The Present Truth, vol. 11
October 17, 1895
“Deliverance from Prison” The Present Truth 11, 42.
E. J. Waggoner
“The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.” Psalm 34:7. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 656.16
This was demonstrated in a most marked manner in the case of Peter. Herod had already killed James, and had taken Peter, intending to kill him also. Sixteen soldiers were detailed to keep the apostle till the time of execution, and the night before the event was expected to take place he was in a cell, bound with two chains to two soldiers who were inside with him, one on each side. Surely there is no hope that Peter can escape the will of his enemies. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 656.17
But Peter had many influential friends who were interested in his case, and who exerted themselves to secure his release. So they got up a grand petition in his behalf. Not to Herod, for that would have been useless. The need was too urgent to warrant their wasting time on a stubborn and rebellious under official, so they addressed their petition direct to the highest authority. “Prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.” Acts 12:5. I have said that Peter’s friends were influential, and so they were, even in the highest circles; for “the supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.” James 5:16, R.V. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 656.18
What was the result of this petition?—“Behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison; and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord; and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent His angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.” Acts 12:7-11. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 656.19
That is only one out of many deliverances. At one time the chief priests and the rulers of the Jews “laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught.” Acts 5:18-21. Later on, when the ruler sent to bring them to court, the keepers were found foolishly guarding an empty prison. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 656.20
Yet again, Paul and Silas had been cast in the prison, and the goaler had been charged to keep them safely; “who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God; and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s hands were loose.” Acts 16:23-26. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 656.21
And so we might proceed, recounting wonderful deliverances by the angel of the Lord. There were the three Hebrews who were delivered from a fiery furnace. The Lord Himself came to their rescue. Mark the statement that “the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him.” The Lord Himself came down to share the flames with them. So the angel of the Lord was in the cell with Peter before he was delivered. When those who fear the Lord are cast in the prison for His sake, the angel of the Lord is with them, and no prison bars and bolts and soldiers can keep them one minute after God decides that it is best for them to come out. Until that time they are content to stay, as shown by the peaceful sleep of Peter, and the joyful songs of Paul and Silas. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 656.22
This calm confidence in God comes only from a knowledge of His power to effect still greater deliverances. The promise is, “There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” Romans 11:26. He “gave Himself for us, that He might deliver us from this present evil world.” Galatians 1:4. “For He hath looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth; to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose them that are appointed to death.” Psalm 102:19, 20. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 657.1
Those who know the power of this deliverance from sin, and all may know it if they believe God’s Word, need not and will not have any fear of what man can do to them. We may boldly say, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Hebrews 13:6. “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God, which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is; which keepeth truth for ever; which executeth judgment for the oppressed; which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners; the Lord openeth the eyes of the blind; the Lord raiseth them up that are bowed down.” Psalm 146:5-8. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 657.2
“Praying to Be Excused” The Present Truth 11, 42.
E. J. Waggoner
There is no more dangerous practice than that of praying to the Lord for permission to disobey Him. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 658.1
Yet this is often done. Some duty or service is revealed in the Word which brings the cross with it. It seems too hard a thing to do, and weak, faithless human nature asks to be excused. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 658.2
Sometimes people feel that the Lord hears them and excuses them from doing what He says. The prayer to be excused is a confession that the command is there; and God cannot contradict His own Word PTUK October 17, 1895, page 658.3
But the Lord does not force man’s choice. When the heart is set to disobey He allows the desire of the fleshly heart to have its way. “Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols.” Ezekiel 14:4. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 658.4
It is a terrible thing to be left to one’s own way. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 658.5
“Feasting or Fasting?” The Present Truth 11, 42.
E. J. Waggoner
“Church life must,” says the Church Times, “be at a very low ebb at Barry in Chismorganshire, if, as the local papers state is the case, the funds of St. Mary’s Church can only be replenished by a public ball at a restaurant. One of the magistrates, before whom the application for an extension of hours came, very properly protested against the abuse, and was indignant that any section of religious society should hold an all-night dance to raise funds for religious purposes. After hearing of such an application, we cannot be surprised at the report which has reached us of the moribund condition of the Church in Barry, nor that the place should have provided anti-Establishment writers with a forcible text. If instead of a dance and extended drinking hours, the clergy and people tried a little fasting and prayer, we are inclined to think that the financial position would suffer no loss; and certainly the scandal would be less.” PTUK October 17, 1895, page 658.6
“The Fruit of Offended Dignity” The Present Truth 11, 42.
