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Review and Herald, Vol. 90, No. 47.

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Review and Herald

Nov 20, 1913

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“In the Spirit and Power of Elias”

By Ellen G. White

(Concluded)
MRS. E. G. WHITE
During the Christian dispensation the great enemy of man's happiness has made the Sabbath of the fourth commandment an object of special attack. Satan says: “I will work at cross purposes with God. I will empower my followers to set aside God's memorial, the seventh-day Sabbath. Thus I will show the world that the day sanctified and blessed by God has been changed. That day shall not live in the minds of the people. I will obliterate the memory of it. I will place in its stead a day that does not bear the credentials of God, a day that cannot be a sign between God and his people. I will lead those who accept this day to place upon it the sanctity that God placed upon the seventh day.”
“Through my vicegerent I will exalt myself. The first day will be extolled, and the Protestant world will receive this spurious sabbath as genuine. Through the non-observance of the Sabbath that God instituted I will bring his law into contempt. The words, ‘A sign between Me and you throughout your generations,’ I will make to serve on the side of my sabbath.”
“Thus the world will become mine. I will be the ruler of the earth, the prince of the world. I will so control the minds under my power that God's Sabbath will be a special object of contempt. A sign? I will make the observance of the seventh day a sign of disloyalty to the authorities of earth. Human laws will be made so stringent that men and women will not dare to observe the seventh-day Sabbath. For fear of wanting food and clothing they will join with the world in transgressing God's law. The earth will be wholly under my dominion.”
Through the setting up of a false sabbath the enemy has succeeded in turning the sign-board around, so that it points toward the path of disobedience. He has insulted Jehovah by attempting to set aside a plain “Thus saith the Lord.” He has thought to change times and laws. But has he really succeeded in changing God's law? The words of the thirty-first chapter of Exodus are the answer. He who is the same yesterday, today, and forever has declared of the seventh-day Sabbath: “It is a sign between me and you throughout your generations.” “It is a sign . . . forever.” Ex. 31:13, 17.
The changed sign-post is pointing the wrong way, but God has not changed. He is still the mighty God of Israel. “Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.” And he is just as jealous for his law now as he was in the days of Ahab and Elijah.
But how that law is disregarded! This is a truth-hating, Bible-neglecting, froward generation. Many do not hesitate to sneer at the Word of God; those who believe that Word just as it reads are held up to ridicule. Jesus sees the world filled with ingratitude, formalism, insincerity, pride, and apostasy. He sees his love despised, his law rejected, his ambassadors treated with indifference. Jesus has spoken by mercies, but these mercies have been unacknowledged; he has spoken by warnings, but these warnings have been unheeded. The temple courts of the human soul have been turned into places of unholy traffic. Selfishness, envy, pride, malice—all are cherished.
Behold the world today, in open rebellion against God. Behold the disregard of the Sabbath commandment. Behold the growing contempt for law and order, directly traceable to a violation of the plain commands of Jehovah. Behold the violence and crime that have resulted from a turning aside from the path of obedience. Behold the wretchedness and misery of multitudes who worship at the shrine of idols, and who seek in vain for happiness and peace.
Behold also the daring impiety of those who, while enacting laws to safeguard the supposed sanctity of the first day of the week at the same time are making laws legalizing the liquor traffic. Wise above that which is written, they attempt to coerce the consciences of men, while lending their sanction to a curse that brutalizes and destroys the beings created in the image of God. It is Satan himself who inspires such legislation. He well knows that the curse of God will rest on those who exalt human enactments above the divine; and he does all in his power to lead men into the broad road that ends in destruction.
It is a terrible thing to place a sabbath of man's devising where the Lord's memorial of creation should be. It is a terrible thing for men to arrogate to themselves the power to set aside the day that God has declared holy and put in its place a common working-day. And it is still more terrible to try to compel men to respect and reverence this day, while at the same time those who thus try to enforce its observance are trampling under their feet the seventh-day Sabbath.
