Review and Herald, Vol. 78, No. 19. (5/7/1901)

Review and Herald

May 7, 1901

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 7, 1901

THE GREAT STANDARD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

By Ellen G. White

MRS. E. G. WHITE

Christ gave His life to redeem humanity, and He calls upon men and women to make every sacrifice in their power to glorify God by placing light in contrast with darkness. Christ gave His life as a sacrifice, not to destroy God’s law, not to create a lower standard, but to maintain justice, and to give man a second probation. No one can keep God’s commandments except in Christ’s power. He bore in His body the sins of all mankind, and He imputes His righteousness to every believing child.

Christ is our example in all things. He has magnified the law and made it honorable. By His unwavering obedience He testified to the truth that God’s law is the standard of righteousness for all men. God requires of man nothing that is impossible for him to do. He “so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Possessing our nature, though unstained by sin, and tempted in all points like as we are, Christ kept the law, proving beyond controversy that man also can keep it.

The fiat has gone forth, “The wages of sin is death.” The sinner must feel his guiltiness, else he will never repent. He has broken the law, and in so doing has placed himself under its condemnation. The law has no power to pardon the transgressor, but it points him to Christ Jesus, who says to him, I will take your sin and bear it myself, if you will accept me as your substitute and surety. Return to your allegiance, and I will impute to you my righteousness. You will be made complete in me.

Sin is the transgression of the law. God declares, “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” Notwithstanding all the profession of lip and voice, if the character is not in harmony with the law of God, those making profession of godliness bear evil fruit.

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven,”—the will made known in the Ten Commandments, given in Eden when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy, and spoken with an audible voice from Sinai. “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Many mighty works are done under the inspiration of Satan, and these works will be more and more apparent in the last days.

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”

The mischief done by the professed believers in God who are not doers of the Word, can not be estimated. Their lawless, unholy principles corrupt many, leading them away from the path of obedience.

A life of conformity to the Christ-life can not be a life of disobedience to God’s commands. The lawyer who questioned Christ concerning the law, in answering his own question, said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.” “Thou hast answered right,” Christ said; “this do, and thou shalt live.” Sin can not reign in the life of the one who loves God supremely. Obedience to God is the fruit borne by love. Christ is not at war with Christ, and love to our neighbor prevents us from working ill to him. “The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” The law of God lays its claim upon the whole man. There is no period of time when the law does not make this demand upon every son and daughter of Adam.

Complete obedience is the only condition that meets the requirement of the law. “God is not a man, that He should lie.” God’s law is the rule of His government. He says, “This do, and thou shalt live.” But to the disobedient He says, “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them.” “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” God has given the promise that those who obey His law will be rewarded, not only in the present life, but in the life to come. He declares just as decidedly that those who do not obey His requirements shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on them. By lips that never lie the obedient are blessed, and the disobedient are pronounced guilty.

There are only two classes in the world to-day, and only two classes will be recognized in the Judgment,—those who violate God’s law, and those who keep His law. Two great opposing powers are revealed in the last great battle. On one side stands the Creator of heaven and earth. All on His side bear His signet. They are obedient to His commands. On the other side stands the Prince of darkness, with those who have chosen apostasy and rebellion.

When the judgment shall sit, and every one shall be judged by the things written in the books, the authority of God’s law will be looked upon in a light altogether different from that in which it is now regarded by the Christian world. Satan has blinded their eyes and confused their understanding, as he blinded and confused Adam and Eve, and led them into transgression. The law of Jehovah is great, even as its Author is great. In the judgment it will be recognized as holy, just, and good in all its requirements. Those who transgress this law will find that they have a serious account to settle with God; for His claims are decisive.

Christ has borne our sins in His own body, and those who accept Him as a personal Saviour are free from the penalty of the law. Jesus has been made the propitiation for our sin, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. “Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected. Hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him, ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.”

To the obedient child of God the commandments are a delight. David declares, “Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage forever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end. I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love. Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. Depart from me, ye evil-doers: for I will keep the commandments of my God. . . . I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.”

