Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 7, 1869
A FALSE HOPE.
By I. D. Van Horn
UNIVERSAL salvation to eternal life of the whole human race, is a false hope. The Saviour has borne a decisive testimony against it. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John iii, 36. Two classes are here brought to view, the believer and the unbeliever; and the contrast is drawn between them. The believers find life; but the unbelievers do not even see life. This cannot mean the present life, for both enjoy this; therefore it must be the future, eternal life. No one, I think, will deny this point.
Adam had life and death set before him in the garden of Eden. He had his choice, which made him a moral agent, and accountable to God, to be obedient and live, or be disobedient and die. The sad history of the world in the past, shows too plainly which he did. He sinned, and the result was, death to himself and to all his posterity. Rom. v, 12. If the parents possess a dying nature, the children cannot rise any higher in the scale of being, and, therefore, must possess the same. This explains the reason why the little innocent child suffers the pains of disease, and writhes in the agonies of death, as well as the veriest rebel against the government of God.
But, after the fall of Adam, a Saviour was promised, and another opportunity was given for man to obtain everlasting life. Salvation through Christ is now the only hope for man. Universalists believe this last expression; but they extend it to the whole race of mankind, irrespective of character. In this there is a fatal mistake. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John iii, 16. It is only the believer in Jesus that will receive the future life; all the rest will perish. Again Jesus says: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven.” Matt. vii, 21. How, then, can any one be saved that does not perform the will of the Father? The truth is, we must obey God, or be destroyed by his wrath.
But there are a few texts of Scripture upon which the Universalist leans to support his theory, some of which he will quote: “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” 1 John iv, 14. “And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” Chap. ii, 2. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” Heb. ii, 9. “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Tim. ii, 3-6. “Therefore, as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” Rom. v, 18. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” 1 Cor. xv, 22.
Now if the above quotations of Scripture are taken in an absolute sense, without any reference to other portions of the divine word which are of equal authority, we array the Bible against itself, and thus destroy its divine origin. Let us take one of the above quotations and try it. “Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” Rom. v, 18. Now, if this means justification to eternal life, without respect to our character here, then it conflicts directly with what the same writer has said in 2 Thess. i, 7-9: “And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” When our theory or opinion conflicts with any doctrine of the Bible, either our theory is wrong, or the Bible, one of the two. “Let God be true, but every man a liar.” Rom. iii, 4. All these texts can be explained, and made to harmonize with other portions of the word, by the following reasoning:
Adam and his posterity die because of his sin. Rom. v, 12. Jesus, the second Adam, introduces the plan of salvation to save man from his fallen state. In order to do this, he must take the penalty of Adam’s sin upon himself, and “taste death for every man.” Heb. ii, 9. He has bought back, by his blood, the life of Adam and all his posterity; for, had he not died and risen again, the consequences of Adam’s sin would have been eternal. 1 Cor. xv, 16-18. But now there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and of the unjust. Acts xxiv, 15. Jesus brings all, both righteous and wicked, from their graves. John v, 28, 29. The life they lost by Adam’s transgression is restored to them again by the Saviour. 1 Cor. xv, 22. In this we can see that Jesus is the Saviour of all men. All were condemned to death by the offense of Adam, but, by the righteousness of Christ, all will receive the free gift of life (not eternal life) by being raised from the dead.” Rom. v, 18.
The gift of immortality and eternal life is bestowed only on those who seek for it; but the wicked receive, as their portion in the Judgment, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish. Rom. ii, 5-9. The righteous are raised to everlasting life, but the wicked to damnation. John v, 29. The righteous shout the victory over death because they are made immortal, 1 Cor. xv, 51-55; but the wicked fall in the second death, which holds an eternal victory over them. Rev. xx, 14, 15. There cannot be a second death unless there has been a death previous to it; and those who die the first death, cannot die the second, unless they have a resurrection from the first. The whole human race suffer the first death because of Adam’s transgression. All are brought back from this death by the resurrection, which is given to us in the plan of salvation through Christ. Those who confess and forsake their sins, and through the merits of Christ’s blood get them remitted, will receive the gift of immortality in the resurrection; but those who do not secure the favor of God through Christ, will be raised, only to suffer the second death for their own sins. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Eze. xviii, 20. Let us turn from our evil ways and live. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. vi, 23.
