Review and Herald, Vol. 78, No. 40. (10/1/1901)

Review and Herald

Oct 1, 1901

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 1, 1901

HOW TO GAIN SPIRITUAL STRENGTH.

By Ellen G. White

MRS. E. G. WHITE.

“Search the Scriptures,” Christ commanded; “for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” The Holy Spirit is beside every true searcher of God’s word, enabling him to discover the hidden gems of truth. Divine illumination comes to his mind, stamping the truth upon him with a new, fresh importance. He is filled with a joy never before felt. The peace of God rests upon him. The preciousness of truth is realized as never before. A heavenly light shines upon the Word, making it appear as though every letter were tinged with gold. God himself speaks to the heart, making His word spirit and life.

Eternal life is the receiving of the living elements in the Scriptures, the doing of the will of God. This is what is meant by eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God. It is the privilege of all to partake of the bread of heaven by studying the word, and thus gain spiritual sinew and muscle.

Just before Christ’s crucifixion one of the disciples asked Him, “Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?” Jesus answered, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

These words are not half comprehended by those through whom God wishes to communicate His truth. Let us believe the word. Let us practice the lessons given by Him who has bought us with His blood. He said, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

A rich banquet is set before those who accept Christ as a personal Saviour. Day by day, as they partake of His word, they are nourished and strengthened.

Why do God’s people pass by the words of the Great Teacher? Why do they rely upon human beings for help and comfort, when they have the great and grand promise, “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. . . . He that eateth of this bread shall live forever”? He may die; but the life of Christ is in him, and at the resurrection of the just he will rise to newness of life. “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life.”

It is the privilege of all to gain strong consolation from these precious utterances. Those who partake of the banquet provided for them will gain an experience of the highest value. They will see that in comparison with the word of God, the word of man is as chaff to the wheat.

In every plan we make, we must act with entire dependence upon God, else we shall be deceived by a semblance instead of the reality. As stewards of the grace of Christ, we are to inquire at every step, “Is this the way of the Lord?” The word of God is a character-detector, a motive-tester. We are to read this word with heart and mind open to receive the impressions that God will give. We must not think that the reading of the word can accomplish that which only He whom the word reveals, who stands behind the word, can accomplish.

Some are in danger of hastening to the conclusion that because they hold firmly to the doctrines of the truth, they are actually in possession of the blessings which these doctrines declare shall come to the receiver of truth. Many keep the truth in the outer court. Its sacred principles have not a controlling influence over the words, the thoughts, the actions. They do not possess the faith which works by love and purifies the soul. An assent to the truth may quiet the conscience, but let every believer inquire, “Does my faith make me a daily, hourly follower of Christ? Has it a sanctifying influence on my soul? Can I say, The gentleness of Christ has made me great? A faultless creed and a carnal life are too often found together in professed believers. To be a means to a saving end, the word of God must be intelligently and practically understood and obeyed.

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the World. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”

Here is the standard which all must reach who enter the heavenly city. The end of our faith is the perfection of human character, the sanctification of the entire being. The Lord knows what His people need, and through His chosen agents He manifests His benevolence to them. He is constantly working for the happiness of those who love and serve Him. He is pleased with harmonious service; and when He sees men and women obeying His commandments, He greatly blesses them.

By reason of the waste in the body, the blood must be constantly renewed by food. So with our spiritual life. The word must be daily received, believed, and acted upon. Christ must dwell in us, energizing the whole being, renewing the life-blood of the soul. His example is to be our guide. In our dealing with one another, we must reveal His sympathy. There must be a real working out of Christ’s grace in our hearts. Then we can say with the apostle, “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” Christ’s life abiding in the soul is the cause of our joy and the pledge of our glory.

PERFECTION IN CHRIST.

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

MRS. L. D. AVERY-STUTTLE.

HAVE Thou thy way with me; thou knowest best Whether to send me toil or quiet rest; Whether the cross which day and night I bear Is but proportioned to thy love and care. Thou knowest, Lord, whether ’twere best for me The thorny path to dark Gethsemane; Or gloomy road, with threat’ning shadows gray, Or flowery path, with rose-besprinkled way.

Thou knowest best; for thou, O Christ, art wise; Thy wondrous wisdom framed the arching skies, And shall I fear thou’lt needless add one care, One thorn within the crown thou bidst me wear? Shall I not trust such wisdom, Lord, as thine, Safely to steer such tiny craft as mine?

