Signs of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 47. (12/9/1886)

Signs of the Times

Dec 9, 1886

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 9, 1886

The Standard of Christian Excellence.

By Ellen G. White

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.

"Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself; that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven, and which are on earth; even in him; in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." Eph. 1:8-11.

Our heavenly Father presents before his finite creatures no impossibilities; he requires not at their hands that which they cannot perform. He has not set before his church a standard to which they cannot attain; yet he designs that they shall labor earnestly to reach the high standard set before them in the text. He would have them pray that they may be "filled with the fruits of righteousness," and then expect this blessing and receive it, and in all things grow up into Christ their living Head. This was the apostle's great desire, not with reference to the church at Ephesus only, but to all the churches that he had been instrumental in raising up.

It is because the individual members of the church do not cultivate personal piety, that they do not realize more of the help of God and of their own personal responsibility. There is a higher standard for us to meet. The world has too much of our thoughts, and the kingdom of Heaven too little. God has given us talents that he requires us to use for the upbuilding of his kingdom. Reader, will you look upon these talents as a sacred trust? Will you to-day inquire, "What use have I made of these entrusted talents, and what use am I now making of them? Have I given to temporal, earthly things my strength of purpose, my ability to plan and devise, my tact and skill, and brought to the Lord's work only a feeble, inefficient service? Shall the eternal be made secondary to the temporal? Will the Lord accept this at my hands?"

We often hear Christians express the desire that husband, or wife, or children, may join them in serving the Lord. This desire is right. It is the true missionary spirit,—the spirit that should actuate all the followers of Christ. His first disciples felt thus when they listened to the words of life from the lips of the divine Master. They were convinced that he was the Messiah, and they wanted their relatives and friends to acknowledge his claims.

But while we desire the conversion of our friends, are we doing all we can on our part? Are we faithful in our appointed work? On the contrary, do we not often come short of the duty required of us as co-laborers with Christ? Are we setting a right example in our families and before the world? Are we, like Abraham, commanding our children and our households after us, that they may keep the way of the Lord and do justice and judgment? Is Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith? and do we show forth in our character and our daily life, the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light? If we are doers of the word, and not hearers only, we shall be earnest, thorough, whole-hearted, and God will work with our efforts in behalf of our friends.

There is a work for each one to do; and none need err in that work; for the counsels of God in his word are broad and full. If we sincerely desire to make the name of God a praise in the earth, if we walk in the light that he permits to shine upon our pathway, we shall be children of the day, and not of the night. We shall know the will of God, and shall carry it out in all the transactions of our every-day life.

Many lack moral power, and know very little of the peace, and happiness, and joy of Heaven, because they do not live where Christ can be in them a well of water springing up into everlasting life. They claim to be children of God; but they are only a burden to the church, when God has given them the capacity to be great helps, and requires them to be co-laborers with Christ in the work of saving souls.

If those who are so wanting in spiritual life would see the force of the words of the text, and would realize their duty to heed and obey the lesson here given, there would be greater power in the church. If all the members would improve their talents to the best of their ability, their light would not be hidden under a bushel, but placed on a candlestick, where its clear, steady rays would shine forth to all around them.

We need greater earnestness in the cause of Christ. The solemn message of truth should be given with an intensity that would impress unbelievers that God is working with our efforts, that the Most High is our living source of strength. In this great work, not one-third is accomplished that might be done, because a few willing ones take the burden, and the careless and ease-loving shirk all responsibility. This is not in the order of God, neither is it well-pleasing to him. He has not selected a few to become efficient laborers and bear all the burdens of the cause of God, to do all the praying and all the watching, all the winning and entreating of sinners, while the majority of professed Christians have nothing to do but to look on. He does not want the powers of the workers taxed to the utmost to counteract the influence of worldly-minded, halting, doubting ones, who bear no burdens and show no efficiency as workers.

Is this indifference to continue from year to year? Is Satan always to triumph, and Christ to be disappointed in the servants whom he has redeemed at an infinite price? We are looking forward to the time when the latter rain will be poured out, confidently hoping for a better day, when the church shall be endued with power from on high, and thus fitted to do more efficient work for God. But the latter rain will never refresh and invigorate indolent souls, that are not using the power God has already given them. Spiritual laziness will not bring us nearer to God. There must be energy and zeal as well as devotion and personal piety, woven into all our works.

Those who cherish this inexcusable indolence, this feeling that they have no burden of the work of God, are recorded in the books of Heaven as unfaithful servants. The "Well done, good and faithful servants," will never be spoken to them; it will be spoken to those only who have done well,—to those who have been faithful, earnest, unselfish workers in the Master's vineyard.

