Signs of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 34. (8/29/1911)

Signs of the Times

Aug 29, 1911

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Aug 29, 1911

Infinite Protection

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.

Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known My name.

He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.

With long life will I satisfy him, and show him My salvation.

Psalm 91.

"IF YE WILL INQUIRE, INQUIRE YE."

By Editor

This Inquirers' Department is conducted for the purpose of helping those who are studying the Bible. The answers are oftentimes only suggestive. They are never to be considered infallible, only as they agree with the infallible Word. The writer who may answer them does not consider that his opinion is infallible. He will simply give the best that he has, and plead with the inquirer to search the Word. Such questions only will be answered as, to the editors, seem to minister to the good of the readers and to the mission of the paper. We can not answer repeatedly in the same volume questions upon the same scripture. The name and address must accompany question, not for publication, but as an evidence of good faith, and that answer may be made by letter if deemed advisable. No letters are answered which do not contain the name of the writer. It is well always to enclose stamp for reply.

3539 — Saved by Grace

By Editor

A letter lies before us from one who declares that he was saved by grace, and by grace alone; and then he wishes to know where there is one scripture in God's Word, from Genesis to Revelation, to show that God's law of commandments was ever given to Gentiles. He tells us further that they were counted "dogs and strangers by the Jews, who had no dealings with the Gentiles;" and he asks, "Could it be possible that the Jews and Gentiles were under the same law, and yet could have no dealings with one another?" R. J. C.

Now in the first place, there is not one single word in Scripture which shows that the Jews and Gentiles had no dealings with one another, for they had dealings with one another all the way through, even when the Gentiles were in gross idolatry and the Jews obedient to God. Of one class it is said that the Jews had no dealings with them, and that is the Samaritans (John 4:9); but the Samaritans professed to keep the same law that the Jews did. The only difficulty between the two peoples was that one held only to the books of Moses and the other to the entire Old Testament; one held that the holy mountain was Gerizim, and the other held that it was Zion. The Samaritans wanted to help build God's temple in the time of Ezra and Zerubbabel, which the Jews utterly refused, and therefore the enmity between the two factions. But these who were at enmity professed to keep the same law. See Ezra 4:1-3.

Secondly, if this brother will read Isaiah 56, he will there learn that the Lord gives great promises to the Gentiles who will unite with His covenant and keep His Sabbath. Note that the chapter applies to the Christian dispensation, when God's "salvation is near to come," and His "righteousness to be revealed." Then he tells us, "Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil." Verse 6: "Also the sons of the stranger [the Gentiles], that join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants, every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of My covenant; even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer." Certainly this is very clear and definite.

Thirdly, there is not one single promise to the Gentiles, in all God's Word, of hope or salvation, save only as they become of the house of Israel. Therefore Paul, writing to the Ephesians who were once Gentile heathens, says, "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." That is the condition of all Gentiles, as such; but these Gentiles came to Christ, and so they became a part of Israel in coming to Him. Therefore he says: "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. . . . Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner-stone." Surely this is clear. There is abundance of testimony along the same line. Jesus declares, "Salvation is of the Jews;" and the apostle Paul declares that the true Jew is he that is one inwardly. Rom. 2:28, 29.

Fourth, the writer of this letter has an entire misapprehension of the teaching of the "Signs of the Times." We have never said we are saved by Sabbath-keeping, or by obedience to father or mother, or by abstaining from killing or stealing, or by the keeping of any of God's commandments. No Christian who understands the Word, ever teaches any such thing as that. Salvation is in Christ, and in Christ alone. By Him only are we saved; but we would press home this question upon the heart: Are we saved to sin and sinning, or are we saved to righteousness? Did the Lord Jesus Christ leave heaven and die, did He bring home His Spirit to our heart, and give us hope, in order that we might go on in sin and disloyalty? Was that the object of Christ's death? or did He die in order to save us from sin and sinning, to make us loyal children, children that would delight in God's commandments even as He delighted in them? This is the question that ought to face every Christian who is puzzled or troubled by the foolish objections which are brought up concerning the object of grace. The object of God's grace is to make men and women, obedient men and obedient women, true men and true women, loyal men and loyal women; and if the grace which we have received does not do that, we have received the grace of God in vain.

