Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 31, 1856
WILLIAM MILLER.
HIS TREATMENT OF OPPONENTS—SPECIMENS OF HIS PREACHING.
MR MILLER did not consider that his reviewers always treated him and his arguments with the utmost fairness; and, in speaking of them, he sometimes retorted in terms of great severity. Considering his treatment, by the religious and secular press, and the contumely which was incessantly heaped on him, that he should, at times, manifest a degree of impatience, was more an occasion of regret than of surprise. Few men have been called to endure so great an amount of reproach as fell to his lot; and few could have endured it as he did. He was human, and shared in all the weaknesses common to humanity; but, whenever he failed to endure the smart of undeserved wounds with all the sweetness of gospel charity, no one more sincerely regretted it than he did; and his liability to err in this respect was with him a subject of many prayers and tears.
His severity, however, was often richly merited; and he knew how to be severe, without being uncourteous. Those who used their learning to fritter away the plain meaning of Scripture, and to make it teach something which the common reader would never have perceived in it,—merely for the purpose of opposing his conclusion,—he had little inclination to spare.
In speaking of the 8th chapter of Daniel, and the question, "How long shall be the vision?" he says, "The answer is, 'Unto 2300 days.'"
"But," says the critic, "it is 'evenings-mornings.'"
"No matter: all men seem to understand it days; for it is so translated in every language with which we are acquainted at the present day. Therefore, this can never be made plainer, if this compound Hebrew word should be criticized upon until the judgment shall set. I am sick of this continual harping upon words. Our learned critics are worse on the waters of truth than a school of sharks on the fishing banks of the North, and they have made more infidels in our world than all the heathen mythology in existence. What word in revelation has not been turned, twisted, racked, wrested, distorted, demolished, and annihilated by these voracious harpies in human shape, until the public have become so bewildered they know not what to believe! 'They have fouled the waters with their feet.' I have always noticed where they tread the religious spirit is at a low ebb; it becomes cold, formal, and doubtful, at least. It is the mind of the Spirit we want, and God's word then becomes spirit and life unto us.
"The words 'evenings-mornings' convey to our mind the idea of days; thus the vision is 2300 days long," says the reader.
"Yes. But how can all this be?" says the inquiring mind. "Can three kingdoms rise up and become great; from a small people become a strong nation; conquer all the nations of the earth, and then, in its turn, be subdued and conquered by a kingdom still more fortunate; and so on through three successive kingdoms, and do this in little over six years? Impossible."
"But God has said it, and I must believe. Now the only difficulty is in time."
"How can this be?"
"Very well," says the dear child of God; "I remember me: God says I must 'dig for the truth as for hid treasure.' I will go to work, and while I am digging, I will live by begging. Father in heaven, I believe it is thy word; but I do not understand it; show me thy truth."
"I had rather have one humble prayer of this kind, with an English Bible in my hand, than all the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin Bro. S. ever knew."
"The child then takes the word day, and compares spiritual things with spiritual, to find what his heavenly Father means by days in a figurative sense. The first text he lights upon is in Num. xiv, 34, 'each day for a year.'"
"May this not be it?" says the child.
"He takes hold of it by faith, carries it home, lays it up in his cell of sweets, richer than a lord, and again goes forth in search of more. He now lights upon Eze. iv, 6: 'I have appointed thee each day for a year.' He is now rich in very deed—two jewels in one cell. He does not stop to criticize like a Stuart, and query, and reason himself out of common sense and reason too; but Abraham-like, he believes, and lays up his treasure at home."
"I see," says the child, "this use of days was so ordained by my Father in two cases; and two witnesses are enough. But I am not certain that I have a right to use these jewels in this place. I will go and beg, and dig again."
"In this excursion he lights on Dan. ix, 23-27: 'Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people.'"
"Seventy weeks of what?" says the critic.
"I do not care a fig," says the believing child, "whether you call it days or years: I know how long it was in fulfilling."
