(Concluded.)

The great body of discipline ought to be altogether aimed at hindering excommunication, the putting of a person out. Nine-tenths of the discipline which ought to go on is individual. If it comes to the question of the exercise of the discipline of "the Son over His own house," the Church ought never to take it up, but in self-identification, in confession of common sin and shame, that it has come ever to this. So it would be no court of justice at all, but a disgrace to the body. Spirituality in the Church would purge out hypocrisy, defilement, and everything unworthy, without assuming a judicial aspect. Nothing should be so abhorrent, as that, in God’s house, such a thing had happened. If it were in one of our houses that something dishonorable and disgraceful had happened, should we go on and feel as though we were altogether unconcerned, that we had nothing to do with it? It might be that some reprobate son must be put out, for the sake of the others-he cannot be reclaimed, and he is corrupting the family-what can be done? It is necessary to say, "I cannot keep you here; I cannot corrupt the rest by your habits and manners." Would it not, nevertheless, be for weeping and mourning, for sorrow of heart, and shame and dishonor to the whole family? They would not like to talk on the subject; and others would retrain from it to spare their feelings:his name would not be mentioned. In the house of the Son, how abhorrent to be putting out! what common shame! what anguish! what sorrow! There is nothing more abhorrent to God than a judicial process.

The Church is indeed plunged in corruption and weakness; but this is the very thing that would make one cling to the saints, and the more anxiously maintain the individual responsibility of those who have any gift for pastoral care. There is nothing I pray for more, than the dispensation of pastors. What I mean by a pastor is a person who can bear the whole sorrow, care, misery, and sin of another on his own soul, and go to God about it, and bring from God what will meet it, before he goes to the other.

There is another thing most clear. The result may be putting out; but if it ever comes to a corporate act in judgment, discipline ends the moment he is put out, and ends altogether-"Do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth" (i Cor. 5:12).

The question whether I can sit down with this or that person who is within never arises. A person staying away from communion (because of another, of whom he does not think well, being there) is a most extraordinary thing; he is excommunicating himself for another’s sake. " For we, being many, are one bread [loaf], and one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread" (i Cor. 10:17). If I stay away, I am excommunicating myself, because another has gone wrong. That is not the way to act. There may be a step to take, but it is not to commit the folly of excommunicating myself, lest a sinner should intrude.

All discipline until the last act is restorative. The act of putting outside, of excommunication, is not (properly speaking) discipline, but the saying that discipline is ineffective, and there is an end of it; the Church says, " I can do no more."

As to the question of unanimity in cases of church-discipline, we must remember, it is the Son exercising His discipline over His own house. In the case in Corinthians it was the direct action of Paul in apostolic power on the body, and not of the Church. The body claiming a right to exercise discipline! one cannot conceive a more terrible thing; it is turning the family of God into a court of justice. Suppose the case of a father going to turn out of-doors a wicked son, and the other children of the family saying, "We have a right to help our father in turning our brother out of the house," what an awful thing! We find the apostle forcing the Corinthians to exercise discipline, when they were not a bit disposed to do so. " Here (he says) there is sin among you, and ye are not mourning, that he that has done this deed might be taken away from among you (he is forcing them to the conviction that the sin is theirs, as well as that of the man); and now put away from among yourselves that wicked person." The Church is never in the place of exercising discipline until the sin of the individual becomes the sin of the Church, recognized as such.

There is all this,-"Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear" (i Tim. 5:20), "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such," etc., and the like; but, if evil has arisen of such a character as to demand excommunication, instead of the Church having a right to put away, it is obliged to do it. The saints must approve themselves clear. He forces these people into the recognition of their own condition, gets them ashamed of themselves-they retire from the man-and he is left alone to the shame of his sin. (See 2 Cor. 2:and 7:) That is the way the apostle forced them to exercise discipline. The conscience of the whole Church was forced into cleanness in a matter of which it was corporately guilty. And what trouble he had to do it! That is, I think, the force of ‘’ To whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also:for if I forgave anything, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; lest Satan should get an advantage over us:for we are not ignorant of his devices." What the devil was at was this-the apostle had insisted upon the excommunication (i Cor. 5:3-5); and the assembly did not like it. He compelled them to act; they did it in the judicial way, and did not want to restore him (2 Cor. 2:6, 7). Then he makes them go along with him in the act of restoration; "to whom ye forgive," etc The design of Satan was to introduce the wickedness, and make them careless about it, and, afterwards, judicial; and then to make it an occasion of separation of feeling between the apostle and the body of saints at Corinth. Paul identifies himself with the whole tody, first forcing them to clear themselves, and then taking care that they should all restore him, that there should be perfect unity between himself and them. He goes with them, and associates them with himself, in it all; and so, in both excommunication and restoration, he has them with him. If the conscience of the body is not brought up to what it acts, to the point of purging itself by the act of excommunication, I do not see what good is done:it is merely making hypocrites of them.

The house is to be kept clean. The Father’s care over the family is one thing; the Son’s over "his own house," another. The Son commits the disciples to the care of the Holy Father (John 17:), this is distinct from having the house in order. In John 15:he says, "I am the true vine," "ye are the branches," "my Father is the husbandman," etc., it is all the Father’s care. The Father purges the branches, to the end they may bear as much fruit as possible. But in the case of the Son over His own house, it is not individual, but the house kept clean. "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged," etc.

There are then these three kinds of discipline:- 1st.That of brotherly relationship. Here I go as a person wronged, but it must be with grace.

2nd. That of fatherly care-the Father exercising it with loving-kindness and tenderness, as over an erring child.

3rd. Where the Son is over His own house, and where we have to act in the responsibility of keeping the house clean, that people should have their consciences according to the house in which they are- not only the individual, but the house, the body:the conscience of the body must act. The effect may be, graciously, that the individual is restored, but that is a collateral thing. When you come, to that point, there is something besides restoring; there is the responsibility of keeping the house clean-the conscience of all there; and that may sometimes give a great deal of trouble.

As to the nature of all this, the spirit in which it should be conducted, it is priestly; and the priests ate the sin-offering within the holy place (Lev. 10:). I do not think any person or body of Christians can exercise discipline, unless as having the conscience clear, as having felt the power of the evil and sin before God, as if he had himself committed it. Then he does it as needful to purge himself. It will all be for positive mischief-the dealing with it, if not so. What character of position does Jesus hold now? That of priestly service. And we are associated with Him. If there were more of the priestly intercession implied by eating of the sin-offering within the holy place, there would be no such abomination as that of the Church assuming a judicial character. Suppose the case of a family, in which a brother had committed something disgraceful, would it not be for bitterness and anguish of the whole family? What common anxiety and pain of heart it would occasion! Does Christ not feed upon the sin-offering? does He not feel the sorrow? does He not charge Himself with it? He is the Head of His body, the Church:is He not wounded and pained in a member? Yes it is so. If it be a case of individual remonstrance with a brother for a fault, I am not fit to rebuke him, unless my soul has been in priestly exercise and service about it, as though I had been in the sin myself. How does Christ act? He bears it on His heart and pleads about it to draw out the grace that will remedy it. So with the child of God:he carries the sin upon his own heart into the presence of God; he pleads with the Father, as a priest, that the dishonor done to Christ’s body, of which he is a member, may be remedied. This I believe to be the spirit in which discipline should be exercised. But here we fail. We have not grace to eat the sin-offering. I come to church-action and there I find yet more:it should go and humble itself until it has cleared itself. This is the force to me of "ye have not mourned," etc.; there was not sufficient spirituality at Corinth to take and bear the sin at all; "You ought to have been bowed down there, brokenhearted, and broken in spirit at such a thing not being put out-concerned as to the cleanness of Christ’s house."
It is another part of priestly service to separate between clean and unclean. The priests were not to drink wine nor strong drink, that they might keep themselves in a spiritual state by the habits of the sanctuary, being able to discern between clean, etc. This is always true. We must take as our object, in dealing with evil, God’s object. God’s house is the scene and place of God’s order. If it be said, that the woman must "have power [a covering] on her head because of the angels" (i Cor. 11:10), it is as the exhibition of God’s order. Nothing should be permitted in the house that angels could not come in and approve. All is in thorough ruin; the full glory of the house will be manifested when Christ comes in glory, and not till then; but we should desire that, as far as possible, by the energy of the Holy Ghost, there should be correspondence in spirit and manner with what shall be hereafter. When Israel returned from the captivity, after Lo-ammi had been written upon them, and the glory had departed from the house, the public manifestation was gone, but Nehemiah and Ezra could find that in which to act according to God’s mind. That is our present condition. But we have now what they had not:we were always a remnant, we began at the end -"Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them "(Matt. 18:20). If the whole corporate system has come to nought, I get back to certain unchangeable blessed principles from which all is derived. The very thing from which all springs, to which Christ has attached, not only His name, but His discipline-the power of binding and loosing-is the gathering together of the "two or three." This is of the greatest possible comfort. The great principle remains true amidst all the failure.

If we turn to John 20:we find that when He sent forth His disciples, He breathed on them and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost:whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." There is nothing like a corporate church system here; but the energy of the Holy Ghost in spiritual discernment in the disciples, as sent from Christ, and acting on behalf of Christ. Discipline is a question of the energy of the Spirit. If that which is done is not done in the power of the Holy Ghost, it is nothing.

In principle, what was needed has been said. I do not see any difference, whether it be in the hands of a remnant, or anything else; because then we get into the structure of a judicial process at once-sinners judging sinners. It is, first of all, a question what the energy of the Spirit is for ministry in God’s house. The unanimity is a unanimity of having consciences exercised and forced into discipline. It is a terrible thing to hear sinners talking about judging another sinner; but a blessed thing to see them exercised in conscience about sin come in among themselves. It must be in grace. I no more dare act, save in grace, than I could wish judgment to myself. "Judge not, that ye be not judged:for with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again" (Matt. 7:1, 2). If we go to exercise judgment, we shall get it.

As to the difficulty of saints meeting together, where there is not pastorship, my prayer is that God would raise up pastors; but I believe where there were brethren meeting together, and walking together on brotherly principles, provided they kept to their real position and did not set about making churches, they would be just as happy as others in different circumstances. One thing I would pray for, because I love the Lord’s sheep, is that there might be shepherds. I know nothing, next to personal communion with the Lord, so ‘blessed as the pastor feeding the Lord’s sheep, the Lord’s flock; but it is the Lord’s flock. I see nothing about a pastor and his flock; that changes the whole aspect of things. When it is felt to be the Lord’s flock a man has to look over, what thoughts of responsibility, what care, what zeal, what watchfulness! I do not see anything so lovely. " Lovest thou Me? . . . feed My sheep-feed My lambs." I know nothing like it upon earth-the care of a true-hearted pastor, one who can bear the whole burden of grief and care of any soul and deal with God about it. I believe it is the happiest, most blessed relationship that can subsist in this world. But we are not to suppose that the "great Shepherd" cannot take care of His own sheep because there are no under-shepherds. If there were those who met together and hung on the Lord, if they did not pretend to be what they were not, though there were no pastors among them, there would be no danger; they would infallibly have the care of that Shepherd. We must not impute our failure to God, as though He could not take care of us. The moment power in the Spirit is gone, power in the flesh comes in. J. N. D.

What a mighty influence this world exerts over us! It is ever interweaving something into the framework of our hourly life; drawing a film between the soul and God, and deadening the keenness and sensibility of our spiritual perceptions. There is no moment when it is not upon us. Like the law of gravitation, which universally takes effect wheresoever it is not kept out by a special counteraction, so is it in our intercourse with the world. All the day long there is an influence playing upon us which draws our characters to the surface, and there fixes them; it rushes upon us with an overwhelming torrent; enters into the soul through our eyes and ears, and every inlet of the senses; through our instincts, our wants, and our natural affections; smothering or extinguishing every thing that would lead to something higher; each day drawing a fresh, hard layer over the heart; each energy laying another touch on the deepening character, and every moment fixing its colors with deeper steadfastness, until we live and act as if it were our only home.

For all this, we need a strong counteracting influence. Our life is too outward and visible among the throng of men; we are not enough alone with God; we live in the unreal, and become unreal ourselves. There must be the calmness of intercourse with God. God’s presence is full of reality; and His presence must be the antidote to the withering blight and the hourly infection of this world, and must abolish in us all that is not real and eternal. Never do we so put off the paint and masquerade of life as when alone with Him. The duplicities of the heart, which the world had interweaved, are held in check, and by habitual communion with God are weakened and overcome. This is the only counteracting and transforming influence; and think as we will, we may rely upon it, that, if we are not under it, the world will most surely and deeply conform us to itself.

In our intercourse with it, a thousand tests touch us on every side; and if we would maintain uninterruptedly our communion with God, we must also be watchful. We must watch against sin, against the world, and against self.

We must watch against sin. Nothing so darkens the soul as sin, or produces so deadening an insensibility. And it gains an entrance with inconceivable subtlety. Just as we contract slight peculiarities of manner, tone, and gait, without knowing it, so in like manner, does the soul become warped and darkened by sin. It can hide itself from the conscience; it is most concealed at its highest pitch; and when it is at the worst, it is least perceived-it has no sensible pain. Thus our insensibility becomes continuous. We come to live without any true relation to the presence of God; consenting to the darkness of our own hearts; cold and dead in our affections; formal and lifeless in prayer; and the whole moral and spiritual nature estranged from God. Pride and vanity, self-complacency and envy, scornfulness and wrath- all follow in the train of this spiritual deterioration.

