Review and Herald, Vol. 45, No. 23. (6/3/1875)

Review and Herald

Jun 3, 1875

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 3, 1875

JUSTIFICATION AND JUDGMENT

By Joseph Harvey Waggoner

THE LAW OF GOD.—NO. 12.

BY J. H. WAGGONER.

The nature of the law, and the extent of obligation to observe it, may be known by its relations. We will examine it in its relation to two of the most important subjects presented to man, namely,

JUSTIFICATION AND JUDGMENT.

The nature and the present obligation of the law are clearly revealed in the declaration of Paul in Rom. 2:13: “The doers of the law shall be justified.” There is no other writer in the Scriptures who has said so much on the subject of justification as Paul, and in no other letter has he said so much concerning it as in that to the Romans. No other scripture is so often quoted by the opposers of the law to prove that we are not now justified by the law (which we fully believe), and yet they who deny the law as a rule of life seem uniformly to overlook the fact that the first time that Paul uses the word justify in this remarkable argument is in connection with doing or keeping the law! And it is equally interesting and important to observe that he never connects justification with transgressing the law, at any time or under any circumstances. On the contrary, transgression is always connected with condemnation—the opposite of justification.

There are many who will stand in doubt over the apostle’s statement in Rom. 2:13, because they have always taken wrong views of the law. To such we will try to vindicate his words.

To say that the doers of the law shall be justified is only to say that the law is sufficient to justify the obedient. It is a vindication of the completeness and righteousness of the law, while it has no reference to the standing of those who have transgressed the law; that subject is explained elsewhere. Now that the doers of the law shall be justified is proved by reason, and by the scriptures which reveal the nature of the law.

1. As shown by reason. God is a moral governor; man is a moral agent. Of necessity a moral governor governs moral agents by a moral law. A moral law is nothing less than a rule of moral action. Now as moral agency is the highest expression of man’s nature and relations, and as moral law is to guide him in those relations, it follows that moral law is the highest rule of action which man is capable of receiving. Now if God gives to moral creatures a law to regulate their lives, and they keep that law perfectly, reason compels us to believe that they would be accepted on their obedience. To suppose otherwise would be to suppose that God would deal in a manner most tyrannical, condemning his creatures who had never disobeyed him. Reverence will not allow such a supposition.

If man had never transgressed the law of God there would have been no sin, for “sin is the transgression of the law.” And if there had been no sin there would have been no gospel, for none would have been needed. The Son of God would not have died for man, for there would have been no occasion for his death. Man would not have been condemned, for there could be no condemnation where there is no sin. Of course man would have been accepted or justified on his obedience, which is agreeable to the words of Paul; the doers of the law would have been justified by the law because they had kept it—they could not be condemned.

2. The Scriptures confirm what our reason and reverence accept on this subject. The Lord himself said to Israel, if they would obey his voice and keep his covenant (the ten commandments), then they would be a peculiar treasure unto him, and a holy nation. If obedience to the law would have had such a result, it was all that could be required; for more than this will never be reached under the gospel. If any have been accustomed to doubt this, let them consider again whether man would have been wrong in character in any particular if he had always perfectly obeyed the will of God. Certainly not, unless the will of God was defective or wrong, which may not be supposed. As man separated himself from his God and became sinful or unholy, the object of the gospel is to reconcile man to God, to restore him to the favor of God, by bringing him to a state of holiness. Thus the original object of the law is accomplished in the gospel, as Paul says. Rom. 7:10, and 10:4. But if man had never sinned this object would have been reached without the gospel. Of course man would then have been justified by the law as he now is by the gospel. The words of Jehovah in Ex. 19:5, 6, that by obedience they would be unto him a peculiar treasure, and a holy nation, is proof that the law is a rule or measure of holiness, and this is a strong vindication of Paul’s words. The doers of the law shall be justified.

Moses said to Israel, “It shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us.” We have before noticed that holiness is the same in every dispensation; for it is always based on the holiness of God (as is proved by Lev. 19:2, and 1 Pet. 1:15, 16), which cannot change. Even so, righteousness is the same in all dispensations. The words of Moses, that it shall be our righteousness if we observe to do God’s commandments, are fully confirmed by the Old and New Testaments, as will be seen by the passages which will next hereafter be noted. But surely they would be justified by obedience to a law who were made righteous by that obedience.

