PRESIDENT EDWARDS was eminently “a holy man of God.” There was no such beauty in his view as the “beauty of holiness,” and he ardently and perseveringly strove to make it his own. It was the first of his twelve resolutions, “That I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory, and my own good, profit, and pleasure, in the whole of my duration; without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence.”
Concerning his longings after holiness he thus wrote: “I felt an ardency of soul to be, what I know not otherwise how to express, emptied and annihilated; to lie in the dust, and to be full of Christ alone; to love him with a holy and pure love; to trust in him; to live upon him; to serve and follow him; and to be perfectly sanctified and made pure, with a divine and heavenly purity.
And yet but few, if any, have had a deeper sense of their sinfulness than he had. With Paul, he felt that he was one of the chief of sinners, if not the chiefest of all. “Often,” he writes, “I have had very affecting views of my own sinfulness and vileness. It has often appeared to me that if God should mark iniquity against me, I should appear the very worst of all mankind; of all that have been since the beginning of the world to this time, and that I should have the lowest place in hell. My wickedness, as I am in myself, has5long appeared to me perfectly ineffable, and swallowing up all thought and imagination, like an infinite deluge or mountains over my head. I know not how to express better what my sins appear to me to be, than by heaping infinite upon infinite. Very often, for these many years, these expressions are in my mind, and in my mouth: 'Infinite upon infinite! Infinite upon infinite!' When I look into my heart and take a view of my wickedness, it looks like an abyss, infinitely deeper than hell.”
How shall we account for such experiences in so holy a man? How shall we account for it that he was accustomed to regard himself as a much greater sinner than many think themselves who are far greater sinners than he was?
In the first place, he had far clearer and far more exalted views of the character of God than most persons. Many think of God as one altogether like unto themselves, and thus their views of their sinfulness correspond. A correct view of God would at once wonderfully change their views of themselves, as in the case of Job, who said: “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee; wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” The biographer of Dr. Spencer, a successor of Edwards at Northampton, says: “He had seen God in the glory of his holiness, and therefore he abhorred himself, and repented in dust and ashes.”
In the second place he understood, as but few do, the spirituality of the divine law. He understood that according to it, lust is adultery; and hatred murder. He sympathized with Paul, when he said, “I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.”
And, in the third place, he had an unusual acquaintance with his own heart. He closely examined himself. He looked deep within. He desired to know the worst. It was his earnest prayer, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
And thus, having unusually clear and correct views of the character of God, of the spirituality of his holy law, and of the nature of his own heart, he was accustomed to regard himself as the chief of sinners. He had humbling and abasing views of himself, and felt that it became him to lie infinitely low before God.
There are those whose attainments in piety are far below those of Edwards, who claim to have attained unto perfection. They boast of their sinlessness. Such persons are objects of pity, rather than of envy. They know neither God, nor themselves, nor the nature of the divine law. They are blind as regards spiritual things. Open their eyes, O Lord, that they may see.—Clericus, in New York Observer.
THE REFINER OF SILVER.
A LADY who was studying the beautiful verse in Malachi, “He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver,” called on a silversmith and begged to know from him the process of refining silver. He described it fully to her, when she said, “But, sir, do you sit while the work of refining is going on?”
“Oh, yes, madam,” replied the silversmith, “I must sit with my eyes steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver is sure to be injured.”
At once she saw the beauty, and the comfort, too, of the expression: “He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” Christ sees it needful to put his children into the furnace, but he is seated by the side of it. His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and his wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for them. Their trials do not come at random. The very hairs of their heads are all numbered.
As the lady was leaving the shop, the silversmith called her back, and said he had still further to mention that he only knew when the process of purifying was complete by seeing his own image reflected in the silver.
Beautiful figure! when Christ sees his own image in his people, his work of purifying is accomplished.—Selected.
A WICKED CITY.
