Review and Herald, Vol. 33, No. 4.
THE BRIDE, THE LAMB'S WIFE.Page 1
Earlier text: THE BRIDE, THE LAMB'S WIFE.THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK OF DANIEL.
VERSE 1. And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. There has been some perplexity over this date. Daniel was carried captive in the first year of Nebuchadnezzar. For three years he was placed under instructors, during which time he would not, of course, be reckoned among the wise men of the kingdom, nor take part in public affairs. Yet in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar the transactions recorded in this chapter took place. The explanation lies in the fact that Nebuchadnezzar reigned for two years conjoined with his father Nabopolassar. From this point the Jews reckoned; while the Chaldeans reckoned from the time he commenced to reign alone, on the death of his father. Hence the year here mentioned, was the second year of his reign according to the Chaldean reckoning, but the fourth according to the Jewish. It thus appears that even the next year after Daniel had completed his preparation to participate in the affairs of the Chaldean empire, the providence of God brought him into sudden and wonderful notoriety throughout all the kingdom. VERSE 2. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dream. So they came and stood before the king. The magicians were such as practiced magic, using the term in its bad sense; that is, practiced all the superstitious rites and ceremonies of fortune tellers, casters of nativitas, &c. Astrologers were men who pretended to foretell future events by the study of the stars. The science or the superstition, of astrology, was extensively cultivated by the eastern nations of antiquity. Sorcerers were such as pretended to hold communication with the dead. In this sense we believe it is always used in the Scriptures. Modern Spiritualism is simply ancient heathen sorcery revived. The Chaldeans here mentioned were a sect of philosophers similar to the magicians and astrologers, who made physic, divinations, &c., their study. All these sects or professions abounded in Babylon. The end aimed at by each was the same, namely, the explaining of mysteries, and the foretelling of future events, the principal difference between them being the means by which they sought to accomplish their object. The king's difficulty lay equally within the province of each to explain; hence he summoned them all. With the king it was an important matter. He was greatly troubled, and hence concentrated upon the solution of his perplexity the whole wisdom of his realm. VERSE 3. And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. 4. Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac, O king, live forever; tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. Whatever else the ancient magicians and astrologers may have been deficient in, they seem to have thoroughly schooled themselves in the art of drawing out sufficient information to form a basis for some shrewd calculation, or of framing their answers in so ambiguous a manner that they would be equally applicable, let the event turn either way. In the present case, true to their cunning instincts, they called upon the king to make known to them his dream. If they could get full information respecting this, they could easily agree on some interpretation which would not endanger their reputation. They addressed themselves to the king in Syriac, a dialect of the Chaldee which was used by the educated and polished classes. From this point to the end of chapter vii, the record continues in Chaldee. VERSE 5. The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 6. But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor; therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof. 7. They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it. 8. The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. 9. But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you; for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed; therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof. 10. The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter; therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. 11. And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. 12. For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13. And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. These verses contain the record of the desperate struggle between the wise men, so-called, and the king, the former seeking some avenue for escape, seeing they were caught on their own ground, and the latter determined that they should make known his dream, which was no more than their profession would warrant him in demanding. Some have severely censured Nebuchadnezzar in this matter as acting the part of a heartless, unreasonable tyrant. But what did these magicians profess to be able to do? To reveal hidden things; to foretell future events; to make known mysteries entirely beyond human foresight and penetration; and to do this by the aid of supernatural agencies. If then their claim was worth anything, could they not make known to the king what he had dreamed? They certainly could. And if they were able, knowing the dream, to give a reliable interpretation thereof, would they not also be able to make known the dream itself when it had gone from the king? Certainly, if there was any virtue in their pretended intercourse with the other world. There was therefore nothing unjust in Nebuchadnezzar's demand that they