The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, vol. 77

December 18, 1900

“The Faith of Jesus” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 77, 51, p. 808.

“LET this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery [“a thing to be seized upon and held fast”] to be equal with God; but emptied himself, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” Philippians 2:5-7. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.1

In the first chapter of Hebrews, as we have seen, Christ’s likeness to God is set forth in greater detail than in any other one portion of Scripture. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.2

This likeness to God, as set forth in the first chapter of Hebrews, is only introductory to the setting forth of His likeness to men, as in the second chapter of Hebrews. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.3

His likeness to God, as in the first chapter of Hebrews, is the only basis of true understanding of His likeness to men, as in the second chapter of Hebrews. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.4

And this likeness to God as given in the first chapter of Hebrews, is likeness,—not in the sense of a mere picture, or representation; but is likeness in the sense of being actually like in very nature,—the very “impress of His substance,” Spirit of Spirit, substance of substance, with God. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.5

And this is His likeness to men: not merely in shape, in picture, or representation, but in nature, in very substance. Otherwise, the whole first chapter of Hebrews, with all its detail of information, is, in that connection, utterly meaningless and misplaced. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.6

What, then, is this truth of Christ made in the likeness of men, as given in the second chapter of Hebrews? ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.7

Bearing in mind the great thought of the first chapter, and the first four verses of the second chapter,—of Christ in contrast with the angels, higher than the angels, as God,—we begin with the fifth verse of the second chapter, where begins the thought of Christ in contrast with the angels: lower than the angels, as man. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.8

So we read: “For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus.” Hebrews 2:5-9. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.9

That is to say, God has not put into subjection to the angels the world to come; but He has put it in subjection to man: yet not the man to whom it was originally put in subjection; for, though it was so, now we see it not so. The man lost his dominion, and, instead of having all things in subjection under his feet, he himself is now in subjection to death. And he is in subjection to death only because he is in subjection to sin; for “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Romans 5:12. He is in subjection to death because he is in subjection to sin; for death is the only wages of sin. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.10

Nevertheless, it stands eternally true that not unto the angels hath He put in subjection the world to come, but unto man. And, now, JESUS CHRIST is THE MAN. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.11

For, though having been put in subjection to man, and though now we see it not so; though man was given the dominion over all, and now we see that dominion lost to that particular man; yet we do “see Jesus,” as man, come to regain that original dominion. We do “see Jesus,” as man, come to have all things put in subjection under Him. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.12

That man was the first Adam; this other Man is the last Adam. That first Adam was made a little lower than the angels; this last Adam, Jesus, we see “made a little lower than the angels.” ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.13

That first man did not remain in the position where he was made, “lower than the angels.” He lost that, and went still lower, and became subject to sin, and, in that, subject to suffering, even to the suffering of death. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.14

And the last Adam we see in the same place, in the same condition: “We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death.” And again: “Both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all OF ONE.” ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.15

He which sanctifieth is Jesus. They who are sanctified are men of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples. And one man sanctified, out of any nation, any kindred, any tongue, or any people, is divine demonstration that every soul of that nation, kindred, tongue, or people might have been sanctified. And Jesus’ having become one with these, that He might bring them to glory, is proof that He is one with mankind together; that He, as man, and all men themselves, are “all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.16

Therefore, as He was, in heaven, He was higher than the angels, as God; so, as He was, on earth, He was lower than the angels, as man. As when He was higher than the angels, as God, He and God were of one; so when He was on the earth, lower than the angels, as man, He and man are “of one.” So that, just as certainly as, on the side of God, Jesus and God are of one—of one Spirit, of one nature, of one substance; so, on the side of man, Christ and man are “of one”—of one flesh, of one nature, of one substance. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.17

And so it is further written: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part of the same.” As man, Christ is of the same flesh as is that of men. As man, He is of the same blood as is that of men. He is of “the same” flesh and blood as are the children of men. They are “all of one.” ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.18

And so it is further written: “Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto his brethren.” ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.19

The likeness of Christ to God is in substance as well as in form. And the likeness of Christ to man is in substance as well as in form. Otherwise, there is no meaning at all in the first chapter of Hebrews as introductory to the second chapter; no meaning at all in the parallels of contrast between the first and second chapters; and the first chapter is utterly out of place, and empty, as a basis of instruction to the second chapter. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.20

Please think carefully on these two chapters till this time next week, when they will be considered further. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.21

“Editorial” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 77, 51, p. 808.

THE Chicago Times-Herald, referring to the German emperor’s decree making English a study in the German schools, remarks: “We hope it will be better English than they teach in some of our colleges.” Yes, and it is safe to say that it will be. Very few of the teachers in the colleges in the United States ever learned good English, while they were students, their time being largely spent on Greek and Latin, which they do not learn to speak, and never expect to learn to speak; and having never learned good English, how can they teach it? There is no living language so rich, so strong, so precise, as is the English—good English, English rightly used. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.1

“Catholic Federation” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 77, 51, pp. 808, 809.