By Editor
Not long since a San Francisco minister preached a sermon in which he expressed the belief that San Francisco is the wickedest city in the United States. This is indignantly denied by the Post of that city, which, however, makes the following candid admissions:
"The various Protestant denominations have among them sixty-three churches, and the average Sunday attendance is a little more than 17,000. And so difficult is it to induce people to enter these temples that evening service in some of them has been given up. The Catholics make a better showing. They have nineteen churches and ten chapels, and the attendance is given at between 30,000 and 35,000. In round numbers, the church attendance may be placed at 50,000. The population of the city is certainly not below 300,000, so it is evident that only one-sixth of the inhabitants listen to the gospel on the Sabbath [Sunday]."
Whether or not San Francisco is the wickedest city in this country, we cannot tell; but even according to the Post's showing, its condition is certainly deplorable. Only one-sixth of its inhabitants attend church at all, and only about one-third of that one-sixth are Protestants! Believers in a temporal millennium can, we are sure, find but little in San Francisco to strengthen their faith in the speedy conversion of the world.
"PEACE AND SAFETY."
By Frank Hope
THE recent disaster in Charleston caused a decided revival of religion in that city, and forced even the most frivolous to entertain serious thoughts. But now that the scientists have satisfied the people that there is no longer any immediate danger, their religious ardor has somewhat cooled, and the ministers are still further calming their fears by preaching to them "peace and safety." The Rev. A. Toomer Porter, D. D., preaching on the thirteenth chapter of Mark, made the following statement:—
"In these days we have known affliction, which has not been since this land was settled, nor is the end yet. There is much of daily current event which is making history of these prophecies, uttered so many centuries ago by the man of Nazareth, in the land of Judea. And no doubt there are many who are thinking the end is at hand. But there are two passages in this same chapter that set to absolute rest all our vapid prophesying: 'The gospel must first be published among all nations.' 'Of that day and that hour knoweth no man; no, not the angels which are in Heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. So that all such prognostications are vain. The gospel has not yet been so published.'"
Mr. Porter is not quite correct in saying these prophecies are being made history, for all the prophecies recorded in Mark 13 have already been made history, of course excepting those in immediate connection with the coming of the Lord.
Then to prove that the end is not at hand, and all such prognostications are vain Mr. Porter quotes, "the gospel must first be published among all nations." From which it is to be inferred that Mr. Porter thinks it will be a considerable length of time before the gospel will be preached to all nations. But how is it possible to know to what extent the gospel has been preached, or as to how long it will take to be published to all nations. Paul said in his time, "Their sound went out into all the earth, and their words into the ends of the world." Rom. 10:18. And again in Col. 1:6, he says, "Ye have heard the gospel, which is in all the world." If Paul said that the gospel went to all the earth in his life-time why should it be thought that "this gospel of the kingdom" to which Christ refers, should take such a long time to be published to the nations?
Where so many people go astray is that they judge the progress of the gospel by the number of converts. Some even say that publishing the gospel to all the world means the conversion of the world. But this is unscriptural, for "this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations." Matt. 24:14. This gospel is preached as a witness. In verse 9 of this same chapter of Mark we are told that the disciples would be brought before wicked men who would not be converted, but the gospel was preached to them as a testimony against them. Christ when sending out the twelve to preach the word said, "And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles." Matt. 10:18. So publishing the gospel to the nations does not mean the conversion of the world; and when this gospel of the kingdom is preached in the last days all men will not accept it, "and for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thess. 2:11, 12.
Such men as these will not be converted by the gospel, but they will be condemned by it, for the gospel is accompanied by the law, and the law condemns the world. "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." John 3:19, 20. To these men that which was ordained unto life brings death, for they disregard the admonition of the Saviour: "Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison."
