Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 9, 1880
General Articles.
By Mrs. E. G. White
THE GREAT REBELLION.
BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
THE terrible judgments of God visited upon the Israelites served to restrain for a time the spirit of murmuring and insubordination, but it was not destroyed, and erelong, as the hosts of Israel turned their faces toward the wilderness, this spirit again appeared. The former rebellions had been mere popular tumults, the result of the sudden impulses of the excited multitude. But now a regular conspiracy was formed, the fruit of a determined purpose to overthrow the authority of the leaders appointed by God himself.
Korah, the leading spirit in this movement, was of the tribe of Levi, and was a man of ability and influence in the congregation. He had for some time cherished a feeling of dissatisfaction, and had been secretly at work against Moses, though he had not ventured to any open act of rebellion. But He who reads the secrets of all hearts had marked the purpose of this ambitious and designing man, and had not left his people without warning and instruction in regard to their duty.
They had seen the wrath of God visited upon Miriam because of her jealousy and complaints against his chosen servant, Moses. The Lord had told them that Moses was greater than a prophet, for God had revealed himself to Moses in a more direct manner than to a prophet. "With him will I speak mouth to mouth." "Wherefore, then," he added, "were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" These instructions were not intended for Aaron and Miriam alone, but for all the congregation of Israel.
God himself had called Moses to the position of governor of that people, and had intrusted to Aaron and his sons the sacred and responsible office of the priesthood. Korah determined that this order should be changed, that he might be raised to the dignity of the priesthood. To insure the accomplishment of his purpose, he induced Dathan and Abiram, of the tribe of Reuben, to join him in his rebellion. They reasoned that being descendants from the eldest son of Jacob, the chief authority, which Moses had usurped, belonged to them; and with Korah they determined to obtain the office of the priesthood.
As the Heaven-appointed, visible leader of the Israelites, Moses had been connected with that people through scenes of peril, and had borne with their discontent, their jealousies, and murmurings, without retaliation, or seeking to be released from his trying position. When the Hebrews were brought into scenes of difficulty or danger, instead of trusting in God, who had done wondrous things for them, they murmured against Moses. The Son of God was the leader of the Israelites, although invisible to the congregation. His presence went before them, and conducted all their travels, while Moses was their visible leader, receiving his directions from the angel, who was Christ himself.
When the armies of Israel prospered, they took all the glory to themselves. When they were tested and proved by hunger, or warfare, they charged all their hardships to Moses. The power of God which was manifested in a remarkable manner in their deliverance from Egypt, and seen from time to time all through their journeyings, should have inspired them with faith, and forever closed their mouths against one expression of ingratitude. But the least apprehension of want, the least fear of danger from any cause, overbalanced the benefits in their favor, and caused them to overlook the blessings received in their times of greatest danger. The judgments visited upon them for their sin in worshiping the golden calf, should have made so deep an impression upon their minds as never to be effaced. But, although the marks of God's displeasure were fresh before them in their broken ranks and missing numbers because of their repeated offenses against the Angel who was leading them, they did not take these lessons to their hearts, and by faithful obedience redeem their past failure, and again they were overcome by the temptations of Satan. The best efforts of the meekest man upon the earth could not quell their insubordination. The unselfish interest of Moses was rewarded with jealousy, suspicion, and calumny. His humble shepherd's life was far more peaceful and happy than his present position as pastor of that vast congregation of turbulent spirits. Their unreasonable jealousies were more difficult to manage than the fierce wolves of the wilderness. Moses dared not choose his own course and do as best pleased himself. He had left his shepherd's crook at God's express command, and in its place had been given him a rod of power. He dared not lay down this scepter and resign his position, till God should dismiss him.
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, were men who, by God's appointment, had been intrusted with special honors. They had been of the number who went up with Moses into the mount, and beheld the glory of God. They saw the glorious light which covered the divine form of Jesus Christ. The bottom of this cloud was in appearance "like the paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of Heaven in its clearness." These men were in the presence of the glory of the Lord, and did eat and drink without being destroyed by the purity and unsurpassed glory that was reflected upon them. But a change had come. A temptation, slight at first, had been harbored, and had strengthened as it was encouraged, until the imagination was controlled by the power of Satan. These men upon the most frivolous pretense ventured upon their work of disaffection. They first whispered their doubts to each other, and then to the leading men of Israel, professing to have great interest in the prosperity of the people. Their words were received so readily by many minds that they ventured still farther, and at last these deluded souls really thought that they had a zeal for the Lord in this matter. A little leaven of distrust, and of dissension, envy, and jealousy, was leavening the camp of Israel.
