"It was some months after this conversation before I heard anything farther concerning this doctrine; but during this time, my mind had been much exercised upon the subject. When I heard it preached I believed it to be the truth. From the time that light in regard to the sleep of the dead dawned upon my mind, the mystery that had enshrouded the resurrection vanished, and the great event itself assumed a new and sublime importance. My mind had often been disturbed by its efforts to reconcile the immediate reward or punishment of the dead, with the undoubted fact of a future resurrection and judgment. If the soul, at death, entered upon eternal happiness or misery, where was the need of a resurrection of the poor moldering body?
"But this new and beautiful faith taught me the reason that inspired writers had dwelt so much upon the resurrection of the body, it was because the entire being was slumbering in the grave. I could now clearly perceive the fallacy of our former position on this question. The confusion and uselessness of a final judgment, after the souls of the departed had already been judged once and appointed to their lot, was very apparent to me now. I saw that the hope of the bereaved was in looking forward to the glorious day when the Life-giver shall break the fetters of the tomb, and the righteous dead shall arise and leave their prison-house, to be clothed with glorious immortal life.
"Our family were all interested in the doctrine of the Lord's soon coming. My father had long been considered one of the pillars of the Methodist church where he lived, and the whole family had been active members, but we made no secret of our new belief, although we did not urge it upon others on inappropriate occasions, or manifest any antagonism toward our church. However, the Methodist minister made us a special visit, and took the occasion to inform us that our faith and Methodism could not agree. He did not inquire our reasons for believing as we did, nor make any reference to the Bible in order to convince us of our error; but he stated that we had adopted a new and strange belief that the Methodist church could not accept.
"My father replied that he must be mistaken in calling this a new and strange doctrine, that Christ himself had preached his second advent to his disciples. He had said, 'In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also.'
"When he was taken up to heaven before their eyes and a cloud received him out of their sight, as his faithful followers stood gazing after their vanishing Lord, 'Behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.'
"And,' said my father, warming with his subject, 'the inspired Paul wrote a letter to encourage his brethren in Thessalonica, saying, 'And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe in that day.' 'For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.'
"This is high authority for our faith. Jesus and his apostles dwell upon the event of the second advent with joy and triumph; and the holy angels proclaim that Christ who has ascended up into heaven shall come again. This is our offense, believing the word of Jesus and his disciples. This is a very old doctrine, and bears no taint of heresy.'
"The minister did not attempt to refer to a single text that would prove us in error, but excused himself on the plea of a want of time. He advised us to quietly withdraw from the church and avoid the publicity of a trial. We were aware that others of our brethren were meeting with similar treatment, for a like cause, and we did not wish it understood that we were ashamed to acknowledge our faith, or were unable to sustain it by Scripture; so my parents insisted that they should be acquainted with the reasons for this request."
"The only answer to this was an evasive declaration that we had walked contrary to the rules of the church, and the best course would be to voluntarily withdraw from it to save a trial. We answered that we preferred a regular trial, and demanded to know what sin was charged to us, as we were conscious of no wrong in looking for and loving the appearing of the Saviour.
"Not long after, we were notified to be present at a meeting to be held in the vestry of the church. There were but few present. The influence of my father and his family was such that our 'opposers had no desire to present our cases before a larger number of the congregation. The single charge preferred was that we had walked contrary to their rules. Upon our asking what rules we had violated, it was stated, after a little hesitation, that we had attended other meetings and had neglected to meet regularly with our class. We stated that a portion of the family had been in the country for some time past, that none who remained in the city had been absent from class-meeting more than a few weeks, and they were morally compelled to remain away because the testimonies they bore met with such marked 'disapprobation. If the hope of their Saviour's soon coming was mentioned, a feeling of displeasure was manifested against them, and they were conscious of arousing a bitter spirit of antagonism. We also reminded them that certain persons who had not attended class-meeting for a year were yet held in good standing.
