Review and Herald, Vol. 26, No. 6. (7/11/1865)

Review and Herald

Jul 11, 1865

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 11, 1865

Sanctification: or Living Holiness.

By Daniel T. Bourdeau

BY ELD. D. T. BOURDEAU.

(Concluded.)

BEARING OF THE LAW OF GOD ON THIS SUBJECT.

By the law of God we mean the law that is commonly designated as the moral law, and which prescribes to men their religious, and social duties; in other words, "their duties to God and to each other" (Webster); the law which is based in the nature of God, and in the nature of man, and which is composed of those obligations, that grow out of the relations that we sustain to God, and to our fellow-creatures; the law that God proclaimed in person on Mount Sinai, in the hearing of all Israel, his chosen people, and wrote with his own finger on stone; the only public address that God ever made to his people, with the exception of the declaration, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Matt. iv, 17; the law of which Christ says, "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle, shall in no wise pass from the law," Matt. v, 17, and that the remnant church will be found keeping, while the dragon's wrath will be stirred against them, Rev. xii, 17, and for the keeping of which, the last blessing in the Bible is pronounced by Christ, as follows: "Blessed are they that do his (the Father's) commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city," Rev. xxii, 14. Let us see the bearing that this law has on the subject. And

1. We have seen that sanctification consists in cleansing from sin; and "sin," says the beloved apostle, "is the transgression of the law." 1 Jno. iii, 4.

2. In our unsanctified state we are the servants of sin, but in proportion as we are sanctified we become the servants of righteousness; and David says, "All thy commandments are righteousness." Ps. cxix, 172.

3. Sanctification is effected through the truth, and the Saviour says, "Thy word is truth." Now no portion of the Scriptures can with more propriety be called the truth, and God's word, than the law of God, which proceeded out of his mouth. Says the Psalmist, "Thy law is truth." Ps. cxix, 142.

4. Sanctification is a progressive work, and involves the necessity of advancing in the knowledge of the truth. Now the law of God is so comprehensive that it affords to all an opportunity to progress in holiness, and advance in the knowledge of right and wrong, which is indispensable in sanctification. Those who have meditated impartially, and without prejudice on the law of God, have not failed to notice its comprehensiveness. Says Thomas Scott, "This law which is so comprehensive, that we cannot measure it." See Commentary. Bishop Hopkins on the ten commandments, published by the American Tract Society, says, "There is no duty required, nor sin forbidden by God, but it falls under one, at least, of these ten words." Again, he says, "The words are few; but the sense and matter contained in them is infinite, the rest of Scripture is but a commentary upon them, either exhorting us to obedience by arguments, or alluring us to it by promises, warning us against transgression by threatenings, or exciting us to the one, and restraining us from the other, by examples recorded in the historical part of it. All those precepts which are dispersed in the Scriptures, and which concern the regulating of our lives and actions, although not found expressly mentioned in the decalogue, may yet very aptly be reduced under one of these ten commandments." H. H. Dobney (Baptist minister) of England, says, "These (the ten commandments) are illustrated, and their extensive bearing shown, by many other precepts which are scattered through the Scriptures. But there is not a single injunction or prohibition (of a moral kind we mean, of course, not referring now to the ceremonial law given to the Israelites, which has another explanation), which is not referable to one or the other of these commandments, and included in it." See Future Punishment, by H. H. Dobney. This point will be more clearly seen as we advance in our investigation. David must have realized its truthfulness when he said, "I have seen an end of all perfection, but thy commandment is exceeding broad." Ps. cxix, 96. By reading this Psalm we see that David is dwelling upon the law of God's mouth, verse 72, and the subject of this entire chapter is the law of God.

5. The last church will be sanctified through the last message of mercy, viz., the third angel's message; and the law of God constitutes a prominent part of this message.

6. Sanctification covers the whole man; and so does the law of God. The second, third, fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth commandments refer directly to the actions and words, and consequently relate to the body; but these commandments not only have to do with the actions and words; for the whole law is spiritual, Rom. vii, 14, reaching the spirit or mind, regulating the thoughts, desires, and affections. Those precepts which forbid the external acts of sin, forbid likewise the inward thoughts, desires and motions of sin in the heart. The Saviour makes this point very clear in his remarks on the law, in Matt. v. See also 1 Jno. iii, 15. Again, the same precepts which require the external acts of duty, require also those holy thoughts and affections that are suitable thereto. But the tenth precept, "Thou shalt not covet," might serve as a key to all the commandments, by showing that they extend to the heart.

