Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 26, 1894
God's Providence
God's Providence.—There is no more nourishing food for faith and hope than the study of God's special providences, or providings; that is, God's meeting some one or more of his creature's needs just when required, or thwarting the powers of evil when all seemed lost. Nothing more fully brings out God's tender love and faithful watchcare, which are ever over the children of men.
God's Name.—The Lord has implied all this goodness in his wonderful and ineffable name, Jehovah, the great I AM. It is a blank pledge, which faith may fill out with any or all of God's precious promises as necessity requires, and which a record of his dealings with the children of men shows will be honored at the Bank of Heaven. God has demonstrated this over and over again, "that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."
Jehovah-jireh.—Abraham, the "father of all them that believe," found God a present provider in what seemed to be the direst hour of his life. Under God's command he had risen early in the morning, awakened his beloved son, Isaac, the promised heir, the hope of his posterity, and started out on his three days' journey to offer that son as a burnt offering at the place pointed out by the One who gave the awful test. We may conceive somewhat of the feelings, the emotions, the anguish of that father during those three days, but to realize we must experience them. He reaches the place, builds the altar of rude stone, lays the wood, binds the son upon the altar, and raises the knife to take the life-blood of him who was only dear, when the command of the great Jehovah bids him to stay his hand. A sacrifice is indeed to be offered, but the substitute, the only-begotten Son of God, typified by the ram caught in the thicket, is at hand. "Jehovah-jireh," the Lord provides. It is a lesson for the ages.
"And Gave Them Provision."—A few years later Abraham's grandson loses the son of his old age, his best beloved. Joseph, whom he mourned as dead, is sold a slave into Egypt. A famine comes upon the land, and thousands doubtless die because of it. But down in Egypt is deliverance. But right on the eve of light and blessing Joseph's brother is held captive in Egypt also. Benjamin is demanded, and the old patriarch, in the bitterness of his soul, groans aloud, "Joseph is not, Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away; all these things are against me." Yet by these very things, which Satan and envious men meant for evil, God was working out deliverance and bounteous provision for the years of famine. The Lord did provide; and so he always will. He provideth for the raven his food; he causeth the grass to grow for the cattle; he careth for the sparrow. Will he not provide for all those who put their trust in him?
Clouds and Darkness are Round about Him.—God veils his glory when he meets with mortals. His greatest blessings often reverse the fleshly aspirations and ambitions of our hearts. The brightest glory hides in the thickest clouds. When the heaviest shadows and deepest gloom settle down upon us, God is often nearest. Just then is the time for faith to pierce the darkness and behold God watching over us with the tenderest solicitude. He will not, if we trust him, suffer the trial to be too great. He will bear the burden if we will roll it upon him. The thick cloud will be cleft before living faith. He suffers the cloud to come, because it is best for us. It is the shadow of the glorious blessing behind it if faith holds fast.
A Constant Giver.—But God always provides. He gives to all life and breath and all things. Sometimes his glory breaks through, the deliverance is startling, the preservation from disease and death wonderful, the calamity awful from which we are saved. We see and feel his presence then, and our heart believes for a little time. But saving faith, the faith which abides to the end, trusts God always, sees him in everything, knows him ever near, realizes his kind providence at every step. An anecdote of the Pascals well illustrates this. One evening the younger Pascal came in and said, "Father, I have had a most wonderful escape to-day; my horse stumbled and fell under me, and I escaped unhurt." "Son," said the father, "I have had a far more wonderful escape; I have ridden twenty miles, and my horse has not even so much as stumbled." The one saw God's seen providences; the other, his unseen. The one saw deliverance in the one moment of the day; the other, in every moment. God knoweth the way that we take. Our feet are held from slipping, the unseen dangers are turned aside, by his loving power. Let us remember him alway, "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever," and remembering let us commit our souls to him as unto a faithful Creator.
A SANITARY MEASURE.
