The Present Truth, vol. 13

June 3, 1897

“Proper Sabbath Observance” The Present Truth, 13, 22.

E. J. Waggoner

“And it came to pass, that He went through the corn fields on the Sabbath day; and His disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the Sabbath day that which is not lawful? And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungered, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the showbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? And He said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:23-28. And He said, “If ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.” Matthew 12:7. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 337.1

This statement about the Sabbath and its purpose is from Him who made the Sabbath; for in Christ were all things created (Colossians 1:16, 17), and without Him was not one single thing made, of that which exists (John 1:1-3); and the Sabbath is the rest of the Creator. Genesis 2:1-3. The Creator, He who made the Sabbath for man, is the only one who can tell us what it is for, and how to keep it. All statements by men, to the effect that this thing must not be done on the Sabbath, are Pharisaical and Popish additions to God's Word, which, inasmuch as they are mere human ordinances, are always sure to be wrong. The Word of God alone is to be the guide under all circumstances; whoever holds fast to the Word, and is taught of God cannot go wrong. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 337.2

“The Sabbath was made for man,“ and is therefore not something that is against him, a hard requirement,-something to hold, him down,-but a thing calculated to help him in every way. But it is for man; that is, it is a blessing to a man only when he keeps it. When a man rejects that which is good, he has only the evil; so a blessing spurned leaves only a man helpless. Therefore when it is said that all human additions to the Sabbath, and interpretations of the commandment are of no value, it must not be understood that anybody, in the world has any license to break the Sabbath. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy,“ is as valid a commandment as it was the day it was spoken from Sinai. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 337.3

Notice that the Saviour did not excuse the disciples for breaking the Sabbath, but He declared that they had not broken it; they were guiltless. God is not like the gods that the heathen worship who must be propitiated by human suffering. He has no delight in seeing people suffer, but only in seeing them happy. Fasting is right in its place, and acceptable to God; but, when it is done as a penance, when one makes a virtue of it, then it is an abomination to the Lord. Jesus said that the disciples, in quietly satisfying their hunger on the Sabbath day, were guiltless. They did that which was “not lawful,“ only according to the traditions of the Pharisees, but not according, to the law of God. “It is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days,“ said Jesus (Matthew 12:12), and He it is who by obedience to the law of God magnified the law and made it houourable. Isaiah 42:21. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 337.4

In these words, “It is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days,“ and, “The Sabbath was made for man,“ we have the explanation of many of the acts of Christ. The first of these statements is found in Matthew's account of the healing the man with a withered hand (Matt. xii.), which occurs in immediate connection with that of the disciples eating the corn. Indeed, they went from the corn-field direct to the synagogue, where Jesus performed this miracle. The Pharisees knowing how ready and anxious Jesus was to relieve the afflicted, watched Him to see if He would heal the man on the Sabbath. He asked them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or, to do evil? to save life, or to kill?” But they held their peace. Mark 3:4. “But when He had looked round about, on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out; and his hand was restored whole as the other.” Mark 3:5. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 338.1

The Sabbath, therefore, is connected with well-doing, and stands for well-doing, since it was made for man, for his benefit. The Scribes and Pharisees had made it a burden for the people; and it was to show its real nature, that Jesus performed so many miracles on the Sabbath day. Let us look at three typical miracles, besides the one already noted, that were done on the Sabbath. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 338.2

In the fifth chapter of John we have the account of the healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda, who had an infirmity that had made him unable to walk for thirty-eight years. “When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, He saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered Him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool; but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked; and on the same day was the Sabbath.” John 5:6-9. “Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath day.” Verse 16. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 338.3

Although Jesus knew how the Pharisees felt about such things, He still continued to go about doing good, no less on the Sabbath days than on other days. He said, “I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day.” As He passed by, “He saw a man which was blind from his birth.” Having said that He must do the works of God, and that He was the light of the world, “He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam (which is by interpretation, Sent). He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.” “And it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.” And again there was a strife among the Jews over the matter. See John ix. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 338.4

