p. 179 | Review and Herald, Vol. 22, No. 23. (11/3/1863)

Review and Herald

Nov 3, 1863

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 3, 1863

Civilization—Love of Money.

By G. W. Lewis

[Bro. White. I send the following article as a specimen of what sometimes finds its way into the secular papers. It appeared in our local paper a few weeks ago, and was written by one well known in our community. Its outspoken truths pleased me so much, that I would like to give it a wider circulation.—M. W. H.—Malone, N. Y.]

Messrs. Editors:—Thinking that many of the readers of the Palladium, would be pleased for a moment, to withdraw their attention from the field of strife and carnage, I would offer a few thoughts on one of the phases of modern civilization.

In every nation or community, there have always been combined two elements—the element of power, and of weakness. Power always stands at one end of the social scale and abject weakness at the other. This element of power may consist in physical force and a certain hardihood or rashness. In this case, brute force is prized above all else.

Once there was a permanent class of fighters—they included the honorable men—that vocation was the noblest of all. Thus there was established the aristocracy of soldiers. Young men of enterprise and talent took arms, for in this position alone, they were honorable; here, they had power and dominion over their many vassals.

Or again, this element of power may consist in the accident of birth. In this case, there is established an aristocracy. Those who can claim lineal descent from the favored clan, are honorable and worthy, and by reason of events, are born to wealth and power. England affords an example.

Again, this element may consist in an aristocracy of priests—a theocracy in the name of God. Here the church absorbs the State, the priest is God's vicegerent on earth. Papal Rome has been, and still remains, an example.

Again, this element may consist in gold. There will then be formed an aristocracy of wealth. Those who possess it are great and honorable. They monopolize the State and rule the church. And at the present time, humanity has advanced in civilization, only to this aristocracy of wealth.

The element of weakness may include, either those who are born with feeble powers, incapable of self support, or those who are weak by position—men that are permanently poor and ignorant. When the Saviour said that it was not the will of God that one of these little ones should perish, he included both of these classes—men little by nature, and men, little by position. One may be said to perish when he is ruined, or when he fails to attain the degree of development and manhood which he might attain under the average circumstances of the age in which he lives. In a society where the natural and physical laws are constantly violated, it unavoidably follows that many men are born little by nature, and they in turn transmit their feebleness to their descendants. The other class, little by position, are so often surrounded by difficulties, so neglected and abandoned that they cannot change their condition. They, too, bequeath their weakness to their children. In all forms of social life, these classes have ever appeared; and each age and society has had its own method of disposing of them. But it has been a serious question, What shall be done with them? Seldom has it been the question, What shall be done for them?

In times of classic lore, the Spartan took children born with a weak or imperfect organism—children who would probably be a hindrance to the nation—and exposed them in a desolate place, to be devoured by voracious beasts. This was their mode of settling that question. The Chinese usually expose such children in the streets to the sympathy or humanity of the passers-by. And among many of the barbarous tribes, the greatest boon the mother can bestow upon her child, is to take its young and anxious life, ere it experiences the miseries that stand hovering around its future course.

But such treatment is not human, it is barbarous, inhuman and brutal. This disposes of them, it does not provide for them; it sets forth the principle that the whole, need a physician, not the sick; that the strong need assistance, not the feeble; that the good are to be sought and saved, not sinners.

But they were heathens and idolaters; we civilized and Christian. They were bound down by the chains and shackles of ignorance; we are borne aloft on the wings of science and religion.

Let us then examine the ground and see what we, with the aid of knowledge, refinement, wealth and religion, are doing for these little ones—weak by nature, and weak by position.

Ours, as has already been said, is an aristocracy of wealth. This rules the State and controls the church. This demolishes principles and sets up parties; elects presidents and buys up the clergy. There are, it is true, exceptional men, but this is a general rule. The clergy of southern chivalry are ready to prove from the inspiration of God that the strong have a right to exploit the weak; that slavery bears upon it the impress of Heaven's approving smile. Though the clergy of the North, are well satisfied that the principle of slavery is an evil, a flagrant wrong, yet they remain silent on that question, where they think the exposition of the wrong would incur the displeasure of Northern aristocrats and Southern sympathizers. But this is no new feature. In all history, the clergy, have been on the side of prevailing power. It is so in England at the present time. The gospel is for the State and therefore favors the nobility, is on the side of power. It neither favors nor represents man. The same is true in Germany, an idea must ever remain an idea, it cannot be organized into a deed.

