p. 60 | Review and Herald, Vol. 79, No. 4. (1/28/1902)

Review and Herald

Jan 28, 1902

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 28, 1902

THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL EFFORT.

By Ellen G. White

MRS. E. G. WHITE.

In every land there are thousands of souls in darkness, without the knowledge of the truth, souls who have never heard the last message of mercy to a perishing world. They know not that the end of all things is at hand. “Peace and safety” is the cry that is sounded from the popular pulpits. And yet how many of God’s professed people are at ease in Zion. The churches in general are weak and dependent. They think that some one must be with them every Sabbath to spread for them a gospel feast. They do not realize that they must individually appropriate to themselves the truth that has been unfolded to them, and communicate its light to those who know it not; and they are doing comparatively nothing, either in the home missions or in the “regions beyond.” Can you, dear brethren and sisters, be doers of the word of God, while indifferent to the souls that are perishing around you? Can you listen to the truth Sabbath after Sabbath, and not impart its light to others?

The Church must not depend so fully as she has done in the past upon the ordained minister alone to carry the gospel to the world. God has given to every man his work. For many years He has been bidding His people, “Go work to-day in my vineyard.” He calls upon men who understand the Scriptures to go into places where the message of truth has never penetrated, and there work, imparting to others what God has imparted to them. They can be as the salt, communicating saving properties to those with whom they come in contact.

The standard of truth may be raised by humble men and women; and the youth, and even the children, may be a blessing to others, by revealing what the truth has done for them. God will use the most feeble instruments if they are wholly submitted to Him. He can work through them to help souls to whom the minister could not obtain access. In the highways and byways the lost are to be sought. With your Bible in your hand, with your heart warm and glowing with the love of God, you may go out and tell others your experience; you may make known to them the truth that has impressed your heart, praying with faith that God will make your efforts successful in their salvation. Communicate light, and you will have more light to communicate. Thus you may become laborers together with God.

God desires that His children shall make use of all their powers; and in working to bless others, you may grow strong in the strength of Jesus. You may not be learned; you may not be thought capable of doing a great work for God; but there are things which you can do. You can let your light shine forth to others. Through the prophet Isaiah Christ has said, “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. . . . And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.”

Every one may have an understanding of the truth, and exert an influence for good. Then go to work, my brethren and sisters. Gain an experience by working for others. You may make mistakes; but this is not more than the most intelligent, and those in positions of trust, have done again and again. You will not always meet with success; but you can never know the result of humble, disinterested effort to help those who are in darkness. Through the agency of the Holy Spirit, you may win souls from error to truth, and in so doing your own souls will be filled with the love of God. Unaccustomed paths will open before you in your work of ministry. You will often have to step out of the beaten track, and, under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, do special work for God; but if you make Him your dependence, He will give you wisdom and strength according to your need.

I pray that church-members may see the peril of departing from God’s expressed commandment, and repent of their lifelong neglect of the service of Christ while professing to be His followers. If they would go forth as pilgrims and strangers, and make for themselves homes where there is work to be done, letting their light shine forth to those who are in darkness and error, they would then be able to say, “And of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.” We shall receive fresh supplies of grace as we impart to others that which we already have.

The Holy Spirit will impress upon the mind that the religion of the Bible is a grand and precious reality. You need not only to assent to the truth, but to put it into practice. Let every ray of light that shines from the word be heeded as the eternal truth of God. Then as you place your will on the Lord’s side, look around for some work to do for the Master. Set to work at whatever your hand finds to do; for it is in practicing truth, in blessing others, that you work out your own salvation. If God works in you to will and to do of His good pleasure, you will cultivate those traits of character that every heir of heaven must possess.

Many have a superficial experience because they do so much for themselves, and so little for Jesus. Intercourse with those who are in need of help, with the purpose of saving their souls, will lead us to pray for wisdom, and look to Jesus as our Helper. By unselfish labor for others, we shall establish ourselves in the faith far more firmly than by listening to so many

sermons. The Holy Spirit will be our helper, giving us arguments with which to meet opposition, and in all our work giving us steadfast faith and unshaken confidence. Thus we shall gain an experience of more value than gold, or silver, or precious stones.

