Your ShelfYour Projects

Signs of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 45.

The Pope: Sovereign, Not Subject

Signs of the Times

Nov 25, 1889

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Nov 25, 1889

The Pope: Sovereign, Not Subject

THE Catholic News of October 23, referring to Premier Crispi's view that the pope is only a local Italian bishop, subject to the law of the government, utters the following unmistakable declaration:—
“He must be sovereign pontiff, not subject pontiff. He must be in Rome under the protection of the Catholic powers, and indeed of Greek and Protestant, for England, Germany, and Russia are as much interested in having the pope independent as the Catholic powers of Europe. Pan-America has also a voice, and that will be clear and outspoken,—the pope is sovereign not subject.”
Talk about the patriotism of the Roman Catholic press. Every energy is bent to the temporal prosperity and success of the Vatican. And if Germany and Russia and all America do not realize that it is for their interest to re-instate the pope, the Roman curia will find means to make them realize it. Cardinal Manning says that if the rulers will not obey the pope, the people will.

THE LOVE OF GOD.

By Ellen G. White

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
(Concluded.)
JESUS was hunted from place to place during his ministry. Priests and rulers were on his track. They misrepresented his mission and labor. He came unto his own and his own received him not. Angels watched the conflict at every step. They saw the spirit and work of the enemy. They looked with amazement upon the devices of Satan against the divine Son of God. They saw that he who had only been second to Jesus in power and glory had fallen so low that he could influence men to hunt the steps of Christ from city to city. When Christ sought the garden of Gethsemane, the enemy pressed darkness upon his soul. Even his disciples did not watch with him through that hour of trial. They heard the agony of prayer that came from his pale and quivering lips, but they soon allowed sleep to overcome them, and left their suffering Master to wrestle with the powers of darkness alone.
It was in the garden of Gethsemane that the mysterious cup trembled in his hand. Would he drink of the bitter portion and save a lost world? or would he forbear and let it perish? The destiny of the fallen race trembled in the balance. If he drank of the cup of suffering, he must open his breast to the griefs and woes and sins of humanity. He prayed, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." He had said to his disciples, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." His suffering almost extinguishedhis life. The drops of blood beaded his forehead, and dewed the sod of Gethsemane. "His visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men." When he fainted as in death, an angel came to the divine Sufferer, and offered him the cup of consolation to strengthen him for the conflict.
The Saviour of the world arose, and for the third time sought his disciples, and found them sleeping. He looked sorrowfully upon them, and his words aroused them: "Sleep on now, and take your rest; behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners."
Even while these words were upon his lips, the footsteps of the mob that was in search of him were heard. Judas took the lead, and was closely followed by the murderous throng. Jesus turned to his disciples, as his enemies approached, and said, "Rise, let us be going; behold, he is at hand that doth betray me." The countenance of the Saviour wore an expression of calm dignity; no traces of his recent agony were visible as he stepped forth to meet his betrayer.
He suffered himself to be taken by the murderous throng, and was dragged from one tribunal to another. Although Isaiah had written, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of peace," yet he was now mocked, derided, spit upon, scourged, and maltreated. Was he innocent? —Yes; but innocence does not save men from persecution when the evil one controls the minds of their tormentors. Jesus is our pattern. He has given us an example that we should follow in his steps. Many will have to pass through scenes similar to those through which Jesus passed. After he was judged, he was brought forth to the people, and Pilate declared, "I find no fault in this man," but the people cried, "Crucify him, crucify him." "When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person; see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children."
Christ was the Son of God, equal with the Father; and yet he was abused, ridiculed, scourged, and crucified. There are many who have thought that the Father had no part in the sufferings of the Son; but this is a mistake. The Father suffered with the Son. When the Son of God hung upon Calvary, the darkness gathered like the pall of death about the cross. All nature sympathized with its dying Author. There were thunderings and lightnings, and a mighty earthquake, but the hearts of men were so hardened that they could quarrel at the foot of the cross upon which hung the world's Redeemer, about the dividing of his vesture. Their hearts seemed to be wholly under the control of the powers of darkness. Angels looked upon the scene with sorrow and amazement. As man's substitute and surety, the iniquity of men was laid upon Christ; he was counted a transgressor that he might redeem them from the curse of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing upon his heart; and the wrath of God, and the terrible manifestation of his displeasure because of iniquity, filled the soul of his Son with consternation. The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour, in this hour of supreme anguish, pierced his heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. Sin, so hateful to his sight, was heaped upon him till he groaned beneath its weight. The despairing agony of the Son of God was so much greater than his physical pain, that the latter was hardly felt by him. The hosts of Heaven veiled their faces from the fearful sight. They heard his despairing cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" They saw the divine Sufferer die beneath the sins of the world.
Jesus was laid in the tomb. He went into the darkness of the grave, and tasted death for every man. But he did not long remain under the power of the enemy. A mighty angel came from heaven and rolled back the stone from the sepulcher, and for fear of him the keepers did fear and quake, and became as dead men. Christ came forth from the tomb a triumphant conqueror, and led forth from their graves a multitude of captives.
The Roman guard hastened to tell the rulers what had occurred, and they were bribed to testify that his disciples had stolen his body away by night. When the women who had followed Jesus came to the sepulcher, the angel said unto them: "Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here; for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him; lo, I have told you."
We have a risen Saviour; he has ascended up on high, and ever liveth to make intercession for us. Through him those who believe in him shall be crowned with glory, honor, and immortality; for "the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