We would like to press home another question to the heart of our querist: Would he like to live near to neighbors who did not believe that their Christianity required them to keep God's law? Would he feel that his horse was safe in the barn, or his chickens in the chicken house, or his potatoes in the field? It seems as tho some of these questions are really practical. The Hon. Wm. J. Bryan remarked one time in one of his lectures, that he would feel it very unsafe to leave his pocketbook around among Christians who did not believe in the authority and binding obligations of God's commandments. It was a very wise and just remark. He does not know God's grace and its purpose who can not see that God's grace is given in order to bring us back to Him and into harmony with His holy law. Then His commandments are not a yoke of bondage, but a delight, and it is easier to observe His commandments and walk in them than it is to go the way of the world.

3542 — Is there Forgiveness?

If a person has lived a wicked life up to the time he is on his death-bed, before he has ever tried to turn and live for the Lord, can he obtain forgiveness then? Is there any forgiveness for him after living such a life? J. Y.

There is always forgiveness where there is true repentance. Every repentable sin is a forgivable sin. It matters not when, nor where, nor by whom. Of course there are many spurious death-bed repentances. People think that they repent, through fear, because they are going to die. In many cases these have recovered from their sickness and have gone right on in sin the same as before. This of itself shows that there was no true sense of sin, or true repentance. And yet there may be those, like the penitent thief on the cross, who at the very last confess Christ and receive assurance of forgiveness. God is just as willing to forgive one on his death-bed as He is to forgive him at any other time, if there is genuine repentance and faith. The great danger is not that God is not willing, but that the soul itself will not be truly willing, and will be in no condition mentally to appreciate rightly what true repentance means. The only safe time for man to repent, so far as he is concerned, is now. "Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." But the true Christian missionary, be he minister or layman, will do all that he can to bring to the dying soul who has never given himself to Christ, the opportunity to give himself, even at the last hour.

3540 — There Is None Good but God

By A. L. C.

Why did Jesus say, "There is none good but one, that is, God," when Jesus Himself knew no sin? See Matt. 19:17.

For the simple reason that He Himself was God. The question that He asked and the statement that He made were simply to lead the young man to look more deeply into the essential truth than he would otherwise. With the young man it was evidently mere form when he said, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do?" and Jesus wanted him to understand the words that He was saying. "Why callest thou Me good? there is none good [none absolutely perfect] but one, that is, God." He did not by that say to the young man, "I am God," and yet Jesus was truly God. This, of course, He did not affirm nor deny; He wanted the young man to understand the words that He was using. If he could but learn them aright, they were rightly used when he said, "Good Master," for he was addressing One who came from the very bosom of the Godhead. And Jesus demonstrated this by reading the young man's heart and pointing out to him just what his duty was before God.

3541 — How Many Shall See Him?

By E. C. D.

At the second coming of Christ, when He comes to gather His people and to take them home to Himself, will the living wicked see Him? E. C. D.

It would seem so. Thus we read in Rev. 1:7, "Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him." The coming with clouds seems very clearly to indicate that it refers to His immediate coming after probation, for the very term is used in connection with the description of that coming elsewhere. See Matt. 24:30; Acts 1:11; Luke 21:25-27. The same thought seems also to be indicated by Rev. 6:16 — that is, the scripture shows that the wicked expect to see Him when He comes. They pray to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne." But in the sight of that wonderful glory they shall perish; for we read in 2 Thess. 2:8 that that great system of that wicked shall be consumed with the Spirit of His mouth, and destroyed with the brightness of His coming. His coming is not a secret coming.

Exodus 4:24

By Editor

3543 — J. R. L. — Exodus 4:24. — It seems to read very clearly that it was the Lord who sought to kill Moses because he had not carried out His commandment. There seems to have been an utter carelessness on the part of Moses in yielding to his wife's feelings. She evidently did not see the seriousness of it until the incident recorded in Exodus 4 occurred. Then she herself hastened to carry out the will of the Lord.

Thomas Nelson & Sons Address

By Editor

3544 — J. R.— The address of Thomas Nelson & Sons is 381 4th Avenue, New York City.

