The Present Truth, vol. 13

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October 21, 1897

“Front Page” The Present Truth, 13, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

“It is well that the average British mother should understand,“ says the Speaker, “that the policy of adventure in tropical continents is bringing us within measurable distance of conscription.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 657.1

The Queen Regent of Spain has done a gracious thing in ordering that the families of anarchists who have been executed in Spain during recent years, shall be looked up and cared for, and the children educated at her private expense. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 657.2

The Arabs rival even the Roman Catholic Church in the extravagance of their claims in behalf of certain shrines. Just outside Jeddah they claim to have the grave of Eve, which is visited by about 40,000 pilgrims each year. The grave is fifty cubits long. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 657.3

“Burdened Italy” The Present Truth, 13, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

Burdened Italy .—The burden of taxation in Italy has long been sending multitudes of Italians to North and South America. It was because Italy insisted upon joining in the race of the Powers for great armaments. And now the failure of its attempt to found a colony at the expense of the Abyssinians seems to have been almost a final blow. It cost millions, and taxation has risen until recently numbers of merchants have closed their businesses, being unable to live. Last week there were tax riots in Rome itself. Altogether the condition of Italy is a striking illustration of the folly of militarism. The weaker Powers feel the burden almost as crushing as a defeat in war. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 657.4

“The Promises of God” The Present Truth, 13, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

A short time ago I picked up a book designed to help Christian workers, and found an outline lesson on “The Promises,“ beginning with this statement: “There are thirty thousand promises in the Bible.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 657.5

Some man had evidently been courting, and after patient search had arrived at the round number thirty thousand, and set that down as the sum. That is final, no use in looking for any more; thirty thousand and no more, sums up all the promises of God to man! PTUK October 21, 1897, page 657.6

Well, thirty thousand is a good many; if all would cheerfully accept, and acknowledge, and thank God for thirty thousand promises, they would have enough employment to keep them from complaining for a long time. Very many people are satisfied, after a fashion, with a very small fraction of that number of promises; one could divide the number given by a thousand, and the result would indicate more promises than they ever claim from the Lord. Because they use so few, they think there are but few. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 657.7

Men limit God to their own comprehension of Him. That was the trouble with the man who reckoned up thirty thousand promises; that was as many as he knew, and he assumed that the Lord couldn't have promised anything that he didn't know anything about. Let us see if there is any possibility of enlarging the list. What does the Bible say about it? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 657.8

ALL GOD's THOUGHTS ARE PROMISES

Begin with Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” This statement was made in connection with a specific promise, and shows us that all the thoughts of God to us are promises of good. Good! Now let us see something about the number of His thoughts toward us. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 657.9

Turn to Psalm 40:5, and read: “Many, O Lord my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done, and Thy, thoughts which are to usward; they cannot be reckoned up in order unto Thee; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” Then they are more than thirty thousand, for it would not take very long to count that many. But read again: “How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.” Psalm 139:17, 18. That man who counted thirty thousand promises, can begin again where he left off, and count for very many years to come, yea, throughout eternity, and then he will not have exhausted the list. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 657.10

One great trouble is, that we do not recognise promises when we see them, just as there are millions of blessings that we never recognise as such, but often call them calamities instead. If we remember that every thought of God to us includes a promise to us, we shall begin to ponder the thoughts of God with more interest. And when we think of this, we shall see that it means that PTUK October 21, 1897, page 658.1

THE COMMANDS OF GOD ARE PROMISES

Let us test this in one representative case, that is all-inclusive. The ten commandments begin thus: “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:2, 3. This commandment includes all the rest. Read now in the eighty-first Psalm, and you will see what God means when He says, “Thou shalt.” Read verses 8-10:— PTUK October 21, 1897, page 658.2

“Hear, O My people, and I will testify unto thee; O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto Me, there shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god. I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt; open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 658.3