There is on the part of many a bustling, out-of-door piety, but little of that heart and home religion which gathers the rays of the Sun of Righteousness, and diffuses them to warm and gladden sorrowing hearts. The great need of such is a higher, purer, nobler life. A holy joy should reign in the soul, and then the daily life will be as a heavenly radiance to brighten the pathway of others.

If we love God with all the heart, we must love his children also. This love is of the Spirit of God. It is the heavenly adorning that gives true nobility and dignity to the soul, and assimilates our lives to that of the Master. No matter how many good qualities we may have, no matter how honorable and refined we may consider ourselves, if the soul is not baptized with the heavenly grace of love, we are deficient in true goodness, and unfit for Heaven, where all is love and unity.

When the heavenly principle of love fills the heart, it will flow out to others, not merely because favors are received of them, but because love is the principle of action, and modifies the character, governs the impulses, subdues enmity, and elevates and ennobles the affections. This love is not contracted so as to include only the home-circle, but is as broad as the world, and is in harmony with that of the angel-workers. This love cherished in the soul sweetens the entire life, and exerts a refining influence on all around. Possessing it, we cannot but be happy, let fortune smile or frown. God, in his providence, has willed that no one can secure happiness by living for himself alone. The joy

of our Lord consisted in enduring toil and suffering for others; and we shall find true happiness in following his example, and living to do good to our fellow-men.

The mission of the church is to save souls. When Jesus was about to ascend on high, he pointed to the harvest fields, and said to his followers: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel." "Freely ye have received, freely give." God calls for talents of influence and of means; he calls for earnest, faithful toil. Shall we refuse to obey? Shall we not rather deny self that the wasting harvest may be gathered?

In order to have our labors accepted, we must learn in the school of Christ; we must have practical godliness. When we have the saving power of truth in our own souls, we cannot forbear communicating to others the practical truths that have made our own hearts joyful in God.

"Being filled with the fruits of the Spirit," said the apostle. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another."

Basel, Switzerland.

NOT MY OWN.

By Robert Hare

BY ROBERT HARE.

"Ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." 1 Cor. 6:20.

Not my own, forever ransomed, Purchased by the sinner's Friend; Voice, and tongue, and mind, for Jesus All their willing powers must spend.

All for Jesus, soul and body, Life and love in him to find; Giving still a faithful service, Pure in heart with willing mind.

All for Jesus, who, in pity Left the shining courts above, That his hand might lead the wand'rer Back into the fold of love.

All I owe my blessed Saviour; His the conquest and the strife; His the loving accents calling, Promise of eternal life.

Not my own but all for Jesus, Lord, I lay me at thy feet; Let thy spirit, blessed Saviour, Make the gift an off'ring meet.

Healdsburg, Cal.

THE CHRISTIAN STATE

The Papacy; Its Position, Policy, and Prospects.—No. 2.

AND what now is the work in hand for which this vast and careful preparation has been made? That work consists of two parts: the first is to combat the revolution; the second is to restore the Christian state.

As regards the revolution, which the church of Rome declares it is one grand branch of her work to combat, it is necessary to have a correct idea of what she means by "revolution." In the Papal vocabulary words do not mean the same things which they do in ordinary speech. The term "revolution" in the mouth of the Pope does not denote the atheistic and destructive doctrines of Communism and Socialism, as one might suppose; revolution in Papal phraseology is but another name for constitutional government. This the Pope denounces as Naturalism; because it is government on the natural principles of reason and equity, and because it brings two execrable impieties, as the Pope holds them, in its train: toleration of opinion and liberty of conscience. The German Empire is a revolution; the French Republic is a revolution; and the kingdom of Italy, with Rome for its capital, is the greatest revolution of all. This is the revolution that Rome is to combat, holding it to be a wicked and blasphemous rebellion against God, and his Vicegerent on earth.

"THE CHRISTIAN STATE."

The second part of the work now on hand is the restoration of the "Christian state." And what do the Popes mean by the Christian state? For Papal language and ordinary language, as I have just reminded you, are two different things. By the Christian state is meant simply a world governed by the Pope and the canon law. In order to see this it is necessary to attend a moment to the doctrine of the church of Rome on the head of society. Society, say the theologians of that church, may exist in two states: (1) in a state of nature; (2) in a state of grace. By society in a state of nature they mean society as God constituted it at the beginning, guiding itself by the light of nature and reason.

