SOME one has said, "Let Christ be in you, your all in all, and it will surprise you how much you can do for Him." Yes; but it will not all be in the line of preaching and singing, or of holding Gospel conversations. These are good and necessary; but they do not by any means constitute the sum of work for Christ. The term "Christian work" is almost wholly restricted to these things, but it is a great mistake. All the work that Christ did was most certainly Christian work in the highest sense, and for eighteen years He worked as a carpenter. He spent six times as long in Christian work at the carpenter's bench as in public teaching; and it is by that part of His life that we are saved, as much as by the latter part. Whoever does his daily task faithfully, no matter what it may be, giving diligence to become master of it, and to do it as well as it can possibly be done, is doing work for Christ; and whoever slights his work, no matter how small it may be, is not serving the Master. "Whatsoever ye do in work or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus."
E. J. WAGGONER.
APPRECIATION BORN OF EXPERIENCE.
By Ruth Gardner
(Concluded.)
THE spiritual law declares that "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." "He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." We see that in nature the law that "like produces like" is unfailing; but we can not quite believe that this will hold true in our spirit life.
The world tempts us. We waver. "Come on," says the tempter. "You are young, and life is all before you. Come, taste the wine of my pleasures, and enjoy yourself while you can. These are innocent and harmless amusements. Time enough to sober up and settle down to prosy life when you've had your day. Come, be a man! Be your own master, and do as you please."
This is a bold blow at the dearest heart-links that bind a boy to mother, home, and God; for to be manly is the ambition of every boy, and if being manly means to "cut loose" from those dear restraining ties that have thus far kept him within the safe bounds of God's law, if the tempter wins this point, our boy is fairly launched on the downward track. There is a sharp pang on the occasion of his first denial of the noble restraints of home. A tender cord is severed and bleeding—loyalty to God and truth, and father and mother's faithful teachings; but unless, like Peter, he speedily repents, the enemy quickly sears the wounded conscience with his hot iron, and the "toughening" process is begun.
The boy begins plundering recklessly. The father is awakened to anxious solicitude for his boy; but the deceiver slaps him on the shoulder, and jokingly interposes: "Let the boy alone. He's all right. He's got to sow his 'wild oats,' you know. He'll steady down and forget all this foolishness when he's had his little 'fling' out." Thus the dust is thrown into the good man's eyes, beclouding his spiritual senses, and soothing his anxious fears to sleep.
Years later, when that precious boy, bereft of every vestige of "manhood," cast his poor bruised and broken life at his father's feet, pleading his mercy and forgiveness, they both realized, from the depths of an awful heart-experience, that they had been deceived, and that "God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
But why this broken and wasted life, manhood lost, hands stained with crime? Why need it be so?—Because he could not believe that the breaking of the great spiritual laws of our being would produce spiritual disease and death; because he would not hearken to the reproofs of instruction that pleaded with him to choose the path of wisdom, which is the path of life. (See first seven chapters of Proverbs.)
But he listened to the flatterer, and now, picking his way back through the ruins of all his hopes and ambitions to his father's house, he realizes, with bitter remorseful tears, the loving, faithful heart he has slighted, and the holy law he has broken—for what?—For the friendship of the world, that false-hearted deceiver, who has cheated and betrayed his confidences, and robbed him of everything that made life noble and dear.
It is the "burnt child" returning to the pitying Father-heart, who has been waiting all these years for His child to prove that "the wages of sin is death," that he might know how to appreciate, as he could not do before, the love, the joy, and the peace of a heart reconciled to God, and the priceless gift of eternal life.
It is mentally impossible for any one who has never tasted death, nor felt the loss of his physical powers, to appreciate the priceless blessing of life. When we are in full possession of our faculties of body and mind, we are so apt to take glory to ourselves, and strengthen our hearts in our borrowed strength, as if we were self-existent creatures. We feel no need of God nor His bounty. We can get all we want ourselves. And we strengthen our hearts against our Father's pleading to consecrate our young life, with all its God-given powers, to Him in whose hand our breath is, and whose are all our ways.
