p. 123 | Review and Herald, Vol. 43, No. 16. (3/31/1874)

Review and Herald

Mar 31, 1874

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 31, 1874

SEVEN REASONS FOR SUNDAY-KEEPING EXAMINED.

By John Nevins Andrews

BY ELD. J. N. ANDREWS.

TEXT: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tim. 3:16, 17.

In this text we are assured that every word of the sacred Scriptures was given by the Holy Spirit; that every doctrine which men should believe, is therein revealed; that every fault is therein reproved; that every error is corrected by its words of truth; and that perfect instruction in all righteousness is therein given.

The design of its Author in providing such a book was that the man of God might thereby be made perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. This is the treasure which God has given to his church. Nor is this all that he has done. To those who are willing to obey the teachings of his word, he has promised the Spirit to guide them into all truth.

To men thus situated, Jehovah thus speaks: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thess. 5:21. That is, bring every part of your faith and practice to the test of God’s sure word; ask the Holy Spirit’s aid, that your mind may be delivered from prejudice and your understanding enlightened in the word of truth. Then what you find revealed in that word, hold fast; it is of priceless value; but relinquish at once every precept or doctrine not therein recorded, lest you make the doctrines of men of equal weight with the commandments of God. “What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord.”

As the first day of the week is now almost universally observed in the place of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, we design in this tract to examine the grounds on which this observance rests. Those who are willing to submit their opinions to the test of Scripture and of reason are invited to unite with us in the examination of this subject. For what reason do men prefer the first day of the week to the ancient Sabbath of the Lord? On what authority do men continually violate the day which God sanctified, and commanded mankind to keep holy? “Come, now, and let us reason together.” Here is the commandment which is said to have been changed:

“Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Ex. 20:8–11.

That this commandment requires men to remember and to keep holy the rest-day of the Creator, which he hallowed at the close of the first week of time, none can deny. We now ask for the authority for the change of this commandment.

Papists believe that their church had power to change the fourth commandment; and, on that authority alone, they are perfectly satisfied in observing the first day of the week.

Protestants deny the authority of the church of Rome, and attempt to vindicate the change of the Sabbath by an appeal to the Bible. This is what we wish them to do. We ask them, therefore, to present a single text in which it is said that God has changed his Sabbath to the first day of the week. The advocates of the change have none to offer. If they cannot present such a text, will they give us one which testifies that God ever blessed and sanctified the first day of the week? Its observers admit that they have none to present. But will they not give us one text in which men are required to keep the first day holy, as a Sabbath unto the Lord? They acknowledge that they have none. How, then, do they dare to exalt the first day of the week above the Sabbath of the Lord, which the commandment requires us to remember and keep holy?

The Bible thoroughly furnishes the man of God unto all good works. Can Sunday-keeping be a very good work when the Bible has never said anything in its behalf? Or, if it is a good work, can men be very thoroughly furnished in its defense when God has said nothing in its favor? Instead of being a good work, must it not be a fearful sin against God to thus pervert the fourth commandment, when once the mind has been enlightened on the subject?

But there are several reasons urged for the observance of the first day of the week, which we will here notice.

FIRST REASON. Redemption is greater than creation; therefore we ought to keep the day of Christ’s resurrection, instead of the ancient Sabbath of the Lord.

Where has God said this? Sunday-keepers are compelled to admit that he never did say it. What right, then, has any man to make such an assertion, and then to base the change of the Sabbath upon it? But, suppose that redemption is greater than creation, who knows that we ought to keep the first day of the week on that account? God never required men to keep any day as a memorial of redemption. But if it were duty to observe one day of the week for this reason, most certainly the crucifixion day presents the strongest claims. It is not said that we have redemption through Christ’s resurrection; but it is said that we have redemption through the shedding of his blood. “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” Rev. 5:9. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:12, 15.

Then redemption is through the death of the Lord Jesus; consequently, the day on which he shed his precious blood to redeem us, and said, “It is finished,” John 19:30, is the day that should be kept as a memorial of redemption, if any should be observed for that purpose.

