Earlier text: The Christian Sabbath and the Fourth CommandmentTO THE LAW AND TO THE TESTIMONY.
By Augusta Moore
THE following article, prefaced by the editorial note printed in brackets, appeared in the New York Evangelist of November 3:— [The recent disclosures of Mrs. Kane, one of the original "Fox Girls," here in New York, give interest to the views expressed by our correspondent, whether the reader accords with them or not. That they have much scriptural support, no student of the sacred volume can deny.—ED. Evangelist.] That Sadducees and the sort of Christians who try to explain away all that is supernatural in the Holy Scriptures, should take the ground that there is not, and cannot be, anything supernatural in the manifestations of Spiritualism, and even that all who truly believe they have held communication with, and seen, the spirits of the departed, are insane, is not strange; but that those who believe the Bible statements of things should hold to such a position, is strange indeed. The Scripture view of this matter is that demons did possess human beings, and that they will again in the last days. When every feature of the old demonology is reproduced in modern Spiritualism (besides many added features), why not accept the most simple and probable view regarding it? Perhaps the chief reason may be that faith in a real, personal Satan, is almost dead. But our Lord believed in him; so did the apostles; so did the single-hearted and devoted Christians of the present day. He does not like to have people believe in him. One of his "wiles" is to hide himself from the mind of man. Thus he can the more easily influence him; for of a Satan in21whom he does not believe, a man will not "beware." The apostles frequently besought Christians to guard against Satan's wiles. They were not "ignorant of his devices," as people now are. But he is still "prince of this world," "power of the air," and "the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience," whether we believe it or not. Our Lord never intimated that Satan claimed more than (by deposing man, and taking his place in the dominion of earth) he possessed, when he promised to give him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. In the days of Pharaoh there was one form of possession; in the days of Christ, another. Among the heathen, now, is found what our missionaries believe to be demoniacal possession. For this age of intellect and comparative refinement, the gross forms of spiritism would not do; therefore Satan adapts his management to "the spirit of the times." "Spiritism" is his last card. The longings of bereaved human hearts seem to be met by it, and the instinctive curiosity of the mind regarding the invisible world is fed, if not satisfied, thereby. Satan knows much of the invisible world, and far more than we do of this world. He can tell the truth, though he is the father of lies, and he does tell it when he can make it the means of gaining the confidence of people, so that they will then swallow his lies. The "manifestations" of the god of this world having amazed and comforted the mourner, he turns more and more to the power that lifts the veil from that which God, for wise purposes, has hidden, and generally he ends by discarding the Bible as behind the age, and trusting wholly to the "miracles" of Satan and his demons, who personate his dead friends. Why should anyone who believes the Bible doubt that spiritism is demonism? In what way could Satan lure more victims into his net? The wholesale denial of any possible manifestation from the other world, the ridicule of all belief in such things, that even among Christians has, since the Salem witchcraft time, been growing and growing, have not resulted well in all cases. Edward Bickersteth, in his "Principalities and Powers in Heavenly Places," wrote, in 1842: "Looking at the signs of the times, and the long neglect and unnatural denial of all angelic ministration, or spiritual influence, and at the express predictions of false Christs and false prophets, who shall show signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they should deceive the very elect; and that when men receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved, for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they may believe a lie; I cannot but think there is a painful prospect of a sudden recoil from the present unbelief and misbelief to an unnatural and undistinguishing credulity, when antichrist shall appear in his latest form, 'with signs and lying wonders.'" "Antichrist!" And is not that just what the spiritism that has so overrun the earth is? "Against Christ" it is indeed, though some of its followers make maudlin professions of love to him, even while they are living in "the larger liberty of free love." I would I did not know this to be true. I wish the churches held no such persons. Men may cry, "Trickery! only the 'insane' ever see spirits," and such like; but they are not "wise," and they will thus save no soul. Trickery and fraud undoubtedly there are in spiritism, as well as in other real things. Was there ever imitation of what was not? Would the New Testament warn men of unclean demons, possessing miracle-working power, who were to "go forth" under the sixth vial, if they were but myths and fables? Verily, "we shall do well to measure, so far as we can, the extent of that power which is coming against us." There are witnesses to these manifestations who are true as man can be, who are sane as man can be; they are men of good sense and good judgment, and in no way inferior to those who discredit them. Their testimony would be taken in any court of justice. They are men in all walks of life; men of science and learning, doctors, ministers, judges; men of prudent, business minds, discerning, hard to delude—not all spiritists, but all feeling satisfied that some power beyond human produces the phenomena which they see, hear, and feel. Now if all these persons have been "tricked" into believing that all the manifestations they have witnessed, not only in "circles" and "seances," but in their own homes, where there was no one to cheat them, why, then, this is the greatest wonder of all. One of the noblest men I ever knew, generous, faithful, and hard-headed—a business man who had once rejoiced in the Christian's hope—was led away by the wonders that we all knew were real. But he would not be guided by what the word of God said regarding them—and he is dead. Oh, if the people were but faithfully taught and trained in the clear and simple truth of Scripture regarding this fell delusion sweeping over the whole earth!—Augusta Moore. LESSONS FROM THE SPIDER.
