Please explain the following: "And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a robe. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams; therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known to me what I shall do. And Samuel said, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing Jehovah is departed from thee, and is become thine adversary?" 1 Sam. 28:14-16. Was it the witch herself that appeared?
1. It was the familiar spirit that appeared, covered with the mantle. Satan has ever been the deceiver, ever aiming to appear as an angel of light. Note that Saul did not see this apparition, it was only the woman herself who saw it, and Saul supposed it to be Samuel from her description. Of course her familiar spirit knew how Samuel looked before he died, and it assumed that form. She described Samuel, and Saul supposed that the record was true, and the record goes on on that supposition.
2. The evil spirit, in order to carry out the rôle he had assumed, asked Saul why he had disquieted him to "call me up." The erroneous idea in ancient times was that the spirits were under ground somewhere and had to be brought up; now it is taught that they are above, and the familiar spirits would be asking, "Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me down?" That this was not Samuel that was brought up is evident from these reasons: (1) Samuel was buried at Ramah, but this meeting took place at Endor. (2) God had refused to answer Saul by Urim and Thummim or by prophets, and it is unreasonable even to suppose that the Lord would use one who had a familiar spirit, whom He had consigned to death, to reply to the king, when He would not do it through His own appointed means. (3) One of the very reasons why Saul was slain was because he sought after familiar spirits and inquired thereby. 1 Chron. 10:13. See the tract "The Witch of Endor" for further consideration.
Will you please explain by the Bible how we find out or prove that the seven weeks of Dan. 9:25 was 49 years and say that it took that long to restore and rebuild Jerusalem.
One of the very best translations of Dan. 9:25 is by Houbigant, and reads as follows: "Know therefore, and understand from the edict which shall be promulgated to restore and build Jerusalem there shall be seven weeks; then it shall be rebuilt with anxiety in difficult times. Thence to the Prince Messiah there shall be sixty-two weeks." This makes it very7clear, and apart from this it has been the general understanding of commentators that the seven weeks refers to the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The fulfilment of this is told in Prideaux's "Connexion of the Old and New Testament." See also "The Sanctuary and the Twenty-three Hundred Days," by Uriah Smith. We have not space to explain it here.
1773.—Who has the Spirit?
Has not every believer the Holy Spirit within his heart in some degree, even tho he may not be filled, or baptized, with the Spirit?
Yes, every true believer has. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." Rom. 8:9. Whosoever is born of the Spirit has the Spirit of Christ. John 3:3-5. And by that Spirit some gift is bestowed, which the soul that receives may use to God's glory. We shall have some articles on this subject before long.
No, it begins in this life, in this age. Whenever men turn to the Lord with all their heart, they receive the new heart, and the new spirit is given to them that walk in God's statutes and keep His ordinances. When that work is complete in the last generation, then God will take His children home. Rev. 21:3, 4 refers to the new earth.
In what time or period in this world's history would Eze. 18:31, 32 have its application?
It would apply at any time when there were men that needed forgiveness and regeneration. It was true then; it is true now. God has ever been calling to the sinner, "Cast away from you your transgression wherein ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart and a new spirit; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? for I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord Jehovah; wherefore turn yourselves and live."
UNITY BEFORE TRUTH.
Will This Conception of History Be Repeated?
IF we are to judge from the utterances of William Hayes Ward, D.D., LL.D., one of the chief promoters of church unity and federation, and one of the principal figures in the late Inter-Church Conference for Federation, in New York, everything else must give way to unity, even to the annulling of God's law. Is this too strong a conclusion? Let us see.
Mr. Ward had an article on the subject ("A Federal Congress of Churches") in the Independent, Nov. 16, 1905. After saying that the conference represents 18,000,000 people, he declares that "it is the first attempt ever made to unite these churches officially in a single body;" and that "this is an attempt to bring the church partially back to its condition of unity in the time of the apostles." Then referring to the threatened schism in the early church, healed at the council in Jerusalem (Acts 15), he states:
But still more, the principle accepted and announced [at that council] was not uniformity, but liberty. The liberty then allowed was something amazing. It seemed to overthrow, and it did annul, the most sacred code of Sinai. We can hardly conceive anything more revolutionary. But such was the necessity of unity, and such the force of the spiritual element as the root of Christianity, that even this amazing concession was inscribed on the banner of religious liberty.