should make known his dream. And when they declared, verse 11, that none but the gods whose dwelling was not with flesh could make known the king's matter, it was a tacit acknowledgment that they had no communication with these gods, and knew nothing beyond what human wisdom and discernment could reveal. For this cause the king was angry and very furious. He saw that he and all his people were being made the victims of deception. He accused them, verse 9, of endeavoring to dally along till the “time be changed,” or till the force of the matter had so passed from his mind, that his anger at their duplicity should abate, and he either recall the dream himself, or be unsolicitous whether it were made known and interpreted or not. And while we cannot justify the extreme measures to which he resorted, dooming them to death, and their houses to destruction, we can but feel a hearty sympathy with him in his condemnation of a class of miserable impostors. The severity of his sentence was probably more owing to the customs of those times, than to any malignity on the part of the king. Yet it was a bold and desperate step. Consider who these were who thus incurred the wrath of the king. They were numerous, opulent, and influential sects. Moreover they were the learned and cultivated classes of those times; yet the king was not so wedded to his false religion as to spare it even with all this influence in its favor. If the system was one of fraud and imposition, it must fall, however high its votaries might stand in numbers or position, or however many of them might be involved in its ruin. The king would be no party to dishonesty or deception. VERSE 14. Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon. 15. He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is this decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. 16. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he should shew the king the interpretation. 17. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions; 18; That they would desire mercies of the God of Heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. In this narrative we see the providence of God working in several remarkable particulars. 1. It was providential that the dream of the king should leave such a powerful impression upon him as to raise him to the greatest hight of anxiety, and yet the thing itself be held from his mind. This led to the complete exposure of the false system of the magicians, &c.; for when put to the test to make known the dream, it was found that they were unable to do what their profession made incumbent on them. 2. It was remarkable that Daniel and his companions, so lately pronounced by the king ten times better than all his magicians and astrologers, should not sooner have been consulted, or rather should not have been consulted at all, in this matter. But there was a providence in this. Just as the dream was held from the king, so he was unaccountably held from appealing to Daniel for a solution of his mystery. For had he called on Daniel at the first, and had he at once made known the matter, the magicians would not have been brought to the test. But God would let the heathen systems of the Chaldeans have the first chance. He would let them try and ignominiously fail, and confess their utter incompetency, even under the penalty of death, that they might be the better prepared to acknowledge his hand when he should finally reach it down in behalf of his captive servants, and for the honor of his own name. 3. It appears that the first intimation Daniel had of the matter was the presence of the executors, come for his arrest. His own life being thus at stake, he would be led to seek the Lord with all his heart till he should work for their deliverance. Daniel gains his request of the king for time to consider the matter; a privilege which probably none of the magicians could have secured, as the king had already accused them of preparing lying and corrupt words, and of seeking to gain time for this very purpose. He at once went to his three companions and engaged them to unite with him in desiring mercy of the God of Heaven concerning this secret. Daniel could have prayed alone, and would doubtless have been heard; but then, as now, in the union of God's people is prevailing power; and the promise of the accomplishment of that which is asked, is to the two or three who shall agree concerning it. THE LAKE OF FIRE.
By John Nevins Andrews
SHALL there be a lake of fire in which the wicked shall die the second death? Such is the express testimony of the Scriptures. Rev. xx, 14, 15; xxi, 8. The fire shall descend from God out of Heaven upon them, as in the case of Sodom. Gen. xix; Luke xvii; 2 Pet. ii; Jude, 7; Rev. xx, 9. The elements shall melt with fervent heat, till they become as a fiery oven, a furnace of fire, a devouring fire, a lake of fire, an unquenchable fire, where the wicked shall be consumed, devoured, burned up root and branch, and cease to live. 2 Pet. iii; Ps. xxi, 9; Mal. iv, 1; Matt. xiii, 43, 50; Isa. xxxiii; Rev. xviii, 4, 20; Matt. iii, 12. Our earth shall burn. Its terrible conflagration shall furnish a lake of fire adequate to the purpose of inflicting retribution upon the ungodly. It is to be observed that in Peter, in Malachi, in John, in Daniel, the future inheritance of the saints succeeds this mighty conflagration. Thus in Malachi, the wicked, having been burned up root and branch, are ashes under the feet of the saints. This proves, 1. That the fire after having done its work, is to go