And thou art strong; I may not understand The wondrous strength of thine almighty hand. I am so weak,—what joy to lean on thee! I am so frail,—grant thou thy strength to me. What ecstasy to know that One so strong Doth gently bear my trembling soul along!

But, best of all, O Jesus, thou art love; Vain without this, thy mighty strength would prove; Vain without this, thy wisdom and thy power, Hadst thou no love to give me hour by hour. STRENGTH, WISDOM, LOVE,— all infinite in thee, Thou Rock of Ages,—Christ of Calvary.

THINGS HARD TO BE UNDERSTOOD.

By G. P. Hugo

THERE are some things that I cannot understand. One is this, that people can stand it to lose a large sum, and cannot stand it to give the same large sum. I once asked a man for twenty-five thousand dollars for a college. He said it was utterly impossible. Two weeks

later he, by accident, lost two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, a round quarter of a million. When I met him and offered him my sympathy, he said, “Our house is a very strong one, and it will not affect us.” I asked another for sixty thousand dollars, and his wife said it would beggar them. He told a friend one year afterward that he wished he had given it to me, for, as I talked, he thought of the money it would take if he did do it, and that he had put it elsewhere, and lost it all and more than an equal sum to get out; but he would not feel it much! A farmer is shocked to be talked to about giving one hundred dollars; but when his best horse dies, nobody sees that it makes any difference. I cannot understand this thing. Will not those people please give us their testimony whether it does make any difference in the bank whether money is checked out to pay gifts or to pay losses? — G. P. Hugo.

BEGGARLY ELEMENTS.

By Elder J. M. Ellis

ELDER J. M. ELLIS. (Columbus, Ind.)

THERE are many strange things in this world; and one thing which appeals to me as particularly strange is to hear men of intelligence lay down a premise, and then reject its logical deduction. For instance, some time ago while I was pitching a tent for the purpose of conducting a series of religious meetings, a minister of a popular denomination, and himself no less popular, having been a United States Minister of State to Turkey, under President Harrison’s administration, walked up, and without an introduction or any preliminaries whatever, began in language about as follows:—

“Well, here you are, to teach the people, I suppose that they should turn back again to the weak and beggarly elements of the world, whereunto you desire that they should be in bondage in the observance of days, the Jewish Sabbath, etc.”

“What!” said the writer, “do you mean to say that the worldly people of this city [Columbus] at one time kept the seventh-day Sabbath?”

Minister: “No; not that, but——”

Writer: “If there were signs of my turning them ‘back again,’ I supposed that they must have observed the day at some time in the past.”

Minister: “None of your jugglery here, for you know that Paul said that the Galatians had gone into the weak and beggarly elements of the world, in that they were observing days, and so on.”

Writer: “Well, it strikes me as somewhat singular that the world does not keep the Sabbath when it is of such a ‘worldly element.’ Candidly, my friend, it does seem to me that the world would be right in its element in keeping the Sabbath if the Sabbath is such a worldly element.”

Minister: “I told you that I wanted none of your juggling of words; for you ought to know that we are not under the law, but under grace, and——”

Writer: “Don’t be in too great haste to dodge the point; for we are not yet done with the ‘beggarly element’ question. If the Sabbath was the beggarly element to which Paul had reference, then it would do the Fourth Commandment no violence to read it thus: Remember the beggarly element, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the beggarly element of the world: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the beggarly element of the world: wherefore the Lord blessed this beggarly, worldly element, and hallowed it.”

Minister: “You Adventists outdo the Methodists, the Presbyterians, and other denominations that take the position that the law is still binding; but you can’t catch us Christian ministers that way, for we take the position that the whole system of laws that was binding in the old dispensation ceased at the cross.”

Writer: “Well, but how about that beggarly element of the world, the Sabbath?”

Minister: “Why, do as Paul said—don’t turn to it. You need not think you can catch us fellows; for we deny the binding obligation of the entire law, as such.”