The next scripture Mr. Porter quotes to prove that the coming of the Lord is not at hand, is, because "of that day and that hour knoweth no man." By this Mr. Porter reasons that because no one knows when the Lord is coming, therefore his coming is a long way off. It would indeed be presumptuous for any one to set the time when the Lord is to come, but for the same reason is it any less absurd to tell people when he is not to come? But Christ gives us a surer guide; he says, "When ye see these things come to pass know that it is nigh, even at the door." Mr. Porter himself testifies that these things are being made history. Then why not believe Christ? We may surely know an event is about to take place without knowing the day or the hour. Christ illustrates this in the parable; when the leaves are being put forth we know that summer draweth nigh, but yet the leaves do not indicate the exact day or hour that summer will come. Likewise when we see these signs come to pass we know that the Lord draweth nigh, although we do not know the day nor the hour. FRANK HOPE.
WHAT IT COSTS TO BE VICIOUS.
By J. H. Hanaford
It is estimated that it costs our country each year $1,500,000,000 (nearly the amount of our public debt) for tobacco and intoxicants! It may cost more to till the soil and sustain our factories, but from our industries we expect a fair and ample return, making them "pay." What do we get in return for this vast outlay for these instruments of dissipation? Not one cent!! No one is made wiser, healthier, more moral, happier, wealthier, or better in any respect. But, what are the natural fruits of their use? Vice, crime, pauperism, idiocy, disease, a quarrelsome disposition, degradation and ruin. Can any Christian indulge in their use, or in any way encourage their use, by making it easy to be vicious, as by favoring the license system? Can any intelligent man say one word in favor of their use? If this is impossible, what should be the position of the entire church in reference to these forms of dissipation?
DR. J. H. HANAFORD.
MANNER OF CHRIST'S COMING.
By Uriah Smith
THE Bible furnishes a sufficient answer to every theological vagary that men can devise. One of the modern ideas is that the Lord has already come, and that Christians, or at least those who call themselves such, are already in the immortal state. This idea is not really new, for Paul had to combat it eighteen hundred years ago. Writing of profane and vain babblings he said: "And their word will eat as doth a canker; of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus; who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some." 2 Tim. 2:17, 18. Indeed, if church history be diligently studied it will be seen that all the "new theology" of these days, is only a revamping of the musty ideas of the church "Fathers," who were really the "fathers" of all heresy.
But there is no dogma of modern spiritualistic theology that is more directly contradicted by the Bible than is the one that Christ either has come the second time, or that he comes as often as a good man dies, or that in some way his second coming is a mysterious affair of which nothing can be known until it has taken place. In the chapter which contains the Sabbath-school lesson upon which comments are made in another column, we find the following plain and emphatic words of our Saviour himself:—
"Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth; behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 24:23-27.
This one text is sufficient to enable any one to determine the literalness of Christ's coming. First, false christs will arise; men will say to us, "Christ is out here in the desert;" the command is, "Go not forth;" others will say, "He has appeared in such and such a meeting;" the command is, "Believe it not." But why may we not believe some of these tales? Why should we not investigate all of them, lest perchance Christ should come and we not know of it? Simply because he will not come in a secret manner. "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." No one can fail to see the vivid lightning flash that covers the whole sky; even though the eyes be closed, that wonderful glare cannot be wholly shut out. And the coming of Christ will be like the lightning's flash, for brilliancy, because he "shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels" (Matt. 16:27); or, as Paul says, "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire." 2 Thess. 1:7, 8.
We said that no one can avoid seeing the vivid7lightning flash. So no one can avoid seeing the Son of God when he comes. The apostle John says: "Behold he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him." Rev. 1:7. Although those who have rejected Christ will be loath to see him; although "they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth" (Isa. 2:19), and will cry to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb" (Rev. 6:16), they will not be able to escape his piercing gaze, nor to shut out from their eyes his terrible and overwhelming glory.
In that day there will be no need of anybody's saying, "Lo, here is Christ, or lo, there." There will be no chance for mistake. "For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God." 1 Thess. 4:16. That trumpet's mighty sound will shake the earth; the graves will be opened; those who sleep in Jesus shall rise first, clothed in immortality, while the living righteous ones will be changed "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," and all together will be caught up to be forever with the Lord.