By John Henry Durland
THE wise man says of the spider, "The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in king's palaces." Prov. 30:28. From this insect we may learn some of the most instructive lessons in faith and devotion. "The spider taketh hold with her hands," or, as it has been translated, "with both hands," "and is in king's palaces." Here is whole-hearted effort. He puts both hands to the work. How few of the best of people do that! One hand grasping the world, and the other holding onto Christ. Half of our service is given to the Lord, and the other half to Satan. "No man can serve two masters." How often has the persistent spider taught men to hold on! His perseverance once saved the kingdom of Scotland, when its faltering chieftain was about to give up after a terrible defeat; but the sight of a spider trying six times in vain to gain his point, and succeeding in the seventh, nerved him anew to the conflict. What a lesson of appropriating faith we have in the spider. He takes hold. It is a good thing to learn to take hold of God; to "take the water of life freely," to use and claim the precious promises which God has given us, and which faith may weave into cables of infinite strength by which we may take hold and rise to the infinite heights of grace and glory. Then what encouragement there is to aspire to a higher sphere in Christian life. The spider is in king's palaces. He claims the highest place, and wherever he is you may usually expect to find him at the top. Sometimes, as in the case of the gossamer spider, he is found away at the top of the highest towers, floating on his aerial bridge far up towards heaven. What a beautiful picture of faith and holy aspiration! How earnest the Christian should be to get up higher from day to day! As he advances upward in the Christian life, he comes down in his own estimation of himself. There is another spider whose amphibious habits teach even a yet finer lesson of devotion. It is the water-spider, whose lovely submarine home has been exquisitely described. Leaping from a leaf on the edge of a pond into the water, he carries with him a large bubble of air. Guiding it to the bottom, he moors it safely, and returns for another and another, until he has a large cavity under the water which is dry and clean. This he makes his home, there he dwells under the crystal lake in his exquisite house, living beneath the water, but breathing the air of the upper world. So it seems to us the followers of Jesus should always live. Dwelling amid the tides of worldliness and sin, but encompassed ever, as he passes through the world, by a circle of light which has descended from above; living and walking in the Holy Ghost and breathing the air of Heaven. Such an experience is like a rainbow, made up of drops of grief of earth and beams of the bliss of Heaven. The Government of Jehovah
THE character of a Government is based on the perfection of its law; its permanency rests on its ability to vindicate and maintain that law. Therefore the Government of Jehovah shall stand forever; for "the law of Jehovah is perfect," and in his "hand are power and might." Wrong Does Not Become Right
By Charles Haddon Spurgeon
ALL the customs in the world cannot make wrong right; and if everybody that ever lived, from Adam down to this hour, had done a wrong thing and declared it to be righteous, yet would it make no moral difference in the evil deed. A thousand ages of whitewashing cannot make vice a virtue. God's command standeth fast forever, and he who breaks it must bear his punishment.—C. H. Spurgeon. VOLUNTARY SERVICE.
