Signs of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 50. (12/30/1889)

Signs of the Times

Dec 30, 1889

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 30, 1889

The Sunday Law and Christian Liberty

SAID Dr. A. J. Nelson, in speaking on the Sunday law some time ago, as reported in the California Christian Advocate of September 18: "Give us the Sunday-Rest law and the world will move forward another one thousand years."

The Doctor evidently measures moral worth and progress by the standard of the Dark Ages. One thousand years ago was a halcyon time for just such legislation. These are facts. The Doctor made a mistake; he meant backward instead of forward. He says again in speaking of what he says was the teaching of Christ, "That man was bigger than the Sabbath, bigger than the State, bigger than the church." If this is true, as Mr. Nelson declares, what right, human or divine, has the State, or Church, or both, to compel any man or men to observe a day for a Sabbath contrary to his desires or conscientious scruples? If he is bigger than the Sabbath, cannot he choose or refuse as he pleases? Have his fellows the right to compel him to humble himself and become subservient to something beneath him? Have they a right to compel him to rest when he does not wish to do so? Admitting this statement of what Mr. Nelson says Christ's teaching was, to be correct, how can he or his brotherhood of the American Sabbath Union justify Sunday legislation?

WHAT WAS SECURED BY THE DEATH OF CHRIST.

By Mrs. E. G. White

It became Him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in the redemption of the world to save sinners by the blood of the Lamb. The great sacrifice of the Son of God was neither too great nor too small to accomplish the work. In the wisdom of God it was complete; and the atonement made testifies to every son and daughter of Adam the immutability of God's law. The value of the law of Jehovah is to be estimated by the immense price that was paid in the death of the Son of God to maintain its sacredness.

The law of God is a transcript of his character; it portrays the nature of God. As in Christ we behold the brightness of his glory, the express image of his person, so also in the law the attributes of the Father are unfolded. Although the law is unchangeable, his having provided a means of salvation for the law-breaker does not in the least detract from the dignity of the character of God, since the penalty of man's transgression was borne by a divine Substitute. The Father himself suffered with the Son; for "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." Man, with his human, finite judgment, cannot safely question the wisdom of God. Hence it is unbecoming for him to criticise the plan of salvation. Before the theme of redemption, let man lay his wisdom in the dust, and accept the plans of Him whose wisdom is infinite.

God grants men a probation in this world, that their principles may become firmly established in the right, thus precluding the possibility of sin in the future life, and so assuring the happiness and security of all. Through the atonement of the Son of God

alone could power be given to man to establish him in righteousness, and make him a fit subject for heaven. The blood of Christ is the eternal antidote for sin. The offensive character of sin is seen in what it cost the Son of God in humiliation, in suffering and death. All the worlds behold in him a living testimony to the malignity of sin, for in his divine form he bears the marks of the curse. He is in the midst of the throne as a Lamb that hath been slain. The redeemed will ever be vividly impressed with the hateful character of sin, as they behold Him who died for their transgressions. The preciousness of the Offering will be more fully realized as the blood-washed throng more fully comprehend how God has made a new and living way for the salvation of men, through the union of the human and the divine in Christ.

The death of Christ upon the cross made sure the destruction of him who has the power of death, who was the originator of sin. When Satan is destroyed, there will be none to tempt to evil; the atonement will never need to be repeated; and there will be no danger of another rebellion in the universe of God. That which alone can effectually restrain from sin in this world of darkness, will prevent sin in heaven. The significance of the death of Christ will be seen by saints and angels. Fallen men could not have a home in the paradise of God without the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Shall we not then exalt the cross of Christ? The angels ascribe honor and glory to Christ, for even they are not secure except by looking to the sufferings of the Son of God. It is through the efficacy of the cross that the angels of heaven are guarded from apostasy. Without the cross they would be no more secure against evil than were the angels before the fall of Satan. Angelic perfection failed in heaven. Human perfection failed in Eden, the paradise of bliss. All who wish for security in earth or heaven must look to the Lamb of God. The plan of salvation, making manifest the justice and love of God, provides an eternal safeguard against defection in unfallen worlds, as well as among those who shall be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Our only hope is perfect trust in the blood of Him who can save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him. The death of Christ on the cross of Calvary is our only hope in this world, and it will be our theme in the world to come. Oh, we do not comprehend the value of the atonement! If we did, we would talk more about it. The gift of God in his beloved Son was the expression of an incomprehensible love. It was the utmost that God could do to preserve the honor of his law, and still save the transgressor. Why should man not study the theme of redemption? It is the greatest subject that can engage the human mind. If men would contemplate the love of Christ, displayed in the cross, their faith would be strengthened to appropriate the merits of his shed blood, and they would be cleansed and saved from sin. There are many who will be lost, because they depend on legal religion, or mere repentance for sin. But repentance for sin alone cannot work the salvation of any soul. Man cannot be saved by his own works. Without Christ it is impossible for him to render perfect obedience to the law of God; and heaven can never be gained by an imperfect obedience; for this would place all heaven in jeopardy, and make possible a second rebellion.

