THERE was a time when a man endangered his life if he said anything contrary to the established forms of religion, and in some places the same is still true to-day.
But is it right for man to take the life of his fellow-man should any form of religion be opposed or questioned, no matter how good that religion might be? Every one will acknowledge that the teaching of Christ is unquestionably right. His religion is absolutely perfect. No fault can possibly be found with the principles that the Saviour presented as a rule of life. And yet Satan has been questioning and strenuously opposing the Lord in His work for thousands of years, still God has not yet taken the life of the great arch-enemy.
If men would only listen to each other calmly, and keep underfoot this desire to destroy all who do not agree with them, how many mistakes and gross wrongs would be saved, and how much more rapidly the world would advance in the knowledge of Christ!
For centuries there has been a bitter warfare between those professing Catholicism and those professing Protestantism. Thousands of Protestants have been slain by the Catholics, and again, in places and times where the opportunity presented itself, many Catholics have been slain by professing Protestants. What awful harm this has done to the cause of Christ! And how shamefully has it misrepresented Him! The Saviour came into the world to save men's lives, and not to kill. The Gospel is a Gospel of salvation, and not a decree of death. Then why should men seek to kill each other just because they can not agree? When any one has the spirit of killing in his heart, is it not perfectly plain that he is not inspired by the Spirit of the Master? And whether we be Catholic or Protestant, when we see a man allowing himself to get angry with a fellow-man who does not agree with his religion, should we not know that such an one is not filled with the pure Gospel of Christ? He is surely being led by some other spirit.
The Saviour makes perfectly plain who is the author of murder. He says: "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it." John 8:44. Then how clear it is that any one whose heart is filled with hate and murder can not belong to Christ! He can not be drinking from the pure stream of the Gospel of Christ.
For centuries before He was born of a woman the Son of God knew that Judas would betray Him. He said, "The Son of man goeth as it is written of Him; but wo unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed!" Matt. 26:24. In the prophets and in the Psalms it is foretold that Judas would betray the Master. And during all His ministry upon earth, as He walked and talked with His disciples, He was perfectly aware of what Judas would do. Yet there is not the least evidence that Christ even snubbed Judas, much less formed a conspiracy to kill him. The Saviour did all He could to save Judas, and that right in the face of the fact that He knew the awful work that the betrayer was contemplating.
Is there not a wonderful lesson for us in the Saviour's treatment of Judas? and does He not show us by every act of His life that the work of a real Christian is to live and teach the Gospel of love and life, and not harbor the sentiments of hate and death? And whether we be Catholic or Protestant, the lesson is an important one to consider.
The Lord has great mines of the most soul-inspiring truth in His Word, and it is in a special manner designed for the people of this generation. But the heart that is shut up by prejudice and hatred, is holding itself away from this heaven-given blessing and light. And whatever may be our religious belief, or if we have no religion at all, we should recognize the importance of heeding the voice of God in His Word. T.
INCONSISTENT ERROR.
By Editor
ERROR is ever inconsistent. For instance, before us is a letter from a correspondent who wishes to make out that we are under no obligation to obey God’s law. He quotes Heb. 7:19 (“For the law made nothing perfect”), and says, “It undoubtedly was not a perfect law, or those who obeyed it could have obtained a perfect salvation.” And by “the law” he tells us is “meant the entire law system,” upon which it is only necessary to say (1) that the Spirit tells us, “The law of the Lord is perfect.” Ps. 19:7. “The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” “For we know that the law is spiritual.” Rom. 7:12, 14.
(2) That the context and correlated passages will always clearly determine of what the sacred text is speaking. (3) That no law can give life to its transgressor, because “by the law is the knowledge of sin.” One must have life to keep the living law. All this is found in Christ. But the one who professes to be Christ’s, and yet transgresses the law from the transgression of which Christ died to redeem him, in that profession makes Christ “the minister of sin” instead of the minister of righteousness. (4) What is salvation good for if it does not save from sin?
WHY? AND HOW?
