Signs of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 4. (1/28/1889)

Signs of the Times

Jan 28, 1889

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 28, 1889

Faith Manifested in Righteousness

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

APRIL 30 the centennial of Washington's inauguration is to be generally celebrated by religious services in the churches throughout the land. These services are, according to the program of the committee, to consist of "thanksgiving and praise as may seem suitable in view of what God has done for us and for our land during the century which has elapsed since George Washington took the chair of State."

THERE is a difference between belief and belief. Thousands are deceived by supposing Christ is their Saviour because they have nominally accepted of him, and united with the church. Their belief is merely nominal, and, therefore, ineffectual. Paul tells us what effectual belief must be: "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness." This is effectual belief, or faith. It applies the righteousness of Christ to the past life of sin, and appropriates his strength in overcoming sin. Be not deceived; true faith is manifested in righteousness; and all true righteousness is "the righteousness of God by faith."

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." Not simply the pride of living, but pride which is inwrought in the very being, a part of the life. Knowing that even a proud look is an abomination to the Lord, how can man, whose very life is pride, stand before him? Only by dying. Says the apostle: "Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Why should the leper cling to his loathsomeness, when he may have the flesh of a child? Even so, why should we cling with such tenacity to that life which only makes us repulsive, when we may have the life of Christ instead?

"NONE absolutely die," says the Universalist. "We all pass from one sphere of life to another, and lay off what pertains to the lower, as we pass to the higher; but we still live on, and on, and on, and advance in life attainment, according to our seeking, out of darkness and pain of spirit into light and peace and joy, as we aspire to the good, turn to the light, pursue truth, cast out the evils of our hearts, and form our characters in righteousness."

This no doubt sounds very fine to those who believe it; and moreover the doctrine is absolutely essential to the existence of Universalism. But, unfortunately for those who put their trust in it, the fact is that it is absolutely without foundation in the Scriptures of truth. Satan, the great enemy of all righteousness, is the author of the doctrine that "there is no death." He encouraged Eve to sin, with the assurance, "Ye shall not surely die;" and to-day thousands unwittingly encourage rebellion against God in the same way. To such the Lord says: "Ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life." Eze. 13: 22.

JACOB, the patriarch, illustrates in his life the two characters of the unregenerate and regenerate individual; and these characters are also indicated in the names he bore. At first he was the child of nature, crafty, deceptive, overreaching—Jacob the supplanter—wishing to do right, yet carried away with the propensities of the carnal heart. But after the night struggle at Peniel, he through faith in God gained the victory over the sins of his heart. God met with him, blessed him, not by taking away his troubles, but by giving him strength to bear and power to prevail. After that night he was no longer Jacob, the supplanter, but Israel, the prince of God. Would we be such? The way is plain; by faith prevail with God.

"But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me." Ps. 40:17. Yes, the Lord of hosts, the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy; the one whose word brought the universe into existence, who measures the heavens with the span, calling all of the numberless worlds by name, thinks upon poor, insignificant man,—man so insignificant that in comparison with God, all the nations of them are less than nothing. How wonderful that God should think of poor man. But what does he think concerning them? Listen: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord; thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jer. 29:11. He rides upon the heavens in the help of his creatures, and yet ungrateful man often takes his blessing as a matter of course, and forgets to thank the great Giver. Yes, God thinks upon you; do you think upon God?

THE Bible states that the vegetable world was brought into existence the third day of creation; and the sun, the source of light and heat to this world, the fourth day. According to the Bible account there is no difficulty to him who has faith in God's power. That power brought them into existence in one day. There would be no difficulty in their existing one day without sun; but, according to modern religio-science, these days were long, indefinite periods. Now it is a common fact that vegetation will not grow, flower, mature, and bear fruit without sun. But these scientists would have all these processes carried on without sun for unknown centuries! We prefer the word of God, simple and reasonable, when understood, though we may not comprehend the infinite power and wisdom behind it,—we prefer it to an inconsistent, hypothetical science which involves so many absurdities, and leads its devotees in darker mazes and deeper mire every step of the way.

PARABLE OF THE SOWER.

