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Review and Herald, Vol. 77, No. 44.

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

Review and Herald

Oct 30, 1900

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 30, 1900

"PRAY WITHOUT CEASING."

By Ellen G. White

MRS. E. G. WHITE.
Prayer is the breath of the soul, the channel of all blessings. As, with a realization of the needs of humanity, with a feeling of self-loathing, the repentant soul offers its prayer, God sees its struggles, watches its conflicts, and marks its sincerity. He has his finger upon its pulse, and he takes note of every throb. Not a feeling thrills it, not an emotion agitates it, not a sorrow shades it, not a sin stains it, not a thought or purpose moves it, of which he is not cognizant. That soul was purchased at an infinite cost, and is loved with a devotion that is unalterable.
Prayer to the Great Physician for the healing of the soul brings the blessing of God. Prayer unites us one to another and to God. Prayer brings Jesus to our side, and gives new strength and fresh grace to the fainting, perplexed soul. By prayer the sick have been encouraged to believe that God will look with compassion upon them. A ray of light penetrates to the hopeless soul, and becomes a savor of life unto life. Prayer has “subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire,”—we shall know what this means when we hear the reports of the martyrs who died for their faith,—“turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”
We shall hear about these victories when the Captain of our salvation, the glorious King of heaven, opens the record before those of whom John writes, “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
Christ our Saviour was tempted in all points like as we are, yet he was without sin. He took human nature, being made in fashion as a man, and his necessities were the necessities of a man. He had bodily wants to be supplied, bodily weariness to be relieved. It was by prayer to his Father that he was braced for duty and for trial. Day by day he followed his round of duty, seeking to save souls. His heart went out in tender sympathy for the weary and heavy laden. And he spent whole nights in prayer in behalf of the tempted ones.
Christ has given his disciples assurance that special seasons for devotion are necessary. Prayer went before and sanctified every act of his ministry. He communed with his Father till the close of his life; and when he hung upon the cross, there arose from his lips the bitter cry, “My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me?” Then, in a voice which has reached to the very ends of the earth, he exclaimed, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” Strength for the performance of daily duties is derived from worshiping God in the beauty of holiness. The night seasons of prayer which the Saviour spent in the mountain or in the desert were essential to prepare him for the trials he must meet in the days to follow. He felt the need of the refreshing and invigorating of soul and body, that he might meet the temptations of Satan; and those who are striving to live his life will feel this same need.
The Christian is given the invitation to carry his burdens to God in prayer, and to fasten himself closely to Christ by the cords of living faith. The Lord authorizes us to pray, declaring that he will hear the prayers of those who trust in his infinite power. He will be honored by those who draw nigh to him, who faithfully do his service. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.” The arm of Omnipotence is outstretched to guide us and lead us onward and still onward. Go forward, the Lord says; I understand the case, and I will send you help. Continue to pray. Have faith in me. It is for my name’s glory that you ask, and you shall receive. I will be honored before those who are watching critically for your failure. They shall see the truth triumph gloriously. “All things, whatsoever ye ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
The believer in Christ is consecrated to high and holy purpose. Before the service of the royal priesthood the glory of the Aaronic priesthood is eclipsed. Called according to God’s purpose, set apart by grace divine, invested with Christ’s righteousness, imbued with the Holy Spirit, offering up the sacrifices of a broken and contrite heart, the true believer is indeed a representative of the Redeemer. Upon such a worshiper, God looks with delight. He will let his light shine into the chambers of the mind and into the soul-temple of men, when they lack wisdom, will go to their closets in prayer, and ask wisdom from him who gives to all men liberally and upbraids not. The promise is, “It shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” Christ has pledged himself to be our substitute and surety, and he neglects no one. There is an inexhaustible fund of perfect obedience accruing from his obedience. In heaven his merits, his self-denial and self-sacrifice, are treasured up as incense to be offered up with the prayers of his people. As the sinner’s sincere, humble prayers ascend to the throne of God, Christ mingles with them the merits of his life of perfect obedience. Our prayers are made fragrant by this incense. Christ has pledged himself to intercede in our behalf, and the Father always hears his Son. Pray then; pray without ceasing; an answer is sure to come.