THE Christian Advocate, in stating why their missions in Roman Catholic countries are justifiable, says that the Methodist Episcopal people reject five of what the Catholics call sacraments, "and the pope, who has been declared to be the father of the princes and the governors of the world, they regard as only a learned and influential Italian celibate minister, to be treated by the whole world with high honor, because he has the confidence of such a multitude of the human race." But why should he be highly honored because of his false assumption? If he is what he claims to be, he is worthy of high honor, and should be held in such; but if his claim is false, even tho all the world believe it, should he be honored because of their false confidence? If the great sick world believed that a certain specific remedy, in which we knew there was no healing virtue, would cure them all, should we honor it because of their false confidence? Rather, would there not be all the more need of showing them that their hopes were utterly baseless, and that the thing they honored as a sovereign remedy was really no remedy?
How can Christians who believe in the absolute, complete efficacy of Christ’s atonement, in salvation by faith, honor Mr. Joachim Pecci as pope,—father of kings and vicegerent of God on earth? The falsity of the claim, honest tho it be on his part, could not be recognized by them, because of its very falsity.
Of course the pope as a man ought to be honored. "Honor all men," is the Bible injunction. As men, all are entitled to high honor; they are the purchase of the blood of Christ. But no false assumption in religious matters, no matter by whomever or howsoever many believed, entitles any soul to high honor.
And right here comes in the doctrine of religious liberty. If the pope believes it, he will not demand more honor than men can heartily, voluntarily, yield him. Nor will any one else who believes in religious liberty demand such honor for themselves or any one else. Jesus did not. He said, "If any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge [condemn] him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world."
Trust in God and Prudence
By Quesnel
TRUST in God does not supersede the employment of prudent means on our part. To expect God’s protection while we do nothing is not to honor but to tempt Providence.—
Giving Despite Ingratitude
By Seneca
It is another’s fault if he is ungrateful; but it is mine if I do not give. To find one thankful man, I will oblige many that are not so.
THE OUTLOOK
"LO, IS IT PEACE?"
[Fred T. Elkin, in the "Denver News."]
A GRIM, foreboding silence strains the earth,
A rag of smoldering red usurps the sky,
As, swaddled with the feuds that saw his birth,
Sinks to his bier the blood-drunk century.
Give the grand pagan Christian burial,
Tho peace knew not his heart or ritual.
From continents and isles the cry is heard,
"Peace! give us peace!" yet girded hips men smite,
The sword is slipped to leap forth at a word,
The mote of jealousy inflames the sight;
Behold earth's warlike armaments increase,
As tho the nation's quarrel was with peace.
O Peace, for thee and thine the law is out;
Speed thee, spread pinion to thy natal bower;
Red death exulteth in the war lord's shout;
License and riot rend the captured hour;
Heed not the charmer's voice that calleth thee,
That thy bright plumage might cloak perfidy!
Forgotten as a dream is Nazareth,
The natal song of Bethlehem is still;
Mankind reels with the reek of Odin's breath,
Valhalla's lushing harpies work their will.
Brain-seethe and battle-lust with bloody mist
Have hid the gentle countenance of Christ.
What right is there to war? What martial brood
May justly wrest from neighbor one parterre,
Or curse its children with the price of blood,
Or plant a sorrow where the world is fair?
O man, thou almost as the angels born,
How thou hast fallen since creation's morn!
The prophets point the finger through the years,
Still, still at guilty greed they hurl the ban;
The Tishbite frets a monarch's heart with fears,
A Nathan thunders, "Lo, thou art the man!"
"Thou shalt not covet," saith the Holy One—
Earth's serpent tongues reply, "Thy will be done."
To eminence attained, by brutal might,
Kingdoms have wreaked their laws and gods on men,
Yet all the ills they wrought on stricken right,
With tenfold vengeance have returned to them.
The pendulum of power erratic swings,
And slaves find laughter in the pride of kings.
What of the tiger tyranny that lapped
The life stream of its young across the seas?
What of the precious history that wrapped
Castile's proud heart with golden memories?
