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Signs of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 15.

The Jesuits’ Estates Bill

Signs of the Times

Apr 15, 1889

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 15, 1889

The Jesuits’ Estates Bill

By Editor

The Christian at Work, of March 28, remarks concerning the Jesuits’ Estates Bill, that the Protestants do not find fault so much because of the money to be paid, but because of the stipulation connected therewith. The bill provides “that any agreement made between the Government of the province and the Society of Jesus will be binding only in so far as it shall be ratified by the Pope and the Legislature of the province.” It also provides that “the amount of compensation shall remain in the possession of the Government of the province as a special deposit until the Pope has ratified the said settlement and made known his wishes respecting the distribution of such money in this country.”
The Protestants are exasperated, says the Christian at Work, because of these clauses. We do not blame them. The Pope has no business with the affairs of Canada whatever.

THE LOVE OF GOD.*

By Ellen G. White

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
“BEHOLD, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
John presents before us the love of the Father toward the children of men. God’s love has been manifested to us in the gift of his beloved Son. The apostle cannot find words to describe the greatness and the tenderness of this love; but he calls upon the world to behold it. This is to be our work. We are to call the attention of our fellow-men to the love of God that has been manifested to us by the infinite cost of Calvary. Jesus was one with the Father; he shared his majesty and glory. God made an infinite sacrifice when he gave his beloved Son to die for the world; but few have any appreciation of this great love that has been expressed toward a fallen race. Those who do have an appreciation of it are not looked upon with favor by the world. The apostle says, “Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” He says further: “It doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
Those who are sons of God will be constantly purifying themselves, and seeking tofashion their characters after the divine Pattern. Their thoughts will be upon heavenly things. Their conversation will be concerning Jesus, their Saviour. They will be waiting for him to appear in the clouds of heaven, and when he comes escorted by ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of angels, those who have looked for him, and who have loved his appearing, will meet him with joy.
We have a great work before us, not only to form characters ourselves for eternal life, but to labor that others may be fitted for the kingdom of Heaven. We must educate our tastes and our habits of life to simplicity. We cannot afford to place our hands in the hands of the world, and follow its customs and fashions. We must be natural, not artificial. And how beautiful is the natural in contrast with the artificial!
We should have hearts overflowing with sympathy for souls for whom Christ died. We should seek to educate our children in the fear of God, teaching them that Christ died for them, and that they may have salvation without money and without price. It will only be a little while before Jesus will come to save his children and to give them the finishing touch of immortality. “This corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality.” The graves will be opened, and the dead will come forth victorious, crying, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” Our loved ones who sleep in Jesus will come forth clothed with immortality. And as the redeemed shall ascend to Heaven, the gates of the city of God will swing back, and those who have kept the truth will enter in. A voice, richer than any music that ever fell on mortal ear, will be heard saying, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Then the righteous will receive their reward. Their lives will run parallel with the life of Jehovah. They will cast their crowns at the Redeemer's feet, touch the golden harps, and fill all Heaven with rich music.
Satan has misrepresented the character of God. He has clothed him with his own attributes. He has represented him as a being of inflexible sternness. He had shut the world away from beholding the true character of God, by casting his shadow between men and the divine One. Christ came to our world to remove that shadow. He came to represent the Father. He said, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” He prayed that his disciples might be one with him, even as he was one with the Father. Men have declared that this oneness with Christ is an impossibility, but Christ has made it possible by bringing us into harmony with himself, through the merits of his life and sacrifice. Why should we doubt the love and power of God? Why should we not place ourselves on the faith side of the question? Do you behold the charms and attractions of Jesus? Then seek to follow in his footsteps. He came to reveal the Father to the world, and he has committed to us the work of representing his love, purity, goodness, and tender sympathy, to the children of men.
We have eternal life to win, and this is worth the loss of everything besides. We should study the Scriptures diligently. The Bible is like a garden where God has placed rich roses, and lilies, and pinks of promise, and they are for us if we will only pluck them.
When Satan casts his shadow athwart your pathway, grasp the precious promises of God, and go through the shadow by living faith, and you will find only light, mercy, goodness, and truth. When the enemy tells you that you are a sinner, tell him that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Come to the foot of the cross with your burden, and roll it off into the open sepulcher. Our Lord is precious, but we lose sight of his willingness to help and save us, when we dwell in the darkness of unbelief. Lift up the Man of Calvary. There is enough to talk about without talking of the power of the evil one. We have found the field that contains the treasure which is of inestimable value. When God gave his Son he gave us all Heaven in that one gift. Why should we cherish darkness and doubt, and those things that bring despondency and discouragement into our lives?
Why not bring the joy and light and peace of Heaven into our hearts? The religion of Christ never degrades the receiver. The truth of God is the mighty cleaver that has separated us from the world, and now we have been brought into God's workshop to be hewed and squared and polished for the heavenly building. We are to be living stones in the temple of God. We are not to be dull and lifeless stones; but we are to reflect the rays of light that fall from Heaven, so that men may see that the truth has done something for us that the knowledge and wisdom of this world could not do.
Has the reception of the truth made you more cheerful? Have the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness shone upon your heart in vain? Those who are meeting the conditions on which the promises are based, should be the happiest people in the world, for they have all Heaven at their command. We may have Heaven below. God will put a new song into our hearts, even praise to his name. The enemy may stand ready to cast his shadow upon you, but will you talk of his power, his darkness?
Christians that carry a gloomy countenance are misrepresenting their Lord. They represent the Christian life as one of toil and hardship. They go mourning and groaning as if it were uphill work. Is the gate of Heaven shut? Have they no Father in Heaven? You might think from their attitude that Jesus was in Joseph's new tomb, and a great stone rolled against the door. But Jesus is risen. He has ascended on high, and has led captivity captive, and has given gifts unto men. He has made manifest what he will do. He will break the fetters of the tomb, and bring forth his people from the land of their captivity. We dwell too near to the lowlands of earth. Let us raise our eyes to the open doors of the heavenly sanctuary, where the light of the glory of God shines in the face of Jesus Christ, who “is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him.” Why not talk of the plan of salvation? Why not dig in the mines of truth for the treasures of wisdom, that you may appreciate the promises of God? Why not dwell in the love of Christ, and talk of the plan of redemption? We should study how to overcome appetite, ambition, and the love of the world. Is there not enough for us to do that we have to give so much time to matters of small importance?
When Christ left the world, he committed his work to his followers. He came to represent the character of God to the world, and we are left to represent Christ to the world. We are not to go on in the path of darkness, stumbling on the dark mountains of unbelief. There is a way cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in, and this is where we may walk securely every day. Do not grasp the thistles, gather the roses, the lilies, and the pinks. If we are to understand the rich treasures of God's word, we must separate our souls from all iniquity, that we may not come under its denunciations. As loyal soldiers we are to march under the banner of Prince Immanuel. We are to study the Bible, that we may know how to meet the assaults of the enemy. When Christ was tempted, how did he overcome?—He met the tempter with, “It is written.” He used the words of God, declaring, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” This is the way that we are to overcome. We must search the Scriptures, and appropriate the promises of God to our souls.