Now we know from God's Word that nothing of that kind was done. There were certain ceremonial differences between the Jewish Christians and the Gentile converts. The Jews saw that one thing to which they held—outward circumcision—was not essential, so proved evidently then by Paul, as afterward in Rom. 4:9-16, and therefore it was yielded; and on the other hand, it was clearly seen that some of the customs of the Christians from the Gentiles directly bore upon the moral requirements of the Decalogue, and it was conceded that such as did so bear, summed up in four "necessary things," should be prohibited. But nowhere did any action for unity "annul the most sacred code of Sinai," the Decalogue. Hear Paul to the Gentiles: "Do we then make void [annul] the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law." Rom. 3:31.
But it is Dr. Ward's conception, and doubtless the conception of many others, that unity is more important ("first pure, then peaceable," James 3:17) than purity of doctrine or the truth of God's everlasting law, and therefore for the sake of unity the law, if in the way, will be annulled, crucified afresh, even as often as its Giver. Will the Federation act above this conception of its promoters?
But, on such ground, what bodies could not unite? And on that basis, what should hinder the union of the forces of light and darkness, of heaven and hell? Even so the church has united with the world. Jesus prayed for oneness in the beautiful prayer to which Dr. Ward alludes, but He prayed that His disciples might be one as He and the Father were one. He also prayed, in order that this union might be effectual, "Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth." John 17:17.
ROME HAS VIOLATED HER AGREEMENT AND SEEKS FURTHER CONCESSIONS.
By John D. Bradley
ALL is not perfect harmony between the United States Government and the Roman Catholic Church, in their rather intimate relation in the matter of the affairs of that church in the Philippines, and the church is not content with the recognition and concessions which have already been accorded her by the government. And of course this was to have been expected. A despatch from Rome, under date of October 29, reported that the Vatican authorities had just received reports from the Philippines "dealing especially with the recent visit of Secretary of War Taft, and his attitude toward Catholic interests in the islands."
According to these reports, when Secretary Taft was in the Philippines on his recent visit, "Mgr. Ambrose Agius, the papal delegate, called a meeting of bishops to discuss these interests with the secretary," and at that meeting Secretary Taft "complained particularly that the money which had already been paid for the friars' lands had been taken out of the islands, and recalled the fact that Pope Leo and Cardinal Rampolla had promised him, during his visit to Rome in 1902, that the money for the lands would go to the benefit of the church in the Philippines, and not to the religious orders."
In their turn, "the bishops complained of the delay in allowing them to retake their property," and "complained that after asking one member of the Philippine Commission to specially devote himself to the protection of Catholic interests, it had not been done," "even by Judge James F. Smith, altho a Catholic." Further, "the bishops urged the payment by the Washington government of what was due to the Catholics for the occupation of church properties by American troops during the war, and finally set forth the need of financial assistance from the state for parochial schools."
In reply, Secretary Taft said that "the property and rights of the church must be observed and protected by the government," but that "those rights, when in dispute, unless settled by agreement, must be determined by the courts of justice." He "advised the Catholics to go to the Supreme Court for the purpose of regaining the property which they claim from Archbishop Aglipay, head of the Independent Filipino Catholic Church." But while he "showed an intention to totally or partially satisfy the other requests, Secretary Taft declared that it was impossible to comply with the last one, which was against the spirit of the separation of church and state, a fundamental principle of the United States Constitution."
The reports to the Vatican from its Philippine representatives "expressed the hope that there will be a change in the situation, and the question of justice to the schools be settled." The parochial schools are attended by the majority of the children in the islands, say the reports on this matter, and "their continuance will mean economy for the state, which will thus require fewer government schools."
It remains to be seen whether the government, to please Rome, which has already given the government an example of her duplicity and untrustworthiness by violating her agreement to keep the money for the friars' lands in the Philippines, will further depart from the spirit of the principle of separation of church and state in its dealings with the church respecting Roman Catholic "interests" in the Philippines. It is certain that it will be no fault of Rome's if it does not. And as to such a thing being against a fundamental principle of the United States Constitution, Rome is not likely to forget, nor to let the government forget, that the United States Constitution is not the constitution of the Philippines, according to the government's own determination.