The Lord would awaken His Church to her calling,—to follow in the footsteps of Christ, and present Him to the world, that the world may say of His disciples, They have been with Jesus, and have learned of Him. Then let each engage in this work in all humility of mind. “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren,” said Christ, “ye have done it unto me.” Shall we not, then, without delay, go without the camp, bearing the reproach for Christ’s sake? In so doing, we shall share largely of the Holy Spirit’s teaching and leading.

There must be no idlers in the work of God. He desires that His people shall engage in living missionary work, and thus be doers of His word. He desires that they shall labor in love for one another; that they shall pray most earnestly for themselves that they may be branches in the living Vine, daily drawing nourishment from it, and bearing rich clusters of precious fruit. “Herein is my Father glorified,” He says, “that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

MY GUIDE.

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

MRS. L. D. AVERY-STUTTLE.

'Twas night; the gruesome shadows fell And shut from sight the glorious day, And rising tears I could not quell, Hid from my sight the beaten way.

Far o'er the mountains, grim and drear, I heard the voices of the night, And prowling monsters lurking near Filled my desponding soul with fright.

"Where is the way?" I loudly cried; When, up the mountain's dangerous side, I quickly turned my tear-dimmed eye, And saw a pathway steep and high.

Then at my side a Voice I heard; In tones of love it seemed to say: Fear not; this is thy pathway, child; Trust in my love; this is the way."

But brambles rose on either side, No bird songs warbled in my ear, And dangerous rocks and chasms wide Filled my distracted soul with fear.

"This cannot be my path," I cried. "This is thy path," the Voice replied.

"Is this my tender Shepherd, He Who grieves me thus?—It cannot be! For ah, His love is far too deep To lead me such a pathway steep. I know His voice,—it is not this,— Thou surely leadest me amiss. See; yonder lies a broader path,— No thorns are there for tired feet,— And multitudes that highway choose, Where flowers bloom with blossoms sweet."

"My child, this is the only way; I've passed the rugged path before; It leadeth straight to endless day, Where earth's perplexities are o'er, Dost thou not know my footprints, child?" He questioned in a voice so mild.

I looked; I could not say Him nay,— His bloody footprints marked the way. Enough! If I may place my feet In thy blest footprints, all is well; I'll count it but a joy most sweet, Nor fear the powers of earth or hell. Thou'lt shield me from these wild alarms, Safe in the covert of thine arms."

DO I BELIEVE IN CARD-PLAYING? IF NOT, WHY NOT?

By Elder Wm. P. Pearce.

What Harm is There in Card-Playing?

ELDER WM. P. PEARCE.

“1. The harm of handling the tools of the gambler.

“2. Of learning the methods of using these tools.

“3. Of coming under the influence of the tendency toward the tricks and trickery that so commonly go with the use of these tools.

“4. Of entering even the outer circle of the kind of people who use such tools, and of coming under their influence, or of being drawn into the circles that are nearer and nearer the terrible vortex of ruin.

“5. Of becoming familiar with, and a party to, the lowering of the principle of the lot commonly called ‘chance,’ but really predestination (or providence), to the use of mere recreation.

“6. Of wasting precious time in prolonged play.

“7. Of disregarding the command to do whatever one does to the glory of God, in the name of the Lord Jesus.

“8. Lastly, even though it might do you no harm, there would be the harm it would do to others in any of these ways; and your daily petition, ‘Lead us not into temptation,’ makes it incumbent upon you not to lead any one into temptation nor to lead temptation to any one.”

DO I BELIEVE IN CARD-PLAYING? IF NOT, WHY NOT?

“It is very wonderful to see persons of the best sense passing away a dozen hours together in shuffling and dividing a pack of cards, with no other conversation but what is made up of a few game phrases, and no other ideas but those of black or red spots ranged together in different figures. Would not a man laugh to hear any one of his species complaining that life is short?”—Addison.

