Review and Herald, Vol. 46, No. 9. (9/2/1875)

Review and Herald

Sep 2, 1875

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 2, 1875

Constantine and the Sunday Law: Pagan Origins

By Joseph Harvey Waggoner

CONSTANTINE,—NO. 6.

BY J. H. WAGGONER.

Two things will be noticed in respect to this Sunday law, viz., it was issued before Constantine made any profession of Christian faith, and it was the day of the sun which was to be observed by resting from secular labor. And history furnishes abundant evidence that the sun was the especial object of adoration by the emperor, and that Apollo, the sun-god, was his “tutelary deity.” If this be so, then the heathen origin of the edict must be beyond question. Milman thus testifies:—

“Up to this period, all that we know of Constantine’s religion would imply that he was outwardly and even zealously pagan. In a public oration his panegyrist extols the magnificence of his offerings to the gods. His victorious presence was not merely expected to restore more than their former splendor to the Gaulish cities, ruined by barbaric incursions, but sumptuous temples were to arise at his bidding, to propitiate the deities, particularly Apollo, his tutelary god. The medals struck for these victories are covered with the symbols of paganism. Eusebius himself admits that Constantine was at this time in doubt which religion he should embrace; and after his vision, required to be instructed in the doctrines of Christianity.”—Hist. of Christianity, p. 287.

And again, of the Sunday law, he says:—

“It is the day of the sun which is to be observed by the general veneration; the courts were to be closed, and the noise and tumult of public business and legal litigation were no longer to violate the repose of the sacred day. But the believer in the new paganism, of which the solar worship was the characteristic, might acquiesce without scruple in the sanctity of the first day of the week.”—Milman, book iii, chap. i.

Gibbon furnishes the following decisive evidence on the subject:—

“The devotion of Constantine was more peculiarly directed to the genius of the sun, the Apollo of Greek and Roman mythology; and he was pleased to be represented with the symbols of the god of light and poetry. . . . The altars of Apollo were crowned with the votive offerings of Constantine; and the credulous multitude were taught to believe that the emperor was permitted to behold with mortal eyes the visible majesty of their tutelary deity. . . . The sun was universally celebrated as the invincible guide and protector of Constantine.”—Gibbon, chap. xx, vol. ii, p. 251.

And again:—

“The panegyric of Eumenius, which was pronounced a few months before the Italian war, abounds with the most unexceptionable evidence of the pagan superstition of Constantine, and of his particular veneration for Apollo, or the sun.”—Note, p. 251.

Reference has been made to the fact that after Constantine professed his preference for Christianity he continued to hold the office and title of Pontifex Maximus, or high priest of the heathen rites; and he held it to the year of his death in 337, and, indeed, there is no evidence existing, that we have been able to find, that he ever renounced it. His religion was not Christianity, but polytheism, and when he professed to embrace Christianity it was in union with his former paganism, and not by any means to the exclusion of it. Thus Keightly says:—

“Constantine, however, was still a polytheist, and his principal object of worship was the sun-god, Apollo. At the same time, with the compliant spirit of polytheism, he held the God of the Christians and the author of their faith in respect and reverence.”—Hist. of Rome, p. 313.

And Dr. Schaff testifies to the same thing:—

“At first, Constantine, like his father, in the spirit of the Neo-Platonic syncretism of dying heathendom, reverenced all the gods as mysterious powers; especially Apollo, the god of the sun, to whom, in the year 308, he presented magnificent gifts. Nay, so late as the year 321, he enjoyed regular consultation of the soothsayers in public misfortunes, according to ancient heathen usage; even later, he placed his new residence, Byzantium, under the protection of the God of the martyrs and the heathen goddess of Fortune; and down to the end of his life he retained the title and dignity of a Pontifex Maximus, or high priest of the heathen hierarchy. His coins bore on the one side the letters of the name of Christ, on the other, the figure of the sun-god and the inscription, Sol invictus. ”—Church History, vol. ii, pp. 14, 15.