This is parallel to Isaiah 55:3: “Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hear, and your soul shall live.” In the Hebrew there is but one word for “hear” and “obey.” To hear, is to obey. That is because “the word of God is living and active.” It is self-fulfilling. Let it find a place in the mind, and it will manifest itself openly. When God says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me,“ He does not mean that we must make Him our God; far from it. The effort to make God our God, can result in nothing else but the worshipping of a false God,-a god no greater nor better than our own feeble comprehension. God knows this, and so His promise is, “I will be their God.” So as we read Psalm 81:5-10 we see that when God said, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me,“ He meant simply this: “Listen to Me; meditate upon My words, and I will take upon Myself the responsibility of seeing that there are no strange gods found among you.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 658.4

AN ILLUSTRATION

A father says to his son, “John, my boy, is that the best pair of boots you have? You must not wear them any more.” The mother looks at the little girl's soiled and worn-out frock, and says, “You shall not wear that any more.” What do John and Mary do? Do they begin to worry or to cry, and say, “Father and mother say that we must not and shall not wear these clothes any more; what in the world shall we do? We are too young and weak to earn any others, and shall have to go naked. I think they are very hard in their commands.” Do they talk like that?—Not a bit of it. They have no other thought but that their parents have promised them some new clothes, and they at once begin to rejoice. Even so it should be with us, when our Heavenly Father says to us, “Those old clothes of yours are too dirty and ragged (Isaiah 64:6); they are not fit to be seen; you shall not wear them any more.” Instead of complaining at the hardness of God's commandments, we should rather greatly rejoice because of His promise to rejoice because of His promise to clothe us with the garments of salvation, and cover us with the robe of righteousness. Isaiah 61:10. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 658.5

Sin by the commandment becomes exceeding sinful. Romans 7:13. The commandment of God, in the hands of the Spirit, makes us see how terribly deficient we are; but that is not all; it shows us the deficiency only in order that we may take that which will supply all our need, even that which shows us our lack. For the Spirit convicts of righteousness at the same time that He convicts of sin. John 16:8. When God tells us that we are sinners, He is simply telling us that He has the righteousness for us that we lack. When we know this, we can with David rejoice in the law of God, because “His commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:3. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 658.6

“Worshipping the Dead” The Present Truth, 13, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

In the most benighted Catholic lands the ignorant have little thought of God in their worship. They have gods many, and lords many in the multitude of the Catholic saints and the supreme object of their prayers, the Virgin Mary. Intelligent Catholics deny paying divine honours to the saints, and there is some conflict of testimony as to how they regard Mary, But the last encyclical of the Pope shows authoritatively that Rome exalts Mary, who is dead, to the place of Deity. The Pope says:— PTUK October 21, 1897, page 658.7

We do not pray to the blessed in the same way as to God; for we ask the Holy Trinity to have mercy on us, but we ask all the saints to pray far us. Yet our manner of praying to the Blessed Virgin has something in common with our worship of God, so that the church even addresses to her the words with which we pray to God: “Have mercy on sinners.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 658.8

“Are They Intoxicated?” The Present Truth, 13, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

It seems from the reports of the meetings of the various societies, that the “friends” of temperance are resolved on devoting their energies to securing Sunday closing. We have no doubt of the sincerity of their friendship, but we cannot but question their wisdom. That the cause of temperance may well pray to be delivered from its friends, is abundantly shown by the report of the Women's Total Abstinence Union, just held in Bristol. The President, “a teetotaller of fourteen years’ standing,“ advised the nailing of their flag to a selected bit of work, and stated that “the foremost point they had to carry” was Sunday closing. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 658.9

Immediately following that statement is the report of another speaker, from London, who said that hundreds of little children in the courts and slums want to bed drunk every night. In London alone, out of 50,000 persons who went into public-houses one Saturday night in the course of three hours, over 30,000 of them were women, and the awful amount of drunkenness amongst, women must cause a large amount of wretchedness and suffering in the homes, and a great deal of suffering among the little ones. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 658.10

How this Saturday, night drinking among the women (which is by no means limited to Saturday night), and the daily drunkenness of children is to be affected by Sunday closing, no one has yet pointed out; but notwithstanding these appalling facts, Sunday closing is to absorb the energies of the temperance workers. There seems to be an intoxication that is worse than shat caused by the drink sold at the public-houses, namely the drunkenness produced by the wine of Rome, whose sign is the Sunday. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 658.11