Growth of the Episcopal Church

Dr. Dix, of New York, declares that the growth of the Protestant Episcopal Church gives ground to believe that it will become the church of America. The Evangelist calls for a statistical exposition of his belief.

Defense Fund for Bishop Lincoln

The Churchman is authority for the statement that $100,000 has been subscribed to pay counsel to defend the Bishop of Lincoln, soon to be tried on technical charges of violating the ritual of the English Church.

God’s Promises and Precepts

God’s promises are immutable; so also are his precepts. What is affirmed of the former is affirmed of the latter. And is it not reasonable, more than this, is it not absolutely necessary, if we would truthfully rely upon God’s promises, to regard his precepts? To depend upon his promises while violating his precepts is presumption, not faith.

Omaha Saloons and Prohibition

It is stated that although the $1,000 license fee in the city of Omaha, Neb., reduced the number of saloons to 250 there has been no diminution in drunkenness and crime. Omaha has a population of only 110,000, yet there were last year in that city 11,910 arrests. Surely Nebraska ought to wipe out the disgrace of such a record by adopting constitutional prohibition.

Failure of Sunday Closing

In the course of a recent debate in the English Parliament, the fact transpired that in Wales, where Sunday closing has been in force for two years, the law has signally failed to materially reduce drunkenness. Those who want to drink on Sunday lay in a supply of liquor on the previous day. The only practical solution of the liquor question is absolute prohibition seven days in the week. Of course there will always be some violations of prohibition laws, just as there are of other laws, but that is no argument against prohibition.