These events are near at hand. The signs in the heavens, which Christ announced as indicating his coming near, have been fulfilled. And now that we are in the time when Satan may be expected to work with "all power and signs and lying wonders;" when as an angel of light he will profess to be Christ, it is needful that we indelibly fix in our minds those truths concerning Christ's second coming, which alone will keep even the elect from being deceived. If we store our minds with the simple truths of the Bible, we shall have wherewith to unveil the deceptions of Satan; and thus God's word will be a light to our feet and a lamp to our path.
A FEW PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION.
By Editor
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES is an expository journal. The main object for which it was established was to present Scripture truth in the simplest and clearest manner possible. During the coming year it will be our endeavor to make it meet this object more fully than ever before, and as a preliminary, we wish to lay down for our readers a few of the principles which we shall invariably follow in our interpretation, and which, if followed, in a prayerful and candid spirit, cannot fail to lead a person to a proper understanding of the sacred word.
1. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Tim. 3: 16, 17. We accept this fully, and apply it to the entire Bible. The Bible does not simply contain the truth, but it is the truth, and the whole truth. Aside from the Bible there can be no moral or spiritual truth and light. And whatever disagrees with the Bible, whether it be in the realm of morals or of science, must be false. The principle here laid down must underlie all sound Biblical exegesis. If this be not admitted, it can be of no use to try to study the Bible.
2. The Bible is one connected, consistent, harmonious book. It is composed of many books, but these books form only one Book. They are not independent one of another. This Book was written by many different persons, yet it has only one author, and that is the Spirit of God. The different parts are inspired by the same Spirit, and have one purpose; there is a vital connection between them. They are characterized by oneness of thought. As Christ prayed that his disciples might be one, so that the world might know that the Father had sent him (John 17: 21), so the perfect harmony between the various parts of the Bible is proof that it came from God. If we accept the Bible as the inspired word of God we must expect to find it harmonious throughout, for God cannot deny himself. So whoever wishes to study the word of God with any degree of satisfaction, must first fix in his mind the fact that the Bible cannot contradict itself.
As a corollary to this principle it might be stated that the Bible does not need to be "harmonized." To attempt that is a thankless task, because the Bible is already harmonized. It is an instrument that was tuned by the Almighty himself, and every string vibrates in harmony with every other. All that the Bible student has to do is to study the harmony that already exists. If two texts seem to be contradictory, the student may rest assured that he does not understand one or the other, or perhaps either one. But when the position which he holds on one text is upheld by other texts bearing on the same point, and is not contradicted by any other text; that is, when a position taken in regard to any text is consistent with the entire Bible, that of itself is evidence that that position is correct; for the Bible could not agree with a false position.
3. The Bible must interpret itself. By the Bible man may be "thoroughly furnished unto all good works;" hence it cannot need the addition of matter outside of itself.
4. One part of the Bible cannot be fully understood when taken by itself, apart from its connection, or without reference to the remaining portion of the Bible. This might also be called a corollary to the second proposition laid down. If the Bible is one connected whole, then all the parts are necessary to the formation of that whole. There is a mutual dependence between all the parts, and therefore in considering one part, attention must be given to the other parts. True, we may not misunderstand one portion of the Bible even though we study it by itself; but it is certain that we cannot have a complete understanding of it until we study it with reference to the Bible as a whole. This principle is as true of an entire book of the Bible as it is of a single text. There is no book of the Bible upon which light is not thrown by every other book in the Bible. To say that any two books in the Bible have no connection, is almost equivalent to saying that the Bible is not all inspired by the same Spirit.