By Editor
THE Supreme Court of Michigan in passing upon the constitutionality of the barbers' Sunday closing law, passed at the last session of the Michigan Legislature, delivers itself of the following bit of wisdom. We quote from the Michigan Christian Advocate of March 3:—
"The better reason for maintaining the power to prohibit citizens from engaging in secular pursuits on Sunday is the necessity of such regulation as a sanitary measure, as to those employments which are noiseless and harmless in themselves and conducted in a manner not calculated to offend those who, from religious scruples, observe Sunday as the Lord's day. This necessity appears to be the only valid source of legislative power, and this is based upon the fact that experience has demonstrated that one day's rest is requisite for the health of most individuals, and not all individuals possess the power to observe a day of rest of their own volition."
A sanitary measure. "Sanitary" means "pertaining to health or hygiene or the preservation of health; hygienic; healthy." (Century Dictionary.) It therefore follows that whatsoever is conducive or beneficial to the health of the people is sanitary. But does that make it a "valid source of legislation"? Because a certain amount of time spent in a certain way is necessary for the preservation of health, is it therefore a matter for legislation? To be deprived of the proper amount of sleep is injurious to health. Overeating is unhygienic. Certain kinds of food are injurious to health in any quantity; while too much of others is detrimental to health unless properly combined. The wearing of high-heeled shoes, of thin shoes, and of corsets are responsible for an untold amount of disease and misery and death, and many of fashion's dupes do not "possess the power" to observe hygienic laws "of their own volition." Idleness is unhealthful and unhygienic. Right habits of sitting and walking are requisite to health. And so we might go on. Should we therefore have laws regulating man's sleeping and waking hours, times of work and rest, food and diet, thin shoes, French heels, corsets, habits of sitting and walking? Why not? Every intelligent sanitarian knows that there is much greater loss of life and suffering entailed on the race because of the above-mentioned things than there is on account of all the Sunday labor of every character. But laws regulating man's waking and sleeping hours, his diet, the dress of the fairer sex,322would not be tolerated a day. Yet they are more consistent as sanitary measures, and much more demanded, because of the sadder and more extended consequences which follow, for it is yet to be demonstrated that the men who work Sunday are not as healthy as those who observe the day. China is a good example of this. With all the ignorance of hygiene and sanitary measures, the people will compare favorably healthwise with those of other countries.
"This only valid source of legislative power" is absurd, and far-fetched, and unworthy of any court of justice. In fact, it is a miserable, transparent subterfuge to make it appear that the law is not religious and does not have a religious basis. But the disguise is too thin. The very exemption clause of the law proves its religious character. Sunday laws are always religious in character, from the pagan decree of Constantine in 321 to the present time. All other claims are evasions, whether designedly so or not. The whole thing is based on religion, but not the religion of the Bible. The Bible neither knows the Sunday sabbath nor the right of civil government to interfere in behalf of any Sabbath. Such laws are unsanitary, unequal, unscriptural, unchristian.
ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND HISTORY.
By Editor
A PRETTY big breeze has been stirred up in San Francisco over the use of Myers' Ancient History in the public schools. It was adopted by the school board, but some of the Roman Catholics, and friends of that sect, offered some serious objections because it stated some things which were considered adverse to Roman Catholicism. The agent of the publishers, Mr. Tappan, endeavored to answer these charges, and stated that "it is generally regarded as a non-partisan, fair-minded, and interesting account of the times treated." Among the charges which Archbishop Riordan brings against the work are the following, which we quote from the full report given by the Examiner March 15:—
First—The history makes the statement that "the religion which Rome gave to her conquerors was quite different from that taught by Christ and his apostles."—Page 7.
Another sentence from the history is: "Viewed as to its first essential (i.e., as a protest against the formalism and abuses of the Roman Catholic Church) it [Protestantism] was a renaissance of primitive Christianity."—Page 364.
Second—"The Paganizing of Christianity" is the title of a paragraph on page 42. The Christians of the empire are said to have mingled pagan notions and rites with Christianity. To say this is, in the opinion of a Catholic, the same as to say Jesus Christ lied. Catholics believe that the doctrine of the church has not been corrupted and cannot be corrupted, and to say that it has been is Protestant teaching.
Third and fourth—The history is accused of stating that the church's dogmas are untrue, and that her belief is unreasonable. Mr. Tappan replies:—
Nothing whatever is said to imply that the present dogmas of the church are untrue. The dogmas referred to were some of those of the Middle Ages. . . .
