Your ShelfYour Projects

Review and Herald, Vol. 77, No. 40.

LESSONS FROM THE CHRIST-LIFE

Review and Herald

Oct 2, 1900

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Oct 2, 1900

LESSONS FROM THE CHRIST-LIFE.

By Ellen G. White

MRS. E. G. WHITE.
“The kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. . . .”
“After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredest unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
“He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredest unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
“Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Thus Christ by definite instruction prepared his disciples for their work. He is our Master, as he was theirs, and this instruction we are to follow. We are to work earnestly and vigilantly to prepare the way for the second coming of the Lord. There is much to be done in preparation for that solemn event. Waiting, watching, praying, and working,—this is what we are to do as servants of God. Personal consecration is necessary, and we can not have this unless heart-holiness is cultivated and cherished.
God requires us to be faithful in his service. Let there be no spiritual declension. The apostle exhorts us to be “not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.” All are to strive to increase their capabilities, that they may continually do better work for the Master. He has provided every facility, so that his servants can labor intelligently.
When invited to a dinner or a feast, Christ accepted the invitation. He was accused by the religious leaders of eating with publicans, and they cast at him the imputation that he was like them. The respect shown to Christ at the feasts he attended was in marked contrast to the manner in which the scribes and Pharisees were treated, and this made them envious. When at a feast, Christ controlled the conversation, and gave many precious lessons. Those present listened to him; for had he not healed their sick, comforted their sorrowing, and taken their children in his arms? Publicans and sinners were drawn to him; and when he spoke, their attention was riveted on him.
Christ taught his disciples how to conduct themselves when in the company of others. He instructed them in regard to the duties and regulations of true social life, which are the same as the laws of the kingdom of God. He taught the disciples, by example, that when attending any public gathering, they need not want for something to say. His conversation when at a feast differed most decidedly from that which had been listened to at feasts in the past. Every word he uttered was a savor of life unto life. He spoke with clearness and simplicity. His words were as apples of gold in pictures of silver.
Christ gave lessons adapted to the needs of his hearers. It was at a feast that he gave the parable of the great supper.
“It came to pass,” the record says, “as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day, that they watched him. . . . And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him; and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
In his parables Christ held up the mirror of his Father’s mind. Every insult shown by man to his fellow man only made him more conscious of their need of his divine sympathy. He realized the harm Satan was trying to do through the power of position and wealth. In his human nature he felt the need of the ministration of heavenly angels. He felt the need of his Father’s help, as no other human being has ever felt it. He was himself winning, as a powerful warrior, a victory in behalf of the world that he had created; and under the most trying circumstances his faith did not fail. He placed himself in his Father’s hands, and every insult he endured enabled him better to understand man’s great need. As our substitute and surety, he felt every pang of anguish that we can ever feel. He himself suffered, being tempted.
“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
Christ’s humanity made him very tender toward humanity. The lessons he gave his disciples were in perfect harmony with his announcement of his life-work. We read that after being tempted in the wilderness, Christ returned to Galilee, “and he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
In everything Christ sought first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and that which he did he commands his followers to do. This example he gave to the human race that they might in his strength render to God the obedience he requires, and in the end present themselves perfect before his throne. He was one with the Father. His life was a fulfilling of the law, a continual obedience to God’s commands.

“THOU REMAINEST.”

By M. H.

Hand in hand, with Thee united, Love unchanging thou dost tell; With thyself, I am delighted; “Thou remainest;” all is well.
Thou didst come, a Man of sorrows, Just to rescue man who fell: Thy dear love has no to-morrows; Present, changeless; all is well.
Loss of earth shall not confound me (Let thy praise my bosom swell), God within, above, around me: “Thou remainest;” all is well.
When the outlook seems most dreary, In thy strength of love I dwell; Thou hast comfort for the weary: “Thou remainest;” all is well.
Kept alone by Jesus’ merit, All the powers of earth and hell Can not hurt a trusting spirit: “Thou remainest;” all is well.
“Thou remainest,” what a treasure! Sounding clear as clarion bell In my heart with rhythmic measure, “Thou remainest;” all is well.
Tell it out, the wondrous story; Sound it over hill and dell; Say he reigns, the King of glory! In his presence, all is well. — M. H., in King’s Messenger.

