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Signs of the Times, Vol. 14, No. 34.

DAVID'S DISTRUST

Signs of the Times

Aug 31, 1888

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 31, 1888

DAVID'S DISTRUST.

By Mrs. E. G. White

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
At the time of the new moon, a sacred festival was celebrated in Israel. This festival recurred upon the day following the sad interview between David and Jonathan concerning the certain death that seemed to wait the son of Jesse. It was expected that both the young men would be at the feast. David feared to be present, and an arrangement was made that he should visit his brothers, and on his return, he should hide himself in the field not far from the banqueting hall, and for three days he should absent himself from the presence of the king, and Jonathan would note the effect upon Saul. If inquiry was made as to the whereabouts of the son of Jesse, Jonathan was to say that he had gone home to attend the yearly sacrifice offered at his father's house. If no angry demonstrations were made by the king, but he should answer, "It is well," then it would be safe for David to return to the court. But if he should become enraged at his absence, it would decide the matter of David's flight.
David was to hide himself in a place appointed before, and after his return from the feast at his father's house, Jonathan, who was skilled in archery, was to go with an attendant to the field, near the hiding-place of David, and shoot a certain number of arrows that would be a sign to him of the temper of the king, and would decide his course of action. If Jonathan should say to the young man who gathered up the arrows, "Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee," David would have nothing to fear, but might come to the palace, and the presence of the king. But if he should say to his attendant, "Behold, the arrows are beyond thee," then David was to take his departure, for it would not be safe for him to come to the court.
On the first day of the feast, the king made no inquiry concerning the absence of David; but when his place was vacant the second day, he asked his son the reason of the non-appearance of his friend. He questioned, "Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to-day? And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem; and he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there; and now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me go away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table." When Saul heard these words, his anger was ungovernable. He abused his son, and cursed David. He declared that as long as David lived, Jonathan could not come to the throne of Israel, and he demanded that David should be sent for immediately, for he had determined that he should die. Jonathan again made intercession for his friend, pleading, "Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?" This appeal to the king for the reason of his wrath against an innocent man, only made him more Satanic in his fury, and he hurled the javelin, which he had intended for David, at his own son.
The prince was grieved and indignant, and leaving the royal presence, he was no more a guest at the feast. His soul was bowed down with sorrow, as he repaired, at the appointed time, to the spot where David was to learn the king's intentions toward him. Jonathan shot the arrow, and as the lad ran to find it, exclaimed, "Is not the arrow beyond thee?" David understood the sign, and knew that he must flee for his life. When Jonathan had sent the lad home with his bow and arrows, he sought his beloved friend. They fell upon each other's neck and wept bitterly. Their united hearts were sorely grieved at the necessity of separation. The dark passion of the king cast its shadow upon the lives of the young men, and their grief was too intense for expression. Jonathan's last words fell upon the ear of David as they separated to pursue their different paths, "Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed forever."Jonathan watched the form of his friend until he was lost from sight, lest he should be observed by spies, and taken to the presence of his enemy. Then the king's son returned to Gibeah, and David hastened to reach Nob, a city some ten miles distant, belonging to the tribe of Benjamin. The tabernacle had been taken to this place from Shiloh, and here Ahimelech, the high priest, ministered. David knew not where to fly for refuge, except to the servant of God. The high priest looked upon him with astonishment, as he came unattended, with a countenance marked by anxiety, care, and sorrow. He inquired what had brought him to the place without an attendant. The young man was in constant fear of discovery, and was perplexed as to how he should reply. In his extremity he resorted to deception. Here David manifested a want of faith in God, and his sin resulted in causing the high priest to be put to death. Had the facts been plainly stated, Ahimelech would have known what course to pursue to preserve his life. God requires that truthfulness shall mark his people, even in times of peril. David told the priest that he had been sent by the king to accomplish some secret business which required that he should go alone. He asked the priest for five loaves of bread. There was nothing but hallowed bread in the possession of the man of God; David succeeded, however, in removing his scruples, and obtained the bread to satisfy his hunger.
