Signs of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 8. (2/21/1884)

Signs of the Times

Feb 21, 1884

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 21, 1884

Cæsar's Household.

By Mrs. E. G. White

(Concluded.)

WHEN the Christian churches first learned that Paul contemplated a visit to Rome, they looked forward to a signal triumph of the gospel. Paul had borne the truth to many lands; he had proclaimed it in great cities. Might not this champion of the faith succeed in winning souls to Christ, even in the court of Nero? But their anticipations were crushed by the tidings that Paul had gone to Rome as a prisoner. They had confidently hoped to see the gospel, once established at this great center, extend rapidly to all nations, until it should become a prevailing power in the earth. How great their disappointment! Human calculations had failed, but not the purpose of God. Paul could not labor as he had hoped, yet before the close of that two years' imprisonment he was able to say, "My bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;" and among those who send greetings to the Philippians, he mentions chiefly them that are of Cæsar's household.

The zeal and fidelity of Paul and his fellow-workers, no less than the faith and obedience of those converts to Christianity, under circumstances so forbidding, should be a rebuke to slothfulness and unbelief in the followers of Christ. Never let us, by our human, short-sighted judgment, limit the plans and work of God. Never let us excuse ourselves from efforts to win souls to Christ, even in the most unpromising fields. The apostle and his subordinate ministers might have argued that the servants of Nero were subjected to the fiercest temptations, surrounded by the most formidable hindrances, exposed to the most bitter opposition, and that under such circumstances it would be in vain to call them to repentance and to faith in Christ. Should they be convinced of the truth, how could they render obedience? But the gospel was presented to those souls, and there were some among them who decided to obey it at any cost. Notwithstanding the obstacles and dangers, they would walk in the light, trusting in God for opportunity to let their light shine forth to others.

Who is placed in circumstances more unfavorable to a religious life, or required to make greater sacrifices, to encounter greater dangers, or to bring upon himself fiercer opposition, than would follow the exchange of heathenism for Christianity by those who were in office in the court of Cæsar? No man can be so situated that he cannot obey God. There is too little faith with Christians of to-day. They are willing to work for Christ and his cause only when they themselves can see a prospect of favorable results. Divine grace will aid the efforts of every true believer. That grace is sufficient for us under all circumstances. The Spirit of Christ will exert its renewing, perfecting power upon the character of all who will be obedient and faithful.

God is the great I AM, the source of being, the center of authority and power. Whatever the condition or situation of his creatures, they can have no sufficient excuse for refusing to answer the claims of God. The Lord holds us responsible for the light shining upon our pathway. We may be surrounded by difficulties that appear formidable to us, and because of these we may excuse ourselves for not obeying the truth as it is in Jesus; but there can be no excuse that will bear investigation. Could there be an excuse for disobedience, it would prove our heavenly Father unjust, in that he had given us conditions of salvation with which we could not comply.

Servants employed in an irreligious family are placed in circumstances somewhat similar to those of the members of Cæsar's household. Such are deserving of sympathy; for if they seek to live a religious life, their situation is often one of great trial. A bad example is constantly before them,—an example of Sabbath-breaking and of neglect of religion. Few religious privileges are granted them; and should they manifest an interest in religion, they might lose the favor of their employer, and bring upon themselves the ridicule of their companions. He who is thus situated has more than a common battle to fight, if he stands forth as a witness for Christ, a candidate for Heaven. But there can be nothing in his surroundings to excuse him for neglecting the claims of God. Whatever the difficulties in his path, they will be powerless to hinder him if he is determined to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

The Christian should not array before his imagination all the trials which may occur before the end of the race. He has but to begin to serve God, and each day live and labor for the glory of God that day, and obstacles which appeared insurmountable will gradually grow less and less; or, should he encounter all that he has feared, the grace of Christ will be imparted to him according to his need. Strength increases with the difficulties met and overcome.

