Review and Herald, Vol. 35, No. 5. (1/25/1870)

Review and Herald

Jan 25, 1870

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 25, 1870

GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST.

By James White

BY ELD. JAMES WHITE.

TEXT.— “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14.

This song of the angels came at an interesting time. The words of the prophet, Isa. 9:6, were then fulfilled. The Child was born, the Son was given.

“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Chap. 2:7–14.

God so loved the world that he gave his Son to save man. It was a time to give glory to God. The time had come for all to respond, Glory to God in the highest. The angels gave him glory, as they sung this song in the ears of the shepherds. Glory belongs to God. It was given by the angels first. Glory to God in the highest! It was his due.

God’s goodness was manifested in a higher degree in the gift of his Son to redeem us. Glory to God in the highest! The greatest gift God himself could bestow was now given to restore fallen man. Let all join in response to the angels. Glory to God in the highest!

But was the Christian dispensation to be the period when peace should prevail over the earth? No. The angels, as they struck the glad note of “Peace on earth,” looked forward over the long period of the great controversy between Christ and his angels, and Satan and his angels, to the time when the final victory shall be gained, and the earth will be in the possession of his friends. Here our temporal-millennium friends make a grand mistake. The angels, as they struck this note, looked beyond this period of probation, to the time when Christ shall have subdued all his enemies.

“I have not come to send peace on the earth.” This is enough to lead any man to locate the period of peace on earth beyond this dispensation. He now sends rather a sword, and division, even to families, two against three, and three against two. This prophecy of peace on earth is sometimes so misapplied as to lead men to sacrifice truth itself for peace. Some have the impression that we may believe, or do, as we please, so that we live in peace one with another. It is a perversion of James 3:17, which says, “The wisdom which is from above is first pure, then peaceable.” Purity is before peace. Truth with a sword is always better than error with peace.

How proper for angels to begin this song with “Glory to God in the highest!” He is the Creator, both theirs, and ours. And we may join with them in the song, “Glory to God in the highest!” There are three Psalms which especially express this sentiment of praise. It may not weary you for me to read them.

“Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens. Praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels. Praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon. Praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded and they were created.” Ps. 148:1–5.

In the work of creation alone there is enough to call for the praise of God.

“He hath also stablished them forever and ever. He hath made a decree which shall not pass. Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps; fire, and hail; snow, and vapor; stormy wind fulfilling his word; mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars; beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl; kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth; both young men, and maidens; old men, and children. Let them praise the name of the Lord; for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.” vs. 6–13.

How glorious is the name of our God. It alone is excellent. His glory is above the heavens. We should be very careful how we take that glory to ourselves.

“He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord.” v. 14.

“Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord.” Ps. 149.

The phrase, “all his saints,” embraces not merely the saints which are alive when the Lord comes, but all the saints, the resurrected ones, and the living also.

“Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.” Ps. 150.

God is our creator and preserver, and in the announcement of the angels to the shepherds, there is another grand event that calls for praise in the highest. The promised heir to David’s throne is born, the Son is given, and the angels are inspired to raise the song of praise, “Glory to God in the highest!” That song of praise from angels and from men belongs to God. He made us, and not we ourselves.

For life, and all its blessings, we should praise God. But when we consider man’s fallen condition—his lost estate, and the sacrifice that was made for him, and the gift of God’s own Son, we are led to conclude that Heaven knows no greater love than is here manifested. If praise to God for the gift of our Lord Jesus Christ was inspired in the bosom of angels, well may it swell the breast of fallen man.

I think we have not always looked upon this subject in its proper light. Christ thought it not robbery to be equal with God. It is not well to lower the dignity of Christ. By him God made the worlds. Heb. 1:1, 2. He was the divine Son of God. How he could become flesh and dwell with men, we may never know in this world—perhaps not in another. We may know what he has done; but there we shall have to leave the matter. He laid aside his glory, and lived a life of suffering, and finally upon the cross he died such a death as none of us can possibly die. Yes; the Father made a divine sacrifice in the gift of his Son. It is beyond the reach of language to express the nature of the gift.