The edict above referred to, in which “he enjoined regular consultation of the soothsayers in public misfortunes, according to ancient heathen usage,” was given on the 8th day of March, 321, the next day after the Sunday decree was given! Without any other evidence, this fact would prove that the Sunday edict was a heathen ordinance only; and it had no more reference to Christian duties than had the consultation of soothsayers, which the Lord had expressly forbidden to his people. And Dr. Schaff clearly shows the nature of his Christianity, so-called, in the fact that he not only retained his office of Pontifex Maximus, and dedicated his residence to the goddess of Fortune as well as to the God of the Christians, but inscribed on one side of his coins the name of Christ, and on the other the figure of the sun-god, with words of adoration to the sun! Dr. Schaff further says:—

“He enjoined the observance, or, rather, forbade the public desecration of Sunday, not under the name of Sabbatum, or dies Domini, but under its own astrological or heathen title, dies solis, familiar to all his subjects, so that the law was as applicable to the worshipers of Hercules, Apollo, and Mithras, as to the Christian.”—Hist. of the Christian Church, vol. ii, p. 31.

But Dr. Schaff has gone further, as he well knew that Constantine had no regard for Christianity at the time that he issued this Sunday decree, and this he declares in the following words:—

“He enjoined the civil observance of Sunday, though not as dies Domini, but as dies solis, in conformity to his worship of Apollo, and in company with an ordinance for the regular consulting of the haruspex (321).”—Hist. of the Christian Church, vol. ii, p. 31.

And Milman again says:—

“The rescript commanding the celebration of the Christian Sabbath bears no allusion to its peculiar sanctity as a Christian institution; it is the day of the sun which is to be observed by the general veneration.”—Page 289.

Although retaining the office of high priest of paganism, he exercised the power of a bishop in the Christian church, and affected to preach. Dr. Schaff says one of his sermons “is still extant, in which he recommends Christianity in a characteristic strain, and in proof of its divine origin cites especially the fulfilment of prophecy, including the Sibylline books, and the Fourth Eclogue of Virgil.”—History, vol. ii, p. 34.

Mosheim, while avowing his belief that the conversion of Constantine (such as it was) took place in A. D., 323, says that Zosimus placed it after the death of Crispus, A. D., 326; and he adds that it is difficult to determine the truth in the matter. The words of Mosheim on this point are as follows:—

“How long Constantine retained these vague and undecided views of religion and religious worship, regarding the Christian religion as excellent, and salutary to the Roman State, yet not esteeming the other religions or those of inferior gods as vain, pernicious, and odious to God—it is difficult to determine. Zosimus, as is well known, reports that Constantine did not publicly profess Christianity, and show himself hostile to the Romish sacred rites, until after the slaughter of his son Crispus, and his wife Fausta; which truly detestable crimes were perpetrated in the year 326.”—Hist. Com., vol. ii, p. 469.

They who would gladly avail themselves of Constantine’s influence in behalf of some customs introduced in his day, are anxious to save his reputation as far as possible. If his conversion could be placed after the most horrid of his crimes were committed, it would be some relief to his character as a Christian. But that is attended with difficulties, for it would place his Sunday edict farther from his professed reception of Christianity, and also present him as presiding over the first great Christian council and leading the minds of the bishops in their consultations on matters of faith before he professed regard for the Christian religion! Look at it in whatever light we will, his patronage of the church was a curse to it, and his Christianity, mixed as it was with paganism, was unworthy of the name. The title of “the great” has been accorded to him with many misgivings, by some, as the following shows:—

“That Constantine had a large share of talent, and some virtues, is undeniable; but when we consider his many faults, among which was a cruelty that did not spare even his own children, his claim to the title of great becomes somewhat more than dubious.”—Dictionary of Biography.

