The Present Truth, vol. 14

July 14, 1898

“‘Come!’” The Present Truth 14, 28.

E. J. Waggoner

Who says it? PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.1

“The Spirit and the Bride Say, Come!” To whom do they say it? PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.2

“Let him that is athirst come.” How many may come? PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.3

“Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Rev. xxii. 17. May the poor come as well as the rich? “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” Isa. Iv. 1. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.4

Who has this water of life to offer so freely? PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.5

“Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink.” John vii. 37. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.6

But is there not danger that the supply will be exhausted? PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.7

“How excellent is Thy loving-kindness, O God I therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house; and Thou shalt make them drink of the river of Thy pleasures. For with Thee is the fountain of life.” Isa. xxxvi. 7-9. God is “the Fountain of living waters.” Jer. ii. 13. What will those receive, who listen to this gracious invitation? PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.8

“Incline your ear and come unto Me; hear, and your soul shall live.” Isa. Iv. 3. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.9

What kind of existence is it that He gives those who come? is it a life of toil and drudgery? PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.10

“Come unto Me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am week and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Matt. xi. 28-29. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.11

Do you say that you do not know where to find the Lord? PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.12

“He is not far from every one of us.” Acts xvii. 27. “Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord?” Jer. xxiii. 1. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.13

Are you so weak that you have not strength to come? That is tell right, see what power there is in the word, “Come.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.14

The disciples of Jesus were on the stormy sea, in a boat, tossed by the waves, when Jesus appeared to them, walking on the water. Peter said, “Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water. And He said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.” Matt. xiv. 28, 29. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.15

Thus we see that there is power in the word “Come,” which Jesus utters, to bring anyone to Him who yields to the word, and trusts it. It matters not whether it be on the water, or through the air; the word “Come” has the power to carry. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.16

With what power does this gracious invitation of Christ draw those who listen and yield to it? PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.17

“The Lord hath appeared of old unto Me, saying, Yea, I have loved Thee with an everlasting love; therefore, with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jer. xxxi. 3. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.18

“Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” 1 Peter iii. 18. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.19

“Now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Eph. ii. 13. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.20

Has the Lord given its any visible, tangible evidence of His power to draw and to hold? PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.21

“He, draweth up the drops of water, which distil in rain front His vapour; which the skies pour down, and drop upon men abundantly.” Job xxxvi. 27, 28, R.V. He “hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand,” “He taketh up the isles as a very little thing.” Isa. xl. 12, 15. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.22

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Rom. v. 1, 3. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.23

“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels.” “Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Matt. xvi. 27; xxv. 31. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.24

If we listen now to His voice, saying, “Come,” and become acquainted with it, PTUK July 14, 1898, page 433.25

and love it, when lie comes in His glory, and says, “Come,” we shall be “caught up” “to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. iv. 17. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 434.1

The power by which our bodies will at that time be changed, and we be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, is the same power that now works to charge us from sin to righteousness. Will you not yield to it? PTUK July 14, 1898, page 434.2

“O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 434.3

“Notes on the International Sunday-School Lessons. Elijah's Flight and Encouragement. 1 Kings xix. 1-6” The Present Truth 14, 28.

E. J. Waggoner

JULY 24

In Elijah's conduct, after the triumph on Mount Carmel, is seen the manifestation of human weakness. He who had boldly faced an apostate nation, the wrath of the king and the malice of the priests of Baal, now flees for his life before the anger of Jezebel. God had vindicated His own name in sending fire from heaven, and Elijah, as His faithful servant, had shared the glory which thereby came upon the worship of Jehovah. Israel, at his command, had risen against their false prophets and slain them all; yet to Elijah it seems that the cause is lost, evil had, triumphed, and death would be a welcome end. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 434.4

In past lessons we have traced slightly the parallel between Elijah's times and these. To-day a message is due, given in the spirit and power of Elijah, calling men to forsake Baal and return to the worship of the true God. Still, as then, God uses men as His instruments, and now, as ever, men are but dust. Circumstances are before us which will try us to the utmost, and will, unless we profit by the Scriptures which are written for our learning, desolate our souls and wring from us Elijah's cry, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 434.5

How then shall those who fear God, and serve Him, declare His message fearlessly as did Elijah, and yet escape the bitterness of his despair? PTUK July 14, 1898, page 434.6

A SOURCE OF FAILURE

Does not his self-accusing plaint, “for I am not better than my fathers,” suggest the cause of his sudden weakness? It seems so difficult for men to allow God to work through them without taking to themselves some credit for the power manifested. Those who feel their utter need of all things, and in whose weakness the strength of God is made perfect, are yet tempted, when a great work is done, to forget that all they have contributed to it was nothing and less than nothing; for “verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity.” Ps. xxxix. 5. So they flatter themselves that they must be better than their fathers. The awakening from this delusion is a painful experience, but an absolutely necessary one. Together with the “spirit and power of Elijah” must go the spirit displayed in John the Baptist, to whom was committed the same work, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John iii. 30. So shall we be saved from painful and humiliating falls, and our continued usefulness be secured. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 434.7