He did all this to open a way for us to be washed from our sins, that we may be exalted to sit on his throne and reign with him forever and forever. No wonder the angels appeared to men and struck up this note of praise. When the work shall be accomplished,

when the conquest of his enemies shall be complete, then, indeed, there will be peace on earth. The multitude of the heavenly host, as they sang over the plains of Bethlehem, looked not only to the first advent, but also to the second. The prophets sometimes in a single verse describe both advents. Isa. 9:6, not only speaks of the birth of the Son, but of the government resting upon his shoulders.

For our being we should be thankful. That we are here alive this day calls for praise to God. Life, even under all our trials and discouragements, is a blessing. And we have an additional reason to praise God, to raise our voices to him, that when we were lost, he gave his Son to die for us, and that he is now with the Father to intercede for us. His great heart is reaching out to us. He is calling us to him, and entreating us to accept his salvation. Glory to God in the highest, is language none too strong to properly express the feelings of every created intelligence in the universe.

And then, what he has promised to do for us calls for our highest praise. He will come again and receive us to himself. In his absence he gives us another Comforter, the Holy Spirit. Let praise to God go up from every heart, that he created us, and that he sent his Son to die for us, and to plead our cause at the Father’s right hand, and that the Comforter has come to guide us, and console us, in our labors and our trials. Let us join with the angels in shouts of praise in the highest.

We say, then, that existence calls for praise to God, and that the gift of Christ, our eternal benefactor, calls for our praise. Has God bestowed upon us mental powers? Let us praise him. What have we that is not from God? It is robbing him to claim that our mental powers are our own. Have we physical strength? God gave it. Let his finger but touch us, and where is our strength?

Have you had your minds led to the truth of God? Has the minister of Jesus some freedom and power in speaking the truth of God? Let him, above all men, praise God. Are we kept from trials and dangers? Are we kept in the love of God? in the enjoyment of his Spirit? Do we feel an interest in his cause? For this we have reason to praise God. No matter how much knowledge, or piety, a man may have, it is of God’s mercy and care.

Peter speaks to his brethren thus, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again, unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled; and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

The apostle is writing to Christians. He is addressing the strangers scattered abroad. No matter whether they were to be situated in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Europe, New York, or Battle Creek, wherever you are, you are kept by the power of God. Praise him for his protecting, guarding power.

Now I venture the statement, should God withdraw his sustaining grace from a soul, one single hour; should he say to his angels, Let him alone; the transition would be so great no man could endure it.

Should the Lord at once withdraw all support given to the mind by holy angels, Satan would come in with his forces, and the transition would be so great it would prostrate any mind.

Backsliding from God is not done in an hour. The present hour may develop the apostasy; but the apostate may have been for the last six months backsliding, so gradually does God withdraw his power, and the grace which keeps in the love of the truth.

We have all of us reason to praise God for the truth. I awoke this morning praising God. After I arose, I began to reflect, and to talk with Bro. Littlejohn on giving the glory to God. The season was profitable. We are in danger of taking the glory to ourselves. Self, self, self, is often made the subject of conversation, and of our efforts. I thank God that I have a disposition to love him. Why? Because God gave it to me. I never heard a more consistent evening prayer than that I have often heard Bro. Howland, of Maine, offer—that God would keep his faith while he slept.

It is dangerous for some to go to sleep. Should they lie down in faith and hope, Satan might steal it from them. We should pray in faith as we go to rest at night, that we may wake in the morning with our very being filled with hope and faith, and with the love of God. Oh! how much you have to praise God for. Have you life? Praise God. Have you hope? Praise God. Do the angels draw near when you pray? Does the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, warm up your heart in your prayer? Praise God. If the angels could praise God at the birth of Christ, how should you praise him, who have the truth of the first advent, and the glorious prospect of the second, near? There is glory in this subject. I’m getting happy. Glory to God in the highest.

We should avoid taking glory to ourselves. Especially those who handle sacred things should be careful. The minister who enjoys freedom in speaking the truth, should give glory to God. Has he done anything in the blessed cause? Let him praise that God who has given him power to labor. Have any a duty to labor in the church? Let them be careful to give the glory to God.