The law covers the senses; for first, it is by the means of some of the senses, at least, that it reaches the mind. Again, men sin with their senses; and with their senses men should keep the law. Again, those senses which group around the appetites are regulated by that portion of the law that governs the appetites, viz., the seventh commandment. That this commandment has to do with our eating and drinking is not only seen by reflecting on the bearing that eating and drinking has on the passions, but also by reading Heb. xii, 16: "Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright."

Sanctification requires that we exercise our working faculties; so does the fourth commandment. "Thy work," which is specified in the fourth commandment, must include, at least, sufficient physical exercise to promote health.

Sanctification relates to the life, and makes it obligatory upon us to care for our lives and health, that we may employ them to the glory of God; so does the law of God. This law may be called the law of life, not merely from the consideration that life is bestowed for keeping it, but also because it is so adapted to the wants of our natures, that by keeping it we will, as a natural consequence, live longer than we would by breaking it. Let the reader read each of the ten commandments with reference to this point, and see if our assertion is not correct. But the sixth commandment, in particular, regulates our course with regard to preserving life and health. It is one of the negative precepts, and not only prohibits the sin of destroying our lives, and the lives of others, but it includes the injunction of the contrary duty, viz.: to make use of all proper and available means to ameliorate and preserve health, and prolong our existence and the existence of others.

That the law governs our tongues not only appears from the third and ninth commandments, but also from

testimonies on the law in the New Testament. The first testimony that we will notice is James ii, 12: "So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." The law that the apostle here alludes to, is that law which ends, "Do not commit adultery. Do not kill." Verse 11, in connection with marginal reading. The fact that we are to be judged by this law is the grand motive that should lead us to take heed how we speak and act; therefore this law must determine how we should speak and how we should not speak.

Again, James iv, 11: "Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law; but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy; who art thou that judgest another?" It is evident from this passage that he that speaks evil of his brother and judges his brother (accordingly, of course), not only violates the law, but virtually acts himself as a judge of the law, and a lawgiver by approving what the law disapproves. But "there is but one lawgiver," etc. French Trans.

1 Pet. iv, 11: "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God." By reference to verses 7 and 17, it is seen that this text applies when the end of all things is at hand, and the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. At this time the duty to speak as the oracles or commandments of God (see Acts vii, 38; Rom. iii, 2), is made particularly forcible by the fact that light is shining on the commandments, and they are better understood. If we speak according to these commandments, we shall speak right words with respect to God and our fellow-creatures, and concerning all that pertains to them.

Sanctification has to do with the affections, and requires us to love God supremely, and our neighbor as ourselves; and so with the law of God. We cannot keep the first four commandments as they should be kept, without loving God supremely; neither can we keep the last six commandments without loving our neighbor as ourselves. And we cannot love God as we should without loving what God loves and hating what God hates (as far as our knowledge extends); and if we love what God loves and hate what God hates, we will love all righteousness and hate all sin.

Bodily cleanliness is a duty enjoined in sanctification; and of the seventh commandment Mr. Dobney, who appears to have bestowed much thought on the law of God, says, that it includes in the prohibition every kind and degree of impurity. But if any will refuse Mr. Dobney's exposition, and deny that the seventh commandment prohibits all physical impurity, they are requested to bear in mind that physical uncleanliness is detrimental to health, and is therefore condemned by the sixth commandment.

7. Sanctification is a character work. But a rule or law is necessary to the development of character. We can form no definite idea of a person's character except we compare it with a rule of right, with something that will determine right from wrong. Now the law of God is the very rule that shows us what is right, and that determines right from wrong. Again, all these excellences which enter into the formation of a perfect character, establish the law. They can be traced to the law of God.

8. In sanctification we are to follow the example of Jesus, who did no sin and kept his Father's commandments. 1 Pet. ii, 22; Jno. xv, 10.

9. We are sanctified through the death, merits, and intercessions, of Christ. But Christ died for our sins, which are the transgressions of the law, and that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, 1 Cor. xv, 3; Rom. viii, 4, and intercedes in harmony with his death.

10. We are sanctified through faith, of which Paul says, "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law." Rom. iii, 31.

