The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, vol. 75
May 17, 1898
“Evangelistic Temperance. ‘Touch Not, Taste Not, Handle Not’” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 75, 19, p. 315.
I
THE Lord wants his people to have the best of everything. He therefore wants us to have the best of health. We have studied something about the place that right breathing occupies in our having the best of health. Now we take up the consideration of food. This will be considered in three divisions:— ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.1
1. What is not food at all, and is therefore not to be used. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.2
2. What is not good food, and is therefore not to be used if it can be avoided. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.3
3. What is the best food, and is therefore to be used freely. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.4
In the present lesson we shall study— ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.5
WHAT IS NOT FOOD
One way of defining what is not food is: “Whatever does not either build up tissue or minister to animal heat, can not be a food.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.6
Another definition is this: “Whatever gets strength out of a man without first putting it into him, is not food.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.7
Yet another way of stating it is: “Whatever affects the nerves only, is not food.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.8
The last two of these statements are also definitions of a stimulant. Stimulants affect only the nerves, and get strength out of a person, without putting it into him. Therefore, anything that stimulates is not food, and is not to be used. In other words, our lesson at this time is a study of what things are stimulants. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.9
I shall quote from the Testimonies and from standard scientific authority. I do not cite the scientific authority to prove that the statements of the Testimonies are sound and trustworthy, nor to support the Testimonies, but that you may see how the Testimonies, while making no pretensions to scientific instruction, as such, are thoroughly scientific and more. Making no pretensions to being scientific, they tell scientific truth in the name of the Lord, and as the truth of God, witnessed by his sanctifying Spirit. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.10
That this may be seen in the best way, I shall cite the scientific authority first, as the Testimonies make plainer the statements from this source. This authority is the “Encyclopedia Britannica,” the latest edition; and under the headings of “Drunkenness,” “Coffee,” “Tea,” and “Narcotics,” you can find for yourselves all that I shall quote. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.11
First, from the article on “Drunkenness,” we read as follows:— ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.12
“From tea to hashish we have, through hops, alcohol, tobacco, and opium, a sort of graduated scale of intoxicants, which stimulate in small doses and narcotize in larger. The physiological action of all these agents gradually shades into each other, all producing, or being capable of producing, consecutive paralysis of the various parts of the nervous system.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.13
“Consecutive” means “uninterrupted succession.” That is to say, then, that the effect of all these things, from tea to hashish, is to produce successive paralysis of the various parts of the nervous system. This shows that the effect of all these things is upon the nerves only, that this effect is only to paralyze the nerves, and that each repetition of the drink or dose only increases the paralysis. This “consecutive paralysis” is produced by the use of tea, coffee, tobacco, alcohol, opium, and hashish. And not only does each of these increase the evil effect which proceeds from itself, but each one gradually leads on toward, and shades into, the one next above it in the intoxicating and paralyzing scale. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.14
Again, we read, from the same place:— ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.15
“Even the cup so often said to ‘cheer, but not inebriate’ [tea], can not be regarded as altogether free from the last-named effect.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.16
What is that last-named effect?—Why, “consecutive paralysis of various parts of the nervous system.” Thus tea, although the lowest in the scale, is yet an intoxicant and a narcotic, producing paralysis of the various parts of the nervous system. And that even this effect is not slight, as might be hastily concluded from its holding the lowest place in the scale, is made clear by the next sentence:— ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.17
“Tea sots are well known to be affected with palpitation and irregularity of the heart, as well as with more or less sleeplessness, mental irritability, and muscular tremors, which in some culminate in paralysis; while positive intoxication has been known to be the result of excessive use of strong tea.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.18
So much, then, for this mischievous stuff which is the lowest in the list. What, then, about coffee, which stands above it?—Here is the word as to that. We read still from the “Britannica,” under the article “Coffee:“— ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.19
“Coffee belongs to the medicinal, or auxiliary, class of food substances, being solely valuable for its stimulant effect upon the nervous and vascular systems. It produces a feeling of buoyancy and exhilaration, comparable to a certain stage of alcoholic intoxication.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.20
And under “Tea” we read further:— ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.21
“Theine of tea is an alkaloid identical with the caffeine that is obtained from coffee.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.22
Thus, tea being akin to coffee, its effect shades into that of coffee; and coffee, in its turn, having solely a stimulant effect aking to that of alcohol, shades into that, and leads on to an appetite for it. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.23
Nor is this all. Coffee is not only akin to alcohol in its effects, but it is akin to tobacco in both its nature and its effects. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 315.24
“Editorial” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 75, 19, p. 316.
