Review and Herald, Vol. 39, No. 2.
The Uses and Abuses of Gifts, and Their Relation to DressPage 1
Earlier text: The Uses and Abuses of Gifts, and Their Relation to Dress“Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” Eccl. 7: 9. “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go; lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.” Prov. 22: 24, 25. Some have erroneously imbibed the idea that anger is justifiable in some cases, and that it is necessary and proper to be angry when provoked; but the Bible and common sense teach that nothing is more improper and sinful than anger. It is the first step in the crime of Cain, and leads directly away from God. Parents would do well, not only to avoid this sin themselves, but to forbid anger in their children. Had all parents done this, had they been as much shocked at the flushed face, and the angry word, as they would have been at disobedience or theft, how much trouble had been saved us. In early life had this passion been nipped in the bud, how easily it might have been accomplished. Then a little care and watchfulness, and judicious instruction, would have set the embryo man to walk in the paths of evenness and moderation. Then had the waves of passion been thoroughly subdued, by firmness and love, and had the parent taught the child to walk smoothly along in the path of self-government and self-control, daily setting an example of unshaken calmness, and love, and firmness, avoiding the first symptoms of anger, as he would the plague, how would the child have followed on in a noble career of usefulness and prosperity! But alas! few have been thus educated. So, to a greater or less extent, our superiors have disciplined us in anger, and we have caught the disease, and it clings like the leprosy of Naaman to us after our seniors have passed away; and with what reverence do we cherish the memory of the few who have given us perfect examples of calm, dignified, dispassionate discipline; perhaps a sainted mother, or a beloved teacher, or a kind father. But we would not dwell upon this part of the picture. It would be far more pleasing to be silent upon the weaknesses of our forefathers; but there is a point that we wish to touch upon. It is this: we would have parents feel their responsibility in their influence upon their children. A parent cannot be too guarded against anger in discipline. Anger is contagious; and the more so when the parent, in impatient or angry tones, daily, or perhaps hourly, reproves his child. But we turn from this picture with sorrow and regret, with this advice to people who are quick-tempered and excitable: Overcome this passion from this moment. Anger is evil, all evil. It is cruel to all parties concerned. It unfits us for business and for devotion, and for the social circle, and for Heaven. No angry, quick-tempered people will visit Heaven, or inherit the earth made new. Visit the asylums for the insane, and you will find many if not most of the inmates are more or less hasty and ill-tempered, and have never learned that cardinal virtue, self-control, to overcome anger, bitterness, impatience, and to let virtue triumph in the soul. JOS. CLARKE. “The world wants men—large-hearted, manly men;
Men who shall fight life's battles, and prolong
The psalm of labor and the psalm of love;
The times want scholars—scholars who shall shape
The doubtful destinies of dubious years,
And land the ark, that bears our country's good,
Safe on some peaceful Ararat at last.
The age wants heroes—heroes who shall dare
To struggle in the solid ranks of truth;
To clutch the monster error by the throat;
To bear opinion to a loftier seat;
To blot the era of oppression out,
And lead a universal freedom in.
And Heaven wants souls—fresh and capacious souls;
To taste its raptures, and expand like flowers
Beneath the glory of its central sun.
It wants fresh souls—not lean and shrivelled ones;
It wants fresh souls, my brother—give it thine.
If thou, indeed, wilt be what scholar should;
If thou wilt be a hero, and wilt strive
To help thy fellow, and exalt thyself.
Thy feet, at last, shall stand on jasper floors;
Thy heart, at last, shall seem a thousand hearts—
Each single heart with myriad raptures rife,
While thou shalt sit with princes and with kings,
Rich in the jewel of a ransomed soul.”
—St. LONG visits, long stories, long essays, long exhortations, and long prayers, seldom profit those who have to do with them. Life is short. Time is short. Moments are precious. Learn to condense, abridge, and intensify. We can bear things that are dull, if they are only short. We can endure many an ache and ill if it is over soon; while even pleasure grows insipid, and pain intolerable, if they are protracted beyond the limits of reason and convenience. Learn to be short. Lop off branches; stick to the main facts in your case. If you pray, ask for what you believe you will receive, and get through; if you speak, tell your message and hold your peace; if you write, boil down two sentences into one, and three words into two. Always when practicable avoid lengthiness. Learn to be short. “Behold, I Come as a Thief.”