Schedule for Week Ending September 9, 1911

By Editor

Sunday	September 3	Psalms 78, 79
Monday	" 4	" 80-84
Tuesday	" 5	" 85-88
Wednesday	" 6	Psalm 89
Thursday	" 7	Malachi 1-4
Friday	" 8	Isaiah 40-42
Sabbath	" 9	" 43-45

Psalms 78 to 89 concludes the reading of Book 3. These are also mostly psalms of Asaph. Psalms 84, 85, 87, and 88 are psalms of the sons of Korah, who were among the singers of Israel, Psalm 86 is a psalm of David, and 89 of Ethan the Ezrahite. These are a part of the great treasure-house of comfort and consolation to God's children. Psalm 89 is emphatically a prophecy of Christ and His glorious reign.

The word "Malachi" means "My Messenger," and the little book of Malachi closes the canon of the Old Testament. It was the latest book, written about the year 400 B.C., or perhaps a little later. Some, however, place it as early as 450 B.C., making Malachi contemporary with Nehemiah. But if he was, it was probably the very last of Nehemiah's sojourn at Jerusalem. His message was a condemnation of the degeneracy of the priesthood, and of the shortcomings of God's people, using those illustrations to point forward to the closing days of the Christian dispensation, when the Lord is about to come the second time, and the judgments of the great day of God will separate between the righteous and the wicked.

Before taking up the New Testament readings, we return once more to the prophecies of Isaiah, our week closing with chapters 40 to 45. These are a fitting introduction to the New Testament, for they are almost wholly confined to prophecies of our Lord Jesus Christ, His work and reign. Wherever they refer to local events, or events in the times of the prophecy, these are used as prophecies and illustrations of the work of Christ. Chapter 40 is one of the truly great chapters of the Bible. The wonderful majesty of God is presented before us most clearly and vividly; and yet we are assured that He who is so great that all the nations are as nothing before Him, is the one who uses His great power to comfort His people, to strengthen the weak, to give rest to the weary. Very full of promise and precious indeed are all these chapters of the Gospel prophet. Very vivid indeed are his pictures of the foolishness of idolatry, and mighty indeed are his appeals for the worship of the true God.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

By Editor

"Even as we have been approved of God to be entrusted with the Gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who proveth our hearts."

Overcome as Christ Overcame

By Mrs. E. G. White

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted.

THE world's Redeemer passed over the ground where Adam fell because of his disobedience to the law of Jehovah. The only-begotten Son of God came to our world as a man, to reveal to the world the fact that men through divine power could keep God's law.

The Son of God placed Himself in man's stead, and passed over the ground where Adam fell, and endured temptation stronger than ever was or ever will be brought to bear upon the human race. Jesus resisted the temptations of Satan in the same manner in which every tempted soul may resist the evil one. He referred the tempter to the inspired record, and said, "It is written." Christ overcame the temptations as a man, by relying solely upon the Word of God; and every man may overcome as Christ overcame.

We need not place the obedience of Christ by itself as something for which He was particularly adapted, because of His divine nature; for He stood before God as man's representative, and was tempted as man's substitute and surety. If Christ had a special power which it is not the privilege of a man to have, Satan would have made capital of this matter. But the work of Christ was to take from Satan his control of man, and He could do this only in a straightforward way. He came as a man, to be tempted as a man, rendering the obedience of a man. Christ rendered obedience to God, and overcame as humanity must overcome. We are led to make wrong conclusions because of erroneous views of the nature of our Lord. To attribute to His nature a power that it is not possible for man to have in his conflicts with Satan, is to destroy the completeness of His humanity. The obedience of Christ to His Father was the same obedience that is required of man. Man can not overcome Satan's temptations except as divine power works through humanity. The Lord Jesus came to our world, not to reveal what God in His own divine person could do, but what He could do through humanity. Through faith man is to be a partaker of the divine nature, and to overcome every temptation wherewith he is beset. It was the Majesty of heaven who became a man, who humbled Himself to our human nature; it was He who was tempted in the wilderness and who endured the contradiction of sinners against Himself.

As if We Had Never Sinned

We are not to serve God as if we were not human, but we are to serve Him as those who have been redeemed by the Son of God, and through the righteousness of Christ we shall stand before God pardoned, and as if we had never sinned. We shall never gain strength in considering what we might do if we were angels; but as obedient children we are to turn in faith to Jesus Christ, and show our love to God through obedience to His commands. Jesus "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Jesus says, "Follow Me." "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." Jesus leads the way. Do not wait and continue in disobedience, hoping circumstances may change, making it easier for you to obey. Go forward, for your know the will of God. "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne."