So long have men worshiped human opinions and human institutions that almost the whole world is following after idols. And he who has endeavored to change God's law is using every deceptive artifice to induce men and women to array themselves against God and against the sign by which the righteous are known. But the Lord will not always suffer his law to be broken and despised with impunity. There is a time coming when “the lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.” Skepticism may treat the claims of God's law with jests, scoffing, and denial. The spirit of worldliness may contaminate the many and control the few; the cause of God may hold its ground only by great exertion and continual sacrifice, yet in the end it will triumph gloriously. In the closing work of God in the earth the standard of his law will be exalted.False religion may prevail, iniquity abound, the love of many wax cold, the cross of Calvary be lost sight of, and darkness, like the pall of death, may spread over the world. The whole force of the popular current may be turned against the truth, plot after plot may be formed to overthrow the people of God; but in the hour of greatest peril the God of Elijah will raise up human instrumentalities to bear a message that will not be silenced. In the great cities of the land, and in the places where men have gone to the greatest lengths in speaking against the Most High, the voice of stern rebuke will be heard. Boldly will men of God's appointment denounce the union of the church with the world. Fearlessly they will call upon men and women to turn from the observance of a man-made institution to the observance of the true Sabbath. “Fear God, and give glory to him,” they will proclaim to every nation: “for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. . . . If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.”
God has not altered the thing that has gone out of his lips. His word will stand fast forever, as unalterable as his throne. At the judgment, when every case shall be decided in the courts of heaven, this covenant will be brought forth, plainly written with the finger of God. The world will be arraigned before the bar of Infinite Justice to receive sentence.
Today, as in the days of Elijah, the line of demarcation between God's commandment-keeping people and the worshippers of false gods is clearly drawn. “How long halt ye between two opinions?” Elijah cried: “if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.” 1 Kings 18:21. And the message for today is, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen.” “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” Rev. 18:2, 4, 5.
The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The observance of the false sabbath will be urged upon us. The contest will be between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. Those who step by step have yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will then yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment and death. At this time the gold will be separated from the dross. True godliness will be clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it. Many a star that we have admired for its brilliance will then go out in darkness. Those who have assumed the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ's righteousness, will then appear in the shame of their own nakedness.
Among earth's inhabitants, scattered in every land, there are those who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Like the stars of heaven, which appear only at night, these faithful ones will shine forth when darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people. In heathen Africa, in the Catholic lands of Europe and of South America, in China, in India, in the islands of the sea, and in all the dark corners of the earth, God has in reserve a firmament of chosen ones that will yet shine forth amidst the darkness, revealing clearly to an apostate world the transforming power of obedience to his law. Even now they are appearing in every nation, among every tongue and people, and in the hour of deepest apostasy, when Satan's supreme effort is made to “cause all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond,” to receive under penalty of death the sign of allegiance to a false rest day, these faithful ones, “blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke,” will “shine as lights in the world.” The darker the night the more brilliantly will they shine.
What strange work Elijah would have done in numbering Israel at the time when God's judgments were falling upon the backsliding people! He could count only one on the Lord's side. But when he said, “I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life,” the word of the Lord surprised him, “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal.”
Then let no man attempt to number Israel today, but let every one have a heart of flesh, a heart of tender sympathy, a heart that, like the heart of Christ, reaches out for the salvation of a lost world.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH

By John Norton Loughborough

Judas — No. 2

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH

“He [Judas] finally became so penurious that he made bitter complaints because the ointment poured on the head of Jesus was expensive. He turned it over and over in his mind, and coveted the money that might have been placed in his hands to expend if the ointment had been sold. His selfishness grew stronger, until he felt that the treasury had really met with a great loss in not receiving the value of the ointment in money. He finally made open complaint of the extravagance of the expensive offering to Christ. Our Saviour rebuked him for this covetousness. This rankled in the heart of Judas until, for a small sum of money, he consented to betray his Lord.”—Testimonies for the Church, Vol. IV, page 42.
“When Judas had become annoyed at the implied rebuke of Jesus because of his covetous spirit upon the occasion of Mary’s anointing her Lord with costly ointment, he yielded to the tempter, and gave Satan easy access to his mind.”—Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. III, page 125.
“The look which Jesus cast upon Judas convinced him that the Saviour penetrated his hypocrisy and read his base, contemptible character. And in commending Mary’s action, which had been so severely condemned, Christ had rebuked Judas. Prior to this, the Saviour had never given him a direct rebuke. Now the reproof rankled in his heart. He determined to be revenged. From the Supper he went directly to the palace of the high priest, where he found the council assembled, and he offered to betray Jesus into their hands.”—Desire of Ages, trade edition, pages 666, 667.
Again we read of the occurrence at the house of Simon: “He [Judas] was stirred with resentment. His heart burned with envy that Jesus should be the recipient of an offering suitable to the monarchs of earth.”—Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. II, page 379.
“After Judas had closed the contract by which he agreed to betray his Master into the hands of those who thirsted for his life, he mingled with the other disciples as though innocent of wrong and interested in the work of preparing for the Passover.”—Id., Vol. III, page 83.
Of the working of the mind of Judas, we read still further: “If Christ could escape so many snares set to destroy him, thought Judas, he certainly would not allow himself to be taken by the scribes, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees; and he decided to put the matter to the test, and bring the crisis. He, Judas, would act his part in selling his Lord, and the priests would be cheated out of their money. If Christ really were the Son of God, the Messiah, the people for whom he had done so much in relieving them from the oppressive power of Satan, would rally and come to his assistance. Then he, Judas, would have the credit of having placed him on David’s throne. This would forever settle many minds that were now in such uncertainty. And this act would place him as first, next to Christ, in the new kingdom.”—Mrs. E. G. White, in Review and Herald, Oct. 12, 1897.
“Judas, the betrayer, was present at the sacramental service. He received from Jesus the emblems of his broken body and his spilled blood. He heard the words, ‘This do in remembrance of me.’ And sitting there in the very presence of the Lamb of God, the betrayer brooded upon his own dark purposes and cherished his sullen, revengeful thoughts.
“At the feet washing, Christ had given convincing proof that he understood the character of Judas. ‘Ye are not all clean,’ he said. These words convinced the false disciple that Christ read his secret purpose. Now Christ spoke out more plainly. As they were seated at the table, he said, looking upon his disciples, ‘I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled. He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.’
“Even now the disciples did not suspect Judas. But they saw that Christ appeared greatly troubled. A cloud settled over them all, a premonition of some dreadful calamity, the nature of which they did not understand. As they ate in silence, Jesus said, ‘Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.’ At these words amazement and consternation seized them. They could not comprehend how any one of them could deal treacherously with their divine Teacher. . . .
“They began to search their own hearts to see if one thought against their Master were harbored there. With the most painful emotions, one after another inquired, ‘Lord, is it I?’ But Judas sat silent. John in deep distress at last inquired, ‘Lord, who is it?’ And Jesus answered, ‘He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.’ The disciples had searched one another’s faces closely as they asked, ‘Lord, is it I?’ And now the silence of Judas drew all eyes to him. Amid the confusion of questions and expressions of astonishment, Judas had not heard the words of Jesus in answer to John’s question. But now, to escape the scrutiny of the disciples, he asked as they had done, ‘Master, is it I?’ Jesus solemnly replied, ‘Thou hast said.’
“In surprise and confusion at the exposure of his purpose, Judas rose hastily to leave the room. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. . . . He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.’ Night it was to the traitor as he turned away from Christ into the outer darkness.”—Desire of Ages, pages 782–784.