GOD chose us in Christ “before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” Ephesians 1:4. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.1
But “all we like sheep have gone astray.” “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.2
But when we were thus enemies and alienated in our minds by wicked works, when we had altogether missed that for which God chose us, he reconciled us in the body of his flesh through death, to present us holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight. Colossians 1:21, 22. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.3
It is his, not ours, to present us thus. It cost “all the fulness of God” to do this; and only he who could pay that price could have the power, and obtain the right, to do it. And for any one but him to undertake to “present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight,” is to attempt the impossible. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.4
No, no! none but he can do it. But bless the Lord, he has the power, and has purchased the right by paying the fulness of the price. The Lord has laid “help upon one that is mighty;” and he “is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.5
He can do it. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.6
He will do it for you, if only you will let him. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.7
Let him. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.8
The number seven is used in the Bible to represent fulness, completeness. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.9
The expression, “the seven spirits of God,” therefore, that is used several times in the Bible, signifies the fulness, the completeness, of the Spirit of God. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.10
In other words, it represents the full and complete manifestation of the Holy Spirit in all his characteristics,—in all phases of the diversities of his operations. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.11
What, then, are these seven characteristics of the Spirit of God? If we can know how the Spirit was manifested in Christ, we shall know what are these characteristics; for he was filled with all the fulness of God. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.12
Can we know this of Christ?—Read this: “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” Isaiah 11:2. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.13
There are just seven: count them:— ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.14
1. The Spirit of the Lord; that is, the spirit of mercy, and grace, and long-suffering, and abundance of goodness and truth, and forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; for that is the Lord. Exodus 34:5-7. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.15
2. “The spirit of wisdom. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.16
3. The spirit of “understanding.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.17
4. “The spirit of counsel.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.18
5. The spirit of “might.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.19
6. “The spirit of knowledge.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.20
7. The spirit of “the fear of the Lord.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.21
The gift of the Holy Ghost, therefore, is the bestowal of the disposition, the character, of the Lord; it is the bestowal of wisdom, of understanding, or counsel, of might, of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord, upon all who receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. And as with Jesus, it will make the receiver “of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.22
In the manifestation of the fulness of the Spirit in the church, he divides to every man severally as he will; for “to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit,” etc. 1 Corinthians 12:8. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.23
“Ask, and it shall be given you.” “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.24
Let him divide to you as he will. Do not ask him to do it as you will. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.25
“Editorial Note” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 75, 19, p. 316.
“SHALL we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.1
The answer to this question in the Scriptures, and the answer which every one will give who has read the Scriptures, is, “God forbid.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.2
The law itself forbids sin; it is the voice of God forbidding sin. Shall we sin, then when we are under the law? The answer is, “God forbid.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.3
The whole law itself is the word of God spoken from heaven the law from Sinai, the word is: “God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.4
Therefore, if the question were, “Shall we sin, because we are under the law?” the answer would ever be, “God forbid.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.5
“What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?” And ever the answer is, “God forbid.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.6
Grace brings salvation; and salvation is salvation from sin. The very object of grace is to save from sin, to reign against sin. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.7
Therefore when the question is asked, “Shall we sin, because we are... under grace?” the answer forever is, “God forbid.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.8
Very well then, as we must not sin under the law, and are not to sin under grace, the question remains, Shall we sin at all? and the answer is ever and forever, “God forbid.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.9
Thank the Lord, he has made abundant provision that we shall not sin at all. For “by grace are ye saved;” and in such as are saved, grace reigns; and grace reigns only “through righteousness;” and “unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ;” and the only measure of the gift of Christ is “all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.10
“It is appointed unto me once to die.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.11
And only “once” is it so “appointed;” if anybody dies more than once, it is not because of God’s appointing, but because of his own choosing. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.12
The wages of sin is death. All have sinned. And so it is appointed unto men once to die. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.13
And Jesus died “once for all.” “In that he died, he died unto sin once.” “Once” “hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.14
As God has appointed that men shall die but once, it is impossible that he could appoint Jesus to die more than once. But having appointed unto all men once to die, and having given his dear Son to die for all men once, he has wholly cleared the way for all men. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.15
Then after that, and against all that, if men die again, it will be only because they persistently choose the way of sin, which causes them to die again, and so deliberately choose to die again. God did not appoint it, and he is wholly free from all shade of responsibility for it. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.16
Therefore, “turn ye, turn ye; ... for why will ye die?” ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.17
“Studies in the Book of Daniel” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 75, 19, pp. 316, 317.