Reward According to Works

"Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. 22:12

The Signs of the Times.

By Editor

PUBLISHED WEEKLY, FOR THE

International Tract and Missionary Society.

(For terms, etc., see last page.)
Entered at the Post-Office in Oakland.

Germans Outside the Fatherland

"Nine million Germans live outside the Fatherland, seven million in this country," says the New York Christian Advocate, and asks, "Are we doing all we can to bring them under the influence of evangelical Protestantism?"

Political Corruption and the Catholic Vote

As showing the trend of public opinion and morals, take the following item from a letter by Rev. E. J. Stanley, written from Helena, Montana, to the St. Louis Christian Advocate, and appearing in the issue of that journal of the 6th instant:—
“I felt greatly humiliated at the outset of the campaign when I saw the eagerness with which both the political parties were bidding for the Roman Catholic vote. It is a virtual admission that the Romanists held the balance of power. But on later, I was disgusted at the corruption that was so evident on every hand. It is astonishing, yea, alarming, to see the means that are resorted to by political tricksters to carry their partisan ends.”

Is Sunday-Sabbath Teaching Heresy?

By Editor

The following is from the Baptist Sentinel of recent date:—
"Listen: Did Jesus command the church to publish to the world that a heretic may administer the ordinances of his church? Is not he who teaches infant baptism a heretic? Is not he who teaches baptismal regeneration a heretic? Is not he who refuses to be baptized a heretic? Is not he who asks the blood-bought church of Jesus to sanction the administrations of heretics a subject who should be taught more perfectly in the way of the Lord?"
These are frank, straightforward questions. Now, friend Sentinel, we would like to ask you a question in the same line, namely, Is not he who teaches that Sunday is the Sabbath of the Bible a heretic?

God’s Gracious Gifts and Our Humility

How good, how gracious, how merciful God is! He gave us life, with all of its temporal blessings; he gave his only begotten Son to die in our behalf; through that Son, he gives us cleansing, wisdom, and power. While in reality we are poor bond-slaves, bought with the blood of Christ, God counts us as friends, and gives us the liberty of sons. While we have no strength or wisdom to do his work, he gives us both, and accepts the work from our hands as our own. While we are only stewards of his generous gifts, he accepts what we render back to him as something to be rewarded. We can do nothing, give nothing, and yet God counts it as our doing, as our giving. What a precious knowledge! It ought not to lead to exaltation, but humiliation.

Roman Catholicism and Caste

By Editor

THE Catholic News of New York, in its issue of October 16, makes a fling at the Congregationalists and New England Puritanism on the "color line" and says:—
"The Catholic Church is open to receive white or colored, she makes no distinction of race or color. For centuries she has taught white men, red, and black, and even the yellow Mongols who came. She alone is Catholic."
But it is nevertheless true that no church or system of religion is more cursed with caste than the Roman Catholic. It is just a series of steps from the poor layman to "his Holiness the Pope," with "Reverends," "Right Reverends," "My Lord Bishop," "My Lord Cardinal," and many others intervening. Rome's brotherhood and universal charity are like her mild tolerance of all other religions. The church is false to every claim.