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram first commenced their cruel work upon the men to whom God had intrusted sacred responsibilities. They were successful in alienating two hundred and fifty princes, famous in the congregation, men of renown. With these strong and influential men in their cause, they felt sure of making a radical change in the order of things. They thought they could transform the government of Israel, and greatly improve the administration of Moses and Aaron.
God had honored the Levites to do service in the tabernacle, because they took no part in making and worshiping the golden calf, and because of their faithfulness in executing the divine judgment upon the idolaters. To the Levites was assigned the office of erecting the tabernacle, and encamping around it, while the hosts of Israel pitched their tents at a distance from the sacred building. And when they journeyed, the Levites took down the tabernacle, and bore it, and the ark, and all the other articles of furniture. Because God thus honored the Levites, they became ambitious for still higher office, that they might obtain greater influence with the congregation. "And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them; wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?"
There is nothing which will please the people better than to be praised and flattered when they are in wrong and darkness, and deserve reproof. Korah gained the attention of the people, and next their sympathies, by representing Moses as an overbearing leader. He said that Moses was too harsh, too exacting and dictatorial, and that he reproved the people as though they were sinners, when they were a holy people, and the Lord was among them. Korah rehearsed the incidents in their experience in their travels through the wilderness, where they had been brought into strait places, and where many of them had died because of murmuring and disobedience, and with their perverted senses they thought they saw very clearly that all their trouble might have been saved if Moses had pursued a different course. He was too unyielding, too exacting, and they decided that all their disasters in the wilderness were chargeable to Moses. Korah, the leading spirit, professed great wisdom in discerning the true reason for their trials and affliction.
In this work of disaffection there was greater harmony and union between these discordant elements, in their views and feelings, than had ever been known to exist before. Korah's success in gaining the larger part of the congregation of Israel on his side, led him to feel confident that he was wise and correct in judgment, and that Moses was indeed usurping authority that threatened the prosperity and salvation of Israel. He claimed that God had opened the matter to him, and laid upon him the burden of changing the government of Israel before it was too late. He stated that the congregation was not at fault; they were righteous. *This great cry about the murmuring of the congregation bringing upon them the wrath of God was all a mistake. The people only wanted to have their rights; they wanted individual independence. As a sense of the self-sacrificing patience of Moses would force itself upon their memories, and as his disinterested efforts in their behalf while they were in the bondage of slavery, would come before them, their consciences would be somewhat disturbed. Some were not wholly with Korah in his views of Moses, and sought to speak in his behalf. The men, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, must assign some reason before the people for Moses' doing as he had done in showing so great an interest from the first for the congregation of Israel.
Their selfish minds, which had been debased as Satan's instruments, suggest that they have at last discovered the object of Moses' apparent interest. He had designed to keep them wandering in the wilderness until they all, or nearly all, should perish, and he should come into possession of their property.
398Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and the two hundred and fifty princes who had joined them, first became jealous, then envious, and next rebellious. They had talked in regard to Moses' position as ruler of the people, until they imagined that it was a very enviable one, which any of them could fill as well as Moses. And they gave themselves up to discontent until they really deceived themselves and one another, in thinking that Moses and Aaron had placed themselves in the position which they occupied. They said that Moses and Aaron exalted themselves above the congregation of the Lord, in taking upon them the priesthood and government, and that this office should not be conferred on their house alone; it was sufficient for them if they were on a level with their brethren; for they were no more holy than the people, who were equally favored with God's peculiar presence and protection.
As Moses listened to the words of Korah, he was filled with anguish. He had not suspected the depth or breadth of the plot these men had laid, and without answering them a word he fell upon his face and offered a humble, silent appeal to God for help. He arose, braced for duty, and strengthened for trial. The law was very explicit that only those who had in a most solemn manner been ordained to the office, could minister as priest before the Lord. Nadab and Abihu, having unfitted themselves for this sacred work by the use of wine, were immediately destroyed. "And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to-morrow the Lord will show who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him, even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him. This do: take your censers, Korah, and all his company; and put fire therein, and put incense in them before the Lord to-morrow; and it shall be that the man whom the Lord doth choose, he shall be holy; ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi. And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi. Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee; and seek ye the priesthood also? For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?" Aaron had assumed no office of himself; God had placed him in the sacred office.
