Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 17, 1894
Principles and Facts
Principles and Facts.—The truth of God presents itself to its adherents in a twofold sense—as principles and facts.
PRINCIPLES are greater than facts. Facts lie on the surface; principles are the depths out of which the facts spring. In other words, the surface facts are the outgrowth of the principles.
MERE belief rests upon the seeming fact; faith takes hold upon the principles of which the fact is a development. In the matter of creation and its cause there are thousands who believe that God created the heaven and earth by the word of his power. They see no other way by which the earth could have come into existence, and they accept the simple statement. Yet they go no farther.
BUT genuine faith in God's creative power goes deeper than this. It sees back of the fact of creation the power that wrought, the wisdom that guided, the love that actuated all. It applies these principles not only to the material creation, but to the spiritual. The man of faith not only sees that the earth and physical man exist by reason of God's creative power, but they continue to exist by the same power. If they are to continue to exist throughout all ages to come, it must be by the same power.
NOT only this, but he sees that the power of God to create was in the word spoken. God said, "Let there be light, and light was." "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made." "He spake and it was; he commanded, and it stood fast." The same word declares that God is righteous; that his law, in the very nature of the case, must be righteous also; that righteousness is life; and therefore that only those who are of like character with God can live forever with him. On the other hand, the sad truth is revealed that man is a sinner, a transgressor of God's law, doomed to death; that he cannot of himself make himself righteous, and that his only hope is in the same creative word of God through Christ, the Incarnate Word. The power of that word must be manifested in us as it was in creating this earth and its surroundings.
THIS is the great lesson of Genesis 1 to us: The earth was darkness, waste, desolate, chaotic. Even so is the natural heart of man. It is darkened and wasted by sin, and the chaos of conflicting passions reigns within. But as God through Jesus Christ by his word said, "Let there be light, and light was," so must he by the same means, the same power of the same word, bring the light of righteousness into the heart where before the darkness of sin reigned. Therefore says an apostle: "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts [by his word, Ps. 119: 105], to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Cor. 4: 6.
BUT WE must receive the word. Our way and will must be submitted to God's way and will as expressed in his word. We must yield to do his precepts, yield to have his promises fulfilled in us, yield to accept in gladness his warnings, reproofs, and admonitions, and then his word will come into our heart with the same creative power manifested in the creation of the heavens and earth. In other words, we must empty ourselves of self for Christ's sake, and Christ, the Life and Light of the world, will come in and fill us with his fullness. Then, instructed by the Spirit through his word will his creative power be manifested in facts to the world. Then will the chaos of sin give place to the cosmos of righteousness, and the beauty of the Lord our God born within our hearts will be seen upon us, and all our works will be established. Let the light of Christ into the heart and it will shine out. Plant the good seed, and water it by the showers of divine grace, and it will bear fruit of itself which will glorify God. Get the principle within, and that will develop all the facts without.
WE never know how strong we are until we are tested. A drunken man generally feels stronger than when sober, but actual tests prove him weaker. God permits us to be tested that we may know our own weakness and the necessity of divine strength. We may learn both of these by faith in the simple word of Christ: "If we do, we are prepared for the test when it comes. If we do not so learn it, we will be permitted to learn our weakness by the sad experience of falling. But even then there is hope. We chose to trust ourselves, and God left us to our choice. Having found the nothingness of self, he still bids us come to him. He still says, "Let him take hold of my strength and make peace with me, and he shall make peace."
THE DESIGN OF THE LAST MESSAGE.
THE need of a reformation in the churches of to-day has abundantly been shown in past articles. In fact, the divisions of Christendom, the diversity of belief (or unbelief), often found among persons of the same denomination, the confusion which exists in the churches because of such division, are all obvious to careful observers. Upon not less than a half score of important doctrines of the word of God is there division of belief in the Christian world to-day. God calls this condition "Babylon," the meaning of which is "confusion." But it is not God's wish that this condition of confusion and division should ever remain; for "God is not the author of confusion." Rather, he is the great Physician, who forgiveth all iniquities, who healeth all diseases, by the virtue of the stripes of Jesus Christ. Israel of old, backslidden, idolatrous, divided, looked to her priests and false prophets for healing; but the testimony of the Lord concerning their work is, "They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace."
God Is the Healer.
The only healer of these divisions and sins of the Christian church is God. He declares, "I am the Lord that healeth thee." But the Lord heals on the condition that the backslidden and divided church return to him. "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings."