Bibles Needed in American Homes

By Editor

THE following from the Advance does not reveal so much beauty as regards the general spiritual enlightenment as many would have us suppose:--
"A mistaken notion prevails that everybody has, or can get, a Bible who wants one. The writer knows from over eight years of personal visitation of homes in city and country, in Illinois and Iowa, that it is not so. In sixteen months' recent work between eleven and twelve thousand families were visited, and between nine and ten hundred families were found without Bibles. About six hundred of these families received the word gladly, as did also five hundred other destitute persons."
When one-twelfth of the people of our "most favored" States are without the word of God, it calls for renewed effort on the part of our Bible societies and home missionaries. Some families have one or more Bibles to every member; some families have none. If those who had the Bible really prized it, would it not soon be found in every home where it was possible to place one?

GOD'S WILL IS BEST.

By Paul Fleming

LET nothing make thee sad or fretful, Or too regretful— Be still. What God hath ordered must be right; Then find in it thine own delight, Thy will.
Why shouldst thou fill to-day with sorrow About to-morrow, My heart? One watches all with care most true, Doubt not that He will give thee, too, Thy part.
Only be steadfast, never waver, Nor seek earth's favor, But rest; Thou knowest what God wills must be For all his creatures, so for thee, The best. —Paul Fleming.

THE VALUE OF POSITIVE OPINIONS.

By The Evangelist (Presbyterian)

It was Sydney Smith (who was a keen observer of human affairs), we believe, who said that a great deal of talent is lost to the world from a want of courage. A man who has the courage of his convictions, and is not afraid to avow them, is always a useful man so long as he stands inside the lines of sound morals and of legitimate human rights. Indeed, when he gets somewhat outside those lines, he may still be useful by provoking thought and discussion that will drive him inside if he is an honest man, and that will at any rate prevent others from standing in a false position. The truth often suffers from stagnation, and needs to be stirred up; it suffers less by discussion than from being let alone. Rubbing it makes it brighter, just as it does with gold and silver and precious stones. Positive opinions beget opposition, of course; but the world and the church need them all the same. Those who are afraid to express them in behalf of truth, can take the awful responsibility of silence; but truth will march forward without them. But where will they be when they see it marching on? —The Evangelist (Presbyterian).

MATTHEW TWENTY-FOUR.