This is the cause of much of the insensibility and deadness of which people so often complain. Sins unconfessed and forgotten lie festering in the dark; and our whole communion with God and our spiritual character suffer in all its parts and powers. It is the deadness and insensibility consequent on this that obstructs the spiritual life, and thrusts itself between the soul and" the presence of God.

For all this, there is only one remedy-immediate confession. Come and throw yourself in to the arms of everlasting Love! Open the heart, with all its sins and stains, to Jesus. His love is the light in which we shall see our sins, and the light in which we shall see them forgiven.

Let nothing harbor or fester in the heart. If sins be allowed to linger, they will only taint and estrange it more; the sins and spiritual decays of to-day will run on into to-morrow, and to-morrow will begin with an inclination to a lower tone. One day heaps its sin upon another, and our spiritual decline gains in speed as it gains in time. In this, there is one specially alarming thought-the degrees are so shadowy, and the transitions so imperceptible, that it is like a motion too slow to be measured by the eye, or so intense as to seem like rest. If we are not much in the presence of the Lord, these decays will be always advancing.

The true secret of preserving our spirituality of mind, and maintaining our communion with God is, to bring our sin to Jesus the moment it is committed, and while it is fresh on the soul. In the street, in the throng, in the routine of every-day life, let the heart go up in unreserved confession. Let us guard against hesitation. Hesitation brings reasons for delay, and delay opens the door for forgetfulness. One moment’s delay brings unknown hindrances. The suggestions of God’s Spirit are like the flowing of the tide, which, taken at the full, will lift us over every bar-tarry and lose them, and we are stranded! Let us go at once to Jesus with them all. So shall the "blood of sprinkling" be precious to our souls, and we too shall " walk with God."

We must watch against the world. On many Christians, this world weighs heavily, and lowers them to its own standard. Only the few rise above it. All its efforts are exerted to shut out the stern reality of the cross. Its pleasures and amusements, its mirth and its songs, its religion and its worship, find no place there, and cannot go with us into the presence of the Lord. Let us watch against the standard and tone of its society, against the spirit of its social life. To mingle with it in safety to the soul there needs gifts the very reverse of which make men its favorites-caution, retirement, silence; and its tone and spirit will surely be caught up unless we are in habitual intercourse with God.

We must watch against self. Unless God be the center of the soul, it will be a center to itself. Such a spirit is a deliberate contradiction of Him who made Himself of no reputation. Let us watch against ourselves; our self-pleasing and self-love; our tempers and our spirits; our inclinations and our aims; our desires and our imaginations; our thoughts and our words. Let us bring them all into His presence. There we shall see them as they are. There we shall learn the true character of them and of ourselves. It the light of His presence there are no illusions. All the colors and shadows, the false and changeful hues, the gloss and the glitter which we put upon ourselves in the world, and even in the light of our own conscience, are there dispelled. Thus shall our souls be filled with His brightness, and we shall ‘’ glorify God both in our bodies and in our spirits, which are God’s."

The Throne of God and of the Lamb.

The Lamb is the well-known title of Christ in the Apocalypse, the book of the future. It expresses the patience of His humiliation, even to the death of the cross; but it characterizes Him still in glory. Even when the apostle is told of the Lion of the tribe of Judah having prevailed to open the book, the vision assures him that it is a " Lamb, as it had been slain."

The connection between the humiliation and glory is familiar to us. Because of that wondrous humiliation "God has highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of heavenly, earthly, and infernal beings, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:9-11).

This is His personal exaltation, and as Man. He has descended and is now ascended up, far above all heavens, and sits upon the Father’s throne, waiting there until His foes are made His footstool. All things are to be put under His feet, though as yet we do not see this.

The Kingdom of the Son of Man, His millennial reign, is that in which this is accomplished. He has then a throne which He can share with others, as the Father’s throne He cannot (Rev. 3:21); and the saints reign with Him a thousand years.

But while the Father thus glorifies His Son, for the Son His personal exaltation is not the object. He takes the Kingdom to bring all things into eternal order, and thus bring in the rest of God. Having done this, the Kingdom in this form is given up; its object is achieved; "and when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all" (i Cor. 15:28).

We can in this way understand both why the Kingdom lasts for comparatively so short a period, and yet why it occupies so large a place in the field of prophecy. In the Old Testament, save in Isaiah’s promise of a new heavens and earth, we never get beyond it. And even in the New, while that promise is expanded for us in the sweet picture with which we are all familiar (Rev. 21:1-8), yet that which follows of the New Jerusalem goes back immediately, as to the time of view, to the millennium again. Only in this way could the leaves of the tree of life be for the healing of the nations (22:2).

Beyond the thousand years the city itself abides, for it is eternal; and here is for us the fullest view that the book of Revelation affords with regard to the eternal state. Yet it is both brief and enigmatic; and the eyes that have been upon it for many generations have ever yearned to see more clearly what is portrayed in it.

But upon this we do not mean to dwell at present. We are following, as we may, the Christ of God through all that changes into the changeless blessedness. What can we know of it? Little, perhaps, indeed; but we may at least distinguish some things that need to be, and where Scripture seems clear enough to save us from any presumptuous speculation in the matter.

For many-and some even of those who are theoretically clearer-the millennium has been practically too much identified with the eternal condition. It has given too much its character to eternity; while, on the other hand, I think it will be found that sometimes that which is eternal has been thought of as millennial.

The millennium, with that which immediately follows and connects with it, is a period of formation, -of labor, not of rest. First, things are set in order morally and spiritually; then physically also. It applies also to the earth solely; not (in the higher sense of the word) to heaven. The "new heavens" are firmamental, the heavens of the second creative day.

Now, as to the reign, when it is said of the saints that they reign with Christ a thousand years, we might naturally think that they would cease to reign, then, after this. Yet we find it said of those in the heavenly city, "they shall reign for ever and ever," (or "the ages of ages ") the strongest expression used for eternity. And this may remind us that before the thrones are seen set up as to the earth (chap. 20:4), and before even the Lamb has taken the book in heaven (chap. 5:7), we have seen thrones around the throne of God (chap. 4:4) and those occupying them who afterwards sing the song of redemption, and are therefore redeemed men (5:9). Is there not here implied plainly a reign which, as it begins before the millennial reign, will not be limited by it?

As to the Lord Jesus, "all authority " is already His "in heaven and on earth " (Matt. 28:18), and yet He has not taken His throne as Son of Man. He is on the Father’s throne, which is not divided nor circumscribed by that "Kingdom of His dear Son," into which already He has "translated" us (Col. 1:13). Thus we cannot limit Christ’s reign by the Kingdom of the Son of Man. And when He shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, "that God may be all in all," will that "Kingdom of the Father" more exclude His sovereignty? If all authority be His now, has it shut out the Father? Will the Kingdom of the Father any more shut out the Son?

If we need a more direct answer to such a question, we shall find it in what is said of the heavenly city, that " the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it." It is but one throne:two there could not be; and it is characterized in this way, as the " throne of God and of the Lamb." That which speaks of the lowest depths of humiliation gone into is joined with the incommunicable Name of glory:it is added to that to which no addition would seem possible. God accepts this addition; yet not as if it were the acceptance of anything extraneous to Himself:nay, in it He is become manifest in a glory before which the hosts of heaven prostrate themselves in adoring wonder. In the Lamb God has found the expression of Himself He has been ever seeking,-the means of pouring out unhindered the fulness which shall make His creatures full:and thus from the throne of God and of the Lamb issues the stream of the water of life.
That it is the "throne of God" declares at once that here we have before us what is eternal:not dispensational, not temporary. "That God may be all in all," the Lamb has brought Him down to the lower parts of the earth, and taken humanity up to the height of heaven. The Lamb is henceforth the "Lamp " of divine light; as "the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple " of the city, the unveiled Presence in which worship shall be alike free and necessary. The mystery of the Person of Christ is the assurance that in no way whatever can God and the Lamb be separated ever.

But what an overwhelming thought it is, humanity united thus to Godhead, the Crucified upon the throne of God? And we, whom He has taken up from the depths in which He found us, to declare in us the fulness of divine self-sacrificing love,-we are following on to see Him where He is, with eyes at last able to behold His glory; changed ourselves into His likeness! (Concluded.) F. W. G.

The clear and soul-stirring blast of Gideon’s trumpet had drawn around him a very large and imposing company; but this company had to be tested. It is one thing to be moved by the zeal and energy of some earnest servant of Christ, and it is quite another thing to possess those moral qualities which alone can fit a man to be an earnest servant himself. There is a vast difference between following in the wake of some devoted man of God, and walking with God ourselves – being propped up and led on by the faith and energy of another, and leaning upon God in the power of individual faith for ourselves.

This is a serious consideration for all of us. There is always great danger of our being mere imitators of other people’s faith; of copying their example without their spiritual power; of adopting their peculiar line of things without their personal communion. All this must be carefully guarded against. We specially warn the young Christian reader against it. Let us be simple, and humble, and real. We may be very small, our sphere narrow, our path very retired; but it does not matter, provided we are precisely what grace has produced and occupying the sphere in which our blessed Master has set us, and treading the path which He has opened before us. It is by no means absolutely necessary that we should be great, or prominent, or showy, or noisy in the world; but it is absolutely necessary that we should be real and humble, obedient and dependent. Thus our God can use us, without fear of our vaunting ourselves; and then, too, we are safe, peaceful, and happy. There is nothing more delightful to the true Christian, the genuine servant of Christ, than to find himself in that quiet, humble, shady path where self is lost sight of, and the precious light of God’s countenance enjoyed-where the thoughts of men are of small account, and the sweet approval of Christ is everything to the soul.

Flesh cannot be trusted. It will turn the very service of Christ into an occasion of self-exaltation. It will use the very name of Him who made Himself nothing in order to make itself something. It will build up its own reputation by seeming to further the cause of Him who made Himself of none. Such is flesh! Such are we in ourselves! Silly, self-exalting creatures, ever ready to vaunt ourselves, while professing to be nothing in ourselves, and to deserve nothing but the flames of an everlasting hell.

Need we marvel at the testing and proving of Gideon’s companions? All must be tested and proved. The service of Christ is a very solemn and a very holy thing; and all who take part therein must be self-judged, self-distrusting, and self-emptied; and not only so, but they must lean, with unshaken confidence, upon the living God. These are the grand qualities that go to make up the character of the true servant of Christ, and they are strikingly illustrated on the page of inspiration which now lies open before us.

Let us proceed with the narrative.

" The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands … therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand" (Judg. 7:2,3).
Here the first grand test is applied to Gideon’s host – a test designed to bring out the measure of the heart’s simple confidence in Jehovah. A coward heart will not do for the day of battle; a doubting spirit will not stand in conflict. The same principle is set forth in Deuteronomy 20:8:"And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and faint-hearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren’s heart faint as well as his heart."

Faint-heartedness is terribly contagious. It spreads rapidly. It withers the arm that should bear the shield, and paralyzes the hand that should wield the sword. The only cure for this malady is simple confidence in God, a firm grasp of His faithfulness, a child-like trust in His word, true personal acquaintance with Himself. We must know God for ourselves, in such a way that His word is everything to us, and that we can walk alone with Him, and stand alone with Him in the darkest hour.

Reader, is it thus with thee? Hast thou this blessed confidence in God-this solid hold of His word? Hast thou, deep down in thy heart, such an experimental knowledge of God and His Christ as shall, sustain thee even though thou hadst not the support or sympathy of another believer under the sun? Art thou prepared to walk alone in the world?

These are weighty questions, and we feel the need of pressing them upon the Church of God at the present moment. There is a wide diffusion of the precious truth of God, and numbers are getting hold of it. Like the blast of Gideon’s trumpet, so the clear testimony which has widely gone forth of late years has attracted many; and while we quite feel that there is real ground for thankfulness in this, we also feel that there is ground for very serious reflection indeed. Truth is a most precious thing, if it be truthfully found and truthfully held:but let us remember that in exact proportion to the preciousness of the truth of God so is the moral danger of trafficking therein without a self-judged heart and an exercised conscience. What we really need is faith-unfeigned, earnest, simple faith, which connects the soul, in living power, with God, and enables us to overcome all the difficulties and discouragements of the way. Of this faith there can be no imitation. We must either possess it in reality or not at all. A sham faith will speedily come to the ground. The man who attempts to walk by faith, if he have it not, must speedily totter and fall. We cannot face the hosts of Midian unless we have full confidence in the living God. " Whosoever is fearful and afraid, ‘let him return." Thus it must ever be. None can go to battle save those who are braced up by a faith that grasps the unseen realities of eternity, and endures as seeing Him who is invisible. May this faith be ours, in larger measure, beloved reader.

It is full of instruction for the heart to notice the effect of the first test upon the host of Gideon. It thinned his ranks amazingly. "There returned of the people twenty and two thousand, and there remained ten thousand." This was a serious reduction. But it is far better to have ten thousand that can trust God than ten thousand times ten thousand who cannot. Of what use are numbers, if they be not energized by a living faith? None whatever. It is comparatively easy to flock around a standard raised by a vigorous hand; but it is a totally different thing to stand, in personal energy, in the actual battle. Nought but genuine faith can do this; and hence when the searching question is put, "Who can trust God?" the showy ranks of profession are speedily thinned.