The pride of centuries hath run its length,
And fishes mock at steeled and steaming strength.
Rome died of greatness; for expansion gave
Her thinning blood to taint; her sons fell fast;
She could not drape a toga on a slave
And make a Roman—birth will "out" at last.
How could she hope to stay the northern hates,
With naught but hireling swords to guard her gates?
O, heed the lesson of the crumbled past,
Learn wisdom from the moulder of its fame,
How, conscience sleeping, freedom slept at last,
And nations woke to dumb dust-biting shame!
Learn that man's mutability and guile
Etched satire in the Sphinx's stony smile.
Columbia! that from throes of battle brunt,
Woke to a life of glorious liberty,
The crisis that thy conscience doth confront
Bears weal or woe for all humanity.
Sarcastic rings the challenge from the sea,
"Can liberty exist not but in thee?"
THE CRAZE FOR GAMBLING.
By T.
THE New York papers tell of a young man only nineteen years of age who has been employed in the post-office in that city, and who has been stealing money from the registered mail. A Southern bank sent $2,000 to a bank in New York, and this young man took this, among other amounts that he stole. The matter was traced to him through his extravagant expenditures in gambling resorts and in other ill-reputed houses of vice and crime. He is now under arrest, and will doubtless be sentenced to a term in the penitentiary.
The foregoing case is only one of the many that are all the time coming to public notice. Banks are robbed by their trusted employees; business firms are defrauded by the men that are intrusted with the handling of funds; the mails are robbed; and in every way men are risking their liberties and even their lives in order to get money to spend in gambling and the debauching vices that go with it.
If you chance to get on board a train or ferry that is leading to the race-track on the racing days, you find yourself crowded and jostled about and almost trampled underfoot by the excited crowd, that is manifestly intoxicated with the desire for gambling, and to gratify the thirst for exciting amusement.
Any observing person can not help noticing these things. And any one who has ever read history, knows that when such a condition of things takes possession of a nation, its doom is sealed. It will go down to ruin rapidly. This crazy passion for gaming and exciting pleasures is not peculiar to this country. It is even worse in other nations of the world. And in this driving age, when everything goes with a rush and a bustle, who can conjecture how quickly universal disaster will be brought about? For, when you stop to consider the matter, it is evident that gambling is not alone in its degrading tendencies, but it carries with it every other vice that is known.
Were it not for the fact that the second coming of Christ is right at hand, the picture would indeed be a gloomy one. But the certain knowledge that He is coming very soon, lights up every mind that is willing to receive and enjoy light. And the news of His coming should be carried quickly to the ends of the earth. Every troubled soul that is distressed and perplexed because of the condition of things that is in the world to-day, should have the opportunity just as soon as possible of knowing that the Christ of God, the Destroyer of sin, but the Lover of men even tho sinful, is soon coming to earth again, to rescue every one who accepts His salvation. If you have a knowledge of the prophecies that make this great truth so plain, how great and how solemn is the responsibility that rests upon you to make it known to every one else within your reach?
"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." "To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts." T.
CIVILIZING INFLUENCES.
By T.
"The Earth Was Filled with Violence."
THE Son of God says, "As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man." Luke 17:26. The Word of God makes plain the condition of things in Noah's time. It says: "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth." Gen. 6:11-13.
Such plain language as the foregoing needs no explanation. It plainly says that in the days of Noah the earth was filled with violence, and that the same condition of things will obtain in the last days. Now just as surely as the last days are reached, just so surely will we find men given to violence; and this condition of things will be growing worse and worse, and cruelty be more and more manifest.
