Earlier text: THE LAW OF GOD AND THE SABBATH WHICH IT ORDAINS.THE PRAYING BANKRUPT.
By S. A. Lockwood
[Bro. Smith: The following article interested me much when I first read it, as I am a firm believer in the power of prayer; and thinking it may be acceptable to your readers, I copy it from the Reflector for the Review. S. A. Lockwood.] Some twenty-five years since, in a New England town of some maritime importance, there resided a deacon who was engaged in lucrative business. Although of prudent habits, his benevolence led him to endorse largely for one who had won confidence as a Christian brother, but afterwards proved to be a designing knave. This issued in the good deacon’s failure, when, with scrupulous integrity, everything that could be claimed by his creditors was given up. A winter of great severity and of general business depressions followed. His wife and young children looked to him for a subsistence which he knew not how to furnish, as his most diligent efforts for employment were unsuccessful. A debt incurred with no prospect of payment, was, in his estimation, a sin; and he sadly saw the little stock of provision they possessed rapidly diminishing, with no way to obtain more. He was a man of prayer, as well as action, and carried the case to Him who feedeth the ravens. Yet long, weary weeks passed, and no success came. At length the morning dawned when the last stick of wood was on the fire, and little Hatty told her father that the candles were all gone; “and how,” asked she, “shall we take care of dear mother to-night?” The question went to the father’s heart with dagger-like poignancy. The vision of his suffering wife gasping her life away in the last fearful stages of consumption, her comfortless sick room unwarmed, unlighted, and the thick darkness which he knew would enshroud her mind when made aware of the extent of their destitution, would have driven him to distraction, were it not that he yet had hope in One mighty to save. He fled to his closet, and there, in an agony of prayer, besought the Lord for help; and forgetting all other wants, plead and plead again for the two articles now specially needed, specifying them with reiterated earnestness. He arose from his knees in full assurance of faith, and with heavenly tranquillity, and went forth expecting deliverance, looking for it, however, in but one way: through his own earnings. But after a fruitless day of seeking employment, gloomily he returned home. He entered his gate, and was startled to see before him a generous pile of wood. Little Johnny opened the door, clapping his hands, exclaiming, “O Father, we’ve got some wood and some candles!” “Where did you get them? Are you sure they were not left here by mistake?” “O no, father?” interrupted Hatty, “they were not left by mistake. A man knocked at the door with his whip, and when I opened it, asked if you lived here. I told him you did. Then he said, ‘Here are some candles, and a load of wood for him.’ I asked him if you sent them, and he said, ‘I rather guess your father don’t know anything about it.’ Who did send them then? said I. ‘Oh,’ said he, ‘I mustn’t tell, but you may say to your father, they are a present.’” But to what instrumentality they were indebted for the relief, was a mystery. And what particularly interested Dea. P., was the character of the anonymous presents; and the very things so much needed and no others should be sent, and he was sure he had mentioned his want of them to no human ear. He questioned the children anew. They described the man who knocked at the door, the horse and truck he drove. A new thought struck him. “Why,” said he, “that team belongs to my old enemy, Graff. Can it be possible he is the donor? If so, surely the finger of God has touched his heart.” Dea. P. was, however, so convinced that he was their benefactor, that he resolved on an immediate call to that gentleman. But who was Mr. Graff? Some years before, the sacredness of the Sabbath was openly violated by a brisk trade in fish. The hundreds of boatmen, sailors and their friends engaged in the desecration, were so potent in influence that nobody thought of risking interference. Dea. P., though a man of place, was also a man of moral courage. He determined to put a stop to the iniquity. His friends warned him that his life would be endangered; but at first alone, and afterward with a brother deacon, he would take a walk along the wharves on a Sabbath morning to ascertain who broke the laws by traffic on that day. Men swore at him like fiends, fired his dwelling at several different times, and at last “bound themselves with an oath” to kill him. Yet they feared his presence, and at his approach stores would be deserted of customers, and closed with celerity. This