The Signs of the Times, vol. 14

November 2, 1888

“Editorial Correspondence” The Signs of the Times, 14, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

After a pleasant journey of nearly six days, we arrived in Battle Creek, Mich., Tuesday night, October 2, and found a most comfortable home at the Sanitarium. Too much cannot well be said in praise of this excellent institution for the care of the sick. Every appliance necessary for the treatment of disease and the comfort of patients is found there, and best of all is a corps of well-drilled, faithful, and obliging nurses and attendants. The Sanitarium is meeting with abundant success, for the reason that it has deserved it. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.1

The college located there is also having a prosperous year. The teachers are all of good courage, and the students seem to engage in their work with hearty enthusiasm. Best of all, there is a good spiritual interest. A Sabbath-school and prayer and social meeting are held solely for the students, and the interest seems to be good. We sincerely wish the laborers in the Sanitarium and college Godspeed in the good work which they are doing. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.2

The few days that we had to spare passed too quickly, and on the night of the 8th we left with a party of Michigan delegates, for the General Conference at Minneapolis, where we arrived on the morning of the 10th. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.3

Although but few arrived before the 10th, the institute which had been appointed to precede the Conference was organized that day, according to appointment. The work of the institute was appointed as follows: Devotional meeting, at 7:45 A.M.; consideration of how to advance the work of the message, at 9 A.M.; Bible study, at 10:30 A.M.; and 2:30 P.M.; instruction in regard to the church and church officers, at 4 P.M.; and foreign missionary work, at 7:30 P.M. Each department of the work was placed in charge of a special committee, and the program was quite closely followed, with decidedly interesting results. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.4

The principal subjects of Bible study were the ten kingdoms into which, according to the prophecy, the Roman Empire was divided, the establishment of the Papacy, and of its counterpart, the proposed National Reform Government; and the law and the gospel in their various relations, coming under the general head of justification by faith. These subjects have aroused a deep interest in the minds of all present; and thus far during the Conference one hour a day has been devoted to a continuance of their study. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.5

The first meeting of the Conference was held October 17, at 9 A. M. Owing to the sickness and necessary absence of the president, Elder Geo. I Butler, Elder S. N. Haskell was elected president pro tem. The various fields are represented in Conference as follows:- SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.6

BRITISH MISSION-S. N. Haskell. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.7

CALIFORNIA-W. C. White, S. N. Haskell, A. T. Jones, C. H. Jones, E. J. Waggoner. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.8

CENTRAL AMERICA-T. H. Gibbs. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.9

CENTRAL EUROPE-L. R. Conradi. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.10

COLORADO-E. H. Gates, C. P. Haskell. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.11

DAKOTA-W. B. White, N. P. Nelson, Valentine Leer. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.12

DENMARK-J. G. Matteson. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.13

ILLINOIS-G. B. Starr, A. O. Tait. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.14

INDIANA-Wm. Covert, Victor Thompson, B. F. Purdham, R. B. Craig. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.15

IOWA-J. H. Morrison, C. A. Washburn, H. R. Johnson, W. H. Wakeham, W. R. Smith, H. Nicola. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.16

KANSAS-C. A. Hall, L. J. Rousseau, C. McReynolds, J. W. Bagby, S. S. Shrock. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.17

KENTUCKY-C. W. Flaiz. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.18

MAINE-J. B. Goodrich. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.19

MICHIGAN-I. D. Van Horn, J. Fargo, H. W. Miller, G. G. Rupert, Harmon Lindsay, M. B. Miller, C. Eldridge, J. N. Brant, H. S. Lay, Wm Ostrander. F. D. Starr. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.20

MINNESOTA-A. D. Olsen, L. Johnson, H. Grant, C. C. Lewis, Allen Moon, F. L. Mead. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.21

MISSOURI-D. T. Jones, J. W. Watt, J. B. Beckner. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.22

NEBRASKA-J. P. Gardner, W. C. Boynton, W. M. Hyatt. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.23

NEW ENGLAND-A. T. Robinson, E. E. Miles. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.24

NEW YORK-M. H. Brown, M. C. Wilcox. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.25

NORTH PACIFIC-T. H. Starbuck. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.26

NORWAY-J. G. Matteson. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.27

OHIO-R. A. Underwood, H. M. Mitchell, J. E. Swift. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.28

PENNSYLVANIA-J. W. Raymond, L. C. Chadwick. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.29

SOUTH AMERICA-G. G. Rupert. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.30

