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Review and Herald, Vol. 84, No. 13.

Blessings and Rewards
Earlier text: Blessings and Rewards

Atlantic Union Conference

By I. H. Evans

Received on the $150,000 Fund up to March 19, 1907

Atlantic Union Conference

Central New England Conf. . . . . $1,242.41 Chesapeake Conference . . . . . . . 130.70 Eastern Pennsylvania Conf. . . . 406.92 Greater New York Conf. . . . . . . 400.75 Maine Conference . . . . . . . . . . 160.97 New Jersey Conference . . . . . . . 164.45 New York Conference . . . . . . . 1,018.17 Southern New England Conf. . . 563.73 Vermont Conference . . . . . . . . 615.13 Virginia Conference . . . . . . . . 207.12 Western Pennsylvania Conf. . . 502.67 West Virginia Conference. . . . 157.62 Western New York Conference 378.91 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,949.55

Canadian Union Conference

Not specified . . . . . . . . . . . . $130.41 Maritime Conference . . . . . . . 281.43 Quebec Conference . . . . . . . . . 6.00 Ontario Conference . . . . . . . . . 3.00 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $420.84

Central Union Conference

Colorado Conference . . . . . . . $244.94 Iowa Conference . . . . . . . . . . 1,302.91 Kansas Conference . . . . . . . . 1,023.77 Missouri Conference . . . . . . . . 429.55 Nebraska Conference . . . . . . . 2,024.90 Wyoming Conference . . . . . . . . 319.87 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,345.94

District of Columbia

Washington churches . . . . . . . $1,109.27

Lake Union Conference

East Michigan Conference . . . $592.01 Indiana Conference . . . . . . . . 2,574.06 North Michigan Conference . . . 83.30 Northern Illinois Conference. . . 920.94 Ohio Conference . . . . . . . . . . 1,994.62 Southern Illinois Conference. . . 619.46 West Michigan Conference . . . . 1,943.74 Wisconsin Conference . . . . . . . 1,333.80 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10,061.93

North Pacific Union Conference

Conference not specified . . . . $305.30 British Columbia Conference. . . . 10.00 Montana Conference . . . . . . . . 130.65 Upper Columbia Conference. . . . 970.50 Western Washington Conference 862.39 Idaho Conference . . . . . . . . . . 44.90 Western Oregon Conference. . . . 524.97 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,848.71

Northern Union Conference

Alberta Conference . . . . . . . . $65.80 Manitoba Conference . . . . . . . . 64.00 Saskatchewan Mission Field . . . 21.85 Minnesota Conference . . . . . . . 2,502.39 South Dakota Conference. . . . . 1,977.35 North Dakota Conference . . . . . 757.45 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,388.84

Pacific Union Conference

Arizona Conference . . . . . . . . $156.87 California-Nevada Conference. . . 2,693.26 Southern California Conf. . . . . 281.94 Utah Conference . . . . . . . . . . . 96.01 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,228.08

Southern Union Conference

South Carolina Conference . . . $13.00 Alabama Conference . . . . . . . . . 5.00 Tennessee River Conference. . . . 25.60 Florida Conference . . . . . . . . . 32.95 North Carolina Conference . . . . 12.25 Kentucky Conference . . . . . . . . 15.40 Cumberland Conference . . . . . . 12.94 Louisiana Conference . . . . . . . . 72.95 Mississippi Conference . . . . . . . 3.00 Georgia Conference . . . . . . . . . 14.50 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $207.59

Southwestern Union Conference

Arkansas Tract Society . . . . . . 208.14 Oklahoma Conference . . . . . . . 607.34 Texas Conference . . . . . . . . . . 524.33 Indian Territory . . . . . . . . . . . 3.00 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,342.81

Unknown

Unknown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $146.20

Foreign

Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $122.45 China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.00 South Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128.16 Jamaica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.17 Yukon Territory . . . . . . . . . . . 10.00 England . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256.32 Gold Coast, West Africa . . . . . 10.00 Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.50 Costa Rica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.00 India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.48 South America . . . . . . . . . . . . 23.35 Switzerland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.81 Panama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.00 Nicaragua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.00 Trinidad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 British Honduras . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Norway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.00 Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.50 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $620.08 Grand Total . . . . . . . . . . . . $36,669.34
I. H. EVANS, Treasurer.