Daniel, the Hebrew captive, the prime minister of a royal realm, encountered great obstacles to a life of fidelity to God. But at the very beginning of his career, he determined that whatever might oppose, he would make the law of God his rule of action. As he maintained his steadfastness amid the lesser trials which he daily met in the court of a heathen king, his faith, courage, and firmness grew stronger; and when the royal decree went forth forbidding him to offer supplication to his God, he was able, with the den of lions open before him, to stand true to principle and to God.

He whose heart is fixed to serve God, will find opportunity to serve him. He will pray, he will read the word of God, he will seek virtue and forsake vice. He can brave contempt and derision while looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who endured the contradiction of sinners against himself. Help and grace are promised by Him whose words are truth. God will not fail to fulfill his promise to all who trust in him.

Are any tempted to make their circumstances an excuse for neglecting the religion of Christ? Let them remember that Satan can frame one difficulty after another to bar the way of those who will permit themselves to be thus hindered. Let them consider the situation of the disciples in Cæsar's household, the fierce depravity of the emperor, the profligacy of the court. It was like rushing into the fire to accept Christ under such circumstances. If those Christian converts could maintain their fidelity amid all the difficulties and dangers of such surroundings, no one can offer a sufficient reason for neglecting the claims of duty. There is no such thing as an impossibility to obey God.

There is another fact concerning those disciples which is worthy of our attention. Not only were converts won to the truth in Cæsar's household, but they remained in that household after their conversion. They did not feel at liberty to abandon their post of duty. The truth had found them where they were, and there they would remain, and by their life and character testify of its transforming power. The example of those Christians has great weight, from the fact that they had direct intercourse with Paul, and therefore enjoyed the benefit of his instruction and counsel. It teaches that believers are not always to withdraw from positions of difficulty and trial, and place themselves where there would be less temptation or opposition.

Let us ever bear in mind that our Saviour left the heavenly courts, and came to a world polluted by sin. By his own life he has shown his followers how they can be in the world, and yet not be of the world. He came not to partake of its delusive pleasures, to be swayed by its customs, or to follow its practices, but to seek and to save the lost. With this object, and this only, can the Christian consent to remain in the company of the ungodly.

No one who is seeking to save his soul should without good reason place himself in an uncongenial atmosphere, or where he will be surrounded by hindrances to a religious life; but if in such a position he has received the truth, he should diligently inquire if God has not there a work for him to do for the saving of other souls. That one Christian in the midst of unbelievers, may, in the providence of God, be like the piece of leaven "hid in three measures of meal," that is to do its work until the whole mass is leavened. A consistent Christian life will accomplish more good than could be accomplished by many sermons. Whatever the Christian's station, be it exalted or humble, he will manifest the power of true religion by the faithful performance of the duties of that station.

It is not the absence of temptation or trial that is most favorable for the development of Christian character. Where there are fewest difficulties to meet, the Christian is in the greatest danger of spiritual slothfulness. The God of all grace has promised that his people shall not be tempted above that which they are able to bear, but that with the temptation he will make a way of escape. Constant exposure to rebuffs and opposition, will lead the Christian to greater watchfulness and more earnest prayer to the mighty Helper. Extraordinary trials, endured through the grace of God, will give him a deeper experience and greater spiritual strength, as vigilance, patience, and fortitude are called into exercise.

The followers of Christ should expect to be regarded by the world with no more favor than was their Master. But he who has God for his friend and helper can afford to spend a long winter of chilling neglect, abuse, and persecution. By the grace which Christ imparts, he can maintain his faith and trust in God under the sorest trials. He recalls the Saviour's example, and he feels that he can endure affliction and persecution if he may thus gain simplicity of character, lowliness of heart, and an abiding trust in Jesus. The triumph of Christian faith is to suffer, and be strong; to submit, and thus conquer; to be killed all the day long, and yet to live; to bear the cross, and thus win the crown of immortal glory.

THE BIBLE.

By D. M'Court

BY D. M'COURT.

How well that book of heavenly birth Has triumphed o'er the waste of time; And though dire change convulse the earth, Unchanged it beams with truth sublime; On its inspired all-sacred page How lightly falls the foot of age!

The structures reared by mortal man, The pomp and pride of earthly kings, Survive but for a measured span The crumbling touch the future brings. But truth's undimmed immortal flame Shines on through every age the same.