“Lessons From the Book of Hebrews. Believe To-day, and Rest” The Present Truth, 13, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

We have now studied as far as the sixth verse of the third chapter of Hebrews. The next verse begins with “Wherefore,“ the reference being to the statement in verse 6 that we are the house of God “if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” Faithfulness is the one, essential thing, “wherefore” the exhortation is, PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.1

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end; while it is said, To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke; howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was He grieved forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware He that they should not enter into His rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” Hebrews 3:13-19. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.2

These verses give, the direct connection from the sixth verse, but verses 7-11 contain an explanation in parenthesis, and these we must also have before us for our present study:— PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.3

“As the Holy Ghost saith, To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness; when your fathers tempted Me, proved He, and saw My works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known My ways. So I sware in My wrath, They shall not enter into My rest.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.4

A FEW QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT

directing the attention sharply to just what is said, will help us to understand it better than pages of comments. We begin, for the sake of the connection, with the sixth verse, taking the test in the order that we have quoted it. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.5

On what conditions are we the house of God? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.6

“If we hold fast the confidence and the joicing of the hope firm unto the end.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.7

What exhortation is therefore pertinent? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.8

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in stay of you an evil heart of unbelief.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.9

What would an unbelieving heart cause? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.10

“Departing from the living God.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.11

What is necessary in order to be really partakers of Christ? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.12

That “we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.13

What in the meantime is said? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.14

“To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.15

When was “the provocation,“ to which the Holy Ghost refers? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.16

“The day of temptation in the wilderness.” Verse 8. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.17

Who when they heard did provoke? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.18

“All that came out of Egypt by Moses.” R.V. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.19

How long did they grieve Him? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.20

“Forty years.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.21

What does God say they did? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.22

“Your fathers tempted Me, proved Me, and saw My works forty years.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.23

What did He say of their way? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.24

“They do alway err in their hearts.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.25

Although they saw God's works, what did they not learn? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.26

“They have not known My ways.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.27

What did He therefore swear? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.28

“They shall not enter into My rest.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.29

To whom did God swear that they should not enter into His rest? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.30

“To them that believed not.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.31

Why could they not enter into rest? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.32

“Because of unbelief.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.33

Faithfulness the Essential Thing .—“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:9. Faithfulness is the rule of His house, for even men's lack of faith cannot make of none effect the faithfuluess of God. Romans 3:3, R.V. He is true, although every man be a liar. Moses, the servant of God, was faithful in all His house, and Christ, the Son, was likewise faithful, His faithfulness is identical with that of the Father, for “if we believe not, yet He abideth faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13. Therefore if we would be a part of the house of God, members of His family, we must “hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” “The faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12), and nothing less, distinguishes the household of God. It is a “household of faith.” Galatians 6:10. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.34

“Wherefore Take Heed”? -“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith.” 2 Corinthians 13:5. Faith is that which joins us to the Lord. “An evil heart of unbelief” means “departing from the living God, who is the sole source of the life of the house. The house is built on the living Stone; God's presence gives life to the throne on which He sits, and to the soul in which He dwells. Departure from Him means certain death. Wherefore take heed, and keep the faith. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.35

“An Evil Heart of Unbelief.” -It is the evil heart that disbelieves. It is the dark fog that rises from the low marshy ground of sin, that obscures the sight, and makes it difficult to see the truth. It is true that unbelief is the primary cause of sin; but sin in its turn breeds unbelief. The unbelieving heart is always evil, no matter how fair the exterior may be. As long as a man loves sin, so long will unbelief cloud his mind; but as soon as the heart turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away, and the soul rejoices in the glory of God's sunlight. 2 Corinthians 3:16-18; 4:2-4. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 659.36