But let me speak in warning: “If any man regard iniquity in his heart, the Lord will not hear him.”
Show a firm, undeviating trust in God. Be ever true to principle. Waver not; speak decidedly that which you know to be truth, and leave the consequences with God. Bear in mind that God tests the genuineness of your desire. Believe the word of God, and never cease to press your petitions to his throne with sanctified, holy boldness. “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” By precept and example keep the standard uplifted. Your testimony, in its genuineness and reality, God will make powerful in the power of the life to come. The word of the Lord will be in your mouth as truth and righteousness.
Let all remember that the mysteries of God’s kingdom can not be learned by reasoning. True faith, true prayer—how strong they are! The prayer of the Pharisee had no value, but the prayer of the publican was heard in the courts above, because it showed dependence reaching forth to lay hold of Omnipotence. Self was to the publican nothing but shame. Thus it must be with all who seek God. Faith and prayer are the two arms which the needy suppliant lays upon the neck of infinite Love.
“We are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which can not be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. . . . What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? . . . I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Why do you not cease from sin? You may overcome if you will co-operate with God. Christ’s promise is sure. He pledges himself to fill the office of personal Intercessor, saying, “I will pray the Father.” He who could not see human beings exposed to eternal ruin without pouring out his soul unto death in their behalf, will look with pity and compassion upon every one who realizes that he can not save himself. He will look upon no trembling suppliant without raising him up. He who through his own atonement provided for man an infinite fund of moral power will not fail to employ this power in their behalf. We may take life’s controversies and troubles to his feet; for he loves us. His every word and look invite our confidence. He will shape and mold our characters according to his will, and every day we shall be found asking, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”
Let us commit the needs of the soul to him who has loved us, and given his precious life that he might make it possible for us to learn of him. While lifting the cross, he says to us, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Christ alone can make us capable of responding when he says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.” This means that every day self must be denied. Christ can give us the noble resolve, the will to suffer, and to fight the battles of the Lord with persevering energy. The weakest, aided by divine grace, may have strength to be more than conqueror.
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” These gifts are freely given to us by God. Oh, how weak is our faith, that we do not avail ourselves of the rich, glorious promises of God! It is his nature to bestow his gifts upon us. All-wise and all-powerful, he will give liberally to all who ask in faith. He is more merciful, more tender, more patient and loving than any earthly parent. He draws us to him by endearing language, that we may have courage and confidence. We are won to him by the disclosure of the tender sympathy that flows from his heart of love. No human parent could plead as earnestly with an erring child as God pleads with us.
All things are possible to those that believe. No one coming to the Lord in sincerity of heart will be disappointed. How wonderful it is that we can pray effectually, that unworthy, erring mortals possess the power of offering their requests to God! What higher power can man require than this,—to be linked with the infinite God? Feeble, sinful man has the privilege of speaking to his Maker. We utter words that reach the throne of the Monarch of the universe. We pour out our heart’s desire in our closets. Then we go forth to walk with God as did Enoch.
We speak with Jesus Christ as we walk by the way, and he says, “I am at thy right hand.” We may walk in daily companionship with Christ. When we breathe out our desire, it may be inaudible to any human ear, but that word can not die away into silence, nor can it be lost, though the activities of business are going on. Nothing can drown the soul’s desire. It rises above the din of the street, above the noise of machinery, to the heavenly courts. It is God to whom we are speaking, and the prayer is heard. Ask then; “ask, and it shall be given you.”

