QUES. 24.-What is the New Testament teaching as to the Lord's day ? I have been much exercised as well as grieved to see the carelessness of many as to that day, who might be expected to know better. Some have quoted Rom. 14:5:"One man esteemeth one day above another ; another esteemeth every day alike." They have said this provides for entire liberty on the Lord's day. Is this correct ?

ANS.-Our brother's question, not the only one on the same subject received of late, touches upon a most dangerous error, and a very common failure among the people of God. In the first place, the scripture adduced from Romans has nothing to do with the subject, but refers to the observance of Jewish days and ordinances, and is similar to the passage in Col. 2:16, 17. "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day " (Rev. 1:10), shows that the day is one of spiritual and not carnal observance. But does the fact that we are not under law but under grace give us license to live in carelessness? Supposing even that it were not contrary to the New Testament, have we not a responsibility to give no occasion of stumbling to the world ? What does the world think of a Christian who engages in unnecessary labor on the Lord's day? What is the effect upon a man's own family ? Further, what can be said of the spiritual state of one who, with all the week for secular work, takes the precious hours of the Lord's day for his own use ? Surely there is more than enough to fill and occupy the few hours of that day of privilege. We meet to remember and to worship our Lord, and again to preach His precious gospel, and to teach the young. There are sick or needy ones to be visited, and a few precious hours to be devoted to reading and meditation. Oh, the folly of wasting such a day with temporal labor. Let the beloved people of God turn from the thought with abhorrence. We are persuaded that it is one of the signs of the latter day apostasy. God is despised, His word neglected, aud the day of our Lord's resurrection made a time of carnal enjoyment or worldly business ! May we be aroused as to this, and make conscience before God of our conduct on this day.

QUES. 25.-Please explain Isaiah 28:23-29.

ANS.-The connection shows that the prophet is pronouncing God's judgment upon both Ephraim and Judah. He foretells the conflicts of the last days-the coming of the overflowing scourge, the Assyrian, or king of the north ; the alliance with the Beast, or head of the western empire, in order to ward off the attack ; and the end in overthrow and death for those who thus make lies their refuge. Then God tells of His provision in the "tried corner stone," Christ, and of the security of those who believe in Him. It will thus be seen that the scene is laid in the last days, and the purposes of God will be fulfilled in His "strange work " of judgment. In this connection he asks, Is it always plowing time? After the land is plowed, is not the seed sown-each in its appointed way and place? Then later comes the threshing-time. So with His people :God is longsuffering, but He will not always be preparing the soil. Nay, He has plowed His people and cast in the seed of His truth. Then conies the harvest aud threshing time when He will beat out and thresh-the time of judgment. All will be done in divine wisdom and suitability. But judgment will surely come.

This principle can also doubtless be applied in other connections. Everything is to be done in due proportion. In preaching the gospel, we are to plow the ground and then cast in the seed. Souls are to be convicted of sin and then the precious gospel has a place in which to take root. Then comes too the time of discrimination when souls are set free from the chaff of unreality and manifested as precious grain. But this is only a secondary application of the figure.

QUES. 26.-Referring to the article in the October number on Verbal Inspiration, where it is shown that if all the periods of captivity during the time of the Judges were added together, it would be found that exactly this number of years was to be deducted from the entire period from the deliverance out of Egypt till the building of the temple. The lesson was that God cannot use lost time, spent in captivity to evil. But there is another captivity of eighteen years which was omitted, and which seems to overthrow the teaching. Judges x, 6-9 was not included. What is the reason for this ?

ANS.-This has been noticed before, and the answer given, which seems probable, that this captivity was not a complete one. They were oppressed by many enemies, but we are told they were "sore distressed." For instance, the Ammonites only threatened, had not completely taken possession. We see that Jephthah prevented them from going further. Thus the lesson remains, and we see God's desire to count as much as He can. It might be well to mention that another explanation is that these periods of oppression were not necessarily at different times, but some of them may have occurred at the same time in different parts of the nation. Of one thing we may be certain. God's chronology, as all else, will be found to be absolutely correct, and apparent contradictions are not really that.

QUES. 27.-What are the four fasts referred to in Zechariah 8:19?

ANS.-They could not be regular set times such as the day of Atonement, for these were never abrogated. The whole connection would show that they were special commemorative fasts connected with the captivity. We find these dates given in Jeremiah-

The fourth month, Jerusalem was taken (Jer. 52:6).

The fifth month, the temple was burned (Jer. 52:12, 13).

The seventh month, Gedaliah was slain by Ishmael, and the remnant scattered to Egypt (Jer xli, 1, etc.)

The tenth month, the siege of Jerusalem began (Jer. 52:4).

These would seem clearly to be the events commemorated by the fasts referred to, and therefore in the restoration they would be changed to feasts.