The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, vol. 78
March 12, 1901
“The Keeping of the Commandments. The First Commandment” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 78, 11, p. 168.
“I AM the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.1
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:2, 3. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.2
The third of the three forms under which “the world” is embraced, and idolatry manifested, is— ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.3
“The pride of life.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.4
The word here used to express the thought of “life” is a form of the Greek word Bios, and signifies not animal life; not the breath of life; not spiritual life; not life itself, the life which comes from God; but “the life which we live; the life led; hence, manner of life, course of life.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.5
The word used to express the thought of “pride” is alazoneia (“alazoneia”), “the character of an alazon (“alazon”). And an alazon is literally “a wanderer about the country;” hence, literally, “a false pretender, imposter, quack; hence, swaggering, boastful, braggart; and by implication, ostentation, arrogance, pride.” It is the same word that is used in 1 Timothy 3:6: “Being lifted up with pride.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.6
The closest equivalent English word is “ambition,” which signifies, literally, “a going about, as of a candidate soliciting votes;” again, “the act of going about to solicit or obtain an office or other object of desire;” a “desire for some object that confers distinction;” “desire to distinguish one’s self from other men;” “desirous of obtaining power, superiority, or distinction.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.7
Another word that corresponds to this “pride of life” and “ambition,” is “self-exaltation,” self-aggrandizement. The Latin word that corresponds to the Greek word used to express “pride of life,” is gloriosus, and expresses the idea of worldly glory. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.8
In the light of these definitions, it is easier to see the real nature of the temptation of Jesus, when “the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto Him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” And then all the fires of ambition, of worldly glory, that were ever manifested in human flesh—in Alexander, Napoleon, and all other like—poured like a driving storm upon Jesus, to entice Him to the desire of that which was before Him. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.9
But by the Spirit of God, Jesus knew that none of all that “glory” which He saw was “of the Father,” but all “of the world.” He knew that it was only a false, fleeting glory. He knew that true glory lies not in “the pride of life,” not in ambition, not in self-exaltation; but in self-emptying, self-renunciation. And, therefore, He promptly answered: “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.10
As points out in a previous study, the divine account of this temptation reveals the fact that worldly glory, the glory of the kingdoms of this world; the glory of rulership, of overlordship; the glory of position, of office,—all this, or any of it, can be had only by idolatry, only by the worship of “the god of this world.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.11
Christianity, the true keeping of the commandments of God, is not rulership, but service. The liberty wherewith Christ makes men free, the liberty in which Christians stand fast, is the liberty by love to serve one another; as it is written, and as it has been studied only lately, in the Sabbath-school lessons all over the world: “Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Galatians 5:13, 14. And to love our neighbor as ourselves is to do good to him always, in all things, and by whatsoever means. In “all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.12
And when, in this same “pride of life,” this spirit of ambition, the disciples were striving among themselves as to who should be the greatest, or who should be counted the greatest, “Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.13
Thus, all desire for place or for position; all exercise of dominion or of authority in place or position; all national distinctions, all racial distinctions, all aristocratic distinctions, all class distinctions, all place or official distinctions, are only of the pride of life, are not of the Father, but of the world, and are idolatry. They are all vanity, which is only idolatry. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.14
The greatest curse that has ever come upon the earth since the original curse itself, has been, and is, in men, in the world and in the Church occupying places of authority, and exercising authority, who have no true authority. What has been the greatest curse that all history has known among men in the world, as they have existed in nations or organizations? What organization has been the most oppressive, and the most far-reaching in its oppression? Everybody can answer in a moment and in a word—the papacy. And what is the papacy?—It is summed up in a man in place of authority, who has no true authority. It is simply a man, having seized authority over men, and the means of enforcing it, and demanding respect and subjection to that authority, who yet has not authority at all except that which he has seized by unlawful means. And the Scripture description of the papacy is that he “opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” This is the extremity to which men can possibly go in the violation of the First Commandment. And yet it is all simply the desire for place, position, and to exercise authority. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.15
But the papacy has no true authority, because it has no truth. Truth is the only source of authority. He who has the truth has authority. And he who has the most truth has the most authority. This is why it is that Jesus had all authority in heaven and in earth: He had all authority because He had all the truth—He is the Truth itself. “All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth.” “I am the Way, the Truth.” Those two sentences belong together. Each explains the other. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.16