Writer: “Well, my brother, we may not be able to catch you in such a way that you will begin the observance of the Sabbath; but it looks to me as if a man has been caught when, after taking a position and being answered, he tries so hard to get away from it as you have been doing in your beggarly-element argument. Now, my brother, instead of the Sabbath being one of the beggarly elements of the world, it was given by the Lord to His people as a ‘sign’ that they were having nothing to do with the beggarly elements of the world; and it is a fact that the Galatians were idol worshipers before their conversion, and in ‘going back,’ they were becoming idolaters again. See Gal. 4:8, 9. And this idolatry was the beggarly elements whereunto they were returning. Now it is an everlasting fact that a man begins the pollution of the Sabbath before he can go back into idolatry. See Eze. 20:24. And since idolatry is shown to be the beggarly elements of the world, it follows that a man, instead of beginning the observance of the Sabbath upon going to the beggarly elements of the world, as you claim, the reverse is true; he gives up the observance of the Sabbath upon going to the beggarly elements of the world, as has been shown from Eze. 20:24.”

Minister: “You are a regular juggler. Now it is a fact that you fellows can thrash the ground with these other denominations, but you can’t handle us fellows.”

Writer: “That is so; for if calling a man a juggler is evidence that you are not ‘caught,’ then it is not worth while for me to try to catch you, for you can cry out ‘jugglery’ faster than I can make points.”

Minister: “If it is not jugglery, then I don’t know what it is.”

Writer: “If it is jugglery, then I am in good company; for I have used only the Lord’s words in support of what I have said; and if that’s jugglery, then the Lord is a juggler; but to be with Him is to be in good company.”

Minister: “Well, I’ll come to hear you some of these nights when you get your meetings started.”

Writer: “All right, my brother, we should be glad to have you come.”

Minister: “Good afternoon.”

A STUMBLING-STONE.

By Aug. A. Monson

AUG. A. MONSON.

(Grey Eagle, Minn.)

A GREAT many of our people expect too much of their brethren, especially those who have recently accepted the faith. They have read of the early fellowship of the disciples immediately after Pentecost, when they had all things in common, and no man said that anything was his own, and of the commandment to love one another and to bear one another’s burdens, and other beautiful teachings of Christianity.

Without stopping to consider the other side of the question, they expect to be treated very tenderly by their brethren; and if they are not specially favored by them, they are apt to conclude that their brethren are not living up to what they profess, and then, judging those brethren with whom they first associate as an example of the whole Church, they are very apt to be offended, and even fall away, thinking they have sufficient reason for such a course. But the trouble arises from the fact that they have not learned the lesson of self-denial and of casting their burden on the Lord instead of on their brethren, who have burdens of their own, and who ought to be helped along rather than given more to bear.

“But,” says one, “does not the Scripture say, ‘Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ’? and does not that mean our brethren?”—Yes, the Scriptures do say that, but there is one thing we are sure of, and that is that it means us individually; more than that, so far as our being benefited by it, it is no concern of ours what other part of humanity it means. “But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.” Gal. 6: 4, 5. Christ dwelling in us is still the burden-bearer.

Many have become offended because they have not found the brethren everything they expected. We are taught to help one another, to love one another, but we are not taught to require it of one another. Here is where many find fault with their brethren; and some give up the truth, thinking that in the commandment to bear one another’s burdens they have proof that their brethren are not right. Instead of pursuing this course they ought to examine themselves on these points, and they would then find enough to do without censuring their brethren who may have stumbled in human weakness.

Our salvation ought not to depend on the behavior of any one else. If all but one person fell away and left off being a Christian, it should not in the least affect the remaining one; for he would be founded on the sure and the firm foundation, which no storm can move nor tempest shake; namely, Jesus Christ, the everlasting Rock, who is our strength and the horn of our salvation.

HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER?

By W. H. Thurston

ELDER W. H. THURSTON.

The work to be done now is to give “the Advent message to the world in this generation,” but “how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent?” And how shall they be sent? Who will answer? and who will go? Who will do all that the Lord has privileged them to do in supporting those who go?

Think of it, brethren and sisters, fifty-seven years have passed since the cleansing of the sanctuary, or the investigative judgment, began, and there are still many countries waiting for us to bring them the message of salvation. Shall we rise up as a body and declare “there shall be delay no longer”?

“The Lord created every tree in Eden pleasant to the eyes and good for food, and He bade Adam and Eve freely enjoy His bounties. But He made one exception: of the tree of knowledge of good and evil they were not to eat. This tree God reserved as a constant reminder of His ownership of all. Thus He gave them opportunity to demonstrate their faith and trust in Him by their perfect obedience to His requirements.