THE SIN OF NEUTRALITY.

By G. B. Wilkinson

G. B. WILKINSON.
(College View, Neb.)
When the meeting opened Sabbath morning, the elder, looking over his congregation, found but few of the brethren present. Those who were there, were scattered over the church, and none were on the front seats. An atmosphere of discouragement and lethargy seemed to pervade the place. Stepping from the platform, the elder exhorted all present to come forward and fill up the front seats. Sitting together, with no empty chairs before, and unable to see any behind, the congregation waited, with eager attention, to hear any message the Lord might give. He did not disappoint them, and all were greatly blessed.
Next Sabbath the hour of meeting came, and again the people were scattered. Again the exhortation to come forward was given, and with the same results. At the close of the service the elder called the attention of the brethren to the better effects produced by being in the front, and requested that henceforth they take their places without exhortation. But when the church assembled the third Sabbath, there was no improvement. A feeling of petulance arose in the elder’s heart. “Will this people never learn anything?” he muttered between his teeth. With an angry spirit, he stepped forward to rebuke his church. But at that moment a voice spoke to his soul. Had he never been guilty of the sin of which this people were guilty? When God had a work to advance among the people, had he never hung back, not wishing to oppose, but not eager to be found in the front ranks of the workers? Looking into his own heart, he was obliged to confess himself guilty.
The blessings lost by that church when not in the front, are typical of the blessings lost to God’s people when holding back generally. The burden thrown upon the leader represents the extra burden resting upon those who labor under the load of reform. The disfavor of God rests upon those who, while not wishing to oppose, hold back, waiting to see full demonstration before they give their assistance. Such action lacks true faith. True faith rests not.
I call your attention to the following: “If God abhors one sin above another, of which his people are guilty, it is doing nothing in case of an emergency. Indifference and neutrality in a religious crisis is regarded of God as a grievous crime, and equal to the very worst type of hostility against God.”—Testimonies for the Church, Vol. III, page 281. Therefore, brother, sister, if the case in hand has the slightest weight of evidence that it is God’s cause, give full co-operation at once.
Ancient Israel were slow to act upon God’s direction, until at length they hardened into rebellion. The same course will be pursued by many in remnant Israel. But it is your privilege to make this stumbling-block a stepping-stone. And when you have converted a sufficient number of these stumbling-blocks into stepping-stones, you will have a stairway whose last stone is the threshold of heaven. Delay to conquer your reluctant spirit, and you will, like Peter, reap the sure results of following afar off.
Let us be more explicit. Since the present work began, God has, at stated times, sent messages to his people. He has given them line upon line, precept upon precept. Obedience to these directions has been attended with the favor and blessing of God, while disasters have attended the unwilling ones. With each of these messages came an opportunity to doubt, if one wished to do so; but to him who hesitated, however blessed he may have been before, came the bitter experience of a blessing lost. To those who stood ready for this call, there was abundant evidence that it was of God.
God has come to us with a stirring appeal. Shall we hesitate, or shall we immediately respond? I quote the first paragraph of this appeal: “There is a burden upon my soul with regard to the destitute mission fields. There is aggressive work to be done in the missions near you; in the Southern field, which has been sadly neglected; and there is great need of funds to advance the work in foreign fields. Our foreign missions are languishing. The missionaries are not sustained as God requires they should be. For want of funds, workers are not able to enter new fields.”—An Appeal for Missions.
“The missions near you.” In the path of everyone whose name is written in heaven, lie men who have fallen among thieves. The attitude assumed toward these unfortunates testifies for or against Christ. This testimony is mightier than ritual observance or verbal statement. That this testimony might be mighty for God, insistence has always been placed upon such Samaritanism as that mentioned in the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah. In one of the earliest Testimonies ever given this people, there is a strong plea for conformity to this chapter. I was startled when I read it. Increased interest in city mission work is not a new idea in the message. It is a truer realization of what God has for years presented for our consideration. How we have delayed! Now shall we take hold and become home missionaries? Will every child of God henceforth open his heart and home to the needy around him? Or shall we stand deliberating until God proclaims us on neutral ground?
The receiver of the gospel first works to improve himself. He then, Philip-like, turns to those who are near at hand. His own work may be to witness in Jerusalem or Judea, but he never can cancel the debt he owes to those who dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth. His first duty, then, is to pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth reapers, and, secondly, to see that they are supported. Yet, “Our foreign missions are languishing for want of funds.” With our duty plainly before us, can we longer withhold that which God claims? Can we longer hesitate or deliberate? Dare we stand on neutral ground?
But here is another duty. Cornelius had for a long time given alms and prayed to God for light. Why did he not receive a messenger sooner?—Because none was ready. It demanded a vision, sent of God, to expel from Peter that unwillingness which disqualified him to go. There are many heathen to-day longing and praying for light, who receive it not, because of the unwillingness in those whom God has enlightened. Brother, sister, how long will you sit on the rear seats? It is the ones who are “neither cold nor hot” whom God says he will spew from his mouth. Beware of neutral ground.

