p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 52. (12/24/1902)

LESSON 2.—JANUARY 11.—CHRISTIAN LIVING.

Lesson Scripture, Phil. 4: 1-13, A. S. R. V.

(1) “Wherefore, my brethren beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my beloved. (2) “I exhort Euodia, and I exhort Syntyche, to be of the same mind in the Lord. (3) Yea, I beseech thee also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they labored with me in the Gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life. (4) “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. (5) Let your forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. (6) In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. (8) “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (9) The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do; and the God of peace shall be with you. (10) “But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length ye have revived your thought for me; wherein ye did indeed take thought, but ye lacked opportunity. (11) Not that I speak in respect of want; for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content. (12) I know how to be abased, and I know also how to abound; in everything and in all things have I learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in want. (13) I can do all things in Him that strengtheneth me.”

Golden Text.—“Rejoice in the Lord alway.” Verse 4.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) How does the apostle address the church at Philippi? What exhortation does he give them? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) What women does he mention? What special counsel does he give for them? Verse 2. Note 2. (3) What does the apostle ask in behalf of these women? Why? What does he say of certain fellow-laborers? Verse 3. Note 3. (4) What general advice is given because of this? Verse 4. Note 4. (5) How should forbearance be manifested? What encouraging assurance is given? Verse 5. Note 5. (6) What is said about anxiety? How should requests be made to God? Verse 6. (7) What precious promise is added? Verse 7. Note 6. (8) What exhortation is given in regard to meditation? Verse 8. (9) What example is held up to the brethren? And what further promise? Verse 9. Note 7. (10) In what does the apostle himself rejoice? What only had they lacked in this matter? Verse 10. (11) What lesson had the apostle learned? Verse 11. Note 8. (12) How is this statement emphasized? Verse 12. (13) What does Paul say of the source of his strength? Verse 13. Note 9.

NOTES.

1. “Wherefore,” showing that what follows is predicated on that which precedes. The previous chapter (verse 20) states that our citizenship is in heaven, and that the Saviour for whom we look, is able to subdue all things to Himself (verse 21). But back through this the exhortations of this lesson are in view of all that Paul had taught in all the previous part of the epistle.

“My joy and crown.” Paul had a special attachment to this church, because of their hospitality and their sacrifice for the cause. See verses 15 and 16 of lesson chapter.

2. “Of the same mind in the Lord.”—See also Ch. 2: 5-11.

3. “Help those women.”—Euodia and Syntyche had evidently been valuable helpers in the work; for this reason Paul was anxious that there should be harmony between them. So if they should be of the same mind in the Lord, they would have minds harmonious with each other. “Yokefellow.”—The original is a proper name, Syzygus, meaning yokefellow. He was probably an elder of the church, and the one to whom the letter was sent.

4. Christians should be the most joyful of all people, because of the hope set before them. The only source of true joy is open before them, and is accessible through faith.

5. “Forbearance,” is made known unto all men by being manifested in the daily life. One authority says, “The idea is, ‘Do not make a rigorous and obstinate stand for what is your just due.’”

6. “The peace of God” is obtained through justification by faith (Rom. 5:1) in the sacrifice of Christ. The conception of the plan of salvation is beyond human understanding; for it is based on “the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,” Eph. 3:19.

7. Example.—“Knowing how much more telling example often is than precept, the apostle points to his own teaching and life as they had known them. At first they had been scholars learning from him; after that they became fellow-workers and brethren, so that they were daily witnesses of his words and works, and to these he refers them as a practical example.”—Schaff.

8. The lesson of contentment is a most important one; for “godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Tim. 6:6.

9. The Source of Power.—Paul took no glory to himself, not even the credit of being content. The source of his contentment, as of every other Christian virtue, was Christ. “The word ‘do’ is scarcely comprehensive enough to suggest the full sense of Paul’s words. Rather, I am equal to all things—am strong for all things—through Christ who gives to me all strength. It covers not doing only, but suffering as well; anything the Lord’s providence may permit to come upon him.”—Cowles.

The Finest Things Need Pearline Most

The Finest things are the ones which need Pearline most. The fact that a thing is delicate is the very reason why you should wash it with Pearline. Nothing else can get it clean with so little rubbing. The women who are the most particular about their washing and housework are the ones who are the most enthusiastic about Pearline

The Winning of Margaret

How Margaret and her skeptical friend Ralph were converted. A well-told story.