SWEDEN-J. G. Matteson. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.31

TENNESSEE-J. M. Rees. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.32

TEXAS-T. T. Stevenson. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.33

UPPER COLUMBIA-H. W. Decker. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.34

VERMONT-T. H. Purdon. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.35

VIRGINIA-R. D. Hattell. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.36

WEST VIRGINIA-W. J. Stone. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.37

WISCONSIN-A. J. Breed, W. W. Sharp, W. S. Hyatt, B. M. Shull, P. H. Cady. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.38

The following were counted among the delegates by virtue of their having been in the employ of the General Conference during the whole or part of the year:- SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.39

S. H. Lane, O C. Godsmark, D. T. Bourdeau, E. W. Farnsworth, D. E. Lindsey, F. E. Belden, A. R. Henry, R. M. Kilgore, J. F. Hanson, C. W. Olds, Uriah Smith. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.40

Committees were appointed as follows:- SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.41

On Nominations-J. B. Goodrich, J. Fargo, Dan T. Jones. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.42

On Resolutions-R. A. Underwood, A. T. Robinson, L. R. Conradi, E. J. Waggoner, E. H. Gates. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.43

On Licenses and Credentials-R. M. Kilgore, I. D. Van Horn, H. Nicola. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.44

On Distribution of Labor-E. W. Farnsworth, A. J. Breed, Lewish Johnston, G. G. Rupert, C. H. Jones, together with the General Conference Committee. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.45

On Auditing-A. R. Henry, C. Eldridge, J. W. Raymond J. Fargo, H. W. Miller, A. T. Robinson. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.46

On Finance-C. H. Jones, Harmon Lindsay, A. R. Henry, C. Eldridge, A. T. Jones, and the presidents of the various State Conferences. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.47

As yet none of the committees have reported, and the time of the Conference has been devoted to reports from the mission fields. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.48

Two new Conferences, Arkansas and Australia, were admitted into the General Conference, the former having ten churches, and the latter six. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.49

One meeting of the International Sabbath-school Association has been held, and committees were appointed as follows:- SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.50

On Nominations-R. M. Kilgore, A. T. Robinson, A. J. Breed. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.51

On Resolutions-E. J. Waggoner, C. C. Lewis, M. C. Wilcox, M. B. Miller, W. W. Sharp. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.52

On Auditing-F. E. Belden, M. H. Brown, A. D. Olsen. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.53

The committees are all at work, and by the next report much business will doubtless have been accomplished. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.54

Much praise is due the members of the Minneapolis church, and especially those connected wit the mission, for the abundant hospitality which they have provided for the delegates and visitors. Everybody has been made comfortable, and the efforts of the Minneapolis brethren and sisters are highly appreciated. W. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.55

Minneapolis, Minn., October 22, 1888. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.56

“The ‘Epistle of Barnabas’” The Signs of the Times, 14, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

In accordance with the promise made last week, we will now enter upon a brief examination of the writings of the so-called “Christian Fathers.” Prominent among these writings is what is known as “The Epistle of Barnabas,” which purports to have been written by the companion of the apostle Paul. Of this epistle “McClintock and Strong’s encyclopedia,” article “Barnabas, Epistle of,” says:- SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.57

“An epistle has come down to us bearing the name of Barnabas, but clearly not written by him.... The writer evidently was unacquainted with the Hebrew Scriptures, and has committed the blunder of supposing that Abraham was familiar with the Greek alphabet some centuries before it existed.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.58

The “Encyclopedia Britannica” says: “The internal evidence is conclusive against its genuineness.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.59

Mosheim says:- SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.60

“The epistle that has come down to us with the name of Barnabas affixed to it, and which consists of two parts, the one comprising proofs of the divinity of the Christian religion derived from the books of the Old Testament, the other, a collection of moral precepts, is unquestionably a composition of great antiquity, but we are left in uncertainty as to its author. For as to what is suggested by some, of its having been written by that Barnabas who was the friend and companion of St. Paul, the futility of such a notion is easily to be made apparent from the letter itself; several of the opinions and interpretations of Scripture which it contains, having in them so little of either truth, dignity, or force as to render it impossible that they could ever have proceeded from the pen of a man divinely instructed.”-Eccl. Com. Cent. 1, sec. 53. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.61

Neander says: “It is impossible that we should acknowledge this epistle to belong to that Barnabas, who was worthy to be the companion of the apostolic labors of St. Paul, and had received his name from the power of his animated discourses in the churches.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.62