Said the Lord, “Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law.” Isa. 51:7. And David said, “Thy commandments are righteousness.” The law being the expression of God’s holy will to his creatures, it is the rule of holiness, the measure of righteousness. And so said the apostle Paul; the righteousness of God is witnessed by the law. Rom. 3:21. But if that righteousness was foreign to the law; if the law did not reach unto and enforce righteousness, it could not, in any sense, be a witness to that righteousness. The law could not witness to principles outside of its obligation.

This view is strongly confirmed by Rom. 8:3, 4. God sent his Son to condemn sin, or the transgression of the law, “that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” That righteousness is closely related to the law, as is shown in this: The word rendered righteousness, Rom. 8:4, is dikaioma, defined by Greenfield, “law, precept, statute, ordinance;” by Robinson, “decree, ordinance, precept.” Bloomfield’s Notes on the Greek gives it, “The requisition of the law;” Whiting’s translation, “The precept of the law;” Bible Union, “The requirement of the law.” There is no difference between righteousness and the requirement of the law. “Unrighteousness is sin,” which is transgression of the law, says an inspired writer. Of course unrighteousness being transgression, righteousness is obedience. And this righteousness of the law is fulfilled in, “them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” We cannot forbear saying we have a strong curiosity to know what the opposers of the law would do with this text, but we have little hope of being gratified in this respect.

This text by Paul fully justifies our remark that the character which would have been formed by obedience to the law is exactly that which is now formed by the true faith of the gospel of Christ. The Saviour came to remove sin and its consequences, and to restore us to that position which we would have occupied if we had never sinned, but always obeyed God. As we are now made righteous by Christ, then we would have been righteous by obedience. As we are now justified by faith, then we would have been justified by the law. And Christ in the gospel works in us that righteousness to which the law is a witness and which the law requires.

David said, “The law of the Lord is perfect.” After having noticed Paul’s high endorsement of the righteousness of the law, but few words are needed to show the force of these words of David. The law—the rule of life—being perfect, of course it requires perfection of life and character; and if any had observed it they would have been perfect. A man could not have an imperfect character if he kept a perfect law. But if he had a perfect character he could not be condemned; he would, as a moral necessity, be justified. And this again vindicates the apostle’s declaration, “The doers of the law shall be justified.”

The expression of Solomon is exactly parallel to that of David, though to some minds it might appear to be still more definite: “Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.” Eccl. 12:13. It is easy to see that man could not be under condemnation if he had done his whole duty; he would be justified in what he had done. And a law which contains the whole duty of a moral agent is a moral law. As there could be no duty omitted from a law which contained man’s whole duty, it is a perfect law, as David says. As a man would be a perfect man if he had done his whole duty, it would be his righteousness to do this law, as Moses said. As the wages of sin is death, and sin is the transgression of the law, death is the result of transgression of the law. Of course if the law had been kept, there would have been no death, and this is according to the statements of Jehovah, of Moses, Nehemiah, Christ, and Paul.

“Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments; which if a man do, he shall live in them.” Lev. 18:5.

“See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; in that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments.” Deut. 30:15, 16.

“Yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, which if a man do, he shall live.” Neh. 9:29.

“If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt. 19:17.

“The commandment was ordained to life.” Rom. 7:10.

The evidence on this point is by no means exhausted, but we need carry it no further. The law stands vindicated as a perfect rule, the measure of righteousness and holiness, the rule according to which men will be justified or condemned.

But, with a singular determination to oppose the law, men rise up and say the law is not now the measure of righteousness and the rule of justification, because it is now true that “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified.” We admit the truth of the text, in its fullest extent, but reject the conclusion as being lame and unjust. Opposers of the law do not seem to apprehend that both the righteousness and obligation of the law are as clearly proved by those scriptures which show that the law condemns wrong-doing as by those which show that it justifies right-doing. One is merely the converse of the other, and where one is true the other must also be true. That which approves the right, necessarily condemns the wrong.

Why is it that no flesh can now be justified by the law? Because “all have sinned,” and “by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Now as man has gone astray and done wrong, and the law proves that he is wrong, and will not justify him in the wrong, it is proof that the law is opposed to that which is wrong. Therefore the law is good—it is right. If it justified man in sin it would be a bad law. But such a law could not proceed from God. The declaration of the Scripture that because man has sinned he cannot be justified by the law, is sufficient to vindicate the law as a rule of righteousness, if we had no other proof.

