p. 1 | Review and Herald, Vol. 46, No. 16. (10/21/1875)

Review and Herald

Oct 21, 1875

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 21, 1875

THE LAW AND THE TESTIMONY

By J. H. Waggoner

THE GIFTS AND OFFICES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,—NO. 5.

BY ELD. J. H. WAGGONER.

THE LAW AND THE TESTIMONY.

In detecting certain systems of error now prevailing, the Lord, by his prophet, gave the following test:—

“To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isa. 8:20.

In verse 16 the order is given to “bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” We cannot imagine that God left so important an instrument as the law without a seal, and then required man to affix one to it. The Lord sealed his own law, but man has removed the seal, and it is now to be restored. It must be sealed among his disciples; for among them it has been removed, and as with the law so with “the testimony.” Violence has been done to both in the professed church of Christ. The work of restoration is pointed out in the prophecies of the New Testament. But this is not accomplished without opposition. For thus speaks the prophet:—

“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Rev. 12:17.

An explanation of the last expression is given in Rev. 19:10, which says, “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Hence in the last days there will arise those who have these peculiarities: They will keep the commandments of God, which have been rejected or dishonored; they will restore the seal to the law, and thus present it to the world a perfect and complete instrument; they will have the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophecy, and they will “bind up the testimony,” which has been torn from its place in the church of Christ.

This relation of the law and the testimony is noted in the Scriptures in many places, and presents to us some interesting features of Acts 2:28, 29. Those religionists who deny the power of the Spirit and the perpetuity of its gifts through this dispensation usually take antinomian ground, namely, that the ten commandments are abrogated and the gospel is substituted for them. Close observation of the ground causes us to remark that antinomianism and the Spirit of God do not go together. Therefore it is not surprising that they who oppose the law oppose also the doctrine of the gifts and the power of the Spirit. In developing this truth it is necessary to offer a few remarks upon the harmony of the law and the gospel.

The gospel cannot be substituted for the law. They are different in nature, and neither one can answer the purpose of the other. The object of the law is to form a good character; that of the gospel is to reform a bad one. The law is a rule of right action, and the gospel is a remedy for wrong action. Where no wrong exists no remedy is needed. Therefore, had the law been kept and never violated, no gospel would have existed; for it would not have been needed. This shows that Paul’s words are true without any qualification: “The doers of the law shall be justified.” And thus is proved that the law contains all the elements of justification. The law is right, but man is wrong. Says Paul:—

“For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin.” Rom. 7:14.

The law is a rule; the gospel is a means. As such they cannot be interchanged. Again the apostle says:—

“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Rom. 3:19, 20.

As the law is not the means whereby a sinner is justified, so the gospel is not the rule by which sin is pointed out—by which men are proved guilty before God. But some treat it as if it were such a rule, and reject the law. Yet no one can read the Scriptures to suit such a belief; no one will accept the following version of Rom. 3:20: “Therefore by the deeds of the gospel there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the gospel is the knowledge of sin.” Both truth and justice require that they shall renounce their cherished premise, as they will not consent to accept the necessary conclusion.

As the gospel cannot be substituted for the law, and as it would not have existed had there been no transgression of law, so it cannot now exist without law. If the law be abrogated the gospel becomes a nullity, as no one would ask for a pardon where there was no possibility of conviction. Speaking of the redemption through Christ, the apostle says:—

“Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness; that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Rom. 3:25, 26.

The harmony of the law and the gospel is precisely the harmony of justice and love in the divine character, and it is represented by the union of the Father and the Son. The Son saves only those who return to allegiance to the Father. Faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ is of no avail without repentance toward God. Acts 20:21. The will of the Father is a test of the doctrines of the Son. John 7:16, 17. And in vain they cry to Jesus, Lord, Lord, who do not the will of his Father. Matt. 7:21.

In Rom. 3:25, 26, it is shown that the sacrifice of Christ was necessary to vindicate the justice of God in justifying or pardoning the believer. God cannot suffer his justice to be trampled upon; his law and his government must be honored. Had it not been necessary to preserve his justice, God could have saved all sinners without a sacrifice and without condition. The violated law, which is holy, just, and good, has a claim on the transgressor which cannot be set aside—it must be satisfied. Infinite love could devise and infinite mercy could execute only such a plan of salvation as infinite justice could approve; for these are attributes of God, and they must act in perfect harmony.