“So it is with God’s claims upon us. He places His treasures in the hands of men, but requires that one tenth shall be faithfully laid aside for His work. He requires this portion to be placed in His treasury. It is to be rendered to Him as His own; it is sacred, and is to be used for sacred purposes,—for the support of those who carry the message of salvation to all parts of the world. He reserves this portion, that means may ever be flowing into His treasure-house,

and that the light of truth may be carried to those who are nigh and to those who are afar off. By faithfully obeying this requirement, we acknowledge that all belongs to God.” These are timely words, and should be carefully heeded by all.

A colporteur goes into the field to sell books. He understands that fifty per cent of all the money received belongs to the tract society, and that it is to be set apart, and forwarded to the society at certain times. He works on for a few weeks, makes his delivery, but sends in no money. He states, however, in his report that he has been to considerable expense, lost some orders, and cannot make a payment now. You say at once that is not right; he had no right to use the society’s money; and if he will not be honest, we cannot continue him in the work. True he had no right to appropriate the society’s money to his own use, for it did not belong to him; but he had as much right to use the society’s money as we have to use the tithe, the Lord’s money.

It is not a question of not understanding the tithing system and our duty and privilege in the matter, but we have become “slothful” in the Lord’s business, careless and indifferent in many things. We know what the Bible teaches in regard to the promulgation and support of the gospel, and we know there is a blessing promised to those who comply with the requirements. The Lord says, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” Why not do them, brethren, and enjoy the blessing?

It may be a surprise to some to know that the tithe for the whole denomination last year amounted to only $6.75 per capita.

The Lord has blessed the efforts which have been made for the advancement of the message, but how much more might have been done; yes, we might have been singing the song of Moses and the Lamb to-day had we as a people done faithful work for God.

But we must not waste time in lamenting over the past; we must arouse and earnestly engage in the work. People, and even nations, are waiting for us to bring them the message. “This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” Let the love of Jesus Christ for souls stir our hearts, and then all the tithe will come into the storehouse.

(Concluded next week.)

HAPPINESS MAKES HAPPINESS.

A WOMAN who had many sorrows and heavy burdens to bear, but who was noted for her cheerful spirits, once said in explanation:— “You know I have had no money. I had nothing to give but myself; and so I made the resolution that I would never sadden any one else with my troubles. I have laughed when I could have wept. I have always smiled in the face of every misfortune. I have tried never to let any one go from my presence without a happy word or a bright thought to carry with him. And happiness makes happiness. I myself am happier than I would have been had I sat down and bemoaned my fate.”—Wellspring.

WORK AS YOU PRAY.

By Chas. T. Everson

CHAS. T. EVERSON.

EVANGELISTIC services were in progress in the Baptist church of a certain town. At the close of one of the meetings the evangelist who was conducting the services was invited to dine at the home of a prominent member of the church.

After dinner the host spoke of his distress over the condition of a brother, who was a skeptic. For years he had been earnestly praying for him, but had apparently received no answer to his prayer. “But,” he concluded, addressing the evangelist, “do not say anything to him about his soul’s salvation, for that will spoil your chances of doing anything for him.” The skeptical brother was a lawyer, and the evangelist, having some legal matters that needed attention, sought his services. After their business had been transacted, he felt constrained to speak to him of his own salvation, despite the admonition of the lawyer’s brother. They talked only a few minutes, however, before the lawyer arose and started toward the door. Now, thought the evangelist, I have lost my opportunity to help him; his brother was right after all. But the lawyer suddenly returned to where he had sat, and resumed the conversation in a very earnest manner. Before long they both knelt in prayer, and the skeptic arose a converted man. As they clasped hands, the lawyer said, “My brother has been a deacon in the Baptist church for fifteen years. During that time I have lived in the same house with him, and not once has he ever said anything to me concerning my need of a personal Saviour. I concluded that there was nothing in his religion, or otherwise he would have been anxious to have me share it with him.”

And yet his brother had been at the same time anxiously praying for his salvation. If he had only worked as he had prayed, his brother would have been saved long before.