But a new difficulty now presented itself, which caused fresh anxiety to David. He saw Doeg, the chief of Saul's herdsmen, who had professed the faith of the Hebrews, and who was now paying his vows in the place of worship. The sight of this man decided David to make haste to secure another place of refuge, and to obtain some weapon with which to defend himself if it should become necessary. He knew that Doeg was acquainted with the purpose of Saul in regard to himself. He was aware that orders had been issued to the king's servants to take the life of David if they should find him, and he feared that this man might attempt it before he could make good his escape.
He asked Ahimelech for a sword, and was told that he had none except the sword of Goliath, which had been kept as a relic in the tabernacle. David replied, "There is none like that; give it me." His courage revived as he grasped the sword that he had once used so valiantly to destroy the champion of the Philistines. David fled to Achish, the king of Gath, for he felt that there was more safety in the midst of the enemies of his people than with his own brethren. He decided to throw himself upon the mercies of national foes, rather than stay in the dominions of Saul.
But it was reported to Achish that David was the very man who had slain the champion of the Philistines years before, and now he who had sought refuge with the foes of Israel, found himself in the greatest peril. He feigned to be mad, and his enemies were deceived, and deemed him unworthy of their notice. Thus he made his escape.
The first error of David was his manifest distrust of God at Nob, and his second mistake was his deception before Achish. In his friendship and love for Jonathan, David had displayed noble traits of character, and his moral worth had won him favor with the people; but as the trial and test came upon him, his faith was shaken, and human weakness appeared. He saw in every man a spy and a betrayer. But this experience was serving to teach David wisdom, for he had a realization of his weakness and frailty, and of the necessity of constant dependence upon God. While in these trying scenes, he composed some of the psalms.
We see the weakness of even noble men when they are brought into trying circumstances. This man, when in a great emergency, had looked up to God with the steady eye of faith, and had met the proud, boasting Philistine. He believed in God, he went in his name. He trusted in his power to do the work of defeating the armies of the Lord's enemies. But as he had been hunted and persecuted, perplexity and distress had nearly hidden his heavenly Father from his sight. He seemed to think that he was left alone, to fight his own battles. He was confused, and knew not which way to turn. We may learn a lesson from the experience of David. "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." All need the help which God alone can give. Oh, how priceless is the sweet influence of the Spirit of God as it comes to depressed, despairing souls, encouraging the faint-hearted, strengthening the feeble, and imparting courage and help to the tried servants of the Lord! Oh, what a God is ours, who deals gently with the erring, and manifests his patience and tenderness when we are in adversity, and when we are overwhelmed with some great sorrow!
David ought not to have distrusted God for one moment. Wherever the children of God make a failure, it is due to their lack of faith. When shadows encompass the soul, when we want light and guidance, we must look up; there is light beyond the darkness. We must learn to trust our heavenly Father, and not allow the soul to be defiled with the sin of unbelief. In trying to save ourselves, we do not commit the keeping of our souls to God, as unto a faithful Creator. We do not expect him to work for us, but frantically beat about in our own finite strength to break through some wall of difficulty which God alone can remove for us. Man is nothing without God. The example of the good and noble men of sacred history, is to be imitated by us only where they followed the footsteps of the Lord. When man relies implicitly upon God, he will be true to himself; and he can hope and rejoice in the God of his salvation, though every friend of earth becomes a foe.
David had reason to trust God. He was the Lord's anointed. He had been protected in the midst of danger by the angels of God. He had been armed with valor and courage to do wonderful things, and if he had but removed his mind from the distressing situation in which he was placed, and thought of God's wonderful power and majesty, he would have been at peace even in the midst of the shadows of death, and could with confidence have repeated the promise of the Lord, "The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee."