DEAL GENTLY.

By Daniel Nettleton

DANIEL NETTLETON. (Sherburne, Minn.)
WHEN David’s wicked son Absalom had driven his aged father from the throne, Israel rose, in indignation, to punish the culprit. As the army went forth to the battle, David commanded his leaders and all the men of war: “Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom.”
This incident occurred about thirteen years after David’s sad fall, and God’s merciful dealings with him. So David could say: “Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.” His experience led him to have compassion on the erring; for he himself was compassed with infirmity. “The quality of mercy is not strained; it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath: it is twice blessed, it blesseth him that gives and him that takes. It is an attribute of God himself; and earthly power doth then show likest God’s, when mercy seasons justice.”
How gentle are God’s commands, and how kind his precepts. The greatest and gentlest of all men said, “Blessed are the merciful.” Do you desire the blessing? Then be full of mercy. The Spirit of God has said: “If a person is in error, be the more kind to him; if you are not courteous, you may drive him away from Christ. Let every word you speak, even the tones of your voice, express your interest in, and sympathy for, the souls that are in peril. If you are harsh, denunciatory, and impatient with them, you are doing the work of the enemy.” It is said of Jesus: “He was moved with compassion.” Then, as his followers, we should be moved by the same spirit. It was the kindness of Jesus that drew the common people to him. It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance. “In the matchless gift of his Son, God has encircled the whole world with an atmosphere of grace, as real as the air which circulates around the globe.”
“Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the sky of parchment made, And every stick on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade; To write the love of God above, Would drain the ocean dry; Nor would the whole contain the scroll, Though stretched from sky to sky.”

The Housekeeper’s Work and Health

It is the preservation of health, and therefore of life, that is the real concern of the housekeeper. No one need fear a loss of dignity or of spiritual importance because she conducts the affairs of her household with the thought in her mind that she is adding to the years of her family, and to their power to do good in the world, and to acquit themselves honorably in their separate careers, by giving them healthy bodies, in which to nourish healthy minds.—Good Housekeeping.

Love Requires Action

“Love can not live without action, and every act increases, strengthens, and extends it.”

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE NOT SCRIPTURAL.