In no place is anything said to indicate that the church's belief is now unreasonable.
To this Archbishop Riordan responds as follows:—
These answers are very unhappy, and betray an utter unacquaintance with the tenets of the Catholic Church. The church of to-day does not deny the dogmas of the Middle Ages. She is infallible. In the teaching of truth she has never made a mistake. Her belief now is the same as her belief a thousand years ago. She never held in one century what she had to disown in the next. This is the very A B C of Catholic doctrine. Protestants naturally deny this. They think that the church has been corrupted, and has taught corrupt doctrines, which she has been forced to disown. Catholics repel the accusation, and Mr. Myers, in stating the Protestant theory as a matter of fact, is in this, too, sectarian.
We have not space for more of Archbishop Riordan's remarks at present. The foregoing is insufficient for this time. We will have something further to say upon it next week. What we do wish to call attention to is that the statements here quoted from Myers' History are absolutely true. It would seem that he who knows anything about the New Testament and the religion of the fourth century, knows that they were vastly different, and in many points absolutely antagonistic. It is also known that many of "the rites and notions of paganism" were brought over into the Roman Catholic Church. Some of the very days now observed by that church and by some Protestants are of purely pagan origin.
It is absolutely impossible for a truthful historian to record the facts of the Middle Ages without being considered sectarian by the Roman Catholic Church; and if the stating of the true facts makes the writer a Protestant, and his history a sectarian Protestant history, all glory to the history; for, the history being true, the very fact that Protestantism is in harmony with the history, proves that true. What Archbishop Riordan says of the unchangeableness and infallibility of the Roman Catholic Church in the last paragraph, we will leave with our readers till a later issue. We wish them, however, to read it and ponder it in the light of the present. Next week we shall have more to say in regard to the matter.
The Ten Lost Tribes.
By Editor
Last week we had a short note in "Our Question Corner" with reference to the "Lost Tribes" of Israel. As we then stated, the Bible does not recognize any such thing as certain tribes being lost. Since writing the note above referred to, we note an article in the Independent of March 8 on the same question. After stating that the Assyrian inscriptions agree in all leading particulars with the biblical account of the captivity, the article states that probably to exceed 50,000, all told, were carried away. Sargon says that from Samaria he carried away 27,280 persons. A few more were added after this. He also says that he sent Arabs into the land. "The system of deportation," says the article, "practiced by the despots of that day, never sent the entire people of a land into exile," but only those "whom it was feared might cause rebellion." Only "the leading and influential families" were removed. All weapons were taken away, and all who made them deported. The article thus concludes:—
In reality the ten tribes never were "lost." The few people carried away by Tiglath Pileser form an insignificant contingent compared with the masses that remained. They could not have constituted one-tenth of the people. The deported were not tribes, or larger parts of tribes, but only individuals, or at most families. These, indeed, have been "lost," but lost beyond a least chance of rediscovery. The tribes as such remained in Canaan, and absorbed the heathen settlers that were sent in. The division into tribes signified little or nothing in later times; the division into tribal territory was not regarded. Anna, of the tribe of Asher, dwells in Jerusalem; Joseph, the carpenter, of the tribe of Judah, in Nazareth; Paul, a Benjamite, in Tarsus; Barnabas, a Levite, in Cyprus, etc. In general, the Jew of the New Testament era knew as little from what tribe he came as does the modern Jew. Then as now the Jews were cosmopolitan. Their Diaspora was scattered over the entire world. Everywhere they found they could prosper as well, or even better, than in their native land. The endless wars in Palestine finally destroyed them as a nation altogether, in the days of Titus and Hadrian. This great Diaspora embraced representatives of all the tribes of Israel. Among modern Jews all these tribes, without any doubt, have their descendants. In other words, the "lost" tribes never have been, and are not now, "lost."