Did the contempt shown to the law of God extinguish David’s loyalty? Hear his words. He calls upon God to interfere and vindicate His honor, to show that there is a God, that there are limits to His forbearance. “It is time for thee, Lord, to work,” he says, “for they have made void thy law.”

David saw the divine precepts thrown aside, and obstinacy and rebellion increasing. But he was not swept away by the prevalence of apostasy. The scorn and contempt cast upon the law did not lead him to refrain from vindicating the law. On the contrary, his reverence for the law of Jehovah increased as he saw the disregard and contempt shown for it by others. “They have made void thy law,” he exclaims. “Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.”

As man studies and contemplates the precious statutes of the Most High, as he meditates upon

them, and realizes their value, he exclaims: “Thy testimonies are wonderful; therefore doth my soul keep them. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. . . . Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”

BE CONTENT

By T. E. Bowen

T. E. BOWEN

The world is restless. It is restless and discontented because it is covetous, selfish, and grasping. The more money men get, the more they want. True contentment can not be found outside of Christ. No man has learned the lesson truly, so as to say, with Paul, “For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content,” unless he is a Christian. It may be God can use your want, your need, in one place to better serve Him, while in another, to abound might best please Him. That is His part, but ours is to be content whatever it may please Him to lead us through. Paul’s experience is recorded for our benefit: “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” This is a part of the Christian’s experience.

To be contented is not indolence nor laziness. It is life without corroding anxiety. It is as the running of machinery without the squeaking of friction. It is life with the hourly consciousness that God is at hand to provide temporal and spiritual necessities. God does not supply the earth with power enough to swing on her orbit through space for one, two, or five years ahead. He is in His temple, upholding it, second by second, hour by hour, as time passes. So, likewise, He is displeased to have His children lay up ahead a great store, as if fearful that He would leave them somewhere along the way. This reveals distrust. So He exhorts us: “Let your conversation [manner of life] be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He [God] hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” Heb. 13:5.

Not only be content with the things God has given you, but be content with where He has stationed you. If you do not succeed in being contented where you now are, by making the best of the circumstances and surroundings, it is altogether likely you would succeed no better were you somewhere else. He who can so happily suit himself to his environments as to make that which might prove a discontentment, a source of contentment, both for himself and others, will prove a blessing anywhere, will be wanted anywhere, and at last such will be wanted to people the new earth. The discontented, the faultfinding, the murmurers, all fell in the wilderness, and it is said of them that they perished through “unbelief.”

Politeness in Married Life

“Will you?” asked a pleasant voice. And the husband answered, “Yes, my dear, with pleasure.” It was quietly but heartily said; the tone, the manner, the look, were perfectly natural and very affectionate. We thought, How pleasant that courteous reply! how gratifying must it be to the wife! Many husbands of ten years’ experience are ready enough with the courtesies of politeness to the young ladies of their acquaintance, while they speak with abruptness to the wife, and do many rude little things, without thinking them worth an apology. The stranger whom they may have seen but yesterday, is listened to with deference, and although the subject may not be of the pleasantest nature, with a ready smile; while the poor wife, if she relates a domestic grievance, is snubbed, or listened to with ill-concealed impatience. Oh! how wrong this is—all wrong.

Does she urge some request—“Oh! don’t bother me!” cries her gracious lord and master. Does she ask for necessary funds for Susie’s shoes and Tommy’s hat—“Seems to me you’re always wanting money!” is the handsome retort. Is any little extra demanded by his masculine appetite, it is ordered, not requested. “Look here, I want you to do so-and-so; just see that it’s done,” and off marches Mr. Boor, with a bow and a smile of gentlemanly polish and friendly sweetness for every casual acquaintance he may chance to recognize.

