The Present Truth, vol. 13

November 18, 1897

“Withered Branches” The Present Truth, 13, 46.

E. J. Waggoner

Withered Branches , sad as it may be, are cut off, and burned. So it will be at last with him who does not bear fruit for God. The end is death. But before that comes, the Husbandman exhausts all His love and power to save. He gives all to win man. He suffers all to save man; but with man rests the decision w hether he will be saved. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 722.1

“Lessons From the Book of Hebrews. A Practical Talk About Sabbath-keeping” The Present Truth, 13, 46.

E. J. Waggoner

There are two items in regard to the Sabbath that we should first notice before we take up the closing portion of the fourth chapter of Hebrews. The first is the objection that so many, especially poor people who labour for their daily bread, make to the keeping of the Sabbath, namely,— PTUK November 18, 1897, page 722.2

“I COULDN'T LIVE IF I KEPT THE SABBATH”

That the seventh day is the Sabbath, and that the Lord has given it to men to keep, is admitted, but against all this is the frightful thought, “I couldn't make a living and keep the seventh day; I should certainly lose my situation.” PTUK November 18, 1897, page 722.3

As to losing the situation, that is quite possible, and yet not so absolutely certain as many suppose. God would have His witnesses everywhere, and in every legitimate calling, and therefore He is able to give His faithful children favour with the people, if He sees that their witness can be of use in any place. People who begin to keep the Sabbath often lose their situations, often because they expect it, and plan for it. Some on becoming Christians seem to think it is necessary to leave unbelieving employers and get among those who have the same faith, forgetting that a light is needed only where there is darkness. The man who cannot live the truth when surrounded by darkness and unbelief, cannot live it anywhere. A candle that will not burn except in the stove, is good for nothing except to throw into the fire. Of course it is understood that the individual must be where God wishes him to be; but if a person accepts the truth while in service among unbelievers, he should take it as God's will that he is to stay there until God makes it plain to him that he should leave. “Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a servant? care not for it; but if thou mayest be free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman.” 1 Corinthians 7:20-22. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 722.4

The Lord gave Joseph and Daniel, and Nehemiah, and “they of C?sar's household” so much favour with worldly men that they kept important situations while faithfully living the truth of Christ. On the other hand, Abraham had to leave his father's house, and Moses lost one of the best situations that the world ever had to offer any man, and neither of them were ever sorry for it. “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9. He has always been able to take care of His people. “When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people, He suffered no man to do them wrong; yea, He reproved kings for their sakes; saying, Touch not Mine anointed, and do My prophets no harm.” Psalm 105:13-15. The same God lives to-day. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 722.5

THE LABOURING MAN's FRIEND

But, as a matter of fact, the Sabbath is the labouring man's friend. It comes to him, laden with God's richest blessings, and brings him perfect rest from all weariness and oppression. All the hopes and aims of Socialists of the best class, and of the most disinterested philanthropists, fall infinitely short of the blessed realities that the Sabbath of the Lord opens before those who accept it. The plans and efforts of the best of social reformers (outside, of course, of those who use Gospel methods only), have not materially if at all lessened the amount of poverty and suffering, but have resulted simply in arousing and augmenting discontent. The Sabbath of the Lord, on the other hand, makes known to men the power that will enable them patiently and contentedly to endure that which for a season must be borne, and gives them the certainty of the speedy removal of all ills. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 723.1

The Sabbath keeps ever before our minds the wondrous power manifested in creation, that power by which all who believe are saved from sin, and by which all men, whether they believe or not, are kept alive from day to day and from one moment to another. “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.” Acts 17:25. “It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22, 23. The Sabbath, which makes known God as Creator, Preserver, and Redeemer (Ezekiel 20:12), teaches confidence in Him, for whoever becomes acquainted with God trusts Him. Psalm 9:10. Therefore the Sabbath takes from the poor man the heavy load of care and anxiety that he has borne so long, by introducing him to the Almighty Father, “in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:10. It is only when a man does not know the Sabbath and its Lord, that he says, “I couldn't live if I served Him.” The one who knows the Lord will rather say, “I cannot live without Him.” PTUK November 18, 1897, page 723.2

