Earlier text: General ArticlesMy Health Restored.
By Mrs. E. G. White
For two months my pen has been resting; but I am deeply grateful that I am now able to resume my writing. The Lord has given me an additional evidence of his mercy and loving-kindness by again restoring me to health. By my recent illness I was brought very near to the grave; but the prayers of the Lord's people availed in my behalf. About two weeks before our camp-meeting in this State, the disease from which I had been suffering was checked, yet I gained little strength. As the time for the meeting drew near, it seemed impossible that I could take any part in it. There was but little prospect that I could even go upon the ground. I prayed much over the matter, but still remained very feeble, unable to endure any taxation. A severe cough troubled me night and day. The pain in my left lung was so great that I could not lie upon that side. I was very weak, both in body and mind. My courage and energy seemed paralyzed. I was unable even to exercise faith. In my suffering condition I could only fall helpless into the arms of my Redeemer, and there rest. When the first Sabbath of the meeting came, I felt that I must be upon the camp-ground, for I might there meet the Divine Healer. In the afternoon I lay upon a lounge under the large tent, while Eld. Waggoner addressed the people, presenting the signs that show the day of God very near. At the close of this discourse, I decided to rise to my feet, hoping that if I thus ventured out by faith, doing all in my power, God would help me to say a few words to the people. As I began to speak, the power of God came upon me, and my strength was instantly restored. I had hoped that my feebleness might gradually pass away, but had looked for no immediate change. The instantaneous work wrought for me was unexpected. It cannot be attributed to imagination. The people saw me in my feebleness, and many remarked that to all appearance I was a candidate for the grave. Nearly all present marked the change which took place in me while I was addressing them. They stated that my countenance changed and the deathlike paleness gave place to a healthful color. I testify to all who read these words, that the Lord has healed me. Divine power has wrought a great work for me, whereof I am glad. I was able to labor every day during the meeting, and several times spoke more than one hour and a half. My whole system was imbued with new strength and vigor. A new tide of emotions, a new and elevated faith, took possession of my soul. During my sickness I learned some precious lessons,--learned to trust where I cannot see, while unable to do anything, to rest quietly, calmly, in the arms of Jesus. We do not exercise faith as we should. We are afraid to venture upon the word of God. In the hour of trial, we should strengthen our souls with the assurance that God's promises can never fail. Whatever he has spoken, will be done. While I was lying upon my sick-bed, a message came by telegraph from Dr. Kellogg, "We are praying for Sister White's restoration." From friends in Oakland, and other places, the assurance came, "We are praying for you." My brethren and sisters, God has heard your prayers. Eld. Waggoner, with the members of my family, and other friends, often bowed at my bedside, and prayed earnestly for me. Sometimes the thought would come to my mind that I was too weak to have this exercise in my room; but I felt that in prayer was my only hope, and I could not give it up. In my conscious hours, those earnest petitions were a great comfort to me. Before my sickness, I thought that I had faith in the promises of God; yet I find myself surprised at the great change wrought in me, so far exceeding my expectations. I am unworthy of this manifestation of the love of God. I have reason to praise God more earnestly, to walk in greater humility before him, and to love him more fervently than ever before. I am placed under renewed obligation to give to the Lord all that there is of me. I must shed upon others the blessed radiance which he has permitted to shine upon me. I do not now expect to be lifted above all infirmities and tribulations, and to have an unruffled sea on the journey Heavenward. I expect trials, losses, disappointments, and bereavements; but I have the Saviour's promise, "My grace is sufficient for thee." We must not count it a strange thing if we are assaulted by the enemy of all righteousness. Christ has promised to be a present help in every time of need, but he has not told us that we shall be exempt from trials. On the contrary, he has plainly informed us that we shall have tribulation. To be tried and tested is a part of our moral discipline. Here we may learn the most valuable lessons, and obtain the most precious graces, if we will draw near to God, and endure all in his strength. My sickness has taught me my own weakness, and my Saviour's patience and love, and his power to save. When passing sleepless