Review and Herald, Vol. 49, No. 21. (5/24/1877)

Review and Herald

May 24, 1877

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 24, 1877

“OUR DISCIPLINE.”

By Chas. B. Reynolds

A good brother who had but very recently embraced the truth, to whom we had been speaking of the need of living up to our discipline, remarked, “I supposed I had got done with disciplines and creeds. I am surprised to learn Seventh-day Adventists have a discipline. I never have seen it. Where can I find a copy of it?” We answered, “When Seventh-day Adventists obtain all their rules of faith and practice, in God’s Holy Bible. Our discipline is that given by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for the government of his true church. You will find it recorded in Matt. 18:15–20.”

Dear brethren and sisters, are we who are older in the way, all living up to our discipline? Do we clearly understand it? Would not a little more of prayerful meditation on its imperative requirements help us better to understand and to obey?

“Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone.” Here we have the plain, positive commandment of Christ to his followers: it is not left optional—not, you may go, perhaps you had better go, or even, you really ought to go—the requirement is imperative, Go!

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46. “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” John 15:14. If, then, we are Christians, and we believe any brother to be in fault or sin, we must go to him about it, for Jesus so commands us. No language can be more positive or imperative. Go, test him, tell him of his fault, convince him of his error, reprove him. Go, but go alone, not run to this one and that one, pretending to mourn over his wrong doing, thus prejudicing others against him—circulating the report with—“Well, I don’t want you to say a word to any one about it, but—” or, “Well, I hope it may not be true, but I’m afraid it is, for they say”—thus bearing reproach against your neighbor.

“Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment.” Ex. 23:1, 2. “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” “He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.” Ps. 15:1, 3.

We may not even speak to him of his wrong doing in the presence of others, lest we give publicity to his real, or perchance only by us imagined, wrong doing; but go to him alone. How? With flashing eye, voice tremulous with rage, heart filled with bitterness and vindictive hate? No! Before we can go, in compliance with the requirements of our discipline, first, we must calmly think over the evidence we have of our brother’s really having done aught amiss. If convinced he is in fault, then what? What would we do if our dearest loved one on earth was in terrible peril, sick unto death? Would not the first, most earnest desire of our heart be that he should have help, rescue? Would we not agonize in prayer to God in his behalf, and be desirous to do anything, everything in our power, with the hope that it might help or save him? If then our brother in Christ, whom we have covenanted to love, help, watch over, is in peril, sick with sin, in danger of eternal death, should we not first beseech God in his behalf?

This, then, is the very first duty taught us in our discipline; for against those for whom we truly and earnestly pray, we can not long harbor hate or resentment. Ere we pray for the erring one, let us examine our own hearts, and see if we are in a condition that God can answer our supplications. “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another that ye may be healed. The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16.

“And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” 1 John 3:22. Let us be sure we are not ourselves guilty of the very offense about which we are so much troubled on account of our brother. Are we quite free of such sin? Then what grateful tribute of praise should we offer to God that we have been mercifully spared the same temptations! Let us examine very closely, to see if we are not even more guilty in some other direction, and let the remembrance of our own sins and weaknesses make us very pitiful toward our erring brother. Let us pray the prayer the Master taught us, “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” Pray it. Mean it. Prayer is the heart’s desire. Do we pray this? Sometimes we say, “I forgive, but I never can forget;” or, “I forgive, but I will never have anything more to do with him.” If this is according to our real desire, then let us pray, “Lord, forgive us our sins against thee, but do not forget them;” or, “Lord, forgive, but do not ever again have anything to do with me.”

When we ask God to forgive us, do we not desire to be regarded by him as though we never had sinned? “Forgive us, as we forgive.” Then we must so regard those who have sinned against us. “Oh!” replies one, “I think the Bible teaches me that if he repents I am to forgive him;” and he quotes Luke 17:3,—“Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.” And so they say, “Not till he repents, and then comes to me and asks me, then I’ll have to forgive him, not before.” But the Master says, you shall go to him, not wait for him to come to you. Go, tell him of his fault alone; then, if he repent, forgive him. If a dear, loved one were sick unto death, would you say, “If he comes to me I’ll nurse him, and minister unto him”? Why, his very sickness prevents his coming to you; so the very wrong, the sin of which he is guilty, keeps your erring brother from coming to you. He will not come to you; our discipline demands that you go to him. This is the proof of our Christianity, for the Master commands us to love one another, even as he loved us, even to the laying down of our lives for the brethren.

