Review and Herald, Vol. 52, No. 21. (11/21/1878)

Review and Herald

Nov 21, 1878

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 21, 1878

HOLIDAY PRESENTS.

By Ellen G. White

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.

The holidays are approaching. In view of this fact, it will be well to consider how much money is expended yearly in making presents to those who have no need of them. The habits of custom are so strong that to withhold gifts from our friends on these occasions would seem to us almost a neglect of them. But let us remember that our kind heavenly Benefactor has claims upon us far superior to those of any earthly friend. Shall we not, during the coming holidays, present our offerings to God? Even the children may participate in this work. Clothing and other useful articles may be given to the worthy poor, and thus a work may be done for the Master.

Let us remember that Christmas is celebrated in commemoration of the birth of the world's Redeemer. This day is generally spent in feasting and gluttony. Large sums of money are spent in needless self-indulgence. The appetite and sensual pleasures are indulged at the expense of physical, mental, and moral power. Yet this has become a habit. Pride, fashion, and gratification of the palate, have swallowed up immense sums of money that have really benefited no one, but have encouraged a prodigality of means which is displeasing to God. These days are spent in glorifying self rather than God. Health has been sacrificed, money worse than thrown away, many have lost their lives by overeating or through demoralizing dissipation, and souls have been lost by this means.

God would be glorified by his children should they enjoy a plain, simple diet, and use the means intrusted to them in bringing to his treasury offerings, small and great, to be used in sending the light of truth to souls that are in the darkness of error. The hearts of the widow and fatherless may be made to rejoice because of gifts which will add to their comfort and satisfy their hunger.

Let all who profess to believe the present truth calculate how much they spend yearly, and especially upon the recurrence of the annual holidays, for the gratification of selfish and unholy desires, how much in the indulgence of appetite, and how much to compete with others in unchristian display. Sum up the means thus spent all needlessly, and then estimate how much might be saved as consecrated gifts to God's cause without injury to soul or body. Mites and more liberal gifts may be brought in, according to the ability of the giver, to aid in lifting debts from churches which have been dedicated to God. Then there are missionaries to be sent into new fields, and others to be supported in their respective fields of labor. These missionaries have to practice the strictest economy, even denying themselves the very things you enjoy daily, and which you consider the necessaries of life. They enjoy few luxuries.

If, after prayerful consideration of this matter, you are not moved to prompt and zealous action, we shall know that you have forgotten your first love, that you have lost sight of the sacrifice Jesus has made for you that you might be blessed with the gift of eternal life. Said Christ, “If any man will be my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” Self-denial is a mark of Christianity. To offer to God gifts that have cost us something, a sacrifice that we shall ask him to use to advance his cause in the earth, will be pleasing to him. The Saviour will accept the free-will offerings of every one, from the oldest to the youngest. Even small children may participate in this work, and enjoy the privilege of bringing their little offerings. While we have been mindful of our earthly friends from year to year, have we not neglected our heavenly Friend? In bestowing our gifts liberally upon our friends, have we not forgotten God and passed him by?

“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 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.”

Heavy debts are upon several of our churches. Let us consider from this time how we may economize in expending our means, and help to remove these encumbrances. As Christians, we should follow the directions of the inspired apostle: “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves.”

The apostle Paul gave directions to Timothy similar to the instruction given by Peter: “I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”

It would be well pleasing to God if extra ornaments, twice so explicitly forbidden in the word of God, were laid off. Now is a favorable opportunity to present these as offerings to God. They may be sold for something, and the money thus received may be used to advance the precious cause of truth. Let the wearing of useless trimmings and adornments be discarded. Extravagance should never be indulged in to gratify our pride. Our dress may be of good quality, made up with plainness and simplicity, for durability rather than for display. Our appetites must also be brought into subjection, and not gratified to our injury. The question should come home to every heart, “How much owest thou unto my Lord?” He has granted us privileges and blessings without number; and now should not the bands of selfishness be broken and removed from us, and the just claims of God and humanity be met?