God saves man through the blood of Christ alone, and man's belief in, and allegiance to, Christ is salvation. It is no marvel to angels that the infinite sacrifice made by the Son of God was ample enough to bring salvation to a fallen race, but that this atoning sacrifice should have been made is a wonder to the universe. It is a mystery which angels desire to look into. The angels are amazed at the indifference and coldness manifested by those for whom so great a salvation has been provided. They look with grief and holy indignation upon those who do not seek to appreciate the unspeakable gift of God. Instead of offering adoration to God, finite men think themselves capable, without divine unction, of determining what is worthy of praise or blame in their fellow-men. But to be glorified by man is no glory. We should learn to value the praise of man at what it is worth. The Lord says, "Them that honor me I will honor." Let every breath of praise, every word of exaltation, flow to him who is worthy, flow to Jesus, the Prince of life, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Elevate the cross of Christ. Elevate the Mediator. Lift up Jesus. In him is everything noble. Contemplate God in Christ. He is surrounded with angels, cherubim and seraphim continually behold him. Angelic voices day and night cry before him: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. . . . Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." "Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all nations shall come and worship before thee." But although God only is holy and worthy to be praised, human tongues are perverted to praise and glorify man rather than God.

The greatest gift that God could bestow upon men was bestowed in the gift of his beloved Son. The apostle says, "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" There was nothing held in reserve. No second probation will ever be provided. If the unspeakable gift of God does not lead man to repentance, there is nothing that ever will move his heart. There is no power held in reserve to act upon his mind, and arouse his sensibilities. The whole character of God was revealed in his Son, the whole range of the possibilities of heaven is displayed for the acceptance of man in the Son of the Infinite One. The way for man's return to God and heaven has no barriers. The matchless depths of the Saviour's love have been demonstrated; and if this manifestation of God's love for the children of men does not prevail to draw men to himself, there is nothing that ever will.

Those who will be saved in the kingdom of God will be those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The image of Christ will be perfected in every soul who accepts the gift of his grace, and those who are perfected through his grace, will stand before God equal in elevation, in power and purity, to the angels, and will be honored with them before the eternal throne. The angels of heaven will love those whom Christ has loved, and has bought with his own precious blood.

The attention of all the inhabitants of all worlds will be directed to the cross of Christ, around which will cluster the exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The imagination becomes exhausted in its stretch to comprehend the wonderful work of redemption. The plan of salvation is too high to be fully reached by human thought. It is too grand to be fully embraced by finite comprehension. The apostle says, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." Can we wonder that Heaven is amazed because men act as though the gift of God were valueless? What will be the eternal loss of those who reject so great a salvation, offered freely through the merits of God's only-begotten and well-beloved Son!

CHRIST IS COME.

By Frances Ridley Havergal

CHRIST is come to be my Friend, Leading, loving, to the end; Christ is come to be my King, Ordering, ruling everything; Christ is come! enough for me, Lonely though the pathway be.

Christ is come to be thy Light, Shining through the darkest night; He will make thy pilgrim way Shine unto the perfect day. Take the message! let it be Full of Christmas joy to thee! —Frances Ridley Havergal.

The Nation’s Costly Breweries

THE (N. Y.) Voice quotes the Brewers' Journal as authority that $45,000,000 worth of breweries have been bought in this country. It is a pity they cannot be taken away and sunk in the depths of the sea.