How can the Lord reach such a one but by withdrawing His life-supporting power and blessings from him? His property is lost; friends fail him; he feels the very springs of his life giving way. The world, with all he boasted himself in, seems sinking from beneath his feet. All but perishing he cries unto the Lord for help, and he is helped. He acknowledges the Hand who feeds and clothes and supports his life, and God in mercy restores his health, and adds to his life new blessings. He has a new lease of life and a second trial. Will he profit by this experience, or will he, as we so often see, with the return of vitality and power allow self-will to take possession, and, seizing the precious boon of life, with all its glorious possibilities, squander it as recklessly as ever?
What account shall he give who has wasted his Lord's talent, and has nothing to show for the precious gifts entrusted him but an empty life, when His Lord shall come "to reckon with His servants?"
May God help us rightly to appreciate the opportunities and blessings that every day of this trial-life are bringing us, that we may receive at its close His "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
ONLY CHRIST.
By Elizabeth Barrett Browning
WHEN some beloved voice that was to you
Both sound and sweetness, faileth sudden,
And silence against which you dare not cry,
Aches round you like a strange disease and new,
What hope? what help? what music will undo
That silence to your sense? Not friendship's sigh—
Not reason's subtle count, not melody
Of viols, nor pipes that Faunus blew,
Nor songs of poets, nor of nightingales,
Whose hearts leap upward through the cypress trees
To the clear moon; nor yet the spheric laws
Self-chanted, nor the angel's sweet All hails
Met in the smile of God. Nay, none of these,
Speak Thou, availing Christ! and fill this pause.
—Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Jesus’ Name and the Life
"The name of Jesus is impotent on the lips unless it has been branded on the life."
The Abundant Spring
"God may deny us the cup of water to give us the abundant spring."
NO RESPECT OF PERSONS.
GOD is no respecter of persons. He does not ask the origin, the nationality, the educational, social, or financial standing of any soul who seeks audience with Him. It matters not whether the man is of the lower million or the upper four hundred, whether clothed in the trappings of wealth or royalty, or the rags of the beggar. His great heart has welcome for all. His great common blessings of rain and sunshine, light and warmth, come alike to just and unjust. Despite of sin, and wickedness, and perversion of every good thing, God leaves "not Himself without witness."
God's love and character are manifest only through Jesus Christ. "The only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father [possessing the deepest secrets of His mercy and wisdom, and the wealth of His love], He hath declared Him." John 1:18. He declared the Father in His teaching, in His work, in His life of unselfishness, in His death of love. Not alone did He do this while upon the earth the short period of less than thirty-four years; that was but an object-lesson of the eternity of God's love declared through Christ Jesus,—declared in creation, in redemption, in special providence. He was and is the "true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." He was that before the first advent. It was by His Spirit that chaos turned into cosmos in the six days when God made the earth. It was by His Spirit that the remedy of the curse was made effectual to believers. It was by His Spirit that He preached the Gospel through Noah while the long-suffering of God waited that sinners might repent. In all ages, in all places, has He by His Spirit through spoken, written, manifested word, declared God's love, God's glory, God's goodness. "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. . . . Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." Ps. 19:1-4. These are God's object-teachers, constant, universal, and age-lasting. Wherever man has dwelt, he has seen the shining orbs of night and the glowing sun by day, witnesses of God's infinite power to create, to keep. The returning spring and fecund summer, bringing from death and mold of decay new forms of life and beauty, are God's constant witnesses to man of His power to save. And His mighty Spirit of life and wisdom is everywhere present to enforce the lesson upon every soul that longs for the better, higher life, that longs to be acquainted with God.
And therefore the apostle tells us that even before the Gospel in its fulness was preached by human lips in the heathen world, they had all heard, and he quotes the fourth verse of the nineteenth psalm in proof: "Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world." Rom. 10:18. And again: "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them. For the invisible things of Him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even His everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse." Rom. 1:19, 20, R.V.