E. J. Waggoner
Every Bible reader is familiar with the story of the choosing of Saul as king over Israel, and of his fall and sad end. From a modest, gentle youth, who would allow no harm to be done to those who had mocked at his being chosen king, he degenerated into a hard, cruel, vindictive man, who had no scruples as to the means He used to seek to murder one whom he unjustly regarded as his enemy. Not a man can be found to offer any apology for his persistent efforts to take David’s life. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 658.7
Not only did he seek David’s life, but his causeless hatred of David was so great that He slew those who even unconsciously aided David to escape from him, as well as those who worked in any way connected with them. The spirit of murder possessed him. Eighty-five innocent and defenceless priests, with their families, were slaughtered by Saul at one time, because one of their number had been hospitable to David. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 658.8
What was the cause of this? What had they done to Saul, that so roused his enmity?—Nothing whatever; he had been Saul’s faithful servant, and Saul had loved him for his good qualities. One little thing led to this train of murders. When Saul and David were returning after David had slain Goliath, the women came out with instruments of music to celebrate the victory, and sang, PTUK October 17, 1895, page 658.9
“Saul hath slain his thousands
And David his ten thousands.”
PTUK October 17, 1895, page 658.10
That was enough; envy and jealousy took possession of Saul; “and Saul eyed David from that day and forward.” PTUK October 17, 1895, page 658.11
Hear what he said: “They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands.” Well, what of it? No fact was altered by what they said. David himself had laid no claim to any honour. If Saul had been more valorous than David, the song of a few women would not affect the fact; and if he had not, then the envy was so much the more causeless. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 658.12
But self-love is an extremely sensitive plant. We naturally have an exaggerated sense of our own ability or importance. Then we are anxious to have others think better of us than we know ourselves to be; and if they should by any chance estimate us below our real value, that is fatal. How often we see Saul’s pettishness duplicated. One person is offended because another is preferred before him. Somebody is given a position which he thinks he ought to occupy. “I’m as good as he is,” or, “I’m not treated fairly,” is said or thought, and bitter feeling is cherished against the favoured one, who may be entirely innocent of any self-seeking. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 658.13
Not just as surely as Saul sought to kill David, and murdered many innocent people in his mad attempt, just so surely is there murder in every man’s heart when he becomes soured because somebody else is honoured, and when he has a feeling of envy against one who occupies a place which he thinks he himself ought to have. Hear what the Word says:— PTUK October 17, 1895, page 658.14
“If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” James 3:14-16. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.1
There we have the truth of the matter. The men whose feelings are ruffled because he is named second, or has to accept an inferior place, has in his heart not only murder, but “every evil work.” And withal there is some discontent and dissatisfaction that do not cease even when the coveted honour is gained. Only wisdom’s ways are pleasantness; and the word of wisdom is, “Be kindly affection to one another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” Romans 12:10. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.2
“‘After Mine Own Heart’” The Present Truth 11, 42.
E. J. Waggoner
Sometimes scoffers quote the words of the Lord, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart” (Acts 13:22), in connection with David’s great sin, in order to show that the God of the Bible is not the God of truth and righteousness, forgetting or not knowing that the words were spoken long before that event, with reference to David’s general disposition, and that the sin of David was signally rebuked by the Lord, and acknowledged by David. Let us, with that same statement about David in mind, study a few points in his character, in order that we may see with what sort of disposition God is pleased. In so doing we shall get profit to ourselves. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.3
A KING TENDING SHEEP
In the sixteenth chapter of 1 Samuel we have the account of the first public appearance of David. The prophet Samuel had been directed by the Lord to go and anoint one of the sons of Jesse to be king in the place of Saul, whom He had rejected. Seven sons of Jesse passed before the prophet, but the Lord’s choice was not among them. “And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.” At Samuel’s order, he was sent for, and as soon as he appeared, the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” 1 Samuel 16:11, 12. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.4
Immediately “the Spirit of the Lord came upon David.” What did David do then? Did he assume a lordly air, and demand to be treated as a king? Did he at once place himself before the public, proclaiming the fact that the Lord had chosen him king, and attempt to seize the authority, or demand at least to be consulted in regard to public affairs?—Nothing of the kind; he made no claim whatever in his own behalf, simply because the Spirit of the Lord was upon him. If he had put himself forward, he would have shown himself unfit to lead the Lord’s people. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.5
Read onward in the chapter, and you will find that some time afterwards a musician was needed to play before Saul. Then some one recommended the son of Jesse, and Saul sent messengers, saying, “Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.” So we see that David had returned to his sheep, after he was anointed king, as though nothing had happened. An anointed king keeping sheep! How natural it would have been to persuade himself that he was wasting his talents, and that it was his duty to be leading men instead of sheep. But he did nothing of the kind, because he was a man according to God’s heart, and the Lord is “meek and lowly in heart.” Here we have a sample of the kind of men whom God uses in His work. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.6
A KING AT SERVICE
“And David came to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became his armour-bearer.” 1 Samuel 16:21. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.7