It is the mission of the church, they tell us, to lift society out of that low and corrupt condition, and to elevate it to a higher and holier sphere—to bring it into a state of grace. How do they do this? They begin by confiscating all merely civil rights and privileges, and by subordinating, if not wholly abolishing, all civil magistracy. And with what do they replace it? Why, with the magistracy of the church. All the obligations which the subject owes to the law and the monarch of the country in which he lives, are subordinated or transferred to the spiritual authority; that is, to the Pope and the canon law. The state governed by the Pope and canon law is the Christian state, and this it is the grand object of the Vatican to restore. Constitutional government, says the syllabus, is a revolt against the world's divine king, whose seat is on the Seven Hills. The modern theories of liberty and authority are emanations from the pit; they are the promptings of Lucifer. It is the mission of the church to dethrone that tyrant, and rescue society from the abyss in which he has plunged it, and place it upon the rock of the church, where alone it can enjoy repose. Then will be seen the "Christian state." A faint image of this happy time was exhibited in the thirteenth century during the reign of Innocent III. That image will revive and be seen in the greater splendor and completeness of that kingdom over which the Popes of the future will sway their scepter.

But how is this grand project to be realized? What are the instrumentalities which are to be put in operation for quelling this great revolt, and casting out that legion of demons which have taken possession of modern society, and which are known by the various names of constitutionalism, toleration, liberty of conscience, etc.

In the syllabus we see the programme of what the future is to behold, realized; we see there the foundations traced out of that great Babel which the builders of the Vatican are about to erect. But how, you ask, are the ideas and principles of the syllabus to be rendered into facts? In order to this a great and various mechanism has been constructed, and is being put at this hour into busy operation all over Europe.

THE SCHOOL.

There is, first, the school. Wise for her own interests, the church of Rome has taken into her own hands the education of youth, in some countries partially, in others entirely; she is training young Europe in the principles of the syllabus. In France she has a staff of not less than 70,000 persons, male and female, engaged in the work of teaching youth. What are these 70,000 doing but binding down France in the chains of the syllabus? In Italy and Spain the schools are worked mostly by priests and monks. In Belgium "Christian brothers" teach the boys, and nuns the girls. In Southern Germany the teachers in the schools are mostly clerical; it is the same in Austria. Here are millions and millions being reared in the syllabus—being taught as the truth of God that all merely civil laws and civil rulers, so far as they are not in consonance with canon law, are moral nullities, and that the Pope is the one God-appointed and divine governor of the earth.

The generation now being so trained will soon have the affairs of Europe in their hands. They will be the cabinet ministers of monarchs, the legislators of kingdoms, the editors of newspapers, teachers in colleges and schools, generals in the army, and, especially, they will form the rank and file of the soldiery which will fight our future campaigns. It was the schools opened in Germany by the Jesuits that furnished the soldiers for the Thirty Years' War. The same tactics are being repeated, and a new generation, trained in the schools, will soon be seen legislating, writing, preaching, and fighting for the suppression of "naturalism," that is, civil liberty, and the subjection of the world to the divine vicegerency of the Pope; and when it has come to pass that no human being is suffered to form an opinion in morals and religion, unless in accordance with the syllabus, then the Jesuits will sing their pæan over their completed work of restoring the "Christian state."

THE CONFESSIONAL.

By J. A. Wylie

The confessional is an ancient institution, suffered to languish in the last century, but which is again starting into new life, working with greater intensity and daily widening its range. Think of that tribunal, set up in every city, in every family, high and low, and in every bosom, and you will see what a power there is here to mould society, to write on the conscience of Europe the doctrines of the syllabus. And think of the moral weakness of the men and women of Popish countries, their manliness and virtue sapped by the teachings of their church, and their patriotism and loyalty undermined by the pretended divine supremacy of the spiritual over the temporal power. Such a population is powerless to resist the organization and wiles of Rome. As clay in the hands of the potter, so are such men and women in the hands of the confessor.

The revival of pilgrimages is another sign of our times, prognosticating trouble. Nothing is better fitted to fan into a flame the fanaticism of the masses of Popish Europe, than these pilgrimages. Lines of pilgrims on the roads of Europe have, in former times, been the sure prelude of the march of armies for the extirpation of heresy. Nothing is easier than to transform a band of devotees, with rosary and palmer-staff, into a host of crusaders, who recite their breviary, or sing their aves, clad in shirt of mail, and begirt with consecrated sword for the rooting out of heresy. A signal from the Vatican, and lo! where pilgrims are now seen every summer wending their way in peaceful guise to some favorite shrine, armed warriors would be seen marching to fight the battles of the church.—Rev. J. A. Wylie, LL.D., of Edinburgh.

Sanctification.