But there was yet another test for Gideon’s companions. "And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there:and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. So he brought down the people unto the water:and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men:but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand:and let all the other people go every man unto his place " (7:4-7).

Here then we have another great moral quality which must characterize those who will act for God and His people, in an evil day. They must not only have confidence in God, but they must also be prepared to surrender self. This is a universal law in the service of Christ. If we want to swim in God’s current, we must sink self; and we can only sink self in proportion as we trust Christ. It is not, need we say, a question of salvation; it is a question of service. It is not a question of being a child of God, but of being a proper servant of Christ. The thirty-one thousand seven hundred that were dismissed from Gideon’s army, were just as much Israelites as the three hundred that remained; but they were not fitted for the moment of conflict; they were not the right men for the crisis. And why? Was it that they were not circumcised? Nay. What then? They could not trust God and surrender self. They were full of fear when they ought to have been full of faith. They made refreshment and comfort their object instead of conflict.

Here, reader, lay the true secret of their moral unfit-ness. God cannot trust those who do not trust Him and sink self. This is pre-eminently solemn and practical. We live in a day of easy profession and self-indulgence. Knowledge can, now-a-days, be picked up at very small cost. Scraps of truth can be gathered, second hand, in all directions. Truth which cost some of God’s dear servants years of deep soul-ploughing and heart-searching exercise, is now in free circulation and can be intellectually seized and flippantly professed, by many who know not what soul-ploughing or heart-exercise means.

But let us never forget – yea, let us constantly remember – that the life of faith is a reality; service is a reality; testimony for Christ, a reality. And further let us bear in mind that if we want to stand for Christ in an evil day – if we would be men for the crisis, genuine servants, true witnesses – then verily we must learn the true meaning of those two qualities, namely, confidence in God, and self-surrender.

There is something peculiarly striking in the fact that out of the many thousands of Israel, in the days of Gideon, there were only three hundred men who were really fit for conflict with the Midianites; only this small band fit for the occasion. This truly is a suggestive and admonitory fact. There were hundreds of thousands of true Israelites-truly circumcised sons of Abraham-members of the congregation of the Lord, who were by no means up to the mark, when it was a question of war to the knife with Midian-a question of genuine confidence in God and self-surrender. We are safe in saying that the men who were morally fitted for the grand crisis in the day of battle were not one in a thousand. How solemn! Not one in a thousand who could trust God and deny self.

Christian reader, is not this something worthy of deep and serious thought? Does it not, very naturally, suggest the inquiry as to whether it is otherwise at this moment? Is it not painfully evident that we live in a day in the which little is known of the blessed secret of confidence in God, and still less of the exercise of self-surrender? In point of fact, these things can never be rightly separated. If we attempt to divorce self-surrender from confidence in God, it will land us in the deep and dark delusions of monasticism, asceticism, or ritualism. It will issue in nature trying to subdue nature. This, we need hardly say, is the direct opposite of Christianity. This latter starts with the glorious fact that the old self has been condemned and set aside by the cross of Christ, and therefore it can be practically surrendered, every day, by the power of the Holy Ghost. This is the meaning of those fine words in Colossians 3:, " Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." He does not say, "Ye ought to be dead." No; but "ye are dead." What then? " Mortify your members which are on the earth." So also in the profound and precious teaching in Romans 6:, " How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized unto Jesus Christ were baptized unto His death?" What then? " Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Here then lies the secret of all true self-surrender. If this be not understood and practically entered into, it will simply be self in one form trying to subdue self in an other. This is a fatal delusion. It is a snare of the devil into which earnest souls are in imminent danger of falling, who sigh after holiness of life, but do not know the power of accomplished redemption, and the indwelling of the Holy Ghost-are not built upon the solid foundation of Christianity.

We specially warn the reader against this insidious error. It distinctly savors of monasticism or asceticism. It clothes itself in the garb of pietism and sanctimoniousness, and is peculiarly attractive to a certain class of ardent spirits who long for victory over the lusts, passions, and tendencies of nature; but, not knowing how to attain it, are turning their back upon Christ and His cross, and betaking themselves to the resources of a spurious religion.

It is against this most mischievous and delusive system that the apostle warns us, in Colossians 2:,"Let no man," he says, "beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding the head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances "-such as,." touch not; taste not; handle not; which all are to perish with the using -after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a show of wisdom’ in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh" (Colossians 2:18-23).

We deem it needful to say thus much lest any of our readers should at all mistake us on the subject of self-surrender. We desire it to be distinctly understood that the only possible ground of self-surrender is the knowledge of accomplished redemption, and our union with Christ through the power of the Holy Ghost. This is the essential basis of all Christian conduct. In short, a known salvation is the basis; the Holy Ghost indwelling, the power; and the word of God, the directory of all true self-surrender.

But what did Gideon and his companions know of these things? Nothing, as Christians now know them. But ‘ they had confidence in God, and further, they did not make their own refreshment or comfort their object, but simply took it up by the way asa means to an end. Herein they teach a fine lesson even to those whose privilege it is to walk in the full light of New Testament Christianity. If they, in the dim twilight in which they lived, could trust God, and surrender self for the moment, even in measure, then what shall we say for ourselves who, with all our light and privileges, are so ready to doubt God and seek our own things?

Is it not painfully evident that, in this our day of light and privilege, there is but little moral preparedness for the path of service and conflict which we are called to tread? Alas! alas! we cannot deny it. There is a deplorable lack of genuine trust in the living God, and of the true spirit of self-surrender. Here, we may rest assured, is the deep secret of the whole matter. God is not practically known and habitually trusted; self is exalted and indulged. Hence our unfitness for the warfare, our failure in the day of battle. It is one thing to be saved, and quite another thing to be a soldier; and we cannot shake off the painful conviction that, in this day of widely extended profession, the proportion of work men and warriors would not be found a whit greater than it was in the days of Gideon and his companions. The fact is, we want men of faith, men whose hearts are fixed and their eyes single; men so absorbed with Christ and His cause that they have no time for aught beside. We greatly fear that, if the double test which was applied to Israel in the days of Gideon, were to be applied now to those who stand on the very highest platform of profession, the practical result would not differ very materially. C. H. M.

3.THE RESURRECTION OF THE SAINTS AND THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

It is evident from what we have been considering that the writers from whom we have been quoting are involved in the same great error. Overlooking the meaning of the time-gap in which we are, and ignoring or belittling the mysteries which give Christianity its distinctive character, we can be said to be in the "last days " of Jewish prophets, and "partakers of the promise given through Abraham to the sons of Israel." There is but one passage that I know which may seem to assert the first, and that is the quotation of Joel by Peter on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:17). But that is quoted to the Jews to whom through Christ’s intercession the mercy of God was yet giving time for repentance (Luke 13:8, 9), so that if even yet they repented nationally, the times of refreshing would come from the presence of the Lord, and He would send Jesus Christ again to them (Acts 3:19-21). This was soon ended by the rejection of the message.

That "in the end of these days " (of the prophets, ‘Heb. 1:2, Gk.) "God hath spoken to us by His Son" says nothing of our place in them, and no more than Heb. 9:26, which asserts what in reality is very different. The sanctuary could not have been opened for us if the ages of probation had not been actually ended for us; nor could the history of Israel have disclosed its types, if for us the "ends of the ages" had not "arrived."

Yet the "end of the age" has in the prophetic sense not yet arrived (Matt. 13:39; 28:20):so that we cannot be in it; and the age to come has still a probationary character for men at large. For us the cross of Christ has already manifested the character both of the flesh and the world, and we need nothing else to manifest it. But how important for us to realize the gap in prophetic time in which we stand.

We are now to go in company with some other writers who have given us their refutation-to themselves such-of the views for which we are contending here. If they come to us in fragmentary, and perhaps disorderly fashion, the responsibility is not our own. It is due very much to the lack of seriousness with which the subject seems to be taken up. As Mr. Cameron affirms, "None of the learned students of prophecy in Germany seem to think the modern vagary of a secret rapture of the Church before the end time is reached is worthy of serious consideration." We can but lament the influence which the attitude of these learned Germans seems to have exerted over others in this matter, even when they can afford some brief moments to it. Their language is too often tinged with a scorn which might be spared without injury to their arguments, and which can only impress favorably those for whom the larger part of the argument is the man who uses it. Their method seems to be to gather up a sheaf of statements in denial of what they are dealing with, point them with scripture references, and launch them at the unwelcome doctrine; leaving the point and propriety of the application often to be determined or taken for granted as suits best the temper of the reader. We shall have occasion to point this out as we proceed; but it certainly makes less easy the examination of arguments which have often to be first discovered, and perhaps unsuccessfully.
A tract is lying before me of twenty-one small pages, fourteen being taken up with an enumeration of the texts which have the words to show what the Scriptures say as to the question, "Can the Parousia (Coming in Person) of the Lord be separated from His Epiphaneia (Shining upon); or from His Apokalupsis (Revelation)?" The writer (Mr. Robert Brown) cautions us at the outset, "that positive and absolute statements of the Divine Word must of necessity be received before, and must therefore override, all inferences from other passages which seem to contradict them; as such inferences are, of course, merely human."

He concludes with some inferences of his own, which are, of course, as open to question as those of any other, and which we shall take up as such, but in the order which may be most convenient for us, and putting along with them the statements of other writers, as far as they may serve to give completeness to the subject before us.

But in the first place the question in the title of his tract is misleading, and as a consequence the classification of some of his texts likewise. For no one, as far as I am aware, would contend that the coming of the Lord could be separated from His manifestation or revelation. What is contended for is that the coming of the Lord into the air, as announced in i Thess. 4:, takes place previous to, and in fact some time previous to, His coming on to the earth with the saints He has gathered to Himself before. Both would be His coming; and therefore the merely quoting texts with the word "coming" in them would settle nothing.

But the passage itself declares that those who sleep in Jesus God will bring with Him; when He appears, therefore, they shall appear with Him. That the Thessalonians needed to know, that the dead had not lost their place with Him in that day. How then would this be accomplished? The dead would first be raised and the living then changed and caught up with them. And so they should be ever with the Lord.

It was in fact a new revelation, and so the apostle announces it as what he said "by the word of the Lord." The twenty-fifth of Matthew had shown that the living saints would go forth and meet Him, but had said nothing about the dead at that time. The apostle adds as to the dead. Dr. West indeed declares with his usual strong assertion, that "the word of the Lord" here is nothing but the Lord’s "Olivet discourse" (Matt. 24:; 25:). "It corrected the Thessalonian error as to the ‘any-moment view.’ Paul appeals to it to decide the question. He calls it the ‘word of the Lord.’ He had it on his table when he wrote both letters to the Thessalonians (!) He uses its very language. The seventieth week covers his own words in 2 Thess. 2:i-8."* *Daniel’s Great Prophecy, p. 130.* But that settles nothing as to what is here. Where is the declaration in the Lord’s prophecy as to the resurrection of the sleeping saints? One can only suppose that the gathering together of the elect from the four winds is taken to mean this; but the proof of it must be found, if found at all, elsewhere.
Moreover the apostle does not speak as if he were citing. In i Cor. 7:10, where he does cite, he says, "not I speak, but the Lord." Here it is the phrase used for a special revelation (See i Kings 13:2, 32; 2 Chron. 30:12; LXX.):"I say to you," but "by the word" or "a word of the Lord," (for there is no article,)-that is, by a revelation.

Our assurance of this will be still more confirmed if we consider that Paul it is to whom especially belongs the revelation of the "mysteries" (Eph. 3:3-9), among which is that of the Church as the body and bride of Christ (Eph. 5:32). Could there be a thing which required less (as we would suppose) a special revelation to make it known to him, than the institution of the Supper of the Lord? It is narrated by three of the evangelists, and as the common feast of Christians was known to every one; and yet, as showing forth in the participation of it the unity of the Body of Christ (i Cor. 10:17), and thus coming into the special sphere of his commission, it has to be the subject of a special revelation to him (i Cor. 11:23). It is therefore in perfect accordance with this that the taking home of the Bride (Eph. 5:27) should be in like manner the subject of a special communication. Thus everything unites to refute Dr. West’s assertion.

He has more, however, upon the subject of the resurrection of the saints which we must look at as nearly concerning us here. "Its time-point," he says, "is given with the utmost precision in the Scriptures. It is the time-point of the Second Advent for the salvation of the righteous and the destruction of the wicked, even as at the one time-point Noah and his family entered the ark, and the ungodly perished in the flood; and Israel was redeemed when Egypt was whelmed in the sea; and the Church fled to Pella when Jerusalem was destroyed. It is a time-point for both judgment and salvation. Asaph calls it the "shining of the Lord (Ps. 1. 1-6). Isaiah calls it His ‘appearing’ (66:5) in order to raise the holy dead, deliver Israel, destroy the Antichrist, and bring to victory the Kingdom. Five times in the Old Testament this illustrious Parousia of Christ is described, (1) as the coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven (Dan. 7:13); (2) of the Conqueror from Bozrah descending over Edom (Isa. 63:1-6); (3) of the coming of the Lord to Olivet (Zech. 14:5); (4) and to Zion (Isa. 59:20); and (5) in clouds both for Judgment and Salvation (Ps. 1:1-6; 96:13; 97:2-8; 98:1-9; 110:1-7; 72:2, 4, 9-14, 18, 19; 113:2-17)."* *Daniel’s Great Prophecy, pp. 197, 198.*

That is not the whole, but we pause here for the present. It is a good specimen of the style of argument on the part of one of the liveliest opponents to what he calls the "Any Moment Theory." One naturally supposes that all these references are to establish the time-point of the resurrection of the saints. That is what he is speaking of; but by a turn which, if we are not to call "dexterous," we must ascribe to his perplexingly involved style, a number of texts which merely speak of judgment and salvation at the appearing of Christ, come to look as if they were proof-texts of what he is seeking to establish;-even the Church’s flight to Pella when Jerusalem was destroyed! Let us examine, however, as far as necessary, what he has set before us.