5. Terms used in one place in the Bible, with a certain signification, must have the same meaning attached to them in every other place where they occur, provided the same subject is under consideration. If this be not true, then we have no certain means of knowing what the Bible teaches. Let us apply this principle. In the eighth chapter of Daniel we find a symbolic prophecy in which certain days are mentioned. Now to say that these days mean literal days of twenty-four hours each, would make nonsense of the prophecy, for we should have several great kingdoms covering a period of only a little more than six years. But in Eze. 4: 3-6 we find another prophecy, also symbolic, in which a day is expressly declared to stand for a year. So we conclude that in every prophecy where a day is used as a symbol, it signifies a year.
In like manner we find horns used as a symbol in the seventh and eighth chapters of Daniel, in both of which chapters they are plainly declared to symbolize kingdoms. Therefore we justly conclude that wherever in the Bible a horn is used as a symbol, it represents a kingdom or nation.
Let the reader study these principles well, and get them fixed in his mind, and they will help him out of many a difficulty in his study of the Bible. We think these principles are sufficient for present consideration. Next week we shall present a few more that are equally important. W.
THE UNDERLYING MOTIVE.
By W.
THE New York Observer of December 18, 1886, says:—
"We are glad to find the Central Labor Union of this city taking action on one point in line with the intelligent Christian sentiment of the country. This action is in regard to the enforcement of the Sunday laws. The present movement in favor of Sunday closing was undertaken, it is understood, partly in response to the appeals of labor organizations. These appeals were based, not on religious or moral grounds, but on the necessity to laboring men of one rest-day in seven. The friends of Sabbath observance will be pleased to receive help even up to this point."
This is another proof of the fact that all classes of people are getting ready to unite in demanding a rigid observance of Sunday. The churches are, with few exceptions, a unit on this matter; the various temperance societies are pledged to it; Labor Unions and Knights of Labor are calling for it; even anarchists, all of whom are infidels or Spiritualists, are swinging into line. Surely there is need for some one to lift a warning voice against the tyranny that seems about to be imposed on the people.
The Christian Union of a late date also says:—
"It is very clear that if our Sabbath is to be preserved at all—and we are sanguine of its preservation—the non-religious sentiment of the country must be brought in to reinforce the religious demand for Sabbath rest; and it is increasingly evident that this is entirely practicable."
Yes, that is very evident. But why should we, or anybody else, be compelled to accept a Sabbath which is not "ours." Those who claim Sunday as their Sabbath, may keep it if they will, but we don't own any Sabbath, and don't intend to own any. The Lord has a Sabbath, however, which he expects us to keep, and we intend to keep that, and no other.
But look for a moment at the selfishness of the proposed action in favor of Sunday. Here is a man who would like to keep Sunday, but who thinks that he cannot keep it unless they have a law compelling him to do so. The reason for this is that his neighbors do not keep Sunday, and if he rests on that day they will get ahead of him in business. To be sure there have been men who have been willing to lose everything in maintaining what they believed to be right, but his Sunday religion is not of that kind. And so, in order that he may not lose a cent by doing what his unenlightened conscience tells him he ought to do, he insists that his neighbors must be compelled to do the same thing, even though the enlightened conscience of some of them may tell them that they ought not to do so.
The whole Sunday movement is prompted in large measure, not by love for truth, or what is supposed to be truth, but by love of self. And inasmuch as the Sunday-sabbath is purely a human institution, having its origin in selfishness, this is as high a motive as we ought to expect. W.
BIBLE ANSWERS TO BIBLE QUESTIONS CONCERNING MAN.—NO. 7.
By Editor
ANOTHER question which we wish to notice is this: "What shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" 1 Pet. 4:17. The Bible answer to this, its own question, is: "They are the enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is destruction." Phil. 3:18, 19. "Them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, . . . shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." 2 Thess. 1:8, 9. Peter also tells of the "perdition of ungodly men." 2 Pet. 3:7. Perdition is defined to be "utter destruction." There would not be space in an article of reasonable length to quote the bare texts without note or comment, that destruction is the end of them that obey not the gospel of God. We can only give some indication of the evidence on this point by a summary. Nineteen times the word of God says they shall be "destroyed;" seven times it says they shall go to "perdition;" thirty-four times it says they shall "die," and this with reference alone to the second death; twenty times it says they shall "perish;" eight times it says they shall be "consumed;" four times it says they shall be "devoured;" seven times it says they shall come to an end; ten times it says they shall be burned up or "utterly burned;" three times it says they shall be as nothing; once it says "the wicked shall not be; yea thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be." Psalms 37:10.