Dr. Schaff makes another declaration which has an important bearing on Constantine’s religion, and sheds light on the statements made but a few pages before that he acted “in the spirit of the Neo-Platonic syncretism of dying heathendom.” Syncretism is the attempted union of incongruous principles; and this was remarkably displayed in the actions of Constantine. Dr. Schaff there stated to what length this incongruity was attempted to be carried, even to wearing the insignia of a pagan high priest and exercising the functions of a Christian bishop; to dedicating his residence to the goddess of Fortune and to the God of the Christians; and to inscribing together on his coins the name of Christ with the figure of the sun-god and words of adoration to the sun! The further statement of Dr. Schaff is in regard to the length of time in which these inconsistencies were retained by the emperor:—

“When at last on his death bed he submitted to baptism, with the remark, ‘Now let us cast away all duplicity,’ he honestly admitted the conflict of two antagonistic principles which swayed his private character and public life.”—History, vol. ii, p. 18.

It appears beyond all denial that had not the bishops become ambitious, selfish, and worldly; had they not valued the personal favors bestowed by the emperor above the purity of the church, they would never have recognized him as the leader and head of the church, as he actually was at the Council of Nice. But this was a dark day for the church, as the extracts we have given conclusively show. Most of the testimony respecting it comes to us through the “orthodox” or Roman side. But the picture is dark enough. Athanasius, a man of indomitable will and determination, took the lead of the Trinitarians, or orthodox, as they were finally called, while Arius headed the opposition. Strong charges were preferred against Athanasius, concerning whose trial Sozomen thus speaks:—

“After several sessions, when the synod was filled with tumult and confusion, and the accusers and a multitude of persons around the tribunal were crying aloud that Athanasius ought to be deposed as a sorcerer and a ruffian and a being utterly unworthy of the priesthood, the officers who had been appointed by the emperor to maintain order in the synod compelled the accused to quit the judgment hall secretly; for they feared that he might be torn to pieces by the mob.”—Eccl. Hist., p. 86.

So far as Arius himself was concerned the controversy was closed by his sudden death in a fit of purging and retching; the orthodox declaring that God had smitten him for perverting the faith, and his friends as persistently declaring that he died by poison from the hands of his orthodox enemies.

“And He Opened His Mouth and Taught Them.”

By C. Green

THESE are the words of the inspired penman, as he would show how our Lord began his first discourse to the people, who were so eager to learn his doctrine. All classes of hearers were present, and all listened to the words of life, and were taught their duty to God and their fellow-men. And not for these only were his words of wisdom spoken, but after generations, for all coming time, may learn from this great sermon the way to eternal life; and happy is he who hears and obeys. Our Lord commenced his address with blessings; not indiscriminately pronounced upon all, but upon those who are awakened to a sense of their true condition, as well as to the fact that they are lost and undone. These need just such consolation as he here gives:

His first words are, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Here is brought to view a class who, by the Spirit of God and the word preached, begin to see themselves in the light in which Heaven has regarded them during their existence. A person truly awakened to a sense of his sins starts, as one from a sound sleep, to see the gulf beneath him, into which he is about to fall. No hand seems near to save. The proud spirit of his nature is broken. Destitute of any good, poor in every virtue, abounding in evil, which he now sees in its hatefulness, he seeks for pardon and relief from that Being he has so often offended. Such an one advances no claim to that for which he seeks, and for which he earnestly pleads. His prayer is not that of the self-righteous Pharisee, but his petition is one that

becomes the poor publican. He is poor in spirit, and feels his need of Heaven’s forgiveness and blessing. Does he obtain it? Is there not some consolation for him in his utter poverty of soul? Oh, yes. As the waters of the forest stream refresh the tired and hunted stag, our Saviour’s blessed promise, “For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven,” refreshes the soul aching under its burden of guilt.

“Blessed are they that mourn.” Who are the mourning ones? Those who have been brought to a knowledge of their poverty of spirit, and who realize that their past lives have been such as to cause them to mourn. Others may mourn, but none like those who realize the wrongs they have committed against a long-suffering Benefactor. Poor in spirit, and with a just sense of their sinfulness before God, they may realize his pardoning mercy, yet a sense of his goodness, mingled with the knowledge of their own offenses, produces the keenest anguish and a repentance not to be repented of. Who can thus mourn? To such, the words of our Saviour apply: “For they shall be comforted.”