Missionaries are planting the standard of truth in foreign lands. Publications must be multiplied, and scattered like the leaves of autumn. These silent messengers are enlightening and molding the minds of thousands in every country and in every clime. As a people, we come far short of moving forward as fast as the providence of God opens the way. He gives the command, “Go forward!” Thousands are thirsting for living truth. The Macedonian cry is coming to us from every direction, “Come over and help us.” We look about us and inquire, “Who will go?” One and another may respond, “Send me. I long to do something for my Master.” But to do this requires money.

Time and again I have had presented before me a vision of people, across the broad ocean, standing in perplexity, and pale with anxiety, and earnestly inquiring, “What is truth?” Say they, “We want the bread of life. Our churches are backslidden from God. We want to find the old paths. We want to come back to the simplicity of gospel religion.” Our tears will flow as we see this picture, like a reality, rising vividly before us. The voice from Heaven pleads, “Go ye therefore into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” While so great a work remains to be done, shall not we, as Christ's followers, arouse to a sense of our God-given responsibilities, and be active in doing our part?

The lands that have never heard the truth are yet to hear it. They are to become vocal with the praise of God, and to lift their voices in proclaiming the last note of warning. If the church of Christ will now use all her talents of means and of influence according to God's order, the great work may be carried forward gloriously. We need men who are adapted to the work. Money is also needed to carry it forward. Let the church show that she is in earnest. A steady flow of means from each member will keep the treasury supplied with funds. “Bring ye,” says God, “all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house.” If all the sin-offerings and peace-offerings and thank-offerings are brought into the treasury, we shall see that souls will not be so dark and backslidden from God. They will show by their works that they have a lively interest in the success of the truth, and the advancement of the glory of God in the earth. That which costs little we have no special interest in; but that in which we have invested our means, claims our interest and attention, and we will labor to make it a success.

We see the churches of our day encouraging feasting, gluttony, and dissipation, by the suppers, fairs, dances, and festivals gotten up for the purpose of gathering means into the church treasury. Here is a method invented by carnal minds to secure means without sacrificing. Such an example makes an impression upon the minds of youth. They notice that lotteries and fairs and games are sanctioned by the church, and they think there is something fascinating in this way of obtaining means.

A youth is surrounded by temptations. He enters the bowling alley, the gaming saloon, to see the sport. He sees the money taken by the one who wins. This looks enticing. It seems an easier way of obtaining money than by earnest work, which requires persevering energy and strict economy. He imagines there can be no harm in this; for similar games have been resorted to in order to obtain means for the benefit of the church. Then why should he not help himself in this way? He has a little means, which he ventures to invest, thinking it may bring in quite a sum. Whether he gains or loses, he is in the downward road to ruin. But it was the example of the church that led him into the false path.

Let us stand clear of all these church corruptions, dissipations, and festivals, which have a demoralizing influence upon young and old. We have no right to throw over them the cloak of sanctity because the means is to be used for church purposes. Such offerings are lame and diseased, and bear the curse of God. They are the price of souls. The pulpit may defend festivals, dancing, lotteries, fairs, and luxurious feasts, to obtain means for church purposes; but let us participate in none of these things; for if we do, God's displeasure will be upon us. We do not propose to appeal to the lust of appetite or resort to carnal amusements as an inducement to Christ's professed followers to give of the means which God has intrusted to them. If they do not give willingly, for the love of Christ, the offering will in no case be acceptable to God.

Death, clad in the livery of Heaven, lurks in the pathway of the young. Sin is gilded over by church sanctity. These various forms of amusement in the churches of our day have ruined thousands who, but for them, might have remained upright and become the followers of Christ. Wrecks of character have been made by these fashionable church festivals and theatrical performances, and thousands more will be destroyed; yet people will not be aware of the danger, nor of the fearful influences exerted. Many young men and women have lost their souls through these corrupting influences.