out. 2. That saints are to dwell just where the lake of fire has been. So in Revelation. John describes the casting of the wicked into the lake of fire, which he says is the second death, i. e., this is the result of that devouring fire; then the next sentence reads, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away.” So the new earth succeeds the melting of this one. Daniel also has the fourth beast burned, and then the kingdom under the whole29heaven is given to the saints forever. Dan. vii, 11, 17, 18, 27, compared with Rev. xix, 20. And Peter, describing the conflagration of the earth that now is, makes the new heavens and new earth arise from its ashes, just as the present arose from the waters of the flood. The fire is a terrible reality, and our earth is the place of the conflagration. Moses tells us that the fire now burning in the earth, shall eventuate in this dread catastrophe. Deut. xxxii, 22. The interior fires of earth and the fire from God out of Heaven shall unite their forces, and melt our earth as wax. Who of us shall have part in this devouring fire? Are the readers of the REVIEW aware that a great lake of fire has long formed part of one of the Sandwich Islands? A correspondent of the semi-weekly N. Y. Tribune, of Dec. 11, 1868, gives the following account of its present aspect. Read and ponder the description given: Honolulu, Oct. 24. It is not often that I have had an opportunity to send you notes of my ramblings and observations, as I promised; but the sailing of the new steamer Montana, of Holliday’s subsidized line between this port and San Francisco, gives me a chance to send you a few items of news from the dominions of Kamehameha. The great crater of Kilauea is resting from its recent labors. It no longer furnishes burning lava to a red-hot, burning river forty miles long and half a mile wide, making thousands of acres of new dominion in the sea for the Kanaka king; but the great earth cauldron is still fearful to look upon, or to look down into. Think of it! You stand on the brink of a pit, many miles wide, that would swallow up your Park; and looking down the lurid, red-ribbed walls, more than 1,000 feet, there is the lake of eternal fire, whose smoke ascends forever. What is feeble man when he stands on such a brink—when here is a pit of Gomorrah, that could boil up a nation of many millions of evil-doers? Though the great volcano has been some time at rest, we have had, and have at this time, a smoke so dense, shading our tropical sun, that we can look upon him as though all the fires of Kilauea, Mauna Loa, and Phlegethon, were ablaze. It is generally supposed that we shall hear of some great volcanic outburst in mid-ocean, and that there is a new land for fruits and man dotting the Pacific. LABORS IN MINNESOTA.
By F. W. MORSE.
Under a deep conviction of duty, and in keeping with the advice of the Conference, I have made arrangements to employ myself to the extent of my feeble30abilities with laboring in the cause. In the opening providence of God, and with considerable effort and sacrifice on my part, I have made business arrangements and changes so as to free myself from cares and perplexities that have bound me down to the world, bringing many dark hours of self-reproach and sadness, and hedging up the way against laboring in the cause. The business of selling out, marketing crops, and change of location, prevented me from attending the fall series of Quarterly Meetings with Bro. Pierce, a course of instruction and preparation I would most gladly have enjoyed. Home affairs were so arranged as to give me opportunity to attend the meeting with the little frontier band at Jo Daviess, Blue Earth Co. Here we were glad to meet Bro. Pierce and Grant. We found a protracted meeting in progress under the management of four ministers, and as our brethren were young in the cause, it had been given out with a degree of assurance that they would be jostled from the track, and turned over to the F. W. Baptists. The ministers, however, kindly gave way for us to occupy the school-house on Sabbath and first-day forenoon, but were in attendance to take notes, ask questions, &c. As the subject of the law of God and the Sabbath question was presented, these professed teachers of the word of God manifested a spirit of contention, contradicting Bro. Pierce in such a manner as to expose the unreasonable position of the opposer to all the listeners. One, in a hasty manner, threw out an offer to discuss with us; but when we called him up to the point, and stated that whilst we were opposed to going about for the express purpose of waging battle, in contention and debate, we should never retreat from the field when challenged, he drew back and did not wish to be understood as desiring to discuss with us at all. After the meeting on first-day, Bro. Pierce and Grant started on their return homeward, and I remained to hold some further meetings with the brethren, visit some in adjoining places, and afterward go on to Tarhassen, Martin Co., to hold a series of meetings. In carrying out this plan, five meetings were held at Jo Daviess. At the last the ordinances were celebrated, and four united with the church. All stand firmer than before. This last meeting was a time long to be remembered. I have visited and tried to encourage scattered brethren, and am now at Tarhassen. Have given four discourses with good interest. If Bro. Ingraham returns to this State soon, can he not come up this way? F. W. MORSE. “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law.”