These two important conditions existing in the mind and heart, another is the result, namely, meekness. That person who truly knows himself is of a meek spirit. He realizes that there is a great deal more to learn than he knows; and, possessing meekness, he is ever ready to receive instruction; and he will seek aid and wisdom from a divine source. As this life is far too short to enable one to come to a just sense of God’s infinite love to his creatures, the blessing, added as an incentive to those aspiring after a better knowledge of God, to the meek seekers after truth, is, “For they shall inherit the earth.” Yes, “the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” The meek love peace, and “over there” their souls shall be satisfied with it.

A knowledge of the soul’s poverty of the grace of God, while it produces mourning and causes meekness, will also create an insatiable hungering and thirsting after righteousness. How eager such are to gain that knowledge which will enable them to render their ways more acceptable to God, who has manifested such pardoning grace and mercy. The word of God is studied, that righteousness may be obtained, and how often have these hungry souls been filled with the bread that comes from Heaven. Such are happy indeed, and if they continue to thus exercise their minds—if they hunger and thirst after righteousness—they are assured that they shall be filled.

Those who possess the grace of righteousness have in themselves the element of mercy. They understand what mercy has done for them. Having been forgiven, they have learned how to forgive. Having felt the need of mercy, and realized its effect upon their own hearts and consciences, they are prepared to manifest it toward others; and in the exercise of this beautiful grace, they are assured that “they shall obtain mercy.”

“Blessed are the pure in heart.” Who has so succeeded in cleansing his ways as to render his heart pure in the sight of God? David prayed, “Cleanse thou me from secret faults.” He also prayed for a clean heart. Our Saviour, understanding the steps to be taken by the unregenerate, first speaks of conviction of sin. The soul, stout in its rebellion, is suddenly stricken with a sense of its own weakness and poverty. Mourning, meekness, hungering after righteousness, and a merciful spirit, grow out of this conviction and conversion, and, as a consequence, right motives, proper thoughts, and good intentions fill the mind and heart. Thus by grace the heart becomes pure, and the blessed assurance to the pure in heart is that “they shall see God.”

But why repeat further these beautiful declarations—these beatitudes—as they are rightly termed? The meek, the righteous, the merciful, and pure, love peace, and are desirous that all mankind should enjoy its blessings. Such are peace-makers, ever trying to produce harmony where discord and strife seek to rule the hearts and minds of men.

Especially among brethren, where division and misunderstanding are doing their work of separation and destruction, we find these earnest souls striving to restore harmony and peace. Such are assured that they are the children of God. But how often are they misunderstood? The world, judging them by its own low standard of right-doing, is ready to ascribe to them wrong motives, and even cause the flames of persecution to kindle about them. Their own brethren may often be found misjudging them; but they are the favored ones of God, and amid revilings, persecutions, and evil speakings, they are exhorted, yea, commanded to rejoice. And why rejoice? Because of the blessings pronounced upon them, and the assurance that great is their reward in Heaven.

C. GREEN.

Battle Creek, Mich.

SATISFIED

“O Jesu, Freund der Seelen!”

O Jesus! Friend unfailing, How dear art thou to me! And, cares or fears assailing, I find my strength in thee! Why should my feet grow weary Of this, my pilgrim way? Rough though the path and dreary, It ends in perfect day.

Naught, naught I count as treasure, Compared, O Christ, with thee; Thy sorrow without measure Earned peace and joy for me. I love to own, Lord Jesus, Thy claims o’er me and mine; Bought with thy blood most precious Whose can I be but thine?

What fills my soul with gladness? ’Tis thy abounding grace; Where can I look in sadness But, Jesus, on thy face? My all is thy providing, Thy love can ne’er grow cold; In thee, my refuge, hiding, No good wilt thou withhold.

Why should I droop in sorrow? Thou’rt ever by my side; Why, trembling, dread the morrow? What ill can e’er betide? If I my cross have taken, ’Tis but to follow thee; If scorned, despised, forsaken, Naught severs thee from me.

O worldly pomp and glory! Your charms are spread in vain; I’ve heard a sweeter story, I’ve found a truer gain. Where Christ a place prepareth, There is my loved abode; There shall I gaze on Jesus, There shall I dwell with God.