By Methodist Recorder
Christ does not force men into his service; he does not irresistibly draw them to himself. Force is applied to dead, inanimate matter, but rational motives only can influence and control rational minds. Christ, in endeavoring to save men, deals with them as intelligent, accountable beings, and presents motives to their minds to influence their decision. If these motives are disregarded, and the influences brought to bear upon them are resisted, and they are not made the subjects of divine grace, the fault will be their own. If men seek death in the error of their ways, they have no one to blame but themselves. If they suffer, it is not because God would have them suffer, but because they would not accept deliverance. If men are determined to sin, they must submit to the consequences of their own deliberate acts.—Methodist Recorder. A SPECIMEN OF HUMAN WISDOM.
By W.
WHAT must be expected of the common people, when so wise a paper as the Independent gets off such stuff as the following? "The fact that a man is alive in the morning is a good ground for thinking that he will be so in the evening, unless there be a sufficient reason for thinking otherwise. So the fact that one is a living and conscious agent before death is a good ground for thinking that he will be so after death unless death be a sufficient reason for thinking otherwise." So we must conclude that the fact that a man is hungry before breakfast, is a good ground for thinking that he will be hungry after breakfast, unless his breakfast "be a sufficient reason for thinking otherwise." The fact that a man is very wealthy this morning is good ground for thinking that he will be just as wealthy after the collapse of the bank which holds all his funds, unless the breaking of the bank be a sufficient reason for thinking otherwise. Likewise the fact that a man is perfectly sound and whole before his head is taken off by a railroad engine is good ground for thinking that he will be sound and whole afterward, unless the little item of losing his head be a sufficient reason for thinking otherwise! It is by such driveling nonsense, that would disgrace the reasoning powers of a school-boy ten years of age, that the heathen dogma of the natural indestructibility of man is bolstered up. "Unless death be a sufficient reason for thinking otherwise," a man will be just as much alive after death as before. Very true; but that saving clause is in itself a refutation of the proposition that preceded it. Just as the fact that a man has eaten a meal is sufficient reason for thinking that he is not so hungry as he was before; that the fact that a man's wealth has all been swept away by the failure of a bank is sufficient reason for thinking that he is now a poor man; and that the cutting off of a man's head is ample evidence that he is not so sound as he was; so the fact that a man is dead is all the evidence in the world that is needed to prove that he is not now a living, conscious agent. The truth is, it is a most unwarrantable assumption to say that "the fact that a man is alive in the morning is a good ground for thinking that he will be so in the evening." If a man is alive now, that is no ground for thinking that he will be alive an hour from now. But the whole thing is too puerile to be worthy of comment, except to show what worse than childish arguments wise men are forced to use when they are pledged to a cause that does not admit of argument. The fact that I can see a man a mile away at mid-day is good reason for thinking that I can see him just as distinctly at midnight, unless the fact that it will then be dark is an objection. But that is so great an objection, that it exactly reverses the case, so that we say that although we can see a thing very distinctly in the day-time when the sun is shining, we know that it will be invisible on a moonless night. Why? Because darkness and light are directly opposite conditions. But darkness and light are no more opposed to each other than are death and life. Death and life are just as much opposite conditions as are evil and goodness; for death is to be the wages of the evil-doer, while life is to be the reward of the righteous. The man who says that the wicked man will live as long as the righteous man, virtually says that there is no difference between good and evil, and a terrible curse is pronounced upon the man who says that. See Isa. 5:20-24. But the word of God is that which above all things else brings to nothing the wisdom of the wise. That says: "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish." Ps. 146:3, 4. Again: "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." Eccl. 9:10. To the man who claims that a dead man is just as good as a live man, the word of God's wisdom says that even "a living dog is better than a dead lion," and then it adds that "the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything." Eccl. 9:5, 6. After reading the above, and much more might be added, will anyone be so foolish as to intimate that death is not a sufficient reason for thinking that a man does not know as much as he did before it occurred? The bearing which the Independent's statement has on Spiritualism, can only be referred to. That it places the writer of it squarely in the ranks of Spiritualism, must be evident to one who thinks at all. For if the fact that a man is a living and conscious agent before death is a good ground for thinking that he will be so after death, then the fact that a man can show himself to his friends, and talk with them, before death is a good ground for thinking that he can do the same after death. And that is where all human speculation concerning the natural immortality of the man ends. The editor of the Independent may revile Spiritualism and Spiritualists all he pleases, but unless he throws aside foolish speculation and accepts the plain truth of God's word, he will be one of the leading Spiritualists in a very few years. One word of God's wisdom is of more value than ten thousand volumes of man's folly. THE GOSPEL OF GOD