The food given to Elijah, by which he was sustained for forty days and forty nights on his journey to Horeb, showed that the strength in which he was to go was in no wise dependent upon himself, and its apparent insufficiency for so long a period might have prepared him for the lesson given at Horeb, that the power of God is not qualified or limited by outward appearances. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 434.8

THE STILL, SMALL VOICE

At last Elijah reached the mount of God; “and he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 434.9

“And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, thrown down Thine altars, and slain Thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 434.10

Surely it was a doleful state of things, and Elijah's words seem to imply that God might have bettered it if He would. Elijah had been very jealous for God, yet God had allowed Elijah's life to be threatened and endangered in His service. When he was gone the last worshipper of God would have perished; so far had matters drifted. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 434.11

Then Elijah was told to stand on the mount before the Lord. He did so, and as a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces, he fully expected to hear the message of Jehovah, delivered in tones of rolling thunder. “But the Lord was not in the wind.” And now followed the crashing of an earthquake, and again, the hot fierce blast of a devouring tire, but in neither of these was the Lord revealed. Then in the quietness and calm that followed the passing of the fire was heard a still, small voice. And Elijah wrapped his face in his mantle and listened. Again the same question as before was asked, and again he made the same reply. After telling Elijah to anoint fresh kings over Israel and Syria, and Eliaha to be prophet in his own room, the still, small voice went on to say, “Yet I have left Me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 434.12

STRENGTH MADE PERFECT

What a glorious word was that; well worth coming the long journey to hear. Seven thousand faithful souls! And Elijah thought there was but one discouraged witness, and they sought his life. So God had been working after all, and had not left the whole burden on Elijah's shoulders. Who would have thought it? No one had talked of great demonstrations of Divine power, creating excitement and swaying multitudes with mysterious, force. What had done the work? The still, small voice. Yet what infinite power there had been in the voice. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 434.13

The message of the everlasting Gospel is to go to the world in these days with a loud cry, and those who hear it are to lift up the voice with strength; but it will not always be with the outward demonstration that suggests earthquake and roaring fire. When the Saviour of the world lay, wrapped in swaddling clothes, in a manger, when He toiled at the carpenter's bench, and above all, when He was nailed to the cross between thieves, forsaken of all men, “His visage marred more than any man,” so far from being the Power and Wisdom of God, He seemed “a worm and no man; a reproach of men; and despised of the people.” “All they that see Me laugh Me to scorn.” Ps. xxii. 6, 7. Yet in it all, He was declared to he the Son of God, with power, because “the weakness of God is stronger than men.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 434.14

Just as Christ prayed, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” so the people of God in the last days mourn and lament that “The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.” But since Christ, for us, passed through that experience, we need never feel forsake n. He says to us, “Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands.” Isa. xlix. 16. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 435.1

ANOTHER PARALLEL

When the message of the Gospel, given in the power of Elijah, brings the messengers face to face with the wrath of the dragon, and the powers of this world, the temptation of Elijah will come to us to make us feel that evil has triumphed, we alone are left to serve God, and they seek our lives to take them away. “Like as a woman with child, so have we been in Thy sight, O Lord. We have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.” Isa. xxvi. 17, 18. Then will the Lord comfort us, as He did Elijah with the news of the seven thousand. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 435.2

“Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together and come to thee.” “Behold, these shall come from far: and lo these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 435.3

“Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?” Isa. xlix. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 435.4

The Lord answers this question by telling of His own working, and adds, “And thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for Me.” His strength is made perfect in weakness, but we so soon get tired of weakness. Christ was always dependent upon His Father for words and works, and even for will. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 435.5

POWER IN GENTLENESS

He spake with a still, small voice, but the power of God was in the voice. The power of God is very gentle. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians that “our Gospel came to you in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.” Yet he says, “We were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 435.6

The remembrance of the gentleness of God's power will keep us from discouragement if we do not see the kind of power manifested that seems to our minds necessary for the furtherance of the Gospel, and the lament of Elijah, that we are no better than our fathers, and that it can profit the world nothing for us to live on any longer, will never rise to the lips of those who remember that God hath chosen “the base things of the world, and things which are despised, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 435.7

“The Power that Saves” The Present Truth 14, 28.

E. J. Waggoner

“And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought Him to come into his house; for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 435.8

“And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent her living upon physicians, and could not be healed of any, came behind Him, and touched the border of His garment: and immediately the issue of her blood staunched. And Jesus said, Who is it that touched Me? And when all denied, Peter said, and they that were with Him, Master, the multitudes press Thee and crush Thee. But Jesus said, Some one did touch Me: for I perceived that power had gone forth from Me. And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before Him declared in the presence of all the people for what cause she touched Him, and how she was healed immediately, And He said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” Luke viii. 41-48, R.V. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 435.9

Here we have another of the miracles of Jesus, which are written that we might know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, we might have life through His name. Most striking is this miracle adapted to the purpose for which it is designed; for nothing could more clearly illustrate the truth that we receive life and salvation from Christ through faith in Him. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 435.10

Consider the facts in the case. For twelve years the woman had been suffering, and steadily growing worse. Physicians could do her no good, and she had no more money to spend on them, even if they could. She was dying in misery, without help or hope of help. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 435.11