I do not believe in card-playing, because it is—

AN INVENTION FOR THE VILE PERSON AND THE FOOL.

The Encyclopedia Britannica says: “In the Chinese dictionary it is said that cards were invented in the reign of Seun-ho, 1120 A. D., for the amusement of his numerous concubines.” (A concubine is a woman who lives with a man without being lawfully married to him.)

In Italy, says the American Encyclopedia, cards originally bore the name of Naibi, and they are still, in Spain and Portugal, called Naipes, signifying in the Eastern languages, “divination.” It is also stated that cards were introduced into Europe by a physician, to amuse a king of France whose intellect was shattered. Certainly a very fitting origin for so silly a method of killing time, and for the building up of resorts for the empty-headed, the vicious, and the idle. Remember, “Better is a . . . wise child than an old and foolish king” (Eccl. 4:13); and “forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.” Prov. 9:6.

I do not believe in card-playing because the—

“GOOD INTENTION” IS A FOOLISH EXAGGERATION.

“It is only an innocent diversion,” it is claimed. Not a day passes but in the parlor, or on the train, or aboard the steamer, in palace and hovel, in clubroom and gambling den, multitudes indulge in it. But instead of being an innocent game, it is as subtle as the serpent.

But let us inquire, What does it do for physical development? Is there any gymnastic exercise connected with it? What does it do for intellectual enlightenment? If there is any training at all, is it not to get the better of some one else? What does it do for the improvement of the morals? What person has it made purer, nobler, better? What does it do for one’s spiritual culture? Whose faith does it strengthen, hope brighten, piety increase, or religious devotion benefit? Ah, the verdict of the good and loyal subjects of Jesus is that it is a snare, a decoy, a gilded temptation, of which we should pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from [THIS] evil.” Matt. 6:13. For—

“This is the curse of every evil deed, That, propagating still, it brings forth evil.”

I do not believe in card-playing, because—

ITS CONTINUATION IS A CRIMINAL EXTENSION.

The effects of card-playing are always detrimental, rather than beneficial.

Effect One.—“Foolish conversation.” The philosopher Locke, having been introduced by Lord Shaftesbury to the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Halifax, these three noblemen, instead of conversing with this learned man, sat down to cards. Mr. Locke, after looking on for some time, pulled out his pocketbook, and began to write with great attention. One of the company observing this, took the liberty to ask what he was writing. “My lord,” said Locke, “I am endeavoring, as far as possible, to profit by my present situation; for, having waited with impatience for the honor of being in the company of the greatest men of the age, I thought I could do no better than write down your conversation; and indeed, I have set down the substance of what you have said this last hour or two.” Their foolish talking and playing was at once discontinued, and they entered into a more rational employment.

Bear this in mind, “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of Judgment.” Matt. 12:36. But “let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ.” Phil. 1:27.

Effect Two.—“Foolish waste of time.” Proper recreation is improvement of time, but when recreation is converted into dissipation, as it is in card-playing, then silver minutes and golden hours are simply stolen, and he—

“Who murders time, crushes in the birth A power ethereal.”

Milton said, “The misspents of every minute are a new record against us in heaven;” and others greater than Milton testify, “Time is short” (1 Cor. 7:29); “redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16); for “the time is at hand” (Rev. 1:3) when the coming Christ will sweep away the destroyers of time, which—

“is suicide, Where more than blood is spilt;”

and the angel of God, with the right foot upon the sea, and the left foot upon the earth, shall cry, “Time no longer.” Rev. 10:6.

Effect Three.—“Foolish waste of money.” There is not a more fascinating game that promotes a gambling spirit than card-playing, whether it be a “booby” prize or a money consideration. Gambling is the passion to get something for nothing, and is akin to the desire to acquire property by theft rather than by labor. True, all card-players are not gamblers, but all are in the same category, as Heath places them:—

“Some play for gain, to pass time; others play For nothing; both play the fool, I say. Nor time, nor coin, I’ll lose, or idly spend; Who gets by play, proves loser in the end.”