By J. H. Waggoner

BY THE LATE ELDER J. H. WAGGONER.
THERE is the most perfect harmony between the teachings of the book of Revelation and the view we have presented of Matthew 24. We refer especially to the seals of chapters 5 to 8. In the first eleven chapters of Revelation there are three series of sevens, which cover the entire gospel dispensation. Chapters 2 and 3 contain the letters to the churches. These embrace a history of the church of God from the first century to the coming of the Son of man to gather his people into his kingdom. The seven trumpets of chapters 8 to 11 cover about the same period of time, but give a history of the nations of the earth in their conflicts with one another. The seven seals of chapters 5 to 8 are intermediate between the other series, giving a history of neither the church nor the nations separately, but a history of the church in its experiences and conflicts with the wicked nations of the earth. All these end together at the judgment, or the introduction of the day of wrath, unless it be that the last trumpet, the third woe, may be considered to prevail upon the earth after the saints are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. That they all reach to the coming day of reward and retribution there can be no reasonable question.
In chapter 6, the signs in the sun, moon, and stars are placed under the sixth seal, which reaches to the end of time, as the seventh seal barely announces a single fact connected with the ushering in of the advent of the Lord. The harmony of this with our location of the signs in Matthew 24, is at once apparent. In Revelation 6, after the darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars, the record says the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together, and the nations of the earth vainly endeavor to hide themselves from the wrath of the Lamb, for the day of his wrath then has come. In Matthew 24, exactly the same facts and the same order are given. The sun and moon are darkened, the stars fall, and the powers of heaven are shaken, and then the tribes of the earth mourn, because they see not only the sign of the Son of man in heaven, but they see the Son of man himself coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. They mourn because, as John says, the great day of his wrath is come.
Paul also says in 2 Thessalonians 1, that he shall come to take vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel. But the Lamb does not take vengeance in his hands until his advocacy and intercession for sinners cease. At the time spoken of by these prophecies, his intercession for sinners will have ceased, for "the great day of his wrath" will have come. Not one of them will call for mercy, for they will then be made to realize that their probation is ended, and the time for the offer of mercy to them is past. They then only seek to be hid from his terrible presence. And in Revelation 14, after the warning of the third angel is given, the Sonof man appears, and the harvest of the earth is reaped, and the wicked gathered as tares to be burned (Matthew 13), or as the clusters of "the vine of the earth," to be cast into the wine-press of the wrath of God. Can anyone say this is in the past, and yet profess to maintain respect for the Bible as a revelation?
But the Universalists reject the future application of these scriptures, believing, as they profess, that the mercy and love of God forbid the execution of vengeance as here described. And this is virtually indorsed by many others, for they, too, deny the "flaming fire," the coming of the Son of man to take vengeance; these are made to be figurative expressions,—they do not by any means indicate that any such things will ever take place. They do not believe that the wicked will be devoured—burned up, root and branch—in a lake of fire, and that the earth and the elements will melt with fervent heat.
And yet they do admit of some vengeance in the divine dealings with man, but they have a singular method of applying it. But all the direct threatenings of the judgments of God, in the Bible, they place to the account of the Jews. To the Jews they are, or have been, literally fulfilled. And yet they are supposed to be so exceedingly benevolent and kind-hearted that they cannot reconcile with the innate kindness of their natures any system but that of universal salvation and universal good-will. But we look upon their benevolence as being very questionable in its nature. While they freely give all the threatenings and judgments of the Bible to the Jews, they take all the promises and mercies to themselves! We do not, however, believe that they are universally better than the Jews. We do not find them so blameless in life and character as to justify such an appropriation of the divine awards. True benevolence, the absence of selfishness, would lead them at least to divide with the poor afflicted Jews; to give them some blessings, and take some of the threatenings to themselves. Poor Jerusalem! it is very convenient as a scape-goat to accommodate the selfishness of those who deny that the Lord will ever come to take vengeance on his foes.
The ordinance of the Lord's Supper, a commemorative institution of the gospel, is a witness to the doctrine of the future coming of the Lord. In "the great commission," Jesus told his disciples that he would be with them in the preaching of the gospel, and the practice of its ordinances, until the end of the world, or age,—the gospel age. But Paul says that in the celebration of the Lord's Supper, we do show forth the Lord's death till he come. When the Lord instituted the supper, he pointed their minds forward to his coming and kingdom, and said he would not thenceforth drink of the fruit of the vine till he drank it new with them in his kingdom. If Christ came at the destruction of Jerusalem, it is remarkable that, of all the apostles and servants of God, no one has yet found out that the ordinances of the gospel have been obsolete since the year A.D. 70! And if that be so, then the commission of the gospel, the authorized preaching of the gospel to every creature, also expired in A.D. 70. And thus by logical sequence we have the blessings as well as the curses, the promises and the threatenings, all confined to that generation which lived in the time of the Saviour! Some may be willing to risk this conclusion in order to save their premises, but we shall take no part with them. To us the coming of the Lord is still "that blessed hope;" to meet our friends in the resurrection still comforts our hearts while we sorrow for them that sleep in Jesus. And still we pray, "Come, Lord Jesus." Rev. 22: 20.
(To be continued.)

CATHOLICISM AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.