With these thoughts in mind, read a report that comes from China. The report is not some rumor, but it is something that has been repeated again and again, and men who have been on the ground and who possess undisputed integrity say that they have seen it with their own eyes and know that it is so. The report is in regard to the wholesale butchering of the Chinese by the soldiers of the "Christian nations" that are invading that territory. Some paragraphs of it are as follows:—
"The scenes I have witnessed during the three days since the steamer left Blagovestchensk are horrible beyond the powers of description. It is the closing tableau of a fearful human tragedy. Two thousand were deliberately drowned at Morxo, two thousand at Rabe, and eight thousand around Blagovestchensk, a total of twelve thousand corpses encumbering the river, among which were thousands of women and children. Navigation was all but impossible. Last week a boat had to plow her way through a tangled and mangled mass of corpses, lashed together by their long hair. The banks were literally covered with corpses. In the curves of the stream were dark, putrid masses of human flesh and bones, surging and swaying in the steamer's wake and wash. The captain vainly ordered full speed ahead. The sight and smell will be ever with us.
"From Blagovestchensk to Aigun, forty-five kilometers, numerous villages studded the bank, with a thriving, industrious population of over 100,000. That of Aigun was 20,000. No one will ever know the number of these who perished by shot, sword, and stream. Not a village is left. The silence of death is around us, the smoking ruins of Aigun on the right, with broken-down, crumbling walls and shattered, roofless houses."
The massacres of the Armenians by the heathen Turks filled the world with horror. Men thought that such a cruel power should be wiped from the face of the earth, and it was strongly urged that it be done. The slaughtering of the missionaries and foreigners in general by the Chinese Boxers was a horrible thing and was justly deprecated. But are any of these things worse than what is described in the foregoing paragraphs? Can it be said that they are nearly so bad? The Turks and the Chinese Boxers do not claim the high principles of Christianity as a governing power in their lives, and we should not be so much surprised when we find them doing deeds of barbarism. But what shall we say when the representatives of the foremost Christian nations of the world commit deeds of wholesale slaughter more barbarous than those of the barbarian? Are we not rapidly approaching the time when the earth will be filled with violence in fulfillment of the Word of God, as already quoted? Think of these things seriously; for the time is at hand.
But you may say that this is only an isolated case; that it is in a far-off land, and under great provocation. But how do you account for the violence right here in the home land? What is the meaning of the every-day occurrences of murder and kindred brutalities? And what is the significance of the mob violence that may be found now in any part of this great Christian land?
You will say that the courts are failing to mete out justice to criminals, and therefore it is necessary for the people to take things into their own hands. But is not this very statement one of the strongest evidences of the corruption and evil that will invariably produce violence? Do not cast these matters lightly by, but think of them seriously. Matters will continue to get worse and worse. Do not be deceived by those who will tell you that they are getting better. Look at the facts and conditions of to-day, and read the Word of God, that you may know the meaning of it, and be prepared for the times that are just ahead of us. T.
SIGN OF HIS WORK.
By C. M. S.
It was stated not long ago, on good authority, that the Bible printed in English and Chinese could be read by one-half of the inhabitants of the globe. For the other half of the world the Bible would need to be printed in about three hundred and fifty languages and dialects. There has been a wonderful impetus given within the last decade to the study of the English language in almost every part of the earth, and the growth of the number who speak it has been more rapid than that of those speaking any other language. A recent decree of the emperor of Germany makes the study of English compulsory in the higher schools, taking the place of the French.
In the marvelous growth of this one language is there not a lesson for the Christians who speak it? That is certainly one of the opening doors of God's providence. God's last message to a perishing world has been committed to a people speaking the English language; for a people speaking that language can proclaim that message to the world quicker than a people speaking any other. This is not disparaging the work that is being done in other languages. God has His people in every land, and they will proclaim His message when they learn it; but they would learn it slowly did it go forth in the iron bonds of the rigorous Russian tongue, or the Portuguese, or even the fluent French.
To reach the greatest number in the shortest time, the most universally spoken language must be used; but it must also be the language of a people among whom there is a foreign-mission spirit. Is it not significant then that the language of those countries from whose shores most missionaries go, the language of those countries where the Gospel has been preached with least hindrance, should have grown to such proportions as to be a well-nigh universal lan-9guage? The opening of the doors of foreign countries to the English language opens also the doors in those countries to the English-speaking bearers of God's last warning to the people in those countries; and those who do not understand the English tongue will learn the message from their own people who do.