By A. J. Gordon

The Late A. J. Gordon, Boston.
We have heard much of the effects of this practice, and the extraordinary interest which it has excited; and it has become clear that whatever results it may effect in healing the body, as affecting the heart it has given grounds for the suspicion that it is a system of spiritual malpractice, leading its subjects away from the simple faith of the gospel into a vague and transcendental misbelief. It is, then, as a theologian and defender of the gospel that I now write upon this question.
A desire to learn the true teaching of the system led me to look into the two volumes, “Science and Health,” by Mrs. Mary B. C. Eddy, of this city, who is understood to be the originator of this movement, and principal expounder of its doctrines. While examining this work, I chanced to meet also the very interesting observations of Mr. G. P. Pember, of England, on modern Spiritualism and theosophy. At once I was struck with the remarkable points of similarity between this so-called “Christian science,” and that “theosophy” which has lately bewitched the people of India, both Brahmins and Christians.
Christian science calls itself “the understanding of God,” which is simply the translation of the Greek word “theosophy.” One of the fundamental axioms of theosophy is set forth in the following sentences: “There is no personal devil. That which is mystically called the devil is the negative and opposite of God. And whereas God is I Am, or a positive Being, the devil is not.” Here is a danger-signal that should at once warn one off from the system which displays it. Any “wisdom of God” which throws Satan into eclipse, bears the clear imprimatur of the prince of darkness; for we believe that Satan is more eager to establish his nonentity than the most miscalled man ever was to establish his identity. Turning now to “Christian Science,” we read the following deliverances: “To admit aught but the good intelligence, lays the foundation of evil, and goes to support two powers; namely, God and devil, truth and error, and concludes that error is an intelligence, when it is the absence of it. . . . A lie is all the Satan there is.”—Vol. II, 84, 85.
This sentence gives the key-note of the entire system. Evil is not; sin, sickness, and death are unreal; matter and the mortal body are nothing but a belief and illusion. Dispel the belief of sickness and cast out the illusion of matter, and you heal the disease. This, briefly stated, is the philosophy of “Christian science.”
We do not question that the practitioners of this science are in some way effecting some marked cures, nor do we charge them with practicing any willful imposture. But we believe that their science, so called, is infecting souls with the subtle poison of pantheism and theosophy. The delusion is most insidious. The large use of the Bible, the strenuous demand for holiness and self-abnegation in the disciples, the results apparently effected in the ministry to the sick,— these are very powerful considerations for attracting converts. And so scores of young ladies (the practitioners seem to be mostly women), are drawn into the system, under the impression that they are getting some finer quality of Christianity, only in the end to be lured into fatal misbelief. And this, we predict, is not the final issue. Some things come to a logical end, which do not have a very logical beginning.
If the body is only a phantom and the flesh only a shadow, it is logically certain that by and by some very practical sinners will take refuge under this system, and insist that the sins of the body and the transgressions of the flesh are harmless, since they are only the phantom of a phantom, and the shadow of a shadow.
In proof of our charge against this system of bad religious teaching, let us give some illustrations from its principal text-book, “Science and Health.” Its platform opens with the astounding declaration “that there is neither a personal deity, a personal devil, nor a personal man,” a denial too great to grapple with in a brief paper like this. We only quote it, and then call attention to the following contradictions of Scripture gathered from this book:—
Christian Science.
There is no personal devil. Platform.—A lie is all the Satan there is.—Vol. II, 85.
Jesus never ransomed man by paying the debt that sin incurs; whosoever sins must suffer.—II, 189.
Sin is not forgiven; we can not escape its penalty.—II, 165.
Petitioning a personal Deity is a misapprehension of the source and means of all good and blessedness; therefore it can not be beneficial.—II, 170.
Asking God to pardon sin, is a vain repetition, such as the heathen use. Habitual goodness, is praying without ceasing.—II, 173.
The belief that man has a separate life or soul from God is the error that Jesus came to destroy.—II, 90.
Science decides matter or the mortal body to be nothing but a belief and an illusion.—II, 193.
Man is coeternal and coexistent with God, and they are inseparable in divine science.—I, 173.
Holy Scripture.
“Then saith Jesus unto HIM, Get THEE hence, Satan.” Matt. 4:10.
“Your adversary the devil, . . . walketh about, seeking whom HE may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8, 9.
“The Lord rebuke THEE, O Satan.” Zech. 3:2.
“Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” 2 Cor. 11:14.
“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” Col. 1:14.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.
“In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Phil. 4:6.
“For thy name’s sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity.” Ps. 25:11.
“And forgive us our sins.” Luke 11:4.
“From everlasting to everlasting thou art God.” Ps. 90:2.
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Eze. 18:4.
“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body.” Rom. 6:12.
“He shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Rom. 8:11.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him.” Gen. 1:27.
Beyond these palpable contradictions of the word of God, we must confess also the shock which it gives to our reverence to hear Jesus constantly spoken of as a metaphysician and demonstrator of Christian science—“the most scientific Man that ever trod the globe;” to be told that the cause of his agony in the garden was that he was touched with “the utter error of a belief of life in matter;” that on the cross he was giving the world “an example and proof of divine science;” that his Christianity “destroyed sin, sickness, and death, because it was metaphysics and denied personal sense, bore the cross and reached the right hand of a perfect principle.”