ACCORDING to appointment, the “great meeting” to promote Catholic Federation, was held in New York City, November 29. There were “fifty delegates, representing one million one hundred thousand Roman Catholics.” They decided “to form a federation of the Roman Catholics in the United Stattes.” Strictly according to Catholic principle, too, these “preliminary steps toward organization were taken at a secret meeting.” It was held at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. These fifty delegates represent “fourteen Catholic organizations in various States of the Union.” ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.1

Among the societies represented at the meeting were the Knights of St. John, Catholic Benevolent Legion, Ancient Order of Hibernians, Irish Catholic Benevolent Union, League of German Societies of Pennsylvania, Catholic Mutual Benefit Association, Catholic Total Abstinence Union of America, Catholic Young Men’s National Union, Catholic German State Union of New York, and the General Benevolent Association. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.2

The meeting lasted four hours. At its close it was announced that a committee of ten, with Thomas P. McKenna, of Long Branch, N.J., as chairman, had been appointed to draft plans of the proposed federation, and report to a convention to be held in Cincinnati, May 7, 1901. A Committee on Organization, with Congressman John J. Fitzgerald, of Brooklyn, as chairman, was chosen. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.3

The federation will be a lay organization purely. While, however, the Roman Catholic hierarchy, said a delegate, takes no official cognizance of the movement, it has the entire approval of the heads of the Church. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.4

A schedule to guide the deliberation of the leaders for federation has been drawn up by Bishop Messmer, of Green Bay, Wis., in which there is given the following items, under division:— ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.5

III. CIVIL

a. Religious rights of Catholics. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.6

1. In State institutions (reformatories, prisons, workhouses, orphans’ and insane asylums, etc.). ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.7

2. In the public schools (sectarian exercises and Bible, anti-Catholic text-books, discrimination against Catholic teachers, Catholic candidates for graduation and diplomas, compulsion to State schools, etc.). ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.8

3. Chaplains in the army and navy, veterans’ homes. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.9

b. The Catholic Indians. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.10

c. Taxation of Church property. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.11

d. Support of sectarian (Protestant) institutions. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.12

e. Corruption in politics (bribery at elections, in the Legislature). ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.13

Among his remarks upon this, are the following:— ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.14

3. In our public or civil life, to vindicate our full rights as citizens under the Constitution of the United States (to this refers the civic work). ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.15

In all these we believe that we are working for the real welfare and the true interests of our country, as we see in the Catholic religion and its principles the surest guaranty of peace and happiness for a nation. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.16

As has been continuously done by the Catholic hierarchy, in connection with this idea of federation, he next takes special pains to disavow any political object in the accomplishment of this federation; and then immediately follows the disavowal with the significant political statement:— ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.17

Yet we can not and shall not keep away from politics altogether. Catholic interests, religious and civil, are greatly affected in many of our public institutions, the management of which is subject to legislation and the ruling of public offices—whether State or federal. If it becomes necessary to claim or defend our full religious and civil rights as American citizens of those of our Catholic fellow citizens in those public institutions, it must be done through just and proper laws and lawgivers; that is, through political action or influence. Again, should the social questions and troubles of the day become a matter of public or political agitation, Catholic citizens will be bound by a duty of religion as well as of citizenship to take part in it. The foregoing political duties, however, devolve on every Catholic citizen, whether he be a member of a Catholic organization or not. While, therefore, in the very nature of the case, this federation is to be, at certain times or under certain conditions, forced to exert a political influence, yet it will never do so for merely temporal, material, or purely political purposes; it will never “go into politics pure and simple.” ARSH December 18, 1900, page 808.18

And, behold! this Catholic Federation, made up altogether of Catholics, solely to accomplish Catholic ends,—this, the people are assured, is “not to be ‘sectarian,’” especially not “in a narrow, bigoted sense.” ARSH December 18, 1900, page 809.1

Somewhat after the order of the Protestant Federation scheme, this federation will include— ARSH December 18, 1900, page 809.2

all co-operation with non-Catholic organizations or individuals. But wherever our field is the same as theirs, and wherever we can join our efforts with theirs on the basis of a common Christian principle of morality, without the danger of scandalizing the weaker brethren, we shall gladly work hand in hand for the best of our fellow men. Anyone who looks over our program must see at a glance the many points of contact where Catholics can work together with Protestants toward a happy solution of the burning social questions, toward eliminating or lessening some social evils, toward removing many public disadvantages, disability, etc. There is no reason why a Catholic federation should not exercise its powerful influence where non-Catholic organizations have been trying to do good long before an organized effort had been made by Catholics. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 809.3

Under this thing, pushed from both sides by both “Protestants” and Catholics, when the day does come in which Protestants shall reach across the gulf to clasp the hand of the Roman power, that gulf will seem to them to be very narrow—if, indeed, there shall appear to them to be any gulf at all. These are interesting times. ARSH December 18, 1900, page 809.4