It is thus in part that Christ lighteth the souls that come into the world in all ages, that souls in all ages may be without excuse. Into every responsible soul has the light been shed. Upon every responsible heart has the Spirit impressed the object-lessons of the Most High. To every life has come a noble purpose, consciously appealing to every noble sentiment and impulse, a reaching out after God, a longing for some friend, counselor, saviour, helper, who would abide true, mighty, helpful even to the end.
Dimly this light may have shone to the dweller in heathen lands. It may have been but a single ray, as it were, piercing the great bank of darkness; but in that one ray was all the potency of the Sun of Righteousness; and he who received it with all his heart, found his mind illuminated, his life flooded, as never before. He was lifted into a new life; and if he continued to "walk in the light,"—"the beautiful light of God,"—if he continually drank of its radiance and power, it saved him from sin and known sinning, and made him acquainted with the Light of the World. He may not have known his Saviour by the name Jesus, nor His title Messiah; but he knew Him, His mercy, His life, His love, His power over sin. "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound."
But the rejection of the one ray brings darkness; nay, rather, it leaves in darkness the one who rejects it. Other light may come, but he can not see it. He has rejected the very element which would enable him to do it. The selfishness within him which perverts the one ray to darkness will pervert every other ray. He may receive the first ray, the second, the third. For years he may seem to be a son of light; but a clearer, brighter ray dawns, revealing new depths of selfishness, new crucifixions of the flesh necessary, new duties, and burdens, and blessings. But he turns from it, and the light that is in him becomes darkness. A room may be filled with light from one window. For hours it may have been pouring in its warmth and radiance; but the mere closure of the window changes it to total darkness, and precludes the coming of more. We may have known God's Gospel for years, for years may have enjoyed its blessings; but we can only obtain the fulness by continually walking in the light. One ray rejected is darkness and death.
The lesson is, "Walk in the light as He is in the light." Cherish every ray, reject none, till the whole body shall be full of light, and you yourself a means by which the paths of the darkened ones may be irradiated.
FAITHLESSNESS OR FAITH.
THE Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was not in itself evil. It was among the trees which "God planted," "pleasant to the sight and good for food." But God reserved it to Himself, as he had a right to do, and as His own wisdom, exercised for man's good, dictated.
As the Tree of Life had the property of imparting life to God's children, so the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was given those properties which would enable its rightful partakers instinctively to know good from evil, even as God knows, without being partaker of the evil.
But not yet could mankind partake of the tree. Character is the only thing of worth in man. The development of good character was the most important part of the existence of Adam and Eve. But character means test in respect to some standard erected by some one having authority. The standard for Adam's character was God's holy law, and the One who gave it was Adam's Creator. The real test came, involving a half dozen eternal principles of truth, over the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
A necessary element in character development is faith in God. No man can of himself form a character worthy of continued preservation who has faith only in himself. He can not grow larger than himself; for he sees nothing beyond. He can not become a better man; for he makes himself the standard of good. He necessarily condemns all who are not in agreement with him, because they do not accept of his standard. Those without faith, trusting in self, actuated by the same principles, must, unless self-interest dictates, always be at enmity.
The preventive of such a condition, the antidote of its evil, is faith in the infinite God. The man of faith looks to God instead of self. He sees God's holiness, goodness, greatness, beauty; and he loses sight of self, only as he sees it in the light of God's glory. He longs to be like God. He opens heart and mind toward God. He drinks of the great Fountain. He quaffs knowledge, wisdom, goodness, power, continually growing, continually progressing in the path of life. He gives all to God, and receives more abundantly in return. While the faithless man, choosing self, is left to wither and die, the faithful man, forgetting self, is filled with the larger life.
For this reason God wished to call man away from himself. He wished him to learn what was good and what was evil from an eternally wise and kind Father. God wished him to learn of the only One who could guide and save to the end. He therefore forbade the tree, and asked the man to come to Him that he might learn the perfect ways of God and the opportunities for constant growth.