Now all this is done for money, not intentionally and willfully, but unconsciously and effectually. In the South, slavery has been fostered and cherished, with all its many evils; and that for the sake of money. In the North, have been political feuds, corruption, and chicanery to secure a place in office, and that, too, for the sake of money. But let us look at the cities, towns and villages of our land, and see what we are doing with and for the weak, the low and the abandoned. There they may be found despised and abandoned, with nothing to relieve their many pressing wants. They are idle and miserable, though their bodies crave activity. There is nothing about them to cherish self-respect, nothing to awaken and cultivate their sense of religion. They stroll about, beggars, amid the wealth, opulence and refinement of a city, idlers in the midst of work, savages in the midst of civilization. We talk loudly for the welfare of the benighted heathen—those whom we have never seen; but what are we doing for the despised and abandoned heathen in our midst—the savages among us, who are growing up in all our towns and villages, less tended than the tiger's whelp. We see them herding together, and prowling about in our streets, markets, and around our wharves—in the dirty lanes and by-places, where pride, luxury and refinement, elbow much of their misery and filth.

Amid all the science, refinement, and religion of the nineteenth century, these children learn but little that is good. From their antecedents and surroundings, their nature and training, they necessarily become vicious, obscene, deceitful and violent; they will lie, steal and drink, and how can it be otherwise? We, the best of us, would have done the same, under like circumstances. They are born amid wretchedness and want, and struggle on, through a miserable existence, young in years but old in misery and crime. They know that they are despised, outcasts, and abandoned. It seems to me that there is a dreadful fault

somewhere. In our churches there may be an occasional collection, for the assistance of such—but we must remember that it is popular and honorable for men of rank to contribute in churches.

But when we cast aside all disguises and dissimulation, looking at the matter really as it is, where do we find the man or woman of aristocracy, though a church member, who will go along the sewers of the streets, into the dirty lanes, and by-places of our towns and villages, and there take the little ragged, dirt-clad, urchins by the hand, whispering words of hope and consolation into their ears, and thereby endeavoring to give them a spirit of self-respect, striving to make them good and honorable.

There are to be found in every community, a few noble men and women who do not consider it a disgrace, to strive to remove a human being from the gulf of infamy and crime, to the paths of honor, of duty and rectitude. But is this the spirit and tendency of the church? Most certainly it is not. I speak not of the spirit as manifested in words, but that manifested in words, embodied in deeds. Far too often words assume the traitor's garb and stand marshalled in a treacherous league.

But the misfortunes of these wretched beings do not end here. To consummate their degradation, and brand their names with infamy, we have shut them out of our churches, not, perhaps, always intentionally, but most effectually. Go to the churches, through all our cities and large towns, and alas! the poor are not there—the gospel is preached, but it is to the abounding and the comfortable classes, not to the perishing. They are lounging away their day of rest like the ox or the ass.

How many a glowing genius has perished in oblivion, for the want of a sympathizing word, or an encouraging look, we have no means of estimating. I know of but one church, in all this land of Christianity and civilization whose doors are, in fact, open to the poor and perishing, and that is the Catholic, papal and superstitious. But go there and you often see the extremes of social rank meeting under the same roof, to worship God. But go into our Protestant churches, and as a general rule, it is not so. True, they are not kept away by doors, barred and bolted, but they are no less effectually kept away. And I think that I am not saying too much, when I assume the fact that many of our worthy church members would feel disgraced to have one of those unfortunate beings come near or within their pews. And if the bars and bolts are withheld from the doors, they are sure to be placed upon the heart and sympathies. The look, the scowl, the demeanor, all would tell the urchins, miserable and wistful, that they were intruders—yes, intruding upon the presence of God, in his sanctuary. Would not many refuse to attend church and thus remain at home, rather than allow the perishing to come within the same walls, beneath the same roof, to receive of the same God his benediction which he declares shall be dispensed to all? We often hear ministers boast of great men and famous, who sit under their preaching, but never do we hear one boasting of having the poor, abandoned, and distressed, for an audience. Christ, in his day, sat with publicans and sinners, notwithstanding the reproof of others. He came to save the perishing and the lost. But I fear that many of us, at the present time, are losing sight of the spirit, and clinging to the form. It is popular to belong to a popular church. Such, indeed, are some of the effects of modern civilization—a civilization whose vitality consists in the love of money. The leading elements of our modern civilization are working out pernicious results, evils in church as well as in State.