I. D. VAN HORN.
THE CASE OF UZZAH.
By GEO. L. BUTLER.
“And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it: for the oxen shook it [margin, stumbled]. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.” 2 Sam. vi, 6, 7.
At the first thought this might seem to be a case where God exercised undue severity. It would seem to be a very natural act on the part of Uzzah, when the oxen stumbled and shook the cart, endangering the safety of the precious ark of God, for him to put forth his hand and steady it, since he was one to whom its care was committed. David was evidently of this opinion, for the record adds: he “was displeased” and forbore to remove it further, but left it at the house of Obededom, where it remained three months.82
We can well imagine this death must have produced a great sensation. David had taken the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand in number, besides a host of other people, and had gone to bring up the ark of God, which had been away in the land of the Philistines, to his own city. This was a great national rejoicing. King David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.” 1 Chron. xiii, 8. In the midst of these impressive services, Uzzah was smitten. All this rejoicing ceased in a moment. What a change must have come over that great concourse of people. No wonder that “David was afraid of God that day,” verse 12. This circumstance caused David to do just what he should have done before: to consider the directions God had given in regard to carrying the ark.
The king seeing the blessings that came to the house of Obededom in consequence of the ark’s abiding there, is desirous of obtaining these blessings himself, and so determines still to bring it to his city, Jerusalem. Before doing so, however, he calls the fathers of the Levites together, and said to them: “Sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it. For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us for that we sought him not after the due order.” 1 Chron. xv, 12, 13.
Here we see it was not merely a momentary thoughtlessness on the part of Uzzah that caused his death, but a neglect of preparation. Let us see in what this neglect consisted:
1. It may be reasonably doubted, from the circumstances mentioned in this scripture and the connection, whether Uzzah was one of those to whom the care of the ark was committed by the law, for the second time David calls upon the heads of the Levite families to act in the matter. The Douay version distinctly intimates this.
2. The carrying of the ark upon the cart was contrary to the law of Moses. “Thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.” Ex. xxv, 14. “And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it.” Num. iv, 15. Kohath was one of the sons of Levi. The descendants of each of the three sons of Levi, had their peculiar offices in the service of the tabernacle; the care of the sacred furniture of the sanctuary belonging to the Kohathites, and they were to bear it upon their shoulders. We learn in Num. vii, 6–9, the other Levites were to have wagons to assist them in carrying their burdens, “but unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear it upon their shoulders.” Verse 9. Thus we see Uzzah was acting contrary to the express directions of God, in assisting to carry the ark on a cart drawn by oxen.
3. He put forth his hand to steady the ark. The law said, “they shall not touch any holy thing lest they die.” Num. iv, 15. Here was another command of God transgressed.
4. It seems probable that some previous duties of preparation in sanctifying themselves, were also neglected, and that they entered upon this solemn work in a thoughtless manner.
Here we see very plainly that Uzzah was not smitten for a momentary thoughtlessness, but for neglect and disobedience of positive directions. It would rather seem that because the ark had been brought from Philistia on a cart drawn by cattle, under God’s evident direction, that the rulers of Israel presumed to follow the precedent, instead of the plain directions of the law. If so they failed to realize the difference in the circumstances. In the first case there were no priests or Levites to carry it upon their shoulders. It was certainly an exceptional case. When those circumstances were changed, and there was nothing to hinder their following the written directions God had given, they had no right to disregard them. But God seemed to spare Uzzah thus far, and even allow him to act thus without any special marks of his displeasure. He had given no threat of a penalty for this. But when he presumed to go further, and touch the holy things, of which God had said, “Thou shalt not touch them lest ye die,” he saw that it was necessary to make an example of him, lest others should be emboldened to change the “due order” he had arranged, and many become sinners. Thus we see instead of this being an evidence of severity in God, it is rather an evidence of his mercy. God is declared to be a “jealous God,” that is one who is deeply solicitous of his honor and his word. This case is a wonderful instance of it. God does not pursue the course many parents do, and threaten many times but never perform. He shows by such instances as this, that he means just what he says. This is always merciful in the long run. It was merciful in this case. The next time David undertook to bring the ark, the priests being sanctified and carrying the ark after the “due order,” on their shoulders, it was brought to the place with due solemnity and great rejoicing. “And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded, according to the word of the Lord.” 1 Chron. xv, 15.