Nor can it be pleaded that the resurrection day is the most remarkable day in the history of redemption. It needs but a word to prove that, in this respect, it is far exceeded by the day of the crucifixion. Which is the more remarkable event, the act of Jehovah in giving his beloved and only Son to die for a race of rebels, or the act of that Father in raising that beloved Son from the dead? There is only one answer that can be given: It was not remarkable that God should raise his Son from the dead; but the act of the Father in giving his Son to die for sinners is a spectacle of redeeming love on which the universe may gaze, and adore the wondrous love of God to all eternity. Who can wonder that the sun was veiled in darkness, and that all nature trembled at the sight! The crucifixion day, therefore, has far greater claims than the day of the resurrection. But God has not enjoined the observance of either; and is it not a fearful act, to make void the commandments of God to keep the traditions of the elders?

But, if we would commemorate redemption, there is no necessity of robbing the Lord’s rest-day of its holiness in order to do it. When truth takes from us our errors, it always has something better to take their place.

So the false memorial of redemption being taken out of the way, the Bible presents in its stead those which are true. God has provided us with memorials bearing his own signature; and these we may observe with the blessing of Heaven. Would you commemorate the death of our Lord? You need not keep the day of his crucifixion. The Bible tells you how to do it:—

“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also, he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood; this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.” 1 Cor. 11:23–26.

Would you commemorate the burial and resurrection of the Saviour? You need not keep the first day of the week. The Lord ordained a very different and far more appropriate memorial. “Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” Rom. 6:3–5. “Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” Col. 2:12.

It is true that the professed church has changed this ordinance to sprinkling, so that this divine memorial of the Lord’s resurrection is destroyed. And that they may add sin to sin, they lay hold of the Lord’s Sabbath and change it to the first day of the week, thus destroying the sacred memorial of the Creator’s rest, that they may have a memorial of Christ’s resurrection. “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.” When will the professed servants of God cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? Not until the “inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.” Isa. 24:5, 6.

SECOND REASON. The disciples met on the day of our Lord’s resurrection to commemorate that event, and the Saviour sanctioned this meeting by uniting with them. John 20:19.

If every word of this were truth, it would not prove that the Sabbath of the Lord has been changed. But to learn the utter absurdity of this inference, listen to a few facts. The disciples did not then believe that their Lord had been raised from the dead, but were assembled for the purpose of eating a common meal, and to seclude themselves from the Jews. The words of Mark and of John make this clear: “He appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue; neither believed they them. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven, as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he had risen.” Mark 16:12–14. John says: “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you.” John 20:19.

It is a fact, therefore, that the disciples were not commemorating the resurrection of the Saviour; it is equally evident that they had not the slightest idea of a change of the Sabbath. At the burial of the Saviour, the women who had followed him to the tomb, returned and prepared spices and ointments to anoint him; the Sabbath drew on; they rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment; and when the Sabbath was past, they came to the sepulcher upon the first day of the week to anoint their Lord. Luke 23:55, 56; 24:1. They kept the Sabbath according to the commandment, and resumed their labor on the first day of the week.

THIRD REASON. After eight days Jesus met with his disciples again. John 20:26. This must have been the first day of the week, which is thereby proved to be the Christian Sabbath.

Were it certain that this occurred on the first day of the week, it would not furnish a single particle of proof that that day had become the Sabbath of the Lord. But who can be certain that “after eight days” means just a week? It would be nearer a literal construction of the language to conclude that this was upon the ninth day. As an illustration, read Matt. 17:1: “And after six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John,” &c. Now turn to Luke 9:28: “And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter, and John, and James,” &c. Then “after six days” is about eight days in this instance. But if “after eight days” means just a week, how does this prove that Sunday has taken the place of the Lord’s Sabbath? Rather, how does it prove that Sunday has become the Christian Sabbath when there is not a particle of evidence that either Christ or his apostles ever rested on that day? There is no such term as Christian Sabbath found in the Bible. The only weekly Sabbath named in the Bible is called the Sabbath of the Lord.