When we have learned to “honor all the name” of God, and to respect alike all his attributes, we shall know what it means to “serve him with gladness and fear,” and to “rejoice before him with trembling.” And thus shall we unite the commandments of God with the faith of Jesus our dear Mediator. Rev. 14:12.

With these few remarks on the harmony of the law and the gospel we pass on to consider the connection between the law and the means of perfection in the gospel—the gifts of the Spirit.

The following text is often quoted in part, but the whole in connection is seldom considered:—

“Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law happy is he.” Prov. 29:18.

The method of this statement is worthy of remark. The use of the disjunctive places the keeping of the law in contrast with the absence of a vision or of the gifts of the Spirit of God. Where there is no vision, the people perish; but where the law is kept, there is happiness or blessedness—they do not perish. The evident conclusion is that where the people keep the law visions of the Spirit are vouchsafed to them. God by his Spirit leads his people to love and obey him, and where the gifts of the Spirit are acknowledged and received, there the law will be kept, and thus the people will be blessed and God glorified.

The German of Prov. 29:18, says, “Where there is no vision the people become rebellious.” Gesenius defines the word used thus, “To be unbridled, unruly.” All history and observation teach this same truth: “Where there is no vision the people become unruly,” self-willed, rebellious, and there, instead of humble obedience to the law of God, we find “confusion and every evil work.”

And this connection of the law and the Spirit is recognized by another prophet who thus speaks of the desolation of Jerusalem:—

“Her king and her princes are among the Gentiles; the law is no more; her prophets also find no vision from the Lord.” Lam. 2:9.

By the same prophet the Lord has threatened to destroy Jerusalem and to burn up her gates if her children profane the Sabbath. Jer. 17. And accordingly when the law was no more among them, when it ceased to be respected, her prophets found no vision from the Lord. This was always received as evidence that the Lord had forsaken them; for he always gave answers to his people by his Spirit when they drew near to him. Saul knew that the Lord had departed from him when he could get no answer “by the hand of prophets.” Another prophet thus speaks of Jerusalem’s destruction:—

“Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumor shall be upon rumor; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.” Eze. 7:26.

Thus again it is shown that when the priests and the people depart from the law, they shall seek in vain for a vision from the prophets. This is a position which was always deeply deplored by holy men of God, because it was regarded as an evidence of the displeasure of God. Therefore it was written by the prophet:— “Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them. Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded; yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.” Micah 3:6, 7.

And again the deplorable condition of Israel was thus described:—

“Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.” 2 Chron. 15:3.

Against all this it cannot justly be claimed that this was true in Old Testament times, but is not applicable in the gospel age; that in the darkness of past ages it was necessary that the Lord should constantly remind them of their duties, their failures, and their danger, by the hand of seers and prophets, but in the light of the gospel dispensation it is not necessary. For the declension of piety hardly ever was greater among the Jews than it has been among professed Christians. For centuries the gospel was almost hid from the face of the earth. Since the Reformation there has been less “unity of faith” with the followers of Christ than among the people of God in any other age of the world; and in no other age have the gifts of the Spirit been so generally repudiated, which were given to perfect union of faith among Christians. So greatly does this diversity prevail that unbelievers are bewildered, and they think the gospel has no power to unite believers in faith and spirit. The world is led to conclude that the prayer of the Saviour for the union of his followers, such union as exists between the Father and the Son, and the exhortation of the apostle to be perfectly united in mind and judgment, and to speak the same thing with one accord, are impossible of accomplishment. The gospel is derided as an impracticable theory, not suited to the present condition of mankind. And all because Christians reject or neglect the means whereby God designed that this “unity of faith,” of heart and mind and judgment should be accomplished. Spiritual pride takes the place of meekness and self-denial; worldliness is substituted for cross-bearing; “science falsely so called,” is expected to do more for the church than the interposition of divine providence; and direct answers to prayer are neither sought for nor expected.

