International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 8, 1884
Satan's Devices.
By Ellen G. White
BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
THE great controversy between Christ and Satan, that has been carried on for almost six thousand years, is soon to close. And yet how few have their attention called to this matter, how few realize that we are living amid the closing scenes of earth's history! Satan is working diligently, binding his sheaves preparatory to gathering in his harvest. He is uniting the elements of his kingdom for the final struggle. Since his fall, he has been the great adversary of God and man, and has shown a masterly activity in trying to defeat our Saviour's efforts in our behalf. He thinks that because so many readily yield to his temptations and believe his lies, he may yet gain some advantage over Christ, who left the royal courts of Heaven that he might defeat this wily foe on his own battle-field, and open a way whereby man might escape from his cruel power.
He is called in the Bible, Satan, Beelzebub, the serpent, the deceiver, a liar, the accuser of the brethren, the prince of the power of the air, the prince of darkness, and the god of this world. Frightful names, infernal agencies! This fallen spirit, so malignant and subtle, is walking about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. When there is no special effort made to resist his power, when profound indifference prevails in the church and in the world, he is not concerned; for he is in no danger of losing those whom he is leading captive at his will. But when the attention is called to eternal things, and souls are inquiring, "What shall I do to be saved?" he is on the ground, seeking to match his power against the power of Christ, and doubling his efforts to counteract the influences of the Holy Spirit. Angels of God, with Jesus at their head, are present to press back the powers of darkness; but no one is forced to accept Jesus, and no one can be compelled by Satan's power to reject him.
Satan is at your side when you least suspect it, watching to find a weak spot in your armor, where he can introduce his darts, and wound your soul by betraying you into sin. He has access to minds that are open to receive his suggestions, and by long experience he has learned how to apply his temptations to the best advantage. His first effort is to keep as many minds as possible in a state of careless indifference. He will invent every imaginable excuse to keep people away from meetings where they might receive benefit from hearing the truth. He will especially work to make of none effect these morning meetings, where the Spirit of God is at work; and when he cannot keep persons away, his next effort will be to fill the mind with unimportant matters, thus preventing them from treasuring up the truths they hear.
This work Satan is engaged in at every meeting. He has different temptations prepared for different minds, and souls are continually yielding to his suggestions. He will adopt any means by which he may gain control of the thoughts and purposes of the heart. He will work to divert the mind from Heaven and heavenly things by the absorbing cares of this life. He will produce temporary indisposition to keep you away from meetings where testimonies from Heaven will be borne, and your hearts would be impressed with the deep movings of the Spirit of God. If you attend the meetings, and your heart is impressed, he will tempt you to engage in unprofitable conversation on trivial things, so that you will forget the words spoken.
Circumstances will arise to divert the mind. Visitors, relatives, or worldly friends, or some temporal matter, will engage the attention; and then "cometh the devil, and taketh the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved." These friends will make demands upon your time and strength, and thus God is robbed of the service due him. Yet you flatter yourselves that you cannot do otherwise; for how can you displease your friends? God will not bring a curse upon you for thus robbing him, but your own course of action brings its sure result. But however alluring Satan's temptations, however natural and unavoidable they may seem to the mind that is not clear and sharp in spiritual discernment, you must not be lulled to carnal security. However dear your friends may be, if they lead you away from God they are emissaries of Satan, who works through the children of disobedience, speaks through human organs.
God will not work a miracle to change natural causes which you can control. If you place yourself and family in the current of the world, you and your children will be borne downward by it. Be wise and discriminating in regard to spiritual advantages, and gather about yourselves and your children correct influences. We may have a beautiful and fertile country; but surrounding influences may be weaving a spell upon our souls that will sink us to perdition, and our children may be lost to the cause of God because we did not place them where they would cultivate a love for divine things. We may save our own souls, as did Lot when he fled from Sodom; but the habits and customs with which we have become familiar may cling to us, and we may find that we have assimilated to them more than we were aware. This is a risk that we cannot afford to run. We might better lose every worldly advantage than to lose Jesus, or dishonor him by our careless inattention to his requirements. It is best to obey God at any sacrifice.