“Oh! but this is hard; it seems impossible to do.” To the unregenerated, yes. “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Rom. 8:7, 9.

With hearts humbled at remembrance of our own weakness and sinfulness, having earnestly besought God in Jesus’ name to give the needed wisdom, and the gentle, compassionate, loving Spirit of the Master, we must go to our brother alone, speak to him of the blessed hope, our mutual dependence, our great need of each other’s love and help while traveling the perilous pilgrimage of life, seek to have him understand our appreciation of the good he has manifested, then, in gentle, loving tones, tell him frankly and fully his fault. Listen in gentle patience to his explanation or defense, then point out the consequences of his sin, show him how it dishonors God, grieves Jesus, causes sorrow to the good and holy angels, and pains the hearts of his brethren. Let him fully realize it is not for your sake, but in love to him and the cause of Christ, that you have come to him, come in accordance with your covenant and the requirements of our discipline, with genuine, unselfish love in your heart, to ask, to entreat, him to join with you in prayer to our ever-merciful heavenly Father. Pray with him, not at him. Confess to God your own weakness and proneness to err, not his sins: leave him to do that. Beseech the outpouring of God’s Spirit on you both, that you may enjoy the blessed privilege of going in unison and love, heart to heart and hand in hand, through the perilous pilgrimage of this world’s sorrows and temptations, aiding, cheering, counseling each other, and at last together share the soon-coming glorious reward. Then, “if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother.”

From that hour a more holy, a dearer, stronger love and sympathy shall exist between you than ever before. Oh! it must be a hard heart indeed that could resist such gentle, unselfish, loving appeals—the gentle Jesus’ own appointed way to win the erring wanderer back to his love and favor. “But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.”

How should we do this? Look around and try to find some one who has a real or fancied cause of pique against the erring one, seek out one whom we suspect he dislikes or has resentment against? Would this be in accordance with our discipline? No! But again and still more earnestly praying for promised wisdom, seek for the one or two whom of all the church he most loves and respects, who entertain most affection for him, tell them—and remember it is them alone our discipline permits to be told. Ask their prayers alike for yourself and your erring brother; then, having all unitedly implored God’s blessing on your mission, go with them to the erring brother, that they may entreat him, remembering ever “that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

“And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church.” Then, and not till then, tell it to the church. Its officers being first requested to summon the members together; and the erring one being by the clerk of the church duly notified, then tell your cause of grief or complaint to the church. “But if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.” Turn your back upon him? Let him see you have no more care or thought for him? that you despise him? Is that the way the Master teaches us to regard sinners? No. Still in compassion, lovingly seek his good. We may not love sin, either in ourself or our neighbor; but we are commanded to love our neighbor even though a sinner. Hate sin we must. Hate the sinner we must not. If by stooping we can lift him up to something like moral dignity, incite him to strive to attain again to virtue, we are ourselves guilty if we do not do it.

“Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” It seems incredible if this course be pursued, but that the stoniest heart must melt, and be won back by repentance to virtue. But should any one reject every effort and loving entreaty, the church must expel him; and that expulsion, our Lord declares, shall stand against him in Heaven. Such a one may repent, but the wrong must be made right before that church, or it will bar him from the kingdom of Heaven.

Are we obeying the plain commands of Jesus? Are we living up to our discipline, this lovely rule of love, this heaven-devised method to preserve peace, unity, love, and harmony among the little flock to whom Christ has promised the kingdom? May the dear Lord give to each and every one the needed grace and strength to obey, to live up to our “Discipline.”

Chas. B. Reynolds.

WONDERS AND EXCUSES.