11. Sanctification is called the sanctification of the Spirit, because the Spirit is the great agent that God employs in sanctifying men. But the Spirit enforces the truth and convinces of sin, righteousness, and judgment, which could not exist without the law. Again, the Spirit helps us to bear the fruit of the Spirit, which very clearly establishes the law. For what are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance but excellences which prove that the law is in force? The law is grounded in love and grows out of love. Love made it and love enjoins it. The object of it is to make us love. It takes love to keep it, and those who keep it will love. The law brings joy and peace to those who keep it. David could say, "Thy law is my delight," and, "Great peace have they that love thy law." Ps. cxix, 77, 105. Longsuffering is opposed to impatience and wrath, which are traced to the violation of the law. Gentleness, goodness, meekness and temperance are also fruits growing out of keeping the law. And even faith as we have seen, establishes the law. This position is also strengthened by the fact that the works of the flesh, which are opposed to the fruit of the Spirit are traced to the violation of God's law. See Gal. v, 16-23.

12. Do holy angels that excel in strength, help in sanctification? They do God's commandments, Ps. ciii, 20, and labor in harmony with the Spirit.

13. Has God set gifts in the church for the perfecting of the saints? These gifts are the gifts of the Spirit, and work under the influence and direction of, and consequently in harmony with, the Spirit and good angels.

14. We are sanctified through trials and corrections. And why are we tried and corrected? Of course it must be for the same object for which the Spirit helps our infirmities, viz., that we may be purified and bear the fruit of the Spirit. But Paul says that God chastens us "for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." Heb. xii, 10, 11. God's holiness that we are to be partakers of through chastening is composed of his imitable perfections, which shine gloriously in his law. To illustrate: God is said to be holy, perfect, righteous, just, good, etc., 1 Pet. i, 16; Matt. x, 48; Ps. cxix, 137; Rev. xvi, 5; Deut. xxxii, 4; Ps. xxv, 8; the same is said of his law, Rom. vii, 12; Ps. xix, 7; Deut. iv, 8; Ps. cxix, 106; Neh. ix, 13; and those who keep the law will bear its characteristics. But David's experience is to the point. He says, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept thy word." Ps. cxix, 67, 71. The subject of the Psalmist being the law of God, we see that he was afflicted that he might learn to keep God's law. God is here whipping up his wayward children to their duty in this respect, as earthly parents correct their children that they may obey their requirements.

15. Self-examination is an important branch in sanctification. We examine ourselves that we may see our defects, which are so many deviations from the law. Therefore the law of God is indispensable in self-examination. It is the grand mirror in which we should look to see our characters. "Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." James i, 25.

16. When the Bible shows that it is possible to overcome, and attain to holiness, we should understand that it is possible to keep God's law, that prescribes the way of holiness, and by which is the knowledge of sin, which is the great enemy that we overcome as we keep the law of God. Must we repent, believe, and be baptized, pray, etc., that we may overcome? The fact that these duties are obligatory upon us is strong evidence that the law exists, and should be kept. For what is repentance, but a turning away from sin? and what need is there of turning away from sin, if the law is not binding and should not be kept? Again, why should we believe on Christ for the remission of sin if there is no law? for where no law is, there is no transgression, Rom. iv, 15, and where there is no transgression, there is no need of remission. Paul uses baptism as an argument, to show that we should not continue in sin. Rom. vi. Baptism not only shows that Christ died and rose again, but that we are dead to sin, that we have been slain by the law, Rom. vii, 7-12, that we have repented of our sins, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of the same.