By E. E. Franke

"ETERNAL vigilance is the price of liberty, but when indifference takes the place of vigilance, the death of liberty is sure to follow." The above was taken from an article in the Converted Catholic some time ago. And if we notice the history of religion and State in the past, we will at once recognize them as words of truth and soberness. The Roman Catholic Church is always the same, and her assertions that "the Roman Catholic Church never has erred, and never can err," coupled with the claim of infallibility put forth from time to time, prove that she is the same. In view of these things, how important that every lover of civil and religious liberty should be very vigilant in watching the movements of the Roman Catholic Church in this country. She has always favored the enforcement of her doctrines and dogmas by the civil powers. The following from a Catholic paper, the Shepherd of the Valley, is self-explanatory: "We are not the advocates of religious freedom, and we repeat, We are not."
Bishop O'Connor, of Pittsburg, said: "Religious liberty is merely endured until the opposite can be carried into execution without peril to the Catholic world." And so you see they would do away with our liberty, that God-given right which we enjoy under this free government. It has always been the policy of Rome to instruct her communicants to vote in such a way as to bring about a state of politics favoring her church and dignitaries. An instance of this came under the notice of the writer some time ago, while in Pittsburg. A majority of the voters in a ward being Catholics, they elected a Catholic school board, who in turn elected a Roman Catholic priest as principal of the school, and were about to elect nuns as teachers, and teach the Catholic catechism, etc., when a protest went up from the city press, and he resigned. We might give other instances.
The way in which Bismarck humbled himself before Rome is doubtless still fresh in the mind of the reader, as is also the way the pope has been feeling out after England and other countries. But the question with us is, Does Rome seek to engraft her doctrines and dogmas in this so-called Protestant land? We answer most emphatically, She does! Notice, if you please, the encyclical of Pope Leo XIII., in 1885, where he says: "We exhort all Catholics who would devote careful attention to public matters, to take an active part in all municipal affairs, and elections, and to further the principles of the church in all public services, meetings, and gatherings. All Catholics must make themselves felt as active elements in daily political life in countries where they live. They must penetrate, wherever possible, in the administration of civil affairs; must constantly exert the utmost vigilance and energy to prevent the usage of liberty from going beyond the limit fixed by God's law. All Catholics should do all in their power to cause the constitutions of States and legislation to be modeled to the principles of the true church." This shows what Rome is aiming at. And yet, in the face of all this, we find our so-called Protestant ministers of the American Sunday Union, and the National Reform Association, reaching out their hands to Rome for the purpose of uniting religion and politics; and if they succeed in their object to unite religion and State, we ask, What will the national religion be? We will let Father Hecker, a Catholic priest, answer. He said: "There is, erelong, to be a State religion in this country, and that State religion is to be Roman Catholic." Bishop Kenrick declared that "Catholicity will one day rule in America, and then religious freedom will be at an end!" Thus you can see what Romanists themselves expect.They know, just as well as we do, that they cannot accomplish this all at once, so they are willing to accept a little at a time, as it shall be offered to them, and we believe that the demand for a national Sunday law is only the first step toward Rome in this country. History is repeating itself; it was in just this way religion was brought into the State in the fourth century, which developed into Roman Catholicism; and, as like causes produce like effects, if this Sunday law should be enacted, we can look for the speedy formation of a likeness to, or an image of, the Papacy. Notice, if you please, how prompt Cardinal Gibbons was in indorsing the Sunday-Rest bill. And why was this?—Because they claim Sunday as an institution of their church. Cardinal Gibbons has himself admitted that the Sunday is an institution of their church, as the following letter to the writer will show:—
CARDINAL'S RESIDENCE, 408 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Md., October 3, 1889. DEAR MR. FRANKE: At the request of His Eminence the Cardinal, I write to assure you that you are correct in your assertion that Protestants in observing the Sunday are following, not the Bible, which they take as their only rule of action, but the tradition of the church. I defy them to point out to me the word Sunday in the Bible; if it is not to be found there, and it cannot be, then it is not the Bible which they follow in this particular instance, but tradition, and in this they flatly contradict themselves.
The Catholic Church changed the day of rest from the last to the first day of the week, because the most memorable of Christ's works were accomplished on Sunday. It is needless for me to enter into any elaborate proof of the matter. They cannot prove their point from Scripture; therefore, if sincere, they must acknowledge that they draw their observance of the Sunday from tradition, and are therefore weekly contradicting themselves. Yours very sincerely, M. A. REARDON.
After seeing the above, the reader must acknowledge that the Cardinal, in indorsing the Sunday-Rest bill, acted perfectly consistent with the pope's instructions in his encyclical before quoted, and thus is Rome seeking to gain a foot-hold in this land of liberty.
Reader, are you watching the Roman machine in its movements here? In an interview, June 23, 1889, Dr. McGlynn said: "The people may know what I can tell them on the highest authority: The Roman machine is today most anxious to have a minister of the pope accredited to, and received by, the government at Washington." Let us be vigilant, and read the signs of the times as they pass before us.
E. E. FRANKE. Williamsport, Pa., October 13, 1889.

STAND UP FOR JEHOVAH.

