Signs of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 10. (3/6/1884)

Signs of the Times

Mar 6, 1884

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 6, 1884

The Christian Pathway.

By Ellen G. White

CHRIST promises, “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” The way is plain; the will of God is manifest. We are not to live in doubt and uncertainty, and to rest satisfied while groping our way without a guide. Jesus does not, after giving us general directions, leave us to guess the way amid by-paths and dangerous passes. He leads us in a straight path; and while we follow him, our footsteps will not slide. It was Jesus that led ancient Israel, though the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night concealed him from their view; and in this important period of the world’s history, he will as manifestly lead his people. The path is no uncertain one. The way is marked out, and every step is ordered of the Lord.

God has ample light and grace to bestow upon all them that fear him. Especially will he help his people in these last days, when Satan’s devices are so abundant, so deceptive, and so corrupting. To those who will walk in the truth, the God of truth will give grace according to their needs. He will fill their hearts with peace, and courage, and confidence. But mercy and truth are promised only to the contrite and obedient. God has said that justice and judgment are the habitation of his throne; and those who are disobedient and rebellious will not escape the visitation of his just anger.

We cannot afford to separate ourselves from Jesus for a single hour. Without him we are in danger of being overcome of Satan, who is ever watching to suggest doubt, unbelief, and error. The world is flooded with error; it meets us on every hand. It is taught from the sacred desk, and lurks in theology, in literature, in philosophy, in science. Error perverts the judgment and opens the door to temptation, and through its influence Satan seeks to turn hearts from the truth; but an intelligent love for the truth sanctifies the receiver, and keeps him from the enemy’s deceptive snares.

Satan uses some professed Christians to lead souls from the simplicity of the gospel of Christ. Worldly associates and amusements sow the seeds of doubt and skepticism. The sentiment of many worldly professors is, “Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” “Speak unto us smooth things; prophesy deceits.” Many are daily cheating their souls with a form of godliness without the power; but the Lord has removed his smile and the inspiration of his Spirit from them. His displeasure is against them, because their deeds are evil. He demands decided changes in the life and character. Good intentions, good resolutions, good acts, cannot be accepted as substitutes for repentance, faith, and willing obedience.

The people are too willing to believe their teachers without careful thought and prayerful investigation of God’s word. They love to have their consciences quieted,—love to be rocked to sleep in the cradle of carnal security. In their blind selfishness, they deceive themselves in those things wherein they are willing to be deceived. Our Saviour declared to the Pharisees, “Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” And in his conversation with Nicodemus he said, “Every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” So in this age, the church will neither search the Scriptures nor listen to the truth, lest her works be reproved. She is more willing to depart from the commandments of God than from the customs and friendship of the world. And because great men and worldly wise men are in her favor, because numbers and temporal prosperity are hers, she believes herself favored of God,—“rich, and increased with goods, and in need of nothing.”

But earthly prosperity is no evidence of the favor of God. Christ and his apostles teach us, both by precept and example, that the true child of God cannot enjoy the friendship of the world. If he seeks it, it will become a snare to him; he will adopt the customs, precepts, and standards of the world, and will finally become like them in spirit. But there can be no fellowship between the Prince of light and the prince of darkness. Says the apostle John, “The world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God.” They are unknown, unacknowledged by the world; but their names, cast out as evil by the lovers of sin, are written in the book of life. They are the adopted heirs of Christ, the nobility of Heaven. “These are they that came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

Many are not growing strong, because they do not take God at his word. They are conforming to the world. Every day they pitch their tents nearer to Egypt, when they should encamp a day’s march nearer the heavenly Canaan. We need individually to ask strength and grace from Heaven, that we may resist the temptation to assimilate to the world. We cannot afford to be divided in heart and purpose, first serving God, and then yielding to temptations and paying homage to the world. Many of us have grown gray in the service of Christ, in pushing the triumphs of his cross. We have fought the battles of the Lord too long, and endured too much, to permit Satan to gain the victory over us. The voice of our Leader is commanding “Go forward,” and we should obey, saying, as did Caleb, “If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land.”

If we commit the keeping of our souls to God in the exercise of living faith, his promises will not fail us; for they have no limit but our faith. “All things are possible to him that believeth.” We may make or mar our own happiness. Many pet and excuse the defects in their characters; but these must all be remedied. Every deviation from the right is sin, and sin must be put away. We cannot afford to walk carelessly before our brethren or before the world.