Jesus gave us a parable (Luke 11: 5-8) of a man who went to his neighbor at midnight, and asked for three loaves of bread; a friend had come, and he had nothing for him to eat. By his persistence he finally obtained the needed provision. We notice that he had sufficient bread for himself, and that his request was for a friend. This parable presents to us the kind of petition that will certainly receive an answer. If we are thoroughly in earnest, and will ask in faith, we shall obtain the Bread of life. And if, when we have received it, we will offer a petition of a similar nature in behalf of our friends and relatives, God will give us the Bread of life for them.

Suppose that when the man in the parable had returned to his friend, he had not intimated to him what had been the nature of his errand, but had carefully hid the food obtained, and studiously avoided any mention of bread. And when the morning dawned, suppose he had sent him off, faint from lack of sustenance, hoping and praying that in some way or somehow some one might learn of his distress and feed him before he perished. What would we think of such a course? We would naturally suppose that it showed a lack of judgment to say the least, if not of love. But does not this illustrate that which is taking place in the religious world continually? A person who has tasted of the joys of salvation becomes anxious to have his friends and relatives experience that same blessedness; and he brings them before God in earnest prayer. The fervent petitions that ascend to God are not unheeded by Him; He gives the Bread of life to the petitioner to take to his unsaved friend or relative. But as the anxious one returns from the secret of God’s presence, how often he says nothing to his friend about the sweet communion he has enjoyed. He studiously avoids any reference to the Bread of life that God has committed to his charge, but allows his friends to go on, hoping and praying that in some way or some how some one will learn of the man’s need of a Saviour, and will bring him to a realization of this need, before he goes down in everlasting destruction.

Should we not work as we pray? Shall we allow our friends and relatives to perish for want of the very truth that God has committed to our care for them? They know that whenever we have anything of an enjoyable nature in the matters pertaining to this world they are not forgotten, and they must conclude that if our religion is such a comfort and pleasure to us, we would be anxious for them to have a share in it. But what must they think when the subject of their soul’s salvation is not even as much as mentioned? Should we not let them know that we are praying for them? There is not a man in the world, however low or debased, who will not be encouraged by a consciousness of the fact that some one is praying for him.

Many a man in the deepest hours of his discouragement has been buoyed up by the thought that he had a godly mother praying for him. We should pray for our friends and relatives with a faith that knows no refusal, and then work as we pray. Pray that an opportunity may be given you for placing the Bread of life before your perishing loved ones, and then go to work to make the opportunity. God will co-operate with you and save the lost. Are not the members of our household and our friends of as much value in the sight of God as total strangers? In 1 Tim. 5:8 we read, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” Does not this providing for one’s own house include the giving of the highest of all necessary provisions; namely, the Bread of life?

Almost as many are being lost every year from the families of Sabbath-keepers as the workers are able to bring in. Should this be so? Are you endeavoring to stem the tide by working as you pray?

YOURSELF IS YOUR REAL WORTH.

IN one of his mission sermons in New York City Rev. Mr. Aitkin, the evangelist, paused, and, amid great solemnity, inquired:—

“Do you never think you’ve got to die, you rich men? It’s a healthy occupation to think of it. Do you ever think of the tiny line among the death notices about you? Think of yourself in that hour when you are sinking, sinking, sinking—where?

“O poor rich man! blown like a leaf into the darkening void. Sinking into ghastly depths with the cry of terrible agony on thy lips—lost! lost! lost! The jaws of death gape to swallow you. And yet your soul might have been satisfied if you had wished.

“What are you worth? That’s the question you hear and you ask everywhere. It is not what your banker has. You only seem to possess what you own; for you are worth only what you are, and there is a bankruptcy court on the other side of the Dark Valley.”

THOU KNOWEST ME—PS. 139 : 4.

By William Brickey

WILLIAM BRICKEY,

(Kimball, Minn.)

Within my tongue there's not one word But what thou knowest, O my Lord; And even my secret thought and look Thou readest like an open book. Oh, whither could I fly from thee? Could I but reach the utmost sea, Thy gracious hand would hold me still, And lead according to thy will.

If I should make my bed in hell, There would thy Omnipresence dwell; Yea, hell is naked to thy sight— The darkness shineth as the light. When I was curiously wrought, Thou madest me capable of thought, That every fiber, every nerve, Thy noble purposes might serve.