The Feet Washing

Of the feet washing we read: “He [Judas] was the first one whose feet were washed. . . . A change of feeling did come; the union of heart and love one for another did exist. They became meek, teachable, and loving, and would have conceded to any one the highest place. They were prepared to partake of the Last Supper with fragrant feelings of love, deep and full, for their Master and for one another.”—Mrs. E. G. White, in Review and Herald, July 5, 1898.
“It was because the disciples were erring and faulty that he washed their feet, and all but one were brought to repentance.”—Desire of Ages, page 785.
Of the betrayal we read: “Judas was himself surprised that Jesus should deliver himself into the hands of those who sought to destroy him. . . . The false disciple flattered himself, however, that Jesus had only permitted himself to be taken that he might manifest his power by delivering himself from his enemies in a miraculous manner.”—Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. III, pages 705, 706.
“From the time of his betrayal in the garden, Judas had not lost sight of the Saviour. He eagerly looked for him to surprise his enemies by appearing before them in the character of the Son of God, setting at naught all their plots and power. But when he saw him meekly submitting to their abuse, suffering himself to be tried and condemned to death, his heart smote him, and he realized the full extent of his own crime—he had sold his divine Master to shame and death. He remembered how kind and considerate Jesus had ever been to him, and his heart filled with remorse and anguish. He now despised the covetousness which Jesus had reproved, and which had tempted him to sell the Saviour for a few pieces of silver.
“Perceiving that his entreaties to spare the life of Jesus availed nothing with the high priest, he rushed from the hall in despair, crying, ‘It is too late! It is too late!’ He felt unable to live to see Jesus crucified, and, in an agony of remorse, went out and hanged himself.”—Id., pages 125, 126.
“They hurried Jesus away with loud shouts of triumph; but their noise ceased for a time when they passed a retired place, and saw at the foot of a lifeless tree the dead body of Judas, who had betrayed Christ. It was a most revolting spectacle; his weight had broken the cord by which he had hanged himself to the tree, and, in falling, his body had become horribly mangled, and was then being devoured by dogs. The mutilated remains were ordered to be buried at once, and the crowd passed on; but there was less noisy mockery, and many a pale face revealed the fearful thoughts within. Retribution seemed already to be visiting those who were guilty of the blood of Jesus.”—Id., pages 148, 149.
Lodi, Cal.

Systematic Giving

By E. K. SLADE

Gospel Finance—No. 16

Systematic Giving

E. K. SLADE
GIVING for the advancement of the work of God in the earth should become a habit. It should become a part of one’s life by being brought into exercise frequently and regularly. A haphazard practise in this is out of harmony with the purpose in view. To respond with a gift only at such a time as a general meeting or when an urgent appeal is made and then let the remaining weeks and months of the year pass with little or no response is to fall far short of the benefit one should receive in character building. Such a practise also fails to provide the constant flow of funds needed for the work.
Properly carried out, the payment of tithes is based upon a system. The system is so perfect that it will provide sufficient funds to support the ministry as the work expands and develops if all believers will be true to the system. There is just as much need of a systematic practise in the payment of offerings. As a denomination we are making decided advancement in this line when we establish the practise of giving weekly for missions, whether it be ten, fifteen, or twenty cents, or more, a week. The frequent, constant, and habitual giving is doubly effective. It benefits the giver, which is of untold value, and it provides a largeness and a constancy to the stream of funds that could not be hoped for through the haphazard way.
Much instruction has been given on this question of systematic giving. We quote a few brief statements as follows:—
“The calls for means at our large camp-meetings have hitherto been attended with apparent good results as far as the wealthy are concerned. But we fear the result of a continued effort to thus replenish the treasury. We fear that there will be a reaction. Greater effort should be put forth by responsible men in the different churches to have all follow the plan of God’s arrangement. If systematic benevolence is carried out, the urgent calls at the camp-meetings for various enterprises will not be necessary.
. . . Do not wait until your imaginary wants are all satisfied. Do not trust to your feelings, and give when you feel like it. Give regularly, either ten, twenty, or fifty cents a week, as you would like to see upon the heavenly record in the day of God. . . . You should be daily adding to your heavenly treasure by doing the very work that the Lord has left you to do, and which he has entrusted you with means to carry out.”
That this practise of systematic weekly offerings prevailed in the early Christian church is clearly indicated by the words of Paul in 1 Cor. 16:1-3. The churches were instructed to adopt a system for raising funds that would prove effective and avoid any necessity for the servant of God to make a special effort in that line when he visited them. This record is given us as a guide to the church in this time. I am convinced that it will be pleasing to God and effective in advancing the spirituality of our churches and in hastening the world-wide work for every church and every isolated member to put into full practise that form of regular, systematic giving that will be constant and abundant without the necessity of special efforts and earnest appeals. Such gifts carry with them the sympathy and prayers of the giver.