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
In his introduction to the epistle to the Romans, Paul declares himself to be "a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord," and he throws in, by way of parenthesis, the statement that this gospel of God "he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy Scriptures." These two verses bring out two points that are too often overlooked or denied, to which we wish to call attention. First, the gospel is "the gospel of God, concerning his Son Jesus Christ." It is not only a mistake, but a grievous error, and a grave charge against the goodness of God, to separate him from the gospel. To make God the Father the hard, vindictive, unyielding Judge, who is moved to compassion only by the entreaties of the Son, is as grievous a sin as is that of the Catholics in making Christ the angry Judge, and the virgin Mary the one who interposes to shield sinners from his wrath. That God the Father has the deepest interest in the salvation of sinners, and is filled with tender love and pity for them, is proved by the following most familiar words of Jesus:— "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. Here is shown the depth of God's love for us. It was so great that he allowed his Son to die that we might live. So fully was God concerned in the gospel plan, that the beloved disciple, without designating whether he referred to the Father or the Son, said: "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us." 1 John 3:16. God did not selfishly send his Son to die. The Father was bound up in the Son, for they were one. The Father permitted the Son to come to earth to die, yea, he "delivered him up for us all," but in so doing he gave all that Heaven had to bestow. Every sorrow and suffering that our Saviour bore for us pierced to an equal extent the great heart of God. It is true that the apostle Paul, in writing to the Thessalonians, speaks of the final destruction of them "that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thess. 1:8. But this simply shows the unity of the Father and the Son in the work. The Father and the Son are one. In every act and thought they are united. "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son;" yet of Christ it is said that "he gave himself for us." Titus 2:14. And this agrees with the words of the prophet:— "Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord, even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both." Zech. 6:12, 13. "The man whose name is The BRANCH," is Jesus Christ. He sits upon his Father's throne (Rev. 3:21) and both together are counseling for the peace of those who are enemies and alienated in their minds by wicked works. Still further, read those most expressive words of Paul, "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." 2 Cor. 5:19. The humble birth, the life of poverty, and want, and temptation, and suffering, the agony in the garden, the reproaches and insults in the judgment-hall, and the cruel death upon the cross, were all manifestations of God's good-will to man, and desire for peace among them. And this gospel was preached from the very beginning. Abel believed it, and by his faith he "offered unto God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous." Heb. 11:4. Noah believed it, and so "became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." Verse 7. Likewise "the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed." Gal. 3:8. This was when Abraham had no child, and when there was no human possibility that he ever could have one, yet "he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness." Gen. 15:6. So it was with the Israelites, the lineal descendants of Abraham. The apostle says, "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them." Heb. 4:2. "Unto us as well as unto them!" That seems a strange way of putting the thing, doesn't it? If he were asserting that the Jews had the gospel, he would have said that the gospel was preached unto them as well as unto us. But that is not his point. He has already shown that the gospel was preached to them. They had it first, and rejected it, and now we are warned lest we, having the same privileges that they had, should "fall after the same example of unbelief." This gospel of the death and resurrection of Christ for the deliverance of man from sin and death was promised through the prophets in the holy Scriptures. Time would fail to enumerate the prophecies concerning the Messiah, and we can only sum them up in a few New Testament statements. Peter, speaking of the salvation of our souls, says: "Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you; searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." 