Sunday Observance While Traveling

The Presbytery of Italy has issued a circular letter to English-speaking Protestants on the continent, containing a list of Presbyterian Churches in which worship is conducted, and urging professors of religion who are traveling to observe Sunday strictly, “and thus make their example tell for good and not for evil in European countries.” A significant feature of the circular is that it asks those to whom it is addressed to keep Sunday as well when traveling as at home.

The Sunday Herald’s Seven-Day Itch

By Editor

It is thus that the Voice refers to the London edition of the Sunday Herald not long since:—
“The New York Herald has introduced its Sunday edition into London. Now this isn’t fair play, Brother Bennett. It reminds us of the Southern doctor who baled yellow fever rags, and shipped them to Northern ports during the war. The English public has enough moral diseases to contend with without giving it this seven days’ itch.”
Will the Voice please tell us wherein the Sunday London Herald is the “seven days’ itch”? Is it because the Herald is intrinsically bad? And if not, why is the Sunday edition worse than that of the other days of the week? We wait the explanation.

Prohibition Amendment and Sunday Law Tactics

By Editor

SAYS the Lutheran Observer of March 1, in referring to the Prohibition Amendment to be submitted to the people of Pennsylvania June next:—
“It is stated that Cardinal Gibbons and Archbishop Ryan, of the Catholic Church, will be neutral in this contest, and that Catholics will be free to vote as they please. Some priests have already declared themselves in favor of the amendment, and others against it.”
What a pity it is that the liquor party cannot get the vote of Archbishop Ryan and count in that vote all the Catholics of Pennsylvania. Of course, it cannot be done, and it would be criminal if it could, but if it could be and were, it would be no more immoral than the act of the American Sabbath Union which multiplied the signature of Cardinal Gibbons in favor of the Blair Sunday Bill by over 7,000,000, although the Cardinal signed it merely as an individual.
If the question were that of a Sunday law, and the American Sabbath Union could count in one man’s vote for the whole, be assured they would do it. The whisky men will do all in their power to defeat the amendment, but they can hardly surpass in trickery and fraudulent methods that body of which Col. Elliott F. Shepherd, of the New York Mail and Express, is president, and which the Lutheran Observer, with many other religious journals, indorsed. We hope, however, whatever methods may be used against it, that the prohibitory amendment will carry in the Keystone State by a decisive majority.

TRUST IN GOD.

By Zihn

“Not so in haste, my heart; Have faith in God and wait; Although he lingers long, He never comes too late.”
God liveth ever! Wherefore, soul, despair thou never! Our God is good; in every place His love is known, his help is found; His mighty arm, and tender grace, Bring good from ills that hem us round. Easier than we think can he Turn to joy our agony. Soul, remember, 'mid thy pains, God o'er all forever reigns. —Zihn, 1682.

THE JEWS AND THE SABBATH.

"SHALL the Sabbath be given up?" is a question which is being much discussed in Jewish circles. It is evident that a division is coming touching this question. What proportion of the Israelites will yield the Sabbath, is yet to be seen. Some will, openly, as many have done privately hitherto. This abandonment of Jehovah's sacred day will not be in the interest of deeper piety, nor of spiritual religion. Rabbi Schindler, of Boston, has lately opened a course of Sunday lectures, a step made necessary, he claims, because of the hindrances to Sabbath-observance from business considerations. He was careful to announce in his opening lectures that he had no purpose to celebrate Sunday as a religious festival, or as a Sabbath, or even as a day of worship. Such an attitude must result in practical no-Sabbathism and the loss of much that has been valuable to Judaism. The Sabbath is a fundamental doctrine of Judaism and of Christianity, and its disregard by either Jews or Christians means loss of spirituality, the influx of the spirit of disobedience, and religious ruin. It will be a sad day for God's ancient people when they cease to make his law their delight, and accept the no-lawism which a degenerate Christianity borrowed from effete paganism.—Sabbath Recorder.

The Strength of a Steadfast Spirit

By The Rev. T. L. Cuyler

To practice righteousness and resist sin requires the indwelling strength of God. "Renew a right spirit within me," prayed the psalmist. The original word signifies a firm, constant spirit, that has no waverings. A steady hand writes a clear, strong line; the shaking, tremulous hand makes the crooked scrawl. Faith is likened to an anchor, because it has a holding power; and that comes from the hold which God has upon the man who exercises it.—The Rev. T. L. Cuyler.

THE PROHIBITORY AMENDMENT IN PENNSYLVANIA.