When Shall We Believe? -There is only one time, and that is, To-day. “Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” “Exhort one another daily, while it is called To-day.” Yesterday is gone; it is not in existence. Neither is there any such time as to-morrow; it is not yet in existence, and when that which men call to-morrow comes, behold, it is to-day. Every man has all the time there is, and that is to-day; no other time has God ever given to men. He saith, “I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee; behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2. What is the name of the day of salvation?—To-day; “it is called To-day.” He who rejects salvation to-day, rejects it for ever. “To-day” may seem to be a very long day, but be sure that the night is coming. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 660.1

The Cause of Deafness .—“To-day, if ye, will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” Here we see the effect that the heart has on the ears. The heart is deceitful above all things, because it is sinful, “desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9; Mark 7:21-33), and sin is deceitful. “The deceitfulness of sin” hardens the heart (Hebrews 3:13), and a hard heart makes the ears deaf to the voice of the Holy Spirit. It is not an unnecessary exhortation that is so often repeated in the book of Revelation: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 660.2

God's Works and His Ways .—God says of the children of Israel in the wilderness, they “saw My works forty years,“ but “they have not known My ways.” “He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel.” Psalm 103:7. Note that while all the children of Israel saw the acts or works of the Lord, Moses only is mentioned as knowing His ways. Why?—Because Moses had his eyes as well as his ears open. His heart turned to the Lord, and therefore he saw Him with unveiled face. A hard heart, “an evil heart of unbelief,“ makes one blind, as well as deaf. The only reason why God did not make known His ways unto the children of Israel, was that they would not see; for God did all on His part. He showed them His works, and that is the only way any person can make himself truly known. If we know all of a man's doings, then we know the man himself. Although Israel saw God's “wonderful works,“ “they soon forgat His works,“ “and His wonders that He had showed them” (Psalm 78:4-11; 106:13); therefore they lid not know His ways. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 660.3

The Same Things Revealed to Us .—We have no grounds on which to accuse the Israelites, for we are equally guilty with them. We have all seen the wonderful works of the Lord, and yet have remained in ignorance of God's ways. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” Psalm 19:1. “The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honourable and glorious; and His righteousness endureth for ever. He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered,“ or, more literally, “He hath made a memorial for His wonderful works.” Psalm 106:2-4. What this memorial is will appear in our next study. But the fact is, that God's works are all about us, and they reveal Him to us. “For the invisible things of Him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made.” Romans 1:20. Every day of our lives we have been beholding the works of God, which clearly reveal “the invisible things of Him,“ even “His everlasting power and divinity and yet we have not known His ways. Every day God is doing just as wonderful miracles as the dividing of the Red Sea, yet people will stand and look at there, and gravely discuss whether the age of miracles has not passed! Truly there is need for the exhortation, “Take heed.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 660.4

Knowledge and Life .—What is it to know God?—It is eternal life. “This is life eternal, that they might knew Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.” John 17:3. He who knows God, enters upon the life eternal, having passed out of death into life. Compare 1 John 3:14 and 4:7. We must not make the mistake of confounding eternal life with immortality. Both life and immortality are brought to light through the Gospel (2 Timothy 1:10), but immortality is not bestowed until the “coming of the Lord and the resurrection, at the last trump.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-34. Eternal life, however, is to be enjoyed now, if ever, for we are saved only by the life of Christ “made manifest in our mortal flesh.” 2 Corinthians 4:11. Compare Romans 5:10. Only life, eternal life, can conquer death; therefore he who would have the victory over death and the grave, must have eternal life, which is laid hold of only by faith. “Whoso is wise, and will observe these things,“ that is, the wonderful works of the Lord, “even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.” Psalm 107:43. So will they rejoice in the hope which the possession of life eternal gives. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 660.5

Eternal Life and Rest .—The true God, the knowledge of whom is eternal life, is “the living God and an everlasting King.” Jeremiah 10:10. But “the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary.” Isaiah 40:28. That is because He is the living God. The characteristic of eternity is freshness. Eternal life is everlasting youth, so that “they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.” Verse 31. Eternal life is rest, ever rest,-rest that remains no matter what disturbances arise. It was to this rest that God called ancient Israel, but into which they could not enter because of unbelief. God swore that they should not enter into His rest, not because He would not permit it, but because it was impossible. They rejected faith, the only thing that brings rest. “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” If they had believed, they would have entered in. We may also enter into the same rest that was offered them, and enter in to-day, if we “take heed” to the voice that calls, “To-day, if ye will hear His voice, harden not our hearts. “Hear, and your soul shall live,“ and rest in the Lord.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 660.6