ABIDE

By James Buckham

ABIDE! Let naught thy faith, thy purpose, turn aside. Say unto grief and pain and seeming ill, “All ways are God’s, and I but follow still His leading in the darkness deep and wide.”
Abide! Albeit thou art vexed with doubt, and tried By every test the steadfast soul may know, Still say, “I trust,” and with calm spirit go The way God wills; for God is at thy side.
Abide In that sure love that never yet denied. He who hath promised thee, is he not true? Nor surer winter’s snow nor summer’s dew Than God’s rewarding. Heaven will provide!
Abide, Nor let the paths of life and hope divide. Hold fast thy faith, whate’er the trial be, Yea, hold it fast as God holds fast to thee; And soon, ah! soon, thou shalt be satisfied.
—James Buckham.

DANGERS WITHIN.

By Clarence Santee

CLARENCE SANTEE.
(Oakland, Cal.)
While the walls are solid, and the gates are shut and barred, there is little danger—if the enemies are all on the outside. But when the enemy is on the inside, and so closely disguised that a faithful soldier can scarcely discern between the true and the false, a time of general doubt and uncertainty is sure to exist. No man can tell where lies the point of danger, nor against what to guard.
I have thought much of this lately, as I have seen the tendency among many, even among some of the older laborers among us, to accept and teach “new views,” which, though at first seeming perfectly safe, have elements in them that will undermine all the foundations of present truth.
We get a new idea, then begin to try it. And as it seems to harmonize with the points first compared, our interest deepens, and we believe that God has given us special light. Conviction gains upon us until we are certain. Now comes the danger. If this idea is of God, it will stand every test that God has given—even the severe test of waiting. If it is not of God, it will be pushed to the front regardless of the cautions God has given. An error is in danger if sober counsel, judgment, and time for thought are allowed. He who has the truth can well afford all these. It will keep.
We are in the time of greatest danger now. God has said that “prophecies are being fulfilled, and stormy times are before us. Old controversies, which have apparently been hushed for a long time, will be revived, and new controversies will spring up; new and old will commingle,” and “this will take place right early.” “The storm is gathering, the clouds are loading, ready to burst upon the world, and to many it will be as a thief in the night.”
Where then is our safety? God has given instruction which, if followed, will lead every soul in the right path. If men rise up among us with what they believe to be “new light,” it should be carefully withheld until it has been considered by the men of counsel and experience in the body. Listen to what the Lord says: “God has not passed his people by, and chosen one solitary man here and another there as the only ones worthy to be intrusted with his truth. He does not give one man new light contrary to the established faith of the body. In every reform men have arisen making this claim. . . . One accepts some new and original idea which does not seem to conflict with the truth. He talks of it and dwells upon it until it seems to him to be clothed with beauty and importance; for Satan has power to give this false appearance. At last it becomes the all-absorbing theme, the one great point around which everything centers; and the truth is uprooted from the heart. . . . There are a thousand temptations in disguise prepared for those who have the light of truth; and the only safety for any of us is in receiving no new doctrine, no new interpretation of the Scriptures, without first submitting it to brethren of experience. Lay it before them in a humble, teachable spirit, with earnest prayer; and if they see no light in it, yield to their judgment.”—“Testimony for the Church,” No. 32, pages 47–49.
If this counsel had been followed, where would be all the side issues of to-day? I have noticed that these issues are usually taken to young, inexperienced laborers; and when the Testimonies are referred to as a safeguard, there is a restless, dissatisfied spirit. Those who listen to these theories become uncertain upon all points of faith. When we begin to tear down, none know what must go next. Another thing upon which we may think soberly is the fact that those who are exercised over “new light” can never come together and agree. Each one is intrenched in the ideas of self. May God help us, dear ministering brethren, to heed his counsel, and carry these things to brethren of experience only, “and if they see no light in it, yield to their judgment.”
Again: it is written, “Let no messages be proclaimed until they have borne a careful scrutiny in every jot and tittle.” “In our work no side issues must be advanced until there has been a thorough examination of the ideas entertained, that it may be ascertained from what source they have originated. Satan’s angels are wise to do evil, and they will create that which some will claim to be advanced light, and will proclaim as new and wonderful things; and yet, while in some respects the message is truth, it will be mingled with men’s inventions, and will teach for doctrine the commandments of men. . . . At first it may be thought positively right, but after a while it is seen to be widely divergent from the path of safety, from the path which leads to holiness and heaven.”
If men who have become entangled in this snare would be willing to abide by God’s counsel,—even though they think they are free from danger,—if they would be willing to stand by these directions of the Spirit of God, there would be a barrier raised up against the worst phase of Satan’s deceptions. Departures from these counsels can never bring unity, but will only divide and scatter and weaken the force of the people of God. “If poison is received in the hand, it will soon affect the heart.” May the Lord give us hearts to heed.

LIFE'S TAPESTRY.