For every tribulation, For every sore distress, In Christ I’ve full salvation, Sure help and quiet rest. No fear of foes prevailing, I triumph, Lord, in thee; O Jesus, Friend unfailing! How dear art thou to me!

—Sel.

The World Awaking to the Sunday Question.

We find the following significant article in The Christian Statesman, of July 17, 1875:— “The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Years of the New York Sabbath Committee,” a twenty-four page pamphlet just issued by the Committee, is an interesting and very valuable document. It gives an account of the efforts by which theaters were kept closed on the Sabbath, and the delivery of mail by the carriers prevented; discusses the railway traffic on that day; records the favorable operation of the law to prevent public processions on that day; mentions the action of the New Orleans Gas-Light Company dispensing with all work on the Sabbath and urging this policy on all similar corporations, and gives an interesting view of the state of Sabbath observance in other States. We may give some extracts in a future number. We append here the view which is here given of the state of Sabbath reform in Europe:—

“ENGLAND.—By a majority of two hundred and three the British Parliament refused again last year to open the public museums on Sunday. It was claimed, against the opening of the museums, that the working classes had the means and opportunity of visiting the museum on other days, if they chose to do so; that the attendants needed their day of rest; that such a measure was pressed as an entering wedge to the overthrow of those barriers which now are no more than sufficient to protect the weekly rest-day of the laboring classes against the exactions of trade and the seductions of dissipation. Mr. Taylor, who urged the bill, went so far as to insist on the restoration of the old English holiday as it was before its Puritan narrowing.

“In which,” says a leading journal, “we fancy his views are more fanciful than practical.” A Sunday with one laborer in ten attending service in his parish church or a dissenting chapel, and the other nine employed in swilling beer or playing with packs of greasy cards, is a depressing sight enough, but the exhibition of the whole ten with bloody heads at single stick on the green, or dancing with the coarse jokes and unclean fun in which the soul of the English peasant rejoices, would hardly contribute to placing the mind in a more grateful or devotional attitude.”

“The Lord’s Day Observance Society and other kindred associations are pursuing their work with efficiency and success. The subject of Sunday railway traffic claims their chief attention, and they are vigorously pushing their inquiries and appeals, with reference to its restriction. The last report of the Society above-named mentions successful efforts to stop the Sunday excursion traffic on two of the principal roads out of London. The bills of the previous session relating to the Sunday liquor traffic were again before the House of Commons, and the Society would struggle for their successful passage through Parliament. The fact that 6,000 six-day licenses had been taken out showed that some do not desire Sunday profits; but all who wish the good of the land must make up their minds that the Sunday liquor traffic was a well-defended fortress, which could be taken and destroyed only by strenuous and sustained efforts from without. The Society had circulated 78,000 tracts and documents during the year.”

“GERMANY.—Dr. Kogel, preacher to the court, in a public address, has given a sad picture of the immorality that is corrupting the physical and mental life of the people in Berlin. The manners of the times are hostile to the true home and family life. The necessity of work, and the tyranny of work, rob men of Sabbath rest. And the afternoon of Sunday, which a part of the working men have for themselves, is spent in dissipating pleasure, in drinking-saloons and theaters, where all that is sacred is mocked, and adultery is glorified.

“From other sources the complaint is made that the increasing number of factories that are run on Sundays, by reducing the value of the daily wages, compels even the workingmen who had not before done so, to labor all the week. This illustrates the truth of a statement of John Stuart Mill: ‘Operatives are perfectly right in thinking that if all worked on Sunday, they would do seven days’ work for six days’ wages.’

“Under the growing pressure of this state of things, petitions have been presented from workingmen’s associations, asking from the government some better protection of the weekly rest, and it is understood that the matter is receiving attention. Important alleviations of Sunday work in the post-office department have already been secured.

“An interesting circular letter has been issued by five ladies of the nobility under their own signatures, calling especially upon the Christian women of Germany to unite in a mutual pledge, both to observe the Lord’s day themselves, and in every way to promote its observance by their families, friends, and neighbors. The recent spiritual awakening in several cities of Germany will doubtless do much to cause a better understanding of the spiritual benefits of the holy day, and to quicken the desire to enjoy them.