Dathan and Abiram replied, "Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of the land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? Moreover, thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards; wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up."
They accused Moses of being the cause of their failure to enter the promised land. They said that God had not dealt with them thus. He had not said that they should die in the wilderness. Moses, not the Lord, had said this, and it was all arranged by Moses never to bring them to the land of Canaan. They said that he had led them from a land flowing with milk and honey. In their blind rebellion they forgot their sufferings in the land of Egypt, and the desolating plagues brought upon that land. They now accuse Moses of bringing them from a good land, to kill them in the wilderness, that he might be enriched with their possessions. They inquired of Moses in an insolent manner if he thought they would all submit to be led about like blind men as he pleased, sometimes toward Canaan, then back again toward the Red Sea and Egypt. These words they spoke before the congregation, and they utterly refused any longer to acknowledge the authority of Moses and Aaron.
Moses was greatly moved at these unjust accusations. In the presence of all the people he appealed to God as witness to the purity of his motives, and the integrity of his conduct, and implored the Lord to be his judge. The people in general were disaffected, and were influenced by the misrepresentations of Korah. "And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord, thou, and they, and Aaron, to-morrow; and take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the Lord every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer. And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron."
Korah and his company, who aspired to the priesthood in their self-confidence, even ventured to take the censers and to stand in the door of the tabernacle with Moses. Korah had cherished his envy and rebellion until he was self-deceived, and he really thought the congregation were righteous, and that Moses was a tyrannical ruler. The people, flattered by their rebellious leaders, had been led to believe that all their troubles originated with Moses, who was continually reminding them of their sins. They thought that if Korah could lead them, and encourage them, and dwell upon their righteous acts instead of reminding them of their failures, they would have a very peaceful, prosperous journey, and he would without doubt lead them, not back and forward in the wilderness, but into the promised land.
Korah, in his presumptuous blindness, gathered all the congregation of Israel against Moses and Aaron "unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation. And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side; and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children. And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind. If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me. But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit, then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord."
As soon as Moses ceased speaking, the earth opened and swallowed them up, and their tents, and all that pertained unto them. They went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the congregation.
As the children of Israel heard the cry of the perishing ones, they fled to a great distance from them. They knew that they were in a measure guilty, for they had received the accusations against Moses and Aaron, and they were afraid that they should also perish with them. The judgment of God was not yet finished. A fire came from the cloud of glory and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
These were princes; that is, men generally of good judgment, and of influence in the congregation, men of renown. They were highly esteemed, and their judgment had often been sought in difficult matters. But they were affected by a wrong influence, and became envious, jealous, and rebellious. They perished not with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, because they were not the first in rebellion. They were to see their end first, and have an opportunity of repenting of their crime. But they were not reconciled to the destruction of those wicked men, and the wrath of God came upon them, and destroyed them also.
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed. The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed; and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel." And Eleazar did as the Lord commanded, and made a covering for the altar out of the brazen censers wherewith they that were burnt had offered incense, that it might be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger not of the seed of Aaron, should offer incense before the Lord lest he be consumed as was Korah and his company.
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### THE
TARRY THOU THE LORD'S PLEASURE.
Hast thou, dear soul, an ardent wish,
A longing, still unsatisfied?
Dost thou besiege the throne of grace,
And feel thou canst not be denied?
In patience rest upon His word—
Tarry the pleasure of the Lord!
And thou, poor soul, by foes beset!
Do cares and burdens sorely press?
In sickness, solitude and pain,
Is naught thy portion but distress?
In faith still wait upon His word—
Tarry the pleasure of the Lord!
And thou, sad soul, aweary quite
Of all this conflict we call life?
And dost thou long for friendly death
To put an end to all thy strife?
Patient and faithful, trust His word—
Tarry the pleasure of the Lord!
—Selected.
THE PARABLE OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS.
By William Henry Littlejohn
BY ELDER W. H. LITTLEJOHN.
(Continued.)