Therefore, just as God in his love and mercy called after backslidden Israel in the past, so he calls after backslidden and divided Israel to-day. Just the same as "he sent his word, and healed them" when they returned to him, so he sends his word to heal in this dispensation all who will come to him. All through the early apostasy God's faithful ministers pointed to the great Physician who was able to heal the diseases which the incoming corruptions had caused. When the church had reached the zenith of its apostasy, God sent his word by the Reformers to heal Babylon the great, but she would not be706healed. Out of her communion, however, noble souls came forth, who carried forward the work of bearing the healing word to those sick in sin. The Reformation churches ran well for a little way, and then crystallized into creeds the mixture of truth and error held by prominent Reformers, and the work stopped. God's word is "living, and active," but man's creeds are cold and dead, and living souls cannot grow spiritually by a dead creed. Other reformers brought out of these creed-bound organizations still other churches, which were soon bound by creeds, the product of men's interpretation of the word.
And now, that God might heal all the backslidings and divisions, he sends to the divided Babylonian church his last
MESSAGE OF HEALING.
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, 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."
Note briefly the following points:—
1. The Gospel the Power of God.
The message is the gospel, the everlasting gospel of the everlasting covenant through Jesus Christ. That is, it is the same gospel which has been preached to fallen man all through the ages past. It was preached to Abraham; it was preached to the children of Israel; it was preached by Christ and his apostles, and the same gospel of the kingdom is sent in mighty power to every nation, tongue, and people before Christ comes.
This gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. It is the tidings of salvation through Jesus Christ, the only name under heaven whereby man may be saved.
This gospel is also the word of God. This may be shown in various ways. The apostles and ministers of Christ are commanded to "preach the gospel." They are also commanded to "preach the word." And as this was the sum of their duty in each case, it follows that the preaching of the word and gospel is one and the same thing. Again, we are told in Rom. 1:16 that the gospel is "the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth;" but we are also told in Acts 20:32 that the word of God's grace is able to build us up, and to give us "an inheritance among all them that are sanctified." This is equivalent to an expression in 2 Tim. 3:15, that the Scriptures are able to make us "wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." And the next two verses declare that the Scriptures (the Old Testament must necessarily have been included) are profitable for all things needed in the work of the man of God, in fact, "thoroughly furnish" him "unto all good works."
There is no other conclusion, therefore, to which we can come than that the word of God, the Scriptures of truth, and the gospel of God's grace, are all one and the same thing.
Further, the preaching of this word is the preaching of Christ. Paul, who tells the minister of God to "preach the word," who declares that "whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope," also tells us that "I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." But Paul in preaching Christ preached the whole word of God, its precepts, promises, warnings, admonitions, prophecies, and psalms. And in preaching all these he preached Christ, for through Christ came all the word of God; and the word of inspiration is the manifestation in living language to the believer, of Christ the wisdom of God and the power of God. The apostle clearly shows them all to be the same by using the various terms to express the same work. He declares that he is a "minister" of "the gospel," a "minister" "fully to preach the word of God," that this word and gospel is "the mystery" of God, "which is Christ in you the hope of glory." This gospel message is, therefore, preaching the truth of God, or the word of God, as it is in Christ Jesus, for the healing of his people.
2. The Fear of God.
The burden of this message is, "Fear God and give glory to him." But this includes the entire gospel. "The fear of the Lord is, the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do his commandments." This fear, or reverence, is characteristic of meekness and humility, and is always connected with willing submission and obedience to God, as shown in the above quotations. Again we read: "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil [or to obey God] is understanding." That the fear of God implies obedience to his holy law is expressly declared: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment." This is just what is proclaimed in the message we have under consideration, with this exception, the one refers to a judgment in the future, the other to one impending.
But how the fear of God sinks into insignificance all that is great in men! How it turns the souls which possess it from the traditions and precepts of men to the truth and commandments of God! It is the very element on which the characters of all God's holy witnesses in all the ages of the past have been based. And the message is sent from God for the very purpose of turning men from the fear and reverence of men, and all that is of man, to the fear of God, the Arbiter of our destinies.
3. "Give Glory to Him."
The message implies that those to whom it is given are giving glory to other than God. God's glory is his character, or goodness.
When Moses said to the Lord, "I beseech thee, show me thy glory," the Lord said, "I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee." In the fulfillment of this promise we read: "And the Lord descended, . . . and proclaimed the name of the Lord, . . . The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty." This is God's character; this is his name—Jehovah—expressive of that character, that righteousness, that goodness, that love. God's righteousness is expressed in his holy law, the reflect of his character. But man, being a sinner, cannot obtain righteousness by the law. He must be changed by creative power before he can obey the righteous law of God. It is God's character to do this; and this is his glory.