Labor Unions and Political Purposes

UNIONS and federations are the orders of the day. The latest is the partial federation between the Knights of Labor and the Farmers' and Laborers' Union, at St. Louis, the 6th instant. The N. Y. World correspondent thinks that soon a union of all in one body will take place. And these unions will be used for political and religio-political purposes.

Senator Blair’s Sunday Bill

By Editor

SENATOR H. W. BLAIR, of New Hampshire, is on hand as usual with his Sunday bill, "to secure to the people the privileges of rest and religious worship, free from disturbances by others on the first day of the week." It was introduced December 9, and the same day the W. C. T. U. of Washington held a meeting in advocacy of this bill. Mrs. J. C. Bateham was present. We will give our readers the full text of the bill as soon as we obtain it. Senator Blair has also introduced bills to amend our naturalization laws, an educational bill, and also amendments to the Constitution regarding prohibition and woman suffrage.

Catholics and the American Presidency

Daniel Dougherty, at the Catholic Laymen's Congress, claimed that a Catholic could not be elected President of the United States, on account of prejudice against them. The reason why a Catholic could not be elected President, is well stated by Dr. M'Glynn recently:—

"The American people will not elect a Catholic to be President until it shall become much clearer than it is to-day that a man can be a good Catholic, and at the same time a true American. It is not clear to-day. The American people believe in the preamble of the Declaration of Independence; the pope and the pope's men do not."

Prohibition Gains in Massachusetts

THERE seems to be a sentiment in favor of Prohibition in the old Bay State, which the elections last autumn did not seem to warrant. On the election of the 3d instant nineteen of Massachusetts' twenty-five cities voted upon the question of license or no license. The Australian ballot system gave every suffragist the privilege of voting as he desired with none to let or hinder. Last year these cities cast an aggregate majority of 1,000 in favor of licensing the saloon; this year their aggregate majority was 3,000 against it. The secret-ballot system did not give the saloon power the opportunity to gather in the floaters.

Corporate Indifference to Human Life

By Editor

WE have before remarked the indifference there is manifested to human life and safety on the part of great corporations. Street-car dummies, unprotected, unguarded railway crossings, and electric light, telegraph, and telephone wires, have proved veritable demons of destruction in some of our large cities, with entire indifference on the part of the corporations immediately concerned, and with no change in their plans involving any great expense or loss of means. Rev. J. C. Grimmel, at the burial of Peter Clausen, the last victim of the electric wires in New York, uttered the solemn truth when he said:—

"If the deadly wire had dropped at the door of one of those who employed this man, the danger would soon have been removed. Nay, even pet animals would have been protected. . . .

"This is no mysterious Providence. The law has been transgressed. Blame there is somewhere. There was no necessity for this sacrifice. The electric light dispels the gloom of night, but if electricity turns into a Moloch to feed on human blood, in the name of God let us do away with it. God's law has been broken by cruel greed. The transgressor will at last be called before the judgment bar of the Most High. The cause of slavery called for a deluge of blood. Rome crumbled and decayed when the individual life was of no more consequence."

ROME AND RELIGIOUS TOLERATION.

By Editor

Last week we briefly commented on one of Mr. Dougherty's assertions against American Protestants, made in his fiery address at the recent Catholic Congress at Baltimore, and repeated since at the Academy of Music in this city. His speech was crowded with statements that are open to question, but we have space here to notice only one of them:—

"We assert that we are pre-eminently Americans; that there would be no America, that the continent would be to-day unknown, had it not been for the Roman Catholics, and the Roman Catholic Church; that that liberty which is the essence of all liberty,—freedom to worship God,—was first established in America by Roman Catholics, and Roman Catholics alone."

We shall not call in question the facts that Christopher Columbus discovered San Salvador and other West India islands in 1492, and that he was a Catholic; but we are more than dubious in regard to the assertion that "freedom to worship God was first established in America by Roman Catholics and by Roman Catholics alone."

In 1627 Gustavus Adolphus, the Lutheran king of Sweden, authorized an expedition to settle in America, for the express purpose of establishing a colony in which freedom to worship God might be enjoyed by all, while he himself left Sweden to lead his army in Germany to fight for that same religious freedom against the forces of Roman Catholic Austria and Spain, who carried on the thirty years' war for the purpose of suppressing religious freedom and toleration in Protestant Germany.

