The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, vol. 75

October 11, 1898

“Editorial” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 75, 41, p. 650.

THE object of the gift of the Holy Spirit is the perfecting of the receivers of the gift. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.1

The means of perfecting the receiver of the gift of the Holy Spirit is the gifts of the Holy Spirit. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.2

The gift of the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit bestowed: the gifts of the Holy Ghost are gifts imparted by the Holy Spirit, that has been bestowed. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.3

The gifts of the Spirit are, wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues, teaching, exhortation, helping, governing, evangelists, pastors,—“dividing to every man severally as he will.” ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.4

The purpose in the impartation of these gifts is thus declared: “He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS.” ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.5

When the object of the gift of the Holy Spirit is the perfecting of the receivers of the gift, and when the means of accomplishing this object is the gifts of the Holy Spirit, it is perfectly plain that both the gift and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not an end, but only means to an end; and that end, the perfecting of the believers. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.6

Then what must the one great thought of all who have received, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the impartation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit received?—Only perfection, perfection, PERFECTION,—nothing but perfection in Christ Jesus. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.7

Therefore in this “time of the latter rain,” in this day of the giving of the Holy Spirit, in this time of the receiving of the Holy Ghost, every one who will set his whole heart, yield his whole thought, to being brought to perfection in Christ Jesus, and will surrender himself to the working of the Holy Spirit, that the Spirit may accomplish God’s purpose upon him, can freely receive the fulness of the Holy Ghost. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.8

“Ask and it shall be given you.” “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” “Be filled with the Spirit.” ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.9

“Editorial Note” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 75, 41, p. 650.

HAVE you ever thought carefully of what is involved in that statement concerning Jesus, that “the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all”? ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.1

“Iniquity” is inequality, or crookedness; and means “all departure from the rectitude of God, and of the law of God.” It is a word covering the same ground as the word “sin.” ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.2

Iniquity, or sin, is accompanied with guilt. According to the measure of the sense of guilt; and according to the degree of the sense of guilt, is the sense of condemnation. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.3

To separate the sin from all sense of guilt and of condemnation, would be only to destroy all real sense of sin; and so would nullify it as a matter of consciousness or intelligent thought. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.4

Therefore, when it is said of Jesus that “the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all,” it says that all the consciousness of all the sins, and all the guilt and condemnation that attaches to the consciousness of all the sins, “of us all,“—all this was “laid upon him.” ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.5

Think of the sense of guilt and condemnation that rested upon yourself, in the consciousness of the sins which have been most vividly brought home to your soul. Then think that his consciousness of sin was as much clearer and more intense than yours, as his mind and life were purer and more spiritual than are yours; and that according to the degree of the consciousness of sin is the sense of guilt and condemnation: then you will begin to get some idea of what was done when the Lord laid upon him all the iniquities of us all. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.6

Then think of him, laden with this intensity of the consciousness of all the sins of all men; and, in that, laden also with the burden of all the guilt and condemnation that inevitably goes with the consciousness of sin; and you can begin to form some conception of the fearful disadvantage under which he went the way before us. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.7

All this sin, with all its attendant guilt and condemnation, was imputed to him,—was made his own as if he had actually committed it all, and was rightfully feeling the guilt and the condemnation of it all. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.8

Thus he was made “to be sin for us;” thus was he made “in all things” “like unto his brethren;” and thus was he stricken with the curse which must rightfully blast sin, and so also the one upon whom sin is found. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.9

Thus, laden actually with the sins of the world, he, in the weakness of human flesh, passed over the ground where Adam failed. His trial was as much greater than was that of Adam as was the extent to which the race had degenerated from the condition of Adam when he was tried. And his trial was as much greater than that which we could be called to bear, as the sins of all are more than the sins of one, and as his consciousness of the nature of sin was broader and more intense than ours is, or could be. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.10

And yet, under this enormous disadvantage, he in this world and in the weakness of human flesh, was faithful to God, and overcame the world. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.11

With what encouragement, then, comes to us the exhortation: “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; who was faithful to him that appointed him”! And with what inspiration comes to us his triumphant word, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”! ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.12

“Most Interesting Times” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 75, 41, p. 650.

THE following from Harper’s Bazar gives a most suggestive view of the present situation in all the world. All things are hastening toward the end. “Indissolubly bound together,” all nations are ready for the smiting by the “stone cut out without hands,” which marks the kingdom of God, and which shall break in pieces all these kingdoms, and shall stand forever. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.1

Never were times so interesting! If one lifts a head even for a little form the grindstone, for a look abroad, one sees that great world-dramas are being played. On no one continent, and in no one quarter, is all the interest concentrated. Africa is like a chess-board, and the pawns and kings that are being played represent a dozen different nationalities. Asia is changing her color, Europe her politics. America, like a young giant, has stretched out her arms, and the thrill that the sense of her power has aroused has been felt all over the globe. No one nation dominates, no one people is supreme. Indissolubly, too, the interests of all are bound together. International law and ethics are being refined into those laws which govern in the conduct of the best individuals, and these are ruling the world. One must count himself an ignoramus who does not follow what the sirdar is doing in Khartum, or the Russians in China, what the French explorations have meant in the Sudan, and our own conquests in the Philippines. We can no longer be content to understand none but our own destinies; for the destinies of others are ours, and ours are theirs. These are the days in which one must think and study and read, know Africa as one knows Europe, and know Europe as one knows one’s own country. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.2

“What Will Our Schools Teach?” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 75, 41, pp. 650, 651.