Again the conclusion of the opposer, that the law is not now the rule of justification, is not just, for the law now condemns sin; it is now true that “by the law is the knowledge of sin.” A law which is the measure of righteousness and holiness, which is perfect, which contains the whole duty of man toward God, will so remain as long as man’s relations to God remain; as long as holiness remains. The difficulty is all in the mind of the objector who discovers no difference between a rule of justification and the means of justification. Had man never transgressed the law he would have been justified by the law. The law would then have been both the measure and justifier of man’s action. It remains still the measure of righteousness, but it condemns the conduct of man; and, indeed, it could not point out the wrongs of our lives if it did not measure our duties. Then we need something to remove the wrongs—to take away our sins—and so reform our characters and lives that the law will not condemn us. This is done by Christ, through faith in whom our past sins are remitted, we are reconciled to God, so “that the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us.”

We need the gospel as a justifier, because we have sinned, and the gospel is a remedy. But as the law would have justified us if we had kept it, and by it is the knowledge of sin—it condemns sin—therefore it contains all the elements of justification, of justice, or of righteousness. The mechanic’s rule which shows what shape a board should be, does not cease to be a rule because it will not fashion it. If the board is right the rule will approve it; but if it is wrong, another tool is needed; the saw or the plane must be used. But then the rule must be applied to determine whether the saw and plane have done their work properly. If man had done right the law would have justified him. Now man is wrong, condemned by the law, and he needs the gospel to make him right. But still “by the law is the knowledge of sin,” and if anything remains in our lives which the law condemns it is proof that the gospel has not accomplished its required work in us;—the righteousness of the law is not yet fulfilled in us.

It is only selfishness and carnality to oppose the law because it condemns our sins—it will not justify us. They who thus complain might consider the following questions to profit: Would the law have condemned us if we had always done right? Will the gospel justify us if we continue to do wrong? Is there not a perfect union of purpose or object between the law and the gospel in this respect? If we may object to the law because by it is the knowledge of sin, had not the Jews equal right to reject the preaching of Christ because it removed the cloak, or

exposed their sin? Is it not evident that in either case the fault is in man, and that if the sin did not exist in his life the law would not prove him a sinner nor the gospel expose sin in him? We have been thus particular on this subject, hoping that some soul may be rescued from deception, and led to love the holy law of God.

With the subject of justification so clearly settled by the Scriptures, it is easy to arrive at correct conclusions concerning the Judgment. As sin is the transgression of the law; as the law is that instrument by which sin is known; and as the law is the rule of holiness, the measure of righteousness; as it contains all that would justify a moral agent in well-doing, it is of course that rule by which actions are weighed, by which sin is judged. This is but a reasonable and necessary conclusion. But we are not left to deduction on this important point. Both Testaments speak definitely on this subject.

Solomon, who was blessed with extraordinary wisdom, after stating many important truths concerning human life gives us a summary of all in the following words: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into Judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.” Eccl. 12:13, 14.

The connection of the Judgment with man’s whole duty, and with the law which defines man’s whole duty, is so evident that it is a wonder that any are ever found to deny it. But, as it is written, “The commandment is a lamp, and the law is light.” Prov. 6:23, and they who reject so great and important light as is found in the holy law of a holy God, can only be expected to walk in darkness. There can hardly be found stronger evidence of mental and moral blindness than that men talk of sin, of the Judgment, and of death, while they deny the obligation of the law, by which is the knowledge of sin, and by which God shall bring every work into Judgment, and the transgression of which brings death.

Paul, in his argument on the law, states the same great truth, in Rom. 2:12, 16: “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” The first part of verse 12 will be examined hereafter. We have now to do with those who enjoy the present light of revelation. Whatever question may arise regarding other classes, there is no chance to dispute that they who have the light of God’s word will be judged by the law written therein. And this judgment will be without regard to nationality, as is shown by this same chapter, Rom. 2, and yet more fully in chap. 3. There is no respect of persons with God; every one will receive according to his works, whether Jew or Gentile; Rom. 2:9–11. When the nations of the earth had departed from God, and were sunken in darkness and idolatry, God committed his sacred oracles to the Jews. But they were not justified by hearing the law, for the doers of the law shall be justified; they were condemned and rejected because they did not keep the law; while the Gentiles are accepted and justified if they keep the righteousness of the law. Verses 25–27.

Continuing this subject the apostle says the chief advantage of the Jews was that to them were committed the oracles of God. Rom. 3:1, 2. In verses 3–6, he shows that their unbelief cannot make the faith (faithfulness, truth) of God of no effect; for if it could, “how shall God judge the world?” In chap. 2:16, it is affirmed that God will judge men by the law. In chap. 3:1–6, it is shown that if the oracles which God gave to the Jews are made void, he cannot judge the world. In verses 9–18, he proves, by the Old Testament, that all, both Jews and Gentiles, are sinners, and in verse 19 makes this sweeping declaration: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” All have sinned, both Jew and Gentile, and by the witness of the law all the world are convicted or condemned before God. And thus again the law stands vindicated as the rule of right and of judgment.

