Review and Herald, Vol. 77, No. 4. (1/23/1900)

Review and Herald

Jan 23, 1900

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 23, 1900

CHRIST OR BARABBAS.

By Ellen G. White

MRS. E. G. WHITE.

God sent his Son into the world to save men, although, because of their sins, they did not deserve such a revelation of love. How did the world treat the One who was “altogether lovely,” and “the chiefest among ten thousand”? We read of him at his trial, “The men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee? And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.” Prophesy, inspired by Christ himself, had declared the treatment he would receive at the hands of men.

On one occasion Paul was smitten on the mouth. He was indignant at the insult, and said, to the cruel actor, “Sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?” Paul had not then become as meek and lowly as his Master. In spite of the cruel treatment Christ received, he declared, “I came not to judge the world, but to save the world;” not to crush, but to heal; not to judge, but to save and uplift, to ennoble and bless.

At the Passover feast, it was the custom to release a prisoner, whom the people might choose. “They had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.”

Pilate was not left to grope his way in darkness. Not only was he convinced by the testimony and evidence of the witnesses that the charges brought against Christ were false, but an angel of God communicated light to his wife; and, before the terrible deed was done, she gave this light to Pilate. “When he was set down in the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with this just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.” But Pilate was too weak to obey the light.

The Prince of Life, bearing the seal of heaven, was placed before the people, with Barabbas by his side. The contrast between light and darkness, sin and righteousness, truth and falsehood, could be seen by all. Pilate then asked the people, “Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?” With satanic madness the people answered, “Not this man, but Barabbas.” They refused to receive the Lord of glory, choosing Barabbas, a robber and murderer, in his stead. By this they showed that they preferred the society of a murderer to that of the One who was sinless, full of goodness, mercy, and truth. Satan was working through the religious element, and bigotry and prejudice prevailed.

“Pilate said unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” And as if inspired with satanic frenzy, the people cried, “Let him be crucified.” Their voices sounded like the bellowing of wild beasts. “Why, what evil hath he done?” Pilate asked. “But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.”

“When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.” Did this farce make Pilate guiltless? O Pilate, if you could have washed from your convicted conscience the terrible guilt that will ever oppress your soul because of this cowardly deed, your after-history would not have been laid in such dark colors. When you knew that it was for envy that Jesus was delivered, why did you refuse to listen to the warning from the Lord? Do you think that the act of washing your hands will cleanse you from the sin of condemning a man when your own reason tells you that he was delivered into your power because of envy? You declared him innocent, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just person,” and yet you delivered him up to his murderers.

Writing of this, John says, “Pilate saith to them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; and went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?”

“I have power.” By saying this, Pilate showed that he made himself responsible for the condemnation of Christ, for the cruel scourging, and for the insults offered him before any wrong was proved against him. Pilate had been chosen and appointed to administer justice, but he dared not do it. Had he exercised the power that he claimed, and that his position gave him, had he protected Christ, he would not have been accountable for his death. Christ would have been crucified, but Pilate would not have been held guilty.

Listen to the response made when Pilate said to the people, “I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it:” “Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.” He had pronounced him innocent, but still he delivered him up to the most ignominious and cruel death that a man can suffer.

The four evangelists,—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,—all bear record that Jew and Gentile, priest and people, rulers, kings, and governors, all classes and tongues, were represented in rejecting Christ, a man who was innocent, and against whom no proof could be found. He came to this world to live God’s law in human nature. He came to testify to the worlds unfallen, to seraphim and cherubim, to angels and to men, that Satan’s rebellion against God and his law was without foundation or excuse, that in his law God had revealed his character. This character Christ represented by living that law, thus vindicating it, and showing its immutability. This Satan could not tolerate. He could not bear to lose all that he had attempted in heaven, and in attempting which he had lost heaven. He and his evil angels united in a desperate companionship with disloyal and evil men. They resolved to use the whole power of their corrupt energies in putting out of the world the light of truth.

The unfallen worlds and the heavenly universe looked with amazement at the hatred felt and acted toward the only begotten Son of God. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” But he who was sent into the world by the Father on an embassage of mercy, bringing a message of love, was not received. Notwithstanding the priceless gift he brought, he was scorned as a deceiver, hunted down as a malefactor, and betrayed and crucified as the worst of criminals. Thus human nature will do when controlled by satanic agencies.