Another way that Satan comes in between God and your soul is to lead you to criticise the defects of your brethren and sisters, to watch their mistakes and talk about them. You think it is right to grieve over their errors; but the enemy takes advantage here, and hurls his poisoned darts through the defective places in your armor. You let bitterness into your soul, then jealousy and evil-surmising, and you do not realize it. Your heart becomes hardened against your brethren, and you speak evil of them. You do not know that you are doing the work of Satan, but you are; and you are growing spiritually weaker and weaker, and darker and darker.
The right course for you to pursue is marked out in the Bible, and you should follow it strictly. Go to your brother, and with your heart filled with tender, pitying love,—just such love as inspired Jesus in his efforts to save a fallen race,—tell him his fault between you and him alone. If you fail, do not let this depress you. It will do you harm, and not good, to let your mind dwell upon the mistakes and errors of others. Learn from their weakness to be strong yourself. Avoid their failures. Because Jesus is grieved by their faults, try the harder to honor him yourself by a well-ordered life and godly conversation. If you think your neighbor or brother is defective in character, make him a special subject of prayer; but do not lift up your soul unto vanity by saying, "I am not like him. In contrast with him, I am righteous." This is not obeying the injunction of the apostle to esteem others better than yourself.
By beholding we become changed. If you allow your mind to dwell upon the imperfections and moral deformities of others, you will be changed into the same image. You will become deformed in character, and mentally one-sided and unbalanced. Let the mind dwell upon the perfect life of Christ. If the thoughts are centered upon him, and the conversation is on heavenly themes, you will be "changed into the same image from glory to glory." You will become "partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
The way to eternal life is a battle and a march. The great adversary of souls is continually seeking to insinuate himself between you and the Source of your strength. If you allow your mind to be taken up with worldly cares, he will manage to have these cares so varied in character, and press so continually upon you, that you can find no time for the spiritual and the eternal. Worldly acquaintances introduce subjects that are of the greatest importance to them; you listen and are at-274tracted, and these things of minor consequence absorb the mind and affections. You give time and attention, skill and inventive faculties, to outward ornamentation, to the neglect of the inward adorning of the soul. Time is worse than lost which should be devoted to the searching of the Scriptures and to earnest prayer for divine guidance; you rob your own souls of grace and power, and others of the light that should be reflected through you to the world.
But few know the real power of religion. They do not appreciate its refining and elevating influence on the character; they do not partake of its joys nor enter into its spirit. We need constant communion with Jesus just as much as we need daily food to nourish the body. If there is a moment when we are in no danger of being deceived by the enemy, then for that moment we may dispense with divine aid. If there is any moment when we are not dependent on God for our breath, then there is a time when we need not obey the injunctions of his word.
We should be sanctified by the truth. The conscience and the understanding, the words, the deeds, and the thoughts, should be controlled by truth, and not error. The principle of truth and righteousness implanted in the heart, will be revealed in the life, and especially in the family circle. God estimates a man by what he is in the bosom of his family. Fix the mind on things that are pure and holy. "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." And the life will be clothed with the beauty of holiness even here; but who shall tell what it will be, when the great controversy between sin and righteousness is forever closed, and we appear in "the beauty of the Lord our God"?
THE COST OF TRUTH.
GREAT truths are dearly bought. The common truth,
Such as men give and take from day to day,
Comes in the common walks of easy life,
Blown by the careless wind across our way.
Bought in the market at the current price,
Bred of the smile, the jest, perchance the bowl,
It tells no tale of daring or of worth,
Nor pierces e'en the surface of the soul.
Great truths are dearly won, not formed by chance,
Not wafted on the breath of summer dream;
But grasped in the great struggle of the soul,
Hard buffeting with adverse wind and stream.
Not in the general mart, 'mid corn and wine;
Not in the merchandise of gold and gems;
Not in the world's gay hall of midnight mirth,
Nor 'mid the blaze of regal diadems;
But in the day of conflict, fear, and grief,
When the strong hand of God, put forth in might,
Plows up the sub-soil of the stagnant heart,
And brings the imprisoned truth-seed to the light.