Not only is God's character his glory, but it is the glory of his people through the gospel. Man is by nature a sinner. Even his righteousness fall so far short that they are counted as "filthy rags." His only hope is in the righteousness of God by faith in Christ, to which the law bears witness. Therefore, when the sinner by faith in Christ comes to God, God forgives his sins, gives him a new heart, and names His name upon him. What God names is made what he names it. So when he names a man his child, that makes the man his child in character—righteous, or holy, even as He is holy, not through any power of man, but by the power of the word of the gospel, through the merits of the fullness of Christ. Thus Christ becomes our "wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; that . . . he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord," in whom alone is he "complete." Thus God names his name, his character, upon us, creates us anew in Christ Jesus, and to him alone belongs all the glory. Therefore "give glory to him;" "give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name."
But to render unto the Lord the glory due is to submit to his will, his character, his righteousness. This is faith, to submit to do all that the Lord commands us. He will then create us by the power of his word "unto good works," and then there will be fulfilled "the righteousness of the law" in those who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Having the Spirit of Christ, we will obey God's law, even as Christ did, giving glory and honor to God.
To "fear God and give glory to him" is therefore to turn from all fear of man, from all traditions and precepts and theories and creeds of men, to the word of God and the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. But this is just what the Christian churches of to-day are not doing. When the followers of Luther, fearing to trust the naked word of God as standard and his Spirit as guide, framed Luther's belief into a creed, and adopted it as their standard instead of the free and living word of God,707they gave glory to Luther above the word of God. When the Calvinists did the same with respect to Calvin, they glorified Calvin. When the Methodists did the same with respect to the teachings of Wesley, they glorified him. And so with all denominations which have formed creeds; they have rendered glory unto man or men who made the creed rather than unto God. This may have been unwittingly done, but that does not alter the fact that it has just as truly been done. From this fear of human limitations, this glorification of the human and finite, Christ calls the church by his living message, "Fear God and give glory to him."
4. "Worship Him."
We worship whom we serve. The highest worship is implicit obedience. The highest honor the child can render the parent is to obey. The best worship which man can offer God is to render willing and implicit obedience to God's holy will as expressed in his inspired word. Says Jesus, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." When Satan solicited the worship of Christ, he replied, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." The truest worship is the most faithful service according to orders. God's orders are in his holy law. "Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man." James in speaking of this same royal law said: "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty."
"Worship Him." Whom?—"Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." Wherever in Scripture the true God and false are contrasted the characteristic of the true God is his creative power, the God that made the heaven and the earth. God has "made his wonderful works [of his creative power] to be remembered," and the memorial of his mighty power to create, and the sign of his same mighty power to redeem, to recreate, and sanctify is his holy Sabbath, set forth in the fourth commandment of his holy law. The Lord says:—
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work; . . . for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it."
"And hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God." "I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them."
The message of Rev. 14:6, 7, therefore, not only calls the attention of a backslidden and divided church to God's law as revealed in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, but he calls them to obedience to a special part of that law, the fourth commandment, which has been for so many centuries trodden down by "the man of sin."
Of course this is contrary to the common practice of men, contrary to the traditions received from an apostate church, contrary to the observance of a day revered by many, not because taught in God's word, but because of associations, ignorantly revered and observed, supposing it to be commanded of God. Neither does God condemn. He knows the church is yet in the wilderness of error and the midst of confusion. His call is to come out into the clear light of his word, into the heaven-lighted highway cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in. And therefore there has been ringing out to the world for more than twoscore years the message of God's gospel, calling men back to the observance of the Sabbath kept by Christ and all his prophets and apostles.
But a further consideration of this will have to be deferred till our next issue.
PARENTS AND CHILDREN TO BE AGENTS FOR GOD. NO. 2.
By Mrs. E. G. White
BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
THE Lord God of heaven has never left the world without a witness. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Sadness comes to my soul as I consider how abundant have been the resources that have been open to the church, and yet how tardy has been the appropriation of the light of heaven, how feeble have been the rays that have shone forth into the world. God has appointed to the church a sacred mission. He has said, "Ye are the light of the world." The light of the church has grown dim as the moral darkness of this degenerate age has increased. The people of God should increase in light and power. It is something more than a profession that distinguishes the children of obedience from the children of disobedience. The children of God should manifest genuine piety, Christian zeal, earnest self-denial and self-sacrifice. They should wage aggressive warfare in proportion to their opportunities and privileges.