I read in Isaiah that God is jealous on this subject. Chap. 48:11. “For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.” Let me repeat it. The men who stand in the desk and declare the word of God with freedom and power, should not take glory to themselves, neither should the people praise them. If the people love and approve the language they use, no matter what is accomplished, they should give the glory to God. Every one connected with the work is a co-laborer with angels, with Jesus, and with God. Bro. Andrews, feed the sheep. Bro. Bell, feed the lambs. God bless you. It is a privilege to labor in this cause. Suppose you are not appreciated, and that you receive no credit for much of your self-sacrifice. God knows you are working for him. Suffer on, toil on, bear on. There is a crown of glory for the faithful.

And be thou admonished, oh, my soul! The subject of this morning has searched me, and searched me. The influence of our talk, who can estimate it? But what power our talk has on ourselves! If our words have influence upon others, what power may they have upon ourselves! May God have mercy upon us all! Rather than receive praise from mortals for a moment, let us join in the song of the angels, and give glory to God. God help us to send our songs of praise up to him, whatever our position may be. In view of all he has done for me, the language of my heart is, “Glory to God in the highest!” Whatever my lot may be—whatever I may be called to pass through, to do, or to bear, may the language of my heart ever be, Glory to God.

This earthly court is a heavenly place to us to-day. A full tide seems to be setting heavenward. My spirit is triumphant in God. I cannot taper off this subject, but must leave it just where the angels began it, Glory to God in the highest! Amen.

“CLING TO THE MIGHTY ONE,”

The following curious poem, formed from different Bible texts, is worth preserving.

Cling to the Mighty One, — Ps. 89:19. Cling in thy grief; — Heb. 12:11. Cling to the Holy One, — Heb. 7:26. He gives relief; — Ps. 116:6. Cling to the Gracious One, — Ps. 116:5. Cling in thy pain, — Ps. 55:4. Cling to the Faithful One, — 1 Thess. 5:24. He will sustain. — Ps. 55:24.

Cling to the Living One, — Heb. 7:25. Cling in thy woe, — Ps. 86:7. Cling to the Living One — 1 John 4:16. Through all below. — Rom. 8:38, 39. Cling to the Pardoning One, — Isa. 55:7. He speaketh peace; — John 14:27. Cling to the Healing One, — Ex. 15:26. Anguish shall cease. — Ps. 147:3.

Cling to the Bleeding One, — 1 John 1:7. Cling to his side; — John 20:27. Cling to the Risen One, — Rom. 5:9. In him abide; — John 15:4. Cling to the Coming One, — Rev. 22:20. Hope shall arise; — Titus 2:13. Cling to the Reigning One, — Ps. 57:1. Joy lights thine eyes. — Ps. 16:11.

The Day of the Lord will not Come without a Warning.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

WHEN we go out and preach that the Lord is coming soon, and give signs that indicate it, we are often met with the declaration that no man can know anything about it; that the Lord may come to-morrow, or next year, or it may be a hundred, or a thousand years. Ministers often make this declaration. Let us look at this idea. They say the Lord may come to-morrow. Very well. Will they acknowledge that the people of God, or the world, has been warned of that event? Oh, no! They have not given such a warning, and that which the Adventists have given they do not believe is of the Lord, so that no one has been warned with regard to it. Yet they say, “The Lord may come to-morrow.” This position, then, assumes that the day of the Lord will come without any warning to the righteous or wicked. Such a position is both unreasonable and unscriptural. God is long-suffering. He, not willing that any should perish. He always gives a fair warning to every one with regard to any danger, that the righteous may be prepared for it and be saved, and that the wicked may be without excuse.

Take a few examples of the past. When the world in the days of Noah had become so corrupt that God could not endure it any longer, he might have opened the windows of heaven, and the foundations of the great deep, and deluged the earth with water in a day's time. But God did not wish thus to do. He chose a righteous man, told him what he purposed to do, and how he might be prepared for it. Him he made a preacher of righteousness to warn the whole world. One hundred and twenty years he preached, and all had an opportunity to hear and prepare if they would, but they did not. Then the Lord did what he had so thoroughly warned all that he was about to do. So it was in the days of Lot; and so with the Ninevites. In the time of Christ, the Jews had become so corrupt that the Lord proposed to destroy their city and their nation. But he did not do this without first warning them of the danger, giving them a chance to repent if they would, and giving the righteous an opportunity to escape that time of trouble. Forty years before it happened, Christ warned them that it would soon come, and gave them signs by which they might know when it was at hand.