Here we have a picture held up before us. The Light of the world, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, without one charge proved against him, without being convicted of a single crime, was given up by the ruler of the people to a shameful death. But who was responsible? In the day of God, before the assembled universe, who will suffer punishment for this act? — Those who claimed to be the most pious people on the earth. Who crucified Christ?— “Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.” The people would not then have permitted harm to come to Jesus; therefore the priests must do their work in secrecy.

The religious leaders, the guides and instructors of the people, the men who ought to have pointed the people to Jesus, saying, as did John, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,” followed the lead of the enemy of all good. They persuaded the poor ignorant people, who knew not the Scriptures, which testify of Christ, to reject the Son of God, and led them to choose a robber and murderer. “The chief priests and elders persuaded the people that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.” Why did they do this? — Because of envy and jealousy. Prejudice is ever blind, unreasonable, vindictive, and cruel. Under its maddening power people are rendered insane. “Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?”

GRATITUDE FOR BLESSINGS.

By H. F. Lyte

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven; To his feet thy tribute bring; Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, Evermore his praises sing: Halleluiah! Halleluiah! Praise the everlasting King!

Praise him for his grace and favor To our fathers in distress; Praise him, still the same as ever, Slow to chide, and swift to bless: Halleluiah! Halleluiah! Glorious in his faithfulness!

Father-like, he tends and spares us; Well our feeble frame he knows; In his hands he gently bears us, Rescues us from all our foes: Halleluiah! Halleluiah! Praise with us—the God of grace.

— H. F. Lyte.

EVIL SPEAKING.

By Sarah M. Saunders

SARAH M. SAUNDERS.

(Battle Creek, Mich.)

The habit of speaking evil is one that has become alarmingly prevalent in nearly all classes of society, and it is a habit that is very closely allied to sins of a darker hue.

Generally speaking, it is understood that evil speaking means speaking reproachfully or sarcastically of our neighbors and associates, and, sometimes, of those we call our friends. There is a kind of evil speaking which is the fruit of jealousy, and which is dangerous, as it sometimes proves disastrous to the reputation and happiness of innocent persons. There are always some who are ready and willing to hear and believe evil reports, however unreasonable the charge or false the accuser, and often those whose character and life are above reproach are befouled and maligned by an unguarded word thoughtlessly spoken.

But there is another manner of evil speaking to which we are all more or less addicted, and which is condemned by the words of Holy Writ. This is clearly set forth in the words of the apostle when he says, “Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.” Eph. 5: 4. What an easy matter it is, and how prone we are, we who should be a light to the world, so far to forget our position before God and the world, our profession of holiness unto the Lord, as to engage in light and frivolous conversation, jesting, and even nonsensical expressions. Must we not all plead guilty? Often, when we are in company with others who have not received present truth, there are those who are watching and weighing our every act, gesture, and word; and if we permit ourselves to be led into unbecoming conversation, we may lose the respect of some whom we are very anxious to gain. We may possibly be the cause of some one’s drifting away into infidelity. God forbid that any of us should be so unfortunate as to have this laid to our charge! “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” Ps. 141: 3.

“Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” Ps. 34: 13. “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.” 1 Peter 3: 10.

CHRIST AND ECONOMY.

By L. A. Reed

L. A. REED. (Jacksonville, Ill.)

True economy is not to hoard whatever we can, and as much as we can. It is to make the best possible use of our opportunities, abilities, and powers. The monopolist is not the true economist. The miser is far from being economical. Take the example of that rich man, rich in this world’s goods, who was poverty stricken so far as eternal things are concerned; was he economical?—He had wasted the most and the best that had come to him; he had thrown it all away. He died as poor as any creature of earth. When he died, he had nothing. Is that economy?

“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.” He felt a great deal of satisfaction in the situation; he felt that he was planning wisely and doing well. But God thought differently. “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?”

And now, mark the lesson, “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” “So is he,”—“so;” what is the meaning of that word “so”?—The meaning is that this same thing that happened to this rich man will happen to every man that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. And what happened to this rich man?

But a moment’s consideration shows us that an awful thing came at the last to him. And it is this same awful thing that is to come to all who do as he did. It happens at the last that God requires the soul, and then the man is poorer than any beggar under the sun. Poverty is too shallow a name, too weak a word, to cover the awful condition of one who loses property, body, and soul, all in one fell moment.

Is there any pain in being cut off from all you love? Is it severe to be separated from the things you love and hold dear? All the ills of life are summed up in separations, in partings. What are disappointments but the losing of what we have had or have hoped to have? There is no sorrow but the sorrow of deprivations. There is no pain in this world but the pain of lacking. All of hell is simply this: to lose, to part with, to separate from, all that we love and hope for.

