The Present Truth, vol. 13

September 23, 1897

“Irreligious Religion” The Present Truth, 13, 38.

E. J. Waggoner

Irreligious Religion .—The story of the church councils shows how easy it is for men destitute of genuine religion to be zealously and even violently religious. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 593.1

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked,“ says the Lord. Human nature is a collection of contradictions, and unless God rules in the heart, laying bare its perversity and renewing it, it is bound to deceive its possessor. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 593.2

Here, for instance, were men discussing about the nature of Christ, and exhibiting on both sides the very nature of the devil. What was the trouble? First, it was not to become partakers of the Divine nature by partaking of the Word, that they were holding controversy; but each had opinions and definitions for which they contended, in pride and hatred demanding that others should accept, not the gracious Word of God, and the Spirit's power for practical life, or the character of the meek and lowly Jesus, but rather their definitions and views about the Lord, or about the Holy Spirit. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 593.3

The Lord sent the believers, forth to “preach the Word,“ to speak “all the words of this life. The aim was refomnation of life by the power of God, and it was wrought, too, wherever the Word was received as the Word of life. Very soon after the days of the apostles, however, and even in their days, departure from the faith and disputings about words came in, and the result is seen in the controversies of these times, which led up to the Papacy and the supremacy of human authority over the Divine. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 593.4

And as it was not to become partakers of the life and to lead into deeper holiness that debates and strifes were inaugurated and councils met to thresh out human theories, so, too, there was a second motive at work. The theory represented a cause, and it was the aim of the promoter to lift himseIf into place of power or position of honour as leader of a following. The pride of opinion and the love of power are are everywhere apparent in the whole sad story. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 593.5

Human nature is the same in all ages. The natural man is a fighter. If he be a religious man, still unredeemed from the state of nature, he will love religious strife. Paul's two epistles to Timothy show how this element caused trouble in the apostolic church. It was the beginning of the “falling away.” Of the temperament of the theological fighter the Lord said by the apostle: “He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmising, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth.” Yet the typical controversialist is the one who thinks he knows, and he excuses all the strife by urging his fervour for truth. It is difficult to explain to such the difference between firmness for the truth and contentiousness about theories of truth. But it is the difference between preaching the truth to win souls to the Lord, and arguing to convince some one of the superiority of a certain view, which really means of one's own superiority. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 593.6

The contentious man preaches a loud sermon on human weakness, and one of the lessons of these church councils of old time is that the heart is verily deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. If the enemy cannot altogether keep men indifferent to truth, he next endeavours to pervert the right way, or to draw away the vital godliness and the warmth of the first love, leaving only the shell and form of the truth, and setting every wind of doctrine going for men to discuss and strive about. No one is so difficult to help as the one to whom the name of Jesus suggests but a theory about His nature. Mention of conversion brings at once an abstruse definition or a special view about the new birth. So it goes, and the religious life is but a cabinet of ticketed theological specimens. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.1

The faith of Jesus is not a cabinet of fossils but a growing garden, each plant rooted in the Word and growing up into the sunlight of God's love. Such a garden the Lord will plant in every heart surrendered unconditionally to Him. Truth in the inward parts, the law of righteousness written in the heart, the fruits of the Divine nature blossoming in the life; this is knowing God. The Father is the husbandman. Let Him do the planting and the rooting out. And “every plant which My heavenly Father hath not planted,“ said Jesus, “shall be rooted out.” And the plants of the Lord's planting cannot be tied up to the stakes of human creeds and definitions. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.2

“Lessons From the Book of Hebrews. ‘As He Is, So Are We’” The Present Truth, 13, 38.

E. J. Waggoner

The preceding studies in the first two chapters of Hebrews have shown us Jesus in His infinite power and glory, but nevertheless as Man, so that we might know that “the power of God and the wisdom of God” are given to men. In the remaining verses of chapter two (13-18) we have the same truth set forth for our comfort. After the statement that Christ is not ashamed to call us brethren, there are three quotations in proof of the fact, with the second of which we begin:— PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.3

“And again, I will put My trust in Him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given Me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.4

Question.—What statement of Christ has already been cited, to show that He is not ashamed to call sinful men His brethren? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.5

Answer.—“I will declare Thy name unto My brethren?” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.6

Q.—What still further shows Him to be one with us in esperience? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.7

A.—“I will put My trust in Him.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.8

Q.—How does He still further identify Himself with us? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.9

A.—“Behold I and the children whom Thou hast given He.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.10

Q.—Of what are “the children” partakers? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.11