By G. V. Kilgore

WHEN duties are plainly presented to people, they are very apt to contrive some way of excusing themselves from performing those duties, especially if the work would be contrary to the popular customs. We have examples of this everywhere the claims of the fourth commandment are presented. The first thing people say, generally, is, “It is strange somebody else has not seen it before.” They “wonder why the Reformers did not see that God requires the observance of the seventh day.” Well, all the reason why they wonder at this is because they have never read what has been going on in the world for fifteen hundred years. They do not know, perhaps, that popes of Rome, before whom kings and emperors bowed in submission, ruled Christendom for a thousand years; and that it was the authority of these popes that changed the observance of God’s Sabbath into the keeping of Sunday. The

power of the pope was mighty indeed, when he held civil rulers under his directions.

Undismayed by the hostile attitude of empires and nations, he taught those who boasted of being the most profound thinkers of their day, that, “before him, the expounder of the eternal truth revealed by God to men, in order to teach them the way of salvation, they are as mere pupils who must follow the directions of an unerring master. Armed with the power of the Most High, he fulminated the thunders of his anathemas against all who dared dispute his decisions.”—Weninger’s Infallible Authority of the Pope, pp. 194, 195.

On the next page the same work declares that “all the prelates of the church, absent as well as present, were bound to submit, and did submit, to this authoritative decision; and every one who would have dared to resist, would have, ipso facto, become a heretic.” That these men, who “spake very great things,” would “think to change times and laws” of God, Daniel plainly foretold, Dan. 7:25. That they have changed, by decrees, the observance of God’s holy time, is proved by many things. Speaking of Sunday, St. Augustine says, “The holy doctors of the church have decreed that all the glory of the Jewish Sabbath is transferred to it.” It is easy to see how the Sabbath was changed. But the “wonder” is that the Reformers did not see the Bible argument on this subject. And people think strange that nobody saw this before the present time. Here, again, their surprise is on account of not having a knowledge of what was agitated in Luther’s day. Luther, to be sure, did not teach this doctrine. Neither did he teach that any should sacredly observe the first day of the week, and he acknowledges that the church appointed Sunday instead of the Sabbath. See his Smaller Catechism, p. 127,—in the Augsburg Confession.

But Carlstadt, a more learned man than Luther, as Luther himself acknowledged (V. Hist. Ref., book x., p. 315), did teach the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath. Here is what Mr. Luther said about Mr. Carlstadt: “Indeed, if Carlstadt were to write further about the Sabbath, Sunday would have to give way, and the Sabbath—that is to say, Saturday—must be kept holy.”—Life of Luther in Pictures, p. 147. So the idea that the Reformers did not notice the Sabbath arguments is a mistake. Dr. White, Lord Bishop of Ely, speaking of the observance of the seventh day, says it was “revived in Luther’s time by Carolastadius, Sternerbergius, and by some sectaries among the Anabaptists.”—Treatise on Sab., p. 8.

But the reason they had no more success than they had, was because the “time and times and the dividing of time” of papal power was not ended, they were bitterly opposed and hushed up by that power in whose hands were the laws of God. So far are Adventists from being the first to find the Sabbath truth that 330 years ago the conscientious and learned Carlstadt believed and taught it. And hundreds of those who were slain, and burned at the stake by the papal power, were observers of God’s holy Sabbath. When all these things are shown to the people, most all will acknowledge we are right, except some of those who have a church creed which they regard as of more value than the Bible.

These, willing to justify themselves, say, “Our fathers were good men, and God blessed them while they kept Sunday. If it was good enough for them, it is for us.” What a mistake! Salt Lake Mormons can reason the same way to establish polygamy: “The patriarchs had more than one wife each, and God blessed them. If polygamy was right for them, it is for us.” “Oh! well,” says one, “Christ magnified the law of God, and showed that polygamy was wrong.” That is true. When light on any truth has been shown to us it is wrong for us to disobey. “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” That is just the way it is with us in regard to the fourth commandment. We have a chance to hear what our fathers were forbidden to hear, by their leaders. What does Isaiah say? “O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.”