Wrung from the troubled spirit in hard hours
Of weakness, solitude, perchance of pain,
Truth springs, like harvest, from the well-plowed field,
And the soul feels it has not wept in vain. —Sel.
Rise of the Papacy.
THE church was in the beginning a community of brethren. All its members were taught of God; and each possessed the liberty of drawing for himself from the divine fountain of life. John 6:45. The epistles, which then settled the great questions of doctrine, did not bear the pompous title of any single man, or ruler. We find from the holy Scriptures that they began simply with these words: "The apostles, elders, and brethren, to our brethren." Acts 15:23.
But the writings of these very apostles forewarn us that from the midst of these brethren, there shall arise a power which shall overthrow this simple and primitive order. 2 Thess. 2.
Let us contemplate the formation and trace the development of this power alien to the church.
Paul of Tarsus, one of the chiefest apostles of the new religion, had arrived at Rome, the capital of the empire and of the world, preaching the salvation that cometh from God only. A church was formed beside the throne of the Cæsars. Founded by this same apostle, it was at first composed of converted Jews, Greeks, and some inhabitants of Rome. For a while it shone brightly as a light set upon a hill, and its faith was everywhere spoken of. But ere-long it declined from its first simplicity. The spiritual dominion of Rome arose as its political and military power had done before, and was slowly and gradually extended.
The first pastors or bishops of Rome employed themselves in the beginning in converting to the faith of Christ the towns and villages that surrounded the city. The necessity which the bishops and pastors felt of referring in cases of difficulty to an enlightened guide, and the gratitude which they owed to the metropolitan church, led them to maintain an intimate union with her. As is generally the consequence in such circumstances, this reasonable union soon degenerated into dependence. The bishops of Rome regarded as a right the superiority which the neighboring churches had voluntarily yielded. The encroachments of power form a large portion of all history; the resistance of those whose rights are invaded forms the other part; and the ecclesiastical power could not escape that intoxication which leads those who are lifted up to seek to raise themselves still higher. It felt all the influence of this general weakness of human nature.
Nevertheless the supremacy of the Roman bishop was at first limited to the overlooking of the churches in the territory lawfully subject to the prefect of Rome. But the rank which this imperial city held in the world offered to the ambition of its first pastors a prospect of wider sway. The consideration which the different Christian bishops enjoyed in the second century was in proportion to the rank of the city over which they presided. Rome was the greatest, the richest, and the most powerful city in the world. It was the seat of empire, the mother of nations. "All the inhabitants of the earth are hers," said Julian, and Claudian declares her to be the "fountain of laws."
If Rome be the queen of cities, why should not her pastor be the king of bishops? Why should not the Roman church be the mother of Christendom? Why should not all nations be her children, and her authority be the universal law? It was natural to the heart of man to reason thus. Ambitious Rome did so.
Hence it was that when heathen Rome fell, she bequeathed to the humble minister of the God of peace, seated in the midst of her own ruins, the proud titles which her invincible sword had won from the nations of the earth.
The bishops of the other parts of the empire, yielding to the charm that Rome had exercised for ages over all nations, followed the example of the Campagna, and aided the work of usurpation. They willingly rendered to the bishop of Rome something of that honor which was due to this queen of cities; nor was there at first anything of dependence in the honor thus yielded. They acted towards the Roman pastor as equals toward an equal, but usurped power swells like the avalanche. Exhortations, at first simply fraternal, soon became commands in the mouth of the Roman pontiff. A chief place amongst equals appeared to him a throne.
The bishops of the West favored this encroachment of the Roman pastors, either from jealousy of the Eastern bishops, or because they preferred subjection to a pope to the dominion of a temporal power.
On the other hand, the theological sects which distracted the East, strove, each for itself, to gain an interest at Rome, hoping to triumph over its opponents by the support of the principal of the Western churches.