"It was asked if we would confess that we had departed from their rules, and if we would also agree to conform to them in future. We answered that we dare not yield our faith nor deny the sacred truth of God; that we could not forego the hope of the soon coming of our Redeemer; that after the manner which they called heresy we must continue to worship the Lord. My father in his defense received the blessing of God, and we all left the vestry with free spirits and happy in the consciousness of right and the approving smile of Jesus. We felt the assurance that God was on our side, and he was stronger than all that were against us.
"The next Sunday, at the commencement of love-feast, the presiding elder read off our names, seven in number, as discontinued from the church. He stated that we were not expelled on account of any wrong or immoral conduct, that we were of unblemished character and enviable reputation; but we had been guilty of walking contrary to the rules of the Methodist church. He also declared that a door was now open and all who were guilty of a similar breach of the rules, would be dealt with in like manner.
"There were many in the church who waited for the appearing of the Saviour, and this implied threat was made for the purpose of frightening them into subjection. In some cases this policy brought about the desired result, and the favor of God was sold for a place in the Methodist church. Many believed, but dared not confess their faith lest they should be turned out of the synagogue. But some left soon afterward and joined the company of those who were looking for the Saviour.
"At this time the words of the prophet were exceedingly precious: 'Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified; but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.'
"For six months not a cloud intervened between me and my Saviour. Whenever there was a proper opportunity I bore my testimony, and was greatly blessed. At times the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me with such power that my strength was taken from me. This was a trial to some who had come out from the formal churches, and remarks were often made that grieved me much. Many could not believe that one could be so overpowered by the Spirit of God as to lose all strength. My position was exceedingly painful. I began to reason with myself whether I was not justified in withholding my testimony in meeting, and thus restrain my feelings when there was such an opposition in the hearts of some who were older in years and experience than myself.
"I adopted this plan of silence for a time, trying to convince myself that to repress my testimony would not hinder me from faithfully living out my religion. I often felt strongly impressed that it was my duty to speak in meeting, but refrained from doing so, and was sensible of having thereby grieved the Spirit of God. I even remained away from meetings sometimes because they were to be attended by those whom my testimony annoyed. I shrank from offending my brethren, and in this allowed the fear of man to break up that uninterrupted communion with God which had blessed my heart for so many months.
"We had appointed evening prayer-meetings in different localities of the city to accommodate all who wished to attend them. The family who had been most forward in opposing me attended one of these. Upon this occasion, while those assembled were engaged in prayer, the Spirit of the Lord came upon the meeting, and one of the members of this family was powerfully wrought upon.
"This was believed by the family to be a demonstration of the Spirit of God, but did not convince them that it was the same divine power that had rested upon me at times, robbing me of my natural strength, and filling my soul with the unbounded peace and love of Jesus. They were free to say that not a doubt could be entertained of my sincerity and perfect honesty, but they considered me self-deceived in taking that for the power of the Lord which was only the result of my own over-wrought feelings.
"My mind was in great perplexity, in consequence of this opposition, and, as the time drew near for our regular meeting, I was in doubt whether or not it was best for me to attend it. For some days previous I had been in great distress on account of the feeling manifested towards me. Finally I decided not to go, and thus escape the criticism of my brethren. In trying to pray, I repeated these words again and again, 'Lord what wilt thou have me to do?' The answer that came to my heart seemed to bid me trust in my heavenly Father and wait patiently to know his will. I yielded myself to the Lord with the simple trust of a little child, remembering he had promised that those who follow him shall not walk in darkness.
"My duty impelled me to go to the meeting, and I went with the full assurance in my mind that all would be well. While we were bowed before the Lord, my heart was drawn out in prayer, and filled with a peace that only Christ can give. My soul rejoiced in the love of the Saviour, and physical strength left me. With child-like faith I could only say, 'Heaven is my home, and Christ my Redeemer.'