Many confess their sins again and again, but do not put them away by genuine repentance. Unless we have a firm purpose and the aid of the grace of God, strong resolutions and vigilant watchfulness will be vain and powerless when temptations assail the soul; and under such circumstances some give up in despair, fearing that they must ever remain the slaves of sin. These have not a living faith in Jesus. We cannot trust in ourselves; if we do, we shall fail. Jesus has spoiled the powers of darkness; and it is through faith in his might that we shall be made strong. He will lift up a standard against Satan in behalf of every trusting, believing soul. We have the assurance that his grace is sufficient for us, and that we shall not be tempted above that we are able to bear. This is our only hope.

The apostle says, “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” When the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the Christian church at Pentecost, great wisdom and grace rested upon the whole body of believers. This blessing was given in answer to earnest, persevering prayer; and to-day God is just as willing to listen to the petitions of his people. “Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.”

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” When these fruits appear in the life, a telling influence will be exerted upon the world. The truly converted man will cease aspiring to be thought great. He will not seek for worldly honor, nor for luxury, ease, or wealth; neither will he be sensitive to reproach or neglect. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Self is no longer the supreme object of love; family and friends are no longer the boundary. His heart is enlarged. Jesus has

the first place in his affections; he loves Christians, because he sees in them the image of his Master, and all mankind with a love that prompts him to do them good. This is the fruit growing on the true Vine, more precious in the sight of God than all the wealth and learning of earth's great men.

The unparalleled exhibition of love that was made on Calvary shows how God estimates souls. If we have this love in our hearts, we shall seek to win sinners to Jesus, that for them this great sacrifice may not have been made in vain. The language of the heart will be, "Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul." We shall say with the psalmist, "I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation; I have not concealed thy loving-kindness and thy truth from the great congregation." We shall rejoice to speak of the wisdom and goodness of God as shown in the way he has led his people; for we shall have proved that "the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."

PRECIOUS PROMISES.

I WILL never, never leave thee, I will never thee forsake, I will guide, and save, and keep thee, For my name and mercy's sake. Fear no evil, Only all my counsel take.

When the storm is raging round thee, Call on me in humble prayer; I will fold my arms about thee, Guard thee with the tenderest care; In the trial, I will make thy pathway clear.

When thy sky above is glowing, And around thee all is bright, Pleasure like a river flowing, All things tending to delight, I'll be with thee; I will guide thy steps aright.

When thy soul is dark and clouded, Filled with doubt, and grief, and care, Through the mists by which 'tis shrouded, I will make a light appear, And the banner Of my love I will uprear.

Thou may'st leave my care and keeping; Thou may'st wander far from me; Sorrow, then, and woe and weeping, Mercy must mete out to thee; To the righteous My rich blessings all are free. —Sel.

Interesting Facts Concerning the Sabbath in the East.

THE readers of the Outlook will perhaps remember that the last September number contained an account of "The great Chinese Insurrection and the Sabbath," showing the discovery in that country of a monument made in the seventh century, which testified to the observance, by those people, of the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath. In the July number of the present year, is also given, under "Sunday Observance," an account of the Syrian Christians of Malabar and their observance of the Sabbath till the sixteenth century, when the Portuguese came, and by the power of the Inquisition, compelled them to conform to the practices of the church of Rome in their observance of days. In corroboration of the truth of the testimony there given concerning Sabbath observance, we present this month the following account of these Sabbath-keepers in China, India, and Central Asia, from the Rev. W. H. Medhurst's "China;" Boston, 1838; pp. 182-185.

"According to the Syrian and Chaldean writers, Thaddeus, one of the seventy, was sent into Mesopotamia, and preached in the land of Shinar, where he established 360 churches, and died in a city called Badaraja. Thomas the apostle, however, is celebrated by the Eastern Christians as having been the first to preach the gospel in India; all the Syrian churches in Malabar claim him for their founder, and his sepulcher is shown on the Coromandel coast to this day.

"Considering the extent, population, and civilization of China, it can hardly be supposed that so important a region was entirely neglected by the first progenitors of the gospel; and Assemannus assures us that Thomas the apostle, having done much for the establishment of the Christian faith in India, passed over to a country on the east, called China, where he preached the gospel and founded a church, in the city of Cambalu (Peking); after which he returned to Malabar. In the Chaldee ritual, there is an office for the celebration of St. Thomas which says, that 'by him the Persians, Hindous, and Chinese, were converted to the Christian faith.'