Price, $1.00 per 100.

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New York City Oakland, Cal. Kansas City, Mo.

Rival Elijahs

Rival “Elijahs.”—With Mr. “Elijah” Sanford in Maine, and Mr. “Elijah” Christmas in the Northwest Territory, both of whom claim to be the genuine, and each of whom has considerable following, what will Mr. “Elijah” Dowie do? Mr. Christmas claims, so the newspapers declare, that Mr. Dowie is a plagiarist, and stole the chief features of his scheme from himself, Mr. Christmas. Since, Mr. Dowie has greatly perverted it. Each of these men, of course, counts all others to be false. The race of spurious Elijahs is multiplying. The reader will find the genuine antitype of the mighty prophet of God to be God’s message borne to the world in these last days by a people who will take no glory to themselves.

Scriptural Authority and Subscription Notice

By Editor

Our authority is the Bible, the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. When the Common (King James) Version, the Revised Version, or the American Standard Revised Version is used, quotations will not be designated in reference. Any Bible quotation in this paper, therefore, differing from the Common Version, unless otherwise indicated, will be from one of the two revised versions, usually the American Standard.

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The Revelation of Jesus Christ

The articles on “The Revelation of Jesus Christ,” that will be continued in our next.

No Paper Next Week

By Editor

No Paper Next Week.—This issue is number 52 of the present volume. As there are fifty-three Wednesdays in 1902, there will be no paper next week.

Zechariah’s Final Prophecy

One more article closes the interesting series on the prophecy of Zechariah, and the last is one of the most interesting. The ground that it covers is Zech. 14:4-21.

Prices for Extra Copies

By Editor

There may be those who wish extra copies of this issue. Prices are as follows: Five to ten copies, 2½ cents each; ten to twenty-five copies, 2 cents each; over fifty copies, 1½ cents each.

Adolescence; Its Physical Significance

By Editor

“Adolescence; Its Physical Significance” will be the first of an important series of articles written by Mrs. Mary Wood-Allen, M. D., to appear in this paper in 1903. January 7 is the date of our next issue and of the first article. It is worth, to the needy ones, much more than the price of the paper.

Consider Him Article Postponed

By Editor

The next article in the series “Consider Him” will appear in our issue of January 14. Its subject is, “The One to whom All Judgment Is Committed.” The closing articles in the two series we are running are too long for the one issue, and as nothing will be lost in waiting, the publication of Professor Rine’s last three articles is therefore postponed.

Everlasting Gospel

By Editor

FOR 1903.

MANY other papers and magazines deal with great names, with the opinions of great writers, of world-famed men and women.

The SIGNS OF THE TIMES deals with great and eternally vital subjects to all. We have no great names to present as writers, but we have what is of infinitely more importance, the great truths of God. And the great truths of God presented by weak and unknown men are more than the hypotheses and speculations of the human presented by the mightiest of men. “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

We do not mean by this that weak men will write for the SIGNS apart from the fact that all men are weak. The greatness and strength of men are rightly measured by their connection with God; and the greatness of their mission and message by the truth that is in the message and the power of God that is in the men. That both truth and power may be manifest in the SIGNS in 1903 is the prayer of its publishers and editors, and we doubt not of many of its readers and friends.

It is not published for profit or fame. It has a mission, namely, to proclaim the

Everlasting Gospel

The great world is sick; and the church of God is torn, wounded, distracted, divided, in need. There are many professed physicians and prophets of peace who have not helped the great sick world, and at the best have healed but slightly the hurt of the daughter of God's people.

All serious hearts feel that a crisis is impending for world and church; feel the need of a remedy; feel that God must be met, and a preparation is needed.

The SIGNS OF THE TIMES believes that the crisis and its character is clearly set forth in the Word of God; that the remedy for earth's ills is found in the everlasting Gospel; that the preparation to meet God is found in the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ, imparted freely through His Spirit to all who will believe.

God wants to restore His church to her primitive simplicity and purity. He stands waiting to bestow upon His children the wisdom and the power of God, when His people are willing to renounce their idols of world-worship, their temples and shrines to tradition, their craving for the human power of civil law as a substitute for the Spirit of God, their hypotheses of “higher criticism” and “science falsely so called” for the eternal truths of the Gospel.