The church should realize that infinite resources are at her command. "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things?" The church must be as was Abraham, who "staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded, that what he had promised he was able also to perform. And therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification." "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning,4that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."
As living agencies we are to enter into a moral coöperation with God. The weakest, feeblest child of God has his or her appointed work, and it is because there is so large a number who are not doers of the word of Christ, but hearers only, that there is not greater progress and growth in the church. Many do little except to study their own pleasure and convenience, to gratify their own likes and dislikes; yet, according to the several ability, everyone has a certain work to do. Many do not lay hold of the work they could do, because it does not please their taste, and so they do nothing. There are duties that look commonplace and cheap to them, which lie directly in their pathway; but, because they are not inviting, they do not take them up. If they loved God supremely, and their neighbors as themselves, they would take up these little duties, which God designed should test their fidelity. They would keep their souls in the love of God by seeking out their friends, and would devise some plan whereby they might reach their hearts. With an eye single to the glory of God, they would seize the opportunities which are brought within their reach, and be instant in season and out of season. They would seek on every occasion to do good to those who need help. Satan will seek to blind the eyes of the understanding, so that we shall not take up the responsibilities that lie in our pathway, and be faithful in the little services which God has enjoined upon us. The faithful child of God, though he may have been apparently one of the weakest, has wrought much good by humble service.
For a period of time the Majesty of heaven, the King of glory, was only a Babe in Bethlehem, and could only represent the babe in its mother's arms. In childhood he could only do the work of an obedient child, fulfilling the wishes of his parents, in doing such duties as would correspond to his ability as a child. This is all that children can do, and they should be so educated and instructed that they may follow Christ's example. Christ acted in a manner that blessed the household in which he was found, for he was subject to his parents, and thus did missionary work in his home life. It is written, "And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him." "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."
It is a sad thing when parents grow cold in their spiritual life, and, because of waning piety and want of devotion to God, they do not realize the high responsibility that devolves upon them to patiently and thoroughly train their children to keep the way of the Lord. Parents should not permit business cares, worldly customs and maxims, and fashion to have a controlling power over them, so that they neglect their children in babyhood, and fail to give their children proper instruction as they increase in years. Children need to be trained to do useful things, and their duties should be made as pleasant as possible. Parents should give them pleasant words of instruction and approval in useful work, but they could not do a worse evil to their children than to gratify their selfish desires, and leave them to follow their inclinations, thus giving them the impression that they are to live to please and amuse themselves. They should not be left to choose their own society, and be given money to spend according to their youthful wisdom. Children need parents who shall educate and discipline them, pruning away the natural and selfish tendencies. Children need parents who do not feel they have the right to govern their children by impulse and passion. Children are the heritage of the Lord, and unless parents give them such a training as will enable them to keep the way of the Lord, they neglect solemn duty. It is not the will or purpose of God that children shall become coarse, rough, uncourteous, disobedient, unthankful, unholy, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. The Scriptures state that this condition of society shall be a sign of the last days.
We need in our churches children and youth who are trained to work upon the "Christian Endeavor" principle. The beginning must be made at home. Parents, who are the responsible agencies in the home life, should set their children a godly example, learning daily lessons of duty and obedience to God's requirements. They should themselves become missionaries. They should consecrate themselves entirely to God, remembering that the greatest work that devolves upon them is to train their children to be Christlike, faithful soldiers. This should be the essential work of their life, and, by training their children, they will be constantly repeating the lessons they have learned in their youth, and thus the wise, God-fearing parents will diffuse an influence from their own home circle to that of others that will act as did the leaven that was hid in three measures of meal. Home missionary work is the highest service that parents can render to God.
Parents should let nothing interfere with the character building of their children. Those who have been training their children in an improper way, need not despair; let them become converted to God, and seek for the true spirit of obedience, and they will be enabled to make decided reforms. In conforming your own customs to the saving principles of God's holy law, you will have an influence upon your children. You will have the righteousness of Christ, and will obey the precepts of God's law, and recognize the spirit of the law as an expression of the character of God. It is of the greatest importance that the attributes of his character be brought into your character, that you may train and educate your children to be obedient to God's commandments, and thus secure happiness in this world, and life eternal in the world to come.
