Review and Herald, Vol. 45, No. 20. (5/13/1875)

Review and Herald

May 13, 1875

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 13, 1875

WHY BROTHER JOHN LOST HIS HORSE.

“The Lord has given me light this morning, I never saw before,” said Bro. John, as he rose in meeting to speak of the Lord’s dealings with him.

Our brother was a farmer, and no one in his county could show fields better tilled, better fenced, or stock better cared for. He was a man of sound judgment, fine taste, and, withal, a man of sterling integrity. He was a “close buyer,” but always a good payer. He never bought the blind or the lame, however cheap. His rule was, Sound articles and sound prices. If his horse, steer, or sheep, could not recommend itself, it got no help from his lips. His industry, good judgment, prompt and fair dealing, soon made him independent and much envied among his brother farmers.

Bro. John was, also, a member of the Methodist Church, and a worthy one, too. He was a trustee and steward. He loved the church, and was liberal in his support of her institutions, and he was often tried sorely with brethren who gave, as he thought, stintedly. Indeed, he took great pride in having the preacher’s claims all met and their families well cared for. Though he carried on extensive farming, no amount of business or number of men, even in harvest time, ever led him to neglect the family altar. He was punctual, also, in attendance upon prayer and class meetings. He never allowed visitors to keep him from these means of grace. He loved “protracted meetings,” and labored to get sinners converted. Such, in the main, was Bro. John as a business man and as a Christian.

We began to tell our readers about getting and losing a horse, but we must first show some of the Lord’s dealings with the honest Christian man such as Bro. John was. The preacher on the circuit appointed “a protracted meeting.” The members promptly rallied; the soldiers burnished and buckled on their armor with zeal and readiness. Many soon found they could not wage war on sin in others while they allowed it in their own hearts. Sinners were soon, however, crowding the altar seeking for pardon; but this fact seemed to deepen the hearts of many true-hearted ones, that they must seek for clean hearts. The twofold work of pardon and sanctification went on powerfully and harmoniously. Our good brother was soon seen at the altar, and no one prayed more earnestly for pardon than he did for purity. Again and again did he come, nor did his earnestness abate, though the blessing seemed delayed.

At length, rising and facing the large congregation, he said: “Brethren, I have something to say to you. Some of you think me very foolish and weak; I can’t help that. I have been seeking, as you know, to have my heart cleansed from all sin, and made perfect in love. The Lord has required a work of me first, before he will answer my prayer. You know, my brethren, many of the farmers about us went to raising tobacco, because, it was said, it would pay better than anything else. They seemed to do so well I finally went into the business too. I have done quite well, made some money; but the Lord has shown me how worse than useless tobacco is—how injurious to men’s bodies and souls it is, and how wrong it is for me to misuse my beautiful fields, which he has given me, to raise that which does harm, and only harm. I would not use it myself, nor allow any of my family to do it, but I have been raising it for others.

“But I am ashamed of it; I am sorry for it. And now all this tobacco business the Saviour has put right between me and the cleansing stream. I don’t know what my brethren or my neighbors will think or say about it, but I tell you all I now give up the business. My farm hereafter grows bread, and not poison for my fellow-men.”

This announcement cut many to the heart, and some of the nobler ones soon followed Bro. John’s example.

After bearing the cross of cleansing his business, he quickly found the blood applied that washed his heart and made it clean before the Lord. None could easily doubt the change wrought in him; for, while he was careful to confess that the blood of Christ had cleansed his heart from all sin, his spirit and his prompt sacrifice of everything shown him to be wrong by God’s word or by the Holy Spirit confirmed all of the truth of his profession.

Some months had passed when he came into a morning meeting in an adjoining circuit, now in charge of his former pastor. There were deep heart-searchings going on; the Holy Spirit was uncovering to many sincere hearts the real, though often partly concealed, motives of past conduct. After a season of deep introspection of his heart, our brother arose and said:—

“Brethren, I see some things this morning as I never saw them before. God has been giving me light. I see now why I lost a fine horse. I see it as clear as day. I must tell you all about it. Be patient with me; I feel that God wants me to tell you.