These examples show that the Lord always warns the world of any great calamity that he proposes to bring upon it. At such times, his people are always informed with regard to it, and are taught what steps to take in order to save themselves. How much more then may we expect such a warning when that great day shall come for which all other days were made, the final consummation of all things, when time shall close and every man come to judgment. It is both reasonable and easy to be inferred from God's dealings with man in the past. Not only so, but there is abundance of scripture to show that this will be the case. Turn to Joel 2: 1, and we read, “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand.” This is not only a prophecy, but a direct command which must be obeyed when the time comes.

This shows that God designs that a warning shall be given when that day comes. Some one will be raised up by the Spirit of God to deliver this message, even though they have to be raised up from the very stones of the earth.

Take another prophecy. Rev. 14: 6, 7. “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Here an angel has the gospel to preach to every nation under heaven, but angels do not preach the gospel—God's chosen men do this, hence this angel represents a class of men who shall preach such a message as this. And what is it? It is a mighty proclamation to all people that the hour of God's judgment is come. This prophecy will not fail. It must be fulfilled. When the time comes, the world must hear this message; and if they do, then it is plain to be seen that the warning must be given with regard to the judgment hour. Paul reasoned with Felix of the judgment to come.

He told the Athenians that God had appointed a day in the which he would judge the world. But this message says the hour of God's judgment is come, not is coming, or shall come; but it announces the fact to all the world that it is present. Most certainly this message relates to the last days, and cannot be proclaimed with truthfulness, only when the hour of judgment actually arrives.

This, then, settles the fact that there will be a warning in the last days to all the world with regard to the great day of God's judgment. Another fact is clearly stated many times in the Bible; viz., that there will be two classes in the last days,—one class will be watching, and waiting, and looking, for the Lord when he

comes. That day will not come on them as a thief. They will be saved. Then there will be a second class who have heard the warning, yet will be overtaken as a thief by the coming of the Lord. To them it will come unexpectedly, and they will be destroyed. Dan. 12: 9, 10. This relates to the last days, and says “the wise shall understand, but the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand.” To the same effect is 1 Thess. 5: 1-5. Here we find that the day of the Lord comes suddenly as a thief in the night upon the world, and they are all destroyed, while the righteous are not in darkness, and that day does not overtake them as a thief. So the same truth is taught in Matt. 24: 37: “As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.” How was it in the days of Noah? God gave a warning to the world, faithful Noah believed it, knew when the flood was coming, and was prepared for it. The wicked world heard the warning, disbelieved it, and knew not when the flood would come till it burst upon them unexpectedly, and destroyed them all. So, says Christ, shall it be at his second coming. These scriptures all plainly teach that there will be a proclamation in the last days with regard to the coming of the Lord, and the end of the world. Such a proclamation is now going to the world, which is based on Bible evidence, as we believe.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

William Miller.

We find the following in the editorial columns of the Advent-Christian Quarterly:

“FATHER MILLER,” as Adventists call him, was no ordinary man. But as the generation who knew him personally are fast passing away, we desire to put on record a brief sketch of his life and character from a source which cannot, to say the least, be accused of a prejudice in his favor. We copy from Littell’s Living Age an obituary notice, originally published in The Boston Atlas, in December, 1849, on the occasion of the old man’s decease. It is an opponent’s tribute of respect to a man greatly abused and maligned:

“Mr. Miller, of Low Hampton, N. Y., somewhat celebrated for his views respecting the nearness of the advent, died at his residence on Thursday, the 20th inst., in his 68th year.

“He was born at Pittsfield, in this State, [Mass.] Feb. 15, 1782. When he was four years of age, his father removed to Low Hampton, Wash. Co., N. Y. At the age of twenty-two, he settled in Poultney, Vt., and was a deputy sheriff for that county. On the commencement of the late war with Great Britain, he received a captain’s commission in the U. S. army, where he remained till the peace. He took part in the action at Plattsburg, where 1,500 regulars, and about 4,000 volunteers, defeated the British, who were 15,000 strong. After the close of the war, he removed to the place of his late residence, where for several years he held the office of a justice of the peace.