In his “Ecclesiastical History,” Mosheim again says: “The epistle of Barnabas as it is called, was, in my judgment, the production of some Jewish Christian who lived in this century [the first] or the next, who had no bad intuition, but possessed little genius and was infected with the fatulous opinions of the Jews. He was clearly a different person from Barnabas, the companion of St. Paul.”-Book 1, cent. 1, part 2, chap. 2, sec. 21. SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.63

Yet so little is really known of the one who really wrote this epistle that while these writers suppose him to have been a Jew, and of the first century, the “Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia” says: “The opinion to-day is, that Barnabas was not the author. The epistle was probably written in Alexandria, at the beginning of the second century, and by a Gentile Christian.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.64

Dr. Schaff, in his “History of the Christian Church” (section 121), says: “The writings which have come down to us under the names of Barnabas and Hermas are of uncertain origin.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.65

Kitto’s “Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge” (article “Barnabas”) says of the writer of this epistle:- SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.66

“He makes unauthorized additions to various parts of the Jewish Cultus; his views of the Old Economy are confused and erroneous; and he adopts a mode of interpretation countenanced by none of the inspired writers, and to the last degree puerile and absurd. The inference is unavoidable, that Barnabas, ‘the son of prophecy,’ ‘the man full of the Holy Spirit and of faith,’ was not the author of this epistle.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.67

And in the article on “The Lord’s Day,” the so-called “Epistle of Barnabas” is spoken of as “probably a forgery of the second century.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.68

Bishop Arthur Cleveland Coxe, in his introductory note to the epistle as published by the Christian Literature Publishing Company, says:- SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.69

“The writer of this epistle is supposed to have been an Alexandrian Jew of the times of Trajan and Hadrian. He was a layman; but possibly he bore the name of ‘Barnabas,’ and so has been confounded with his holy apostolic name-sire.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.70

The original introductory note by the translation of the epistle for the Edinburgh edition, says that “nothing certain is known as to the author of the epistle. The writer’s name is Barnabas, but scarcely any scholars now ascribe it to the illustrious friend and companion of St. Paul.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 662.71

“In point of style, both as respects thought and expression, a very low place must be assigned it. We know nothing certain of the region in which the author lived, or where the first readers were to be found.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 663.1

It will now be in place to quote a few passages from the famous document, that our readers may judge for themselves of its character. And first we shall quote the “valuable testimonies” “in favor of the observance” of Sunday. All that is said on this subject is contained in chapter 15 of the epistle, which we quote entire:- SITI November 2, 1888, page 663.2

“Further, also, it is written concerning the Sabbath in the Decalogue which (the Lord) spoke, face to face, to Moses on Mount Sinai, ‘And sanctify ye the Sabbath of the Lord with clean hands and a pure heart.’ And he says in another place, ‘If my sons keep the Sabbath then I will cause my mercy to rest upon them.’ The Sabbath is mentioned at the beginning of the creation (thus): ‘And God made in six days the works of his hands, and made an end on the seventh day, and rested on it, and sanctified it.’ Attend, my children, to the meaning of this expression, ‘He finished in six days.’ This implieth that the Lord will finish all things in six thousand years, for a day is with him a thousand years. And he himself testified, saying, ‘Behold to-day will be as a thousand years.’ Therefore, my children, in six days, that is, in six thousand years, all things will be finished. ‘And he rested on the seventh day.’ This meaneth: when his Son, coming (again), shall destroy the time of the wicked man and judge the ungodly, and change the sun, and the moon, and the stars, then shall he truly rest on the seventh day. Moreover, he says, ‘Thou shalt sanctify it with pure hands and a pure heart.’ If, therefore, anyone can now sanctify the day which God has sanctified, except he is pure in heart in all things, we are deceived. Behold, therefore: certainly then one properly resting sanctifies it, when we ourselves, having received the promise, wickedness no longer existing, and all things having been made new by the Lord, shall be able to work righteousness. Then we shall be able to sanctify it, having been first sanctified ourselves. Further, he says to them, ‘Your new moons and your Sabbaths I cannot endure.’ Ye perceive how he speaks: Your present Sabbaths are not acceptable to me, but that is which I have made (namely this), when, giving rest to all things, I shall make a beginning of the eighth day, that is, a beginning of another world. Wherefore, also, we keep the eighth day with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead. And when he had manifested himself, he ascended into the heavens.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 663.3