But when one excuse fails, another one is advanced. Thus: “If we are only honest and our hearts are right, God will not cast us off.” I think that is true. I also think that if our hearts are right, we will love God and do his will. “Well, but God is not so particular about the day, is he?” The day is just what he is particular about. It is the “day,” and not the adjective, seventh, that points out the day, that God made holy. The adjective is placed in the commandment to tell us which is the “holy day.” And God says, “In it thou shalt not do any work.” But some say, “If our hearts are right, any day will do.” Oh! if our hearts are right! Let us see. Is a man’s heart right if he will cheat? Will he exchange something bad for something good, and make no difference between the two? Well, the Lord calls the Sabbath, “My holy day.” Can a man’s heart be right if he willfully gives the Lord a profane day in place of his own holy day?

The hearts of the three Hebrew children were right before the king of Babylon commanded them to bow down to an image. But they knew that would not suffice when the test came. They might have reasoned as the Catholics do: “We will give God supreme reverence. When we kneel we will pray to God.” Would that not have done? Their hearts were right. Would God have cast them off for simply getting down on their knees, when everybody else was doing the same? when the law of their country demanded them to do so? Oh! they knew that God’s law means just what it says. And the Lord blessed them for obeying him in preference to the law of the land. By obedience they proved their hearts to be right. “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.”

G. V. KILGORE.

THE LADDER OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.

By H. W. Longfellow

Saint Augustine, well hast thou said, That of our vices we can frame A ladder, if we will but tread Beneath our feet each deed of shame.

All common things, each day's events, That with the hour begin and end, Our pleasures and our discontents, Are rounds by which we may ascend.

The low desire, the base design, That makes another's virtues less; The revel of the ruddy wine, And all occasions of excess;

The longing for ignoble things; The strife for triumph more than truth; The hardening of the heart that brings Irreverence for the dreams of youth;

All thoughts of ill; all evil deeds, That have their root in thoughts of ill; Whatever hinders or impedes The action of the nobler will;—

All these must first be trampled down Beneath our feet, if we would gain In the bright fields of fair renown The right of eminent domain.

“We have not wings; we cannot soar; But we have feet to scale and climb By slow degrees, by more and more, The cloudy summits of our time.

The mighty pyramids of stone That wedge-like cleave the desert airs, When nearer seen, and better known, Are but gigantic flights of stairs.

The distant mountains, that up-rear Their solid bastions to the skies, Are crossed by pathways, that appear As we to higher levels rise.

The heights by great men reached and kept Were not attained by sudden flight; But they, while their companions slept, Were toiling upward in the night.

Standing on what too long we bore With shoulders bent and downcast eyes, We may discern—unseen before— A path to higher destinies;

Nor deem the irrevocable past, As wholly wasted, wholly vain, If, rising on its wreck, at last, To something nobler we attain.

—H. W. Longfellow.

GOD'S MEASURING ROD.

By Francis Gould

“And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.” Rev. 11:1.

This scripture no doubt refers to what is taking place under the sounding of the third angel’s message, and stands in close connection with the closing portion of chapter 10, from which it ought not to have been separated. Chapter 10 closes with the proclamation, “Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” The opening of chapter 11 gives something of a description and the nature of the work accomplished under that proclamation. It is connected with the temple of God in Heaven, and is designed to fit up a class of people as worshipers therein.

These worshipers, of course, are not to be measured in the sense of ascertaining the height and circumference of each one in feet and inches; they are to be measured as worshipers; and character can be measured only by some standard of right, some law, or rule, of action. We are therefore brought to the conclusion that the ten commandments, the standard which God has given by which to measure “the whole duty of man,” are embraced in the measuring rod. This is the standard by which the worshipers of God are now to be tested. We have additional testimony from Scripture by which we learn that in the closing work of the great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, the temple of God is opened in Heaven, and in it is seen the ark of his testament. Rev. 11:19. This commenced at the end of the 2300 days.

Who was it that saw the ark of his testament? The true church. They were those who did not reject the light they had received before the passing of the time, but were watching and waiting for more light, and to see the salvation of God; and when Christ entered the most holy place, by an eye of faith the waiting people of God saw the ark, which contained the ten commandments, the moral law of God. Since then they have been endeavoring to keep every precept of the holy law written upon the tables therein deposited. They have received the reed, and are measuring the temple, the altar, and them that worship therein. They are uttering their last prophecy before nations, peoples, and tongues.