A.—“Of flesh and blood.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.12

Q.—Of what did He therefore take part? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.13

A.—“Of the same.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.14

Q.—Why? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.15

A.—“That He might destroy him that had the power of death.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.16

Q.— Who is he that had the power of death? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.17

A.—“The devil.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.18

Q.—And how is it that He destroy him? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.19

A.—“Through death.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.20

Q.—And what does He thereby do? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.21

A.—“Deliver them, who ... were a their lifetime subject to bondage.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.22

Q.—What held them in this bondage? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.23

A.—“The fear of death.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.24

Q.—What did Christ not take on Himself? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.25

A.—“The nature of angels.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.26

Q.—What did He take on Himself? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 594.27

A.—“He took on him the seed of Abraham.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.1

Q.—What was therefore fitting and necessary for Him? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.2

A.—“Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.3

Q.—Why? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.4

A.—“That He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.5

Q.—To do what? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.6

A.—“To make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.7

Q.—How has He Himself suffered’? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.8

A.—“He Himself hath suffered being tempted.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.9

Q.—What is He therefore able to do? PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.10

A.—“He is able to succour them that are tempted.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.11

“Flesh and Blood.” -What is the significance of the statement that the children are partakers of flesh and blood? The connection shows clearly, but we have also a hint in 1 Corinthians 15:50: “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” Flesh and blood is corruptible, it has to do with death. The children are partakers of flesh and blood, that is, they are subject to death; therefore Christ took part of the same, and tasted death “for every man,“ in order that He might deliver the children from death. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.12

“Him that had the power of death.” -Who is it?—The devil. What then is the grave?—It is Satan's stronghold, his prison house. How say some, then, that death is a friend?—That I know not, for the Scripture declares that it is an enemy. “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” 1 Corinthians 15:26. The fact that death is the last enemy that is slain, shows that it is the greatest and strongest of all enemies. It is a hard and cruel enemy, so much so that the Bible knows no darkened room, the black funeral train, or even if these be not present, the involuntary tears, the heaving sob, the aching heart, and the void that is left where the loved one was so rudely torn away, all testify that death is an enemy, no matter what people, misled by heathen, stoic philosophy, say of it. It is a cruel, bitter enemy, with not a single redeeming attractive feature. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.13

Death Conquered .—On one occasion, when Jesus had cast a devil out of a man, He said: “How can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his house, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.” Matthew 12:29. The strong man is Satan, but Christ is the “stronger than he.” Luke 11:23. He came to deprive Satan of his power, yea, and to destroy the devil himself. The object of Christ's coming is “to seek and to save that which was lost, those whom Satan had enticed away and bound. But first he must bind the strong man. This He did, as was demonstrated in His whole life. Wherever He went, the devils had no power; but this power over Satan was the power of His righteousness. Because there was no unrighteousness in Christ, because Satan could not influence Him in the slightest degree, “it was not possible that He should be holden” of death, when He voluntarily suffered it. Acts 2:24. He went into the grave as a conqueror and therefore He came out a conqueror. He “spoiled principalities and powers,“ and “made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it,“ that is, in His cross. Colossians 2:14, 15. Thus is Satan's armour, in which he trusted, turned against himself, and when death has swallowed him up then shall death itself be destroyed. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.14

Deliverance .—But for all practical purposes, death is already destroyed for God's people; for its the grave had no power over Christ, so it has no power to retain those who are in Christ. Satan is the adversary, and the grave is his prison, but Christ holds the keys. “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Revelation 1:15. Who would fear the gloomiest dungeon, when his dearest friend, who is Almighty, holds the keys? Christ bore the curse, that we might receive the blessing. Galatians 3:13, 14. So Christ received the sting of death in Himself, that we might be delivered from its poison. Even over death “we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” Romans 8:35-37. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.15

Sin and Death .—“The sting of death is sin.” 1 Corinthians 15:56. Christ received the sting, because “Him who knew no sin” hath God made to be sin in our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21. So the deliverance which Christ has won for “them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage,“ is deliverance from sin. Sin is the only thing that can cause fear of death; the deliverance from sin frees from the fear of death. Christ's power over death, and over him that had the power of death, is but the measure of His power to free the soul from sin. And this deliverance is proclaimed to all. Jesus came with the anointing of the Holy Ghost proclaiming to the captives, Liberty. Isaiah 61:1. To every captive soul, He cries, You are free! the prison doors are open. To all the prisoners He says, “Go forth.” Isaiah 42:9. Whoever therefore now remains in bondage is there because He loves bondage more than liberty, or else be cause he does not believe the message. But the glorious truth which Christ commissions His servants to proclaim is, that Satan's cruel power is broken, and that all have their liberty. This is true religious liberty, and the only thing that has a right to the name; and this liberty is found nowhere else but in Christ. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.16