And that one instance of swift punishment, no doubt left its impress upon thousands of minds, never to be effaced, and it doubtless was the cause of the salvation of precious souls. This case should ever make us realize that God means what he says. And when I hear people argue that God is not particular in reference to the Sabbath, that any day is just as good as the one he has blessed and sanctified, while admitting that the command requires the seventh, but keeping another for convenience’ sake, following the precedent of poor fallible men, yet knowing God has set apart one day he calls his own, I often think of poor misguided Uzzah, and the terrible breach God made upon him before the assembled thousands of Israel. GEO. L. BUTLER.
Sigourney, Iowa, July 26, 1869.
PATIENCE
By Mary E. Guilford
Patience, may I obtain this grace;
Patience, to win the Christian race;
Patience, to bear each earthly ill;
Patience, to do God's holy will.
Patience, though anguish rend my heart;
Patience, though earthly friends depart;
Patience, though they may scorn, deride;
Patience, whatever may betide.
Patience, to bear my daily cross;
Patience, though I may suffer loss;
Patience, though writhing under pain;
Patience, 't will bring eternal gain!
Patience, though trials press me sore;
Patience, though grief my cup run o'er;
Patience amid the toils of life;
Patience, to cease from worldly strife.
Patience, in every trying hour;
Patience, to baffle Satan's power;
Patience, the victory to gain;
Patience, to conquer in Christ's name.
Patience makes hope spring up anew;
Patience will cheer life's journey through;
Patience will calm the troubled breast;
Patience will guide to heavenly rest.
Patience! my soul, time's almost o'er;
Patience! soon thou wilt weep no more;
Patience! Christ's coming draweth nigh;
Patience! soon thou wilt dwell on high.
MARY E. GUILFORD.
Castalia, Ohio.
ALWAYS ON THE WRONG SIDE.
By Sarah A. H. Lindsay
On all subjects there is many times a disagreeable diversity of opinion; not because the truth is beyond reach, but because of the selfishness of the human heart in pursuit of present happiness and convenience. Hence there is, and always has been since the commencement of our probation, a sharp contest between truth and error. Truth leads in one direction. God is its author (John xvii), and Jesus Christ is its representative. John xiv, 6. Error is opposed to truth. Satan is its author. Gen. iii, 1, 4. It chooses no one path, but branches off in all directions, like the radii of a circle from one common center; and we find classes of professed followers of Jesus Christ turned back to back, pursuing opposite courses, facing all points of the compass, so to speak, all bound, they say, for the celestial city.
It is the misfortune of some, through lack of discernment, or other graces of the Spirit, to be always on the side of error. If the truth has found, and, for a time, swayed, them by its convincing power and beauty, by-and-by they begin, more and still more heavily, to lean toward the other side.
I have heard one repeat for the twentieth time, or thereabout, “Oh! it is a great thing to be a Christian—we ought to throw away our idols—time is short,” &c. Let us follow him out into the world, thence into his own dwelling. We discover no evidences of a reform. He is close and exacting in his deal, self-indulgent in his habits of eating and drinking—error, like the Papacy, grants indulgences. Solicit his name for the Systematic Benevolence book, he consents, perhaps, to put down six cents per week, though he values his property at several thousand dollars. Surely, God will, in due time, bring such to their figures.