While God in his providence has laden the earth with his bounties and filled its storehouses with the luxuries of life, there is no excuse whatever for allowing the treasury of God to remain empty. Christians are not excusable for permitting the widow's cries and the orphan's prayers to ascend to Heaven because of their suffering want, while a liberal Providence has placed in the hands of these Christians abundance to supply their need. Let not the cries of the widow and fatherless call down the vengeance of Heaven upon us as a people. In the professed Christian world, there is enough expended in extravagant display, for jewels and ornaments, to supply the wants of all the hungry and clothe the naked in our towns and cities; and yet these professed followers of the meek and lowly Jesus need not deprive themselves of suitable food or comfortable clothing. What will these church members say when confronted in the day of God by the worthy poor, the afflicted, the widows and fatherless, who have known pinching want for the meager necessities of life, while there was expended by these professed followers of Christ, for superfluous clothing, and needless ornaments expressly forbidden in the word of God, enough to supply all their wants?

We see ladies professing godliness wear elegant gold chains, necklaces, rings, and other jewelry, with a profusion of feathers and ribbons and expensive trimmings, while want stalks in the streets, and the suffering and destitute are on every side. These do not interest them, nor awaken their sympathy; but they will weep over the imaginary suffering depicted in the last novel. They have no ears for the

cries of the needy, no eyes to behold the cold and almost naked forms of women and children around them. They look upon real want as a species of crime, and withdraw from suffering humanity as from a contagious disease. To such, Christ will say, “I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick and in prison, and ye visited me not.”

But on the other hand Christ says to the righteous: “For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matt. 25:35-40. Thus Christ identifies his interest with that of suffering humanity. Deeds of love and charity done to the suffering are as though done to himself.

“As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of man.” There will be feasting and merriment, sorrow and want and anguish, until the end comes. Then the wicked shall reap that which they have sown—corruption.

UPON THE HEIGHTS.

By Eliza H. Morton

Upon the mountain-top I stand, Alone with God; Far, far above the world of sin, With Christ my Lord.

The foot of man has seldom trod This awful height; The rocks, the rills, the cliffs sublime, Proclaim God's might.

Deep silence reigns, no sound is heard; Oh, stillness grand! This mass of earth is e'er for aye With breezes fanned.

The sun above shines bright and clear, With dazzling light; The clouds below hang o'er the vale, Like banners white.

Upon the heights! O may I be In spirit here! 'Tis sweet to know, 'tis sweet to feel God's presence near.

Upon the heights! O let us all Look toward the skies! And to our God, and Christ, and home, Lift streaming eyes.

Upon the heights! We soon shall dwell Forever there; Within a city rich and grand, Mount Zion fair.

ELIZA H. MORTON.

Allen's Corner, Me.

THE BELIEF OF DIFFERENT NATIONS RESPECTING THE RESURRECTION.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

BY ELD. D. M. CANRIGHT.

THE EGYPTIANS.

The Egyptians were among the most ancient of nations. It is a well-known fact that they were celebrated for embalming the dead. This they did at great expense, and so effectually that many bodies, called mummies, are preserved in quite a perfect condition to the present day.

Their object in thus embalming their dead was to preserve the body for the resurrection. This is admitted by the ablest scholars, as will be seen by the following testimonies which are from the very best authorities. The first is from Calmet’s Dictionary of the Holy Bible: “The ancient Egyptians, and the Hebrews in imitation of them, embalmed the bodies of the dead. . . . The art of physic was by the Egyptians ascribed to Isis, and in particular the remedy which procured immortality, which, in my opinion, was no other than that of embalming bodies, and rendering them incorruptible.” This language is remarkable. Their first idea of immortality was to preserve the body from decay till it should live again, and thus become immortal. “That the custom of embalming was very ancient in Egypt, is shown from the practice of cutting the bodies with an Ethiopian stone. Some mummies also bear the date of the oldest kings.”

Our next testimony on this point is from that celebrated work, “Kitto’s Biblical Cyclopedia.” Kitto says: “The feeling which led the Egyptians to embalm the dead, probably sprung from their belief in the future reunion of the soul with the body. Such a reunion is distinctly spoken of in the ‘Book of the Dead,’ and obscure as is the subject, probably on account of the obscurity of the details of the Egyptian belief, the statements are sufficiently positive to make this general conclusion certain.” Thus we see that this critical author considers it certain that embalming was practiced to preserve the body from decay till its reunion with the soul, or till it should live again. What is more natural than this conclusion? and if this were not their object in embalming their dead, what could it have been? Mr. Chambers says: “This art [that of embalming] seems to have derived its origin from the idea that the preservation of the body was necessary for the return of the soul to the human form, after it had completed its cycle of the existence of three or ten thousand years.”