“The Seed of Abraham.” -Christ did not take on Him the nature of angels, or He did not take hold of angels. Why not? Because unto the angels hath He not put in subjection the world to come. Christ's manifestation to this earth has nothing to do with angels, because they never had any claim on it. “But He took on Him the seed of Abraham.” “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds, as of many; but a of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” Galatians 3:16. Thus we see that the expression, “He took on Him the seed of Abraham” means literally that He became the seed of Abraham; that is, He became man in the fullest sense, as much man in every particular as was Isaac; for “in Isaac shall thy seed be called.” In this lies the comfort of the Gospel. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.17

The Necessary Consequence .—“Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren.” Otherwise He would not be the seed of Abraham “In all things,“ without exception, He is associated with His brethren. He is one with them. The Lord says, “I have exalted One chosen out of the people.” Psalm 89:19. And again, speaking to Moses, “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee.” Deuteronomy 18:18. The Romish Church, following the tendency of human nature, has made a great gulf between Christ and man. Instead of presenting Him as He is, one of the people, it separates Him so far from them that people are made to think that some one is needed to present their petitions to Him, and to make Hint willing to save them. But the Bible presents Him as the loving Companion, who is burdened with all our weaknesses and temptations, and who thus has sympathy with us, but who at the same time has all might, so that He can show us how to overcome; nay, more, who is our Salvation. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 595.18

How He Suffered .—“He suffered, being tempted.” It was no play with Him. He did not come to earth merely to act out a part. Temptations did not come to Him as to one who was insensible to their attractions and power, so that they were not in reality temptations. No; He suffered. He was made to be sin for us. He took the nature of Abraham, with all its weaknesses, so that the temptation to sin was a real experience. But “He did no sin,“ and therefore He suffered the more. He verily “resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” Sin was as much a reality in His flesh as in that of His brethren, for He was “born of a woman, born under the law, that He might redeem them which were under the law.” Galatians 4:4, 5, R.V. In Christ as Man there is everything that is common to “man that is born of woman.” But He conquered. The sinful, human nature which He took upon Him, which He became, never was allowed to get the ascendancy. He was always a conqueror, and a conqueror for our sakes, so that we might say, “Now thanks he unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:14. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 596.1

He Can Succour .—Why can He succour us?—Because “He Himself hath suffered being tempted.” Not simply because He was not overcome, but because He had a struggle. If there had been no struggle; if He had, so to speak, been insured beforehand against sin, so that its assaults on Him and His resistance were only a show,-a sham battle,-then He could not succour us, for our conflicts are real. But the fact that in every encounter He conquered completely, together with the fact that His temptations were as real as ours, because in all things He was made like unto His brethren, is everlasting comfort. Because He overcame, our victory is assured, nay, is already gained; for our faith is the victory “that hath overcome the world.” 1 John 5:4, R.V. John 16:33. He suffered in our flesh. He took on Him the seed of Abraham, and if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:29. He suffered in the flesh (1 Peter 4:1), in our flesh; therefore when we suffer temptation we suffer with Him, and if we but realise that we are really suffering with Him, and only with Him, then we are as sure of victory as we are that He has overcome. Romans 8:17. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 596.2

The Source of His Strength .—It was this: “I will put My trust in Him.” “He trusted in the Lord that He would deliver Him.” Christ said: “Thou didst make Me trust when I was upon My mother's breasts.” Psalm 22:9, R.V. Again: “For the Lord God will help Me; therefore shall I not be confounded.” Isaiah 50:7. “I can of Mine own self do nothing.” John 5:30. No man call be any more helpless than that. But He trusted in God, and was not put to shame. For what did He trust the Lord?—For everything; for wisdom and strength for every emergency; for He is “the wisdom of God and the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:24. “As He is, so are we in this world.” 1 John 4:17. The only trouble with us is that we are not as willing as He to confess that we are not nothing-“without strength.” Although as the only begotten Son who was in glory with the Father before the world was, even “from the days of eternity,“ He possessed all power in Himself as Creator, He “emptied Himself” (Philippians 2:7, R.V.), so that He was on this earth nothing except what He allowed the Father to put in Him. And it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell (Colossians 1:19), because He put His trust in Him. And “you hath He quickened with Christ, giving us the same Spirit in equal measure with the gift of Christ (Ephesians 4:7) that being strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man, Christ might dwell in the heart by faith, so that we also “might be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:16-19. This is the comfort of the Gospel; therefore “unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 596.3

“Common Sense in Religion” The Present Truth, 13, 38.

