Earlier text: MRS. E. G. WHITEITEMS OF INTEREST.
By A. J. B.
— Seventeen divorces were recently granted in two days at Rockford, Ill., and “fifty cases are set for this term of court.” — Russia is now planning to build “a railway to connect the trans-Caspian line with the Persian province of Khorassin.” — Commander Uriel Sebree was recently ordered to “relieve Capt. B. F. Tilley as commandant of the naval station at Tutuila, Samoa.” — Dr. Von Blowitz states that he has “arranged for colonizing 65,000 Hebrews in Mexico,” and that he has bought 1,000,000 acres of land in the State of Sonora. — Leo XIII has just revised his Index Expurgatoris Librorum, removing from the same several notable works, the works of Galileo and Dante’s De Monarchia being among them. — Speaking of a recent effort to check the flow of the great gas well struck at Velasco, Tex., about three weeks ago, it is stated that “a valve was placed on the pipe, but when an attempt was made to close it, the gas began to raise the 500 feet of casing out of the ground.” The flow at the time was estimated to be 6,000,000 cubic feet per day, and the roar could be heard five miles away. — The following purports to be taken from the English Churchman, and is going the rounds of religious and secular weeklies: “It is a well-known fact that Rome connived at the assassination of President Lincoln. The late President McKinley, before his death, issued a terrible exposure of the iniquities of Rome, and kindly sent copies of it to the National Protestant Federation. Rome has endeavored to suppress this document, and copies are exceedingly scarce.” Probably the British journal referred to never published this statement. But granting that it did, it is not likely that Mr. McKinley jeopardized his success in politics by thus exposing Rome. — The leading first-page article of the Inter Ocean of the 21st ult. is devoted to a discussion of the following dispatch from Boston, Mass., dated the 20th: “Because he became a citizen of the United States and swore to uphold the Constitution of his adopted country, James Jackson, of 272 Broadway, Cambridge, has been suspended from membership in the Second Reformed Presbyterian church of Boston, by the Rev. J. M. Foster, pastor; and the New York presbytery at its fall meeting, held in Boston last Tuesday, confirmed the sentence, refusing to sanction the action of the Rev. S. G. Shaw, pastor of the First Reformed Presbyterian church of Cambridge, in admitting Mr. Jackson to membership in his congregation, after his suspension by Mr. Foster. Mr. Jackson is a native of Scotland. . . . At the beginning of the year he was elected an elder in the church. . . . It was while he was being examined that the fact leaked out . . . that Mr. Jackson had become a citizen, but had no intention of taking any active part in politics, stating that he had never voted, and never intended to do so. He became a citizen simply and solely for the comfort and security of his wife, who was about to go abroad, in order to avoid any complications with the emigration laws.” When interviewed, the Rev. Mr. Foster said: “It is true that we look upon the Constitution of the United States as an immoral document and an insult to the Almighty, in that it makes no mention whatever of God, and claims for the people that sovereign power which belongs to God alone. We refuse to accept the Constitution thus defective, and cannot swear allegiance to it.” The Constitution is all right just as it is, because the principles embodied therein are the true democratic principles of the gospel. A thing is not necessarily good nor bad simply because it makes no mention of God. Those hypocrites, the Pharisees, were great sticklers to have texts of God’s word placed in conspicuous places upon their persons;717but that did not make them any better, nor prevent their murder of Christ. If we mistake not, this is the same Mr. Foster who, not long ago, uttered a sentiment to the effect that all who do not keep Sunday are worthy of death. The only difference between many Protestants, so-called, and Pope Leo XIII is that the latter has actually succeeded in becoming pope, while the former have not. A. J. B. THE TRUE MOTIVE OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE.