If it was designed that there should be more manifestations of the Spirit’s power in the former dispensation than in the present; if it was God’s plan to light up the darkness of that age by the gifts of his Spirit, and to withdraw them from his people in this, in what sense, and with what propriety, is this called “the dispensation of the Spirit” in contrast with that? Both promises and facts show that the glory of this age was to consist in the outpouring of the Spirit “on all flesh,” that is, on all the church, “even as many as the Lord our God shall call;” while this heavenly illumination was confined to a few in the ages past. Alas for the day when the Holy Spirit is grieved, restrained, and rejected; when human wisdom exalts itself in the churches above the light and power of the Spirit of God.

We say that both the promises and the facts are in favor of the idea that God intended to bestow the largest measure of his Spirit in this age. The promise was that that which was shed on the apostles on the day of Pentecost was to be poured out on all flesh, or on all the called of God. The facts on this subject are two-fold: 1. The Spirit was poured out and its gifts were distributed in all the churches where the gospel in its purity and power was accepted; 2. The evidence stands on record that the Spirit and the law of God stand together in this dispensation as they did in the past, and in that connection the gifts of the Spirit are recognized even unto the end of the world.

“Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14:12.

Examining the context we find that this declaration, which is located in time by the

adverb here, is made after the proclamation is made, “The hour of his Judgment is come,” and just before the Son of man appears on the white cloud to reap the harvest of the earth. This proves that the text applies near to the end of time—near the close of the dispensation.

The faith of Jesus is united with the commandments of God—not substituted for them. The faith of Jesus is a comprehensive phrase, and must include the whole gospel system in its duties and promises. For there can be no duty nor benefit in the gospel which is not embraced in “the faith of Jesus.” And therefore “the commandments of God,” in distinction from the faith of Jesus, must refer to God’s moral law, which is the basis of the gospel, and without which the gospel would be a nullity. “By the law is the knowledge of sin,” and the gospel is the remedy.

In point of time the following text is parallel with the one quoted; Rev. 14:12; and it is explicit in its testimony on the connection of the law of God with the gifts of the Spirit.

“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Rev. 12:17.

As “the remnant” of the seed of the woman—the church—can be no other than the last part, or the last age of the church, this text must also be fulfilled near the close of the dispensation.

The circumstances of the people of God are the same in the two texts. In Rev. 13:11–17, they are revealed under persecutions because they will not worship the beast, nor his image, nor receive his mark. In chapter 14:9–12, they who do thus worship the beast are threatened with terrible plagues. They who do not worship the beast—who escape the plagues—are found keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Of them it is said, “Here is the patience of the saints.” Now as “tribulation worketh patience,” Rom. 5:1–3, we have in this text reference to the persecutions of chapter 13:11–17, or the war which is made against the remnant of chapter 12:17, who “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

We give again the explanation of the position of “the remnant” as found in the following text:—

“I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus; worship God; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Rev. 19:10.

According to the Scriptures, the remnant of the seed of the woman—the last state or last part of the church of Christ—keep the commandments of God, and have the spirit of prophecy; that is, the gifts of the Spirit are restored to them before the Lord Jesus comes to reap the harvest and gather his saints to himself. And this is confirmed by the words of Paul to those who are looking for this second coming of the Lord, as follows:—

“Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you; so that ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 1:6, 7.

Here we may safely rest the argument that in the last days of this dispensation, when the true church is waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the testimony of Jesus—the spirit of prophecy—will be confirmed in the believers, so that they shall possess its gifts and powers. But there is more evidence in the Scriptures to be presented on this subject, equally decisive with that which is here offered.

The evidence on the relation of the law of God and the gifts of the Spirit we have given only in part. It deserves further examination.

SIGNS OF THE ADVENT.

By J. E. Green

Yes; we know the Saviour’s coming ; For his glorious signs we see All above and all around us, As foretold in prophecy. Daniel’s image has arisen To a man’s proportion meet, And the stone cut from a mountain Soon shall smite it on its feet.