When we meet with such thoughtlessness and coarseness, our thoughts revert to the kind voice and gentle manner of the friend who said, “Yes, my dear, with pleasure.” “I beg your pardon,” comes as readily to his lips when by any little awkwardness he has disconcerted her, as it would in the presence of the most fashionable stickler for etiquette. This is because he is a thorough gentleman, who thinks his wife in all things entitled to precedence. He loves her best—why should he hesitate to show it, not in sickly, maudlin attentions, but in preferring her pleasure, and honoring her in public as well as in private? He knows her worth, why should he hesitate to attest it? “Her husband . . . he praised her,” saith Holy Writ; not by fulsome adulation, not by pushing her charms into notice, but by speaking in a manly way of her virtues as opportunity occurs. Though words may seem little things, and slight attentions almost valueless, yet, depend upon it, they keep the flame bright, especially if they are natural. The children grow up in a better moral atmosphere, and learn to respect their parents as they see them respecting each other. Many a boy takes advantage of a beloved mother, because he sees the rudeness of his father. Insensibly he gathers to his bosom the same habits, and the thoughts and feelings they engender, and in his turn becomes the petty tyrant. Only his mother,—why should he think of her? father never does. Thus the home becomes the seat of disorder and unhappiness. Only for strangers are kind words expressed, and hypocrites go out from the home, fully prepared to render justice, benevolence, and politeness to any one and every one but those who have the justest claims. Ah! give us the kind glance, the happy homestead—the smiling wife and courteous children of the friend who said so pleasantly, “Yes, my dear, with pleasure.”—Anon.

Christ, the Strength of His People

“THE advocates of truth must hide in Jesus. He is their greatness, their power, and efficiency.”

“ARE THEY NOT ALL MINISTERING SPIRITS?”

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

MRS. L. D. AVERY-STUTTLE

Once, methought, the veil was lifted That obscured my mortal sight, And I saw the loving angel Who is with me day and night,— Saw the gentle, blessed spirit Who hath never left my side, Whom the all-wise Father sendeth For my messenger and guide.

And methought I cried: “O angel, Dost thou number all my tears? And in spite of many wanderings, Dost thou follow all these years? O thou blessed, min’string spirit, Dost thou feel my mortal grief? Did the tender Shepherd send thee With a message of relief?”

“Angel, didst thou stand beside me When with spirit faint with pain, By the cold grave’s cruel portals Blinding tear-drops fell like rain?” Then methought a voice like music Echoed through the ambient air: “Child of earth, why dost thou sorrow? For the Father hears thy prayer;”

“Bids me place mine arm about thee, Bids me dry thy falling tear, And a message from the Master Whisper in thy shrinking ear. Wherefore weep’st thou, child of sorrow? Lo, the glorious day is nigh, When Immanuel’s car descendeth Down the pathway of the sky.

“Then, as on the earth I’ve borne thee Often in my arms of love, Even so I’ll bear thee heavenward— Bear thee to thy home above.”

ON

By WM. O. BEECHER

WM. O. BEECHER (Port Maria, Jamaica)

To that all-important question of the Philippian jailer, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas replied: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:30, 31. Jesus said, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.” John 6:29. He also said, “He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life.” John 5:24; 3:16.

From the passages already quoted and from many others that are to be found in the Scriptures, we see that belief on Jesus is necessary to salvation.

Then what conclusion must we draw? Surely, he who believes of, but not on, Jesus, needs still to learn to believe to salvation. Though he believes, he is an unbeliever. He is a believer of, but an unbeliever on, Jesus.

When Paul said: “For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Rom. 13:11), did he mean believed of Christ?—No, he meant believed on, because from a historical standpoint even the unsaved believe that a man lived who was called Jesus the Christ. Hear what James says: “The devils also believe, and tremble.” James 2:19. Do they believe on? No.

Christ has purchased for us salvation. We are to become heirs to the kingdom of heaven by becoming joint heirs with Him. In Christ perfect manhood has been revealed. Christ is the second and last Adam, and has set us the example to believe on God. He it is who offered His life and righteousness to us that we may be saved. Hence our obligation to believe on Him,—not of Him,—to rest on Him, rest on His merits.

To believe of Him, but not on Him, is to claim another foundation for our righteousness. It is self-righteousness. It is of the earth, earthly; and when the righteousness of Him who sitteth on the throne shall be unveiled, self-righteousness, with other earthly, abominable things, shall be destroyed.