The expedition authorized by Gustavus Adolphus was sent, after his death, by Oxenstiern, his prime minister, and established the colony of New Sweden, on both sides of the Delaware, from Cape Henlopen to the Falls of Trenton, having purchased the lands from the Indians. This was the first establishment of religious freedom on the American continent, and it was established by Lutherans from Sweden, long before the Catholic colony of Lord Calvert adopted an act of religious

toleration for the inhabitants of Maryland, which occurred in 1649. Many persons, not acquainted with the historic facts, award the credit of a peace policy with the Indians, and of religious toleration in Pennsylvania, to William Penn; but the truth is that the Swedes had inaugurated and established that humane and Christian policy nearly fifty years before Penn and his colony landed at Philadelphia, which was in 1682.

We do not wish to withhold from the Catholic Lord Baltimore any of the credit due him for the policy of religious toleration established in the colony of Maryland. We give him due honor for that wise and Christian policy. But we do object to Mr. Dougherty's citing him as the first to establish freedom of worship in America, because it is not in accordance with historic fact.

For a Roman Catholic to boast that a Roman Catholic colony had established religious freedom and toleration in America, is such an anomaly in Roman Catholic history that it may well attract unusual attention. There is not now, and there has not been in past history, a Catholic country on earth in which equal religious freedom has been enjoyed by Protestants, and in which the Catholic Church has had the power to suppress it. Spain and Austria are Catholic countries, but Protestants in those countries do not enjoy freedom of worship. And if the temporal power were now restored to the pope, as he so persistently demands, freedom of worship in Rome would cease, and the intolerant and persecuting régime of former years would doubtless be again established.

If the entire North American continent had been first colonized by Catholics, like Mexico and South America, no intelligent person would believe that religious freedom and toleration would have been extended to Protestants, any more than it was in the countries of South America settled by them, or than it is now in any country in which the Roman Catholic Church has the power to prevent it. The Roman Catholics are indebted to Protestants for the equal religious freedom which they and all other citizens enjoy in our country, and except the colony of Maryland, we believe there is no instance in history in which the Roman Church in power ever granted equal rights of worship to Protestants without being forced to do so.—Lutheran Observer.

TIMES ARE CHANGED.

MR. SPURGEON has been, and is, a tower dauntless for the truth. He deserves all praise. He has stood like a bulwark against error. He still blows his bugle blasts. He says: "We are more than ever forced into this fight to-day. Thirty years ago things were very different from what they are now. It was easy to gather a congregation then compared with what it is now; the spirit of hearing is departing from our cities. Cavaliers and questioners are to-day far more numerous than they were thirty years ago. One finds among Christian professors shoals of infidels. Ministers are, in large numbers, sowers of doubt. One who is reputed to preach evangelically told his young men the other day that a page of Huxley was worth all that Moses had written in Genesis. I know a

convert from Mahommedanism who has been greatly staggered while in England by what he has heard from Christian teachers. Many ministers are more at home in undermining the gospel than in the conversion of souls. Let us, therefore, look well to our weapons, and be in earnest to defend the truth of God. I charge you, each one, to do his part, and play the man in this evil day."—Selected.

TWO GREAT MISTAKES.

By C. L. Taylor

Two of the greatest enemies of God's work in the earth are two brethren whose names are I-Can-Do-Everything and I-Can't-Do-Anything. Although professedly opposed to each other, they are always found stalking about hand in hand, and working for the same object, viz., to keep people out of the work of God. Of course they hardly ever show themselves together in the performance of their work, but one starts in on his plan, being encouraged the meanwhile by his friend, then the other completes the job. Virtually, they are a unit in all their operations.

Both of these individuals dwelt with the man Moses, whom, as you know, God chose to deliver his people from Egyptain bondage. By examining the scriptural account of Moses and his work, all will readily see how the above-mentioned brothers manifested themselves.

From a child Moses was instructed in regard to the great work which he was to do. All through those long years of life in the Egyptain courts, this one thought weighed heavily upon his mind. He enjoyed every opportunity for increasing his stock of knowledge, and when he was forty years of age he "was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds." Acts 7:22. Just like every other human being who has an abundance of this world's wisdom, Moses knew it. He began to cogitate about his great abilities, and of his achievements both as an orator and commander-in-chief of Egypt's army, and he came to think something like this: "Now, Moses, you are just the man to do this great work of delivering Israel. There is no part of the task for which you are not fitted. I am sure you are now ready to do the whole thing to perfection."