Another unfortunate class cannot, or will not, receive reproof; and more unfortunate still, the straight testimony always hits them. Said an esteemed brother of a place where he had expended much labor: “This has been the hardest place in which to preach that I have ever found, because I could not preach without hitting somebody.” The servant of God is required not only to preach the word, but to be instant in season and out of season; to reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine (2 Tim. iv, 2); but to see one ready to fly into pieces at the first word of reproof, like the highly-tempered steel under the first stroke of the hammer, is exceedingly discouraging to the preacher, and savors strongly of selfishness and self-deception, or hypocrisy. Says the apostle, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” 2 Cor. xiii, 5. And to make the work sure and thorough, the psalmist prays, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me.” Ps. cxxxix, 23, 24. And again, “Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness; and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head; for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.” Ps. cxli, 5.
When the humble prophet Nathan reproved the great King David, first by his parable, then plainly telling him, “Thou art the man,” (2 Sam. xii), why do we not read of David’s pursuing a course similar to some professed Seventh-day Adventists, joining affinity with Nathan’s open enemies, and aiding them in the circulation of false reports, to injure or destroy his influence? Nathan was God’s instrument. David’s quick perception enabled him to understand the prophet’s ministry, and the rebuke proved an “excellent oil.” “David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord.” Instead of seeking to conceal his wrong by trying to destroy the humble prophet, behold the mighty man bowed down to the earth, making his broken-hearted confession.
Did our Heavenly Father require so much self-abasement and earnest supplication of David because he had violated his holy, just, good, and perfect law? And does he require any less of “sinners in Zion,” in this hour of his Judgment; those whose sympathies are always on the wrong side; on the side of error which is only a mild name for falsehood? those whose lives are a continual reproach upon the cause of God.
There are those whose darkness so shines (if darkness can be imagined to shine) that others hearing their evil reports and seeing their wicked deeds are led to reject the truth, and to blaspheme our Heavenly Father’s name. Reprove these very individuals, kindly and tenderly as you may, they will be ready to exclaim, “God is my judge, he knows my heart, I must answer for myself, etc., etc. See Spiritual Gifts, Vol. II, page 125.” They forget the exhortation of the apostle Paul (Heb. xiii, 7, 8, 17), “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.” “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief.”
The spirit of rebellion once waged a terrible warfare in Heaven, but Heaven was strong enough to cast it out, Rev. xii, 7–9, and is wise enough to keep it out, Rev. xxii, 15. The spirit that works through the children of disobedience need never hope to gain admission there. “Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him; for the reward of his hands shall be given him.” Isa. iii, 11. “And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” Ex. xxxii, 33. “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Rev. xx, 15.
SARAH A. H. LINDSAY.
Ulysses, Pa.
A BEAUTIFUL SENTIMENT.
Dr. Chalmers beautifully says: “The little that I have seen in the world, and known of the history of mankind, teaches me to look upon their errors in sorrow, not in anger. When I take the history of one poor heart that has sinned and suffered, and represent to myself the struggles and temptations it passed—through the brief pulsations of joy; the tears of regret; the feebleness of purpose; the scorn of the world that has little charity; the desolation of the soul’s sanctuary, the threatening voices within; health gone, happiness gone—I would fain leave the erring soul of my fellow-man with Him from whose hands it came.”
Kindness as Corrective Punishment
The most corrective punishment is kindness.
WHY THIS EXPERIENCE?
By R. F. Cottrell
When the Lord warns us of perils, we may be sure they will come, and cannot be too much on our guard. And when we are warned by the example of others, we cannot heed the caution too much. The people of Israel whom God led out of Egypt, are set before us as examples, and we are cautioned not to do as those did who murmured, sinned, tempted God, and were destroyed in the desert.
“Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were immersed into Moses, in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and all did drink the same spiritual drink (for they drank of the spiritual rock, which followed them, and that rock was Christ). Nevertheless, with the greater part of them God was not well pleased; for they were cast down in the wilderness. Now these things have become types to us, in order that we should not be lusters after evil things, even as they lusted. Neither be you idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to dance.’ Neither let us commit whoredom, as some of them committed whoredom, and fell in one day twenty-three thousand. Neither let us grievously tempt Christ, as some of them tempted, and perished by serpents. Neither let us murmur you, as even some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as types: and are written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages are come. Wherefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” 1 Cor. x, 1-12. Campbell.