God is preparing to do a "short work" in the earth, and in this thing we see one of His preparations. To speak a language, men are needed; to speak God's message in any language, consecrated hearts are needed. So of those to whom this one talent has been given, God expects the increase which the use of one talent will bring. You can not even hide this one talent. If unused for God, its disuse is open and manifest both to the world and to Him who gave it.
Intensity is taking hold of all powers in the earth. It is the intensity of despair and last supreme effort on the part of the hosts of evil; it is the intensity of assured victory on the part of the agents of God; for God is about to arise and do His "strange work," His terrible work—strange to Him, for mercy to the sinner is finished, and terrible to the sinner, for beyond it there is no hope. But God will not do that work without warning man of His purpose. He is doing it now, and the volume of that work will increase like the swelling tide till the fiat of eternity goes forth, and it is done. It will not be long; for the tide is rising with the power of heaven now, and God's work will never finish on an ebb tide. Do not expect it. Get ready, and get ready now.
C. M. S.
Sir Robert Hart on the Chinese Trouble
In the December number of the Cosmopolitan Sir Robert Hart, for twenty-five years a foreign official in China, gives a most striking setting forth of the Chinese trouble. He declares that what has happened has been the logical result of previous doings, the treatment of China at the hands of the foreign powers; that China is arousing herself from her sleep of centuries to grapple with her foreign tormentors; that the Boxer movement is a patriotic, volunteer movement, whose purpose is to rid China of foreigners and foreign influences, and may continue to grow until China has a volunteer militia force of twenty million men. The breaking away from ancestor-worship and other Chinese religious practises by the Christian Chinese, and the interference of Catholic priests in matters of litigation, are specified by the writer as among the causes of the Boxer movement. He declares that the future is bound to have a "yellow peril" to deal with, and takes an almost hopeless view of the outlook.
THE representatives of the foreign nations in China are said to have reached a harmonious agreement in regard to the demands to be made upon the Chinese Government. These demands, according to the report, are along the lines suggested by the United States, which are a modification of the harsher demands. It has developed, however, that the Chinese envoys who are treating for peace have no credentials from the Chinese Government; also that there are several missions in China which are still being besieged by Boxers and Chinese troops. A report from Peking states that "the impression is gaining ground among men of all nationalities that peace is impossible; that a resumption of the campaign in the spring is inevitable; and that partition is the only solution." Russia has notified China that the suppression of the rebellion in the three eastern provinces of Manchuria has been accomplished by the unaided efforts of her troops, and she invites China to appoint local officials immediately.
THE latest reports indicate that the Boer forces under General De Wet are in battle with the British under General Knox. For some days the Boer army has been hard pressed by the British, and at times has been nearly surrounded. The path of the fleeing burghers has been marked by hundreds of dead horses, and even some of their munitions have been abandoned in order to facilitate their escape. About 6,000 Cape Colony Dutch held a convention on December 6, denouncing the course of Great Britain in the present war, and declaring in favor of the independence of the Dutch republics. The meeting was held under the eye of the military, but no trouble occurred.
Seeds That Surely Grow.—The cost of seeds compared with the value of the crop is so small that a few cents saved by buying second-rate seeds will amount to many dollars lost when the harvest is gathered. Farmers have found out by many costly failures what a risky thing it is to buy seeds without being pretty sure that they are reliable and true to name. The latest catalog of the seed house of D. M. Ferry & Co., of Detroit, Mich., is a reminder that thousands of farmers in the United States and Canada have pinned their faith to the reputation of this great firm. During a business career approaching half a century in time, Ferry's seeds have won an annual increase in popularity, which is perhaps the best evidence that they grow and give satisfaction. Ferry's Seed Annual for 1901 is a useful guide in selecting seeds for the farm, the truck garden and the flower garden. It is sent free on application.