nights, I have found hope and comfort in considering the forbearance and tenderness of Jesus toward his weak, erring disciples, and remembering that he is still the same,--unchangeable in mercy, compassion, and love. He sees our weakness, he knows how we lack faith and courage; yet he does not cast us off. He is pitiful and of tender compassion toward us. I may fall at my post before the Lord shall come; but when all that are in their graves shall come forth, I shall, if faithful, see Jesus, and be made like him. Oh, what joy unspeakable, to see him whom we love,--to see him in his glory who so loved us that he gave himself for us,--to behold those hands once pierced for our redemption, stretched out to us in blessing and welcome! What will it matter though we toil and suffer here, if we may only attain to the resurrection of life! We will patiently wait till our time of trial ends, and then we shall raise the glad shout of victory. The following is a report of a Bible reading by D. L. Moody, at the First Baptist Church, in San Francisco. Mr. Sankey sang, "We shall sleep, but not forever." Mr. Moody led in prayer. He then asked all to turn to 1 Cor. 15. Few chapters are read so often as this. Some portions of it are usually read at every burial service. Many who lose friends think by reading this chapter to find out something about where they have gone. Paul's object in writing this epistle was to meet certain heresies that were creeping into the Corinthian Church. And one heresy was that the dead should not rise. The apostles and early Christians preached the doctrine of the resurrection. Paul brings in as witnesses of Christ's resurrection, first, Cephas—not that he was the very first, he does not follow the order strictly—then the twelve saw him; then five hundred; then James; then he himself saw him. But there were not only unbelievers then, but there are unbelievers now, of the resurrection of Christ's body; they say it was only his spirit that rose. But this chapter proves that his body was raised. Gentiles now, and Jews then, contend that his disciples stole away his body. In Matt. 27:11–15, we read how the story of the theft of his body was manufactured. It was death to any man to break the Roman seal. If the disciples had broken the seal on his tomb they would certainly have been put to death. What object could they have in going up and down the land lying about his resurrection? But in Acts 2:32, Peter says: "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses." If this was a fraud, sharp, keen Jews would have detected it. The Roman governor would have found the body if it had been stolen. It would have been the greatest miracle in the world to have succeeded in this fraud, if it was a fraud. Five hundred witnesses, and not one of them turning State's evidence! Going to the stake, one after another for a fraud, and not one confessing! What motive could they have to perpetrate such a fraud—to say that they had eaten and talked with him. The Jews had a motive, and so had the soldiers, to say that the body was stolen away; they were bribed. But what had the disciples? It forced them to live in dens and caves; they were counted the off-scouring of the earth. And yet, with their testimony, many will not believe. Jesus said, Luke 24:48, "Ye are witnesses of these things." Jesus left them behind to testify to this very thing. A witness is one who knows; who has facts, not opinions or impressions. They were to be witnesses of his death and resurrection and ascension. And they all went and were true witnesses. They talked and lived and died for nothing else; and they all died for their testimony. Read Acts 17:18. Athens was the last place to be pleased with such testimony. Modern preachers would have given them geology and philosophy, but Paul preached Jesus and the resurrection. Verse 31: "Hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." I pity the preacher who don't believe this doctrine. The power of this doctrine was seen on the day of Pentecost; when it was preached the Spirit was poured out. But I never in my life have heard a sermon on the resurrection. Preachers don't preach it, because they and the people don't believe it. A lady once asked me why I did not fellowship a certain preacher. I said, "You ask him if he believes that Christ rose from the grave." She returned and said, "Yes, he believes it." "You ask him if he believes his body rose." She came back and reported that he did not think that doctrine was essential to Christianity. If a man is unsound on the resurrection, he is unsound on the atonement and justification, and everything else. "If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." 1 Cor. 15:12. If I didn't believe this doctrine, I would not preach any more. "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." Verse 19. And how true this was of the apostles; how they suffered! Paul was often stoned for preaching the resurrection. He would not have preached it if it had not been essential. Yet men say it is not an essential doctrine. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Verse 22. Many a battle has been fought on this text. Some say it teaches universal salvation; that the drunkard and the thief and all are saved. But it says those that are in Christ shall be made alive. In Dan. 12:2, we read: "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." Also read the 23d verse. "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." 1 Cor. 15:26. Death comes to all—all except two who have been translated. But Christ will destroy that enemy. "The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live." John 5:25. All shall hear his voice and come forth. There is a resurrection to life and a resurrection to damnation. 1 Cor. 15:35: "But how are the dead raised up?" . . . "Thou fool,"—it sounds harsh, but only means one void of scriptural understanding. A grain of wheat dies, and so new life comes. There are differences in the resurrection; we are not all to be just alike. I know this is a mystery, but so there is mystery in a great many things. In the north of Scotland there are many miles where there are no trees. Suppose a boy who had never seen a tree should be told that if an acorn is put in the ground and dies, a great tree would come forth. He wouldn't believe it. A worm of which you are afraid, becomes a butterfly. A little black seed dies, and a beautiful flower is the result. This is the sweetest doctrine in the Bible. Paul says it is "sown" in corruption; we say "buried." We ought to abolish that word. We don't say we "bury" the wheat, we "sow" it. Read verses 42, 43, and 44. Thank God for this chapter. You say good-by to friends in the grave; but we shall soon meet again. Upon Dean Alford's tomb is inscribed, "The inn of a traveler on the way to the New Jerusalem." Jacob will lose his lameness, Paul his thorn in the flesh, and you all your blemishes, in the resurrection. A glorious day is before us. Everything before us is glorious. I pity the man who don't read this chapter, certainly once a month. It lifts us out of our poor selves. For a time, an atheist populace may uphold the tattered banner of corpse-like traditions, which has been stolen from the rifled grave of Christianity. But it will never be long before it declares itself the enemy of the church, the enemy of the family, the enemy of the throne; never long before it tears down the flag of decency and order, and upholds in its place, if not the red flag of socialism, or the black of spoliation, at any rate the standard of material appetites and physical desires."—Canon Farrar. He who approves wickedness condemns himself. Condemnation of Jesus.
By Ellen G. White
As THE Saviour was brought before Herod, the rabble surged and pressed about, crying out against the prisoner, some charging him with one crime, and some with another. Herod commanded silence, and directed that Jesus be unbound, for he wished to interrogate him. He looked with curiosity, mingled with an impulse of pity, upon the pale, sad face of the Saviour, which was marked with deep wisdom and purity, but showed extreme weariness and suffering. Herod, as well as Pilate, knew from his acquaintance with the character of the Jews, that malice and envy had caused them to condemn this innocent man. Herod urged Jesus to save his life by working a miracle that would give evidence of his divine power. But the Saviour had no such work to do. He had taken upon himself the nature of man, and was not to perform a miracle to gratify the curiosity of wicked men, nor to save himself one jot of the pain and humiliation that man would suffer under similar circumstances. Herod urged him to prove that he was not an imposter by demonstrating his power before the crowd. He summoned for the purpose maimed, crippled, and deformed persons, and, in an authoritative manner, commanded Jesus to heal these subjects in his presence, urging that if he had really worked such remarkable cures as were reported of him, he still had power to do like wonders, and could now turn it to his own profit by procuring his release. But Jesus stood calmly before the haughty ruler as one who neither saw nor heard. Herod repeatedly urged his proposition upon Jesus, and reiterated the fact that he had the power to release or to condemn him. He even dared to boast of the punishment he had inflicted upon the prophet John for presuming to reprove him. To all this, Jesus made no answer either by word or look. Herod was irritated by the profound silence of the prisoner, which indicated an utter indifference to the royal personage before whom he had been summoned. Open rebuke would have been more palatable to the vain and pompous ruler than to be thus silently ignored. The Saviour, tottering with weakness, pale and wounded, wearing a robe of mockery and a crown of thorns, was mercilessly hurried back to the court of the Roman governor. Pilate was very much