The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, vol. 76

October 31, 1899

“The Sermon. Christian Education” 1 Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 76, 44, pp. 699, 700.

A. T. JONES

SINCE the apostles’ days, immediately after the ascension of Jesus Christ, there has been no Christian education in this world, excepting in a very small measure, on the little theater, though infinitely large in itself, occupied by the Waldenses, and by the Reformers in the earliest days of the Reformation. But, to take that which has been accepted as Christianity—Christianity as it stands in the world—since the days of the apostles ended and the apostasy began, there has not been any properly Christian education in this world. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 699.1

But we are in the time when this world will see—when it must see—that which is truly Christian education. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 699.2

I have said that, since the apostasy began to enter, this has not been; because the apostasy began to enter and made its grand entrée at the last, upon this very issue—that of a mixture of pagan, worldly education with professed Christianity. And there was a contest then between Christians indeed and those who were mere formal professors of Christianity, as to what is true Christian education. And the apostasy gained the day. But the time has come when there is to be in the world a complete separation from the apostasy, and a complete union with true Christian education, on the part of Christians. And the apostasy will end exactly where it began—upon this very issue—the issue between Christian education in its sincerity and purity, and a worldly, pagan mixture, passed off by formal professed Christians for Christianity. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 699.3

Now, I will read to you a few paragraphs of the history that was made at the beginning of the apostasy, that you may see exactly how matters were then, and just what was the issue upon which the apostasy entered. The first century is from A.D. 1 to 100. The apostle John died about A.D. 98 to 99. The second century is from A.D. 101 to 200. The end of the second century would be from one hundred and fifty to two hundred years this side of Christ. That, you see, is only about fifty years and onward after the death of the last of the apostles. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 699.4

In this latter part of the second century there was a school of worldly philosophy called the Eclectic, because the idea of the school was that in all phases of philosophy there was truth; and, according to this school, he was the true philosopher who gathered from all sources into one the truth of all the philosophy that could be found. I now read:— ARSH October 31, 1899, page 699.5

This philosophy was adopted by such of the learned at Alexandria as wished to be accounted Christians, and yet retain the name, the garb, and the rank of philosophers. In particular, all those who in this century presided in the schools of the Christians at Alexandria—Athenagoras, Pantaenus, and Clemens Alexandrinus—are said to have approved of it. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 699.6

That is, these all approved of that scheme of adopting this pagan philosophy while still retaining the name of Christians. Continuing, I read:— ARSH October 31, 1899, page 699.7

These men were persuaded that true philosophy, the great and most salutary gift of God, lay in scattered fragments among all the sects of philosophers; and therefore that it was the duty of every wise man, and especially of a Christian teacher, to collect these fragments from all quarters, and to use them for the defense of religion and the confutation of impiety. Yet this selection of opinions did not prevent them from regarding Plato as wiser than all the rest. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 699.8

And Plato got his wisdom from Egypt too. Do not forget that it is written, even unto this day: “Out of Egypt have I called my son;” and, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God;” that is, that we should be called out of Egypt. They regarded Plato “as wiser than all the rest, and as especially remarkable for treating the Deity, the soul, and things remote from sense [that is correct enough] so as to suit the Christian scheme.” That is, of all the people in the world of ancient times, Plato was held by these philosopher Christians to have been the most fully Christian. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 699.9

Presently, there appeared in Alexandria, in Egypt, one of these mixed philosophers,—badly mixed,—named Ammonius Saccas, who was so thoroughly pagan that all the pagans knew he was a pagan, and yet made so artful a profession of Christianity that all these mixed Christians acknowledged him to be a Christian. He established a school, or rather drew off from all these, and formed a school, which took precedence of the other. The key of his philosophical system was that when the truth was known, all sects had the very same truth; that the difficulties were caused by the different ways in which that truth was stated; and that the climax of all philosophy was to find such a means of stating the truth that all should be able to perceive and understand it, and so all be one. Ammonius had two disciples who were especially promising. One was Plotinus, who took the pagan side of Ammonius’s philosophy, and ran it in the channel of sheer paganism; the other was Origen, who became the very chief of the “fathers of the church,” who took the professed Christian side of Ammonius’s philosophy, and ran it in the course of that mere formal profession of Christianity which ended in the full apostasy and the complete development of the papacy in the world. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 699.10