And yet Jesus had no position: He occupied no place. And that simply expresses the eternal truth that position never gives true authority. And that is simply to say that, in the Church and work of God, position never gives authority to anybody. Authority may qualify a person for a position that he has not. But position never can give to a person authority that he has not without the position. Position entails responsibility, but never gives authority. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.17
Jesus taught “as one having authority.” And that authority was readily recognized by those who heard. This was because the authority was in what He taught. The authority was in the truth that He had. And whosoever in the world has the truth as it is in Jesus, in that he has also authority in heaven and on earth—not to exercise authority, but to speak with authority. “The princes of the Gentiles exercise... authority,” “but it shall not be so among you.” God does give authority; but He gives it in the truth which He gives; and he who receives the truth of God as it is, as it is in Jesus, in that receives authority. The authority which he has is in the truth which he has, in the message which he bears. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.18
Where, then, is the true position of greatness, and the position of true greatness? Here is the answer: “Whosoever will be great aong you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” The greatest position is that of servant; and the greatest work is that of service. “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.” “I am among you as He that serveth.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.19
In Christ and the way of Christ is the keeping of the First Commandment. In the papacy and in the way of the papacy is the breaking of the First Commandment. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.20
“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” “Out of Egypt have I called me son.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.21
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.22
“A Brief Review of Passing Events” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 78, 11, pp. 168-170.
THOSE who have been readers of the REVIEW for three years past know that, from the day that Cuba fell under the power of the United States, by the defeat of Spain, we have never had a particle of confidence in any representation that was made by the United States respecting the declared right of Cuba to be free and independent. The declaration of war against Spain by the United States was made April 18, 1898. That same day the Congress of the United States officially declared, in a joint-resolution, that “the people of the Island of Cuba are, and of right ought to be, free and independent.” In the declaration of war that day made by the United States, it was also declared “that the United States hereby disclaims any disposition or intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction, or control over said islands, except for the pacification thereof, and asserts its determination, when that is accomplished, to leave the government and control of the island to its people.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.1
Yet, for all this, all the reader of the REVIEW for these last three years know that we have never believed for a moment that these promises would be kept, that Cuba ever would be free and independent. Before the war between the United States and Spain was ended, under the heading of “Passing Events,” we called attention, July 12, 1898, to the “New World-Power” that was arising in the prospect of a world-career that was opening to the United States, through her victories so far over Spain. Among other things, we then said: “The only republic that ever went over this ground before was the republic of Rome. And when Rome once became imperial in territory, it was but a little while before she became both imperial and imperious in spirit, and then it was but a little while before she became imperial in government.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.2
July 19, 1898, touching further the same subject of “Imperial America,” we said: “All these things are worthy of thoughtful consideration; for no one knows what ‘manifest destiny’ may produce. And if we mark events as they pass, we shall be able better to understand each new phase that may open to the world. These are times in which the world moves rapidly, and much may occur in a day. And all these events are laden with solemn meaning to every one who is waiting and watching for the coming of the Lord. ‘Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments.’” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.3
In the REVIEW of Aug. 2, 1898, under the general heaving of “Passing Events,” we cited “A Little Ancient History, Which Is Also Modern.” In that article we said: “In considering the new and ‘imperial’ career that is opening before the United States, and being sanctioned by so many in high positions, we have remarked that there was one republic that passed over this ground once before in the history of the world. That republic was Rome. It is interesting to read the statements made to-day concerning this ‘colonial policy’ and ‘colonial career’ that is opening up before ‘Imperial America,’ and compare it with what has long been written of the course of Rome as she passed over the same ground.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 168.4