So out he went, this big I-Can-Do-Everything, and started in. "Seeing one of them [his brethren] suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptain; for he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his [Moses'] hand would deliver them." But God stepped in right there and put a stop to Moses' work, because he saw that that spirit of I-Can-Do-Everything would only ruin his work, and cast a reproach upon his holy name. Therefore he sent his servant away into the wilderness to teach him lessons in humility.

After forty years of rustic shepherd life were expired, the Lord again appeared to Moses, and said unto him: "Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt." Mr. I-Can-Do-Everything did not step up at this time, and put in his, "All right, I'm ready, I'm the man for that;" oh, no; Moses returned the answer, "Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh?" Now, that answer showed a good spirit, did it not? And if Moses, realizing his own weakness, had only gone forward right then and there, in obedience to God's command, trusting in God's wisdom and power, and knowing that it must be the right time for him (Moses) to go and do the work, because God had called upon him to do so, it would have been well. But he did not do that way.

Mr. I-Can't-Do-Anything now stepped in and said: "Moses, you are not the man to do any such work as that. Why, just think, you haven't any education, you cannot talk very well, and, in fact, you are not fitted in any respect for such an undertaking." So the next thing Moses did was to begin to make his excuses. Although the Lord worked miracles before him as evidence that he would sustain him in the work, Moses said, "O my Lord, I am not eloquent, . . . but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue." Then the Lord gave still further encouragement, but Moses gave him to understand that he thought he knew his own abilities, and that it would be a mistake for him to go.

Had not God exerted still further influence, this I-Can't-Do-Anything brother would have kept Moses there in Midian the remainder of his life. "And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses" because of the course pursued by him, which proves, beyond all doubt, that it was I-Can't-Do-Anything, not true humility, which was holding back this

man of God; for certainly the Lord never becomes angry over the fact that a man possesses a spirit of humility.

Moses lived and died many hundreds of years ago, but I-Can-Do-Everything and I-Can't-Do-Anything still continue to exist. Shall we not learn a lesson from Moses' experience, and shun their company? Have you been "called" to teach a class in the Sabbath-school? If you have, your work is to lead precious souls from the bondage of sin to the heavenly Canaan. Perhaps you have had many educational advantages, and are "mighty in words and in deeds;" but take heed that you do not go forth in your own strength, letting Mr. I-Can-Do-Everything control you; for just as certainly as God checked Moses in his course of pride, the time will come when you will be separated from the work.

God has "called" all to take a part in his work, and if you are not already actively engaged, you may be called to fill some place at any time. Now, when duty is presented before you, do not begin to plead your inability because you have not been privileged to obtain a good schooling, or that you are too old, or too young, or something of that sort, thus following Moses' example. It is "not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord," that the work is to be done. "Who made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Now therefore go." It is not for us to consider our inability, but to go into the work simply because God has "called" us to do so.

Have you much learning? praise God that you have, and, telling Mr. I-Can-Do-Everything to stand one side, declare, as says Peter, "If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth," and you will succeed. Are you ignorant? thank the Lord that you are not more so, and like Paul say, "By the grace of God I am what I am;" therefore "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Thus you may bid I-Can't-Do-Anything a final good-day, and enter upon a glorious career in saving souls.

Which will you choose, the companionship of God's word, which abideth forever, or the society of the two worthies, who will perish with all other unholy principles? Let us stand on the word of God, obeying its commands because they are reasonable and right.

C. L. TAYLOR.

TALK WITH TIME AT THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR.

By Mrs. L. H. Sigourney

"TIME, old Time, with the forelock gray, While the year in its dotage doth pass away, Come, sit by my hearth, ere the embers fail, And hang the scythe on yon empty nail, And tell me a tale 'neath this wint'ry sky Of the deeds thou hast done as its months swept by."

"I have cradled the babe in the church-yard wide; From the husband's arms I have taken the bride; I have cloven a path through the ocean's floor, Where many have sunk to return no more; I have humbled the strong with their dauntless breast, And laid the old with his staff to rest."