"In confirmation of this tradition, it may be observed, that according to Chinese history, a very early intercourse subsisted between China and the West. Arabia and Judea are called in the native books, Ta-tsin; and Pan-chaow, a Chinese general, who flourished before the close of the first century, is said to have extended his conquests as far as Ta-tsin. It is also related, that in that early age, a veneration for the cross existed in China; while the famous Kwan Yunchang has left in writing an account of the birth, death, resurrection and ascension of a Saviour, which must have been derived from some indistinct traditions of gospel history. In the time of Han Hwan-te, A. D. 147, 'the people of India, Arabia, and other parts, came by the Southern Sea to China, with tribute; and from this time trade was carried on with foreigners at Canton.' Chinese history further mentions that, about the same period, an extraordinary person arrived in China, who taught a doctrine purely spiritual, and drew the admiration of all by the virtues he possessed and the miracles he wrought.

"The next intimation of the introduction of Christianity into China, is given in the famous marble tablet which was dug up at Se-gnaan-foo, in the year 1625. This tablet is ten feet long and five feet broad, surmounted by a cross, resembling that used by the Syrians in Malabar. It contains an inscription in the Chinese and Syriac languages, describing the principal doctrines of the gospel, and the history of its introduction into China. The Chinese inscription is entitled 'a tablet recording the introduction of the religion of the Ta-tsin country into China.' It commences with stating the existence of the living and true God, the creation of the world, the fall of man, and the mission of Jesus Christ. The miraculous birth, and excellent teaching of the Saviour are briefly described. His ascension is spoken of; the institution of baptism mentioned, and the cross declared to be effectual for the salvation of all mankind. The inscription goes on to state that in the reign of Tang Tae-tsung, A. D. 636, a Christian teacher came from Ta-tsin to China, where the emperor, after examining his doctrines, published an edict, authorizing the preaching of Christianity among the people. The next emperor continued his patronage, but the Buddhist priests, apprehensive lest the new sect should eclipse and prejudice their own, endeavored to stop its course; a persecution followed, which, at first, diminished the number of the faithful; but after a time two able advocates were raised up, who brought the new religion again into notice. The emperor, Suh-tsung, founded several Christian churches, and in order to perpetuate the memory of his good deeds, the tablet in question was erected, A. D. 782.

"Some have affected to doubt the authenticity of this inscription, imagining it to be a mere trick of the Jesuits to get the Chinese to credit the Christian religion. That this was not the case, we may infer from the fact that the Chinese were the first to discover the stone, and that neither they nor the Jesuits understood the Syrian part of the inscription till it was translated in Malabar. Besides, were it a pious fraud, the Jesuits would have been more likely to ascribe the introduction of Christianity to the efforts of the Latins, rather than the Syrian Church; and had they made any pretensions of the kind the other orders of the Romish clergy would have exposed their hypocrisy. We conclude, therefore, that the inscription is a genuine record of the labors of the Syrian Christians, during the seventh and eighth centuries, in China. A fac-simile of it may be seen in the library of the Vatican at Rome, and a full translation in 'Kicherer's China Illustrated.'

"Mosheim informs us that in the end of the seventh century the Nestorians penetrated into China, where they established several churches; and that in A. D. 820, David was appointed to be the metropolitan of China. In the time of Genghis-khan numerous bodies of Nestorian Christians were scattered over Tartary; and the famous Prester John, in the twelfth century, exerted an extensive influence over Central Asia. When the Mongul princes ascended the throne of China, A. D. 1280, they afforded toleration to all religions, which enabled the Nestorians to spread themselves, and to establish a flourishing church in the north of China. This continued to exist, according to Mosheim, till the beginning of the fifteenth century; but shortly afterwards Nestorianism appears to have dwindled away in that country.

"The efforts of the Roman Catholics in behalf of China, commenced in the beginning of the fourteenth century, when Nicholas IV. sent Corvino on an embassy to Coblia, the first emperor of the Mongol dynasty; and in 1307, Clement V. constituted him bishop of Cambalu, or Peking. Benedict VI., A. D. 1338, sent new agents into China and Tartary, and during the whole yuen dynasty both the Latin and Nestorian Christians had a fine opportunity for propagating their religion in Eastern Asia; but quarreling amongst themselves, they hindered each other's success, and towards the close of the century the Mahometans, gaining the ascendancy, drove the Christians from those regions.