The aristocracy of wealth, the love of money, has really culminated in the war and disorder now raging in our land. Its tendency in the church is working out a like calamitous result. If, then, we can learn any lessons from the past, or take guidance and warning from the evils of the present, let us act with vigilance, and labor in earnest.

G. W. Lewis.

Lines for Communion.

HAIL, holy festal hour! Come, Jesus, in thy power Possess my heart; Come, banish anxious care, Quiet disturbing fear, Dry every faithless tear, Thy peace impart.

In contemplation sweet, Good Shepherd, thee I greet,— Lamb of thy fold; My need to thee applies, My faith on thee relies, Thy grace far more I prize Than finest gold.

At this dear sacred board My pledges I record,— Vows to be thine; Help me these vows to keep, Daily o'er sin to weep; The blest reward to reap, Thy strength be mine.

I taste the fare divine, The holy bread and wine,— Symbolic feast! Thy flesh be meat indeed, Thy blood be drink indeed, Supplying all my need,— Love's rich repast!

Here, then, I lay me down; Thee, Crucified, I crown My King,—my love; My will to thine I bend, I take thee as my End,— My All-sufficient Friend Below, above.

Prayer, Sin, and Their Consequences

Prayer is dust and ashes pleading with infinite Majesty and Mercy; how great the disparity.

Sin prevents happiness, procures misery, and leads to disgrace; it is the "abominable thing" God hates.

How to Dispose of Care.

THERE is such a thing as care. Who does not know it by experience? Who has not felt it at his heart? How heavily it presses there! and it pierces too. It is a burden; and it has also a sting. Nothing is more unfriendly to happiness than care. It is hard being happy with a load on the heart. The objects of care are almost innumerable. What shall I eat? what shall I drink? and wherewithal shall I be clothed? are only a few of its anxious interrogations, and they are among the least important of them. These concern ourselves; but care often forgets self in its solicitude for others. Parents, and especially mothers, know what I mean by this. But I need not attempt to explain a word that expresses what we all feel.

There is a care both for ourselves and others which God himself has cast upon us; and of which it were sinful to attempt to make any other disposition than he has made of it. But over and above this, there is a large amount of solicitude and anxiety which we lay upon ourselves, and which is unnecessary, useless, injurious. This is the care that is unfavorable to happiness. The other is friendly to it. It is very desirable to get rid of it, since it does us harm, and does no one good. Nothing is more hostile to the successful care of the soul than the pressure and poignancy of the care of which I speak. "Careful and troubled about many things," we intermit and entirely overlook the care of the "one thing needful." But what shall we do with it—how get rid of it, since to bear it is so painful to our feelings, and often so ruinous to our better interests? Divide it with others we may to some little extent. There is such a thing as sympathy. There is such an operation as unburdening the mind to a fellow creature. And I will not deny that there is some relief in it. Yet the very etymology of the word sympathy evinces that it is no remedy. It is, after all, a suffering together. A great deal of what constitutes sympathy is grief that we can but grieve—sorrow that we cannot succor. Mixing tears does indeed diminish their bitterness, but weeping with those that weep does not wipe away their tears. They weep on, and the only difference is that we weep with them, and our tears may be said to dilute theirs.

There is a better way of disposing of care than to cast it on our fellow-creatures. Indeed, what fellow-creatures can we find who have not enough of their own to bear, without receiving an additional burden from us? What friend has not himself surplus care to dispose of?

There are some who cast off care without reference to what becomes of it. They sing, "Begone dull care." These are the reckless. Care may go at their bidding, but the worst of it is, it is sure to return again, and it comes back a heavier burden—fuller than ever. This is not the way to dispose of care. Yet there is a way whereby all excess of anxiety may be effectually removed, and the heart be left with all its tender affection, and with no more solicitude than such as the blessed in heaven might fell without diminution of happiness. It is to cast care on God. That is the true and only effectual way to dispose of care.