“A few years ago I found, about mid-winter, that I had more hay than I needed, and I concluded to buy some more stock, preferring to feed the hay out on my farm rather than sell it off. Neighbor B., a good Presbyterian brother, whom you all know, had three colts to sell. I went to see them. He had three, but he said he wished to sell only the two youngest.

“‘Let us take a look at them,’ I said. After viewing them, I asked his price.

“‘Now, Bro. John,’ said he, ‘I put them low, because I am forced to sell in order to raise this money; but for that, I would not sell one of them.’

“‘What is your price for the oldest one?’ I inquired.

“‘Oh! I can’t sell him, Bro. John. The boys have set their hearts on him. The other two will bring all the money I need, and it would almost break the peace of the family if I should sell the other, he is so great a favorite.’

“I stood and thought a moment, when I said to myself, Now, I will buy the two anyhow, if I can’t get the other, for his price is fair enough.

“‘But what would be your price for the oldest one, if you were going to sell him?’ said I.

“‘Oh! I can’t price him at all; I can’t sell him,’ he said.

“‘Well there is no harm in setting a price, if you ain’t going to sell, you know,’ I said.

“Then I led him on till I got a price fixed. I knew he must raise his money right away or be sued. I took advantage of his strait.

“‘Now, neighbor,’ said I, ‘your prices are all fair enough; I can’t complain. But I don’t want the two. I must have all, or I don’t care about any; so I suppose we can’t trade.’

“I turned away, as if I was giving up the trade, but it was only to bring him to terms. I was so anxious to get the colts that I did not realize the wrong then as I see it now. I lied to him, and lied before God; for I had said I would take the two if I could not get the other. God heard me say so, and that is the record I shall have to meet in the day of Judgment.

“‘Well Bro. John,’ said he, ‘I am very sorry it is so; for I must have the money, and I know no other way to get it only to sell the colts, which I do not want to do. I wish you would take the two, and let me keep that nice three-year-old.’

“I saw he was coming over, and after a little I said, ‘No; I will give you your price for all three, but I don’t care to buy one unless I can buy all.’ He hesitated. It was a great struggle. I felt for him, but still I held him to my terms. At last he yielded. I paid him his price for the three, and took them all home with me, proud of my purchase; for they were all of good stock and in prime order. I promised myself a good outcome.

“The winter was about over, and the colts had all done well. One fine morning I led out the oldest one, intending to let him run awhile in the meadow near the barn. As he came out of the stable I gave him a little rope, and as he pranced around me, I thought I never saw a handsomer colt, or the making of a finer horse. I was delighted with him. As I led him to the bars he seemed so spry and playful I thought I would see how well he could jump. So I only let down the top bar. He jumped, but not high enough; his knees struck the upper edge of the top bar, and he fell over flat on his back. It seemed unaccountable how he could do so—the bars were not high, but so he did. He could not get up. I got help and raised him up, and braced him up with rails; but he could not stand. I was determined to save him; but the neighbors all said he was of no use—his back was hurt, and he would never walk again. As I said, ‘He shall walk; I wont give him up,’ what a struggle I had! How I loved him. As I looked on him, poor fellow, he gave me such a sorrowful and imploring look, he almost broke my heart, and I said, ‘You shall live.’ More remedies were tried, but all in vain. When, at last, I gave him up that he could not live, I felt that it was wrong to prolong his sufferings, so I tried to get some one to shoot him. They all refused, though I offered a poor young man money if he would only do it for me.

“At last I went into the house, and got a gun to do it myself. As I came to him he gave me a look of such meaning, and seemed so innocent, that it broke my heart. Oh! how hard to shoot that dear colt! Why, he seemed now almost an idol in my heart—perhaps he was. After summoning all my courage I fired, and as he fell I turned quickly away, dropped the gun, and cried like a child. Oh! what a sad morning that was to me! The providence seemed so dark, I did not understand it.