"One of the family before mentioned, as being opposed to the manifestations of the power of God upon me, on this occasion, stated his belief that I was under an excitement which he thought it my duty to resist, but instead of doing so he thought it encouraged it, as a mark of God's favor. His doubts and opposition did not affect me at this time, for I seemed shut in with the Lord, and lifted above all outward influence. But he had scarcely stopped speaking when a strong man, a devoted and humble Christian, was struck down before his eyes, by the power of God, and the room was filled with the Holy Spirit.
"Upon sufficiently recovering, I was very happy in bearing my testimony for Jesus, and in telling of his love for me. I confessed my lack of faith in the promises of God, and my error in checking the promptings of his Spirit from fear of men, but that, notwithstanding my distrust, he had bestowed upon me unlooked for evidence of his love and sustaining grace. The brother who had opposed me then rose, and with many tears confessed that his feelings in regard to me had been all wrong. He humbly asked my forgiveness, and said, 'Sister Ellen, I will never again lay a straw in your way. God has shown me the coldness and stubbornness of my heart, which he has broken by the evidence of his power. I have been very wrong.' Then, turning to the people, he said, 'When sister Ellen seemed so happy I would think, Why don't I feel like that? Why don't Brother R. receive some such evidence? for I was convinced that he was a devoted Christian, yet no such power had fallen upon him. I offered a silent prayer that, if this was the holy influence of God, Brother R. might experience it this evening.
"Almost as the desire went up from my heart, Brother R. fell, prostrated by the power of God, crying, Let the Lord work! My heart is convinced that I have been warring against the Holy Spirit, but I will grieve it no more by stubborn unbelief. Welcome, light! Welcome, Jesus! I have been backslidden and hardened, feeling offended if any one praised God and manifested a fullness of joy in his love; but now my feelings are changed, my opposition is at an end, Jesus has opened my eyes, and I may yet shout his praises myself. I have said bitter and cutting things of Sister Ellen, that I sorrow now, and pray for her forgiveness as well as that of all who are present.'
"Brother R. then bore his testimony. His face was lighted with the glory of heaven, as he praised the Lord for the wonders he had wrought that night. Said he, 'This place is awfully solemn because of the presence of the Most High. Sister Ellen, in future you will have our help and sustaining sympathy, instead of the cruel opposition that has been shown you. We have been blind to the manifestations of God's Holy Spirit.'
"There had never been a question as to my perfect sincerity, but many had thought me young and impressible, and that it was my duty to restrain my feelings, which they regarded as the effect of excitement. But all the opposers were now brought to see their mistake and to confess that the work was indeed of the Lord. In a prayer-meeting soon after, the brother who had confessed that he was wrong in his opposition, experienced the power of God in so great a degree that his countenance shown with a heavenly light, and he fell helpless to the floor. When his strength returned, he again acknowledged that he had been ignorantly warring against the Spirit of the Lord in cherishing the feeling he had against me."
J. W.
The Second Advent.
By James White
Now we hear the peace-and-safety cry from the pulpit, and all the way along down to the grog-shop. "Where is the promise of his coming?" is murmured from the impious lips of a thousand last-day scoffers. But the scene will speedily change. "For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them." The scoffing of the haughty scoffer will soon be turned to wailing and howling. "The lofty looks of man shall be humble, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low." Isa. 2:11, 12. "And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground." Jer. 25:33.
That will be a day of mourning and lamentation, and famine for hearing the words of the Lord. "I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day. Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord; and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it." Amos 8:10-12.
Now, the word of the Lord may be heard; but sinners in and out of the churches, with few exceptions, do not prize it. Then it will not be heard; for the watchmen, set to watch and sound the alarm of danger, will be called down from their high stations. Now the word of the Lord is carried to the sinner, and offered without money or price; but he treats it carelessly, or may be he drives the humble servant of Christ from his door. But then will he go in search for it. "They shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east," but they cannot hear it. "They shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, but shall not find it." From city to city, from State to State, from one country to another, will they go to find a man commissioned of high Heaven to speak the word of the Lord; but such an one is not to be found. All such will then have finished their high commission. The word of the Lord! The word of the Lord! Where can we hear it? is heard in every land. One general wail—the word of the Lord! goes up to Heaven, but the heavens are brass. Then will the people turn and rend the false shepherds who deceived them with the cry of "peace and safety." Children will reproach parents for keeping them back from walking in the truth, and parents will reproach their children.