By David Paulson
How often we raise this question in reference to others, “I wish I knew what was the real motive that influenced him to do what he did.” As we have no way of absolutely determining the intents of the human heart, it is never safe for us to pass judgment on our brother’s motives; for in the majority of instances we shall receive more assistance from the devil in arriving at our conclusions than we can reasonably expect to secure from God while engaged in such unprofitable business as judging the motives of others. Nevertheless, in God’s sight the real motive that prompts us to work for others is regarded of more importance than the greatness of the deed which is performed. In God’s sight, an action, be it ever so small and even contemptible in the sight of men, if it is prompted by pure love, is more acceptable to Him than is the casting out of devils and the performance of a series of similar great deeds when prompted by a wrong motive. The feeling that a true mother instinctively manifests for her children is only an imperfect representation of the divine life, which was revealed in all its perfection when man stood where he must again stand before he is ready to step into the other world without tasting death. The mother toils for her child absolutely regardless of either gain or reward. She does not insist on having some definite understanding as to how many hours each day she is expected to devote exclusively to the care of her children. The sense of pleasure which she experiences while working for them is sufficient to prompt her to continue to labor for them as long as she sees that there is an opportunity to do so, or until her exhausted energies bid her secure the rest necessary to enable her to manifest still greater usefulness in their behalf on the morrow. May the Lord deliver the cause of needy and suffering humanity from that class of missionaries who are laboring from a less exalted motive than that which a true mother constantly exhibits in behalf of her children. The professed missionary who does not see his way clear to assume certain responsibilities until the number of hours which he is to work each day has been definitely specified, and who endeavors to slip into some easy place, can positively rest assured that the real love for perishing souls has never yet had a chance to take possession of him, and that he is mistaking a desire for a position in the cause for that genuine love for humanity which is willing and ready to ignore position and place of influence if it only “may win some” to Christ. Thousands of workers are doomed to meet a bitter disappointment at the bar of God when they find that instead of having possessed, as they supposed, a love for souls, they had had an ambition to forward the cause or some branch of the work. The Bible abounds in characters that illustrate both of these classes. Paul, in his early life, represented one kind, and in his later life the other kind. The first part of his career was spent in making Jews; the last part of his life was spent in winning souls to Christ. The man who is interested in only those who he thinks can become church-members as a result of his ministrations, will find fewer and fewer openings for missionary work; for he gradually develops in others a spirit of distrust and suspicion, which closes more and more doors against him; while, on the other hand, the worker who has allowed the needs of humanity to touch his heart, will try to benefit the “nine lepers” even if he knows perfectly well that they will never join his church. Suppose a mother should find, at some midnight hour, that her erring son had possessed barely sufficient strength to enable him to reach the parental doorstep, and then imagine this mother trying to decide in her mind, before extending her hand to her boy, whether or not by so doing he would be led to accept the truth. A mother who would maintain such an attitude toward her children would be certain to instill into their hearts a hatred for the truth. The surest way for such a mother to gain an influence over her child which would lead him into the right would be by exercising toward him the true mother spirit. Can we reasonably expect to have any special success in our work for others if we engage in it from a motive which is inferior to that which prompts a mother to work for even her unappreciative child? The heart of the blessed Master responded more to the needs of humanity than it did to what results would be secured from His labor. It is certainly true that we have a special work to do in the world, and that is to introduce a living Saviour to a dying world. No mere verbal description can accomplish this, for this can be more satisfactorily lived than it can be told in words. In the time of Christ there were whole villages in which every inhabitant had been in some way benefited by the appearance of Christ among them. At that time He was manifested particularly in one human flesh; but when thousands of His followers shall have that same Christ working in their human flesh in the same way and to the same degree, then the world shall indeed “be lightened by His glory.” The people are no more prejudiced to-day against a display of what the true gospel can do in the human soul than they were in the days of Christ, when it was said that “the common people heard Him gladly;” nor than they were in the days of John the Baptist, when the people laid aside their accustomed duties and flocked to the desert to listen to a divine voice speaking through a human being. When the remnant people really become to “many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass” (Micah 5:7), then there will be tearful eyes and expressions of sorrow, in every community when one of our people departs from it, just as there was in days of old when Christ left some particular locality. As long as the heart of man is not so hardened that it cannot admire God’s beauty as revealed in a flower, so long will it recognize and appreciate that beauty when it is manifested as fully and as freely in a human being. Instead of complaining because people are prejudiced against the truth, let us rather see in their attitude a suggestion that they have become discouraged and tired of being compelled to see so much human