And first as to Noah and the flood, we may frankly admit the application to the coming of the Lord which He Himself makes (Matt. 24:37-41). "The one shall be taken and the other left." But we must handle such things more carefully than Dr. West:"taken" how and for what? Those whom resurrection takes out from among the dead are saints and taken for glory. At the rapture of the living saints, it is the same. In Noah’s time, " the flood came and took them all away;" those taken are the judged and not the saved.

When the Son of man comes in the clouds of heaven, there will be a real correspondence with this. When the purification of the earth is in question, as it will be then, "the Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His Kingdom all things that offend." But that is neither dead nor living saints. The application here, therefore, fails entirely.

But Dr. West has forgotten Enoch; though, as a living saint removed to heaven before the judgment of the earth, he occupies a sufficiently striking position to attract attention. One who actually prophesied, Jude tells us, of the coming of the Lord, and seems to fill the gap that would otherwise be left in what is really a very striking picture of the times that are at hand. But the application fails Dr. West. If Enoch had been taken away at the time when those shut up in the ark were nearing deliverance, how readily would he have seen and seized so fair an argument.

But Israel was redeemed when Egypt was whelmed in the sea! True; but I see nothing that points in that either to the Coming, the Resurrection, or the Rapture:everything seems to be lacking here that would give even the semblance of proof of what it is cited for. That Israel will be actually delivered from her enemies again when the Lord appears is true, and her former history may typify her latter:but that shows nothing as to the Church or the risen saints.

As to the Church’s flight to Pella, we need not waste time in imagining arguments from it, for those who have not ventured upon the task of pointing them out to us.

And what does God shining forth out of Zion (Ps. 1.) prove as to the time-point of the resurrection of the saints? Is it possible that ver. 5 can be the proof? It is clearly Israel that is gathered, for the psalmist says so; and nothing about resurrection at all.

In Isa. 66:5, the Lord appears to deliver Israel; but there is not even a hint of resurrection or rapture in it. In Dan. 7:, the "saints of the high places," as "saints of the Most High "should rather be, if applied to heavenly saints, as I shall not at all deny when judgment is said to be given to them (vers. 18, 22), infers, of course, that they must be risen to reign as such. But nothing is said as to the time of their resurrection further than this. In Isa. 63:, there is nothing at all of resurrection or of rapture. In Zech. 11:5, as Dr. West would even himself contend, the "saints," or "holy ones" coming with the Lord are probably only the angels, and thus every trace of resurrection or rapture is removed; and there is none in any of the texts that follow.

There is perhaps no need of question that upon none of these texts cited would Dr. West ground a very serious argument for the precision with which the time of the resurrection is fixed in the Old Testament. His real texts have been given before, and we must now go back to see what they have to say as to the matter in hand. He says:-
"Decisive and clear are the words of the angel, ‘At that time,’ when Israel is delivered,-‘many shall awake (literally, be separated) out from among the sleepers in the earth-dust; these (who awake at that time) shall be unto everlasting life, but those (who do not awake at that time) shall be unto shame and everlasting contempt’ (Dan. 12:2). … It is the resurrection of the holy, and of Israel’s holy dead that here is predicted, as in Isa. 26:19, and the non-resurrection of the wicked ‘at that time (Is. 26:14)."

The translation here given of Daniel is an old Jewish one, not by any means commonly accepted, and yet certainly possible. The application to literal resurrection is in both cases questioned by many, though in Daniel less than in Isaiah; but it would be an unnecessary labor for our present purpose to examine this. The connection in Isa. 26:(which is not history nor historical prophecy, but a song to be sung at a future day,) is not of a nature to give any but the most general idea of the time of the resurrection, and certainly not of the relation of this to the "time of Jacob’s trouble." In Daniel, at first sight, it seems otherwise, and that, if it be a literal resurrection that is here, this must be after the tribulation. Yet Auberlen remarks as to this:"To show the causal connection between the behavior of the individuals during the time of probation and their eternal state-this is the sole purpose for which the resurrection is introduced; as to the chronological relation between the time of distress and the resurrection, not the slightest intimation is given. It is worthy of remark in relation to this point, that the phrase ‘at that time,’ occurs twice in 12:i, while no time is fixed in verses 2 and 3."* *Daniel and the Revelation:translated by A Saphir, p. 174.* This, of itself, seems a sufficient answer; but we shall see, as we go on that we might admit all that is claimed with regard to the order of time without in the least involving what Dr. West supposes.

But let us go on to the New Testament:as to this the same writer says:-

"Ten times this time-point is fixed at the close of the Great Tribulation, and is described (1) as the Lord’s coming with His saints, the Holy Angels, for His saints, the holy living and the holy dead – a ‘ gathering of His elect’ universally, involving first of all, the resurrection of the holy who sleep in the dust of the earth, then the rapture of these and the holy living ones, and their meeting of the Lord in the air (Matt. 24:29-31, 40, 41; 25:i); these scenes followed by the deliverance of converted Israel, – ‘these My brethren,’ (Matt. 25:40); the judgment of the nations (31-46), and the welcome to the Kingdom; (2) as a time-point for "our gathering together at Christ’ (2 Thess. 2:i), ‘in the air’ (i Thess. 4:17); (3) as the thief-time (Matt. 24:43); (4) as the coming to judge the World Power (Rev. 6:12-17); (5) as His coming under the seventh Trumpet, to vindicate the holy dead by their resurrection (Rev. 11:15-18); (6) as His coming to reap the holy living (Rev. 14:14-16); (7) and at the thief-time (Rev. 16:15); (8) and after the sixth vial (Rev. 16:12); (g)and to destroy Babylon (Rev. 16:19); (10) and the Antichrist (Rev. 19:11-21; (11) and to enthrone and reward His saints (Rev. 20:1-6) …. From Moses to Malachi, and from Matthew to the Apocalypse by John, the resurrection of the sleeping saints is placed at no other epoch than at the close of the ‘ Tribulation Great,’ and of the ‘ Warfare Great.’ "

Again we have a number of passages grouped together, with merely a few words of application to mark his point; otherwise supposed to speak plainly for the view for which he contends:for he uses no argument, takes no pains to remove misconceptions, or meet objections; those who examine them must do the whole work both for him and for themselves. We shall attempt it nevertheless, with the more courage, that it is, at least, an enumeration of all the points that he can make, with great apparent precision. Let us attempt the examination.

(1) The first passages are evidently interpreted for us, and the interpretation becomes part of the proof. The "gathering of His Elect "is made to involve the resurrection of the dead and the rapture of the living. Yet we may question whether it does either, or rather applies to the gathering of the elect nation, Israel, from their long dispersion. In all the first part of the Lord’s prophecy here to 24:42, Israel is manifestly in the foreground, as all other details show:in the very next verse to the one in question, the parable of the fig-tree for instance. As for the "deliverance of converted Israel" following these scenes, he can only appeal, to the words, " these My brethren," which certainly does not show where the deliverance comes in. There need not be the slightest question that the appearing of the Lord itself marks the deliverance of the Jews at Jerusalem (as Zech. 14:3-5); which makes. it natural to speak of the gathering of those scattered afar off. The place of Christians with reference to the coming is shown in the parables (comp. Matt. 13:34, 35); but if the appeal to 25:i is meant to make the " then " with which it commences prove that the rapture of the saints takes place at the time of the appearing, it will not bear the weight of such an argument. The parables are connected by their ends and not by their beginnings. For after this first going forth of the virgins, there is the tarrying of the Bridegroom, the falling asleep, the midnight cry, the rousing and going forth again,-all following the "then." Will it be contended that this all takes place at the time of the appearing, instead of giving us a history of centuries? Let Dr. West defend this, if he can. But indeed he has merely indicated a text and left it. The rest here is not in dispute.

(2) The next two references, from the two epistles to the Thessalonians, need nothing to be said, as we have no controversy with the Scriptures, and the argument is not produced. The first epistle we have looked at already.

(3) The third head takes us back to Matt. 24:43, and has nothing to do with either the resurrection or the rapture.

(4) The fourth brings us to Revelation; passing over the. decisive passages in the third, four and fifth chapters, as if they had no existence, and bringing us to the " Coming to judge the World-power " (chap. 6:12-17), to a passage which does not speak of it, but of the alarm in men’s minds as thinking of the Lamb’s day of wrath as having come.

(5) The fifth again gives us Dr. West’s interpretation "to vindicate the holy dead by the resurrection." The last words are his own, and a comparison with chap. 6:10 may well raise question of them. Yet did this refer in fact to the resurrection of the martyrs (chap. 20:4), there would not be the least perplexity growing out of this.

(6) As to chap. 14:14-16 again, it is the interpretation that is taken for the proof, as so often. There are harvests of various character and various times; and there is nothing to show that this is in the tare-field of Christendom. We shall have to look at the parable another time.

(7) The coming as a thief is to the world (i Thess. 5:2-4), and has in it no hint of the resurrection or the rapture; and (8) the eighth head is as little to the purpose here. Similarly the 9th and the 10th.

(11) One text only remains, and we shall consider it with Mr. Brown, Dr. West giving us no matter of contention really as to it. Our account with him is closed; although there may be something to add a little later:but as things stand we may certainly say that the strength of his argument is in no wise proportionate to the vigor of his language or the number of his texts.

Mr. Brown also contends that his texts prove that the saints are not to be raised before the great tribulation:-

"For they show that the saints are to be raised at Christ’s Parousia; and that this Parousia will not take place until Antichrist has come to the end of his career; for they tell us that he is to be destroyed ‘with the Epiphaneia’ of this ‘Parousia’ (2 Thess. 2:8), and that the saints only then ‘rest,’ when Christ Himself is thus revealed, 1:e. at His Apokalupsis (2 Thess. 1:7); when only they assume His likeness and are manifested with Him in glory (Col. 3:4; i John 3:1-3; i Thess. 4:17)."

We have the same peculiar manner of reference to texts that are not examined, as we have had before, the same putting in of words which are not in the texts, the same avoidance of opposing arguments and objections. One would think that our brethren had made a point of not reading the writings of those they are replying to. Think of people having need to refer us i Thess. 4:, which we have been constantly quoting in behalf of the views in question, to show us that the saints are to be raised at Christ’s Parousia! and then our needing to be shown that the manifestation of this Parousia destroys the wicked one. Why, we have been saying so all along; though perhaps without using the Greek word. What Mr. Brown needed to show us is that it is at the manifestation of the Parousia that the saints are raised.

Then he says that they "only then" rest when Christ is revealed; but it is Mr Brown who has put in the "only." The apostle tells the Thessalonians that they will have rest recompensed to them when their persecutors are troubled, putting these things together for the sake of the contrast; and it will be just as true when the Lord Jesus being revealed brings out the contrast, though the entrance into rest might be some time before. The next chapter shows that they were in danger of being led into the belief that their sufferings were a proof that the day of the Lord had come. Why, says the apostle, in the day of the Lord the opposite will be true:your enemies will be suffering, and you will be at rest.

But, says Mr. Brown, "only " at Christ’s revelation will they assume His likeness and be manifested with Him in glory! The passage in the first epistle of John does not say when we shall assume His likeness, but that when He appears we shall be in it:for to "see Him as He is" necessitates that. There is again no "only," which is a misleading addition to the text. The resurrection chapter (i Cor. 15:) shows that the dead in Christ are "raised in glory," and i Thess. 4:that the meeting with the Lord is "in the air." When we see Him, then, we shall be already in His likeness, and when He is manifested, we shall be manifested with Him. How can the last be made to eke out the proof that we must wait for that manifestation to be changed into His likeness?

"Moreover," continues Mr. Brown, "it is expressly stated elsewhere (Matt. 24:29-31) that the Parousia is not to take place till after, although it be ‘immediately after,’ that’ tribulation,’ while it is likewise stated that the martyrs under Antichrist (1:e. in the great tribulation) are to be partakers of the ‘first resurrection’ (Rev. 7:13-17; 20:4-6); and that this resurrection is to take place at Christ’s Parousia (i Cor. 15:23)! Now, as there are only two resurrections, (i Cor. 15:23, 24; John 5:25, 29; Acts 24:15; Rev. 20:4, 5), it is manifest that the saints are not to be raised before the ‘great tribulation"-a truth which is further confirmed by Dan. 7:21, 22, 25, which tell us that Antichrist made war with the saints and prevailed against them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the Kingdom."

We have looked at Matt. 24:sufficiently already, and have seen the mistake committed in supposing that the mere occurrence of the word "Parousia" proves anything in the matter. The question as to the martyrs in the tribulation having part in the first resurrection is one of more concern, and the consideration of it may give additional help as to some points which have been already before us.