If it be asked, How do these practitioners effect the cures ascribed to them? It is enough to give their own theory, that it is the result of mind acting on mind to dispel the illusion of sickness. If this be so, and there are those who can heal diseases by mind cure, we know not who should object. Indeed, the principle of such treatment is beginning to be recognized as of great value by eminent physicians; and a writer of so high authority as Prof. Austin Flint has published an article in the Medical News on Non-medicinal Therapeutics, declaring that the influence of mind on mind in curing disease is so important as to constitute a distinct branch of therapeutics. So, then, if there are mind healers, pure and simple, who are not entangled, and do not propose to entangle others, in the false doctrines of which we have given specimens above, we have no criticism to make on them.
But the ominous thing is that every text-book we have examined on the subject brings the art into acknowledged connection with pantheistic and Buddhistic principles. The mind which acts on mind is irreverently confounded with the Eternal Mind; as, for example, in the “Primitive Mind-Cure,” by W. F. Evans, a Christian scientist, the author, after quoting one who declares that an idea directed upon the seat of a supposed ailment causes a stream of nervous energy to flow toward the secreting organ, says: “This nervous energy I prefer to call the universal, divine life-principle in nature, the akasa of the Hindu metaphysics, an all-pervading, omnipresent, vivific principle of life and motion, identical in its higher aspects with the Holy Spirit of the Gospels.” This we call pantheism of the most revolting type—a confounding of the third person of the blessed Trinity with a secretion of the nerves.
In this book, too, is evolutionism of a very profane sort. “As the Cabala expresses it, the mineral becomes a plant, the plant an animal, the animal a man, and man becomes divine. Thus is the divine Man, the Christ of Paul, at the same time a divine personage, and a universal humanized principle of life and light.” After telling us that the Christ is “the universal spirit,” the “all-pervading divine presence,” it is declared that “owing to the unexampled spiritual evolution of the Man Jesus, his individual life became merged and blended into unity with the Only Begotten of the Father, the universal Christ.” All this and much more of the same quality there is, which we would not quote except to warn Christians who are swallowing this book and others of the same family, without suspicion. It is a sort of witch’s caldron, in which every conceivable heathen and Christian heresy is seething and simmering to produce the subtle essence called “mental medicine.”
Now, reading a work of lies like this, and seeing on almost every page its connection revealed with theosophy, esoteric Buddhism, cabalism, and pantheism, and yet the roots of these doctrines so artlessly entwined with devout and reverent exposition of Scripture as to deceive the very elect; and then turning to the metaphysical healers who are going to their patients, some of them, at least, filled with the evil philosophy of this manual, and winning such reputed success as to have caused a rare stir in our country; what shall we say?
We say two things; namely, that there may be some psychic force here, mind-contagion or what not, which experts can show to account for the whole matter, or there may be something deeper. We have the strongest conviction of the existence of a personal devil, not omnipotent, but endowed with an infernal ingenuity. It has been his steady policy either to parody Christianity by inventing spurious imitations or to adulterate it with such heathen mixtures as to “turn the truth of God into a lie.” The literature of Christian science presents clearly enough such a pagan adulteration of the religion of Christ; and we greatly fear that “the prince of the power of the air” may be appropriating and re-enforcing whatever occult principle of healing there may be in this system, and using it to accredit his own gospel.
It will be hardly necessary after what has been said, to distinguish “Christian science” from the “prayer of faith,” which is said in Scripture to “save the sick.” No one who believes this promise or makes use of it, has ever, so far as we know, considered that its fulfilment depends on the action of mind upon mind. All who credit “faith cures,” as they are sometimes called, hold that they are the result of God’s direct and supernatural action upon the body of the sufferer. “Christian science” pointedly denies the efficacy of prayer for the recovery of the sick. It says:—
“Asking God to heal the sick has no effect to gain the ear of love, beyond its ever presence. The only beneficial effect it has is mind acting on the body through a stronger faith to heal it; but this is one belief casting out another—a belief in a personal God casting out a belief in sickness, and not giving the understanding of the principle that heals.”—“Science and Health,” II, 171.
James says: “Let them pray. . . . The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the LORD shall raise him up.” James 5:14, 15.
Here the antagonism between two things that differ is so marked that we need only to call attention to it.
All this we have written from no love of controversy, and from no personal ill-will toward those whom we criticise; but for the warning of Christians, lest they be beguiled away from the simplicity that is in Christ. Let such as would abide in the truth give heed to the clear denials of Scripture indicated in the quotations already given, in contrast with the word of God; and then remember the warnings of the apostle Paul, to avoid “the oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith.”
And when this science talks about Jesus Christ’s “supposed life in matter,” let them remember that some in the days of John spoke precisely thus,—“gnostics” or “scientists” they were called,—and that of them the gentle apostle is supposed to have written when he said, “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” And, finally, remembering the saying of Calvin, which accords with Scripture and the universal testimony of the early church, that “Satan perverts the things which otherwise are truly works of God, and misemploys miracles to obscure the glory of God,” let us watch soberly and pray without ceasing, that we enter not into temptation.