We will now introduce another witness, Mr. Bunsen, whose testimony on this subject should be decisive. No author could be better prepared to judge than he is. “The real meaning,” he says, “of the celebrated passage in Herodotus (ii. 135) about the reason why the Egyptians bestowed so much care on the preservation of the body, and, as it were, on preventing it from passing away, must have been this: The belief in a resurrection of the body. . . . Man justified is one with God, the eternal Creator, self-created. His bodily organ, therefore, is holy. This doctrine we may now read in every page of the sacred books. Hence the popular notion in Egypt, that, unless its old human envelope were preserved, the soul would be subject to disturbances and hindrances in performing its destined course. . . . The Greeks and Romans had an equal faith in burial as necessary to insure the entry of the soul into the invisible world of spirits.”

Another able author says: “The practice of embalming was not peculiar to Egypt. It was practiced among many nations of the Old World, and is in use among some people even at the present day.”

Thus the earliest doctrine of a future life was that it must be obtained through the resurrection of the body.

THE ANCIENT PERSIANS.

The ancient Persians were among the oldest nations of antiquity, the immediate descendants of Noah. It is well known that they too hoped for a future immortality through the resurrection of the body. Says Alger, stating their doctrine: “But at last Ormuzd will rise in his might, and put an end to these awful scenes. He will send on earth a saviour, Sosiosch, to deliver mankind, to wind up the final period of time, and to bring the arch-enemy to judgment. At the sound of the voice of Sosiosch the dead will come forth. Good, bad, indifferent,—all alike will rise, each in his order. Kaimorts, the original single ancestor of men, will be the firstling. Next Meschia and Meschiane, the primal parent pair, will appear. And then the whole multitudinous family of mankind will throng up. The genii of the elements will render up the sacred materials intrusted to them, and rebuild the decomposed bodies. . . . ‘At the appointed epoch, Ahriman shall be subdued,’ and ‘men shall live again, and shall be immortal.’”

Here, again, the same primitive faith in a future immortality through the resurrection is expressed.

THE ANCIENT ARABS.

Between Egypt and Persia lived the Arabians, one of the most ancient of the nations. They believed in a future life, but not in the immortality of the soul. So says the very learned Dr. Good, who was himself a believer in the doctrine that the soul is immortal. He writes thus: “If we turn from Persia, Egypt, and Hindostan, to Arabia, . . . we shall find the entire subject left in as blank and barren a silence as the deserts by which they are surrounded; or, if touched upon, only touched upon to betray doubt, and sometimes disbelief. The tradition, indeed, of a future state of retributive justice seems to have reached the schools of this part of the world, and to have been generally, though perhaps not universally, accredited; but the future existence it alludes to is that of a resurrection of the body and not of a survival of the soul after the body’s dissolution.” “And the same general idea has, for the most part, descended in the same country to the present day.”

This is another good proof as to what was the ancient faith of men.

THE MOHAMMEDANS.

The Mohammedans arose in Arabia in the seventh century, and now number over 160,000,000, more than one-tenth of the entire population of the world. Says Alger: “A very prominent doctrine in the Moslem creed is that of the resurrection of the body. This is a central feature in the orthodox faith.”

“They are not agreed on the subject of the condition of the soul between death and the resurrection. On this they have argued and speculated much, but they are still divided. The souls of the prophets, it is thought, are admitted directly to Heaven. The souls of martyrs, according to a tradition received from Mohammed, rest in Heaven, in the crops of green birds that eat of the fruits and drink of the rivers there. As to the location of the souls of the great mass of the faithful, the conclusions are various. Some maintain that their souls and those of the impious will alike sleep in the dust until the end, when Israfil’s blast shall stir them into life to be judged.”