She was indeed dying, for loss of blood means loss of life. “The blood is the life.” Deut. xii. 23. This is a well-known and universally recognised fact. To shed blood means everywhere to take life. Therefore, when we read that the woman had been losing blood for twelve years, and that the loss was increasing, we know that her life was gradually and surely vanishing away. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 435.12

But the great Physician came her way, and she had confidence in Him; “for she said within herself, If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole.” Matt. ix. 21. She touched Him, and immediately she was made whole; that is, all her lack was supplied; the loss was made good. What did she lack? What was she losing?—Blood, life. Therefore in that she was made whole, it is evident that what she received was life-new blood. This is the simple fact. As surely as the miracle was performed, so surely did the woman in that instant receive life; yes, she actually received fresh blood; for she was made whole, and her lack was blood. How was it done?—Jesus tells us all that we can know about it, saying, “I perceived that power had gone forth from me.” From this we see that when Jesus supplied new life to the suffering, it came directly from Himself. In Luke vi. 19 we read that “all the multitude sought to touch Him: for power came forth from Him, and healed them all.” In this verse, as in chapter viii. 46, the Authorised Version has “virtue,” where the Revised Version gives us the word “power.” “Power” is the better word, for the Greek word is the same word that we have Anglicised as dynamite. The power that works in all things, and that upholds all things, is the life of God; so the power that went forth from Jesus and healed the woman, as well as the multitudes, was life; and this we have already seen from the fact that Jesus supplied what she lacked, namely, life. Jesus went about doing good because God was with Him (Acts x. 38), and with God is “the fountain of life.” Ps. xxxvi. 9. The characteristic of a fountain is that although you continually draw from it, it always has just as much to give; so although Jesus was continually bestowing life,-it was flowing from Him to others,-the supply did not diminish, because He had the fountain in Him. He is “the Author of life.” Acts iii. 15, margin. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 435.13

THE TOUCH OF FAITH

Jesus said to the woman, “Thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” In the margin of the Revised Version we have “saved,” in the place of “made whole;” and this is the better reading. The words in the Greek are identical with those spoken to the sinful woman, who also touched Jesus, and who received forgiveness of sins. Luke vii. 37-50. Jesus said to her, “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” Here, therefore, we have a practical illustration of the statement that, “the just shall live by faith” (Rom. i. 17), together with the statement concerning Jesus, that “we shall be saved by His life.” Rom. v. 10. The woman was saved by the life of Christ, which she received through her faith in Him; by faith she received life front Him, so that she could truly say in the most literal sense, “The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Gal. ii. 20. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 436.1

From the case before us, we see that these expressions are not mere forms of speech, but the statement of actual fact, We really receive life from the Lord. Whether we believe it and acknowledge it or not, it is true that our life comes from the Lord; for it was to the heathen that the apostle Paul spoke the words, “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.” Acts xvii. 28. But there is a difference in the manner of our contact with the Lord. The multitudes pressed upon the Lord as He was on the way to the house of Jairus, but only one touched Him in faith, and thus received new life. So all the multitudes of earth are in personal contact with Christ, whether they will or not, for only in Him can they have life; but when our touch is the touch of faith,-when we acknowledge Him in all our ways (Prov. iii. 6),-then we experience His life as the power that saves. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 436.2

A BLESSED REALITY

There was no imagination in the case of the poor woman who was healed by the touch of faith. There are imaginary diseases; but when the life-blood is surely ebbing away, the weakness that results is not a fancied one. No imagination is powerful enough to give strength to one who is in such a condition. But the woman was made perfectly well and strong, and this now strength was no more imaginary than was her previous weakness. That which was done for her was as real as though a physician had performed the operation of transfusion of blood from a healthy person. Life is indeed real; and when Jesus tells us that He gives us His life, we may be sure that the gift is not an empty name. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 436.3

How real and how precious this miracle makes the words over which so many are offended; namely, “without shedding of blood is no remission.” Heb. ix. 32. The blood is the life; the shedding of blood is the giving of life; we have no life in ourselves, but are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. ii. 1), because sin carries death with it (Rom. v. 12; James i. 15); the taking away of sin is therefore simply salvation from death; but those who are dead cannot live unless they receive new life, which must come from outside of themselves; and this life Jesus in His love freely supplies. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 436.4

A DIFFERENT LIFE

Everybody is familiar with the expressed resolve to “live a different life,” the different life to be of course a better one. But how few realise that that better life must indeed he “a different life.” The life that they have been living is a life of sin. The life itself is sin. With that life they can do nothing else than sin, for it must be evident to every one who stops to think, that a person call live no life except that which he has, and that if he lives a different life, he must receive another life. This new life is just what we get by faith in Jesus, and the miracle which we are considering was done and recorded in order that we might see the reality of the transaction. It is something on which to build faith. Shall we not then, like the poor woman, “feel after” the Lord? If we reach out the hand in faith, we shall certainly find Him, for “He is not far from every one of us.” “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Rom. x. 8-10. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 436.5

“The Everlasting Gospel: God's Saving Power in the Things That Are Made” The Present Truth 14, 28.