“Selling the Soul Cheap” The Present Truth, 13, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

The methods of trade are a snare to multitudes even of people who count themselves religious. “It is the way all do,“ is the excuse for little ways of deception and cheating in business. The greengrocer, for instance, who shows one thing in the front of his stall and sells a poorer quality from behind, follows the almost universal methods of the trade, but he sells his soul as cheaply as Esau did when he traded the birthright for a dish of lentils. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 662.1

People tell little lies for small advantages to be secured, or just because it humours a fancy, forgetting what a tremendous interest they are selling for naught. In one of the morning papers a correspondent who plays golf complains of the cheating at the game, done merely for the pleasure of winning:— PTUK October 21, 1897, page 662.2

The men whom I know to be habitually dishonest at golf, are men of position and reputation in business and such an accusation, if made and unsubstantiated by more than the bare assertion of the player's partner would recoil on his own head. But the fact remains that there is an amount of cheating at golf which is positively appalling, and which there seems to be no effective way of dealing with. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 662.3

Doubtless it would be found that men who cheat in a game of skill, have in business so accustomed themselves to the ways of the world in this matter of petty deceptions and departures from strict integrity, that it seems a trifling thing to carry the same principle into recreation. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 662.4

“Uncertain Treasure” The Present Truth, 13, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

There is for most people a wonderful fascination in the idea of betting something for nothing, and it is this hope that creates such a rush to any newly-discovered gold region. Men expect to get gold merely by picking it up. That this hope is especially a vain one in the case of the Klondike mines is shown by reliable information. All the claims are taken up, and thousands of men are waiting. “The only way now to share the riches of the Klondike district is to buy an interest in one of the existing claims, and for this much capital is needed. Prices are enormous, running from ?40 to ?400 cash per lineal foot. No man with less than ?5,000 to ?10,000 can hope to buy himself into a good property, and much larger sums are needed to acquire a substantial share.” Following is a statement of some of the difficulties to be encountered:— PTUK October 21, 1897, page 662.5

Would-be miners must also remember that prospecting is arduous and terrible work, as gold is only found on the bed-rock, which lies from 10ft. to 30ft, below the frozen earth and snow, and there are no surface indications whatever. Prospecting can only he carried out in winter, and men must go far, living in tents, with the thermometer at 50deg. below zero, and carrying all their supplies with them over a pathless country. The method of prospecting is also unusually difficult, and can only be learned after considerable experience, which cannot be gained in less than one winter's work. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 663.1

Yet thousands of men will undergo all that hardship with no certainty of finding any gold. It is estimated that from 50,000 to 100,000 men are only waiting till next spring to join in the mad rush to the gold fields. What would the world say if men exhibited but half the enthusiasm and exposed themselves to half the dangers in the service of God, where there is the “full assurance of hope” and no uncertainty? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 663.2

“For the Children. What the Arab Saw” The Present Truth, 13, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

Keep your eyes wide open and your thoughts wide awake to everything that is good, and you will be in the way of learning many useful lessons. One boy or girl will see nothing interesting, and learn nothing, where another who has learnt to use his eyes will be learning all the time. The habit of observing is useful not only in work but may teach of the life to come; for the Lord teaches us of His own power and salvation by the things that He has made. So He says all are “without excuse” who do not know Him. They see His works, but do not truly observe them and learn of His power. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.1

The Arabs have a story, showing how much may be seen by the observing eye. It is in this wise:— PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.2

“What are you looking for?” said an Arab to a man who was walking fast across the desert, looking this way and that way and seeming to be in great trouble. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.3