By Mrs. E. G. White

JESUS had spent the entire night in prayer, and he came down to the beach in the early morning to look for his disciples, who were fishing near the shore. As soon as it was known that Christ was by the sea-side, the multitude flocked to him. Their numbers increased so that he was pressed upon all sides. As he stood teaching them, the crowd became so dense that he stepped into a boat, and pulling out a little from the shore, gave the people a better opportunity to see and hear him, as he continued his discourse. In this way he could speak the things that he desired them to hear without interruption. The Saviour, seated in the rude boat of a fisherman, taught the words of life to the listening people upon the beach. His words found a response in many hearts, and light from his divine instruction poured in upon many darkened minds. In plain sight were the sowers, casting the seed into the ground, and Jesus took this opportunity to draw lessons from nature that would sink into the minds of his listeners:—

"Hearken: Behold, there went out a sower to sow. And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth; but when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased, and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundred.

And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

The existing state of things led Jesus to give the parable of the sower. The people who followed Christ had been disappointed that he did not set up a new kingdom. Long had they looked for a Messiah who would exalt and glorify them as a nation, and now that their expectations were not realized, they refused to receive him as their Redeemer. Even his disciples were mortified that the learned and wealthy were not the most willing to accept Jesus as their Saviour. They felt the stigma that attached to their Master, because it was the poor, the afflicted, and the humbler class generally, who became his disciples. Why, they asked themselves, did not the scribes and Pharisees, the teachers in the schools of the prophets, acknowledge that he was the long-looked-for Messiah? It was to meet this doubt and discontent that Jesus spoke this parable.

When the multitude had departed, the twelve chosen disciples with the other believers gathered about him, and asked him to explain it to them. "And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables; that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?" In these words he explained that his illustrations were to awaken thought in the minds of his hearers. If they desired a fuller explanation of his words they could ask it of him, as the disciples had done, and receive it. Jesus then explained to his disciples the different classes represented in the parable he had given them.

Christ, the Sower, scatters the seed. There are the worldly ones, whose hearts are like the hard-beaten highway, insensible to the teachings of divine wisdom. They love not the requirements of God, and follow their natural impulses. Many are convinced as they listen to the important lessons of Christ. They believe his words, and resolve to lead holy lives, but when Satan comes with his evil suggestions, they are overcome before the good seed has fairly sprung into life.

Had the soil of the heart been broken up by deep repentance for sin, they would have seen how wicked was their selfish love of the world, their pride and avarice, and would have put them away. The seeds of truth would have struck deep into the fallow ground prepared for them in the heart, and would have sprung up and born fruit. But evil habits had so long held sway over their lives that their good resolutions had vanished before the voice of the tempter. "And these are they by the wayside, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts."

There are those who receive the precious truth with joy; they are exceedingly zealous, and express amazement that all cannot see the things that are so plain to them. They urge others to embrace the doctrine that they find so satisfying. They hastily condemn the hesitating and those who carefully weigh the evidences of the truth and consider it in all its bearings. They call such ones cold and unbelieving. But in the time of trial these enthusiastic persons falter and fail. They did not accept the cross as a part of their religious life, and they turn from it with dampened ardor, and refuse to take it up.

If life moves smoothly with this class, if their way is never crossed, if all things are in harmony with their inclinations, they appear to be consistent Christians. But they faint beneath the fiery test of temptation; they cannot endure reproach for the truth’s sake. These persons could cultivate and enrich the soil of their hearts, if they would, so that the truth would take deeper hold; but this involves too much patience and self-denial. It costs them too much effort to make a radical change in their lives. They are easily offended by reproof, and ready to say, with the disciples who left Jesus, "This is a hard saying; who can hear it?" "And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time; afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended."

Jesus represents the seed as falling into neglected borders and patches covered with rank weeds which choke the precious plants that spring up among them; they grow sickly and perish. Many hearts respond to the voice of truth, but they do not properly receive and cherish it. They give it a place in the soil of the natural heart, without preparing the ground and rooting out the poisonous weeds that flourish there, and watching every hour in order to destroy them should they again appear. The cares of life, the fascination of riches, the longing for forbidden things, crowd out the love of righteousness before the good seed can bear fruit. Pride, passion, self-love, and love of the world, with envy and malice, are no companions for the truth of God. As it is necessary thoroughly to cultivate the soil that has once been overgrown with weeds, so it is necessary for the Christian to be diligent in exterminating the faults that threaten his eternal ruin. Patient, earnest effort in the name and strength of Jesus, can alone remove the evil tendencies of the natural heart. But those who have allowed their faith to be overcome by the growth of Satan’s influences, fall into a worse state than that which they occupied before they heard the words of life. "And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful."