E. J. Waggoner

POWER AND MERCY

Psalm cxi. 2-4: “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; the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.1

Ps. xxxvi. 5: “Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.2

Ps. Ixii. 11, 12: “God hath spoken once; twice have I heord this: that power belongeth unto God. Also unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.3

Ps. cxix. 64: “The earth, O Lord, is full of Thy mercy; teach me Thy statutes.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.4

Ps. xxxii. 10: “He that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.5

Lam. iii. 22, 23: “It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassion fail not. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.6

Col. i. 17: Christ “is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.7

Ps. cxxx. 7, 8: “Let Israel hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.8

Eph. ii. 4-6: “God, being rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, quickened us together with Christ (by grace have ye beau saved), and raised us up with Him, and made us to sit with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.9

Isa. xl. 26: “Lift up your eyes on high, and see who hath created these, that bringeth out their host by number; He calleth them all by name, by the greatness of His might, and for that He is strong in power, not one is lacking.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.10

Ps. xcv. 4: “In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the strength of the hills is His also.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.11

Isa. xl. 27-31: “Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest O Israel, fly way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary ? there is no searching of His understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall; but 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; and they shall walk, and not faint.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.12

If you cannot at first see the things that here follow, in the texts just quoted, read the texts until you can. Take the truth direct from the Scriptures themselves. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.13

Note that the Lord makes His grace and fulness of compassion known by making His wonderful works to be remembered. That is, His wonderful works reveal His graciousness and compassion. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.14

Power and mercy are combined. Both belong to God, and cannot be separated. Just as all the things that are made reveal the power of God, so all of God's works show His mercy. His power is merciful, and His mercy is powerful. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.15

God's mercy is everywhere, in the heavens and in the earth. The earth is full of it. It is not merely on the earth, but it is in it. All the power that is seen in the things that God has made, is His mercy in action. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.16

It is by the mercy of the Lord that we live. It is His mercy- that keeps us alive. Lam. iii. 22. Thus we see that mercy is power, for it is His power that keeps us. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.17

It is in Christ that everything holds together. That is, “cohesion,” which is but another term for “holding together,” is God personally working to uphold all things. If matter did not hold together, we should have no place to stand on, and we ourselves would have no existence. So since it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, we see that cohesion is simply a manifestation of the mercy of the Lord. Cohesion is Christ, the power of God, working in nature. It is the word of His power upholding all things. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.18

Think of the marvellous force that holds the mighty rocks in huge masses. What infinite energy is constantly working in every particle of matter in the universe, in order that there may be form and solidity. Can you fail to see the hand of God in it? PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.19

Men tell us that this force is “cohesion.” Now “cohesion” simply means “sticking together.” Therefore when they tell us that particles of matter, atoms, are held together by cohesion, it is the same as though they told us that matter is held together by holding together. “Cohesion” simply describes what is done, but does not tell what does the thing. The Bible tells what does it. It is Christ the power of God. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.20

Thus it is that God shows us His power to save. He saves us by His mercy, in which He is rich. With Him there is plenteous redemption. How much?—As much as there is force in the universe. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; all the force, even to the very centre of the earth, is the working of the Lord's own hand. What has the Lord said of the safety of His sheep in His hand? PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.21

But God's mercy is in the heavens as well as in the earth. “Lift up your eyes on high,” and see the stars. It is His power, His mercy, that keeps them in their places. His own hand guides them in their orbits. Because He is strong in power, not one is lacking. It is God's powerful mercy that, prevents them coming in collision. Or falling upon this earth and crushing it. What is the force that operates between the heavenly bodies? Men call it “gravitation;” the Bible tells us that it is God's own power, that is, it is the working of the “Saviour which is Christ the Lord.” If the words “cohesion” and “gravitation” hide the personal presence of the Lord, don't use them. In any case, don't say that cohesion, gravitation, chemical affinity, etc., do certain things. Don't think that the thing done is the One who does it. Don't forget that God's everlasting power and Divinity are revealed in the things that are made. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.22

Does not this help you to grasp the reality of the power that is put forth to save us? The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. So in everything that God has made we may see the Gospel, if we do not close our eyes in unbelief. Not only in every living thing, but in every rock, and in every grain of sand, as well as in the sun, moon, and stars, God shows us the power that redeems those who trust Him,-the power of the life of Christ, the power of the cross. How can men who live on the solid earth, and who even dare trust that the unstable water will hold PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.23

together sufficiently to bear them up, refuse to trust the Lord, whose all-pervading presence makes it possible for them to live at all? PTUK July 14, 1898, page 437.24

“‘Great Things’” The Present Truth 14, 28.