The miser now loves his money and holds it with an iron grasp. But it will be said in that day, "Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days." James 5:1-3. Now silver and gold may be used to God's glory, for the advancement of his cause. But in that day "they shall cast their silver into the streets, and their gold shall be removed; their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord." Eze. 7:19.
Now, the ministers of truth have a message to the people and gladly speak the words of life. They joyfully toil on, suffer on, and spend their energies in preaching to hearts as hard as steel, hoping that a few may be reached, gathered into the truth, and saved. But then, they will have no message. Now their prayers and strong cries go up to Heaven in behalf of sinners. Then they will have no spirit of prayer for them. Now the church says to the sinner, Come; and Jesus stands ready to plead his blood in his behalf that he may be washed from his sins, and live. But then, salvation's hour will be passed, and the sinner will be shut up in darkness and black despair.
The last plagues, in which is filled up the wrath of God, now bottled up in heaven, waiting for mercy to finish her last pleadings, will be poured out. Unmingled wrath of Jehovah! And not one drop of mercy! Not one! Jesus will lay off his priestly attire, leave the mercy seat, and put on the garments of vengeance, nevermore to offer his blood to wash the sinner from his sins. The angels will wipe the last tear shed over sinners, while the mandate resounds through all heaven. Let them alone. The groaning, weeping, praying church on earth, who in the last message employs every power to sound everywhere the last note of warning, lest the blood of souls be found in her garments, is now hushed in solemn silence. The Holy Spirit has written within them these prophetic words of their soon-expected Lord: "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly." Rev. 22:11, 12.
The doctrine of the second appearing of Christ has been held by the church ever since her Lord ascended to the Father to prepare mansions for her reception. It is the event that consummates her hopes, terminates the period of her toils and sorrows, and introduces her eternal repose. What sublime scenes will then open before the waiting children of God! The blazing heavens will reveal the Son of God in his glory, surrounded by all the holy angels. The trumpet will sound and the just will come forth from the grave immortal. And all—Redeemer and redeemed, attended by the heavenly host—will move upward to the mansions prepared for them in the Father's house.
To those who really love their absent Lord, the theme of his soon return to bestow immortality upon the dead and living righteous is fraught with unspeakable blessedness. This event with all its grand results, has always been the hope of the church. Paul could look over eighteen long centuries, and speak of it as "that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Titus 2:13. And Peter exhorts: "Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God." 2 Pet. 3:12. And Paul again, after speaking of the descent of the Lord from heaven, the resurrection of the dead in Christ, and their ascent with the living righteous to meet the Lord in the air, says, "Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
The present is the waiting, watching time. It is the period designated by the emphatic words, "Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12. In definite time we would find relief from the suspense to which our present position subjects us. The Lord appeals to us thus: "Watch ye therefore; for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, 'Watch.'" Mark 13:35-37.
J. W.
Questions Answered.
By James White
WILL Elder White or Smith please explain what is meant by sinning against the Holy Ghost, and what the Holy Ghost is? B. S.
ANS. The sin against the Holy Ghost in the days of the first advent of Christ was to attribute the power of God manifested in the miracles of Christ to the work of Satan. At one time they charged our Lord with casting out devils through Beelzebub, the prince of devils. Matt. 9:34; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15. Those who now attribute the work of the Holy Spirit manifested in the gifts of the church to the power of Satan, commit the sin which has no forgiveness. This sin has been committed by those restless spirits, who have gone out from us declaring that the gift of prophecy, which has been graciously manifested to our people, to be the work of Satan. The work of these is to tear down. They cannot rest unless they are accursing the remnant, that keep the commandments of God under the third message.