Unchanged though infidels blaspheme, And haughty critics all deride, Or error's voice triumphant seem To cast its heaven-born page aside. How ill the power of tongue or pen Can still the voice of God to men.

Vain man in science newly born, Proud o'er some weak achievement grown, Proclaims God's word is brought to scorn, And gives th' ambitious world his own. How much men lose in the exchange Of truths long-tried for theories strange.

Conceit and hate have swept earth's fields, And plied the cruel torch and brand; Knowledge and truth were doomed to yield, And darkness shrouded all the land. Love gave again the holy word, And truth and knowledge were restored.

In vain, mortality, thy power To thwart God's purpose all divine; His word undimmed to Heaven shall tower, And o'er its conquests brighter shine. All hate may do, or man may say But speeds it farther on its way.

Chart of the pilgrim on life's sea; The gift of love to mortals given; Blest hope where weary hearts may flee And find the path that leads to Heaven; Love all divine illumines thy page, The guide of youth—the staff of age.

Fort Howard, Wis.

Inside View of Spiritualism.

By Editor

THE SPIRITS CANNOT BE IDENTIFIED.

(Concluded.) JUDGE EDMONDS makes a statement bearing directly against the reliability of the communications. He says:—

"Occasionally there are instances where it would seem as if the medium was giving the precise words of the spirit. But this is rare, because it involves a state of things in the medium, both physically and mentally, that is very difficult to attain, namely, an exclusion of the medium's self-hood—a suspension of his own will, and spirit control, that is very unnatural, very difficult, and very dangerous, and, therefore, necessarily very rare."

The Judge saw that their discord and contradictions needed some apology, and this was his plea in their behalf. Being questioned in relation to the disagreement between himself and Dr. Hare, both under the instruction of the spirits, he answered as follows:—

"Thus Dr. Hare has all his life long been an honest, sincere, but inveterate disbeliever in the Christian religion. Late in life, Spiritualism comes to him, and in a short time works in his mind the conviction of the existence of a God, and his own immortality. So far his spirit teachers have already gone with him. But he still denies Revelation. He is as sturdy and sincere now in that denial as he ever was. Will it be just to conclude, because his spirit teachers have not yet brought him up to that point, that, therefore, there is not and never has been a Revelation?"—Spir. Tract No. 5, page 12.

Such an evasion as the above goes very far toward destroying our confidence in the honesty and sincerity of Judge Edmonds. Yet we would not consider it worth while to notice it here did he not do Revelation the injustice to connect it with Spiritualism. That it is nothing better than evasion is evident, for

He knew—he could not be ignorant of the fact—that thousands have been led to renounce Revelation under the influence of Spiritualism.
Spiritualists, including Judge Edmonds himself, deny a Revelation of "authority," without which the Bible is not only a nullity, but a falsehood, for it claims authority to the fullest extent.
He must have been aware of Dr. Weisse's statement that spirits and mediums do not contradict his views of the Bible (which coincide with those of Dr. Hare), that it is only a transcript of heathen fables.
He very well knew that A. J. Davis, who is the great apostle of Spiritualism, has ever been unsparing of his denunciations of the Bible.
He well knew that Dr. Hare not only continued to deny Revelation, but that his teachings were sanctioned and approved by the highest spirits! It is stated by Dr. H., in his preface to the fifth edition of his work, that his infidel strictures on the New Testament were indorsed by Christ himself in the presence of Washington, Franklin, and others. If Judge Edmonds were not a Judge—not acquainted with the laws of evidence—his statement might be considered more excusable. We have seen the claim put forth by a Spiritualist, in a boastful manner, that Dr. Hare has done more to destroy faith in the Bible than any other man of this age; yet his teachings come to us more strongly attested by spirits than those of any other Spiritualist. He received ministerial credentials (which he published) as a teacher of truth to the world; these credentials were given under the sanction of an assembly of spirits, and "obtained under test conditions." The assembly said that they accredited him as their minister to earth's inhabitants, and that he was battling fearlessly against error. In this assembly were "Geo. Washington, J. Q. Adams, Dr. Chalmers, Oberlin, W. E. Channing, and others." Could the Judge show any better indorsement than this?

