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Signs of the Times, Vol. 5, No. 22.

General Articles

Signs of the Times

Jun 5, 1879

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jun 5, 1879

General Articles.

By Ellen G. White

Deliverance of Peter.

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
The day of Peter's execution was at last appointed; but still the prayers of the believers ascended to Heaven. And while all their energies and sympathies were called out in fervent appeals, angels of God were guarding the imprisoned apostle. Man's extremity is God's opportunity. Peter was placed between two soldiers, and was bound by two chains, each chain being fastened to the wrist of one of his guard. He was therefore unable to move without their knowledge. The prison doors were securely fastened, and a strong guard was placed before them. All chance of rescue or escape, by human means, was thus cut off.
The apostle was not intimidated by his situation. Since his re-instatement after his denial of Christ, he had unflinchingly braved danger, and manifested a noble courage and boldness in preaching a crucified, risen and ascended Saviour. He now called to mind the words of Jesus addressed to him: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not." He believed the time had now come when he was to yield up his life for Christ's sake.
The night before his appointed execution, Peter, bound with chains, slept between the two soldiers, as usual. Herod, remembering the escape of Peter and John from prison, where they had been confined because of their faith, took double precautions on this occasion. The soldiers on guard, in order to secure their extra vigilance, were made answerable for the safe-keeping of the prisoner. He was bound, as has been described, in a cell of massive rock, the doors of which were bolted and barred. Sixteen men were detailed to guard this cell, relieving each other at regular intervals. Four comprised the watch at one time. But the bolts and bars, and Roman guard, which effectually cut off from the prisoner a possibility of human aid, were only to result in making the triumph of God more complete in Peter's deliverance from prison. Herod was lifting his hand against Omnipotence, and he was to be utterly humiliated and defeated in his attempt upon the life of the servant of God.
On this last night before the execution, a mighty angel, commissioned from Heaven, descended to rescue him. The strong gates which shut in the saint of God, open without the aid of human hands; the angel of the Most High enters, and they close again noiselessly behind him. He enters the cell, hewn from the solid rock, and there lies Peter, sleeping the blessed, peaceful sleep of innocence and perfect trust in God, while chained to a powerful guard on either side of him. The light which enveloped the angel illuminated the prison, but did not waken the sleeping apostle. His was the sound repose that invigorates and renews, and that comes of a good conscience.
Peter is not awakened until he feels the stroke of the angel's hand, and hears his voice saying, "Arise up quickly." He sees his cell, which had never been blessed by a ray of sunshine, illuminated by the light of Heaven, and an angel of great glory standing before him. He mechanically obeys the voice of the angel; and in rising lifts his hands, and finds that the chains have been broken from his wrists. Again the voice of the angel is heard: "Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals."
Again Peter mechanically obeys, keeping his wondering gaze riveted upon his heavenly visitant, and believing himself to be dreaming, or in a vision. The armed soldiers are passive as if chiseled from marble, as the angel again commands, "Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me." Thereupon the heavenly being moves toward the door, and the usually talkative Peter follows dumb from amazement. They step over the motionless guard, and reach the heavily bolted and barred door, which swings open of its own accord, and closes again immediately; while the guard within and outside the door are motionless at their posts.
The second gate, which is also guarded within and without, is reached; it opens as did the first, with no creaking of hinges or rattling of iron bolts; they pass without, and it closes again as noiselessly. They pass through the third gateway in the same manner, and at last find themselves in the open street. No word is spoken; there is no sound of footstep; the angel glides on before; encircled by a light of dazzling brightness, and Peter follows his deliverer, bewildered, and believing himself to be in a dream. Street after street is threaded thus, and then, the mission of the angel being completed, he suddenly disappears.
As the heavenly light faded away, Peter felt himself to be in profound darkness; but gradually the darkness seemed to decrease, and as he became accustomed to it, and he found himself alone in the silent street, with the cool night air upon his brow. He now realized that it was no dream or vision that had visited him. He was free, in a familiar part of the city; he recognized the place as one which he had often frequented, and had expected to pass for the last time on the morrow, when upon the way to the scene of his prospective death. He tried to recall the events of the last few moments. He remembered falling asleep, bound between the two soldiers, with his sandals and outer garment removed. He examined his person, and found himself fully dressed, and girded.
His wrists, swollen from wearing the cruel irons, were now free from the manacles, and he realized that his freedom was no delusion, but a blessed reality. On the morrow he was to have been led forth to die; but lo, an angel had delivered him from prison and from death. "And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews."
The apostle made his way direct to the house where his brethren were assembled together for prayer; he found them engaged in earnest prayer for him at that moment. "And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished. But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go show these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place."