Was the act of Christ in appearing to his disciples sufficient to constitute the day on which it occurred, the Sabbath? If so, why did he next select a fishing-day as the time to manifest himself to them? John 21. If it is not sufficient, then the Sunday on which he was first seen of them, the fishing-day on which they saw him for the third time, and the Thursday on which he was last seen of them, may not be Sabbaths. It was not very remarkable that Christ should find his disciples together, inasmuch as they had one common abode. Acts 1:13.

FOURTH REASON. *The Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost, which was the first day of the week

. Therefore the first day of the week should be observed instead of the Sabbath of the Lord.* Acts 2:1, 2.

Admitting that the day of Pentecost occurred upon the first day of the week, it remains to be proved that it thereby became the Sabbath. But that it was the feast of Pentecost, and not the first day of the week, that God designed to honor, the following facts demonstrate:—

1. While the day of Pentecost is distinctly named, the day of the week on which it occurred is passed in silence.

2. The disciples had been engaged in earnest prayer for the space of ten days; for the day of Pentecost was fifty days from the resurrection of Christ, and forty of those days he spent with his disciples. Acts 1. Forty days from his resurrection would expire on Thursday, the day of his ascension. A period of ten days after his ascension on Thursday would include two first-days, the last of which would be the day of Pentecost. If the design of God had been merely to honor the first day of the week, why did not the Holy Ghost descend on the first of these first-days? Why must the day of Pentecost come before the Holy Ghost could descend? This answer is obvious: It was not the design of Heaven to honor the first day of the week, but to mark the antitype of the feast of Pentecost. Hence the first day of the week is passed in silence.

The slaying of the paschal lamb on the fourteenth day of the first month had met its antitype in the death of the Lamb of God on that day. Ex. 12; John 19:1; 1 Cor. 5:7. The offering of the first-fruits on the morrow after the Sabbath had met its antitype in the resurrection of our Lord on that day, the first-fruits of them that slept. Lev. 23; 1 Cor. 15:20–23. It remained that the day of Pentecost, fifty days later, should also meet its antitype. Lev. 23:15–21. The fulfillment of that type is what the pen of inspiration has recorded in Acts 2:1, 2. God has spoken nothing in this place respecting a change of his Sabbath. Yet grave men, calling themselves Doctors of Divinity, consider this text one of their strongest testimonies for the so-called Christian Sabbath. They might be profited by this advice of the wise man: “Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Prov. 30:6.

FIFTH REASON. Paul once broke bread upon the first day of the week at Troas. Hence this day was observed as the Christian Sabbath. Acts 20:7.

We answer, that at one period the apostolic church at Jerusalem broke bread every day. Acts 2:42–46. If a single instance of breaking bread at Troas upon the first day of the week was quite sufficient to constitute it the Sabbath, would not the continued practice of the apostolic church at Jerusalem in breaking bread every day be amply sufficient to make every day a Sabbath? Moreover, as the act of the great Head of the church in breaking bread must be quite as important as that of his servant Paul, must not the day of the crucifixion be pre-eminently the Christian Sabbath, as Christ instituted and performed this ordinance on the evening with which that day commenced? 1 Cor. 11:23–26.

But on what day of the week did this act of Paul’s occur? For, if it is of sufficient importance to make the day of its occurrence the future Sabbath of the church, the day is worth determining. The act of breaking bread was after midnight, for Paul preached to the disciples until midnight, then healed Eutychus, and after this attended to breaking bread. Verses 7–11. If, as time is reckoned at the present day, the first day of the week terminated at midnight, then Paul’s act of breaking bread took place upon the second day of the week, or Monday, which should henceforth be regarded as the Christian Sabbath, if breaking bread on a day makes it a Sabbath.