It shall be the mission of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES to do its part in the work of God, to note some of the many signs and evidences of the times which herald the near coming of our Lord; and “as we have been approved of God to be put in trust with the Gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God which proveth our hearts.”

We believe that there are many thousand souls in this country who wish to read such a paper as this; who prefer truth to creed and the cross of Christ to error and sin; who wish to know just what the Word of God—unshaded, unfettered, unmixed—teaches, what warnings it gives, what comfort and strength, and encouragement it imparts.

We wish our readers and friends to help us in this work. We desire above all things else their earnest prayers; we desire their co-operation in extending the circulation of the paper. Shall we have it for 1903?

The Name Christmas

The very name Christmas is, in its origin, idolatrous. It comes from the words “Christ” and “mass,” the latter signifying not a commemorative sacrament, but one in which the bread and wine are transmuted into the very body and blood of Christ, and again offered, immolated, as a sacrifice. This is directly contrary to a plain declaration of Holy Writ that the “offering of the body of Jesus Christ” was made “once for all;” and that He offered “one sacrifice for sins forever.” Heb. 10:10, 12. That Sacrifice holds to the end, and its merits are continually presented before God in the person of our Advocate, Jesus Christ. The outward, visible, pseudo-sacrifice of the mass is one of the strongest supports to an exclusive pseudo-priesthood. All of God’s people are priests, nay, more, kings and priests, a “royal priesthood” (Rev. 1:5; 1 Peter 2:9), and they offer up “spiritual sacrifices” of thanksgiving, of service, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (Heb. 13:15; 1 Peter 2:5; Rom. 12:1). Whenever men substitute the physical for the spiritual, the earthly for the heavenly, they shut away Christ Jesus, and put in His place a god that can not save. The very name “Christmas” is only one evidence of the idolatry that came into the early church and has been perpetuated ever since.

It Is Neither New Nor True.

A correspondent sends us the first page of a paper published in Oakland three years ago, containing an article entitled, “Sunday Not of Papal Origin.” The arguments are not new, nor are the conclusions true. The chief witnesses brought forward from among the “fathers” are spurious or uncertain, or lived in the times of the apostasy. It still remains true that Sunday, as a religious institution in the Christian church, was brought in by that apostasy which centered in the Papacy, of which the pope was the head. If the reader wants authentic information on the subject let him examine the following publications: “Andrew’s History of the Sabbath and the First Day of the Week,” a very full work; “Sunday; Origin of Its Observance in the Christian Church;” “The Lord’s Day the Test of the Ages;” “Historical Facts and Incidents Relative to the Sabbath and Sunday;” “Sunday in History,” a valuable compilation. Send for catalogue of publications.

They Do Not Teach It.

The Baltimore American of September 14, 1902, ignorantly or wilfully represents Seventh-day Adventists as teaching the end of the world in five years. They do not teach it. They have never set times for the Lord to come. They never will. From all evidence, they believe, in the words of our Lord, that it is their duty to “know that He is near, even at the doors,” and to proclaim it; but they have never set times. In the nature of the case they can not.

Better to Go Alone with God

It is better to go alone with God than to follow a multitude to destruction, nay, than to go alone to destruction; for tho there are multitudes that go to destruction, tho each in his anguish and misery will be alone, each one will be selfishly bemoaning his own trouble, with none to sympathize. Therefore he who goes with the self-willed multitude for company's sake will at the last be left to perish alone.

December Life Boat Highlights

The December “Life Boat” (28 Thirty-third Place, Chicago, Ill.) contains some interesting sketches of the beginning of the rescue work in Chicago, of which the Life Boat has been such an excellent exponent. Lucy Page Gaston has an article on “The Curse of the Cigarette,” which ought to be of interest to more than the users of the weed. This earnest little monthly is only 25 cents a year.

The Sentinel of Christian Liberty

Do you wish to become enlightened regarding the constant and persistent efforts made in this country which will result in the destruction of religious liberty?—Then take the Sentinel of Christian Liberty, published at 11 West 20th Street, New York City. It is weekly, and only $1.00 a year.

Captains of Industry in December Cosmopolitan

The December “Cosmopolitan” discusses in its “Captains of Industry,” Henry Phipps, John Fairfield Dryden, James Anthony Bailey, George Frederick Baer, and Nicholas Murray Butler. The careers of these men are interesting, inspiring, and educational.