“Mr. Miller was regarded with much affection by his neighbors, who esteemed him as a benevolent, intelligent man, and a kind neighbor. For many years he was a most assiduous student of history and the Scriptures, in the study of which he became impressed with a conviction that the fifth monarchy predicted by Daniel to be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, under the whole heaven, for an everlasting possession (see Dan. 7), was about to be consummated. It becoming known that he entertained these views, he was importuned by many to write out his opinions, and afterwards to defend them in public. After refusing so to do for many years, he at length complied, and has been principally known to the public as a lecturer on prophecy. He thus describes his reluctance to appear in public, and the occasion of his first attempt:

“One Saturday, after breakfast, in the summer of 1833, I sat down at my desk to examine some point, and as I arose to go out to work, it came home to me with more force than ever, ‘Go and tell it to the world.’ The impression was so sudden, and came with such force, that I settled down into my chair, saying, ‘I can’t go, Lord.’ ‘Why not?’ seemed to be the response ; and then all my excuses came up, my want of ability, &c.; but my distress became so great, I entered into a solemn covenant with God, that if he would open the way, I would go and perform my duty to the world. ‘What do you mean by opening the way?’ seemed to come to me. Why, said I, if I should have an invitation to speak publicly in any place, I will go and tell them what I find in the Bible about the Lord’s coming. Instantly all my burden was gone, and I rejoiced that I should not probably be thus called upon, for I had never had such an invitation. My trials were not known, and I had but little expectation of being invited to any field of labor.

“In about half an hour from this time, before I had left the room, a son of Mr. Guilford, of Dresden, about sixteen miles from my residence, came in and said that his father had sent for me, and wished me to go home with him. Supposing that he wished to see me on some business, I asked him what he wanted? He replied, that there was to be no preaching in their church the next day, and his father wished to have me come and talk to the people on the subject of the Lord’s coming. I was immediately angry with myself for having made the covenant I had; I rebelled at once against the Lord, and determined not to go. I left the boy without giving him any answer, and retired in great distress to a grove near by. There I struggled with the Lord for about an hour, endeavoring to release myself from the covenant I had made with him, but I could get no relief. It was impressed upon my conscience, ‘Will you make a covenant with God, and break it so soon?’ and the exceeding sinfulness of thus doing overwhelmed me. I finally submitted; and promised the Lord that if he would sustain me, I would go, trusting in him to give me grace and ability to perform all he should require of me. I returned to the house, and found the boy still waiting; he remained till after dinner, and I returned with him to Dresden.”

“From this time and onward he was pressed with invitations to present his views in many places, and traveled extensively throughout the Northern, Eastern, and Middle, States, and Canada, and labored almost constantly for the succeeding twelve years; but visited no place without first receiving an urgent invitation.

“He was disappointed in the fulfillment of his expectations in 1843, and came out the next year with an Apology and Defence, acknowledging the want of accuracy in his chronological calculations, but claiming that the nature and nearness of the event was still sustained by scriptural evidence. In that belief he has since lived and died—worn out with the infirmities of age.

“He was a man strictly temperate in all his habits, devoted in his family and social attachments, and proverbial for his integrity. His brain was of large volume, and he was capable of great mental efforts.

He was naturally very amiable in his temperament; but when he thought he was unjustly represented, he often indulged in biting sarcasm on his revilers. His mental faculties were clear to the last, and he fell asleep joyful in the hope of a speedy resurrection.”

Directions for Reading the Scriptures.

By M. M. O.

[DEAR BRO. ANDREWS: I find a note to the student of God's word appended by Tyndale to his version of the New Testament. The suggestions seem to me very good. I copy a part of it, and if you think proper you will please give it a place in the REVIEW.—M. M. O.]

