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Signs of the Times, Vol. 9, No. 47.

Efforts to Hinder Nehemiah's Work

Signs of the Times

Dec 13, 1883

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Dec 13, 1883

Efforts to Hinder Nehemiah's Work.

By Ellen G. White

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
THOSE who were restoring the defenses of Jerusalem did not go forward in their work unmolested. Satan was busy in stirring up opposition and creating discouragement. The principal agents in this movement were Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian. These idolaters had exulted in the feeble and defenseless condition of the Jews, and had mocked at their religion, and ridiculed their devastated city. And when the work of rebuilding the wall was entered upon, they with envenomed zeal set themselves to hinder the undertaking. To accomplish this, they attempted to cause division among the workmen by suggesting doubts and arousing unbelief as to their success. They also ridiculed the efforts of the builders, declared the enterprise an impossibility, and predicted a disgraceful failure.
"What do these feeble Jews?" exclaimed Sanballat mockingly; "will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?" Tobiah, endeavoring to be still more contemptuous and sarcastic, added, "Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall."
The builders on the wall were soon beset by more active opposition. They were compelled to guard continually against the plots of their sleepless adversaries. The emissaries of the enemy endeavored to destroy their courage by the circulation of false reports; conspiracies were formed, on various pretexts, to draw Nehemiah into their toils; and false-hearted Jews were found ready to aid the treacherous undertaking. Again, the report was spread that Nehemiah was plotting rebellion against the Persian monarch, intending to exalt himself as king over Israel, and that all who aided him were traitors.
Emissaries of the enemy, professing friendliness, mingled with the builders, suggesting changes in the plan, seeking in various ways to divert the attention of the workers, to cause confusion and perplexity, and to arouse distrust and suspicion. And the plans formed for the advancement of the work were reported, by these spies, to the enemy, and thus they were enabled to labor with greater effort to thwart the purpose of the builders.
But Nehemiah continued to look to God for guidance and support, and the work went forward until the gaps were filled, and the entire wall built up to half its intended height. As the enemies of Israel saw that all their efforts had been unavailing, they were filled with rage. Hitherto they had not dared to employ violent measures; for Nehemiah and his companions were acting by the king's commission, and any active opposition might bring upon themselves the monarch's displeasure. But now, in their blind passion, they themselves became guilty of the crime of rebellion of which they had so eagerly accused Nehemiah. Having assembled for united counsel, they "conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem."
The experience of Nehemiah is repeated in the history of God's people in this time. Those who labor in the cause of truth will find that they cannot do this without exciting the anger of its enemies. Though they have been called of God to the work in which they are engaged, and their course is approved of him, they cannot escape reproach and derision. They will be denounced as visionary, unreliable, scheming, hypocritical,—anything, in short, that will suit the purpose of their enemies. The most sacred things will be represented in a ridiculous light to amuse the ungodly. A very small amount of sarcasm and low wit, united with envy, jealousy, impiety, and hatred, is sufficient to excite the mirth of the profane scoffer. And these presumptuous jesters sharpen one another's ingenuity, and embolden each other in their blasphemous work. Contempt and derision are indeed painful to human nature; but they must be endured by all who are true to God. It is the policy of Satan thus to turn souls from doing the work which the Lord has laid upon them.
Proud scorners are not fit to be trusted; yet as Satan found in the heavenly courts a company to sympathize with him, so these find among professed followers of Christ those whom they can influence, who believe them honest, who sympathize with them, plead in their behalf, and become permeated with their spirit. Those who are at variance in almost everything else, will unite in persecuting the few who dare to pursue the straightforward path of duty. And the same enmity which leads to contempt and derision, will, at a favorable opportunity, inspire more violent and cruel measures, especially when workers for God are active and successful.
Some of the leading men among the Jews, becoming disaffected, sought to discourage Nehemiah by exaggerating the difficulties attending the work, and representing the people as already exhausted by their excessive labor. Said they, "The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall."
Again, they attempted to intimidate the people by the report that large armies were preparing for a secret attack upon the city: "And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease." It was the help and encouragement received from traitors in the camp that emboldened the enemies of Israel to make those threats. And traitors reported the threats for the sole purpose of terrifying and disheartening the builders on the wall.
"And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, 'From all places whence ye shall return unto us, they will be upon you.'" These alarms were given by those who were taking no part in the work. They were gathering up the statements and reports of their enemies, and bringing these in to the workers to weaken courage and create disaffection. Then every word of complaint, distrust, suspicion, or unbelief dropped by the workmen, with all the additional conjectures and conclusions of the news-carriers, was eagerly reported outside the walls, and circulated among those who despised the Jews, and sought to hinder their prosperity.