We referred to the pretensions that the United States was making, of extending “the blessings of liberty” to the peoples in the Philippines, San Juan, and Cuba, who had hitherto been oppressed by Spain. Then we said: “All this is precisely what Rome proposed to do. Rome claimed that she never wished to make any conquests of any people, nor to control any territory, outside of her own boundaries of Italy. All that she ever did outside of Italy was altogether out of pure benevolence, and solely to extend to oppressed peoples the blessings of liberty, of which the Romans were the exemplars before the world, and in behalf of the world, and which they so sincerely loved that they couldn’t be content at all so long as any other people were not enjoying this wonderful liberty. Therefore they would man fleets and raise armies, send them over seas at great sacrifice and immense expense to fight battles for strange peoples, only that those peoples might have the blessing of liberty, of which Rome was the world’s conservator.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.1
We then cited the ancient history of the decree of liberty to the Grecian States, which the Roman Republic proclaimed in 1896 B.C., as follows:— ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.2
“The senate and people of Rome, and Titus Quintius, their general, having overcome Philip and the Macedonians, ease and deliver from all garrisons, taxes, and imposts, the Corinthians, the Loerians, the Phocians, the Euboeans, the Phthiot Acheans, the Magnesians, the Thessalians, and the Perrhbians; declare them free, and ordain that they shall be governed by their respective laws and usages.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.3
We then quoted the history that followed that proclamation, in which were the following two paragraphs:— ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.4
“The remembrance of so delightful a day and of the invaluable blessing then bestowed, was forever renewing, and for a long time the only subject of conversation at all times and in all places. Every one cried in the highest transports of admiration and a kind of enthusiasm, that there was a people in the world who, at their own expense and the hazard of their lives, engage in a war for the liberty of other nations; and that not for their neighbors, or people situated on the same continent, but who crossed seas, and sailed to distant climes, to destroy and extirpate unjust power from the earth, and to establish, universally, law, equity, and justice: that by a single word and the voice of a herald, liberty had been restored to all the cities of Greece and Asia: that only a great soul could have formed such a design; but to execute it was the effect at once of the highest good fortune and the most consummate virtue. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.5
“They called to mind all the great battles which Greece had fought for the sake of liberty. ‘After sustaining so many wars,’ said they, ‘never was its valor crowned with so blessed a reward as when strangers came and too up arms in its defense. It was then that, almost without shedding a drop of blood, or losing one man, it acquired the greatest and noblest of all prizes for which mankind can contend. Valor and prudence are rare at all times; but of all virtues, justice is most rare. Agesilaus, Lysander, Nicias, and Alcibiades had great abilities for carrying on war, and gained battles both by sea and land; but it was for themselves and for their country, not for strangers and foreigners, they fought. That height of glory was reserved for the Romans.’” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.6
Then we asked: “When two things are so precisely alike in their beginnings as are this course of Rome and that proposed for the United States, can there be much likelihood that the endings will be any less alike?” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.7
In the REVIEW Aug. 23, 1898, under the heading of “Passing Events,” we gave again “A Little Ancient History, Which Is Also Modern.” We said: “The conquests of the Roman Republic were made in the name of liberty, to deliver peoples from oppression. But after these conquests had been made, and the immediate question settled, there was a different story to tell.” We then cited, word for word, another portion of that “Ancient History” of the liberty proclaimed by the Roman Republic to the Greek States, whom she had freed from the oppressive rule of kings, prefacing it with these words: “Honest old Rollin’s ‘reflections’ upon the course of the Roman Republic are important to-day, as the republic of the United States has started in this identical path.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.8
Two paragraphs from the “Ancient History” then printed in the REVIEW run as follows:— ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.9
“The Romans declared loudly in favor of those republics [of Greece]; made it their glory to take them under their protection, and that with no other design in outward appearance; than to defend them against their oppressors; and further to attach them by a still stronger tie, they hung out to them a specious bait, as a reward for their fidelity—I mean liberty, of which all the republics in question were inexpressibly jealous, and which the Macedonian monarchs had perpetually disputed with them. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.10
“The bait was artfully prepared, and was eagerly swallowed by the generality of the Greeks, whose views penetrated no further. But the most judicious and most clear-sighted among them discovered the danger that lay concealed beneath this charming bait; and, accordingly, they exhorted the people from time to time, in their public assemblies, to beware of this cloud that was gathering in the west; and which, changing on a sudden into a dreadful tempest, would break like thunder over their heads to their utter destruction.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.11
Then we closed the article with these words: “This extract will be good to keep, and to read along with much spread-eagleism that has been, and that will be, manifested upon ‘Imperial America,’ ‘our colonial policy,’ and ‘our obligations to extend the blessings of liberty to oppressed peoples’ and ‘to all the world.’” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.12
This same thought we have followed up from time to time ever since, because there has been abundance of occasion for it. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.13
