p. 5 | Review and Herald, Vol. 89, No. 35. (8/29/1912)

Review and Herald

Aug 29, 1912

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park, Washington, D. C. · Aug 29, 1912

“But We See Jesus”

By Worthie Harris Holden

Worthie Harris Holden

Not yet we see angelic hosts Within the city fair; Not yet the healing tree of life, Nor living waters there; Not yet Jerusalem descends To crown a world of peace, When Christ shall rule as King of kings, And sin and strife shall cease.

But we see Jesus, glorified In ministry above, Fulfilling there His sacrifice Of such amazing love; For us our Elder Brother lives, A Saviour and a Friend,— The blest God-man, who ever yearns To succor and defend.

O wondrous love, to interchange Our hopeless sin and woe For bliss of being heirs of God, Who life eternal know! So may we always Jesus see Each moment of each day, Till we behold Him face to face, And crown Him King for aye.

Unsolicited Testimonials for the "Protestant Magazine"

By Editor

Selected from thousands received from clergymen, attorneys, business men, professors, and other wide-awake, patriotic citizens

Rev. ——, pastor First Baptist Church, Washington: — "I have not had such a feast of good old-fashioned Bible doctrine for a long time. God bless and prosper your good work. It ought to reach every man and woman in the world."

Rev. ——, pastor Third Street M. E. Church, Pennsylvania: — "Ten days ago I subscribed for Protestant Magazine. Wish to state that I am more than pleased with the copy given me by the agent. If possible, I wish to secure all back numbers of the same. Hope to secure quite a few subscribers in my church in the near future."

Editorial Dept. of Christian Herald, New York City, N. Y.: — "A number of your magazines received have interested us sufficiently to create a desire to see all those you have published. We have on hand the following five: . . . Kindly supply all missing numbers from the beginning, with bill, which will be promptly remitted."

Rev. ——, pastor First Free Baptist Church, Michigan: — "Enclosed find price of one year's subscription. I am pastor of a church in the midst of a Catholic population. Am trying to gather the Protestants under one banner in the fight against Romanism. Many are taking the ——, but I prefer your magazine, and shall try to obtain subscribers for it."

Rev. ——, and Rev. ——, Minnesota: — "We certainly are glad to hear such clarion tones from your bugle, and fully accord with what you say. As Lutherans, we know what grave dangers lurk in the aggressiveness of the Catholics. May you continue boldly to make manifest their insidious and specious arguments and ways and means by which they beguile the public. May your subscription list reach many thousands."

Rev. ——, pastor German Evangelical Lutheran Church, Connecticut: — "I read your magazine with profound delight. Enclosed find subscription. Wish you great success in the fight against the most dangerous corporation in the world."

Rev. ——, associate pastor —— Presbyterian Church, Washington, D. C.: — "I rejoice in the good work the Protestant Magazine is doing. Evidently we are going to have a 'time' in this country, and you are furnishing an arsenal of fine ammunition for the warfare that is coming. Enclosed find $2 in payment for bound volumes 1, 2, and 3."

Rev. ——, pastor Christ —— Church, Washington, D. C.: — "Your magazine is doing excellent work. The Foss-O'Connell incident is certainly a powerful indication of what the Roman Church is striving after in our republic. In their ambition for office and power, the politicians are ready to bow down before the Roman idol, and sacrifice to it that precious liberty which cost centuries of struggle, blood, and devotion. The public press is also in the power of Rome."

Rev. ——, Iowa: — "I have translated your 'Theses' into Esperanto. Your 'fight against popery,' ought to be conducted not only upon a national, but also upon an international basis. Popery takes good care not to show its real face in our country. To learn its true features, Americans must look to its actions in other countries, and compare its history, past and present. It is a national danger for our republic, but resting on an international base. Rome has five international Esperanto papers to fight for the Pope. Protestants have only one little Esperanto paper, whose editor is so blind as to refuse contributions written against popery."

Rev. ——, pastor German-English Lutheran St. Peter's Church, ——, Canada: — "You can understand that as a Lutheran pastor I delight in your magazine. Yes, it is high time to speak and let our trumpet sound in clear tones."