The same difficulties are experienced by those who are now seeking to make up the breach in the law of God. The servants of the Lord must expect every kind of discouragement. They will be tried, not only by the anger, contempt, and cruelty of enemies, but by the indolence, inconsistency, lukewarmness, and treachery of friends and helpers. As we seek to advance the cause of truth, and prepare a people to stand in the day of God, we are led directly away from the customs and practices of the world. But there are among us pleasure-seekers, who are not laboring to meet the high standard of the divine requirements, who love the spirit and influence of the world more than they love the truth or the prosperity of God's cause. These unconsecrated elements are used by Satan to accomplish his purposes. While still connected with the people of God, they unite themselves with his enemies, and thus the Lord's work is laid open to the attacks of its bitterest foes, and the arguments furnished by professed friends of the truth are employed to destroy the confidence, courage, and faith of workers who are too easily discouraged.
Even some who seem to desire the work of God to prosper, will yet weaken the hands of his servants by hearing, reporting, and half believing the slanders, boasts, and menaces of their adversaries. Those who appear to be honest souls are sometimes deceived through the influence of ambitious and turbulent men. Satan works with marvelous success through his agents; and all who yield to their influence are subject to a bewitching power that destroys the wisdom of the wise and the understanding of the prudent. Hence they allow themselves to be prejudiced, misled, and deceived. For this reason, many whose lives are a reproach to the cause of truth, will yet succeed in arousing distrust and suspicion of those through whom God is working.
How busy, in a crisis, is the rebellious spirit, the evil tongue! How eagerly will they gather up floating rumors, and send them to the bitterest enemies of God, to be sown broadcast, like thistle seed, to produce their harvest of evil! And when the result is seen, in desolation, backsliding, and apostasy, then those who have done the very work which Satan prompted them to do, are ready to charge the result upon the faithful workers whom they have hindered, burdened, and distressed. But every man's work stands registered in the books in Heaven, and no disguise can there conceal the motives that prompt to action. Those who obey God will be honored of him.
Amid great discouragements, Nehemiah made God his trust; and here is our defense. A remembrance of what the Lord has done for us, will prove a support in every danger. "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" And "if God be for us, who can be against us?" However craftily the plots of Satan and his agents may be laid, God can detect them, and bring to naught all their counsels.
The most bitter opposition, the boldest threats of the enemy, seemed only to inspire Nehemiah with firmer determination, and to arouse him to greater watchfulness. "Nevertheless," he declares, "we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night." "Therefore, set I in the lower places, behind the wall,and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them; remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to naught, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work. And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons." "They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded."
Beside Nehemiah stood a trumpeter, and on different parts of the wall were stationed priests bearing the sacred trumpets. The people were scattered in their labors; but on the approach of danger at any point, a signal was given for them to repair thither without delay. Then the priests sounded an alarm upon the trumpets as a token that God would fight for them. "So we labored in the work," says Nehemiah, "and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared." Those who lived in towns and villages outside Jerusalem were required to lodge within the walls, both to guard the work and that they might be ready for duty in the morning. This would prevent unnecessary delay, and, furthermore, would cut off the opportunity which the enemies would otherwise enjoy, of attacking the workmen as they went to and from their homes, or embittering with prejudice or discouraging by threats.
Nehemiah and his companions did not shrink from hardships, or excuse themselves from trying service. Neither by night nor by day, not even during the brief time given to slumber, did they put off their clothing, or even lay aside their armor. "So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing."
Nehemiah was engaged in an important work, one which concerned the prosperity of the cause of God. Every effort previously put forth to accomplish that work had failed because of a lack of true faith and union of effort among the Jews. The Samaritans, disguising their enmity and cloaking their slanders under a pretense of fidelity to the king of Persia, had succeeded in causing a discontinuance of the work. The zealous and true-hearted among the Jews had again and again been disappointed in their purposes. But in the strength of God, Nehemiah determines that the adversaries shall not again hinder the work. The despisers of the God of Heaven shall be disappointed. Their Satanic policy cannot succeed if the people of God will bar the doors against the enemy, and work harmoniously to carry out the divine will. The foe cannot enter unless the gates are thrown open by traitors within. If we are but loyal and true, every attack of the enemy will lead us to a firmer reliance upon God, and to more determined effort to carry forward his work, against all opposing influences.