Now when the Scripture says so plainly and so repeatedly that the wicked shall be destroyed, and utterly destroyed; that they shall die, perish, be consumed, devoured, come to an end, be burned up, shall come to nothing, and shall not be, and that there will be no place for him if he should be; then how can the idea of eternal torment be true? If these words of the Scripture do not show that the wicked shall perish, that he shall cease to exist, then what do they mean? If these Scriptures do not show that the wicked shall cease to exist, then how could God make known such a thing if he wanted to tell to men that the wicked should perish and should not be?
Then in the face of scores of passages of Scripture that show that the wicked shall be destroyed, etc., how can it be that, in the almost universal doctrine of Christians, eternal life is given to the wicked? True, by this doctrine they do so remain in misery eternally without dying; but if the wicked live eternally, that is eternal life, and the fact that they are in misery, does not in the least affect the duration of their existence. But against such doctrine there stands the word of God that "the wages of sin is death," and if the wicked live eternally even in torment, then there can be no such thing as death. Again the Scripture speaks of a time when there shall be no more pain (Rev. 21:4); but if the wicked are tormented eternally there never can be a time when there shall be no more pain.
Again we ask, How then can it be that in the beliefs of men eternal life is given to the wicked? How is it that, in spite of the plain Bible answer to the question as to what the end shall be of them that obey not the gospel of God, so many are perplexed upon the question? The perplexity on this question arises from the same source that it does on all the other questions which we have examined, that is, from the doctrine of the immortality of the soul. As a Doctor of Divinity once said, "If we believe in the immortality of the soul we must believe in the eternal torment of the wicked."
Immortal means "exempt from death," "exempt from liability to die." It is the doctrine of the unconditional immortality of man, therefore, which gives eternal life to the wicked. But such a view cannot be held consistently with the Bible. This is plain from the few texts cited, and the Bible terms referred to above. And that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul may be still held, the language of the Bible has to be, and is, forced into channels where that of no other book would be allowed to go.
Words when found in the Bible are made to mean exactly contrary to what they mean when found in any other place in human language. And all to sustain the dogma of the immortality of the soul. But that is just where this method of interpretation belongs. It was the introduction of this doctrine into the Christian church, that created the necessity for this scheme of interpretation. The one man who, more than any other, is responsible for it was Origen, who lived from A. D. 185 to 253. Says Mosheim:—
"The Christian doctors who had applied themselves to the study of letters and philosophy, soon abandoned the frequented paths, and wandered in the devious wilds of fancy. The Egyptians [Alexandrians] distinguished themselves in this new method of explaining the truth. . . . Origen was at the head of this speculative tribe. This great man, enchanted by the charms of the Platonic philosophy, set it up as the test of all religion, and imagined that the reasons of each doctrine were to be found in that favorite philosophy, and their nature and extent to be determined by it. . . . He alleged that it was not in their literal force and import that the true meanings of the sacred writers were to be sought, but in a mysterious and hidden sense. . . . In this devious path he displays the most ingenious strokes of fancy, though generally at the expense of truth, whose divine simplicity is rarely discernible through the cobweb of allegory. Origen expresses himself in the following manner: 'The source of many evils lies in adhering to the carnal or external part of Scripture. Those who do so shall not attain to the kingdom of God. The Scriptures are of little use to those who understand them as they are written.' But the philosophy which this great man embraced with such zeal was one of the sources of his delusion. He could not find in the Bible the opinions he had adopted, as long as he interpreted that sacred book according to its literal sense."—Church History, century 2, part 2, chap. 3, paragraphs 1, 5.