Think a moment of the incongruity of the statement by a professed Christian, that he couldn't live if he kept the Sabbath of the Lord; that he wouldn't dare take the risk. But if he dare not trust the Lord for the life that now is, how dare he trust Him for the life to come? If the Lord cannot keep us alive for a few short years, what possible hope is there of eternal life? “Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” “Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:32, 33. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 723.3

SUNDAY THE SIGN OF JUSTIFICATION BY WORKS

We see that the Sabbath is the great and final test of faith in God, and is therefore the seal of righteousness; for “the just shall live by faith,“ and “whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Romans 1:17; 14:23. It is the exact opposite of the Sunday, which is the badge of a system of religion that consists in justification by works. Let it be understood that it is not asserted that all those who observe the Sunday depend on works for justification. Far from it. The writer knows many by personal acquaintance, and is fully persuaded that there are many thousands more, who keep Sunday instead of the Sabbath, thinking it to be the Sabbath, and who nevertheless are loving disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting in His merits alone for their salvation. We say “nevertheless,“ for their trust in the Lord Jesus is in spite of their observance of Sunday, having by no means any connection with it, except to be hindered by it; for if they could but see the Sabbath as it is in Jesus, they would find a “joy and peace in believing” such as they never had before. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 723.4

Now for the proof that the Sunday stands only for “another Gospel” than that of the Lord Jesus, a Gospel which consists in exalting the creature above the Creator. We have already seen that the Sabbath-God's rest-is the assurance that God's work is perfect and complete, and the acceptance of it in Spirit and in truth, is the ceasing of our own works and the resting in the finished work of God, who created all things by Jesus Christ. God worked, and then rested in the enjoyment of His perfect work; we, having wearied ourselves with our imperfect work, obey His call, and, leaving our works, rest in His. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 723.5

“In six days the Lord made heaven and earth; the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:11. A fact is a thing done, the fact remains for ever, since it can never cease to be a fact that it has been done. It is a fact that God rested on the seventh day, and that fact will remain throughout eternity. In order, therefore, for the Sabbath to be “changed,“ from the seventh day to some other day it would have to cease to be a fact that God rested on the seventh day; but that is impossible; so it is impossible for the Sabbath to be changed,-as impossible as for it to cease to be a fact that God created the heavens and the earth in six days, and rested the seventh day. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 723.6

It is possible that another than the seventh day might have been made the Sabbath day, if God had so ordered it. In that case, however, the week would not have consisted of seven days, as now. Thus: God doubtless could have created all things in five days, and rested the sixth, making a week of six days; or He might have finished the work in four days, and rested the fifth; or He could have completed the work of creation in three days, and rested the fourth; or in two days, resting the third; or, since there is no limit to the power of God, He might have completed the work of creation in one day, and rested the second, making the week consist of but two days, and giving man a Sabbath every second day. God did not do any of these things: we only say that He might have done so if it had seemed good to Him; but one thing He could not possibly have done, and that is, to have created all things in one day, and at the same time rest on that day from all His works. That is to say, the first day of the week is the one day of the week which could not by any possibility be made the Sabbath of the Lord. But the first day of the week has been set apart by man as the Sabbath. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 723.7

Thus, Dr. Isaac Williams, in “Plain Sermons on the Catechism” (Longmans, Green, & Co.), says:— PTUK November 18, 1897, page 723.8

The reason why we keep the first day of the week holy instead of the seventh is for the same reason that we observe many other things, not because the Bible, but because the Church, has enjoined it. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 723.9

“The Church,“ therefore, in attempting to make a Sabbath day which God could not use as the Sabbath, shows itself to be that power “who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped.” 2 Thessalonians 2:4. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 723.10

Scores of testimonials from doctors of divinity and learned men who themselves observe and teach others to observe Sunday, might be cited to show that the observance of Sunday rests on no Divine authority whatever, but is only an ordinance of men. The religion, therefore, of which it stands as the sign, and, as many of its advocates say, even the foundation, is a religion that rests on human works and human inventions, instead of the works and words of the Lord. To make Sunday the Sabbath, the facts and record of creation, must be ignored, and with these go the basis of the Gospel, since redemption is creation. Therefore we repeat that while the Sabbath of the Lord teaches redemption through trust in the finished work of God in Christ, the Sunday teaches redemption through man's own imperfect work. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 723.11