God gave the people sufficient reason to believe on him, and to trust his providence; then he tried their faith. But with the greater portion their faith was not sufficient to endure the trial. After they had seen his wondrous miracles in Egypt and at the Red sea, they should never have doubted his providential care and protection. But as soon as they saw themselves in a strait place, and could see no way to be sustained, they would begin to murmur, distrust God, who had brought them out of Egypt, and would no longer believe in him. Reason would have taught them to believe God on the evidence already given, and trust that he would open their future way before them, and fulfill all that he had promised. They did not act consistently. Their faith should have been established on what they had seen before, on the evidences that God had already given them; so that no state of embarrassment into which they might be brought, could make them distrust the truth that God was leading them.
These are examples to us, and are written for our admonition, on whom, as the apostle says, the ends of the ages are come. It was a great test upon the people of God, at the end of the Jewish age, when the gospel of Christ came, crucified and risen again, took the place of this gospel in promise. The change of dispensation was testing. But, at the end of this age, greater trials and tests will be upon the people of God. We have been forewarned and cautioned, that we may be prepared for it, and, proving ourselves faithful, escape the dangers and be saved.
Now when some new difficulty arises to try our faith, how should we act? Shall we say at once, The Lord is not with us, that he is not leading us; or should we look at the evidences he has already given in the past, on which our faith is settled and grounded? If we do not know why God has suffered these terrible trials to come upon us, why we find ourselves in a desert place where there is no water nor food, it is not for us to say, God has not led us; if he has, it is to destroy us. No; God has done right. We will believe him for what he has done, and not murmur against him for what he has not done.
Those who have no real faith and confidence in the present work of the Lord, whose hearts are ready to rebel and to turn back into Egypt upon the slightest pretext, will have opportunity to do so, and will be purged out. But those who truly believe God, who stand firmly upon what he has done, will not be moved. They will humble themselves, acknowledging the need of humbling chastisement, and believe that God will lead them out. They will obey the admonition, ‘Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.’
R. F. COTTRELL.
IS HE COMING SOON ?
By M. W. H.
A RELIGIOUS periodical, of good esteem, but which I am not accustomed to see, I found lying upon my table. That it had come to me designedly, was evident, for conspicuously marked upon the first page, I found an article headed with the title I have quoted. The initial signature recalled a conversation held incidentally, with a minister of the gospel, a few weeks previous. These little circumstances, of themselves so trivial, when combined, have struck a responsive note and started my pen in what may seem not unlike a criticism.
“Is He coming soon? Who? The Son of Man. There are some good things transpiring these days that lead us to raise the question, Is he coming soon? Denominational lines are growing very faint.”—Thus it began with the certain sound of the ringing changes of the “Peace and safety-cry” of these last days. And yet I did not dislike the article, though I was very, very far from endorsing, or even admitting, the sentiment: for were I to look through so illusory a medium, no farther quietus would be needed to lull me into profoundest slumber. For, says the article, as it progresses: “Unless I am seriously mistaken, the Son of Man will not delay his coming long after his disciples have on all their armor, and show by their activity in his service that they are seeking his kingdom FIRST. . . . Then depend upon it, ‘He is near, even at the door.’ . . . Among Christians there is getting to be almost as much interest felt for the success of Christianity as in the triumph of political parties. When zeal for Christ outgrows zeal for anything else, and puts his cause, everywhere and always, first, then there is evidence that he is drawing near, and we are feeling the pulsations of his great heart.”
Yes, undoubtedly spiritualizing his coming; but where may we see this? Make the coming of Christ only to mean a drawing near by his influences, precious as that drawing near is to my heart, and it were easy to make the whole a myth, unsubstantial and unreal to me. But oh! the joy unspeakable that thrills the heart of those who intelligently receive, and love, his appearing, when they believe his coming to be near.