Of many card-players the words of James are applicable, “Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton.” To those who indulge in the card-playing principles of theft, God has said, “Thou shalt not steal” (Ex. 20:15), for “the love of money is the root of all evil.” 1 Tim. 6:10. All lovers of the card and card circles, hear ye God’s sentence: “I have no pleasure in you.” Mal. 1:10.

I do not believe in card-playing, for—

DESTRUCTION IS ITS LEGITIMATE LIMITATION.

Every pleasure wields an influence that either cleanses or corrupts. Card-playing has broken many filial bonds, destroyed the happiness of many homes, assassinated purity, opened the prison door to the defaulter, erected the gallows, and cursed not a few churches. “It has made many noble lives base, upright people dishonest, rich people poor, and poor people more impoverished. It is a game that seems as innocent as swinging a mallet on a croquet lawn, but is as dangerous as a revolver in the hands of a child, and as such it has a dark indictment against it in the court of heaven.”

Believe in Card-playing?—Never, so long as the ungodly love it. It is a fascination that grows with the age, forming habits hard to break off. It is a picket line of a great and evil army, and as such those who indulge in it “are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. . . . The ungodly shall not stand in the Judgment. . . . The way of the ungodly shall perish.” Ps. 1:4–6.

Believe in Card-playing?—Never! It has impeded the wheels of the gospel chariot. It has caused devout hearts to sigh, angels to grieve, while devils have laughed.

I knew her well. Her girlhood was one of the happiest, her home one of the brightest, and her education one of the highest. She was wooed and won by a young man who held a government position. For a season everything went well. The piano sent forth its musical strains; a little babe added to the joy of the household. One night the husband was late in coming home. “Overwork,” he said. The incident became frequent, and soon he was absent all night, then he was gone for good!

What was the sequel? He was a card-player. He had turned gambler. He staked and won. He staked again, and again won. Again, and again he lost. The fever took hold of him. He became reckless. Fifties, hundreds, and thousands were gone. Bankruptcy faced him. His pure wife and his lovely mother rose up before him. He heard the steps of government officials after him, and, guilty, he fled the State.

Years passed. The babe died, the wife’s health failed, hope faded,—when one morning a letter came from Washington, D. C., informing her that if her husband returned to her, he should not be prosecuted, for she had suffered enough. “But where is he?” she cried. “I am broken-hearted, broken in health, broken financially;” and falling upon her knees, she prayed: “O God, help me, help me!”

As soon as she was composed, the writer said, “Mrs. G., shall I tell this to the youth?” “Yes, tell it,” she said. “Tell them they cannot touch pitch and not be defiled; they cannot play cards without putting themselves in jeopardy, and if they are wise, they will never, never touch them.”

LIVING BIBLES.

By PHILIP GIDDINGS.

PHILIP GIDDINGS.

WE have many paper Bibles printed in ink; what is needed is a larger edition imprinted by the Spirit in flesh.

The need of the world is not ideal but real Bibles,—not for the “love” which we spell l-o-v-e,—the letter starveth. The love we appreciate is not that “in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” “God so loved . . . that He gave.” True love always acts.

Words are only promissory notes to pay their written value in deed, on the first opportunity. Neglecting so to do, we forfeit honesty. Such a note of the highest denomination of pious sentiments, of doctrine, or of creed, is of no value to the world until we cash it.

The story runs: A beggar once asked alms of a priest, and was refused even a penny. “Then give me a blessing,” suggested the beggar. And the priest, readily raising his hand to bestow it, was prevented. “Stop!” said the beggar, “if your blessing is so cheap, I won’t have it.”

This is a practical world in which we live. The Bible that meets its wants must be practical. The world’s advertisement to-day is, Wanted: A society of illustrated Bibles. In other words, a society not of Bible leaves, but of Bible lives.

Speaking of a missionary, a native once said: “There goes a Bible man. He does what the Bible says.” Oh, could the world see men as Bibles walking!

Men may debate a theory, but not a result. Christians are designed to be the living solution of written problems. To speak Bible, and do something else, is irony—to make satire of the Bible.