Man chose otherwise, and partook of the tree. In doing that very thing he transgressed God's law, the law of his being. He came to know evil, not to abhor it, not to shun it, but as a partaker of it, in harmony with his own being. The knowledge he gained was a perverted knowledge, not true, because it came not in God's way, but in the way of the serpent. The perversion of man and his faculties was not in the tree of itself, but in partaking of the tree unlawfully, in disobeying God.
Now man must come back to God in the rejected way, the way of faith, the way of what God says. When man has perfected character before God, he may then have access to the fruit of that tree which carries in all its legitimate partaking the instructive knowledge of evil before it is ever carried into purpose, or act. Till that time, God's Holy Word is our Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and Christ is our Tree of Life.
THE INSTINCT OF WORSHIP.
By G.
WHEN man fell, his entire nature passed over to the side of evil. There was no enmity against evil. "The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Rom. 8:7. Deliberate disobedience ("Adam was not deceived," 1 Tim. 2:14) left the man with a carnal mind. But with his acceptance of the Gospel, the Lord gave the pair a new start. He did not leave them and their posterity powerless to will, or to resist temptation. To the serpent the Lord said, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Gen. 3:15.
Christ is the Seed that will eventually bruise Satan's head, utterly destroy him. The real controversy is between Christ and Satan, but man's redemption and the recovery of the lost dominion of the earth are the subjects of the controversy. The Gospel campaign is being conducted through human agency, with the backing of the heavenly host; and the race was fortified at the outset with enmity against evil. Just in proportion to man's faith in God will this enmity enable him to resist the wiles of Satan.
This enmity is the religious instinct in man, which, if rightly directed, will lead to his salvation. But when not supplemented by faith in Christ, it will lead either to false ideas of the worship of God or to the worship of false gods, the result in either case being idolatry. This was illustrated in the cases of Cain and Abel. Cain was not ignorant of the claims of God upon him; he had been instructed by his father, and felt it a duty to make offerings to the Lord. But he had yielded to a spirit of selfishness, and the religious instinct was perverted until he saw only the necessity of some formality. So he brought that which was more convenient for him. On the other hand, "by faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it he being dead yet speaketh." Heb. 11:4.
But Satan's side of the great controversy has been carried on by imitation and perversion of God's gifts and works. In some men he is able to blunt the instinct of worship that they become atheists or infidels; but the masses retain the disposition to worship some deity. By perversion, or lack of instruction, it becomes a superstition, and the victims of this superstition are led to worship anything that strikes their fancy or their dread. The degeneration of the religious instinct in man through perversion and consequent ignorance is thus portrayed by the apostle Paul:—
"When they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves, who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever." Rom. 1:21-25.
The most insidious form of perverted worship is that of Cain's, the nominal worship of the true God7in ways which He has not commanded. This evil is Satan's hold on the professed church of Christ. He has introduced, and to an alarming extent established, the idea that God's law has been abolished; that the Sabbath has been changed; that sprinkling is just as good as baptism; that sprinkling infants makes them Christians; that the Lord is not coming again in person according to His promise; that the dead are conscious, and can communicate with the living; that men can be made righteous by civil law; that human priests can forgive sins, and a score of other false doctrines which contravene the plain Word of God. All such departures from that which is "given by inspiration of God" are sheer perversions not only of the Word, but of the instinct of worship which God implanted in man as a help to sustain him in "the good fight of faith."
Again, the adversary is not averse to man's believing that he is a sinner, provided he will try in some way to save himself, or will seek salvation in some other way than by a return to obedience of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He will encourage imitation of any ordinance or commandment of God, provided the ordinance or commandment deviate somewhat from the original. He will encourage any degree of sacrifice, even to self-sacrifice, provided it be in some way not commanded by the Lord. But Jesus says:—
"The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." John 4:23, 24. To worship God in truth, is to worship Him according to His Word; for His Word is truth. Ch. 17:17.