Ritualism and Catholicism in England
By Editor
WE clip the following from the Advance of February 1; it speaks for itself:—
St. George Mivart, the noted writer on scientific subjects, who is himself a Catholic, speaking of the inroads of Catholicism in the Established Church, says: "While the English people are sadly inaccessible to the Catholic clergy, on account of old habits and traditional prejudices, the Ritualist clergy can easily obtain a hearing, and succeed in scattering the good seed far and wide. Ritualists are rapidly making the word 'Protestant' stink in the nostrils of their congregations, and cause them to regard it as a detestable form of belief. Thus not only are our ancient churches being renovated and decorated in the Roman spirit, and so prepared for us, but congregations to fill them are also being gathered together."
WE WISH IT MIGHT BE.
By Editor
DISPATCHES from Rome, apparently on good authority, state that the pope has decided to make Mgr. Satolli cardinal at the next meeting of the Consistory. If this should be the case, it is more than likely that Satolli would return to Italy in the near future. His departure from the United States would not be regretted by many of his own church, to put it mildly; and to Protestants there can appear no reason why a papal legate should be sent to reside in a Protestant country. Should a successor to Satolli be appointed, it is to be hoped that no government vessel will be sent out to convey him ashore, as was the case when the present legate came to this country, and that the secular press will have learned by that time that to the American people the chief object of interest is not the doings and movements of an emissary from popedom, which has always been the inveterate enemy of republican forms of government, and has arrayed itself in open hostility to all the progressive movements which have characterized the march of modern civilization.
California Christian Advocate.
But, just the same, more and more honor will be shown the Papacy by the government and the secular press. It is not "expedient" to antagonize the power which controls the politics, and is coming more and more to direct the policy, of this government.
A Sample Argument.
Tract No. 65 of the Society for Promoting the Due Observance of the Lord's Day (29 John Street, Adepli Strand, London, W. C., England) puts forth this wonderful argument on page 5 for the Sunday sabbath:—
"The sabbath law is the separation of one day in seven unto the Lord—one day after six, and not the seventh day absolutely. There came a time when one day in history fell out, as not being, for therein the Lord of life lay dead in the tomb; and the next day—when he rose again, the Prince of life—became at once seventh and first; and this day, thus unique and glorious, was actually the Sabbath according to Divine predictions."
That is, the Sabbath is not a definite day, but only any one day after six of work; but after the one day fell out, presto, the day at once becomes definite! Oh, that men would cease juggling with the word of God! Strange, isn't it, that the disciples of Jesus did not know that the Sabbath was no day at all? And the record—what shall we do with it? See Luke 23:56.
CHRIST'S VICTORY GAINED THROUGH PAIN AND DEATH.
By Ellen G. White
BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
CHARGED with an ambassage of mercy, Christ came to the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He saw that rebellion had overspread his provinces, and that despite was done to God in every section and by every tenant of the earth. Man was in rebellion against God; but "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
When sin first entered the world, God had promised a deliverer. He had said to the serpent, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." When Jesus came to the world, his own nation despised him, his friends denied him, his brethren did not believe on him. The unbelief with which he was met was indeed a bruising of his heel. Christ, the world's Redeemer, was buffeted with temptation, but it had been written of him, "He shall not fail, nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth." Through the very bruising of his heel by Satan, because of affliction, temptation, and sorrow, Christ was gaining the victory in behalf of the human family; for he triumphed over his enemy in not yielding to his temptation, and thus bruised the head of the serpent. He endured the contradiction of sinners against himself, and every pang of anguish he suffered, every temptation he resisted, as man's substitute and surety, was elevating the human family in the scale of moral worth, and was procuring for man deliverance from Satan's power and bondage. The character of Satan, through his efforts to overcome and destroy the Son of God, was developing before the universe, and was being made manifest in its true malignity before the unfallen worlds that had been created by Christ. Every time he stung the heel of Christ with his murderous fang, the serpent was making more sure his own discomfiture and ruin.