Again, Warren Chase was one of the very earliest advocates of Spiritualism. He has been most persistent and untiring in his efforts to advance its interests. Perhaps no one has delivered more lectures, or cast a wider influence in its favor, than he. An infidel at the beginning of his course, what has Spiritualism done to correct his infidelity? At this time he stands a most defiant infidel, or more nearly an atheist, everywhere indorsed as a faithful exponent of Spiritualism. And so of Ambler, Harshman, Hoar, Denton, Wadsworth, Hull, Carter, etc. In fact, we can scarcely find an exception. Without being able to identify a single spirit, they yet follow them blindly, willingly, into the lowest sinks of Pantheism.

Recently a case has been reported in the Medium and Daybreak, of England, which is offered as evidence of identity, but is really a strong proof against their claims. It was the "materialization" of the spirit of a Mr. Thomas Ronalds, who revealed as follows:— "I have to inform you that my last life on earth was a reincarnation. In a former existence I was a Persian prince, and lived upon the earth some hundreds of years before Christ. In that life I was possessed of a quantity of beautiful and valuable jewels. Strange to say, I have become aware of the existence of those jewels in this very city of London."

"They are diamonds of the purest water and brilliancy, and moreover they are charmed stones, and would therefore be of inestimable value to their possessor. I wish you, my dear brother, to become the purchaser of those stones."

Here is a revival of two heathen pagan notions: the transmigration of souls, and the possession of charmed objects to preserve from harm. We lately heard some of this class object to the Bible on the ground that it was merely a transcript of pagan dogmas. Yet they are ever ready to adopt the most absurd dogmas of paganism contrary to the teachings of the Bible. If they really believe that the Bible is of pagan origin they are singularly inconsistent in rejecting it, for they take to pagan notions as a duck takes to water.

But in this instance the doctrine was turned to practical account, as the following will show. It is an extract from the instruction of the spirit for the disposal of the ring in which were set the charmed jewels:— "This ring, my dear brother, I wish you to present to our medium, Arthur Colman, as a testimonial of my gratitude to him for his services in enabling me to materialize for you. . . . It will be a talisman to protect him; it will increase his power as a medium; and with that ring he can never want a friend; indeed, he will bear a species of charmed life."

The unbeliever may be so uncharitable as to suppose that the medium had something to do with the direction, but Spiritualists, who profess to be guided only by reason! cannot see it. The spirit gave very explicit directions as to where the stones might be found, and how obtained, and the brother was stimulated to activity in the matter by the information that another party was intending to purchase the ring the following day. This is a dodge often played by speculators in this world, and we are led to suspect that the spirit which dictated the direction was not far removed from the plane of earthly interests.

But the point on the question of identity is this: At a certain "seance" this spirit appeared in both forms at once, as a Persian prince and an English gentleman. Now as no individual can exist in two forms at the same time, it follows that one of these appearances was manufactured for the occasion, if we even allow that the identical spirit was present. And if one was certainly got up for the occasion, it is proof that both might have been produced in like manner. So, instead of being evidence of personal identity, it is destructive of their claims for tests of identity. We think, as A. J. Davis says, the parties were "psychologized to see them" in the form desired, and that Mr. Ronalds was not there either as English gentleman or Persian prince. It is all a work of deception by Satan, the prince of deceivers.

Although Spiritualism does not furnish any test of identity, nor any means of detecting the tricks of mediums or the falsehoods of spirits, we feel assured that there is a test which will "detect the deception." It is "the law and the testimony" of God's word. "If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." We have shown that they do not speak according to this word, and that, even by their own admissions, there is neither light nor truth to be expected from them. Every test by which Spiritualists profess to be convinced of its truthfulness is proved fallacious by the evidence quoted from Partridge, Davis, and others; and we give not a tithe of the testimony that might be collated on this point. Professing to be led by "the most enlightened reason," they daily receive and credit what is most unreasonable. They would overthrow the word of God, and introduce as a substitute the caprices and fancies of unknown evil spirits. They would dethrone God, "the Judge of all," and arrogate to themselves the prerogatives of his office. They would bring the Saviour from the Father's throne, where he sits a priest to intercede for man, and be their

own redeemers—their own saviours. They would destroy all distinctions of right and wrong. They would cast off moral restraint in the name of freedom, and make no difference between liberty and licentiousness.