MISPLACING THE BLAME.
By S.
A MOVEMENT, whose purpose is the revival of heathenism, was lately started in Germany, backed by a publication called Der Heide (The Heathen). The purpose of the movement and of the journal which supports it is to overthrow Christianity, and establish upon its ruins the practises of heathen times, the worship of heathen "divinities." It opens its attack by the old method of infidelity, charging Christianity with responsibility for the spirit of war that exists in the world to-day, and for all the actual wars that have drenched the earth in the blood of men.
It is true that the attitude of many who call themselves Christian, toward the killing of men in war has put into the hands of infidelity this cudgel which it now uses at every opportunity to smite the cause of Christ. Every teaching of Christ is against participation in the deeds or words of war. Said Jesus, "I am come that ye might have life." But many of Christ's professed followers have handled and pointed the weapons of death on the field of battle. Are these things in harmony?—Verily they are not. Does the professed follower of Christ who carries a gun or sword into battle, or directs the flight of the screaming shell that it may mangle and kill his brother man, represent Christ or the teachings of Christ in any such transaction?—Verily he does not. Christ, in repeating Isaiah's prophecy concerning Himself, uses these words: "He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets." Matt. 12:19. And of His followers it is declared, "The servant of the Lord must not strive." 2 Tim. 2:24.
War is strife in its extremest sense. He who enlists in the army enlists for the purpose of strife. The government that enlists him contemplates strife. It pays him for strife, commands him to strive; and his enlistment is a promise to that government that he will strive to the utmost of his ability, even to the taking of life. But "the servant of the Lord must not strive." Christ did not strive. "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked." 1 John 2:6.
But should not the Christian defend his country? Should he not uphold his ruler?—Yes; but where and what is his country? and who is his ruler? "Our citizenship [or 'commonwealth,' margin] is in heaven; from whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ." Phil. 3:20, R.V. There is the Christian's citizenship, his commonwealth, his country. He can not defend that country by going to war. He can defend the interests of that country by a consistent Christian life; and that is the work which he is commissioned to do here in the earth.
Any work which is in opposition to this is not done in defense of that country. He whose interests are earthly, whose citizenship is here and not in heaven, will defend his (earthly) country in the way that the ruler of that country may direct. But let him not think that in doing that he is laying up treasure in heaven, or perfecting title to a home in that better, that heavenly, country. He can not serve two masters—the master of this world, who would license him to kill, and the Master of that better country, who declares, "Thou shalt not kill." God grants no indulgence to man to slay his fellow-man, or to do any other act that His holy law forbids. Had the children of Israel followed God implicitly, they would never have had to fight a battle.
The Christian's Ruler is the Ruler of that better land. "One is your Master, even Christ." Matt. 23:10. "Know ye not that . . . ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Cor. 6:19, 20. The Christian will obey his Ruler; but he can not do that by war against his fellows. Christ's command is against it. War against man is no part of God's work in the earth; it is opposed to it; it is the work of the other power. True, in connection with the building of Christ's kingdom here in the earth the sword came into play; but it was in the hands of the enemies of Christ. It was used upon His followers, and not by them. His command is, "Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." Matt. 26:52. Christ's teachings brought division and strife in families; but the strife was on the part of those who opposed, and was directed against those who followed Him.
"But Christian nations go to war." The nations of this world are not Christian. Christianity is taught in them, and Christians live in them; but the mind that directs and the power that supports them in war are not the mind and power of Jesus Christ. If the nations of this world were Christian, Christ would never overthrow them; for He would not overthrow the work of His own hands. But He will overthrow the nations of this world, and set up His kingdom where they had stood when the fires of that great day have cleansed the earth from sin. Dan. 2:44; 7:27; Rev. 6:14-17.