Christ’s Promise to Return Quickly

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

DRAXY'S HYMN.

By Saxe Holm

I CANNOT think but God must know About the thing I long for so; I know he is so good, so kind, I cannot think but he will find Some way to help, some way to show Me to the thing I long for so.
I stretch my hand—it lies so near; It looks so sweet, it looks so dear. "Dear Lord," I pray, "oh, let me know If it is wrong to want it so!" He only smiles—he does not speak: My heart grows weaker and more weak, With looking at the thing so dear, Which lies so far and yet so near.
Now, Lord, I leave at thy loved feet This thing which looks so near, so sweet; I will not seek, I will not long— I almost fear I have been wrong. I'll go and work the harder, Lord, And wait till by some loud, clear word Thou callest me to thy loved feet, To take this thing so dear, so sweet. —Saxe Holm.

HOLY THINGS.

It is sometimes claimed that there is no such thing as holy time; that it is absurd to think that one day is really any better than another; that man can make any day a holy Sabbath by resting upon it. It would be interesting to hear such ones explain Josh. 5:15. The case is similar to that of Moses at the burning bush. Joshua had seen the man standing by Jericho, and had learned that he was the "captain of the host of the Lord." "And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so." Now did the ground become holy because Joshua took off his shoes? or was it holy before? The answer is, It was holy before, for the Lord said so. Then it seems that there may be a difference between things of the same kind. There was no outward difference between the ground on which Joshua was standing and the ground in other places, yet there was a difference. One was holy, on account of the presence of the Lord, the other was not. The ground on which Joshua stood would have remained holy even if he had not removed his shoes. So it is with the Sabbath. The Lord has made it holy, and it will remain holy whether man regards it or not. The failure to discriminate between the holy and the profane is that which brings the judgments of God upon mankind.

A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE REMNANT CHURCH.

By M. C. W.