"I have loosened the stone on the ruin's height, Where the curtaining ivy grew rank and bright; I have startled the maid in her couch of down, With a sprinkle of white 'mid her tresses brown; I have rent from his idols the proud man's hold, And scattered the hoard of the miser's gold."

"Is this all? Are thy chronicles traced alone On the riven heart and burial-stone?"

"No; love's young chain I have twined with flowers, Have awakened a song in the rose-crowned bowers; Proud trophies have reared to the sons of fame, And paved the road for the cars of flame."

"Look to yon child, it hath learned of me The word that it lisps at its mother's knee; Look to the sage, who from me hath caught Intenser fire for his heavenward thought; Look to the saint, who hath nearer trod T'ward the angel hosts near the throne of God."

"I have planted seeds in the soul, that bear The fruits of heaven in a world of care; I have breathed on the tear till its orb grew bright As the diamond-drop in the realms of light; Question thy heart, hath it e'er confest A germ so pure, or a tear so blest?"

But the clock struck twelve from the steeple gray, And he seized his hour-glass and strode away; Yet his hand at parting I feared to clasp, For I saw the scythe in its earnest grasp, And read in the glance of his upward eye His secret league with eternity. —Mrs. L. H. Sigourney.

SIMPLICITY.

ONE of the endearing charms, and much of the power, of Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," lies in its short words. Canon Fleming, writing upon simplicity in speaking, says: "Some of the sublimest truths uttered by Him 'who spake as never man spake,' were in words of one syllable—'I am the way, the truth, and the life;' 'I am the light of the world;' 'I am the bread of life.'" The Canon says that he first had his attention drawn to this fact by Mrs. Sewell, the well-known Christian ballad writer, whose "Our Father's Care" has reached a circulation of 776,000, and her "Mother's Last Words," the enormous issue of 1,088,000. This lady said that her practice in composing was to write first as it came to her mind.

"I then put the manuscript away for two or three days, and go over it carefully, cutting out all words that seem to me at all difficult, and I put it away. Then I take it out again, and try to substitute words of two syllables for words of three; and afterwards words of one syllable, if possible, for words of two."—Selected.

RELIGIOUS CRABS.

By George H. Hubbard

You all know them. They are the unfortunate disciples who are trying to walk up to heaven backwards. They seek to develop Christian character by a careful system of self-examination and review. They seize eagerly upon every anniversary, such as a birthday, New Year's, Lord's Supper, etc., as occasions for retrospection. The effect is doleful enough. They are forever mourning over their slow progress. And what wonder? The crab is not a model of speed or grace, and what could be expected of those who imitate him?

The fact is, men are not constructed for walking backwards, either physically or spiritually. Let anyone try to walk backwards up a long, steep hill, and see what progress he will make. If he attempts to hurry, he will surely stumble. It is not a natural way to walk. God made us to walk with our faces to the front.

It is the same in religious life. If we keep our eyes turned backward, instead of looking forward, we shall surely fall again and again, and our progress will, of necessity, be slow and irregular. Many Christians look back perpetually at some past experience that brought great peace and joy; or they dwell in memory upon some period of unusual activity and consecration, and while their gaze is thus fixed behind them, they pass by present opportunities of service, they neglect the duties of to-day. Others, looking back, see only mistakes and failures, and are discouraged. They fear to undertake present duty, lest in that they should be equally unsuccessful. It matters not whether the past be bright or dark, to dwell upon it only hinders our onward course.

Away with useless retrospection! We have too much of it. There is no strength to be derived from looking backward, nothing but weakness and discouragement. Our strength is in forgetting. Look forward. Progress is the watchword of Christianity, the ideal of Christian life and action. That is no true spirituality that lives wholly in the past.

‘Let the dead past bury its dead— Act, act in the living present.’

If we look backward, it should be but to forget the past, not to dwell upon it, to gloat or mourn over it, as the case may be.

It is useless to dwell on our past lives, because we cannot change them. Deeds are immortal. That which is done can never be undone. Pondering upon it will do no good. Judas pondered upon his sin till he was driven to despair and committed another sin. Peter turned away from his sin, and forgot it in earnest service, showing the reality of his repentance and receiving free forgiveness.