On another occasion Jesus “was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And He laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work; in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed; and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.” Luke 13:10-17. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 338.5

One noticeable thing about all these cases is that none of them were what might be called urgent cases. There was no immediate danger of death in any of them, unless possibly the case of the man at the pool of Bethesda, and one day more could certainly not have made much difference in his case. The blind man would never have known the difference if Jesus on seeing him had said to Himself, “To-morrow, or as soon as the Sabbath is past, I will come and heal that man.” Eight or ten days even would have made no great difference so far as the man was concerned, for his life was in no danger, and he had no expectation of seeing. The same thing is true of the woman that was bowed down, and of the man with the withered hand. They would not have suffered materially if Jesus had waited a day or two longer before healing them, especially as they were not expecting to be healed. But Jesus did not wait, when He saw people in affliction, but gave them the blessing of health and strength at once, no matter what the day. Even when He knew that the Jews were watching Him, and that they would seek to kill Him for His Sabbath miracles, He did not put off the good work. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 338.6

We cannot read the record of these cases without seeing that it was not mere accident that they were healed on the Sabbath day. When the persons’ lives were in no danger, and they had as it were become accustomed to their infirmity, and had not asked nor expected to be healed, and when Jesus knew that the healing of them on the Sabbath would increase the enmity of the rulers of the Jews against Him, and that they were watching Him, we can easily see that there was design in the performance of these miracles on the Sabbath day. Jesus wished to teach the people and their rulers a lesson that they needed to know. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 338.7

Of one thing, however, we may be sure, the design of Jesus was not to spite the Jews, or to show contempt for the rulers. It was not any defiance of danger, or desire to assert His rights, that led Him thus to act contrary to the cherished traditions of the elders. We know that He often went away to another part rather than stir up the animosity of the rulers, and that He did not court publicity. No; His one desire was to do good, and to show the people that the Sabbath was meant to be a blessing, and not a burden. His work was “to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18), not alone in body, but in soul and spirit. The physical blindness and bondage and infirmity which the people suffered was only an evidence and a consequence of the spiritual blindness and bondage and infirmity that afflict mankind; and the power of Jesus over the one was simply an evidence of His power over the other. He came to represent the Father, and to declare His name, who is, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” Exodus 34:6, 7. The healing of the body was only a sign to show the reality of the blessed work of forgiving sins and cleansing from all unrighteousness. See Matthew 9:5, 6. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 338.8

Now the object of the Sabbath is to cause people to know the Lord as the God who sanctifies. Ezekiel 20:12. The Sabbath is God's rest, the rest which He graciously shares with all who believe Him. Exodus 20:8, 9; Hebrews 4:3, 4. It stands for complete deliverance from sin in the present time, and is the pledge and assurance of the final redemption of the body and of the whole creation from every trace of the curse. Those who cease from profaning it, and who call it a delight, and not a burden, and by the proper observance of it honour God as Creator with all power in heaven and earth, have the promise that through it they shall delight themselves in the Lord, and be made to ride on the high places of the earth. Isaiah 58:13, 14. It was to show all the people, including us, that the Sabbath means freedom from sin and ... and fulness of joy in the Lord, that Jesus performed those miracles. Let it be particularly noticed that the effect of them was to cause the people to rejoice and to glorify God. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 339.1

It may be noted, in closing, that there was never any controversy or question as to which day is the Sabbath. The commandment settles that for all time, and the Bible gives no ground for any controversy over the matter. “The seventh day is the Sabbath,“ and the Pharisees and Jesus were agreed on that, since there was no room for difference. Jesus did not once intimate that the seventh day was not the Sabbath, or that He had come to change it, or that it no longer needed to be observed as strictly as formerly. He expressly stated that He had not come to destroy the law, or any portion of it, but instead to fulfil it and show how it should be observed. His works of love and mercy, never performed for His own profit or benefit, but only for the good of others, even to His own loss, were done, not to show disrespect of the Sabbath day, but were on the contrary, the highest possible honour that could be shown it, in that they presented it as the sign of the greatest blessing that God has it in His power to bestow. Who will accept it as such, and in glorifying God find himself sanctified and glorified? PTUK June 3, 1897, page 339.2

“A Significant Movement in Australia” The Present Truth, 13, 22.