species of Sabbath breaking was at length broken up, after various hair-breadth escapes on the part of Dea. P. and his compatriot, the authorities being shamed into action by their fearless zeal. The brutal drunkenness of the sailors, and the degradation and suffering of their families, with which Dea. P. was in this enterprise brought into contact, opened his eye to the evil of the liquor traffic; and turning his Sabbath reform to the legal authorities, he became known as a temperance advocate. This also brought him enemies, sometimes changing friends into foes. Distiller Graff was among the latter, from a warm friend becoming bitterly alienated. In vain did the grieved deacon strive to conciliate by explanation and personal kindness. Even the trifling civility of a bow was rudely unnoticed by Mr. Graff. Dea. P. entered the distillery of his old friend. For the first time for years its proprietor looked up with a nod of recognition. It was evident something unusual had softened his heart. “I have called,” said the deacon, “to ask if you can tell me who sent some wood and candles to my house to-day?” “Yes sir, I sent them.” “You are very kind; but pray tell me how you came to do so.” “But first let me inquire if you really needed them?” “O I cannot express to you how much!” “Well, then, I suppose I must explain,” said Mr. Graff. “It is all very singular, and sometimes seems very foolish. This morning, about 10 o’clock, as I was busy at my work, suddenly a voice seemed to say to me, ‘Send some wood to Dea. P., he is in want.’ I was astonished. I tried to banish the thought, and went to work more earnestly. I could not believe you needed it. And I could not send it to you of all others. But the voice—it seemed within me—said again with painful distinctness, ‘Send some wood to Dea. P., he is in want!’ I scouted the idea as weak and silly; a mere phantasy of the brain; but it was of no use; I had to succumb; the more I ridiculed and fought it, the more vivid and irresistible was the impression, until to purchase peace, and in some awe, I bade John load his team with wood and leave it at your door. For a moment I was at rest; but only for a moment. The imperative whisper came, ‘Send some candles!’ Said I to myself, this is too absurd, I will not gratify this whim; but again I was so beset with the mandate, and so distressed and baffled in repelling it, that as a cheap way to get out of torment, I handed John a package of candles also. “This has been in my mind ever since. Sometimes I have thought it almost a freak of insanity, and then, again, such was the strange character of the impression, so unexpected, so solemn and powerful, and such the singular peace following compliance with its dictates, that I almost believe it to be supernatural.” “It is, indeed, the doings of ‘Him who is wonderful in working,’” replied Dea. P. “It was about 10 o’clock; I well remember, that I plead with God for the very articles you sent me in an agony of wrestling I never knew before. It was then, too, that my soul was filled with the conviction that my prayer was heard, and a relief would come.” Since hearing a venerated relative relate this incident in his own life, we have often wondered how the skeptic can dispose of such occurrences. While it would be presumptuous for the believer to expect to live by prayer alone, to be fed without his own co-operation, as was Elijah, yet are there not events happening all along the history of the church, in the experience of individual members, to be accounted for only on the ground of a special Providence, regardful of the emergencies of the believing, suffering people of God? Surely, “Light is sown for the righteous,” and to them “the deepest dark reveals the starriest hope.” I DO NOT LIKE TO HEAR HIM PRAY.
I do not like to hear him pray,
Who loans at twenty-five per cent,
For then I think the borrower may
Be pressed to pay for food and rent.
And in that book we all should heed,
Which says the lender shall be blest;
As sure as I have eyes to read,
It does not say “take interest.” I do not like to hear him pray
On bended knees about an hour,
For grace to spend aright the day,
Who knows his neighbor has no flour;
I’d rather see him go to mill,
And buy the luckless brother bread,
And see his children eat their fill,
And laugh beneath their humble shed I do not like to hear him pray,
“Let blessings on the widow be!”
Who never seeks her home to say,
“If want o’ertakes you, come to me.”
I hate the prayer so loud and long,
That’s offered for the orphan’s weal,
By him who sees him crushed by wrong,
And only with the lips doth feel. I do not like to hear her pray,
With jewelled ear and silken dress,
Whose washerwoman toils all day,
And then is asked to “work for less.”