Appeal for the $150,000 Fund

IN a recent number of the Pacific Union Recorder, Elder W. T. Knox, president of the California Conference, speaks of April 13 as the time chosen for taking a general collection in all the churches in that conference to apply on the $150,000 fund. He also quotes the following from a paper read at the recent Conference held at San Jose:—
It will never do for us to grow weary in giving to the cause of God, nor to turn a deaf ear to the appeals that come to us. It seems that these appeals for financial aid are multiplying. They come to us more and more frequently; and if there is to be a successful issue to this cause in which we have enlisted, we may expect that the demands upon our liberality will continue to increase until the work is closed.
But as we look back over our experiences of the past, where can we find that our previous liberalities to the Lord have ever brought us impoverishment? Or who would now, if it were possible, withdraw any of the deposits we have made in the “bank of heaven”?
Our service to God calls for self-denial and sacrifice. How few know what real self-denial and sacrifice are! “We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.” “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
The world to-day is enjoying unprecedented prosperity. It is doubtful if there has ever been a period of such general prosperity as we are now witnessing. In view of this, should not our people everywhere be saying to those whom they have placed in responsible positions: “Now is the time for you to place every enterprise of this cause on vantage-ground as far as money will enable you to do so”? It does seem as if self-interest, not to mention our love for the truth, would cause us now to strengthen our positions and greatly advance our outposts. This, however, can be accomplished only when the people of God themselves, with their all, are wholly consecrated to him.
To our leaders belongs the responsibility of planning for this world-wide campaign, but to us belongs the privilege of supplying the sinews of war and the strengthening of their hands by substantial encouragement and sympathy.

A Seaside Reverie

By Lulah K. Anderson

SEA murmurs lulled me to sleep one night And I slept till morn, when a flood of light Startled me. And lo! a picture grand To challenge the skill of an artist's hand. Old ocean's waves with diamonds crowned Were dancing and tossing with joyous bound; And each, rushing on in wild, restless chase, Seemed trying more jewels to gain in the race.
This marvelous scene my mirror caught And reflecting to me, awakened my thought; And there fell on my ear the murmur low Of the sea's matin song in its ebb and flow.
The lesson which came to my heart that hour Was simple and plain, yet full of power. Our lives, though billow-tossed they be, May speak God's glory — as does the sea, For the Christian heart should surge and beat With a love, as wide as the boundless deep; And a hidden power — to move and sway, Like nature revealed in the sea that day; A power that sparkles with God's own light, Buoyant—inspiring—glorious—bright. —Lulah K. Anderson.