In the revival of pre-millennial doctrine from its long slumber of centuries, the vision of the first resurrection given to John caused it to be thought that the saints that were to reign with Christ a thousand years were only the martyrs. It was not perceived, as it naturally had not been by the advocates of a "spiritual" resurrection, their predecessors, that there were here, in fact, two companies:first, thrones, upon which persons were sitting, to whom judgment was given; and then a company of martyrs, who alone were seen actually rising from the dead and joining the number of those already reigning.

Moreover these of the second company were not and could not be, all the martyrs that ever were, but specifically those that were slain for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God, and such as had not worshiped the beast, nor his image, and had not received his mark upon their foreheads nor on their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. The context shows, moreover, that, since all together make up the first resurrection, all the dead saints that ever were beside must be included in the first company of those already reigning when this company of martyrs are added to them.

Why, then, this strange division, as it might seem, between these two companies? There can be but one answer:it is a chronological division. These martyrs are people who died after the others (the great mass of saints) had been raised or changed and taken to heaven; and must have lived in a brief time at the end only, else no reason could be given for such a company being all martyrs, or at least, to speak within bounds, characteristically composed of them.

But this is again a very striking argument for the view for which I am contending:-the resurrection and rapture of the mass of dead and living saints having taking place before, yet not long before, the time contemplated in the vision. It confirms the truth of their being already in heaven in the fourth and fifth chapters, and agrees with what we find of the Gentile multitude of the seventh, that they had all come out of "the great tribulation." Thus the vision of the first resurrection in the twentieth chapter, instead of being against the view he is controverting, is in fact a remarkable witness for it. It shows the second company to have come into the first resurrection in an exceptional manner, and accounts for the strong way in which it is announced that all together these are the saints of the first resurrection. God’s grace has overruled man’s sin and violence to bring into it those who might naturally seem shut out.

The argument about two resurrections only, therefore, which Mr. Brown is not alone in advancing, fails entirely here. It is the very passage from which alone he really gets it, which itself makes and accounts for the exception as to it:it still remaining true that in character there are but two resurrections, the resurrection of life, and the resurrection of judgment, as in John 5:

Taking this now with us back to Dan. 12:2, let us notice how the addition to the first resurrection of this supplementary company (largely Jews also, as they necessarily would be) would set aside the difficulty that is made by Dr. West as to the first resurrection coming after the tribulation. It would even help to account for the terms used which express a partial rather than a complete number:"many," but still only a fragment of a larger number.

As for Dan. 7:21, 22 being in opposition to the view we are contending for, as Mr. Brown supposes, it is merely what all prophecy shows, that Israel’s distress goes on until the Lord’s coining ends it. F. W. G.

(To be continued.)

(Concluded from page 134.)

Paul ends the presentation of the glad tidings in the eighth chapter of Romans, and then goes on to other themes.

In the eleventh chapter he says, "Blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in " (ver. 25). This will close this Christian dispensation when the dead saints shall be "raised, and the living ones changed in a moment, and all together caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall be ever with the Lord" (i Thess. 4:12). It is then that "the saints are clothed upon with their house (new bodies) which are from heaven " (2 Cor. 5:2). " For (or because) our citizenship is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His body of glory, according to the working whereby He is able to subdue all things to Himself " (Phil. 3:20). After this we are taught by Paul that Israel shall be taken up again, as God’s earthly people, and the kingdom of Israel be restored, with David’s Son, the Lord Jesus, as King, who will (as David in his day) subdue all the earth to His sway, until "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father" (Isa. 45:23, and Phil. 2:10,11). This is the work of the blessed Lord Jesus when He comes again to earth, though the world’s church, in its own darkness, pride, and self-sufficiency, has usurped it, and is now striving in vain to accomplish it!

Paul concludes this epistle of the gospel to the Gentiles in these words:"Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets (new dispensation prophets) according to the commandment of the Eternal God, made known for the obedience of faith" (chap. 16:25, 26). Again, "We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery" (i Cor. 2:7).

We come now to the next epistle of Paul (as our version is arranged) which is specially addressed to the Church, and contains special instructions for God’s order in the Church on earth. Please keep this in mind, as it is important for a proper understanding of Church truth. All these epistles are to the saints and for their teaching and edification in the Church of God, ‘’ which is the pillar and ground of the truth"-or should be. They are not written for outsiders at all, and cannot be apprehended or understood but by the Spirit of God, whom only the saints have. He dwells in the saints, and is their great Leader and Teacher-by the word of God-if they only have the faith for Him. Here in the beginning, after forbidding any division among them- which command alone should extinguish all sects- he says, "We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery"- and much more:turn to your Bibles and read it (chap. 2:7).

In the eleventh chapter we have some things for which he praises the Corinthian Church, and others in which he does not praise, but condemns; and one of these is the disorderly manner in which they observe the Lord’s supper. First, he tells them there are divisions (sects) among them, and that it is impossible to eat the Lord’s supper aright in divisions, because it is in itself a symbol of the unity of the Church, all one in Christ Jesus. "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion (all of one mind with God) of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? for we being many are one loaf, one body, for we are all partakers of that one loaf" (i Cor. 10:16, 17). It is therefore impossible to partake aright of the Lord’s supper in sectarianism, because it is in itself a type, or figure, of the one Body, the oneness of the body of Christ. "Is Christ divided? " (i Cor. 1:13.)

In the twelfth chapter we have a full description of the Church, the one body-of which all believers are members:"for by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body;" and thus by the Spirit of our God are we all united together into the one body, and by the same eternal bond to our Head who is in heaven. Therefore as all the members of our bodies are completely subject to the head, so also should we all be subject to Christ- in all things. His will for us and about us is fully made known to us in His word, which we have in our hands, and we all have "an unction from the Holy One," to enable us to understand and obey it. Our responsibility is to do this.

In the thirteenth chapter we have set forth the love which characterizes the Church. The word rendered "charity" in our version is better translated "love." In the fourteenth chapter God even gives us the order of worship in the Church. There is no clerisy in it. Clerisy is of man, not of God, and has no place in God’s order for worship. Clerisy is believed by many to be the " Nicolaitanism" of Revelation 2:All worship, and all order in the Church, is of God by the Spirit, gathered by Him unto the name of the Lord Jesus, to remember Him in His death, and with Him in the midst (Matt. 18:20). He rules and reigns in His assembly, and all said or done is to be in subjection and obedience to Him. He is the Head, and we the members of His body, subject to the Head:for no man can call Jesus Lord, but by the Holy Ghost (chap. 12:3). Here all things are of God, according to the order set forth in this fourteenth chapter. If one reads or expounds the Word, gives thanks, breaks the bread, sings praise, or exhorts the saints, it is to be by the Spirit and according to God.

The epistles to the Corinthians and also that to the Galatians, as well as all of Paul’s earlier letters, are addressed to the Church; but later, in Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, he addresses himself not to the Church, which is significant, but "to the saints and faithful brethren" as individuals:as though the churches had already begun to lose their first love, as is charged against the church at Ephesus in Rev. 2:

In these epistles is set forth the highest grade of Christian truth contained in the whole Bible. In Ephesians we have the highest blessings and privileges of the Church set forth. There is no justification in it, but the saints "blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ." "Herein is made known unto us the mystery of His will"-"the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, (the saints) according to the working of His mighty power, (resurrection power) which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenlies, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:and hath put all under His feet, and gave Him to be Head over all to the Church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all" (Eph. 1:18 to end of chapter).

"We (the saints of which the Church of God is composed) are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus (new creation) unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them " (chap. 2:10).

In the third chapter we have Paul’s gospel specially set forth. It is a new dispensation, God’s new order for the Church in the world, and is revealed to him out of heaven.

It is "the mystery, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men" (vers. 3-5). It was given to him, he tells us, "to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, to the intent that now (never before) unto the principalities and powers in the heavenlies might be known, by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord" (vers. 8-11). There is much more of it in the chapter, which concludes with that wonderful prayer that the saints may be able, by the power of God, the Spirit, to comprehend the breadth and length and depth and height of all this; "and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, (out of which all this blessing comes) that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God’"

In the fifth chapter, we have the relationship of Christ to His Church set forth under the figure of husband and wife. As the wife is-or should be-subject to her husband in all things, so is the Church to Christ. "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself; for no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church:for we are members of His body. . . . This is a great mystery:but I speak concerning Christ and the Church."

What a marvelous intimacy exists between Christ and His Church! It is God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, united into one body by the Spirit, blest with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, united to Christ the Head in heaven by the Spirit, dead to this world and risen with Christ, as we get in Colossians; and now awaiting His return, thus to get our new bodies of glory, and go to be forever with Him in the Father’s house above!

This is the mystery which had heretofore been hid in God, but is now revealed unto us by the Lord Jesus from heaven, through His chosen messenger, Paul. It is to him, "My Gospel," "The mystery of the Gospel," God’s new order of things for His saints in this dispensation of grace.

In Colossians we have from Paul again, "I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to complete (pleroo) the word of God; the mystery which hath been hid from ages and generations, but now is made manifest to His saints." This mystery is revealed through Paul, and not through Peter, James, John or any of the other apostles. He was chosen to complete the word of God to man. It was incomplete until "the mystery of the Church" was revealed.

In the second chapter, we are told that "we are complete in Him," in Christ; "in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" and "in Him "- all is in Him-"ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ" (chap. 2:ii). It is not "the sins of the flesh," as in the common translation, but the body of the flesh itself, the Adam nature set aside in the cross of Christ. The old man has been set aside forever as being unfit for God and incapable of being made fit; therefore he had to be cut off, and was cut off in the cross. This is why the Lord Jesus had to die. He died for us, was cut. off as a substitute for us, and we in Him. Believers accept this truth, by faith take their place with Him in death, the outside place, come to the end of themselves before Him, "reckon themselves dead indeed unto sin," and are made alive by the power of God in new creation. It is the miracle of the new birth, and when so born we are entitled to all the privileges and blessings won for and freely given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. It is, "as is your faith, so be it unto you." The table is spread, the good things are all provided, come in and take all that you will have! We are "blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus"; but " in Christ" is out of Adam, to faith. This is resurrection life. It is "risen with Christ" and so beyond the cross, beyond death. It is life, new life, eternal life! It is God’s new creation in Christ Jesus. It is, to faith, out of Adam, and "in Christ"; out of the world, and in the heavenlies!

" If then ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above; not on things on the earth, for ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory" (Col. 3:1-4).

We shall appear with Him when He comes to judge the earth, because the saints will have previously been caught up to meet the Lord in the air, as set forth in i Thess. 4:The appearing is set forth symbolically in the nineteenth of Revelation, when "the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."

All this, and much more, is the portion of the Church. The way into it is through death and resurrection. Death with Him and resurrection "in Him." It is all of God, by Jesus Christ; real now to faith, and realized in all its fulness when "He that shall come will come and will not tarry."

This is the Church according to God’s mind, as set forth in the Word; and which man in the unbelief of human wisdom has entirely missed; just as Israel missed the knowledge of their own Messiah. It is man’s failure under this dispensation of grace as it was man’s failure under the past dispensation of law.

The World’s Church Judged.

In the book of Revelation we have set forth the Lord in judgment subduing the earth; and first we see the world’s church judged in chapters two and three. The Lord Himself in person, as Judge, is set before us in the first chapter, judging the Church; and in the two next chapters the whole history of the Church in the world is symbolically described from the beginning. It is a sad picture of declensions through the whole of its seven stages, from loss of "first love" in Ephesus, to the pride, boasting and complete ruin of Laodicea,-spewed out of His mouth. Out of it all, only a little remnant that "have kept His word and not denied His name" remains! This remnant is the little church of Philadelphia-"brotherly love."

Out of this scene of judgment the saints are all caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and the whole scene changes to a heavenly one in the fourth chapter. Here is seen the Church in heaven, under the symbol of "the four and twenty elders." Now "the days of vengeance of our God " (Isa. 61:3) are fully come, and the judgments of God are visited upon the earth from heaven, until the nineteenth chapter, in which the Lord with His saints descends to earth and rules and reigns over it in millennial glory.

In all this judgment of the Church, as set forth in the second and third chapters, we have at every step downwards the word of God sounding in our ears, "He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches." The appeal, it will be seen, is to the individuals in the churches. " He that hath an ear let him hear," etc. The world church will never be reclaimed and brought up to the unity and fellowship of the Church of God revealed to us through Paul; therefore the appeal here is to the individual saints, as to Abram of old, to "leave their country, their kindred, and their father’s house, and go unto a land that I will show thee." It is to come out of the world to Christ; to walk on the water to go unto Him, and this can only be in the faith that God giveth,-to the humble, believing, submissive soul. He is found now in the outside place, the place of rejection, as ever before. "We have an altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle (the worldly sanctuary); for the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high-priest for-sin, are burned without the camp-in the outside place; wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate; let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach, for here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name " (Heb. 13:10-16). J. S. P.

"And upon His head were many crowns." (Rev. 19:12.)

(Continued from page 65.)

CHAPTER XIII. Bridegroom.

It is not of the Bride that we are now desiring to speak, but of the Bridegroom; but the one so implies the other that we are compelled to the course we have been pursuing. The recurrence of the type so frequently in the Old Testament, even from the beginning of the history, is full proof of how dear to Him is the thought of the relationship. Assuredly we shall not give these up from any preconceived idea that they ought not to be there. They are there, and speak so plainly for themselves, pictures though they may be only, that no unprejudiced mind can avoid seeing them.