nature, and that in reality they are saying, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” John 12:21. They do not wish to be introduced to anything less than that. It required ten days for the disciples, even after they had enjoyed such wonderful opportunities to learn from the Master how to put their individual differences aside sufficiently to represent Christ from right motives. When Peter was working for a cause rather than for humanity, he cut off the servant’s ear, thus making it necessary for Christ to follow after him, and heal the difficulty which he had created. If we work for humanity from any other motive than that of pure love, we shall fill the minds of people so full of prejudice that we shall virtually be repeating Peter’s work, thus making it necessary for Christ to raise up others to follow us to heal the wounds which we have made; and even then, there are scars that must necessarily remain. When the disciples were engaged in strife as to who among them should have the best position in the cause, then it became absolutely necessary for Christ not only to “straitly charge them” but also to “command them” not to tell any man what they knew; for He knew that while they were in such a state of mind, they could not possibly work from right motives. And so to-day, just to the extent that a worker cherishes wrong motives while presenting the truth, it will be discovered that Christ is still saying to him, “Tell no man that thing;” and the divine providence brings it about by not putting it into the heart of “any man” to listen to the words of such a worker. When we begin to have such an experience, instead of regarding others as too sin hardened to be reached by the true gospel, should we not rather “weep between the porch and the altar,” and confess our shortcomings and failures to work from the right motives, until our veil of humanity that covers up the Christ in us is “rent in twain”? Then the people may look into the holiest of holies of Christian experience, and thus be drawn to the living Christ, and will have born in their hearts a genuine and lasting love for the special truths that pertain to these closing days of this sin-cursed earth. - (Third week—November 10–16.)
1. What text in the Bible teaches us that God regards as of greater importance the motive which prompts our actions than the greatness of the deed which is performed? 2. What ordinary illustration furnishes us a suggestion as to what kind of spirit we should manifest in working for others? 3. Is it possible for an individual to possess a great zeal to propagate a theory of a truth, and yet be as destitute of genuine love for souls as the mountains of Gilboa are of dew? 4. Can we reasonably expect success in our work for others, if we labor for them from any motive which is inferior to that which prompts a true mother to serve her child? 5. If Christ could have been explained to man in words, was there any need of His coming down to live among men? 6. If no verbal description was sufficient to reveal Christ two thousand years ago, is it not just as necessary that the Christ life be repeated among men? 7. Which has stirred up the most prejudice against us, what has been seen of Christ in us, or what has been seen in us that was not like Christ? 8. Why was Christ continually forced to charge His disciples to tell no man what they were seeing or hearing? 9. Why are we not having more openings to present equally glorious and grand truths to the world? 10. Is it not possible that some in your community are saying, like the Greeks of old, “Sir, we would see Jesus,” and instead of being introduced to Him, they have been introduced to something that was so distinctively human that they have been bitterly disappointed, and so are thereby losing the very desire that God implanted in their hearts? WOMAN'S GOSPEL WORK.
By Luella B. Priddy
MRS. LUELLA B. PRIDDY,
(Lindsay, Ontario.) “YET hear the word of the Lord, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of His mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbor lamentation. For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets.” Jer. 9: 20, 21. God expects faithfulness from every one who professes to name the name of Christ, at all times. But now we have reached a crisis in the world's history. Satan and his hosts are making the last great effort to lead souls to everlasting ruin. Not to come up to the help of the Lord in such a time as this is to mark us as traitors to His cause. In God's great plan there is a place for every human soul. Each one, according to his ability and the experience God has given him, is to live and act and speak in such a way that the interests of the heavenly kingdom shall be advanced. So the Lord has given woman her part in the work of the gospel. Her particular sphere in life gives her an experience that will enable her to do a work for other women and for children that man is not so well adapted to do. Woman's gospel work is not some side issue, apart from the Third Angel's Message. The Lord wants the women who have been blessed with the light of truth to step into the ranks and help carry the message, in a womanly way. In the short but comprehensive epistle to Titus is marked out the duties of the different classes of society; and women are not left out. “The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” Titus 2: 3–5. These texts embrace a wide range of topics that women are to teach. There is in the world a crying need of just such teaching as is brought to view in this text. There is no danger of usurping authority over men by women taking up this line of work. Many people have accepted the Third Angel's Message as an incontrovertible theory, but have failed to assimilate it into their life and character. Women can do much more than they are apt to realize in leading the family to live out the principles of the truth in the every-day home life. A well-disciplined family living out the truth is a most telling argument to the world of the power of the gospel. Every woman in our ranks should regard herself as a missionary for God, willing to endure the toil and privations incident to a missionary's life. And her reward will be eternal joy in the world to come, and she may enjoy a blessed experience in this life. MRS. BUT.