NOR will his objections to the Jewish conception of the locality of the dead rest altogether upon considerations of taste and desirability. To his mind the whole plan will appear to be radically defective. The very notion of confining disembodied spirits by a surrounding of earthen walls, will, if he be a disciple of the modern theory of the capabilities of such spirits, seem to be preposterous in the extreme. Has he not been taught that the souls of the departed—being of essence, and not of substance—will find no obstruction in walls of adamant or iron, much less in superincumbent strata of earth? Why, then, he will say, do they not escape through the overlying hills away from the torments of hell fire? Should it be declared that the fiat of Jehovah prevents, he will ask: "If it be the fiat which produces the restraint, then where the need of the walls of this hideous cavern?"399
Once more: accepting as he has the current notion that the soul is so completely volatile that to it all space is practically annihilated, he will inquire incredulously as to the practicability of separating the righteous from the wicked by a gulf so narrow that the voice could traverse it and the eye span it. He will fail to discover that any advantage could spring from bringing into such close proximity, for so long a period, persons whose characters and conditions are so widely discordant as those of the redeemed and the lost. While he could conceive that a highly important moral lesson might be taught to the inhabitants of the universe by allowing them to witness, for a brief space of time, the execution on a stupendous scale of God's wrath upon evil-doers, he will readily perceive that were such a spectacle continued for a period of time as long as that during which hades has had an existence (if it ever existed at all) it could not fail to blunt the sensibilities, and become repugnant to the tastes, of persons constructed upon the human model. He will also find it difficult to determine how it can be that immaterial souls can be caused to suffer anguish through contact with material fire. And while he can readily perceive that in the resurrection persons clothed as they will be then with substantial bodies might be punished in the lake of fire for the sins committed in this life, he will fail to see how, previous to that time, it would be possible to inflict upon them—admitting the existence and nature of souls, as claimed—anything like physical suffering, or anything more than that anguish which proceeds from remorse of conscience or utter despair.
Finally, putting aside all questioning as to the reason why the entrance to this lower region has never been discovered, and what utility there can be in gates and bars where the passers to and fro are possessed of etherial and not corporeal organisms, he will be struck with the remarkable inadaptation, in nearly every particular, of the place to the purpose for which it was created. When he considers the condition and circumstances of Cain, who, as it is alleged, has for six thousand years been incarcerated in this gloomy prison-house, suffering, not only the torments which originate in the maddening thought of blood-guiltiness, but also writhing from the excruciating tortures inflicted by the fiery breath which sweeps over him, he will ask: "By what law of compensation can a murderer of this day, of equal guilt, be made, in the ages to come, to suffer as much as Cain will have suffered for the same offense at any given point of time?"
Furthermore, as he reads of the great white throne, and the dead, small and great, standing before that throne in order that each may receive the reward due to the deeds done in the body, he will inquire, Was Peter right when he said that God knew how to reserve the unjust into the day of Judgment to be punished? Or was he mistaken, since God has not only virtually judged the men in hades long since, but has for thousands of years been punishing many of them
in the flames of hell? Was John right in locating the lake of fire, not in the center of the earth, but upon its surface; not within the subterranean vault where the Jews placed it, but upon the external portion; supplying its fires, not from beneath, but having them descend in an awful tempest of wrath "from God out of heaven," devouring the wicked (Rev. 20:9), purifying this globe, and leaving it renewed, and beautified as never before, to be the eternal residence of the saints (2 Pet. 2:7, 13), not marred by the presence of sin or of sinners, internally or externally? Rev. 5:13.
But enough. Time and space will not allow the presentation of one-half the difficulties which would confront the man of fearless and candid thought who should attempt the task of reconciling his judgment to the endorsement of a literal hades. So numerous and so grave are these, that we believe, if weighed with a sincere desire to reach the truth, no man, if free from bias and the trammels of preconceived opinion, could hesitate for a moment in deciding that Christ never intended to teach the actual existence of such a place as hades or Abraham's bosom. But let this fact be conceded, and, of course, the personal presence therein of Dives, Lazarus, and Abraham ceases to be historically true. With the overthrow, however, of the supposed presence of these persons in the land of spirits, fall to the ground all deductions from the parable to prove that there is such a thing as the consciousness of the soul independent of the body; since, if Dives, Lazarus, and Abraham were not proven by the words of Christ to live after death, the existence of others cannot be inferred from that of these men. So far, therefore, as the parable is concerned, the question of the immortality of the soul is not materially affected thereby.