The law here referred to by the apostle, is that by which is the knowledge of sin. Verse 20. The inspired definition of sin is, “The transgression of the law,” 1 John iii, 4. Some quibble here, and say, “This does not tell us what law it is that it is sin to transgress. We would refer all such to what is said about it by the apostle James, chap. ii, 8–12. We are informed there that sin is the transgression of that law which says, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” and “Thou shalt not kill.” It is, therefore, the law of God—the ten commandments, which Paul so emphatically declares is not made void by faith in Christ. Faith in the Saviour does not abolish the moral law. But, on the other hand, Paul declares that by faith in Christ “we establish the law.” How can this be? Simply as follows: God created the man Adam, and placed him in the garden of Eden with a right to everything that was for his own comfort and enjoyment. He had also a right to the tree of life; but there was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which was, by the command of the Lord, reserved. This tree was to prove the man’s fidelity to his Maker. By obedience he would ever retain his right to the tree of life, and live continually. To disobey would be to incur the displeasure of his God, and fall under the sentence of death. He did disobey, and immediately was deprived of his right to the tree of life. He was driven from the garden of Eden under the sentence of death. He must return to dust from whence he was taken, and there is no way of escape. He had violated his Maker’s law. Now in order to save man and restore him again to a right to the tree of life, the Lord must do away with his law and let man live, or he must provide a means to bring him up again from death. He could not be a just God and do away his law; therefore this would be impossible. Another way to save man must be provided. The Son of God offers to become man’s Saviour by being made a sacrifice for sin. The sacrifice is accepted, the plan of salvation is laid, and the promise is given. Hope revives in the heart of man as he views, by faith, his Saviour suffering for the sins of the whole world. By faith in Jesus, man can secure the pardon of all his violations of the law of God. “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts iv, 12. It is not by the doing away of the law of God, therefore, that man obtains a right to the tree of life, but by faith in Jesus his Saviour, and by obedience to the law. Jesus has said, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev. xxii, 12. It is thus, dear reader, that faith in Christ establishes the law of God. By obedience to it, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, all may obtain eternal life. MEETINGS IN MAINE.
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
Sabbath and first-day, Jan. 2 and 3, I spent at Norridgewock. The church there appears to be prospering. As it was the time appointed for the ordinances, I thought best, on Sabbath morning, to speak on church relations, which, I trust, was timely. Four united with them. I enjoyed the meeting well, but was worn by previous labor, so that I did not feel able to speak with all the energy I desired. But it was refreshing to know that I was among friends who sympathized with me, and who were willing to aid me with their prayers. Monday, the 14th, I went to Athens. When I was there in November, I visited Sr. Welch, “a widow indeed,” who has struggled for years to support herself and children, all of whom she has trained up devoted Christians. I felt deeply interested in her case, and presented it to the meeting at Norridgewock, with especial reference to her youngest boy, a lad of 14, for whom I thought a home should be found among the brethren, for his own benefit, and for the relief of his mother. Taking with me the evidence of the benevolent feelings of the church, I went and brought away her son, on only an hour’s notice. Benny Welch, though 14 years of age, is very small of stature, but his mind has matured fast enough to make up for the lack of growth of his body. If his education is rightly cared for, he may soon be made useful, I have no doubt. He is now with Bro. Warren Clark, at Kendall’s Mills. May the Lord direct us in our duty to the widow and the fatherless. Last Sabbath and first-day I spent with the church in Topsham and Brunswick. It was a real privilege to me to meet with them, but I think it is an error to have so much preaching on such occasions. As the bills were posted, I thought it best to conform to the arrangement, and spoke on Sabbath evening, and three times each day beside. I had some misgivings as to the result, but felt no injury from the labor. All seemed to enjoy and prize the preaching, but it left no opportunity for visiting or for social meetings. This is not the way to build up the cause in the church. On Sunday evening I had special freedom in presenting the present truth, and a solemnity seemed to rest on all present; but I think the effect would have been far better if all had been prompt to add their testimony to the word spoken. I am glad that the resident preachers in Maine begin to realize that ours is a missionary work, and to feel the necessity of going out into new fields. I hope they may hold on with patience till they see the fruit of their labor. We expect soon to commence meetings in another place; just where, we have not yet decided. We still request the prayers of all.
J. H. WAGGONER.
Richmond, Me., Jan. 12, 1869. REPORT FROM BRO. LAWRENCE.
By R. J. LAWRENCE
My last report was from home, Dec. 2, where I remained until the 14th, when my wife had so far recovered from her sickness that I ventured to leave, and return to Fulton. The next day, circulated an appointment for the evening. There were but a few out. The attendance was small through the week. The interest manifested when I left, was broken off, and it seemed impossible to regain it. The church members, with a very few exceptions, did not attend; and some of them were very busy in circulating falsehoods about us, speaking evil of things which they understood not. Then came on the excitement of the holidays. I continued until Sunday evening, Jan. 3. I spent five weeks, gave thirty-five lectures, and left sixteen keeping the Sabbath. They have Sabbath meetings, a Sabbath School, and Bible Class. They are surrounded by a proud, popular Christianity. May the Lord bless them with his grace, and enable them to overcome those influences, their passions and appetites, and really put on the Lord Jesus, not being conformed to this world, but transformed, that they may prove what is that good, and perfect, and acceptable will of the Lord. REPORT FROM CALIFORNIA.