Editor.

Punishment—Death.

By Editor

THAT this glorious universe of God will eventually be cleansed, and all that would disturb its harmony and beauty, so far as it cannot be transformed and purified, will be cast out like chaff and destroyed, and all sinful creatures that will not or cannot be brought into sweet and loving conformity to his holy will must pass away and give place to those who are worthy of his eternal love and favor, would seem to be the teaching of providence, as well as of revelation. Whether it be by the operation of the law of the survival of the fittest, which obtains throughout the natural world; or of a higher spiritual law, which has made sin transitory and self-destructive in its very nature, and which gives stability and permanence to that only which is good; or by the direct infliction of divine justice upon those who persist in rebellion, the result is the same.

"It is appointed to men once to die, but after death the judgment," and after judgment the second death—the complete and final extinction of all irreclaimable sinners. "The harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels. As, therefore, the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of the world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and cast them into a furnace of fire; and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." "And they shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe, in that day."

Death, in the sense of extinction of being, and not misery eternally prolonged, we believe to be the final penalty of the divine law, because:—

1. This is the plain, literal teaching of the Scriptures. This is not a question of nice philological criticism. It does not turn upon the subtle shade of meaning that may be given to one or two words in the original Hebrew or Greek Scriptures; but rests upon the uniform teaching of the Bible in all its various forms of speech, of doctrine, of threatening and exhortation, of promise and prophecy, and of illustration from beginning to end.

The word "penalty" is not found in our common version, but the idea is expressed in other words, in connection with the law of God, with great frequency; but with this uniform utterance: "The soul that sinneth it shall die"—not be miserable—misery always follows in the train of sin, as a kind of first-fruit—but the final harvest is death. "Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death."

The words punish and punishment occur many times in the Old and New Testaments, as the rendering of a dozen different Hebrew words, and of some half a dozen different Greek words; but in most cases it is in connection with human affairs, or temporal judgments. There are only two or three passages, in which it occurs, that have any important bearing on the question under discussion. They are these:—

"And these shall go away into [Kolasin aionion, punishment eternal] everlasting punishment; but the righteous into [zoen aionion] life eternal." Matt. 25:46. "Who shall [diken tiseisun, undergo the punishment of] be punished with [olethron aionion, destruction eternal] everlasting destruction;" &c. 2 Thess. 1:9. "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Of how much [cheironos, severer] sorer [timorias, retribution] punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God," &c. Heb. 10:28, 29. "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." 2 Pet. 2:9.

We have no need whatever of going into any critical examination of these several Greek words, for it cannot be claimed with any show of reason that they give any possible support to the idea that the punishment which God inflicts is that of eternal torture. The idea must be first read into them before they can be made to seem to agree with any such doctrine. As to the words kolasin aionion, translated everlasting punishment, in the passage quoted above from Matt. 25:46, there has been a great deal of learned discussion, which we do not propose now to review. It will be sufficient here only to remark that our translators have given, perhaps, some faint support to this idea in our common version, by rendering the word aionion "everlasting" when predicated of the punishment of the wicked, and "eternal" when predicated of the (zoen) life of the righteous. But it will be noticed that it is the same word in both cases, and should have had the same rendering. Nothing definite as to the nature of the punishment can be drawn from the word kolasin. It will bear the rendering of punishment by excision, deprivation, destruction, as well as by torment, for it includes both ideas; and this is just what we hold to be its double meaning in this case—a miserable, ignominious death, capital punishment, an eternal excision from life and all its joys, actual and final, and remediless destruction, as by fire, as unfit any longer to live. Indeed, this is the rendering in the two most ancient Latin translations, and in not a few of the modern. "These shall go away (ad ignum eternum) into eternal fire." When we find the real nature of the punishment specified, and declared to be "EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION," as we do in 2 Thess. 1:9—"Who shall be punished with [olethron aionion] everlasting destruction," we have no right to put any other construction upon it. There can be no question as to this word olethron. No stronger word could be found to denote absolute, complete, entire destruction, extermination, obliteration, than this—a destruction, not merely of the well-being of the individual, but of all being, of the individual himself. This is what is uniformly taught throughout the Scriptures, and no one would ever have thought of giving to these and the other passages of Scripture foretelling the doom of the wicked any other sense, had not his false philosophy concerning the indestructible nature of the soul taught him how to read it into them.