Such pious shavers I despise;
With folded hands and airs demure,
They lift to heaven their “angel eyes,”
Then steal the earnings of the poor! I do not like such soulless prayers;
If wrong, I hope to be forgiven;
No angel’s wing them upward bears—
They’re lost a million miles from heaven.
I do not like long prayers to hear,
And studied from the lips depart;
Our Father bends a ready ear,
Let words be few, he hears the heart. WHILE ten men watch for chances, one man makes chances, and while ten wait for something to turn up, one turns something up; so, while ten fail one succeeds and is called a man of luck or favorite of fortune. There is no luck like pluck, and fortune most favors those who are most indifferent to fortune. THE cross of Christ is the centre to which everything tends, the summary of the history of the universe. Who ever knew an eminently holy man who did not spend much of his time in prayer? Did ever a man exhibit much of the spirit of prayer who did not devote much time to his closet? Whitefield says: “Whole days and weeks have I spent, prostrate on the ground, in silent or vocal prayer.” “Fall upon your knees, and grow there,” is the language of another, who knew whereof he affirmed. These, in spirit, are but specimens of a feature in the experience of eminent piety which is absolutely uniform. APPEALS FOR THE SUNDAY SABBATH.
The following are specimens of the efforts that are now being made through the religious papers of the land to arouse the consciences of the people in regard to a more strict observance of the first day of the week, and to induce them to inaugurate some movement by which its desecration on the part of any may be suppressed. The Christian Press, the organ of the “Western Tract and Book Society” advertises “an admirable tract on the observance of the Sabbath, by Dr. K. Patterson of Chicago, and says that “in these days of Sabbath desecration, it ought to be widely circulated.” The same paper has the following appeal on “The question of Sabbath observance, is now being agitated in many of our cities. It is so intimately connected with the progress of Christianity, that the Church can not afford to quietly allow this bulwark to be attacked. She well knows that if the Sabbath becomes a day for more physical enjoyment, instead of promoting national prosperity, public virtue and religion, it will become the nursery of vice and infidelity. The old Puritans in England well know this, hence their pertinacious opposition to the Book of Sports, the licensing of Morris-dances, and similar attempts to break down the sacred character of the day. “‘Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy,’ is God’s own injunction, and it must be observed if religion and public virtue are promoted. But this can not be done if the Sabbath ceases to be a day of rest from worldly avocations. “How much recreation is proper on this day, can not be well defined in any proposition; but certainly nothing should be done that would impair the sanctity of the day, as a day of rest, or interfere with the spirituality of mind which is absolutely necessary to obeying the injunction, ‘Keep it holy.’ “We have great regard for the prophet’s teaching regarding this matter: ‘If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord honorable, and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father.’” The Northwestern Christian Advocate of Chicago, a few months since, issued a stirring call to the observers of the first-day of the week in the State of Illinois to arouse for the conflict. These were its words: “CHRISTIAN MEN OF ILLINOIS!”
“It is time to awake. An effort is being made to destroy the sanctity of the Christian Sabbath, to open theaters, rum-shops, beer and wine houses, public gardens, &c., on the holy day.