Compare Eden with Gethsemane

The Garden of Eden, with its foul blot of disobedience, should be carefully compared with the Garden of Gethsemane, where the world's Redeemer suffered superhuman agony when the sins of the whole world were rolled upon Him. Listen to the prayer of the only-begotten Son of God, "O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt." And the second time He prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done." And the third time He prayed, saying the same words. It was here the mysterious cup trembled in the hands of the Son of God! Shall He wipe the bloody sweat from His agonized countenance and let man go? The wail, wretchedness, and ruin of a lost world roll up before Him. "And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." "And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him."

Adam Did Not Consider

The conflict is ended. Jesus consents to endure the curse of sin. He was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Here we see what was involved in Adam's disobedience, and what the obedience of the Son of God means to us. Adam did not consider what would be the consequences of disobedience. He did not set his mind in defiance against God, nor did he in any way speak against God; he simply went directly contrary to His express command. And how many to-day are doing the very same thing! And their guilt is of much greater magnitude, because they have the example of Adam's experience in disobedience and its terrible results to warn them of the consequences of transgressing the law of God. So they have clear light upon this subject, and no excuse for their guilt in

denying and disobeying God's authority. Adam did not stop to reckon what would be the result of his disobedience.

With the after-sight we are privileged to have in this age, we can see what it means to disobey God's commandments. Adam yielded to temptation, and we have sin and its consequences laid distinctly before us. Reasoning from cause to effect, we see it is not the greatness of the act of disobedience which constitutes sin, but the fact of variance from God's expressed will in the least particular, for this is a virtual denial of God, a rebellion against the laws of His government.

Human Standards Inadequate

The happiness of man is found in obedience to the laws of God. In obedience to God's law he is surrounded as with a hedge and kept from the evil. No man can depart from God's specified requirements, and set up a standard of his own which he decides he can safely follow, and still find peace and joy. Were each one left to follow his own way, there would be a variety of standards to suit different minds, and the government would be taken out of the Lord's hands, and man would grasp the reins. The law of self would be erected. The will of man would be made supreme; and the high and holy will of God would be dishonored, disrespected. To what extent man would choose to follow the promptings of his selfish heart it is impossible to tell. But whenever man chooses his own way, there is controversy between the man and God.

The Change of the Sabbath

By Roderick S. Owen

SINCE the only weekly Sabbath brought to view in the Bible is the seventh day, and since in the latest accounts given in the New Testament it is still spoken of as the Sabbath, with no intimation of a change, the question often arises, When, where, and how was the change from the seventh to the first day of the week, in the practise of the church, brought about?

Dan. 7: 25 speaks of a blasphemous power that would think to change times and laws, and would wear out the saints of the Most High, and into whose hands all these would be given for a period of twelve hundred and sixty years.

In 2 Thessalonians 2 the apostle Paul speaks of a falling away which was to come, and in which there would be developed a man of sin, that would sit in the temple (church) of God, exalting himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, "showing himself that he is God." This could be fulfilled only by some one in the church exalting himself above others until he would even assume the rights and prerogatives which belong to God alone, and in the exercise of these assumed rights, would substitute his authority for that of the Creator, thus leading men to obey him instead of God.

The apostle also states that the mystery of iniquity, which is the center and heart out of which all this would grow, was already at work in his day. On his way to Jerusalem, in his third missionary journey, Paul called the elders of the church of Ephesus to meet him at Miletus, and in giving them counsel he warned them against this spirit of self-exaltation, saying, "Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." Acts 20: 30. Thus we find that among the elders, or bishops, the spirit of self-exaltation would come in, until men would substitute themselves for God in the mind of others.

As an illustration of this in the apostolic days, we have the case of the church of Corinth, reproved by the apostle for being in a divided state, as follows: "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" Thus we see that the condition of dissension and strife in that church was due to the fact that some were assigning to Paul, some to Apollos, and others to Cephas, the place which Christ alone should occupy in the minds of all. And this work of exalting men in the church went on until it finally resulted in placing one man as the head of all churches and the corrector of all heretics.