JOHN D. BRADLEY.
Takoma Park, Washington, D. C.
"LOOKING BACKWARD."
By G.
FROM a report, by Brother H. W. Reed, of the annual meeting of the Wisconsin Federation of Churches and Christian Workers, and the annual meeting of the Wisconsin Sunday Rest-day Association, we take these words of Secretary J. B. Davidson:
We are going before the officials and showing them the fines and imprisonments which will be imposed upon them if they do not enforce the laws. And we are trying to get men in office who will enforce the laws. . . . It is the work of every association which has to do with good morals, and it is the work of the Christian church.
On this basis the Gospel commission ought to read something like this: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations," etc.; and of the disciples form societies that will show the officials their duty in the matter of enforcing the laws. Also, endeavor to get men in office who will enforce the laws." In principle, this is about the way it came to be interpreted after the "mystery of iniquity" had developed into the Papacy. All that the Papacy did in the darkest of the Dark Ages was to get the state to enact such laws as would further the interests of the church, and then go to the officials and press upon them their duty to enforce the laws. This was deemed to be "the work of the Christian church," and "the church" carried it out to the letter, and with a vengeance.
A further expression on this point in the secretary's report is as follows:
Of course I do not mean to say that the Christian church is going to prosecute.
Certainly not. Neither did "the church" prosecute during the Dark Ages. She just dictated to the state what laws she wanted, and then told the officials that they must do the prosecuting, impressing upon them the nature of the penalty for failure to do their duty.
Yet another admission as to the purpose of this Wisconsin Federation and Rest-day Association. The secretary says:
These are the kind of things we are after, because it saves the people.
Of course that is the purpose; and that was the purpose of the Papacy in pursuing a like principle. The Inquisition, the rack, the thumbscrew, and the dungeon were all designed to save the people. It was all on the theory that it was better that the body be punished under state law in order that the soul might be saved. When the principles that led up to such bloody results in former times were first enunciated, they sounded just as innocent, just as plausible, as they do when declared by a Wisconsin federation of churches. This whole movement is a looking backward to Rome.
THE KIND OF WORLD WE LIVE IN.
By G.
THE vicissitudes to which we are all more or less subject are illustrated in the record of one day in just one daily newspaper. A San Francisco morning issue not long ago noted the following occurrences:
Anti-Jewish rioting in Kishinef, Russia, resulting in pillage, arson, and many persons killed.
Five hundred Russian prisoners, returning from Japan to Vladivostok, became so inclined to mutiny that Japanese authorities were obliged to furnish guards. Admiral Rojestvensky was on board.
Reports from riots at Odessa place the number of dead at 8,000, with 12,000 wounded.
Recent riots at Vladivostok resulted in $25,000,000 damage to property, and 400 troops of the garrison were killed, and the jail thrown open.
Korean emperor refuses to sign Japan's demands for a Japanese administrator, and orders assassination of ministers who voted for the measure.
A steamship founders in the English Channel, and one hundred and twenty people perish.
A young man trying to steal a ride on cars from Oakland, Cal., resisted officers who tried to arrest him at San Pablo, and was killed.
Two men were completely consumed in a mass of molten iron at Philadelphia, and the whole forty-ton mass was buried with solemn funeral rites. The workmen refused to re-work the metal in which the remains of their former comrades were supposed to be mingled.
A fire in Connelsville, Pa., destroys $4,000,000 worth of property. Fortunately a large part of the loss was whisky.
A football player was reported dying at Lincoln, Neb.
A man was held up and robbed in Seattle, Wash., in broad daylight, in presence of several witnesses. The robber escaped.
The loss of a sealing vessel, with twenty-eight men, was reported from Victoria, B. C.
A woman in San Francisco was crazed by the cruelty of a drunken husband. Another woman commits suicide because of the loss of her voice.
A woman in Tacoma, Wash., has gone insane over the care of her six children.
Inmates of a penitentiary are robbed of valuables entrusted to the authorities of the prison.
A man is found dead in San Francisco, with his skull fractured.