It is but natural that the heathen should judge of Christianity by the fruits in those who profess it, and choose or refuse accordingly. What men fail to understand in creed, they will grasp in deed.

Among the passengers on my return from Haiti was a three-year-old Spanish child. Speaking to me in her language, she remarked something at which she expected me to laugh. Not understanding what she said, I did not. She was disappointed, and requested me to laugh,—“Ree,” said she,—at once suiting the meaning of the word with the illustrative action of a grin. I laughed then.

We may not understand Spanish words, but we comprehend the action. After all, when we get to the root of the matter, we shall find that whether Spanish, Hebrew, or other languages, there is a reducible “common measure” to all; and that is the doing it. The most effectual teachers are illustrators.

A dishonest man will not be heard on the principles of honesty, nor a drunkard on sobriety, let him speak ever so wisely. “He cheweth the cud, but parteth not the hoof.” He will not do.

The purpose of the Bible is that we be and do what it says. “In reading God’s word he most profiteth not always, that is most ready in turning of the book, but he that is most turned into it, who is most inspired with the Holy Ghost, in his heart and life altered and changed into the thing he readeth; he that is daily less and less proud, less wrathful, less covetous, and less desirous of worldly and vain pleasures; he that daily, forsaking his old vicious life, increaseth in virtue more and more.”

Has the object of the Bible been met in us? Are we being changed into what we read? Are we only turning the Bible? or are we being turned, by the Bible, into the Bible?

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

Do not forget that your life may be the only Bible your neighbor ever reads. Your words, your actions, are ever spread before him as so many pages to be read. He is forever scanning you carefully, looking for a blot here, a blemish there, or some absolute mistake. You may think lightly of some inconsistent action; he does not, and is quick to take advantage of such to defend his own shortcomings. “The one argument I never could answer,” said an infidel after conversion, “was the consistent life of my Christian mother.”

ELDER A. T. ROBINSON

By A. T. Robinson

GOD'S KINGDOM IN THIS WORLD.—NO. 3.

From the Rejection of Samuel to the End of the Babylonian Captivity.

ELDER A. T. ROBINSON

(Dunedin, New Zealand.)

“And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. . . . And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, and said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, BUT THEY HAVE REJECTED ME, THAT I SHOULD NOT REIGN OVER THEM. . . . Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king, . . . Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.” 1 Sam. 8: 1–20.

This was Israel's first formal rejection of their King. Instead of aspiring to the high and exalted position to which God had called them, they became groveling in their desires, and the highest ideal which they could fix their hearts upon was to be “like all the nations.” As we have already seen, the Lord did not want them to be like other nations, but to be high, above all other nations.

The Lord did not, however, reject His people, even when they formally rejected Him as their king. He gave them a king, according to their heart's desire. He chose for them Saul, “a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.” 1 Sam. 9: 2. The Lord not only chose their king for them, but He placed His Holy Spirit upon Saul and converted him, changing him into another man. Although it was contrary to God's purpose that they should have a king, yet He promised to be with their king and to be with them, and still to accomplish His purpose, in establishing them a holy nation unto himself, on condition that they would obey Him and keep His commandments.

ISRAEL BECOMES THE DESPISED OF ALL NATIONS.

Instead of being high above, and shedding the light of God's kingdom upon, all other nations, in their aspirations to become like the others, they sank far below them, and became the hated and despised of every other nation.

In losing their position of world-wide influence, they lost their God-given opportunity of being His chosen “light to lighten the Gentiles.” The Lord did all that He could do to reinstate them in the position to which He had called them. He sent message after message of reproof and warning, by the mouth of His prophets, entreating them to come back to their high calling of God. “But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and misused His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, TILL THERE WAS NO REMEDY.” 2 Chron. 36: 15, 16.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR, MY SERVANT.

When “there was no remedy”—no other remedy—for the people whom God had chosen to extend the knowledge of His truth to all the world, He sent them down to Babylon to spend seventy years in captivity. This was the Lord's only means of teaching them the lessons which they must learn, and which they refused to learn in their own land or in any other way. Jer. 25: 4–11.

