"The coming of the Lord draweth nigh." (James 5:8.)

As a falling rock travels faster and faster as it nears the bottom, so do events as the dispensation draws near its end, which is to inaugurate God's great purpose. The return of the Lord Jesus to this the scene of His sorrows and reproach; His supreme exaltation here on earth, where he humbled Himself as none ever did; His reigning and judging in righteousness in the very place where He was judged and condemned in unrighteousness- this, and vastly more, is God's determined purpose from before time began. The fulfilment of that purpose, being near at hand, is just now receiving a fresh and marked proof.

All who rightly read the prophecies of the Old and New Testaments know how intimately the restoration of the Jewish people to their own land, and to nationality, is linked up with the return of our Lord. All who love His return, therefore, watch with eager eye every movement in relation to that wonderful people. Our own portion-the Church's rapture and glory-is reached then too. Indeed, our being taken up all together to heaven is the very preliminary to all the rest. With what delight, therefore, one sees the advances being made to the Jewish people by the "Young Turk party" now in power in Turkey. Turkey, which possesses all the territory unconditionally promised of God to Israel, has all along oppressed the Jews, limiting their return to their land, and treated them as enemies; and it is well known that the great hindrance to the Zionist movement has been the apparent hopelessness of moving Turkey to give them again their land.

Seeing their anxiety to revive their nationality, other nations have offered them territories here or there; but none of this could prosper, for if it is God who is moving the dead bones of Israel (Ezek. 37) to come together, His place of assembling them is their own land, which He gave with unalienable rights to their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Now comes a remarkable speech from Ahmed Riza Bey, who is the President of the New Turkey Chamber of Deputies. Addressing himself to the Jewish rabbi who was being presented to the Sublime Porte, he said;

" Of all the elements of which the empire is composed, the one on whom we rely most for the regeneration of the country is the Jew. His sentiments of fidelity to the fatherland, his fraternity with Mussulmans, which has been put to the proof on several occasions, are above suspicion. We consider the Jews as real brothers. This being the case, we must work hand in hand to raise the condition of our country. Your nation is the first in everything- sciences, industry, commerce, finance, etc. We have need of your help. Submit proposals to me:they will have my best consideration. I am well aware that you have relations with eminent Jews in the West:write to them what our sentiments are. Write to the Alliance Israelite Universelle, and intervene also with Baron Rothschild in Paris, who is so deeply interested in colonization work. Inform the great Jewish associations that we are all disposed to receive with open arms, in every part of the empire, Jews from Russia and Roumania :let them come with their capital, in order to devote themselves to agriculture and industry. We have fertile lands, extremely rich, such as Mesopotamia, where there are only five inhabitants to the kilometer. In a word, we have need of the cooperation of your coreligionists, and we rely on you to bring about what we require. I hope you will often come to see me, in order that we may talk about the Jews, that noble nation, which I admire so greatly."

Who, a while back, would have dreamed of such approaches by the Turks themselves 1 How near the realization of our "blessed hope" must be when, in so short a time, events have so followed each other as to bring the Jews in full view of the land where their once-rejected Messiah will descend from heaven to greet them afresh, and when, from the depth of "the great tribulation" in which they will be, they will welcome Him with, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Matt. 23:39)!

The New Birth.

There is not one proper inquiry in the soul of man which Scripture is not able to satisfy. It sheds light on all that is dark, and dispels the darkness. On the other hand, it defies all human systems. The focus of God's thoughts lies beyond the reach of man. Man must therefore abide a simple believer until the time appointed of God when he will know as he is known.

A few passages from the Scriptures will, we believe, satisfy every mind subject to God concerning some recent inquiries as to the new birth.

John 1:13 states the fact of the birth. It is those who receive Christ that are born of God, and that
possess the right therefore of being children of God. Only those born of a certain man have the right to be recognized as the children of that man. So only those who are born of God have the right to be recognized as the children of God; and it is those who receive Christ who are that.

John 3:5 mentions the instruments of that new birth-"water and the Spirit." What "water " signifies is plainly told in Eph. 5:26; and i Pet. i:23 with Jas. i:18 add to the witness. It is the word of God-the gospel of Christ preached to men-which, by the sovereign power of the Holy Spirit, produces the new birth.

John 20:31 gives the time of the new birth; "and that believing ye might have life through His name." It is upon believing that we receive life eternal.

Here are plain and simple scriptures. If we have built no system of our own, they will give us all the light we can ask for on the subject.

Bishops and Deacons.

At the beginning of Christianity the apostles ordained bishops and deacons among the Christian assemblies (Acts 6:1-6; 14:23). Titus was authorized by the apostle to do the same thing (Titus i:5). There are now neither apostles nor apostolic delegates to do this, but the word of God does it. Bishops are well described in Titus i:7-9, and i Tim. 3:2-7. Deacons are also well defined in i Tim. 3 :8-12. We have no need therefore of their being ordained by any one; for if we do not recognize men of such characters among us, and submit ourselves to them, neither would we if they were ordained by an apostle in person.

Bishops, or elders, are for the guidance of the flock of Christ-as shepherds guide and feed the sheep (Acts 20:28). Deacons are for whatever services are required among the people of God. Stephen, a deacon (Acts 6:5), "used his office well, and purchased to himself a good degree" (Acts 6:8; 7:59, 60).

If God's people allow self-willed men to rule and lead them, they will surely go astray, as there is abundant evidence on every hand, and as the apostle warned the Ephesian elders (Acts 20 :29, 30). But if they fail to recognize and submit themselves to such as seek to lead them according to God, they will surely be losers, and suffer from it, for they neglect, or despise, what the Lord Himself has provided for their good.