Whatever we do to overcome, establishes the law. All that is enjoined upon us in the Scriptures establishes the law. All that God does to help us overcome shows that the law is in force, and that God's great object in helping us, is to bring us back in obedience to his holy law. If there is no law, as some contend, then there is no room for repentance, faith, baptism, prayer, and the various other duties that we have to perform to obtain help from God, and attain to holiness; then there is no room for the death and intercessions of Christ, and the healing fountain; for there is no need of grace, no occasion for the death and intercessions of Christ, nothing to heal; then Christ should not be our example, and we should not imitate what we have thought to be the loveliest character that ever dwelt among men! Then away with the Christian graces, and the fruit of the Spirit; men may think, act, and speak as they please; they may let their appetites and passions have full sway, and usurp the authority of enlightened reason; they may cherish idleness, effeminacy and uncleanness as virtues, and violate the laws of their beings; they may lavish their best affections on trifles, and keep their weakest affections for their Creator! they may speak of, and address their Maker irreverently, and curse their fellow creatures made in the image of God; in other words, they may with unbounded liberty and congratulation break any or all of God's commandments! Then let all the messengers of the cross hush their voices in silence, on those topics which have engrossed their minds, and led them to labor and suffer in vain, and give up their commission, confessing their error; let them cease to beseech the sinner with accents of pity to be reconciled to God, and flee from the wrath to come; and let all who believe in the gospel of Christ act accordingly; let the Holy Spirit and good angels cease to act their part in the so-called sanctification of men, and return to the courts above, confessing that they have learned a better way; and let Satan and the wicked rejoice; for there is no law, no such a thing as sin, and no necessity for sanctification and salvation.

This is by no means our belief, yet it shows the inconsistency of those who, while they lay much stress on faith, repentance, and other Christian duties, and extol Christ, the Christian graces, and sanctification, oppose the law of God. Do our Antinomian friends extol faith, repentance, sanctification, etc.? This is all right. But by so doing they virtually extol the law of God. Sanctification stands or falls with the law of God.

We are now prepared to see the force of the following conclusion from the wise man: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil." Eccl. xii, 14.

CONCLUSION.

Dear reader, we have now briefly noticed some of the leading features of sanctification, and have seen some of the advantages connected with living holiness. And we now ask, Are not the motives to, and the benefits of, sanctification of sufficient importance to induce us to seek for holiness? Do not the beauties of the subject invite us? Is there not a solid satisfaction in being Godlike and Christlike, and answering to the objects for which we were made? Are not the glory of God, our own happiness and usefulness, the happiness and usefulness of others, the punishment of the unholy, the blessings that the holy enjoy here in living holiness, and the rich and glorious reward that awaits them hereafter, sufficient to prompt us to live holy lives? The pleasures of sin are fading. They are but for a season and end in death. In the language of the poet, > "Each pleasure hath its poison too, > And every sweet a snare."

But the pleasures of holiness are real, and will never fade. They will last as long as eternity lasts. In attending to sanctification we are preparing for the society of the holy in the world to come. But if God-like natures and heavenly contemplations and prac

tices are repugnant to us here, what should we do among the inhabitants of the celestial abodes?

"Wake up, brother, wake up sister, Seek, O seek that holy state; None but holy ones can enter, Through the pure, celestial gate."

"Behold, He Cometh."

TIME'S sun is fast setting Its twilight is nigh, Its evening is falling, In cloud o'er the sky; Its shadows are stretching In ominous gloom; Its midnight approaches— The midnight of doom; Then haste, sinner, haste, there is mercy for thee, And wrath is preparing—flee, lingerer, flee!

Rides forth the fierce tempest On the wing of the cloud; The moan of the night-blast Is fitful and loud; The mountains are heaving, The forests are bowed, The ocean is surging, Earth gathers its shroud; Then haste, sinner, haste, there is mercy for thee, And wrath is preparing—flee, lingerer, flee!

The vision is nearing— The Judge and the throne! The voice of the angel Proclaims, "It is done." On the whirl of the tempest Its Ruler shall come, And the blaze of his glory Flashes out from its gloom; Then haste, sinner, haste, there is mercy for thee, And wrath is preparing—flee, lingerer, flee!

With clouds he is coming! His people shall sing; With gladness they hail him, Redeemer and King. The iron rod wielding, The rod of his ire, He cometh to kindle Earth's last fatal fire! Then haste, sinner, haste, there is mercy for thee, And wrath is preparing—flee, lingerer, flee!

"Thoughts and Apothegms."

"Those who boldly stand out and court inquiry, and bring forward cogent reason for their conviction, are reproached by a certain modern writer, with infirm faith and timidity. Timidity of all things! One is reminded of the story of some Indian savages serving as allies to the British in America, who, when the allied force was attacked by the enemy, ran and took shelter in the woods, while the Brittish troops stood firm under a heavy fire, and repulsed the assailants. It was expected that their Indian friends would have been full of admiration at this display of superior valor; but, on the contrary, their interpretation of it was, that the British soldiers were such cowards that they were too much frightened to run away. Almost every chapter in the New Testament convicts the Lord Jesus and his followers of that "timidity," in appealing to that evidence of miracles and prophecies, which is censured and derided."