Rome carefully recorded these requests and intercessions, and smiled to see the nations throw themselves into her arms. She neglected no opportunity of increasing and extending her power. The praises, the flattery, and exaggerated compliments paid to her, and her being consulted by other churches, became in her hands as titles and documents of her authority. Such is the heart of man exalted to a throne; flattery intoxicates him, and his head grows dizzy. What he possesses impels him to aspire after more.
The doctrine of "the church," and of "the necessity for its visible unity," which had gained footing as early as the third century, favored the pretensions of Rome. The great bond which originally bound together the members of the church, was a living faith in the heart, by which all were joined to Christ as their one Head. But various causes ere-long conspired to originate and develop the idea of a necessity for some exterior fellowship. Men, accustomed to the associations and political forms of an earthly country, carried their views and habits of mind into the spiritual and everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ. Persecution, powerless to destroy, or even to shake the new community, compressed it into the form of a more compacted body. To the errors that arose in the schools of deism, or in the various sects, was opposed the truth "one and universal" received from the apostles and preserved in the church. All this was well, so long as the invisible and spiritual church was identical with the visible and outward community.
But soon a great distinction appeared; the form and the vital principle parted asunder. The semblance of identical and external organization was gradually substituted in place of the internal and spiritual unity which is the very essence of a religion proceeding from God. Men suffered the precious perfume of faith to escape while they bowed themselves before the empty vase that had held it. Faith in the heart no longer knit together in one the members of the church. Then it was that other ties were sought; and Christians were united by means of bishops, archbishops, popes, mitres, ceremonies, and canons. The living church retiring by degrees to the lonely sanctuary of a few solitary souls, an exterior church was substituted in place of it, and installed in all its forms as of divine institution. Salvation no longer flowing forth from that word which was now hidden, it began to be affirmed that it was conveyed by means of certain invented forms, and that none could obtain it without resorting to such means! No one, it was said, can by his faith attain to everlasting life; Christ communicated to the apostles, and the apostles to the bishops, the unction of the Holy Spirit; and this Spirit is found only in this order of communication. In the beginning of the gospel, whosoever had received the spirit of Jesus Christ was esteemed a member of the church; now the order was invented; and no one, unless a member of the church, was counted to have received the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
As soon as the notion of a supposed necessity for a visible unity of the church had taken root, another error began to spread, namely, that it was needful that there should be some outward representative of that unity. Though no trace of any primacy of St. Peter above the rest of the apostles appears in the gospels; although the idea of a primacy is at variance with the mutual relations of the disciples as "brethren," and even with the spirit of the dispensation which requires all the children of the Father to minister one to another (1 Pet. 4:10), acknowledging but one Master and Head; and though the Lord Jesus had rebuked his disciples whenever their carnal hearts conceived desires of pre-eminence,—a primacy of St. Peter was invented, and supported by misinterpreted texts, and men proceeded to acknowledge in that apostle, and in his pretended successor, the visible representative of visible unity—and head of the whole church.—D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation.
Inaction a Hindrance.
MR. SPURGEON once remarked to his people: "Many church members think that if they do nothing wrong and make no trouble they are all right. Not at all, sir, not at all. We have a chariot, and we are all engaged to drag it. Some of you do not put out your hands to pull; well then, the rest of us have to labor so much the more, and the worst of it is, we have to draw you also. While you do not add to the strength which draws, you increase the weight that is to be drawn. It is all very well for you to say, 'I do not hinder you.' You do hinder, and you cannot help hindering. If a man's leg does not help him in walking, it certainly hinders him."
"Stirring Times Ahead."
By Wm. Penniman
"THERE are stirring times ahead of the present generation, and whether we shall as a people survive or perish depends upon the intelligence and good sense with which we meet coming issues; and we have no time to lose in making preparation."