“It was about five years ago that I lost that colt, and never till this morning have I seen why it happened. I felt that I must tell you, as the Holy Spirit has revealed it to me since I came into this meeting. I see now that if I had done by my brother as I would have been done by, I would never have bought that colt. My brother was needy, was in a strait, and I used the money God blessed me with to wring that colt out of his hands. To this sin I added lying—for I had said in God’s hearing I would take the two if I could not get the three, and then said to my brother, ‘I must buy all or none.’ Oh! I see it now as never before. Had I obeyed the law of love I should have left that colt where God would have left him. Then he would never have jumped my bars, broken his back, nor I have been compelled to take his life. God has, indeed, proved that ‘with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.’ My brother, if he had had the heart to do it, could never have requited me for this wrong. God took the matter into his own hands. Why I got this light this morning, and have been led to speak of it, I know not.”

Here Bro. John sat down. A very deep and solemn impression pervaded the whole house. No one could doubt that the Holy Spirit had shed this light on his mind not only for his good, but for the good of others.

Suffice it to say that a prominent brother in the house, who was both a trustee and steward, saw mirrored in Bro. John’s story one of his own transactions, which was as direct a violation of the law of love as was the extortion of the colt. Providence had called him to bury a horse obtained in the violation of love. A confession by the brother, frank and noble, followed; and it scarcely need be said that many Christian men in that region were more careful thereafter to buy and sell in accordance with the injunction of our Saviour, “Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them.”—N. Y. Advocate.

The Shaking.

By Wm. Leask

There is so much to be shaken and removed out of the way before the kingdom of God can be established in the earth, so many gross superstitions and hoary systems of error to be leveled with the dust, and so many mock Christianities to be unmasked and driven to confusion before the melody of universal praise can arise from a renovated world, that we must expect tumult, confusion, and carnage as the gloomy heralds of a brighter day. We are forewarned. “Be not ye terrified” is the consoling word of our Lord. The times will be terrible enough, but, instead of being a terror to those who are “ready”—the believing, looking, waiting ones—their message to them is one of joy and gladness. “Look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” But surely that man is very dull of hearing whose ear catches no unusual sound at this time. The Lord is speaking in a language which ought to be understood. The cry rolls over all nations, “O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord!” Is the prophecy being fulfilled—“A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations; he will plead with all flesh”? Is the time at hand for the angel of the Apocalypse to set his right foot upon the sea, and his left on the earth, and swear by the Ever-Living One that there shall be delay no longer? Is the era of the unparalleled tribulation coming upon us with great rapidity? Are we of this generation the destined witnesses of the last throes of a groaning creation before the Master shall grant it the promised deliverance? Are the times of the Gentiles nearly fulfilled, and is the testimony of the church about to close?

Of course we are quite aware that times of great public excitement are nothing new in the world's history—that convulsions, commercial panics, ecclesiastical commotions, national revolutions, civil war, and destructive pestilences, have often occurred before; and that questions very similar to those we have put have been put at intervals for centuries past. Again and again the end of the age has been supposed at hand; and no sooner were the awakening events that led to the supposition removed than the world returned to its old way with a sense of relief, and asked its usual skeptical question, with its old sardonic laugh, “Where is the promise of his coming?” But surely it is better to be occasionally aroused by the possibility that the great event is at hand than to sleep on in utter unconsciousness that the owner of this globe is about to return to take possession of

His inheritance. It is better to expect Him though he come not, than to be asleep when he comes. That “he will come” is settled, not by us, but by himself. It is no theological induction, no critical inference from words that seem to imply but do not expressly affirm it, and no fond longing to which the heart is driven by an overwhelming sense of helplessness in view of the terrible chaos of churches and nations.

This sense of helplessness and this yearning of the heart are felt, and have been long felt, by many of the most spiritually-minded men, who wish for a world such as inspired prophets repeatedly describe in language as sublime as it is cheering, and as emphatic as it is sublime; but we have no authority to translate the longing of the soul into a positive doctrine. It is not for us to say that such a thing will be, simply because we think its actual occurrence will remove the evils we deplore. If our Lord himself is coming to the rescue, it is for him to say it; and he has said it.