Rev. ——, pastor church of ——, Washington, D. C.: — "Have seen one or two numbers of the Protestant Magazine, and it seems to me very well done. There is imperative need for all Protestants to get together in united phalanx against the aggressions of the Jesuits in this country."

Rev. ——, pastor Lutheran Church, Iowa: — "I shall surely do all in my power to help build up the circulation of the Protestant Magazine. My aim is to win subscribers for it in my own congregation. Later on I shall send you the addresses of clergymen, many of whom I trust will subscribe. "May the good God continue to bless your work in the future, and may the Protestant Magazine be a blessing and a leader to the truth for many. Faithfully your brother."

Rev. ——, pastor Grace Lutheran Church, Wisconsin: — "Pardon my taking a little of your time. I had to write my appreciation of your magazine. I truly believe the time is ripe, if not overripe, for a calm presentation of historical and present-day facts regarding the spirit and aim of the Catholic Church. There are a great many Protestant ministers asleep, and they need to be aroused. There is a woeful lack of knowledge on this subject among the laymen; and when you tell them facts, they are slow to believe. For this reason we need the Protestant Magazine to present these facts in a calm, forceful manner, as it does. We need to persist in the presentation, and I will do all I can to assist you."

HISTORY OF THE SABBATH

REVISED AND ENLARGED

THIS splendid volume by Elder J. N. Andrews, which was so highly prized by our people during the early years of this denomination, and which was the means of persuading many to accept the Bible Sabbath, has just been reissued in its revised and enlarged form.

For several years Elder L. R. Conradi, who has had access to the large libraries in Europe, has been making a thorough research in the ancient histories with regard to the Sabbath question. The information thus gained has been carefully prepared for this book, thus adding greatly to its completeness. It is a mine of useful information on the Sabbath question.

This book treats the Sabbath question from both the Biblical and the historical standpoint. Every passage of Scripture which has any connection with the Sabbath is carefully examined. The prophecies relating to the change from the seventh to the first day of the week and the history showing how and when the change was made, combine to make the study of this important subject one of great interest and profit. The various steps by which the change was made are given in detail; also the scriptures showing that the Sabbath will finally be exalted and restored to its proper place by the people of God.

A copious index enables the reader readily to find any passage of Scripture, or the statement of any historian.

The revised edition contains over 800 pages. Standard edition, full cloth binding, $1.50 Thin paper edition, flexible leather binding, $2.50

Order of Your Conference Tract Society, or of

REVIEW AND HERALD PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION TAKOMA PARK, WASHINGTON, D. C.

He Hath Blessed Us Hitherto

By Lillian S. Connerly

LILLIAN S. CONNERLY

WHEN the cross the dear Lord gives you Seemeth more than you can bear; When your heart grows faint with watching For some respite from your care; When the whole world seems against you, And your faith it would undo, It is well, then, to remember He hath blessed you hitherto.

There is comfort in remembering How he led you yesterday; How, when strength had well-nigh faltered, He gave courage "as thy day:" And when past the stormy trial, You could see the rainbow hue; And your gladdened heart gave witness, "He hath blessed me hitherto."

If he did not fail you yesterday, Will he fail you, soul, to-day? If he made the mount a valley, And prepared for you a way, Can you doubt his watch-care still, Or believe he is untrue, When through every sea of trial He hath blessed you hitherto?

Faithless heart, O cease to murmur! Look to Jesus, trust his power. Trust him when the sun is shining, Trust him when the storm-clouds lower. In his great eternal calmness God is faithful, he is true; And assurance he hath given, For he blessed you hitherto.

Ancon, C. Z.

Dangerous Amusements for the Young

By Mrs. E. G. White

THE desire for excitement and pleasing entertainment is a temptation and a snare to God's people, and especially to the young. Satan is constantly preparing inducements to attract minds from the solemn work of preparation for scenes just in the future. Through the agency of worldlings he keeps up a continual excitement to induce the unwary to join in worldly pleasures. There are shows, lectures, and an endless variety of entertainments that are calculated to lead to a love of the world; and through this union with the world faith is weakened.