Never, even in my early years, could I associate aught but joy with the blessed thought of Jesus’ coming again. And when first I knew, by the hearing of the ear, that there were those who looked for that coming in 1848, my first almost involuntary remark was, “I hope it may be so.” One older than myself, and one to whom I felt to defer, replied, “Who that has a knowledge of his own heart dare desire it?”—Yet I did desire it,—do still desire, even though my heart be so sinful—yea, it is even for this, that I desire it, for when Jesus comes, then comes the end of sin to those who are his.
But that coming to me, meant no imaginary, guessed-at theory. It was real; just as the Bible taught; just as the early Christians believed; just such a coming, as had been indelibly fixed upon my mind in early years, by a Bible lecturer with magic lantern views of Bible scenes. He had spoken of, and exhibited, the ascension, when Jesus led his disciples out to the Mount of Olivet, where “He was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.” Then passing the picture back he repeated the words of the angels, as Christ again appeared among the clouds,—“Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Acts i, 11. M. W. H.
WARNING TO SMOKERS.—
One of our exchanges expresses the opinion that the death of the Rev. Mr. Hallock, in the recent accident on the Erie Railroad, was a manifestation of the divine displeasure against the habit of smoking! If the reverend gentleman had not been sitting in the smoking car he would not have been killed; if he had not been a smoker he would not have been in the smoking car; hence he was killed because he was a smoker.—Sel.
Truth Fears Concealment
TRUTH feareth nothing so much as concealment, and desireth nothing so much as clearly to be laid open to all.
REPORT FROM OHIO.
By I. D. Van Horn
SUNDAY, the first day of August, we closed our series of meetings with the tent at Melmore. On the next day we took the tent down and moved to Clyde to help make ready for the Camp-meeting.
The result of our effort at Melmore was as good as we could expect, considering the very rainy weather, and, along toward the last, the hurry of harvest. There are now between twenty and twenty-five keeping the Sabbath, and the most of them express themselves firm on the truth. Some who never had made a profession before, now express a determination to live a true Christian life. The people, as a general thing, seemed to be willing to examine the truth, and we disposed of about $70 worth of publications, besides giving away a few to some of the worthy poor. We obtained nineteen subscribers for the REVIEW, eight for the Instructor, and four for the Reformer.
I spent last Sabbath, Aug. 21, with them, and held four meetings. They were all well attended, and the Lord gave us his blessing and much encouragement. I feel quite sure there will be a little church here that will seek to glorify God by keeping all his commandments.
Our Camp-meeting was a success. It has already been faithfully reported in the REVIEW. Some of the people in Clyde expressed fears that we would have trouble in keeping order, but after the meeting was over, they expressed their surprise that everything was so quiet and orderly. The angels were about the camp, and the Lord had a care for us. We will praise his name.
Since the Camp-meeting closed, we have pitched the tent in the village of Clyde on a very good spot of ground, and have held eight meetings. But few came out at first, but the interest to hear is now rapidly increasing. Last evening (Tuesday) there were about three hundred out to hear. I spoke with freedom on Spiritualism. There are quite a number of Spiritualists in the town, and quite an excitement is raised among them. A Catholic Priest also attacked us last evening, but it all worked for our good. Oh! that we may remain humble, that the Lord may be our present help at all times during this meeting. We will try in the name of the Lord to do our duty. We solicit the prayers of God's people in our behalf.
I. D. VAN HORN.
Clyde, O., Aug. 25, 1869.
ITEMS
By Jos. Clarke
We must realize much of the truth or nothing.
We sometimes say with confidence, that we will never leave the cause of present truth; we should not forget that unless we use care, the truth may forsake us.
God will not help us to overcome sin, until we fully repent of the sins we have already committed.
Some have the faculty of making others appear to disadvantage; thus thinking to elevate themselves; it often happens that this course has a contrary effect. The motto, “Let each esteem other better than themselves,” is a precious rule.
The fires of passion should, like the fires which consume our dwellings, be prevented by care.
All counterfeit Christianity betrays itself: a machine may move, because of the motive power which moves it; but animal life has an ease, naturalness and grace, which cannot be mistaken for the clumsy movements of a machine. So with hypocrisy; its very clumsiness tells to all its want of life.