By Miss Toria A. Buck

STAND up for Jehovah! and high in the light Let the blood-blazoned banner be flying, Let not the foe daunt thee, and dread not his might, Nor yield thee to sorrow, or sighing. Gird on thy bright armor, the armor of God, And fight for thy King who hath won thee; He knows thee, he loves thee, 'tis written in blood, And falls in rich blessings upon thee.
Stand up for Jehovah! what matter though sin, In its soul-blighting snares, may have bound thee? The power of his might thy worn spirit shall win; With His strong arms of love flung around thee. Stand firm, my brave warriors, nor yield in the fight, But on, o'er the battle-field gory; Still onward, and upward, with face to the light, And eyes on the bright hills of glory.
Stand up for Jehovah! 'tis noon of the night Ere the stars in the skies are the brightest; The storm-driven wave is the strongest in might, And the high-drifted snow is the whitest. Not fear, and not danger, not sorrow or death, Nor the fire in the crucible glowing, Can daunt our brave hearts, while Jehovah's warm breath Across our glad spirit is blowing. —Miss Toria A. Buck, in Church Union.

THE PRINCE OF LIFE.

By Alexander McLaren, D.D.

THE attempts at harmonizing the resurrection narratives are not only unsatisfactory, but they tend to blur the distinctive characteristics of each account. We shall, therefore, confine ourselves entirely to Matthew's version, and leave the others alone, with the simple remark that a condensed report of a series of events does not deny what it omits, nor contradict a fuller one. The peculiarities of Matthew's last chapter are largely due to the purpose of his Gospel. Throughout, it has been the record of the Galilean ministry, the picture of the King of Israel, and of his treatment by those who should have been his subjects. This chapter establishes the fact of his resurrection; but, passing by the Jerusalem appearances of the risen Lord, as being granted to individuals and having less bearing on his royalty, emphasizes two points: his rejection by the representatives of the nation, whose lie is indorsed by popular acceptance; and the solemn assumption, in the Galilee, so familiar to the reader, of universal dominion, with the world-wide commission, in which the kingdom bursts the narrow, national limits and becomes co-extensive with humanity. It is better to learn the meaning of Matthew's selection of his incidents, than to wipe out instructive peculiarities in the vain attempt after harmony.
First, notice his silence (in which all the four narratives are alike) as to the time and circumstances of the resurrection itself. That had taken place before the gray twilight summoned the faithful women, and before the earthquake and the angel's descent. No eye saw him rise. The guards were not asleep, for the statement that they were, is a lie put into their mouths by the rulers; but though they kept jealous watch, his rising was invisible to them. "The prison was shut with all safety," for the stone was rolled away after he was risen, "and the keepers standing before the doors," but there was "no man within."
As in the evening of that day he appeared in the closed chamber, so he passed from the sealed grave. Divine decorum required that that transcendent act should be done without mortal observers of the actual rising of the Son which scatters forever the darkness of death.
Matthew next notices the angel ministrant and herald. His narrative leaves the impression that the earthquake and appearance of the angel immediately preceded the arrival of the women, and the "Behold!" suggests that they felt and saw both. But that is a piece of chronology on which there may be difference of opinion. The other narratives tell of two angels. Matthew's mention of one only may be due either to the fact that one was speaker, or to the subjective impressions of his informant, who saw but the one, or to variation in the number visible at different times. We know too little of the laws which determine their appearances to be warranted in finding contradiction or difficulty here. The power of seeing may depend on the condition of the beholder. It may depend, not as with gross material bodies, on optics, but on the volition of the radiant being seen. They may pass from visibility to its opposite, lightly and repeatedly, flickering into and out of sight, as the Pleiades. Where there is such store of possibilities, he is rash who talks glibly about contradictions. Of far more value is it to note the purpose served by this waiting angel.
We heard much of a herald angel of the Lord, in the story of the nativity. We hear nothing of him during the life of Christ. Now again he appears, as the stars, quenched in the noon-tide, shine again when the sun is out of the sky. He attends as humble servitor in token that the highest beings gazed on that empty grave with reverent adoration, and were honored by being allowed to guard the sacred place. Death was an undreaded thing to them, and no hopes for themselves blossomed from Christ's grave; but he who had lain in it was their King as well as ours, and new lessons of divine love were taught them, as they wondered and watched. They came to minister by act and word to the weeping women's faith and joy. Their appearance paralyzes the guards who would have kept the Marys from the grave. They roll away the great circular stone, which women's hands, however nerved by love, could not have moved in its grooves. They speak tender words to them. There, by the empty tomb, the strong heavenly and the weak earthly lovers of the risen King meet together, and clasp hands of help, the pledge and first-fruits of the standing order henceforth, and the inauguration of their office of "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for . . . heirs of salvation," the risen Christ hath made both one. The servants of the same king must needs be friends of one another.
The women had been at the grave but for a few moments. But they lived more in these than in years of quiet. Time is very elastic, and five minutes or five seconds may change a life. These few moments changed a world. Haste, winged by fear which had no torment, and by joy which found relief in swift movement, sent them running, forgetful of conventional proprieties, towards the awakening city. Probably Mary Magdalene had left them, as soon as they saw the open grave, and had hurried back alone to tell the tidings. And now the crowning joy and wonder comes. How simply it is told!—the introductory "Behold," just hinting at the wonderfulness, and perhaps at the suddenness, of our Lord's appearance, and the rest being in the quietest and fewest words possible. Note the deep significance of the name "Jesus" here. The angel spoke of "the Lord," but all the rest of the chapter speaks of "Jesus." The joy and hope that flowed from the resurrection depend on the fact of his humanity. He comes out of the grave, the same brother of our mortal flesh as before. It was no phantom whose feet they clasped, and he is not withdrawn from them by his mysterious experience. All through the resurrection histories and the narrative of the forty days, the same emphasis attaches to the name which culminates in the angels' assurance at the ascension, that "this same Jesus," in his true humanity, who has gone up on high our forerunner, shall come again, our brother and our judge. "It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again;" but that triumphant assurance loses all its blessedness, unless we say too, "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and . . . rose again the third day."