That is the whole of it; and this is what Doctor Schaff, in immediate connection with that which we have quoted from him, calls “a valuable testimony” “in favor of the observance of the Christian Sabbath.” But it is useless to try to analyze it, because it doesn’t mean anything. The writer misquotes Scripture, and manufactures it when he doesn’t find any to suit his purpose. He also allegorizes the plainest statements of fact, and strings words together in such a way as to defy comprehension by the most acute grammarian. But all of this can be overlooked so long as he mentions the “eighth day,” and thus furnishes “valuable testimony” for the observance of Sunday. The friends of the Sunday-sabbath could not make a more perfect exhibit of the scarcity of argument in its behalf, than by saying that the so-called “Epistle of Barnabas” contains “valuable testimonies” in its favor. SITI November 2, 1888, page 663.4

This chapter alone sufficiently proves the truth of the statement that the epistle contains “absurd and trifling interpretations of Scripture,” but we will give a few more instances. In the last part of chapter 9 there is some information which the writer of the epistle considered the most valuable of any he had to bestow. We quote:- SITI November 2, 1888, page 663.5

“Learn then, my children, concerning all things richly, that Abraham, the first who enjoined circumcision, looking forward in spirit to Jesus, practiced that rite, having received the mysteries of the three letters. For (the Scripture) saith, ‘And Abraham circumcised ten, and eight, and three hundred men of his household.’ What, then, was the knowledge given to him in this? Learn the eighteen first, and then the three hundred. The ten and the eight are thus denoted-Ten by I, and eight by II. You have (the initials of the name of) Jesus. And because the cross was to express the grace (of our redemption) by the letter T, he says also, ‘Three Hundred.’ He signifies, therefore, Jesus by two letters, and the cross by one. He knows this, who has put within us the engrafted gift of his doctrine. No one has been admitted by me to a more excellent piece of knowledge than this, but I know that ye are worthy.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 663.6

This is truly an astonishing and most excellent piece of information! Archdeacon Farrar says of it:- SITI November 2, 1888, page 663.7

“It never even occurred to Barnabas or to any who adopted this singular specimen of exposition that there was any absurdity in attributing to a Chaldean Emir an application of mystic processes and numerical values to the letters of an alphabet which had no existence till hundreds of years after he had returned to dust.”-History of Interpretation, p. 168. SITI November 2, 1888, page 663.8

But although the egotistical pseudo-Barnabas considered this the most “excellent piece of knowledge” that he had condescended to share with the common crowd, the chapter immediately following (chapter 10) certainly surpasses it in that sort of wisdom. The chapter is entitled, “Spiritual Significance of the Precepts of Moses Respecting Different Kinds of Food,” and a part of it reads as follows:- SITI November 2, 1888, page 663.9

“Now, wherefore did Moses say, ‘Thou shalt not eat the swine, nor the eagle, nor the hawk, nor the raven, nor any fish which is not possessed of scales’? He embraced three doctrines in his mind (in doing so). Moreover, the Lord saith to them in Deuteronomy. ‘And I will establish my ordinances among this people.’ Is there then not a command of God that they should not eat (these things)? There is, but Moses spoke with a spiritual reference. For this reason he named the swine, as much as to say, ‘Thou shalt not join thyself to men who resemble swine.’ For when they live in pleasure, they forget their Lord; but when they come to want, they acknowledge the Lord. And (in like manner) the swine, when it has eaten, does not recognize its master; but when hungry it cries out, and on receiving food is quiet again.... Moreover, ‘Thou shalt not,” he says, ‘eat the hare.” Wherefore? ‘Thou shalt not eat the hyena.’ He means, ‘Thou shalt not be an adulterer, nor a corrupter, nor be like to them that are such.’ Wherefore? Because that animal annually changes its sex, and is at one time male, and at another female. Moreover, he has rightly detested the weasel. For he means, ‘Thou shalt not be like to those whom we hear of as committing wickedness with the mouth, on account of their uncleanness; nor shalt thou be joined to those impure women who commit iniquity with the mouth. For this animal conceives by the mouth.’” SITI November 2, 1888, page 663.10

For the sake of brevity we have omitted parts of this chapter, but the omitted portions contain no redeeming features; and the quotations given indicate the real character not only of this chapter but of the entire epistle, which even to-day is quoted as containing “valuable testimony” in behalf of Sunday observance. Certainly the thoughtful reader cannot fail to see that scarcely any stronger indictment could be brought against the Sunday institution than the fact that it draws testimony for its support from such a source. It is true that Sunday advocates say that they do not depend upon this testimony; but we notice that they never fail to quote it. The simple knowledge that the so-called “Epistle of Barnabas” is quoted in behalf of any doctrine or practice, should be sufficient evidence that such doctrine or practice is unworthy of belief. With this we leave the pseudo-Barnabas. W. SITI November 2, 1888, page 663.11