E. J. Waggoner

The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honourable and glorious.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.1

“For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the strength of the hills is His also.” Ps. xcv. 3, 4. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.2

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.” Ps. cxlv. 3. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.3

“For Thou art great, and doest wondrous things; Thou art God alone.” Ps. lxxxvi. 10. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.4

“Great things doeth He, which we cannot comprehend.” Job. xxxvii. 5. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.5

“Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous thing.” Ps. lxxii. 18. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.6

Not only is it God alone who does great things, but He does nothing else but great things. He is a great God, and He does great things. The least thing that He does is great. The smallest flower, the tiniest and most slender blade of grass is the product of power greater than that possessed by all nation; and kings on earth. Nothing less than infinite power could make it; but there is no power greater than infinite power; therefore in the smallest thing, that God has made,-a blade of grass, a grain of sand, yea, even a single atom,-the everlasting power and Divinity of God are displayed as really as in the sun, moon and stars. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.7

“The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and merciful in all His works.” Ps. cxlv. 17, margin. This is the rendering given in the text of several versions. Now since all the works of the Lord are merciful, and He does only great works, it follows that His mercy is as great as His works. His works are done in mercy; but they are the product of infinite power; so the mercy of the Lord is equal to His power, and identical with it. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.8

Therefore “according to the height of the heaven above the earth, so great is His mercy.” Ps. ciii. 11, margin. Literally, “so mighty is His mercy.” Remember now that it was “not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to His mercy He saved us.” Titus iii. 5. The power of this mercy to save us, is the power that is revealed in the whole universe. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.9

What comfort, then, there is for us in reading that “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before prepared, that we should walk in them.” Phil. ii. 10. Or that “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Phil. ii. 13. We know that His great mercy will do great things, not simply for us, but in us. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.10

Yea, He will enlarge us also. “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty;” “in Thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.” 1 Chron. xxix. 11, 12. “It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.” “Thou hast also given me the shield of Thy salvation; and Thy right hand hath holden me up, and Thy gentleness hath made me great.” Ps. xviii. 32, 35. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.11

All this is the mercy of the Lord. “God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us made us alive together with Christ (by grace are ye saved), and hath raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Eph. ii. 4-6. It is by the mercy of God that we are raised up with Christ, and made to sit in the heavenly places with Him, for His mercy is great above the heavens; but in the raising of Christ from the dead, and setting Him “at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion,” God showed “the working of His mighty power.” Eph. i. 19-21. So again we see that the power of God is His mercy. All creation proclaims the power of God, and therefore the mercy by which He saves us from our sins. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.12

It is wonderful indeed; so great is the field into which the Lord brings us, that it seems as though we were in a dream; nevertheless it is true, and our mouth may be filled with laughter and our tongue with singing, and we can say, “The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.13

“O come to the Father
Through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory;
Great things He hath done.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.14

“The New Western Empire” The Present Truth 14, 28.

E. J. Waggoner

The recent American victories have given enormous impetus to the popular demand that the United States shall abandon its old traditions and embark upon an era of territorial conquest and imperialism. Newspapers, clergy, and politicians seem almost unanimous in urging this course upon the States, but there are a few who see in it disaster for the Republic. Apart from the unrighteousness of war, and its condemnation by true Christianity, they know from history that warring nations, even when prosperous, cannot escape the evils of military domination, or the oft verified forecast of the fate of those who take the sword. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.15

A correspondent of the Chronicle who claims to be intimately acquainted with American politics and history, points out some of the natural consequences which may be expected to follow the new departure. We give a portion of his letter. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.16

“What will be the result of this ‘new imperialism,’ if approved by the American people? The United States will be converted from a democratic Republic to a great centralised imperialism, following in the path to ruin of all the old rotten empires whose wrecks strew the path of human history. Instead of peace there will be war, for the other Powers of the world will no more admit American than they will British pretensions of supremacy. They will arm, and arm, and arm, and they will compel America to arm. The base of American life will thus be changed. The swollen pension system, instead of being reduced, will be increased until half the citizens of the United States will be living on the other half. Huge armies and navies will arise, involving crushing taxation levied on a people who, having to meet the competition of both the Eastern and Western world, will find their scale of living pared down. Since it is utterly impossible that the mass of voters can control the doings of officials in countries thousands of miles over-sea, it is certain that officialism would increase to such a point that every Republican principle would be crushed. Doubtless there might be more matters of ‘interest’ in Washington. A cyclone is interesting, an earthquake is interesting to the survivors; but to wise men the calm, peaceful evolution of a self-contained Republic whom no enemy will attack, and which can, therefore, avoid the curse of militarism, is a far more interesting subject of contemplation.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 438.17

“For the Children. Our Teacher” The Present Truth 14, 28.

E. J. Waggoner

Adam, the son of God, was put by his Father into this earth, which was to be not only his home, but also the school in which he was to be educated for the service of God. But he had no books from which to study like those we use in our schools to-day. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 442.1

Yet he had a wonderful library written for him and for his family by God Himself. All that men need to learn is to know God, and all that can be known of God is clearly seen in the things that He has made. Read Rom. i. 19, 20. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 442.2

So God did not give them a lot of books to teach them about His works, but He wanted them to study the works themselves, that they might teach them to know God. On everything that men could see, in every living thing that He had put into the earth, some message from God was written. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 442.3

The Spirit of God, which we learned last week “fills all things,” was teaching them in each thing some precious lesson of God's power. Man could not of himself read what God had written, but the same Spirit which dwelt in all God's works filled him also, to teach him just what these lessons were. The work of this great Teacher was to teach men to read what God had written for them in all His works. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 442.4