“I'm looking for my friend,“ the man replied. “We were travelling together, but this morning I slept too long and he started without me. All day long I have sought for him, but in vain. I can see him nowhere. And I am almost in despair.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.4

“Was your friend,“ said the Arab, “a lame man and heavy?” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.5

“Yes,“ said the stranger eagerly. “Have you seen him? When? Where? Oh, tell me, that I may find him! PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.6

“Since sunset last night,“ said the Arab, “I have seen no man till I saw you. But your friend-was he lame on the right leg? and did he carry a stick in his left hand?” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.7

“You must have seen him!” cried the stranger; “he limped badly, for he had hurt his foot. Which way did he go? Tell me, for without him I will die.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.8

“Your friend,“ said the Arab, “I have not seen. But three hours ago such a man as you describe, clad in blue raiment, was leading a light-coloured camel that was blind in one eye, and was laden with a burden of dates. He passed this spot on his way to Damascus. There, if you hasten, you will find him.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.9

“Are you a wizard that you know all this?” cried the stranger. “You describe my friend, but you have never seen him. You tell me all about his old camel, and where he has gone. How do you know about him? PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.10

“Stranger,“ said the Arab, “God has given all men eyes, but only to a few has He given the power to use them. All that I have told you, you might have seen for yourself if you had but used your eyes.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.11

“Say not so,“ replied the other, “for I have looked everywhere, and could see nothing.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.12

The Arab said nothing, but with a sign he motioned the stranger to follow him. As they walked a little way they came to the fresh track of a camel, and on the right-hand side the track of a man. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.13

“See,“ said the Arab, “there are the foot-marks of your friend and his beast.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.14

“Of a man and a camel, truly,“ replied the other; “but how do I know that the man was my friend?” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.15

The Arab trod on the sand by the foot-prints. “Look,“ he said; “do you see any difference between my foot-prints and his?” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.16

The other looked for a time. “Your feet,“ he said, “sink equally into the sand, but the other's not equally. One foot sinks more deeply, much more deeply, than either of yours, the other less deeply.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.17

Then said the Arab, “We all tread lightly on a lame foot, and a heavy man sinks deeper into the ground on one leg than a spare titan on two.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.18

“True,“ said the other; “but how do you know the colour of his camel and the hue of his garment, or the burden with which the beast was laden? “Is it so difficult, then,“ replied he, “to see the colour of the fragment of apparel caught by the thorns, or the hairs that were left on the sand where the camel rested?” And as he spoke he pointed to where the traveller had left behind him a shred of his raiment. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.19

“Yes, I see,“ said the other; “but how do you know the camel bore a burden of dates, and was blind in one eye?” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.20

“Can you,“ replied the Arab, “not see the flies feasting on the date juice that dropped on the sand by the side of the camel's track? And wherever the camel browsed, it only grazed on one side, the side on which it could see.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.21

“Verily I perceive thou art a man of wonderful discernment,“ said the stranger; “but answer me this also: How couldst thou tell that it is but three hours since he passed this spot?” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.22

“Hast thou, then, eyes and seest not? said the other scornfully. “Mark the spot where they lay in the shade of this spreading palm. The shadow of the palm-tree is as the hand of the dial. It was three hours since any shade was possible on that spot. Farewell. Hasten along the road that leadeth to Damascus, there thou wilt find thy friend.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 669.23

“The Drink Curse” The Present Truth, 13, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

At the recent meeting of the Women's Total Abstinence Union in Bristol one speaker said:— PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.1

“Belgium, with one-sixth of its deaths due to alcohol, was the most drunken country in the world. England came next. In France the doctors were the pioneers in temperance reform. Inebriate homes were increasing. In Portugal drunkenness was regarded as more shameful than immorality. In Germany habitual drunkards were imprisoned, and might be sent to hard labour for one or two years. Their temperance friends in Russia were expecting great things from the present Tsarina.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.2

Another protested against the liquor traffic amongst native races in West Africa, for the right to trade with which the nations are ready to fight each other. It was said that,— PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.3

“In three provinces alone four million gallons of brandy and gin were consumed in one year. When the natives once took to the drink they could not be got to work, and that put a large stop to trade.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.4