The learned Dr. Good confirms this testimony thus: “Yet in this sublime and magnificent poem, replete with all the learning and wisdom of the age, the doctrine upon the subject before us is merely, as I have just stated it, a patriarchal or traditionary belief of a future state of retributive justice, not by the natural immortality of the soul, but by a resurrection of the body. And the same general idea has for the most part descended in the same country to the present day; for the Alcoran [the sacred book of the Mohammedans] which is perpetually appealing to the latter fact, leaves the former almost untouched and altogether in a state of indecision; whence the expounders of the Eslam scriptures, both Sonnites and Motazzalites, or orthodox and heterodox, are divided upon the subject, some embracing and others rejecting.”

From modern nations they have to some extent imbibed the notion that the soul lives without the body, though this view is not held by all. The primitive doctrine of the resurrection is still firmly held.

THE JEWS.

The Jews were the near neighbors and contemporaries of the Arabians. We have the history of their ancestors from Adam. God directly and frequently instructed them concerning a future life. That, as a nation, they were firm believers in the resurrection of the dead, is well known to all readers of the Bible. We need not argue that point here. But many learned men who believe in the immortality of the soul have frankly confessed that nothing is said upon this subject in the Bible.

Olshausen, in his comments on 1 Cor. 15:13, says, “The doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and the name, are alike unknown to the entire Bible.” This is a good confession, and here is another of the same kind. Bishop Tillotson, in his sermons of 1774, vol. ii., says, “The immortality of the soul is rather supposed, or taken for granted, than expressly revealed in the Bible.” This is virtually admitting the whole question.

Dr. Bagnall, in the Methodist Quarterly Review for April, 1852, while advocating the natural immortality of man, makes this confession: “In the Bible, we think, there is no passage which can be strictly said to declare that all human souls are immortal. The celebrated Richard Watson corroborates this statement thus: ‘That the soul is naturally immortal . . . is contradicted by the Scripture, which makes our immortality a gift dependent on the will of the giver.’”

Mr. Alger, in his late popular book, says: “The whole tenor and drift of the representations in the Old Testament show that the state of disembodied souls is deep quietude. Freed from bondage, pain, toil, and care, they repose in silence.”

Archbishop Whately, in his “Revelations of a Future State,” says: “To the Christian, indeed, all this doubt would be instantly removed, if he found that the immortality of the soul, as a disembodied spirit, were revealed in the word of God. . . . In fact, however, no such doctrine is revealed to us; the Christian’s hope, as founded on the promises contained in the gospel, is the resurrection of the body.”

Bishop Lowth, in his “Lectures on Hebrew Poetry,” p. 78, says, “We there find no exact account, no explicit mention, of immortal spirits.” This is a significant confession, since the bishop was a firm believer in the soul’s immortality.

Dr. Neander says, “It was an old Jewish notion that immortality was not founded upon the nature of the soul, but was a peculiar gift of divine grace.”

Here is another good admission from an orthodox writer: “We would express our conviction that the idea of the immortality of the soul has no source in the gospel, that it comes, on the contrary, from the Platonists.”

Says Gibbon: “We discover that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is omitted in the law of Moses.” Milman thus admits the same: “Modern writers have accounted in various ways for the silence of the Hebrew legislator on the immortality of the soul.”

Nemesius, bishop of Emesa, in the fifth century, thus states the doctrine of the Jews: “The Hebrews say that originally man was made evidently neither mortal nor immortal, but on the confines of either nature; so that if he should yield to the bodily affections, he should share also the changes of the body; but if he should prefer the nobler affections of the soul, he should be deemed worthy of immortality.” This plainly shows the faith of the ancient Hebrews, as well as the doctrine of the Bible upon this point.

CHRISTIANS.

It is well known that, with isolated exceptions, simply here and there one, the great body of the Christian nations have from first to last firmly held to the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. This is true of the Greek Church numbering about 70,000,000; the Catholic Church, about 170,000,000; and the Protestant churches, about 90,000,000, about one quarter of the race. We mention this to show how large a place the doctrine of the resurrection has always had in the faith of men; and it is because this is what God taught men from the very beginning of the world. Since that time, they have corrupted this simple doctrine by a thousand speculations of their own.