TRIBULATION.

By George Wither

TILL from the straw the flail the corn doth beat. Until the chaff be purged from the wheat, Yea, till the mill the grain in pieces tear, The richness of the flour will scarce appear. So, till men's persons great afflictions touch, If worth be found, their worth is not so much Because, like wheat in straw, they have not yet That value which in threshing they may get. For till the bruising flails of God's corrections Have threshed out of us our vain affections; Till those corruptions which do misbecome us Are by thy sacred Spirit winnowed from us; Until from us the straw of worldly treasures, Till all the dusty chaff of empty pleasures; Yea, till his flail upon us he doth lay, To thresh the husk of this our flesh away, And leave the soul uncovered; nay, yet more— Till God shall make our very spirit poor, We shall not up to highest wealth aspire; But then we shall; and that is my desire. —George Wither, England.

General Articles.

War Debts.

The national debts of the world are war debts. They represent, not art, science, nor improvement; not steamships, railways, commerce, nor discovery; but simply war, bloodshed, butchery, and slaughter. For the national debts of the world are almost entirely caused by the accumulated cost of wars. Most nations cannot go to war except on borrowed money; but having stirred up some internal quarrel among themselves, they sound the trumpet, beat the drums, collect a lot of baubles and gewgaws to beguile fools from their homes, and so entice and compel the young and strong, the bone and the sinew of the land, to engage in mutual butchery; and then they borrow money, issue bonds, contract debts, and mortgage the toils of future generations, in order to buy arms and accoutrements, muskets and cannon, powder, shot, and shell, with which to blow out the brains of their fellow-men.
All over the civilized world is felt the pressure of these intolerable burdens. Every man in Christendom is taxed to pay war debts. The New York Tribune, in the following table, gives the war debts of the civilized world, in the year 1865 and also 1879:—
Nations. 1865. 1879.
Germany, $616,470,000 $1,047,200,000
Austria-Hungary, 1,473,220,000 2,005,150,000
France, 2,646,560,000 3,927,000,000
Great Britain, 3,848,460,000 3,704,470,000
Russia, 990,080,000 2,856,000,000
Italy, 871,080,000 1,944,400,000
Spain, 999,600,000 2,499,000,000
Netherlands, 414,120,000 390,320,000
Belgium, 119,000,000 296,072,000
Denmark, 45,220,000 48,790,000
Sweden, 21,420,000 57,120,000
Norway, 9,044,000 24,990,000
Portugal, 190,400,000 302,700,000
Greece, 34,510,000 95,200,000
Turkey, Europe, 228,480,000 1,190,000,000
Turkey, Asia, 952,000 99,960,000
Switzerland, 714,000 6,664,000
Total, $12,503,330,000 $20,495,096,000
United States, (1865 and 1880), 2,756,431,571 1,886,019,504
From these statistics it appears that, from 1865 to 1879, the war debt of Europe increased more than eight billions of dollars ($8,081,766,000). Only two of all these nations reduced their debts during this period,—Great Britain and the Netherlands. The United States also reduced her debt more than eight hundred millions of dollars ($870,412,067). The annual interest of the war debt of the United States has been reduced from one hundred and fifty millions—or more than $3 per year for each man, woman, and child in the country—to seventy or eighty millions, which is from $1.25 to $1.50 per head; or about $8 or $10 for every family of six persons in the United States. This money must be earned and paid, whether people have clothes, shoes, books, papers, or anything else, and this, with the amount of principal on which the interest is paid, represents a portion of the tax saddled upon national industries by the expenditures of bloody war. If the United States kept up to the standard of France and Germany, she would have to support 700,000 soldiers; and one strong man in every twenty would be a paid soldier, or fighting pauper. The armies of Europe, producing nothing, cost more than all the iron miners, iron workers, and manufacturers of textile fabrics in the United States, whose labor so benefits the human family.
At the same time that war imposes taxes, it reduces the ability to pay them, by drafting, drilling, and butchering the young, strong, and able-bodied men, leaving the aged, the infirm, the cripples, the women, and the children to produce their own living, maintain the national life, and earn money to pay these dressed-up idlers for parading and marching, for drilling, and killing, and scattering blood, rapine, conflagration; and havoc, among their fellow-men in other lands.
People tell us of the approach of the millennium, when nations shall learn war no more. Will they compare the amount of money raised for mission purposes with the amount raised for purposes of butchery and war? It costs as much to build, equip, and manage a first-class war vessel as it does to found, endow, and sustain a college. A soldier costs more than a missionary; and yet Christendom—the so-called domain of Christ—probably sends out a thousand soldiers to one missionary; and after spending all the ready money that can be gathered, in preparing and waging war, Christendom mortgages her lands, and wastes in advance the resources of centuries in mutual and self-destructive slaughter.
The standing armies of Russia, France, Germany, Spain, Austria, Italy, and Great Britain, with British India, comprise 2,740,362 men, supported at a yearly cost of $143,579,000; and their navies are manned by 186,696 men, at a yearly expense of $143,579,000. More than one in each 110 inhabitants is a soldier in active service, or about one in each twenty-two able-bodied men. And with all the senseless and ungodly waste in the past, the nations, as if drunken with blood and thirsting for fresh draughts, are straining every nerve to increase their facilities for human butchery. Krupp's great gun factory at Essen in Prussia, which has ordinarily employed 8,000 men in constructing the most efficient machinery for human slaughter, as the boasted millennium is right upon us, has been obliged to add some four thousand men to its working force, making about 12,000 in all employed in a single manufactory of death-dealing artillery.
At this rate of progress, how long will it require for men and missionary societies to bring in the reign of peace on earth and good-will to men? Will not the shortest and surest way to bring in the millennial glory be to carry the gospel of the kingdom into all the world, and to continue, meanwhile, to cry, 'Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven'?—The Safeguard.

Why Not Be Silent?