There is exposed the secret of the whole matter. "He could not find in the Bible the opinions he had adopted." What were these opinions? He was "enchanted by the charms of the Platonic philosophy." And that was the immortality of the soul. Now in Plato's discussion of the nature of the soul, he maintains that it is imperishable, indestructible, immortal, deathless, etc., etc. But the Bible, speaking of wicked men, says they shall "die," "they shall utterly perish," their "end is destruction," that man is "mortal," etc. It is not at all strange, therefore, that Origen could not find in the Bible the opinions he had adopted, because these opinions, and the statements of the Bible, are as entirely opposites as it is possible for things to be. And so, not finding any support in the Scriptures for this doctrine, he invented a scheme by which he could find not only that, but whatever he wanted. That is, to give a meaning to the Bible language directly opposite to what it says. And Origen's method of interpretation is perpetuated to this day by those who attempt to maintain, by the Scriptures, the immortality of the soul, and the consequent eternal life of the wicked. However, this is not strange, because, as the doctrine was dependent wholly upon this scheme of interpretation for its birth into the Christian church, so, without that scheme, it could not live there for a day.
The Bible taken as it is, therefore, is clear on the question, "What shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" The word of God says, their "end is destruction." That word says, they "shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;" and "neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away." J.
THE FINANCIAL RESULTS OF THAT PAPER CARNIVAL.
By Editor
THAT "Paper Carnival" venture of the Church of the Advent, San Francisco, which we mentioned in the SIGNS of November 18, and upon which we made some estimates, did not pan out as well in money as was expected. There were several items of expenses that were not in our count, because then the carnival was in its full tide of revelry, and the official statement of its receipts and expenditures had not been made, and of course could not be till the carnival was over. So far as was then known, the estimates were that more than 800 persons had spent three months in preparation, and $10,000 had been paid for "dresses, costumes, etc." For the 800 persons we allowed 25 cents a day for 75 working days, which amounts to $15,000, which, with the $10,000 for costumes, dresses, etc., make $25,000. Now the official financial statement has been published, and to this $25,000 we find there must be added a "dancing master's salary, $152.75;" stage manager's salary, $120; rent of pavilion, gas, music, calcium lights, erecting and papering booths, fitting up stage, and payment of stage hands—in all amounting to $3,896.50. Thus the expense, "at a low estimate," was $28,896.50.
The expectation was to raise $15,000 by the carnival, but the gross receipts were only $10,292.48. So there was $28,896.50 spent to get a return of $10,292.48. But as the $3,896.50 had to come out of the $10,292.48, there was left a net income of only $6,395.98, while "it is thought that enough more will come from ladies who sold small quantities of tickets, to raise the sum to $6,500." Allowing this full amount of $6,500, it then appears that there was an investment of $25,000 to get a return of $6,500. In other words, $18,500 was paid for sheer revelry to help the Church of the Advent. But the "good work" did not stop at that. The official report is that "several wealthy parishioners are so well pleased at the result of the carnival that they have promised contributions, which, added to the carnival proceeds, will reduce the debt to about $5,000." We should think they ought to be "pleased" with a piece of fun that cost $18,500. But we are at a loss to know how the Church of the Advent is ever going to pay the remaining $5,000 of its debt. For now a carnival would be no novelty, and therefore another carnival would hardly prove such a grand success as this one proved. It is highly probable, however, that the inventive genius of the "Rev. John Gray of the Church of the Advent" is not yet exhausted, and that in the payment of this remaining $5,000 we may look for him to make the greatest effort of his life. By getting up something in which the fun alone would cost about $50,000, it is perhaps possible that he might get the8desired $5,000; if not from the enterprise direct, he might by this means succeed in so pleasing his wealthy parishioners that they would promise contributions enough to pay it, especially if he should make sure of them while the revelry is at its height. J.