"All men wish to have truth on their side, but few to be on the side of truth."

"Men miss truth more often from their indifference about it, than from intellectual capacity."

"The pursuit of religious truth is the noblest, as it is the most important pursuit in which any human being can be engaged."

"To dread danger from the progress of any truth, physical, moral, or religious, is to manifest a want of faith in God's power, or, in his will to maintain his own cause."

"Falsehood, like the dry-rot, flourishes the more in proportion as light and air are excluded."

"Truths dangerous, indeed; yes—and so are meat and drink; but who will therefore resolve to perish with hunger?"

"It is often said, that though it may be well for learned and skillful divines to have the objections to Christianity placed before them, yet that it is better not to notice objections generally, for fear of alarming and unsettling the minds of the plain unlearned people, who had, probably, never heard anything of the kind. Now, many persons, who have never heard anything distinct on the subject, have heard, and are made uneasy by, vague reports and obscure rumors of objections made by some supposed learned men, who have proceeded on rational grounds, without knowing distinctly what they are; when, perhaps, if these objections were clearly stated to them, they are qualified by their own plain sense, to see how irrational they are. Suppose you were startled in a dark night by something that looked like a specter in a winding-sheet, would not he who should bring a lantern and show you that it was nothing but a white cloth hanging on a bush, give you far better encouragement, than he who merely exhorted you to "look another way, keep up your heart, whistle and pass on?"—Sel.

That Shineth More and More.

“The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Prov. iv, 18.

This teaches that the law of the Christian's life is progress. The light does not shine more and more upon a bower in which the believer lies down to sleep, but on a path. Hence, he is to be traveling always, to be pressing toward the place to which the path leads. A path is made to facilitate progress—to induce and enable people to go somewhere. Paths are not surveyed and graded for men to lounge in. The Christian life is a way—a course. We are to “run” in it “with diligence,” and as we run, we find it brightening with new beauty.

The figure here is in harmony with all the teachings of the Bible on this subject. God is ever saying to his people, “Go forward.” He has more glorious revelations for them, but they must climb up higher in order to receive them.

A man starts in a deep valley that is filled with mists and vapors, to ascend a mountain. He is told that in the path which winds up and around it, he will have splendid scenery. He climbs awhile, gets above the densest of the mist, sees a beautiful but comparatively limited landscape. He enjoys it for a time, but growing weary, asks,—“Where are those broad and glorious visions that were promised me? I am on the mountain—I am in the path.”

“Yes but you are not using the path. It was made not merely to bring you to this point, but to the top of the mountain. From every point there is a new view, and from the summit, the widest and noblest of all. Keep on climbing.”

Alas! how many Christians are like this traveler. They come to Christ. They receive and rejoice in the first beams of his light. Sweet is the dawn of hope in their hearts. But they sit down contented with this. They have found salvation, and why trouble themselves about anything beyond? But they soon find that this hope becomes dim and unsatisfactory. They get into darkness, because they forget that God gave these first rays only to encourage them to go on toward their source—to get nearer and nearer to the true light—to the Sun of Righteousness, that they may enjoy more and more of him. A stationary Christian is a contradiction in terms. You might as well talk about a resident pilgrim, or a follower that stands still. When we are called by the Master, he not only says, “come unto me,” but “follow me.” If we come, and then do not follow, it is evident that we have not given him the whole heart.

Do you want to have peace as a river—to have light that shines more and more, walk on in the path of life; be ever adding “to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity.” You cannot embrace a more fatal error than that religion is like a diamond, perfect and finished when we receive it, and only to be treasured up until we die, and then presented as our ticket of admission into Heaven. One or two of the parables, as that of the pearl of great price, and the treasure hid in the field, might seem to teach this. But the object in them is only to show the value, and not the nature of salvation. In other parables, as well as in many exhortations, the idea here suggested is set before us with great force and earnestness.