The Decree of Cyrus

By Ellen G. White

The Return of the Exiles—No. 2

The Decree of Cyrus

MRS. E. G. WHITE
Over a century before the birth of Cyrus the Great, the prophet Isaiah was inspired to mention this ruler even by name, and to write a prophecy outlining his work, as recorded in the forty-fifth of Isaiah:— “Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two-leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. “I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.”
“Cyrus, he is my shepherd,” the Lord declared, “and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.” “I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts.”
The year that Cyrus succeeded Darius the Mede to the throne of Medo-Persia marked the completion of seventy years since the first company of Hebrews had been carried captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel, who was familiar with the prophecies of Jeremiah and Isaiah regarding the duration of the captivity, and with the prophecies of Isaiah regarding the restoration by decree of Cyrus, was still living, and was occupying a position of leading responsibility in the Medo-Persian court. His faith in these prophecies led him to plead with God in behalf of his people. And now, when the time came for the temple in Jerusalem to be rebuilt, God moved upon Cyrus as his agent to discern the prophecies concerning himself, and to grant the Jewish people their liberty. And furthermore, Cyrus furnished them the necessary facilities for rebuilding the temple of the Lord.
In the book of Ezra is found an account of this work of Cyrus, and a copy of his decree:— “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah the prophet might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (he is the God), which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, besides the free-will offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”
“Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; with three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king’s house: and also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is in Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and placed there in the house of God.”
The Lord God omnipotent reigneth. All kings, all nations, are his, under his rule and government. His resources are infinite. The wise man declares, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”
Those upon whose actions hang the destinies of nations, are watched over with a vigilance that knows no relaxation by him who “giveth salvation unto kings,” to whom belong “the shields of the earth.”
There were faithful servants of the Most High who were prepared to respond to this decree. Over threescore years before, the Lord had declared that “after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return. . . . Then shall ye call upon me,” the Lord declared, “and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will harken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.” Those who were seeking the Lord were prepared to take advantage of the wonderful opportunity afforded them by Cyrus to return to their homes and to restore the temple of God.
“Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.
“Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods; even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives, thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand. All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.”
The company that returned to Jerusalem was led by Zerubbabel (Sheshbazzar), a descendant of King David, and appointed by the king as governor of the restored Israelites. Associated with him were Joshua the high priest, and several of “the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites.” “The whole congregationtogether” that returned to the land of their fathers, under Zerubbabel, “was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women. Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five; their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
“And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the Lord which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place: they gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pounds of silver, and one hundred priests’ garments. So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.”
Soon after their return, in “the seventh month,” “the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. Then stood up Joshua the son of Josedech, and his brethren, . . . and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God. And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord, even burnt offerings morning and evening.
“They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required; and afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the Lord that were reconsecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a free-will offering unto the Lord. From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the Lord.
“But the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid.
“They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.”
The faithful remnant who had returned were greatly cheered and encouraged by the re-establishment of the daily burnt offerings; and they now entered heartily into the preparation necessary for the rebuilding of the temple, in order that they might restore all the ancient services of the house of God.

The Unspeakable Gift

By J. S. Washburn

J. S. WASHBURN
“THANKS be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” 2 Cor. 9:15. Giving is divine. It is the delight of our blessed Heavenly Father. It is the joy of our elder brother Jesus. It is the glory of the angels. God gave his Son. Christ gave his life. The one business of the angels is to minister, to give their service to the other creatures in God’s great universe.
All that he has made in nature demonstrates that the principle of giving is the very essence of divinity. The sun gives its light. The earth brings forth and gives for the service of man her fruit. The flowers breathe out their perfume. The clouds send forth the rain. The birds give their free concerts joyously, cheerfully. All nature gives.
See that mountain stream, sparkling, living, clear, giving life to that which grows upon its banks, freshness, health, and joy to the dumb creatures which God has made, and to man, their king. The mountain stream comes from above. It flows downward to man. Every good gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.
See that pool, full of death, decay, and poison. Why?—It receives; it does not flow forth. There is no outlet. It does not give. That which ceases to give dies.
Dear brother, dear sister, if you would live, if you would be a blessing, if you would be like God, and a part of his plan,—give freely; give your best; give that which costs a sacrifice. You are sowing costly, precious seed. What a harvest of joy will return to you. How much blessing we lose when we fail to give! “He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