My members all were written down; Yea, every hair that shields my crown Was numbered when thy plan was laid That such a being should be made. Because of sin those hairs may fall, But at the resurrection call Each one of them will take its place, Restored by thy redeeming grace.

SOMETHING PRACTICAL FOR MISSIONARY HOUSEWIVES.

By Mrs. D. A. Fitch

MRS. D. A. FITCH. (Guadalajara, Mexico.)

MANY and varied are the experiences of the bread maker. The existence of certain conditions is necessary, and perhaps no other article of food requires closer attention than does yeast bread. When thinking the art about mastered, we may be confronted with some new variety of flour, some change of climatic conditions, as difference in temperature or altitude. Whatever the circumstances, yeast has much to do with successful bread making.

To those who are dealing with the bread problem, our experience in a tropical country with an altitude of five thousand feet, may be of value. While success had crowned the efforts of an occasional baking, yet the general verdict here is that “good bread cannot be made of the flour manufactured from the soft wheat of Mexico.” On being introduced to a sample of it, I gave a handful a gentle pressure, and as it fell, retaining its shape perfectly, my courage fell too. Rubbing it between my fingers, it felt much like putty. There is nothing granular about it, like the flour in the northern part of the United States. Our bread was never sour nor soggy, but was coarse grained, with a tendency to dry rapidly. We could not obtain compressed yeast, so we had to do our best with the common dry yeasts.

Not totally discouraged, we concluded to make a start from the very beginning. We set a trap to catch yeast germs from the air. Success crowned this effort—the yeast seemed to be right; but, Would it make good bread from this flour? was the question at issue. Believing the Lord wished to vindicate right principles, we made the trial, and such was the success that we wished to show everybody a loaf. Now after a trial of several months with no failures, we wish to say, to our fellow missionaries who may be having an experience like our early one, that on application we will be glad to write you how to start yeast as we did, or if preferred, will send some of the yeast in dry form, with directions for its use.

To others who may be desirous of trying this new product we will send a trial sample on receipt of five or ten cents, according to quantity desired.

HEALED BY PRAYER.

By Alfred S. Combs

ALFRED S. COMBS.

(Stillwater, O. T.)

For the encouragement of those doing Woman's Gospel work and all others, I would like to make a statement in the REVIEW. For over two years my wife has been a sufferer with tuberculous abscesses. Three physicians pronounced the disease incurable. I had her treated at the Oklahoma City Sanitarium. There Drs. Kellogg and Paulson examined her, and also pronounced the disease incurable. We called in Brother McReynolds, and he anointed her. We returned home, and afterward went to camp-meeting, and there Brethren Shultz, Kilgore, Giddings, and Howard prayed for her; and last winter I sent to those conducting the Woman's Gospel work a request for prayer for her. Sister Irwin wrote me that she would be remembered.

One night at worship, about three months ago, I read a chapter in A. F. Ballenger's book, “Power for Witnessing,” and made some remarks on the power of God in conversion. The power manifested in healing is no greater than that which takes a man in his sins of the blackest dye and makes him as white as snow. Jesus, when on earth, healed the worst cases of physical deformity that came to Him; and His power and willingness are just as great to-day. A canvasser was with us on this occasion; and praise the Lord, such a power came over every one present as we had never felt. After prayer, my wife said, “I believe that my left side (that had been very painful all winter) is healed.” It has never pained her since; and two abscesses in that side began to diminish, and in ten days stopped running, and are now well. Praise the Lord.

THE TRAINING OF CHILDREN.

By Ethan Lanphear

ETHAN LANPHEAR (Plainfield, N. J.)

“TRAIN up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Prov. 22:6.

Probably there is no requirement or command more neglected by parents and guardians than this one, and possibly more children go down to ruin as a result of this neglect than from any other cause, for “as the twig is bent, the tree is inclined.” Many parents, and even professed Christians, are very negligent in the training of their children. Many seem to think that children must sow their wild oats. This is a great mistake. It is a true proverb that “if you sow to the wind, you will reap the whirlwind.”

How should parents teach their children? Teach them that every one should stand for the right, that there is a God in heaven, that He is just and good, and that it is better to obey God’s law than the laws of man.