By Editor

THEY ask us to keep silent about our Lord's second coming. "The people do not like to hear it, and they won't come, and we cannot keep up our congregation, if we make that prominent." Thus a few timid ones report to us, sometimes. Keep silent about the Lord's coming! Ask nature to give birth to a head with no body! Loathsome thought, say you; but, we reply, no more loathsome than to drop Christ's second coming from the gospel. Christ is the head, and the church is the body. So Paul represents the relation of Christ to the church. Christ, the head, has been "born from the dead," or in other words, he that was dead is "alive forevermore," having been raised personally from the grave and glorified bodily at his right hand. His church—his body—are all still under death's dominion, and will ever remain so unless Christ comes to "ransom them from the power of the grave." If we leave off that coming, we have a glorified "head," but no glorified "body." We need not dream that death will glorify the church, or bring it to God's right hand. Why not? Because death did not glorify Christ, nor did it take him to God's right hand. Three days and three nights did the Son of man lie in death's power, and after he was risen from Joseph's tomb, he declared that he had not yet ascended to his Father. If death neither glorified nor translated Christ to Heaven, think not that it will do for us what it could not do for him. The resurrection, translation, glory; that was God's order for Christ, and "the body" will follow the order of its Head. If Christ comes not, then no resurrection, no translation, no glory.
Keep silent about Christ's second coming! Ask the streams to run on, and on, and on, and never rest in their mother ocean. If Christ comes not, the streams of salvation, now running, will all evaporate, leaving but a dry river-bed of scorching sand, and never reach redemption's restful ocean of glory! Ask the author to hush his theme when he has given the title page, the preface, and the introductory chapter! Redemption's story is but introduced and outlined by Jesus' first advent; his second advent will complete the volume with thrilling raptures and with hallelujah song. Ask the architect to stay his temple when the foundation stones are laid, and the rude frame work is erected, while the shining finish, the dome, and the turrets are yet all wanting!
With no second coming of our Christ, how unfinished is redemption's temple. God has promised an end of sin and Satan, and they have come to no end. He has promised an end of thorn, and thistle, and curse upon earth; an end of pain and sorrow, and of death, and they have come to no end. He has promised an universal kingdom of immortality and glory, and no such kingdom has come. He has promised his saints a victorious shout over death when he shall take them out of their graves, but this song of triumph has not been permitted them yet. Must these redemptive promises fail? Yes, if Jesus comes not the second time. But he will come. Prophets sang it, apostles said and prayed it, angels shouted and echoed it, and Christ himself pledged it to loved and loving disciples. Ask us to be silent! Suppose we consent; we are small fry to settle with. Go hush the prophets; go keep the angels still about it; go and get Paul quiet about it; get Peter and James and John all silent about it; go, roll back in mute stillness to Heaven's bosom the voice of Alpha and Omega as he cries, "Behold, I come quickly!"—roll it back until it is no more for earth to hear; then come to us and we will be silent too, but not till then.—Pacific Missionary Advocate.

Intercourse with Heaven

Wherever we are, in the city or in the desert, in the house, or in the field, in the shop or in the street, we may keep up our intercourse with Heaven, if it be not our own fault.

Examining the Heart

MANY examine their hearts as they would a den of wild beasts, only to run away affrighted.

"It Makes No Difference."