1 Peter 1:10, 11. Paul, when permitted to speak for himself before Agrippa, said: "Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come; that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles." Acts 26:22, 23. This does not mean that Christ should be the first person, in point of time, that should rise from the dead, for the prophets themselves raised the dead, and Christ raised many before his death; but it7meant that he should be the first in eminence. He is the first-fruits of them that slept. Among all that shall rise from the dead he is first, because it was his resurrection that made it possible for any others to be raised from the dead. Peter also declared to the people who were astonished at a notable miracle: "But those things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled." Acts 3:18. And then he added, "Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days." Verse 24. Not only did the prophets foretell of these days, but they enjoyed them, not simply in anticipation, but in reality. Jesus said to the Jews, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad." John 8:56. And the prophet David said of the same day,—the day of salvation: "I will praise thee, for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. The stone which the builders refused is become the head-stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doings; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Ps. 118:21-24. How could they rejoice in the day of salvation, and be saved by Christ's blood, hundreds of years before it was shed? Because God's promise made it real before it took place. He "quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were." Rom. 4:17. A thing which God has promised is just as sure as though it had actually taken place. There was not the slightest possibility that Christ should not suffer, after he had once been promised; and that Christ should redeem men by his blood "was foreordained before the foundation of the world." 1 Peter 1:20. Then, since he is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, it follows, as a matter of course, that those who lived in the first year of the world could derive the same benefit from his sacrifice that we can. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out." "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." W. We clip the following from the California Prohibitionist of December 27:— "A petition for a Sunday law being circulated in Santa Clara County is producing much agitation among the Seventh-day Advents, and they are actively at work with a counter petition. A small table has been placed at the principal street corner of San Jose for several days past, and workers have been present soliciting signatures to their protest. The number of signatures obtained belonging to the class of men not in sympathy with Christianity or its measures is surprising, and excites much comment that any class of Christians could unite with saloon keepers, infidels, drinking men, and worthless characters generally, in breaking down a Christian institution." Is it "surprising" that men should love the liberty of conscience granted by the gospel of Christ? Is it "surprising" that any class of men should object to have thrust upon them an institution of another class? If a majority of the citizens of this country attempted to enforce Friday as the only weekly Sabbath, would not many first-day people find themselves opposing that institution by force of circumstances, with others whose characters otherwise they could not indorse? But, on the other hand, is it not "surprising," in the light of an open Bible, that Christians should call Sunday "a Christian institution"? Where is the authority? And is it not more "surprising" that they should try to compel those whom they do not consider Christians to observe "a Christian institution"? If it be right to do this, why not compel all to partake of the Lord's supper and be baptized that other Christian institutions be not broken down? And is it not still more "surprising" that Christians should join hands with that class who have done more to pervert the gospel of Christ than all others,—Roman Catholics,—to force upon others an unchristian institution, the Sunday, for which there is no support in the word of God? Is it not because of this—because it has no support in the word of God—that its friends are so anxious for law in its behalf? The California Prohibitionist will please explain. "THE NEW CIVILIZATION."
By M. C. W.
Such is the title of a series of articles by Rev. Thos. K. Davis, D. D., of Wooster University, Ohio, in the Christian Statesman, the third of which appeared in that paper of November 15. We wonder how a man who seems to see the needs of the day can turn his plea into one of National Reform. The following is what is called for by him:— "Strange as the statement may appear to some, it is nevertheless true, that before the new civilization can be realized, Christianity must be applied to our religion. . . . For neither our faith nor our practice has been lifted up into harmony with the tone of the holy Scriptures, and there is very great need of Christianizing our Christianity. With the large part of the Christian world, religion is a thing of rites and ceremonies. . . . Even in our Protestant communities, how frequently does membership in the church serve as a substitute for personal piety. . . . Indeed, is it not true that many of the sayings and precepts of Christ are utterly disregarded by apparently sincere Christians? . . . Oh! how much has been lost by the substitution of churchianity for Christianity! Christianity—pure, simple, evangelical, spiritual, and practical—must take the place of ecclesiasticism. Christianity, of which Jesus, the Son of God, and Saviour of the world, is the center; of which the Holy Spirit is the life-giving and wonder-working power; Christianity, which aims at and labors for the regeneration of men, and the reconstruction of the world; Christianity, which is never satisfied with mere profession, or with mere outward morality, but which scrutinizes the motives and desires of the heart, demands a pure and sound moral character, and a life beautiful in spirit, and abounding in good works; Christianity, which commends itself to all men as the wisdom of God, and the power of God. . . . If only Christians would adopt it, practice it, and apply its practical principles to the pulling down of the strongholds of sin and Satan!" All the above as regards the condition of the church, is true, too sadly true. The world and the great professed church of Christ are sick, as saith the prophet: "From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores. They