The charge of propagating war is an unjust charge to bring against the cause of Christ. Satan smiles at his own cunning when he can induce professed Christians to laud and defend war. He was the cause of the first war, and he has been the cause of every one that has occurred since. Nations have fought to defend themselves against other nations' unjust encroachments; but the god of war planned the whole complication, and helped to carry it through. Let the charge, then, rest where it belongs—not with Christianity (even though professed Christians may have so misunderstood Christ as to take part in it), but upon him who originated war in the midst of the peace of heaven; upon that spirit of heathenism which he has kept alive in the breasts of those who have not submitted themselves to the peaceable rule of Jesus Christ. He whose citizenship is in this world will fight for its defense under the "god of this world." He whose citizenship, commonwealth, is in heaven will not strive, but will seek to glorify God in his body and his spirit, which are God's. Let the blame rest where it belongs, and it will not rest upon the cause of Christ, nor upon those who follow Him in deed and in truth.
CANONIZATION.
By G.
THE idea of elevating dead people to the rank of saints originated in the Roman Church. The Bible makes many references to disciples becoming saints while they are alive. "To the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all My delight," Ps. 16:3. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints," Ps. 116:15. "Many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection," etc. Matt. 27:52, 53. Writing to the churches at Rome and Corinth, Paul addresses them as "beloved of God, called to be saints" (Rom. 1:7), and "them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints" (1 Cor. 1:2). Enjoining brotherly love, he adds, "Distributing to the necessities of saints; given to hospitality" Rom. 12:13. A widow was to be cared for by the church, if she were three-score years old, and "well-reported of for good works," and among other good deeds, "if she have washed the saints' feet." 1 Tim. 5:9, 10.
The Scriptures say nothing about making saints of people after they are dead. And the custom has materially fallen off in Rome in modern times. The restrictions are far more numerous than formerly, and, says "Butler's Lives of the Saints," "the proceedings are long, rigorous, and expensive." For these reasons people do not agitate canonization of those whose lives they have admired. It is now necessary that a period of at least a hundred years shall have elapsed after the death of the candidate before the ceremony shall be inaugurated. Furthermore, one of the requirements is that there shall have been two or more miracles performed, and these are much more difficult of proof than in medieval times.
It is said that the canonization of Jeanne D'Arc, or the "Maid of Orleans," is now about to take place at Rome. The application for this particular candidate has been before the Vatican for nearly two hundred years. And in this connection we have an instance of the quality of that religion which is mingled with politics. It is said that many objections have been raised to the elevation of this candidate to the rank of saint. Among others, there was the prejudice of Italian cardinals and others against making a saint of this national heroine of France. But at the present juncture it is deemed good politics to identify, as far as possible, the French national sentiment with Catholicism, consequently the ceremony in this case is to be closed up. G.
Question Corner
By Editor
[From time to time we will reply under this head, if deemed advisable, to such candid inquiries as may be sent us. Correspondents wishing a reply to their questions must give their full name and address, not for publication unless they wish, but as an evidence of good faith on their part, and to give us opportunity to reply by letter if deemed best. It is always well to inclose stamp. Let the questions be short and pointed, and such as may be answered in limited space. The questions will be numbered continuously.]
1212.—Elijah.
Please let me ask one question, Why did you say in the Signs of the Times that the prophet Elias will do no wonders or miracles, when he comes? Did you never read or understand the eleventh chapter of Revelation about the two olive trees? Not only Elias, but Moses also will come, as there must be two witnesses before man! And those two will do the greatest miracles the world has ever seen!
We have not said "that the prophet Elias [Elijah] will do no wonders or miracles when he comes." We have not said that the prophet Elijah as a single person is coming. Jesus our Lord told us that John the Baptist was one fulfilment of the coming of Elijah, because he went forth "in the spirit and power of Elijah." He became the lesser, typical fulfilment of that prophecy. Had he been received, he would have been joined by a multitude who would have gone forth in the spirit and power of Elijah, and God would have used that people to give His Gospel to the world. See Luke 1:17; Matt. 11:10-15; 21:28-43. Before Christ comes the second time, God will again send forth His servants in the spirit and power of Elijah, to prepare a people for that coming. Malachi 4. And Elijah then will not be one, but many. But the evidence of their mission and work for God will not be the working of miracles, but the power of divine, simple Gospel truth which saves and recreates men, the mightiest miracle of the Gospel. There will be signs and wonders wrought, both by God's servants and the emissaries of Satan (2 Thess. 2:9; Rev. 13:14; 16:14), but the real test of the true is the truth of God. Isa. 8:20; Matt. 7:21-23.