Birmingham, Ala., suffers loss of $150,000 by fire. A boy in Oakland, Cal., walking in company with others, received a bullet wound in the shoulder, and no one could tell whence the shot was fired.
These items, showing the usual run of news do not include the usual police court events, the election fraud comments, the daily items of financial corruption, nor the reports of social immoralities. And when we reflect that the half never is told, and are reminded of the daily death-roll that comes as a matter of course, from the innumerable incidental causes, to say nothing of the untold suffering of the human family by disease and by "man's inhumanity to man," we can form some idea of the kind of world we live in.
Is there no better prospect for the race? Did the Creator design that this should be all of the existence of intelligent creatures capable of higher enjoyment and higher usefulness? His Word says there is something better in store for those who love His law and accept His atonement. Wherefore, "we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." It is this "Gospel of the kingdom" which we are set to proclaim. G.
The Way of the World
The Way of the World.—A press despatch says: "A British Columbia miner has been fined $250 by a judge for working more than eight hours a day. Because he worked half an hour longer than the law allows, P. Zanani, a miner employed in the collieries of James Dunsmuir at Cumberland, B. C., has been found guilty by Judge Abrams of violating the eight-hour law, and fined $250." A man can not follow an honest employment more than eight hours a day, but the saloon man can work at his calling twice that long—and more. A productive or constructive tradesman is limited to eight hours, under penalty of fine or imprisonment, while the destroyer is allowed a double privilege. Such is the "wisdom of this world," which is "foolishness with God."
Pius X. a Diplomat
Pius X. a Diplomat.—Henri de Noussane, in an article on the Pope, reprinted in the Catholic Mirror of December 16, says:
He is a prudent, a deliberate, a gentle man; but he knows what he is about. He governs as naturally as he learned. He foresees, he prepares, he utilizes. To tell the whole truth, he engages in ten times as much politics as Leo XIII. did; but he does not set up for a diplomat. He governs as naturally as he breathes.
Catholic Growth in the United States
The growth of Catholicism in the United States is indicated in the official directory of the church. From this source it is shown that the total Catholic population of the United States is 12,651,944, an increase of 189,151 over the previous year. The total number of Catholic priests, including secular and regulars, is 14,484, an increase of 627. The total number of Catholic churches is 11,814, an increase of 427 over the previous year. An increase of nearly 35,000 in the number of children attending Catholic schools is also shown.
Persecution of Jews in Russia
The Jews throughout the world are most effectually stirred by the terrible persecutions of their people in Russia. At a mass meeting in New York, Mr. Oscar Straus, himself a Jew and the former American Minister to Turkey, said: "It is the greatest calamity which has befallen Israel since the destruction of Jerusalem under Titus. So far as I am familiar with the history of the Jewish race, the present catastrophe is greater than was suffered in Spain and Portugal, or even in the Middle Ages, at the period of the Crusades. Never before were so many Jews wounded and rendered homeless as now."
TRUSTING CHRIST.
By Ellen G. White
THE Saviour knows that in humanity we shall find no solace for our wo, and He pities us because we are so needy, and yet so unwilling to make Him our confidant, our burden-bearer. Of the poor, fainting soul, tired of looking to humanity only to be betrayed and forgotten, Christ says, "Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me."
Do not take your sorrows and difficulties to man. Present yourself to Him who is able to do "exceeding abundantly." He knows just how to help you. Do not turn from the loving, compassionate Redeemer to human friends, who, tho they may give you the best they have, may lead you into wrong paths. Take all your troubles to Jesus. He will receive and strengthen and comfort you. He is the great Healer of all maladies. His great heart of infinite love yearns over you. He sends you the message that you may recover yourself from the snare of the enemy. You may regain your self-respect. You may stand where you regard yourself, not as a failure, but as a conqueror, in and through the uplifting influence of the Spirit of God.
There are many who live under such a pressure of worry that they taste but little of the sweetness of God's love. They do not know the meaning of the words, "That My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." Let us do our best, and then leave everything in the hands of the Lord, saying, I believe Thy promises. Wilt Thou not give evidence of Thy working? He will hear and answer.
"All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." These words are the pledge that all that an omnipotent Saviour can bestow will be given to those who trust in Him. As stewards of the grace of heaven, we are to ask in faith, and then wait trustingly for the salvation of God. We are not to step in before Him, trying in our own strength to bring about that which we desire. In His name we are to ask, and then we are to act as if we trusted His efficiency.