Satan is a persevering workman, an artful, deadly foe. Whenever an incautious word is spoken, whether in flattery or to cause the youth to look upon some sin with less abhorrence, he takes advantage of it, and nourishes the evil seed, that it may take root and yield a bountiful harvest. He is in every sense of the word a deceiver, a skilful charmer. He has many finely woven nets, which appear innocent, but which are skilfully prepared to entangle the young and unwary. The natural mind leans toward pleasure and self-gratification. It is Satan's policy to manufacture an abundance of this. He seeks to fill the mind with a desire for worldly amusement, that there may be no time for the question, How is it with my soul?

We are living in an unfortunate age for the young. The prevailing influence in society is in favor of allowing the youth to follow the natural turn of their own minds. If their children are very wild, parents flatter themselves that when they are older and reason for themselves, they will leave off their wrong habits, and become useful men and women. What a mistake! For years they permit an enemy to sow the garden of the heart, and suffer wrong principles to grow and strengthen, seeming not to discern the hidden dangers and the fearful ending of the path that seems to them the way of happiness. In many cases all the labor afterward bestowed upon these youth will avail nothing.

The standard of piety is low among professed Christians generally, and it is hard for the young to resist the worldly influences that are encouraged by many church-members. The majority of nominal Christians, while they profess to be living for Christ, are really living for the world. They do not discern the excellence of heavenly things, and therefore can not truly love them. Many profess to be Christians because Christianity is considered honorable. They do not discern that genuine Christianity means cross-bearing, and their religion has little influence to restrain them from taking part in worldly pleasures.

Some can enter the ballroom, and unite in all the amusements which it affords. Others can not go to such lengths as this, yet they can attend parties of pleasure, picnics, shows, and other places of worldly amusement; and the most discerning eye would fail to detect any difference between their appearance and that of unbelievers.

In the present state of society it is no easy task for parents to restrain their children, and instruct them according to the Bible rule of right. Children often become impatient under restraint, and wish to have their own way and to go and come as they please. Especially from the age of ten to eighteen they are inclined to feel that there can be no harm in going to worldly gatherings of young associates. But the experienced Christian parents can see danger. They are acquainted with the peculiar temperaments of their children, and know the influence of these things upon their minds; and from a desire for their salvation, they should keep them back from these exciting amusements.

When the children decide for themselves to leave the pleasures of the world, and to become Christ's disciples, what a burden is lifted from the hearts of careful, faithful parents! Yet even then the labors of the parents must not cease. These youth have just commenced in earnest the warfare against sin, and against the evils of the natural heart, and they need in a special sense the counsel and watch-care of their parents.

A Time of Trial Before the Young

Young Sabbath-keepers who have yielded to the influence of the world, will have to be tested and proved. The perils of the last days are upon us, and a trial is before the young which many have not anticipated. They will be brought into distressing perplexity, and the genuineness of their faith will be proved. They profess to be looking for the Son of man; yet some of them have been a miserable example to unbelievers. They have not been willing to give up the

world, but have united with the world in attending picnics and other gatherings for pleasure, flattering themselves that they were engaging in innocent amusement. Yet it is just such indulgences that separate them from God, and make them children of the world.

Some are constantly leaning to the world. Their views and feelings harmonize much better with the spirit of the world than with that of Christ's self-denying followers. It is perfectly natural that they should prefer the company of those whose spirit will best agree with their own. And such have quite too much influence among God's people. They take part with them, and have a name among them; and they are a text for unbelievers, and for the weak and unconsecrated ones in the church. In this refining time these professors will either be wholly converted, and sanctified by obedience to the truth, or they will be left with the world, to receive their reward with the worldling.

God does not own the pleasure-seeker as his follower. Those only who are self-denying, and who live lives of sobriety, humility, and holiness, are true followers of Jesus. And such can not enjoy the frivolous, empty conversation of the lover of the world.

Separation From the World

The true followers of Christ will have sacrifices to make. They will shun places of worldly amusement because they find no Jesus there,—no influence which will make them heavenly minded, and increase their growth in grace. Obedience to the Word of God will lead them to come out from all these things, and be separate.