We think the prophet Ezekiel refers to this rod in connection with the third angel’s message. “And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.” Eze. 20:37. It appears evident that this refers to the work in the new covenant sanctuary. Again, please see Jer. 31:33. “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” During the 1260 years of papal supremacy, the law of God was trampled under foot, and the truth in a measure was lost sight of; but under the last message of mercy to man, in the closing work of our great High Priest, he will cause his people to pass under the rod; that is, they will come under the moral law of God, and render cheerful obedience to it. They will be connected, controlled, and measured thereby.

It is surprising to see with what tenacity some who profess to take the Bible for their rule of duty cling to the idea that the moral law of God has been changed, or abolished, and has been superseded by the gospel, thus denying some of its most important truths. These two important principles go hand in hand, and are intimately connected with the great plan of human redemption. The law points out the defects in our character; the gospel removes those defects. Their offices may be illustrated as follows:—

A man wishes to erect a building. In order to obtain the sills and other large timbers, he goes into the forest, and cuts down the trees. They being in their natural state are rough and crooked. They must be straightened and squared before they will be fit for the building. He stretches his measuring line the whole length of the stick, and makes a mark. This mark shows the crookedness of the stick, its unevenness, and all its defects. He now takes his broad-ax, and hews to the line, thus removing all the rough places, and making the timber straight. It is now ready for a place in the building. The line is the law; the ax is the gospel; and they have wrought side by side ever since the fall of man.

Paul says, “Sin is the transgression of the law,” and “by the law is the knowledge of sin.” After our sins are pointed out, next comes the remedy. Says the prophet, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain.” Isa. 40: 3, 4.

FRANCIS GOULD.

THE SIN OF SABBATH-BREAKING.

By J. Lamont

It is very strange that any of those who confess their allegiance to the Creator, and especially that any who have accepted the Sabbath under the third angel’s message, should regard the sin of Sabbath-breaking as a light thing. Yet some of these appear willing to profane God’s holy day. Some do this in one way, some in another. Some continue their own work too long, and thus infringe on the Sabbath as it first comes to them, while others can hardly wait till it is past before they are at business. Chores is it? Well, the sun will go down if you wait. Again, others transgress by their worldly conversation. “Speaking our own words” on the time the Lord has reserved to himself is a sin of the same rank as doing our own work on the same day. But the strangest of all is that some (I am glad that I know of but few such) can find business of sufficient importance to lead them openly to profane one of God’s holy Sabbaths occasionally, reasoning that the circumstances justify them in so doing. Remember that “he that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbor cometh and searcheth him.”

“Come now, let us reason together,” and be not “partial in the law.” The Lord says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Do not circumstances arise under which this command may be disregarded? Daniel did not appear to think so, and because he was faithful to his God in this respect, he was delivered from harm when his enemies thought to destroy him. “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as [because] before him innocency was found in me.” Bowing down to images is never excusable, or the three young Israelitish noblemen would not have found themselves “cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.” It does not appear that the early Christians thought it safe to profane the name of the Lord even under the most trying circumstances, but when compelled to blaspheme they fled “to strange cities.”

Can children disobey their parents, and yet maintain a Christian life? Do circumstances occasionally arise under which we may commit murder, adultery, theft, and speak falsehood? And may we covet our neighbor’s goods if he is rich and we are very poor? God forbid! Is not the Sabbath equally sacred? Does not the fourth commandment demand as explicit obedience as the other nine?

One illustration must suffice,—the escape of the Christians from Judea in A. D. 70. “Pray ye,” said Jesus, “that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day.” But their lives depended on their immediate action, yet they were to ask the Lord so to overrule matters that their opportunity of escape would not occur on the Sabbath. The same Jesus is our Saviour. Let us obey him carefully, and leave the result in his hands. He is able and willing to defend and care for us, and he has said he would do it. If the Lord be God, follow him.

J. LAMONT.

TO THE LAW AND TO THE TESTIMONY.