By E. Hilliard

THOSE who observe the first day of the week as the Sabbath, when compelled to admit that there is no "thus saith the Lord" for its observance, will say that "it makes no difference, if we only keep one day in seven." If God has sanctified a day and made it holy, it is the only day that we can keep holy. He nowhere tells us that he has made every day in the week holy. We cannot make a day holy, therefore we cannot keep it holy.
Let us see whether or not it is essential that we agree among ourselves as to a definite day. If families were at variance in respect to a particular day, there would be discord and unhappiness. The work on the farm would be away behind the season. The son would rest while the father labored. The wife would feel unwilling to cook and wait upon the harvest laborers upon her Sabbath. Things would be out of joint in general. Schools would suffer. The teacher would find it a perplexing thing to keep up an interest, on account of the absence of his pupils. It would certainly produce a bad state of affairs. "Yes," says one, "and this is just the reason why you seventh-day folks should not be troubling the people in regard to this Sabbath question." My friend, what is a theory good for that cannot be carried out without the result being suicidal? If man can see the necessity for a particular day of the week as the Sabbath, could not the all-wise God have apprehended the same necessity? Does not this seventh-part-of-time theory impeach the wisdom of God? Did he not obviate this difficulty by saying that "the seventh day is the Sabbath?" (Ex. 20:10). Has he anywhere abrogated this command? If so, we shall expect to find a clear statement of its abolition, and as positive a command for another day.
Let us examine those texts so commonly quoted in support of the first day. "In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week," &c. Matt. 28:1. This sounds as though the day before the first day of the week was the Sabbath. "Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils." Mark 16:9. Not a word about the Sabbath. Luke says, "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them." Luke 24:1. Not a syllable about holy time. John speaks of the same event in chap. 20:1, but gives it no sacred title. Also John 20:19. Here, he says they had assembled for fear of the Jews. He does not call it the Sabbath.
Again, in Acts 20:7, we find that Paul preached until midnight. If he was preaching and holding this religious meeting to set an example for all Christians to follow, by meeting together to worship on the first day of the week, then the writer of the Acts (Luke) and his companions were setting an example to desecrate the same time by sailing in a ship to Assos. Verse 13. Again, in 1 Cor. 16:2, the day is appointed by Paul for the purpose of each one laying by him as God had prospered him. He gives the reason for thus appointing the day,—"That there be no gatherings when I come." No holy time is mentioned. And there is not another text in the New Testament that mentions the first day of the week.
Every generation has a testing unpopular truth, and it has always made some difference how they received it. Adam and Eve were commanded not to eat of the tree of knowledge, under penalty of death. When the serpent met the woman he inquired if God had commanded that they should not eat of every tree of the garden. Gen. 3:1. He first desired to learn if they understood God's command. It is very clear that the woman understood, from her reply: "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." Immediately the serpent set at work to convince the woman that it made no difference if God did say that they should surely die. He said, "ye shall not surely die, for God doth know that in the day that ye eat thereof then shall your eyes be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw as the serpent desired to have her see, and she was anxious to exalt herself and become wise, she lost sight of God's command, and disobeyed.
It is when we have some selfish motive in view that we lose sight of a plain "thus saith the Lord," and say that it makes no difference. If Satan succeeded in deceiving our first parents in Paradise, and the whole world in Noah's day, is there not great danger of his deceiving the world to-day, when there is every wind of doctrine afloat? The only way to avoid his snares and delusions is by clinging closely to a "thus saith the Lord." God has given us just as plain a command for observing the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath as he did to our first parents not to eat of the tree of knowledge.