By D. T. Bourdeau
SINCE our last report, which was written a week ago to-day, it has rained almost constantly, so that we have been able to hold only two meetings. But we have improved our time in writing every day, and have realized the blessing of the Lord in talking the truth. Two more have decided to keep the Sabbath. Yesterday, Sunday, we dwelt upon Bible Temperance, and gave a closing discourse on the Invitations of the Spirit, Bride, and the Church, as brought to view in Rev. xxii, 17. We also established Sabbath meetings, and arranged for a Bible Class and Sabbath School. I think the little company here have reason to be encouraged. If they are faithful, the Lord will meet with them according to his promise, and will add to their numbers such as shall be saved. Yesterday afternoon, after we had decided to leave to-day, whether with reference to this fact or otherwise we will not here say, Eld. Miller, the regular Methodist preacher on this circuit, said that as there had been some excitement on the Sabbath question of late, he would speak in this place on the subject of the Sabbath, showing that Sunday is the Christian Sabbath, in two weeks from that time. One, or both, of us will try to attend, and see what the elder will have to say. After this, we expect to enter another new field. We now intend to spend next Sabbath with the brethren at Petaluma. D. T. BOURDEAU.
Windsor, Cal., Dec. 28, 1868. REPORT FROM BRO. COTTRELL.
By R. F. Cottrell
I AM in a new field. Have had meetings each evening for the past week in Nashville, Chautauqua Co., N. Y. The Baptists opened their house of worship for us, and their minister gave notice of our meetings to his congregation, and recommended to them to come out and hear. Soon after the commencement of our meetings, word came that the members of the Methodist society at Cottage (otherwise called Slab City, and West Dayton), desired me to come there and give a course of lectures, offering us the use of their house, and also to warm and light it at their own expense. I am to begin there Sunday evening, Jan. 10. It is nearly four miles from Nashville. I design to alternate between the two places, a week at a time in each, till the truth is fairly set before them. The interest has been good the past week. It has been thawy and is becoming muddy; yet we have had good congregations of attentive hearers. Will each one of God's Israel who reads these lines, offer up one fervent petition, at least, that God will work for the salvation of souls in this vicinity? DID IT REQUIRE LOVE TO FULFILL THE TEN COMMANDMENTS?
By Dudley Marvin Canright
To those who love the law of God it seems strange that any one should say that there is no love in the ten commandments; yet this is asserted by those who would have the law abolished. I have heard ministers say that a man might keep all the ten commandments and yet neither love God nor his neighbor. Some go further, and declare that a man might have hatred, adultery, &c., in his heart, and yet not break the ten commandments under the old covenant. Proof of this is supposed to be found in Christ’s language in Matt. v, 27, 28, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery; but I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Here, they say, in Christ’s new law, to have adultery, or murder, or theft, in the heart, is breaking the law; but before that, the act must be actually committed in order to break the law. Hence, the law did not reach to the thoughts and to the intents of the heart, it only required a strict outward obedience. Then I reply that under the old covenant, men could have adultery, theft, and murder, in their hearts, and there was no law to condemn it, and if they did not outwardly break the law, they could not be condemned; hence, God must take them to Heaven with murder, adultery, &c., in their hearts! The mere statement of the case is enough to condemn it. This would make God unjust; for he would damn a man in this dispensation for the very thing that he would allow in the old. Thus men, in trying to get rid of that old yoke of bondage, as they call the law, have only bound more heavy burdens upon themselves by the gospel! We do not think that Jesus added anything to the commandments, or made them extend any further than they did before, but simply explained what their real intent and meaning was and always had been. As evidence of this, we refer to the prophecy concerning what he would do to the law, found in Isa. xlii, 21: “He will magnify the law, and make it honorable.” To magnify a thing is not to abolish it, but to make it appear larger than it did before; not because it is larger, but because we see it more plainly. This is what Christ was to do to the law, and what he did really do—he showed how exceeding broad the commandments were, even extending to the thoughts and intents of the heart. But I will now offer proof that the ten commandments did require love to fulfill them, and that they could be broken by simply cherishing wrong desires in the heart, without any open transgression. The second commandment requires love to God, and threatens those who hate him: “For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” Ex. xx, 5, 6. With this language before them, it is hard to imagine how men can say that the commandments do not teach love to God. In Deut. vi, 5, we read: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might,” and in Lev. xix, 18, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” After quoting these two commandments, Jesus says, “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matt. xxii, 40. He did not give these two commandments himself, and say that his new law