By St. Louis Christian Advocate

It is painful to know that there are not a few persons in different parts of our country who are making a specialty or a hobby of the doctrine of sanctification, while their presentation of it is so befogged, disconnected, and imperfect as to include no well-defined or definite view, and their lives exhibit an almost total lack of the true spirit of Christian holiness. Their spirit is often harsh, petulant, impatient of contradiction, boastful, or self-seeking. They are professedly very scrupulous as to the "duty of confessing the blessing," when if they would live as they should, their lives would save their lips a great deal of trouble.

Unless the profession goes hand in hand with humility, and sanctification with unselfishness and upright lives, it is nothing worth—worse than nothing. It does harm both to the professor and to the observer. It brings a reproach upon our holy religion. Better, a thousand times, say nothing on the subject than to make loud professions of holiness, while the life goes in a contrary direction.

We have known a few persons who were said to have been made perfect in love, but they did not placard it, nor be always shouting it out. They quietly and unobtrusively lived it. It shone out in all their tempers, dispositions, words, and actions. They were humble, meek, and lowly, as was their Lord, whom they loved and served with pure hearts fervently.—St. Louis Christian Advocate.

The Proud, Envious, and Angry Man

By Bishop Hall

The proud man hath no God; the envious man hath no neighbor; the angry man hath not himself. What good, then, in being a man, if one has neither himself nor a neighbor nor God?—Bishop Hall.

"Have Faith and Doubt Not."

By Frank Hope

DOUBT is the opposite of faith, and as faith bestows on man his sweetest comfort, so doubt often brings the most bitter anguish. Doubt always costs, and if entertained in a Christian's mind it will eventually destroy all spiritual life. There is no condition of mind so deplorable as doubt,—a state of uncertainty is a state of anguish. One of the curses pronounced on Israel in case of disobedience was, "And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life; in the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning!" To be in doubt implies being in suspense, and a state of suspense is a state of great trial. The mother who is watching over her sick child perhaps suffers most while the child's life is in the balance. This is illustrated in the case of David, while there was an uncertainty as to the fate of his child he was in great anguish. "And David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them." But as soon as his child was dead and the doubt removed, David became resigned, the great burden was removed, he arose and did eat. "And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."

Doubt not only throws us into a state of gloom and anguish but it also deprives us of the blessings that it is our privilege to enjoy. This is shown in the case of Thomas, if it had not been for his unbelief he might have been rejoicing with the other disciples in a risen Saviour, and might have had sweet communion with him. But as it was, Thomas stayed away from the other disciples and spent many days alone in the gloom and darkness that the tragedy of Calvary had brought him. Thomas learned that faith is more precious than doubt.

The last days are to be an age of doubt. Says the apostle: "There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming?" And we have only to read 2 Tim. 3:1-5 to see what sort of characters this doubting spirit develops. Modern civilization has brought with it a contempt for everything biblical for which it cannot account. Men no longer believe, they discuss, despise, and reject. Skepticism is mistaken for intelligence, yet these same men will, with little question, accept the wildest theory or even the crudest speculations of scientists; and we must remember that the most popular scientist is the one who gets farthest from the word of God. Indeed, to be popular one must doubt the Bible.

So great will be the mania of doubt in the last days that some, even of those who are looking for the Saviour, will depart from the faith. Some will begin to entertain doubts, and to say in their hearts, "My Lord delayeth his coming." And what becomes of the individual who is among these? He will immediately turn round and most bitterly oppose the truth; he will begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken. In the light of these truths surely we ought to regard the admonition of Paul, "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering." It is not difficult to believe. It is only natural for us when told anything to take it for granted that it is so, and why should we not do this with God? Simple, confiding belief is very precious in the sight of the Saviour. "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Let us cultivate such a faith as this, for the time is near when our belief in God's word must be so firm that though we go contrary to our senses, yet we shall not waver. Let our prayer be, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."

Why Return to the Sabbath?

By Light of Home

THOUGHTLESS men claim that a return to the Sabbath is a return to Judaism. The central idea of the Sabbath is to remember God, not simply creation, in reverent, joyful love and worship. That, surely, is not "Jewish." It were just as consistent to say that it is "Jewish" to cease from idolatry, or to give honor to parents, as to keep the Sabbath. Judaism covered the Sabbath with a fungus growth of false ceremonials. Christ pruned that away and left the Sabbath fitted for Christian use. Few things have aided the growth of unchristian rationalism since the Reformation, more than the unscriptural rejecting of the Sabbath and clinging to the Sunday. Hence, a return to the Sabbath would check a strong tendency in the church to undue and destructive rationalism. It would bring God back into human life, through Sabbath-keeping, based on his law.