By C. GREEN
THERE is a certain class to whom these words will be fulfilled in all their force and terror, on the day of Christ’s appearing. “But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of.” Matt. 24: 48–50. Here is a person who has been looking for the coming of the Lord, but he has not come yet, after so many years of anxious watching, and in his heart (not openly), he is putting away the instruction to “watch and pray,” and saying, “He has delayed his coming so long, may be it will be years ere he comes, if he comes at all.” He encourages doubts and unbelief. His heart becomes evil, and dwells upon the faults and failings of others, and he is ever more ready to speak of them and smite his fellow-servants than anxious to confess and forsake his own. And why is this? If we are looking for the soon coming of the Lord, our own sins will be of most concern to us, while toward others we shall exercise that charity which covers a multitude of faults. Let us watch the course of that evil servant. His first step is saying (in his heart, by himself, unto himself), My Lord delayeth his coming. This prepares the way to act more openly, and the second step is taken by openly smiting with the tongue or pen of slander his fellow-servant who still adheres to the faith he once trusted in, then secretly and now openly denies. The two first steps taken, the third becomes easy and he begins to eat and drink with the drunken; and what will be the end of such an one? He will find when too late that his portion is with hypocrites, instead of with the finally faithful. Dear brethren and sisters, the nearer we can make the coming of the Lord appear, the safer it will be for us. Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of us should seem to come short of it. C. GREEN. Butchers usually kill their victims before dressing them. Mothers frequently dress their children before killing them. We noticed an innocent little girl of about five years, in the street yesterday, dressed and pinched within an inch of her life. For health and comfort, she might as well have been in the embrace of a young anaconda. But though the pattern was scant, it was a love of a pattern, and the little creature wore a butterfly on her head, and of course it was all right, and she was a darling. How would one manage to have a game of romps, do you think, with such an anatomy of silks, lace and ribbons? One might as well attempt to romp with a fancy show-case. They have passed a law, and a very good one it is, to protect quails. We want another; a law to protect children. If they are afraid the race of quails will be destroyed, what are we to say of children? Why, there are places in this land of ours, where one can see five hundred epitome's of humanity without seeing a single specimen of an old-fashioned, red-cheeked, checked-apron child.—Boston Atlas. The Folly of Covetousness
COVETOUS men must be the sport of Satan, for their grasping avarice neither lets them enjoy life nor escape from the second death. They are held by their own greed as surely as beasts with cords, or fish with nets, or men with chains. They may be likened to those foolish apes which in some countries, are caught by narrow necked vessels; into these corn is placed, the creatures thrust in their hands, and when they have filled them they can not draw out their fists unless they let go the grain; sooner than do this they submit to be captured. Are covetous men, then, so like the beast? Let them ponder and be ashamed. POPERY is the greatest reactionary force now in the civilized world. It continually conspires against the Juarez progressive measures in Mexico, and the advanced people there are throwing it off. It is the chief embarrassment of every South-American republic, and keeps those struggling States in perpetual turmoil and revolution. It conspires with the Carlists, in Spain, against the liberal policy of Amadeus and the Republicans. It opposes the unification of Italy, and would nullify the emancipation of the Roman people. It is the chief embarrassment of Austria and the German Empire. It would restore Napoleon, or the Bourbon Henry V., in France. It ruins Ireland, and makes the greatest trouble of the British government. It is not only the ecclesiastical, but the political and social nuisance of the United States; giving us all our Fenian troubles and expenses; sustaining our Tweeds and other demagogues; making nearly all our mobs, and filling our prisons and pauper-houses. The Moral Influence of a Well-Arranged House
A NEAT, clean, fresh-aired, sweet, cheerful, well-arranged house exerts a moral influence over its inmates, and makes the members of a family peaceable and considerate of each other's feelings and happiness. NOTHING brings more pain than too much pleasure; nothing more bondage than too much liberty. The United States in the Light of Prophecy.