And the liquor supplied is of so deadly a character that it demoralises and and kills off the consumers even more rapidly than would otherwise be the case. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.5

“Interesting to Meat Eaters” The Present Truth, 13, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

Interesting to Meat Eaters .—At Clerkenwell, last week, a butcher was sentenced to three month's imprisonment for sending to market meat “unfit for human food,“ with a request to the salesman to “do the best he could with it.” In this instance the best thing was done with it, as it was submitted to the Inspector and condemned, as was also its sender. But the item of principal interest to meat-eaters is that this was not the first time that the same butcher had sent bad meat to the market. As this was the first conviction, it must be that the other meat was sold and eaten. The questions will arise, How many other equally unscrupulous butchers are there? and, How much diseased meat escapes detection by the most scrupulous butchers and inspectors? These are harrowing questions that happily cause no qualms to the vegetarian. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.6

“Items of Interest” The Present Truth, 13, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

-The railway has reached Buluwayo. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.7

-An earthquake occurred in Spain last week. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.8

-It is said that three out of four newspapers in Austria and Germany are owned by Jews. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.9

-The probable cost of the war on the Indian frontier is set down at two and a-half million pounds. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.10

-Discussions among the tribesmen on the Indian frontier are weakening their opposition to the British advance. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.11

-The French in Madagascar are still fighting with bands of natives who have never accepted the French possession. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.12

-Aid for the striking engineers has come from Australia and Germany, and from trade societies generally in England. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.13

-About one-tenth of the cases treated for hydrophobia at the Pasteur Institute in Paris owe their injuries to the bites of cats. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.14

-In Italy last year nearly 2,000 persons committed suicide. The large increase of such cases is attributed to the existing social misery. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.15

-The Austrian parliament is the scene of almost daily uproar, and representative government is threatened by the bitterness of political rivalry. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.16

-The estimated cost in wages of the lock-out and strike in the engineering trade is about ?750,000, and the cost in trade profits to the employers is put at ?100,000. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.17

-News has come of a severe defeat of Abyssinian troops at the hands of the Somali tribes, whose territory the Abyssinians were raiding last May. Several thousand Abyssinians were killed. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.18

-The French claim parts of the Niger territory in the West African interior which British agents have annexed. There is a rush of expeditions to occupy the disputed area and some danger of collision between the forces. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.19

-The War Secretary declares that the Army must be greatly increased to mast the expansion of the Empire. Higher pay is one lever suggested, and back of it all are the hints of military men at conscription as a means of last resort. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.20

-Samory, the great Mohammedan chief of the tribes about the region of Timbuctoo, West Africa, is gathering an army to hold his own against British and French forces pushing up the Niger. He has a regular army of 13,000 men, drilled by French deserters. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.21

-The Maidstone Water Company's plan of disinfecting their reservoirs and mains was to completely suspend the water supply, fill the reservoirs with disinfecting solution of chloride of lime, and let it run through the mains and through the domestic supply pipes. The typhoid epidemic has continued longer than was anticipated. Nearly a hundred deaths have occurred. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 670.22

“Back Page” The Present Truth, 13, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

The Church Missionary Society is sending out fifty-five newly-appointed missionaries this autumn. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.1

Jesus is the Saviour of those who have not power to do anything. He Himself said, “I can of Mine own self do nothing.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.2

And because he confessed it all the time and trusted God, saying, “Not My will, but Thine be done,“ the Father was able to work His perfect will in Jesus all the time. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.3

A new battleship was launched at Portsmouth last week with “a short religious service.” All the Great Powers follow this custom. Imagine the battleships of two opposing Powers, raining shrieking shells upon one another, and on each side the chaplains praying Jesus to bless the guns in their work of killing their enemies! PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.4

At the recent annual meeting of the Peace Society the chairman answered the question, “Does trade follow the flag?” in the negative. He said that during the last quarter of a century the military expenditure of the country had gone up twenty-five per cent., while exports and imports had increased but fifteen per cent. Whether war advances trade or not has no bearing, on the iniquity of it; but it is nevertheless a fact that the covetousness of the nations, backed by the sword, is driving the world swiftly toward ruin. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.5