By Friendly Visitor
Mrs. But is our next-door neighbor. Her real name is “Green;” but John, whenever he sees her marching up the walk, remarks:—“My dear, here comes Mrs. But.” He is not given to calling people names; he says it merely to put me on my guard, for he knows our neighbor’s failing. She is a bright, breezy little woman, and as long as the conversation is confined to the weather and household affairs, I quite enjoy chatting with her; but the moment that a human being, living or dead, chances to be mentioned, I begin to quake. The first time she called,—it was soon after we moved into the neighborhood,—I happened to say that Mrs. Goodwin, from the opposite side of the street, had called to see me, and that she impressed me as a very lovely character. “O, she is indeed,” said Mrs. But, heartily; “she is such a devoted wife, and so good to the poor. But,” she went on, lowering her voice, “there used to be a good deal of talk about her when she was a girl; and though I don’t suppose half the things that were said were true, people don’t seem to forget them.” What necessity there was for this drop of poison to be instilled into my mind I could not see. Mrs. Goodwin’s youth was in the far past, and in the gossip concerning her in that remote period, I had no interest whatever; I was quite willing to take her as she was in her sweet, ripe womanhood. One day, when Mrs. But dropped in, she found my little friend, Nellie Gray, at the piano. Nellie is a shy, brown-eyed girl of fifteen, gifted with a wonderful ear for melody, and, as the Gray’s had no piano, I had offered her mine. “I can’t help loving the child, she is such a warm-hearted little creature, and so eager for music,” I said, as the door closed behind her. My visitor gave a scarcely perceptible shrug. “Yes, Nellie seems to be a very nice girl,” she admitted, “but I suppose you know she is a poorhouse waif?” “No,” I said, “I knew nothing of the kind.” Mrs. Gray had introduced Nellie to me as her719eldest daughter, and the information volunteered by Mrs. But was utterly uncalled for. One evening, on our way home from prayer-meeting, John remarked that he always enjoyed listening to young Spaulding, he was so devout and earnest. “Yes, he is a very interesting speaker,” said our neighbor, who had joined us as we came out of the lecture room, “and he seems very sincere, but I can’t help feeling a little suspicious; I knew him when he was a boy.” John made haste to change the subject; a word of encouragement would have resulted in our hearing the whole history of the young man’s boyhood. “I’ve no patience,” he exclaimed, the moment we were by ourselves, “with people who are always bringing up the past. Just imagine what heaven would be if the inhabitants were disposed to indulge in that sort of retrospection! The Angel Gabriel himself would hardly be safe from their disparaging ‘buts,’ and the whitest robe in all the white-robed throng would be in danger of being smutted.” “And yet,” I said, “Mrs. But evidently considers herself a Christian.” “O, I don’t dispute her title,” said John, “but I can’t help thinking that she might be able to read it clearer if she would rub up her glasses with I Corinthians 13.” When listening birds and silent bees,
And hillsides blazing golden flame,
And summer winds in autumn trees
The waning year proclaim, I long in some illumined way
To be of nature’s soul a part,
Uplifted, with the yellow day,
Close to her glowing heart. Like angel songs when souls go free,
Too faint to reach those left below,
October glory hungers me,
Eludes my senses slow. Can it be God for whom I strive,
Perfection’s smile for which I strain,
That face no man may see alive
In joy or sacred pain? FINDING REST.