By Uriah Smith
The principal acts ascribed to the two-horned beast, which seem to be performed with special reference to the papal beast, are, the causing of men to worship that beast, causing them to make an image to that beast, and enforcing upon them the mark of the beast. The image after it is created and endowed with life, undertakes to enforce the worship of itself. To avoid confusion we must keep these parties distinct in our minds. There are three here brought before us: 1. The papal beast. This power is designated as “the beast,” “the first beast,” “the beast which had the wound by a sword and did live,” and, the “beast whose deadly wound was healed.” These expressions all refer to the same power; and wherever they occur in this prophecy, they have exclusive reference to the papacy. 2. The two-horned beast. This power after its introduction in verse 11, is represented through the remainder of the prophecy by the pronoun “he;” and wherever this pronoun occurs, down to the 17th verse it refers invariably to the two-horned beast. 3. The image of the beast. This is every time called the image; so that there is no danger of confounding this with any other agent. The only acts ascribed to the image are speaking and enforcing the worship of itself under the penalty of death; and this is the only enactment which the prophecy mentions as enforced under the death penalty. Just what will constitute this worship, it will perhaps be impossible to determine till the image itself shall have an existence. It will evidently be some act or acts by which men will be required to acknowledge the authority of that image and yield obedience to its mandates. The mark of the beast is enforced by the two-horned beast. The penalty attached to a refusal to receive this mark, is a forfeiture of all social privileges, a deprivation of the right to buy and sell. The mark is the mark of the papal beast. Against this worship of the beast and his image and the reception of his mark, the third angel’s message of Rev. 14:9–12, is a most solemn and thrilling warning. Here then is the issue before us. Human organizations, controlled and inspired by the spirit of the dragon, are to command men to do those acts which are in reality the worship of an apostate religious power, and the reception of his mark, or lose the rights of citizenship and become outlaws in the land; and to do that which constitutes the worship of the image of the beast, or forfeit their lives. On the other hand God says by a message mercifully sent out a little before the fearful crisis is upon us, Do any of these things, and you “shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.” He who refuses to comply with these demands of earthly powers, exposes himself to the severest penalties which human beings can inflict; and he who does comply, exposes himself to the most terrible threatening of divine wrath to be found in the word of God. The question whether we will obey God or man is to be decided by the people of the present age, under the heaviest pressure from either side, that has ever been brought to bear upon any generation. The worship of the beast and his image, and the reception of his mark, must be something that involves the greatest offense that can be committed against God, to call down so severe a denunciation of wrath against it. This is a work, as was shown in chapter 4, which takes place in the last days; and as God has given us in his word most abundant evidence to show when we are in the last days, so that no one need to be overtaken by the day of the Lord as by a thief, so likewise it must be that he has given us the means whereby we may determine what this great latter-day sin is which he has so strongly condemned, that we may avoid the fearful penalty so sure to follow its commission. God does not so trifle with human hopes and human destinies as to denounce a most fearful doom against a certain sin, and then place it out of our power to understand what that sin is, so that we have no means of guarding against it. That we are now living in the last days, the volumes both of revelation and nature bear ample and harmonious testimony. Evidence on this point we need not here stop to introduce; for the testimony already presented in the foregoing chapters of this series, showing that the two-horned beast is now on the stage of action, is in itself conclusive proof of this great fact, inasmuch as the power exists and performs its work in the very closing period of human history. All these things tell us that the time has now come for the proclamation of the third message of Rev. 14, to be given, and for men to understand the terms which it uses, and the warning it gives. We therefore now call attention to the very important inquiry, What constitutes the mark of the beast? The figure of a mark is borrowed from an ancient custom. Says Bp. Newton (Dissert. on Proph. vol. iii, p. 241,) “It was customary among the ancients for servants to receive the mark of their master, and soldiers of their general, and those who were devoted to any particular deity, of the particular deity to whom they were devoted. These marks were usually impressed on their right hand, or on their foreheads, and consisted of some hieroglyphic character, or of the name expressed in vulgar letters, or of the name disguised in numerical letters, according to the fancy of the imposer.” Prideaux says that Ptolemy Philopater ordered all the Jews who applied to be enrolled as citizens of Alexandria, to have the form of an ivy leaf (the badge of his God, Bacchus) impressed upon them with a hot iron, under pain of death. (Connection B. C. 216.) The word used for mark in this prophecy is charagma (χαραγμα), and is defined to mean, “a graving, sculpture, a mark cut in or stamped.” It occurs nine times in the New Testament, and with the single exception of Acts 17:29, refers every time to the mark of the beast. We are not of course to understand in this symbolic prophecy, that a literal mark is intended; but the giving of the