He can take the burden, however huge and heavy. You do not doubt that; but you ask, "Will he?—may I cast it on him? I, such a one as I, cast my cares, the whole multitude and burden of them, on such a being as God? I know the government of the mighty universe, and the providence which extends to the minute equally as to the magnificent—reaching low as to the fall of the sparrow, and the numbering of the hairs of the head, does not distract or burden him. I know he can take a larger charge and not feel it. But will he? Will such greatness stoop to such littleness?—such holiness come down to such vileness? Yes, it will; for condescension is one characteristic of greatness; and "the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." But why do I reason? Does not the Holy Ghost say by David, "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee," and by Peter, "casting all your care upon him," and by Paul, "be careful for nothing," and does not Immanuel himself say, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest?" No longer ask if you may, but use your privilege. Here is your authority. The Lord says you may do it. Nay more, commands you to do it. It is your duty, as well as your privilege. So far is it from being presumption to cast your care on God, it is a sin not to do it.

This is the way to dispose of care; and it is no matter how much there is of it. God will take it all. It is no burden to him. Many have made this disposition of their cares, and all testify how willingly he took and bore them; and if at times they took back the burden, yet willingly he received it again, when again it was cast upon him.

There is a reason given by Peter for casting care on God, that is inexpressibly touching. He says, "casting all your care on him," and then follows no flourish of rhetoric, no parade of reasons, but this—O how happily selected, I would say, but that he wrote by inspiration, which does everything felicitously—"for he careth for you." Why should you care for yourself, since God cares for you? Ah, here is a topic not for the meditation of an hour merely, but of an eternity. He careth for you. Can it be? O why should he? What a thought to carry through this vale of tears, and to go down with into the deeper valley of death, that God cares for me! He concerns himself about me. Let the scholar look at the original. The English is good enough, but the Greek is still more interesting. God has me on his heart. Some poor saints think nobody cares for them. But God does. Is not that enough? He that regards the cry of the raven, and gives all the fowls of heaven their food, and decks the lilies of the field, doth much more care for you. He concerns himself for his creatures, will he not much more for his children? Are ye not of much more value, whom no less a price could redeem than the blood of his Son? Let this suffice for you.

I know not any thing that goes so soon and surely to my heart, as the sight of a poor sobbing, or sorrowfully looking child, an orphan, or worse than parentless, whom no one seems to care for. But if I weep at such a sight, it dries up my tears to think that there is, after all, one who cares for the poor child, even he who said, "Suffer little children to come unto me." O come, let us cast our care on God. Let us go to Jesus for rest. In him we shall find sympathy such as man can feel, with support such as only God can afford. There we shall meet with such pity as at first weeps with the sufferer, and then wipes away his tears. Surely he who bare our sins will not refuse our cares. "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows."—Nevins.

No Use in that Country.

A GREAT statesman received some high mark of royal favor as he lay on his dying bed. With a cold glance he gazed upon it, and only remarked, "This is a mighty fine thing in this country, but I am just going to a country where it will be of no service to me." O what vanities are these earthly distinctions "in soul." "Flattery" then has no power "to soothe the dull ear of death."

The life-long dream of the gallant General Niel had been to obtain the little ribbon and baton of Marshal of France. He could not sleep after seeing it bestowed on McMahon, as a reward of valor on the field of Magenta. On the eve of the next engagement he told his friends that this time he would win the honor he so much desired. When the battle was over, he was found on the field almost crushed beneath his dying war-horse, himself mortally wounded. The Emperor was sent for, and with his own hand placed the badge of Marshal of France on his follower's bosom. One moment the dying eye lighted, and throwing his arms about the neck of his sovereign, he died in the act of expressing his gratitude. It was of no use in that country he was going to. And we are all bound to the same eternal shores. No matter how widely diverse the paths are, will all lead to the same country from which there is no return. How we distract our souls from the great purpose of life to follow phantoms which, when our greedy hands do clutch, we find only empty shadows.

But Jesus Christ holds out to us a crown which fadeth not away. He offers us a glorious place in his Father's house, which will more than satisfy our soul's

hunger. There is no disappointment, no satiety in the joys of his heavenly mansion. Christ has paid for them a priceless sum, so that he may offer them to us without money and without price.

An Exhortation.