To look backward is useless, because no past experience is of present full value. A man may have been a saint a year ago; but if he has forsaken his holy life, if he has ceased to live for God and his fellow-men, and is to-day engrossed in selfishness and sin, of what value is his last year's saintliness? The remembrance of it only makes his present condition worse by contrast.

On the other hand, no past experience can hinder our present obedience and salvation. It matters not how sinful or how empty may be the record of the past life, or how many its falls, to every soul that desires God's blessings to-day, that blessing is freely offered.

But the best of all reasons why we should look forward, and not backward, is that there are greater things for us in the future. No Christian need live forever in the light of a past experience, however grand it may have been. Every day may be, and ought to be, brighter and more useful than any day that has preceded it. It matters not how much you may have enjoyed of God's love and power in the past, he is willing and able to give you much richer experiences in the future.

Sir Isaac Newton, toward the close of his life, lamented the fact that, with a whole ocean of truth lying spread out before him, he had, with all his study, only been able to gather a few pebbles from the shore. If this is true of science, how much more of religion. The most noble Christian the world has ever seen has done no more than this. He has but gathered a few pebbles from the shore. Yet how often we are satisfied with these. We toss the pebbles from one hand to the other, and admire their beauty, and we think these are all that we want, while before us rolls the vast ocean of God's love, whose depths are yet unexplored.

It would be well if young Christians could rid themselves of this idea of retrospection. There is a better use for Sundays and anniversaries. Make them occasions for looking forward, adopting the motto of Paul, ‘Forgetting the things which are behind, . . . I press on.’—Rev. George H. Hubbard, in S. S. Times.

LIVING CLOSE TO GOD.

By Theodore L. Cuyler

The Rev. T. L. Cuyler, in the New York Evangelist, says: "If you ask what we gain by living close to God, I would answer that we gain fresh supplies of strength. The strength of yesterday will not suffice for to-day any more than yesterday's food will sustain me if I neglected to eat my breakfast this morning. God means that we shall be kept in constant dependence, therefore he metes out 'strength equal to the day.' The manna must fall fresh every morning. Lord, give us day by day our daily bread. No Christian can live on an old experience or an old promise made to God in years gone by, or on the divine help that was furnished to him in a past emergency. A new conflict requires a new and immediate interposition of the divine aid. The Christians of Laodicea may once have been healthy and happy; they ceased to live near to God, and he 'spewed them out of his mouth.'

"Security depends upon living close to Jesus. The soldier who keeps the ranks on the march, and behind the ramparts during the assault, is commonly safe; the stragglers are apt to be picked up by the enemy. To this latter class in our churches belong the casualties and the disgraceful desertions which so often shock and shame us. Among this class

of backsliders are the ready victims of the tempter—the men who betray pecuniary trusts, and the weak-kneed time-servers who succumb in times of hard pressure, and those deserters who slip away from God's worship through broken Sabbaths, and all the votaries of self-indulgence who are mostly found in the haunts of 'Vanity Fair.' Drifting away from God, they fall into the hands of the adversary. Need a Christian ever slip or stumble? Need he ever walk in the dark, or lose the roll of his assurance?—No; not if he lives close to Christ, so close that the Shepherd's eye is ever on him, and the light of Christ's countenance illumines his path, and the Almighty arm is ever within reach. Brother, if you or I ever lose Christ, it is not because he has driven us away, or hidden himself from us; it is because we have been drawn away from him."

THE PROVERBS.

By Joseph Parker, D.D.

ONE of two things I challenge all men to,—accept these biblical proverbs, or provide better. Do not spend your time in contradicting the Bible, but in writing another. Then we shall examine what are its riches, what are its motives, how much space does it touch. Is it the little invention of a little mind? or is it the mystery of love, the mystery of light? Some men have made up their minds to keep the old Bible until the new one is written. I always advise men who come for my counsel not to resign their present chair until they know where they are going to sit down. Any fool can resign. It ministers to immediate vanity—“I shall resign!”—more fool thou. Do not resign the old Bible until you have examined the new one. Do examine it, read it right through, prove all things, test them, probe them, and then hold fast to that which is good and true. We are simply waiting for the new proverbs. Meanwhile, the old ones are very quaint, wonderfully profound, far-reaching in their suggestions, and not without comfort to the souls that are looking for the further coming of the kingdom of God.—Joseph Parker, D.D.

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