Could Satan have caused the Son of the infinite God to become in the least degree a partaker of his own hellish attributes, then Satan would have wounded the head of Christ, and in hellish exultation he would have triumphed over him, and the world would have remained his dominion, the human family his slaves. The synagogue of Satan would have been victorious, and man would have perished, without God and without hope. Satan could cause pain to the Son of God, but he could not force him to transgress the law of God. He could cause him to suffer, but he could not defile him. He did make the Saviour's life one of sorrow and affliction; but Jesus patiently endured grief, for he knew that through his conflict with the powers of darkness, the chains of Satan could be broken from the human family, and he would place them on vantage ground before God. With his human arm Jesus encircled the human race, and with his divine arm he grasped the throne of the Infinite. To him was given power to unite whoever would consent to be drawn to him, to the Father's throne.
Jesus became the world's Redeemer, rendering perfect obedience to every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. He redeemed Adam's disgraceful fall, and threw the kingdoms of this world back into favor with God, uniting the earth, that had been divorced by sin from God, to the continent of heaven. It was in the very sight of Heaven that Satan led on the Jewish priests and rulers, and made them his agents to stir up the passions of the murderous mob against the Prince of life. It was in the hearing of Heaven that the hoarse cry was raised against the Majesty of heaven, "Crucify him; crucify him." It was in the sight of Heaven that they scourged him, that they plaited the crown of thorns, that they mocked and derided him. But in these very scenes it was made manifest to angels and principalities what is the power of Satan over the human mind. It was made plain that under the dominion of the deceiver men became liars and murderers. The railings of the multitude reached the ears of God and holy angels. The hoarse cries, that sounded like the bellowing of wild beasts, made their record for time and eternity. Those who instigated the suffering that Jesus endured as a malefactor, will yet behold him in all his glory. They will see that He whom they derided and rejected and crucified, that He whom they set aside for a robber and murderer, is none other than the King of kings, and the Lord of lords.
In the scenes that transpired at the judgment hall, and at Calvary, we see what the human heart is capable of when under the influence of Satan. Christ submitted to crucifixion, although the heavenly host could have delivered him. The angels suffered with Christ. God himself was crucified with Christ; for Christ was one with the Father. Those who reject Christ, those who will not have this man to rule over them, choose to place themselves under the rule of Satan, to do his work as his bond slaves. Yet for them Christ yielded up his life on Calvary.
In the death of Christ on Calvary's cross, the temple seemed to be destroyed, the head seemed to have been bruised; but this was not so. Satan, in the very act of grasping his prey, demolished his own throne. Satan, evil angels, and evil men united in a desperate companionship, and thought to claim the victory, but it was in the death of Christ, in the cruel suffering and crucifixion, that the Son of God accomplished the very work for which he was ordained from before the foundation of the world. He died a victim to jealousy and hate, a victim to false religious zeal. But in his dying agony he was victor over the powers of earth and hell. He reinstated man in the position from which Satan had hurled him through temptation and sin, and, by his own perfect obedience to the law of God, placed him on vantage ground. In his death he broke the spell that had held millions in slavery, under perfect subjection to Satan's rule and jurisdiction.
A stronger than the strong man armed had come and overpowered the one who had seduced man, and led him away from allegiance to God. Against Christ evil angels and evil men had combined in an unholy confederacy of rebellion. They had made war on God and his government. But help had been laid upon One who was mighty to save, who could measure weapons with the apostate. Satan was next in power to Christ; he was highly exalted, the covering cherub, and none but Christ could engage in battle with him, enduring successfully the temptations with which he had beset the human family.
Satan had come to Christ in the wilderness, representing himself as an angel of light; but though he attacked Christ in the moment of his greatest weakness, he was vanquished by the Prince of life. Thus, as man's substitute and surety, did he make it possible for every son and daughter of Adam to be an overcomer, to return to allegiance to God, and render perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah. All this man is required to do, notwithstanding his weakness, his degradation and sinfulness; for moral power has been provided for him in Christ. Through faith in Christ man is made complete: for Christ gave his life in order that we might be rescued from the power of Satan.
Jesus measured weapons with the prince of darkness in the garden of Gethsemane, where the agony was so great that he sweat as it were great drops of blood. It forced from his pale and quivering lips a cry of agonizing prayer, when he besought his Father, saying, "If it be possible, let this cup pass from me." Three times he raised this prayer to God, but at last added the submissive words, "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt."