Joy and praise filled the hearts of the fasting, praying believers, that God had heard and answered their prayers, and delivered Peter from the hand of Herod. In the morning the people gathered together to witness the execution of the apostle. Herod sent officers to bring Peter from prison with great display of arms and guard, in order to insure against his escape, to intimidate all sympathizers, and to exhibit his own power.
Meanwhile, terror and mortification had seized the Roman guard at the prison, when they found that the prisoner was gone. It had been expressly stated to them that their lives would be answerable for the life of their charge, and for that reason they had been specially vigilant. But the God of Heaven had thwarted the purpose of wicked Herod. There was the guard at the door of the prison, the bolts and bars of the door still fast and strong, the guard inside, the chains attached to the wrists of the two soldiers; but the prisoner was gone.
When the report of these things was brought to Herod, he was exasperated, and charged the keepers of the prison with unfaithfulness. They were accordingly put to death for the alleged crime of sleeping at their post. At the same time, Herod knew that no human power had rescued Peter. But he was determined to acknowledge that a divine power had been at work to thwart his base designs. He would not humiliate himself thus, but set himself boldly in defiance of God.
Herod, not long after Peter's deliverance from prison, went down from Judea to Cesarea, and there abode. He there made a grand festival, designed to excite the admiration and applause of the people. Pleasure-lovers from all quarters were assembled together, and there was much feasting and wine-drinking. Herod made a most gorgeous appearance before the people. He was clad in a robe, sparkling with silver and gold, that caught the rays of the sun in its glittering folds, and dazzled the eyes of the beholders. With great pomp and ceremony he stood before the multitude, and addressed them in an eloquent oration.
The majesty of his appearance, and the power of his well-chosen language, swayed the assembly with a mighty influence. Their senses were already perverted by feasting and wine; they were dazzled by his glittering decorations, and charmed by his grand deportment and eloquent words; and, wild with enthusiasm, they showered upon him adulation, and proclaimed him a god, declaring that mortal man could not present such an appearance, or command such startling eloquence of language. They farther declared that they had ever respected him as a ruler, but from henceforth they should worship him as a god.
These people had refused to acknowledge Christ, whose coarse and often travel-stained garments were worn over a heart of divine love, rich with that inward adorning, a meek and gentle spirit. Their eyes, blinded by sin, refused to see, beneath his humble exterior, the Lord of life and glory, though his mercy and divine power were revealed before them in works that no man could do. But they were ready to bow down and worship, as a god, the haughty king, whose splendid garments of silver and gold were worn over a corrupt and cruel heart. They did not attempt to penetrate his vain display, and read the depravity and deceit of his character, and the wickedness of his daily life.
Herod knew that he deserved none of this praise and homage; yet he did not rebuke the idolatry of the people, but accepted it as his due. The glow of gratified pride was on his countenance as he heard the shout ascend: It is the voice of a god, and not of man! The same voices which now glorified a vile sinner, had, but a few years before, raised the frenzied cry of, Away with Jesus! Crucify him, crucify him! Herod received this flattery and homage with great pleasure, and his heart bounded with triumph; but suddenly a swift and terrible change came over him. His countenance became pallid as death, and distorted with agony; great drops of sweat started from his pores. He stood a moment as if transfixed with pain and terror, then, turning his blanched and livid face to his horror stricken friends, he cried in hollow, despairing tones, He whom you have exalted as a god is struck with death!
He was borne in a state of the most excruciatiag anguish from the scene of wicked revelry, the mirth and pomp, and display of which he now loathed in his soul. A moment before, he had been the proud recipient of the praise and worship of that vast throng—now he felt himself in the hands of a Ruler mightier than himself. Remorse seized him; he remembered his cruel command to slay the innocent James; he remembered his relentless persecution of the followers of Christ, and his design to put to death the apostle Peter, whom God had delivered out of his hands; he remembered how, in his mortification and disappointed rage, he had wreaked his unreasoning revenge upon the keepers of the prisoner, and executed them without mercy. He felt that God, who had rescued the apostle from death, was now dealing with him, the relentless persecutor. He found no relief from pain of body or anguish of mind, and he expected none. Herod was acquainted with the law of God, which says, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," and he knew that in accepting the worship of the people, he had filled up the measure of his iniquity, and had brought upon him the just wrath of God.
The same angel who had left the royal courts of Heaven to rescue Peter from the power of his persecutor, had been the messenger of wrath and judgment to Herod. The angel smote Peter to arouse him from slumber; but it was with a different stroke that he smote the wicked king, bringing mortal disease upon him. God poured contempt upon Herod's pride, and his person, which he had exhibited decked in shining apparel before the admiring gaze of the people, was eaten by worms, and putrefied while yet alive. Herod died in great agony of mind and body, under the retributive justice of God.
This demonstration of divine judgment had a mighty influence upon the people. While the apostle of Christ had been miraculously delivered from prison and death, his persecutor had been stricken down by the curse of God. The news was borne to all lands, and was the means of bringing many to believe on Christ.