But if the Bible method of commencing the day, viz., from sunset, was followed, it would appear that the disciples came together at the close of the Sabbath for an evening meeting, as the apostle was to depart in the morning. If it was not an evening meeting, why did they have many lights there? Paul preached unto them until midnight, and then broke bread with the disciples early in the morning of the first day of the week. Did this act constitute that day the Sabbath? If so, then why did Paul, as soon as it was light, start on his long journey to Jerusalem? If Paul believed that Sunday was the Christian Sabbath, why did he thus openly violate it? If he did not believe it had become the Sabbath, why should you? And why do you grasp, as evidence that the Sabbath has been changed, a single instance in which an evening meeting was held on Sunday, while you overlook the fact that it was the custom of this same apostle to preach every Sabbath, not only to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles? Acts 13:14, 42, 44; 16:13; 17:2; 18:4. Paul broke bread on the first day of the week, and then immediately started on his long journey to Jerusalem. So that this, the strongest argument for the first day of the week, furnishes direct proof that Sunday is not the Sabbath.

SIXTH REASON. Paul commanded the church at Corinth to take up a collection on the first day of the week; therefore it follows that this must have been their day of public worship, and consequently is the Christian Sabbath. 1 Cor. 16:2.

We answer, it is a remarkable fact that Paul enjoins exactly the reverse of a public collection. He does not say, Place your alms in the public treasury on the first day of the week; but he says, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store.”

J. W. Morton, in his “Vindication of the True Sabbath,” pp. 51, 52, says:—

“The apostle simply orders that each one of the Corinthian brethren should lay up at home some portion of his weekly gains on the first day of the week. The whole question turns upon the meaning of the expression, ‘by him;’ and I marvel greatly how you can imagine that it means, ‘in the collection-box of the congregation.’ Greenfield, in his Lexicon, translates the Greek term, ‘with one’s self,’ i. e., at home. Two Latin versions, the Vulgate and that of Castellio, render it, ‘apud se,’ with one’s self, at home. Three French translations, those of Martin, Osterwald, and De Sacy, ‘chez soi,’ at his own house, at home. The German of Luther, ‘bei sich selbst,’ by himself, at home. The Dutch, ‘by hem selven,’ same as the German. The Italian of Diodati, ‘appresso di se,’ in his own presence, at home. The Spanish of Felipe Scio, ‘en su casa,’ in his own house. The Portuguese of Ferreira, ‘para isso,’ with himself. The Swedish, ‘nær sig sjelf,’ near himself. I know not how much this list of authorities might be swelled, for I have not examined one translation that differs from those quoted above.”

The text, therefore, does not prove that the Corinthian church was assembled for public worship on that day; but, on the contrary, it does prove that each must be at his own home, where he could examine his worldly affairs, and lay by himself in store as God had prospered him. If each one should thus, from week to week, collect his earnings, when the apostle should come, their bounty would be ready, and each would be able to present to him what he had gathered. So that if the first-day Sabbath has no better foundation than the inference drawn from this text, it truly rests upon sliding sand.

SEVENTH REASON. John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, which was the first day of the week. Rev. 1:10.

This is the kind of reasoning which the advocates of Sunday are invariably obliged to adopt. But, we ask, what right have they to assume the very point which they ought to prove? This text, it is true, furnishes direct proof that there is a day in the gospel dispensation which the Lord claims as his; but is there one text in the Bible which testifies that the first day of the week is the Lord’s day? There is not one. Has God ever claimed that day as his? Never. Has God ever claimed any day as his, and reserved it to himself? He has. “And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” Gen. 2:3. “To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord.” Ex. 16:23. “The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” Ex. 20:10. “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day,” &c. Isa. 58:13. “Therefore, the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:28.

The seventh is the day which God reserved to himself when he gave to man the other six; and this day he calls his holy day. This is the day which the New Testament declares the Son of man to be Lord of.