literal mark, as practiced in ancient times, is used as a figure to illustrate certain acts that will be performed in the fulfillment of this prophecy. And from the literal mark as formerly employed we learn something of its meaning as used in the prophecy; for between the symbol and the thing symbolized there must be some resemblance. The mark, as literally used, signified that the person receiving it was the servant of, acknowledged the authority of, or professed allegiance to, the person whose mark he bore. So the mark of the beast, or the papacy, must be some act or profession by which the authority of that power is acknowledged. What is it? It would be naturally looked for in some of the special characteristics of the papal power. Daniel, describing that power under the symbol of a little horn, speaks of it as waging a special warfare against God, wearing out the saints of the Most High, and thinking to change times and laws. The prophet expressly specifies on this point: “He shall think to change times and laws.” These laws must certainly be the laws of the Most High. To apply it to human laws, and make the prophecy read, “And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change human laws,” would be doing evident violence to the language of the prophet. But to apply it to the laws of God, and let it read, “And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and laws of the Most High”—then all is consistent and forcible. So far as human laws are concerned, the papacy has been able to do more than merely “think” to change them. It has been able to change them at pleasure. It has annulled the decrees of kings and emperors, and absolved subjects from allegiance to their rightful sovereigns. It has thrust its long arm into the affairs of the nations, and brought rulers to its feet in the most abject humility. But the prophet beholds greater acts of presumption than these. He sees it endeavor to do, what it was not able to do, but could only think to do; he sees it attempt an act which no man nor any combination of men can ever accomplish; and that is, to change the laws of the Most High. Bear this in mind while we look at the testimony of another sacred writer on this very point. Paul speaks of the same power in 2 Thess. 2; and he describes it, in the person of the pope, as the man of sin, and as sitting as God in the temple of God (that is, the church), and as exalting himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped. According to this, the pope sets himself up as the one for all the church to look to for authority, in the place of God. And now we ask the reader to ponder carefully the question how he could exalt himself above God. Search through the whole range of human devices; go to the extent of human effort; by what plan, by what move, by what claim could this usurper exalt himself above God? He might institute any number of ceremonies, he might prescribe any form of worship, he might exhibit any degree of power; but so long as God had requirements which the people felt bound to regard in preference to his own, so long he would not be above God. He might enact a law and teach the people that they were under as great obligations to that as to the law of God. Then he would only make himself equal with God. But he is to do more than this: he is to attempt to raise himself above Him. Then he must promulgate a law which conflicts with the law of God, and demand obedience to his own in preference to God’s. There is no other possible way in which he could place himself in the position assigned in the prophecy. But this is simply to change the law of God; and if he can cause this change to be adopted by the people in place of the original enactment, then he, the law-changer, is above God, the law-maker. And this is the very work that Daniel said he should think to do. Such a work as this, then, the papacy must accomplish according to the prophecy; and the prophecy cannot fail. And when this is done, what do the people of the world have? They have two laws demanding from them obedience: one, the law of God as originally enacted by him, an embodiment of his will and expressing his claims upon his creatures, the other, a revised edition of that law, emanating from the pope of Rome, and expressing his will. And how is it to be determined which of these powers the people honor and worship? It is determined by the law which they keep. If they keep the law of God as given by him, they worship and obey God. If they keep the law as changed by the papacy, they worship that power. But further, the prophecy does not say that the little horn should set aside the law of God and give one entirely different. This would not be to change the law, but simply to give a new one. He was only to attempt a change, so that the law as it comes from God, and the law as it comes from the hands of the papacy, are precisely alike, excepting the change which the papacy has made therein. They have many points in common. But none of the precepts which they contain in common can distinguish a person as the worshiper of either power in preference to the other. If God’s law says, “Thou shalt not kill,” and the law as given by the papacy says the same, no one can tell by a person’s observance of that precept whether he designs to obey God rather than the pope, or the pope rather than God. But when a precept that has been changed is the subject of action, then whoever observes that precept as originally given by God is thereby distinguished as a worshiper of God; and he who keeps it as changed, is thereby marked as a follower of the power that made the change. In no other way can the two classes of worshipers be distinguished. From this conclusion no candid mind can dissent; but in this conclusion we have a general answer to the question before us, “What constitutes the mark of the beast?” THE MARK OF THE BEAST IS THE CHANGE HE HAS MADE IN THE LAW OF GOD. What that change is, will be the subject of future inquiry. U. S. The United States in the Light of Prophecy.