We Lose Many Blessings
by failing to bring our needs and cares and sorrows to our Saviour. He is the wonderful Counsellor. He looks upon His church with intense interest, and with a heart full of tender sympathy. He enters into the depth of our necessities. But our ways are not always His ways. He sees the result of every action, and He asks us to trust patiently in His wisdom, not in the supposedly-wise plans of our own making.
Lay all your plans at the feet of the Redeemer. And do not cease to pray. If the answer tarry, wait for it. Let your importunate prayers continue to ascend to God. If it be for His name's glory, the soothing words will be spoken, "Be it unto thee according to thy word."
We do not depend on God as we should. Let us leave unsaid every word of complaint. Talk faith and courage. Be afraid to doubt, lest this become a habit that will destroy faith. The dealings of Providence may seem dark and mysterious and unexplainable; nevertheless we are to trust in Him, saying, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." Whatever may be your circumstances, however dark and mysterious may seem the ways of Providence, tho your path may lead through deep waters, and trial and bereavement may afflict you again and again, the assurance is still yours, "All things work together for good to them that love God."
Do not let Satan accomplish his purpose to keep you in the chamber of darkness and shadow, where the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness do not penetrate. Dwelling in the darkness, your beliefs will be tinged with gloom and your hopes buried in the night. The Lord bids you look up, saying, O God, here I am; do unto me as seemeth good to Thee. Use me in Thy service. I will no longer make my life an affliction to myself and to others. I will not shun the cross, or refuse to take up the work that Thou hast bidden me do. I am Thine. I will no longer sit in sackcloth and ashes. I will come out of the darkened chamber of death into the upper room, which is filled with the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness.
"Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness." "Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord He is God; it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise; be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations." MRS. E. G. WHITE.
THE WILL OF GOD
By W. A. Sweany
BY W. A. SWEANY
God's Perfect Way.
"AS for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried; He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him." "It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect." Ps. 18:30, 32. "The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works." Ps. 145:7. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matt. 5:48. "As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:15, 16.
The life of God is His law for His creatures. The description, expression, or record of His life, with requirements and provisions for their reproduction in us, constitutes the positive form and portion of the written law. This is reinforced by the negative portion or form, which forbids every act not seen in the Pattern. Again, in all His dealings with all His creatures, in every phase and manifestation of His existence,
But there is much truth in the trite saying, "Love is blind." The heart of the little child overflows with love for its parents and friends, but it is not intelligent love; and so, until it learns to understand and know what they want it to do, what amusing, and oftentimes destructive efforts it puts forth in trying to give expression to its love. Now just as the love of the little child must be trained into right and restrained from wrong channels by the example and teaching of its parents, so must our love for God, "which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us," be trained and restrained by the example, precept, promise, prohibition, and command of our heavenly Father.
Genuine, intelligent love is revealed and manifested in conformity and obedience to the expressed will of its object. "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." "He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, He it is that loveth Me." "If a man love Me, he will keep My words." "If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love." "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments." John 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10; 1 John 5:3. Without faith (which comes by hearing His Word), it is impossible to please God. Heb. 11:6; Rom. 10:17.
God's Works and Dealings.
But thoughts, desires, wishes, and requirements may be revealed and expressed by actions as well as by words; indeed, actions often speak louder and plainer than words. So that which Jehovah desires us to do and be, may be discerned in the works of His hands and in9His dealings with His creatures. Order, system, promptness, punctuality, and endurance, as well as love, truth, faithfulness, kindness, mercy, and justice, may be thus discerned as plainly as in the written Word, which, as before shown, is but a statement or description of His works.
In the beginning the Creator walked and talked with man face to face, without a dimming veil between. No written rules were then necessary, as His oral instructions, illustrated by the ever-present Pattern and Example of His own perfect righteousness, left no room for doubt or uncertainty concerning the requirements of His will. Gen. 1:27-29; 2:8-10, 15-17. But "now we see Him not," for our iniquities have separated between us and our God, and our sins have caused Him to hide His face from us. Isa. 59:2. "Our God is a consuming fire"—to sin and sinners—dwelling in the light which no sinful, mortal man can approach, or even see, and live. Heb. 12:29; 1 Tim. 6:13-16; Ex. 33:20.