2. This agrees with the penal economy of the Mosaic law. There was no such punishment as imprisonment for life, much less of imprisonment for life with torture, under this law. The penalty for the highest offenses was always death—an ignominious death without mercy. This law was from God himself. It had two applications, the one physical and the other moral. While the administration of this law in its physical aspects was committed to human hands, God reserved to himself its moral administration. But there ought surely to be an agreement in the sanctions of this law in both of its aspects. If the punishment for the highest offense under its temporal administration had been imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for life with perpetual torture, then it might be claimed with some show of plausibility, that it would be the same under the divine administration, and that by eternal punishment might be meant eternal misery in hell. But now we can draw no other conclusion than that it is capital punishment—punishment by death—under the divine as well as under its human administration.

3. This agrees with the system of sacrifices ordained by God. These sacrificial victims were not tortured, nor imprisoned, but simply put to death. By this the offerer acknowledged that he had forfeited, not his liberty, not his well-being, but his life—his being itself. It was not an offering merely, which God required but the offering of the life of an innocent victim in the place of the offerer. It is just here that we see the difference between the offerings of Cain and Abel, and why the "Lord had respect unto" the one and "had not respect unto" the other. Cain brought an offering—a pure offering, so far as anything to the contrary appears, but he did not offer up the life of any victim. "But Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock." Gen. 4:3, 4. In the death of the victim lies the real significance of the offering. Without this it has no merit nor meaning.

These sacrifices all pointed to Christ, "the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." If the punishment due to our sins is not death, actual death, but an existence of sin and misery infinitely prolonged, it is impossible to see how Christ made any atonement for us by his death. That "he laid down his life for us" there can be no question. He died an ignominious and painful death; but the agony on the cross was brief, compared with that which many suffer who are put to death in this way. No sensible man, at this day, will try to show, as theologians have tried to do in past ages, that the agonies which he suffered were equal in amount to those which would have been endured by all the redeemed in the aggregate throughout an eternity of suffering in hell. Even in that case nothing whatever would have been gained on the score of mercy by such a preposterous commercial exchange.

If the death to which we are liable is what is called spiritual death merely, that is, alienation from God and an eternal existence in sin and misery, Christ certainly did not suffer such a death for us, nor make any adequate atonement for us, nor redeem us from death by dying for us. But if one will lay all his speculative philosophy aside, and look at this wonderful transaction simply in the light of revelation, he cannot help seeing how this God-man paid the exact and full penalty of the law that was due to us. He died, actually and truly died, just as any other man dies, and as we all must have died, with no hope of any resurrection; and then by the Almighty power of the divine Spirit within him, which could not die—"being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit"—he rose victorious over the power of the grave, and so became "able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him."

From "Life Everlasting," by Prof. J. H. Pettingell.

Contentment.

IN Vienna, a magnificent house was built by a nobleman, on the front of which is a stone with this inscription: "This house was erected by Count D——, to be given to the first man who can prove that he is really contented." One day a stranger knocked at the gate, and desired to speak with the master. "I am come," said he, "to take possession of this house, as I find you have built it in order to bestow it upon the man who is really contented. Now I am in that state, of which I am willing to make oath; you will therefore please, sir, to give me immediate possession." The count did not interrupt him till he had finished his speech, when he replied, "You are quite right sir, with respect to my intentions; but as I do not discover the least pretension you have to the character of a contented man, I beg you will retire. If you were quite contented you would not want my house!"

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