The strife among the bishops for place and power is a very interesting history, but can not here be followed in detail. Suffice it to say that early in the controversy a few of the bishops of leading churches pushed to the front, and were soon recognized as rivals in the race for supremacy. Among these may be named the bishops of Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, and Rome. Later the rivalry assumed the form of a contest between the East and the West with Rome as the recognized leader and mistress of the West.

There is a common agreement that during the first centuries of the Christian age the Sabbath was observed by all Christians. In fact, history shows that legislation, both ecclesiastical and civil, was required to turn the mass of Christians away from the seventh to observe the first day of the week as the Sabbath. At the first, Sunday was not recognized even as a rival of, much less a substitute for, the Sabbath. Not until the days of Constantine was it set forth as the successor and heir to all that belongs to the true Sabbath. This fact is stated by Eusebius as follows:

Whatsoever it was duty to do on the Sabbath these we have transferred to the Lord's day.—"Sabbath Manual," by Justin Edwards, pages 125-127.

Sunday, being early adopted in the West, soon became a point over which to assume authority and to exercise power. The legislation along this line runs about as follows:

Beginning perhaps in the year 314, the bishops secured an edict ordering the suspension of all business in the courts and civil offices on Fridays and Sundays. (Neander, section 3, part 2, division 3, paragraph 2.)

On the seventh of March, 321, Constantine issued his famous Sunday decree, enjoining rest upon the part of magistrates and people residing in the cities, and the closing of all workshops, on the "venerable day of the sun;" permitting, however, country people to labor, lest peradventure they should lose the bounties of heaven by not sowing and reaping at the proper time.

Without stopping to consider the question as to whether this was a decree favoring Christianity or paganism, all must agree that it was religious in character, and issued by Constantine by virtue of rights vested in him as pontifex maximus, the highest religious officer in the empire. And it certainly was made use of for the furtherance of religion by the bishops and church in succeeding years.

Easter seems early to have been introduced into the practises of the church as a sort of successor of the Passover, and as such was celebrated for some time on the fourteenth day of the first month of the Jewish year, in common with that feast. The Western churches first adopted the custom of celebrating it always on Sunday, and on the Sunday nearest the date of the Passover; but the churches in the East did not adopt this custom. At the Council of Nice, A.D. 325, it was decreed, and a letter was sent out to all churches, by the bishops, notifying them of the decision, that all should celebrate Easter on Sunday, in harmony with the Western churches, and thus not have anything in common with the hated Jews. This was soon after followed by a letter from Constantine endorsing the decision, and urging all to comply strictly with it. (Socrates, "Ecclesiastical History," book 1, chapter 9.)

At the Council of Carthage, A.D. 401, canon 5 was enacted to close all circuses and plays on feast-days and on Sundays, because the people were more inclined to go to the circus than to the church. A civil law enforcing this decree of the church was secured A.D. 425.

Thus step by step, by human enactments, was the Sabbath of Jehovah set aside, and men were forced to desecrate it; while its rival, Sunday, was exalted, and became its supplanter.

Thus did the man of sin exalt himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he as God sat in the temple of God, acting just as if he were God. Thus did he think to change the law of God. Thus did he assume the rights and prerogative which belong to God alone. Thus was the law of Jehovah robbed of its seal among the disciples of Christ. But the Lord says, "Bind up the testimony, seal [put the seal to] the law among My disciples." Who will do this? Who will accept the sign of the Creator, when both His Word and His memorial are trampled underfoot, and worldly wisdom and worldly power are combined to overthrow them?

Decorative Divider

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Knowledge Without Love and Humility

WHEN Christians grow in light and knowledge faster than they grow in love and humility, they necessarily become harsh and censorious. They have more sail than ballast. Knowledge is dangerous unless it is well seasoned with humility.—Herald of Light.

Blank Item

The Way to Heaven

A MAN said to Bishop Wilberforce, "Pray, sir, can you tell a plain man in a single sentence the way to go to heaven?" "Certainly," was the instant reply. "Turn to the right and go straight ahead."

The Name

By Dan E. Huffman

Thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. Matt. 1:21.

THE names which God gives have meaning.

When Jacob threw himself on the mercy of God, and was changed in heart and character, his name was called no more Jacob, but Israel. The name "Jesus" was given to Christ because it is the only name which fully expresses His mission as our Saviour. "For He shall save His people from their sins."