"By their fruits ye shall know them," the Saviour declared. All the true followers of Christ bear fruit to his glory. Their lives testify that a good work has been wrought in them by the Spirit of God, and their fruit is unto holiness. Their lives are elevated and pure. Right actions are the unmistakable fruit of true godliness, and those who bear no fruit of this kind reveal that they have no experience in the things of God. They are not in the Vine. Said Jesus, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch can not bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

Those who would be worshipers of the true God must sacrifice every idol. Jesus said to the lawyer, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." The first four precepts of the decalogue allow no separation of the affections from God. Nor must anything share our supreme delight in him. We can not advance in Christian experience until we put away everything that separates us from God.

The great Head of the church, who has chosen his people out of the world, requires them to be separate from the world. He designs that the spirit of his commandments, by drawing his followers to himself, shall separate them from worldly elements. To love God and keep his commandments is far away from loving the world's pleasures and its friendship. There is no concord between Christ and Belial.

The youth who follow Christ have a warfare before them; they have a daily cross to bear in coming out of the world and imitating the life of Christ. But there are many precious promises on record for those who seek the Saviour early. Wisdom calls to the sons of men, "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me." They will find that "the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."

"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation." "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

Motes and Beams

By J. A. L. Derby

J. A. L. Derby

There is a notion in the realm of "scientific" thought, absurd, but none the less vicious, which persuades the "scientific" doubter that what the Christian calls Christian evidences are not worth notice. But this attitude is not the result of either scientific analysis or candor. It is an attitude assumed for the most unscientific of reasons—prejudice and ignorance.

These may be strong words, but they are used advisedly. It did not require a citizen of the United States to write the best analysis of our government ever given. The present English ambassador to this country, author of "The American Commonwealth," is the man who has produced the work. It was a favorite observation of the shrewd Lord Bacon that the lookers-on often see more than the players. The writer has spent about twenty years in looking on the game of modern scientific method, and he has yet to find a scientist who attacks Christianity or the Bible in a scientific manner. Does popular science consider the evidences of the inspiration, the genuineness, or the authenticity of the Scriptures?—Not a whit. Does it listen to the witnesses for the defense?—

Not at all. It falls back on its "scientific" concept,—the reign of law, etc.,—calls the witnesses for the prosecution, and declares the case settled beyond controversy; no further evidence necessary.

Possibly there are some extenuating circumstances which may help to account for this high-handed procedure. Many good persons really give occasion to the scientist for taking such an attitude. Too often he is given to understand that religion has nothing to do with evidences. "Faith," says this religionist, "is the great key." Then faith is defined as believing something without evidence.

Amusing it would be, were it not so serious, the artless way in which many excellent persons believe with equal strength of conviction notions utterly antagonistic. To-day I hammer the unbeliever with evidences. In dealing tomorrow with the scientist who demands evidences, I assure him that the transcendent truths of religion ignore such unworthy props to faith. There is a kink here that needs untwisting. Let us not too severely condemn the scientist for irrationality, until we determine to be reasonable ourselves. Let us not require him to reject evidences, and then blame him for so doing.

The fact is, the definition of faith implied above is false. Faith is not believing without evidence. It is not credulous acceptance of hearsay or tradition. It is not believing what I want to believe because I like to believe it. Believing a thing ever so sincerely will not make it true. Arbitrary esteem for any opinion is but a gloss for superstition. To accept without evidence is an easy way to gull one's self.

The inspiration of the Bible and the truth of Christianity rest on irrefutable evidences. "He that cometh to God must believe that he is;" aye, truly, but not of necessity without evidence. In the face of prophecy fulfilled, atheism is dumb. This, indeed, is the very principle that God himself lays down by which to test his existence. Read Isa. 41:21-27; 42:9; 44:7, 8; 46:9-11. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord." Isa. 1:18. "Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you." 1 Peter 3:15.

Having settled this definition with our scientific friend, let us invite him to use his reason in precisely the same way he does in his scientific investigations. Does he decide on the law of gravitation, pronouncing it false because a balloon flies away from the earth? or does he rather scrutinize his evidences to see whether this isolated fact does not fall under a more comprehensive law? It may not appear scientifically reasonable in itself, as a bald assertion unsupported by evidence, that Elisha raised a man from the dead or made an iron ax float. But if I find that a person of infinite knowledge and unquestionable truth of character accepted as divinely inspired the book that contains those statements, I am compelled by the integrity of reason

itself to accept as true not only those assertions but every other assertion in the book. Its inherent reasonableness when taken as an isolated fact, has nothing to do with the matter. The greater includes the less.