The preceding words are full of prophetic truth, and seem as forcible and as much to the point as if they were from the pen of an Adventist. Yet the writer is not a churchman, but one who is laboring for the good of humanity, and is looking unto the future from another stand-point. He is looking at the conflict between capital and labor, unjust usury, moneyed monopolies, and extreme poverty. Certainly Seventh-day Adventists can truly say, "There are stirring times ahead," when they look at the enforcement of the Sunday law in the near future, and is it not true that "whether we as a people survive or perish depends upon the intelligence, good sense," and, we may also add, Christian courage with which we meet coming issues. The time will soon come when we must show our colors, show whether we are on the side of truth or with the enemy. As a people we are preparing for the conflict, and are already in the midst of it in one sense.
The printing presses in this country and in Europe are sending forth tons of reading matter, and the living teachers are battling for the truth, so that it is really going before "peoples, nations, and tongues, and in a stronger sense the third angel will soon cry, "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation." Rev. 14:9, 10. The schools also, and the sanitariums, are exerting a powerful influence for good. Therefore we are meeting the enemy by intelligent forces.
How true are the words that we have "no time to lose in making preparation." Catholicism is increasing, and its adherents are propagating their doctrines with wonderful zeal, leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to gain proselytes, as they are anxious to regain lost power. And Mormonism is increasing; they have their missionaries in nearly all parts of the world. Spiritualists are also zealous to increase their numbers, and they number already over 20,000,000. Infidelity in various phases is rapidly gaining ground. The mighty men who make wealth their god, are piling up millions upon millions of unjust gain. All of these classes are working with zeal, and we can add still another, which is anxious to bring about a union of church and State. Then certainly Seventh-day Adventists who are looking for the soon coming of Christ, who have the "sure word of prophecy" concerning these "stirring times," "have no time to lose in making preparation," and should work with greater zeal than any other party.
In looking at the United States, it can be seen that the elements of strife are rapidly developing, as there are many enemies of free government, free schools, and freedom in religion. Romanists, by their secret military organizations, are drilling and preparing for a struggle to obtain power. Rings, favoring rich monopolies, are oppressing the people. Taxes and monopoly oppressions are consuming the product of labor, which gives rise to associations for mutual protection, thus creating strife between capital and labor, and the prospect now is that the strife will greatly increase. The Edmonds law is denounced in Utah, and a speaker in a recent meeting at Ogden, called "the judge," said: "We are bound to beat this regulation, we have money to do it, and if that will not do, we have bullets and steel." In Salt Lake, Geo. Q. Cannon denounced the Edmonds law and said they would triumph over all their enemies, and beat all legislation aimed at the Mormons." Joseph Cook said in a recent lecture, "Who does not see that we are drifting into the necessity of armed interference with Mormonism?"
It is uncertain what will be the result of the coming contest between the two great political parties, but one thing is certain, the elements of strife are in our midst, the kindling material is ready, and when the match is applied the winds of contest will soon spread the flames. Joseph Cook further says in regard to the lawlessness in our country: "A prolific cause of lawlessness is the animosities between races, and religions, and political parties. A still larger cause is intemperance. A yet larger cause is irreligion, atheism, agnosticism, liberalistic creeds, blatant infidelity, and the failure of the church to reach the masses with the truths that overawe the conscience." It is difficult to tell what may be the result of the agitation of the temperance question. But one thing is certain, united effort against moral evils cannot fail to bring about good results. As the end is so near, we can only see that the evil of intemperance will be held in check, but there will yet be a much greater contest over the matter.
The recent riot in Cincinnati is further proof of increasing lawlessness. The people are indignant in many other localities in regard to criminals escaping justice. Crimes worse than murder are committed, the most outlandish in regard to the rights, happiness, and virtue of women, and yet a trial by jury clears the guilty.
But not the least element in the stirring times ahead, will be the enforcement of a Sunday law, which will be brought about by a union of church and State. This union, which constitutes the "image to the beast," is clearly predicted in the 17th chapter of Revelation; but we have not space in this article to more than allude to it. The Chicago Journal says: "The Sabbath question, with its religious aspects, will, in all probability, be carried to the ballot-box for final settlement." The Christian Statesman says: "The battle will be serious; it will divide neighborhoods, and separate very near friends."