So the withdrawal of His visible presence was not prompted by anger or resentment, but was a loving, necessary precaution for man's preservation, until through the operation of the provisions of the plan of redemption, they may again "see His face," and dwell forevermore in the light and glory of His presence. Rev. 22:3, 4. And so it is that altho His visible presence, since the Fall, has necessarily been veiled by clouds and darkness (Ex. 19:9, 16; 20:21; Psa. 18:11; Deut. 4:10-13), by the smoke of the incense (Lev. 16:12, 13), and by "the veil of His flesh" in the person of the Son (Heb. 10:19, 20), He has continued, through the various gifts and manifestations of His Spirit, to make known the provisions and requirements of His will, illustrating it in His dealings with us, and in the manifold works of His hands.
Ignorance Inexcusable.
No reason, therefore, can ever be given for ignorance or transgression of God's law; only excuses are forthcoming when the transgressor is called to account. Gen. 3:1-13. But excuses are useless, and the inexorable sentence swiftly falls, the visitation of the wrath of God upon all unrighteousness. Gen. 3:14-19; Rom. 1:16-32. By His precept and practise, by His Word and works, His will is made known unto all, "for the obedience of faith;" and the power to perform it is promised and pledged to every one. Rom. 10:1-18; Col. 1:9-12; Eph. 1:15-23; Phil. 4:13. Since complete provision has been made, to save us from sin and keep us from sinning, no excuse remains for continuance therein; and those who do so, must reap the results. 1 John 2:1-6; 3:1-10; James 1:15.
It is not sufficiently understood and realized that "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness;" "and every transgression and disobedience, receives a just recompense of reward." Rom. 1:16-32; 2:1-16; Heb. 2:1-4. Throughout the long, dark, dismal, dreary, dreadful drama of disobedience and death, the penalty of transgression never has been, never can be, remitted in a single instance. In the eternal nature of things sin of every shade, grade, and degree must be, can only be, expiated in death. So fully is this true that it is impossible for Jehovah to rescue a single soul from the results of sin, save by
The Sacrifice of Himself.
And so, in the person of His Son, He came to this world and took upon Himself our nature, and bare all our sins, "in His own body on the tree," and on the tree suffered the full penalty thereof, thus making it possible for the repentant sinner to be forgiven and saved.
Sin would be expiated, the law vindicated, and its claims fully satisfied by the death of the sinner; but this would mean the utter extinction, the end of the existence, of the sinner. God loves His creatures, and wants all of them to live and not die; so He takes the sin; and suffers its penalty, thus making it possible for the penitent sinner to be released. In this way only can He "be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." Should Jehovah remit the penalty of one single sin, without full reparation and satisfaction being exacted, He would thereby admit, as truth, Satan's charge that His law is oppressive, and should not be enforced.
Moreover, since the law is holy, just, righteous, pure, true, and good, it would be wrong for God to unconditionally remit the penalty of its transgression. So the cross of Calvary constitutes the most convincing, conclusive, unanswerable, incontrovertible evidence of the righteousness, justice, and immutability of God's law. By Himself submitting to its claims, and suffering its penalty as our substitute, He proves the justice of its claims, and His love for sinners. Isaiah 53; 1 Peter 2:21-24; 3:18; Rom. 3:19-31; 5:6-10.
(To be continued.)
THE LORD IS OUR KING.
By Thoro Harris
(All rights reserved.)
THE Lord is our King,
Exulting we cry;
The Lord is our King,
He reigneth on high.
With all His creation
Unceasing we raise
Our hearts' adoration
In anthems of praise.
The Lord is our King,
Omnipotent One!
His praises we sing
Who great things hath done.
His blessing attends us
Wherever we go;
His power defends us
From peril and wo.
"The Lord is our King,"
The seraphim cry;
"The Lord is our King,"
We make glad reply.
While angels adore Him
Hosannas we sing;
We worship before Him,
Our Maker and King.
The Lord is our King;
Through Jesus His Son
Our trophies we bring
For all He hath done.
In sweetest evangel's.