THE SITUATION IN THE EAST.

WITHIN a few months three treaties have been made to settle the affairs of the East. If that of St. Stephano had not been resisted by England and Austria, we should at least have known where we were. We should have been under Russian influence, but we should have had peace and a period of repose. The treaty of Berlin and the Cyprus treaty have placed us in such a position that confusion reigns everywhere in the empire, and no one but a prophet could pretend to predict anything of the future.

I can do no more than give you an idea of the situation as it exists to-day. In European Turkey, Austria was to have peacefully occupied Bosnia and Herzegovina for a few years; but she has thus far failed to come to any understanding with the Porte, and has been forced to conquer these provinces at a cost of millions of money and thousands of lives. It is generally believed here that she will not only annex these provinces, but come on, in the spring, to Salonica.

Montenegro was to have had an addition to her territory, but she has not yet obtained possession of it. A formidable insurrection, under the name of the Albanian League, not only resists this annexation to Montenegro, but now defies the Turkish government, and is murdering the Turkish officials. It is understood here that this movement was originated and fostered by the Turkish government to furnish it with an excuse for not giving any territory to Greece, and to this day it is spoken of with favor by the Turkish newspapers in Constantinople; but it has now gone beyond the control of the government, and there is talk of sending 50,000 troops to put it down. It is more than doubtful, however, whether Turkish troops will fight against their Mohammedan brethren in Albania, and what the end will be no one can foresee. Coming a little nearer to Constantinople, we have another insurrection in the Rhodope mountains; which is directed by three Englishmen, and is supposed by the people there to be under the patronage of the English government. It will probably unite with the Albanian League.

A little farther off we have Greece threatening war to compel the rectification of her frontier which was recommended at Berlin, but which the Turks have no idea of granting. Near at hand we have the new province of Eastern Roumelia, which is still occupied by the Russians, but the Berlin Congress appointed a commission to organize this province, and decreed that the Russians should leave it in three months after the work of the commission was completed. At the same time the Turkish troops were to occupy the Balkans between this Province and Bulgaria. The commission is now holding its sessions in Constantinople; but the Bulgarians declare that they will not accept the decision of the Congress which divided them into two provinces. They have organized an army, and are prepared to resist by force. The impression here is that the commission will fail to come to any unanimous conclusion, and that the Russians will remain to assist the Bulgarians. Who will undertake to drive them out?

Crossing the Bosphorus into Asia, we have all Armenia in a state of ferment, the Christians leaving in crowds to emigrate to Russia, and the Kurds in open rebellion. Farther west, we have a formidable rebellion

in the Kozan mountains and the Arabs in a state of discontent as far south as Bagdad, a rebellion in Arabia, and general insecurity all through Asia Minor.

At Constantinople the government seems paralyzed. There is no man among the Pachas strong enough to rule, and no such unity of sentiment as might result in a strong party combination. The Sultan is no doubt a well-meaning man who would be glad to do the right thing if he knew what it was, but he is constitutionally timid, not to say cowardly, and he can know but little of the true state of the country. In practice he simply obstructs everything and defends his absolute power as the only hope of the empire.

When we consider the difficulties which now beset this feeble and tottering government, the only wonder is that it can stand for a day. Aside from the funded debt of $1,000,000,000, upon which it pays no interest, it has an enormous floating debt representing all the expenses of the war, its employees are unpaid, its army has not been disbanded or even reduced, its paper money has become almost worthless. The people have lost heart and expect every day some new revolution or a renewal of the war. The government does not know which to distrust the most, its friends or its enemies. It fears that England intends to appropriate Asia Minor, and Austria to take what is left of Turkey in Europe. The Sultan is almost ready to throw himself into the arms of Russia as his only refuge. Indeed, it is difficult to see what else he can do unless he is ready to become the vassal of England, and so far as the immediate humiliation is concerned, it would be greater than would be involved in a close alliance with Russia.