Do we believe of Christ or on Christ? Let us examine our belief to see what is its relation to Him, and if it be of Him, alter it at once. Believe on Him, for this we must do if we would have our building stand. 2 Cor. 13:5.

We are living in the last days. The hour of God’s judgment is come. We know not how far the judgment has progressed. It may be that the cases of the dead are finished, and those of the living under investigation. Your case and mine may be called up, we know not when. Let us see that our belief bears the relation to Christ that it should; for thus, and only thus, can we hope to build upon the Rock.

The Week of Prayer

The holding of a week of prayer was originally proposed by English and American missionaries in India, and the plan was adopted and recommended by the Evangelical Alliance. It was designed to promote the spread of the gospel in lands of heathenism. It has contributed to the promotion of Christian union.—The Baptist Union.

REMEMBRANCE OF FORMER DAYS

By Washington Morse

WASHINGTON MORSE

Of late I have been greatly blessed in reviewing the prophecies, and examining the framework of this glorious message that God has given us. The message presented in the tenth chapter of Revelation is the same as the message in the fourteenth chapter, sixth and seventh verses,—the First Angel's Message. The placing of one foot upon the sea and the other upon the land signifies that the message was to go to the entire world, just the same as the message in the fourteenth chapter. When this angel said that time should be no longer, he brought us to the same period to which the first angel brings us when he says that the hour of His judgment is come.

“Thou must prophesy again.” The very fact that the message was to be continued after the experience connected with the proclamation of it, shows us that when this angel says that time shall be no longer, he does not refer to either ordinary time or probationary time; because there were still to be days, weeks, months, and years, during which this message was to be continued. Reference must have been made to prophetic time. We find several periods of time brought to view in the prophecies, the longest of which is twenty-three hundred years. This long period began in 457 B. C., and ended in 1844 A. D. This is not only the longest period, but it comes down to the latest point in time, of any prophetic period. When that period terminates, all definite prophetic time ends. So this angel says, “Time shall be no longer.” In making this statement, we understand that he declared just what is declared in the fourteenth chapter,—that the hour of God's judgment is come; for the termination of the prophetic period brings us to the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary. The expressions, “the hour of His judgment is come,” and, “there should be time no longer,” mean the same.

The angel who proclaimed that time should be no longer, held in his hand a little book. That book was the book of Daniel. The proclamation that time should be no longer was based upon that book. There, only, the data are recorded. John was told to go and take the little book out of the angel's hand; and as he took it, the angel said: “Take it, and eat it up.” In Jer. 15:16 we have a similar statement. We sometimes hear persons speak of devouring the contents of a book. This, of course, means to meditate upon it, to get such a knowledge of it that it becomes a part of ourselves.

The message that was in the book that the angel held up his hand, was sweet. The world had never had such light. The prophets desired to know its meaning. Even the angels searched and inquired diligently concerning it. In the preaching of the First Angel's Message we took that message and ate it, and it was the joy and rejoicing of our hearts. The angel said that it would be in the mouth sweet as honey, but afterward it would become bitter; and so it was. We saw that we were fulfilling the parable of the ten virgins, in Matthew 25, as we went forth to give the midnight cry, about the middle of July, 1844. With light upon the types, and having our understanding of the ending of the sixth trumpet, we had published to the world in 1838, that on the 11th day of August, 1840, the Turkish Empire would fall. We had watched and had seen that upon that date the Turkish Empire lost its independence, and passed into the hands of the European Powers. From that time great power rested upon the ministers. Right there the message seemed to take wings. We knew that the sixth trumpet ended in 1840, and we knew that the seventh trumpet would begin to sound in 1844, at the end of the twenty-three hundred years. Accordingly, we believed that our Saviour would come the tenth day of the seventh month, which fell upon the twenty-second day of October, 1844. We had no “if” in our faith. But that day came and passed, and the darkness of another night closed in upon the world. But with that darkness came a pang of disappointment to the Advent believers that can find a parallel only in the sorrow of the disciples after the crucifixion of their Lord. The passing of the time was a bitter disappointment. True believers had given up all for Christ, and had shared His presence as never before. The love of Jesus filled every soul; and with inexpressible desire they prayed, “Come, Lord Jesus, and come quickly;” but He did not come. And now, to turn again to the cares, perplexities, and dangers of life, in full view of jeering and reviling unbelievers who scoffed as never before, was a terrible trial of faith and patience. When Elder Himes visited Waterbury, Vt., a short time after the passing of the time, and stated that the brethren should prepare for another cold winter, my feelings were almost uncontrollable. I left the place of meeting and wept like a child. This was the bitterness that followed the sweetness.