“FRANCE.—The movement in France for the better recognition of the Sabbath is progressing slowly. The result of recent discussions in the National Assembly on this question is favorable. On considering petitions in favor of Sunday-rest, the Left moved to pass on to the order of the day, but this hostile motion was defeated by a vote of 386 to 282. The petitions, in spite of Gambetta’s opposition, were referred to the minister of public works, who accepted the action of the Assembly without reservation.

“Mgr. Dupanloup, Bishop of Orleans, who as a member of the National Assembly bore a chief part in its discussions and action on this subject, has published a small volume entitled Du Dimanche, in which he shows how greatly the French people, and especially the working classes, suffer from the deprivation of the Sabbath, and pleads earnestly and eloquently for its restoration.

“SWITZERLAND.—Chiefly through the faithful efforts of the ‘Society for the Religious Observance of the Lord’s Day,’ whose president is M. Alex. Lombard, Switzerland is in advance of both Germany and France in the extent to which the Sabbath rest is assured to the laboring classes and the government employees. There is a central committee, with auxiliary committees in a number of the Cantons. They have lately published valuable pamphlets on the relation of the Sunday question to railway employees, to the working classes generally, and on other aspects of the subject; they have circulated appeals, documents, etc., to different classes, have provided public addresses and sermons, and steadily labored in the face of difficulties unknown in this country to improve the Sunday habits of public and social life. But they have not rested here. By repeated petitions to the House of Deputies of the Confederation, they have secured from the government, which owns the railways, the concession to all railway employees of the right to cessation from work on at least one Sabbath in every three. The same privilege has been also granted to all government office-holders. In some of the Cantons steps have been taken to relieve telegraph operators from Sunday work. The movement is making progress and is gaining many influential adherents. Its influence is being felt in Germany and France.

“M. Lombard has lately added to the many previous contributions of his pen an able pamphlet entitled, ‘L’Etat en face de Loi Divine et du Dimanche.’”

Sabbatians of Transylvania and Their Persecution

“Sabbathismus.”

From the Echo de l'Orient of May 23d, we glean some interesting news of the Sabbatians of Transylvania, in Europe. Three hundred and fifty years ago, one Simon Pechy, a man of influence, became a zealous Roman Catholic persecutor of Unitarian Christians. Subsequently he became a convert to the doctrine that the ten commandments, including the original Sabbath, are obligatory upon all mankind. He also accepted certain views of the Levitical law which are unpopular with Christians. In his turn he was violently persecuted and fled into Turkey, and died in exile at Constantinople. But he left a people in his native Transylvania, who, in secluded places, maintained a conscientious worship and the observation of the Sabbath. In the judgment of their persecutors it was a grievous sin to profess Christianity while keeping the Sabbath! However, the sect has lived on to the present time.

When freedom of worship was revived in Hungary, in 1867, the Sabbatians applied for the protection of the government; but they found they had counted without their host. It was “all for us and none for you.” The wrath of the Christian priesthood was aroused, and peremptory terms were offered, in effect as follows: If you persist in keeping the Sabbath and the laws of purification, you must register yourselves as Jews! You cannot be recognized as a religious body outside of Judaism, so long as you keep the Sabbath! Being hard pressed, a portion of them—perhaps all—rather than give up the Sabbath, consented to be registered as Jews. We confess to a great anxiety to hear their own story, and shall not be disappointed to hear of wrongs, insults and sufferings, endured because of their love for the law of God. To drive men from Christ because they keep the Sabbath, is this the Christianity that is going to save the world? We do not believe it.—Sabbath Memorial.

Come and Welcome.

There are churches into whose lofty vestibules, though the belfry bell sounds loud and long, and the grand organ peals forth its alluring strains of majestic harmony, the poor of the earth never enter.

Would they come, if they were assured of true and cordial welcome? It is by no means necessary that the pastor should seek out and personally salute the stranger within his gates. In a large church such method of procedure would be simply impracticable. But if the “welcome” spirit be in that church, some one will be sure to breathe it upon the stranger’s heart.