WM. COVERT

By Wm. Covert

The Spirit of God—No. 11

WM. COVERT

Things Said of the Holy Spirit

1. What is the first testimony in the sacred writings relating to the Spirit of God?
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Gen. 1: 1, 2.
In creation God’s Spirit brooded over his works and as a result things were made, and life was imparted.
2. When wickedness overspread the antediluvian world, what statement is made showing that God had by his Spirit been endeavoring to cause men to do right?
“And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” Gen. 6: 3.
The apostle shows that God in the days of Noah bore with the people before he destroyed them, and that his Spirit’s striving was through the message given and the work done by Noah while the ark was being built. 1 Peter 3: 19, 20.
3. What in the perverse human heart fights against the Spirit of God?
“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye can not do the things that ye would.” Gal. 5: 17.
The lusts of men’s flesh, or the evil imaginations of their hearts in antediluvian times fought against God’s Spirit and the Spirit of God strove with these evil faculties in men.
4. What does the Lord say should be the attitude of man toward the Spirit of God?
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Gal. 5: 16.
Here the Spirit of God is clearly shown to be that influence or personating presence of God that guides man in his life’s course and restrains him from doing evil.
5. What pointed testimony is given showing that God accomplishes his work through his own Spirit and that it proceeds from himself?
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Gen. 2: 7. “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” Job 33: 4.
6. What indorsement of these ancient testimonies is made by Paul?
“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshiped with men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.” Acts 17: 24-27.
7. What wonderful things are perpetually done before the eyes of all men by the Lord through the Spirit?
“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” Col. 1: 16, 17.
The word consist signifies to hold together.
8. What shows that the Spirit of God is all-pervading so that it is impossible to get away from its presence?
“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.” Ps. 139: 7-12.
Please study carefully the whole psalm.
9. How is the Spirit related to us in its working?
“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil. 2: 13.
10. What are some of the things which the Spirit of God does in us?
“Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.” 2 Cor. 3: 3.
11. How do Christ and his people dwell together?
“And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world can not receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” John 14: 16, 17.
12. From whence does Jesus say the Spirit, also called the Comforter, is to come?
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14: 26.
13. When the Spirit came was it a corporeal individual in personal form, or was it an all-prevading power to influence, enlighten, strengthen, and comfort those upon whom it fell?
“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2: 2-4.
14. How did the Lord say it should come?
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.” Joel 2: 28.
15. How was it manifested at the home of Cornelius?
“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 10: 44, 45.
16. God anointed Jesus with it.
“Now God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Acts 10: 38.
17. The believers were told to receive it through the breathings of Christ.
“And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” John 20: 22.
18. The words of the Father and also the words of the Son of God are emanations from the Lord’s Spirit, and they are spirit and are power.
19. Jesus promised that the Spirit, or Holy Ghost, should be given his followers in a copious manner, that it might be with them in the stead of his bodily presence.
20. It was given as the former rain in the beginning of this age, and will at the closing of our gospel message be given as the latter rain.
“Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.” Joel 2: 23.

Standing up of Michael

By John Norton Loughborough

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH
“And he shall plant the tabernacle of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Dan. 11:15; 12:1, 2.
At what time does Michael “stand up”—commence his reign? for that is the meaning of “stand up,” according to Dan. 11:2-7. Does he stand up before the Turk comes to his end with none to help him, or when the Turk plants the tabernacle of his palace between the seas”? If we look at the Turkish power as symbolized by the great river Euphrates, in Rev. 16:12, that power is “dried up”—comes to his end with none to help him—at the pouring out of the sixth plague. When he falls with none to help him, or to uphold him in this newly occupied place of his palace, seems to be the time of the rush of the kings of the East to gain possession of his territory. And this is after five of the plagues have been poured out.
The plagues are poured out without any mixture of mercy, from the fact that when they are poured out there is no longer any being in the heavenly temple to plead the cause of sinners. See Rev. 15:8. In “Great Controversy,” page 491, it is thus expressed:—
“When the work of investigative judgment closes, the destiny of all will have been decided for life or death.”
In a Testimony given at Dorchester, Mass., Oct 23, 1850, we read: “Then I saw that Jesus’ work in the sanctuary will soon be finished; and, after his work is finished, he will come to the door of the first apartment, and confess the sins of Israel upon the head of the scapegoat. Then he will put on the garments of vengeance. Then the plagues come upon the wicked, and they do not come until Jesus puts on that garment, and takes his place upon the great white throne.”
Looking at the statement made by Daniel in the light of these facts, it appears that the standing up of Michael—the beginning of his reign—is when the Turk moves to the new place of his palace, and the “that time” refers to the time of his removal, and that his final destiny is anticipatingly mentioned, and not that Michael does not stand up until the Turk is left to his fate with none to help him.
We would explain this text on the same principle that we do Matt. 24:45-51 and Matt. 25:1. Not that the kingdom of heaven would be compared to ten virgins after the evil servants, “weeping and wailing,” have met their final doom, but when they are engaged in the work of smiting their fellow servants. In fact that was just the time when the Advent people did compare their experience with the parable of the ten virgins. So in the case of the removal of the Turk, it is stated that he “shall come to his end and none shall help him,” while the time that “Michael shall stand up” is just as the Turk has planted his palace in the holy mountain.
There has been much questioning with some as to who those are who awake to everlasting life in that partial resurrection in the time of trouble. The testimonies presented in former articles in the REVIEW on the subject of the 144,000 say that those who have died in faith, keeping the Lord’s Sabbath will come forth to hear him pronounce the everlasting covenant upon those who have honored him by keeping the Sabbath.
Mountain View, Cal.