The Father is a person, the Son is a person: but the Holy Ghost is the same as the Holy Spirit. It is a divine influence emanating from the Father and the Son, and probably is never manifested to the children of men only in connection with the ministration of holy angels, when these come forth from the world of glory to minister unto the children of men, these are enveloped with the light and glory which surrounds the throne of God. When these are brought in connection with God's people they partake of that light and glory, which gives them peace and joy. This accounts for those happier emotions enjoyed by the assembly of the saints. The attending angels of each one of them is present. Also seasons of darkness of the people of God are occasioned by the presence of fallen angels, permitted to come forth from Satan and the realms of darkness, to try the faith of the people of God. J. W.
Our Work in Europe.
By John Nevins Andrews
I HAVE need to ask pardon that so long a time has elapsed since my last report; but in my own behalf I will say that it is almost impossible for me to find time to write reports, or even briefly to answer important letters. Before the arrival of our friends from America, I had thought that it might be duty to suspend our publishing work for a time. This would have cut off the greater part of our expense, and would have enabled me to give my time to other labor. But the coming of helpers from America changed all this. Instead of suspending our paper, it was evidently our duty, in the providence of God, to establish an office of our own, and to do our own work except that of the press. We have proceeded to do.
We have taken one of the rooms on the first floor of our hired house for our compositors, and we have thus fitted up our office without additional expense for rent. We added something to our stock of French type, and have bought a quantity of German type, sufficient for the printing of tracts in that language.
We are now getting our tracts in German and Italian, in addition to our work in French. Brother Ribton says that the proof-sheets are freer from errors than if they came from an office in Naples. He says that the compositors deserve great credit. I am much encouraged by this, because it shows that with proper care we can get our Italian publications.
As we have now a good assortment of French tracts, we shall probably cease to print others for the present, and confine our French printing to the paper alone. We shall continue to print German tracts till we have a tolerable assortment of those most necessary. We think to do the same with respect to the Italian. We are making some progress in our work, though it may seem to our friends to be very slow. But the labor necessary in order to get under way in these languages, so that we can print them with tolerable correctness, is immense. It is the more difficult in that it must be performed in the midst of many perplexing cares. But persevering effort will, with the blessing of God, overcome all obstacles in every work the Lord assigns us to do. When we can use the press with facility in these three languages, we have a powerful agency by which to move the people of Europe.
Some time since, Brother Ribton sent me the name of a minister at Bari, on the east coast of Italy, requesting that our paper should be sent to him. This request was complied with, and now Brother R. writes, that this man has embraced the Sabbath. So God is at work upon the hearts of many by means of the publications.
A few weeks since a man who lives in the department of the "High Alps," France, wrote, saying that he had by accident obtained one number of our paper, and that he had read it with much interest. He was especially interested in what it contained concerning the prophecies, and on the subject of baptism. He wished to obtain the back numbers, and that it should be sent to him regularly hereafter. We hope the light will shine among these mountains.
I have received a letter from the pastor of the French church at Brighton, in England, who has received Les Signes from the commencement. He wishes some copies to distribute among his congregation, saying, "If this is really the work of God, it must be that some of my congregation will respond to it." The pastor is himself convinced concerning the Sabbath and baptism, but lacks courage to obey. Perhaps some in his congregation may receive the truth from the numbers we send, and may obey it.
I have again heard something from the Sabbath-keepers in Russia. One of our Swiss subscribers stated to Brother Albert Vuilleumier recently that he lived among these persons in former years. He says that they are a good people, but that they regard some portions of the ceremonial law. This is all that I have from this source. Brother Bertoli, of Naples, has learned that there are Sabbath-keepers at Corinth, in Greece. Brother B. is now preaching the Sabbath and the advent of the Lord to the people in Northern Egypt. We send our paper to quite a number in Egypt, and to several on the island of Malta.