Now, therefore, all we have to say regarding the present shakings of nations and churches is this—They may be the last of the long series of convulsions which our Lord told his apostles would take place as forerunners of the fearful tribulation that is to mingle earth and sky before the nations shall bask in the serene light of creation's happy Sabbath, or they may not. They may be the rough sputterings of that tremendous tempest of thunder, fire and hail, which is to sweep the devil and his angels from the heavens and the earth, that the place of the Great King may be built, and the provinces of his empire may be rendered healthy and happy regions for his loyal subjects, or they may not. Dogmatism on this weighty theme would say a good deal for our presumption, but not much for our wisdom. But under the light of a certain fact we may venture on a truism which—trite though it be—would be of great service to many professing Christians just now if they would but admit it. The certain fact, about which there is no controversy, is that the final tempest will come some day, and the truism is that it will be heralded by commotions which will strike fear into men's hearts. It is wise, therefore, instead of saying, “All things will go on for ages as they have done for ages past,” to say, “There is every probability now that the last sands of the dispensation are running out.”

These shakings are to be continued with probably much essential sameness, but with ever-varying phenomena, until the return of the Lord. God will “overturn, overturn, overturn,” until the advent of the chosen King, and he will get the kingdom. It is clear, therefore, that these shakings are just the heavings and tossings of the old terrific shock—the groanings of creation, as if the globe were an intelligent living creature protesting against the enormous load of wickedness it has been compelled to bear—the inarticulate cry of the world to the Saviour—“O come, and save me!” The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews refers to the trembling of the earth at the giving of the fiery law, quotes a prophecy of Haggai, and then gives his own inspired comment as follows:—

“See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven; whose voice then shook the earth; but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear; for our God is a consuming fire.”

The great truth that runs through these scriptures is almost too obvious to need naming. It is briefly this: There will be no rest until the kingdom of God and his Christ is established in the world—the KINGDOM, mark you, not the CHURCH. Until then the shakings continue, whatever smooth words of “peace, peace!” may issue from senate or sanctuary. The world is too deeply smitten to be healed by skill of ours; neither royal nor “reverend” hands are strong enough for this case; and therefore we wait for the Lord from Heaven to do this thing for us. We are sure that he alone can, and we wish him to have the glory of effecting the beneficent restitution.—Wm. Leask.

“WHO LOVED ME.”

Three little sunbeams gilding all I see, Three little cords, each full of harmony, Three little leaves, balm for my agony.

“WHO.”

He loved me—the Father's only Son, He gave himself—the precious, spotless One, He shed his blood, and thus the work was done.

“LOVED.”

He loved, not merely pitied. Here I rest. Sorrow may come; I to his heart am pressed; What should I fear while sheltered on his breast?

“ME.”

Wonder of wonders! Jesus loved me— A wretch, lost, ruined, sunk in misery; He sought me; found me; raised me; set me free.

My soul the order of the words approve: Christ first; me last; nothing between but love. Lord, keep me always down, thyself above;

Trusting to thee, not struggling restlessly, So shall I daily gain the victory— I, yet not I, but Christ, “who loved me.” —Sel.

No Apostasy, or Once in Grace, Always in Grace,

By S. OSBORN

(Continued.)

Solomon's chance for eternal life is similar to Saul's. That he was a child of God once, no Bible believer will deny. That his heart was turned away from serving God to the service of idols, through the influence of his wives and concubines, is equally certain. Please read 1 Kings 11:1–12, and you will see his fallen condition described. And more than this, we are told that he died with murder in his heart. In verse 40, we read, “Solomon sought, therefore, to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt, . . . and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.” Now apply the test of character as given by Ezekiel, chap. 18:26, and surely nothing but the second death awaits him.

I will call the attention of the reader to two more individual cases, and then pass to examine the subject on a larger scale. One is Ahithophel, the counsellor of king David. His standing before God we learn from 2 Sam. 16:23: “And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired of the oracle of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel, both with David and with Absalom.” But because his counsel was not taken on one occasion by Absalom, he became so mortified that he set his house in order and hanged himself. 2 Sam. 17:23. He was his own murderer; and we read, 1 John 3:15, “Ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”

Once more, Jeroboam was a wicked king of Israel. Instead of worshiping the true God, he made two golden calves, and set one up at Bethel, and the other at Dan, for the people to worship. This was a great sin, and there came a man of God from Judah unto Bethel to cry against that sin. But he had a charge from God not to eat bread, nor drink water, nor return again by the same way that he came; but as he was on his way home another way, according to the word of the Lord, he was persuaded by an old lying prophet to return with him, and eat bread. While they were eating, the word of the Lord came to him that, because he had eaten and drunk where the Lord had forbade him, his carcass should not come unto the sepulcher of his fathers. He was slain by a lion as he was returning, because he had violated the command of God, and he died in his sin. 1 Kings, chapters 12, 13.