By L. C. Chadwick

On the eighteenth day of June, 1889, the voters of the State of Pennsylvania are to have an opportunity to decide whether the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors shall be prohibited by law, or whether it shall be legalized, as heretofore. This gives a chance for every voter among Seventh-day Adventists in this State to put himself on record as being opposed to the liquor traffic, and is a chance that none of us can afford to let pass without improving. We have often been unjustly accused of being in sympathy with the liquor men, because we could not conscientiously identify ourselves with the Prohibition party and vote for its candidates for public office. Our sisters have been censured for not uniting with the organizations of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and assisting in the work along their line. These things we cannot do as long as we see these organizations joining hands with the National Reformers in clamoring for a rigid enforcement of our State Sunday law, and the enactment of one that shall be national in its character. The temperance issue in this State is now separated entirely from political issues, and from the direct control of these organizations, and is in the hands of the people, and there is no reason why we cannot use our influence from now till the 18th of June, and our votes on that day, to help put down this vile and iniquitous traffic.
It is a lamentable fact that there are in many of the churches of the land to-day, men, yes, and women too, who are not only in sympathy with, but are openly working for, the interests of the liquor men. The deceptive plea for high license is heard from many persons who occupy prominent places in some of our leading denominations. May God forbid that the time should ever come when any member of a Seventh-day Adventist Church shall be found advocating any method of dealing with the liquor traffic, except its utter extermination.
Let us then, dear brethren in Pennsylvania, do all that we can by our voices, our influence, and our votes, to assist in outlawing the sale of liquor in this great commonwealth. I have had considerable opportunity during the winter to interview prominent men from different parts of the State, and I find that there is a growing sentiment in favor of the amendment. Some men of good judgment, who have given the subject careful investigation, predict a majority of 40,000 in favor of it. We must not slacken our efforts in the least, however, for the liquor men are organizing in all parts of the State, and quietly but determinedly using their influence and means to defeat it.
There is one feature connected with this movement that may not at first be seen by all our people. We have a rigid Sunday law in this State at present, and when we say anything about having it repealed, we are met with the argument that if this law is repealed there will be nothing to prevent the saloons from being kept open on Sundays; and then we are usually informed that we are in sympathy with the saloons. Of course we reply that we would be in favor of shutting the saloons every day in the week, but this answer usually makes but little impression on the objector. Let the prohibitory amendment be carried, and the saloons closed entirely, and we will have one of the strongest objections to a repeal of the Sunday law removed. Let us, then, as a denomination in this State, cast our influence as one man in favor of the prohibitory amendment.
L. C. CHADWICK.
Williamsport, Pa., March 25, 1889.

PRAYING FOR WHAT WE DO NOT EXPECT.

By Daniel Quorm

I HAPPENED once to be staying with a gentleman—a long way from here—and a very religious kind of man he was. In the morning he began the day with a long family prayer that he might be kept from sin, and might have a Christ-like spirit, and the mind that was also in Jesus Christ, and that we might have the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto us. A good prayer it was, and I thought, "What a good kind of man you must be!" But about an hour later I happened to be coming along the farm, and I heard him hallooing and scolding, and going on finding fault with everybody and everything. And when I came into the house with him he began again. Nothing was right, and he was so impatient and quick-tempered.
" 'Tis very provoking to be annoyed in this way, Daniel. I don't know what servants in these times are good for, but to worry and vex one with their idle, slovenly ways?"
I did not say anything for a minute or two, and then I said, "You must be very much disappointed, sir?"
"How so, Daniel? Disappointed?"
"I thought you were expecting a very valuable present this morning, sir, and I see it has not come."
"Present, Daniel?" and he scratched his head as much as to say, "Whatever can the man be talking about?"
"I certainly heard you talking about it, sir," I said, coolly.
"Heard me speak of a valuable present? Why, Daniel, you must be dreaming. I've never thought of such a thing."
"Perhaps not; but you've talked about it, and I hoped it would come while I was here, for I dearly love to see it."
He was getting angry with me now, so I thought I would explain.
"You know, sir, this morning you prayed for a Christ-like spirit, and the mind that was in Jesus, and the love of God shed abroad in your heart."
"Oh, that's what you mean, is it?" and he spoke as if that weren't anything at all.
"Now, sir, wouldn't you be rather surprised if your prayer was to be answered? If you were to feel a nice, gentle, loving kind of spirit coming down upon you, all patient and forgiving and kind, why, sir, wouldn't you come to be quite frightened like? and you'd come in and sit down all in a faint, and reckon as you must be a-going to die, because you felt so heavenly-minded."
"He didn't like it very much," said Daniel, "but I delivered my testimony, and learned a lesson for myself, too. You are right, Captain Joe, you are right. We should stare very often if the Lord was to answer our prayer." —Daniel Quorm and his Religious Notions.