THE true people of God who live upon the earth when Christ comes are commandment-keepers. Thus the Scriptures speak of them: "And the dragon [Satan] was wroth with the woman [the church], and went to make war [by stirring up earthly Governments] with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12:17. "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12.
The first passage is chronologically fixed by two things: 1. The chapter in which it is found presents before us the conflict of the church of Christ throughout the Christian age. The great pagan and papal persecutions are portrayed in verses 12-14. The 1260 days, or years, of tribulation are noticed. The earth helping the woman symbolizes the changed attitude of earthly Governments toward the church, caused by the dissemination of the principles of the Reformation. But once more the powers of earth are roused by Satan, and the final conflict of the church takes place. See chapter 13:3, 4, 11-18. It is the closing act of the drama, therefore the last stage of the church. But the last stage of the church must witness Christ's coming. 2. This is also shown by the term "remnant." The original word, loipos, is defined by Young, "remaining, left;" by Greenfield, "the rest, remainder." It is the waiting few who are looking for their Lord.
The twelfth verse of the fourteenth chapter also relates to the same time and same class. "Here is the patience," when the coming of Christ draws nigh. Jas. 5:7, 8. "Here are they that keep the commandments," etc. And as John sees this class developed by the last threefold message (Rev. 14:6-11), Christ appears to reap the harvest of the earth. Verse 14. "Here," therefore, denotes a time just preceding the coming of Christ. Other proofs might be brought, but these are sufficient to show that these commandment-keepers are living upon the earth in patient waiting when Christ comes the second time. Who are they?
They are not Jews, for they keep the "faith of Jesus." This must include all that could be included in this term "faith;" for it is unlimited. It includes the ordinances of the gospel and faith in all its provisions for man's salvation. Then they are commandment-keeping Christians.
If they keep the commandments of God they must observe them all. He who transgressed the second commandment, or the sixth, would not by anyone be considered a commandment-keeper; for he would be a commandment-breaker. And this principle holds good as regards every one of the ten commandments. "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." Jas. 2:10. Rebellion against God can be shown by little variation from his divine commands, as well as by great transgression. The obedient heart obeys all.
As regards the first three commandments of the decalogue, and the last six, all of Protestant Christendom are united in their observance. With few exceptions, all believe them to be binding. But as regards the fourth, they are at variance. The fourth precept of the decalogue declares, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." Ex. 20:8-11. But Christians generally observe the first day of the week contrary to Bible authority. By no possible feat of legerdemain, nor by any legitimate use of language, can "the seventh day" be made to mean "the first day." A memorial of creation cannot be made a memorial of redemption without changing the law. The law demands the observance of the seventh day, and any variation from that is transgression of the law. It may be ignorantly done, believing it to be right, but it is still transgression. God may "wink" at the ignorance in times of darkness; and he will forgive those who walk in all the light they have. But the sin must be forgiven.
Many have been blessed in the past who did not keep the fourth commandment, but they were blessed not because they kept the first day and did not keep the seventh, but in spite of their transgression. God blessed them because they had a heart to keep all of his commandments if they had seen them; and they proved this by walking in all the light they did have. But when Christ comes there will be no excuse. The whole world will have been enlightened by the threefold message of Revelation 14, or they will have had the privilege of being so enlightened. Only willing and willful ignorance will prevent.
But of the faithful first-day observers of the past, so faithful that they died for Christ, it is not said that they are commandment-keepers. The seventh-day Sabbath was kept by the faithful for hundreds of years after Christ, and by some all through to the present, but in nearly all cases it was crushed out by Rome. The Reformers took advance steps, but saw not all the light. Prophecy reserved some till a later day. The Reformers kept the first day, for they knew no differently. Many died for their faith, but they are not called by inspiration commandment-keepers. Their great persecutor, the Papacy, is symbolized by the beast of Revelation 13. The 1,260 years of its triumph began 538 A. D., and ended 1798. Verse 10. At that time God speaks of the suffering martyrs and reformers. We will place his portrayal of them by the side of those who are living when Christ comes.
REFORMERS AND MARTYRS. "Here is the patience and faith of the saints." Rev. 13:10.
THE REMNANT CHURCH. "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12.
Both classes have patience; how much needed! Both have faith; how much required! But the remnant alone are commandment-keepers. Here is an evidence that the remnant church keeps the commandments in a sense that the reformed churches did not and their followers do not. But they kept all save the fourth; consequently the fourth commandment is the point of difference. And keeping that in connection with the other nine is what constitutes them keepers of "the commandments of God." They also hold to the faith of Jesus. Then they look for his second coming; for that is a part of the great scheme of redemption. John 14:1-3; Heb. 9:28; Tit. 2:11-14, and others.
On the other side are those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark. The light of God's word and the pages of history have revealed the source of the errors which have corrupted and weakened the Christian church. They came through the Papacy. But against these corruptions God mercifully warns the world, and his professed people. Fear not man; worship not the creature; give not glory to tradition or error. But "fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." Rev. 14:7.
These must be the characteristics of the remnant church. A sense of man's sinfulness and littleness and God's holiness and greatness will lead them to fear God, which is "the beginning of wisdom." In "the everlasting gospel" they find pardon and also "the power of God unto salvation," which leads to the highest of all worship—implicit obedience to all the requirements of the great Creator. Therefore, with all other moral precepts, they observe the memorial of God's creative work, the seventh-day Sabbath. Obedience, faith, patience will be their characteristics. It will be the work of faith (Jas. 2:17, 18), the labor of love (1 John 5:3), and the patience of hope (Rom. 5:4, 5). God grant that our readers may stand among them.

THE WILL OF GOD.

By James White

"Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven." Matt. 7:21.
But how many are saying, "Lord, Lord," while they refuse to do the will of God expressed in the commandments of God. They profess great love for the Saviour, and talk fervently of Christ, the gospel, and the cross; but they consign the will of God to the dust of the ground, and love the Saviour a great way off. The Father and the Son are one.
A sanctified scriptural faith brings our adorable Redeemer very near, and holds the will of God in the mind and in the heart.—James White.

"THE LIGHT OF ASIA."