Is there one testimony in the Scriptures that the Lord of the Sabbath has put away his holy day and chosen another? Not one. Then that day which the Bible designates as the Lord’s day is none other than the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.

THE FOUNDATION OF SUNDAY-KEEPING EXAMINED.

In these texts, Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1, 2, 9; Luke 23:56; 24:1; John 20:19; the foundation of the “Christian Sabbath” must be sought, if, indeed, such an institution actually exists; for there are no other records of the first day which relate to the time when it is supposed to have become sacred. These texts are supposed to prove that at the resurrection of the Saviour, the first day absorbed the sacredness of the seventh, elevating itself from the rank of a secular to that of a sacred day, and abasing the Sabbath of the Lord to the rank of “the six working days.” Eze. 46:1. Yet, the following facts must be regarded as very extraordinary indeed if this alleged change of the Sabbath here took place:—

1. That these texts should contain no mention of this change of the Sabbath.

2. That they should carefully discriminate between the Sabbath of the fourth commandment and the first day of the week.

3. That they should apply no sacred title to that day; particularly that they should omit the title of Christian Sabbath.

4. That they should not mention the fact that Christ rested upon that day; an act essential to its becoming his Sabbath.

5. That they do not relate the act of taking the blessing of God from the seventh day and placing it upon the first; and, indeed, they do not mention any act whatever, of blessing and hallowing the day.

6. That they omit to mention anything that Christ did to the first day; and they do not even inform us that Christ so much as took the first day of the week into his lips!

7. That they give no precept in support of first-day observance, nor do they contain a hint of the manner in which the first day of the week can be enforced by the authority of the fourth commandment.

Should it be asserted, however, from the words of John that the disciples were on this occasion convened for the purpose of honoring the day of the resurrection, and that Jesus sanctioned this act by meeting with them, thus accomplishing the change of the Sabbath, it is sufficient to cite in reply the words of Mark in which the same interview is narrated: “Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.” Mark 16:14.

The testimony of Mark shows that the inference so often drawn from the words of John is utterly unfounded. 1. The disciples were assembled for the purpose of eating supper. 2. Jesus came into their midst and upbraided them for their unbelief respecting his resurrection.

The Scriptures declare that “with God all things are possible;” yet this statement is limited by the declaration that God cannot lie. Matt. 19:26; Titus 1:2. Does the change of the Sabbath pertain to those things that are possible with God? or is it excluded by that important limitation, God cannot lie? The Lawgiver is the God of truth, and his law is the truth. Isa. 65:16; Ps. 119:142, 151. Whether it would still remain the truth if changed to something else, and whether the Lawgiver would still continue to be the God of truth after he had thus changed it, remains to be seen. The fourth commandment, which is affirmed to have been changed, is thus expressed: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. . . . The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. . . . For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

If now we insert the “first day” in place of the seventh, we shall bring the matter to a test: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. . . . The first day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. . . . For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the first day, wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

This changes the truth of God into a lie; Rom. 1:25; for it is false that God rested upon the first day of the week, and blessed and hallowed it. Nor is it possible to change the rest-day of the Creator from that day on which he rested to one of the six days on which he did not rest. To change a part of the commandment, and to leave the rest unchanged, will not therefore answer, as the truth which is left is still sufficient to expose the falsehood which is inserted. A more radical change is needed, like the following: “Remember the Christian Sabbath to keep it holy. The first day is the Sabbath of the Lord Jesus Christ. For on that day he arose from the dead; wherefore he blessed the first day of the week, and hallowed it.”

After such a change, no part of the original sabbatic institution remains; not only is the rest-day of the Lord left out, but even the reasons on which the fourth commandment is based are of necessity omitted also. But does such an edition of the fourth commandment as this exist? Not in the Bible, certainly. Is it true that such titles as these are applied to the first day? Never in the holy Scriptures. Did the Lawgiver bless and hallow that day? Most assuredly not. He did not even take the name of it into his lips. Such a change of the fourth commandment on the part of the God of truth is impossible; for it not merely affirms that which is false, and denies that which is true, but it turns the truth of God itself into a lie. It is simply the act of setting up a rival to the Sabbath of the Lord, which, having neither sacredness nor authority of its own, has contrived to secure that of the Bible Sabbath itself.