Suppose that a friend should bring you a young tree and say, you plant this in good ground, and cultivate it, it will bear for you beautiful blossoms and luscious fruit, and it will bear more and more every year. You take the scion, admiring it and rejoicing in its possession. You set it out in some corner of your lot where the ground is hard, and an overhanging roof keeps off from it both the sunshine and the showers, and then when it tries to put forth a few sickly leaves, you go and pick them off. Treating the tree thus, you wonder that you do not have the blossoms and the fruit that were promised. Alas, how forgetful and foolish you are! You have not complied with any of the conditions. You not only fail to cultivate the tree, but refuse to let it grow.

There are Christians who seem to be just so forgetful and foolish. They are told to grow in grace, but they make no effort to cultivate piety. They give to religion the hardest, coldest, and shadiest place in their hearts. They think only about Christ for a few moments at night, when they are too weary and sleepy to think of anything else. The best hours, the best energies are given to the world, and then they wonder that they do not have all the peace and joy that are promised to the faithful followers of the Saviour.—Herald & Recorder.

Good Rules.

By E. G. R.

A few rules, laid down by Leigh Richmond for his daughter Mary, engage my attention as being worthy of being followed by all young Christians. If kept constantly in the thoughts on proper occasions, they will go far in aiding us to evade the enemy's snares.

E. G. R.

1. Adhere most scrupulously to truth; and labor to preserve the strictest integrity, simplicity, and sincerity.

2. Engage in no pursuit in which you cannot look up unto God and say, Bless me in this, O my Father.

3. Strive to be as kind, forbearing, and forgiving as you can, both to friends and foes.

4. Never speak evil of any one on any pretense whatever.

5. Strive to recommend religion by the courtesy, civility, and condescending character, of your conduct.

6. Mortify lusts, sensuality, and sloth.

7. Watch against irritation, positiveness, unkind speaking, and anger; study and promote love.

8. Never allow others to speak well of you; nor, especially, yourself to say or think anything of yourself but as poorly done. Keep down pride; let it not be indulged for a moment, and watch against it.

9. Shut out evil imaginations and angry thoughts.

10. Let it be your sole business here to prepare for eternity. Consider every moment of time in that view.

11. Remember that you have to contend with a legion of devils, a heart full of deceit and iniquity, and a world at enmity with God.

12. Pray that you may ever rejoice in the advancement of Christ's kingdom, and the salvation of sinners; and labor in every way to promote these objects. Prayer is the only weapon which can subdue your corruptions, and keep your evidences bright. Cultivate prayer.

13. Show a marked preference to such conversation, remarks, persons, discussions, and occupations, as may tend to essential good.

14. Always think before you speak; say and do, neither hastily nor unadvisedly.

15. Be constant in private prayer.

16. In music, prefer serious to light compositions; and in vocal, keep close to sacred words.

17. Be wise in the choice of books; shun everything of the romance and novel kind; and even in poetry, keep to what is useful and instructive, as well as pleasant.

18. In company, show that the principles of your religion are your rule of conduct and your real delight. Be consistent; cheerful, but not light; conversable, but not trifling.

Boorish Boys and Girls.

DID you ever see a well-dressed boy or girl compel a poor woman carrying a big basket or bundle to step off the sidewalk ? I have, and have also seen a glossy-coated boy or a silk-clad miss give such poor person a look of scorn which seemed to say :

'I am china, you are delf. Get out of my way! How dare you presume to stand in my path?'

'You civilized little boor,' I have said to myself at such a sight, 'you haven't a particle of politeness in you. If you had, you would pity that burdened woman and get out of her way.'

If I have such an impolite boy or girl among my readers, I wish they would take a lesson from the life of Napoleon. When he was on the island of St. Helena he walked out with a lady one day. A poor man with a heavy pack met them. The lady kept straight on, but the ex-emperor gently waved her on one side, saying, 'Respect the burden, madam.'

Respect the burden! That's a good motto. You will find that most of your schoolmates and friends carry burdens of some sort. Not on their backs, perhaps, but in their hearts. Little Maggie, for example, carries a burden of bashfulness. Respect it by being kind and gentle to the little one. Your friend Robert, whom you call a "slow coach," carries a burden of dullness. Respect it by explaining his lessons to him. Your mother carries a burden of sickness, your father of care and work. Respect their burdens by giving them love, and obedience, and help. In short, you must respect everybody's burden whom you know, and thus help make the world happier. Do you understand? Yes! Very good. Then mind you respect the burden!—S. S. Advocate.

Despising Age and Retribution

THE children who despise age are likely to receive the retributive justice of being despised by their own descendants.

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