Our friends from America have rendered very important help. Brother Ings has made the stands for the cases of type, and done all the work for which we should have needed a carpenter in fitting up our office, and he has done very much to aid in many ways. Sister Ings has set our German tracts, and also the greater part of what has been set in Italian. Sister Sisley has acted as the foreman of our office.
We have been getting our work so arranged that I need not be here for the future only occasionally. I have used all diligence to get our affairs in such condition that I can do my part of the work while out in the field. We have almost accomplished this. I have not forgotten the counsel of the General Conference Committee with regard to other labor besides that of publishing; but providential circumstances have compelled me hitherto to give my principal attention to the publishing work. I believe that it is now possible for me to make an immediate change, and I have a very great desire to do so.
Brother Ertzenberger has given much time to the careful revision of our tracts that have been printed in German. These revised tracts we are now printing for him as rapidly as we can do the work. We shall soon have a sufficient assortment to meet his most urgent wants, and then we shall cease to print German tracts for the present. Brother Ertzenberger will immediately enter a new field of labor at some distance from our friends where he now is. Under his faithful labors these friends have made much progress in Christian experience, and are well established in the truth. They can now do well without his labors, and he will here after only be with them after considerable intervals. The friends in Germany sustain Brother Ertzenberger wholly, and they have sent 250 francs to aid in the printing of the German tracts.
Brother Ribton is laboring very energetically in Naples. In almost every letter he speaks of additions to the number in that city. Yet his situation is very trying. He has to sustain himself against a very violent opposition from nearly all the Protestant ministers of Naples. He is also exposed to danger from violent men in the streets. One of the recent meetings in his hall of worship was broken up by fire works, which were thrown in and exploded among his hearers. But his labors are unremitting, and God blesses them to the conversion of some. Several of those who have received the truth from him are capable of becoming helpers in the work. The people of Italy seem willing to receive the truth. There are some things which are calculated to make the Sabbath truth easier to be understood by Italians than by most other nations. Thus the only name for the seventh day in Italian is Il Sabato, the Sabbath. With them the day begins and ends at sunset. At that moment the bells ring to mark the commencement of the new day, and then every Catholic lifts his hat, not in honor of God, but of the Virgin Mary.
The severe and dangerous sickness of Sister Bourdeau during the entire winter has greatly crippled the labors of Brother B., and has considerably hindered my own work. Several times it has been supposed that she was dying. I made three long visits at Morges during this time of distress. God has been pleased to hear prayer, and there is now a good prospect that her life will be spared. Brother B. has made great efforts to preach the truth at Morges, but he has had to labor under serious disadvantages. Probably there will be ten or twelve to obey the truth.
Brother Gabert, of Valence, France, has been making some efforts to preach the truth, and has had some success. He has to meet great opposition from the Protestant ministers, and is extremely embarrassed by the laws of France. The laws would permit us freely to preach the Sabbath or the Advent faith, if we could go into the temples of any denomination. Otherwise we are forbidden, except to a few persons who may be invited to a private house. This law gives the existing denomination the power to be very ungenerous and oppressive toward those who would present the law of God, and they gladly take advantage of it.
To show how oppressive are these laws, I will say that when Brother B. and I were in Paris last spring, we called at the office of the American minister to consult him as to what could be done to obtain the privilege of preaching in France. The secretary of Legation stated that125recently a Congregationalist minister who was his personal friend desired, during the period of his sojourn in Paris, to establish prayer-meetings at his own house. He asked the secretary to intercede for him, and the secretary made a personal effort with the French government in behalf of this minister. The answer was, "He can hold such service in any temple which may be opened to him, but not in his own house."
We hope soon to print the first number of an Italian paper. This will probably be published at first as a quarterly; after a time, if God shall prosper our effort, it will be printed monthly. Brother Ribton is already translating matter for this new paper.
A German paper must also be commenced. Probably it will be necessary to adopt the same plan as that proposed for the Italian. We have an immense task before us, but we have the strong arm of God for our support. The truth of God is of such value that no efforts nor sacrifices should be spared by us in its advancement. Our Lord is coming, and then he will reward every man according to his work. Our time for labor is short. We must work while the day lasts; for the night cometh in which none can work.