By M. Monier Williams

BUT, say the admirers of Buddhism, at least you will admit that the Buddha told men to get rid of sin, and to aim at sanctity of life? Nothing of the kind. The Buddha had no idea of sin as an offense against God, no idea of true holiness. What he said was, Get rid of the demerit of evil actions and store up merit by good actions. This storing up of merit—like capital at a bank—is one of those inveterate propensities of human nature which Christianity alone has delivered men from.
Only the other day I met an intelligent Sikh from the Punjab, and asked him about his religion. He replied, "I believe in one god, and I repeat my prayers, called Jap-jee, every morning and evening. These prayers occupy six pages of print, but I can get through them in little more than ten minutes." He seemed to pride himself on this rapid recitation as a work of increased merit. I said, "What else does your religion require of you?" He replied, "I have made one pilgrimage to a sacred well near Amritsar; eighty-five steps lead down to it. And I descended and bathed in the sacred pool. Then I ascended one step and repeated my Jap-jee in about ten minutes. Then I descended to the pool and bathed again, and ascended to the second step and repeated my prayers a second time. Then I descended a third time, and ascended to the third step, and repeated my Jap-jee a third time; and so on for the whole eighty-five steps. It took me exactly fourteen hours, from 5 P. M. one evening to 7 A. M. next morning." I asked, "What good did you expect to get by going through this task?" He replied, "I hope I have laid up a great store of merit, which will last me for a long time."
This, let me tell you, is a genuine Hindu idea. It is of the very essence of Brahminism and Hinduism. It is equally a Mohammedan idea. It is even more a Buddhist idea. Buddhism recognizes the terrible consequences of evil actions, but provides no remedy except the storing up of merit by good actions as a counterpoise. The Buddha never claimed to be a deliverer from sin. He never pretended to set anyone free from the bondage of sinful acts and sinful habits. He never professed to provide any remedy for the leprosy of sin, any medicine for a dying sinner. On the contrary, by his doctrine of Karma he bound a man hand and foot to the consequences of his own acts with chains of adamant. He said, in effect, to every one of his disciples, "You are in slavery to a tyrant of your own setting up. Your own deeds, words, and thoughts in the present and former states of being are your own avengers through a countless series of existences. If you have been a murderer, a thief, a liar, impure, a drunkard, you must pay the penalty in your next birth; either in one of the hells, or as an unclean animal, or as an evil spirit, or as a demon.You cannot escape, and I am powerless to set you free." "Not in the heavens" (says the Dhamma-pada), "not in the midst of the sea, not if thou hidest thyself in the clefts of the mountains, wilt thou find a place where thou canst escape the force of thine own evil actions."
Contrast the first words of Christ, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." Yes, in Christ alone there is deliverance from the bondage of former transgressions, from the prison-house of former sins; a total canceling of the past, a complete blotting out of the handwriting that is against us.—M. Monier Williams.

THAT "CONTINUAL CALL FOR MONEY."

By W. N. Glenn

THERE is no service which calls for such absolute and abiding devotion as that which is due and required in the service of God. Ancient Israel was not only the church of God for its day, but was typical of the church for all time. Though some of its outward forms were done away, they contained principles which were permanent. They were given by authority of Heaven, and besides serving a special purpose in that dispensation, they were, like all the Scriptures, "written for our learning."
In the twenty-first chapter of Exodus there are directions given concerning servants: "If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out free." But if the servant should prefer to remain in servitude, then it was provided that "his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him forever."
Here is illustrated the absolute, permanent service required by our Master of all who become his servants by accepting the terms of his purchase. There is no six years, or any other definite time contemplated; it is a service forever. "He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved."
Some church-members complain of the expense necessary in the work of the gospel, and say, "I thought the gospel was free; I have always heard about the free gift, and salvation being without money and without price, but now there is a continual call for money." My brother, how came it to be a free gift? Was it not at someone's expense? Didn't someone make a great sacrifice that salvation might be free to you and me? I read in that "golden text," John 3:16, that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." What money could equal such a price? It cost God a sacrifice of infinite value. Again, Jesus, the "good Shepherd," says, "I lay down my life for the sheep." Who can conceive of a greater price? Verily that free gift, without money and without price, was a costly one.
Now, ye that are claiming the benefits of this free gospel, consider for a moment the relation of the reclaimed sinner to the Master who has purchased him at so great a cost. Have we not, in accepting the proffered boon, promised a life-long service? If our conversion was genuine, then the Master has bored our ears ("digged," as David says in the fortieth psalm, sixth verse, margin), and we have become his servants forever. In that case we can hold nothing in our own name—all belongs to the Master. If he allows us to retain nine-tenths for our voluntary usage, are there not some obligations arising out of the privilege?
Again, what is the evidence of that thorough conversion which entitles us to be called Christ's servants or disciples? It is that ye "bear much fruit." For ourselves? No, for him. How can we be "good and faithful servants" for Christ, unless he receives the profits of our labor? But there is another test: "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Rom. 8:9. Then if we are Christ's we will do as he did. We will not be satisfied with the joys of Heaven for ourselves, but will have a burning desire for the salvation of others.
Christ could have stayed in Heaven and had it all free, "without money and without price;" but in order that others, who were shut out through the deceptions of Satan, might enjoy the same blessings, he was willing to pay a great price on their account. Now suppose that we have salvation laid before us at no cost to ourselves, can we retain our claim of being Christ's, while turning our backs upon all efforts to save others? No, certainly not. That disposition would at once cut us off from him. The moment we show an unwillingness to lay down all, even life itself, for the salvation of our fellow-men; that moment we fail to manifest the Spirit of Christ.
Salvation was sent to earth free of cost to the fallen race; but everyone who receives the good news is thereby made "debtor" to his fellow-men, to enlighten them also. Rom. 1:14. The obligation is laid upon him to use every available means to give the gospel to all the world. His own salvation depends upon his having this spirit of Christ.
This principle here set forth was recognized by the first converts under the preaching of the apostles after the ascension of the Lord. The record says: "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul; neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own." Acts 4:32. "Neither was there any among them that lacked, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet." Verses 34, 35. Thus, by a recognition of their true relationship to the Master, they avoided the unpleasant sound of the "continual call for money," and saved the ministers of the word the mortification of continually having to make the call. W. N. GLENN.