Sowing for Physical and Spiritual Health

By David Paulson; W. S. Sadler

David Paulson & W. S. Sadler

USE AND ABUSE OF WATER.

(Concluded.)

FAMILIAR FORMS OF WATER CONTAMINATION.

The fact that water has the ability to absorb and carry away so many impurities from within the body is what renders it such a susceptible agent for infection when exposed to contamination outside the body. Frequently, instead of being a river of life to us, it actually becomes the river of death.
1. Contamination at the Source.—The two general sources of contamination of water are from the organic and the inorganic world. One of the most frequent organic substances found in water is lime; others less frequent are sulphur, magnesia, and various other alkalies, as well as common salt, particularly when wells are dug in close proximity to salt districts; while the most common sources of organic contamination are the barnyard, the cesspool, vault, germs, decaying animals, and animal products.
(a) In the Well.—In the country the average well is frequently dug, as a matter of convenience, near the barnyard; and too often the filth from that source is continually percolating through the soil into the well. The idea that filtering through such a short distance of soil will purify water infected from these various sources is a delusion and a snare, which has no doubt been responsible for thousands of deaths.
An illustration of this may be mentioned: Two children had died of typhoid fever, and the physician suggested to the mother the possibility that the well-water was contaminated from the cesspool. She could not be made to accept this version of the case, and so he suggested that, as an experiment, he would pour two gallons of kerosene oil into the kitchen sink, and see if the water would not soon have the flavor of the oil. He promised to pay for the kerosene if he was wrong. The experiment was tried, and the next day the water tasted so strongly of the oil that it was impossible to drink it. The woman became so enraged because her well had been spoiled that she refused to pay the doctor's bill. The fact that this experiment demonstrated that the water was responsible for the death of her two children did not make any special impression upon her mind.
There is precisely the same danger of water becoming contaminated in cisterns that have become leaky, as well as by the filth washed in from the roofs and eaves. After a dry season, there is generally sufficient sediment on the bottom of the cistern to raise a fair crop of onions or any other similar vegetable.
(b) City Water Supply.—We shudder at the thought of large numbers of natives in India bathing themselves in the sacred river Ganges, and at the same time drinking the water; but altogether too many of our American cities have no better arrangements, the only difference being that their neighbors are contaminating it with sewage and other foul substances while they are drinking it. It is not infrequent that the water-main or pumping-station which supplies the water for thousands of persons is situated only a short distance from the main sewer, which pours back practically the same amount of fluid that is being forced into the city by the pump.
2. Contamination in the Kitchen.—Sometimes the contamination that the water receives in the kitchen is of a more serious nature than that received in the well. The adding of tea and coffee to water is simply adding poison to it. The same may be said of beef tea, only in stronger terms, as it is nothing but concentrated animal waste, dissolved in water.
3. Contamination in the Drug Store.—The man or woman who contaminates the water supply of the community is a traitor to the welfare of his fellow men. Taking this view of the matter, how shall we classify the patent-medicine man, and him who puts up soda water, adding flavoring extracts with fascinating names, such as orange, lemon, etc., which have never had even an introduction to the fruit whose names they bear. Governmental investigation on this point recently revealed the fact that the soda-water-flavoring extracts, and other flavoring extracts, for that matter, were largely chemical preparations with coloring matter added to them. Ginger-ale, root-beer, and cherry-phosphates are all various forms of water contamination. Water is valuable just to the extent that it contains water, and harmful just to the extent that it contains substances that are not foods.
4. Contamination at the Brewery.—One of the most disastrous and far-reaching methods of water contamination is that of the brewer and manufacturer of alcoholic liquors. Only the day of God can fully reveal the truth that this form of contamination has been more far-reaching in its results for evil than that of all germs, cesspools, and barnyards, put together.