E. J. Waggoner

DEMANDING A NATIONAL CREED

The Australian colonies are drawing together to unite under one commonwealth, and a Federal Convention has been meeting to frame a constitution. Cardinal Moran tried to get into the Convention, but was defeated, as the Protestant churches feared Roman influence. But no sooner had the Convention met than the same churches began an effort to secure the control of it in the interests of political religion. Our Society's Melbourne organ, the Bible Echo, just received, says:— PTUK June 3, 1897, page 339.3

Nearly every day last week numerous petitions from various Protestant churches, praying for a formal recognition of God in the Federal Constitution, were introduced in the Federal Convention now in session at Adelaide. The prime movers of these petitions are not satisfied with those recognising God who believe in Him; they want a document which speaks for all the people,-believers and unbelievers, infidels, atheists, Jews, Christians, Mahometans, Mormons, Buddhists, Spiritualists, Theosophists, and agnostics,-to say that all recognise God as Supreme Ruler, etc., whether they do or not. In other words, they want the Federal Constitution to say that which is not true. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 339.4

The reason why they wish to make the State profess a formal recognition of God is that the way may be opened for religious legislation. As the Adelaide Church News, a Church of England organ, says, it will be the setting forth of a “national creed,“ and naturally it expresses the belief that “our Roman Catholic brethren” will approve of it. As our Society's organ truly says:— PTUK June 3, 1897, page 339.5

The Roman Catholic Church endorsed that principle over a thousand years ago. Upon that the whole system of the Papacy was built, and out of it grew all the evils and horrors and bitter persecutions of the Dark Ages. When the Papacy approves of that principle she approves of her own; and when professed Protestants approve of it, and ask her to approve of it, they are both denying the fundamental principles of true Protestantism and clasping hands with that church, whose history for twelve long centuries is written in the blood of the saints. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 339.6

The Convention has adjourned, but during the interval the agitation in the colonies will go on, and it seems extremely probable that the churches will get their way. It is the tendency of the times in all the world. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 339.7

“Turkey's Revival” The Present Truth, 13, 22.

E. J. Waggoner

The fighting spirit of the Turks has been aroused by his successes in Greece, and Europe has been surprised by the vitality of Turkey as a fighting power. Instead, however, of deferring the solution of the Eastern Question, the Turkish revival will most likely have the effect of hastening events in the East which statesmen dread, and which, in the light of prophesy, mean the ushering in of the great day of the Lord. A well-informed writer, recently returned from Turkey, said last week:— PTUK June 3, 1897, page 339.8

“The truth of it is, that the whole war has been used by Turkey as a medium to assert her new position among European nations. Long after it became apparent that the Greeks had no resisting power, Turkey continued to pour men into Macedonia and Thessaly. She added 60,000 men to her army even when it was beyond doubt that that army could beat the Greeks. And even to-day the whole route between Salonika and Domokos is simply blue with men in uniform; one enormous procession of reinforcements, who will number 300,000 when all reach the field. In addition to these, 200,000 more Reservists are held in readiness to proceed to the front at once, if necessary. This extensive mobilisation completely throws the war in its shadow. It means readiness for a greater war. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 339.9

“Frankly speaking, this is the most serious situation that Europe has had to face for nearly thirty years. It may yet pass off harmlessly enough if the personal timidity of the Sultan leads him to dismiss his present advisers; but from close observation it seemed to me that the temper of most men belonging to the ruling class is altogether in sympathy with this newly-developed spirit of independence and pugnacity on the part of their country. On every side I have heard Turkish army officers boasting that they meant to keep the land bought with Turkish blood. Again, those Europeans who have relations with the Ottoman Government told me that Turkey was simply crazed by the new power which she feels thrilling in her veins, and that she means to assert her new relation toward the rest of Europe.” PTUK June 3, 1897, page 339.10

“The Leaven of Paganism” The Present Truth, 13, 22.