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were destroyed for their disobedience. Num. 16. When Uzzah put forth his hand to steady the ark, contrary to God's command, the Lord smote him that he died. 2 Sam. 6:6, 7. It made some difference in these cases, although even David was displeased with God's dealing with Uzzah, and left the ark, and it was carried to the house of Obed-edom.
Saul was commanded to utterly destroy the Amalekites, men, women, children, oxen and sheep. He saved the best of the cattle and sheep to offer as a sacrifice to the Lord. His object was apparently good, viz., to worship by offering burnt-offerings; but was it acceptable? Was his excuse that he saved them for this purpose a good one? Hear the words of the prophet Samuel as he reproved him. "Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken, than the fat of rams." 1 Sam. 15:3, 15, 22. This very act of disobedience kept Saul from holding his position as king. He departed from the Lord, and finally committed suicide on the battle-field of Mt. Gilboa. 1 Sam. 31:4.
Reader, when God commands us to do anything, whether it be agreeable, convenient, popular, or unpopular, it is for our best interest to obey. If we disobey we are no better than our first parents, Uzzah, or Saul. If he spared not the angels that kept not their first estate, and drove Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden for disobeying his voice, he certainly will not spare us unless we keep his commandments. E. HILLIARD. Medford, Minn.

Atonement for the Sin of Sabbath-breaking.

By R. F. Cottrell

SABBATH-BREAKING was once a sin. The Sabbath commandment was written in the midst of the moral law, in the former dispensation, which was placed in the ark of the covenant, and covered by the mercy-seat. No one could come to that mercy-seat but the high priest, and he could only come with the blood of a sin-offering to make atonement for the transgressions of that law which was beneath the mercy-seat in the ark. But all the blood that was there offered could not take away a single sin. The blood could only typify the blood of Christ, the real sin-offering, and the high priest in offering the blood to atone for sin, could only typify Christ as our real high priest, as offering his blood in behalf of all his people, from the beginning to the end of the world.
The Jews were often found guilty of the violation of the fourth commandment—the sin of Sabbath-breaking. Blood was offered for their cleansing; but it could avail them nothing, only to point them to the blood of Christ. The priests offered the blood for them; but this could only point them to the fact that Christ would offer his own blood for that sin. Hence, unless Christ shall offer his blood for their sin, not one of those Sabbath-breakers can be saved.
Christ shed his blood for man's violation of the ten commandments; and this act did not blot out or change any one of those commandments except the fourth. He offers his blood for the violations, in these days, of nine out of the ten commandments; and, in behalf of the ancients, for their sin of Sabbath-breaking, besides. Is it not barely possible that such sin exists at the present day? and that it consists in the same acts, viz., the profanation of that very day which God reserved to his own special honor at the beginning? There will be Sabbath-keeping in the future world. Isa. 66 : 22, 23. Will there be two classes of Sabbath-keepers, and two days in the week kept? "All flesh" shall observe the Sabbath—there will be none that neglect it, none will hold the doctrine of "no Sabbath" there.
May God bless these suggestions to the opening of some eyes. Is it not possible, friendly reader, that that law, for the transgression of which a real atonement was shadowed forth in the former dispensation, is still the moral law of God, without the abatement of "one jot or one tittle"? Matt. 5 : 18. And does it not consequently bind us to the observance of the same day which it required the ancients to keep? Is not sin the same thing in all dispensations? and will not Sabbath-keepers in the world to come all observe the same day?
R. F. COTTRELL.