The fearful threatening of Rev. 14:9-11 has already been alluded to. We have often thought of the time when the Third Angel's Message would go forth with a "loud voice"; and does not this consist in forcibly and specially giving warning of the terrible judgment pronounced against those who worship the beast and his image, thus plainly drawing the line between those who serve God and those who serve him not? And is not this time right here, or near to come? Why is this Sunday agitation going on throughout the length and breadth of the land? Why is this National Reform Party increasing from year to year, and holding conventions in our large cities to stir up the people, if it is not to fulfill the prophecy? We are glad to see the Sabbath Sentinel circulated to prepare the people for the conflict. Hundreds of thousands of these should be circulated, and will be if all do their duty.
Yes, there are stirring times, and also dangers, ahead in every direction; and it is a good thing to foresee the evil and be prepared for it. The only hiding-place is the Ark of safety. As the disciples had only a little time in which to flee from falling Jerusalem for security, so now there is only a little time in which to escape impending destruction. The only way for the Christian is to work, watch, and pray. "Seek righteousness, seek meekness," and by so doing "be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." WM. PENNIMAN.
Wesley’s Expository Note
John Wesley sent a bank note to one of his helpers, with this text: "Trust in the Lord and do good, and verily thou shalt be fed." The best expository note for that text, he thought.
Have You Faith?
By R. F. Cottrell
THE great event of earth's history is at hand. The closing message of the everlasting gospel is being heard in many nations; and the watching, faithful ones are obeying its voice by keeping "the commandments of God"—not excepting the one so long trodden under foot by almost the whole Christian world—"and the faith of Jesus," a faith which embraces his coming again according to his promise. Rev. 14: 9-12.
And yet how few accept and appreciate this solemn truth! Said Jesus, "When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" The truth is being proclaimed with many infallible proofs from prophecy and history; and yet professed believers in the Bible look on "with brute unconscious gaze," almost entirely destitute of that living faith which relies on the testimony of God's word and providence as an infallible guide. Preachers still preach, ignoring, if not opposing, the present work of the Lord in fulfillment of his promises contained in prophecy; and souls are said to be converted, who are kept, if possible, as really ignorant of these thrilling truths as their teachers seem to be. I say seem to be; for it seems impossible that learned men of extensive travel and acquaintance, as these "revivalists" are, should really be ignorant of the great questions of the day concerning Bible truth. The Lord's work, though it may appear small, is "not done in a corner;" and though they may avoid saying anything of it to the uninformed multitudes, when the subject is forced upon their attention they will be found armed and equipped with traditions of men with which to oppose the truth of God. Oh, the infidelity of the professed church! Yet the Heaven-sent message will be heard and obeyed by some. It is even now being widely spread among men. True hearts are responding to the call in many countries, and true faith shall be victorious. Those that believe and endure shall be saved. May Heaven speed on the work.
How is it with us who have for years accepted this closing message as the truth of God? Is our faith active and our zeal fervent? Have we a faith that works? Do we appreciate the sacred truth for our times, and the high and holy work to which we are called? Do earthly treasures look extremely small, and are our affections for them diminishing as rapidly as we are approaching the end? "Take heed, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares."
Every heart will be tested. We who have long enjoyed the light are held responsible for the way in which we let our light shine. Is our interest increasing, or decreasing? Do we love the truth? Are we doing our best to advance it? It is well to think of these things; for the gospel net has always taken fishes of different kinds, but when it is brought to land, the good are put in vessels and the bad thrown away. Let us be co-workers with God, while he has a work to do. R. F. COTTRELL.
Engaged by the Day.
A KING had in his garden a yawning pit of great magnitude. One day he hired a number of workmen to fill it up. Some went to the sides of the pit, and as they saw its depth they exclaimed: "How is it possible to fill it?" And they gave up the work in despair. But the others said: "What matters it how deep it is! We are engaged by the day and are happy to have something to do. Let us be faithful in our duty, and we will fill the pit as soon as we possibly can." Let no man say, "How immeasurable is the divine law, it is deeper than the sea, how many statutes to perform, how can we carry them out?" God says to man, "Thou art engaged by the day, do the work which thou canst, and think of naught else."