"Nothing more is heard of efforts for the conversion of the Chinese, until the Portuguese rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and established themselves at Goa. In 1511, Alphonso took Malacca, and eight years afterwards Andrade sailed for China."

Rev. William Dean, D. D., for twenty years a missionary to China, in a book entitled "The China Mission," says: "The primate of the Malabar Christians styled himself the 'Metropolitan of India and China.'" New York, 1859; p. 71. Dr. Williams says of the monument and its inscriptions: "After some remarks on the principles of religion, the fall of man, the birth of the Messiah in Judea, together with some of the laws and ceremonies of Christianity, the author gives a sketch of its introduction and progress in China." From this part of the inscription is found the following, "Under Knutsung, A. D. 678, the illustrious religion spread itself in every direction, and temples rose in a hundred cities." p. 72. Neither Dr. Medhurst nor Dr. Williams say anything concerning the observance of the seventh day by this people, but the inscription on the monument records this fact, as before given.

The fact that the Syrian Christians of Malabar were able to read that portion of the inscriptions which the others could not read, is conclusive proof of the identity of the Malabar Christians and those who wrote the inscription. The tradition of the introduction of Christianity into each of these countries shows that the tradition was founded on facts.

Thus three distinct lines of proof are produced to show that the early Christians of China were Sabbath-observers. 1. The testimony of the Rev. Dr. Gutzlaff, long a missionary to China, of the abundant evidence of Chinese history proving the fact, and the assertion of the leader of the Tae-ping rebellion in answer to the question asked, why the insurrectionists observed the Sabbath, answering "because the Bible teaches it and their ancestors observed it." 2. The testimony of Dellon, the author of the "Inquisition at Goa," who testifies to the observance of the Sabbath by the Syrian Christians of Malabar, and the identity we here give of these Christians with those of China. 3. The testimony of the monument found.

If we will look into Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History and others, we shall find that there was scarcely any territory in Asia, south of the present boundary of Siberia, into which the Nestorians had not carried their religion and reared their temples; and all these must have been observers of the Sabbath of the Lord. These facts, together with others already given in relation to the Armenians, Abyssinians, Swannety, and the Britons, conclusively prove that all the Christians of the East, as well as the West, observed the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath until overpowered by the church of Rome, after her bishops had assumed to be the vicegerent of Christ and the head of the universal Christian Church. These facts also conclusively show that all countries which received the Christian religion prior to the fifth century, also received the seventh-day Sabbath,

and that Rome, and not Jerusalem, first received into her embrace the pagan Sunday, and, at a date far removed from that of the apostles.—P., in the Outlook.

A “High Pressure” Christian.

“I WANT,” said Mrs. Honeyweiss, “the opinion of this club on a question that greatly troubles me. The greatest desire of my heart is to see my children grow up noble Christian men and women. My life is bound up in them; and my husband is, I am sure, as much in earnest as I am. But we pursue different ways; and sometimes I think he is wrong; and sometimes I think I am wrong; and sometimes I do not know but that we are both wrong. He gives all the time he can possibly spare outside his business to church work. He attends all the church meetings—prayer-meeting, sociables, teachers’ meetings, choir meetings; he is on the executive committee of the Young Men’s Christian Association, and when he isn’t at a church meeting he is at a cottage prayer-meeting, or at a service in the Hall, or with a District Visitation Committee, or something—I don’t pretend to keep the run of them all. Sundays we never pretend to see him. After an early breakfast he sits down to finish the study for his Bible-class, and then hurries off to Sunday-school. Of course we’re all at a church together; but after dinner he goes round to the Young Men’s Christian Association to their afternoon meeting; and that and an inquiry meeting, which he always attends, keep him till tea time. Right after tea he goes over to the church to the young peoples’ prayer-meeting; and then to church; and by the time he gets from church the young children are in bed and asleep, and I am pretty well tired out in trying to make Sunday pleasant and profitable for them, and he is pretty well tired out with his missionary work. He never gets time on Sunday to study the Bible with the children,

nor in the week time to look into their lessons and see how they are getting along. And as to their games, I don’t believe he knows anything about what they do out of school hours, or what they read in the evenings. He never gets time to take them on his knee and talk to them of Jesus, for whom he is working so earnestly, or to go up with them at night and pray with them, as my dear father used to do with me. And I can’t help asking myself whether these children of ours are not the ones first to be prayed with, first to be talked with, and first to be labored with.”—Sel.