We gratefully sing
With saints and with angels,
The Lord is our King.
THORO HARRIS.
THE CIVIL BASIS OF AN ANTI-POLYGAMY LAW.
By J. A. L. Derby
IN the outcry against Senator Smoot from Utah, and against the Mormon religion, which he represents, we have seen a good deal of bigotry and prejudice, but very little appeal to underlying principles or calm, convincing argument. Now two things are certain: first, if prejudice is the best argument against a man taking two wives, then the polygamist is right, and his critic wrong. We are bound to sympathize with the Mormon, aye, and protect him in his right to a multiplicity of wives; secondly, no civil law can be based on a religious principle; hence, if there is no civil basis of a law against polygamy, no such law ought to disgrace the statute books of a nation or state. Come now, let us be honest and stick to principle.
It matters not how good a Biblical reason can be urged to show the immorality and unchristian character of plural-wife doctrine; no moral or religious foundation can ever be advanced for a civil law. Scriptural evidence there is a plenty against this dire plague of Utah, this threat to civilization. But to admit the Bible as grounds for one civil law, means not only the return of the rack and faggot as legitimate means of dealing with heretics, but it is expressly contrary to the teachings of Holy Writ; for no less an authority than Jesus Christ Himself is on record as laying down the rule: "Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's, and unto God the things that are God's."
The purpose of this article is not to deal with the religious aspect of this question. What we wish here to inquire is, Is there a civil basis for a law against polygamy?
We are not aware how many people could give or have stated this basis, but there is a very obvious one. The only wonder is that on such an occasion as the present the opposers of Senator Smoot and his doctrine do not conduct their campaign on the evidently-reasonable footing afforded by this principle, and to be expected from those who demand a civil law. Passion is poor logic.
Let us briefly examine the civil basis of the law demanded.
Nothing is more certain than that the chief aim of civil government is protection of rights, especially natural rights. Whatever else has in practise been included, the principle just stated is the basilar one.
This being so, and once clearly stated, the polygamy problem becomes clear. The assumption by man of a natural right not granted to woman is a violation of the rights of woman. We are not now talking about such rights as that to vote, but merely of those rights which naturally belong to male and female alike. Certainly none of these is more obvious than the right to marry or not to marry. But now imagine the masculine portion of creation—or of the ascended or descended anthropoid apes, if such one prefers as his ancestry—saying to the feminine part, "I have a right to take two or a dozen of you to wife if I please; but you have a natural right to only one man."
The simple inquiry is, Where did my lord get this right which he is not willing to grant to my lady? If the master has a natural right to a dozen ladies, by the same token, the maid has a right to marry him and as many other persons as she wishes. Nature gives no evidence of a difference in this respect. There is just as much natural law for polyandry as for polygamy; but to give free rein to both is practically not different from free love; and civilized nations and uncivilized ones are pretty unanimous that free love would prove the utter destruction of society. J. A. L. DERBY.
OUR SHINING HOPE.
By C. M. Snow
WITH Christ my steadfastness, my trust, my hope,
I need not fear the darkness of the tomb,
Its clouds of gloom are parting even now;
And through its cold but shattered gates I see
The glorious promise of a life beyond.
Yea, we shall live again; His love has made
The shroud a chrysalis where folded lie
The mighty pinions of a living hope.
Tho earth consume, or one great furnace be,
Still are they safe, O Christ, who trust in Thee.
C. M. SNOW.
THE PULPIT AND PRAYER.
By Pierson
No PULPIT is effective when it is not closely connected with the closet—the secret chamber of prayer. The oratory is the armory and the observatory. Here the preacher has his visions of truth and puts on his panoply. When Ole Bull stopped practising one day, he saw the difference. Two days' neglect of his violin made it evident to his friends, and a week's to everybody. Nothing sooner reveals itself in a preacher than the neglect of prayer. Even familiarity with God can not counterfeit intimacy. There is the reverent boldness of love and fellowship, but the free fashion in which some men speak to God, or of Him, must grate upon His ear, for they offend the spiritually minded. A man who prays mightily will preach powerfully, altho he may have no genius and but little oratorical power. There is a nameless virtue that goes out from a man whom prayer charges with the current of God's life.—Pierson.