By Dora Greenwell

Too LONG have I, methought, with tearful eye, Pored o'er this tangled work of mine, and mused Above each stitch awry and thread confused; Now will I think on what in years gone by I heard of them that weave rare tapestry At royal looms; of how they constant use To work on the rough side, and still peruse The pictured pattern set above them high. So will I set my copy high above, And gaze and gaze, till on my spirit grows Its gracious impress — till some line of love, Transferred upon my canvas, faintly glows; Nor look too much on warp and woof, provide He, whom I work for, sees their fairer side. — Dora Greenwell.

S. O. JAMES

By S. O. James

THE man soon angry is always in danger, and in dread of danger. With unsubdued nature and unbridled tongue, he knows his house to be a magazine, whose contents may at any time be set on fire; and then the fearful question, Who will, or rather who will not, be blown up?

S. O. JAMES

THE SCHOOLS OF THE ANCIENT HEBREWS.

By Ellen G. White

MRS. E. G. WHITE.
The institutions of human society find their best models in the word of God. For those of instruction, in particular, there is no lack of both precept and example. Lessons of great profit, even in this age of educational progress, may be found in the history of God’s ancient people.
The Lord reserved to himself the education and instruction of Israel. His care was not restricted to their religious interests. Whatever affected their mental or physical well-being, became also an object of divine solicitude, and came within the province of divine law.
God commanded the Hebrews to teach their children his requirements, and to make them acquainted with all his dealings with their people. The home and the school were one. In the place of stranger lips, the loving hearts of father and mother were to give instruction to their children. Thoughts of God were associated with all the events of daily life in the home dwelling. The mighty works of God in the deliverance of his people were recounted with eloquence and reverential awe. The great truths of God’s providence and of the future life were impressed on the young mind. It became acquainted with the true, the good, the beautiful.
By the use of figures and symbols the lessons given were illustrated, and thus more firmly fixed in the memory. Through this animated imagery the child was, almost from infancy, initiated into the mysteries, the wisdom, and the hopes of his fathers, and guided in a way of thinking and feeling and anticipating that reached beyond things seen and transitory, to the unseen and eternal.
From this education many a youth of Israel came forth vigorous in body and in mind, quick to perceive and strong to act, the heart prepared like good ground for the growth of the precious seed, the mind trained to see God in the words of revelation and the scenes of nature. The stars of heaven, the trees and flowers of the field, the lofty mountains, the babbling brooks, all spoke to him, and the voices of the prophets, heard throughout the land, met a response in his heart.
Such was the training of Moses in the lowly cabin home in Goshen; of Samuel, by the faithful Hannah; of David, in the hill-dwelling at Bethlehem; of Daniel, before the scenes of the captivity separated him from the home of his fathers. Such, too, was the early life of Christ in the humble home at Nazareth; such the training by which the child Timothy learned from the lips of his mother Eunice, and his grandmother Lois, the truths of Holy Writ.
Further provision was made for the instruction of the young, by the establishment of the “school of the prophets.” If a youth was eager to obtain a better knowledge of the Scriptures, to search deeper into the mysteries of the kingdom of God, and to seek wisdom from above, that he might become a teacher in Israel, this school was open to him.
By Samuel the schools of the prophets were established, to serve as a barrier against the widespread corruption resulting from the iniquitous course of Eli’s sons, and to promote the moral and spiritual welfare of the people. These schools proved a great blessing to Israel, promoting that righteousness which exalts a nation, and furnishing it with men qualified to act, in the fear of God, as leaders and counselors. In the accomplishment of this object, Samuel gathered companies of young men who were pious, intelligent, and studious. These were called the sons of the prophets. The instructors were men who were not only versed in divine truth, but who had themselves enjoyed communion with God, and had received the special endowment of his Spirit. They enjoyed the respect and confidence of the people, both for learning and for piety.
In Samuel’s day there were two of these schools,—one at Ramah, the home of the prophet; and the other at Kirjath-jearim, where the ark then was. Two were added in Elijah’s time, at Jericho and Bethel, and others were afterward established at Samaria and Gilgal.
The pupils of these schools sustained themselves by their own labor as husbandmen and mechanics. In Israel this was not thought strange or degrading; it was regarded a crime to allow children to grow up in ignorance of useful labor. In obedience to the command of God, every child was taught some trade, even though he was to be educated for holy office. Many of the religious teachers supported themselves by manual labor. Even so late as the time of Christ, it was not thought anything degrading that Paul and Aquila earned a livelihood by their labor as tent-makers.