E. J. Waggoner

In a work just published, Professor Karl Pearson, F.R.S., speaks as follows of the corrupting influence of pagan nature and demon worship on the merely nominal Christianity which Rome gave to Europe:— PTUK June 3, 1897, page 341.1

The missionaries brought their religion, and sought to force it on the German people; they branded as devilish all the old heathen festivals, the religious dances, and the ancient marriage rites, thus unwittingly creating all the deep medi?val feeling as to witchcraft. But the folk-spirit was not to be thus repressed; it danced into the churches; it took Christianity out of the hands of the priests; it moulded it to its own ideas, and shaped it to that wonderful artistic polytheism of which the nominal Founder never dreamed, and which would have been sternly repudiated by the early Christian teachers. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 341.2

Of course it would have been repudiated; for Christ has no concord with Satan, nor can there be any admixture of paganism with the Gospel. The influence of this nature worship left so great a mark upon nominal Christianity that Professor Pearson speaks of Western Christianity as “a product neither of Jewish nor Greek minds, but of the Teutonic folk-spirit.” He makes the usual mistake of those who record the growth of these influences, in calling Christian that fraudulent substitute for Christianity developed by the Roman apostasy, and in thinking that any human influence, East or West, Jewish or Greek, left any mark whatever upon the religion of Jesus Christ. But these writers only call attention to what every Bible believer who thinks at all of the subject must see for himself, that Christendom is full of practices and errors which originated in out-and-out paganism, and which have leavened the whole mass. Now that the Lord's coming is drawing near, He again sends forth the Gospel of His kingdom calling men to the standard of His Word. The Reformation began by setting free the Word. People now have it in their hands. All who believe it will live by it. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 341.3

“The Live Coal from God's Altar” The Present Truth, 13, 22.

E. J. Waggoner

When Isaiah saw the vision of the Lord in His temple, “high and lifted up,“ he cried, “Woe is me! for I am undone.” He saw his own poverty and nakedness as never before. The Lord wanted someone to go with the message to sinners; but he was “a man of unclean lips.” PTUK June 3, 1897, page 341.4

Then flew a seraph to him, with a live coal from off the altar of the Lord, and touched his mouth, saying, “Lo, this hath touched thy lips and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” Isaiah believed the words, and when he heard the call, “Who will go? he answered, “Here am I; send me.” And the commission came, “Go.” PTUK June 3, 1897, page 341.5

“Is not My word like as a fire? saith the Lord.” “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” It was with the living word of God that the prophet's lips were touched. As he believed the word it was his cleansing, and he was ready to go to sinners with it. The very word which the Spirit uses to convict of sin has power in it to burn away the sin. Thank God for it, and believe it, and hold the life to the Word for constant correction and cleansing. When it is a burning coal direct from God's altar to your lips, you may daily say, “Here Lord, send me,“ and the Lord's answer will be, “Go.” But He sends us to speak only His words. “He that hath My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord. Is not My word like as a fire?” Jeremiah 23:28, 29. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 341.6

“No Boasting” The Present Truth, 13, 22.

E. J. Waggoner

“Where is boasting then? It is excluded.” Romans 3:27. Since righteousness is a free gift of God through Jesus Christ, it is evident that no one can justly boast of any righteousness that he has. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8, 9. “Who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?” 1 Corinthians 1:4. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 341.7

The result of boasting in heaven is seen in the case of Satan. Once he was one of the covering cherubs above the throne of God. But he began to contemplate his own glory and goodness, and his fall was the consequence. “Thou hast sinned; therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God; and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness.” Ezekiel 28:16, 17. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 342.1

If the saints after their translation should begin to boast of their sinlessness, they would be as bad as they ever were. But that will never be. All who are admitted to heaven will have fully learned the lesson that God is all and in all. There will not be a voice or a heart silent in the song of praise, “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.” PTUK June 3, 1897, page 342.2

“Items of Interest” The Present Truth, 13, 22.