It was generally believed in America and in England that the treaty in regard to Cyprus implied the practical supremacy of England, but it now appears that neither England nor Turkey had any clear idea of its meaning. The Sultan regarded it as a new guarantee of his power, and the English Cabinet had no idea about it beyond the fact that it secured Cyprus as a place where, in case of need, they could concentrate an Indian army. But it may have results which will equally astonish Beaconsfield and the Sultan. Thus far England has done nothing but offer advice to the Turks in regard to certain administrative reforms. This has as yet been neither accepted nor rejected by the Turks. They wish to reject it, and if they accepted it they have no money and no men to execute the reforms proposed. So everything remains in suspense. Every day some new plan is proposed and found to be impracticable.

There can be no doubt that the best thing for the people, both Turks and Christians, would be for the Sultan to put himself unreservedly into the hands of England, and thus force the English government to furnish the men and the money necessary for the government of the country. Will he do it? No one can answer this question to-day, but it may be answered before this letter reaches America.—Correspondence of Christian Union, Constantinople, Oct. 8.

BIBLE LESSONS FOR YOUTH.

LESSON XXII.—THE SONS OF JACOB.

QUESTIONS.

1. To what place was Jacob directed to go, after he had come into the land of Canaan? Gen. 35:1.

2. What were Jacob’s family required to give up before going up to Bethel to worship?

3. What was done with these things?

4. To what place did Jacob finally journey?

5. What sad affliction came upon him near Bethlehem?

6. What reference is made to her being buried near that place? Gen. 35:19; Matt. 2:17, 18.

7. Did the Lord bring Jacob again in peace to his father’s house?

8. By whom was Isaac buried?

9. How many sons had Jacob?

10. Which of them were the sons of Rachel?

11. Which was Jacob’s favorite?

12. How did he manifest a special regard for him? Gen. 37:3.

13. How was Joseph regarded by his brethren?

14. What caused them to have such feelings toward him?

15. What course did they take to get rid of him?

16. How did they deceive their father?

17. What did the merchants do with Joseph?

18. How did Joseph gain the confidence of his master?

19. What did Potiphar intrust to Joseph?

20. What reverses did Joseph meet?

SYNOPSIS.

When Jacob had come into the land of Canaan, the Lord told him to go up to Bethel, and build an altar there. Bethel was the place where the Lord had appeared to him and given him such a remarkable dream so many years before, when he was on his way to Padan-aram.

Before going up to Bethel to worship, Jacob took all the false gods and earrings belonging to his family, and hid them under an oak. This would be a good example for all to follow.

Jacob finally journeyed on toward Hebron, the place where his father then dwelt. When he came near to Bethlehem, Rachel, his beloved wife, died, and was buried near that place.

When the wicked Herod slew all the children under two years of age, in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, Rachel is represented as weeping for her children.

Jacob at last came to Isaac his father, at Hebron. So the Lord brought him to his father’s house in peace, as Jacob had requested. When Isaac died, his sons, Jacob and Esau, buried him.

Jacob had twelve sons, the two younger, Joseph and Benjamin, were the sons of Rachel. Joseph was his father’s favorite, but was hated by his brothers. They hated him not only from envy, but because he had dreams that seemed to indicate that he was to be exalted above them, and because he told his father of their wicked actions.

One day, while in the field, far from home, they sold him to some traveling merchants who were going down to Egypt. They then killed a kid, and dipped Joseph’s coat in the blood, and carried it to his father. Jacob’s grief was great; for he supposed that Joseph had been torn in pieces by wild beasts.

The merchants took Joseph to Egypt, and sold him as a slave to Potiphar, a captain of the king’s guard.

By good conduct, and the blessing of the Lord, Joseph gained the entire confidence of Potiphar; and as Potiphar noticed that everything prospered in Joseph’s hands, he gave him charge of all his affairs.

One day Potiphar’s wife tempted Joseph to do wrong, and because he would not consent, she told a wicked falsehood about him. Potiphar, believing his wife’s story, was very angry with Joseph, and cast him into prison.

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