Nor is this surprising when we reflect for a moment that Christ, as we have already seen, was addressing the Pharisees, and that his object in so doing was to impart instruction of a definite kind on another point. It would have been a work of supererogation for him to try to prove to these men the existence of hades, or of the intermediate state. These they already believed in. The time was not favorable for an attack upon these errors; but it was propitious for their correction upon a point of doctrine most pernicious in its character. That was the property question. This was the point and burden of his remarks. Even Abraham is made to illustrate this fact. In his address to Dives he did not dilate upon the importance of believing in the conscious state of the dead, but he said: "Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." Luke 16:25. This, you will see, as has been intimated, was the real lesson which the Pharisees needed to learn. Property, they must be taught, was not the credential of divine favor. And in what a masterly manner did the Lord indoctrinate them on this subject. How complete was his victory, and how triumphant his demonstration. Out of their own mouths, and in the use of their own tenets, he brought both conviction and silence. With one strategic movement he brought to his feet, in the presence of the admiring multitude, the pride and wisdom of those crafty men whom he had completely entangled in a net which they themselves had woven. The pages of history will be searched in vain for another instance where, in so few words, and with so little effort, the wisdom of this world was ever so completely emptied of all its proud pretensions.
In the use of no other plan of attack than that adopted by our Lord, could such complete and brilliant success have resulted. Had he employed any other style of logic than that of a parable in the form of an argument ad hominem, triumph would have been more tardy and less perfect. Had he, for example, scrupulously adhered to exact verity in all the accessories to the parable which he employed, regardless of the opinions of the men he was addressing, discussion might have arisen as to the propriety or taste in using such accessories, and a diversion might have been created for the moment which would have afforded the Pharisees an opportunity to throw dust into the eyes of the people by skillfully drawing attention from the main point of the parable to these imperfections inhering in its structure. To avoid this, therefore, he carefully limited himself to the use of just such characters, and the mention of just such places, as every man before him would readily admit might have an existence, although in fact they were not realities.
(Concluded next week.)
A PARALLEL FOUND.
By R. F. Cottrell
CHRIST was accused of his enemies of breaking the Sabbath. And many in our day have laid hold of and repeated this accusation, as one of their best arguments for the abolition of the Sabbath. We have thought that their audacity in reiterating the false accusation of the enemies of Jesus, to justify their no-Sabbathism, was without a parallel; but we were mistaken; as the following extract from history will show.
"The Bishop Natalis, of Salona in Dalmatia, had been guilty of gross sensuality, and had utterly neglected the duties of his office. He had enriched his relatives with presents of gold and silver vessels belonging to the church, and had wasted much of its revenue in luxurious banqueting. Gregory sharply reproved him, and threatened him with suspension from office. Natalis had the audacity to defend his excesses by alleging that he followed the example of Christ, who was called 'a gluttonous man.'"
The two cases are perfectly parallel, only that the Saviour defended himself against the charge of Sabbath-breaking, claiming that what was done was "lawful" to be done on the Sabbath day, that is, in perfect harmony with the Sabbath law, and therefore no violation of it; whereas, the charge of gluttony he made no effort, as far as is revealed, to repel. The Bishop may have argued that the fact of his not repelling the charge was an evidence of its truth; but this subterfuge is not left open to the enemies of the Sabbath.
R. F. COTTRELL.
WHAT HAS IT DONE FOR YOU?
AFTER a noted skeptic had concluded one of his infidel lectures in a village in the north of England, he challenged those present to discussion. Who should accept the challenge but an old, bent woman, in most antiquated attire, who went up to the lecturer and said:—
“Sir, I have a question to put to you.”
“Well, my good woman, what is it?”
“Ten years ago,” she said, “I was left a widow, with eight children utterly unprovided for, and nothing to call my own but this Bible. By its direction, and looking to God for strength, I have been enabled to feed myself and family. I am now tottering to the grave; but I am perfectly happy, because I look forward to a life of immortality with Jesus in Heaven. That’s what my religion has done for me. What has your way of thinking done for you?”
“Well, my good lady,” rejoined the lecturer, “I don’t want to disturb your comfort; but—”
“Oh! that’s not the question,” interposed the woman; “keep to the point, sir. What has your way of thinking done for you?”
The infidel endeavored to shirk the matter again; the feeling of the meeting gave vent to uproarious applause, and the skeptic had to go away discomfited by an old woman.