Now, I read again:— ARSH October 31, 1899, page 699.11

The grand object of Ammonius, to bring all sects and religions into harmony, required him to do much violence to the sentiments and opinions of all parties,—philosophers, priests, and Christians,—and particularly by allegorical interpretations to remove all impediments out of his way.... To make the arduous task more easy, he assumed that philosophy was first produced and nurtured among the people of the East; that it was inculcated among the Egyptians by Hermes, and thence passed to the Greeks; that it was a little obscured and deformed by the disputatious Greeks; but still that by Plata, the best interpreter of the principles of Hermes and of the ancient Oriental sages, it was preserved for the most part entire and unsullied.... ARSH October 31, 1899, page 699.12

To these assumptions he added the common doctrines of the Egyptians (among whom he was born and educated) concerning the universe and the Deity, as constituting one great whole (Pantheism); concerning the eternity of the world, the nature of the soul, providence, and the government of this world by demons, and other received doctrines; all of which he considered as true and not to be called in question. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 699.13

And for any one to call it in question was disrespect to him and to education in general. Continuing, I read:— ARSH October 31, 1899, page 699.14

For it is most evident that the ancient philosophy of the Egyptians, which they pretended to have learned from Hermes, was the basis of the New Platonic, or Ammonius; and the book of Jamblichus, “De Mysteries Egyptiorum,” in particular, shows this to be the case... ARSH October 31, 1899, page 699.15

To this Egyptiace Platonic philosophy, this ingenious man and fanatic joined a system of moral discipline, apparently of high sanctity and austerity.... And these precepts Ammonius, like one born and educated among Christians, was accustomed to embellish and express by forms of expression borrowed from the sacred Scriptures, which has caused such language to occur abundantly in the writings of his followers. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 700.1

One of the earliest to espouse this philosophy from among those who professed to be Christians was Clement of Alexandria (all of Egypt; and in Egypt, do not forget), who became the head of that kind of school at Alexandria. These philosophers— ARSH October 31, 1899, page 700.2

Believed the language of Scripture to contain two meanings,—the one obvious, and corresponding with the direct import of the words; the other recondite, and concealed under the words, like a nut by the shell. The former they neglected, as of little value, their study chiefly being to extract the latter: in other words, they were more intent on throwing obscurity over the Sacred Writings by the fictions of their own imaginations than on searching out their true meanings. Some also, and this is stated especially of Clement, accommodated the divine oracles to the precepts of philosophy. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 700.3

Clement died about A.D. 220, and was succeeded in the headship of that school, by Origen, who had been taught by both Clement and Ammonius. Now, a word further: These two disciples of Ammonius—Clement and Origen—caused the Christian school to take a strong position. Many were gathered to it. Their success was such as to push all other Christian education into the background. Plotinus also caused his school to be so successful that it “gradually cast all others into the background. From Egypt it spread in a short time over the whole Roman Empire, and drew after it almost all persons who took any interest in things remote from sense.” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 700.4

On the other hand— ARSH October 31, 1899, page 700.5

The estimation in which human learning should be held was a question on which the Christians were about equally divided. Many recommended the study of philosophy, and an acquaintance with the Greek and the Roman literature; while others maintained that these were pernicious to the interests of genuine Christianity and the progress of true piety. The cause of letters and philosophy triumphed, however, by degrees; and those who wished well to them continued to gain ground till at length the superiority was manifestly decided in their favor. This victory was principally due to the influence of Origen, who, having been early instructed in the new kind of Platonism already mentioned, blended it, though unhappily, with the purer and more sublime tenets of a celestial doctrine, and recommended it in the warmest manner to the youth who attended his public lessons. The Christians; and in proportion to his rising credit, his method of proposing and explaining the doctrines of Christianity gained authority till it became almost universal. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 700.6

The principles of these two schools were so evenly balanced that— ARSH October 31, 1899, page 700.7