Some may object to this, and say that some pain consists in having things we would be glad to lose; but this is but another way of saying that we have not some of the things that would make us happy. The invalid may have disease, and long to be rid of it; but this is only to say that he has lost health. We say the poor man has his poverty; but what is poverty?—It is merely to have nothing. No; all of sorrow, all of pain, all of sin, all of death, all of hell, with all of the awful anguish of them all, consists only in not having, in being separated forever, in being cruelly torn away from, the things that belong to the true and happy life.

This is the penalty that the miser pays; this is the harvest that the monopolist reaps; this is the hell that confronts the selfish; it is the doom of him who has not been truly economical.

There are partings in this world, and no man can evade them all; there are some things to be lost, and no one but must lose his part. But there are things that no man need give up; there are things he may keep forever. I read that Mary chose that good part that shall never be taken from her. Some choose things they can not keep; that is, they seek to save that which can not be saved, or that can not be saved in the way they seek to save them. Surely this is not economy.

The teachings of Jesus Christ are simply to point out the things that may be kept, and the way by which to keep them; and also to point out the things that sooner or later must be given up, and to show us the way and give us the heart to give them up. And since this is nothing more nor less than true economy, and since Christ Jesus came down to earth for this one purpose, we begin to realize the fact that the revelation of Jesus Christ, similarly with the revelation of nature, is but a revelation of true economy.

PERFECT TRUST IN GOD.

By Asa Smith

ASA SMITH.

(Piedmont, S. Dak.)

“I AM doing my best to help myself; but when I can’t, the Lord can, so I just have to trust, that’s all there is to do.”

Then we are to understand that you would not trust the Lord at all if you could avoid it. Really, then, how much do you trust God?

How many are making the same mistake! We look upon the Lord as some kind friend who will help us any time we ask him; but we don’t like to be “bothering him all the time.”

But the Lord wishes us to come to him all the time. He is full of goodness and mercy, and takes pleasure in supplying all our needs. Satan would have us think that we can do some little things without “bothering” the Lord. There is where self gets in.

Let us not listen to such reasonings. Let us go to the Lord with everything. Let us not for a moment entertain the thought that we can do anything without his help. Too long have we been “trying to do all we can to help ourselves, and trusting the Lord to do the rest.” Let us trust him first to do it all, and then yield ourselves as instruments for his using. Too long have we been trusting in our farm, our school, our position, or our money. When we can see the way clear, we do not trust the Lord: we trust him only in our extremity.

“Now the just shall live by faith.” But faith is not sight; therefore when we are living by sight, we are not living by faith. “But I can’t see how just believing God’s word will supply the necessities of life.” No; you can’t see how. If you could see, you would not have faith; for “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Then let us go to God with all our cares and trials and perplexities, and ask him for wisdom. But let us “ask in faith;” for the doubtful and unbelieving need not “think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.”

“I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou Shouldst lead me on; I loved to choose and see my path, but now, Lead thou me on! Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene; one step’s enough for me.”

A CHRISTIAN’S PRAYER.

My Lord, it is thy work which I would do, And live my life with this one thought in view; The world, with all its wealth, can never give Such honor as the privilege to live For thee, as thine ambassador below. Oh, may I both in word and action show The joy I feel in that most sacred call, And count it my chief pride, my life, my all!

As thou on earth wast moved to sympathy When human sufferers were brought to thee, And made the blind to see, the lame to walk; And e’en the leper clean, the dumb to talk; May I, too, as thy faithful servant, seek To bind each broken heart, support the weak, And in each life, however cold and drear, Bring warmth of Christian sympathy and cheer. —Selected.

“THE CIVIL AUTHORITY OF THE POPE.”

THE following are the propositions concerning the authority of the pope, which we mentioned in last week’s REVIEW. The Osservatore Romano—Roman Observer—is the official organ of the Vatican. The subject discussed is “The Civil Authority of the Pope.” For this translation of it we are indebted to the Literary Digest of Jan. 13, 1900. It is especially opportune, as in this very number of the REVIEW this lesson in the Missionary Reading Circle is on that part of Daniel 7 which relates to the papacy. The propositions run as follows:—

“1. The church is a completed organization established as such by God upon earth, the invisible head of which is Christ, the visible head of which is the pope in Rome.

“2. The church is a religious organization with the purpose of serving mankind in securing eternal salvation.