E. J. Waggoner

-Thirty miles of warships are to take part in the great naval review at Spithead arranged for Jubilee week. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 350.1

-The oyster is one of the strongest creatures on earth. The force required to open its shell is more than 900 times its weight. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 350.2

-In both Spain and Austria political differences in the legislative chambers have led to scenes of violence unprecedented in recent years. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 350.3

-In Zululand, when the moon is at the full, objects are distinctly visible at as greet a distance as seven miles. By starlight one can see to read print with ease. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 350.4

-Someone says; “If all the tobacco smoked in the British Empire last year were rolled into a rope an inch in diameter it would form a snake-like roll which, following the line of the equator, would go thirty times round the earth.” PTUK June 3, 1897, page 350.5

-An ancient custom was last week revived in Herts. Hitchin clergymen, in surplices, and attended by a choir, made a tour in procession of the cornfields and farm yards, where prayers were offered up for a blessing on the young crops. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 350.6

-A young man, who confessed to having got his desire for infamous fame out of novels, was arrested in St. Petersburg last week for waiting about the Imperial palace, armed with pistol and dagger, with which he designed making an attack upon the Czar. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 350.7

-Her Majesty has approved the proposal to flash a Royal message all over the Empire during the open-air service at St. Paul’s. The most distant colonies, by arrangements now being made, will receive the Queen's communication within ninety seconds after Her Majesty gives the signal. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 350.8

-The Greek Government has disbanded most of the irregulars with the army, as their presence was a source of weakness, outrage attending their progress. Large numbers of the Italian volunteers were also hastened back to Italy, as they were largely Anarchists, whose presence in Greece was a danger to public peace. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 350.9

-Since the introduction of cycles into the armies of Europe, military men have been considering how best to guard against the enemies’ scouts on the wheel. The German authorities are training dogs to attack cyclists who are clad in French and Russian uniform. German, Austrian, and Italian uniforms are recognised by the dogs as friendly tokens, but they rush upon riders in the two hostile uniforms and overthrow them. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 350.10

-Reporting fruit prospects, a trade journal says: “It is now clear that we shall have a heavy plum crop in spite of the large quantity of imperfectly set fruit that has fallen. The bleak currant crop will be medium; in some places it is bad. Gooseberries are plentiful, but much has fallen. White and red currants show indications of heavy crops generally. Apples will be exceedingly heavy, heavier than has been the case for years; while cherries will be plentiful, especially Morellos. Pears will be medium only. Strawberries will be very plentiful.” PTUK June 3, 1897, page 350.11

“Back Page” The Present Truth, 13, 22.

E. J. Waggoner

“Within the last five years,“ says a missionary journal, “no less than fifty-two new versions have been added to the list of languages and dialects in which some portions of the Bible are printed.” PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.1

We are just bringing out the ninth edition of that helpful little work, “Steps to Christ,“ this edition completing 25,000 copies of the book. An edition has also been published in the Welsh language. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.2

The Pope has given information that his letter to the Queen on the occasion of the Jubilee “will be written in very affectionate and sympathetic terms.” He will be represented at the Jubilee celebrations by a special envoy. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.3

The only advocacy of peace principles which can be depended upon is that which springs from appreciation of the Gospel of peace. Thus a great morning paper, which has led in the talk of international arbitration and peace, says that, as the Greeks have shown that they are made of “excellent fighting stuff,“ “it must be their business now to organise it and train it. The end of all things is not yet.” PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.4

“To avert the battle of Armageddon is,“ says a writer in Biackwood's Magazine, “the aim of the European Concert, and we hardly know what else can avert it.” It is a vain hope. But when men of the world see the crisis that is coming, how much more clearly ought believers to see the tremendous importance of the time. It is God who is holding back the winds of universal strife (Revelation 7:1-8), and in order that the closing work of the Gospel may be accomplished. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.5