OH, LEAVE ME NOT ALONE.

By M. L. Rossvally

My life is fill'd with sad regrets; No peace attends my way; Each day the sun in darkness sets, Oh, hear me Lord, I pray. O let me not in darkness rove, But melt my heart of stone; Accept my faint attempts at love, And fix my heart on things above; "Come Holy Spirit, heavenly dove," Oh, leave me not alone.
Indulgent God of love and power, To thee for help I fly, Be with me at this solemn hour, And hear my contrite sigh. Renew my heart and be my guide To thy celestial throne; Oh, let me see thy wounded side; I come to thee, the crucified; Lord, condescend to be my guide, Oh, leave me not alone.
My heart with inward horror shrinks; I feel this load of sin; Far from the shadow of thy wings, All darkness is within. Now take me Lord into thy care, And melt my heart of stone, My load is more than I can bear, And thou didst not disdain to hear The publican in fervent prayer; Oh, leave me not alone.
I know thou can'st not let me go, Thy blood for me was shed; Now let me sink beneath its flow, And raise me from the dead. And bid me stretch my withered arm To thee, whose love is shown, And grasp thy mantle with its charm To take from death its dread alarm, And then, reclining on thine arm, I shall not be alone. —M. L. Rossvally.

Beautiful Sentiment.

By Nott

I WOULD frown on vice; I would favor virtue--favor whatever would elevate, would exalt, would adorn character, alleviate the miseries of my own species, or contribute to render the world I inhabit, like the heavens to which I looked, a place of innocence and felicity. Though I were to exist no longer than those ephemera that sport in the beams of the summer's morn, during that short hour I would rather soar with the eagle, and leave the record of my flight and my fall among the stars, than to creep in the gutter with the reptile, and bed my memory and my body together in the dunghill. However short my part, I would act it well, that I might surrender my existence without disgrace and without compunction. —Nott.

Departing and Being With Christ.