The angel said, “Thou must prophesy again.” We did not see all there was in Rev. 10:7. “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished.” Now the sounding of the seventh angel covers a long period of time. It reaches beyond the close of probation, and passes over the thousand years into the new earth. See Rev. 11:15–19. It has been sounding fifty-six years, and it is still the beginning of the seventh angel.

“In the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished.” The mystery of God is the everlasting gospel, and now is the finishing of the gospel taking place. In 1844 our Saviour passed from the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary into the second apartment; then began the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary; that is, the work of investigative judgment. “The hour of His judgment is come.” And now is the time.

RIVERS OF LIVING WATER

By T. S. Parmelee

T. S. PARMELEE

There is opportunity for every person to do as Jesus did; to be as He was. He perceived when virtue went out from Him and healed. “There went virtue out of Him, and healed them all.” That virtue was life. That virtue was supplied from His Father in answer to His earnest prayer.

It was necessary for the life to be supplied, because, as the weak received life from Him, He was weakened by the loss of that life. “Himself took our infirmities, and bear our sicknesses.”

This was the work that the Father had sent Him to do; and He says, “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”

When He said, “The kingdom of God is at hand,” “the power of God was present to heal.” When He cast out devils, He proved that the power of God was present. He said, “If I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.” “The Spirit is life.” Life is in His word; and He says, “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart.” So let it be. So He “maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place.”

Before Peter and Paul and other servants of the Most High were used by Him to do mighty works, they were filled with the Spirit in answer to prayer, as Jesus was. In the example that He set for His people, sometimes our Saviour continued all night in prayer.

“I can of mine own self do nothing.” “The Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works.” Jesus set the example of perfect submission. Submission is faith as much as belief is faith. There is no faith without submission, because faith is faithfulness. Obedience that comes from God and works in us is faith just as much as confidence is faith. All of faith is from above. “It is the gift of God.”

To those who will give up self and will believe, here is His promise that healing power will flow through them, just as it did through the Saviour: “He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake He of the Spirit which they that believe on Him should receive.”

COMFORTING ONE ANOTHER

By L. May Gotham

L. MAY GOTHAM (Milwaukee, Wis.)

“BLESSED be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” Have you in some great affliction been comforted by the Father of mercies? For what purpose was it?—That you might be able to comfort some one who is passing through a like affliction, even as Abraham was blessed that he might be a blessing to others.

It is a fact that one who has passed through sorrow and affliction is more capable of choosing ways and words that are as balm to the sufferer; and the trials and afflictions that seem indeed hard to bear are often the Lord’s means of making us efficient workers for Him in pointing souls to the only true source of comfort; thus some will be led to Him who could not be led in any other way. We have a case of this kind in the Scriptures. David says: “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes;” and again, “Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept thy word.” Ps. 119:71, 67. Indeed, James tells us that one of the attributes of pure religion is visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction.

Perhaps no other person ever passed through so many trials as Job did. Loss of his loved ones, loss of health, from wealth reduced to poverty,—all these afflictions seemed to crowd themselves in upon him at once; and having suffered all this, he certainly is the one to tell us what is most appreciated by one in trouble. Hear his words: “To him that is afflicted pity should be showed from his friend.” Job 6:14.

While upon earth, Jesus always sympathized with and comforted those who were suffering, and when about to leave the earth, forgetting His own suffering and death of shame, His pity for the sorrowing disciples was shown by the promise, “If I depart, I will send Him [the Comforter] unto you.”