The canonisation ceremonies in St. Peter's last Thursday were, it is said, the most gorgeous witnessed in Rome since the Papacy lost its temporal power. There were the glittering uniforms of soldier guards, robes of the clergy, jewelled mitres, waving banners, and swinging censors, all fitting accompaniments of the ceremony which blasphemously professes to exalt the dead to be objects of devotion. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.6

“Statistics show,“ says an American journal, “that the people of the United States spend five times as much for intoxicating liquors as for education. They spend ?40,000,000 for education, but the drink bill of the nation is ?200,600,060.” PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.7

Both Anglicans and Romanists are to celebrate the landing of Augustine and his monks in England, thirteen centuries ago, this month. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.8

There are many Chinese in the Sandwich Islands, and our friends there have for some time conducted a day school for them. The school has grown so that additional teachers have recently been secured, and the Chinese are requesting further extension of schools amongst them. This opens the way for teaching them Gospel truth. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.9

The master of a large Union workhouse in London, who has frequently requested parcels of back numbers of our paper writes: “I ought to say that since your publications have been distributed amongst our inmates, I have observed a great change in the demeanour of many of them. One man who was a furious blasphemer of Jesus, is now a meek and humble believer in Him, and helps us in the distribution of copies of the PRESENT TRUTH, the Holy Scriptures, etc.” PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.10

By occasional reports of our Society's work in Germany we learn that the Gospel of Sabbath reform makes good progress there, by the preaching of the Word and by the sale of publications. Fifty colporteurs are engaged in this latter line of work. The Word which, under God, Luther set free in Germany is still the power of reformation of life. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.11

Jesus said, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” It was not merely as a teacher and a healer that Jesus worked, but for many years He laboured as a carpenter. Even in that He was revealing the character of the Father to men. Whoever, therefore, is ashamed to labour would be ashamed of the company of God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.12

“Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.” But that is such a task that any who seriously undertake it will be driven to pray with the Psalmist, “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.13

“Seeking to the Dead” The Present Truth, 13, 22.

E. J. Waggoner

Seeking to the Dead .—Before declaring the two new papal saints, to whom petitions may be addressed, the Pope, according to the formula, twice deferred granting the request for canonisation in order to consult with the Lord. If he had really listened to the Lord's voice, he would have heard this: “Should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living should they seek unto the dead? To the law and to the testimony!” “Man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the river decayeth and drieth up; so man lieth down and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.” PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.14

“A View of God's Power” The Present Truth, 13, 22.

E. J. Waggoner

A View of God's Power .—Moses saw the power of God manifested in Egypt and at the Red Sea, at Sinai, and for forty years in the wilderness. No man ever saw more. But the more he saw, the more he realised how little he had seen. Just before his death he prayed, “O Lord God, Thou hast begun to show Thy servant Thy greatness, and Thy mighty hand.” Deuteronomy 3:24. There is a good lesson in this prayer for those who are inclined to limit God's power and distrust it, or to think by the little they have learned that they know most that is to be known. Moses knew enough to know that he had only begun to see the power and goodness of the Lord. And all “the exceeding greatness of His power” is “to us-ward who believe.” PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.15

“Unwise Caution” The Present Truth, 13, 22.

E. J. Waggoner

Unwise Caution .—There is such a thing as being too cautious. This is the case when men hesitate to act upon the word of the Lord. How often it happens that people will acknowledge the clearness of the Word of God, and still will hestitate to let themselves rest upon it. “I know that the Bible says so, but I believe in being cautious. I do not believe in moving too hastily.” Such caution is sin. It is simply unbelief. How differently Mary did when the angel announced to her the birth of a son. “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to Thy word.” And the Holy Ghost by the mouth of Elizabeth, pronounced a blessing upon her for her ready belief. See Luke 1:45. PTUK June 3, 1897, page 352.16