Begin Again After Loss

“Don’t mope and brood over your woes, disasters, and losses. Do something. Set to work. Brooding only weakens, and makes misery of feeling more intense. Begin at once to repair the disaster. If all your life-work suddenly falls in ruins about you, like a house of cards, put some of the stones of the ruin down at once, as a foundation for the new building. If all you have earned, with hard and anxious labor, is plucked away from you, do not fret, begin again, gather some more. You will not forget your trouble in any way so easily as by filling life again with activities, interests, and toils.”

The Voice That Said, “Go Back”

By W. A. S.

The Christian colporteur is a pioneer in the gospel service. His work is usually on the frontier line, where the way is being prepared for the harvest of souls that follows the faithful sowing of the seed. Therefore he may lay hold with special fervor upon those promises of the Lord to go before and prepare the way. “I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight.” The Lord sends his angels on before; and by faith we may know the presence of the invisible helpers just the same as if they could be apprehended by the sense of sight or hearing.
Here is an experience in gospel colporteur work in which the divine guidance and companionship in service were manifest in a special way. It was recently told us by E. A. Hamilton, field missionary of the Western Oregon Conference, and confirmed by the colporteur who had the experience (Brother F. G. Boyd):—
The colporteur was canvassing in one of the Oregon valleys, using a horse and carriage. At a certain house where he called, a maid met him at the door and ushered him into a well-furnished parlor. The lady of the house quickly appeared, and the colporteur began the story of the book that he was introducing. As he was half-way through the canvass, a well-dressed man, with walking-stick, came into the room, and, looking over the colporteur’s shoulder, listened as he described the book. “Ah,” the man said, “an Adventist book, an Adventist book.” His tone was depreciatory and hostile, and the colporteur saw at once that the lady lost interest in the work. The man proved to be her minister, and interrupted several times with comments.
The worker saw that he had lost the order. Completing the exhibition of the book, he bade the lady good day. As he was being shown out, the maid said, “I am sure Mrs. M wants that book.” The girl seemed impressed that her mistress should have it. “You take it yourself,” the colporteur urged, as he saw her interest. “No; I don’t want it,” she replied, “but I am sure Mrs. M wants that book.”
The colporteur went on his way. Half a mile along he took an order for a German copy, and up a branch road took an English order. Coming back, the German came out and ordered a second copy, one in English, for his son. Rejoicing that he was putting the truth into homes, but regretting the failure to get an order from the lady where he had first called, he turned into the main road to pass on.
Then there came to him in what seemed an audible voice, “Go back and sell Mrs. M a book.” He looked about, almost startled, the words were so clear; but he could see no one. “I thought,” he said, “that some boys over the hedge must have heard of my failure to sell the book, and were making sport of it, as boys sometimes will.” He drove on a hundred yards, and then a second time he heard the same voice; and as the brother marveled at it, a third time the words came more commandingly clear, “I say, go back and sell Mrs. M a book.” This time the horse almost stopped still. “I felt now it was truly of the Lord,” said the colporteur. “I said, ‘Yes, Lord, I will go.’ I was scarcely conscious of turning the horse around, but he whirled about, and we were off to return to the first house.”
Arrived at the place, the colporteur found Mrs. M out in the garden. “I beg pardon, Mrs. M,” he began without preliminaries, “but I know you want the book, and I have called to see which binding I shall order for you.” “I have always been partial to the leather binding,” she replied, “and you may order that for me.”
The book proved a blessing indeed in that home, the lady accepting the truths which she found in it.
The voice of the great commission in the written Word is still a living voice sufficient for the gospel worker: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” And the worker knows that the angels of God are with him according to the promise, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” It is joy and strength to know it every day. But these special manifestations of the heavenly companionship that are revealed here and there in the service, help us to realize more vividly the reality of the partnership of heavenly beings with human agents in the work of God in the earth.
W. A. S.
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