Now notice the following points:— 1. The prophet was said to be a man of God. He of course was in favor with God when he was sent to cry against the sin of idolatry. 2. He violated God's positive command, and died in that sin. Hence, according to Eze. 18:26, he must now die for that sin, which is the second death.

I will now examine the case of the children of Israel, as a nation, on this point. We have an expression of their condition before the Lord in the song they sung on the bank of the Red Sea at the time of their deliverance. Ex. 15:2: “The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation; he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.” And again in verse 17: “Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.” Whether this promise refers to the earthly or the heavenly inheritance, it shows equally the favored condition of the Israelites before God at that time. That all their names were written in the book of life is proved from Ex. 32:33. God said to Moses, referring to the Israelites, “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.”

Notice the following points:— 1. They were in a saved condition before God, as is evidenced by having their names recorded in his book; and, 2. By sinning they would fall from grace, or favor with him, and their names would be blotted out of his book, and such persons must share in the second death. Rev. 20:15.

Paul confirms this view in 1 Cor. 10:1–12. In the first four verses, their conversion to God is set forth. We read: “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them [or went with them, margin]; and that Rock was Christ.”

Now I make the following points in confirmation of the foregoing truth:— 1. The Israelites were all rightly baptized unto Moses at the Red Sea. 2. They all ate of the same spiritual meat, and, 3. They all (the same all) enjoyed the spiritual blessings of Christ. Notice that they drank of that Rock that went with them—not the literal water that came out of the rock at Massah and Meribah, when struck by Moses—but the present blessings of Christ's presence to bear witness that they were his children.

Now notice their fall as described in verses 5–10: “But with many of them God was not well pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted,” &c. Verse 7 teaches that they were idolaters; verse 8, that they were fornicators; verse 9, that they tempted Christ; and verse 10, that they murmured. Now if these things are written for our examples, and we are guilty of similar sins, we surely shall suffer similar consequences.

No Christian will deny the fact that we can, and sometimes do, lust after evil things, become idolaters, fornicators, murmurers, and sometimes tempt Christ. These sins were what caused their carcasses to fall in the wilderness. Now as we before have proved, these people were once righteous, and, according to Eze. 18:26, they are lost without hope.

If we are guilty of similar sins, let me ask you, fellow-Christian, Where, according to Paul's analogy, will we stand in the day of wrath? Paul continues in verse 12: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” There is a chance of falling as long as we live; for this warning is given to the Christian church during this dispensation. The main cause of all these sins is the lack of faith. This is evident from Heb. 3:17–19. Verses 18, 19 read: “And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” Lack of faith in God caused them to turn away from him and commit these sins, and thereby fail of entering into eternal rest.

Lack of faith will be the hindering cause in many who start in the Christian race. “Unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them.” Heb. 4:2. Both had the gospel; both had, finally, the same promises. Verses 8–11 attest this fact: “For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.” Verse 8. This shows that the rest is future, “There remaineth, therefore, a rest to the people of God.” Verse 9. This covers all God's people; and verse 11 contains an injunction to the Christian: “Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” According to this testimony, I do not see how any one can say there is no chance of falling away, so as to lose our eternal rest. Many of the Hebrews were slain in their sins; and Paul charges us to be careful. If there is no danger, Paul is talking very foolishly. If we die in our sins, Christ says, “Whither I go, ye cannot come.” John 8:21.

“Life is the time to serve the Lord, The time to insure the great reward; And while the lamp holds out to burn, O hasten, sinner, to return.”

The backslider is in as great danger of not going where Christ is as is one who never turned to the Lord. Eze. 18:20–32.

