sanitariums and our schools are not missionary institutions, we know not what are. They are ministering to the needs of the suffering and sick and unfortunate. They are teaching needy children, replacing ignorance with knowledge, preparing the poor and ignorant to lead useful lives. If these are not blessings that we ought to use our means to impart, then we would never know what was good, needy, and important.
The $50,000 for the South is now raised and mostly expended. None but those in the South can realize what a wonderful relief this means has been to the suffering cause here. Now, we do not want to slacken our efforts until the other institutions, which are just as precious in God's sight, are also blessed with the streams of blessing that financial help will bring. May God help all our people to feel interested in the blessed work, put their shoulders to the work of lifting the burdens as they come to us, that at last they may hear it said, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” GEO. I. BUTLER.

Note and Comment

By Editor

An indication of the way in which the National Peace Congress is being looked upon by the religious world in general is well illustrated in an article in the Northwestern Christian Advocate of May 6, in which Rev. Davis W. Clark, of New York City, says:—
Not only was the epitaph of national dueling being written, but also a rescript for the federation of all the nations of the earth; the federation in which the strong shall bear the infirmities of the weak, and not expect as aforetime to make merchandise of them. The conviction grew also that universal peace had as its corollary universal solidarity and sympathy among nations.
Here the doctrine of universal peace is set before the world as in a fair way to attainment. This is another strong encourager to the people to take up the cry of “peace, peace,” when there is no peace. The prophet has forewarned us that in the closing days of earth’s history, a mighty movement would be on foot, having for its purpose the very object which this peace congress has set for itself. We are seeing the fulfilment of that prophecy in this congress, and in the increased volume of that peace cry which has grown out of this congress.
In referring to the part played by Archbishop Farley in this congress, and his plea for the recognition of the Vatican in the great peace movement, Mr. Clark says:—
Archbishop Farley did some special pleading for the recognition of the pope as a temporal power. The sentiments of the prelate were treated with courtesy, but they were considered a harmless anachronism. The wheels can never turn that way again.
The writer of those words has forgotten history, and is not acquainted with prophecy. Speedily the wheels of time are turning to the point where the Christian world will recognize one religious head authorized to speak for it mandates that are to govern Christendom. All the movements for federation of both Catholic and Protestant societies and denominations are pointing to that climax as certainly as the needle to the pole.
In closing his article, Mr. Clark says:—
It takes no prophetic vision now to see that a great moral movement is now on which may meet delays, and evendefeats, but which will ultimately send the war the way of cannibalism, dueling, polygamy, and slavery.
Prophetic vision long ago saw this great movement, but at the same time saw in it as it worked itself out, a principle which was entirely contrary to the principles of the kingdom of Christ; namely, the principles of force in the domain of conscience and religion. It is a sad fact that men are allowing themselves to throw their energies into a work which the Word of God more than eighteen hundred years ago pointed out as culminating in its own ruin, and in opposing the true work of God in the earth.

The Endless Prayer Chain

IN a certain endless prayer chain which seems to have gained considerable headway in this country, and which each person addressed is commanded to reproduce and send on, occur these words:—
Any one failing to do so [that is, failing to rewrite and send this prayer to nine other persons] shall be afflicted with some great misfortune. Any person who pays no heed will meet with a terrible accident. He who shall rewrite this prayer will be delivered from every calamity.
From the newspaper notices and clippings which are being received at this office continually concerning this letter, it is evident that a great many persons have permitted themselves superstitiously to be frightened into doing what the originator of this prayer letter demands. It seems to be hardly necessary to state the demands made in order for all to see the unchristian principles that are involved in the scheme. It is right for Christians to pray, but he who prays on the arbitrary demand of another, a prayer which that other has indited, lowers himself to the standard of the idolatrous East Indians or the inhabitants of Thibet, who hang their written prayers on windmills, and think that heaven hears them anew with each revolution of the wheel. Such a plan sent out under the guise of Christianity is a travesty upon true religion. It dishonors God, and makes hypocrites of those who participate in it. God does not bring great misfortunes and terrible accidents on persons who refuse to pray another’s prayer on his arbitrary demand. He whose name is linked with this chain-letter scheme as its author claims no connection whatever with it. Certainly a prayer put out under such circumstances is anything but an honor to Him who has promised to hear and answer the prayers of his faithful children.