In so saying, we refer to the institution, and not to any man. As before stated, there are thousands of men and women who are strict observers of Sunday, supposing it to be the Sabbath, who are nevertheless depending on Christ for salvation, so far as they know Him. May God grant that they may soon see Him, as the Alpha, and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the One in whom all things were created, and in whom all things consist, who redeems by no other word than that by which He in the beginning made the worlds. Reader, which will you choose; your own incomplete and imperfect works and unrest, or God's complete and perfect work and His everlasting rest? He calls, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden; and I will give you rest.” Now is the time to choose; “to-day, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” PTUK November 18, 1897, page 724.1

“The Eternal Present” The Present Truth, 13, 46.

E. J. Waggoner

There is a common complaint that unbelievers have against believers in the religion of Christ, and that is that they live too much in the future, and not in the present; that religion concerns itself only with promises that are to be fulfilled at some indefinite future time, and leaves the things of the present entirely alone. Now so far as this complaint is directed against many professed Christians, it is all too applicable, but it is altogether wrong as regards Christianity itself. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 724.2

He from whom Christianity springs, “went about doing good.” His thought was of the poor and the suffering, and they received the most of His attention. To relieve present necessity, occupied His whole time and care. His appearance in this world was made known by the proclamation. “On earth peace, good will toward men.” The “glory to God in the highest,“ was revealed in “grace and truth” bringing salvation to mankind. This salvation is indeed “eternal salvation,“ including therefore the most distant future, but it is also, because it is eternal, a present salvation. “Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.” 1 Timothy 4:8. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 724.3

Many people always conclude their prayers with a request to be “saved at last.” The future seems to be their only anxiety, and often they stumble because of their continual looking to the distant scene. But this is not according to the teaching of the Gospel. “Now,“ “today,“ are the words which it most employs. It is quite true that it promises much for the future, but the only assurance; of future salvation is present salvation. He who is saved to-day, has no fear for tomorrow. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 724.4

The Gospel does not consist in theories or dogmas, but in actual life. It does not present to men and women abstruse problems to puzzle their brains over, or questions for speculative discussion, but present help for daily need. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1. Real Gospel teaching consists in giving the people such instruction as will help them to live the right kind of life from day to day. It is to the labouring and the oppressed classes that the Gospel appeals. All that labour and are heavy laden are offered rest. When the Lord says, “Come,“ He means come now, and whoever comes finds rest at once. He does not disappoint anybody. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 724.5

This is just what the fourth chapter of Hebrews presents, in the statement, “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” This verse has been strangely misread, and made to refer only to the future, when it means now. That which remains is not that which is yet to come, but that which has already been, and is still in existence. The remnant of a piece of goods is the portion that has not yet been disposed of. So the rest that remains is the rest that God prepared from the foundation of the earth, and which is still open for weary souls to accept. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 724.6

The Christian life is a life of rest even in toil. “These things have I spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. This rest is found in Christ,-in His life. But His life is eternal life, which He gives to as many as receive Him. “These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:13, R.V. So it is that the Gospel has to do with eternal things, but eternal things in the present time. The trouble with people is that they regard eternity as only future, whereas eternity is past, present, and future. It has been, is, and is to be. But specially is it now, God “inhabiteth eternity” (Isaiah 57:15), but His name is I AM. Eternity with Him is always present. Likewise He desires us to live the life eternal, but always in the present. He who truly believes in Christ, passes from death unto life, from the temporal to the eternal, from the unreal to the real. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.1

And thus it is in a sense true that the Gospel has to do with the next world, rather than with this. Christ “gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” Galatians 1:4. But He delivers us from this present world only by saving us from the evil of it. He gives us rest in righteousness. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.2