By Mrs. O. E. Cummings
MRS. O. E. CUMMINGS. (College View, Neb.) I was very tired this evening after doing a hard day’s work. Then the thought came to me to see what the Bible says about rest. We find set before us some very strange ways, seemingly, of obtaining rest. Jer. 6: 16 tells us to “stand” and to “walk.” In Isa. 40: 31 we are told to “run,” also to “wait” upon the Lord; or in other words, “become His servants.” In Matt. 11: 28-30 we find still more to do in order to find rest. We must wear a yoke, bear burdens, and learn lessons; and 2 Cor. 12: 7-10 says we must suffer. Why is it we can find rest in these strange ways?—Because God is with us. Ex. 33: 14. When the Lord is with us, we are laboring with Him. 1 Cor. 3:9. He does so many things for us that we are simply acting as a machine, letting Him furnish the power or strength. We know this must be so, for in Isa. 41: 10 He says, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed: for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Think of the many things He does for us! But we only receive these when we are letting Him work with us. Some may say, “I can’t go out and do missionary work, or work for the Lord in any way. All I can do is to stay at home, and do my housework and care for the children.” I wonder if the Lord can’t help us do our sweeping, our ironing, and our cooking? And doesn’t He consider this as working for Him as much as though we were out preaching the gospel? I believe He says, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.” Isn’t the promise, “I will be with thee,” just as true to us who have what we call the little duties to perform as it is to those who have the greater ones? Read Matt. 25: 31-46 carefully. Here we are told to feed the hungry, give the thirsty drink, entertain the stranger, clothe the naked, and care for the sick. This takes in most of the humble duties of the housewife. It does not say we are to do these things for some one away off in a foreign country: we can do them for our own children, for our neighbors and friends. “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these . . . ye have done it unto me.” So let us work with Jesus at our side, to help, encourage, and strengthen us in every duty, doing each one faithfully, so that we may at last find eternal rest with Him. GOD BLESS THE INTERRUPTIONS.
By M. E. S.
I WONDER how many of us think God can bless our interruptions. I believe He can and will if we let Him. But how can such unwelcome guests as these be blessings? Some days we have duties that will fill every hour, every moment, of the day, and then these little visitors come (God bless them!) one after another — I need not describe how. We each know what they are, and how they intrude. When night comes at last, are we worried and fretful, and more tired than if we had worked hard all day? Do we meet our dear husbands with a cloud on our brow, and without the “good report” that “maketh the bones fat”? If we do, we have missed much. If instead of becoming impatient as we see the day passing, we should say, “Lord, was this what you wanted me to do to-day instead of what I planned?” and cheerfully do the unplanned duties, what a blessing would fill our hearts! If we are tempted again, let us think of some precious promise: “All things work together for good.” “Great peace have they which love thy law,” etc. Because of sickness and nervousness, some who read these lines may fail to give God an opportunity to bless — others be forgetful; but let us keep on striving for the victory. It will come. By and by we shall wonder that we could have let things annoy us so, and we shall be constantly rejoicing. We shall have a clear, beautiful heaven about us all the time, not a cloudy, misty one. OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL TO WORK.
By Lena E. Williams
Are there not many of us who feel a great desire to do our part, as week after week we read appeals for means for our various lines of work, and the institutions representing them? Yet how often our purses are empty! For sixteen years I taught school, and had something to give. Nearly three years ago I gave up my work to unite my efforts with my husband’s in missionary work. But I do miss the privilege of responding as in times past to calls for help. I wonder how those to whom God has given money can hold it back, and I sympathize most heartily with those who are anxious to give, yet have empty hands. The call came, a short time ago, for the orphans and the aged. I thought of our little Sabbath-school, recently organized — some unable to give, others whose husbands would object to their money being used in that way. I felt I must do something for that cause, especially as we are asked to contribute only twice a year. We had a few books on hand that we had procured to use in introducing our Bible work here. After earnestly asking God’s blessing on my effort to add my mite to the Orphans’ fund, I took the books and presented my plea for the orphans at our Bible readings. Our time is so fully taken up that I was obliged to do my canvassing at “odd minutes and between times,” lest it should interfere with our daily work. Next I called on friends living near the one with whom we had had the Bible study. For three days I sold in nearly every house I visited. When the Sabbath came, I gladly dropped seven dollars into our class envelope. I enjoyed it more than in the years when it was easy for me to give. Perhaps some sister reading this is disappointed, thinking I had some big thing to tell as the result of my canvassing. But I am no canvasser, and I write this to show how, in the midst of our daily work, and