irritated; for he had congratulated himself on being rid of a fearful responsibility when he referred the accusers of Jesus to Herod. He now impatiently inquired of the Jews what they would have him do. He reminded them that he had already examined the prisoner and found no blame in him; that his accusers had failed to sustain a single charge against him; that he had sent Jesus to Herod, a tetrarch of Galilee, and one of their own nation, who also found nothing worthy of death against the prisoner. Said Pilate, "I will therefore chastise him and release him." Here Pilate exposed his weakness. He had declared that Jesus was innocent of the crimes of which he was accused, yet he was willing to make a partial sacrifice of justice and principle in order to compromise with an unfeeling mob; he was willing to suffer an innocent man to be scourged, that their inhuman wrath might be appeased. But the fact that he proposed to make terms with them placed Pilate at a disadvantage with the ungovernable crowd, who now presumed upon his indecision, and clamored the more for the life of the prisoner. Pilate turned to the people, and represented to them that the priests and elders had not substantiated in any degree the charges brought against Jesus. He hoped by this means to raise their sympathy for him, so they would be willing to release him. Meanwhile Jesus had fallen through exhaustion upon the marble pavement. Just then a messenger passed through the crowd, and placed in Pilate's hand a letter from his wife, which ran thus:-- "Have thou nothing to do with that just man; for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him." Pilate's wife was not a Jew; but the angel of God had sent this warning to her, that, through her, Pilate might be prevented from committing the terrible crime of delivering up to death the divine Son of God. Pilate turned pale when he read the message; but the priests and rulers had occupied the interval in farther inflaming the minds of the people, till they were wrought up to a state of insane fury. The governor was forced to action; he turned to the crowd and spoke with great earnestness: "Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" It was customary at this feast for the governor to release one prisoner, whomsoever the people desired to be set at liberty. Pilate seized this as an opportunity to save Jesus; and by giving them a choice between the innocent Saviour and the notable robber and murderer, Barabbas, he hoped to rouse them to a sense of justice. But great was his astonishment when the cry, "Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas!" was started by the priests, and taken up by the mob, resounding through the hall like the hoarse cry of demons. Pilate was dumb with surprise and disappointment; but by appealing to the people, and yielding his own judgment, and lost control of the crowd. The priests saw that though he was convinced of the innocence of Jesus, he could be intimidated by them, and they determined to carry their point. So when Pilate inquired, "What shall I do then with Jesus, who is called Christ?" they with one accord cried out, "Let him be crucified!" Pilate, pointing to the Saviour, in a voice of solemn entreaty said to priests, rulers, and people, "Behold the man." "I bring him forth to you that ye may know that I find no fault in him." But the priests had moved the mob to mad fury; and, instead of pitying Jesus in his suffering and forbearance, they cried, "Crucify him, crucify him!" and their hoarse voices were like the roaring of wild beasts. Pilate, losing all patience with their unreasoning cruelty, cried out despairingly, "Take ye him, and he you; and for I find no fault in him." The Roman governor, familiarized with cruel scenes, educated amid the din of battle, was moved with sympathy for the suffering prisoner, who, contemned and scourged, with bleeding brow and lacerated back, still had more the bearing of a king upon his throne than that of a condemned criminal. But the hearts of his own people were hardened against him. The priests declared, "We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God." Pilate was startled by these words; he had no correct idea of Christ and his mission; but he had an indistinct faith in God and in beings superior to humanity. The thought that had once before passed through his mind now took more definite shape, and he questioned if it might not be a divine personage who stood before him, clad in the purple robe of mockery, and crowned with thorns, yet with such a noble bearing that the stanch Roman trembled with awe as he gazed upon him. "When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; and went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer." Jesus had already told Pilate that he was the Messiah, and he had no farther words for a man who so abused the high office of judge as to yield his principles and authority to the demands of a blood-thirsty rabble. Pilate was vexed