Some of the disciples of Plotinus embraced Christianity on condition that they should be allowed to retain such of the opinions of their master as they thought of superior excellence and merit. This must also have contributed, in some measure, to turn the balance in favor of the sciences. These Christian philosophers, preserving still a fervent zeal for the doctrines of their heathen chief, would naturally embrace every opportunity of spreading them abroad, and instilling them into the minds of the ignorant and the unwary. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 700.8

That is enough to show the beginning of the apostasy. And you see that it began in the adoption of worldly education instead of Christian education; the use of Greek and Roman literature instead of the Christian literature; pagan text-books instead of the Book of Christianity, which in itself is the text-book of all that is Christian. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 700.9

This is also enough to show you the origin of that beast of the book of Revelation. Now, you and I are in the time of the making of an image to that beast, and you now it. Is it strange, then, that in this time there should be involved that same controversy between Christian education and worldly education that was involved when the beast was made? Is not the image of this beast to be formed in our day? [Voices: “Yes.”] Do you then, Seventh-day Adventists particularly, begin to see some of the importance of the subject of Christian education? Do you begin to understand something of the propriety of abandoning the worldly education, worldly literature, and worldly schools, and of confining yourselves to Christian education, Christian literature, and Christian schools? [Voice: “Amen.”] I know that a great many have not seen this subject that way yet, and that is why I am telling this to you now. It is high time that every Christian, whether Seventh-day Adventist or not, should find out what is Christian education. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 700.10

(Concluded next week.)

“Editorial” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 76, 44, p. 704.

WE ask especially that the following passages of scripture be read so carefully and so frequently that they shall forever be in the mind of each one who reads:— ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.1

“Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Matthew 24:23, 24. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.2

“Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.3

“And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that are on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” Revelation 13:13, 14. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.4

“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” Revelation 16:13-16. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.5

“And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse [“Faithful and True,” “The Word of God”], and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” Revelation 19:19, 20. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.6

All these passages refer to the same period of time; that is, the time just preceding the coming of the Lord and reaching to the coming of the Lord. And that period of time is just now—the time in which we live. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.7

The one thing especially mark in each and all of these passages is that in this time great signs and wonders—miracles—will be wrought expressly under the inspiration of Satan. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.8

One thing especially to be noted about these things is that they will be real miracles. These false Christs and false prophets “shall show [not simply pretend to show, but “shall show”] great signs and wonders;” “those miracles which HE HAD POWER TO DO”—not simply that he pretended to have power to do; “they are the spirits of devils, working miracles,”—not simply pretending to work miracles; “the false prophet that wrought miracles,“—not the false prophet that pretended to work miracles. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.9

Another thing to be noted is that while the miracles, and signs, and wonders are real, all else is false: they are “false Christs,” they are “false prophets,” it is “the false prophet that wrought miracles.” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.10

Accordingly the whole object of the miracles, signs, and wonders is to deceive, to seduce, and to lure to destruction. The signs and wonders that are shown are expressly “to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.” Mark 13:22. He deceived “them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do.” The false prophet wrought miracles “with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image.” It is Satan who works “with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness;” and he works thus to draw into the worship of the beast and his image “them that dwell on the earth.” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.11

It is “the spirits of devils” which work the miracles; and they do it to gather “the kings of the earth and of the whole world” “to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.12

And they do gather them to that battle, and in so doing they gather them to utter destruction. For “I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.” And the beast and the false prophet—the image of the beast—“these both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.13

And all these things are carried on by Satan and his seducing spirits in his dragonic war against the remnant of the seed of the woman, “which keep the commandments of God, and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ.” The Lord of heaven and earth lifts up a standard against Satan and all his power, all his signs, all his lying wonders, and all his miracles. And that standard bears the inscription, “Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.14

All of this demonstrates what we have said before, but which can not possibly be said too often that no miracle is worthy of any attention whatever if the purpose of it is not directly the keeping of the commandments of God; that the keeping of the commandments of God is greater than all miracles; and that consequently the keeping of the commandments of God is the test of all miracles. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.15

“Editorial Note” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 76, 44, p. 704.