I will introduce one more case to show the uniform dealings of God with his children in the two dispensations, and also the danger of some apostatizing. The Lord, referring to Israel, says, “The Lord called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult, he hath kindled a fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.” Jer. 11:16. Why were the branches broken? Paul takes up the same subject, and gives us the reason. Hear him: “And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree.” Rom. 11:17. This shows that both Jews and Gentiles are brought together in one. In verse 20, Paul tells us that they (the Israelites) were broken off because of unbelief; in verse 18, he tells the disciples not to boast against the branches; and in the 20th verse, he tells us that the Christian standeth by faith. Then both Jews and Gentiles stand by faith. The lack of faith will subject us to the same final fate, which is a failure to enter into the “rest that remaineth for the people of God.” Heb. 4:8–11. This is surely apostasy.

But some can see an objection to the foregoing in the assertion: “So all Israel shall be saved.” Rom. 11:26. It is thought this refers to literal Israel; but it is evident from verse 28 that it refers to spiritual Israel. “As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes; but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.” Let Peter tell us who the elect are, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience,” &c. 1 Pet. 1:2. Again he says: “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” 2 Pet. 1:10. The elect then are those that do according to the teachings of the word of the Lord (and in this sense all Israel will be saved); but if they do not do these things, they will fall. Mark that this address was made to those of the same precious faith with the apostle, and hence to those who were in favor with God. The apostle continues: “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.” Chap. 3:17. It is plain from these texts that men can apostatize. The whole of the 2nd chapter is devoted to the advocacy of this view. In the 1st verse the apostle speaks of the false teachers that would arise, “denying the Lord that bought them.” In the 15th verse, referring to the same characters, he says, “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray,” and in the 20th verse, “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.” Now notice the following points in favor of their conversion:— 1. The Lord had bought them. 2. As they had forsaken the right way and had gone astray, they must at some time have been in it; and, 3. Verse 20 says they had escaped the pollutions of the world.

Now look at their apostasy. 1. They were entangled again, and overcome. 2. In verse 21, we read: “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.” This shows they did turn away from doing right, and were in a worse condition than before their conversion, and hence will stand a worse chance for their eternal salvation. For “the latter end is worse with them than the beginning;” they “shall receive the reward of unrighteousness;” they “shall utterly perish in their own corruption;” their “judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not;” and they “bring upon themselves swift destruction.” Can anything be plainer? In the 4th verse he brings to view the fall of angels: “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” Here we see not only the apostasy of man, but also of some of the angels. Jude says it was because they “kept not their first estate,” Jude 6, showing that they were probationers as well as man.

S. OSBORN.

(To be Continued.)

Does Your Religion Commend Itself?

—Are you a sunny Christian? You have a right to be. The Bible sparkles with promises. It is full of sweet hopes. It is as comforting as a mother's voice can be in all your sorrow. Where do the unconverted get the idea that religion is gloomy? Is it not too often suggested by the tone of Christian people—the want of brightness and bloom about their daily living? Let us commend our inheritance by wearing joyfully our signs of heirship.

The Infinity of Night

NIGHT conveys to the mind a much grander idea of infinity than the glare of day. In the day time, I see but one sun; during the night I discern thousands. The sun discovers only a terrestrial infinity; the night discloses an infinity altogether celestial.

What's the Reason?

By A. A. H.

Many query what is the reason of so many converts to the popular churches so soon backsliding, and frequently argue that it is on account of the strong opposition of the wicked; but we think the churches may take the blame mainly to themselves. The chief difficulty is that wrong inducements are held out to the world to bring them into the church—we cannot expect figs from thistles. When the church hold out worldly amusements before the ungodly to bring them into the fold, they must expect when they fail to provide those amusements, those converts, will go back to their old pleasures and pursuits.

If we want men converted to Christ, we must hold up the commandments of Christ and the promises he left us. We must preach the word. Professed “bride of the Lamb,” away with your fairs, Christmas parties, levees, oyster suppers, sociables, sewing circles and dramatic clubs. Away with your novel reading, man-made essays, and written sermons. Come out from politics, Free Masons, Good Templars, Odd Fellows, Grangers, and other worldly organizations. Down with your pride of fashion, and stifle your thirst for worldly honors. Preach not the wisdom of man's words nor come in the excellency of speech; but come in the name of the God of Heaven and in the power of the Holy Ghost. Come uniformed with the Christian armor, and armed with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God. Come with divine boldness, and in the name of the God of Israel hurl the sling stone.—A. A. H., in Biblical Messenger.

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