The individual is not condemned because he refuses to believe blindly. He is condemned for stubborn unreasonableness,—because he determines to follow his love for sin rather than the admonition of conscience,—reason in its coercive aspect.

Lodi, Cal.

That Pedler Again

By G. B. Thompson

G. B. THOMPSON

SOME time ago we wrote a warning against a dangerous pedler that has no doubt appeared in your neighborhood or home from time to time. The pedler to which we refer is the gossip pedler. As he has probably appeared since that warning was written, and seeing that his name is legion, we venture to mention the matter again.

Tattling, or spreading rumors of gossip, is a deadly evil. The wise man says: "The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly." Prov. 26:22. The tongue is "an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." A writer describes it thus:—

"Naturalists tell us that the snail has its teeth on its tongue, and that upon the tongues of some snails as many as thirty thousand teeth have been found. The snail rolls its tongue up like a ribbon, and, of course, its teeth are very small, but they saw through the toughest leaves with ease. There are some men and women who have teeth on their tongues, and are ever ready to use them. There are pillows wet with tears, and eyes red with weeping, and hearts broken, and homes ruined, and lives blasted, all because of the unbridled human tongue. And the devil has no more remorseless instrument of torture at his hand than the tongue of the gossip, the backbiter, or the slanderer. Shame to say, some who profess Christianity become the ready tools of Satan, and bring disgrace upon their Master's name, and keep many a soul out of the kingdom."

The same writer relates the following incident, which illustrates, we fear, the picture of many who profess to be Christians:—

"On a railroad train, we fell into conversation with an intelligent gentleman of large business interests in certain Western cities. Presently our conversation turned to more serious matters; and when asked whether he were a Christian, he said, 'No, I can not say that I am; yet I do not know but that I am as good as most church-members. Now, for instance, yesterday I got on board the train to ride into Chicago, and there came into the coach and sat beside me a woman whom I knew very well, and who is prominent in church work. She claims to be a Christian, and knows that I am not a Christian, but in all that three hours' ride she did not do another blessed thing but gossip and tell tales about her friends and neighbors, until, when the train reached the city, I was heartily glad to get away from her. Now, why did that woman who professes to be a follower of Christ spend all the time in gossip, and have nothing to say about her Master?'"

Is it not time this unmitigated evil was stopped in the church? Nothing can be more unchristian than the practise of backbiting and defaming the character of any one, especially brethren and sisters of the same church. But you ask, How can I stop one of the scandal-mongers who comes into my home from assassinating my friends and neighbors? I suggest this: Say to this defamer of other people's character, "Come, we will go and ask the person if what you are telling is the truth." This will usually hush the slanderer, and stop the back-biting tongue, quite effectually, for those who make a practise of robbing people of their reputation, usually have no inclination to face the person whom they are plundering of his fair name, and ascertain the truth of the matter. "Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth." Prov. 26:20.

Takoma Park, D. C.

Practical Lessons Drawn From Israel's Deliverance From Egypt

By R. D. Quinn

PERHAPS no part of the Bible is of greater value to the people of God who are living near the end than the experiences of the children of Israel as recorded in the books of Moses, and referred to in the one hundred fifth and one hundred sixth psalms. The apostle Paul tells us that the things that happened to them were for ensamples, and were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come. Let us notice the following types, and make the application to our own time and experience.

Egypt was a type of the world; Canaan, the promised land, was a type of our heavenly inheritance; ancient Israel was a type of modern Israel; Moses was a type of Christ; and Pharaoh was a type of the devil. Israel could not serve God in Egypt, and so it is written, "Out of Egypt have I called my son." This world, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, has always had a powerful attraction for the people of God. Abraham went down into Egypt, and became rich in cattle, silver, and gold. He denied his wife while there, and never lost the taint of that dark land until he returned to Bethel, and built an altar unto God. Abraham's descendants went down into Egypt, and sojourned there three hundred years, and a thousand years afterward they were still clinging to the golden calf.

Sometimes it is well to study the enemy. Pharaoh, true to the spirit of Lucifer, did not want to let Israel go.