E. J. Waggoner

A member of a persuasion whose fundamental doctrine is that men are free from obedience to the ten commandments, had been arguing that, being under grace and not under the law, all were at liberty to transgress it. A few days after, talking with a friend, the person said that a relative was feeling anxious over being summoned on a case in the courts. But as he was innocent of any offence it was agreed that no anxiety need be felt. “It is when one has done wrong,“ the person said, “and brought oneself under the law, that he may well be fearful of being called to answer for it.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 596.4

Just so, suggested the visitor, is it with the law of God. When one lives in transgression of it, he is under its condemnation, not when he obeys it. It is plain, isn't it, in ordinary affairs? The one who is free from the law of the land is the one who is obedient to it. The civil law against stealing cannot touch or trouble the man who lives honestly. He is perfectly free from it. But let a man be caught stealing and at once he is under the law. Why cannot people use the same common sense in religion? Men will even argue that one who confesses his sins and yields his life by faith to obedience to God's law has fallen from grace and is under the law; while the one who disobeys God's law is supposed to be free from it, and under grace! Was there ever a more unreasonable and wicked argument? “Sin [the transgression of the law] shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14. What does grace do? It reigns “through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ.” Romans 3:31. “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us.” Romans 8:1. It takes man from under the law by forgiving his sins, and bringing his life into harmony with the law of righteousness. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 596.5

“The Papal Court” The Present Truth, 13, 38.

E. J. Waggoner

Of the one who professes to sit as the successor of Peter, the fisherman and apostle who went about preaching the Word, a newspaper paragraph says:— PTUK September 23, 1897, page 596.6

The Court of Pope Leo XIII. comprises 1,000 persons. There are 20 valets, 120 chamberlains, 300 extra honorary chamberlains, 130 supernumerary chamberlains, 30 officers of the Noble Guard and 60 Guardsmen, 14 officers of the Swiss Guard and Palace Guard, seven honorary chaplains, 20 private secretaries, 10 stewards and Masters of the Horse, and 60 doorkeepers. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 596.7

“His Ambition” The Present Truth, 13, 38.

E. J. Waggoner

His Ambition .—Among the last words of M. Mabille, a French missionary in Africa, whose work was blessed of the Lord, were these: “You do not know all the struggles my study has witnessed. I have wanted to be-small-small-small; that He should take away all pride and self-love.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 598.1

“Object of Sunday Laws” The Present Truth, 13, 38.

E. J. Waggoner

We have frequently had occasion to remark, in commenting on various cases of the prosecution of Sabbath-keepers under the Sunday laws in America and the colonies, that the offence is not so much the Sunday work as the Sabbath rest. Not long ago one of our brethren in prison under the Sunday law was able to look out of his cell window on Sunday and see workmen engaged in the heaviest kind of labour working all day long. But they had not kept the day before, the Sabbath, holy unto the Lord. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.1

How it is sometimes managed may be seen by the following report of evidence taken before the Grand Jury of a county in one of the American States. The churches had been disturbed by the fact that the preaching of the Gospel had led some good members to yield the same obedience to the fourth commandment that they had before yielded to the other nine. The Grand Jury was influenced to take up cases under the Sunday law, and a Mr. Armstrong, a Seventh-day Adventist, was called as a witness. He was asked if he knew of anyone working on Sunday. He replied that he did. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.2

Grand Jury.—“Who are they?” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.3

Armstrong.—“The ‘Frisco Railway is running trains every Sunday.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.4

G. J.—“Do you know of any others?” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.5

A.—“Yes; the hotels of this place are open and do a full run of business on Sunday, as on other days.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.6

G. J.—“Do you know of any others?” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.7

A.—“Yes, sir; the drug stores and barber shops all keep open, and do business every Sunday.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.8

G. J.—“Do you know of any others?” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.9

A.—“Yes; the livery stables do more business on Sunday than on any day of the week.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.10

After several repetitions of the same form of question and answer, in relation to other lines of business this question was reached:— PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.11

G. J.—“Do you know of any Seventh-day Adventists who ever work on Sunday?” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.12

A.—“Yes, sir.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.13

After getting from the witness the names of his brethren, indictments were found against five persons, all of whom were Seventh-day Adventists. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.14