But this rest in righteousness-the rest that remains-is the rest that was ready for man from the foundation of the world. Hebrews 4:3-5. As we learned in the second chapter of Hebrews God has put “the world to come” in subjection to man, not to angels. Do not forget that “the world to come” has been put in subjection to man, not is to be put in subjection to him. That world to come is the new earth, the same that God created and gave to man in the beginning. Its rest and peace and power are to be enjoyed in this present time, thus bringing heaven upon earth, and giving men a heaven in which to live, while going to heaven. While the redeemed are to sing a new song on Mount Zion, they are to “come with singing unto Zion.” Isaiah 51:11. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.3

“God did rest the seventh day from all His work.” Hebrews 4:4. “The works were finished from the foundation of the world.” Verse 3. That rest God gave to man, and the rest still remains, for in the cross, Christ, in whom all things are created, said, “It is finished.” The same rest which is now given, is to be enjoyed in the ages to come, for “He that sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto Me, Write; for these things are true and faithful. And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 21:5, 6. The finished work of creation in the beginning, and the finished work of the new creation, are found in the cross of Christ. Oh, come to Christ, believe His word, and find rest now. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.4

“The Theatrical Habit” The Present Truth, 13, 46.

E. J. Waggoner

There is a multiplication of suburban theatres in London, and some one has asked Sir Henry Irving what, in his opinion, the influence of this will be on attendance at the great theatres in the West-end. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.5

The more theatres there are, he thinks, the more the public will get into the habit of going to them, and he does not think the new houses springing up all round the metropolis will interfere with the attendances at the London theatres. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.6

He is doubtless quite right. The theatre-going habit, like the drink habit, grows upon those who frequent these places of shallow amusement. And in order to satisfy the unhealthy craving of the public new theatres must be built, and new sensations provided in the plays. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.7

“Novel-Reading” The Present Truth, 13, 46.

E. J. Waggoner

It is not usual to find book-sellers protesting against the kind of book which sells best. But a Bath book-merchant does so. He says, in reply to a publisher's circular announcing a new popular novel:— PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.8

I look on the issue of any more new novels quite ten years to come as a calamity to mankind in the aggregate of the thousands of years of human life that are wasted by the millions of English-speaking people who consider the new novel useful or desirable mental pabulum. It is a sure sign of the decadence of the race, and the result of such “literary” food is the production of an invertebrate or jelly-fish sort of citizen. That most estimable persons are willing to pander to the vitiated taste for new novels, and to foster it, especially in young people, has always been a puzzle to me. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.9

Such protests in the trade are welcome enough, but they cannot stop the flow of fiction-about five novels a day, the year round in England alone, to say nothing of the mass of the same class of reading in the columns of household journals. It is inevitable that minds that are filled with this kind of mental food have no taste for serious and useful and Christian literature. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.10

“Two ‘Rusty’ Weapons” The Present Truth, 13, 46.

E. J. Waggoner

Here are two bits from the Methodist Times which suggest a lesson that may be read over and over again in the story of the struggle of religious factions for worldly power. The Mayor of Lancaster was recently threatened with the penalties of an ancient religious law. Mr. Hugh Price Hughes thus commented on the affair:— PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.11

Some Anglican bigot unearthed an ancient Act of Parliament by which any municipal officer was liable to a fine of ?100 if he appeared in the robes and regalia of his choice in any place of worship except the Established Church.... Mr. Kelly and Mr. Bunting, have shown that the intolerant Act has been repealed during the Queen's reign. Thus one more rusty weapon is taken out of the hands of intolerant schismatics. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.12

Surely the writer of this vigorous comment is ready to cry “Hands off!” whenever anyone resorts to old religious laws as a means of promoting religious observances. But no; there are other old religious statutes still unrepealed, and Mr. Hughes sees in them a weapon which he thinks should not be allowed to get rusty. Of course people who want to keep Sunday keep it; but those who do not, Mr. Hughes would force to act as though they did. He says:— PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.13

We do not suggest anything unreasonable. All we suggest is that the law should sternly prohibit anything and everything of the nature of trade or money-making on Sunday. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.14

That is all. To such rusty old weapons men resort when they forsake the “Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.15

“The Motive” The Present Truth, 13, 46.