hung on them, but he quoted them from the old law, and then stated a fact, which had always been a fact, that all the law and the prophets hung on these two great commandments. When was the law hung there? When God first gave that law. Look a moment: The first one of these two great commandments requires supreme love to God; on this the first four of the ten commandments all hang. If we love God, we cannot have other gods, nor can we make, and bow down to, images; nor can we take God’s name in vain; neither can we break his Sabbath. Hence these four commandments are based upon the principle of love to God, and require us to love God in order to keep them. The second of the two great commandments requires equal love to our neighbor. If we love our neighbor, we cannot kill him, nor bear false witness against him, nor steal from him, &c. Hence these six commandments are built upon the principle of love to our neighbor, and require us to love him in order to fulfill them. This fact Paul has stated in very clear terms. “Owe no man anything, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” What law, Paul? Ans. “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; THEREFORE LOVE IS THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW.” Rom. xiii, 8–10. This is a good testimony, and to the point. He quotes five of the ten commandments, showing beyond a doubt what law he refers to; then he sums up by saying that “love is the fulfilling of the law.” Yet men who profess to be Christians have the presumption to affirm that there never was any love required by the ten commandments! John agrees with Paul; for he says, “This is the love of God that we keep his commandments.” 1 John v, 3. These testimonies I think are sufficient to settle the fact that it did require love to fulfill the commandments. Now it will be in order for us to inquire whether the ten commandments reached to the thoughts and intents of the heart. A man must be willingly ignorant who thinks they did not. What does the last commandment say? “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife,” &c. Is it not a mental act, as evil desires of the heart alone, which breaks this commandment? This fact alone is enough to settle this point. But, as I have shown above, it requires love to fulfill the law; hence it follows that the law did reach to the secret feelings and emotions of the heart. Again, the wise man says, “The thought of foolishness is sin.” Prov. xxiv, 9. Sin is the transgression of the law. 1 John iii, 4. Here, again, the law is shown to reach to the thoughts. The Psalmist intimates the same thing when he says, “I hate vain thoughts; but thy law do I love.” Ps. cxix, 113. The same truth is shown by the fact that the law of God was in the hearts of the righteous. Ps. xi, 8; Isa. li, 7. But Paul sets this matter at rest when he says, “For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin.” Rom. vii, 14. This is the law of ten commandments, for he calls it the law of God, verse 22, and quotes the last commandment. Verse 7. That which is spiritual must reach beyond a mere outward form, even to the thoughts and desires of the mind. But, as if to put it beyond all doubt, he says, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Chap. viii, 7. So then the law of God reaches to the carnal mind and condemns it. Did not the carnal mind exist before the coming of Christ? Most assuredly. And it was no more subject to the law of God then than now. Christ himself has shown that the commandments reach to the evil thoughts and desires of the mind. He said that whoever was angry with his brother without a cause had broken the sixth commandment. So of the seventh. Matt. v, 21–28. What answer then shall we return to the question, Did it require love to fulfill the ten commandments? Judge ye. D. M. CANRIGHT. Richmond, Me., Jan. 4, 1869. VOWING AND PAYING.
By Henry F. Phelps
“BETTER not to vow, than to vow, and not pay.” How many who read these lines have vowed, and not paid? How many promised at the last prayer-meeting to be more diligent, watchful, prayerful, careful of their conversation, &c., &c., and that of their own accord? Have you done as you promised? How many while in adverse circumstances have vowed that if God would spare, they would be more faithful! Have you paid those vows? How many while sitting and listening to some soul-stirring discourse, have decided that they would be Christians! Did you become such? How many have decided that they would keep God’s holy Sabbath better! Have you done it? How many have decided that they would be more faithful to their children; but have they done as they ought in this direction? Kind reader, these questions apply to you. Answer them as you will some day wish you had, not by word only, but in deed and in truth. Be decided. Make up your mind that you will, and then do it. Now I will ask another question, and the reader may judge to whom it applies. I wish to know something about s. B. How many are very much behind in their vows in this respect? And again, how many have vowed upon a vow, that is, have promised themselves (and the Lord heard them) that as soon as they received pay for this or that job of work, or got their threshing done, or their grain marketed, the very first money they got, they would pay their tithe to the Lord. Have you done it? or have you paid Cæsar first? God wants a people who will not only vow, but vow and pay. Oh! listen to the words of the prophet, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Mal. iii, 10. “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice, and the heavens shall declare his righteousness; for God is judge himself.” Ps. l, 3-6.