“3. But the church is at the same time the kingdom of God here upon earth, and therefore can not be of this world, as it does not originate in the world.

“4. Since the kingdom of Jesus Christ comes from heaven, it has also been created for heaven, and has there both its origin and its consummation.

“5. The divine founder, Jesus Christ, is intrusted with both the highest priesthood and the highest kingly power; he rules and governs the religio-spiritual body that constitutes his kingdom and is the kingdom of God.

“6. In the church, therefore, the idea of a kingly power and of a priesthood is intimately and indissolubly connected; and as the church upon earth has been established upon Peter, and Peter is upon earth its head in the place of Jesus Christ, its heavenly Head, thus, too, everything that is in Christ and in the church can also be claimed for Peter.

“7. Accordingly, like Christ, Peter is both a priest and a king.

“8. The priesthood embraces the authority of the magistracy; the royal power includes the power to govern, as the church is a real and perfect society.

“9. Every society of necessity has a fundamental law and a permanent government. Without the former, there would be no moral unity; and without the latter, no social unity.

“10. The pope is accordingly the master [maestro] of the law, and the head of the government of the society and the kingdom of Jesus Christ, being invested and delegated for this purpose by Christ himself.

“11. Accordingly, both as a teacher and as the head of a government, the pope has no one over him except Jesus Christ.

“12. The pope can accordingly be dependent upon no one except the power and the sovereignty of Jesus Christ.

“13. Then the pope has no equal upon earth nor any superior (in tutto e da per tutto).

“14. It is a logical conclusion that the pope of a necessity in every particular in which the spiritual association of Jesus Christ comes into relation to human society must be the sovereign.

“15. The pope is accordingly the sovereign in the church and also in the world, in the divine and in human society, over against men and nations, over against princes and potentates.

“16. As the church is universal, it includes each and every other society; as it is the kingdom of God, it covers also all other kingdoms; as the pope is the sovereign of the church, that is, of the kingdom and the society of Jesus Christ, he is also the sovereign in every other society and in every other kingdom.

“17. The sovereignty of Christ, which is the same as the sovereignty of God, is the basis of every other authority; every other authority is founded upon this, whether it be human or divine, civil or political, private or public, authority.

“18. Therefore the religious and the spiritual sovereignty of the pope includes also the civil and the political authority throughout the world.”

Then follow certain propositions in which this position is strengthened. Proposition 22 reads: “The truth of this claim is vindicated (a) by faith; (b) by reasons; (c) by history.” We quote as follows from this argument:—

“1. No word of the Bible contradicts the doctrine of the authority of the pope in all civil affairs.

“2. Jesus Christ has established his church as a free institution, and has given it the right to make use of all human means for its purposes in order to protect this freedom.

“3. The civil authority of the pope is helpful to the church, and harms nobody.

“4. The pope can not be the subject of anybody; hence must be an absolute sovereign.

“5. The pope was never the subject of any earthly prince or power.

“6. The pope has at all times been sovereign, even in the period of the catacombs, when he had independent territory and an organized society, which he controlled as a real and effective sovereign.

“7. In the times when the Christians lived in the catacombs, marriages were celebrated, baptisms administered, and all the affairs of this world were administered under the auspices and direction of the bishop of Rome.

“8. As soon as the pope emerged from the catacombs, the emperor left Rome. Thus the history shows that the pope has never been the subject of any human authority.”

This weighty and significant discussion closes with the following “Conclusions:”—

“1. Jesus Christ has made his church free.

“2. He has thereby made it sovereign.

“3. The church, and accordingly the pope also, must be free and sovereign.

“4. The pope is free, and must be free, not only in religious and spiritual, but also in temporal and material, respects.

“5. The pope can accordingly, neither in spiritual nor in temporal respects, be a subject; he must be a sovereign and a ruler.

“6. When, therefore, the pope declares that he must be absolutely free and a ruler in temporal respect also, it is contrary to the faith, contrary to reason, and contrary to history to maintain that this is not correct.”

The Italian government confiscated the whole edition of the Osservatore Romano containing these “new definitions of papal authority.” In 1889 it was obliged to do the same thing. “Rome never changes;” and Lord Macaulay has well said that the knowledge of any past event “is valuable only as it leads us to form just calculations with respect to the future.”

“UNTO THEM THAT LOOK FOR HIM SHALL HE APPEAR THE SECOND TIME.”

By Cyrus Simmons

CYRUS SIMMONS. (Knoxville, Tenn.)