By John Nevins Andrews
The series of articles by Bro. U. Smith, under the above caption, will richly repay the most careful study. The subject itself is one of the highest importance. It is not a matter of mere theory. It is brought directly home to every individual. We cannot see how the reasoning of these articles can be set aside. Those who have never considered the leading idea here presented, will certainly be surprised at the strength of the argument embodied in these articles. Those who have given the subject much thought will find, in the array of facts here presented, much to instruct them in this subject. We cannot see how these things can be fairly met. The warning of the third angel pertains to the work of the two-horned beast. And that warning is the immediate precursor of the seven last plagues. It follows the proclamation of the hour of God's judgment, and that of the fall of Babylon. It also immediately precedes the Son of Man on the white cloud. It is therefore evident, 1. That the territory of the two-horned beast is that where the three angels' messages are to be given; and surely no land under heaven is so adapted to this work, or has witnessed its accomplishment in such manner as has this country. 2. That the people of God will not witness the close of the great advent work, and the consummation of their hope, till this same country which has presented such advantages for the promotion of the truth, shall prove the field of serious persecution and trouble. We earnestly invite the readers of the REVIEW to give these articles attentive study. J. N. ANDREWS. Spiritualism a Counterfeit.
By Merritt E. Cornell
MANY are willing to admit that the wonders of modern spiritualism are a counterfeit, and that these are the miracles referred to by the apostle where he says, “As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these resist the truth,” &c. But, if the miracles of spiritualism are a counterfeit, we ask, where is the true coin? True spiritual gifts and miraculous powers must exist somewhere. If the visions and prophecies of the spirits are the false, where are the true? I answer, They began under the first angel’s message, and are continued, in a more signal manner, under the third angel’s proclamation. The gift of prophecy, as manifested among Seventh-day Adventists for more than twenty years past, bears every mark of the genuine, and stands every Bible test, and no man upon the face of the earth can disprove it. The Bible tells us that both true and false manifestations will exist in the last days. We are now in the last days, and, hence, we are bound to believe that both exist at the present time. And here we boldly declare that we have a manifestation of the true, through sister Ellen G. White. While our enemies, who know little or nothing of sister W., or her teachings, deny and ridicule, we are the more bold to speak what we do know, and testify what we have seen. 1. The humble and devoted spirit is such as we might expect would pertain to one having true exercises of this kind. 2. The manifestation of the gift has continued, without change, for twenty-four years. 3. No fanatical, ungraceful twitching and jerking, or ungodlike movement, has ever been seen in connection with this gift. 4. These testimonies have ever been decidedly and unqualifiedly for the Bible, and their spirit, like that of the ancient prophets. 5. Those who have believed them the longest and the strongest, have still the most profound reverence, respect, and love for the Bible. 6. They stand the test of every one of the fourteen Bible rules, by which true and false prophets are to be known. 7. To our certain knowledge, those who slander the humble instrument, and scoff at the manifestation of the gift, do it from prejudice, and hear-say evidence, without a careful and candid investigation of the facts in the case. All candid persons, who have had a fair chance to witness the manifestation (among whom have been some of the most experienced surgeons)13have been unanimous in expressing their conviction that it was miraculous. According to the Bible, all miraculous power is either from God or Satan. Hence, we are shut up to the conclusion that, if this manifestation is not of God, it must be of the devil. But it cannot be of Satan, because it has, from the first, steadily and earnestly opposed the works of Satan, and especially, those of modern spiritualism, and Satan cannot be divided against himself. We have the words of Christ for this conclusion, and there is no evading it. In 1849 and 1850, when spiritualism was in its infancy, and when most people looked upon it as a humbug—mere sleight-of-hand, trickery, to die away in a short time—sister W. had the following testimony concerning it, and, that it was published