have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment." Isa. 1:6. And what is the remedy which Mr. Davis proposes? Christianity; and the Christianity of Christ, such as portrayed by Mr. Davis, is the only power that can heal. But this is not all that he proposes. He unites with, or fastens upon, that Christianity a malignant cancer which will destroy its vitality and power. In short, Mr. Davis needs to have his Christianity Christianized. For, according to the same article, the work of ministering this healing power, of dispensing this divine remedy, must not be left to the church of Christ; but the State must bear a hand. Christians are not to win their conquests by divine weapons which "are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;" but they must, in order to be successful, unite with the world, use "carnal weapons," and then victory is sure! That this is contemplated is evident from the following words from the same article (italics ours):— "Let the new civilization triumph, and the moral law—the law of God—will be supreme. The Lord Jesus Christ will be acknowledged as King. The golden rule will prevail. Mutual sympathy and helpfulness will take the place of emulations, strifes, wrath, and bitterness. Religion and politics will be as closely allied as twin sisters. Government will be a simple agency of the people, ordained by the all-wise God, for their benefit, especially for the benefit of the poor. It will be a terror to evil-doers, and an encouragement to all that do well." As to how it is to be accomplished, he says:— "But to accomplish that, Christians must not leave the great interests of human society in the hands of bad men. This earth is the inheritance of the saints. The divine Redeemer purchased it for them. They are to judge, that is, govern, the world by their moral influence. The kingdom, and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the Most High. Christians have been too slow to claim their rights, and enter upon their heritage. If they are to reign with Christ over the earth, they must work for the privilege. They must throw their Heaven-born wisdom and energy into politics, and legislation, and trade, and commerce, and education, and literature." "If only the good people, who love the truth and the right, and hate the false and the evil, would unite; if the honest and true, of all churches, and of all parties, would only stand together, uniting their efforts and their votes, and be faithful to Christ in the conflict which is raging, and which will rage more and more as the day of the Lord approaches, then He who is Governor among the nations will usher this world, purified by its trials, into scenes of life and beauty surpassing all the romance of fable or of song." Oh, what a medley! Why apply texts of Scripture like Daniel 7:27; Matt. 19:28, and others, which refer to the future personal reign of Christ over immortalized beings, to this earth in its present state? Such a time will come as foretold by prophecy, but that will be when Christ takes to himself his great power and reigns, the wicked all having been slain, and his people "all righteous" (Isa. 60:21), not through the power of law, but the power of the gospel. But notice the means by which Dr. Davis is to have this brought about. It is by a union of all churches and of all parties; it is through their votes; the Heaven-born energies of Christians are to be thrown into the filthy pool of politics and legislation; they "must work for the privilege" of office. But all churches include the Roman Catholic; and National Reformers are on record as willing and anxious to co-operate with that church. The Dark Ages reveal to us Rome's idea of the kingdom of Christ, and how his law should be administered. All parties would certainly include the corrupt political organizations of the day. Oh, but these are to "be faithful to Christ"! But who is to judge of their faithfulness? The corruptest men will profess Christ in order to secure votes. Who is to judge of their sincerity? There is absolutely nothing to prevent all the hypocrisy manifested in the halcyon days of Rome and the days of the English Commonwealth. And corrupt politicians will accept of the "votes" of all classes, and the same secret corruptions will be as prevalent in the name of Christ as are in existence now. The scheming politicians of the world will dominate then as now, and faithfulness to Christ will be in name and not in heart. Christianity, the Christianity of Christ, does not recognize the temporal rule of Christians in this present world. Said Jesus, "My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is my kingdom not from hence." John 18:36. His kingdom is not to be built up through scheming politicians or weapons that are "carnal." He has not bidden his servants to strive for the privilege of ruling, but the privilege of serving. "Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you; but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you; let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister." Matt. 20:25-28. Here is the divine rule and the divine example. Spiritual, not temporal, power (Eph. 3:16-21); spiritual armor, not carnal weapons (Eph. 6:13-17); prayers of faith, not votes or political intrigue (Eph. 6:18; 1 John 5:4), are the divinely ordained means God has given his servants whereby they may prevail over all the powers of darkness. On the other hand, uniting with the world separates from God, and while petitions may be heard by legislative powers, they are unheard by the Throne of Grace. James 4:1-4. May God help those blinded by such principles to realize that they are blind; and may he help the honest in heart to still abide in the liberty granted us by our forefathers and vouchsafed us by the gospel of Christ.