at the silence of Jesus, and haughtily addressed him:-- "Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above; therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." Jesus here laid the heaviest burden of guilt upon the Jewish judges, who had received unmistakable evidence of the divinity of him whom they had condemned to death, both from the prophecies and his own teachings and miracles. What a scene was this to hand down to the world through all time! The pitying Saviour, in the midst of his intense suffering and grief, excuses as far as possible the act of Pilate, who might have released him from the power of his enemies. The implied threat in the declaration of the priests, regarding his allegiance to Cæsar, intimidated Pilate, so that he yielded to the demands of the mob, and delivered Jesus up to the crucifixion rather than risk losing his position. But the very thing he dreaded came upon him afterward in spite of his precautions. His honors were stripped from him; he was cast down from his high office; and, stung by remorse and wounded pride, he committed suicide not long after the crucifixion. "When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person; see ye to it." Caiaphas answered defiantly, "His blood be on us, and on our children;" and his words were echoed by the priests and rulers, and taken up by the crowd in an inhuman roar of voices. "Then answered all the people and said, His blood be on us, and on our children." At this exhibition of Satanic madness, the light of conviction shone more clearly upon the mind of Pilate. He had never before witnessed such rash presumption and heartless cruelty. And in strong contrast with the ungovernable passion of his persecutors was the dignified repose of Jesus. In his own mind Pilate said, He is a god, and the thought he could discern a soft light shining about his head. Looking thus upon Christ he turned pale with fear and self condemnation; then, confronting the people with a troubled countenance, he said, I am clear of his blood. Take ye him and crucify him; but mark ye, priests and rulers, I pronounce him a just man, and may He whom he claims as his Father, judge you for this day's work, and not me. Then turning to Jesus he continued, Forgive me for this act; I am not able to save you. Only a short time before, the governor had declared to his prisoner that he had power to release or to condemn him; but he now thought that he could not save him, and also his own position and honor; and he preferred to sacrifice an innocent life rather than his own worldly power. Had he acted promptly and firmly at the first, carrying out his convictions of right, his will would not have been overborne by the mob; they would not have presumed to dictate to him. His wavering and indecision proved his irredeemable ruin. How many, like Pilate, sacrifice principle and integrity, in order to shun disagreeable consequences. Conscience and duty point one way, and self-interest points another, and the current, setting strongly in the wrong direction, sweeps away into the thick darkness of guilt him who compromises with evil.—Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 3. Sabbath-School Association.
The fifth annual session of the California State Sabbath-school Association convened at Healdsburg Oct. 12, 1882, pursuant to call of the president, W. C. White. After the opening prayer by Eld. Van Horn, the president appointed the following Committee on Nominations: Wm. Saunders, C. H. Jones, and Dr. E. J. Waggoner. Remarks were then made in regard to the subject of the election of delegates by the various schools, and the following was offered by Bro. Jones as an amendment to the present constitution:— Resolved, That Article 7, Section 1, of the constitution be so amended as to read, All the members of the Sabbath-schools belonging to the Association present at any regular meeting may act as delegates. This was adopted by a unanimous vote of those present. The report of the last year was read and approved, and also a summary of this year's labor. Remarks were made by the president relative to the Sabbath-school work in the State. The president appointed the following committee to examine record books: E. A. Chapman, C. H. Jones, and Miss Libbie Saunders. Resolutions being called for, Bro. Jones offered the following:— Resolved, That we will try to live up to all the resolutions that have been passed at our annual meetings for the past three years. The former resolutions were then read and the last one adopted. The Committee on Nominations being called on to report, submitted the following names as their choice for officers for the following year. For President, Eld. G. D. Ballou; Secretary and Treasurer, Mrs. G. D. Ballou; Executive Committee, G. D. Ballou, W. C. White, M. C. Israel. These being duly elected, and there being no further business, the meeting adjourned. E. A. CHAPMAN, Sec. W. C. WHITE, Pres. Scriptural Meaning of the Word Soul.