Few hearts, like the good soil, well cultivated, receive the seeds of truth, and bring forth abundant fruit to the glory of God. But Jesus finds some earnest Christians, rich in good works and sincere in their endeavors. "And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some an hundred."

Thus Christ represents the characters of those whom he came to teach, in a brief and comprehensive parable. The worldly-minded, the evil-disposed, the hard-hearted, are all exhibited to the minds of his hearers. He thus answers the question that we often hear to-day: Why was the work of Christ productive of such meager results, during his personal ministry upon earth? Miracles of goodness and mercy marked his life; but while he healed the afflicted, and cast out the demons that persecuted men, he left to themselves the work of correcting the evils of their natures. He instructed them how to unite their human efforts with his divine power, and triumph through his strength over the sins that beset them.

This experience was necessary in order to give moral power to the Christian character and fit it for the courts of Heaven. Jesus employed no miraculous agency to compel men to believe in him. They were left to choose or reject him, of their own free will. No direct power was to force them to obedience, and destroy the free moral agency that God has given to man. The parable of the sower plainly sets forth the tendencies of the human heart, and the different classes with which Christ had to deal, and also explains the reasons that his ministry was not more successful in its immediate effects.

THE MORAL WARFARE.

By John Greenleaf Whittier

Our fathers to their graves have gone; Their strife is past,—their triumph won; But sterner trials wait the race Which rises in their honored place,— A moral warfare with the crime And folly of an evil time.

So let it be. In God's own might We gird us for the coming fight. And, strong in Him whose cause is ours, In conflict with unholy powers, We grasp the weapons He has given,— The light, and truth, and love of Heaven. —J. G. Whittier.

THE FULFILLMENT OF SCRIPTURE.

By S. H. Carnahan

THE low standard of Christian living to be witnessed at the present time on every side, and the intermingling of the church and the world, furnish a marked fulfillment of the word of God relative to the last days. Says the apostle: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away." 2 Tim. 3:1-5.

We see this very fully exemplified, now, in the popular churches. One can hardly take up a paper without seeing notices of some worldly pleasures participated in by some of the churches. I chanced to pick up a St. Paul and Minneapolis Pioneer Press a few days ago. It chronicled "A Delightful Dance" given by the Ladies' Aid Society of the Universalist Church; "A Pleasant and Successful Week's Fair," under the auspices of a Lutheran Church; "The First of a Series of Socials," by Helping-hand Society of St. Andrews Church; "A Bean-bag Social," by the Ladies' Guild of Grace Church, and "A Donkey Party," at — for the young people of Christ's(?) Church.

Within the last fifty years much new truth has been developed in regard to the Scriptures. And the churches had either to press forward in the reformation or retrograde. So they clung to their inconsistencies and have fallen; they have stepped down into worldliness in order to receive the approbation of the world and to increase in worldly riches. The St. Louis Christian Advocate well states the case of "the pernicious evil" in these words:—

"Among the many signs of an increasing worldliness among us is the tendency to classify churches according to the salary they pay. A first-class church will demand the best preacher it can buy in the market; no longer will they be a set of God-enthused men whose

highest ambition is to labor and suffer, but they will degenerate into popularity seekers."

It is too true! Since the people would not leave the world and come into the church, the church has left Christ and compromised with the power of evil, and introduced within her boundaries all manner of worldly sins to entice the world inside.

Rev. Jonathan Edwards, in a lecture at Spokane Falls, Washington Territory, in answer to the question, "In your judgment, what reforms are most needed to-day?" said: "The answers naturally classify themselves under the head of political, moral, and religious reforms." He dwelt mostly upon that part of the question, "religious reforms." He said: "The churches need to get out of their ruts and have more latitude in their operations." As reported by the Spokane Falls Review, Vol. 8, No. 114, "He only regretted that a lack of money prevented the churches from branching out fully as they should. He believed in a church that should be open seven days in the week, made instructive by lectures, concerts, dramas, etc. He advocated side branches that should foster reading-rooms, night schools, harmless games, and other diversions that would attract young and old."

The churches have indeed opened their doors to all schemes of money making. The latest is "placarding the inside walls of a church with the names of business men in the town who seek patronage and are willing to pay for this exhibition of their names and for a public commendation by the pastor."