It was for these reasons that we never had a particle of confidence in the professions of the extending, by the United States, of “the blessings of liberty to oppressed peoples.” We knew that ancient Rome, and her character, are cited in the book of Daniel especially for the last days. We knew that this history was not thus cited in the word of God in vain. We had studied that history, to know what the real character of that ancient republic was. And, knowing that it was thus cited in the word of God as instruction to the people of the last days,—these present times,—and knowing that the only great republic that there is in the world is the United States, it was easy to know where to look for the events concerning which the career of this ancient great republic was so especially instructive. And, knowing that the blessings of liberty promised by that ancient great republic were delusions; and, knowing that that republic is cited in the word of God as instruction for “the last days,” we could not possibly have any confidence in “the blessings of liberty” promised by the modern great republic. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.14
Still, that great benevolence was being loudly proclaimed by the government of the United States. June 20, 1900, the convention of the National Party, in their platform, declared that “to Cuba independence and self-government were assured in the same voice by which war was declared, and to the letter this pledge shall be performed.” Yet, for all this, we knew that it would not be so; because, in addition to the warnings which the Scripture gives upon the subject, there were constantly appearing evidences, on the part of the government itself, that the promises to Cuba were never to be kept, either in spirit or in letter. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.15
When the directions of the United States were given for the creation and the holding of a convention to frame a constitution for Cuba, the instructions plainly showed that there was no such thing to be allowed as Cuban independence. A newspaper correspondent in Washington who plainly had access to the innermost circles of information of the administrations, was constantly writing in the magazines, as well as in his regular newspaper, facts and information concerning the purposes of the administration, which showed conclusively that, on the part of the administration, there was no intention of recognizing any such thing as the independence of Cuba. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.16
However, it was first decided to communicate to the Cuban Convention that, when the convention had framed and adopted a constitution for Cuba, then the convention was “to formulate what, in your opinion, ought to be the relations between Cuba and the United States.” And when the convention had formulated their relations, then “the government of the United States will doubtless take such action on its part as shall lead to a final and authoritative agreement between the people of the two countries to the promotion of their common interests.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.17
The Cuban Convention framed a constitution for Cuba; but this other arrangement, dictated by the United States, was not carried out. Then the convention was informed that unless they did make such arrangements, the President of the United States could not present to Congress their constitution, with his approval. Still the Cuban Convention delayed. Then, Feb. 27, 1901, the Senate of the United States, and Thursday, February 28, the House of Representatives, passed legislation by which, on the part of the United States, the power of the United States is extended over Cuba forever, and by which is established forever “the right” of the United States “to intervene for... the maintenance of a government” in Cuba. And with all this, the government of the United States declares “that the government of Cuba consents that the United States may exercise the right to intervene,” etc. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.18
Cuba had not consented, nor has she yet consented, except with the mere consent of silence in the presence of the overwhelming power of one of the mightiest world Powers. But the United States has declared “that the government of Cuba consents that the United States may exercise the right to intervene for... the maintenance of a government” in Cuba “adequate... for discharging the obligations with respect to Cuba, imposed by the Treaty of Paris on the United States, now to be assumed and undertaken by the government of Cuba.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.19
Thus, on her own initiative, the United States government has swept away her own official promise of freedom and independence to Cuba, and her promise not “to exercise jurisdiction, sovereignty, or control over said islands, except for her power over Cuba, and her “right” forever, at any moment, “to intervene” in the affairs of the government of Cuba. And thus, in principle and in practice, in spirit and in the letter, the republic of the United States has repeated the crafty policy of the republic of Rome. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.20
Of the republic of Rome, and of Rome of all time, it is written: “Though his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many.” Daniel 8:25. Out of Rome was formed the Beast. The republic of the United States is walking, step by step, in the way of the republic of Rome. Under the pretensions of a peaceful, lamb-like disposition, this republic, too, “through his policy also, shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; ... and by peace shall destroy many.” From that thing anciently came the Beast. From that same thing, repeated in these last times, comes the Image of the Beast. ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.21
And now, with an emphasis that it never had before, the Third Angel’s Message speaks with its “loud voice:” “If any man worship the Beast and his Image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation.... Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” ARSH March 12, 1901, page 169.22