ALL our schools are to teach science, which is knowledge. Being Christian schools, they are to teach divine science, divine knowledge—not human science. For Jesus, who is the great Teacher in every truly Christian school, “brought into his teaching none of the science of men.” “His majesty could not mingle with human science, which will disconnect from the great Source of all wisdom in a day. The topic of human science never escaped his hallowed lips.” ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.1

In every field of thought or instruction there is a divine science, and there is a human science. And these are contrary the one to the other, because the constant tendency of human science is to separate from the Source of true wisdom. Indeed, the very nature of human science—which, bear in mind, is but human knowledge—is enmity against God. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.2

There are three great root-sciences,—mental science, moral science, and physical science. All conceivable phases of science are but branches of these. And these three are so closely related that neither is, nor can be, complete without the others. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.3

The first of all the sciences, in importance, and indeed in nature, is mental science. First, therefore, in every system of teaching comes naturally the teaching of mental science. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.4

Mental science, or psychology, if any would rather deal with it as an “ology,” is the science of the mind. And as it is the mind with which every conscious or intelligent thing is done, in the nature of things the knowledge and training of the mind lie first in all teaching. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.5

Again: the only true object of education “is to restore the image of God in the soul.” And it is with the mind that we serve the law of God. No greater gift can possibly be bestowed upon any soul than the service of the law of God. No higher nor more honorable position can ever be attained by any creature than to serve the law of God; that is, to be, in his whole being, so completely in harmony with God that every thought, every motive, and every action will be the perfect reflection of the will of God. And “with the mind” this service is accomplished. The mind is the root from which all else in the individual springs; the mind is the pivot, upon which all else turns. This being so, it is certain that, in the very nature of things in the existence of the individual, in all education the knowledge of the mind is first in importance. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 650.6

As “mental” is mind, mental science is mind science, or science of the mind. And as “science” is knowledge, science of the mind is knowledge of the mind. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.1

Knowledge is to know. A guess is not knowledge; supposition is not knowledge. A hypothesis is not knowledge. To think that we know is not knowledge. Knowledge is to know; and he who truly knows, knows that he knows. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.2

Where, then, shall we find certain knowledge?—Answer: “He that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?” With God is the certainty of knowledge. He knows. Whoever would find the certain knowledge, the true science, of the mind, let him ask of Him who knows. When we find what God has said of the mind, in that we find the true knowledge of the mind. And the true knowledge of the mind is the true science of the mind. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.3

What, then, has he said on the subject of the mind? Read this: “The carnal mind [that is, the mind of the flesh, the natural mind, the human mind] is enmity against God.” Therefore, the human science of the mind, human psychology, is only enmity against God. The study of the human science of the mind, the study of human psychology, is but the study of enmity against God. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.4

But what profit is there in studying enmity against God? When this mind, which is enmity against God, has been studied and analyzed, and all its phenomena marked, what has the student at last?—Only enmity against God. What does he know?—Only enmity against God. And even this he does not know; he thinks it is something else. If he really knew that it was enmity against God, surely he would not study it at all. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.5

Surely, then, in no Seventh-day Adventist school will any human science of the mind, nor any science of the human mind, be studied. To know what that is, to know that it is enmity against God, is surely enough to know, without wasting time in any detailed study of it. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.6

No; there is an infinitely better science of the mind than that, to study in our schools. “The Son of God is come, and hath given us a mind.” “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” “We have the mind of Christ.” Here is a mind-science worthy of study. Here is a mind, the knowledge of which is only an inspiration and an eternal blessing. This is the divine mind. The knowledge of this mind is also divine. And as knowledge is science, the divine knowledge is divine science. There is, therefore, a divine science of the mind,—a divine psychology, open to all the teachers and students in all our schools. Shall not, then, this divine mental science be studied in all our schools? ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.7

“Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” This transformation of life and character, of body, soul, and spirit, through the renewing of the mind by faith in Jesus Christ,—this is a mental science, this is a psychology, that is a true science, and worthy of the most industrious and intense application of the powers of teachers and students. Shall not this divine science be taught in all our schools? ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.8

“Satan’s New Move” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 75, 41, p. 651.