He had said, "Destroy this temple [speaking of the temple of his body], and in three days I will raise it up." On the cross he received the wounds that will mark his form through the ceaseless ages of eternity; but those very wounds will be his glory, the insignia of his triumph over him who bruised his heel; for he shall bruise the serpent's head. On the cross he cried, "It is finished," and bowed his head and died. He descended into the grave; but after three days a mighty angel, clothed with the panoply of heaven, parted the darkness from his track, and caused the Roman guard to fall as dead men at his feet. The angel rolled back the stone from the sepulcher, and the Roman seal was broken, and Christ came forth from the prison of death, and, over the rent sepulcher of Joseph, proclaimed himself "the resurrection and the life." Through him it was announced that every son and daughter of Adam might be emancipated from their bondage to Satan, to sin and transgression; for, as man's substitute and surety, Jesus had won the victory. The world and its inhabitants were his inheritance, purchased at infinite cost, and every soul who believed in his name, might be an heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. When Christ rose from the dead, the victory was proclaimed in triumph by the loftiest order of heavenly intelligence, and joy, inexpressible joy, filled the courts of God.4
MY REFUGE.
By Ellen L. Goveh
[These lines were written by Ellen L. Goveh, a Brahman of the highest caste, adopted daughter of Rev. W. T. Stone, of Bradford, England.—Sabbath Reading.]
In the secret of His presence how my soul delights
to hide.
Oh, how precious are the lessons which I learn at
Jesus' side!
Earthly cares can never vex me, neither trials lay
me low,
For when Satan comes to tempt me, to the "secret
place" I go.
When my soul is faint and thirsty 'neath the shadow
of his wing,
There is cool and pleasant shelter, and a fresh and
crystal spring;
And my Saviour rests beside me, as we hold com-
munion sweet;
If I tried, I could not utter what he says when thus
we meet.
Only this I know: I tell him all my doubts and
griefs and fears.
Oh, how patiently he listens, and my drooping soul
he cheers!
Do you think he ne'er reproves me? What a false
friend he would be
If he never told me of the sins which he must surely
see.
Do you think that I could love him half so well as
I ought
If he did not tell me plainly of each sinful word and
thought?
No; he is so very faithful, and that makes me trust
him more,
For I know that he does love me, though he wounds
me very sore.
Would you like to know the sweetness of the secret
of the Lord?
Go and hide beneath his shadow; this shall then be
your reward;
And whene'er you leave the silence of that happy
meeting place,
You must mind and bear the image of your Master
in your face.
You will surely lose the blessing, and the fullness of
your joy,
If you let dark clouds distress you, and your inward
peace destroy.
You may always be abiding if you will rest at Jesus'
side;
In the secret of his presence you may every moment
hide.
THE LORD'S PRAYER. NO. 1.
By Elder R. A. Underwood
BY ELDER R. A. UNDERWOOD.
"OUR Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen." Matt. 6:9-13.
It only takes about thirty seconds to repeat this wonderful petition, yet it embraces every physical and spiritual need of humanity. How brief, yet how complete! It is from the great Teacher. It will bear much study.
This prayer is repeated by many thousands daily; but by how few understandingly?
Long public prayers are always out of place. Christ spent many long hours in secret prayer; even all night he often plead with the Father for divine power to continue his work (see Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12); but how brief are all his public prayers! Two or three minutes is sufficient time to repeat the longest public prayer of Christ that is on record.
A few seconds are all the time that is taken in Christ's prayer at the grave of Lazarus. It expresses so much in so few words I will give it here: "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I know that thou hearest me always; but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. . . . Lazarus, come forth." Three distinct points stand out in this effectual prayer at the grave of Lazarus. It opens with thanksgiving; it expresses a constant, cloudless faith on the part of Christ; and it is brief. If ministers and people would study the example and teaching of Christ with reference to prayer, we would hear no more long, dry prayers from the pulpit, in the prayer meeting, or at the family altar.