By C. M. Willis

To those who have become convinced, and also those who are searching with honest, candid hearts for the truth, are these lines especially addressed. It is with diffidence I address you, for I know not that I can say anything that will confirm the wavering, or strengthen the weak; but it is impressed on my mind to make this appeal to you in the name of my Master, who has said his word should not return to him void, but accomplish what he wills. We are to be a peculiar people, not conformed to this world. We have testified before a scoffing world our love of present truth. While the explanations and admonitions of the messengers are uppermost in our minds, and still sounding in our ears, oh! how sweet and precious the truth looks to us. How near it seems to our hearts! We now powerfully feel the love of God and the Lamb in opening the seals and revealing his will to sinful man! But as time passes away, do not let the pleasures of this world, or the cares of life, obliterate these precious impressions. Do not forget that the eyes of a jeering world are upon us, ready to pry out, and exult at, the first appearance of a retrograde movement. Oh! let it not be said of one who has borne testimony that he loved the commandments of God, that he put his hand to the plough and looked back; therefore he is not fit for the kingdom of heaven. Choose ye this day whom ye will serve. Do not stand halting and doubting between God and the world, till his holy Spirit, grieved and weary at your indecision, takes its flight forever.

If you make up your minds to go back, I would ask, in all candor, Where will you go? To what will you go? Let go of this light and truth which you have received, and what can you cling to? Does not the future look dark and gloomy without a God, without an interest in Christ at his coming? Oh! give the subject a candid, impartial, investigation, before you exchange God for the world, and thus barter your hope of immortality for a few short days of ease and sin!

We cannot have line upon line, and precept upon precept, from constant, faithful teachers; but we must gather here a little, and there a little, and treasure it up carefully; and these few and far-between opportunities for hearing the word must be faithfully improved upon, if we would be benefited thereby. It looks strange to those who believe, to see so many reject the true and plain counsel of God, and heap to themselves wrath against the day of wrath; but how much stranger it looks to see those that have embraced the truth, or been convinced that it was truth, reject it for mere worldly consideration, and thus show that they consider the blood of the covenant an unholy thing. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they had known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord. God forbid that any who take a stand as witnesses for God and his law, should show by their works that they consider God a liar; for how can they witness in his favor and then turn back without denying the Lord that bought them with a price, and putting him to an open shame?

But remember that the eyes of the world are upon us in more respects than one. In our deal with our neighbors, in our conversation, in our dress, in all that we do. 'Tis not to keep the Sabbath, or to believe this or that particular tenet of the Advent faith, that fits us to be one of that purified throng on mount Zion; but it is the willing and obedient that shall eat the fruit of the land. We must be workers for God. If needs be, like Paul we must press our way toward the mark of the prize, and like him, too, let the sincere prayer of our hearts be, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Not what is this one's duty, or that one's duty, but what is my duty? When one in the parable brought an excuse that as his Lord had bestowed but one talent on him, he did not consider it of consequence enough to improve upon it, what did his Lord tell him? He did not tell him that it made no difference, as it was but one, and would not amount to much any way, and that if he had not used it of course it was not injured. No. The sentence was, Cast out the unprofitable servant. Though he had but one talent, if he had heeded the injunction to occupy till his Lord came, he might with his fellow-servants have received a welcome, and with them entered into the joys of their Lord. Remember it is a solemn fact there can be no standstill in this work. It is an impossibility. There must be a progression or a going back every day of our lives. Think of this seriously, and watch closely which way it is. There must either be a cross to bear, a denial of some darling sin, or we may strongly suspect all is not right. It is a continual warfare, and if we do not gain a victory every day, we may be nearly certain the enemy has gained one over us. The more we strive to break from his service, the closer will he draw the chains of bondage, and when we do not have any severe combats with him, we have reason to fear we are drifting along about as he would have us.

I believe there is seed sown in this place that with proper care from the means God uses, will spring forth and bear precious fruit. Oh! let it not be said there is one idler in our Lord's vineyard. Let us work in unity and faith, and God will give an increase. Let us be prepared, too, for opposition. It must come, and let us be prepared to meet it in the spirit of our Master, who when he was reviled, reviled not again. And what are more grievous to be borne, are the sneers and scoffs we must meet with from professing Christians of other denominations. This is a great proof in my mind that we possess the truth in its purity. If it was an error, Satan would not raise such a mighty opposition against it. It threatens to recover some from his power, hence his tremendous efforts to crush it. But truth is mighty and will prevail. Let us meet their opposition with meekness, and perhaps thereby we may win some to Christ.