"How long?"
"Exactly four hundred and ninety years: from the decree given in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, four hundred and fifty-seven years before Christ, unto his death, thirty-three years after the birth of Christ, making exactly four hundred and ninety years, or seventy sevens of years of the vision."
Prof. Stuart having applied the days in Daniel 12th to the times of Antiochus, when the context shows that the resurrection will follow their termination, Mr. Miller said:
"Suppose Prof. Stuart had been a believing Jew, and lived in the time of Antiochus, and had been of the same mind he is now, or says he is, and one of his brother Jews had come along and prophesied or preached that the Jews were to be a scattered and a peeled people, dashed and scattered among all nations, more than two thousand years, then to come; and suppose the professor had been then an expounder of the law and the prophets, and was called upon to explain this text as being then fulfilled, what would he say to his brother Jew, the prophet? He would say as any man must say by him:
"Sir, you are a false prophet; for God has told us plainly, in this very text, that when this three and a half years are fulfilled under which we are now groaning, then our scattering or dashing will be accomplished—yes, and finished too. So says the Word. Therefore do you keep away from my flock of Pharisees, for I do not want my people excited by your false, alarming doctrine. Do you not see that, at the end of 1335 days, Daniel will stand in his lot? And do you not see, sir, that his standing in his lot means the resurrection? Read the first three verses of this chapter."
"Ah," says the prophet, "that does not mean the resurrection, but—"
"But what?" says the professor.
"O! I do not know—difficult to understand," says the prophet.
"I see," says the professor, "you are a Sadducee. You do not understand either the Hebrew or the Chaldaic, or the exegesis of the Scriptures. How dare you prophesy evil of this nation, when God hath spoken peace after these days? I say you are a Sadducee. I will have no fellowship with you. You must not come into my synagogue."
"Would not this be the natural result of such a case? I leave it for the reader to judge."
"Or, suppose that the professor was now in controversy with a Jew,—a Sadducee,—and was under the necessity of proving the doctrine of the resurrection by the Old Testament, would he not put into requisition this very text, and prove by the same a resurrection unto eternal life; and, if he did not believe such plain and positive proof as these texts would be, would he not consider him a poor, blinded Sadducee? Let us be careful that our own mouths do not condemn us."
"If, then, these days can only end with the resurrection, it is impossible that these Scriptures can apply to Antiochus. And, as the rules which he has given us in his Hints are the same, in substance, which I was forced to adopt more than twenty years ago, I cannot believe that Antiochus Epiphanes is even hinted at from Dan. xi, 14, to the end of the 12th chapter. And, if the prophecy does not belong to Antiochus, then he must acknowledge that the little horn can apply only to the Papal power; and must agree with nearly all Protestant writers that 'time, times, and a half,' are, together with the138other numbers in this chapter, to be understood in a symbolical sense."—Life of William Miller.
ENDURE TO THE END.
By H. N. Stevens
Not to those who once essaying
For the Christian's prize to run,
Left a sinful world behind them,
And a heaven-ward course begun;
But because the way was narrow,
Nor with ease they found it paved,
Back to whence they came have turned them,
Is the promise, "shall be saved."
Nor to those who long pursuing,
Earthly gain have counted loss,
Long despised the toil and danger,
Long and nobly borne the cross;
Who through many years of conflict,
Still have bravely struggled on,
If they weary in the warfare,
If they faint before 'tis done.
But who with a soul undaunted,
Wears his armor till the crown,
Nor this side the heavenly portals,
"Lays his staff and sandals down;"
He who till the morning breaketh,
Sleeps not through the watches dim,
"He who to the END endureth,
Shall be saved," and only him.
H. N. STEVENS
Paris, Me
JOHN WESLEY.
By John Wesley
ON THE DANGER OF INCREASING RICHES.
"If riches increase set not your heart upon them"—Ps. lxii, 10.