The two witnesses of Revelation 11 are another thing altogether. They are necessary to every servant of God, but they are not the servant. In brief they are the Word of the Most High in its different manifestations in all ages. It is one of the delusions of the enemy to apply them to men, some to Moses and Elijah, some to John and Elijah, some to James and John, whereas God tells us that the two olive trees are His Word in operation, and all the miracles have been performed by its power. Zech. 4:1-6; Rev. 11:5, 6.
One other thought; the instruments through which God has given His Word in every generation have been, not persons brought from some other age, but men and women who are a part of the generation to which they give God's message. Men are for the generation in which they live; God's Word abideth forever.
DANGER AHEAD.
By Editor
THERE have been mentioned in these columns from time to time the dangers which we have seen, or which have shown themselves, in connection with the clashing interests of labor and capital. We are not the only ones who have seen danger ahead in the present economic conditions. The increasing influence of capital as manifested in the seemingly endless power which it possesses of multiplying itself upon itself, is regarded by labor as a distinct menace to the interests of labor; and in the hand-to-hand encounters which have occurred, labor has shown itself unable to cope successfully with the power which resisted its demands, and to which it must look for employment. While capital has generally triumphed in these encounters, the triumphs have but served to whet the edge of the bitter feeling that stirs the breast of organized labor. Labor has not behind it the power that capital possesses to shape legislation and consummate its plans; but it has the power to store up its wrongs, or its fancied wrongs, and lay tremendous plans to avenge them. The danger is that capital will continue to give occasion for the widening of the breach until labor, in very desperation, will strike out with terrible blows against that power which it feels has goaded it past endurance. Capital's demand will continue to be for the right to conduct its own business in its own way.
Labor's demand will continue to be for the right to share more fully in the profits which its toil produces, and the management of the business in which it is engaged. Capital, flushed with previous victories, will refuse to harken; labor, exasperated over past defeats and a forbidding future, will fling aside self-control and a calmer judgment, and open that strife which has been long in preparation. This is what we have seen in the present situation.
Here is how it is looked upon by one who has long had to do with these very things, an English observer who writes his views to the New York Iron Age. After speaking of the "passive resistance" feature of the great strike of English machinists, a resistance which was made possible by the perfect organization of the strikers, he says:—
One has only to ask what would have been the result in the United States of a prolonged strike in one of the leading industries, wherein a great majority of the men were without any means of subsistence and under no proper control. As one who has had a long and varied experience of men and things, I should tremble for the result, and to my mind in this direction lies one of the serious dangers to America's future. . . . From what I gathered while in the States from sources well calculated to form correct opinions, I fear that the most momentous danger before America is an industrial war such as the world has never seen before. The stronger the trusts grow, the more powerless will labor become. As it can not obtain redress from Congress, . . . it may, perchance, strike out fiercely, wantonly, and madly, like a blind, enraged giant. Sooner or later that well-organized body [the trusts] will stand face to face with the horny-handed, undisciplined multitude of workers, and then the real trial of strength will begin, and after that—the deluge.
Organized capital seems madly rushing on to that very consummation. How long it will be before these forces clash, we can not tell. The prevalence of the conditions which are to bring it about has been pointed out faithfully in the infallible Word—pointed out, too, as an indication of the time of the end. We are in that time now, and we need not be in darkness concerning its approach. Truly there is danger ahead; but the danger is to those who will not heed the warnings of God that would make it possible for men to be hid in the time of trouble.