And let us, like those of old, speak often one to another of the hope that is within us, and thus may we be strengthened. No one can tell what a help it is to beginners to speak of their hopes and desires in the social meeting. Let a candid-minded man or woman bear this cross, and there is not much danger of their turning back. They feel as if they had stepped over the dividing line, as it were, between the two companies, and are ashamed to give the struggle up. Let a person neglect this duty, and Satan gains an advantage every time he does it. If the first step is taken, the rest will prove a pleasure. Satan will make you think it of no consequence, if possible; but neglect it, and you will soon become indifferent, until he has you completely in his power, and your doom is irrecoverably sealed. Then do not neglect this great duty, cross though it be, it will strengthen you and encourage others.

And above all, do not let prayer be neglected. Family prayer for heads of families; public prayer in the congregation; secret prayer for all. The babe cannot live without daily sustenance; no more can the Christian without daily prayer. "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness; looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him without spot and blameless."

C. M. WILLIS.

Charlotte, Mich.

To the Young.

By Mary F. Maxson

DEAR YOUNG BRETHREN AND SISTERS: I have many times thought I would like to say a few words to you through the Review. I think we ought to speak often one to another, and should exhort and encourage each other, and so much the more as we see the day approaching. I fear we do not realize the time in which we are living, and the responsibilities resting upon us. We believe the end of all things earthly is at hand; but do we realize as we should that the perils of the last days surround us?

Do we realize that probation is nearly ended, and soon the decree, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still," will go forth? Oh! I fear that we are not half awake. Do we realize as we should the value of precious souls? and are we doing all in our power to save them from death? Do not let us excuse ourselves, and say that it is not our duty to try to win souls to the truth because we are not messengers. We should all be "little messengers," and though our sphere may be limited, and our field of action small, yet we can do something in the vineyard of the Lord? And when he shall come to claim the talent entrusted to us, we can return it to him with usury.

Dear young friends, let us not be weary in well doing, but press onward, onward, until

"The King in his beauty for us shall appear."

I know we have many trials peculiar to the young, but

"Shall earth's bitter strife appall us, While contending for the prize?"

O no! but rather let us thank God that we can suffer for Jesus' sake. Remember that it is through suffering that we are to be purified, made white, and tried.

O, rejoice! Sorrow and anguish cannot always last. What though friends forsake us! What though the finger of scorn is pointed at us, and we are despised of all men? Remember that the blessed Saviour was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He will never leave nor forsake us, but will sympathise with us in our afflictions, and share all our sorrows. O, we want to be among the number that suffer with Christ, that we may also reign with him. We want to be among the great, victorious army that shall walk the golden streets of the New Jerusalem. What an army that will be! They will make heaven's arches ring with their song of triumph. And that song will be as the voice of many waters, and the voice of a great thunder.

Oh! how light and trifling the sorrows of earth appear when compared with the glorious joys of heaven. Then, weary ones, take courage. Be faithful, for soon its joys will be ours. We shall drink the water of life, clear as crystal, which proceedeth out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. We shall partake of the fruit from the tree of life, and Jesus himself will come forth and serve us. O, glorious, happy thought! Well may we exclaim,

"Worldly honors, hopes, and gain, All I resign; Welcome sorrow, grief, and pain, If heaven be mine."

What is of any real value but heaven, and Jesus' love? Your heart answers, Nothing. Then live for Jesus. Live for him entirely. Strive to rise above earth and earthly things. Crucify self and exalt Jesus. Place your affections wholly upon him, and strive to bring every thought into subjection to him. Then when he shall come to take the redeemed to those beautiful mansions he is preparing for them, we shall be among the number. Victors' crowns will be placed upon our heads, and harps of gold in our hands, and we shall sing praises through all eternity to him who hath redeemed us from among men, and hath made us kings and priests unto God.

God bless you, my dear young friends. Prove faithful. Be in earnest. And may God grant that at last you may be among the jewels that shall shine forever in the Saviour's crown.

Very affectionately your young sister.

MARY F. MAXSON.

Adams' Center, N. Y.

Sinners

By Jeremy Taylor

SINNERS.—I will never more call that sinner prosperous, who after he hath been permitted to finish his business, shall die and perish miserably; for at the same rate we may envy the happiness of a poor fisherman who while his nets were drying, slept upon the rock and dreamed that he was made a king, on a sudden starts up, and leaping for joy falls down from the rock; and in the place of his imaginary felicities, loses his little portion of pleasure, and innocent solaces, he had from the sound sleep and little cares of his humble cottage.—Jeremy Taylor.