To-day, Satan, who is the god of this world, holds his subjects in slavery, and opposes every soul who would be free. When sorely oppressed by the judgments of God, Pharaoh was constrained to let the children of Israel go. He said, with consummate cunning, "I will let you go, . . . only ye shall not go very far away." He would have them linger around the border-land of Egypt. This is one of Satan's special temptations even unto this day. He is not so concerned about one's being a nominal Christian, so long as he loves the world and the things that are in the world, and does not come out from among the world and be separate. Let us put three days' journey between us and Egypt.

"And Moses and Aaron were brought again before Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the Lord your God: but who are they that shall go?" Moses said, "We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters." But Pharaoh answered, "Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the Lord," but the little ones he would have left in Egypt. Ex. 10:8-11.

Is there not something in this by way of analogy that carries with it an important lesson for our own time and experience? Have we done all we could in the past, and are we doing all that might be done now, for our youth and children? Is it not highly probable that unless we become thoroughly aroused to the dangers that beset our youth, and work diligently for them, many of these dear young people, when the final exodus takes place, will be left in this world?

As Israel neared the time of their deliverance, and it was seen that their young and their old, and their sons and their daughters were going with them, Pharaoh made one final stand, knowing that if he could gain his point, the exodus movement would fail.

"And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, and serve the Lord; only let your flocks and herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you." In his desperation, he was now even willing that the children should go, if only the Israelites would leave their property in Egypt. Moses replied, "Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind," knowing full well that where the treasure is, there will the heart be also.

Read carefully the chapter in "Early Writings" entitled "Covetousness," and see if there is not a striking parallel between the last temptation Pharaoh brought to bear on ancient Israel and the special snares of Satan that have been laid for the people of God just before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain and the final exodus.

New York City.

Looking for the Silver Lining

By Willitts

GET into the habit of looking for the silver lining of the cloud; and, when you have found it, continue to look at it, rather than at the leaden grey in the middle. It will help you over many hard places.—Willitts.

Two Great Evils

Two great evils threaten the Christian youth of this day. The first is the large amount of light and trifling literature to be found on every side. This is an age of literature. Many most excellent books have been published. Christian workers recognize the printing-press as a potent agency for good. On the other hand, Satan finds in this agency a medium for the carrying on of his evil work. Thousands of souls will be lost at last through the pernicious influence of novels and story-books.

We can not expect but that such literature will be read by those who know not God, but we have a right to expect that those who have given themselves to the Lord will find pleasure in the employment of their leisure by the perusal of another class of literature. It is sad to-day to enter the homes of professed Christians and find them regular readers of magazines, story-books, or novels, and not even subscribers to any of their church papers, possessing but few if any of the excellent religious books which may be secured. The parents who set such an example before their children, and who permit their children's lives to be molded by such influences, must render sometime an account of the responsibility that has been committed to them.

Another evil of equal perniciousness is the influence attending many of the worldly sports of the present time. The ballroom, the theater, the professional baseball games, the moving-picture shows, and allied places of amusement number their devotees by the million. Strange as it may seem, professed Christians find pleasure in these worldly gatherings. In doing this they obliterate the line of demarcation between themselves and the world. They find fellowship with those who know not God. We can not conceive of the Lord Jesus Christ viewing with pleasure the gladiatorial contests of Rome which were carried on in his day, nor can we think of him as looking with pleasure upon the ball contests or the theatrical performances or the moving-picture films in which some of his followers find evident pleasure. Association with evil does not change its character. The fact that multitudes have set their feet in wrong paths does not change the course of the road that they are traveling.

God to-day expects better things of this people. As the members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church profess to be looking for the soon coming of their Lord, and are seeking to uphold before the world a higher standard of Christian conduct, their friends have a right to expect of them an exemplification of this message in their lives. If the movement in which we are engaged to-day does not call men to a higher plane of Christian experience, does not make between the followers of the world and the followers of Christ a clear line of division, so that it may be distinctly known on which side we stand, it has no excuse for existence. The call of God in this message to-day demands this, and the

practise of the holy principles of the gospel in our lives will lead us to take our stand for God against the demoralizing influences that are seeking to draw men away from Christ and engulf them in the destruction of the on-sweeping flood. "What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord." What are the foolish pleasures of the world compared to the satisfying joys of a redeemed soul?