“It is said this is done in the interest of Germans. We respectfully say it is not well that our adopted citizens should levy war upon the cherished institutions of the country. They have the broadest freedom, let them not overturn our privileges, dear as life. “Senators and Representatives at Springfield, be advised that the granting of the petition will create an excitement of no ordinary character. If the Christian people of the State are to be driven into making this a political issue the blame will be placed where it belongs. At present, the movement only refers to Chicago, but it is meant for the State, and we call for the voices of the State. “We say distinctly, calmly, but decidedly, the Protestant Christians of this country WILL NOT give up their Sabbath without a contest. If it must come, they will meet it, and meet it like Christian men! “Men are busy who mean to destroy our Christianity, and begin by a crafty assault upon the Sabbath.” To the doctrine of no-Sabbath, S. D. Adventists are more opposed than any other class of people. We cannot be justly charged in any degree with encouraging the lawlessness, intemperance, debauchery and riot that naturally follow in its wake. Let those meet the responsibility of these results, who plead for that infidel outrage upon reason and revelation. Yet it is not difficult to see how we are to be involved in this controversy, and made to feel the odium that justly attaches to a disregard of all Sabbaths. The prominent feature thus far in the agitation, is German no-Sabbatism. The rally cry is sounded for the Christian men of the country to come up and defend the Sunday against this innovation; for this is what is meant by the terms, Sabbath, Christian Sabbath, American Sabbath, &c., as used by them. But the great element of weakness in this first-day Sabbath, is that it is utterly without foundation in the Scriptures of truth. Now, as the writer in the Advocate says, as “the Protestant Christians of this country will not give up their Sabbath without a contest,” so the Germans will not suffer it to be imposed on them, without thoroughly testing its claim to Scripture authority. But the falsity of this claim has already been fully shown by the defenders of the true Sabbath, namely, S. D. Adventists, and S. D. Baptists, whose views are destined to become more widely known, as the agitation increases. Hence those whose bigotry will not brook a question of their cherished institution on any ground, nor suffer them to see the light, however clear, will accuse us of being allies and aiders of the lawless no-Sabbath faction, and the chief objects of their wrath will be those who, by setting forth the true light, have shown the weakness of the claim for Sunday sanctification. But because we contend for the secularization of Sunday, if we may so speak, on the ground that the seventh-day is the Sabbath of the Lord and should be religiously observed, we are not to be classed with those who would secularize it on the ground that no day is to be devoted to religious rest and worship. This distinction will doubtless be ignored. A responsibility rests upon us to spread abroad with more earnestness than ever, the true light on this subject. The appalling evils of no-Sabbatism are very apparent to every right-minded person. The utter untenableness of the claims of Sunday to any sanctity whatever, can be made to appear to every candid and unprejudiced mind. Let us hope that in the approaching struggle, many will see where the truth lies, embrace it and be sanctified through it. REPORT FROM BRO. WHITE.
By James White
On the fourth of July we were disappointed of the proposed meeting at our new home in consequence of the masons who did not get out of our way in time, so on that day we left for Wright at five in the morning. We drove eight miles, to a beautiful grove, where in the shade of two large oaks we took our morning meal and fed the faithful horses. I wander for a moment to introduce an item of interest touching small fruit. May 28, we returned from Battle Creek with strawberry plants for our new garden. July 4, by the wayside, we enjoyed ripe fruit from the plants. Our Western people need not go without fruit when the transplanted strawberry will gather from the soil that which is most delicious in the short space of thirty-six days. Every Western farmer should have one fourth of an acre of berries to twenty-five acres of wheat or corn. Then dry and can them and have fruit the year around. Spend one fourth you used to for pork, beef, mutton and poultry, and you may have strawberries and raspberries the whole year. At 2 P. M. we reached Bro. Buck’s, thirty-five miles from home. The heat was terrible. In the cool of the evening we drove to Bro. Root’s, our old home and resting place. Next morning was glad to receive from the express office fifty copies of that excellent work, entitled, “Thoughts on the Revelation.” These thoughts are not the fruit of one brain. In the time of the end the Revelation was to be unsealed and opened. And from the open book, light has been shining. Wm. Miller saw much. Others since have seen more. And as this open book contains more which bears directly upon the present truth than any other book of the Bible, its clearest light is reserved for believers in the time of the third message. The book is rightly named—“Thoughts on the Revelation.” Thoughts