The case of Paul, Titus, and the Corinthians shows us how the Lord uses consecrated human agents as a means of carrying comfort to others. The Corinthians having been a source of consolation to Titus, he, in turn, was sent by God to Paul, who was “troubled on every side,” and caused him to rejoice. “For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; and not by His coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.”

We are told that “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap,” and “he which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly.” Who can say that this is not as true in this case as in any

other? Can any one sow comfort and consolation, thereby bringing joy and peace to others, without making himself better and happier?

Believing “that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us,” and that “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” comfort some one else with the same comfort wherewith you were comforted.

ARE YOU CRITICISING GOD’S WORK, WORKERS, AND INSTITUTIONS?

By David Paulson

DAVID PAULSON

Have you ever seen any of God’s work in the earth suffering under the evident marks of His displeasure? And have you therefore felt justified in making slighting remarks about it? If so, what God said to the children of Ammon applies to you. They said, “Aha,” against God’s sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity. Eze. 25:3. Further than that, they clapped their hands, stamped with their feet, and rejoiced in their hearts. Verse 6. Because they took this attitude toward God’s work when it was apparently in disgrace, God said that they should be a spoil to the heathen, that He would cut them off from the people, and destroy them. Verse 7.

Have you sometimes said in your heart, and occasionally whispered to others, that after all, God’s institutions are no better that worldly institutions? If you persist in so doing, you may learn your fate from what God said should happen to Moab and Seir when they said exactly the same thing. They declared that the house of Judah was like all the heathen (verse 8); and when we remember that this was said during the captivity of Judah, it is evident that they had a much better excuse for making such a remark than we ordinarily have for making a similar comparison between God’s institutions and worldly ones. But for all that, God said that Moab and Seir should not be remembered among the nations.

Have you sometimes felt that you have not been treated rightly in God’s work? You may learn a lesson from the experience of Edom, when she sought to take vengeance against Judah (verse 12), and as a consequence God said that He would stretch out His hand over Edom, and cut off man and beast from among them.

Have you sometimes cherished an “old hatred” because of some fancied or real injury that you received years ago? If so, you are doing just what the Philistines did against God’s people (verse 15), for which the Lord said He would execute great vengeance upon them, with furious rebukes.

Have you sometimes, when it appeared that one of God’s institutions was upon the border line of a great financial disaster, planned some scheme whereby you could secure advantage over it? When you saw the institution crippled for lack of money, did you persist in keeping your wages to the highest possible notch, so that you might be replenished even though God’s institution was being drained to the bottom? If so, you were doing what Tyrus did; and from what God said should happen to Tyrus, you may certainly know what awaits you. Eze. 26:2, 3.

We should bear in mind that at the very time God was uttering these reproofs and rebukes upon the surrounding nations, the temple was lying in ruins, and God’s people were suffering under the evident marks of His displeasure. Yet it was a fearful thing for these surrounding nations to make slighting and criticising remarks or unfavorable comparisons, or to seek in any way to take advantage of God’s work in the earth. One of the surest and quickest methods whereby we can reap a harvest of leanness of soul, and secure a wilted and blighted Christian experience, is to begin to talk against or to belittle God’s work, workers, and institutions. Instead, let us ask God to use us to strengthen His languishing cause.

THE WEAKER VESSEL AND ITS IMPORTANT SPHERE

By Chas. T. Eversen

CHAS. T. EVERSEN (Millville, Cal.)

THE strength of a vessel does not necessarily determine its usefulness or its value. The most costly and oftentimes the most useful vessels are those that are delicate and easily broken. Because woman is spoken of as the weaker vessel, many have been inclined to disparage her position and responsibilities.

But from a careful and unbiased study of the subject, it will not be difficult to see that God has committed to women the most exalted and important of all work.

The recognition that comes to any one in the sphere of literature, politics, science, or art is generally evanescent. Almost any achievement in this world is ephemeral. But who can determine the influence exerted by the lives of those children who, through a mother’s patient care, have attained characters modeled after the divine pattern? And again, the influence of such characters upon their children, and they in turn, upon their children, is inestimable. Such work not only continues to exert an ever-widening influence in this world, but its results will be seen through ceaseless ages of eternity.