By John Nevins Andrews

"FOR to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor; yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better; nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you." Phil. 1:21-24.
What did Paul mean by departing?
It is fair to answer this by his words to Timothy: "The time of my departure is at hand." 2 Tim. 4:6. It was his death.
Could he be with Christ by dying?
That depends upon the place to which the dead go.
Where do the dead go?
To sheol or hades, the one of these names being the Hebrew, and the other the Greek, term to designate the place of the dead.
How do you know that the dead go to sheol or hades? The psalmist asks what man there is that can deliver his soul from death and sheol. Ps. 89:48. Jacob, at death, entered sheol. Gen. 37:35; 42:38; 44:29, 31. Korah and his company went down into sheol. Num. 16:30, 33. Job was to be hid in sheol, and wait there till the resurrection. Job 14:13; 17:13. All the wicked go into sheol. Ps. 9:17; 31:17; 49:14. All mankind go there. Ps. 89:48; Eccl. 9:10. (N. B. These words in our English version are sometimes translated grave, and sometimes hell.)
Have you any other proof that the dead are in hades? Yes. When the resurrection occurs, all the righteous, being rescued from death and the place of the dead, triumph over both in most exultant language. 1 Cor. 15:51-55. And at the second resurrection, both death and hades give up the wicked dead. Rev. 20:11-15. Paul did, therefore, enter hades by departing this life.
Did Paul find Christ in hades?
No, indeed. Christ had been there before Paul, but was not there when Paul entered the silent abode of the dead. We have express statements on this point. Peter says that David spoke of Christ's resurrection when he said, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell." (Greek, hades.) And he informs us that at the resurrection of Christ "his soul was not left in hell," or hades. Observe, this is not spoken of his death that his soul was not left in hell; for then it might be evaded as meaning that his soul should not be suffered to enter hades at all. But it is spoken of his resurrection that his soul was not left there. And this proves, beyond dispute, that his soul did enter this abode of the dead, but remained there only till the morning of the third day. Compare Acts 2:25-31; Ps. 16:8-11.
But was not Paul grievously disappointed, on entering the place of the dead, not to meet Jesus there?
There is no reason to believe that he expected to meet him in hades. In fact, there is excellent testimony to show that he looked to a very different occasion for the meeting with Christ. But there was no sadness, gloom, nor disappointment, to Paul in hades. It is a place where there is no knowledge. Eccl. 9:10. Those who enter there have no thoughts. Ps. 146:4.
All is silence, darkness, sleep, rest. The wicked therein are silent in death. Ps. 31:17. The righteous in sheol do not praise God, and do not even remember him to whom they have given their lives to honor. Ps. 6:5; Isa. 38:10-19; Ps. 115:17.
But how sad and gloomy such a prison-house to Paul, and how long and dreary his confinement therein!
To the living the grave may be dark and cold, and the period of waiting may seem long and tedious. But not so to the silent sleeper in his quiet rest. There is no lapse of time to those whose thoughts have perished. There is no gloom to those who "know not anything." Eccl. 9:5. There can be nothing tedious, nor distressing, nor unpleasant to those in hades. In fact, there can be no time to them at all. It is an atom of time, as the twinkling of an eye. Rather, it is simply a blank. This is proved by facts of frequent occurrence. Men receive blows upon the brain which destroy the power of thought. They remain in this condition sometimes for months. When consciousness is restored, thought begins at the very point where it was suspended.
An officer wounded in battle, and remaining months without a thought, when relieved by surgical operation, has arisen in bed and finished the order he was giving when struck down. This shows that to those who have no power of thought, time is annihilated. To Stephen, who fell asleep while gazing upon the glory of Heaven, it will ever be the same as though, without one moment's delay, he had entered it. Acts 7:55-60. And so of many Christians who have had rapturous views of Heaven in the hour of their death. It will never seem to them as though Heaven had even disappeared from their view. In winking we cease to gaze upon that which is before us. It disappears from our view, yet we do not even notice the disappearance of the object. Such is the sleep of death. To the sleeper, it is an imperceptible atom of time, of which he can take no account.
Have you any evidence that Paul did not expect to be with Christ till the resurrection?
Judge for yourself in the light of such words as the following: "If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me IF THE DEAD RISE NOT? let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." 1 Cor. 15:32. If Paul entered Heaven by dying, and by that event was taken to be with Christ where there is fullness of joy, was not this of some advantage to him? Suppose there never should be a resurrection, would not Paul's immortal soul—if he had one—in the felicity of Heaven find something to compensate his cross-bearing life? Indeed, he would were he to enter Christ's presence at death, even though there were no resurrection. But he plainly indicates that if there was to be no resurrection, there would be no reward; a decisive proof that he knew nothing of the entrance into the heavenly city by the gate of death. In fact, had he entertained such an idea, instead of speaking of immediate death as a sad thing if there were no resurrection beyond it, he would have said, "Courage, brethren, to-morrow we die, and that will usher us into our Lord's presence." His words convey, in every respect the opposite idea.
Was there not some point of time to which Paul looked for deliverance and reward? Was this the day of death, or of the coming of Jesus?
There is a certain day which he has emphasized very remarkably. It bears the designation in his epistles of "THAT DAY." It is thus presented:—
1 Thess. 5:2, 4: "For yourselves know perfectly that THE DAY OF THE LORD so cometh as a thief in the night. . . . But ye, brethren, are not in darkness that THAT DAY should overtake you as a thief."
2 Thess. 1:10: "When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in THAT DAY."
2 Thess. 2:1-3: "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition."
2 Tim. 1:12: "For the which cause I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against THAT DAY."
2 Tim. 1:18: "The Lord grant unto him [Onesiphorus] that he may find mercy of the Lord in THAT DAY; and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well."
2 Tim. 4:6-8: "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at THAT DAY; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."