E. J. Waggoner

The Motive of true fruit-bearing, in the Christian life is to glorify God. The vine does not think of itself: it bears for others; it rewards the husbandman's toil. No the Christian will forget self in his desire to labour for God. “Much fruit” for God's glory will he his desire. This will demand much prayer. His asking will not be for selfish things. His will is God's will. The Lord's good pleasure is his pleasure. To such it is said, “Ye, shall ask what ye will, and it shall he done unto you.” But the asking will be for God-asking, receiving, abiding, fruitbearing. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 725.16

“Items of Interest” The Present Truth, 13, 46.

E. J. Waggoner

-Vesuvius is again violently active. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 734.1

-The yellow fever is making ravages in Jamaica. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 734.2

-Republicans and Carlist revolutionary groups are causing anxiety in Spain. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 734.3

-Roumania is building six gunboats. The relations between it and Bulgaria are unfriendly. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 734.4

-A famine is raging in the Archangel province of Siberia. Many are perishing, and winter is come. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 734.5

-A conspiracy to overthrow the Brazilian government has led to declaring martial law in Rio de Janeiro. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 734.6

-Malarial fever has been a scourge in the Caucasus. Last month there were nearly a thousand fatal cases. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 734.7

-Lord Salisbury's Mansion House speech was principally a declaration that Africa and Asia were to be divided up among the Powers, and Great Britain proposes to get its share. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 734.8

-Mr. Broomhall, the statistician of the corn trade says that there is such a shortage in wheat in Europe that unless a plenteous yield comes from Argentina in their harvest; this month, there will have to be great economy exercised if Europe escapes a bread famine this winter. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 734.9

-At the Trade Union Congress in Birmingham it was resolved to demand the abolition of child labour under the age of fifteen. The Lancashire weavers have been ballotting on the question and are almost unanimous in favour of allowing the children to work. We believe the present age limit is thirteen. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 734.10

-Russia is sending a corps of cavalrymen and artillerymen into Abyssinia. Rumour says Russia and France are trying to establish a foothold on the Upper Nile, to prevent all that waterway falling to England when Khartoum is taken. Whatever the truth, all Europe is getting into the African quarrel. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 734.11

-A novel surgical operation was performed last week in Dublin. A man having lost his eyelids, had the eyelids of a newly-killed pig stitched into the place where his own had been. This, it is said, is the first operation of the kind ever performed in the United Kingdom, and the surgeons hope for a successful result. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 734.12

-Japan fought China to secure a hold upon Corea; but now Russia, who intervened to get Japan out of Corea, is letting herself in. Gradually Russians are being substituted for officials and advisers of other nationalities. Recently the British Finance Minister was dismissed and his place given to a Russian. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 734.13

-In the irregular fighting in the war on the Indian frontier the British forces have lost heavily. So also have the Afrides and other natives in the opposing army. Cold weather has already begun and some authorities fear that the expedition will be caught by winter in the mountains, and suffer by failure to receive supplies. The women and children of the natives must also have a hard winter. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 734.14

“Back Page” The Present Truth, 13, 46.

E. J. Waggoner

The Peruvian legislature last week passed a bill legalising non-Catholic marriages. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.1

The New South Wales census shows Protestants in that colony number 791,346 and Roman Catholics 286,911. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.2

The Jubilee of the Band of Hope movement was celebrated last week. About 300 attended the initial gathering at Leeds fifty years ago. Now the membership is about four millions. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.3

The venerable George Müller, of the Bristol Orphanages, says that he has been enabled to circulate 284,653 Bibles, 1,458,662 New Testaments, and 244,000 other portions of the Word during his active life. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.4

“Our newspapers are,“ says the Christian, “very generally combative, not to say aggressive, in tone, while the representatives of the ‘services’ seem bent on driving us into conscription. Again and again has that word been heard lately. Unless we stand very firm, we shall be carried into this European vortex of militarism.” PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.5