In educating your children, you should rely upon a "Thus saith the Lord." Let them never hear an irreverent expression from your lips, nor catch the sound of a harsh, passionate word. Be what you wish your children to be. Parents have perpetuated by precept and example their own stamp of character to their posterity. The fitful, coarse, uncourteous tempers and words are impressed upon children, and children's children, and thus the defects in the management of parents testify against them from generation to generation. This is the reason that iniquity abounds, the reason that many will have to meet a terrible account in the day of judgment. Let there be most deep and thorough repentance before God. Seek God for grace, for spiritual discernment to discover the defects in your management of your children and exercise repentance toward God for your neglected work as home missionaries.
THE SECRET OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
THE real test of the principles of religious liberty is prosperity. There has never been a persecuted class but what has loudly declaimed in favor of religious liberty, or liberty of conscience. The Puritans believed in religious liberty when they themselves were persecuted. The Roman Catholic believes in it where he is not the dominant authority; but when power came to Puritan or was possessed by Catholic, they both persecuted. Prosperity tested them as it frequently tests individuals. True religious liberty will grant to the powerless (physically or secularly considered), or the smallest minority, equal rights in all religious matters with the majority.
In our Federal government for one century religious liberty existed. Even Catholics laud the freedom granted in this country. In a recent book of sermons on the "Life of Christ," by "Father" Didon, a noted Catholic priest, of Paris, we have the following:—
It may be said that the surroundings most favorable to Christian belief, and consequently to the belief in the divinity of Christ, are those in which it has, I do not say the protection of authority, but the fullness of liberty. In modern civilization the two countries where that liberty is largest, England and the United States, are precisely those two countries where the belief in Jesus Christ declares its vitality by its most vigorous expansion. It is notorious that in England, a country of great individual autonomy and much public liberty, the Catholic faith, faith in Jesus Christ, is extending and developing. In the United States this phenomenon is still more manifest and astonishing.
But the principles of religious liberty, that which will give the other, weaker man liberty to think, talk, and practice as he desires, equally with the stronger, are the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He who has the Spirit of Christ will do as Christ did. He said, "If any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world." He is our example. On the other hand, speaking of those who would think they were doing God's will in persecuting others, Jesus says, "And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me." The spirit of intolerance and persecution is the spirit of antichrist. The secret of religious liberty is the gospel of Christ. That will stand the test. But both Protestants and Catholics are endeavoring to destroy liberty of conscience in that government under which—both government and liberty—they claim to have achieved their greatest successes.
PATMOS.
By F. B. Clark
ROCK-RIBBED Patmos, with cheerless shore,
Wave-swept by wild Ægean Sea,
St. John doth walk thy shores no more;
Yet lessons learn I now from thee.
Exiled for his Master's sake—
Sent thither where he would not go,
New light upon his soul did break,
The mysteries of God to know.
Ah! Patmos, do ye only lie
Where John was sent in ages past?
Can there not be a leaden sky
In any spot where life is cast?
Are we not sent from pleasure's side
To isles of grief, where God doth say,
"Ye must within this home abide
Till ye have learned to know my way"?
Just for God's glory we must live—
John was banished because of him;
And all the praise to God we give
That lamps are filled and burn not dim.
It is of Christ we testify
When life grows rich on barren soil;
We then confess that he is nigh
To beautify and bless our toil.
—F. B. Clark.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
By J. G. Matteson
BY ELDER J. G. MATTESON.
THE commonly accepted signification of religious liberty is liberty to profess and follow any kind of religion. Religious liberty cannot be united with a State church nor with a papal State. Yet religious liberty has been introduced in most countries where there is a State church. This liberty is, however, very limited. In Norway, for instance, the law forbids dissenters to baptize persons who were born while the parents belonged to the State church (even if both parents now have left the State church), before they are eighteen years old. If our Saviour should come to this "Christian" country and venture to baptize persons under eighteen years of age, he would have to pay fines or go into prison.
In Sweden every parish has its church council invested with power to forbid preaching. If anyone preaches a doctrine which is considered injurious to the State church, this council of three can forbid his preaching, provided two of them agree to do so. The parish priest is always one of the council. If the offender does not stop, he may be fined or put into prison. In Denmark, as well as in the other Scandinavian countries, all children are compelled to attend the public schools. Thus children of dissenters are compelled to learn the religion of the State church, if the parents are unable to keep a private teacher. Besides this every citizen must pay taxes to sustain the State church, and this tax is collected in common with other public taxes. He must also bring an offering three times a year (at Christmas, Easter, and Whitsuntide) to the priest. If this is neglected, the police will seize the property of the offender and sell it to pay the offering (gift), even if it amounts to only twenty-five cents. This has been done many times.