“Come again. We are always glad to entertain strangers,” whispered a young matron to a strange lady whom the usher had seated in her pew. There were many sorrows weighing on that visitor’s heart, but the bright smile and the unexpected word of welcome went through each bitter sorrow straight to the aching, burdened heart, and cheered and soothed like a caress.

The church that extends the hand of welcome to lowly and lofty, weak and strong, poor and rich alike, is a church that is always and everywhere a power for good; for the Spirit of the Lord God is upon it, and its members are among those “appointed” to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Are there no such churches? Let the true story of Filius and Filia tell. The chapel was an unpretentious building in an unfashionable locality. Its belfry was without a bell, and its organ loft destitute of an organ. It had, however, its attractions, and they summoned as surely as ever chime of bell, and held as closely as ever peal of organ might. It was roomy, well lighted, and well ventilated. Its outer door stood always wide open, and above it shone the illuminated words, “Come, and Welcome.”

Filius and Filia, wandering through an unfamiliar

district of the city they had lately chosen for their home, came upon the modest chapel lit up for evening service. The bright and bonny words of welcome beamed on them as they reached its open portal. “That looks cordial,” said Filius. “Suppose we test it,” suggested Filia.

As they entered the door of the little vestibule, a gentleman advanced to meet them. Filius was surprised, though not displeased, by the handsome hand-grasp and cordial salutation extended to him, as the gentleman signed to the usher waiting at the inner door to conduct them to seats within. The occupants of the pew into which they were shown welcomed them with courteous grace, and at once supplied them with Bibles and hymn books. “This seems cordial,” whispered Filius to his companion. “It’s genuine, too,” returned Filia, “appearances are not on our side. You have on your ‘regimentals,’ and I look like a dowdy.”

The pastor entered. There was a hush, as every head was bowed in silent prayer. Then the whole congregation arose and sang together one verse of an ascriptive psalm. And as the pastor opened the Scripture lesson with the solemn words, “The Lord is in his holy temple,” Filia’s heart echoed, “I believe he is.” Earnest, fresh, heart-warm, seemed all the service of the evening. And when, after the benediction, the pastor approached the new-comers, with a hand outstretched to each, their hearts bounded responsively, in sympathy already with the atmosphere of the place.

“Strangers to me, yet doubtless well known to our Master,” was the hearty word of greeting; and the question, “Are you confessors of the Lord?”

“We are,” responded Filius; and then, won to candid confidence by the genial manner of the pastor, he added, “We are strangers in the city, having but lately come from a neighboring State, and are as yet without a church-home. We are casting about for one, suitable and congenial. We are plain folks and workers.” “Good,” exclaimed the pastor, at the same time beckoning to a gentleman in the opposite aisle. Ascertaining the names of Filius and his companion, the minister introduced them to the brother he had summoned, and, as they slowly passed down the aisle, to one and another of the congregation. Ere they had reached the door they were strangers no longer, but friends and brethren. “Consider our needs,” said one whom the pastor had made known as our Sunday-school superintendent; “if you have not yet decided where to cast your lot, know that our vineyard stands in need of toilers. There is plenty of work here and abundant welcome.”

A dozen members of the congregation lingered in the vestibule. They had with them as many strangers, whom they had noted and saluted in the audience, and whom they now presented to their pastor. “Ah, God is very good to us,” said the pastor, as he welcomed each individual of the group. “Always he is sending us angels of cheer, in the persons of the dear stranger friends who come in answer to our call, to help us by their presence with us.” And Filia caught the surprised and happy look upon the face of a lady, one of the strangers, as she turned to the friend at her side, and murmured, “Is it not all delightful?” As they bade good night to their newly found friends and passed out of the door, they were saluted by two officers of the church, whose custom it was to station themselves at the outer door and give a kindly word of parting to every one who made his exit from the house, “Good night, God bless you. Come again.”

“Did you ever see such people?” asked Filia, as they turned the corner of the street. “That little lady in gray asked my number, and said she would call very soon. What do you think?” “What do you think?” queried Filius in reply. The moonlight glittered upon tears that trembled on the drooping lashes as Filia answered, “I think that I have learned to-night for the first time, by heart, that bit of our creed I’ve so long known by rote, ‘I believe in the communion of saints.’ I am going, God willing, to that little chapel next Sabbath.” “So am I,” said Filius.