THE idea of selfhood or physical personality is presented with certainty in all those passages which speak of the soul as desiring food, eating, or being satisfied with food. The following are unmistakable in their import. Ex. 12:15. For whosoever eateth leavened bread . . that soul shall be cut off from Israel. Lev. 7:18. The soul that eateth of it [the flesh] shall bear his iniquity. Verse 20. The soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice, etc. Verse 25. For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, . . even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off. Verse 27. Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. Lev. 22:11. But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it. Num. 21:5. Our soul loatheth this light bread. Deut. 12:15. Thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after; or desireth. Verse 20. Because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. Verse 21. Thou shalt eat flesh in thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. Deut. 14:26. For whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth; and thou shalt eat, etc. Deut. 23:24. Thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure. The original signifies, thy soul is satisfied. 1 Sam. 2:16. Then take as much [flesh] as thy soul desireth. Job 6:7. The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat. Job 33:20. So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat. Ps. 69:10. When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting. Ps. 78:18. They tempted God in their hearts by asking meat for their lust. Heb., meat for their souls. Ps. 107:5. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Verse 9. For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Verse 19. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat. Prov. 6:30. — steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry. Prov. 13:25. The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul. Prov. 27:7. The full soul loatheth an honey comb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. Eccl. 2:24. Nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor. Eccl. 6:7. All the labor of a man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. Heb., the soul is not filled. Isa. 29:8. It shall even be as when a hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite. Isa. 32:6. To make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. Lam. 1:19. They sought their meat to relieve their souls. Eze. 7:19. They shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels. Hos. 9:4. All that eat thereof shall be polluted; for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the Lord. This list might be increased considerably; but we have given enough to show that this use is quite frequent in the Scriptures. One case occurs of like use in the New Testament, namely, in Luke 11:19. I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. A similar expression, "I said to myself," is in common use, and always understood, but never referred to a double personality. Prof. Bush classes verses 22, 23, of this chapter, under this head, and apparently with propriety. "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat." Literally, Take no thought for your soul, what ye shall eat. We have already quoted a number of texts which speak of dead souls. All these are decisive as proof that the soul is the person, or physical being. Another class, equally decisive, is composed of those texts which speak of the soul as liable to death. These texts are very numerous. We quote some which are very explicit. Gen. 37:21. And Reuben . . said, Let us not kill him. Heb., smite his soul. Lev. 23:30. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Lev. 24:17. And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death. Heb., Any one who smiteth, or killeth, the soul of a man. Num. 23:10. Let me die the death of the righteous. Heb., Let my soul die the death of the righteous. Num. 31:19. Whosoever hath killed any person. Heb., hath killed any soul. Num. 35:11. That the slayer may flee thither which killeth any person at unawares. Verse 15. Every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither. Verse 30. Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses; but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. In each of the above verses person is from neh-phesh—soul. Verse 31. Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life [soul] of a murderer which is guilty of death [literally, to die]. Deut. 19:6. Lest the avenger of the blood . . slay him. Heb., smite his soul. Verse 11. And smite him mortally [Heb. his soul] that he die. Deut. 22:26. As when a man riseth against his neighbor and slayeth him. Smiteth the soul. Deut. 27:25. Cursed be that taketh reward to slay an innocent person, or soul. The Hebrew reads literally, to smite the soul of the blood of the innocent. Or, perhaps more properly, the words are in apposition, thus, to smite the soul, the blood of the innocent. Josh. 2:13. And that ye will save alive my father, my mother, . . and deliver our lives from death. Heb., our souls from death. Verse 14. And the men answered her. Our life for yours, if ye utter this our business. Heb., Our soul instead of yours to die, if ye, etc. Josh. 11:11. And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword. Jud. 16:16. His soul was vexed unto death. Verse 30. Let me die with the Philistines. Heb., let my soul die, etc. Jud. 18:25. Lest angry fellows [men bitter of soul] run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household. Heb., thy soul with the souls, etc. 1 Sam. 19:11. If thou save not thy life [thy soul] to-night, to-morrow thou shalt be slain. 1 Sam. 22:22. I have occasioned the death of all the persons [the souls] of thy father's house. 1 Kin. 20:32. Thy servant Ben-hadad saith, I pray thee, let me [my soul] live. Job 7:15. My soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than life. Job 18:4. He teareth himself [his soul] in his anger. We cannot give all the passages in this paper which we wish to present under this head. Some of the greatest interest remain to be noticed. We do not propose to give all of this class, but only selected ones from the class. Trine Immersion.