1. FROM that express declaration of our Lord, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven,"—we may easily learn, that none can have riches, without being greatly endangered by them. But if the danger of barely having them is so great, how much greater is the danger of increasing them? This danger is great even to those who receive what is transmitted to them by their forefathers: but it is abundantly greater to those who acquire them by their skill and industry. Therefore nothing can be more prudent than this caution: "If riches increase, set not thine heart upon them."
2. It is true, riches, and the increase of them, are the gift of God. Yet great care is to be taken, that what is intended for a blessing, do not turn into a curse. To prevent which, it is highly expedient to consider seriously,
I. What is meant by riches; and when they may be said to increase.
II. What is implied in setting our hearts upon them; and how we may avoid it.
1. Consider, first, what is here meant by riches. Indeed some may imagine, that it is hardly possible to mistake the meaning of this common word. Yet in truth, there are thousands in this mistake; and many of them quite innocently. A person of note hearing a sermon preached upon this subject several years since, between surprise and indignation, broke out aloud, "Why does he talk about riches here? There is no rich man at Whitehaven, but Sir James L---r." And it is true, there was none but he that had forty thousand pounds a year, and some millions in ready money. But a man may be rich that has not a hundred a year, nor even one thousand pounds in cash. Whosoever has food to eat, and raiment to put on, with something over, is rich. Whoever has the necessaries and conveniences of life for himself and family, and a little to spare for them that have not, is probably a rich man; unless he is a miser, or lover of money, one that hoards up what he can and ought to give to the poor. For if so, he is a poor man still, though he has millions in the banks; yea, he is the poorest of men; for,
"The beggars but a common lot deplore;
The rich poor man's emphatically poor."
2. But here an exception may be made. A person may have more than necessaries and conveniences for his family, and yet not be rich. For he may be in debt; and his debts may amount to more than he is worth. But if this be the case, he is not a rich man, how much money soever he has in his hands. Yea, a man of business may be afraid, that this is the real condition of his affairs, whether it be or no; and then he cannot be so charitable as he otherwise would, for fear of being unjust. How many that are engaged in trade, are in this very condition! Those especially that trade in a very large amount; for their affairs are frequently so entangled, that it is not possible to determine, with any exactness, how much they are worth; or indeed whether they are worth anything or nothing. Should we not make a fair allowance for them?
3. And beware of forming a hasty judgment concerning the fortune of others. There may be secrets in the situation of a person, which few but God are acquainted with. Some years since, I told a gentleman, "Sir, I am afraid you are covetous." He asked me, "What is the reason of your fear?" I answered, "A year ago, when I made a collection for the expense of repairing the foundery, you subscribed five guineas. At the subscription made this year you subscribed only half a guinea." He made no reply: but after a time asked, "Pray, sir; answer me a question. Why do you live upon potatoes?" (I did so between three and four years.) I replied, "It has much conduced to my health." He answered, "I believe it has. But did you do it likewise to save money?" I said, "I did; for what I save from my own meat, will feed another that else would have none."
"But sir," said he, "if this be your motive, you may save much more. I know a man that goes to market at the beginning of every week; there he buys a penny-worth of parsnips which he boils in a large quantity of water. The parsnips serve him for food, and the water for drink, the ensuing week. So the meat and drink together cost him only a penny a week." This he constantly did, though he had then two hundred pounds a year, to pay the debts which he had contracted before he knew God! And this was he whom I had set down for a covetous man!
4. But there are those who are conscious before God that they are rich. And doubtless, some among you are of the number. You have more of the goods of this world than is needful either for yourself or family. Let each consider for himself. Do your riches increase? Do not you understand that plain expression? Have you not more money, or more of money's worth, than you had ten or twenty years ago? Or at this time last year? If you keep any account, you can easily know this. Indeed you ought to know, otherwise you are not a good steward, even in this respect, of the mammon of unrighteousness. And every man, whether engaged in trade or not, ought to know whether his substance lessens or increases.