with no ability, experience, or gift, we may help a little, and many littles will help a great deal. Now is the time of the year when illustrated books with pretty covers sell easily for Christmas gifts. Cannot many of our sisters dispose of a few every week from now on till Christmas? Let us not leave all the field around us to be harvested by others. In our odd moments we can put a host of small books into homes where they will prove a blessing, and we have something to help hasten the coming of our Lord. We shall find that our friends are more willing to buy of us than of strangers. From this small beginning some may develop into successful canvassers. I intend now to sell books to get money for the work in the Southern field, then India, and next will come our Christmas offerings. After that it will be dull and hard to sell books. Then I hope to work again for the orphans, as people are more willing to help them than to assist in other branches of our work. I find Sister White’s books especially helpful to all classes of people. It saves much time to deliver the books when you sell them if the people are prepared to take them. I usually carry an armful with me, and it grows lighter quickly. I pray God that many may be moved to join in this work. Even an invalid in her home may share in the blessing by working with those that call on her. Mother's Eyes and the Baby's Skies
“Would you know the baby’s skies? Baby’s skies are mother’s eyes. Mother’s eyes and smile together Make the baby’s pleasant weather. “Mother, keep your eyes from tears, Keep your heart from foolish fears, Keep your lips from dull complaining, Lest the baby think ’tis raining.” Two boys left home with just money enough to take them through college, after which they must depend entirely upon their own efforts. They attacked the collegiate problems successfully, passed the graduation, received their diplomas from the faculty, also commendatory letters to a large ship-building firm with which they desired employment. Ushered into the waiting-room of the head of the firm, the first was given an audience. He presented his letters. “What can you do?” asked the man of millions. “I should like some sort of a clerkship.” “Well, sir, I will take your name and address, and should we have anything of the kind open, will correspond with you.” As he passed out, he remarked to his waiting companion, “You can go in and ‘leave your address.’” The other presented himself and his papers. “What can you do?” was asked. “I can do anything that a green hand can do, sir,” was the reply. The magnate touched a bell, which called a superintendent. “Have you anything to put a man to work at?” “We want a man to sort scrap iron,” replied the superintendent. And the college graduate went to sorting scrap iron. One week passed, and the president, meeting the superintendent, asked, “How is the new man getting on?” “Oh,” said the boss, “he did his work so well, and never watched the clock, that I put him over the gang.” In one year this man had reached the head of a department and an advisory position with the management, at a salary represented by four figures, while his former companion was “clerk” in a livery stable, washing harnesses and carriages. Excellence Revealed Under Trial
CERTAIN herbs yield no smell till they are trodden on, and certain characters do not reveal their excellence till they are tried. A PERSON should so dress that he will not have to think anything about his clothes when he has them on; and the same rule will apply in eating. Eat such things as will give you no occasion to think about your meal after it is finished. The point is that our minds are to be occupied with greater and higher themes. “The kingdom of God is not meat and drink.” ONE of the very best rules for avoiding disease is expressed in two words — keep clean. Keep your premises clean; keep your house clean; keep yourself clean. To keep your house clean there is nothing better than soap and water, used freely and thoroughly. Soapsuds is one of the very best antidotes for germs. Keep yourself clean by a daily bath, and don’t forget that internal cleanliness is as essential as external cleanliness. By internal cleanliness is meant the prevention of the system from becoming clogged. When the skin, the liver, and other excretory organs become inactive, the impurities in the system are partly thrown off through the mucous membranes within the body, producing irritation and congestion. The person whose system is clogged is almost certain to be a sufferer from catarrh. But do not take drugs to regulate the system. Take plenty of water between meals, eat plenty of fruit, avoid all kinds of pastry and greasy foods, and take plenty of exercise. This, in a normally healthy person, will be sufficient. IT is important to keep away from disease germs, but it is no less important to have a barrier in your system to keep the germs away from you. More people escape disease by having this barrier against disease, than escape it by keeping away from places where disease breeds. The fact is that disease germs of nearly every kind are floating in the air, and no person can expect to keep entirely clear of them. That very common disease, tuberculosis, for example, is much more liable to be contracted by a breaking down of the barrier which a healthy state of the system affords against the germs, than by contact with a tuberculous patient or with any dangerous source of infection; though, of course, any person is more liable to contract consumption in such places than elsewhere. But it should not be imagined that to be safe against this malady one has only to keep away from the