The Perihelion Theory.

By Editor

THIS theory has been talked of so much for a few years past, and is still believed in by some, it may be of interest to our readers to learn that this is not the first nor the greatest “scare” that has taken place over this subject. We find the following in an exchange under the head of “An Ancient Old Probability.”—

Magister Stafler, an eminent German astrologer and prognosticator, in a prediction addressed to the king of Spain in 1518, and afterward to Emperor Charles V., announced the certainty of a general deluge, which was to commence in the month of February, 1524, and was to desolate the entire earth, because at that time there would be a conjunction of Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars, which could not fail to prove calamitous to the earth; and as it would happen in the sign of Pisces, or the fish, nothing was more clear than that a general deluge would be the result. Stafler was celebrated, on account of his almanac, as a man of learning and acute observation. His prediction, therefore, created a profound sensation throughout Europe. The Emperor and his Court were filled with alarm; and the consternation became universal when several other eminent astronomers supported his prediction on similar astrological grounds.

The terror and anxiety of the courtiers induced Niphus, a learned Augustin monk whom the emperor highly esteemed for his erudition, to write a refutation of Stafler’s prophecy. His arguments tranquilized the emperor and those about him; but his Majesty’s General, Count Veit Range, who was a firm believer in astrology, was apprehensive lest the emperor should be lulled into too great security by the work of Niphus, and should neglect to provide for the safety of the army. He therefore instigated the learned Thomas Philologus, a celebrated astronomical teacher at Padue, to attack the performance of the Augustin friar; and Michael de Petra Sancta, professor of metaphysics at Rome, also added proofs that the conjunction of the planets in Pisces could not be productive of anything short of a general deluge.

In all the countries of Europe the consternation was equally great, especially in Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. In France it deranged the intellects of many who resided on the sea-coast or near the banks of rivers. They sold their lands, houses, and effects, and they repaired to the tops of the highest mountains, intending there to await the flood; while others bought ships or built arks for their preservation. Anvial, president of the Parliament of Toulouse, caused a vast ark to be constructed, and provided with all kinds of necessaries, to which he and his family might have recourse. This was built upon four piers of masonry, that it might float at the first impulse of the rising waters. Hundreds throughout Europe imitated his precaution. Gendorf, burgomaster of Wittenburg, made his preparations in the topmost apartments of his mansion, and, to provide against a too dry time, he had hogsheads of beer elevated to the refuge—for the ancient German, like his modern relative, had a dislike for plain water.

At length February came upon millions of people in fear and trembling. Its days of suspense can barely be imagined. The entire month was blest with unusually fair, serene weather, without a single rain-fall; and the deluge-prognoser, like Venner, the American weather-maker of three and a half centuries later, saw his immense specialty indefinitely postponed “on account of the weather!”

A Warning.

By T. M. Preble

PETER speaks of a certain class that would “wrest” or pervert the “Scriptures unto their own destruction.” And the very next thing which he says is: “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory, both now and forever. Amen.” 2 Pet. 3:17, 18.

O ye saints of the Most High, we are in the “last days,” surely, and if we “hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end,” we soon shall be made partakers of Christ, “who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.” Then, as the prophet Daniel says, “Thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”

Let us remember that those only are to be delivered whose names shall be found written in the book.” Not those who may have had their names written therein at some time previous will be sure of salvation; for of the overcomer it is written, “I will not blot out his name out of the book of life.” The plain inference is that some names will be blotted out, which proves that they must have been there.

Let us constantly bear in mind that we are passing through the perils of the last days; and a very striking characteristic of the devil’s children is, they will “wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” But on the other hand, a beautiful characteristic of the children of God is, their path is “as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” How safe such a path to walk is, in these times of general darkness.

How shall we know that we are in the light, in this illuminated path? “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 . By thy Spirit, O Lord, lead us. Amen.—T. M. Preble, in Bible Banner.

A Weakness.

PROFESSIONALISM is a prolific source of weakness in the ministry. Dr. Payson, on his dying bed, said he was convinced that “the point where ministers most generally fail is in doing their duty professionally, and not from the heart.” To regard the ministry as a mere profession, even though the most exalted, is to dishonor and degrade it. With scholarly tastes and literary ambitions, there is great temptation to look upon the ministry as a profession of high and elegant leisure, and not as a downright earnest service of soul-saving. No doubt the greatest cause of unfruitfulness in our work is in the lack of spiritual power.”