At last David is at court. It looks as though there was now more prospect that he might fill the position for which he had been anointed, than when he was tending sheep. But still he is only an armour-bearer, a servant. Now we shall expect to see him begin to work himself forward and push his claims to the allegiance of the people. Ah, that’s because we don’t know the Lord. David was a man according to God’s own heart, and God’s heart is love, and love “vaunteth not itself,” and “seeketh not her own.” 1 Corinthians 13:4, 5. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.8
Instead of seizing upon the throne, which was his by Divine right, “David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.” 1 Samuel 17:15. The special object for which he was called to Saul seems to have been accomplished, and the anointed king returned contentedly to his father’s sheep in the wilderness. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.9
But he did not stay there. There was war, and three of his brothers were in Saul’s army. The brothers, who had been passed by in the choice of a king, were in the army, where there was some chance of distinguishing themselves and becoming known while David, the one chosen and anointed, was an unknown shepherd boy. At last he also was sent to the army, but only as a messenger to carry provisions, and to come again. See 1 Samuel 17:17, 18. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.10
Suppose that David had proudly refused to do such menial service. What should he, the anointed king, act as an errand boy? Thousands of people do far less ability than he, and having no such evidence as he had that the Lord has called them to the work, have refused to do humble work that they thought was beneath them, and have complained bitterly that they were not elevated to the position to which they felt sure that God had called them. But then they were not chosen ones, according to God’s heart. If David had refused to perform that humble task, he would have missed the opportunity of doing a thing which brought his name before all Israel, and fastened the eyes of the nation upon him. We often miss a high place, because we think ourselves already too high to occupy a low place. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.11
Goliath was slain, and David was in high favour. “And Saul took him that day, and would let him no more go home to his father’s house.” “And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.” 1 Samuel 18:2, 5. Here at last was a position more in keeping with his real calling; nevertheless he was only a servant. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.12
But “favour is deceitful,” and Saul’s regard for David soon cooled. The people’s regard for David aroused Saul’s jealousy, and so “Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand.” 1 Samuel 18:13. Although called upon to step down to a lower position than he had occupied, there was no complaint; but “David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him.” That was why David behaved so wisely; for Christ, when He was in the form of God, “counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant.” Philippians 2:6, 7, R.V. By his willingness to serve, David was demonstrating his fitness to reign. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.13
A KING IN HIDING
Finally David was compelled to flee for his life from the presence of Saul. But why did he submit to such injustice? Why did he not stand his ground, and claim his rights? The throne was his by right, and the people respected and loved him. Why did he not assert his right to the throne, rally the people around him, and take possession of the place to which God had anointed him? The reason why is that “God was with him,” and he was a man after God’s heart. Christ was the manifestation of God to men, and He, “when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously.” 1 Peter 2:23. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 659.14
Thus did David. Twice Saul was completely within his power, yet no advantage did he take of it. It was not because David restrained himself, that he did not kill Saul, but because he had no desire to do so. This is shown by the fact that when at one time he had cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe, his heart smote him even for that. The Lord hath anointed David to be king, and David was determined to leave it wholly with the Lord to bring him to the throne. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.1
It is easy for men to say that their case is in the Lord’s hands, and at the same time to persuade themselves that God has left all the details to them. The pagan idea that “God helps those who help themselves,” has a large place in the creed of many Christians. So the friends of David tried to persuade him. When Saul was in the cave where David was, they said, “Behold, the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee.” But David was not to be persuaded to take the Lord’s work out of His hands. God had said that David should be king, and it was the Lord’s business to perform His own promise. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.2
On another occasion David found Saul asleep. “Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day; now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, and with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.” 1 Samuel 26:8. How many of us are there who could have resisted so specious an argument? How natural it would be to persuade ourselves that in refusing to act we should be neglecting the clearly-indicated will of God. But David knew the Lord better than that. He said:— PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.3
“As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lord’s anointed.” PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.4
“Christ glorified not Himself to be made an High Priest.” Hebrews 5:5. He “made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant,” and “humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him.” Philippians 2:7-9. He was the One in whom God was well pleased, and it was because of the same spirit in David that God exalted him. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.5
Let us not forget that no one but a learner is fit to teach, and no one who is not always willing to serve can ever reign with the Lord. God calls us all to a place in His work; but it is that we may be instruments in His hands, and not He an instrument in our hands. There can be no real advancement except directly from God; for “whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.6
“Compulsory Religion” The Present Truth 11, 42.