Let us change the picture. The mother of Hume, the infidel philosopher, was once a professor of Christianity. Dazzled by the genius of her son, she apostatized from her early faith, and followed him into the mazes of skepticism. Years passed, and she drew near the gates of death, and from her dying bed wrote to him the following pathetic letter:—
“MY DEAR SON:—My health has failed me. I am in a deep decline. I cannot long survive.
“My philosophy affords me no comfort in my distress. I am left without the hopes and consolations of religion, and my mind is sinking into a state of despair.
“You can afford me some substitute for the loss of the hopes of religion. I pray you hasten home to console me, or, at least, write to me the consolations that philosophy affords at the dying hour.”
Such are the straits into which infidelity leads its votaries. To them death is at best but a leap in the dark, and they shrink with fear lest it be a leap into “the blackness of darkness forever and ever.” Said the learned and courted infidel Voltaire:—
“In man, there is more wretchedness than in all animals put together. He loves life, and yet he knows that he must die. If he enjoys a transient good, he suffers various evils, and is at last devoured by worms. This knowledge is his fatal prerogative; other animals have it not.
“The bulk of mankind is nothing more than a crowd of wretches equally criminal and unfortunate, and the globe contains carcasses rather than men. I tremble at the review of this dreadful picture, to find that it contains a complaint against Providence itself, and I wish I had never been born.”
This is the best that infidelity can do for man. Listen now to the words of a dying Christian. Said the godly Hallyburton:—
“I shall shortly get a very different sight of God from what I have ever had, and shall be meet to praise him forever. What a wonder that I enjoy such composure under all of my bodily pains, and in view of death itself! What a mercy that, having the use of my reason, I can declare his goodness to my soul! I bless his name, I have found him, and die rejoicing in him. Blessed be God that ever I was born.”
—Christian.
STRONG OR WEAK MEN.
By Robertson
WE mistake strong feeling to be strong character. A man who bears all before him—before whose frown domestics tremble and whose bursts of fury make the children of the house quake—because he has his will obeyed, and his own way in all things, we call him a strong man. The truth is, that is a weak man; it is his passions that are strong; he, mastered by them, is weak. You must measure the strength of a man by the power of the feelings he subdues, not by the power of those which subdue him. And hence composure is very often the highest result of strength.
Did we never see a man receive a flat grand insult, and only grow a little pale and then reply quietly? That was a man spiritually strong. Or did we never see a man in anguish, stand as if carved out of the solid rock, mastering himself? Or one bearing a hopeless daily trial, remain silent and never tell the world what it was that cankered his home peace? That is strength. He who, with strong passions, remains chaste—he who, keenly sensitive, with manly power of indignation in him, can be provoked, yet can restrain himself and forgive—these are strong men, spiritual heroes.—Robertson.
The Folly of Selfishness
By Methodist Recorder
It is strange that so many people are so foolish, always standing in their own light, and doing things to their own injury! But there are just such people. They are so selfish that their greed becomes apparent to every one, and they lose the respect of those who might otherwise promote their interests; or they entertain such exalted opinions of themselves, that their vanity becomes insufferable and subjects them to contempt; or they are so ambitious to be considered great that they become jealous of others, betraying the meanness of their spirit, and thereby defeating their object; or they are so anxious to accomplish a selfish purpose that they resort to all kinds of scheming and underhanded movements in order to succeed, that when discovered, as they always are, they are covered with confusion. Such persons should remember that there are other people in the world, and that they are entitled to some consideration as well as themselves; and they should not permit their selfishness, nor vanity, nor ambition, nor any pet scheme of their own, to make them think that it matters not who sinks, so they swim.
A mean man does not care who he pulls down, so he gets up. But a man of noble soul seeks to rise and to lift up others with him. And yet so many people are so foolish as to think the only way to succeed is to be continually grabbing for self, and shutting out others from their consideration and sympathies! Poor, foolish people! The Lord don't think much of them.—Methodist Recorder.
Taking Things Quietly
EVERY one has a welcome for the person who has the good sense to take things quietly. The person who can go without her dinner and not advertise the fact; who can lose her purse and keep her temper; who makes light of a heavy weight, and can wear a shoe that pinches without anyone being the wiser; who does not magnify the splinter in her finger into a stick of timber, nor the mote in her neighbor's eye into a beam; who swallows bitter words without leaving the taste in other people's mouths; who can give up her own way without giving up the ghost; who can have a thorn in the flesh and yet not prick all her friends with it—such a one surely carries a passport into the good graces of mankind.