at the time, existing documents, and hundreds of witnesses testify. “I saw that the mysterious knocking, in New York and other places, was the power of Satan, and that such things would be more and more common, clothed in a religious garb, to lull the deceived to more security, and to draw the minds of God’s people, if possible, to those things and cause them to doubt the teachings and power of the Holy Ghost. “Satan will have power to bring the appearance of a form before us purporting to be our relatives and friends that now sleep in Jesus. It will be made to appear as though they were present, the words they uttered while here, with which we were familiar, will be spoken, and the same tone of voice which they had while living, will fall upon the ear.” “I saw that soon it would be considered blasphemy to speak against the rapping, and that it would spread more and more, and Satan’s power would increase, and some of his devoted followers would have power to work miracles, and even to bring down fire from heaven in the sight of men. I was shown that these modern magicians would yet account for all the miracles wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ by the rapping and mesmerism, and many would believe that all the mighty works of the Son of God, when he was on the earth, were accomplished by this same power.”—Experience and Views, pp. 25, 26, 47. This very explicit, prophetic testimony, given twenty years ago, is now most strikingly fulfilled. Dr. A. B. Child, one of the most noted spiritualist authors, in his book, entitled “Better Views,” &c., p. 117, says:— “It is a dangerous position to stand in opposition to spirits, evil or good; for they number myriads, and are mighty. To speak ridicule of their coming now to the sight and sound of mortal eyes and ears, is unwitting BLASPHEMY, is utterance against the Holy Ghost.” At a picnic, held in Abington, Mass., Dr. Child uttered the following:— “The time is speedily coming when every one who has opposed, scorned, reviled, and persecuted spiritual communion, will be brought to the altar of sacrifice, will suffer sorrow, regret, affliction. It will be a bitter cup, but a necessary remedy for the present sickly morals and religions of men. It is in the power of the spiritual world to make any poor man rich in one day—to make any rich man poor in one day—to make a well man sick in a moment of time, or to make a sick man well—to take life, or to continue it—to make woe in the human heart, or joy and gladness there. . . . “Imminent and immediate dangers to earthly prosperity hang over all opposition to spiritual communion. Mark well, and you will soon see that the destruction of property, of health, even physical life, will follow close upon the heels and overtake all the obstinate, persistent warriors against sin and the devil—all the military of the church militant—all who revile and scoff, and say all manner of things falsely against spiritualism—against sins, sects, creeds, beliefs, not their own. Disasters on sea and land, fires, failures, accidents, diseases, and early deaths, will fall thick, and fast, and heavy, to harrow the peace and happiness of every bosom that is persistently turned with opposition and bitterness against this holy influx that comes down from Heaven.” Was there ever a more striking fulfillment of any prophecy? And this is only one of many instances that might be cited in proof of the genuineness of this prophetic gift. Not one of the many predictions, made during the past twenty years, has failed. No sooner had this gift begun to attract attention, and the testimony against the doctrine of the immortality of the soul and the consciousness of the dead begun to be published abroad, than Satan began to inspire men and women to resist the truth like Jannes and Jambres of old. But the true gift and testimony still remain, and will continue, when their rods are swallowed up. The humble instrument, though often cast down, is not destroyed. Her living testimony is being heard from Maine to Missouri by hundreds of thousands, and her written testimony is engaging the attention of many thousands more. And thousands to-day will testify to the spiritual benefit derived from the testimonies. The fruit is good. The believer is led in the path of self-denial, and his love for all that is pure and good is increased. Every candid, unprejudiced reader of those testimonies is constrained to say, “These are not the words of one who hath a devil.” No one has yet been known to embrace spiritualism while believing in these writings, but as soon as persons turn away from the true gift, they have, in several instances, taken up with the counterfeit. Our only safety is in “holding fast that which is good.” San Francisco, Cal., Dec. 5. Unity in the Work.