He had also to choose a heathen man, place him upon the throne of universal earthly dominion,—a position of world-wide influence,—and accomplish through him the work which He could not accomplish through His chosen people. He placed Nebuchadnezzar in a position from which he could arrest and command the respect and fear of every other nation in the world. Dan. 2: 37, 38. He commanded all other nations, including the nation of Israel, to submit themselves to Nebuchadnezzar, and threatened to punish every nation which would not do so. Jer. 27: 6–8.

In order that Nebuchadnezzar, a heathen king, should extend the knowledge of the true God to all the world, he must first have the opportunity of knowing God for himself. Among the Hebrew captives taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar were Daniel and his companions,—faithful young men whom the Lord could trust to do His work. These young men belonged to a nation which had lost its influence to arrest and command the attention of other nations, but the Lord used them to enlighten Nebuchadnezzar, whom He had placed in a position to extend this light to the world.

Every one who is familiar with the history of Babylon during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar and Darius, knows that the providence of God caused those mighty kings, who bore sway over the whole earth, to publish royal proclamations to all peoples, nations, and languages, directing their attention to the true God.

THE LORD STILL REMEMBERED HIS PEOPLE.

When, as the only remedy left, the Lord sent His people into Babylonian captivity, He made them the promise that at the expiration of seventy years, He would visit them, and would cause them to return to their own land again. Jer. 29: 10.

The ten tribes had gone into captivity more than a hundred years before that time, but the kingdom of Judah, through whom this promise of the return was made, was carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar in the year B. C. 606. The seventy years therefore would expire in the year B. C. 536. God's great clock of time never errs. In the year B. C. 538 the Babylonian kingdom was overthrown by the united power of Darius the Median and Cyrus the Persian. Darius reigned two years, and in B. C. 536 was succeeded by Cyrus. Over a hundred years before Cyrus was born, the Lord had spoken of him as “His anointed”—His chosen servant, who was to perform His pleasure. Cyrus was a heathen, and

did not know the Lord, and in order for him to make known the true God, the light must be brought to him.

In the last verse of the first chapter of Daniel, the record states that “Daniel continued even unto the first year of King Cyrus.” Daniel's mission was not fulfilled until he had revealed the knowledge of his God to King Cyrus. The Lord had a special mission for Cyrus to perform, “even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built.” The seventy years were about to expire. God's people were held in the strong grasp of the mightiest king who had ever sat upon the throne of empire. It was wholly in the interests of that monarch still to hold that people in slavery. But the Lord had said He would cause them to return to their own land at the end of the seventy years. “The Scripture cannot be broken.” Cyrus must in some way be influenced in behalf of the return of God's people.

Two or three years before this time, Daniel had a vision of a long period of time, twenty-three hundred years, under the symbol of that number of days. Dan. 8: 14. In his intense eagerness to understand when this long period of prophetic time began, he says, “I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem.” Dan. 9: 2. While Daniel found nothing in the book of Jeremiah concerning the twenty-three hundred years, he there found just the information needed at that time. In the light of these facts, the first two verses of the book of Ezra is a wonderful statement. They read as follows: “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah 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.” Then follows the remainder of that royal decree, providing for the complete restoration of the Jews to their own land.

How did the Lord stir up the spirit of Cyrus to make this proclamation, which was directly against all his own interests? How had he come to know that the Lord God of heaven had charged him to cause His people to return to Jerusalem? If we could read between the lines, we should doubtless see Daniel, the aged servant of God, conducting Bible studies with King Cyrus, and pointing out to him that the time was at hand for the work of God to be accomplished in the restoration of His people to their own land, and that he was the chosen servant of God who was to make provision for that work to be done. We might discern the unseen Watcher standing by the side of Daniel to impress the words upon the heart of the king, and to turn his mind in favor of the work to be accomplished.

(To be continued.)

OUR TRUE HELP.

By C. H. Bliss

C. H. BLISS. (Woodburn, Ill.)

“He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, . . . to set at liberty them that are bruised.”

My sins like billows o’er me rolled, I sank in deep despair; I looked to human friends for aid, But found no help was there.