That any one should, in such a connection as this, try to turn the words of Rom. 3:20 against the law, seems a marvel. Shall we find fault with the law because it condemns sin? Would David, in his spirit of deep devotion, have loved the law as he did if it would justify sinners? Would converted Paul have delighted in the law of God if it had not been holy, and just, and good? Would he have fled to Christ for justification, to escape the condemnation of the law, if the law were not spiritual and perfect? Will the reverent soul which trustfully draws near to God, try to evade the claims of the law which points out the whole duty of man? Will not the godly, the humble, the self-denying, find in obedience to God’s commandments the best expression of their love to God? Yes, “this is the love of God that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous.” They are not grievous to the heart that truly loves God. But they are grievous to the carnal mind which is not subject to the law of God. They are grievous to the formalist who is a lover of pleasures more than a lover of God. They are grievous to the self-deceived workers of iniquity, who trust that a profession of faith in Jesus will excuse them from doing the will of his Father. They are grievous to him who holds a dead faith, which makes void the law of God. They are grievous to all who reject the light of present truth, and whose hearts cannot submit to “keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” They are grievous to the “dragon,” and to all whom he can inspire with hatred and the spirit of war against commandment-keepers.

As God will bring every work into Judgment by his commandments, we ought to be very thankful that he has revealed them to us, that we may know what character we must have to stand in that day. Here we form our characters by doing or omitting to do our duty; there we shall be examined by that which has pointed out our duty. As we stand related to the commandments in our probation, so will we stand related to God when we are judged by his commandments. If we are opposed to them now, they will be opposed to us then. If we, through Christ, walk in the Spirit, put away sin, and fulfill the righteousness of the law, then there is no condemnation to us now, Rom. 8:1–4, and there will be none then. It will evermore remain true that the doers of the law shall be justified, whether done as an original act of obedience, or through faith in Christ. Christ is our peace; he reconciles us to his Father, and writes his law in our hearts, and in our minds. Because it is in our minds, we delight in it; because it is in our hearts, we love it.

“HOLD THE FORT.”

One of the most popular songs sung in the revival meetings of Messrs Moody and Sankey.

Ho! my comrades, see the signal, Waving in the sky; Reinforcements now appearing, Victory is nigh.

CHORUS. Hold the fort, for I am coming, Jesus signals still; Wave the answer back to Heaven, By Thy grace, we will.

See the mighty host advancing, Satan leading on; Mighty men around us falling, Courage almost gone.

CHORUS.

See the glorious banner waving, Hear the bugle blow; In our Leader’s name we’ll triumph Over every foe.

CHORUS.

Fierce and long the battle rages But our help is near; Onward comes our great Commander, Cheer, my comrades, cheer.

CHORUS. —Sel.

Increasing Light.

By I. Sanborn

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent; because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” Acts 17:30, 31. We wish to call the reader’s attention to this statement in the text: God “hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world.” “Appoint, To fix upon, to name.”—Webster. According to the definition of the term appoint, we should find that God has fixed upon a definite time for the investigative Judgment, in which he will decide who are worthy of eternal life, and will blot out their sins. On this subject, Paul says, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19.

The time God has fixed upon for this work is given in the following scripture: “And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Dan. 8:14. But Daniel said, “I was astonished at the vision; but none understood it.” We notice by reading the whole chapter that every thing that Daniel saw in that vision was explained except the 2300 days. The angel did not say anything to him about time on that occasion. But sometime afterward, we find Daniel making it a subject of prayer to God. He says, “And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, . . . yea, while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. . . . Therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. Seventy weeks are determined [or cut off of the 2300 days of chap. 8:14] upon thy people and upon thy holy city. . . . Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks.” Dan. 9:20–26.

We want the reader to note carefully that the seventy weeks are cut off from the 2300 days, and also that 69 of the 70 weeks reach from the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem to Messiah the Prince, or to his baptism, where he was publicly declared to be the Son of God by a voice from heaven. This event is thus recorded, “It came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” Luke 3:21, 22.