“Keep the Sabbath” The Signs of the Times, 14, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

“Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8-11. SITI November 2, 1888, page 663.12

“Saturday: The seventh or last day of the week; the day following Friday and preceding Sunday.”-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary. SITI November 2, 1888, page 663.13

“Hallow: To make holy; to set apart for holy or religious used.”-Webster. SITI November 2, 1888, page 663.14

The seventh day is the day commonly called Saturday. The fourth commandment says that “the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God;” that God set it apart for holy use. Reader, do you keep the fourth commandment? If not, why not? SITI November 2, 1888, page 663.15

“Religion in the Public Schools” The Signs of the Times, 14, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

The following statement and conclusion by the Christian at Work is a very fair and sensible presentation of the matter of religious teaching in the public schools:- SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.1

The folly of devolving religious teaching upon the teacher of the public school who is not at all qualified for it, is finding illustration in London, where we are told some of the London School Board teachers bitterly dislike the religious teaching which they are compelled to give, while the instruction given is of the most unsatisfactory character. As for the teachers, they complain that they were not trained in order to give religious instruction, and that if the Board’s requirements are carried out, all their private time must be occupied in Bible study. When it is considered that the teachers are compelled to give lessons “from the Pentateuch, with special reference to the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses, with the practical teaching of the law of Moses with reference to the ‘Poor,’ ‘Strangers,’ ‘Fatherless,’ ‘Widow,’ ‘Bond-servant,’ ‘Parents,’ and ‘Children,’ the life of Christ as gathered from St. Matthew, to chapter 14:36 inclusive; St. Mark, to chapters 6:56; St. Luke, to chapter 9:17; St. John, to chapter seven: one, viz., to Third Passover; with lessons from the parables of the Sower, the Mustard Seed, the Wheat and Tares, the Pearl of Great Price, followed by brief accounts of Bethlehem, Nazareth, Sea of Galilee, Bethany, and Jerusalem,” it is no wonder that the secular teacher is unhappy and is made to feel severely his own incompetency. The state of affairs in this respect in London has a lesson for this country. For it is certainly true that even the present practice pursued towards the public schools of this State be changed, and religious teaching be introduced, it will be necessary to dislodge a large number of teachers whose efficiency in secular branches has been proved, and substitute those qualified to teach religion. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.2

The fact is those who clamor for religious teaching in the public schools do not want, and would not consent, to any teaching different from what they believe. The selfishness of such a position must be apparent to everyone. But it is not alone folly in devolving religious teaching upon those not prepared for it, that is to be considered. It is the wicked selfishness of a certain number, no matter whether few or many, arrogating to themselves the authority to decide that certain ones are qualified to teach religion, and for everybody to receive their teaching. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.3

“The Commentary. Second Epistle of Peter” The Signs of the Times, 14, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

2 Peter 1:7-15.
(Lesson 4, Sabbath, Nov. 17.)

1. Repeat the list of virtues sometimes called “Peter’s ladder.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.4

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.” 2 Peter 1:5-7. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.5

2. What is the crowning grace? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.6

“And to brotherly kindness, charity.” Verse 7, last part. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.7

3. What is charity? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.8

“And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” Colossians 3:14. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.9

4. What other very common word is equivalent to charity? See Colossians 3:14, and other texts in Revised Version. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.10

5. What is the end or object of the commandment, or law, of God? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.11

“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.” 1 Timothy 1:5. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.12

6. What, indeed, is Bible charity or love? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.13

“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:2, 3. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.14

7. What is the whole duty of man? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.15

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.16

8. Then since the keeping of the commandments is charity, how does charity compare with the other graces? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.17

“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” 1 Corinthians 13:13. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.18

9. Into how much of our actions should charity enter? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.19

“Let all your things be done with charity.” 1 Corinthians 16:14. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.20

10. Without charity, what is the most eloquent man like? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.21

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” 1 Corinthians 13:1. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.22

11. Will the possession of great faith and deep knowledge of the mysteries of God, make up in any degree for lack of charity? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.23

“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.” Verse 2. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.24

12. Show that charity does not consist simply in making great sacrifices and giving to the poor. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.25

“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” Verse 3. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.26

13. Tell what are the characteristics of charity. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.27

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.” Verses 4-6. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.28

14. If all these graces abound in any person what will be his condition? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.29

“For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:8. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.30

15. Name some of the fruits that are equivalent to the above graces. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.31

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22, 23. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.32

16. What is the condition of one who lacks these things? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.33

“But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” 2 Peter 1:9. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.34