Before Sabbath came, Filius, walking in the street, was accosted by a pleasant voice with, “Good day, sir. Hope you are in good health. Saw you at our church the other night, inferred we were united in a common cause. Can’t help feeling an interest, you know.”

Filius lifted his eyes to meet the frank, bright face of an enterprising young business man, whom he had once or twice met on ’change, but who had never shown any such demonstration of interest before. Evidently the interest was for the sake of the “common cause.” “This is Christian fellowship,” said Filius, grasping the outstretched hand, “and it is as delightful as it is rare.”

The sequel to all this was that to Filius and Filia was opened a fresh page in the precious gospel of love, and to the humble, genial, gracious membership of the little chapel church were added two whose joy it was to labor in the vineyard of the Lord.

The word of kindly welcome dropped into the lives of these two, stirred gentle ripples that widen, widen, and are ever widening, touching other lives and causing ripples of kindly thoughts and deeds of courtesy, whose limits none can trace.

The “Come, and Welcome” that Filius and Filia have ever since extended to the stranger, the neglected, the lonely, the afflicted, is not the mere letter of the word of love, but it is the sweet expression of that spirit of Christian fellowship and loving brotherhood that once so won upon their own hearts.

Come to thy people on the earth, Lord Jesus, COME AND WELCOME.—Illustrated Christian Weekly.

Morning Prayer.

By Rev. S. A. Brooke

Such a prayer is the guard of life. It prepares us beforehand for temptation; neglect it and we fall. It makes us conscious of our Father's presence, so that we hear his voice in the hour of our folly or our sin, saying: “My child, this morning you called me to your side; do not drive me far away. Bridle that passionate temper; keep back that foolish word which will sting your neighbor's heart; do not do that dishonest act; be not guilty of that cowardice. I am by your side.” This is the thing which prayer makes real—prayer, not only in the morning watch, but prayer sent voicelessly from the heart from hour to hour.

And day being hallowed thus, do not omit to make holy the night. Take, by the power of prayer, through the wild land of dreams, the sanctifying presence of One who loves us. Claim it every night, and it will attend, to hallow the fancies of sleep, to save us from the baseness of dream-fear, to call back the wandering fancy from impurity. For prayer, continually lived in, makes the presence of a holy and loving God the air which life breathes and by which it lives, so that, as it mingles consciously with the work of the day, it becomes also a part of every dream.—Rev. S. A. Brooke.

Continental Sabbath-Keepers.

In an article on the Biblical Sabbath in the Jewish Chronicle of the 2d of July, Dr. Benisch thus writes of the Continental Christian Sabbath-keepers of Europe:—

“This class of ‘Judaisers,’ as their opponents would sneeringly call them, have only in our day made a public profession of this doctrine, because the principle of religious liberty recently established in some continental countries permitted them to throw off the mask of conformity which they were compelled to assume in consequence of the fierce persecution to which the dominant religion had subjected them. It is, for instance, certain that the interior of Russia harbors a considerable number of Christians of this class, known by the name of Sabbotnicki (keepers of the Sabbath), who, however, being subject to cruel penal laws, dare not publicly follow their convictions. Thus we are informed by a cotemporary that in several villages of the Paulow district, four hundred persons have been arrested who belong to the sect of the so-called Jewish Christians. They came to Novgorod from Kieff in the 14th century, and greatly multiplied in the reign of Iwan III. The Court of Charkoff considers that if all these sectaries had to be punished, the population of whole villages would have to be transported to the Caucasus. Something similar is just now being reported from Hungary. A paper published at Buda-Pest very recently gave a lengthy and most interesting account of a body of Magyars who, now that religious toleration has become a reality in that kingdom, have come forward with the confession that in conformity with the creed held by their fathers for generations, they have at all times celebrated the Sabbath—in secret of course—and wish now to do so publicly.”—Sabbath Memorial.

Continue reading: Jesus Only