Jesus saves from sin, from nothing but sin. "Sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4. Therefore the only salvation He offers is the salvation from transgressing the law. If any one insists upon a different salvation, he should seek it by a different savior. The very name of our Saviour means, "He shall save from transgressing the law." "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12.

The above being true, it follows that the only salvation under heaven given among men is salvation from transgressing the law. And any proposed or professed salvation which does not save from transgressing the law, is not by this name, and is no salvation. Jesus saves, not IN SIN, but FROM SIN.

The promise is, "He shall save His PEOPLE." Others have no promise. If He does not save you from transgressing His law, it is because you are not one of "His people;" have not given up all to be His, and not your own. "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price." 1 Cor. 6:19, 20. Your salvation depends upon your complete surrender to God, to be His entirely, and not your own.

When this question of ownership is settled, the whole problem of obedience to the law is also settled. God says: "The seventh day is the Sabbath: . . . in it THOU SHALT NOT do any work." Now if you are His and not your own, He will not put you to work on the Sabbath, but will save you from transgressing this commandment. If you think you are your own, you will consult your own desires and convenience, and decide to do about as you please in the matter; or if you try to save yourself from transgressing,

you will not be able. You are nearly sure to fear losing your business or coming to want. If you are His, and He wants you to suffer for His name, that is His business, not yours. Throw yourself upon Him, and He will overcome all difficulties, and will really save you from transgressing His law.

DAN E. HUFFMAN.

Centerville, Kansas.

The Authority of the Word

By J. H. Parsons

In these days when the Word of God is trampled underfoot by many kinds of isms, some even claiming to be the reincarnation of Christ, it might be well to call attention to God's estimate of His Word.

In Ps. 138:2 we read, "For Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name." As God's name signifies His character, He must therefore desire to have us understand that His Word is to be considered the most sacred and vital thing in the universe.

And it is so held beyond our understanding, by God Himself; because it is the very essence of His character. He can not change it, because He can not deny Himself (2 Tim. 2:13), and because He is "the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17.

It is the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 16:19.

It is life or death, according to our choosing (Deut. 30:15, 16),—life through the Son of God (1 John 5:11-13), obtained by belief on His name; and His name is the "Word of God." Rev. 19:13; John 1:1-14.

It is also the bread of life (John 6:48), and must be spiritually eaten as such in order to obtain eternal life. John 6:53, 54. No one has eternal life inherent in himself except he is born from above (John 3:5),—"born of water and of the Spirit," literally washed in the water of the Word. Eph. 5:26.

It is "living, and active," and "quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart." Heb. 4:12.

It is our judge in the last day; for the Father judges no man (John 5:22), and the Son judges no man (John 12:47), but the "Word of God" only, "the same shall judge him in the last day." John 12:48.

Then who are they who "have turned aside unto vain talking, desiring to be teachers of the law, tho they understand neither what they say, nor whereof they confidently affirm"? (1 Tim. 1:6, 7) or they who darken "counsel by words without knowledge?" Where were they, the Lord asks, when the Word of God "laid the foundations of the earth?" Job 38:2, 4.

"I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see."

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." Rev. 3:18, 22.

"Himself"

By Carrie G. Merrall

'Tis the same dear old truth, but so preciously new, That I want you to hear it, and make it yours too; That 'tis not some rich blessing, but Jesus we need, His own person within us on whom we must feed.

Like a sweet revelation this dawns on my soul; And the heart door swings open, and He makes me whole; And myself is at last at His feet lying low, While throughout all my being His life-blood doth flow.

Ah! my eyes, which so long have been looking within, Only seeing life's trials, my failures and sin, Have at last caught a view of "Himself" dwelling there, To His own blessed fulness thus making me heir.

It is henceforth not my life but His I'm to live; All my righteousness, and even faith He must give; O, how blessed! I've only to just let Him reign, And He pledges each moment unspeakable gain.

And while thus in my heart His own presence doth shine, I can easily say, "Never my will, but Thine." All my life will be glorified thus watching Him, Till the heavens are opened, and earth light grows dim. —Carrie G. Merrall.

Continue reading: Second Phase of Christ's Kingdom