These scriptures do plainly teach the fact that the advent of Jesus was the time to which Paul looked for the deliverance of the saints, for the gathering of himself and all the others to Christ's presence, and for the placing of the crown upon his own head, and upon the heads of all that really love the appearing of Jesus. He refers to the time of this great reward as "THAT DAY." But he marks it over and over in such a manner that we cannot mistake the point of time. It is not the day of his death, but it is the day of the Lord Jesus.
But can you give a text from Paul's writings in which both the time and the manner of the taking of the saints to be with Christ are presented?
The following text is exactly to the point:—
1 Thess. 4:16, 17: "For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
The word "so," in Greek, signifies, "in this manner," or "thus." This text shows with distinctness the time and the manner of meeting the Lord, and being received into his presence. It is indeed a testimony of the same character as that in 2 Thess. 2:1, where the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is made the point for the gathering together of Paul and his brethren to him.
There can be no doubt that this was Paul's hope, but can you confirm it by the words of the Lord Jesus?
If a direct statement of the Saviour will answer, here it is:—
John 14:2, 3: "In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you; and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may also be."
Now observe, 1. Jesus was going away personally. 2. While absent he was to prepare a place for his people. 3. Then he was to come back and receive him. 4. That thus they might be where he was. Then it follows that they cannot be with him till he comes after them. He will not come after them till he has completed the preparation of the place for them. And observe this fact: If they could go to him before he comes after them, they would find the place unprepared for their reception. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. Our Lord has fixed the time and the manner of the saints' being received to be with Christ. It is at his glorious advent.
Then how do you reconcile all these testimonies with the language of Paul, quoted at the head of this article, in which he says, "Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better"? The reconciliation is a matter of difficulty. The departure is by death; the being with Christ is by the resurrection. These are two events, and not one and the same thing. "To depart, AND to be with Christ which is far better." We may illustrate this by a supposition. We will say that Paul, when at Miletus, being very anxious to see the brethren in Jerusalem, and to find rest from the severe labors of the field he had in the face of bitter opposition so long cultivated, used this language: "Having a desire to depart, and to be with James at Jerusalem." No one would misunderstand that language. The departing was one thing; the being with James, another thing at some distance in the future.
Can you illustrate this out of Paul's language relative to the death and appearing of Jesus?
I can give an illustration that meets the point exactly, and that uses one of the very terms of the disputed text. Here is the passage:—
2 Tim. 4:6, 8: "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. . . . Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."
Paul's "departure" was at hand. This was his violent death by the ax of the executioner. But his reward was laid up for him till the day of Christ's appearing. The word "henceforth" covers the period between his departure and his being with Christ.
But might not Paul be with Christ before the appearing of Jesus, though he received not his crown till that time?
No. If being with Christ would be any "advantage" to Paul, it follows from his own words that he could not be with him till the resurrection. 1 Cor. 15:32. He could not be with Christ on his own showing, as we have seen, until Christ comes after him. "So shall we ever be with the Lord." Besides, this text relative to the crown must not be set aside too summarily. A crown implies a throne, a kingdom, and a reign. Paul will not have these things withheld after entering his Lord's presence. But the time to reward the saints, small and great, does not come till after the sounding of the seventh angel. Rev. 11:15, 18. We say, therefore, that 2 Tim. 4:6-8, is a good illustration of Phil. 1:23.
But why should Paul speak of these two events, death and the entrance into Christ's presence, in so closely connected a manner if they are really separated by a long space of time?
Several reasons may be assigned:—
1. The Scriptures often speak of events widely separated in such a manner that the careless reader would suppose them one and the same thing; or at least that they were both to transpire at the same point, or very near to each other.
Heb. 9:27: "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment." But with most men there is a very long space between.
Rev. 2:10: "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
James 1:12: "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." But we know from plain testimony that the crown is not given as soon as man falls in death, but when he rises in the resurrection of the just. 2 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet. 5:4. As a further illustration of the fact that there is need of care in reading the Bible, that we may give everything its proper place, take this text:—
Luke 2:39: "And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned unto Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth." Now, who would suppose that between this performance of all things required by the law when our Lord was eight days of age (see verse 21), and their return into Nazareth, occurred the flight into Egypt? Yet such was the case. Matt. 2. It appears that they returned unto Bethlehem, and were there found of the wise men. Then, at the warning of God, Joseph fled into Egypt, and staid until Herod's death, then returning out of Egypt he was afraid to stop in Bethlehem, and so retired to his old home in Nazareth. But all these things Luke passes over.
2. A second reason for Paul's manner of expression is found in the fact that his death would close his probation, and make it certain that he should be with Christ when Christ comes after his saints.
3. A third reason is that to him it would be the same thing as though death did usher him into Christ's presence. For there would not be even a moment to him between departing and being with Christ.
Paul was in a strait betwixt two. He was now an aged man and a prisoner of Jesus Christ. He had borne the burden of the heat of the day. Being bowed to the earth with burdens, cares, toils, labors, and sufferings, he felt that for himself it was better to die; but when he saw the flock of God contending with Satan, and wrestling for life, he felt that it was needful that he should live yet for a season for their furtherance and joy of faith.
Paul rests in the silence of hades. He is not yet with Christ. But Christ has been in hades, and when he left it, took away the key. Acts 2:31; Rev. 1:18. If the dead should not rise, Paul would have no advantage from all his labor. But Christ shall call, and Paul shall answer. He shall stand up an immortal being. He shall ascend to meet the Lord in the air. The crown shall be placed on his head, And "so" shall he "ever be with the Lord."
J. N. A.
(To be Continued.)