Take Rebekah:and if Isaac be a type of Christ, and, in the twenty-second of Genesis, received back "in figure" from the dead (Heb. 11:19), how is it that we find next Sarah, the mother (Rom. 9:5) passes away, and then Rebekah takes her place in Sarah’s tent as bride of the risen heir. Of the kindred already, she is called by a special messenger (as the Church by the Holy Spirit) to cross the desert in his company to meet her yet unseen Lord.

Take Asenath; and Joseph too is betrayed by his brethren, brought down to the prison-house and brought up out of it to be the Saviour of Egypt (the world); and then he must have a Gentile bride, while his brethren are strangers to him.

Take Zipporah (the "bird"-the heavenly bride); and again Moses is away from and rejected by his brethren when he finds her by the well-a Gentile too-and marries her.

Are such things, so fit in themselves, so fitting to their place in the history, mere casual happenings, which we may use, if we will, for illustration, but must not seriously press as having any design from God? Surely if design may be recognized anywhere without a label, we may recognize it here.

Now it is not contradictory to all this, and cannot be, to find that Old Testament saints looked for a city which has foundations; or even to believe, as I have long done, that this city and the New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb in Revelation, are the same thing. Once let us realize that the "city," however identified in some sense with its inhabitants, is yet in fact the habitation and not the inhabitants, and the difficulty begins to clear. The Bride-City may contain more than the Bride, as even the writer whose views I am referring to allows. The throne of God and of the Lamb are in it; and the twelfth of Hebrews distinctly shows us "the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem," apart from both "the church of the first-born ones,"and "the spirits of just men made perfect."* * In the tract to which I have been referring the names of the twelve tribes on the gates of the city and those of the twelve apostles on the foundations are taken alike to show the Israelitish character of the city itself, and the "portion " of the twelve as judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28) shows these to be " separated off from the Church," the body of Christ. He even declares that " the Lamb is the special title of the Lord Jesus in relation to Israel, and the elect of Israel"! No wonder that it should be also discovered that "the Gospels are the conclusion of the Old Testament history, and not the commencement of Church teaching; except, of course,"-and how important the exception!-"so far as Christ crucified is the foundation of all blessing."*

"God has prepared for them a city" does not in this case imply necessarily what it is quoted for; and we may adapt the writer’s own words otherwise than he would allow. "This holy Jerusalem may contain"-the saints of the Old Testament; "but it is not necessary on this account that we should identify them."

Turning from all this now, how blessed to think of this Bridegroom character of the Lord Jesus! It should be plain that it expresses His personal joy of love, in a way that the " Head of the Body " cannot, because it expresses a very different thing. A whole book of the Old Testament has been given to the expression of this relation of the Lord Jesus,-no doubt, in the first place to Israel; but capable of application all through to the higher and heavenly. Perhaps we have not a New Testament book of this character, for the same reason that we have not a New Testament psalm-book. It would rather belittle than truly represent it; if it were not, at least, to be a book too large for human handling. Christian psalmody finds in all else that has been written its material of praise. Its "song of songs" must also transcend utterance. And perhaps must be learned otherwise than any book of this kind could avail for.

Thus it is, after all, that one can say so little of what the Lord’s Bridegroom character means. We see that all the nearest, sweetest human relationships are taken up to image forth these more wondrous spiritual ones. And Bridegroom and Bride, always remaining in the first freshness of the sabbatic morning of their beginning, speak of a mutual abiding for one another, which is the revelation of a sufficing love, such as we are surely learning by the way as we go to meet Him, but which in the first moment of His presence will manifest itself as it had not been before.

In the moment of her presentation to Isaac, Rebekah took a veil and covered herself. We can but do so in the anticipation of that time.

Deut. 2:7; Neh. 9:21.

These words tell us of the abiding faithfulness of Israel’s God, yea, our God. Their history as a people across the desert serves only as an occasion to display more fully what God was. He it was who sent a Saviour and delivered them. In the wilderness they commence their journey as His people, but the journey for them in the end was long and testing; their path was one which could only be enjoyed as they walked daily in communion with Him and obeyed His word; and this is how they commenced the journey; when there was neglect of this in any stage of their history, the flesh in some way manifested itself, and murmurings and complainings took the place of the songs of joy with which they started. (Ex. 15:)

The flesh, even in a believer, can never enjoy a path of faith and daily walk with God. This is fully demonstrated in Israel. Many times their hearts turned away from Him,-"the Rock of their salvation." The forty years tell us what a miserable thing the flesh is. The book of Exodus (chaps. 15:-20:), also Numbers and Deuteronomy witness this fact, as well as Psalms 78:, 105:, 106:

The mixed multitude were a source of trial to them the whole way. They did not leave Egypt wholly behind them when they entered the wilderness, for the mixed multitude came up with them (Ex. 12:38; Num. 11:14). Oh, that our gospel preaching had always that power with it which leads souls out fully, and causes a clean break with Egypt (the world). But with us, alas! as with Israel, it is often not so. Here their history is given as an example, (i Cor. 10:)

We are informed this "mixed multitude fell a lusting, and Israel also wept again." When the eye and heart get away from God, grace is soon forgotten, and, as with Abraham and Israel, after the face turns toward the south country (Egypt-Gen. 12:9), then the feet soon follow (Isa. 30:1-7).

Let us look at a few examples from their history. They said,-

1. "We remember the fish we did eat in Egypt freely:the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic:but now our soul is dried away:there is nothing at all, beside this manna (Christ) before our eyes " (Num. 11:4-6).

2. " It was well with us in Egypt " (Num. 11:18).

3. " Why came we forth from Egypt "(Num. 11:20)?

4. "Would God we had died in Egypt" (Num. 14:2).

5. "Were it not better for us to return to Egypt " (Num. 14:3)?

6. "Let us make a captain and return to Egypt" (Num. 14:4).

7. "Because the Lord hath hated us, He hath brought us forth out of Egypt" (Deut. 1:27).

Who would ever have thought such to be the language of a redeemed people, a people that had beheld the signs and wonders they had, a people who had sung such a memorial song as they had just before? (Ex. 15:) Yet such is the case; the flesh is still the flesh, and will be till the end.

But to walk with God, in a path of simple faith, and enjoy our abiding portion, in a glorified Christ above, we need to be reminded, again and again, by the Spirit, through the word of God, that there is nothing good in the flesh. (Rom. 7:18.) It is enmity to God (Rom. 8:7). Sin is condemned in the flesh (Rom. 8:3), and we are to reckon ourselves dead to it (Rom. 6:ii). What a lesson for each believer! a lesson we all need to learn when we enter a path in which the renewed man finds enjoyment in the precious things of Christ!

But they cross the desert, they reach the end of the journey, and ere they enter the goodly land, the land that flowed with milk and honey, Moses, their divinely appointed leader, reviews for them the past, goes over the whole history, and adds, "The Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand; He knows thy walkings through this great wilderness:these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing." Did they need water to quench their thirst? The smitten rock poured forth its refreshing stream. Did they need bread to eat? He gave them bread from heaven. Did they need clothing? Their clothes waxed not old, neither did their feet swell-"they lacked nothing." His goodness, His love, His compassions were new every morning; and Nehemiah, at an after time, repeats to their children also, "They lacked nothing" (Neh. 9:21).

We will now pass on to another scene and at another time, the wilderness with all its varied lessons, is a thing of the past, and we will glance at the condition of things in the land, not now so much a time of weakness and failure, but one of triumph, and peace, and blessing, as was witnessed in the bright days of Solomon. We will pass over the history that intervenes, in which, however, God’s faithfulness is marked at every stage, and in time every obstacle is overcome, every enemy set aside, and the king of peace ascends the throne. The nation, the object of God’s special care, enters into the consummation of blessings intended for it. There is one day, and only one, ever to eclipse it, the day yet future, when Solomon’s Son and Solomon’s Lord, will display His power and glory in His kingdom, which Solomon’s but faintly foreshadowed. The reader will do well to take a glance at the first ten chapters of i Kings, and then he will see the order and progress of this time.

In chapter 1:the false king is set aside, and Solomon the true king, by the appointment of the father, is anointed.

Chapter 2:12, "Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was established greatly."

In chapter 3:we have Solomon in the wisdom and power of God in the kingdom.

Chapter 4:20, "Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry." "And he had peace on all sides round about him" (ver. 24).

The whole of chapter 4:is a wondrous picture of a future time not far distant,-a time that will reach on and touch the border line of eternity, and in verse 27, it is said, "they lacked nothing;" hence of the historic past and the prophetic future it can be truly said, "they lacked nothing." Blessed sufficiency! blessed fulness! and all this fulness treasured up for us now in the Christ above!

Next, we will notice briefly the same lessons of grace, love, and care, as manifested in the wondrous days of His humiliation here below in connection with those that walked with Him. He entered the path in lowly grace, and called the various ones from their several occupations; Matthew sitting at the receipt of customs, hears a voice, "Follow Me." He obeys; "leaves all, and follows Him." Simon and Andrew likewise, as they were busy at their nets, hear His voice, "Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men; and straightway they forsook their nets, and followed Him." James and John were mending their nets, and the same voice calls them, " and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after Him" (Mark 1:26-20).

Thus they leave their several occupations to be with Him (Mark 3:14), to serve Him, and to preach His word. They walked with Him, they served Him, they preached the word of the kingdom, no stated salary was promised them; this they were not to look for nor expect. Theirs was to be a path of faith; one in which, at its every stage, and all its various demands and needs, they were to look to and trust the One who had called them. All the resources of heaven and earth were at His disposal, as of old, the key of all those vast storehouses of Egypt was in the hands of Joseph; and Pharaoh directed all who were in need to "go to Joseph." So Jesus, our Joseph, held the key, and does still.

Did He fail them? Did He neglect them at any time? Surely not! He watched them at every step with an unwearied love and care,-blessed Master He was. He noticed the press at times and called them aside, to rest awhile (Mark 6:31). If money were needed at times, His grace touched the hearts of the women from Galilee, and they minister unto Him (Luke 8:1-3). At other times the sea was made to serve Him, and the fish delivered up the required means to meet the need; "for Me and thee" (Matt. 17:24-27). How soul-refreshing to trace His ways of grace when He was here among men, and at the close of such a life He asks them, "When I sent you out without purse and scrip, lacked ye anything? And they said, Nothing" (Matt. 10:9-14; Luke 22:35).

In this review we get the highly exalted path of a servant to profit by in this our time as then. True, our Lord is gone up on high, and is now Head of the Church, yet He still calls and sends forth His servants, some to go into "all the world to preach the gospel;" to others the Chief Shepherd says, "Feed My sheep," "feed My lambs." They are as those whom He called when on earth, to be with Him, serve Him, and trust Him in every stage of such a path of service and not another. At every step of such a path, whatever the needs may be, there must of necessity be faith. Look, in every need, straight up to the Head of the Church. In John 15:16, we learn the work each is expected to do-"bring forth fruit," and then the blank check is signed and left for the servant to pursue his path of faith, and fill in for what is required-"That whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name He may give it you."

There will be encouragement needed to seek His face day by day. (Ps. 27:8.) Are there demands made? They are to turn not to the world, nor yet to the Church; but wholly to Him; "go tell Jesus"! Study the example of Paul, the man of faith, in i Cor. 9:, where he sets forth so clearly and fully the believer’s responsibility in those matters, yet he adds, "Neither have I written these things that it should be so done to me." Faith shuts the servant up to the Lord alone. There are and will be times of testing, for the Lord is zealous of His pleasant fruit, and loves the faith that trusts and clings to Him; yet the Holy Spirit, through the apostle, has written, "My God shall supply all your need, according to His riches in glory in (Gk.) Christ Jesus."

And when this path of faith ends, the path of toil and labor, and the general review takes place, we will remember all the way, and when He again asks the question, "Lacked ye any thing?" what a tale this will tell! What a response will be given! Every servant, as he looks back and renders up his account, will exclaim, "Nothing, Lord, nothing!" What a prospect! What a day! A. E. B.

Prayer is speaking to God, and prophecy is I speaking from God; so that we need not be surprised to find them associated together in Scripture (i Cor. 11:4, 5; Acts 13:i, 2; i Cor. 14:i, 15). There are in the Church of God various gifts for the edification of the body, but there is no such thing as a "gift of prayer." Fluency, comprehensiveness, eloquence-are not essentials, nay they are often hindrances to true prayer. Every Christian must pray, and we might add, every Christian man in communion with God should be ready, if led of God, to pray in public. We long to see God’s beloved people delivered from the last vestige of clerisy. There is no such thing contemplated in God’s word as one man or a few men being the only ones used in prayer. As we have just said, prayer is no gift of words, belonging to some few, specially endowed. The babe can lisp its prayer, as the father can pour out the full longings of his heart; but all can pray. Is the soul in communion with God? Are we seeking to please Him? Then what possible hindrance can there be to prayer? Ah brethren, let us own the pride and worldliness which close our mouths and limit our faith. Let us search our ways and ask if we engage much in secret prayer. He who is familiar with God in his closet, will find it no difficulty to speak to Him in public.

Closely connected with this question is another:do we speak for God, individually? Are we finding the way open to speak to one and another of the great questions that must be answered? and can we without hesitation confer with our fellow Christians about the things of God? If we are in abiding communion with God this will be the case. We will not have to plead that we have "so few opportunities," or are "naturally diffident." When the Spirit of God is unhindered, He uses the weak things. Saints have no difficulty in speaking of the affairs of every day life:why this hesitation in speaking of the things of God? Is it not Satan robbing us?