PURIFICATION OF WATER.

As it is now difficult to secure absolutely pure water from natural sources, it is important that everyone should understand what a simple and easy matter it is to render it safe to be taken into the human system.
1. Boiling.—Boiling is one of the best and most practical ways of purifying water. It is not necessary to boil it a great length of time, as the most dangerous germs are either paralyzed or killed when it is merely brought to the boiling point.
2. Filtration.—Various methods of filtering have been long in use; but the average family filter is in danger of becoming a hothouse for germs, in fact, a veritable cesspool. It is ordinarily not cleaned frequently enough; and so reasonably pure water, in percolating through it, actually becomes many times more contaminated than before. The only filter that can be unqualifiedly recommended is the Chamberlain-Pasteur Filter, the essential feature of which is that the water is forced through unglazed earthen cylinders; this accomplishes what no other filter does,—it actually strains out the germs. It is, however, necessary thatthese cylinders should be taken out at least once a week, thoroughly cleansed, and baked in an oven, so as to destroy any germs that adhere to them. They have the disadvantage of being quite expensive, and ordinarily require city-water pressure to operate them.
3. City Filters.—City filters are built on practically the same principles as are the small family filters, only on a much larger scale. Imagine a large basin that would hold from ten to fifty million gallons of water. In the bottom of this basin is placed a layer of crushed rock; on top of this, a layer of coarse gravel; on top of this, pounded charcoal; and then, uppermost of all, a layer of beautiful white sand. Over this the water is allowed to stand. Having percolated through these various layers, it is drawn off the bottom comparatively pure. In fact, it has been found that by this means ninety-five per cent. of the germs and other impurities have been removed. Like the family filters, these immense concerns must be cleaned every week or two. In order to provide for this, it is necessary for the city to construct two basins, thus allowing one to become empty, for the purpose of cleansing, while the other is being filled. The process of cleaning is generally this: When the water has all passed through, men go into this basin with their wheelbarrows, and shovel off a thin layer of sand, with the green slime that has accumulated on the top, and then replace with fresh sand what has been removed. Once a year the entire basin is cleansed. When properly cared for, such filters are very commendable, and have certainly been the means of a great saving to the public health.
4. Distillation.—By the process of transforming water into steam and then condensing it, the germs are, of course, killed, and the solid substances remain behind. Family stills may be secured, which will readily furnish several gallons of water a day. Distilled water is certainly the best of all forms of purified water. Boiled water is the most practical and best adapted to all circumstances. A family filter is the most dangerous form of purification. One objection that has been urged against distilled water is that it has a flat taste. This is because, in the process of distillation, most of the oxygen gas has been driven off. This can readily be remedied by vigorously stirring it, or having it pass through a layer of charcoal.
Copyrighted, 1900, by David Paulson and W. S. Sadler.
Continue reading: It Is Always Morning Somewhere