17. Then what should we do? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.35

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” Verse 10. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.36

18. What glorious reward awaits those in whom “these things” abound? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.37

“For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Verse 11. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.38

19. What must be the nature of those who inherit that eternal kingdom? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.39

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:13, 14. “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21:27. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.40

20. Is the fact that we know these things any reason why we should not study them diligently? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.41

“Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.” 2 Peter 1:12. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.42

21. Why was the apostle so zealous in stirring up the minds of the people concerning these great truths? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.43

“Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me.” Verses 13, 14. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.44

22. What had the Lord shown him concerning his death? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.45

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.” John 21:18, 19. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.46

23. What was Peter’s earnest desire that we should do? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.47

“Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.” 2 Peter 1:15. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.48

24. If these things are always in our mind, what prayer may we offer? SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.49

“Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my meditation.” Psalm 5:1. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.50

NOTES

Charity, or love, “is the bond of perfectness.” This may readily be understood when we remember that “love is the fulfilling of the law,” and that the whole law of God, including every duty that can be required of man, is summed up in the two precepts, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,” and, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” The love which is the bond of perfectness is not a mere emotion, but is a living, active principle, manifest in every deed and thought of one’s life. Of course it is understood that love is the bond of perfectness only when there is underlying faith, for faith works by love, and love is the product of faith. SITI November 2, 1888, page 665.51

“Give diligence, to make your calling and election sure.” Many are called but few are chosen. How many are called? All. Here is the call: “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.” Isaiah 55:1. “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17. But not all will heed the call; and of those who listen to it, very few comparatively will gain the final inheritance, because the great majority will not agonize to enter in. “Many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” Luke 13:24. A man may even be one of the elect,-one of the specially loved of God, yet if he does not give diligence to make his election sure, he will certainly fall. The doctrine of “the perserverance of the saints” is an excellent one, if the saints only persevere; but they must not imagine that because they have tasted that the Lord is precious, and have felt the power of the world to come, therefore they are bound to be kept to the end, regardless of their own actions. Only those who patiently continue in well-doing can have eternal life. To each Christian the warning is given, “Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” Revelation 3:11. SITI November 2, 1888, page 666.1

“The Commentary. Caleb’s Inheritance” The Signs of the Times, 14, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

NOTES ON THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON.
(November 11.-Joshua 14:5-15.)

The time had come for the division of the long-promised, long-sought inheritance of the children of Israel. And “as the Lord commanded Moses, ... they divided the land.” Twelve men had been appointed by the Lord to apportion the possession to the different tribes, and among those appointed for this work was Caleb, of the tribe of Judah, the man of faith, who had brought back a good report of the land forty years before, and who had said in the face of opposition and unbelief: “If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land.” When Israel had rejected his testimony, God had promised that, because of his spirit of courage and confidence, he should live, and inherit the land he had spied out. SITI November 2, 1888, page 666.2

An opportunity was now afforded to remind Joshua of what the Lord had spoken concerning him, and yet Caleb did not act independently, as though he thought his former faithfulness was sufficient to entitle his rightful claim to his inheritance. The chief men of the tribe of Judah presented themselves with Caleb before Joshua manifesting their interest in his behalf, and placing Caleb’s action above the suspicion of being one of mere selfishness, and due to his position among the twelve who apportioned the land. There is a hint here of the character of Caleb, of his caution, his meekness, and his union with his brethren. There was no boasting of his former action before rebellious Israel, no coloring of the hard circumstances in which he had been placed when his brethren were about to stone him for his adherence to the right; but a simple, unvarnished statement of the facts of the case. And he said to Joshua, “Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning thee and me at Kadesh-barnea.” This was simply to recall to Joshua’s mind the reason for the request which he was about to make. He then speaks of how he brought back word from the promised land, and had spoken to the people “as it was in his heart.” When his brethren had made the “heart of the people melt” by words of discouragement, he had “wholly followed the Lord.” He had followed the leading of God’s Spirit, and although the people had not appreciated his action, he had manifested himself before them as a son of God, and the Lord had honored him before his people by promising him an inheritance in the very land the had despaired of entering. Not always is faith so immediately and signally commended as was Caleb’s. And yet, while God had blessed him with the assurance of his favor, Caleb’s faith was tried by more than forty years of waiting for the fulfillment of the promise. SITI November 2, 1888, page 666.3