“To THE READER.—Give diligence reader (I exhort thee) that thou come with a pure mind, and as the Scripture saith, with a single eye unto the words of health, and of eternal life; by the which (if we repent and believe them) we are born anew, created afresh, and enjoy the fruits of the blood of Christ; which blood crieth not for vengeance as the blood of Abel, but hath purchased life, favor, grace, blessing, and whatsoever is promised in the Scriptures to those that believe and obey God; and standeth between us and wrath, vengeance, curse, and whatsoever the Scripture threateneth against the unbelievers, and disobedient, which resist, and consent not in their hearts to the law of God, that it is holy, just, and ought so to be. Mark the plain and manifest places of the Scriptures, and in doubtful places see thou add no interpretation contrary to them; but (as Paul saith) let all be conformable and agreeing to the faith.

“Note the difference of the law and the gospel. The one asketh and requireth, the other pardoneth and forgiveth. The one threateneth, the other promiseth all good things to them that set their trust in Christ only. The gospel signifieth glad tidings, and is nothing but the promise of good things. All is not gospel that is written in the gospel book. For if the law were away, thou couldst not know what the gospel meant. Even as thou couldst not see pardon, favor, and grace, except the law rebuked thee, and declared unto thee thy sin, misdeed, and trespass. Repent and believe the gospel, as saith Christ in the first of Mark: Apply always the law to thy deeds, whether thou find lust in the bottom of thine heart to the lawward; and so shalt thou no doubt repent, and feel in thyself a certain sorrow, pain, and grief to thine heart, because thou canst not with full lust, (i. e., desire) do the deeds of the law. Apply the gospel, that is to say the promises, unto the deserving of Christ, and to the mercy of God and his truth, and so shalt thou not despair, but shalt feel God as a kind and merciful Father. And his Spirit shall dwell in thee, and shall be strong in thee; and the promises shall be given thee at the last, (though not by and by, lest thou shouldst forget thyself, and be negligent) and all threatenings shall be forgiven thee for Christ's blood's sake, to whom commit thyself altogether, without respect either of thy good deeds or of thy bad.

“WILLIAM TYNDALE,” Who first printed the New Testament in English in 1525, and was martyred at Vilvoord, near Brussels, in 1536.

The Coming Doom.

“The elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” 2 Peter 3:10.

What will one day occur right in the face and eyes of a sneering philosophy, which declares it cannot be, is ably set forth, in an article on “The Relations of Geology and Theology,” by Prof. R. D. Hitchcock, in the Bibliotheca Sacra, for July, 1868, who has recently said, “The earth contains within itself the agencies necessary to its dissolution by fire. Its crust is supposed to be several hundred miles thick, while the interior is in a state of fusion like lava. The three hundred active volcanoes on the crust are the breathing-holes of the internal fire. At present counteracting agencies prevent this lava from bursting forth. But let the order be issued for its liberation, and these vents will belch forth fire and desolation. The works of man, in which we take so much pride, may be crumbled in a moment by the concussion of the crust. Liberated gases may combine explosively with the oxygen in the air, so that the heavens should pass away with a great noise. 2 Pet. 3:10. “And there are grounds of belief,” said the late Prof. George Shepherd, in one of his published sermons on Matthew 24:37–39, “that this great coming with fire is indeed not far before us. We have the same word for this greater coming with fire. And we have the fire; a world with all its caverns and bowels filled full of it; and it rages and presses against and shakes the crust on which we now stand, and it snorts out at all the openings in columns that reach to the clouds, and quantities that overwhelm us with the molten ruins. The whole world may disbelieve it—this uttered thing of God will be.”

Long ago did the unerring voice of prophecy solemnly announce the conflagration and last mighty convulsion of our globe; (1) by the bursting forth of its elementary forces and internal fires and, (2), by the ignition of its aerial gases. And we are told in plain words who kindled the fire, and when, and where, and why it was kindled. These Scriptures are already quoted. It is the work of a sin-avenging Deity, whose mighty angels wait to bring the last throb, and blow up the last flames ere this sad earth, again as at the first, “shall all be Paradise.” Nevertheless, worldly-wise and persistently-evil men love to deceive and be deceived concerning the approach of such a fearful day.—The Coming Earthquake.

Continue reading: The Order of Events in the Judgment

GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST.*