THE LORD WILL COME.

By W. N. Glenn

THERE is no fact more thoroughly fortified by Bible evidence than that the Lord Jesus will come again, to redeem his people and to punish the disobedient. It has been positively asserted by himself, and by inspired prophets and apostles. Yes it is surprising to see the efforts of even his professed followers to evade the practical recognition of this most important truth. One of the most prolific sources of skepticism on this point is the multitude of mistakes and false theories that have been promulgated regarding the event. Because of these, many refuse to consider the matter at all. But this is a very inefficient way of refuting error.
When the disciples inquired of the Lord concerning his coming, his first warning was, "Take heed that no man deceive you; for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many." Matt. 24: 4, 5. Mark, the Saviour did not say that, on account of many deceptions relative to his advent, therefore they should give no attention to the matter. On the contrary, that was the very reason why they should "take heed." He is coming, nevertheless. What is it to take heed? Is it to turn a listless ear to the truth upon the subject—the testimony of the word of God? By no means; this is just the way to lay one's self liable to deception. Those who receive not the truth, either through rejection or neglect, are just the ones who will be susceptible to the "strong delusions" of the last days. See 2 Thess. 2: 7-12. To "take heed" is to study the inspired testimony, that we may be prepared, by correct knowledge, not merely to withstand delusion by a stolid indifference or neutrality, but to discriminate between the false and the true. For just as sure as there are to be false prophets and false Christs in the last days, there will also be true prophets, whom it will not be safe to ignore; and there will come the true Christ.
It should be borne in mind that in the same interview there is another warning given concerning the coming of the Lord, that is equally as important as that above cited. It is theexhortation to "watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." Matt. 25: 13. Again: "Take heed to yourselves, 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. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke 21: 34-36.
The most common excuse for not watching for this momentous occurrence is, "We can't tell anything about it, and it is all folly to be troubled about that which we cannot know." But this is the very reason why the Lord himself exhorts us to watch; and he has left on record, for our instruction, a parable specially illustrating this lesson. "For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore; for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch." Mark 13: 34-37.
The surest way to take heed against the vagaries of fanatics and false prophets, whose teachings are but the delusions of the arch-deceiver, is to take heed to the instructions of the word of God. Signs have been given by which we may know that the Lord's coming is "near, even at the doors," and the manner of his coming has been described (Matt. 24; Acts 1: 11; 2 Thess. 4: 15-17), for the express purpose of protecting those who will take heed thereto, from the deceptions of the last days. The individual who turns away from all consideration of the subject of the Redeemer's advent, and loves not the contemplation of his appearing and kingdom, is just the one who, in some way or other, will be deceived concerning the event. He may, by wholesale rejection, evade delusion by the false proclamations of time-setters and those who will say, "I am Christ;" but, on the other hand, he will surely be found "sleeping" when the "Master of the house" really comes, in an hour when he thinks not. It is just as important to be ready when the Lord does come as to be guarded against false alarm. Being ready is the only safe position. W. N. GLENN.

THE "LIGHT OF THE NATIONS."

By Mrs. L. D. A. Stuttle

BY MRS. L. D. A. STUTTLE.
O "LIGHT OF THE NATIONS," thy splendor supernal Still flashes o'er earth with its kindling ray, As it shines from the throne of the Father Eternal, And turns the dark night to a glorious day.
O "Light of the Nations," how blest and how glorious The bright Star of Bethlehem shone at thy birth; Let me dwell 'neath the blaze of thy gospel victorious, Till the folds of thy banner encompass the earth.
O "Light of the Nations," how bright was thy dawning, How fair shone thy light in the orient sky, When the bright Sun of Righteousness rose in the morning, To glory more fair as the ages go by.
But, oh, the glad light from thy sepulcher beaming Which scattered the darkness and terrible gloom! And, oh, the bright glory in radiance streaming, As Christ the Redeemer arose from the tomb.
O "Light of the Nations," soon, soon in thy glory, Once more thou shalt visit the children of men. Oh, herald the tidings, proclaim the glad story, The "Light of the Nations" returneth again.
Bancroft, Mich.