He now rehearsed the promise that Moses had made to him: “Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God.” The people of God had come into the promised possession, and the portions were being assigned. Caleb was in the country of is inheritance. He had only to ask, and the right would be granted to him to go up and possess the place whereon his feet had trodden. What thoughts must have stirred him! What gratitude must have welled up in his heart! He had seen the “fearful and the unbelieving,” a great host, fall in the wilderness, a prey to death as the result of their lack of faith in the God of Israel. But of himself he declares, “And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said.... And now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me; as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.” While he had seen that “the way of the transgressor is hard,” he had realized that they that wait upon the Lord renew their strength. He had found that in keeping the commandments of the Lord there was “great reward.” He who wholly follows the Lord, as did Caleb, will have it to say that the “lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places, yea, I have a goodly heritage.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 666.4

After this introduction, Caleb was bold to proffer his request, for it was evident that he was simply asking his right as a servant of the Lord. “Now therefore give me this mountain whereof the Lord spake in that day.” He then reminded Joshua of what had been said concerning Anakin, the race of giants that the spies had magnified before Israel, and “the cities great and fenced” that had seemed impregnable to the people of God forty years before; but the spirit of Caleb had not changed. He still had confidence in God, and he declared, “If so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord hath said.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 666.5

Forty years before, Caleb’s faith had said, “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able.” And now the Lord had brought him to the test. There are many whose faith seems of the genuine order until some trial is brought upon them, and then faith weakens and fails on the very border of their inheritance. Caleb’s faith was not of this character. He was no more dismayed at the giants and the fenced cities when brought into actual contact with them, than when they were prospective enemies and hindrances. SITI November 2, 1888, page 666.6

“And Joshua blessed him.” He bade him Godspeed. “And Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb.” This man of faith is a representative of those who shall enter into the land of Canaan which is a type. Those whose fervent faith impels them to act upon his promises shall enter into the heavenly Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey, the eternal inheritance of the saints. SITI November 2, 1888, page 666.7

“Back Page” The Signs of the Times, 14, 42.

E. J. Waggoner

Twenty-five young men were arrested the other day in Boston for raffling off a silver watch for the benefit of a sick friend. Referring to the fact, a religious paper published in that city says: “Very good, but let not the vigilance of the authorities stop here! Raffling is just as wicked in a church fair, or a Grand Army entertainment, as anywhere else.” And in this the Boston paper says truly. SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.1

The Congregationalist says that on a recent Sunday several men were at work on the new court-house in Boston, and expresses the hope that there was some adequate reason for it, saying that “certainly the city authorities ought not to take the lead in thus desecrating the Lord’s day.” We don’t just now recall any text of Scripture which says that Sunday is the Lord’s day, or that so much as intimate that work should not be done upon the day; in fact, we have for years supposed that there was no such text. If we are in error will the Congregationalist please enlighten us. SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.2

In the California Christian Advocate of October 4 a prominent Methodist minister of this State publishes a vigorous protest against having his name published in the California Voice as actively engaged in the political Prohibition, or third party, movement. He says: “Thinking that if one name appeared utterly without authority others might, I asked nine ministers, just as I happened to meet them, and not one of the nine had authorized such a use of his name.” He adds that those whom he “asked are all but thorough-going temperance men.” But only one was willing to have his name paraded in the public prints in the interests of any party. SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.3

In commenting upon the proposed union of the Presbyterian and Congregationalist Churches in Japan a Methodist paper asks: “Why not go a little farther and appoint bishops, and so take us in?” Whereupon a Congregational paper reports that the Japanese have done that very thing, the only difference being that they use the word in its original and scriptural, and the Methodists in its perverted and ecclesiastical, sense. But the title “bishop” is not the only Bible term that is used not only by Methodists but by almost everybody else in a “perverted and ecclesiastical sense.” To adopt the rule of using words only in their “original and scriptural” sense would spoil every man-made creed in Christendom, and restore the Bible to its proper place as the highest and only rule of faith and practice among Christians. SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.4

A gentleman in Baltimore, Md., thinks that the story of a Catholic priest going out in a tug to marry a couple who could not legally marry under the laws of this State, which we published in the No. 36 of the current volume of the SIGNS, is a “lie made out of whole cloth.” We think not. The full particulars were published by the San Francisco Chronicle of August 17, and there is not the slightest reason for doubting that the facts were correctly given. It is not uncommon for the Pope to grant dispensations for incestuous marriages, especially in some parts of Europe, notably Portugal; and did our critic know as much about such matters as he should know, before assuming the role of critic, he would not be so fast to charge us with falsehood. SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.5

It was only a few months ago that the Pope granted the Duke of Aosta, ex-king of Spain, a special dispensation to marry his niece, and is openly charged that the great “infallible” did it for a money consideration. SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.6