E. J. Waggoner
The very essence of the Christian religion is perfect freedom. No one can serve the Lord by constraint-other than the constraint of love, which draws but does not compel against the will. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.7
The idea of forcing men against their wills to go through religious services in order to make them religious is grotesque enough. But it is very common wherever churches are able to control legislation. And every one who knows anything about human nature and the Christian religion must know that such practices can only turn men away from any true religious experience. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.8
In the current Nineteenth Century a clergyman has a paper on “The Religion of the Undergraduate,” in which he mentions, as one influence tending to make the university man a confirmed sceptic, the compulsory attendance at chapel. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.9
Look at the ordinary morning service in a college chapel: the men lounge about in various irreverent attitudes, but making no pretence of attention to the service. The Don who officiates, painfully aware of the ghastly mockery of the scene, gets through it as fast as he possibly can. Perhaps three times a term on a Sunday morning there is a sermon, usually on some obscure point of Biblical criticism, which profits its hearers about as much as would half-an-hour’s reading aloud of Bradshaw’s railway guide. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.10
He says it is sad but true that most of the undergraduates are thoroughly agnostic. With the “higher criticism” of the university professors, who are supposed to be expositors of the Scriptures, and the formalities of official religion is not to be wondered at that real religious life does not thrive. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.11
“‘He Heareth Us’” The Present Truth 11, 42.
E. J. Waggoner
What a glorious truth it is that God is no respecter of persons, and that His ear is ever open to the cry of those who need help and deliverance. Jesus, the Friend of sinners, died that “He might bring us to God.” PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.12
But the Catholic doctrine of God, and of sin, and of the intercession of Mary completely shuts away from men this truth. It makes God a being who cannot receive sinners, it makes them a thing of which one must purify himself, and it substitutes Mary for the Lord to bring us to God. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.13
In preaching on prayer the other day Cardinal Vaughan made the following plea for the Catholic forms of prayer:— PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.14
Will the “Our Father” be in any way enhanced or strengthened by the addition of the “Hail, Mary”? Certainly not. The petition is perfect. But what about the petitioner? The petition may be perfect, but it may be rejected on account of the state and condition of the petitioner. If a poor man, a criminal, was to endeavour to force his way into the royal presence, holding in his hand a petition drawn up with all the requisite formalities, is it likely that he would be permitted access to the sovereign? No. His petition might be perfect, but the petitioner himself might be so far a criminal and so far unworthy as not to obtain access to the sovereign? Well, now, the “Hail, Mary” is simply this, that when we offer up the “Our Father” to God upon His throne of mercy, we ask the Blessed Mother of God, who is in heaven, and who is our Mother also, to accompany us, to pray with us, to take us by the hand, as it were, and lead is up to her Divine Son, and present us to the Eternal Father. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.15
What a different picture of the Father’s love from that which Christ reveals. Such a paragraph is useful in that it puts in plain speech some of the thoughts which so frequently come in the heart of unbelief. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.16
Unbelief says that God does not love sinners. Unbelief in the days of Christ said that, “This man receiveth sinners,” and considered it a most serious charge against Him. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.17
Unbelief suggests that a man must put away his sin before he comes to Christ, and therefore, as every honest man will admit that he is a sinner, unbelief suggests that some human being, as a priest, or Mary, or whoever else it may be, must gain the access to God for us. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.18
No. “Through Him”—Christ, not Mary—“we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” Ephesians 2:18. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 660.19
“Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.” Hebrews 7:25. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 661.1
God’s court is not like that of the Vatican, accessible only on the recommendation of some favourite, or to those who bring properly certified credentials. God invites all to come, “And him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” PTUK October 17, 1895, page 661.2
“The Growth of Faith” The Present Truth 11, 42.