Did Christ Die for Sinners?

By I. H. Evans

I. H. EVANS
SHOCKING as it may seem, the press of the country is continually publishing so-called “scientific evidence” of the non-efficacy of the blood of Christ as an atonement for sin. Stripped of his divinity, the Jesus whom we love and in whom we believe to the saving of our souls, becomes only a historical personage like other great men of modern and ancient times.
The historical fact of Christ’s earthly existence is not denied by these so-called “higher critics,” because this fact is beyond dispute. What our scientific teachers would have us believe is that this man Jesus, while he lived on earth in Palestine at the time and places as recorded in the Scriptures, was only a man with high ideals, like Socrates and Plato and Seneca, and other idealists far in advance of their generation. They deny that Christ had any element of divinity in him other than that which is possessed by geniuses in other days. Especially do our scientific theologians object to the blood atonement for sin.
The Literary Digest under date of January 5 quotes from Dr. Lepsius the following as the tendency of modern scientific theology concerning the divinity of Christ:—
“According to the average advanced theologian, Christianity has for nearly two thousand years forgotten what the Master originally taught and purposed. Neither Paul nor John nor the synoptics, neither Augustine nor Luther nor Calvin ever understood who Jesus was and what he wanted. The entire Christian church from the beginning of the apostolic age to the present generation, has been one of great misunderstanding and blunder. The real nature of Jesus and his message has only been discovered now at the beginning of the twentieth century, and to the leaders of the new school belongs the honor of having made this rediscovery. They have given to the world a ‘new Jesus,’ and with this new Jesus a new religion, which is destined to inaugurate the ‘Christian’ era in the history of the development of religions. The genuine Jesus of history can not be interpreted, it seems, from the New Testament writings, but must be dug out by critical processes from what Paul and the evangelists say, this process consisting chiefly in eliminating what the New Testament writers themselves added to the original Christianity of Christ, this addition being chiefly a perversion of the original purposes and teachings of the Founder. Nobody has done more in this direction than the apostle of the Gentiles. The whole blood-atonement theory in particular is represented as an element unknown to the original proclamation of Christ; and the entire Christology of John’s Gospel becomes, not the record of the actual teachings of the Lord, but the philosophy and the theology of a later generation of Christian thinkers. Even the synoptics are not throughout to be regarded as reliable sources for the sayings and the doings of Jesus. They all had special purposes in view which colored materially the picture they give of Jesus and his work.”
The Digest then proceeds to substantiate the correctness of the doctor’s summary of the tendencies of modern teachings, by quoting the following proposition, which was stated by Professor Weisel at the great Giesien Conference, attended by over three hundred professors and pastors:—
“The church’s doctrine concerning sin, especially the doctrine of the fall of Adam into sin and of an original state of innocence, can, in the light of newer discoveries of scientific theology, no longer be maintained.”
The same article quoting from Dr. Rade says:—
“Our opponent has nothing with which to meet the results of modern scientific and theological research except the authority of the Scriptures. This authority would be of prime value if the old doctrine of inspiration were true; but with its fall the authority of the Scriptures as such, has also fallen.”
According to this theory, what have we left? What have we to hope for? Only self. Man must be his own savior. He must work out his own ideals with help from none. For him there is no Saviour, no sacrifice for sin, no atonement in the blood of Christ. Man, only man, by his own will and power is to lift himself into the plane of deity and become a self-made god. Some believe this ideal state can be reached by proper dieting and care of the body. Others advocate seclusion and deep meditation, while others impose penance such as fastings, physical pain, and all manner of self-imposed physical sufferings. Yet all such agree that there is no need of a Saviour.
We may truly thank God that this “scientific theology” has not permeated the rank and file of those who read these lines. Indeed we do ask for nothing with which to meet these false doctrines but the “Word of God.” To this people this written Word is still of “prime value” and the doctrine of Scriptural inspiration is still believed by those who accept the third angel’s message. We believe in Jesus Christ as the only Saviour for sinners, and in his blood as an atonement for sin. We glory in the cross of Christ and expect to receive atonement for our sins through the “spilled blood” and eternal life as the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