Babylon has long since faded ; Persia, too, has had its day ; Grecia to the winds is given ; Rome is passing fast away; For the ten toes of the image Now are seen so very clear, That it seems no one can longer Doubt that Christ will soon appear.

Chariots like the lightnings running Raging in the streets are seen— Jostling one against another— They like flaming torches seem. Daniel told us, too, that many Running to and fro should be; Knowledge should be on the increase, As we now so plainly see.

Harnessed lightnings flashing swiftly, O’er the land and through the sea, Tell the nations of convulsions Nature bears in agony. These are signs that Jesus gave us, Showing when he draweth nigh— Signs on earth, and signs within it, Signs above us in the sky.

Then the last, the solemn message, Going with great power is heard, “Worship not the beast or image,” Is the solemn, warning word. Let us heed the timely warning, Let us make the Lord our trust, That the resurrection morning May behold us with the just.

J. E. GREEN.

The Earthly and the Heavenly Wisdom.

By John G. Matteson

Wisdom was from the beginning a gift of God, but it has been greatly perverted in this evil world where wisdom and goodness do not always keep company. Two kinds of wisdom are presented to us by the apostle James in the third chapter of his epistle. One is earthly, the other is from above. He asks: “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you?” Many would answer, I am one. Most people desire to be looked upon as persons of considerable understanding. But let us not be hasty to answer. “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.” Verse 13. By a good conversation, or conduct, is the proper way to answer this question. And faith must be active, producing good works. And these works must not be performed with blind zeal, regardless of offending or injuring others, but with meekness of wisdom. They must be performed in love, at the proper time and place.

“But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.” Verse 14. Many embrace something which they call truth. Others receive the truth of God, but still have bitter envying and strife in their hearts. They work hard to spread the truth and win others to their own theory, and some flatter themselves that they do considerable toward advancing the work of grace. But mark closely the words of the apostle. If there is still envy and strife in your heart, producing bitter words to those whom you should assist and love, and harsh actions toward them, you do not advance the cause of truth. With all your zeal, void of love and heavenly wisdom, you do only lie against the truth. You injure the cause which you profess to love. We cannot serve both God and mammon. We cannot advance the cause of truth, and at the same time lie against it. Let us strive to get away from this delusion. Let us not glory or praise ourselves while envying and strife or other sins rule in our hearts. But when we watch and pray and crucify the flesh and by the grace of God overcome the bitter envying of our hearts, then we can glory in the Lord who is strong in the weak. Then we can help some toward advancing the cause of truth; for then the Lord can bless our labors.

“This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” Verses 15, 16. A disposition to envy and strife is a terrible evil; for it produces confusion and every evil work. Yet it is a kind of wisdom which makes people justify themselves and cover up their own sins. But it is not the heavenly wisdom. It possesses no heavenly qualities. It is only earthly, sensual, and devilish. This wisdom is called devilish, because it was introduced into this world by Satan; earthly, because it exists only upon the earth; and sensual, because it agrees with the carnal mind.

Its origin is clearly seen in the fall of man. The serpent addressed the woman with a question: “Yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” The serpent was Satan’s medium. He did not make any assertion at all to start with. He did not say whether God had or had not said anything. He only sought for a private interview with the woman, and did not show his worst side first, but tried to arouse her curiosity and stir up unbelief. She no doubt made a mistake in straying away from the side of her husband, and her wrong increased when she ventured to linger alone near the tree, which stood in the only place where the tempter was permitted to address her. Neither was it safe for her to presume on her own ability and strength, as she did in thus undertaking to converse alone with a stranger. And it was still worse to linger in the company of one whose first words led her to disbelieve her kind Heavenly Father who had surrounded her with every earthly blessing. The Lord had said that a man “shall cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh.” Matt. 19: 5. But Eve depended in that fatal moment upon her own ability, and, persuaded by a stranger, she rashly committed an act of transgression without first seeking the counsel or consent of her husband. In this she departed from that perfect union which God would establish between a man and his wife. This was the first cause of the fall.