E. J. Waggoner
The Apostle Paul wrote thus to the church of the Thessalonians: “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly.” 2 Thessalonians 1:3. How many there are who are longing for a like experience, and are praying, “Increase our faith,” without realising that the answer to their prayer rests with themselves. Let such read the following bit of experience, and profit by it. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 661.3
Mr. Moody says that when he was president of the Young Men’s Christian Association in Chicago, he used to say: “What we want is faith; if we only have faith, we can turn Chicago upside down. I thought that some day faith was going to come down and strike me like lightning. But faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the tenth chapter of Romans: ‘Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.’ I had closed my Bible and prayed for faith. I now opened my Bible and began to study, and faith has been growing ever since.” PTUK October 17, 1895, page 661.4
To expect to grow in grace without Bible study is as idle as to expect to increase in physical strength without eating. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 661.5
“Items of Interest” The Present Truth 11, 42.
E. J. Waggoner
-A Leeds barber was fined last week for shaving on Sunday. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 670.1
-Belgium has now five wars on hand with the natives and Arabs in the Congo State. This is called civilising the natives. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 670.2
-The French column has at last reached the capital of Madagascar, and the Queen and court have fled to a town about 100 miles south. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 670.3
-The governing body in Iceland has decided to purchase a steamer to establish direct communication with England for mails and passengers. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 670.4
-The past fortnight has been a veritable reign of terror in Turkey. Armenians have murdered Turks, and Turks have slaughtered Armenians. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 670.5
-There is a church at Moscow which cost eight hundred thousand pounds. Of that sum two hundred thousand pounds was for gold used in plating the dome. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 670.6
-A speaker at the Church Congress declared that it cost four shillings a bushel to produce wheat in Norfolk, but many farmers had had to sell it this year at three. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 670.7
-The mineral production of the United Kingdom, in spite of many adverse circumstances, increased by more than 10 per cent, in value during 1894, as compared with 1898. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 670.8
-Out of 200,000 rabbits sent to England from Australia in one shipment, 25,000 were condemned by the London inspectors, as decomposition had begun. The state of the rest of them also may be inferred. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 670.9
-Public feeling in Japan is against the entire evacuation of China by Japanese troops. The suspicion prevails that Russia would take advantage of such evacuation, and Japan is urged to strengthen the army of occupation and the fleet. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 670.10
-A whole village of well-to-do Italians, speaking English with an accent, is one of the most astonishing things that Italy offers to the tourist. They are retired organ-grinders, who have acquired comfortable fortunes in this country, and have gone back to their native land to live in affluence. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 670.11
-Missionaries declare that the officers of the Congo Free State treat the natives most barbarously, punishing frequently by cutting off a hand. The natives are forced to trials India-rubber for the State, and the whole thing is declared to be an unscrupulous money-making concern. In this respect it is not unlike most of the companies masquerading in Africa and other parts as civilising agencies. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 670.12
-China has always so carefully guarded Tibet that no Grand Lama has been allowed to reach the age of eighteen for many years. At that age he is supposed to become the ruler of Tibet, and so the Chinese have taken care that he should be “re-incarnated” before that age, and an infant substituted. But now the present Lama has reached the age and has assumed power, taking advantage of Chinese embarrassments to notify that country that he is not the servant but the lord of Chinese officials. Possibly this may lead to the opening of Tibet. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 670.13
“Back Page” The Present Truth 11, 42.