Living on the Instalment Plan

In response to a toast at a Chicago banquet, Congressman F. W. Cushman, of Washington, made the following striking remarks, which are worthy of our consideration:—
I regret to say that there are some signs, social, economic, and political, appearing upon our national horizon to-day that might indicate that the only thing on earth that will ever approach the suddenness of our rise may be the swiftness of our downfall.
A great many of our citizens just now seem to be possessed by a feverish desire to live on the instalment plan, so to speak. They want to become immediately possessed of everything they desire, in the fulness thereof—and to pay for it at any time in the future. Too many people live swiftly, and not enough live properly.
I would like to see the American people come back to sane and simple methods of life, unmarked by business chicanery and unmarred by vulgar ostentation.
But the tendency is all in the other direction. It is well to note that all the great fallen nations of earth came to their end when opulence was seen on every hand, and the love of pleasure extinguished the lamp of reason and overruled the remonstrances of purity. Concerning the labor question, he said:—
There are two kinds of slavery in this world—one kind which forces an honest man to labor without pay, against his will, and the other variety which denies to an honest man the opportunity to labor when he will. These two are equally odious and abominable.
To those who are seeking to make men religious by law, and thus remedy all the evils of the land, and bring in the righteousness of legalism, we commend the following portion of the address:—
There seems to be a notion abroad in this republic to-day that all the ills that this nation is heir to can be cured by law.
It ought not to require anti-trust laws to prevent combinations of capital from plundering the people. It ought not to require a federal injunction to restrain labor leaders from murder and violence. The cause and cure for these evils can be found in the hearts of men, and not on the pages of the statute-book.
And yet every time the corrupted morals of some individual or combination of individuals comes to light, up goes a perfect howl from the multitude for some new law to cover this particular case.
Let me say to you that the lawmaking machinery of this government can not by any human ingenuity be enlarged or accelerated so that it can move as quickly or in as many directions as unrestrained individual crookedness.

The Southern Prohibition Movement

THE movement for the abolition of the saloon is especially strong in some of the Southern States. Concerning this movement in Georgia, The Golden Age, of Atlanta, says:—
No such systematic effort for prohibition has ever been made in Georgia as is now going on. County after county has closed out the traffic in the last few months, and the tide of demand for State prohibition is steadily rising higher and higher. Thousands of petitions are being signed by all classes, urging the legislature to pass such laws as will effectually prevent the manufacture, importation, and sale of intoxicating drinks in the State.
Texas, Tennessee, and Kentucky are also making good advancement toward the ousting of the saloon business. It is reported that the governors of both North and South Carolina are prohibition men. So strong has the temperance movement become in the southern half of the country that the liquor forces are freely acknowledging the danger to their business.

World-Cleaning Through Human Effort

QUITE a large portion of Christendom seems to have in mind the renovation of this old earth through human efforts alone. The Christian Register, voicing such sentiments, says:—
The world-cleaning on which we have now entered, and from which there can be no reprieve, will tax the energy and the patience of the wisest and best during the century to come.
But our Lord has declared that without him we can do nothing. And as that movement is being carried on without special reference to the work of Christ in the earth, and in denial of his claims as the mediator between God and man, it is certain that if Christ spoke truly, there is no success in store for a movement of this nature. More than that, inspiration does not teach that the renovation of this earth is to be accomplished through any human instrumentality. Inspiration does declare, however, that “the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. . . . The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up. . . . But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” 2 Peter 3:7–13. This world-cleaning movement through human power allows no place in its operations for the mighty agency which inspiration declares shall renovate the world, making a new world out of this abode of sin. It can also be said that inspiration has given no place to that movement for which the Christian Register stands. For this reason it must be clear to the Bible-loving Christian that the world-cleaning movement by human hands will never succeed. God has a definite program for removing sin from his universe, and is not dependent upon any human plans to bring about that great transformation.

One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollar Fund

By W. C. DALBEY

For Special Work at Home and Abroad

Paying Our Debts

PAUL said, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians.” That is, Paul, knowing what he did in Christ and of Christ, was, because of this, in debt to both Greek and barbarian. The apostle had the gospel (“Paul a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God”), and so he felt in duty bound to do his part in giving the gospel to all nations. “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name.”
I sometimes feel that we are forgetting the price paid for man’s redemption; because we are so slow to acknowledge our indebtedness to those outside of Christ. Are we ashamed of that which makes us a debtor? Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Every one who is a recipient of the gospel, is, with Paul, in duty bound to give it to others. “Go ye.” Here is a debt from which no Christian can escape; it is a specific obligation.
Now, all can not, nor are all obliged to, pay their indebtedness in the same way. Debts are paid according to the loan. All have not the same ability (talents). All can not preach, some (very few) can not canvass. Many are not fitted for medical missionary work. But all are to give of their means. Many hold to the idea that only one tenth belongs to God. This is not so. All, both ourselves and our wealth, belongs unto God. The difference is, of the one tenth God specifies how it shall be used, and he graciously allows us to choose the channels through which the nine tenths are to flow for the furtherance of the gospel.
Every penny or dollar we spend should be spent to the glory of God. If we but buy a loaf of bread, it should be done that we may gain more strength with which to get more means to place in God’s treasury. “Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
Seventh-day Adventists have obligated themselves to give the third angel’s message to the world in this generation. Each individual member should feel that this is his enterprise. And, as all enterprises require means for their extension, so to this message, which should be the greatest thing on earth to us, ought to be given, not a part, but all our time, talent, and means. This, “whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God,” should be carried out in our daily lives, whether in the field, in the workshop, or in the office. The message should ever be before our minds and uppermost in our thoughts. At this present time, every member of the denomination should feel it a sacred obligation to pay his apportionment of the $150,000 fund, and pay it quickly. The Spirit of God has sanctioned the raising of this fund. It is our debt. “Owe no man anything,” should also apply here. Let us pay our debts,—this debt,—and do it quickly.
W. C. DALBEY.
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