The giving of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem is thus recorded: “Now this is a copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his statutes to Israel. Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. I make a decree [that is, I give a command], that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own free-will to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.” Ezra 7:11–14. This command went into effect in the middle of the year 457 B. C. Now, in just 483 years from this time, we must reach Christ’s baptism, because 69 weeks contain just 483 days, each day standing for a year in symbolic prophecy. Commencing 457 B. C., this date reaches to A. D. 27, the time when Christ stood before the people declaring himself to be the one anointed to preach the gospel.

After he had been baptized and been tempted in the wilderness for forty days, “he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” Luke 4:14–21, compare with Isa. 61:1–3.

Jesus opened his ministry with the announcement “The time is fulfilled,” Mark 1:15. The time he speaks of, must be the 483 years, beginning B. C. 457, and reaching to A. D. 27, making 483 years, and answering to the 69 weeks of days. In the midst of the seventieth week shall Messiah be cut off. Dan. 9:26. Three years and a half from his baptism reach to his crucifixion; and three and a half years from his crucifixion reach to A. D. 34, when Stephen was put to death and Saul was consenting unto the death. Acts 8:1. As one week of days symbolizes seven years, we will now add that number to 483, making 490 years, answering to the 70 weeks of days. Now, we find that there are 1810 years left of the 2300; for subtracting 490 from 2300, we have 1810. To find when the 2300 years ended we add the 1810 to A. D. 34, when the 490 years ended, and we have 1844. Then, said the angel, shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

The tenth day of the seventh month God said should be a day of atonement. Lev. 23:27. On this day the work of cleansing the sanctuary was performed, which is thus described: “Then shall he [Aaron] kill the goat of sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil. . . . And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins; and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation. . . . And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord, and make an atonement for it. . . . And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.” Lev. 16:15–20.

While Aaron was doing this work he was required to have the breastplate of judgment upon his heart when he went into the holy place. We read: “And Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually.” Ex. 28:29, 30. Paul says, “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” Heb. 9:23. “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man.” Heb. 8:1, 2.

Thus Paul teaches us that Christ is our high priest in the heavenly sanctuary, which he says must be cleansed with better sacrifices, i. e., the blood of Christ. The work of cleansing the sanctuary is the work of blotting out the sins of God’s people, and takes place at the end of the 2300 days, or years, which, as we have already shown, ended in 1844. At that time the following message was being proclaimed to all the nations of the earth: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to him; for the hour of his Judgment is come.” Rev. 14:6, 7. Then the day of which the apostle speaks, in the which God will judge the world has already arrived, and since 1844 ministers of Christ should preach that the hour of his Judgment is come. This Seventh-day Adventist ministers are doing.

Another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen;” showing the confused and fallen state of religious society in the world at the present time.

“And the third angel followed them saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14:9–12.

Thus we have three messages brought to view to be given to the world, between the year A. D. 1844 and the second coming of Christ. The first declares, by the word of the Lord, that the solemn investigative Judgment, or the work of cleansing the sanctuary has now commenced. The second points out by the word of God the confused state of religious society in its fallen condition. And the third, the most solemn message ever given to fallen man, is a warning against the worship of the beast. This message is bringing out a people who are looking patiently for the coming of the Lord; who are also keeping the holy Sabbath of the fourth commandment and the faith of Jesus; who will refuse to worship the image of the beast or to receive his mark, and therefore, will not receive the wrath of God; and whom John finally saw stand on Mount Zion with the Lamb.

May the reader and the writer finally stand with them. I. SANBORN.

(To be Continued.)

Times of Peril.

By A. A. H.

THINGS are assuming an alarming appearance along the southern Texan boundaries. Despatches from Corpus Christi, and other towns in Texas, bring intelligence that the Mexicans have killed and plundered many of our merchant men and other citizens who happened to come in their route; and the Texans in turn have hung some of the Mexicans by the neck to the trees where they overcame them in conflict. A large body of Mexicans are said to have crossed the Rio Grande, and are marching toward Corpus Christi. Later despatches affirm that the Mexicans have attacked several ranches near Corpus Christi, and captured several Americans, and carried them off prisoners. An invasion of the city is expected and the citizens are arming to meet it. All business is suspended. All of the mounted force from Fort Brown, at Brownsville, Texas, have been sent in pursuit of the invaders. Fears are entertained at Washington that these Mexican raids will result in a general border war.

It will be remembered that recently an assault was made on a congregation of American Protestant worshipers at Acapulco, Mexico, by the Catholics, and that nearly the whole company were inhumanly massacred. It is evident that the Mexican Catholics have a bold and growing antipathy against the American Protestants, and would martyr the whole race if they only had the power. Things have a hard look, when inoffensive citizens, including helpless women and children, are to be inhumanly murdered; and humble Christians barbarously massacred while quietly worshiping in their own house. It betokens a relapse of the dark ages.