E. J. Waggoner
The Church Congress was severe in its censures of the Sunday newspaper. As one newspaper says, however:— PTUK October 17, 1895, page 672.1
As a matter of fact, there is a great deal less of Sunday work on a Sunday newspaper than on the paper that comes out on Monday morning. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 672.2
The Christian Leader says that a clergyman recently made the following announcement: “Next Sunday, in this church, the Rev. Mr.—will renounce the errors of Rome for those of Protestantism.” Unfortunately that is what too many actually do. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 672.3
One of our German labourers in Brazil reports that in one province he finds over a quarter of a million German-speaking people. Another German minister sailed from Hamburg last month, with his family, for Brazil. Wherever our books and publications have gone in South America the people call for the preaching of the Word. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 672.4
On another page we reprint a new leaflet. It is sure to lead many to study their Bibles, and we desire it to have a large circulation. Some who may not be able to engage personally in scattering it may desire to contribute to a fund by which it may be supplied to those who can distribute more than they are able to pay for. Any such contributions we shall gladly receive. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 672.5
An old saying is, “Of two evils choose the least.” Doubtless when the saying originated the word “evil” was used in the sense of calamity, as accident or sickness. In that sense it is of course but simple and common sense, for if two dangers threaten, anyone would naturally choose the least harmful. But the saying has come to be used as meaning that of two sins or errors we should choose the least sinful, and as such it is the devil’s own counsel. He who attempts to weigh two evil practices, so as to choose the least sin, will always find at last that his balances were faulty, and that he chose the greater. Of two sins, shun both. We are to avoid even the appearance of evil. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 672.6
The controversy in the London School Board as to the kind of religion that shall be taught in the schools is on again as hot and bitter as ever, which leads the Telegraph to remark:— PTUK October 17, 1895, page 672.7
It seems to be a mournful discovery of these later days that Christian instruction, or religious teaching, or whatever they must be assigned to that modicum of Bible-education which is to be taught in our Board schools, is to be regularly revolutionised every three years. Whenever a fresh set of members are elected by the popular vote, the earliest question which comes up for discussion before the new board is the extent to which the previous system, its exponents and its teachers, are to be corrected or modified, doctored or dragooned. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 672.8
The religion of Jesus Christ is like its Author, “the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.” Religion by law, however, no matter to what degree, is always dependent upon the caprice of the party in power. This of itself is sufficient to show that religion enforced by law is never Christianity. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 672.9
“Thinking Upon the Bible” The Present Truth 11, 42.
E. J. Waggoner
Thinking Upon the Bible.-The thoughts of any man upon the Scriptures are worth just as much as the man himself, and no more; but no matter how pious or learned the man may be, the thoughts are at the best only the thoughts of a man. They are not God’s thoughts; and as it is impossible for anything to add to the brilliancy of the sun, so the thoughts of men upon the Bible cannot make it more clear. If they do not obscure it, they do the most that can be expected of them. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 672.10
Thinking From the Bible.-But when we have thoughts from the Bible, we have God’s own thoughts, no matter how insignificant the man who presents them to us. We are not to put our thoughts upon the Bible, but to let the Bible put its thoughts upon us. What a man thinks about God is of much less importance than what God thinks about him. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 672.11
Listen to the Lord.-When we meet a master in any branch of learning, we are not continually intruding our opinions upon him, but are glad to be quiet, that we may have our little minds enriched from his superior stores. Surely it is not fitting that we should be more presumptuous in the presence of God than in the presence of man. “Be still, and know that I am God.” When God speaks, man ought to be content to lay his hand upon his mouth, and listen in silence. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 672.12
“The Bible and the Monuments” The Present Truth 11, 42.
E. J. Waggoner
The Bible and the Monuments.-At the Church Congress Sir Charles Warren truly said that no discoveries in the sands of the East could affect the credibility of Scripture. “An old inscribed brick might be very interesting, but it could not build up faith.” Of course some of these discoveries show the critics of the Scriptures that on many points they knew nothing, and those who believe the Bible know that the critics are just as foolishly ignorant on all their points of objection against the Word of God. But these researches have not led the critics to give up their opposition. They simply change its base. Sin and unbelief are at the bottom of the so-called higher criticism, and though the critic is brayed seven times in a mortar, so to speculate, it is his folly not depart from history if the critic will read the Word to learn how he may be delivered from his sins, he will speedily find how foolishly empty and vain is the “scholarship” of unbelief. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 672.13
“Truth Is of God” The Present Truth 11, 42.
E. J. Waggoner
Truth Is of God.-The English Churchman refers to Cardinal Vaughan as a dignitary of a “foreign” church. Church organs delight to speak of the Roman Catholic Church as “the Italian mission.” But can they not see that this only weakens their case? Truth is of God. The idea of a national church of Christ is absurd, as anyone will see who considers what the church really is-the body of Christ. The talk about national religion, foreign religion, etc., only shows that the Roman idea of the church has still possession of the minds of those who use these terms. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 672.14
“Mace and Grimace” The Present Truth 11, 42.
E. J. Waggoner
Mace and Grimace.—“The Archbishop was present,” says a Church of England paper describing the Archbishop of Canterbury’s share in a recent service, “attended by his chaplain, who carried His Grace’s jewelled cross, and another attendant, who carried the silver mace.” Now what would be thought of a business man, as a banker or a merchant, who in going about his work should have men marching before and behind with maces and other gewgaws? Such a spectacle could only cause grimaces. But somehow in religion these fantastic evolutions are expected to be seriously taken. The religion of Jesus is too serious a matter for such displays. PTUK October 17, 1895, page 672.15