RECENT developments have shown that there is a practical alliance between Great Britain and Portugal. Portugal's dismissal of Holland's minister at Lourenzo Marquez, threatened to cause trouble between those countries, and England promptly despatched war vessels to Portuguese territory as a warning to other nations not to interfere with Portugal. Felicitations have been exchanged between the king of Portugal and the queen of England, and the alliance between the two countries was declared on board the English war vessels at Lisbon.
TALK of intervention in behalf of the Dutch republics is still heard from some European centers, but the refusal of Emperor William to see Mr. Kruger is believed to have cut off all such possibility. France is not willing to take the initiative, but it is understood that she would have acted with Russia. The latter country, however, is not free to act, in view of the attitude of Germany. The queen of Holland is championing the Boer cause, but the Boers can hope for little practical assistance from this source.
BIDS for the construction of five new battle-ships and six cruisers were opened by the Secretary of the Navy on December 7. The Secretary calls this the greatest industrial event this country has ever seen, involving the placing of contracts for about $50,000,000. These new war vessels are to be nothing less than the equals of anything of their class afloat. Thus is America forging ahead into a position as a military world power.
THE Army Bill, providing for the increase of the regular army to practically 100,000 men, passed the House on December 6. The maximum organization will be 96,766 men, which the President may reduce at his discretion to 58,924. The bill carries a provision for the enlistment of a provisional force of natives of the new possessions; also a provision abolishing the army saloon.
THE Red Cross Society is planning for a grand "watch meeting" throughout the whole United States on the last night of the nineteenth century. One of the features of the meeting will be the simultaneous singing of "Old Hundred." The principal meeting, which will be at Madison Square Garden, New York, will be presided over by Miss Clara Barton.
ABOUT 1,300 telegraph operators on the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway went out on strike December 8. Since the beginning of the strike, trains have been running with considerable difficulty over that system, and there has been much congestion in the freight traffic. The places of the strikers are being supplied as fast as possible by non-union men.
THE Woman's Interdenominational Union held a mass-meeting in Washington on December 9 in the interests of the proposed constitutional amendment prohibiting polygamy in the United States and all its Territories. On the same day Representative Taylor, of Ohio, introduced a measure intended to bring about the federal prohibition of polygamy.
THE French inspector of forests has invented a process for liquifying wood. After cooling, the molten mass assumes the character of coal, yet without showing any trace of organic structure. This new material is hard, but can be shaped and polished; is impervious to water and acids, and is a perfect electrical non-conductor.
GERMANY's imperial budget, or estimates of necessary expenses, for the year 1901 reaches the enormous amount of $448,189,460, which is an increase of nearly $35,000,000 over the budget for the present year. The greater part of this increase, as well as a great portion of the rest of the budget, is due to war and preparation for war.
DURING the progress of the Paris Exposition, 66,317 objects of various kinds were found on the fair grounds and turned over to the police. This number included 6,000 umbrellas, and one satchel containing $45,700 in American money, which was never claimed. The number of arrests during the fair was 13,007.
THE Senate Committee on Foreign Relations gave a hearing on December 5 to the representatives of several temperance and reform societies in support of the international treaty providing for the control of the liquor traffic in Africa. The committee voted to recommend the ratification of the treaty without amendment.
THE officers of the American battle-ship Kentucky were received by the sultan at the Yildiz Palace on December 10, and a dinner was given in their honor, which was attended by the highest Turkish dignitaries. After dinner the captain of the battle-ship was received in private audience by the sultan.
FIVE of the smallest-size war vessels are soon to sail from New York for the Philippines to do patrol duty around the islands. They will make the 13,000-mile journey by the way of Suez Canal. Some of these diminutive war vessels are ordinary tugboats which have been remodeled for this purpose.
STATISTICS recently forwarded from Hongkong, China, show that in the hurricane which visited the coast of Indo-China 1,600 persons perished. Between 4,000 and 5,000 were rendered homeless, and a vast amount of property was destroyed.
A PARTY of 114 Porto Ricans are now on their way to the Hawaiian Islands to labor on the sugar plantations. An investigation of the matter seems to indicate that they are being taken there against their will. Guards have been placed over them to prevent their escape before reaching Honolulu.