Now, it is wicked to try to force anybody to keep Sunday or to act religiously; the iniquity of the thing is not because those thus set upon are Christians who follow the example of Christ in Sabbath-keeping. But it is easy to see that back of this modern demand for Sunday laws is the old spirit of intolerance which aimed at setting up human authority above God’s, and was determined that witnesses to the truth should be silenced. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.15

Those doing these things do not know the origin of their hatred of the law of God and their determination to force upon the world the papal Sunday. But the Bible shows that it is but the closing part of Satan's warfare against the obedient which he began through the serpent with the woman in Eden. “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus.” Revelation 12:17. This is the spirit coming up from beneath and taking fast hold upon men. The Papacy we know as a church in alliance with the civil power, making void the law of God by its traditions. It boasts of its change of the Sabbath to the Sunday. The Protestant world is now being influenced from beneath to make an image to the papal beast of prophetic symbolism. It is against this that the everlasting Gospel warns men in this hour of God's judgment, when Christ is at the door. Revelation 14:6-14. Men need the warning that they may not be led in the way of lawlessness, and they need the blessing of the Lord which is found in His Sabbath rest. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 599.16

“Items of Interest” The Present Truth, 13, 38.

E. J. Waggoner

-Australia is going in for tobacco raising. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.1

-50,000 Greek refugees are dependent on private charity. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.2

-Guatemala Central America, is in the throes of a revolution. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.3

-Eggs at Klondyke are said to be 4s. each. Doctors charge ?40 per visit. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.4

-An attempt to assassinate President Diaz, of Mexico, was made last week. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.5

-Co-operative societies and trade unions gene-rally are helping the engineers. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.6

-A rich diamond mine has been discovered near Pretoria, in the Transvaal. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.7

-Farmers in England are getting high prices for wheat, and the crop is said to be unusually good. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.8

-The railway servants’ union is talking about a great struggle for better wages and better conditions. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.9

-The closing down of all the ship building works on the Clyde is threatened if the engineers strike and lock-out is not speedily settled. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.10

-The war on the Indian frontier has been hardly contested by the tribesmen, who, however, cannot stand against discipline and artillery. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.11

-A year ago the Thibetan lamas rebelled against China, but now the Chinese forces have subdued them, and Thibet is being organised as a Chinese province. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.12

-A Frenchman has invented a paint which makes torpedo boats invisible in the night to the rays of the electric search-light. It has been successfully tried by French ships. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.13

-The gunboats on the Nile patrol up and down the desert waterway dispersing the dervishes along its banks. Plentiful supplies of water are found along the railway by sinking wells. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.14

-The reports from Cuba now credit the insurgents with some striking successes. The United States press talks of preparations far war with Spain, which may follow if the popular cry fee interference in Cuba moves the government executive. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.15

-A Roman Catholic journal seems to think this information commendatory of the Pope. “The snuff used by the Pope is made in America. This particular snuff goes direct from Baltimore to the Vatican. It is the highest-priced snuff in the world, and its value is increased several times above the original cost after the customs duties have been paid to the Italian Government. His Holiness likes dainty, pleasant odours, and before it is packed the snuff is liberally sprinkled with attar of roses.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 606.16

“Back Page” The Present Truth, 13, 38.

E. J. Waggoner

“God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” He, then, who looks on the dark side of things is not looking on God's side. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 608.1

Statistics show that out of every one hundred cases of insanity in England, just over thirty-one are directly attributable to drink. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 608.2

“While men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares.” The enemy never sleeps because he is so busy lulling men to sleep and sowing the tares of evil. “Let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch.” PTUK September 23, 1897, page 608.3

A Catholic prince, recently having visited Palestine, says that it made his “blood boil” to see that a Mohammedan is the armed guardian of the Sacred Sepulchre. He alone has the right to enter armed into the Church. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 608.4

But this same boiling blood in the veins of Roman, Greek, and other religionists who flock to the so-called holy places makes it necessary to have armed guards of non-Christian profession to keep the peace between the rivals. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 608.5

The Czar has pardoned over fifty Roman Catholic priests who, during recent years, have brought punishment upon themselves by political agitation. This clemency is expected to have political results in Poland, where the clergy have been disloyal to Russian rule. The clemency extended to these agitators does not come to those Protestant Christians who are loyal and true in all things civil, but whose offence is that the preaching of the Gospel and the life of righteousness lay bare the lifeless formalism of the State Church. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 608.6

At the Leeds Sanitary Congress last week, Dr. Marsden held, with the support of other sanitarians, that the modern theatrical poster, with its frequent depicting of crimes of violence, was distinctly inimical to the moral health of communities. There is no doubt of it. And not only the pictures, which of course more people see, but plays on the stage as well must have an evil influence. A society which pays to see vice and crime enacted on the stage is one in which the same iniquities will be easily perpetrated in actual life. And the greater publicity given to all the details of crime by the newspaper press the greater the danger of increasing the number of imitators. People are not made virtuous by contemplating vicious deeds. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 608.7

“A Sign of the Times” The Present Truth, 13, 38.