The patriarch Job, who lived very early in the history of this world, said, “Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall toll thee; or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 442.5

But by degrees, as through sin men departed from God, they lost the Spirit of God out of their hearts, and soon forgot how to read what God was saying to them in all creation. They did not know Jesus Christ, who, we are told in the book of Revelation, is “the Alpha and Omega,” that means the alphabet of God. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 442.6

You know that the first thing in learning to read is to know the alphabet, the A B C. So the Holy Spirit, whom God has appointed for man's Teacher, moved upon men who had not departed from God and forgotten Him, to write the Holy Scriptures. “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost,” to bring men again to the knowledge of Jesus, “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” so that they might again be able to see God in His works, and read His lessons there. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 442.7

Many try to read God's book of Nature before they have learned the alphabet, Jesus Christ; but this is as foolish and useless as for a child to try to read before he knows the A B C. All that he could do would be to guess at the meaning of what he saw. So God says of those who did this that “they became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 442.8

But when we take the Word of God for our guide in all our study of “the wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge,” the Holy Spirit will unfold to us the precious lessons that the Creator is teaching us in everything that He has made. This will make us truly “wise unto salvation.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 442.9

When Jesus, the great Creator of all things, Himself became a little human child, He took the Word of God for His text book, and with the Holy Spirit for His Teacher, He carefully studied the lessons that He Himself had written in all the earth for the children of men. And you will remember that when He was only twelve years old, the great teachers of Israel, “and all that heard Him, were astonished at His understanding.” When He became a man, and taught the people that which He had learned of God in this way, they said, “Whence hath this man this wisdom?” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 442.10

“Every child may gain knowledge as Jesus did, from the works of Nature, and the pages of God's Holy Word.” He has given His Holy Spirit to abide with us and teach us “all things.” He says, “Call upon Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 442.11

Then let each little child take Him at His word, and like Jesus learn early to talk with God. Ask Him to make you pure in heart, so that you may see God, and to open your ears that they may be PTUK July 14, 1898, page 442.12

“Alive and quick to hear
Each whisper of His Word.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 442.13

Then as you learn more and more to know His voice and behold His glory, like Jesus you will be able to “speak the things that you have seen and heard,” and so bring light and salvation to others by bringing them also to the knowledge of God. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 442.14

“Jottings” The Present Truth 14, 28.

E. J. Waggoner

-A terrific tornado is reported from New Hampshire, you as a which did immense damage to property and cause great loss of life. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.1

-Earthquake shocks have being felt in Dalmatia, seven townships been seriously damaged and a number of deaths having been caused. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.2

-The German emperor recently issued an order that no sermon preached before him by a chaplain must exceed fifteen minutes in delivery. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.3

-The sweepings of the Mint for a year and seven months yielded gold valued at ?467. The mint may profit on the silver bullion purchased for coinage last year of ?399,670. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.4

-Severe fighting has recently taken place at Santiago, both the American and Spanish forces having thousands of killed and wounded. Admiral Cervera's fleet was completely destroyed in an attempt to escape. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.5

-Three of the leading London breweries are amalgamating with a capital of ?15,000,000. The vast mass of this sum should be an object lesson to the poor who contribute so largely to the fortunes made out of beer. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.6

-Three Italian school-teachers recently applied for work as public chimney-sweeps in a Swiss village just over the line. The places they sought paid only about ?32 a year, but that was more than they got in Italy as teachers. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.7

-The Bulgarian Government have devised a scheme for increasing the population. For every son born after a certain number in the family the State will pay the father nearly ?1 a month, and the mother also receives a consideration. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.8

-The Tramway Department of the city of Glasgow has had a very successful year. The aim is to make the system as cheap as possible to the public, and the average fare paid is only three farthings, but the gross profits exceed ?100,000. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.9

-Something new in street lamps has just been completed in London. By inserting a coin in a slot a person may have a quart of boiling water, or a cup of coffee, cocoa, or beef-tea. If the idea succeeds it will be put into operation in many other places. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.10

-The vine at Hampton Court Palace, after two centuries, is beginning to show signs of decay. This year it has been found necessary to remove 2,000 of the 3,200 bunches of grapes, the vine not having sufficient strength to bring so many to maturity. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.11

-The working power of steam-driven machinery employed in Great Britain is estimated to be equal to that of a thousand million of men. In all the world, less than half of that number, counting both sexes, are employed in productive industry, so that steam is doing more work in England alone than is being done by all mankind. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.12

-A Cheltenham family of seven, in poor circumstances, showed marked symptoms of poisoning after freely partaking of meat for supper a few days ago. The youngest child died, and others were removed to a local hospital, where they lie in a precarious condition. The meat had been previously noticed to be tainted. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.13

-A new uses been discovered for slag which has hitherto been regarded as one of the waste products of iron smelting. Combined with coke it can be made to produce ethylene gas which is said to be a more brilliant illuminant than acetylene and fifty per cent. cheaper. The utilisation of the slag will also reduce the cost of pig iron. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.14