DARIUS the Mede reigned two years, and was succeeded by Cyrus the Persian. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.1
The angel of the Lord had stood by Darius the Mede “to confirm and to strengthen him” (Daniel 11:1) in executing the purpose of God upon Babylon. Jeremiah 51:11-14. And through the faithfulness of Daniel, Darius had been brought to the knowledge of the true God. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.2
The Lord would do the same for Cyrus also; for there is no respect of persons with God. Indeed, the Lord’s dealings with Cyrus began more than a hundred years before Cyrus was born. As early as 712 B.C., the Lord, by Isaiah, wrote thus of Cyrus: “Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me.” Isaiah 45:1-5. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.3
This told how the Lord would hole Cyrus’s hand, and lead him in the capture of Babylon, with its two-leaved gates of brass and bars of iron. Cyrus captured Babylon in the year 538 B.C. From 712 to 538 B.C. was 174 years. Cyrus was about sixty years old when he took Babylon. Sixty from one hundred and fourteen; therefore, this was written of Cyrus, and he was called by name in the Scriptures of truth, one hundred and fourteen years before he was born. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.4
Thus, when that passage was written by Isaiah, Cyrus did not know the Lord; first, because he was not then born. But there was a further reason why Cyrus did not know the Lord, even when he had come to the taking of Babylon. Cyrus was a Persian, and so had been born, had grown up, and had been taught, among people who were heathen. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.5
The Persians in their religious system recognized two great principles,—Good and Evil. This conception of good and evil, however, did not rise to the height of moral and spiritual good and evil, or righteousness and sin, as is inculcated by the Lord; but rather, what would be counted by men as good and evil in prosperity and adversity, tranquility and disturb- ance. Accordingly, when the Lord revealed himself to Cyrus as the only true God, he said to him: “I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me.... I am the Lord, and there is none else.... I make peace, and create evil.” I make tranquility and create disturbance; I give prosperity and send adversity. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 316.6
Again: the good principle was represented in the light, and the evil principle in the darkness. Accordingly, when the Lord revealed himself to Cyrus as the only true God, he said to him, “I am the Lord, and there is none else.... I form the light, and create darkness.” Verses 5-7. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 317.1
This good principle was personified under the name of “Ormuzd,” and the evil principle under the name of “Ahriman.” Later, the sun was adopted into the worship as the embodiment of the good principle, or light; and when the sun had set, and the darkness of night came on, fire was used as representing the good principle. Thus the people came at last to be sun-worshipers and fire-worshipers. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 317.2
When Cyrus had become king of Babylon, if not before, the scriptures relating to himself were showed to him by Daniel, and he read them himself. In these scriptures he found the Lord God of heaven speaking personally to Him: “Thus said the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,” “I will go before thee;” “I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, Jehovah, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. I am Jehovah, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me.” “I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.” Verses 1-12. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 317.3
This revelation of the Lord to Cyrus was so personal, so plain, and so direct, that Cyrus accepted it, acknowledged him as “the Lord God of heaven,” and declared, “He is the God.” Ezra 1:3. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 317.4
Then when Cyrus read the further word of God to himself,—“that saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid;” “I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 44:26; 45:13),—he accepted that word, and did at once, in his very first year, what the word said. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 317.5
Accordingly: “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.” Ezra 1:1-4. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 317.6
“Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods; even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.” Verses 7, 8. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 317.7
What a blessing to the world it would be to-day if even those who belong to the church, and profess to have known God for years, were as prompt to acknowledge the word of God and God in his word, and to obey that word, as was Cyrus the Persian when that word came to him. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 317.8
“Hearing Complaints” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 75, 19, p. 318.
WHEN the apostle Paul was sent by Lysias to Felix, the record says that the Roman governor declared, “I will hear thee... when thine accusers are also come.” In this is an example that many Christians could follow with profit,—to hear no complaint against a brother only as he stands face to face with his accusers. If this plan were followed, “many false judgments, evil surmises, and uncharitable censures” would be avoided. Try it. ARSH May 17, 1898, page 318.1