The popular churches have almost entirely, it seems, lost sight of the true signification of the gospel of Christ, and their ministers, instead of preaching the God-given truths contained in the holy Scriptures, have given themselves over to "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

These are they "who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucre' sake." Surely, the time has come when the people will not endure sound doctrine, and, having itching ears, they heap to themselves false teachers.

Dear readers, these are solemn fulfillments of prophecy. Let us make these themes a subject of thought and study, that we may be prepared for those things which are coming upon the earth, and, forgetting the things of this world, may we live, "looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ."

GOD’S TESTIMONY TO JESUS CHRIST.

ON the mount of transfiguration God spoke out of Heaven, saying: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” This testimony is not only remarkable for the manner in which it was given, but for the source and composition of it; especially remarkable and worthy of our attention that it was taken from the scriptures of the Old Testament; that is, instead of saying some new and independent thing concerning Jesus to assure his disciples of his true character, personality, and his identity with the Messiah so long promised, he simply selects three Old Testament scriptures and combines them into one single testimony. It is a matter of interest to trace the heavenly witness back to its source.

In the second psalm we read: “Thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee.”

In the forty-second of Isaiah we read: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.”

In the eighteenth of Deuteronomy we read: “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.”

By putting together the italicized words of each of the above-quoted scriptures, it may be seen that they make up in almost exact phrase the spoken testimony of God to Jesus. “This is my son” “in whom my soul delighteth,” “unto him ye shall hearken.”

It will be noticed that this is a double testimony—a testimony at once to the Old Testament scriptures and to Jesus. By quoting the scriptures in testimony to Jesus, God both confirms them as being his word, and certifies Jesus as being the true object of all their prophecy. Further, it will be observed that these three scriptures are taken from the three great divisions of the sacred writings—the law (Deuteronomy), the prophets (Isaiah), and the Psalms. What a wonderful incidental lesson this contains for us, God quoting his own inspired written word in testimony to his only begotten Son, the incarnate “Word;” than which it could not be possible for us to conceive of a more perfect seal to both. The written word and the incarnate Word are thus linked together. The written word has no significance apart from the incarnate Word, and the incarnate Word is the only key by which we may unlock the written word. They must stand or fall together. And yet we have learned critics to-day who would have us discredit those ancient documents, and treat them as mere literary curiosities of a past age, without special significance to us, or bearing upon the person, character, and work of Jesus Christ. In connection with what has already been pointed out, it is interesting to recall the fact that Jesus himself, both before and after the transfiguration, made his own appeal to these same scriptures for a witness to himself. In the fifth of John he said to them, “Ye search the Scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” The Scriptures without Jesus can do us no good, and they are only of use to us in pointing him out to us as the only Saviour of men. Again after his resurrection he appeals to them for witness and proof, calling the attention of his disciples to them: “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets [David was also a prophet, Matt. 13: 35], he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” And again he said unto them: “These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me.” Luke 24:27, 44. It would seem from this that Jesus had constantly appealed to these Old Testament scriptures for proof concerning himself in his intimate intercourse with his disciples. How startling then must have been that testimony spoken from Heaven to him, in the very words of those scriptures which he had before so constantly appealed to.

We pass by a like appeal made by Philip to Nathanael (John 1:45) to call attention to a word of Peter’s, in commentary upon the transfiguration testimony. “For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from Heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.” Then he adds: “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed.” 2 Peter 1:17–19. The voice from Heaven, though it was the voice of God himself, was a passing one—a voice which some might mistake; but it was identical with the more sure,

more permanent word of prophecy which we have with us always. To that let us take heed and lay it up in our hearts.

How we should like to have heard that heavenly voice! How assuring it would have been to our faith! Nay, could we but now see him transfigured before our eyes, and behold the glorified presences of Moses and Elias, and hear that voice, our doubts would dissolve. But Peter says we have the “more sure word.” The lesson there is obvious. We need not listen for voices or look for union for confirmation of faith, but turn to the Scriptures. In them God is there and constantly speaking concerning the law, and in the same words and language that he would use should he speak from Heaven to us. He could say no more and nothing else than he has said.

Nor need the sinner look for a supernatural sign. “They have Moses and the prophets [and the New Testament too]; let them hear them.” “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Luke 16:29, 31.—Independent.

HOW A CHRISTIAN SHOULD LIVE.