A LESSON FROM THE NINEVITES.

By A. S. Hutchins

As we reflect upon the prophecy respecting the great city of Nineveh, the course of action of this people when the message concerning its overthrow was proclaimed, and the long-suffering of the Lord toward them, an important lesson may be learned.
1. The city. This was the metropolis of ancient Assyria. It had stood some fifteen hundred years, and was long the mistress of the East. It was about sixty miles in circumference. The walls of this city were one hundred feet high, and so broad that three chariots could drive abreast on them. Upon them were fifteen hundred towers, each two hundred feet high.
Thus securely fortified, why should this people fear? No doubt they often reasoned within themselves, We dwell safely, and there is no occasion of fear. Indeed, a prophecy had come down to them from their fathers, that their city could not be taken until the river should become their enemy.
2. The warning given. God pitied this wicked people in their blindness and hardness of heart. To Jonah he said: “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.” “Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey. And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” This was not a familiar sound; it was new and unheard of before. The preacher came not from their schools of learning. He was a stranger and alone. He had no Bible in his hand to prove his message from; no prophecy to spread out before them which could be proved true by an overwhelming amount of evidence flashing and burning before them. Again, the message was a very unwelcome one. “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” Let such a declaration be borne to one of our cities, under similar circumstances, at the present day, and no doubt the preacher would be counted as a madman.
3. The reception of the message, and the effect produced on the people. The faith of the Ninevites was one of the most remarkable on record. In the threatened overthrow of Nineveh there were no conditions specified, yet the people understood well that they might exist in the mind of a merciful God.
“So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.” Here faith and works united, and proved the salvation of the city.
Of this fast it has been said: “Never was there one so general, so deep, and so effectual. Men and women, old and young, high and low, all kept such a fast as the total abstinence from food implies.” There was something more than fasting. The proclamation of the king was: “But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God; yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?” This was a move in the right direction, one of which Heaven could approve.
4. God's mercy to the people. He has declared: “At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.” Hence, his mercy and long-suffering here. “And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”
The overthrow of the city was delayed about one hundred and fifty years. But divine love and pity leave not this people now. In the most solemn and stirring manner are they warned by the prophet Nahum of their final destruction and utter blotting out; following which, we have no record of repentance on their part. One hundred years fly away, when the cup of “the bloody city, full of lies and robbery,” was filled to overflowing; and what will soon be true of all the nations and cities of earth, was true of great Nineveh; notwithstanding her pride and power, her magnificence and boasted fortifications—she was no more. The prophecy was fulfilled, “The gates of the river shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved.”
1. Practical instructions from the history of Nineveh. Said the Saviour to his hearers: “The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.”
And again, “This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Men can see how this declaration may be true of past generations; but how will it be with this generation? Has God given us light sufficient to condemn us if we reject it?
From the childhood of many of us, the sound of the coming of Christ “at the doors” has been heard, sustained by unmistakable evidences. The commandments of God for years have been proclaimed. His downtrodden Sabbath is being restored. The preparation of heart to meet the Lord has been preached thousands of times. Many of us have heard it, and these solemn warnings have sunk deep into our hearts. We have had precept upon precept, line upon line. And will not God hold us responsible for these truths?
Perhaps we may decide with respect to men of this world. We may see why they should call to reeling mountains and hurling rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.” We may understand why nominal Christians who oppose the proclamation of the Third Angel's Message, who reject the light of God's word and trample it under their feet, should come up to the Judgment deceived and hear the awful words from the lips of the Judge, “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” But are we aware of the doom that awaits those who apostatize from present truth? Will they be favored above other men? Can they turn away from the truth and settle down into unbelief and infidelity, and yet escape the judgments which hang over the impenitent?
My soul trembles as I reflect upon the amount of light, and the harmonious truths of the Bible, which have been presented to our minds and urged upon our consciences, and which have been by us acknowledged and received as binding and important to salvation. What must be our condemnation if we sink with so much light beaming upon us?
Will not the men who from one sermon were moved to prayer and fasting, to robe themselves in sackcloth, to sit in ashes, and to repent of their sins, arise in Judgment against such? But there are those who will not draw back unto perdition; but who will “believe to the saving of the soul.” May we be of the number, and enter into the joy of our Lord.
A. S. HUTCHINS.