5. But many have found out a way never to be rich, though their substance increase ever so much. It is this: as fast as ever money comes in, they lay it out either in land, or enlarging their business. By this means, each of these, keeping himself bare of money, can still say, "I am not rich." Yea, though he has ten, twenty, a hundred times more substance, than he had some years ago. This may be explained by a recent case. A gentleman came to a merchant in London, a few years since, and told him, "Sir, I beg you to give me a guinea, for a worthy family in distress." He replied, "Really Mr. M., I cannot well afford to give it to you just now. But if you will call upon me when I am worth ten thousand pounds, upon such an occasion I will give you ten guineas." Mr. M., after some time, called upon him again, and said, "Sir, I claim your promise; now you are worth ten thousand pounds." He replied, "That is very true. But I assure you, I cannot spare one guinea, so well as I could then."
6. It is possible, for a man to cheat himself by this ingenious device. And he may cheat other men: for as long "as thou doest good unto thyself, men will speak well of thee." "A right good man," says the Londoner: "he is worth a plumb;" (a hundred thousand pounds.) But alas! he cannot deceive the devil. Ah, no! The curse of God is upon thee already, and all that thou hast. And to morrow, when the devil seizes thy soul, will he not say, "What do all thy riches profit thee?" Will they purchase a pillow for thy head, in the lake of fire burning with brimstone? Or will they procure thee a cup of "water to cool thy tongue, while thou art tormented in that flame?" Oh follow the wise direction here given; that God may not say unto thee, "Thou fool!"
7. This shift, therefore, will not avail. It will not be any protection either against the wrath of God, or the malice or power of the Devil. Thou art convicted already of "setting thy heart" upon thy riches, if thou layest out all that thou hast above the conveniences of life, or adding money to money, house to house, or field to field, without giving at least a tenth of thine income (the Jewish proportion) to the poor. By whatsoever means thy riches increase, whether by trade, legacies, or any other way; unless thy charities increase in the same proportion; unless thou givest a full tenth of thy substance, of thy fixed and occasional income; thou dost undoubtedly set thy heart upon thy gold, and it will "eat thy flesh as fire."
8. But, Oh, who can convince a rich man that he sets his heart upon his riches? For considerably above half a century, I have spoken on this head, with all the plainness that was in my power. But with how little effect? I doubt whether I have in all that time convinced fifty misers of covetousness. When the lover of money was described ever so clearly, and painted in the strongest colors, who applied it to himself? To whom did God, and all that know him, say, "Thou art the man!" If he speaks to any of you that are present, Oh, do not stop your ears! Rather say with Zaccheus, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have done any wrong to any man, I restore him four-fold!" He did not mean that he had done this in times past; but that he determined to do so in time to come. I charge thee before God, thou lover of money, to "go and do likewise!"
9. I have a message from God unto thee, Oh rich man, whether thou wilt hear, or whether thou wilt forbear! Riches have increased with thee: at the peril of thy soul, "set not thine heart upon them!" Be thankful to him that gave thee such a talent, so much power of doing good. Yet dare not rejoice over them, but with fear and trembling. Cave ne inhæreas, says Pious Kempis, in caducis et perituris. "Beware thou cleave not unto them, lest thou be entangled and perish." Do not make them thy end; thy chief delight; thy happiness; thy God! See that thou expect not happiness in money, nor anything that is purchasable thereby; in gratifying either the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, or the pride of life.
10. But let us descend to particulars; and see that each of you deal faithfully with his own soul. If any of you have now twice, thrice, or four times as much substance as when you first saw my face, faithfully examine yourselves, and see if you do not set your hearts, if not directly on money or riches themselves, yet on some of the things that are purchasable thereby; which comes to the same thing.