Every child should be taught to reverence God and His law. Teach the children to have a clean conscience, void of offense toward God and man: teach them to attend church and the Sabbath-school: teach them to reverence good things and good acts; never to speak evil of a good man or woman because some one else does; never to swear, or take the name of God in vain, and never to despise the poor because of their poverty, and that it is wicked to tell an untruth; teach them to remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy; that it was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

How shall parents teach their children all these things?—By always practicing them in the presence of their children. Actions speak louder than words many times. Parents should never say and do things before their children that they would condemn their children for doing. Children acquire habits early and easily, and usually consider it safe to follow the example of their parents. If parents use vulgar and profane language in the presence of their children, the children will use the same. If parents are careless in regard to the Sabbath, the children will be. I have known professed Sabbath-keepers who would occasionally attend Sabbath service in the morning, and visit ball games, wheel races, boat races, or go visiting the rest of the day, and allow their children to go fishing, chestnutting, berrying, or do whatever they pleased all day.

I have such a man in mind now: he would talk in meetings, and pass himself off as a Sabbath observer. He raised quite a family, and every soul of them left the Sabbath. This carelessness in Sabbath observance has been one of the great reasons why Sabbatarians have not made greater growth in the world, and especially in this country. I believe there are more descendants of Sabbath-keepers in the State of New Jersey to-day than there are real Sabbath-keepers.

A professed Sabbath-keeper, when spoken to in regard to his loose manner of keeping the Sabbath, replied, “I guess we keep our Sabbath as well as the Sunday people do theirs.” That very idea of measuring ourselves by other men must surely result in disintegration. Christ should be the pattern for every believer. Sunday-keepers violate no law of God in being slack in their observance of Sunday.

I have visited a city where the professed church-members would attend church in the morning and a bull fight in the afternoon. How much better do some professed Sabbath observers do than this? I have been acquainted with professed Sabbath-keepers all my life—over fourscore years. I have known good Sabbath-keepers, those who kept the Sabbath because God commanded that we should remember it to keep it holy, and rest from our labors the seventh day, as He rested from His creative work. A good Sabbath-keeper will say to his children, at the end of the sixth day’s work: Now, children, our six days’ work is done. The Sabbath is begun. Lay by your playthings and your tools, and gather your books for reading and observing the Sabbath day according as our Father, God, has commanded.

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Do you think such children will leave the Sabbath when they grow up?

PREDIGESTED FOODS.

By L. A. S.

We read much in the newspapers and magazines of to-day about “predigested” foods. These foods are sold by advertisement, and among the recommendations given in the same for a preparation of this kind, one reads the announcement that it requires no work of digestion on the part of the system. It is all ready to be taken up and assimilated into the body without any intermediate process. This is the meaning of “predigested.”

The idea is given that this is a great natural advantage possessed by the preparation in question. It is one great reason why any person, whoever reads the advertisement, should buy and use it. It saves the system a large amount of work which would be required in disposing of food of the ordinary kind. At first glance this strikes the reader favorably, for we are naturally disposed to look with favor upon anything that “saves work.” The world is full of “labor-saving” devices, and the device that will accomplish most in this line usually finds the readiest sale.

But a labor-saving device in the human system is out of place. These predigested foods are very well in their place, as foods for invalids, but they do not belong in the stomach that is healthy. The healthy person who would try to live on such foods would soon get weak. The able-bodied adult wants different work to perform from that suited to the tender child. He must do a man’s work in order to keep strong. And so with the healthy stomach and other organs of digestion; they must have work to do. The stomach is a muscle, and must have exercise

to keep in good condition. Without it, the stomach would become weak and, in time, atrophied. The human system demands work, and the wise person will furnish work to every part of it. Work—exercise—is a part of the law of development. The stomach must have exercise, and this exercise must consist of work performed in the digestion of food.

Comparatively few persons, it is true, have a healthy stomach. Dyspepsia, in one form or another, is the bane of the majority of stomachs in this highly “civilized” land, subjected as they are to the abuse of hastily swallowed meals and the complex dishes of the modern fashionable menu, which should have remained forever uninvented. Simplicity is the demand of the age in the matter of living, and in nothing more than in eating and drinking. For some forms of dyspepsia some predigested foods are probably good; but it is a truth which it should not be necessary to state, that in general, for the promotion of health, there are no prepared foods which can take the place of those given man in the beginning by his Creator. L. A. S.

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