By R. F. Cottrell
UNITY of faith is desirable, because faith being the mainspring of action, unity of faith results in unity of action. No great work, like that of giving the last great warning to mankind, can be accomplished without organized labor, so that each individual fulfills a part in the one great work. Anarchy is sure to produce confusion, a thing of which an apostle has expressly stated that God is not its author. God is pleased with peaceable and harmonious action in his people. If any propose to engage in the work of God independent of the body to whom he has committed his work, his plan will prove a failure. The work of the Lord will not be accomplished in that way. His cause is one, and his people must be one. The very thought and purpose of independent labor in the cause is sure evidence that there is something not right with the individual; something that furnishes a good reason why he should not engage in the proposed work, and insures a failure, if he does. When men are fully converted to God, they can work together in his cause. When they have learned the lesson of “submitting to one another in the fear of God,” then, and not till then, are they qualified to share in the labor of the gospel. God is doing a great work. We cannot aid in it, unless we are in harmony with the united wisdom of his people whom he has led out to engage in it. He will have regular organized effort. His army must be well-drilled and prepared for action. He will not accept of us, if our pride and insubordination lead us to engage in the battle, as it is said, “Upon our own hook.” Let us engage, then, in organized, systematic effort. R. F. COTTRELL. THERE is no better evidence of a state of grace than the relish for the prayer-meeting. What cares the worldly-minded person, or one in a backslidden condition, about the hour of social prayer? Such a one will prefer business or pleasure every time. On the other hand, the spiritually-minded see no place so desirable, safe and profitable, as the place of social worship. Jesus is there, the influences are all heavenly, and as the prayer of faith ascends, the power of God comes down and rests upon the assembly, and all feel as did the companions of Jesus on the mount of transfiguration, when they said: “Lord, it is good for us to be here.” Prayer-meetings are essential to the life of the church. As well expect a human being to live without breathing, as for a church to maintain the spirit of holiness, usefulness and peace—its very life—without the prayer-meeting. There the church breathes its earnest desires and longings for the presence of Christ, and the blessings of his great salvation, and receives in return pleasant breezes from the garden of the Lord, reviving, cheering, and greatly strengthening the souls of all. But who shall keep up these breathing places in the house of God? All who want to keep their souls alive by faith in Christ Jesus, and wish to see the church in all its departments manifesting power to influence men for good. Largely attended and spirited prayer-meetings tell plainly in their good results upon the pulpit, Sabbath-school, and the congregation in general. Let all who can be found where Christ has promised his own presence: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst.” HUMILITY is a grace that adorns and beautifies every other grace; without it, the most splendid, natural and acquired acquisitions lose half their charm. When Was the Sabbath Abolished?
By R. F. Cottrell
If the original Sabbath has been abolished, there was a time when it was abolished. Its law was binding up to that time, since then it has not been obligatory. When did its obligation cease? 1. Did Christ in his ministry on earth set aside the law? Hear his answer: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Then Christ did not abolish the law entire, neither did he change it a single jot or tittle. Thus in his teaching he speaks directly to the point in question, most emphatically declaring that this was not his missionary work, and at the same time affirming the perpetuity of the entire code, of which the Sabbath commandment was a part, till the passing away of the present heavens and earth, when the heavens shall melt with fervent heat. 2 Pet. 3:7, 10. But did not Jesus break the Sabbath law during his ministry? If he broke an existing law, he became a sinner; for the transgression of the law is sin. His testimony on this point is, “I have kept my Father’s commandments.” But his enemies accused him of breaking the Sabbath. It is no wonder that open infidels of the present day should reiterate this charge; but it is passing strange that professed Christians should do the same. Yet they do. Such, I ask, Did Christ break the Sabbath before its law was abolished? When was its law abolished? You say, he “took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” Then this law was binding till the crucifixion, and to break it before that would be sin. This view contradicts the plain testimony of the Scriptures, that He that was offered for our sins, was himself without sin. Christ did not violate an existing law. Hence, if he did not keep the Sabbath “according to the commandment” (as his followers did after his crucifixion), the law for Sabbath-keeping must have ceased before that event. In that case the Sabbath is not included in the list of ordinances that were nailed to the cross. If the Sabbath was abolished before, it is certain that it was not abolished at the cross. 2. Was the Sabbath abolished at the cross? Then it was not abolished before; and hence it is certain that Christ did not break the Sabbath; but he was falsely accused of doing so. One or the other of these two positions must be given up. Both cannot be true. Yet, contradictory as they are, the same persons hold and contend for them both. Proof is so scarce on their part, that they cannot spare either of them. In this they proclaim their own weakness, and the weakness of their position, that the Sabbath law has been abolished. Once instituting the Sabbath is enough; and that holds good until it is abolished. And so to have the Sabbath abolished once is enough. If the Sabbath law had ceased when Jesus and his disciples went to the synagogue on that day, it could not be abolished after that; for when a law is abolished it is law no longer. The law once slain could not be slain again. Yet our friends are so anxious to get it out of the way, they would have it dead during the ministry of Christ, slain a second time at the cross, and then have the apostles endued with power from on high, after the ascension of their Lord, to slay it again. Truth once told is enough; but one falsehood needs a thousand others to make it truth; and yet they all fail, because the more there are, the more evident it is that the very foundation and superstructure are false. “No lie is of the truth.” The truth needs no lie to sustain it. But lies must perish, with all that can be invented to sustain them.