HOPE

NEVER despair! the darkest cloud That ever loomed will pass away, The longest night will yield to dawn— The dawn will kindle into day. What if around thy lonely bark Break fierce and high the waves of sorrow Stretch every oar! there's land ahead! And thou wilt gain the port to-morrow.

When fortune frowns, and summer friends, Like birds that fear a storm, depart, Some, if the heart hath tropic warmth, Will stay and wrestle round thy heart; If thou art poor, no joy is won, No good is gained by sad repining, Gems buried in the darkened earth May yet be gathered for the mining.

There is no lot, however sad, There is no roof, however low, But has some joy to make it glad, Some latent bliss to soothe its woe. The light of hope will linger near, When wildest beats the heart's emotion, A talisman when breakers roar, A star upon the troubled ocean.

The farmer knows not if his field, With flood or drought or blight must cope; He questions not the fickle skies, But plows, and sows, and toils, in hope. Then up! and strive, and dare, and do, Nor doubt a harvest you will gather; 'Tis time to labor and to wait, And trust in God for genial weather.

The Truth, No. 4: Sealing the Remnant Church

By R. F. Cottrell

The Truth.—No. 4.

By a special message of the gospel, foretold in the beginning of this dispensation, the Lord is now restoring his down-trodden truth to the last generation of his people, to prepare them to stand in the “hour of temptation” and “time of trouble” which will introduce the great day of wrath. Rev. 14:9–12. The servants of God must be sealed against the day when the winds of war shall be loosed. Rev. 7:1–4. They will need the whole truth for their defense in that terrible day when our High Priest shall cease his pleading. The prophetic command for our time is, “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” Isa. 8:16. The truth, to the remnant of the church, will be what the blood of the passover upon the door posts was to the Israelites in Egypt—a defense when the destroying angel shall pass through.

In view of the coming of the day of Christ, an apostle says, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end.” 1 Pet. 1:13. And Jesus describes the position of his people at his coming as follows: “Let your loins be girt about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding.” Luke 12:35, 36. What is the girdle for the loins? Let Paul answer. “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.” In the evil day described in Ps. 91, when thousands will be falling by the side of God’s people, the truth shall be their defense. “His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” “There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” And when the host of the redeemed shall approach the city of God, their final and everlasting habitation, it shall be commanded, “Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth [Heb., truths] may enter in.” Isa. 26:2. How perfectly in harmony with the testimony of the risen and glorified Jesus! “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev. 22:14.

Since the truth is so valuable, how shall it be secured? how shall we know the truth? A spirit of submissive obedience is of more value in searching and finding the truth than

mine enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers; for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.” Ps. 119:97–100. Concerning the time of the end, the angel said to Daniel, “The wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Dan. 12:10. The wicked, who break God’s commandments, are contrasted with the wise. In what consists the wisdom of the wise? How do they get understanding? Here is the answer. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do his commandments.” Ps. 111:10.

The truth is important, because all men shall be judged by it. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Eccl. 12:13, 14. “He cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.” Ps. 96:13. “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; . . . in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” Rom. 2:12, 16.

Let us love and obey the truth, that we be not left “to believe a lie,” and so be condemned, because we “believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” R. F. COTTRELL.

A Carriage Telling Its Own Story.