“Watchman, What of the Night?”

By K. C. Russell

K. C. RUSSELL
“WATCHMAN, what of the night?” The watchman said, “The morning cometh, and also the night.” The duty of a watchman, as indicated in this figure, is to announce to those who inquire what period of the night they have reached.
This world’s history, since sin entered, is compared to night; and from the standpoint of the gospel, it is compared to the day. What then is the meaning of the expression, “the morning cometh, and also the night”? This expression is a strange and unique one, if we are to follow strictly the analogy between the natural and the figurative day, for it is absurd to think of the morning and night coming at the same time.
It is easy, however, to comprehend the term when we consider what the coming of the Lord will mean to the two classes, the righteous and the unrighteous. To the righteous it will be a glorious morning which will usher in the eternal day, but to the unrighteous, because of their refusal to accept of the gospel invitation, it will be the beginning of the night of eternal darkness.
The Lord through the prophet tells us to “inquire” where we are in this dark night of sin and not only should we inquire, but if we have wandered from the Lord, let us “return;” and to all he says “come.”
From this scripture it is evident that the Lord desires that his people should know and how near we are to the dawning of the eternal day, and so we are to inquire of the watchman, “What of the night?” While the Saviour says the day and the hour of his coming “knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only,” yet he adds, “When ye shall see all of these things, know that it is near, even at the doors,” and this generation (the generation to whom the signs in the sun, moon, and stars were first taught, and understood as signs of his coming) will not pass away, until Christ shall come.
We are told by the watchman that Yet when we shall see certain things taking place in the physical world; viz., terrible fires, tornadoes, cyclones, tidal-waves, volcanic eruptions, the increase of terrible earthquakes, also famine and pestilence, and the increase of disease, we are seeing unmistakable evidence of the approaching end.
In the social world there will be an increasing disregard for parental authority, an alarming lack of natural affection, disregard of the marriage relation, immorality, which can be compared only to the days of Noah and Lot; drunkenness, murders and crimes of every kind, of so fearful and appalling character that they are beyond description.
In the political and commercial world there are perplexities among nations, wars of such a terrible character that one shudders even to think of them, troubles over national affairs, and great struggles between capital and labor.
The watchman has also told us of the increase of knowledge, the peace and safety cry, as evidences that we are nearing the dawning of the morning when the Lord shall end this night of woe.
The Bible has plainly warned us that the movements against the rights of conscience through the influence and efforts of the papacy will become universal, for it says, “The whole world wondered after the beast.” This does not necessarily mean that all will become communicants of the Roman Catholic Church, and accept of all her rites and ceremonies, nevertheless, when one adopts her antichristian principles, such as tradition instead of the Word of God, and seek support from the state instead of seeking it from above, they are in this way wondering after the beast.
These things are coming to pass with alarming rapidity, and it is high time that the watchman should exclaim with no uncertain tone “the morning cometh, and also the night.”
Takoma Park, D. C.

The Power of Habitual Duty

By G. S. Merriam

By giving to the repetition of an act of duty a fixed regularity, I can multiply my moral power in that direction as much as a man multiplies his material power when he gets hold of a lever. By faithful habit I can make that which was at first laborious come to be after a while less difficult, then easy, and perhaps at last spontaneous and delightful. — G. S. Merriam.
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