When the woman had listened to the infidel question of Satan and ventured to make a reply, Satan showed himself more boldly. He contradicted the word of God openly, and presented a naked lie in its place. “Ye shall not surely die.” To this he added a flattering promise of new and greater wisdom. This drew the attention of the woman to the forbidden tree, and her eyes were fastened upon it. “The woman saw that the tree was good for food.” And as she continued to look upon the forbidden object, it became more beautiful and attractive to her. The tree “was pleasant to the eyes.” Then a strong desire for that which God had forbidden was formed in her heart. She saw that it was “a tree to be desired to make one wise.” Soon the evil deed followed. Lust conceived, and brought forth sin. “She took of the fruit thereof, and did eat.” And sin did not cease here. When Eve had sinned she became herself a tempter. She tried to lead Adam into the way of transgression. She “gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” Thus has the Lord by his servant Moses presented the origin and nature of sin plainly before us.

During six thousand years sin has been the same in the world. First the enemy leads the person to doubt the plainly revealed word of God. If he succeeds in this, he goes further, and teaches the opposite of the truth. If we then throw away the word of God, we have lost the sword of the Spirit. Then sin can easily draw our attention, and looks more and more inviting to us. The desire awakened conceives, and brings forth sin, and we walk in the road of death. For just as certainly as lust or desire brings forth sin, if it is not checked, so certainly sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.

This whole plan of sin is laid with devilish wisdom. It does not lead men at once to commit great sins; from these they would turn away in disgust; but it commences with unbelief, and steals upon the soul by degrees, often as unobserved, quietly, and cunningly, as a poisonous serpent, until the poor victim is caught in the net of death and bound with the eternal chains of hell.

There is but One who can save us from this snare of the devil—the only begotten Son of God. And when he saves us he begins with the beginning. He does not save us from death first, but he forgives our past sins, and leads us away from the company of the tempter and from listening to his evil propositions. Then he confirms us in faith, so that we believe the plain declarations of the word of God. He teaches us to watch and pray, so that we shut our eyes from seeing evil. Isa. 33: 15. He teaches us to crucify the lusts of the flesh, that lust may not continue to conceive; and he teaches us also to do his Heavenly Father’s will (Matt. 7: 21), and to observe all things whatsoever he has commanded us. Matt. 28: 20.

This is the plan laid by heavenly wisdom. It is the order of saving grace, and he who experiences this salvation in his day of grace shall also experience salvation from death in the day of the Lord, “when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality.” Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, “He will swallow up death in victory.” Isa. 25: 8. But he that will be victorious there must be victorious here. He that desires to enter through the heavenly portals must walk in the road that leads to the city of our God. He must learn to believe and obey the truth of God. The first Adam brought death and destruction upon the race by unbelief and disobedience. The second Adam elevates the race through faith and obedience.

That peace and joy which accompanies a good conscience was lost by the fall. The devilish wisdom, which now also became earthly, spread more and more. Instead of confessing their sins, our first parents tried to conceal them. They learned to excuse themselves and throw the blame upon others. When the Lord spoke to Adam, he said: “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” As though he would say: I am not the one to speak about this matter. I am not so much to blame. It is the woman who is the cause of it. And remember you are the one that gave me such a woman. “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me.” He spoke as though the Lord ought to be blamed.

In all this the devilish wisdom appears strongly. And it was also a sensual wisdom—very pleasant to the carnal mind. It is sweet in the beginning, but terribly bitter in the end. It looked for awhile as though Adam had succeeded in turning away the Lord by his cunning excuses. The Lord spoke to the woman: “What is this that thou hast done?” The woman also excused herself, and threw the blame upon another. “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” Then follows the curse, pronounced first on the serpent, then on the woman, and at last also upon Adam. Their excuses did not help them.

It is remarkable how deeply this devilish wisdom has settled into the human family, and how early it is manifested in children. Excuses seem to be as natural to them when they have done wrong as to breathe. They need no teacher in this science. The disposition to make excuses cleaves to the race like leprosy. It belongs to the nature of sin. The way of grace and salvation is the very opposite. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1: 9. The unjust steward said: “I can not dig; to beg I am ashamed.” Luke. 16: 3. Earthly wisdom showed him an easier way. But we must learn to dig—to obtain a thorough knowledge of our own spiritual poverty. And we must not be ashamed to come to the Lord as poor beggars, blind and naked. We may come as we are. This is heavenly wisdom. It is acceptable to the Lord. “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Ps. 34: 18.