In this and many other different ways the State churches are favored and the dissenters oppressed. Religious liberty, which treats all denominations, as well as non-professors, alike, is not found in any country. In every government some are favored more than others. Switzerland and the United States of America are looked up to as patterns of free governments, but in both of these countries Jews and other Sabbath keepers are placed in an unfavorable position by the law on account of their religion. Besides this, church property in America (in some States) is favored by being exempted from taxation, while infidels have to pay taxes on all property used exclusively for meetings and work which is calculated to spread a knowledge of their ideas and opinions.
Freedom and equality are names which sound very pretty. But the blessings that follow from them are not found to a very great extent in this world. Yet we are thankful to God for the liberty we enjoy. Although many of our brethren have suffered much in this country, yet we are grateful that the tyranny has not yet gone so far as it exists in Russia.
Jesus was the greatest friend of liberty who has ever lived on the earth. He founded a religion that teaches and practices religious liberty. He said, "And if any man hear my709words, and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world." John 12:47. "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." John 3:17. The Son of God did not come to judge or condemn, but to save men. But antichrist and all his followers usurp the power to judge and condemn their fellow-men.
Do you say, "Yes, is not this terrible?"—To be sure, it is very wicked. But be now careful, dear reader, that you do not the same. Do you say: "Far from it. I hate this persecuting spirit among the Catholics. I am an Adventist [or, perhaps, Methodist or Baptist]. I am deeply interested in religious liberty." Very well, I am glad to hear that. But be careful that you do not judge others, because as soon as you do that, you do not follow the great Pattern of true religious liberty, Christ. He said, "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven." Luke 6:37.
And again our Saviour says: "But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest; for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." Luke 6:35, 36. "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise." Verse 31.
Here we have the Golden Rule, which teaches true and full religious liberty. When this blessed principle becomes the rule of our hearts and lives, we will not desire to rule the opinions and conduct of others. Consider how forbearing, long-suffering, and kind Jesus has been to us. He has not treated us as we deserved. He has been no respecter of persons. He is just as kind to the poor and despised as to the rich. He is the defender of widows and orphans, the friend of the poor, the light of the blind, and the strength of the weak.
Jesus alone can give us the true liberty. "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." John 8:34, 36. Let us give our hearts to Jesus. Let us attend his school every day, and learn meekness and lowliness of heart. Then we get true liberty for time and eternity.
THE TWO DELIVERANCES.
By H. A. St. John
BY ELDER H. A. ST. JOHN.
THE transgression of God's law brought sin into the world, and sin brought death, and sin and death brought Jesus Christ. He came as a Saviour, a Redeemer, a Deliverer. He is the only one who can now, or ever could, deliver souls from the bondage of sin and death. He is the only deliverer that has come out of Zion who has power to take away ungodliness from Jacob. He is mighty to save, yea, almighty to save, and to save unto the uttermost. His first great uplift to the soul sinking in the river of sin, is to lift him out, in answer to his helpless cry, plant his feet upon a rock, establish his goings, and put a new song in his mouth, even praises to our God. And this new song he would that the redeemed or delivered soul, from the bondage of sin and Satan, should sing all the way along his earthly pilgrimage, with new stanzas added with every new experience. If the soul thus delivered journeys from victory to victory, singing the high praises of God with new strains at every victory, rapid will be his progress to the better land.
If ancient Israel had held onto the same faith, and continued the song of triumph when meeting the many obstacles in their pilgrimage, that they had expressed in a joyful song of praise to God on the banks of the Red Sea, their journey to the earthly Canaan would have been but one triumphal march of a few days' continuance. Oh, how much they lost when they lost that faith and that song! And so it is now in the individual experience of every pilgrim.
The mighty miracle of the passage of the Red Sea, and deliverance from all their old enemies, set Israel fairly on their pilgrimage; and another similar mighty miracle of the passage of the river Jordan ended their journey and planted them in the promised land, flowing with milk and honey. In like manner it is a mighty miracle that lifts souls from the mire, and plants them upon the rock, and establishes them fairly upon their pilgrimage journey. And then it is another mighty miracle that will change them all to immortality at the end of their journey. The first deliverance puts them in possession of the Spirit and character of their Deliverer; they are delivered from a carnal mind, a corrupt heart, an evil conscience, and vile raiment, and clothed with a change of apparel, even the righteousness of Christ. The second great deliverance and uplift puts the saints in possession of immortal bodies, their vile bodies changed and fashioned like unto his glorious body. Hail, happy day!