Righteous Abel and wicked Cain mark the genesis of the two classes of people which will continue on the earth until the close of time. The one is “the sons of God” (Gen. 6 : 2; 1 John 3 : 1); the other, the children of men: the one, “the children of light;” the other, the children of darkness (1 Thess. 5 : 4, 5); the one, “strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Heb. 11 : 13); the other, dwellers. Luke 21 : 35. The different manner of Christ’s first and second coming to the two classes is written so plainly “that he may run that readeth it.”

The manifestation of the Son of God in the flesh, or his first coming to the earth, condemns all who do not believe in him. It is not God’s will that any should be condemned: “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3 : 17.

The result, however, of unbelief “in the name of the only begotten Son of God” is condemnation. “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light.” Verse 19. The condemnation comes not from the choice of God, but from the choice of men,—they “loved darkness rather than light.” On the contrary, it is God’s will that the world should be saved. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Verse 16. The sacrifice that God made when he gave his only begotten Son was the most precious gift that heaven could bestow. The Father could do no more for fallen man. All who reject this gift love darkness rather than light. But to believe “in him” is to believe “in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Verse 18. The name of God represents his character, his attributes, his power.

The angel of the annunciation said, “Thou shalt call his name Jesus [“Saviour,” Hebrew]; for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matt. 1 : 21. To believe in Jesus is to believe in his name; to believe in his name is to believe in the power of his salvation,—“that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3 : 16. To obtain everlasting, or eternal, life we must have the Son. “God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life.” 1 John 5 : 11, 12. Faith (Eph. 2 : 8), salvation (Ps. 18 : 35), eternal life (Rom. 6 : 23), and the “only begotten Son of God” are all gifts of God. It is our blessed privilege to choose. If we choose the Son, we have all the rest, and he will come unto us and abide with us (John 14 : 23), and in us. Verse 17.

To believe that nearly nineteen hundred years ago Christ came to the world,—the only way, condemnatory though it is, in which he can come to the unbeliever,—will not save us from our sins. He must come unto us, and live in us, that we may have freedom from sin, and have eternal life. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil. 2 : 13. When Christ is in us, we have the power to will and to execute; we have “the power of God unto salvation;” we are translated “into the kingdom of his dear Son.” Col. 1 : 13.

This is the coming that saves,—the first salvable advent to the individual. He must be a personal Saviour first to all who will be looking, and watching, and waiting for his second coming. His first coming results differently

to the two classes. His righteous life condemns the unbelieving class, while the same righteous life in the believing class saves them. His first coming is also seen differently by the two classes. The one simply see the historical record of a man called the Son of God, crucified on Calvary; the other have “the power of God unto salvation” revealed to them, in them, and are crucified with him. “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. . . . How is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?”—By coming. John 14 : 21, 22. “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” Verse 23. “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God [1 John 4 : 2],” “because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” 1 John 4 : 4. “Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Cor. 13 : 5.

The manner of Christ’s second coming will likewise be different to the two classes. To the children of darkness he will come “as a thief in the night.” 1 Thess. 5 : 2, 3. Though that time is now so near that we are told we can hear the footsteps of the approaching Saviour; though almost every kindred, nation, tongue, and people are now being warned of the soon coming of “the great and the terrible day of the Lord;” yet it is a lamentable fact, foretold by the “sure word of prophecy,” that the world will be as unprepared to receive their God, as were the antediluvians or those of Sodom and Gomorrah; “for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.” Luke 21 : 35.

Christ tells all to watch (Mark 13 : 37); but many quote the Lord’s coming “as a thief in the night” as an apology for not being aware of that approaching event, while the Lord uses that same expression in condemnation of their willful ignorance.

To “the children of light” his coming will not be “as a thief in the night.” “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” 1 Thess. 5 : 4. Instead of being surprised, they will be waiting for him. “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him.” Isa. 25 : 9.

If waiting, they will have to be looking for him too. They looked for him when he came the first time unto them to dwell in them to save them from their sins. How natural will it be for the living righteous to be looking for him when he comes the second time to save them as saints! “And unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Heb. 9 : 28. Observe the manner of his appearing,—“without sin unto salvation.” He came the first time “without sin unto salvation” when he came unto them, and lived in them, and revealed “the power of God unto salvation.” He can come the second time “without sin unto salvation” only unto those who are able to exclaim, with Paul: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” Gal. 2 : 20.

The righteous will not only be looking for him, but they will “love his appearing” (2 Tim. 4 : 8); they “will be glad and rejoice.” Isa. 25 : 9. Let us read the text in full: “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” He saves his people twice; else he could not appear “the second time without sin unto salvation.”