ONLY A JEW.

It will do no harm to remember, when our feeling against people of other religions becomes strong, that Christ, and John, and David, and Paul were Jews. Whatever his belief may be, every man is one of God's children, and should be treated as a brother. A scene which actually occurred in Russia, and was reported in a New York paper not long since, carries with it a powerful lesson.
"Let him sink; he is only a Jew," was the exclamation of a crowd of people in a Russian town recently, as they beheld the struggles of a poor wretch in the river. Just then a young man broke through the crowd, which tried to hold him back, and, plunging into the river, brought the drowning man to the shore. As the crowd began to jeer at him for saving the life of a mere Jew, it was discovered that the man whose life was saved was a Gentile, and that his brave rescuer was a Jew. The jeering at once ceased, and the crowd slunk away.

THE CLOSE-BY PERILS.

By Rev. T. L. Cuyler

THE real danger with most good people is not from enormous and Heaven-defying sins. It is from what we call little sins, and often regard as mere faults, foibles, or infirmities. Where shall we find a pair of scales or a measuring-line to determine the size of a sin? What we regard as very small may be in God's sight very great. The essence of sin is breach of God's laws—an offense against him; it is a matter of principle. The principle of evil may be just as distinctly visible in the theft of a dime, as in the midnight robbery of a bank. The lustful look is adultery in the egg. Sin and holiness are rated by the same scales of measurement. As the divine Master tells us that a "cup of cold water given in his name" is a righteous act worthy of reward, so is the man "who is unjust in that which is least unjust also in that which is much." If the vine of a Christian's character is so damaged that its spiritual beauty and influence are impaired, it matters nothing whether a single huge crime or a thousand petty sins work the havoc. Rarely does a professed Christian commit a huge crime; we are all in danger from the stealthy little foxes that slip in and do Satan's work unchallenged. Dr. Maclaren puts this truth very pungently when he says that "the worst sin is, not some outburst of gross transgression, forming an exception to the ordinary tenor of a life, bad and dismal as such a sin is, but the most fatal are the small, continuous vices which root under-ground and honeycomb the soul. Many a man who thinks himself a Christian is in more danger from the daily commission, for example, of small pieces of sharp practice in his business, than ever was David at his worst. White ants pick a carcass clean sooner than a lion will."
Big sins frighten us; little ones steal in unobserved, like the insects that eat out the fiber of solid furniture in Cuba, and when the strain comes the timber snaps, and fills the eye with dust. More than one minister has lost his place by little artifices that engendered a suspicion of his square, solid honesty. Thousands of Christian parents destroy all their religious influence over their children by their ebullitions of bad temper. This is not a mere foible. Bad temper is an ugly, venomous sin—it is a sin against the central, cardinal Christian grace of love. Look at the mischief that is often wrought in a congregation by a hateful tongue of censoriousness, that embroils a neighborhood and poisons the reputation of fellow-members of Christ's fold. Envy is often accounted a small sin; so is a pistol-ball small, but if lodged in a human brain it is deadly. A very able and excellent minister once left a church because they had practiced on him a petty piece of stinginess; he rightly concluded that if they acted meanly in one act, they could not be trusted to deal fairly by him in other things. Foxes do not loom very large or make a loud noise, but they can strip the Lord's vineyard as clean as the weevils will strip a wheat-field, if they are allowed to have full swing. How does spiritual declension begin with a Christian? It commonly begins with small offenses against the laws of absolute purity, or honesty, or conscientiousness; it starts with occasional neglects of Christian duty and occasional acts of self-indulgence. When robbers want to plunder a house, they hoist a small boy up into a window, and he unbolts the doors for the gang. Let us look out for Satan's imps slipped in at the open windows of our hearts!
—Rev. T. L. Cuyler, in Evangelist.

YIELDING TO ANGER EXHIBITS WEAKNESS.