IN an address at Rock River (Ill.) M. E. Conference a short time ago, Dr. W. F. Crafts, with whose name some of the readers of the REVIEW are somewhat familiar, said the following, as published in the Union Signal of Oct. 19, 1899:— ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.1

Sabbath morning on our war-ships, as the hour of worship approaches, “Old Glory” is temporarily lowered, and there is hauled to the peak, a pennant containing the blue cross of our heavenly redemption, in the white field of national righteousness. Beneath this the stars and stripes are then placed, proclaiming the nation’s subordination to Christ as its king; proclaiming, in signals, what the Supreme Court put in a unanimous opinion on Feb. 29, 1892, “This is a Christian nation;” proclaiming also that the flag can not rightly float in protection over any institution inconsistent with the cross and, so, inconsistent with Christian civilization. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.2

How much further can things go in that direction before the image of the beast shall be standing before the world in all his living, active vigor? ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.3

“Editorial Notes” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 76, 44, p. 704.

HARPER’S WEEKLY is an illustrated “journal of civilization.” Education is supposed to be a material part of civilization. In the Weekly of Oct. 21, 1899, is an article entitled “The Opening of the Colleges.” It contains three large illustrations, which, presumably, are intended to represent the opening of the three colleges—Yale, Princeton, and Harvard—respectively. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.1

The illustration that relates to the opening of Yale is a wrestling match, in which the two wrestlers are desperately tugging within a torchlight circle of staring young men. The next illustration is a scene, half silly and half rowdy, representing “the freshmen’s first night at Princeton”—one of the “open-air concerts which have taken the place of the abolished hazing.” The illustration relating to Harvard is a picture of a pitched battle with fists, and seems very appropriately to be entitled “‘Bloody Monday’ at Harvard.” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.2

These three illustrations are the three leading educational ones of the whole Untied States; and there is no room for doubt that the scenes depicted, illustrating the opening of these colleges, are strictly representative of the opening of the colleges throughout the whole nation. Now, when it is understood that thousands upon thousands of young men are sent forth from educational institutions, at the close of every school year, the opening of which is aptly illustrated by these scenes, how long can the country go on in that way in the interests of civilization? ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.3

“Studies in Galatians. Galatians 2:21” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 76, 44, pp. 704, 705.

“I DO not frustrate the grace of God; for if righteousness come by law [nomou—law; not ho nomos—the law] then Christ is dead in vain.” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.1

This is one of those mighty, universal statements of eternal principles so frequently found in the writings of Paul. It is the climax of the argument begun in his protest to Peter when “before them all” Paul withstood him to the face because he “walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel.” It will therefore make plainer to the reader the force of this climacteric, if we recall the issue as it was begun in Paul’s words to Peter:— ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.2

“when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, If thou, being born a Jew, art wont to live according to the customs of the Gentiles, and not of the Jews, how is it that thou constrainest the Gentiles to keep the ordinances of the Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that [in order that] we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by works of law: for by works of law shall no flesh be justified.” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.3

That is to say: We who are Jews by nature, who have all the advantages that pertain to the Jews, whose are the fathers, and the covenants, and the laws, and the ordinances, all given by the Lord himself directly to the Jews,—we who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles, EVEN WE have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by works of law: for by works of law shall no flesh be justified. The very fact that we Jews, with all the native advantages of all the laws of the Jews, have believed in Christ in order that we might be justified by faith—this in itself is open confession that there is no justification by law. When eve we can not be justified by all these laws, laws which even the Lord gave to us, but must be justified by faith in Christ, that is both confession and demonstration that there is no possibility of justification by law. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.4

Nor in this is there any denial or frustration of the grace of God. It is true that it was the grace of God that gave to us all these laws, which are indeed all advantages; but these laws—any of them, or all of them together—were not given that we should be justified or find righteousness by them. The one great object of all these laws was and is Christ. In his great grace God gave to us all these laws that we might more plainly see, more clearly discern, and more fully know, Christ. They were all given that we should be justified—not by the laws but—by Jesus Christ; that we should find righteousness—not by doing the laws, but—by believing in Jesus. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.5