By turning to Luke, chapter eleven, we will see that the Lord's prayer, this model prayer, is given in answer to the request of the disciples, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." Notice how Christ calls the attention of the disciples to the point of long prayers, which are usually more of a display of self than of a longing desire for the power of God, in these words: "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. . . . But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them; for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." These words of Christ, and the short prayer that follows, in answer to the request, "Lord, teach us to pray," are a standing rebuke to the long prayers so often heard in public congregations. Let those who are guilty do so no more. Let the long praying be done in the secret chamber, and our prayers will be accepted of God and answered on the earth if presented in faith.
Not many months since the writer asked his congregation which would add most to the interest of a prayer meeting, if there was only ten or fifteen minutes to be devoted to prayer, for one or two to occupy the whole time in prayer, or have ten or fifteen persons pray. The latter was the unanimous opinion of the congregation, and yet the next day a minister who was present on the above occasion, and spoke in favor of short public prayers, consumed ten minutes in offering prayer in opening a meeting. I mention this because many have formed a habit of praying in a certain way, mentioning many things which neither edify the congregation nor add to the interest of the occasion. The congregation feels a relief when the "amen" is reached in such prayers. Christ's public prayers were short, and he admonishes us, "After this manner therefore pray ye."
The prayer begins, "Our Father which art in heaven." Many have repeated this prayer many times, and yet had no sense of what they were saying. Oh, how much is embraced in this opening sentence! Do we realize that God is "our Father," that we are his children, hence heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, sons and daughters of the Almighty, members of the royal family of the universe? If so, we will come with the confidence and simplicity of a child, and with reverence say, "Hallowed be thy name."
Reverence lies at the foundation of all allegiance to the throne and government of God. One of the alarming features of our times is a lack of reverence. This is so among all classes; the young, the old, the rich and the poor, the learned and the unlearned, are all wanting in this important grace. The house of God, the altar of prayer, in the family or elsewhere, are often treated as common things. The angels veil their faces and bow in holy reverence to God and sacred things, but how different with wayward man!
After the introduction of one into the presence of the Almighty, the petition continues: "Thy kingdom come." Some have supposed that this part of the prayer could not be answered until Christ should come the second time to earth, with all his mighty angels, to gather his people unto himself. Does Christ teach his disciples to daily pray for something that could not be answered for more than eighteen hundred years?—I think not.
The literal kingdom of Christ is not set up in its fullness for more than one thousand years after Christ's second coming, hence, if this petition primarily refers to that event, it cannot be answered for more than a thousand years to come. While the petition may embrace the restoration of the lost dominion of man, through Christ, yet primarily this part of the prayer, the same as the rest of it, is designed to meet man's present needs. Upon this point look at the following scriptures:—
"And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you." Matt. 12:27, 28.
If I should not quote another text on this point, it is clear that when Christ by his almighty power casts out a devil or a wicked spirit from a man, then the kingdom is come to that individual, and that prayer is answered. In this we give "thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." Col. 1:12, 13.
Again, in Luke 10:10: "But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you; notwithstanding, be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." The grace and power from God's throne, able to cast out devils, set the captive free, and regenerate the soul of sinful men, had been rejected; nevertheless, the kingdom of God had come nigh unto them. One more text upon this, and we will conclude this part of the prayer (Rev. 12:10): "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."
Now is come salvation. Has it come to you? Now is come strength. Has it come to you? Now is come the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ. If so, the accuser of your soul, that has held you in bondage and under condemnation so long, is "cast down" and you are a free child of "our Father which art in heaven," because the prayer has been answered, "Thy kingdom come."
O reader, if you have been putting off to eternity the realization of what this prayer means, no longer delay its answer to your soul by unbelief. By faith let Christ enter the citadel of the soul, and by his power bring salvation from sin and the power of Satan, and then the kingdom is come, and this prayer is answered. We must have the King and the power of the kingdom in us and with us now, to give us a title to the "prepared," glorious kingdom that awaits all the loyal sons and daughters of Adam.
(To be continued.)
Seeking Eternal Eminence
By Fénelon
Since we love eminence so much, let us seek it where it is to be found; let us seek that which will last forever. Oh, the admirable ambition, that of reigning eternally with the Son of God, and to be seated forever on the same throne with him!—Fénelon.
The Excellence of Simplicity
"SIMPLICITY in character, in manners, in style, in all things—the supreme excellence is simplicity."