All these the apostle John includes under that general name, the world; and the desire of them, or to seek happiness in them, under that form, "the love of the world." This he divides into three branches: "The desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life." Fairly examine yourselves with regard to these. And first, as to "the desire of the flesh." I believe this means the seeking of happiness in the things that gratify the senses. To instance in one: do not you seek your happiness in enlarging the pleasure of tasting. To be more particular: do you not eat more plentifully, or more delicately, than you did ten, or twenty years ago? Do not you use more drink, or drink of a more costly kind, than you did then? Do you sleep on as hard a bed as you did once; suppose your health will bear it? To touch on one point more; do you fast no often now you are rich, as you did when you was poor? Ought you not in all reason to do this rather more often than more seldom? I am afraid your own heart condemns you. You are not clear in this matter.
11. The second branch of the world, "the desire of the eyes," is of a wider extent. We may understand thereby, the seeking our happiness in gratifying the imagination, (which is chiefly done by means of the eyes,) by grand, or new, or beautiful objects: if they may not all be reduced to one head; since neither grand nor beautiful objects are pleasing only so long as they are new? Do not some of you, on the score of novelty, seek no small part of your happiness in that trifle of trifles dress? Do not you bestow more money, or (which is the same,) more time or pains upon it than you did once? I doubt this is not done to please God. Then it pleases the Devil. If you laid aside your needless ornaments some years since, ruffles, necklaces, spider-caps, ugly, unbecoming bonnets, costly linen, expensive laces, have you not, in defiance of religion and reason, taken them again?
12. Perhaps you say, "you can now afford the expense." This is the quintessence of nonsense. Who gave you this addition to your fortune? Or (to speak properly) lent it to you? To speak more properly still, who lodged it for a time in your hands as his stewards? Informing you at the same time, for what purposes he intrusted you with it? And can you afford to waste your Lord's goods; for every part of which you are to give an account? Or, to expend them in any other way than that which he hath expressly appointed? Away with this vile, diabolical cant! Let it never come out of your lips. This affording to rob God, is the139very cant of hell. Do not you know, that God entrusted you with that money, (all above what buys necessaries for your families,) to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to help the stranger, the widow, the fatherless; and indeed, as far as it will go, to relieve the wants of all mankind? How can you, how dare you, defraud your Lord, by applying it to any other purpose? When he entrusted you with a little, did he not entrust you with it that you might lay out all that little in doing good? And when he entrusted you with more, did he not entrust you with that additional money that you might do so much the more good as you had more ability? Had you any more right to waste a pound, a shilling, or a penny, than you had before? You have, therefore, no more right to gratify the desire of the flesh, or the desire of the eyes, now, than when you was a beggar. Oh no! Do not make so poor a return to your beneficent Lord! Rather the more he entrusts you with, be so much the more careful to employ every mite as he hath appointed.
13. Ye angels of God, ye servants of his, that continually do his pleasure; our common Lord hath entrusted you also with talents far more precious than gold and silver, that you may minister in your various offices to the heirs of salvation! Do not you employ every mite of what you have received, to the end for which it was given you? And hath he not directed us to do his will on earth, as it is done by you in heaven? Brethren what are you doing? Let us awake! Let us arise! Let us imitate those flaming ministers! Let us employ our whole soul, body, and substance, according to the will of our Lord! Let us render unto God the things that are God's; even all we are, and all we have!
14. Most of those, who when riches increase set their hearts upon them, do it indirectly; being, properly, "lovers of money:" who love it for its own sake; not only for the sake of what it procures. But this vice is rarely found in children or young persons; but only or chiefly, in the old; in those who have the least need of money and the least time to enjoy it. Might not this induce one to think, that, in many cases it is a penal evil! That it is a sin punishing evil! That when a man has, for many years, hid his precious talent in the earth, God delivers him up to Satan, to punish him by the inordinate love of it! Then it is that he is more and more tormented by that auri sacra fames, that execrable hunger after gold, which can never be satisfied. No: it is most true, as the very heathen observes:—Crescit amor nummi, quantum ipsa pecunia crescit.—"As money, so the love of money grows; it increases in the same proportion." As in a dropsy, the more you drink, the more you thirst; till that unquenchable thirst plunge you into the fire which never shall be quenched!
15. But is there no way, you may ask, either to prevent or cure this dire disease? There is one preventive of it; which is also a remedy for it; and I believe there is no other under heaven. It is this: after you have gained (with the cautions above given) all you can, and saved all you can, wanting for nothing; spend not one pound, one shilling, or one penny, to gratify either the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, or the pride of life; or indeed, for any other end than to please and glorify God. Having avoided this rock on the right hand, beware of that on the left. Secondly, Hoard nothing. Lay up no treasure on earth, but give all you can; that is, all you have! I defy all the men upon earth, yea, all the angels in heaven, to find any other way of extracting the poison from riches.
16. Let me add one word more. After having served you between sixty and seventy years; with dim eyes, shaking hands, and tottering feet, I give you one more advice before I sink into the dust. Mark those words of St. Paul: "Those that desire (or endeavor) to be rich (that moment) fall into temptation;" yea, a deep gulf of temptation, out of which nothing less than Almighty power can deliver them. "They fall into a snare;" the word properly means a STEEL TRAP, which instantly crushes the animal taken, to pieces;—"and into divers foolish and hurtful desires, which plunge men into destruction and perdition." You above all men, who prosper in the world, never forget these awful words! How unspeakably slippery is your path! How dangerous every step! The Lord God enable you to see your danger, and make you deeply sensible of it! Oh may you "awake up after his likeness, and be satisfied with it."
17. Permit me to come a little closer still. Perhaps I may not trouble you any more on this head. I am pained for you that are "rich in this world." Do you give all you can? You who receive five hundred pounds a year, and spend only two hundred, do you give three hundred back to God? If not, you certainly rob God of that three hundred. You that receive two hundred, and spend but one, do you give God the other hundred? If not, you rob him of just so much. "Nay, may I not do what I will with my own?" Here lies the ground of your mistake. It is not your own. It cannot be unless you are lord of heaven and earth. "However, I must provide for my children." Certainly. But how? By making them rich? Then you will probably make them heathens, as some of you have done already. "What shall I do then?" Lord, speak to their hearts! else the preacher speaks in vain. Leave them enough to live on, not in idleness and luxury, but by honest industry. And if you have not children, upon what scriptural or rational principle can you leave a groat behind you more than will bury you? I pray, consider, what are you the better for what you leave behind you! What does it signify, whether you leave behind ten thousand pounds, or ten thousand shoes and boots! Oh leave nothing behind you! Send all you have before you into a better world! Lend it, lend it all unto the Lord, and it shall be paid you again. Is there any danger that his truth should fail? It is fixed as the pillars of heaven. Haste, haste, my brethren, haste! lest you be called away before you have settled what you have on this security! When this is done, you may boldly say, "Now I have nothing to do but to die! Father into thy hands I commend my spirit! Come, Lord Jesus; come quickly!"
"Life! Life!"
ONE of the principal elements of bliss in the world to come, is life. Ancient cities were called after heathen gods. Athens was the city of Minerva, and Rome the city of Mars; these were dead and false gods, but the holy Jerusalem, the metropolis of the everlasting kingdom, "is the city of the living God." As its gates are ever open, Come, my soul, and look within. Foremost in the scene, and enthroned in glory, appears the One who is "the resurrection and the life."
Kings of the earth may reign long, yet death is sure to overtake them, but he who sitteth on the throne is the "Prince of life." From him natural, spiritual and eternal life proceed. The scepter of empire, he will wield forever; because his throne will never be vacated by death, he can have no successor.
Happy are those who dwell in the presence of such a King. Because of their residence with him, they too are kings, and on their heads are crowns of life. Of earthly rulers it has been truthfully said,
"Weary lies the head that wears the crown,"
But not so with those whom God delighteth to honor; they are equal unto the angels and shall die no more. Life fills the entire system, and as they walk the golden streets, joy beams from every countenance, and fear has fled from every bosom.
See them on the banks of "the river of life." Its waters, clear as crystal, flow at their feet, an emblem of the purity of the region they inhabit. Over their heads wave the branches of the tree of life. Its fruits designed for the help of the nations of the saved, they pluck and eat. "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more: for the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of water." Everything is life-like in the city, and, O my soul, as thou viewest the day at140hand when the eternal weight of glory will be imparted to those that are Christ's, let it nerve thee to diligence and to duty. Thou art called to be a laborer in the vineyard, and not a loiterer by the way-side.
Arouse thee from thy stupidity; men are perishing in their sins—there is no time to be lost.
"God's own arm hath need of thine."
If the vanities of the world call after thee, imitate Bunyan's pilgrim, who, putting his fingers in his ears, ran on crying, "Life, life, eternal life!"
Without God in the World.
By Old Humphrey
A great mistake, it is, to suppose that there are none but daring reprobates and open transgressors who live "without God in the world;" for on the contrary, there are thousands of all classes of society who answer this description, thousands of whom it may be truly said, that "they are without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." Eph. ii, 12.
There are rich men who strive with heart and mind, with soul and strength, to add to their possessions, who never dream of acknowledging God in all their ways, that he may direct their paths. They think much of their perseverance, but little of their propriety. They praise themselves, but they never praise their Maker. "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof," and they who get gain take credit to themselves, sacrificing to their own net and burning incense to their own drag, and living without God in the world, as much as if they were bowing down to stocks and stones. "Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith." Prov. xv, 16.
There are prosperous merchants doing business in all seas, sending ships to every quarter of the world, and receiving treasures from the East and the West, the North and the South, and who are as regardless of the High and Holy One, in all practical purposes, as the fool who hath said in his heart, "There is no God." They are wealthy, upright, generous, and charitable.—Their word is their bond, and they sit among princes; yet for all this they are living "without God in the world." While they amass earthly treasures they neglect that heavenly wisdom, the merchandise of which is "better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold." Pro. iii, 14.
There are physicians who restore the sick, and raise up those who appear to be at the brink of the grave; but while they attend to other's bodies they neglect their own souls. The structure of the human frame occupies all their attention, and its great Creator has none of their regard. A man may be very wise in temporal maladies, but yet very ignorant in spiritual diseases. By such a one the leprosy of sin is not understood. He lives without God in the world and God is not in all his thoughts.
There are great readers who devour every book that comes in their way on arts, science, literature, yet never ponder over those Sacred Scriptures, which given by inspiration of God, are "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, correction, for instruction in righteousness."—2 Tim. iii, 16.
What shall we say of these ungodly book-worms? What, indeed, can we say, but that they are acting very unwisely? for those who never read of God, love God, obey God, nor praise God, must be living without God in the world.
There are miserly, covetous men who scrape all they can get together of this world's possessions, by the most pinching parsimony. They will not even provide for their own comfort, let alone relieving the wants of the poor. No sense of God's goodness to them moves them to deeds of Christian charity. Truly may they be said to live without God in the world who have no God but gold. "Godliness with contentment is great gain," but gold without godliness is a snare; "For what is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"—Matt. xvi, 26.
There are men, ardent and persevering, ever seeking after some imaginary good. It may not be "perpetual motion," or the "philosopher's stone," but something equally delusive and useless. Disappointment seems only to whet their appetite, to sharpen their desire to grab the phantom they are pursuing. On! on! on! without considering that time is short and eternity at hand.—One half of this ardor after eternal things would yield them a recompense of great reward and altogether relieve them from the deserved reproach of living without God in this world.
There are long-headed, far-seeing, deep-thinking men, wise in the wisdom of this world, but knowing nothing about the world that is to come. A lamentable thing it is to be only wise for earth and ignorant for heaven, seeing that "the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God."—1 Cor. iii, 19.
What is the use of knowing everything else, if we are ignorant of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, and know not him whom to know is eternal life.—Wise men can be no other than foolish men, when they thus live without God in the world.
But if the rich man, the prosperous merchant, and the learned physician, the reader of many books, the hoarder up of gold, and the close bargain maker, if the ardent pursuer of imaginary advantages, and worldly wise, may thus live without God in the world, how necessary it is to ask ourselves whether we are avoiding the errors we deplore, whether we are guilty of the fault we condemn? The question is one of great weight and of infinite importance, involving light and darkness, life and death, time and eternity, eternal weal and woe: for whether we believe it or deny it, it is a fearful fact that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."—Rom. iii, 23. Whether we receive it or reject it, "it is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."—1 Tim. i, 15.
STRONG DELUSION
By Editor
REPLY.—We would be glad to send out the REVIEW on the above conditions; that is, that those who order the paper to such individuals as are above mentioned, shall take charge of the matter, and as soon as they learn that it is not doing any good, inform us immediately. We have in time past sent out a great many papers, for a great while, to those who were beginning to investigate the truth, and it has been left with them to discontinue it if they did not feel interest enough in it, after a fair examination, to become permanent subscribers. It has been too often the case that they have possessed no interest whatever in the matter, and the REVIEW has been sent for months when it was accomplishing no good, until it has finally been returned by the Post Master, or otherwise ordered discontinued.
This might in a measure be remedied, if those who order the paper for such, would or could look after the matter closely, and inform us in regard to it. But it is frequently the case, especially with messengers, that they are unable to look after the papers they order, being perhaps off in a distant part of the field.
In view of these things it has been a question with us how those who are beginning to investigate the views we advocate, could have the REVIEW till they decide either for or against the truth, without our being liable to send out many papers long after they ceased to do any good.
We have consulted with the Publishing Committee, and come to the conclusion that to those who wish to examine the REVIEW, but do not feel free to become permanent subscribers, we will send it for three months on trial; that is, on the condition that if within that time we hear nothing from them, when the three months have expired, their REVIEW will be stopped.
Let all, therefore, who take the paper on these conditions, do it with the understanding, that if they do not report themselves within three months, either to become subscribers, or that they wish the REVIEW and are unable to pay, at the end of that time their REVIEW will be discontinued. Three months is certainly sufficient time for any person to decide in this matter.
Acting on this plan there will doubtless be some papers stopped for which we shall receive no remuneration from the individuals themselves. This will have to be made up, as well as the balance of what we send to the poor, and free, by donations from the liberal which we give under the head, "To send REVIEW to the Poor." We see no better plan at present of acting in this matter. We hope the friends will interest themselves to increase the subscription list of the REVIEW and extend its circulation.
STRONG DELUSION.
THE readers of the REVIEW have been faithfully warned of the deceptive work of Satan in the "spirit manifestations," the way for which had been previously paved by the popular theology of Pagans, Papists and Protestants. But all ought to know that the same class of spirits which "rap" will come in without rapping where they can find open doors and a warm reception without that ceremony. And where they enter silently, they seem to be much more pious; and therefore the delusion is stronger than it is where they make so much noise.
In the little circle of my travels, false religious excitements are increasing and spreading. I find those who profess to be so far advanced in sanctification and holiness that they have no temptation to sin whatever. In a short conversation with such a one, I found that the word of the Lord and the commandments of God could make no impression upon his mind, by way of convicting him of transgression. He made no attempt to justify his course in breaking the fourth commandment by an appeal to the word of God, but appealed from that word to his own feelings, declaring that all was well with him, and that the Lord would not bless him thus, if he were wrong. The word of God was made of "none effect" by the spirit that was in him.
I consider such delusion the strongest of any, to which well-disposed persons are exposed at the present time. It is Satan transformed into an angel of light. But, thanks be to God, his elect will see through this flimsy covering, and will bring the teachings of all such spirits "To the law and to the testimony." R. F. C.