are expressed by words, but words do not always express thoughts. The world is full of books whose thoughts are with difficulty seen, like mile-posts. This, however, is a book of thoughts, clothed in the author’s happy style, plain, yet critical and practical, coming down to the spiritual wants of the common people, yet elevated and dignified. This standard work should be in the library of every believer. It is, in its weight of thought, its beauty of typographical execution upon its white pages, and in its neat binding, a fitting companion for the “History of the Sabbath.” And we are glad to see that the Association is able to offer the first edition of this book of 328 pp. of “Thoughts” for the small sum of $1 00. Sabbath morning the house of prayer was well filled with the numerous members of the church. The morning was cool. We spoke one hour and a half. In the afternoon spoke one hour and Mrs. W. spoke for more than an hour. Two, who were especially interested in the meetings we held with this church last winter, offered themselves for baptism, and on first-day morning, a little after sunrise, they were baptized. They had never seen any one immersed and were anxious to be instructed, especially as to the part they were to act in the matter. Their intelligence and regard for propriety led them to this. After being suitably instructed and prepared, we moved down into the clear stream, slowly and calmly. They gave themselves into my hands without an apparent anxious feeling. They were very slowly lowered till the back of the head touched the water, then quickly lowered into the stream and as quickly raised. In this way they were saved from catching the breath. And instead of hurrying to the bank in a strangled condition, a heavenly smile was on the countenance as they calmly moved to the shore. These suggestions may benefit young administrators and candidates. At nine o’clock I met with the church in business session, and at ten joined them in washing the saint’s feet and in the Lord’s supper. These meetings were excellent. A good work has been done in this church. In the evening we returned to Bro. Buck’s and at half past four this morning we were pursuing the pleasant journey of forty miles. For the information of those who design to pass to and fro to Monthly Meeting I would say that the road is superior to any of that distance we ever rode over in the State. Mrs. W.’s health is excellent, and I am still making up lost time in sleeping, which is relieving my head. With my present labor, mental and physical, in the heat of midsummer, and loss of teeth and of blood when they were extracted, I think I fully hold my own. With God’s blessing I hope to gain faster in the future. The field of usefulness is open before us and we hope to have strength to stand side by side in the good work. I would suggest that there be a general gathering of the brethren in Northern Michigan at Fairplaine immediately after harvest, and another at Wright the first of September, and another in Gratiot Co., the first of October. In my toothless condition which may continue some months, I choose not to go among strangers. Wherever I go brethren must not expect too much of me. I will, in the strength of the Lord, do what I can. Brethren pray for us. Greenville, July 8, 1867. REPORT FROM BRO. WHITNEY.
By S. B. WHITNEY
Since my last report, I have attended Quarterly Meetings at Nile, N. Y., Roulette and Farmington, Pa., and Genoa, N. Y., according to appointments. Most of them have been meetings of more than ordinary interest. On account of the badness of the going and the lateness of the season, occasioned by the frequency and severity of the storms, all of which have been very extreme in this section the present season, the meeting at Nile was comparatively small, but quite interesting. We found our friends, the S. D. Baptists, ready to give us a cordial welcome to their house of worship, which we gratefully accepted. At every place there is manifestly a growing interest, both in church and community, in the solemn truths pertaining to this time. The impressions made at our late General Conference seem not to be confined to73those personally present, but to pervade quite generally the minds of believers; and I trust all are desirous and ready to emulate the example of Paul as set forth in Phil. iii, 7-14. And in the same proportion as we do this, will our fellow-men become interested in the great truths we profess. Between the meetings at Farmington and Genoa I lectured a week in a school-house near Bro. Marsh's, where Bro. Cottrell gave a few lectures last spring, and as the result, we decided to keep the Sabbath, while others are interested. Sabbath, June 29, enjoyed a sweet season with the church at Adams' Center. Providence has prevented my joining in labor with Bro. Fuller as I had anticipated, which has made the latter portion of the quarter very laborious, and as a consequence I find myself considerably exhausted; but while at home for a little season to rest, my mind and interest is on the great work; and as I see the fields already white, the harvest plenteous, and the laborers so few, it makes me anxious to do what I can myself, and also that the church should do its duty in praying for more laborers. S. B. WHITNEY. Grass River, N. Y., July 8, 1867. THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION.