Not only in Mexico is the spirit of the papacy stirred, but in nearly every part of the world. The terrible beast, seen in Daniel's vision, representing the Roman power, is rousing himself for the last fearful conflict. Already he has laid bare his great iron teeth, and menaces every creature under heaven that for one moment presumes to dispute his claims to the right of the universal authority. It may be clearly seen, by the constantly bitter manifestations of papal vindictiveness and arbitration,

that had they the power, the scenes of the Inquisition would be re-enacted in all their untold cruelties. The only hope we have that these things will not fully be, is the evidence of fulfilling prophecy, telling the Judgment is near at hand. But remember, faithful ones, the last days are to be days of peril.—A. A. H., in Biblical Messenger.

Don't Touch the Children.

By Mrs. C. S. Lincoln

Of the many trials that farmers’ wives have to endure, not one is more difficult to avoid, and yet none more cruel, than that of having to let one’s carefully reared little ones associate with strange hired help. My experience in this line has been such that while I extend a friendly welcome to the stranger, I am mentally crying out to him or her: “DON’T TOUCH THE CHILDREN!” Break the dishes, waste the stores, spoil the meals, let the horses take cold, the colts starve, the cows dry up, the rats run riot in uncovered food-bins—any thing, so long as you leave my little ones untarnished. Everything else can be endured if you don’t touch with unclean hands the souls of the children. It seems to me that it is a crime well-nigh unpardonable to sully the innocence of confiding little boys and prattling little girls, yet there is much of it done, and their poor mothers are all unaware of the presence of the serpent in their flower-garden until it has become impossible to ever again erase his slimy trail.

Not many years since, needing some one to cut firewood for the approaching winter, my husband engaged a lad of seventeen, to whom he awarded the highest praise as a diligent and efficient worker, especially at chopping and splitting wood. From the first, the boy, whose name was Marion, seemed to feel sure of a friend in me. There is in nearly every large family of children, one who seems less favored and beloved than the others—“The black sheep of the flock”—such was poor Marion in his own cheerless home. For days and nights in succession during the summer, when a little boy, he had lived in the woods near their house, coming home for food only when pressed by hunger. His one idea he confided to me was to get a good education. Nothing could have appealed to my heart more effectually for the friendless lad than this. Had I not known what it was to be compelled to live in ignorance while thirsting for knowledge and culture? To know myself wholly void of grace and beauty, to be bashful and awkward, and wholly unable to please, while I so longed for mother-love and home petting? Ah! but I had. So I gave Marion my sympathy, and pointed out to him the speediest way of reaching his goal.

My boys, aged twelve, six, and four years liked to go with him to the wood lot where he chopped, to the field and garden where he hoed, and he seemed to be as fond of their company as they were of his. One day while Mr. L. was away, he was employed near the barn, and the children were with him as usual. As I stepped to the porch to call the boys to dinner, I could hear Marion singing loudly. They being out of sight, and not likely to hear my call, I followed the sound of his voice to the farther side of the barn. But, getting near enough to distinguish the words, I found his song to be a most obscene piece of ribaldry, interspersed with foul-mouthed comments of his own, to the hearing of which the wealth of worlds could not have tempted me for one moment to expose my innocent little ones. My first agonized thought was, as I but too well remember, of the weeks that this had been going on, unknown to me.

Of course the boy was instantly discharged; but the contamination that had been brought into my flock was not to be so summarily expelled. I could only mourn with anguish of heart over my children, so cruelly robbed of the priceless gem of soul-purity. I am sure the boy did not intend to cause me such bitter sorrow in return for kindness received. I am afraid his very earliest existence began in moral leprosy, and that he had not the faintest idea of his own degradation. Poor boy! Never to have known the beautiful innocence of infancy, to put on proper behaviour as one does their best suit, to appear in company! How can such persons become reformed? I sometimes wonder what, to one who has never known purity, is the process of repentance and turning from sin unto righteousness? What sense the words, “Ye must be born again,” can convey to their minds, God only knows. God pity them!

But, O mothers, be careful not to let them sully your children. You can never press your boy to your heart in the same proud fondness, never gaze into the dear, deep, untroubled, eyes again after the agent of evil has done his work. Be ever on your guard against this source of contamination, or you may mourn in vain when the evil is done.—MRS. C. S. LINCOLN, in Agriculturist for May, 1875.

Continue reading: The Waifs of Society