IN the Independent of September 29, Prof. James H. Hyslop, of Columbia College, N.Y., reports what to him is the “amazing” discovery of “experimental evidence” of the immortality of man. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.1

And how was this discovery made?—Answer: “Dr. Richard Hodgson, who has been spending years in experiments with a medium, ... has announced his conviction that he has facts to make immortality an easier hypothesis than any that can be opposed to it.” ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.2

“By a long and careful series of experiments with a trance medium, he has at last obtained distinct evidence of the individual’s survival after death.” ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.3

This report from Dr. Hodgson is adopted and published by the “Society for Psychical Research;” and Professor Hyslop, with perfect soberness declares it to be “one of the most amazing pieces of work” that he “ever read.” He declares that “it must produce a crisis in the study of such phenomena;” that students of the question “have come to the parting of the ways,” and “must begin to feel the tremendous nature of the conclusions involved.” ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.4

He declares that “it has gotten beyond the stage where it is safe to sneer, without an intimate knowledge of the subject;” because “when a well-organized body of cool-headed men, skeptical and agnostic in the extreme, and having national reputation to maintain, puts out a paper like that of Dr. Hodgson’s, it has to be accepted or refuted. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.5

Professor Hyslop says: “It is this impossibility of laughing the subject out of court that constitutes the seriousness of the situation;” that now people “must wonder whether further resistance to Spiritualism is worth while.” ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.6

The seriousness of the situation with which the world is brought face to face by these “amazing” “evidences of immortality,” Professor Hyslop says, is “not because it is dangerous to admit the probability of immortality on scientific grounds;” but because “the moment you admit even the possibility of proving immortality after the manner of experiment with trance mediums, you open up the flood-gates to a perfect inundation of insane follies, which it will require all the resources of civilization to cope with. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.7

“But whatever we may deplore in such matters, the report of Dr. Hodgson calls us to face them; and it will not down by laughing. It commands either a definite acceptance of immortality or the entertainment of suppositions which it must appal any man to make.” ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.8

No society, no doctor, no amount of experiments by all the societies and doctors on earth, can ever prove the immortality of man, nor the “individual’s survival after death;” because it simply is not true: and nobody, nor all people together, can prove what is not true. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.9

Immortality is the gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. “God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.10

The individual does not survive after death; for it is written, “The dead know not anything.” “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” “If there be no resurrection of the dead, ... then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.” If the individual survives after death, he is not perished, even if there never be any resurrection of the dead: he is altogether independent of any resurrection of the dead. Indeed, if he “survives after death,” he is not dead at all, and couldn’t have any resurrection of the dead, even if he wanted it. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.11

Here, then, is the word of God from beginning to end, telling men that they are mortal; that immortality has been forfeited by sin; that immortality has been given to men by Jesus Christ; and that every soul can have it for the taking, through faith in Jesus Christ. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.12

Satan tells men that all this word of the Lord is not true, but that they have immortality in themselves. Men accept this word of Satan, and then take up investigations and experimentations to demonstrate it as “scientific.” ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.13

And where is it that they go to make their investigations, to apply their experiments?—To “trance mediums”! They go to trance mediums, and there see queer manifestations, and phenomena that they do not understand and can not explain; and presto! “man is immortal”! “individuals survive after death”! ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.14

But these experimenters say that they get evidence that shows that there is intelligence and design in these phenomena. And, further, that this intelligence is such as to show that it came from the individuals who are dead. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.15

Yes, this is what they say, and this is what convinces them. But just here is where they make their leap, and surrender to credulity. No one can fairly deny that through trance mediums there are queer manifestations, and phenomena that are beyond explanation on any other basis than that of intelligence. No one can fairly deny that these things do evidence intelligence such as could come only from individuals. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.16

But that these individuals are the persons who are dead is altogether another question. This conclusion is reached by a leap. There are intelligences that know all the identical things that those knew who are dead. And it is perfectly easy for these individuals to impersonate, in all these things, those who are dead. And that they are of a character to do this ought to be lain to every one, from the statement of Professor Hyslop, that when this thing shall be accepted, it will let loose elements which will “require all the resources of civilization to cope with.” ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.17

From what source but the devil could come such a mischievous thing as that? From what source but the devil, then, could come the evidence which “commands” the reception of a hypothesis, the results of which must be so dangerous as to require all the resources of civilization to cope with it? ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.18

In view of all the developments in other matters that mark the hastening of the end, it was about time that Satan should make some master-stroke. And in this thing reported by Professor Hyslop, he seems to have made just that stroke. Soon he will be working with “all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in those that... receive not the love of the truth.” The word of God, the Bible, is the truth. This is the only safeguard. And now is the time. Are you ready? ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.19

The man who is on God’s side will take God for his partner. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 651.20

“Back Page” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 75, 41, p. 660.

WHEN the Saviour left this earth, he gave “to every man his work.” That means that there is something definite for every Christian to do in the Master’s vineyard. Whether or not he will do the work appointed him, is another question. The earnest inquiry of us all should be, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” When the answer is received, we should, with heart and soul, do that work as for eternity. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 660.1

NOW, as never before, the Lord demands heart service. He is calling upon his people to forsake all, and follow him. The message for to-day, unaccompanied by the Holy Spirit, is as lifeless as was the body of Adam before God breathed into it the breath of life. Do you want to move the people to action? Let the Holy Ghost vivify you, and there will be the same difference in your preaching that there was between the preaching of the Pharisees and that of the disciples on the day of Pentecost. ARSH October 11, 1898, page 660.2