By John Harvey Waggoner
The position of an individual justified by faith may be illustrated thus: A. owes B. a sum which he is not able to pay, and C. engages to take the responsibility of the debt on certain conditions; and in order to make it sure, C. deposits with B. sufficient to cover the amount. Now it is stipulated that if A. fulfills the conditions, B. shall cancel the debt from the deposit made by C. And so long as A. is faithfully fulfilling the conditions, so long is B. satisfied in regard to the debt; and of course he will not trouble A. for it, knowing it is secure. Thus A. is accounted just, in the sight of B., though not really just in himself because he fails to pay a just debt. He is considered as just, or justified through obedience to the conditions of C., who is his surety. But if A. neglects or refuses to fulfill the conditions, the deposit of C. no longer avails for him; he falls from the favor of B. which he had enjoyed through this arrangement, and the debt stands against him as fully as though C. had never engaged to pay it on any condition. That this is a true representation of the position of the penitent, is evident from the declarations that “he that endureth unto the end”—he that is “faithful unto death,” shall be saved; while he that is justified by faith, may, by disobedience, lose that justification, and his righteousness will not be remembered. The blood of Jesus is the bounteous supply—the rich deposit where all may find a covering for their sins; but whether their sins are actually atoned for and removed by that blood, depends upon their acceptance of it, and their faithfulness to the conditions of acceptance. This illustration supposes that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed for all the world, and answers as a deposit from which the sinner may draw by faith that his sins may be canceled or “blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come;” that is, when the sanctuary shall be cleansed by our High Priest. Of course without faith and obedience this deposit will not avail. The debt of the unbeliever is never canceled; his sin is not blotted out; and this proves the truthfulness of the illustration. But to this the objection has been urged, that the debt is already paid; that God chose a certain part of mankind and predetermined that they should be saved, passing by, or reprobating, the remainder. But the scriptures say he “died for all;” 2 Cor. v, 14; that he is the propitiation “for the sins of the whole world;” 1 John ii, 2; and the objection conflicts with these scriptures. Did Christ shed his blood for these reprobated ones? Was their debt paid? If so, why are they lost? But if he did not die for them, what was done for them? and how can they be said to “neglect so great salvation,” (Heb. ii, 3,) if no salvation was provided them? or trample on divine grace, which was no grace to them? Though I was in the communion of a church for years which held the doctrine of this objection, it was ever dark and mysterious to me. On account of the inherent repulsiveness of the doctrine known as “Calvinism,” we often find persons claiming to hold it in a modified form. But that is impossible; it cannot be modified. It is fixed and inflexibly rigid in every feature. It is a belief that God irrevocably decreed and determined all things; and the belief can no more be modified than a fixed decree of Deity can be modified. It may only be exchanged for something else, but in itself it admits of no degrees; for the moment a condition is incorporated into it, it is something else. Calvinism teaches unconditional personal election; and unconditional personal reprobation is its converse and necessary attendant. The Scriptures clearly teach these things; namely, free grace; justification by faith; and the necessity of good works to salvation; and these are all in harmony. It is not my purpose to examine at length the various texts quoted on this subject, but rather to notice the principles on which the true doctrine rests, and introduce texts sufficient to corroborate the principles. The great question to be decided is this: In what respect is the gospel plan unconditional, and in what respect is it conditional? If there is anywhere such a distinction, and if we can clearly trace the line, the subject must be thereby relieved of much difficulty. Examining this, we find that the introduction of the gospel, or setting forth Christ as the way of salvation, was unconditional; but the application of the gospel to individual salvation is conditional. Thus, it is not said to the world, or to any part thereof, that if they would believe or do any certain thing Christ should die for them. But it is said that if they will believe and do certain things they shall be saved by his blood, so freely and unconditionally shed for the sins of the world. Eternal life through Christ was freely and unconditionally brought to man; Rom. vi, 23, et al.; but if they would not therefore perish they must repent and believe; Luke xiii, 3; Jno. iii, 16; and “lay hold on eternal life;” 1 Tim. vi, 19; which they can only obtain “by patient continuance in well-doing;” Rom. ii, 7; and so “work out their own salvation with fear and trembling.” Phil. ii, 12. I am constrained to believe that much of the confusion on this doctrine has arisen from misapplication of