A return to the Sabbath would give a broader view of the whole Sabbath question. The assumption that "the work of redemption is greater than the work of creation," has become a sort of current coin in the discussion of the Sabbath question. There are several serious objections to it: 1. It is illogical. Both works are infinite. Man can measure neither of them; much less can he compare them and say which is the greater. 2. It is not a scriptural proposition. The writers of the Bible attempt no such comparison. 3. It narrows the whole question, unjustly. We repeat what is said above. The central idea of the Sabbath is to remember God in reverent love and worship, and not any one act, or one department of his work. The Sabbath is God's memorial. As the memorial of a friend represents his entire life and character, and not a single phase of it, so the Sabbath tells of God, as Creator, as Preserver, as Redeemer. This is by far a broader and more helpful view than the incomplete one which attempts to confine the Sabbath to creation, or the Sunday to the resurrection. Christianity needs the whole memorial statue, not one side of the face, or one hand only. Christ unveiled this memorial, and left the real Sabbath to his church.

Pagan prejudice against the "hated brood of Jews," threw God's memorial into the street, and placed the "venerable day of the sun" in its stead. Romanism legislated the "venerable" memorial of the sun, and sun-worship, into power. Protestantism accepted the legacy from Romanism, but sought to strengthen the foundation by putting the law of God therein. That law refuses to fit the place, hence the steady growth of non-Sabbatic holidayism and revelry. Sunday has not the grip of religious authority. Men who turn from it to the Sabbath, in the Spirit of love-born obedience, build firmly on the new foundation. Such men climb from the lowlands of indifference to the highlands of joyous obedience unto the law of God, written in their hearts. Such a foundation is very different from an inoperative civil law, and a crumbling tradition.—Light of Home.

We Believe, Therefore We Speak.

By Editor

A SUBSCRIBER addresses us as follows:—

"I like your paper very much, and think the demand for just such a paper is very urgent. But I see that in all of your papers you write as though Jesus Christ was a real character, and the Bible all truth. . . . Go to the bottom, and then tell us if you do not think that all the gods, devils, etc., were made by man."

In answer to this, we can only say that in all our papers we have written just what we believe,—that Jesus Christ is a real character and that the Bible is all true. We do not say that we have gone to the bottom, but we do say that we have gone far enough to be perfectly assured that all gods, devils, etc., were not made by man. We are certain that God made man and all things that are, except the devil and his works. Lucifer made himself a devil: God made him a cherub. It is because we so firmly believe the reality of Christ and of God, and the truth of the Scriptures, that we write as we do in opposition to the National Reform movement. God and Christ command us to keep the commandments of God. That, we propose ever to do, but the National Reform party proposes to compel us, and all other people in the United States, to keep that which is not a command of God at all. Christ directs us to "Render to Cæsar that which is Cæsar's, and unto God that which is God's." But the National Reform party proposes to compel all people in the United States to render to Cæsar not only that which is Cæsar's, but also to render to Cæsar that which is God's. Christ said: "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." The practice of the National Reform party is, Whatsoever ye would not that men should do to you, do ye that to them. Therefore respect to God, to Christ, and the Bible; and the defense of the rights of those who wish to respect these and the natural rights of man—these are the principles upon which the American Sentinel is founded, and in accordance with which it is conducted. We are only happy that in all our papers our readers can discern that God and Christ are written of as real persons, and the Bible as true.—American Sentinel.

Ministers and Politics.

COTTON MATHER said: "New England being a country whose interests are remarkably in-wrapped in ecclesiastical circumstances, ministers ought to concern themselves in politics;" and among the fruits of it there was the Salem witchcraft executions. And says Bancroft: "The power of the ministers over the magistrates, having now no effect but to narrow and restrain, reposed no longer on the energy of religion, but on superstitious veneration. It is the beauty of truth that nothing can rest upon it but justice. The ministers, desirous of unjust influence, could build their hope of it only on error; and the struggle for greater freedom of mind—the struggle against superstition, and against the slavish interpretation of the Bible—was one with the struggle against their dominion in the State. . . . And to the ministers, in their self-righteousness, it never occurred that vanity and love of power had blinded their judgment."—History of the United States, chap. 30, par. 14, 15.

Independence of Thought.

By S. S. Times

IN order to be truly independent in opinion and in action, a man must hear arguments, or must have counsel, in addition to his own unaided knowledge of any question awaiting decision. The very idea of independence includes the thought of one who decides between conflicting motives or inducements. The man who knows of only one way of looking at a matter must go in that direction—if he goes at all. There is no choice for him. That is not being independent. But the man who knows all that can be said on both sides of a question, and then acts on his maturer judgment in the premises, is the independent man. It is a want of independence that prompts a man to shun counsel when he has a responsibility of thought and action.—S. S. Times.

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