Therefore when we who are Jews by nature, and who, as such, have all the advantages of all the laws ever given to the Jews,—when even we have believed in Jesus in order that we might find righteousness by faith of Jesus Christ and not by works of law, in so doing we do not frustrate the grace of God; for this is the very purpose of all these laws which themselves were given by the grace of God. And since Christ, and righteousness by faith in Christ, was and is the very object of all these laws, then “if righteousness come by law, Christ is dead in vain.” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.6

And, finally, since Christ has died for our offenses, and is risen again for our justification, now for anybody to seek to be justified by law and not by faith of Christ, is to deny that Christ ever was the object of the laws, and so is to assert that justification is and always was by works and not by faith; and so is, in a word, the utter repudiation of Christ now and ever; because he is “the Lamb slain fro the foundation of the world,” and “who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world.” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 704.7

Consequently it is an eternal and universal principle that “if righteousness come by law, then Christ is dead in vain.” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 705.1

“And let all the people say, Amen, and Amen.” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 705.2

“An Ominous and Unmistakable ‘Sign’” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 76, 44, p. 705.

ABOUT fifteen years ago the statement was published by the Seventh-day Adventist denomination that the United States would, ere long, “repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government.” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 705.1

In the Independent of Oct. 19, 1899, Countess Von Krockow, of Dresden, Germany, quotes from an article by Professor Niemand, in a German journal, the following:— ARSH October 31, 1899, page 705.2

If the American Republic ever meant anything historically, it meant a protest against Europe. Its Declaration of Independence was a looking backward over European conditions, and a summing up of all the experience thus won. It corresponded politically to Luther’s Theses; just as the one was a renunciation of Catholicism, so was the other a renunciation and defiance of imperialism. Over one hundred years it has endured. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 705.3

Europe has not changed essentially meanwhile. It has forms of liberty; but the substantial reality is still militarism, or government by authority and the might of the strongest. So if Europe be unchanged, why should America relinquish her avocation of protestation by turning round and becoming like her? ... Oh, madness! I say, madness! They are doing they know not what,—giving up their birthright for a mess of pottage; surrendering their grand attitude of protest, wherein they commanded the respect of the powerful and the adoration of the idealists of the world, to scramble with the effete old nations for land! for land, although they already possess so much. They repudiate their declaration in spirit and in word for a strip of rich land! The fact seems incredible. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 705.4

And the countess remarks that “the change in the policy of the American government seems so remarkable to Germans that they philosophize a great deal about it.” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 705.5

Since thoughtful observers in Europe discern this fact, which is a perfect fulfilment of that which was published fifteen years ago as to what would come, is it not high time that, in the United States, there should be observers sufficiently thoughtful to discern the same thing? And of all classes in the United States, should not these be found among the people who, fifteen years ago, published that there would soon come that which has now come, and which European observers so plainly see, and so well describe? ARSH October 31, 1899, page 705.6

Luther’s Theses were the origin of Protestantism. The Declaration of Independence was the origin of modern republican government. In this nation not only republican principle, but Protestant principle, has had its fairest field before the world, as a light and an example for the world. And now, when it has come to pass that every principle of the Constitution of this nation, as a Protestant and republican government, is being steadily repudiated—now “we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan, and that the end is near.” Read all of page 207, “Testimony for the Church,” No. 32. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 705.7

And “as the approach of the Roman armies was a sign to the disciples of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, so may this apostasy be a sign to us that the limit of God’s forbearance is reached, that the measure of our nation’s iniquity is full, and that the angel of mercy is about to take her flight, never to return.” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 705.8

We do not say that this national apostasy is already so complete that it will culminate immediately in the resulting “national ruin;” but it is certain that this national apostasy is decidedly under way, and is progressing most rapidly. ARSH October 31, 1899, page 705.9

And who knows it? Who believes it? Who sees it in the sign, as clear and distinct as to the disciples of old was that “approach of the Roman armies” toward Jerusalem? ARSH October 31, 1899, page 705.10

Awake! Awake! “Get ready! Get ready! Get ready!” ARSH October 31, 1899, page 705.11