When one knows a certain thing, it is very natural for him to think that everybody else ought to know it. After we have stumbled long over a truth that is new to us, and have at last been able to get into harmony with it, we are apt to forget all our difficulties and to think that if other people do not grasp the truth without a moment's hesitation, it is because they are obstinate, or because they love darkness rather than light. This is not necessarily the case, and our own experience should teach us charity. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.6

It is true that all men ought ever to be ready and willing to recognise truth and to walk in it. David said, “I made haste, and delayed not to keep Thy commandments.” Psalm 119:60. This is the proper way, and all ought to do the same; but what we say is, that we must not harshly judge those who do not, for they may be even more honest than we are. There are some things that we have never had any difficulty in seeing; but who of us has not had the experience of suddenly seeing light in a portion of Scripture that he has read scores of times, and was perfectly familiar with, but which had never before made the slightest impression on him? Now some of the things that seem so easy to us may appear just as unmeaning to others. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.7

How familiar we are with the truth that God is no respecter of persons; that He loves all men with the same love; and that differences of nationality, custom, or education make no difference with Him; that He would have all men saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. The whole of the Old Testament history shows this. God sent His prophets or messages to different nations, and they all testified of Christ as “a light to lighten the Gentiles;” yet Peter, who was familiar with the Scriptures from his childhood, did not perceive the truth until God sent him a vision and a special message by the Spirit. Strange that it should have taken him so long to grasp so plain a truth! Yes, it is, but no more strange than that we are so “slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.8

Saul of Tarsus thought that he “ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth,“ and he did. He had given more than ordinary study to the Scriptures, and could no doubt repeat the most of them from memory; yet he saw no Christ in the Bible. Suddenly the Lord appeared to him in the way, “and straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God,“ and wherever he went he reasoned with the people out of the Scriptures, “opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ.” Acts 9:20; 17:2, 3. But the Scriptures were just its clear before as afterward, and Saul the persecutor was just as sincere as Paul the apostle. He ought to have seen the truth from the beginning; but he did not, and therefore God patiently waited for him. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.9

Thus it is about the Sabbath of the Lord. There are, as stated elsewhere, in this paper, thousands of earnest Christians; who love the Lord, and rejoice in His salvation, who are familiar with the Bible, who have nevertheless not seen the glorious truth of the Sabbath. They rest in the Lord, and yet they do not see that the creation and the rest that followed give the Gospel all its glory. But light is sown for them, and in time it will dawn upon them with marvellous splendour. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.10

What a comfort it is to know that God is better than men! Those who are misunderstood and misjudged by men have reason to be glad for it, and we all may he drawn by it to repentance for all our wayward selfishness. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.11

Mr. Walsh, a Protestant Churchman, who has just written a book on the history of the Oxford Movement, says:— PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.12

Secret ritualistic societies have now come into existence, and they are increasing in number every year. At present the Church of England is literally honeycombed with secret societies. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.13

“In secret have I said nothing,“ said Jesus to the church rulers who had secretly plotted His death. And the Lord has now no secret societies in His service. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.14

“Getting Ready” The Present Truth, 13, 46.

E. J. Waggoner

Getting Ready .—Those scriptures foretelling the arming of the nations and the preparations for the battle of that last great day are being fulfilled before our eyes. Statesmen see the dangers. In his Mansion House speech last week, Lord Salisbury said:— PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.15

You notice that on all sides the instruments of destruction are piling up-armies become larger, the Powers who concentrate them become greater, the instruments of death become more effective and more numerous, and are improved with every year, and each nation is bound for its own safety to take part in this competition. Those are the things that are done, so to speak, on the side of war. The one hope that we have to prevent this competition from ending in a terrible effort of mutual destruction which will be fatal to Christian civilisation-the one hope we have is that the Powers may gradually be brought together, to act together in a friendly spirit an all subjects of difference that may arise until at last they shall be welded together in some international constitution which shall give at last to the world as the result of their great strength a long spell of unfettered commerce, prosperous trade and continued peace. PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.16

But the same Word which tells us the meaning of these things shows that peace and safety will not be the issue. The world is getting ready to act its part in connection with the coming of the Lord. The question for each of us to answer in our experience is, Are we ready to act our part? “Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” PTUK November 18, 1897, page 736.17