The spiritual first coming to the individual is “the earnest of our inheritance” (Eph. 1 : 14), the earnest of the real, literal, and visible second coming of Christ to the earth, when “every eye shall see him” (Rev. 1 : 7), and every ear shall hear “the voice of the archangel” and “the trump of God” (1 Thess. 4 : 16), when the Son of man shall come “in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt. 24 : 30), and “all the holy angels with him.” Matt. 25 : 31.

LIVING TO GOD.

By Mrs. E. S. Armitage

O Lord of life and love and power, How joyful life might be If in thy service every hour We lived and moved with thee! If youth, in all its bloom and might, By thee were sanctified, And manhood found its chief delight In working at thy side!

’T is ne’er too late, while life shall last, A new life to begin; ’T is ne’er too late to leave the past, And break with self and sin. And we this day, both old and young, Would earnestly aspire For hearts to nobler purpose strong, And purified desire.

Nor for ourselves alone we plead, But for all faithful souls Who serve thy cause by word or deed, Whose names thy book enrolls. O speed thy work, victorious King! And give thy workers might, That through the world thy truth may ring, And all men see thy light!

—Mrs. E. S. Armitage.

BE FAITHFUL IN THAT WHICH “IS LEAST.”

By J. F. Huenergardt

J. F. HUENERGARDT.

(Fagaras, Hungary.)

A great deal of time and energy are wasted in trying to accomplish what is not required, while small duties, which, if performed, would prove a source of great blessing, are neglected.

An excuse for this course of action is often sought in that selfish thought: “I am here to distinguish myself, and I can not afford to waste my time with trifles.” But right here a great mistake is made. Why should we stumble over little things in our wild chase to gain that which may be entirely out of our reach? If we can cause a smile to take the place of a sigh, if we can lighten the load of but one weary wanderer, can we not call this life worth living? However small such deeds may appear to the eye of man, however weak our efforts may be, every kind word, every effort put forth to assist the helpless, is as much in the sight of our infinite Father, as the greatest deed performed by the most able among men.

It is neglect in the home, in the church, in the prayer and missionary meetings,—in short, it is the neglect of all these small duties and privileges in everyday life that brings those many failures and discouragements so often experienced by the human family.

It is because we are not faithful in little things that the greater can not be intrusted to us. Let us therefore, day by day, in joy and in sorrow, sow seeds of kindness by life's waters, and await the fulfillment of our Saviour's promise: He who is faithful in that which is least will be intrusted with much.

Man Exalted Above God: Dependence on Divine Power

“MAN is too often placed where God should be; man is praised and exalted until he loses sight of his dependence upon divine power; and in order to save him from ruin, God is compelled to let him see his own weakness, by withdrawing, in a great measure, the Holy Spirit from him.”

“HE WILL MAGNIFY, THE LAW.”

By O. E. JONES

O. E. JONES.

(College View, Neb.)

The prophet Isaiah, in foretelling Christ’s attitude toward the law, says: “The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable.” Isa. 42:21. As we study Christ’s life, we see this prophecy fulfilled in his daily walk, also in all his teachings.

In his sermon on the mount he says: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” Matt. 5:17. Other scriptures show that to fulfill means to do. For example, in Col. 4:17 are these words: “Say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it.” Thus we see that to fulfill means to do; not to do away with, or put an end to.

In Matthew 5, Jesus also says: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven [not that he will enter heaven as a transgressor, but in the sight of heaven he is looked upon as the least of the people of earth]; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

In verse 21 and onward Jesus says, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.” Jesus did not set aside the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” but magnified it in the sight of the people by showing that not only the outward deed is a violation of the commandment, but that even the thoughts, the intents of the heart, can be a violation.

The same is true of his explanation of the seventh commandment. In verses 27 and 28 he says, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” He did not set aside the commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” by this saying. He magnified it by showing that it means more than people had supposed it meant, that it covers the very thoughts of the heart.

Again: in the fifteenth chapter of Matthew, Jesus defends his Father’s commandments, saying, “God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and he that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. . . . In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Verses 4–9.

And in Luke 16:17 Jesus says, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.” On one occasion when asked, “What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” Jesus said, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt. 19:16, 17.

In the last chapter in the Bible, Jesus says, “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man accordingly as his work shall be.” And in the fourteenth verse he says, “Blessed are they that do his [his Father’s] commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

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