“THEY BECAME FOOLS.”

By Frank Hope

PAUL, in speaking of the manner by which the ungodly became so iniquitous, says: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” Although the apostle is especially speaking of the heathen, yet this principle applies to all who reject the word of God and cleave to human tradition, and it is strikingly illustrated in the way men have dealt with the doctrine of baptism. The Bible plainly teaches that baptism is by immersion—a burial in the likeness of Christ’s death. Rom. 6:3-5. But many who professed themselves to be wise were not satisfied with it, and sought out some invention of their own, and, gradually becoming more foolish, they adopted the old heathen practice of sprinkling; from this they went to the baptizing of infants, and finally baptism degenerated into a mere superstitious rite. This is shown in the manner in which it is sometimes performed by the Catholics.
In “Bancroft’s History of Mexico,” vol. 2, p. 176, we read: “Father Gante himself writes without hesitation that he and a companion used to baptize ‘eight thousand, sometimes ten thousand, and even fourteen thousand persons in one day.’ With such numbers the formalities prescribed in the ritual could not be observed, and a readier method was adopted. Those who declared their willingness to be Christians were assembled in formidable groups, the children being placed in the first ranks. The ritual was then performed with a few select, and the rest were merely sprinkled with water. In applying names all the males baptized on one day received the appellation of John, and the females Mary. The following day the names of Peter and Catalina were given, and so on through the list of saints. . . . The rite had an attraction for these superstitious people in its similarity to their own.” Vatancourt, another author, says: “The day before St John, forty thousand were baptized at the chapel of St Joseph, Mexico.” And it is said that one priest baptized three thousand six hundred a day. This shows to what depths of foolishness and darkness men will go after having rejected the light.
But Catholicism is not allowed to carry off the palm without competition; many Protestants follow hard on the same trail. Here is an instance. Some time ago the Rev. Dr. Barbee preached a sermon on this subject at Nashville, Tenn., which was published as sound doctrine. In it he said: “If I should stand at a convenient distance and never touch the water or the subject, and say, . . . [here he repeats the usual invocation], the subject at the same time dipping his big toe into a basin of water, he would be as effectually baptized as if I had immersed him in a creek.” When men who are called doctors of divinity so ridicule and trifle with a sacred doctrine of the Lord Jesus, they show the truth of Paul’s statement that men “professing themselves to be wise” become fools, and their foolish heart becomes darkened; and says Christ, “He that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.”
FRANK HOPE.
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