Lessons for Bible Students.

LESSON XXIX.

The Sanctuary—Continued.

(Prophecy of Daniel, pp. 61–67.)

1. When did God give to Ezekiel the pattern of another sanctuary to offer to Israel?

2. In what chapters of his prophecy is a description of it found?

3. How many holy places had this building?

4. Of what size was the most holy?

5. How many times is the word sanctuary applied to this building?

6. Where was the house of Israel when this sanctuary was offered to them?

7. On what conditions was it offered?

8. If they fulfilled the conditions, what did God promise that he would do?

9. Did the house of Israel become ashamed for their iniquities, as exhorted?

10. When the decree for Israel's restoration went forth, how many could have gone up if they had chosen?

11. In what scriptures is the decree of Cyrus found?

12. How many, and what tribes, were all that did go up?

13. What did the people of Israel thus do?

14. As they thus did not fulfill the conditions on which this sanctuary was offered to them, was it ever erected?

15. Does this prophecy belong to the future reign of Christ and his saints?

16. This is shown by several facts; first, who is the Prince who is to reign over Israel in the future forever?

17. But what is the prince spoken of by Ezekiel?

18. What is he commanded to offer for himself?

19. On the other hand, what is Jesus Christ?

20. What kinds of offerings was Ezekiel's prince to offer for himself?

21. But what has Jesus Christ done in reference to these?

22. What does God say to the princes of Ezekiel's prophecy?

23. But when Christ reigns, what will there be?

24. What was Ezekiel's prince to have?

25. What is he forbidden to do?

26. What would it be to apply this to Christ?

27. Hence Ezekiel is not predicting what?

28. What does Christ say of the children of this world?

29. What of those who are accounted worthy to obtain the future world?

30. But what do we find in Ezekiel? p. 63, top.

31. Therefore it is evident that Ezekiel does not refer to what?

32. What does Christ add concerning those who obtain the world to come?

33. What does Paul testify takes place at the last trump?

34. But what does Ezekiel have in the time to which he refers?

35. What is demonstrated by this?

36. When would the sanctuary, priesthood, offerings, and accompanying blessings, have been realized, had Israel accepted the proffered boon?

37. What is said of circumcision when this was to be fulfilled?

38. But when was circumcision abolished?

39. What is said of divorce during the same time?

40. But what is true of divorce now?

41. What distinction of meats was to be recognized at that time?

42. Does that distinction exist now?

43. What was to be true of sacrifices and offerings during the same period?

44. What is true of them now?

45. What was to be true of the feasts and the jubilee?

46. But when were these feasts abolished?

47. What of the Levitical priesthood during that time?

48. But what priesthood has now taken the place of that?

49. What proves that the middle wall of partition was then to be in existence?

50. But what is true of that wall of partition now?

51. What is proved by all these facts?

52. With this we leave the sanctuary promised to the twelve tribes, and follow the history of Judah and Benjamin, who under the decree of Cyrus went up to Jerusalem to re-build the sanctuary, which had so long lain in ruins. In what year did they lay the foundation of the second temple? p. 64, last paragraph.

53. How long a period did it occupy in building, and when was it completed?

54. What was this temple of Zerubbabel?

55. Hence it was but a continuance of what?

56. How are we to understand Paul's language in Heb. ix?

57. Did God return and take up his dwelling in this sanctuary?

58. What does Nehemiah call this building, and what does he declare?

59. Did God forsake this sanctuary? p. 66, first paragraph.

60. Why did he forsake it?

61. In what language did Jesus signify that God had forsaken it?

62. After uttering these words, what did Jesus do?

63. What did he declare as he went out?

64. When and by whom was this prediction fulfilled?

65. Dates. When did Moses erect the sanctuary?

66. When was it forsaken at Shiloh?

67. When was the temple built by Solomon?

68. When was that temple forsaken of God?

69. When re-built by Zerubbabel?

70. When finally forsaken and left desolate?

71. As we inquire for the meaning of the extraordinary arrangement brought to view in the sanctuary and its services, what do we learn of the building itself?

72. Unto what did its priests serve?

73. To what did the sacrifices there offered continually point forward?

74. Where are these great truths plainly stated?

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