SOME time ago two young men went to a livery stable to hire a horse and carriage. They told the keeper of the stable that they only wanted to go to a village several miles off. When they came back, the man thought the horse looked as though he had been driven much farther than that. He asked them how much farther they had been. They said they had only been to the next village. Then he opened a box that was fastened to the side of the carriage. In this box was a little thing almost like a clock. This had the power of keeping a correct account of every turn made by the wheels of the carriage. It did this by pointing with a finger to the figures on a dial-plate. The man knew how many turns of the wheel it took to make a mile; and so when he saw the figure to which the finger pointed, he knew in a moment how many miles the carriage had been. As soon as he opened his box he saw that the carriage had traveled thirty miles instead of fourteen. Those young men didn’t know that they were carrying with them a silent witness against themselves. They didn’t know that that little instrument was keeping a correct account of every yard of ground they went over. And just so it is with conscience. It is busy all the time; and at last it will give a correct account of all that we have done.

—Sel.

The King's Business Requires Haste.

By A. M. Lindsley

As I read the stirring article in REVIEW on “Making Excuse,” and thought of the probability that many are holding back from going with the message, or joining in this great work as duty requires of them, I felt that this is truly a testing time when nothing but the strictest integrity of heart and a willingness to give up all, will answer the demands upon us. There are those who realize this, and God will greatly bless them in moving out.

Is not this the gleaning time after the world has had the warning of the first angel of Rev. 14:6? the time when those who work in the vineyard of the Lord must go out into the highways and by-ways, and compel souls to come to the feast by the clearness and power of truth? They must be snatched as it were as brands from the burning, ere the dreadful day of God's wrath bursts upon us. The nearness of it requires that great haste should be used lest the invitation should not reach all. The king has made a great supper,—who will deem himself worthy through Christ of accepting the invitation, and partaking of the marriage supper of the Lamb? Who will count all things but dross that they may win Christ and immortal glory? Who will lay aside selfish interests, take their lives in their hands, and go and tell the story of the cross—to say that this same Jesus that the disciples saw go into Heaven, shall so come in like manner, that he will gather the wheat into his garner, but burn the tares with fire unquenchable?

This life and the things of it will reckon at a discount by-and-by. It will not be worthy to be compared with a patient continuance in well-doing and the reward, eternal life. Is it not possible for us to realize what is required of us, and then make all possible haste to do the bidding of the Master? Again, the stirring cry breaks forth—Who is on the Lord's side? Who will gird his fisher's coat about him, and, taking neither purse nor scrip, and with the inspiration of the words of the Almighty, and in the power of the Holy Ghost, bring souls from the deep waters of sin to the heaven of peace and safety?

God is calling loudly for workmen, and, should they refuse, he will still be able to convert scores of Sauls who will do his bidding; but those who refused, and made excuse will not taste of his supper. God's work will not stop for lingerers,—his car of progress rolls on, and will leave all in the rear who will not jump on board at the risk of all. A. M. LINDSLEY.

Versailles, N. Y.

Wheat Yields Per Acre: America Compared With England

NINE bushels and one-eighth is all the wheat crop averages per acre in the United States, and only about ten or eleven on the fertile prairies of the West, while in old England it averages twenty-eight bushels per acre by thorough tillage.

CHRIST, LET ME COME TO THEE.

By Hattie A. Warner

Christ, let me nearer come; My soul would gaze On the unrivaled riches of thy grace; Would see the brightness of Heaven's glory shine In holy radiance from the brow divine; And yet afar I stand, and through the gloom I scarce discern thy face.

Oh! bid me come more near; I've waited long To hear thy voice above earth's murmuring throng. But when thy tones fall on my listening ear, 'Tis like faint music from some far-off sphere, And sometimes I have even failed to hear, Or understood thee wrong.

Fain would my soul be blest; Sadly I stand, Salvation's unfilled cup within my hand, I taste the ripples of redemption's streams, But lead me where the unwasting fountain gleams. Oh! show me where thy flocks at noontime rest, By heavenly zephyrs fanned.

Yes, I will come to thee, Will haste again Through the dense crowd to touch thy garment's hem. Oh! let me place in thine my trembling hand, “And walk beside thee to the holy land;” Choose thou the way, if thou but share with me The gladness and the pain.

—HATTIE A. WARNER, in Earnest Christian.

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