The Sabbath.

By William Penniman

"It is God's first command. The patriarchs kept it. Sinai preached it. The holy tables gave it central place. The holy ark incased it. The Jewish church revered it. Prophets enforced it. Jesus upheld it. The apostles sanctioned it. The Christian church throughout all time has prized it. The prophetic finger still points to it as a last-day blessing (Isa. 66 : 23). Eternity waits to be an eternity of Sabbath. What profane indifference would tread it down? Vain is the effort. It must still live. It has an innate life. The will which made it is divine. As in the ark it rode triumphant over ungodly graves, so now it strides above ungodly foes. It must march on till time is lost in one Sabbatic rest."—Dean Law.
The preceding words of Dean Law are strong and to the point, if we make them all apply to the true Sabbath, instead of a part of them to a counterfeit. It is true, as Alex. Campbell said, "that the Sabbath never was changed, nor could it be, unless creation were to be gone through again."
But what Sabbath did Jesus uphold? Let those who believe in the Sunday prove that Jesus did not uphold the same Sabbath which his Father had instituted, "the patriarchs kept," and "the prophets enforced." It is very plain that Jesus recognized the law of the Sabbath, when he said, Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments and teach men so, the same shall be called least in the kingdom of Heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven. Matt. 5: 19. Therefore in recognizing the law, he upheld and enforced the Sabbath and not the Sunday.
But what Sabbath did the apostles sanction? Certainly not the first day of the week, for had Paul kept that, how could he say that he had done nothing contrary to the customs of his fathers? Acts 28: 17. Surely the Jews would have accused him of breaking the Sabbath had he not kept it, and there is no proof that he kept two days in the week.
It is true that the prophetic finger points to the Sabbath as a last-day blessing; but the proof text (Isa. 66 : 23) must refer to what will be in the new earth, instead of the last days. The context seems to prove this; in fact, all must admit it, unless the position is taken that the new heavens and new earth are spiritualized to mean the moral condition of the church. This position is taken by some of the orthodox spiritualizing commentators.
Dan. 7 : 25, plainly refers to the Sabbath in the last days, and other texts which might be quoted. How true it is that the Sabbath is now marching above "ungodly foes." Is not the dragon waging his most skillful warfare against those "who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ"? But notwithstanding this opposition, commandment-keepers are increasing; for "truth is mighty and will prevail."
WILLIAM PENNIMAN.
Woodburn, Ill.

When You Become Converted

THERE is a large class of professing Christians whose Christianity is limited to a desire to be saved. They are always anxious about the extent of indulgence in worldly pleasure allowed to the Christian. Their burden consists of a dread lest they exercise a little more self-denial than is absolutely necessary, and thereby lose some coveted pleasure. A lady of this class once asked her pastor if he really thought it would be wrong for her to attend a certain dancing entertainment. She wanted to go ever so much, but would not go if she were right sure that it would be wrong. The minister replied, "My dear sister, when you become converted you won't ask such questions." And that sentiment covers the whole ground.

Clothed with Christ’s Righteousness

If we would obtain a blessing of our Heavenly Father, we must come for it in the garments of our elder Brother, clothed with his righteousness who is the first-born among many brethren.
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