-A remarkable strike is reported from Chicago. The stereotypers to work on the daily papers are dissatisfied with their wages of $3.25, about 13s. 6d. per day of eight hours, and have struck for $4, or 16s. 6d. for a day of seven hours, and 75 cents over time. As a result, none of the morning papers printed in English appeared last Saturday. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.15

-A negro postmaster at Pickens, Mississippi, a village where there are about 130 white and 410 coloured residents, was forced to resign by the white population, who declared, in a letter to the Post master-General, that no negro could serve them. To teach them a lesson, the local post-office was abolished, and now the inhabitants have to go eight or nine miles to get their letters. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.16

-In a seventy mile walking match in Berlin, among twenty-two starters eight were vegetarians, and the distance had to be covered within hours. The first six to arrive at the goal were vegetarians call all in splendid condition. Not till an hour after the last vegetarian had arrived did the first meat-eater appear, and he was completely exhausted. All the others had dropped off after thirty-five miles. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.17

-A machine has just been invented for making flower pots, which will turn out sixteen pots per minute, as against the one that can be made by the aid of a wheel, and the result is said to be much superior to the hand-made article. That there is room for this new invention may be seen from the fact that the output of flower pots in the United Kingdom is stated to be not less than five hundred millions annually. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.18

-A writer in “Scribners,” describing life in the Philippines says that taxation there is absurdly excessive. There is a head tax, a tax for the privilege of doing business, a tax on every tree that is felled, to say nothing of petty fines which fill the pockets of the officials. In the year ending in 1896, the collector of customs at Manila collected 82,000 dollars in these petty fines, all of which legally became his personal property. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.19

-A terrible disaster has occurred in the Atlantic. The French liner La Bourgogne was sunk by a collision with a sailing vessel off the coast of Newfoundland. A dense fog prevailed at the time. Of the passengers and crew, over 500 were drowned. Terrible scenes were enacted on board the sinking vessel. In the mad struggle for the boats the crew drove the passengers back with oars and boat-hooks. On the water fighting continued, and many persons were thrust off the boats and rafts while trying to save themselves. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 444.20

“Back Page” The Present Truth 14, 28.

E. J. Waggoner

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John i. 1. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 446.1

“And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you.” 1 Peter i. 35. Therefore whoever receives the Word of the Gospel receives God. When the Word of God dwells in any man's heart, God Himself abides there. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 446.2

“If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” John xiv. 33. This is not a fanciful thing, but a fact. The Word which, when received, brings God into the life, is “alive and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight. But all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Heb. iv. 12, 13. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 446.3

Can the Word, that is, God, do no more for us than reveal our defects when we receive it? “Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you.” John xv. 3. “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Eph. v. 27. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 446.4

Some will perhaps say with Solomon, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee.” 1 Kings viii. 27. To many it seems incredible that God should in very truth have His abode with those who hear His voice.” Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool: where is the house that ye build unto Me? and where is the place of My rest? for all those things hath Mine, hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My Word.” Isa. lxvi. 1, 2. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 446.5

God does not count Himself honoured when the wealthy and the powerful espouse His cause, trusting in their riches and power, for it is “not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” Zech. iv. 6. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. The humblest, feeblest, basest of mankind, may receive that Word, and manifest in their lives “that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.” 1 John iv. 2. “The vilest offender who truly believes” receives power to become the son of God, and “whoso keepeth His Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected.” 1 John ii. 5. The “base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” 1 Cor. i. 28, 29. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 446.6

“For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of men as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falloth away: but the Word of the Lord eudureth for over.” 1 Peter i. 24, 25. “Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.” Isa. lvii. 15. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 446.7

Thus it is evident that to receive the Word of God means the accomplishment in us of all that God desires to see. The perfect life of Christ was the Word made flesh; and whoever receives the Word will find that it is a Word of power, able to build us up, and to give us an inheritance among all them that are sanctified. Acts xx. 32. “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth.” John xvii. 17. “This is the work of God that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent” (John vi. 29); “and His name is called, The Word of God.” Rev. xix. 13. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 446.8

The question is often raised, “If God be so full of love and mercy as you say, why does He permit men to be mowed down like grass by murderous weapons.” God has no pleasure in the death of men, but He has given man the choice between life and death. The choice is offered to all, and men will often choose deliberately the way of death. Then when they find it a painful and disagreeable portion, they rail at God because He permits evil to come upon them. The wise thing to do then is to acknowledge that they made a foolish choice and turn from their evil way, and take life instead of death. To those who find that they have been spending their money for that which is not bread, and their labour for that which satisfieth not, the Lord calls, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Isa. Iv. 7. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 446.9

Satan has largely succeeded in getting men to lay upon God the blame for his own work of destruction. They accuse God of doing nothing to prevent evil, when He might stop it. “The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not,” and instead of recognising the infinite love of God in all His dealings with men, they impute to Him the attributes of Satan. God's character is on trial before the universe. If it shall appear that anyone has lost eternal life on account of God's negligence, indifference, or lack of provision, it will make Him responsible for the loss of that soul, and He would then be the criminal. But when the secret things are made manifest, and the hidden things are brought to light, it will be made clear that God did everything that infinite love and wisdom could do, consistently with man's right of free choice, to turn men back from the paths of destruction, and no man's blood can be charged to Him. All will acknowledge that “Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints. Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before Thee, for Thy judgments fire wade manifest.” Rev. xv. 3, 4. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 446.10

Men will know then that they sold themselves to Satan to work his hellish will, lured by his lying promises of earthly gain and honour. Iniquity will appear in its true light, and Satan will be seen by all as the loathsome, degraded thing he is. “They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; that made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?” “Thou hast destroyed thy land and slain thy people.” “He who smote the people in Israel with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet, they break forth into singing.” Isa. xiv. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 446.11

“Power unto Salvation” The Present Truth 14, 28.