Last Sunday Cardinal Vaughan was present in Paris at the founding of an “Arch-Confraternity for the conversion of England,“ a prayer union of French Catholics. This is rather hard upon that school in the Establishment which teaches that in England the Anglican creed is Catholic, while across the Channel the Roman creed is Catholic. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.6

The Church Times, in a plea for the so-called “Apostle's Creed” to be taught in the Board Schools, says:— PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.7

We can understand the position of those who would remove all religious teaching from the Board Schools, but we fail to appreciate the position of those Evangelicals and High Churchmen who would permit the teachers to give lessons on the Bible, but not on the summary of what the Bible contains. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.8

The difference is simply that of teaching what the Bible says, and of teaching what somebody says the Bible says; and anybody who has noticed how next to impossible it is for one person to report another correctly, can appreciate something of this difference. But this is only a feeble comparison, for here we are dealing with the Word of God, which is infinite. No man or set of men can give any summary of what the Bible teaches. In the Bible we have the truth of God in the simplest and most condensed form in which it can be put in words. In every part are mines of wisdom that would fill volumes, and the infinite fulness of the Spirit of the truth cannot be expressed in words. Every effort, therefore, to give a summary or synopsis of the truth of the Bible in a creed or “Confession of Faith,“ can result only in a perversion, or at best a minimising of the truth. The man has never yet been born, who could improve upon God's way of stating truth. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.9

The Christian workman is sure of his pay. “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23, 24. The master may be covetous and keep back the hire of the labourer; but God sees it, and the master will answer for it in the day of God. The workman may say, “If I don't get a fair day's wage, I will not do a fair day's work.” By this not only does he not better his present condition, but he forfeits the reward of the inheritance. What causes violence in the world is that too often neither masters nor men believe that there is “a Master in heaven.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.10

Here is a good utterance by a speaker at one of the recent missionary conventions. Rev. J. H. Shakespeare said:— PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.11

We must suppress what is local and provincial. I am persuaded that if a missionary is to do any good in a heathen land, when he leaves our shores he must cease to be an Englishman. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.12

The same truth applies of course with equal force to any missionary from any other country. And then we may say with equal truth that if any minister wishes to meet with true success in the Gospel work, he must cease to belong to any earthly country, and represent the Kingdom of heaven alone. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.13

It seems that a large number of those American citizens who voted last year for President McKinley, really supposed that his election would secure them prosperity, and now that there is no more employment, and no increase in wages, they complain that they have been “deceived and cheated.” This is no doubt true, but the worst feature of the case is that they are just as ready to be deceived the next time the politicians seek to advance their own interests by promising good times to those who vote for them. It is no doubt true that many who make these promises really think that they can make them good; but the fact remains, nevertheless, that those who take them at their own estimate, namely, that they are gods, are sure to be disappointed. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.14

“Be Godlike in your business and business-like in your godliness.” PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.15

“‘When He Shall Appear’” The Present Truth, 13, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

“When He Shall Appear.” -What then? “We shall be like Him.” How is that? “And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin.” 1 John 3:2-5. Sometimes people ask, “What practical bearing has the doctrine of the second coming of Christ?” The scripture quoted shows that it has a most practical bearing on present living. “This hope” is elsewhere called “the blessed hope” of the church; and every one who has this hope of being like Christ when His glory is revealed, will be daily yielding the life to Him now, to follow in His steps. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.16

“In the Philippines” The Present Truth, 13, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

In the Philippines .—The friars in the Philippine Islands are said to hold a large share of the wealth of the islands, the compulsory tithe having come to be regarded as rent. They have many monasteries, and their barbarous rule has led to the revolt of the natives in very desperation. The revolt is still unsubdued, and the Jesuit “missionaries” are determined to regain their power. The natives are said to be willing to lay down their arms if the friars are banished and the islands allowed to be represented in the Spanish parliament. PTUK October 21, 1897, page 672.17