The Pope assumes to do more than God himself could do, namely, make right wrong. Is he not well described by the apostle as “the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God”? SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.7

The Christian at Work says: “It is rumored that Dr. Bryennois, the learned metropolitan of Nicomedia, has made even a more important discovery than that of the ‘Teaching of the Twelve Apostles,’ which he found in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher some time ago. But that comparison does not by any means indicate that his new “find” is of any importance, for the so-called “Teaching of the Apostles” has already sunk into the obscurity to which it belongs. It is characteristic of the prelates of every branch of the Catholic Church, that their discoveries are never in the line of Bible truth, but are always something for the purpose of proving that the Bible is not a perfect and sufficient died in matters of faith and practice. SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.8

It seems that prohibition doesn’t prohibit in Iowa. The new liquor law which went into effect October 1 is so strict that only druggists can keep liquors for sale, and many of them refuse to take out license. The courts have just decided, too, that while liquor can be imported and sold in the State in the original packages, original packages are not bottles put up for the express purpose of evading the law, but barrels and casks from the distillery with the Government stamp upon them. If an old toper wants to buy a whole barrel of whisky in Iowa no man can say him nay; very few men, however, want to do anything of that kind; what they want is to get together in saloons and have “a good time,” and if they can’t do that the most of them don’t care to drink at all. SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.9

In a recent number of that paper the editor of the Congregationalist tells how, not long since, he dropped into a Christian Endeavor meeting connected with one of the largest churches in Boston, and how, when the Scriptures were read, he saw several of the members, who were twenty years old at least, looking in the New Testament for the book of Micah. And some, he says, who did not make this glaring mistake, turned the leaves of the Old Testament in an uncertain way. SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.10

This is not as it should be, and the editor says truly that this defect is by no means peculiar to the church mentioned, but that it is to be seen everywhere; and adds that somebody ought to insist that every people in the Sunday-school learn the names of the books of the Bible in their order. SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.11

To show how great is the necessity for something of this kind being done he tells that not long since a young pulpit orator was sent out by a very popular university not a thousand miles from Boston to hold “union” meeting with a well-known pastor. It was arranged that one part of the young brother’s service should consist in reading the Scriptures. While the singing immediately preceding the Scripture reading was going on, he asked the pastor what Scripture he should read. He replied by suggesting a passage in the book of Daniel. The young man turned the leaves of the Bible vigorously, with ill success; and just as the choir’s entrance upon the last verse warned him that his time was almost come, he turned to his companion with a very nervous look, and said, “Where is Daniel, anyway?” SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.12

In view of this all will certainly agree that the editor’s suggestion is a good one. And might it not be well-we make this suggestion humbly-for theological seminaries to require their students to learn the names of the books of the Bible in their order, at least until such time as the Sunday-schools shall have corrected the palpable defect which now exists. SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.13

The Pope was interviewed a few days since by a correspondent of a London paper, and is credited with the following utterance:- SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.14

“In the German empire there are 15,000,000 Catholics whose wishes and feelings must be respected, it being to the interest of their emperor to keep them contented. As the head of the church, I cannot countenance injustice done to those who are committed to my care, and whom I am bound to protect and defend. The teaching rights of the church must be recognized, and their exercise must be authorized by the State.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.15

The empire contains 45,000,000 people, and though only one-third of those are Romanists, they are a unit in the hands of the Pope, and he has already shown that he understands well how to take advantage of this fact and wield the immense power which it gives him in the interests of the papacy. With 15,000,000 followers at his back Leo XIII. certainly has it in his power to maintain the “rights” of “the church” in Germany. SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.16

October 24 the Pope addressed a number of pilgrims, and after denouncing the Italian Government and stating that hatred of all foes of the Papal See was concentrated in Rome, said: “In this city they do not hesitate to confirm by new insults, even on solemn occasions, the usurpation and violence which are within the remembrance of the whole world, degrading Rome to the simple position of the capital of a kingdom, while God predestined it to be the See of the Vicar of Christ; and it shall ever remain the capital of the Catholic world. Our enemies are exerting their whole strength to oppress us. Let us redouble our efforts and return untiringly to the struggle. Action is necessary, for which I rely upon the clergy.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.17

The Pope is certainly making most stubborn and persistent efforts to recover temporal power, and indications are not lacking which would seem to indicate that he will erelong be successful. His triumph will, however, be of short duration, for the Scriptures contain the assurance that the Papacy is that which “the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of is coming.” And we know that “the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” SITI November 2, 1888, page 672.18