Coming now to the corporate life of God’s people, we find simply an enlargement of scope, not a change of principles. Prayer and prophecy are closely associated and interdependent. Wherever there is a spirit of prayer there will be the spirit of prophecy, and the reverse. Both are having to do with God, and imply that reality which is always the mark of one in His presence.

By prophecy it will be understood that we are not referring to any supernatural manifestations, whether in prediction, designation of special persons for special work, or new revelation. We solemnly believe that all claims to such prophetic gift are antichristian and blasphemous. The systems which at this day lay claim to such gifts are ungodly to the core. God’s written word is ample and all sufficient, and in it we are told that revelation is complete (Col. 1:25).

But there is another sense in which the term prophecy is used in Scripture. " He that prophesieth speaketh unto men for edification, and exhortation, and comfort" (i Cor. 14:2). There is no question here of something supernatural. The man speaks for God, conveys His mind to the hearers. It is the word spoken in due season-suited to the need of the Lord’s people, comforting the weak, exhorting the faint, and edifying all. It differs from teaching in that its chief object is not to impart instruction, but to move to action, or to secure a definite result.

Now it is one of the primary principles of gatherings or meetings that no man should or can preside. That is the place of the Holy Spirit alone, "dividing to every man severally as He will."* *It will be understood that reference is here made solely to meetings of the assembly. An evangelist may hold a meeting, or a teacher, which is entirely upon his own responsibility as a servant of the Lord. In this no one dare interfere. But when the assembly as such meets, the evangelist or teacher is simply one of many. He cannot assume a place here-to do so would be to usurp the place of the Holy Spirit. There is a constant tendency to forget or ignore this, with the inevitable result of clerisy-clergy and laity-the one or the few taking all ministry, and the rest quite willing to have it so. Need we be surprised where this is done, to see leaders set one against another, with the saints taking sides, forming parties, sects, and divisions in the Church of God? This, we are persuaded, is the cause of divisions assigned in Scripture (1 Cor. 1:), and illustrated on many a page of church-history.* Here all are alike brethren, ready for the Spirit of God to use according to His sovereign wisdom. We need hardly say that the distinguishing meeting of all others to which this applies is that for the breaking of bread. Saints come together .for this purpose, are gathered to our Lord’s Name, and He according to His promise is in the midst. " He makes His presence known by the Holy Spirit. At this meeting no one should think of assuming charge, but all should be ready as channels of worship and of prophecy. Worship is prominent here.

But there are other meetings of the saints beside that for the breaking of bread, and it is of these chiefly that we would speak. Though most scriptural there is no injunction as to a prayer meeting. The general exhortation is, "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another" (Heb. 10:25). We assemble together, for whatever the Spirit of God may have to give us, and for prayer.

It has sometimes been asked what is the special meeting which is alluded to in i Cor. 14:Our reply would be first, that every meeting of the assembly is covered by that chapter, but that we would naturally expect the "prophecy" spoken of there to have special prominence at other times than the breaking of bread. We deprecate the use of the term "open meeting" to characterize any special gathering of the saints. Every assembly meeting is open, that is, no man presides.

But the fact remains that freedom in prophecy is, or should be, a special feature in our meetings. We will be pardoned for speaking plainly, so as to be clearly understood. Of the first meeting, that for breaking bread on the first day of the week, we have already spoken. There is usually what is called a Bible Reading, or Reading Meeting. While open for all to take part freely, being more or less of an informal character, the main object is the study of the Word, and naturally those gifted as teachers would come prominently forward. But this would not preclude any from giving a word for the conscience or heart as the reading proceeded. Besides, there is freedom for prayer and praise at such meetings. We have not yet reached however that which is characteristically the meeting where prophecy would be expected to have the prominent place.
Most assemblies of God’s people have what is usually called a Prayer-meeting, at which, as its name suggests, it is expected that prayer will be prominent. At this meeting, of course, no one presides-all being free to take part as led of the Spirit. We believe that the spiritual state of an assembly can be gauged by the character and attendance at this meeting. Is there a free and earnest spirit of prayer? do all take part, not formally, but really? If so, we would expect to find an assembly walking with God, awake to its privileges and responsibilities. Let us, beloved brethren, search ourselves as to the prayer-meeting. Is it a weariness? a cold duty unwillingly performed, or neglected? Ah! have we nothing to speak of to God, no word of thanks, no requests for ourselves and others, no intercessions for the Lord’s work? We need not be surprised, if such is the case, to find all our meetings heavy, and the Lord’s work languishing.

But we must look a little further. It is our purpose to show that prayer and prophecy are closely linked together in Scripture, and as a result that a meeting for one would necessarily include the other. Let us look at a passage strikingly illustrative of this. In 2 Chron. 20:, in the face of a great danger, king Jehoshaphat and his people assembled in what might very properly be called a prayer-meeting. They gather together before God, pleading His promises, confessing their weakness and ignorance and casting themselves upon God. How beautiful is their attitude – "we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee " (ver. 12).

They do not have to wait long for an answer. "Then upon Jehaziel . . . came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation. . . . ‘ Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours but God’s’" (vers. 15, 16). How speedy and suited was the answer-a word in season, truly. What we wish particularly to notice, is that it is a word of prophecy in immediate connection with prayer. They had been speaking to God, and He speaks to them. Notice, too, the uplifting effect of this word:they worship God, "with a loud voice on high" (vers. 18, 19);-before the enemy has been met or overcome, they celebrate the victory.

But if prayer and prophecy are thus connected at a special meeting, why should it not be so always? "Pray without ceasing" and "despise not prophesyings" come very closely together (i Thess. 5:17-20). In fact they belong to one and the same closely connected paragraph. Do we believe in prayer? Do we believe in prophesying? Why then should there not be the freest exercise of both at the meeting which is characteristically the one where both would be expected to be prominent?

Need we go into any detail? "Ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be comforted" (i Cor. 14:31). It may be but a few words uttered, but if from the Lord they will come with power. Here no "gift" is required, but simply a soul in communion with God, and so, ready to give His word. Two or three would speak, the rest judging-not criticizing, but weighing and testing the word. As one finished another could utter what was on his heart; and as a result the presence and power of the Lord be manifest, even to an unbeliever who might be present (ver. 23).

Beloved brethren, what an attractive meeting! How the saints would flock to it, what a testimony would issue from it, and what power in individual walk and gospel work would result. Is this the character of our meetings? If not, then let us at once confess it, and turn afresh to our God, crying to Him who delights to hear and to meet His people.

We conclude therefore that the meeting ordinarily called the prayer-meeting is the one where we would expect to find the marks of i Cor. 14:; not, however, as we have seen, to the exclusion of other meetings. Let us become clear as to the teachings of that chapter, and fully alive to the blessedness of the Spirit’s presence, and we will prove the reality of all there promised. It is a matter too sadly common, that there is a dullness in the prayer-meeting-only a few attending and fewer participating. This ought not so to be. Let us see to it that it is not, and blessing, rich and lasting, will be the result.

We might add further that when no one is present who has it specially laid upon him to conduct a public meeting, this would be the natural and, scriptural way for the assembly to come together. The result, if there were real exercise before God, would be both prayer and prophecy under the power of the Holy Spirit. There would then be no need to complain of unprofitable or dull meetings. Saints would be edified and sinners converted, apart from any special gift. May our God stir us up as to these things.

True Christianity ever magnifies Christ, and we may test the claims of that which assumes to be true by proving whether Christ is glorified by it or not. Let us look at the inspired words of the apostle Paul:"I am crucified with Christ:nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2:20). Now, much Christianity which is accepted as devout, looks for perfection in a result which may be summed up thus:"I am Crucified." This being crucified is regarded as the highest attainment. Self is mastered; the world conquered. There is victory over passions and temptations, and the "crucified," being dead to all that to which he was once a slave, is in this world a superior power to the world. To such as have reached this elevation our paper is not addressed. But there are many who are striving to crucify themselves, to put themselves to death, to be master over themselves and the temptations and allurements of the world and their enemy, sin, and to those especially our few words are directed.

Now, the apostle does not say, "I am crucified," but he says, "I am crucified with Christ." It is quite possible to say, "I am crucified," and yet to leave Christ out of one’s religion, and all the while to be an enemy of Christ’s cross. "I am crucified" may be merely the outcome of fancied spiritual attainment and the result of spiritual pride. But "I am crucified with Christ" is in no sense whatever a sign of superior goodness; on the contrary, it is the evidence of the terrible nature of sin which demanded for our salvation the cross of the Son of God; and it is the blessed assurance that, vile as we are in ourselves, by being crucified with Him we have been judged and condemned, when Christ in mercy was judged and took our condemnation upon Him, on Calvary.

"Crucified with Christ" does not allow us, in ourselves, one single standpoint before God. It sweeps away all our hopes of self-betterment, and of our dying to what we are by nature, and instead, it accepts with reverence and with love, the position our Lord and Saviour took for us on the cross in grace as our position. In His judgment we were judged, in His death we died. As a man might say of his substitute, "He died not only for me, but I died with Him," so we are privileged to say of our Saviour and Substitute, "He died for me and met my deserts, and I died with Him and receive the satisfaction rendered to God by His death."

Here is the true beginning for the Christian-"I am crucified with Christ." He does not, therefore, look to himself for power to die to himself, but he looks to Christ’s cross and knows that there he was crucified with Christ. The cross of Christ is his judicial end in the sight of God, and when by faith he takes in God’s fact about himself, he starts his spiritual career with the reality of his utter badness by nature, and the condemnation of what he is by Christ’s cross.

Having spoken of the end of the old, the apostle proceeds to the beginning of the new. "Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." The apostle lived in the energy of the Holy Spirit of God; he was a witness on the earth to divine love and power. Whence then this life? Of himself He had spoken:" I am crucified with Christ." Now of himself as the Christian, he in effect says, Though crucified, still I am a living man, spiritually, but the source of this life is Christ. This is not victorious self reasserting itself. It is not Paul, the Jewish Pharisee, nor Paul, the Christian Pharisee-no, Not I, not self, but Christ. " I live, yet not I, but Christ who liveth in me."

Neither could it be said Paul so became crucified that Christ could live in him, for he says, "I am crucified with Christ." He did not become crucified by slow degrees, but with’ Christ who was crucified on Calvary. To leave out "with Christ" would be to leave us a crucified Paul without Christ. And this would be that kind of Christianity which endeavors by following Christ, to arrive at Christ crucified, whereas God begins with Christ crucified for us and our being crucified with Christ, and thus opens up to us the Christian life in its power and faith.

" I am crucified with Christ" is grace and not attainment. It is the portion of every believer, and we should so deport ourselves as to conform to the reality.

"Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me," is also not attainment; it is grace, absolute grace, and it is as much for us as for the apostle. There is none other life for any Christian whereby he lives before God in holiness than this:"Christ liveth in me." There are not two lives for the Christian whereby he lives to God, one more exalted than the other-one for the selected saints, the other for the general class. All God’s children are in Christ, and Christ is in all God’s children. But when we speak of the manner of our living, another subject is before us-then we have degrees of excellence before us, and attainment in practical holiness.

The apostle said, further, "And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." Now, in this there is attainment-there is spirituality and true holiness. From Christ he drew his strength for each day and hour. The wonder of his zeal, the beauty of his character, arose from Christ, in whom he lived daily by faith. Faith is our own. Each believer has faith for himself; and a life of faith is the personal and constant reliance of the soul upon the Lord in heaven.

It is very delightful to hear the great apostle say, "Yet not I," also of his labors for God. He magnified God’s grace in all that God did by him:"I labored more abundantly than they all:yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me " (i Cor. 15:10). He gives us the true secret of power, of living and of working, and the secret is Christ, "not I."

" What have I to do any more with idols?" (Hosea 14:8).

Hast thou heard Him, seen Him, known Him?
Is not thine a captured heart?
"Chief among ten thousand" own Him,
Joyful choose the better part.

Idols once they won thee, charmed thee,
Lovely things of time and sense;
Gilded, thus does sin disarm thee,
Honey’d lest thou turn thee thence.

What has stripped the seeming beauty
From the idols of the earth?
Not the sense of right or duty,
But the sight of peerless worth.

Not the crushing of those idols,
With its bitter void and smart,
But the beaming of His beauty,
The unveiling of His heart.

Who extinguishes his taper
Till he hails the rising sun?
Who discards the garb of winter
Till the summer has begun?

‘Tis the look that melted Peter,
‘Tis the face that Stephen saw,
‘Tis the heart that wept With Mary,
Can alone from idols draw-

Draw, and win, and fill completely,
Till the cup overflow the brim.
What have we to do with idols,
Who have companied with Him?

O. R.

1 Corinthians 15:13-23.

This portion of the word of God is the Holy Spirit’s emphasis on the work of Christ in making atonement for His people. A clear apprehension of Christ risen from the dead is therefore of the utmost importance, as that which, through, of course, the instrumentality of the Spirit, discovers to and establishes in the soul an active sense of that glorious peace which Christ has made through the blood of His cross, and which He Himself is, and that, too, abidingly (Col. 1:20; Eph. 2:14). In raising Christ our Lord from the dead our God has stamped indelibly the atoning work of His beloved Son.