The Conflict in Our Day

By C. M. S.

This is the day of big things, of culminations in many lines. It is indeed a privilege to be living in a day when this old world is ripening for the great harvest, to see the inventive genius of men reaching its climax in so many different directions. It was not much over a half-century ago that the railroad, the telegraph, and the cable under the sea were as much of an innovation and as much of a curiosity as are the flying-machine, the submarine, and the wireless telegraph. In the days of Cyrus Field the spirit of invention was not what it is to-day. After a short period of successful operation, his cable was permitted to lie dead under the ocean for eight years, and it took seven weeks for the news of the battle of Waterloo to reach America. To-day the world is covered with a network of railways, cables, and telegraph-lines, and the wireless telegraph stations are dotting every land, so that now any item of important news will beat the sun around the world by more than twenty hours. Is it not a fact of striking significance that all the important inventions that have added so much to the convenience of the public and have made the world one great neighborhood have come within the last seventy-five years?

But these are developments in the temporal or material world. They deal with temporal or material things. Nevertheless, they but add significance to the movements on foot during this generation that deal with things spiritual. With many, old religious ideas have been swept away entirely, and new bases have been adopted for religious thought by the multitude. The philosophies of infidelity and atheism have ensconced themselves in the theological chairs of colleges and universities, and the products of those institutions have taken the place of the minister in the pulpits of many church edifices. The pews have become infected with the same philosophies, and so it has come about that spiritual poison has been taking the place of spiritual food at the table of the "Lord's house." Spiritual dearth and spiritual death were bound to result, and have resulted.

With this have come Christian Science, New Theology, New Thought, the Emmanuel Movement, theosophy, and other weird religious systems of the Orient, and with all these a remarkable revival in infidelity. The result of this combination of antichristian systems has been simply that self and self-service have become more prominent than ever in the activities of the people; and this we see demonstrated on every hand. It is demonstrated in the great fortunes that are being piled up by professedly religious individuals without any regard for the golden rule or any of the requirements of the Christian religion.

These are truly wonderful times. It could not be that they could go on forever with such developments coming in the future as have in the past, and in the same or increased ratio. The statement of Inspiration that "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased," has a striking fulfilment in our day, no matter which of the three or more interpretations is given to that text.

But these very developments in material and spiritual things are serving to line up the inhabitants of this world in two companies, with a clear line of distinction between them,—those who will stand stanchly for the Word of God as given, and for loyalty to the law of God, which is the basis of that Word, and those who in some one or more of many ways will turn from that Word and its requirements and weave themselves solidly into the woof of this world and its destiny.

There will be nothing like numerical equality between these two classes, and yet they are both composed of judgment-bound creatures; both have an account to render to him who gave that Word and laid down the law which is for each and all the touchstone of character. The attitude of loyalty of one of these classes toward God's Word makes them his remnant people, and keepers of his holy Sabbath, the seventh day of the week; and that attitude also makes it possible for the Creator to entrust them with his last message to this world. The reason is evident. God can not entrust his last and most important message for this world to a class who have turned their backs upon his Word, and have refused to render obedience to his commands. There is no neutral ground; there can be none. The gospel of Jesus Christ is in the world at the present time to demonstrate whether men will serve God, or whether they will enter the service of the adversary. There can not be two opposing kingdoms in the universe. It is to be either the kingdom of light or the kingdom of darkness, the kingdom of righteousness or the kingdom of iniquity; and no man can say, I will be neutral; I will not choose either. That would at once establish a third dominion where now there are but the two. When God is through with sin, it and all its results will be wiped out; and one of the results of sin is the man who tries to be neutral between good and evil, righteousness and iniquity, God and his adversary. There is no neutral ground now, and there is absolutely no promise of place or reward in the kingdom of God for the man who has sought to be neutral in the controversy between God and the enemy of his government. So the most important thing in this world for us to decide is what our attitude shall be toward God, his Word, his law, and his last message. A right relation to these will mean an abundant entrance into the eternal kingdom of righteousness.

C. M. S.

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