“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” Verse 17. The heavenly wisdom is first pure (hagnē). This means pure, chaste, virtuous, innocent. It is translated chaste in Titus 2: 5; 1 Pet. 3: 2. Fornication and uncleanness are not found in this wisdom. It leads us to preserve a conscience always void of offense.

In the next place the wisdom from above is peaceable (eirēnikē). Eirēnikos is that which leads to peace and union. It is also translated peaceable in Heb. 12: 11. The chastening of the Lord “yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” The blessing of God rests upon those who are peaceable. “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.” Matt. 5: 9. When we make room for envy and strife, we do not walk in the paths of heavenly wisdom. The spirit of bitterness rules us, and we have no fellowship with the Lord, but with the devil. But the fruit of peace is a blessed fruit. It grows on those beautiful trees, humility and love.

The true wisdom is also gentle (epieikēs). The definitions of this word are, yielding, meek, gentle, patient. It is translated moderation in Phil. 4: 5; meekness in Titus 3: 2; patient in 1 Tim. 3: 3; and gentle in 1 Pet. 2: 18. It is easy to get along with a person who possesses this characteristic. He would rather himself suffer loss and shame than bring them upon others. He does not ask so much of others, but is very strict in the performance of his own duties. This quality we do not possess by nature, but we can obtain it of the Lord; for he is willing to give it to all who will accept of it. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” James 1: 5.

In the fourth place the heavenly wisdom is easy to be entreated. It will not fight fiercely for its own opinion, although it never departs from the word of God, and willingly suffers loss of property, and even life, for the sake of the truth. It will be all things to all men, and avoid offending Jews as well as Greeks as far as this can be done without transgressing the law of God or grieving his Holy Spirit. At the same time this blessed wisdom is full of mercy and good fruits. It has pity on the poor and sympathizes with the afflicted. It clothes the naked and gives food to the hungry. It brings the glad tidings of the kingdom of God to those who sit in darkness and in the valley of the shadow of death. And it does not perform this good work only once in awhile, but it is full of mercy, and good works. Oh, how greatly we are in need of such a fullness from the Lord! And this we can obtain by hearkening to the voice of the Faithful Witness. Rev. 3: 18, 19.

Finally, the heavenly wisdom is without partiality and without hypocrisy. It is no respecter of persons. Peter testifies of the Lord: “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” Acts 10: 34, 35. Thus the heavenly wisdom is also deeply interested in all that fear the Lord, of whatever nation they may be, or in whatever position they may be placed. And there is no hypocrisy in its love. It is honest and upright, humble and meek. Where it is imparted, the strength of God can be seen in the weak. Then the Lord can do great things with humble instruments, and fill the frail vessels with heavenly grace. Then the beautiful image of Jesus—his lovely mind—can shine forth with heavenly luster in his weak members upon earth.

“And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” Verse 18. The incorruptible seed of the word must be sown in order to produce the fruit of righteousness. This work cannot be performed amid envy and strife. It can only be sown in peace. He that brings the message of peace must be a child of peace. And the hearts that desire to receive the seed of truth must be quiet before the Lord. Our King is the Prince of Peace. His kingdom is the blessed kingdom of peace, and his gospel the joyful message of peace. Then let us be peacemakers. This is heavenly wisdom. “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Heb. 12: 14.

JOHN G. MATTESON.

How to be Nobody.

Young man, it is easy to be nobody. Go to the drinking saloon to spend your leisure. You need not drink much now—just a little beer, or some other drink. In the meantime, play checkers, dominoes, or something else, to consume time, that you may be sure not to read any useful book; or if you do read, let it be the “dime novels” of the day. Thus go on, keeping your stomach full, head empty, and yourself playing time-killing games, and in a few years you will be nobody, unless you should turn out to be a drunkard or a professional gambler, either of which is worse than being nobody.

Working All Day for God

Oh! how sweet to work all day for God, and then lie down at night beneath his smile

Continue reading: Christ's Third Temptation