victims or plague spots of the disease, without giving particular care to bodily health. The greatest danger arises not from a locality, but from a condition. When the system is run down from starvation or disease, or the mucous membranes of the lungs or intestines are inflamed or in an unhealthy state from whatever cause, the person’s condition is one which invites the disease to fasten upon him. The germs which are always present in the air find a weak spot where the conditions are favorable to their propagation, they fasten upon it and begin to multiply, and ere long the victim finds himself on the road to a consumptive’s grave, without having been near any particular source of infection. In a healthy system the conditions are never favorable to the propagation of disease germs; the vitality of the body resists them; and while this might not be sufficient to ward off the most contagious diseases, it is undoubtedly the best safeguard one can have against many of the diseases which are recognized as due to the presence of a specific organism or “germ.” L. A. S. Christ Lives: A Verse on Brotherly Love
By Geo. Houghton
WHEREVER are tears and sighs,
Wherever are children's eyes,
Where man calls man his brother,
And loves as himself another,
Christ lives! After pronouncing what are commonly called “the beatitudes,” Christ begins His first formal discourse by saying, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” Matt. 5:17. In other words, it might be expressed thus: Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or relax anything that the prophets have written. I have not come to abolish, that is not my intention, but my purpose is to fulfill, or fill full, in respect to the law,—this He did by magnifying the law, and making it honorable (Isa. 42:21),—and to bring to pass everything the prophets have written concerning me. The specifications of the context will guide us to what law He has in mind; for He immediately proceeds to enlarge upon the thought. He gives an expression as to the immutability of the law and its perpetuity: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all [all things, for this word is neuter] be fulfilled.” The law spoken of, then, is one of which every jot and tittle—that is, the minutest letter or point of a letter—is more fixed in its sacredness than the heaven and the earth are fixed in their position; for till they pass (or pass away) the law shall remain; or as Luke expresses it, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass [or pass away, be destroyed], than one tittle of the law to fail [or be abolished].” This being the nature of the law and its binding force, there is some obligation in regard to it to be enforced upon all men. Therefore Christ continues: “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do [or practice], and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 5:19. This instruction reaches over the whole of the so-called gospel dispensation; and the duty Christ enjoins upon His followers is to do, or practice, these commandments, under the condition of being called least (or of no esteem, if they do not do them) or great (that is, honorable, if they do them) in the kingdom of heaven. Everything typical or shadowy, or that was an essential part of the Mosaic dispensation, was to cease at the cross. There the shadows were lost in the substance. There the types of all the sacrifices met their antitypes. And this was all present to Christ’s mind when He made the sweeping declarations of Matt. 5:18, 19. It is therefore impossible to apply what He here says to any temporary and transitory part of the dispensation just then coming to an end. But there is more than this to show what law is referred to. The Great Teacher continues: “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Verse 20. This statement is a deduction from what He had just said concerning teaching and doing the commandments which He came not to destroy, and one jot or tittle of which was not to pass away so long as nature maintained her standing and heaven and earth endured. And this expression shows that the law He is speaking of is the standard of righteousness, and shows the measure of that quality which each man must possess. The scribes and Pharisees were strict observers of all the ceremonies and conditions of the typical, or Mosaic, system. They had all the righteousness that was to be derived from that system, but Christ said that the righteousness of His followers must exceed all that, or they could by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven. This settles the matter that the only law referred to is the moral law. The distinction between moral and ceremonial laws is broad and distinct, and sharply defined, and the distinction in this case is just as definite. The Jews made numerous, and somewhat arbitrary, distinctions, or classifications, in their writings; as, the “law, the prophets, and the psalms,” “the law of Moses,” the “books of Moses,” etc. But such expressions as that the standard of character, or rule of righteousness, is to be determined by the writings of Moses, or that it would be easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for any change in a jot or tittle to occur in those divisions of their writings, are not to be found. The sacred writers often recognized their authority for what they said, as when Paul wrote, “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.” 1 Cor. 14:37. But there is no instance where they put in obligations or commandments to interfere with, or interrupt, the established regulations of the Lord, or His regular course of procedure in regulating the conduct of men.