That mother makes a great mistake who thinks that any calling is more important than the proper training of her children. Whenever a great man is asked the secret of his success, he invariably points to his mother’s influence and training as the most potent factor in making him what he is. But many mothers have endeavored to free themselves from their God-appointed work, thinking that other work is of a more exalted nature. And the results are evident to every one.

The little ark of bulrushes floating on the placid waters of the river Nile contained God’s answer to the moans and cries for deliverance that had been rising from the Israelitish people for nearly four hundred years. Yet what would the life of Moses have attained without the influence of his mother? His life and influence would have been buried in Egyptian darkness, never to be heard of in the pages of history, if his mother had deserted him or failed to do her duty. As he lay in his floating cradle, what did he know of the truth of God or His teachings? He was too young to know anything about the God of Israel. Yet from that basket he was taken and carried right into the palace of the king of Egypt, where heathenism reigned supreme.

There is a growing sentiment that children are a burden, and anything that will arrest their attention, and keep them from “bothering” the mother is hailed with delight. Mothers will leave their children with strangers, without stopping to notice the surrounding influences, to go out for pleasure and amusement. But how different was the devotion of the mother of Moses to her child! She was willing to leave her home, hire herself out to the king’s daughter, and spend her life in the interests of her child. And although Moses was surrounded with the darkness of heathenism, with all its baneful influence, yet in the midst of it all his mother was able to teach her child so successfully that he stood firm for the truth of God in spite of it. In all the palace, his mother was the only influence to keep him in the right way. Although alone, yet by God’s help she patiently and persistently taught Moses the truth, and by it crowded out the error. We read that he, when “come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.” So thoroughly and successfully had his mother done her work, that amid all the trials and temptations of Egyptian darkness, and the trying ordeals of his later career, Moses remained loyal to his God. “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Is the training of our children rendering them proof against temptation? When they “come to years,” do the positions and allurements of the world mean more to them than the reproach that comes from uniting their interests with God’s peculiar people? Will they refuse to accept a position that involves laboring on the Sabbath, however remunerative and desirable such a position may be?

Moses was offered the highest position that was attainable in his day. Over against this position, it was his privilege to unite his interests with a band of unthankful and unappreciative slaves. On the one hand, the world offered him the inducement of sitting upon the throne of Egypt, ruling over the greatest nation in existence, surrounded with all the grandeur that such a position would naturally involve. On the other hand, God called him to unite his interests with a despised nation of slaves.

What choice would we make? I expect we should say that we would do as Moses did. But do we do so in minor matters? When God asks us to sacrifice anything for Him in our humble sphere, are we willing and ready to do it? And if we can not sacrifice a small matter for Him, would we give up a throne for God?

Moses had learned the lesson of implicit trust and obedience so thoroughly that he preferred to place his interests where God’s interests were. Are the children of Adventists growing up with such strength of character that they will be capable of making the decision that Moses made? Who knows the possibilities bound up in the children in our homes? Are we willing to spend our life in the interests of our children? Who knows but that your child may be a Moses to lead the people of God on to victory in the final great struggle? We are journeying to the heavenly Canaan, and are beset with greater temptations than were those traveling toward the earthly Canaan. Even if you can not make a Moses out of your child, will not your labor for him be well spent if you can make a humble worker for Christ out of him? The saving of your child for the kingdom will pay you over and over again for all your prayerful endeavors.

MY MOTHER

By Milton L. Murdock

SHE gave the best years of her life With joy for me, And robbed herself, with loving heart, Unstintingly.

For me with willing hands she toiled From day to day, For me she prayed when headstrong youth Would have its way.

Her gentle arms, my cradle once, Are weary now; And Time has set the seal of care Upon her brow.

And though no other eyes than mine Their meaning trace, I read my history in the lines Of her dear face.

And, ’mid His gems, who showers gifts As shining sands, I count her days as pearls that fall From His kind hands.

— Milton L. Murdock, in Christian Register.

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