E. J. Waggoner

“I am not ashamed of the Gospel of I Christ.” There is no reason why any man should be ashamed of the Gospel, nevertheless many men have been and are ashamed of it. Many people are so ashamed of it that they could not think of lowering themselves so much as to make a profession of it; and many who do make a profession of it are ashamed to let it be known. What is the cause of all this ashamed?—It is that they do not know what the Gospel is. No man who really knows what the Gospel is, will be ashamed of it, or of any part of it. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 447.1

DESIRE FOR POWER

There is nothing that men need and desire so much as power. It is a desire that God Himself has planted in man. Unfortunately the devil has deceived the most of mankind, so that they seek for power in the wrong way. They think that it can be found in the possession of wealth or political position, and so they rush to secure those things. But these do not supply the power for which God has created the desire. This is shown by the fact that they do not satisfy. No man was ever yet satisfied with the power that he obtained by wealth or position. However much they have, they desire more. No man finds in them just what he thought he would; and so he grasps after more, thinking that he will find his heart's desire farther on; but all in vain. Christ is “the Desire of all nations” (Haggai ii. 7), the only Source of complete satisfaction, because He is the embodiment of all the real power there is in the universe-the power of God. “Christ, the power of God.” 1 Cor. i. 34. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 447.2

POWER AND KNOWLEDGE

It is commonly said that knowledge is power. That depends. If we take the statement of the poet, that “The proper study of mankind is man,” then certainly knowledge is anything but power. Man is nothing but weakness and sin. All men know that they are sinners, that they do things that are not right, but that knowledge gives them no power to change their course. You may tell a man all his faults, and if you tell him nothing more, you have weakened rather than strengthened him. But he who with the Apostle Paul determines to know nothing “save Jesus Christ and Him crucified,” has knowledge that is power. “For this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.” John xvii. 3. To know Christ is to know the power of His endless life. It is for lack of this knowledge that men are destroyed. Hosea iv. 6. But since Christ is the power of God, it is quite correct to say that power is the one thing that men need; and the only real power, the power of God, is revealed in the Gospel. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 447.3

THE GLORY OF POWER

All men honour power. Wherever power is manifested, there will always be found men to admire. There is no one who does not admire and applaud power in some form. Powerful muscles are admired and boasted of, whether they be those of man or of beast. A mighty engine that moves vast weights with case always attracts attention, and men honour the one who constructed it. The man of wealth, whose money can command the service of thousands, always has admirers, no matter bow his money is obtained. The man of noble birth and position, or the monarch of a great nation, has multitudes of followers who applaud his power. Men desire to be connected with such an one, because they derive a certain dignity from the connection, although the power is not transferable. But all the power of earth is frail and but for a moment, while the power of God is eternal. The Gospel is this power, and if men would but recognise it for what it is, there would be none who would be ashamed of it. Paul said, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Gal. vi. 14. The reason for this was that the cross is the power of God. 1 Cor. i. 18. The power of God, in whatever form manifested, is glory, and therefore it is a thing for glory, and not for shame. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 447.4

CHRIST NOT ASHAMED

Concerning Christ we read, “For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of One; for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” Heb. ii. 11. “God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He bath prepared for them a city.” Heb. xi. 16. Surely if the Lord is not ashamed to be called the brother of poor, weak, sinful mortals, man has no reason to be ashamed of Him. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God!” 1 John iii. 1. Ashamed of the Gospel of Christ! Could there possibly be a worse case of the exaltation of self above God! For to be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, which is the power of God, is an evidence that the man who feels thus ashamed really thinks himself superior to God, and that it is a lowering of his dignity to be associated with the Lord. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 447.5

“Ashamed of Jesus I just as soon
Let midnight be ashamed of noon;
'Twas midnight with my soul till He,
Bright Morning Star, bade darkness flee.” PTUK July 14, 1898, page 448.1

SAVED BY FAITH

The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” Eph. ii. 8. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Mark xvi. 16. “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John i. 12. “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness.” Rom. x. 10. “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.” John vi. 39. Faith works. Time would fail to tell of those “who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, ... out of weakness were made strong,” etc. Heb. xi. 33, 34. Men may say, “I cannot see how it is possible for one to be made righteous simply by believing.” It makes no difference what you can see; you are not saved by sight, but by faith. You do not need to see how it is done, because it is the Lord who does the work of saving. Christ dwells in the heart by faith (Eph. iii. 17), and because He is our righteousness, “He also is become my salvation.” Isa. xii. 2. PTUK July 14, 1898, page 448.2