Strength in Prayer.

WOE to that man that trusteth in his own wisdom and strength to overcome the enemy of his soul. While a man must use his own resources to work out his salvation, he must also look to Him whence all our help must come. While he must be watching, the Christian must also be praying. Having to fight with the powers of darkness, we need divine strength. The dragon must be met sometime in our life, and woe is to us if we have to meet him alone. We are in an evil world, with a nature susceptible and responsive to evil suggestions and influences. Hence the necessity of leading a life of prayer, that we be kept near God. Honest prayer will draw us away from the power of temptation. While a little boat fastened to a larger one will not draw the larger boat to itself, but will itself be drawn toward the larger boat; so prayer will lift a man near to God. He who spends much time in prayer and communion with his God, will be dying constantly to the world, but made more alive to Christ and righteousness. Therefore watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation and fall. How sad a fall that is when a soul falls away from grace into sin! Rather lose everything than the heavenly inheritance. For "what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul."—Monthly Itinerant.

Consistency.

LET us remember that whatever unfits us for religious duties, cools the fervor of our devotions, or indisposes us to read our Bible or to pray; whatever we could not engage in with a perfectly clear conscience; wherever the thought of a suffering Saviour or a holy God, and the hour of death or of the day of judgment, falls like a cold shadow on our enjoyment; the pleasures which we cannot thank God for, and on which we cannot ask his blessing—these are not for us.
Continue reading: Many Self-Deceived