By Annie Teague

The twenty-ninth anniversary of the “Rochester Knockings” was celebrated by spiritualists all over the world, and by nearly two millions of the persuasion in America, on the 30th of March, 1877. The small cloud of a quarter of a century ago has developed its giant forces until its shadow darkens the whole earth. Truly Satan works mightily, knowing that his time is short; and how short, the preparation for battle among his armies, the portentous flashes that light up the faces of nations, and the terrible events that crowd upon each other till men’s hearts fail for fear of the things that are coming upon the earth, may indicate to those who are regarding the fast gathering signs.

Spiritualism is one of the most formidable weapons ever wielded by the arch-rebel against the work of God. Basing their theories upon the firm foundation of a received tenet held in the bosom of the church for ages, the strongholds of their position are thus rendered comparatively unassailable to those from whom they drew their primal existence. Their reasoning sounds, with most seductive variation, the whole gamut of sophistry; but the edge of truth cleaves its armor, exposing the deplorable—and to its followers, fatal—delusion.

The climax of spiritualistic argument is reached by pointing triumphantly to the presence of Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration. But their position cannot stand the test of the Volume from which they quote. That Moses stood with Elias, and talked with the Son of God, all Bible believers admit; but that it was the veritable body of Moses to which God gave burial in the valley over against Beth-peor, nearly all orthodox and spiritualistic believers deny. Let us examine, briefly, a few points from the sacred Record in proof that Moses returned to earth, a heavenly visitant in his own redeemed body.

The history of the great leader of Israel resembles throughout the life of Christ, of whom he was the most prominent and perfect type of all whose office in any way pointed to the Messiah. In all main points the life of Moses repeats itself in that of Christ, from his birth under the reign of a tyrant, to his death on the mount. Both were alike spared in infancy by a direct providence. They were alike possessed of all the wisdom and learning of their times, and mighty in word and in deed; yet refused the place of earthly power and exaltation, to become the deliverer of a race of slaves. “The same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer.” Acts 7:35.

The miracles of Moses, while in Egypt and the wilderness, were only less wonderful than those of Christ himself. We see him at the Mount Sinai erecting and anointing the sanctuary, instituting the order of priesthood, and thus standing as mediator and representative of that covenant. He being the head of the priesthood—of the tribe of Levi and house of Aaron—yet was he not reckoned as one of them, neither was lot or provision made for his, as for Aaron’s descendants. He stood Godward to Israel and alone in the difficult ministration of his office, as Christ stood alone as the Mediator and Priest of the new covenant. 2 Cor. 3:6-14.

The position of Moses prefigured Him who, in his own person, is Prophet, Priest, and King. “And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” Deut. 34: 10, 11. As leader of a fault-finding and rebellious nation for forty years, he was sustained and strengthened by the direct and continual presence of God and his angels, even as Christ was sustained in the forty days’ temptation in the wilderness. And when his great work was done, when his charge was brought nigh to the promised land, this man of purity and meekness, the prophet, priest, and king, the warrior, statesman, and author, laid down his cares and burdens

leaving his followers the cheering assurance (and also defining his true position toward the first house of Israel) that God would raise them up a prophet like unto him. Deut. 18:15. And every soul which would not hear that prophet should be destroyed. Acts 3:20-24. God himself buried his well-beloved servant on the lonely mountain, angels filled his funeral train, “and no man knoweth of his sepulcher unto this day.”

All Bible evidence points to the fact that Moses personated the Saviour under the old covenant as is explicitly declared in Ex. 4:16. “Aaron shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.” And if so, reason would declare that his burial and resurrection must also typify Christ’s. That Moses was raised from the dead there is abundant proof to all who believe in the power of the God of Israel over his enemies. Jude 9; 1 Thess. 4:16. And that Moses stood on the Mount in his own re-animated body of flesh is as certain as that he was there at all. The fact is not only established by Bible testimony on the total extinction of the whole man in death, but is supported by the position and work of the representatives of the two covenants, and the relation of the old to the new covenant. That relation demanded that Moses be raised from the dead, else would the antitype of man’s salvation in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ have had no corresponding type.

And as Christ is soon to come again in heavenly majesty, may the spirit of truth guide us, and keep us from delusion and error, and, by his word and testimony, preserve us from the snares of the deceiver.

ANNIE TEAGUE.

Beloit, Wisconsin.

HAVE HOPE.