Then to the Lord I raised my voice, And offered up one prayer, “Show pity, Lord, O Lord, forgive.” I found my help was there.

I heard a voice which spoke within, A voice so sweet and low, “I’ve pardoned all ’thy guilt and sin, Believe, and thou shalt know.”

By faith I cast one upward glance, I saw the world above, I cried, “O Lord, I do believe,”— My soul was filled with love.

NOTES ON THE BOOK OF GALATIANS. NO. 2.

By Wm. Brickey

WM. BRICKEY, (Kimball, Minn.)

“For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made.” Gal. 3:18, 19. Sometimes we read in books and papers (not the Bible) that the seed has not yet come, and cannot come until all the children of Abraham are gathered home in the kingdom. The following text is sufficient answer to this position: “He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” Paul’s whole argument is to show that Christ is the seed. Gal. 3:16. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son . . . to redeem them that were under the law.” Chap. 4:4, 5.

But what was this law added to? Some say the “added” simply means “spoken.” The translators say it was added: I believe it. And as Paul is talking about the covenant, I see nothing else to which it could be added. But the question is asked, In chapter 3:15 does not Paul say that nothing could be added to it?—No. Paul says, “Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. . . . And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was [added] four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.” Chap. 3:15, 17. I have supplied the word “added” in verse 17, in brackets. I do not think I have wrested the scripture; for in verse 19 Paul says that it was added. Now if it had not been added to the covenant, it would need no argument to prove that it did not disannul, or take the place of, the promise in the covenant. Let us see if we can make this plain. But first let us inquire, What is the covenant?

Some say the promise was the covenant (the Bible does not say it). If the promise is the covenant, how would it do to read, “If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my promise”? Ex. 19:5. The people could not keep their own promise, much less the Lord’s promise. To find what the covenant was let us go back to its origin. “This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee: Every man child among you shall be circumcised.” Gen. 17:10. God’s promise was a part of the covenant, but God says this is His covenant, that they should be circumcised. And when He renewed the covenant with Israel at Sinai, He said, “If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant.” Ex. 19:5. Who will say this is not the same thing?

Was the ceremonial law added to this? “Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? . . . For these are the two covenants.” Gal. 4:21–24. This identifies the law with the covenants. “Whereupon neither the first testament [or covenant] was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law.” Heb. 9:18, 19. This is positive proof that there was a law that governed the old covenant; and it was surely added at Sinai.

Once more I read: “He hath remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant He made with Abraham, and His oath unto Isaac; and confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant.” Ps. 105:8–10. Here we see plainly that God made this covenant with Abraham, and renewed it with Israel, adding the ceremonial law; and, altogether, Paul calls it the old covenant, and says that it had ordinances of divine service. Heb. 9:1. He does not make the fine distinction that some of our modern writers make. He does not speak of the Abrahamic covenant apart from the old covenant. He does not call the covenant with Abraham the new covenant, and one four hundred years later the old. But he speaks of the covenant with Abraham, with the blessings to the Gentiles, and the law added four hundred and thirty years after. Compare Ex. 19:5, 6, with 1 Peter 2:9, 10.

But why was this law added, and for how long?—It was added because of transgression. Now if transgression is sin, then it was added because of sin; not as a remedy, but to point forward to the real remedy—the Seed. It was to continue until the Seed should come. Gal. 3:19. It stood only in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the times of reformation (Heb. 9:10), the fulness of the time. Gal. 4:4. The added law had certain curses attached to it. See Deut. 27:14–26. Christ redeemed them from those curses.

But the question is asked, Did not Christ redeem all believers from all law? With all my heart I believe that He did. But not in the same way that He redeemed them from this added law,—by taking it out of the way, nailing it to His cross. Gal. 2:14; Eph. 2:15. I have no objection to any one making a personal application of this scripture, and drawing all the consolation from it he can; but in the study of the Sacred Word, I have always thought it more safe to search for the exact meaning of the writers; and then, if from this one wishes to draw some lesson of personal comfort, there is no objection.

(Concluded next week.)

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