By Editor
SOMEBODY has sent us a number of the Brethren at Work, the organ of the Dunkers, in which is an extract from our article on the subject of trine immersion, or three baptisms, with comments, as follow:— "If the example of the church in the first centuries is of any weight or importance as indicating our duty in regard to baptism, it can only be because they preserved it in purity. For if they did not preserve it pure—if they perverted and corrupted it—then their example should be avoided and not followed. We shall now give abundant reasons for not only distrusting the acknowledged teachers and leaders of the early centuries, but for turning away from them with feelings of pity for their blindness and folly, if, indeed we are not led to indulge in stronger feelings than those of pity." —J. H. Waggoner, in the Signs of the Times. "After penning the above, Mr. Waggoner proceeds to fill nearly three columns naming errors that prevailed among the churches in the first centuries, but not one line of evidence does he produce to prove that trine immersion is an error. His manner of reasoning reminds us of the man who undertakes to prove that a small lump of gold is dirt just because it happened to be found in a shovelful of dirt taken from a gold mine. All the dirt in the universe piled around a lump of gold would not prove that gold is dirt. Why does not Mr. Waggoner set aside immersion because he finds its practice in the first century associated with errors? Why does he not use the same process of reasoning and thereby set aside faith, repentance, and every other command mentioned in the Bible? While Mr. Waggoner is searching so diligently for the practice of the early Christians, why does he not find just one case of backward single immersion before the year A. D. 1522? He claims to find sprinkling, pouring, and many other errors, but not one trace does he find of backward or single immersion before the above date." Before answering the queries of Mr. Moore directly, we will ask a question. Why does he place the Apostolical Canons "at a very early date," and give to "some of them a date much earlier than A. D. 200," and quote them as denouncing those who practiced single immersion, if a not a single case of single immersion occurred before 1522? Was a practice which arose in the sixteenth century condemned by church authority in the second and third centuries? Perhaps some would ask, Why is not Mr. Moore consistent with himself in advocating his theory of three baptisms? We do not, however, ask this question, as we have very carefully examined his work and know why, without further inquiry. We do not set aside immersion, though it was practiced in the first centuries associated with errors, because it is commanded in the Scriptures. And so of faith, repentance, etc. If these were so entirely dependent on historical evidence as trine immersion is, we should not regard them as evangelical truths. We do not receive immersion because it was practiced in the early centuries. We do not care what they did in the early centuries, so far as our duty is concerned. We know what they ought to have done in the early centuries, because we have "the law and the testimony," from which alone we derive our knowledge of moral and religious obligation. If they in the early centuries had strictly followed the Scriptures, and rejected philosophy and traditions, they never would have accepted pouring, sprinkling, trine immersion, or substituted the day of the sun for the Sabbath. Mr. Moore speaks as though we tried to prove that trine immersion was not right, because errors existed in the early churches where it was practiced. If he had a little more power of discrimination we should say he knew better than to present us in such a light. We never attempted to prove or disprove the correctness of any belief or practice by the faith or actions of the early churches. We directly disavow any such intention in our work on baptism, as Mr. Moore must know if he reads it with any care. But the trine immersionists do attach great weight to the supposed fact that trine immersion was practiced in the early centuries. The strength of their argument, their chief dependence, is on history, as every one knows who is acquainted with their literature. An intelligent man in Oregon, who has been a trine immersionist for many years, said to us last summer, that he gave it up on reading our book on the subject. "When you took away our history," he said, "you took away our ground." Knowing the great importance which trine immersionists attach to the practice of the early centuries, we undertook to show by many other practices of those centuries that nothing should be accepted on such ground. Perhaps Mr. Moore cannot discern the difference between this position and487that which he imputes to us; but we are willing to rest it with the average reader for a decision. To carry out Mr. Moore's illustration : He claims that a certain object is gold because it was found in a certain hill. We claim that the reason is not sufficient, as it would argue that all the hill is gold. But it is dirt. Change your method of proof, sir, and all will be right. Drop your dirt-hill argument and trust to the crucible. The Scriptural Use of Nephesh
By Editor
THE articles on the Scriptural use of neh-phesh, soul, are compiled with care, with constant reference to the original. We hope to embrace so much of the subject as to make them valuable for reference by those who study the truth or present it to others.