scripture, not discerning this distinction. From the first part of our proposition, namely, that salvation was provided, or that Christ was set forth as a Saviour, without any condition, there will be no dissent. Here all are agreed. On the second part, namely, that we avail ourselves of the blessings of God by compliance with conditions, a few scriptures will be noticed. When the Lord sent Moses to the children of Israel, it was with this message: “Say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt; and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.” Ex. iii, 16, 17. Again he said to them: “And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God which bringeth you out from under the burden of the Egyptians. And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it to you for an heritage; I am the Lord.” Ex. vi, 7, 8. Yet, direct and positive as this promise was, the Lord did not bring them into that land, but destroyed them for their disobedience. Again, it was said to Pharaoh: “Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my first-born. And I say unto thee, Let my son go that he may serve me; and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy first-born.” Ex. iv, 22, 23. The first-born was the highly prized and beloved. Yet on the institution of the Passover they would have been destroyed with the first-born of Egypt if they had not remained in their houses and sprinkled the blood on their door-posts; and were afterward destroyed as noticed above. This teaches us that God’s chosen—his first-born, will continue to enjoy his favor only on condition of continual obedience. The conditional nature of his gracious promises is shown by his word through Jeremiah, wherein he commanded Israel to obey him, saying: “That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers.” Jer. xi, 3–5. And again, where he has shown the fixed principle upon which he fulfills his promises and threatenings: “At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy; if that nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in my sight that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them.” Jer. xviii, 7–10. And this is true, not only of nations, but of individuals. Thus the Lord said to Eli: “I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me forever; but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” 1 Sam. ii, 30. It is argued that he that has an interest in the Saviour cannot or will not lose it. See what our Lord himself says: “I am the vine, ye are the branches. . . . If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered.” John xv, 5, 6; and in verse 2: “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away.” This completely overthrows that doctrine which affirms that if any one be in Christ he cannot be taken away. It is urged, and with truth, that none can pluck them out of his hand. But this supposes that they “bear fruit,” or continue faithful. He that endureth to the end shall be saved. As the Jews were rejected because of their unfaithfulness, so Paul says to the Gentile converts, who by faith were grafted into the good olive-tree, they must continue faithful or they should be cut off also. According to the unconditional, personal-election scheme, there could be no danger of it, and if so, the warning of the apostle was deceptive. He says also that they in whom the Spirit of God dwells, which can refer only to accepted believers, are the temple of God; and if they defile the temple of God, that is, themselves, or their own bodies, God shall destroy them. It is said that we are chosen in him before the foundation of the world. But all must admit that there is a time when we become Christ’s—come into him, etc. “As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” We are also said to receive Christ by faith. So it is evident that we are not “in Christ” before we have faith; before we have put him on. Prior to that event, we were “the children of wrath, even as others.” Eph. ii, 3. That we are personally and unconditionally elected before the foundation of the world, cannot, therefore, be the sense of that scripture. Jesus Christ was the one chosen—“the elect”—to be the author of salvation to all who believe and obey; and all who receive him and put him on, or are baptized into him, become one with him, members of his body, and of course are partakers of his privileges and his election. That the election was a prior event is admitted; but that we have any part in it before we become members of Christ’s body is denied. The choice is of Christ, and through him all that are “in him;” but personally, does not reach them that are out of him, children of wrath, as we are all by nature. With this view we see the reasonableness of Peter’s exhortation, to make our calling and election sure; 2 Pet. i, 10; but with the Calvinistic view, it cannot be made to appear reasonable. And so of all the exhortations and threatenings in the Bible; if man is not free to choose and refuse, to obtain through obedience or lose by disobedience, they cannot be what they purport to be. The truth on this subject we chiefly rest on the difference between the death of Christ and the atonement, the argument on which, see. THINK nothing in conduct unimportant or indifferent. PRACTICE strict temperance, and in your transactions, remember the final account.