Robert McCheyne has well put the question, “Must we not fear that we are not right ourselves, or that our preaching is not a faithful transcript of the divine message, if we fail to see souls saved in our ministry?” And, we ask, must we not look at our own coldness and spiritual leanness for the explanation of our ill success? We fail to stir others, because we have not been stirred ourselves. Only life can give life. Were ministers mourning over their leanness and lack of power, there might be hope that the hunger of souls might be satisfied, but the saddest feature of barren ministers is that so many are content to plod on without power and without fruit. For this unfruitfulness they are verily guilty, and have cause for humiliation and deep contrition. The ministry must devote itself to the work and let side matters go; to them comes the Master’s word, ‘Let the dead bury the dead; but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.’ Most hearers do not care a snap of their fingers as to what agnostics think or infidels believe. They don’t want doubts, or our poor speculations. They want the gospel. They hunger for the bread of life.—Sel.

Putting God Off

God may put off those to-morrow who put him off to-day.

Full Extent of the Law.

TO COMPREHEND the full extent of the commandments, it will be requisite to observe the following rules: Where any sin is forbidden in them, the opposite duty is implicitly enjoined; and where any duty is enjoined, the opposite sin is implicitly forbidden. Where the highest degree of any evil is prohibited, whatever is faulty in the same kind, though in a lower degree, is by consequence, prohibited; and where one instance of virtuous behaviour is commanded, every other that hath the same nature and the same reason for it, is understood to be commanded too.

What we are expected to abstain from, we are expected to avoid as far as we can, and to shun all temptation to it, and occasions of it; and what we are expected to practice, we are expected to use all fit means that may better enable us to practice it. All that we are bound to do ourselves, we are bound, on fitting occasions, to exhort and assist others to do, when it belongs to them; and all we are bound not to do, we are to tempt nobody else to do, but keep them back from it whenever we have opportunity.—Bible Defended.

The Organized Church.

By W. N. Glenn

THE most important organization among men is the Christian Church. It is composed of those who have chosen to separate themselves from evil and yield obedience to the Creator, to whom all allegiance is due. It is the most honorable association with which man can be connected, as its members are called the sons of God. It is the only organization upon earth that has a Heaven-given assurance of an existence beyond this life. Its grand Head and High Priest exercises the functions of his office at the right hand of the Majesty of Heaven (Heb. 8:1), whence he is in constant communication with the "body," by means of his Holy Spirit.

But not the least important feature of this organization is its part in the actual work of salvation. The church as a body figures very prominently in the great plan, and has a remarkable degree of power and authority delegated to it. See Matt. 18:17-20. We do not accede to it that exclusive authority upon earth which the papal church arrogates to itself, its pope "exalting himself above all that is called God" (2 Thess. 2:4), even claiming the right to change the times and the laws established by the authority of the Creator (Dan. 7:25). This we hold to be an unscriptural and blasphemous extreme.

But there is another extreme quite as dangerous as to results, though having a less presumptive appearance. This is manifested in the idea held by some that individual Christians are not responsible to any human organization at all for their actions; that if they only believe on Christ, they are at liberty to act perfectly independent of everybody else. There is a degree of self-sufficiency about this position that is unwarranted by the example and teachings of Christ and the apostles.

The Saviour honored his organized church under both the old and new covenants. Led by the Spirit, his parents, when he was an infant, observed the requirements of the church law respecting him. Matt. 2:21-28, 39, 42, 43. We also read that it was his custom to attend the synagogue. Luke 4:16. And when on a certain occasion he healed a leper, he sent him to the priest to "offer the gift that Moses commanded." Jesus also met with his church several times after his resurrection and gave them instruction regarding his future work through their instrumentality, enduing them with the authority he designed them to exercise in his absence. Matt. 28:18-20. He recognized them as a legitimate body after his ascension, by choosing through his Spirit an apostle in place of Judas; and also by sending the spirit upon them on the day of Pentecost; and especially in that he "added to them daily such as should be saved." Acts 2:47.