THERE have been a number of small engagements in the Philippines during the week, with small losses on both sides. Some bands of Filipinos have surrendered, and a considerable quantity of their war supplies has been captured by the Americans.
THE Burlington Railway Company has formulated rules affecting all its employees in South Dakota, by which no man is allowed to use tobacco or liquor in any form during the hours of service.
A HEAVY gale swept the New England coast on the night of December 4, resulting in the wrecking of twenty-four vessels and the drowning of at least five fishermen.
ABOUT 5,000 coal miners resumed work at the River coal mines, in Pennsylvania, on December 5, the mines having been idle for the past seven months.
THE Spanish Government is seeking a large loan for the purpose of bringing gold back into the country, the supply of which is diminishing in that country.
THE report of the Postmaster-General shows that in the operations of the Post-office Department for the last year there has been a deficit of $5,385,688.
AN explosion of dynamite in a Mexican mine at San Andreas resulted in the death of 26 miners. Many others were more or less seriously injured.
THE House of Representatives on December 7 passed the Grout Bill, which places upon colored oleomargarine a tax of ten cents a pound.
THE list of victims of football during the year shows eleven deaths and sixty-two more or less serious injuries to participants.
THE Peter's Pence Fund for this year will amount to more than $4,000,000.
THE condition of the king of Sweden is reported to be still serious.
Answers to Biblical Questions
By Editor
QUESTION CORNER
1097. G. T. D. Death of Christ.—Yes, Christ died. He says, "I am He that liveth, and was dead." Rev. 1:18. Christ is also God (John 1:1-3), the eternal Son of the Father (2 Cor. 1:3; Rom. 1:1, 3; Heb. 1:4), "being the brightness of His [the Father's] glory, and the express image of His [the Father's] person" (Heb. 1:3); "for it pleased the Father that in Him [Christ] should all fulness dwell" (Col. 1:19). So it is true that He died for us; yet the world was not left without God.
1098. G. V. W. Rom. 14:4-6.—The lesson of the apostle Paul in Rom. 14:1 and forward is not as to what day we should keep, but that we poor humans are not judges as to the what or the how. "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea [in spite of all human judgment], he shall be holden up; for God is able to make him stand." It is for man to know between himself and God which is right. If he is serving God, he will do what God commands. If he is serving men, he will always be trembling under what man may judge. The apostle wants men to stand with God in all they do, each for himself, and not condemning others. Obey God, and leave judgment to the end. Col. 2:16 refers to yearly sabbaths of the typical system. See the yearly sabbaths of Leviticus 23, and compare verse 38.
1099. J. B. S. Passion Plays.—The Passion Play is only a form of human idolatry, based on works of merit, and making a gain of godliness. The very idea of one acting out Christ Jesus is abhorrent to a devout mind. It is but the counterfeit of living Christ's life from His Spirit within. Many whose lives are unaffected by the cross or Spirit of Christ, will be moved to mere emotion by a play. It is one of Satan's devices to satisfy the longings of the human heart.
1100. F. A. A. Luke 11:24-26. The parable is an illustration to show that it is not only necessary that sin shall be removed, but the heart and life must be filled with love and good works for God. If this had been the case, the evil spirit would have found no place when he returned. What causes a man to backslide is that his whole being is not yielded to God to do His will.
1101. F. A. A. Kingdom of Heaven. The kingdom of God is the kingdom of heaven. The terms are used interchangeably.
1102. A Subscriber. 1 Tim. 4:1-5. This scripture does not use the word "meats" as referring to "flesh." The Greek word broma means food of any kind. See Matt. 14:15; John 4:34. The one thing to find out in all this food question is indicated in verse 5: Is the food sanctified by the Word of God? That person who believes and knows the truth will eat and drink to God's glory (1 Cor. 10:31), not to satisfy appetite or lust. No Adventists of which we know forbid food of any kind. Man can eat anything he pleases, from snakes and lizards to the finest grain and fruit. But the latter is the better meat, O, so much better!