By A. P. Nason

Why do we see around us so many desponding Christians? Is it not because that like the man with the muck-rake, they are too much occupied with earthly things? They forget to look up to where Jesus sits at the right hand of God, that they may behold his glory and enjoy his boundless love. How few professed followers of Christ become acquainted with him as it is their privilege! It is painful to see honest souls who seem to be really desirous of doing the will of God, continually going about as though bearing a heavy burden. The Saviour would gladly take this load off your aching hearts, and impart unto you such joy as the world can neither give nor take away. “If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” If the life be hid with Christ, there will be peace flowing like a river into the soul.

Too little importance is attached to prayer. Because that victory is not immediately gained, many lose their confidence in God, and become discouraged, when if they would continue steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, they would see Satan defeated every time. Alas! how weak are poor, frail mortals! how short-sighted and how prone to err! If continually on our guard against the devices of the enemy, we should be saved from many a snare. If Peter had watched and prayed as his Lord commanded, he would have been fortified by divine grace, and have resisted the temptation to deny his Master, and thus have been spared the pain of his sorrowful repentance when he went out and wept bitterly.

The only safe course to pursue, is constantly to keep our eyes uplifted to Him who has promised to be our refuge and strength. The cause of God demands our zeal. There is something for the followers of Christ to suffer, but we have promise that “if we suffer we shall also reign with him.” The Captain of our salvation was made perfect through suffering, and because he has called us to be partakers of his sufferings, shall we sit down in despondency and gloom? The Lord would have us come forth from darkness into the glorious light and liberty of the gospel.

“Why droop when fortune frowns? Press onward to the goal; The palm of victory ever crowns The strife-enduring soul.”

There is inducement to go forward in the work of the Lord. The treasure laid up in Heaven for the faithful far outshines all the glittering tinsel of this poor world. Weary and sin-sick soul, the Saviour holds out to you a crown. He bids you come to his sheltering arms and rest. Oh! will you not heed his pleading voice? He calls on you to surrender all to him, and in exchange he will give you himself to guide you through this vale of tears, and in the world to come a life that shall run parallel with God’s.

Who can estimate the value of eternal life? This precious boon may be yours, dear reader, if without reserve you seek to obtain it. Only a few more years of toil and sorrow, and we shall behold our King coming in the clouds of heaven, to gather the faithful ones home. The graves will then yield up the dead who have died in the triumphs of faith, and together with them we shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

A. P. Nason.

Ipswich, Mass.

TO THE UNCONVERTED.

By Vesta Cady

Deep sadness often fills my heart when I see so few that are willing to accept the oft-repeated invitation of our Saviour to enjoy full and free salvation. Jesus’ kind and tender heart is sorrowful, angels weep, and the transgressors also are unhappy. Oh! why will they not come when all things are ready? My dear friend, Satan’s suggestion will be that you had better try to reform, and then come to the Lord for help. What would you think of a sick person, who says to his friends when about to send for a physician, Wait till I am some better, then you may call the doctor? or of a man about to be imprisoned for debt, who should say to a kind friend offering to pay the whole, Wait till I can earn some money, then you may help me?

Jesus offers to heal your wounded heart, to cure your sin-sick soul. Will you let him? He offers to pay your debt of sin. Will you with gratitude accept his offer? Do you want a never-failing source of happiness and peace? Do you want a friend who will never, never leave you? Then come, come. Bring all your sin, your sorrow, to him in prayer. Ask him to take you, just as you are, to cleanse your guilt, and wash away all your stains of character in his blood. Satan will do all he can to prevent your coming. Your poor, weak flesh may be ready to give way; but call to mind the words of Jesus to his tempted disciple, “Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.” Luke 22:31, 32.

We have so many promises, how can we be discouraged? and yet, the human mind is so weak, that we forget these promises, and are led astray. When you are tempted, look up to a prayer-hearing God, and he will come to your rescue. Hide yourself under the shelter of his wings. Then, “when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” Isa. 59:19. My prayer is that you may so avail yourself of the offers of mercy that you may know the worth of a crucified and risen Saviour, and finally enjoy in the new earth an eternity of bliss. VESTA CADY.

Poy Sippi, Wis.

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