A WRITER tells us of going down with a party into a coal mine. On the side of the gangway grew a plant which was perfectly white. The visitors were astonished that there, where the coal-dust was continually flying, this little plant should be so clean. A miner who was with them took a handful of black dust and threw it on the plant; but not a particle of it adhered. There was a wonderful enamel on the plant to which no finest speck could cling. Living there, amid clouds of dust, nothing could stain its snowy whiteness. This is a picture of what every Christian should be. Unholy influences breathe incessantly about us and upon us. But it is our mission to be pure amid all this vileness, undefiled, unspotted from the world. If God can make a little plant so wondrously that no dust can stain its whiteness, surely he can by his grace so transform our heart and life that sin shall not cling to us. He who can keep the plant stainless and white as snow amid clouds of dust, can guard us in purity in this world of sin.—Selected.

TOIL ON.

By Mrs. M. Gould Crouch

BY MRS. M. GOULD CROUCH.

Toil on, O Christian mariner, Upon life’s storm-tossed sea, Though angry waves of mountain height Are breaking over thee. Toil on.

Thy Father’s hand is at the helm; He guides thy fragile bark. And thou shalt safely trust in him, O’er ocean wild and dark. Toil on.

The haven you can almost see, The voyage is almost o’er, You soon shall from your labor rest Upon the heavenly shore. Toil on.

Toil on, O Christian soldier true, On battle-field of life, Fight bravely on and thou shalt be Victorious in the strife. Toil on.

And ye who in the harvest-field, Beneath the torrid sun, Are binding up the golden sheaves, Your work will soon be done. Toil on.

Then labor on and faint ye not, Where’er your lot may be; For endless glory’s coronet Is waiting now for thee. Toil on.

“WHEN JESUS COMES.”

By Augusta W. Heald

1. THE heavens will depart and the earth be removed.—“And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” Rev. 6:14.

2. Sinners will perish from off the earth.—“Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.” Isa. 13:9.

3. The righteous will rejoice to meet their Lord and Saviour.—“And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isa. 25:9.

4. The Lord will claim his own.—“And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” Mal. 3:17.

5. The righteous dead will be raised and the living changed.—“Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Cor. 15:51, 52.

6. Together they will rise to meet the Lord in the air.—“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.” 1 Thess. 4:17.

7. They will reign with him a thousand years.—“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Rev. 20:6.

8. At the end of the thousand years the wicked dead are raised.—“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” Verse 5. (See also verses 7–9.)

9. The holy city descends from Heaven.—“And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God.” Verse 10.

10. The wicked are judged according to their works.—“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works.” Verses 12, 13.

11. The wicked are consumed by fire.—“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” “And fire came down from God out of Heaven, and devoured them.” Verses 15 and 9.

12. The heavens and earth are dissolved.—“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” 2 Peter 3:10.

13. From these purifying fires arise a new heaven and a new earth.—“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” Rev. 21:1.

14. Here God dwells with his people.—“And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” Verse 3.

15. Sorrow, pain, and death will be no more.—“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.” Verse 4.

16. “Sin cannot enter there.”—“And there shall in nowise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Verse 27.

17. A universal song of praise arises to God and the Lamb.—“And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.” Rev. 5:13. Augusta W. Heald.

THE TESTIMONY OF THE SCRIPTURES.

By Raymond F. Cottrell

THE testimony of the prophecies of the Scriptures is our guide in regard to our present position in the progressive fulfillment of the great plan of human redemption and salvation. No better testimony to present truth can be given. Apollos of Alexandria, when at Ephesus, “mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ.”

To prove that Jesus was the promised Christ, the testimony of those Scripture promises fulfilled was indispensably necessary. His miracles could prove his superhuman power, and, connected with his purity of moral character, his divinity. But unless the promises of the Scriptures in every particular were fulfilled in him, it could not be proved that he was the promised Messiah.

For our time there is a present truth and a prophetic people, that is, a people before described in prophecy. They only are that people who answer the description given. They are the last remnant of the church, and are described as those who “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Rev. 12:17. These things—the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ—are the characteristics which distinguish the true people of God—that is, the people who know and do the truth—from all others. This people, and they only, can show their position in the fulfillment of the promised messages of Rev. 14:6-12,—messages which are having a marked fulfillment in our own time. The keeping of “the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” will distinguish all those who embrace the truth in the love of it, from all false professors. Can we imagine that those who hold that the commandments of God have been abolished and superseded by the faith of Jesus, are the people described in the last message of warning? R. F. COTTRELL.

Continue reading: THE TITHE: ITS HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY