HISTORICAL SKETCHES SHOWING THE FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY.
BY ELD. D. M. CANRIGHT.
(Continued.)
Now about this time, that is, about 600 B. C., God gave this king of Babylon a dream which none of his wise men could either tell or interpret. He saw a great image. “This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.” Dan. ii, 32, 33. Daniel, explaining this to the king, said: “Thou art this head of gold.” Verse 38. Evidently this image was to represent all the successive universal monarchies beginning with the first one after the flood, and ending with the last one at the end of the world.
“Thou art this head of gold.” Nebuchadnezzar being the king of Babylon, is taken as the representative of that nation. This, as we have seen, was the first universal monarchy founded after the flood. It existed about 1700 years with various changes. It was fitly represented by the head of gold, as it was the richest and most opulent kingdom that ever existed. But the Lord continues: “But after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee.” This is what the prophet told the king when Babylon was in the height of its glory. As there are many things very wonderful and interesting to the Bible student in the prophecies relating to the overthrow of Babylon, we will notice them and their exact fulfillment.
It would seem like presumption in the prophet to predict the overthrow of Babylon after it had stood nearly 2000 years, and was now the unrivaled mistress of the world; but our wonder is greatly increased when the Lord proceeds by the mouth of other prophets to give the exact circumstances with regard to the time when, and the manner in which, it shall happen. When these predictions were made, the event seemed to be the most improbable of anything which could transpire.
1. God sent his people into captivity at Babylon, and foretold the number of years they were to stay there. To the Jews he says: “And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it a perpetual desolation.” Jer. xxv, 11, 12.
2. He foretold the nation by whom Babylon should be overthrown. Jer. li, 11: “Make bright the arrows; gather the shields; the Lord hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes; for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple.”
3. The very man who was to conduct this mighty work was mentioned in prophecy by his name 200 years before he was born. Isa. xlv, 1–5: “Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him, and I will loose the loins of kings to open before him the two-leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight. I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron; and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob, my servant’s sake, and Israel, mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name; I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.”
4. Babylon was to be taken suddenly, by surprise. Isa. xlvii, 11: “Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth; and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off; and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know.” Jer. iv, 24: “I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware. Thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the Lord.”
5. Babylon trusted in Euphrates for defense; but God declared that he would use even this in her overthrow. He says: “I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry.” “A drought is upon her waters, and they shall be dried up.” “The passages are stopped, and the reeds they have burned with fire.” Jer. li, 38; li, 32, 36.
6. Babylon was to be taken in the night time, while the inhabitants were feasting and rejoicing. “In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the Lord.” Jer. li, 39. “I will make drunk her princes.” Verse 57. Isa. xxi, 2–5, 9: “A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam; besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease. Therefore are my loins filled with pain; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth; I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it. My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me. The night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me. And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods hath he broken unto the ground.”
7. The king was to be seized with great surprise and terror. Isa. xxi, 2–4: “A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam; besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease. Therefore are my loins filled with pain; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth. I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.”
8. At the very time they were feasting, God gives command to arise and take the city. “Arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.”
9. The Lord foretells the confusion of the mighty men, the captains and the watchmen of Babylon, at the time it was to be taken. Jer. li, 30, 31: “The mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight; they have remained in their holds; their might hath failed; they became as women; they have burned her dwelling-places; her bars are broken. One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken at one end.”
10. He says that the loins of the king shall be loosed. “And I will loose the loins of kings.” Isa. xlv, 1.
11. God said that he would open the gates of Babylon before Cyrus, that he might take the city. “To open before them the two-leaved gates, and the gates shall not be shut.” Isa. xlv, 1.
Various other particulars are made, but we cannot notice them here. Now, if any one of these predictions should fail in the overthrow of Babylon, the prophecy would fail, and prove the prophet an impostor. None but one divinely inspired would dare enter into so many particulars. Most of these predictions were made 200 years before Babylon fell. Now, if we find them minutely fulfilled in history, it will greatly strengthen our faith in the Bible.
Now to return to the history of Babylon. After the death of Nebuchadnezzar, four of the kings in succession followed him on the throne of Babylon in the period of about twenty-five years. The last of these was Belshazzar. He ascended the throne B. C. 555, and reigned till B. C. 538. Some years before this, Cyrus, son of the king of Persia, was born. His grandfather was the king of Media. His grandfather dying, the uncle of Cyrus, known in the Scriptures under the name of Darius, Dan. v, 31, became king of Media. Cyrus married his uncle’s daughter 550 B. C., and thus became heir to the thrones of both Media and Persia. 556 B. C., Cyrus and his uncle, the king of Media, marched against the king of Babylon, and defeated his army in a great battle. Ten years after this, Cyrus unites the forces of Persia with those of Media, and again marches against Babylon. Being defeated on all sides, the Babylonians take refuge in the city of Babylon.
Thus Rollins in his Ancient History Vol. I, p. 128 describes this interesting event:
“Cyrus stayed in Asia Minor till he had entirely reduced all the nations that inhabited it into subjection, from the Ægean sea to the river Euphrates. From thence he proceeded to Syria and Arabia, which he also subjected. After which he entered into Assyria, and advanced toward Babylon, the only city of the East that stood out against him.”
“The siege of this important place was no easy enterprise. The walls of it were of a prodigious height, and appeared to be inaccessible, without mentioning the immense number of people within them for their defense. Besides, the city was stored with all sorts of provisions for twenty years. However, these difficulties did not discourage Cyrus from pursuing his design; but, despairing to take the place by storm or assault, he made them believe his design was to reduce it by famine. To this end he caused a line of circumvallation to be drawn quite round the city, with a large and deep ditch; and that his troops might not be overfatigued, he divided his army into twelve bodies, and assigned each of them its month for guarding the trenches. The besieged, thinking themselves out of all danger, by reason of their ramparts and magazines, insulted Cyrus from the top of their walls, and laughed at all his attempts, and all the trouble he gave himself, as so much unprofitable labor.”
And well they might laugh at all the efforts of Cyrus, or the power of man, while protected in that mighty city. The reader will remember that it was fifteen miles square, surrounded by a wall 350 feet high, and 87 feet thick. It had one hundred gates of brass. Around the outside of the wall was a wide and deep canal filled with water. The Euphrates ran through the center of the city. On each side of the river in the city were high walls so that none could pass over the river within the city only through strong gates which were always well guarded. They had provisions for twenty years, and thousands of soldiers to guard the city. But God had said that Babylon should fall, and had named Cyrus as the man to conduct the work. The time had come, and the city must fall. Cyrus knew that he could never take it by force or by starvation. It must be done by stratagem. To accomplish this, Cyrus dug an artificial channel for the river, which would carry it around the city instead of through it. When all things were ready he opened large sluices both above and below the city, from the Euphrates into this artificial channel. This soon drained the river of its water, and allowed the soldiers of Cyrus to march into the city through the bed of the river. As Rollins beautifully describes this, I give his words entire:
“After having seen the predictions of everything that was to happen to the impious Babylon, it is now time to come to the accomplishment of those prophecies; and to resume our narrative of the taking of that city.
“As soon as Cyrus saw that the ditch which they had long worked upon was finished, he began to think seriously upon the execution of his vast design, which as yet he had communicated to nobody. Providence soon furnished him with as fit an opportunity for this purpose as he could desire. He was informed that in the city a great festival was to be celebrated; and that the Babylonians, on the occasion of that solemnity, were accustomed to pass the whole night in drinking and debauchery.
“Belshazzar himself was more concerned in this public rejoicing than any other, and gave a magnificent entertainment to the chief officers of the kingdom, and the ladies of the court. When flushed with wine, he ordered the gold and silver vessels, which had been taken from the temple at Jerusalem, to be brought out; and, as an insult upon the God of Israel, he, his whole court, and all his concubines, drank out of those sacred vessels. God, who was provoked at such insolence and impiety, at the same instant made him sensible who it was that he insulted, by a sudden apparition of a hand, writing certain characters upon the wall. The king, terribly surprised and frightened at this vision, immediately sent for all his wise men, his diviners, and astrologers, that they might read the writing to him, and explain the meaning of it. But they all came in vain, not one of them being able to expound the mat-135ter, or even to read the characters.
It is probably in relation to this occurrence that Isaiah, after having foretold to Babylon that she should be overwhelmed with calamities that she did not expect, adds: “Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up and save thee from those things that shall come upon thee.” Isa. xlvii, 12, 13. The queen’s mother (Nitocris, a princess of great merit) coming upon the noise of this great prodigy into the banqueting room, endeavored to compose the mind of the king, her son, by advising him to send for Daniel, with whose abilities in such matters she was well acquainted, and whom she had always employed in the government of the State.
“Daniel was therefore immediately sent for, and spoke to the king with a freedom and liberty becoming a prophet. He put him in mind of the dreadful manner in which God had punished his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, and the flagrant abuse he made of his power; when he acknowledged no law but his own will, and thought himself empowered to exalt and abase, to inflict destruction and death wheresoever he would, only because such was his will and pleasure. ‘And thou, his son,’ says he to the king, ‘hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this, but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of Heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them: and thou hast praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified. Then was the part of the hand sent from him, and this writing was written: And this is the writing that was written, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE, God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it; TEKEL, Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting; PERES, Thy kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.’ This interpretation, one would think, should have aggravated the consternation of the company; but they found means to dispel their fears, probably upon a persuasion that the calamity was not denounced as present or immediate, and that time might furnish them with expedients to avert it. This, however is certain, that for fear of disturbing the general joy of the present festival, they put off the discussion of serious matters to another time, and sat down again to their banquet, and continued their revelings to a very late hour.
“Cyrus, in the mean time, well informed of the confusion that was generally occasioned by this festival, both in the palace and the city, had posted a part of his troops on that side where the river entered into the city, and another part on that side where it went out; and had commanded them to enter the city that very night, by marching along the channel of the river as soon as they found it fordable. Having given all necessary orders, and exhorted his officers to follow him, by representing to them that he marched under the guidance of the gods, in the evening he made them open the great receptacles, or ditches, on both sides of the city, above and below, that the water of the river might run into them. By this means the Euphrates was quickly emptied, and its channel became dry. Then the two fore-mentioned bodies of troops, according to their orders, went into the channels, the one commanded by Gobryas, and the other by Gadatas, and advanced without meeting any obstacle. The invisible Guide who had promised to open all the gates to Cyrus, made the general negligence and disorder of that riotous night subservient to his design by leaving open the gates of brass, which were made to shut up the descents from the quays to the river, and which alone, if they had not been left open, were sufficient to have defeated the whole enterprise. Thus did these two bodies of troops penetrate into the very heart of the city without any opposition, and meeting together at the royal palace, according to agreement, surprised the guards and cut them to pieces. Some of the company that were in the palace opening the doors to know what noise it was they heard without, the soldiers rushed in, and quickly made themselves masters of it; and meeting the king who came up to them sword in hand at the head of those who were in the way to succor him, they killed him, and put all those that attended him to the sword. The first thing the conquerors did afterward, was to thank the god for having at last punished that impious king. These words are Xenophon’s, and are very worthy of attention, as they so perfectly agree with what the Scriptures have recorded of the impious Belshazzar.
“The taking of Babylon put an end to the Babylonian empire, B. C. 538, after a duration of 210 years from the beginning of the reign of Nabonassar.” Rollins’ Ancient Hist., Vol. I., pp. 130, 131.
“Cyrus having entered the city in the manner we have described, put all to the sword that were found in the streets: he then commanded the citizens to bring him all their arms, and afterward to shut themselves up in their houses. The next morning, by break of day, the garrison which kept the citadel being apprised that the city was taken, and their king killed, surrendered themselves to Cyrus. Thus did this prince, almost without striking a blow, and without any resistance, find himself in peaceable possession of the strongest place in the world.” Ibid. p. 133.
Thus it will be seen that all the wonderful prophecies relating to the overthrow of Babylon were minutely fulfilled. Truly every word of God is sure. Of this event the scripture record says: “In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain, and Darius the Mede took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.” Dan. v, 30, 31.
By reference to the margin it will be seen that this event occurred B. C. 538. It is said that Darius the Mede took the kingdom, although it was actually Cyrus, because Darius was yet living and Cyrus was acting under his command. Darius soon after died, leaving Cyrus king. Says Kitto: “Under Belshazzar, the last king, B. C. 538 or 539, Babylon was taken by Cyrus after a siege of two years. Thus was fulfilled the prophetic words, ‘Thou art this head of gold, and after thee shall arise another kingdom.’ Thus passed away Babylon the first universal kingdom represented in the great image of Daniel ii by the head of gold, and in chapter vii by the lion. Mede-Persia thus overthrew and succeeded Babylon.
(To be continued.)
SPIRITUALISM.
By GIDEON G. DUNHAM
Of all the deceptions in the land, this seems to be the greatest. As an illustration of this fact I give the following: While visiting some friends to-day, a spiritualist lecturer called on them. After the common salutations of the day and a lively talk on the subject of Spiritualism with our friends, the lecturer inquired my residence. I gave him the desired information. Said he, Were you at the lecture at B. last week? I told him I was not, and did not believe the doctrine at all. He then inquired my objections to it. I told him I did not believe in the immortality of the soul. Said he, What then will you do with the Saviour's words to the thief on the cross? I gave him Bro. Canright's exposition of it. He seemed somewhat discomfited, but presently said, How about Moses and Elias? I gave him Bro. Smith's exposition. He made no comment. But said he, You surely believe the record of Samuel and Saul. I replied that I did, and should have given Bro. Andrews' view of that passage; but he seemed to anticipate that I was posted on that also, and said, What do you believe all this spirit manifestation is, then? I referred him to Rev. xvi, 14. He was greatly taken back, but, after a moment's reflection, said, The Devil and his imps! He then said the Bible was a collection of old mythological ideas gotten together by Constantine, and he would not believe it (as the truth of God) half as quick as he would an old almanac; for that gave a true chronology, and the Bible did not. Later in his conversation he said it was King James' Bible, gotten up by him and his bishops.
Now we can see clearly his aim. He would first have us believe that the Bible taught the immortality of the soul and nothing else. How consistent! But failing in this, he would sweep all by the board and have the Bible brought up in two different ways, and at last be King James' Bible, just to suit those times; hence the injunction to honor the king.
Does it seem possible that a person with a sane mind can be so deceived? and yet he claimed to be governed wholly by reason. But such is the power of the enemy when once we enter into his stronghold. We are led captive by him at his will. But again this man admitted that there was sin in the world, while many communications from the spirits say there is no such thing as sin. Query: How, then, do they know when they have a true communication? Now we would just compare their evidence and ours, and see who has the most reason for their belief. They believe communications from mediums, and those mediums often young, fifteen, eighteen, or twenty years of age, of very bad characters, of no respect or esteem, and their communications contradictory and unsatisfactory; and upon this heterogeneous mass of contradictory communications they rest their eternal destiny. Now we believe the word of holy men who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost; men who laid down their lives to attest to the truthfulness of their words; men who lived hundreds of years apart, yet all speak the truth in harmony; men who uttered prophecies hundreds of years in the past, which we now see fulfilling before our eyes; men whose writings describe countries, cities, seas, lakes and rivers, which living witnesses in our day have visited, and hence know that they gave a faithful description of them.
Now, dear brethren and sisters, let us hold fast the truth. For though we are told that we cannot possibly be lost, we do not want to run the risk of believing a doctrine that all evidence goes to show would be our eternal ruin. We are perfectly safe where we are, if such is the fact. GIDEON G. DUNHAM.
THE CHURCH AND WORLD.
Under the apparently serious heading of “Progression,” a writer in the St. Clair Republican utters the following cutting, because just, satire upon professors of religion of the present day:
Mr. Editor: That this is an age of wonderful improvement and progression is apparent to the most superficial observer. Individuals progress; nations progress; societies and churches progress.
In the religious world, we had the rigors of the Mosaic dispensation; then the more gentle teachings of Christ and his disciples; and now an almost entire freedom from ecclesiastical restraints; and perhaps this advancement is more marked, rapid and surprising among the so-called Orthodox churches than in any other connection. But a few years ago we had all the horrors of the Inquisition; more lately, the “blue laws” of New England, forbidding a man to kiss his own wife on the Sabbath day; and now, church members luxuriating in the most extravagant of worldly amusements.
Formerly, the minister of the Gospel—a shadow to the old and a ghost to the young—could be identified at the farthest possible range of the human vision, by the simplicity of his dress and his style, and churchmen were known by their “daily walk and conversation.” Latterly, the lengthened visage of the minister has been contracted into a genial smile, and his enjoyment of an evening’s entertainment with the people of the world is of the most superlative degree; and church members, whether at a fashionable church festival or on a ride to a neighboring village, shake the light, fantastic toe with as much vigor as their unregenerated neighbors. And when we behold, with wondering admiration, the strange (though not unfamiliar) phenomenon of the strong orthodox arm of some pretended follower of the lowly Nazarene, whirling the voluptuous form of a modern Venus through the measured tread of the quadrille to the soul-stirring strains of the violin, we feel inclined to exclaim with one of old, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian!”
In view of the fact that “revolutions never go backward,” is it not reasonable to suppose that this same spirit of generous progression will continue to disseminate itself until all mankind are united in one happy, joyful family—the Jew and the Gentile, the saint and the sinner, the church and the world; and that the day is not far distant when the minister will be seen on Sabbath mornings going to his church with a Bible in one hand and a violin in the other, prepared to vary the religious exercises of the day according to his own inclinations or the requirements of his congregation?
THE BLESSING OF GOD.
By John Nevins Andrews
WHY is this so often withholden when we so earnestly desire to receive it? It is for a sufficient reason. We do not seek it with the right object. We desire the blessing of God not that we may be thereby made a blessing to others, but merely that we may be personally benefited and made happy. God does not bless us for this purpose. We are not to be made simply a reservoir of God's blessing, with all its goodness shut up in ourselves; but we receive his mercy and grace that we may be made a living fountain of blessing to others. The blessing of God is given us for the same reason that God sends sunlight and rain upon the earth.
It is not sent that it may simply add benefit and blessing to the earth, but that it may make the earth the fruitful source of blessing to mankind. When we ask the blessing of God that we may thereby honor him and benefit our fellow-men, we shall find that it will be freely and graciously given. Some err even here. They would like to honor God if they could thereby honor themselves. They are very willing to do good to others if they can do it by performing some great thing. If it is to labor patiently in obscurity, and to suffer in silence; if it is to bear heavy burdens known only to God; or to set an example of patience, humility and meekness, under the continued trial of innumerable petty vexations, they have no heart for this kind of work at all. If the Lord has some great thing for them to do they would gladly accept. But the Lord gives man his work to perform in such a manner that self shall be crucified and slain. Vain ambition has to be uprooted and destroyed. God never blesses us to foster and cherish this pernicious evil.
Many seek the blessing of God simply that they may feel better. Such wonder that their souls are left in barrenness. They receive not because they ask amiss, that they may consume it upon their lusts. But is there no way that we may have the best frames of mind secured to us? Undoubtedly there is. But this is never to be obtained by simply aiming for it. There is a higher and nobler object to be sought. It is the power of God and the benefit of our fellow-men. Seek the blessing of God that you may be fitted to do this work in any way that he shall call. Leave the frames of feeling out of the account. God will give you that which is best, you will receive his blessing when you seek it thus.
J. N. ANDREWS.
INCREASE OF KNOWLEDGE VS. TIME-SETTING.
By Roswell F. Cottrell
The work of the Lord, in fulfillment of prophecy, is harmoniously progressive. It was promised that in the time of the end, when the sealed book should be unsealed, knowledge should be increased, and the wise should understand. Dan. xii. We are also taught that the pathway of the just is as a shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day. We believe that in the time of the end, that is, in the period just preceding the second advent, we may expect a steady, progressive increase of knowledge in relation to the prophecies and their fulfillment, and the necessary work of preparation, to meet the crisis of closing probation, and stand acquitted before the Lord at his appearing. This work of the Lord will be like a regular, through train, touching each station once, but not returning, but ever moving onward to the final station, the terminus of the line.
The work of Timeists, that is, of those who for the past twenty years have been prophesying that the Lord would come at such a time, and, when that had passed, at such a time, and so on, does not bear the characteristics of a harmonious, progressive work—a steady and constantly increasing light. They quote the text, however, that knowledge should be increased, but at every step of their progress, if progress it may be called, their increasing light casts into the shades of total darkness all their former light, and claims that their former progress was no progress at all. “All our former calculations,” they are obliged to confess, “were——”
I had reached this point in the foregoing article, when I was taken sick some three months since, and the article from which I was quoting, I fail now to find. But the short of the matter is, God does not contradict himself concerning the time of the advent every six months, and it is self-evident that he does not employ men to do it for him. Hence those who have set some twenty different times for the Lord to come in as many years, are not sent of God to do such a work. The Lord does not employ men to do a work which he cannot (inasmuch as it is impossible for God to lie,) do for himself.
R. F. COTTRELL.
A CHRISTIAN should never plead spirituality for being a sloven. If he be a shoe-cleaner, he should be the best in the parish.
PERVERSION OF SCRIPTURE.
By John Harvey Waggoner
We are often astonished to see how readily some will pervert the word of God, while professing to believe and reverence it. Several times I have known instances like the following: A man or woman was disfellowshipped by the church when the wife or husband, as the case might be, would draw off, or murmur and complain at the exercise of discipline, and endeavor to justify their murmurings by the scripture.
“The Saviour said, Let the wheat and tares grow together until the harvest.”
True; but the Saviour did not say, “The field is the church.” We take no step to prevent the wicked from living where the Saviour spoke of—in the world. But if they are indeed to be retained in the church, what mean the many Scripture directions on discipline? Among which are the following.
In Matt. xviii, 17, the Saviour said, If he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.” Is his place still in the church?
Paul said, 2 Thess. iii, 6: “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly.” In what does this withdrawing consist if he is to be retained in the fellowship of the church? See also verse 14; 2 Tim. iii, 5; and 1 Tim. vi, 5.
These directions are so plain that I have sometimes doubted whether the individuals were deceived in regard to them, or merely quoted the scripture as above in self-justification. If the latter, they are incurring a great responsibility in thus trifling with the sacred word of God.
A still more trifling objection (if possible) is urged, that, to disfellowship a husband or wife while the companion is a church-member is to separate husband and wife! The reader may smile, but I am not drawing on fancy at all; I have more than once heard it urged. “What God hath joined together,” they quote, “let not man put asunder.” First, I reply, the action of the church has no reference whatever to the marriage relation; and the objectors know it. Second, to justify the objection they should show that God had joined them together, which, in many instances, we should not admit. We respect marriage as a civil contract wherever it is found. But to say that God joins together those who unite in selfishness, and live in ill-will, strife, and contention, is more than I am prepared for. There is far too much of this practice in the world, of ascribing everything to God; making no distinction between his ordinances and their abuse; and making him blamable for all the confusion and wrong on the earth. Better far to humble one's self, and confess our departures from the order of God's wise and just government, than to justify self, and thereby endeavor to make him the author of confusion.
J. H. WAGGONER.
ASKING THE BLESSING AT THE TABLE.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
THAT this was practiced by our Lord and his apostles, is manifest: Thus we read of Jesus: “And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples,” &c. John vi, 11. Also at other times it is mentioned the same. Of Paul, we read: “And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it, he began to eat.” Acts xxvii, 35.
By this we see that it was customary for them to give thanks to God before partaking of food. How reasonable this is. Here we are seated at the table filled with food of which we are about to partake. Who gave this to us? God. Ought we to be thankful to him for this? Certainly. Then how appropriate for the father, in the presence of his wife and children, to bow his head and offer a few words of thanks to God for these blessings. How could he better say to all that he trusts in God, that he believes that all his blessings come from God? How better teach his family the fear and reverence of God?
Fathers, think of this. These remarks are called forth by the fact that I know of some professed Christians who do not do this. Brethren, show your religion in little, as well as in big things.
D. M. CANRIGHT.
SOME FEATURES OF OUR TIMES.
THIS is an age of brilliant pretensions, but sad realities. Its professions and practices, its facts and theories, present a climax of contradictions.
There never was so much of the form of godliness, and never so little of the power.
NEVER were there so many professors of religion, and never so little of religion itself.
NEVER so many assurances of peace, and never so extensive and urgent preparations for war.
NEVER so many tokens of coming danger and calamity, and never such a feeling of security, expressed and implied, on the part of the people.
There never was a time when the doctrine of the immediate opening of the temporal millennium was more universally cherished and talked of, and never a time when every feature of society, social, moral, and political, rendered such an idea more preposterous.
There never was a time when there was so much money in the world, and never a time when there was more wide-spread and distressing poverty.
There never was a time when there were so many remedies for every disease, real or imaginary, which profess to be sure cures, absolutely infallible, and never a time when there existed so much disease, sickness, suffering and death.
There never was a time when there was so much boasting of progress and advancement on the part of the race, and never a time when they gave more palpable evidence of fast descending into every depth of iniquity and sin.
And what does all this show? It shows that the pretensions on which men build themselves up are a sham, and their professions, hypocrisy. They are willing to deceive others, and to be deceived themselves. This is the time when the prophet tells us that evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. We see this work going on before us, which proves that we have reached the time when the prophet's words apply. There is nothing to which men will not put their hand for gain. With worthless nostrums, which the venders know will not accomplish what they claim, the confidence of the afflicted is secured, and their means filched. Falsity and hollow-heartedness exist on every hand. Truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot enter. Nor will this state of things improve in this present dispensation, but grow worse and worse. Let us be thankful that the Lord sees it all, and is displeased; Isa. lix, 15; that he is about to put on righteousness as a breastplate, and the garments of vengeance for clothing, and recompense fury to his adversaries, but come in mercy to Zion, and to them that turn from transgression in Jacob. We have reason to sigh and cry for the abominations done in the land. We patiently wait for the end of that which is false, evil, and full of violence and strife, and long for the approaching reign of truth, righteousness, and peace. Not before He whose right it is, the Prince of the house of David, takes the throne, will this be. Hasten, O King of kings, the glad day.
REPORT FROM BRO. CORNELL.
By Merritt E. Cornell
Since last report I have found it difficult to get into the work in several new places on account of protracted meetings in progress or in prospect. Held six meetings in Tyrone and one in Holly. Trust that the word spoken, and the tracts circulated will bring fruit. While waiting to hear about other openings, I made a flying visit to Saginaw and Midland counties, and held meetings in two places. Was glad to find so good an interest still manifested in the meetings and Sabbath School, and Bible Class. One more had embraced the truth and united with the church after I left. After the Sabbath a load of us went from Tittabawassee up to Jerome, thirty-two miles up the river, where there is a little church of twelve members. We had three long preaching and social meetings with good interest. The hearty confessions, wet down with penitential tears, made us feel that our visit was timely, and that this little company would henceforth stand on higher ground.
On my return to Tittabawassee found a request from Johnstown for a course of lectures, and I came on without delay and arranged to commence the 5th inst.
Spent last Sabbath with the church in Battle Creek and spoke on the Signs of the Times. It had been five months since I left, and a great change has been wrought here. A different feeling exists. It has been cheering to meet with this people, and we are greatly encouraged. The work of revival and reformation is still going on, new ones are becoming interested, and backsliders are being reclaimed. Praise the Lord for his goodness. We thank the Lord and take courage.