There are, however, two notable instances which seem to show at a glance the prominent position assigned to the church in the work of redemption. 1. The conversion of Saul. The Lord met him in person, and overcame him physically and spiritually, and convicted him of his great error. But when it came to giving him instruction how to proceed under the circumstances, a most critical period, the Master just turned over the afflicted convert to the church, whose business it was to show him the path of duty. "Rise and enter into the city and it shall be told thee what thou must do." Acts 9:6. He was passed right into the hands of those whom he had come to persecute—by them to have his eyes opened, be baptized, and be inducted into the recognized organization of believers.

2. The conversion of Cornelius is a marked case, being the first record of apostolic labor for the Gentiles. Cornelius was a devout man, and God sent an angel to give him a start in finding salvation. But the angel did not give him the details of duty; he merely referred him to a minister of the gospel, an apostle in the church, for instruction.

God has made the church the channel through which to give light to the world, and the means of succoring those who throw off their allegiance to sin and enlist under his banner. There was no man more intimately connected with the Lord himself, after the resurrection, than Paul. No one could have more reason to think that a personal relationship to the Saviour was all that was necessary. Yet so far as the inspired record informs us, he traveled more and established more churches than all the other apostles combined. And wherever he succeeded in gaining converts, he was careful to have them fully organized, and to have the necessary officers appointed. Acts 14:21-23. Nor did he end his work with this precaution; he continued to watch over them with a father's care. He tells us, Acts 11:28, that he had upon him daily "the care of all the churches;" and he was especially solicitous for unity and harmony in their ranks. To this end the apostle, either personally, or by letter, or by his co-laborers, faithfully exhorted and encouraged them, that their organization and consequent usefulness might be preserved. Only by their organization could he have kept any trace of their progress and spiritual condition. It is the only way in which the church can protect itself from imposture, or make any successful aggressive movement whatever.

The importance which God attaches to his church is manifested in the spiritual gifts, and illustrated by the figure of the "body," in 1 Cor. 12. Here is brought to view the highest type of human organization, without which it would be impossible for the disciples to be "one," as the Master had specially enjoined. In no other affairs of life do men undertake to maintain unity of purpose without organization.

But some who profess a desire to be Christians maintain that they can do so without joining the church and assuming its responsibilities; and others in the ranks of membership, who tire of the restraints of the body, tell us they can be "just as good Christians out of the church as in it." Perhaps they can; but this is the place of safety provided by the Good Shepherd, and those who prefer to remain outside have no assurance of protection from the enemy. The plea so often made, that there are inconsistencies in the body, and hypocrites among the members, will not stand in the Judgment as an excuse for neglect of known individual duty. It is possible that such an excuse is a mere subterfuge to avoid the restraints and shirk the responsibilities of membership; and those who present such pleas prefer to forego the privileges rather than assume the duties of the gospel. But all such attempts to gain an entrance to the everlasting kingdom will be detected by the all-seeing eye of him who has prescribed the way. All attempts, of whatever nature, to improve upon the plan originated by the Spirit and adopted by the apostles, for carrying on the work of salvation under the gospel of Christ, will prove utterly furtile in the end, and disastrous to those who are deceived thereby.

But in the midst of the multitude of churches, all claiming to be right yet greatly differing, how shall we be guided to that which is true? Be guided by the word of God, and be warned by the same word against this Babylon of division and confusion. Rev. 18:4. "Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice," said Jesus to Pilate. John 18:37. His voice spoke the moral law from Sinai. Ex. 20 and Deut 5. And till heaven and earth pass this law will not pass away. Matt. 5:17, 18. He himself commanded his ordinances. Matt. 28:19, 20; Luke 22:19, 20; John 13; 1 Cor. 11:23-26. This law and these ordinances have been perverted or ignored by the Babylon churches. They do not hear his voice. He also spake by his angel to his servant John, and in that Revelation it is shown what organization shall resist the mark of the beast who with his followers "shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God." Chap. 14:12 says it is "they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Another distinctive feature of the church is that they will be waiting and watching for the Lord at his coming, according to his admonition. Matt. 24:32-47; 25:1-13; Rev. 16:15; Isa. 25:8, 9.

These are all plainly marked features; no one can mistake them who earnestly seeks for the right in the light of the Scriptures. Find these combined in one organization, and you have the church of God. With such plain directions as these in the inspired word, he is without excuse who is led by the blind or by the vicious into the ditch.

W. N. GLENN.

Continue reading: Is Protestantism True to Itself?