The chief subjects of study were the law of God with the instructions given to Moses, sacred history, sacred music, and poetry. It was the grand object of all study to learn the will of God and the duties of his people. In the records of sacred history were traced the footsteps of Jehovah. From the events of the past were drawn lessons of instruction for the future. The great truths set forth by the types and shadows of the Mosaic law were brought to view, and faith grasped the central object of all that system—the Lamb of God that was to take away the sins of the world.
The Hebrew language was cultivated as the most sacred tongue in the world. A spirit of devotion was cherished. Not only were students taught the duty of prayer, but they were taught how to pray, how to approach their Creator, how to exercise faith in him, and how to understand and obey the teachings of his Spirit. Sanctified intellects brought forth from the treasure house of God things new and old.
The art of sacred melody was diligently cultivated. No frivolous waltz was heard, nor flippant song that should extol man and divert the attention from God, but sacred, solemn psalms of praise to the Creator, exalting his name and recounting his wondrous works. Thus music was made to serve a holy purpose, to lift the thoughts to that which was pure and noble and elevating, and to awaken in the soul devotion and gratitude to God.
How wide the difference between the schools of ancient times, under the supervision of God himself, and our modern institutions of learning. Even from theological schools many students are graduated with less real knowledge of God and of religious truth than when they entered. Few schools are to be found that are not governed by the maxims and customs of the world. There are few in which a Christian parent’s love for his children will not meet with bitter disappointment.
In what consists the superior excellence of our systems of education? Is it in the classical literature which is crowded into our sons? Is it in the ornamental accomplishments which our daughters obtain at the sacrifice of health or mental strength? Is it in the fact that modern instruction is so generally separated from the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation? Does the chief excellence of popular education consist in treating the individual branches of study apart from that deeper investigation which involves the searching of the Scriptures, and a knowledge of God and the future life? Does it consist in imbuing the minds of the young with heathenish conceptions of liberty, morality, and justice? Is it safe to trust our youth to the guidance of those blind leaders who study the sacred oracles with far less interest than they manifest in the classical authors of ancient Greece and Rome?
“Education,” remarks a writer, “is becoming a system of seduction.” There is a deplorable lack of proper restraint and judicious discipline. The most bitter feelings, the most ungovernable passions, are excited by the course of unwise and ungodly teachers. The minds of the young are easily excited, and drink in insubordination like water.
The existing ignorance of God’s word, among a people professedly Christian, is alarming. The youth in our public schools have been robbed of the blessing of holy things. Superficial talk, mere sentimentalism, passes for instruction in morals and religion; but it lacks the vital characteristics of real godliness. The justice and mercy of God, the beauty of holiness, and the sure reward of right-doing, the heinous character of sin, and the certainty of punishment are not impressed upon the minds of the young.
Skepticism and infidelity, under some pleasing disguise, or as a covert insinuation, too often find their way into schoolbooks. In some instances, the most pernicious principles have been inculcated by teachers. Evil associates are teaching the youth lessons of crime, dissipation, and licentiousness, horrible to contemplate. Many of our public schools are hotbeds of vice.
How can our youth be shielded from these contaminating influences? There must be schools established upon the principles, and controlled by the precepts, of God’s word. Another spirit must be in our schools, to animate and sanctify every branch of education. Divine co-operation must be fervently sought. And we shall not seek in vain. The promises of God’s word are ours. We may expect the presence of the heavenly Teacher. We may see the Spirit of the Lord diffused as in the schools of the prophets, and every object partake of a divine consecration. Science will then be, as she was to Daniel, the handmaid of religion; and every effort, from first to last, will tend to the salvation of man,—soul, body, and spirit,—and to the glory of God through Christ.

Little Transgressions and Their Great Consequences

“It is transgression in the little things that first leads the soul away from God. By their one sin in partaking of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve opened the floodgates of woe upon the world. Some may regard that transgression as a very little thing; but we see that its consequences were anything but small. The angels of heaven have a wider and more elevated sphere of action than we; but right with them, and right with us, are one and the same thing.”
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