THE man who gives way to anger in his own behalf is pretty sure to be a weak character. Anger as hot indignation against wrong, or in behalf of the wronged, may be a noble and generous outburst of feeling; but that is very different from anger on one's own account. Anger is generally called forth by such circumstances as disappointment, opposition, reproof, or insult. He who is thrown into an ungovernable passion when things do not turn out as he hoped they would, thereby shows that he is not equal to the situation. His exhibit of anger is an unconscious confession of his personal weakness. The strong, brave man looks the disappointment in the face, and is calm. He expects to surmount the obstacles before him, and to recover himself out of his misfortune. But the man who storms and raves, thereby makes it evident that he lacks confidence in himself, and that he can only vainly talk against the circumstances which he feels unable to master.
A man in an angry passion rarely accomplishes anything, except such things as he is afterwards sorry for. Almost everywhere, displayed anger is a hindrance to success. It throws the mind into confusion; it overheats the whole nature, and prevents the best work which the faculties might do. An easy and habitual yielding to the passion of anger is fatal to that coolness of judgment and calmness of temper which are indispensable qualities of strong characters and truly successful lives. Select out of any community the hot-headed men who are frequently heard raving at events and berating their fellow-men, and you select the essentially weak men, who neither win great respect nor carry great weight in the community. Strong men are men who know how to keep cool, or to restrain themselves when excited. Their coolness, or their calmness, is a part of their strength. The man whose temper controls him, incapacitates himself by blind passion for the exercise of that shrewdness and judgment with which the man who keeps a calm and steady mind and manner will surmount difficulties, conquer opposition, and defeat injustice.
In no particular is over-excitement more evidently a proof of weakness than in the fact that it shows an incapacity for self-control. There are few men who would not profess a desire to restrain their tempers. Yet how many fail to do so! They are the tool of their tempers, instead of having theirtempers as their tools. They are weak men,—weak in self-control, without which no robust character is possible. They have no proper command of themselves. That which is lowest in them—blind and unreasoning passion—is their master. To the rule of such a master, an enslaved man offers a constantly feebler resistance, until at length resistance practically ceases, and he is the play and sport of his own worst impulses. His is, indeed, a moral weakness, essentially like that of the inebriate, who vainly struggles against appetite until struggle seems idle, and it ceases. The difference between these two is that the appetite for drink has its seat and operation in the body, while the passion of anger is a state or affection of the mind. Morally considered, however, the two are similar in kind, and are equally a proof of an untrained will and a fundamentally weak moral character.
The weakness which disclosed anger advertises is nowhere more plainly seen than in controversy. When contestants in debate can do nothing else, they usually show anger. The angry debater is the man who has an imperfect confidence in himself or in his cause. The man who knows his ground, and has perfect confidence in his position, has no occasion to become angry. If men cannot agree with him, he can wait. He believes he has truth on his side, and he is confident that truth will prevail. But the man who scolds and abuses his opponent, and makes use of personal vilification for argument, unwittingly proclaims his weakness and confesses his defeat. Observe any controversy, and see on which side there is the greatest amount of rage, rant, and defamation, and you will find that side supported by the weaker man, while the opposite side represents the ultimately winning cause. Whatever help comes to any controversy from anger and abuse is pretty sure to come to the side against which they are directed. Matters of dispute are ultimately settled by the show of reasons which bear upon them, rather than by fury and ill-directed zeal, which only serve to proclaim the inability of those who exhibit them to cope with the difficulties or to set forth the reasons of the case in question.—S. S. Times.

THE VALUE OF A GODLY LIFE.

THE character and potency of the Christian religion are revealed partly in the Bible, and partly in the lives of its adherents. The Word is the inspired exposition of the principles of Christianity. It is written by the Holy Spirit itself, so as to insure a faultless copy. There is nothing concealed about it; here the very heart of the Author may be read. He even courts investigation, “Search the Scriptures, for . . . they testify of me.”
But the world generally does not read the Bible to form its opinion of Christianity. Men judge a system by its effect. They judge Christianity and Christianity’s Christ as they are reproduced in the every-day life of believers. Its value is reckoned by what it has done and is doing to mould life and character. It is a closed book to many; they do not, will not, come to it. The object of many of those who do look into it is not so much to read it as to read into it. Very few read the Bible honestly and diligently to form an opinion of Christianity; but, as a great evangelist once said, “For everyone that reads this book there’s a hundred that read you and me.” As a man’s autograph letter is an index of himself, so professing Christians are Christ’s living epistles, known and read of all men, and by them the Author is judged.
“So let our lips and lives express The holy gospel we profess; So let our works and virtues shine, To prove the doctrine all divine.
“Thus shall we best proclaim abroad The honors of our Saviour God, When his salvation reigns within, And grace subdues the power of sin.”
“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles; that, whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God.”—Selected.
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