BOTH WITHOUT SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY.

By Editor

THE following from the Herald of Truth, the leading Baptist paper of this coast, is worthy of the careful perusal of Pedobaptists. Baptists well say that there is no scriptural authority for the practice of baptizing infants, but we cannot help wondering why they cannot see that the same thing is true of Sunday-keeping. There is just the same authority for one practice as for the other, namely, the authority of the Catholic Church. The Herald of Truth says:—
“Our Pedobaptist brethren often enlist our sympathies when they have to give a reason for the faith which is within them, and always when they must tell why they baptize babies. The Christian Union has recently been brought face to face with the question, ‘Upon what do Pedobaptists base their belief in infant baptism?’ Dr. Lyman Abbott is editor of the paper, and we take it for granted that he wrote the answer. Here it is in all its fullness, and we presume as full as it is possible to make it:—
‘1. Baptism is a dedicatory rite. 2. The infant at its baptism has not yet become a separate person, but is still, as it were, enfolded within the parental nature, not much less than it was before its birth. 3. The baptism of such an infant declares that it is what the parent is, a member of the body of Christ. Whether it continues to be such depends on parental nurture and the choice of the young will when formed. 4. Apostolic example seems to look this way. It is not at all likely that in all the households which Paul baptized there were no young children. Origen, born of Christian parents, A.D. 185, declares infant baptism to be an apostolic tradition.’
“Upon this we beg leave to comment briefly. 1. No Bible authority is even claimed. We insist upon this. The belief is not based upon the teachings of Scripture. The nearest to scriptural authority for the practicewhich the answer gives us is, ‘Apostolic example seems to look that way.’ ‘It is not unlikely that in all the households which Paul baptized there were no young children.’ Now, here is the ground upon which several Christian sects base a belief they preach to the world as the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can but recall that other answer given by Lyman Abbott's illustrious predecessor in the pulpit, Henry Ward Beecher, who, when asked why he baptized infants, replied, ‘Because I have a mind to.’ 2. What ground is there for calling this Christian baptism at all? In what particular does it answer to the baptism commanded by Jesus Christ? If Pedobaptists had their way the command given by Jesus Christ would never be obeyed, for there would of course be nothing but infant baptism. How fearful the responsibility to displace a positive and prominent command of the Master by a rite born of tradition and supported by sentiment and ecclesiastical usage. If these good people would sprinkle their babies and call it dedication, then when ‘their wills were formed,’ and they believed in the Lord Jesus, would baptize them upon a confession of their faith, they would do a beautiful and consistent thing.”
Continue reading: THE FUTURE STATE