We cannot repent of sin too speedily: just as an artist corrects his mistakes soon as possible, so should the Christian correct his errors, soon as discovered.
JOS. CLARKE.
Small Faults in Good Men
A WHITE garment appears worse with slight soiling, than do colored garments much soiled; so a little fault in a good man attracts more attention than do great offenses in bad men.
MELCHISEDEC
Our knowledge of this remarkable personage is derived only from Genesis xiv, Ps. cx, and what Paul has written concerning him in the book of Hebrews. Many things respecting him are purposely concealed by the Holy Spirit, and it would, therefore, be fruitless for us to attempt to bring them to the light. He was king of Salem; he was priest of the most high God; he was, by virtue of his office, even the superior of Abraham; Christ is a priest after his order. He once met Abraham and received tithes of him, and blessed him. This is the substance of our knowledge of Melchisedec. When it is asked whether he was not identical with this or that remarkable man of his time, or when it is inquired of what race he was, and who were his parents, and how long he lived, and when he died, the answer must be, that we are not informed touching these things. But the following language of Paul has given rise to many strange speculations concerning him. Paul says of him that he was “without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.” Heb. vii, 3.
Now, if these words be taken in an absolute sense, they can be true of no human being. Adam alone, of all the human race, was without father, and without mother, and without descent. But Adam had beginning of days, and end of life. Enoch had no end of life, but he had all the other things which Paul says Melchisedec had not. So of Elijah, who, by the way, did not exist till long after the days of Melchisedec. Every member of the human family, except Adam, has had parents, and every one has had beginning of days; and indeed, with two exceptions, every one has had end of life. Even the angels of God have all had beginning of days, so that they would be as much excluded by this language as the members of the human family. And as to the Son of God, he would be excluded also, for he had God for his Father, and did, at some point in the eternity of the past, have beginning of days. So that if we use Paul's language in an absolute sense, it would be impossible to find but one being in the universe, and that is God the Father, who is without father, or mother, or descent, or beginning of days, or end of life. Yet probably no one for a moment contends that Melchisedec was God the Father.
1. He is called the priest of the most high God. Heb. vii, 1. It is the business of the priest to make offerings to God. He surely did not make offerings to himself. 2. He is called by Paul a man, though greater than Abraham. 3. Paul speaks of him in Heb. vii, 6, as really having descent, though he does not know what it was. 4. Melchisedec in Gen. xiv, 20, blesses the most high God, a plain evidence that it was not himself he thus blessed. Melchisedec is said to be made like unto the Son of God. But this shows that he is not God the Father; for he is not made like his Son, nor indeed does he have existence derived from another. But the Son is said to be the express image of his Father. Heb. i.
What then do the words of Paul in Heb. vii, 3, really signify? We have seen that they cannot be taken in an absolute sense; for they involve us in contradiction and absurdity. But if they are taken in a limited sense, and interpreted according to the manner of speaking that was usual with the Hebrews, we shall find them easy of explanation. The Hebrews kept very exact genealogical registers. Particularly was this the case respecting their priests; for if the priest could not trace his genealogy back to Aaron, he was not allowed to serve in the priesthood. Those who could not show their record in such tables were said to be without father and mother, and without descent. This did not signify that they had no ancestors, but that the record of them was not preserved. This is exactly the case of Melchisedec. He is introduced in Genesis without any record of his parentage, the Holy Spirit having purposely omitted that matter. He is said by Paul to have no beginning of days, nor end of life. This does not mean absolutely that there was no beginning of existence with him, for it is only true of one being in the universe, viz., God the Father. But the evident meaning of the apostle is this: that no record of his birth or of his death appears in the history which is given us of him. He appears without any intimation given us of his origin; and the story of this priest of the Most High ends without any record of his death. These things were purposely omitted that he might be used to represent, as perfectly as possible, the priesthood of the Son of God. And so the same Spirit of inspiration that led Moses to withhold these particulars concerning Melchisedec, did also lead Paul to use that omission to illustrate the priesthood of Christ. We would do well to leave the case of Melchisedec just where the Scriptures leave it.