E. J. Waggoner

A Sign of the Times .—“One of the most notable signs of the times,“ says the current Review of Reviews, was the action at the Zurich Socialist Labour Congress in favour of making Sunday the universal compulsory day of rest. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 608.8

There were two propositions before the Congress, both insisting on one day's rest in seven, but the English Socialists objected to stipulating that this day must be Sunday. Their Continental brethren-owing largely to the influence and numbers of the Catholic Socialists-would have no other day but Sunday, and after an animated debate voted down the English opposition by a large majority. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 608.9

The Catholics were only standing by the papal principle of enforced religious observances, by the institution which Rome in all her teaching claims as the mark of her authority. She boasts of having substituted Sunday for the Sabbath without Bible authority, and whatever builds up her substitute adds to her prestige. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 608.10

“To Save Humanity” The Present Truth, 13, 38.

E. J. Waggoner

To Save Humanity .—Mr. Stead thus commends thse Catholics for outvoting the English delegates, who seem to have stood for that freedom of choice which even God will not take from men:— PTUK September 23, 1897, page 608.11

This was well done! If the rest day is to be generally observed, there must be a general agreement as to what day it shall be. That is why, from the general humanitarian point of view, the Seventh-day Adventists, etc., have always seemed to me to be among the most pernicious of Protestant sects. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 608.12

If so, it is because they are the most Protestant, and the more scripturally Protestant and Christian a movement is the more pernicious will it be considered by any who stand for the papal principle of State enforced religion of human invention. This issue is of tremendous importance to humanity. What is humanity's need? It is salvation from sin. God only has power to save men from the greed and selfishness and oppression eating into the vitals of society. He only can save men from lawlessness by writing His law in their hearts. But when would-be social reformers shut away His power from men, and teach the world to reject His Word and commands, they are shutting away the only hope and Saviour of humanity. And God declares that His Sabbath is the sign of His power to save and sanctify. It is a question of loyalty to God, in which way alone is there hope for men. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 608.13

“Blind Humanitarians” The Present Truth, 13, 38.

E. J. Waggoner

Blind Humanitarians .—No one can rightly question the sincerity of those seeking social reform who do not acknowledge God's authority as the first step toward true reform. They merely do not know. But not to know is sinful, for men might know. When Jesus was condemned it was from this “general humanitarian” point of view. “It is expedient for us,“ said Caiaphas, “that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.” But their rejection of Jesus and, in that, of God's law and rulership brought swift ruin upon people and nation. Paul was denounced as a “pestilent fellow” and Christians were a sect “everywhere spoken against” because they were preaching the Gospel in a society that men were trying to bind together by universal ties of trade and common religion, enforced by civil law. But the Gospel of liberty which they preached was the only hope of society. Just so Papal Rome for many centuries tried to compel uniformity in error for the general good and peace of society. But Rome corrupted and ruined the world. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 608.14

“The Two Gospels” The Present Truth, 13, 38.

E. J. Waggoner

The Two Gospels .—In the beginning Satan persuaded Eve that he stood for the interests of humanity as against God's commands. All the trouble that floods the world and is hastening it to destruction was in that substitution of Satan's way for God’s. the enemy has ever since posed as a humanitarian, working to persuade men that liberty and the general good are to be sought in rejecting God's authority. The result is the bondage of sin. God's Gospel calls men to liberty in Christ, which is the freedom of the obedience of love. This Sabbath question is but the test as to whether God's way or Satan's shall stand. The Sunday law advocate says that the general day of rest must not be God's Sabbath, but Sunday, and to secure it to those who wish to keep it, those who do not must be forced to observe it. God's Sabbath rest cannot be enforced by human law. Only faith establishes it. But it stands in the power of God as the sign of His power. And He will show that not only can men keep it and enjoy His rest when others do not, but that they can keep it when all the world seeks by force to compel them to reject it and accept the papal substitute. PTUK September 23, 1897, page 608.15