J. N. ANDREWS.
Bâle, Suisse, March 28, 1878.
The Sonship of Christ.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
(Continued.)JESUS CHRIST WHO CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN ACTUALLY DIED, AND WAS BURIED.
That the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, the Son of God, did die upon the cross, for the sins of the world, and that he was buried in the grave is positively asserted many times from Matthew to Revelation. All sects profess to believe this. Orthodox creeds state it in explicit terms. Thus the Methodist discipline, copied from the Episcopal creed says: "The Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God of one substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed virgin ; so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the godhead and manhood, were joined together in one person never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God, and very man, who truly suffered, was crucified, died and was buried." Notice, they say that the godhead and manhood were joined together in one person never to be divided, and that this godhead truly suffered, died, and was buried; and yet not one of them believes this doctrine at all. Furthermore they denounce those as infidels who do believe just what the Scriptures and their own creed set forth upon this subject.
Let us see now. Did the godhead die upon the cross? Oh! no, say they, it was only the body, the humanity that died. The divinity, God, that which came from heaven, they squarely affirm never died at all. It left the body, and continued to live in the spirit world. Again, was divinity buried, was the godhead buried? They affirm that it was not. It was only the human body of Jesus that was buried. Thus, then, their godhead was divided from their humanity. The godhead did not die, neither was it buried. "According to this, then, all the sufferings of Christ were endured by a man, to whom the Son of God was united, and the Son himself was as free from pain and death as though there were no such thing as suffering and death in the universe. No possible union between the Son of God and a man could render it proper to call the suffering and death of a man the sufferings and death of the Son, if it be true that the Son did not suffer and die; and on this hypothesis the sufferings of the man might as well be called the sufferings of Gabriel, or the sufferings of God the Father, as the sufferings of the Son of God. Must the sun be darkened, must the rocks be rent, must the earth quake, and nature be thrown into convulsions while the Son of God suffers and dies on the cross? must the angels show so deep an interest in that scene, and must all the world be called upon to behold with wonder and astonishment, the hight, and depth, and length, and breadth, of the love of God displayed in that event? must all the redeemed of the Lord unite in songs of everlasting praise to the Son of God because he hath loved them and redeemed them to God by his own blood, and can it after all be made to appear that the Son of God suffered not at all unless it was by proxy or substitute?"
Now we are happy to say that their creed is right upon this question, that the divine Lord, Christ, was inseparably united with humanity, and that he did truly suffer, did actually die, and was buried in the grave and that he remained under the power of death three days. Let us now see what the Scriptures say, upon this point.
As we have already shown, the apostle declares, John 1:1-14, that the word of God which was in the beginning with God, and by which all things were made, that this word was made flesh. Now the apostle Paul asserts that this Christ died and was buried. "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." 1 Cor. 15:3-4. If he did not die, if simply the human nature; the body of Jesus died, then, as we have shown before, it was only a human sacrifice; and could this save a world from sin? No, indeed, Christ the Lord died, his soul died, for thus we read: "Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death." Matt. 26:38. This he said while suffering in the garden of Gethsemane, just before he was crucified. The prophet speaking of his suffering, says: "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin." Isa. 53:10. "Because he hath poured out his soul unto death." Verse 12. His soul, then, was made an offering for sin, and was poured out unto death. Then certainly his soul died.
Peter bears testimony that his soul was buried, and was taken out of the grave by his resurrection. Thus he says: "He, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption." Acts 2:31. The resurrection, then, of Jesus took his soul out of hades, the grave. Many years after this, the glorious Son of God, when he appeared to John on the Isle of Patmos said, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." Rev. 1:18. Who was it that appeared to John, and gave him the revelation? It was he that had been dead, and was now made alive. Was this simply the human nature of Jesus, or was it indeed the glorious Son of God? The latter evidently.