"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up" (John 3:14, 15). Here is divine emphasis put on the need there was for Christ’s death. But if it "behooved Christ to suffer," it equally behooved that He should "rise from the dead the third day." He could not have entered "into His glory" otherwise (Luke 24:46, 26). Here we get the risen Lord Himself emphasizing the need of His resurrection, as before we found Him putting emphasis on the need of His death. It is in the power of resurrection that He places the heavenly credentials, that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, in the hands of His ambassadors. (2 Cor. 5:20.) All that had to be still waited for was the "Power from on High" (Luke 24:49)-a Power which in due time was blessedly manifest. (Lev. 23:15, 16; Acts 2:)

The types and shadows which of old spoke of Christ and His glorious work whereby He should answer all questions affecting the holiness and righteousness of God, making atonement for the sins of His people, types and shadows now interpreted for us by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, are not confined to the Jewish ritual alone; they are found in "Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms," concerning Him.

But let us examine briefly one or two of these precious types and shadows, viz.-

The golden candlestick, Aaron putting off the linen garments, and the cherubim of the mercy-seat.

In the light of the golden candlestick (Ex. 25:31-40), we get the Holy Spirit. The candlestick was outside the veil, where without it all would be darkness. (Ex. 26:35; 27:21.) And if its light be a type of the Spirit, as it surely is, how blessed to see that the Holy Spirit, illuminating the darkness, already speaks of the resurrection and ascension of Christ!

But there is another point equally worthy of our attention.-Its seven branches (or perhaps, 1+6)- Branch and branches, as in Isaiah 11:i, 2-display beautiful carvings of almond blossoms all over them. This fact at once reminds us of Aaron’s rod which, on a memorable occasion (Num. 17:), "brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds." The rod was a mere branch of the almond-tree, and cut off from the tree was dead. Christ was "cut off out of the land of the living," was "cut off and had nothing." (Is. 53:; Dan. 9:26.) Here was life out of death – resurrection. "Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit" (i Pet. 3:18).

On the day of atonement, Aaron is seen to put off his linen garments. Why? The work is completed. (Lev. 16:23.) On the resurrection morning, as recorded in Matthew and Mark, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Salome are invited to behold the "place " where the Lord lay; in Luke and John it is the "linen clothes" that the early visitors are invited to behold. The "place" is empty, and the "linen clothes" are left there as a token of the Lord’s resurrection and consequently of atonement completed.

After the "linen garments " were divested by the high-priest, he came forth to continue whatever shall be sweet savor to God. (Lev. 16:24, 25.) After the "linen clothes" are seen in the "place where the Lord lay," is there not sweet savor in the Lord’s communion with His own then (Luke 24:30,41-43; John 21:5-12), and ever since? Is there not, both in Leviticus and in Luke and John more than a hint of that Melchizedek sustenance and joy, which are so essential to an endless life, communicated (John 20:22) to the children of faith! Christ is all.

Again, in Matthew it is, although the "angel of the Lord," one whose "countenance was like lightning"- almost the language applied to the Lord Himself in Rev. 1:16, and Dan. 10:6 – who stills the fears of the early visitors at the tomb. In Mark it is a "young man " who does so (chap. 16:5, 6). This is beautifully characteristic of this gospel, for who is fitter for service than a young man?

Then we hear the voice of the suffering Saviour, exclaiming in anticipative sorrow-"He shortened my days. I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days! " (Ps. 102:23, 24).

In Luke we see "two men" standing by the women in shining garments (Luke 24:4-8), whose object is to awake them, as it were, by refreshing their memory with the Lord’s own words. "And they remembered His words." I hope to refer to the "two men " further on.

But in John, the gospel of the Godhead of Christ, the gospel in which the deity of Christ is the theme, and full access into the Holiest found, from beginning to close, because, as we have learnt, there is no rending of the veil in John’s gospel-faith finding the veil rent as it steps on to its glorious threshold- in this gospel, then, "two angels," are seen by Mary Magdalene, the intensity of the love of whose heart for her Lord and Saviour rivets her to the sacred spot where, though Peter and the "other disciple, whom Jesus loved," might go, she would abide, weeping. The position of the angels is significant. They are " in white, sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain" (John 20:12). Here the angels are sitting, as if to indicate that of which the cherubic figures of the mercy-seat (Ex. 25:18-22; Lev. 16:14) spoke in type was now accomplished in fact. But the angels could not satisfy Mary’s heart. Their question of "Woman, why weepest thou? " hinted rather of Eden (Gen. 3:6), where the "woman be-being deceived, was in the transgression" (i Tim. 2:14). The angels’ question is repeated by the Lord Himself, but is followed by another that goes to the root of the matter, "Whom seekest thou? " Ah, well He knew she sought Himself, the adorable Person, "whom God has set forth a mercy-seat through faith in His blood " (Rom. 3:25). He called her by name, for she was graven on the palms of His hands (Is. 49:16). Such was her joy that she would have thrown her arms about Him – that could not be:"Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father:but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and unto my God, and your God. " Blessed message! and so appropriately given and borne!

The transfiguration, so fittingly omitted in John, is very precious as recorded in Mark 9:Here, as I take it, the unsealed eyes of His own are privileged to gaze upon the High-priest, in His holy garments, anticipative of His assumption of that glorious place foretold of Him by the Voice in the psalm (Ps. 110:4). For it is as risen from the dead that Christ is here regarded, and in Mark it is distinctly stated – "He charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen till the Son of man were risen from the dead." Was there not a divine reason for this? "The Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified." Peter "wist not what to say," and so the flesh would act to dishonor the Lord. Through its zeal would it build, ostensibly for the Lord. How much of this sort of thing is going on to-day, while the Holy Sprit is quenched, grieved, and resisted in the "great house" of profession, and the living word itself equally set aside!

This brings us to the consideration of the "two men " alluded to before. The "two men" who were seen with Jesus on the Holy Mount (2 Peter 1:16-21), if carefully compared as they appear in Luke 9:30-32; 24:4, and Acts 1:10, will be seen to be symbols of the divine testimony to the all-sufficiency of the word of God-Moses (the law) and Elijah (the prophets) were the "two men " who were with Christ on the Mount and who talked with Him, the subject being "His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem." This is surely the wondrous theme of the word of God. The "two men" witnessed His resurrection and stamped it with the seal of His own words. The "two men" witnessed His ascension, rebuking the "men of Galilee" for gazing "toward Heaven." It is the living and unfailing word of God which they, and we too, must look into to learn all about Him and His coming again. This living and abiding "Volume of the Book," read in the sanctuary in the "light of the seven-branched Candlestick," as another has put it, will give us burning hearts, for thus indeed shall we hear Him talking with us by the way.

Blessed be God! He has defeated Satan’s devices to nullify and render void the atonement. The enemy’s devices are recorded for us in Matt. 28:11-15, and in the arrogant utterances of the "Higher Criticism" of our own day. Yes, indeed, our blessed God has perfectly safe-guarded by type, shadow, and prophetic voice the invulnerable glories of a full and perfect atonement. Let the attacks of the enemy be ever so furious, " nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure "(2 Tim. 2:19). Men may try as energized by Satan to lay another foundation; but the One that "liveth and was dead" is God’s foundation, our joy, and our hope. Now, "Unto Him who loveth us, and has washed us from our sins in His own blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and the might to the ages of ages." J. M.

Ques.14.-Has the Church any authority apart from the word of God?

Ans.-The Church has no authority in herself. Her place is that of subjection to her Head and Lord. He makes known His will through the Scriptures by the Spirit Therefore no action on the part of the assembly, contrary to the word of God is of the least authority. But, believing in the presence of the Spirit of God, and seeing from Scripture the responsibility resting upon the assembly to act for God, no one should raise questions save after prayerful deliberation, and in a scriptural manner.

Ques. 15.-If a matter on hand is put into the assembly to be settled there, and all the assembly except two or three decide that so and so is right, but the two or three see clearly from the word of God that the larger number in the assembly are wrong, would it be right for the two or three to give in to the others; or should they hold the truth even if the assembly cut them off?

Ans.-The question has been partially answered above. We would add, that an action nearly unanimous would suggest the Lord’s presence, unless it most clearly contradicted Scripture, therefore great care and patience should be used in expressing dissent. If a vital question is involved, principles affecting the very basis of fellowship, then a firm, definite stand even if but by one, must be taken, whatever the cost. But how much prayer, self-judgment and waiting on God should precede such a step. Then, too, the saints should be appealed to from some neighboring gathering, that if possible the entire weight be not left upon the two or three remaining firm at the local assembly. How much is accomplished by faith and love.

Ques. 16.-Are younger brethren In their place if they are trying to rule in the assembly.

Ans.-"Likewise ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder" (1 Pet. 5:5). A principle is involved in this of wide reaching effect. Both in the history of Israel and of the Church the evil effects of its neglect have been manifest. But there is an inherent reason for such direction. It presupposes godliness, gravity, wisdom and the proper government of one’s own house, on the part of the elder. Alas, alas, how family failure has come in to render God’s order impracticable, and then self-assertion on the part of the young is only too easy.

But there is another side; "Let no man despise thy youth." And if there be a heart for the Lord, a devotedness to Him and true humility, the young man will surely find a place of service. What can be sadder than a forward restless disrespectful spirit on the part of the younger, unless it be the spiritual in-competency of the older that makes it possible.

Ques. 17. If a brother has been cut off from the assembly (it may be justly or unjustly) but he continues to come to the meetings, and at the worship meeting quietly takes a back seat. When a hymn is given out he joins in heartily and sings praise to God and God’s beloved Son his Saviour and Lord. Has any one a right to request him to be silent, not to sing in the meetings? Some found fault when a box of ointment was broken.

Ans.-We would say a brother if dealt with by an assembly, would feel the solemnity of the judgment, and as bowing under the mighty hand of God, would be quiet and undemonstrative. His demeanor would indicate this. On the other hand, a hard ungracious spirit should be avoided that checks the work of grace in the soul.

" And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Eph. 4:11, 12.)

We need hardly remind our readers that punctuation, as we now know it, is of comparatively recent origin. In the Greek manuscripts there is nothing of the kind, words and sentences following one another without marks of separation. While for us this would render reading more difficult, we must not think of it as affecting or necessarily obscuring the meaning. The arrangement of words in the sentence frequently took the place of punctuation most effectually, and sometimes a change of word or particle would render the meaning clear.

A striking instance of this last will be found in the latter clause of the passage at the head of this paper. In our authorized version-most admirable, and for all ordinary purposes, exact translation-the passage stands as we have quoted it. The English reader would think that "for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,"gave us three distinct and Coordinate objects contemplated in the various gifts of Christ to the Church. He would not suppose that the word "for," thrice repeated, is a translation of two different prepositions; and yet such is the case:"For (πρoς) the perfecting of the saints, for (εις) the work of the ministry, for (εις) the edifying of the body of Christ."

The word also translated "perfecting" has perhaps a different meaning in the original. It is from the same root rendered "mending" (Matt. 4:21; Mark 1:19), "fitted" (Rom. 9:22), "prepared" (Heb. 10:5), "restore" (Gal. 6:i). The thought is not making perfect in the ordinary sense of the word, but fitting, preparing for a definite use,-as in a net, or a vessel.

Returning to the clause, having noted these points, it might be rendered, "for the preparation of the saints unto the work of the ministry, unto the edifying of the body of Christ." It will be noticed that we have now removed the comma after "saints," because of the change of preposition, and instead of having these coordinate objects for which gifts were given, we have one, "the perfecting or fitting of the saints;" and this again is for the work of the ministry and the edifying of the body of Christ.

But surely our object has not been to point out some nicety of grammar or translation. We believe that the passage as it now appears will give a fresh view of a most important subject, and correct a very gave error in which the Lord’s people are constantly in danger of falling.

As the passage is ordinarily understood, there are certain "gifts" which Christ has bestowed upon the Church, men especially endowed and entrusted with the work of the ministry. The danger here is in regarding a certain limited class as entrusted with this work, so that the vast bulk of the Lord’s people are either excluded or exonerated from the activities of the body. Many introduce a safeguard in the suggestion that all have one or the other of these gifts. We believe the rendering indicated will obviate either interpretation.

There are certain clear and well defined gifts of a leading character, if we may so speak. The apostles and prophets are clearly connected with the foundation or establishment of the Church (chap. 2:20). We have them in the inspired Scriptures, and in the order of the Church as at first set up. Evangelists, pastors and teachers, are the three gifts respectively for gathering in, caring for and instructing the Lord’s people.

Now it is evident that these three gifts are entrusted to certain persons. The apostle asks in another passage, "Are all apostles, are all prophets, are all teachers? " (i Cor. 12:29). It will not do to say every Christian is an evangelist, or a pastor, or a teacher. Neither Scripture nor observation will bear this out. Evidently these gifts are special, and in a sense limited.

But if this be so, the upholder of the clerical system will say we have here our authority for a limited ministry-"a one man ministry." Notice how absolutely the Scripture guards against such an abuse. These special gifts are for "fitting the saints to the work of the ministry." It is the saints, all the saints, who are to engage in this work of the ministry, and for this they are fitted by these gifts endowed of Christ.

Next to the assumption of clerical authority even by one who has distinctly a gift, we believe that the effort to assume a gift unpossessed is unscriptural and injurious. It is not every one who can hold an audience and speak to edification, whether to saints or sinners; often the way of truth is evil spoken of because unsent men, presuming upon a "free ministry," intrude themselves where God did not intend them to go.

But worse even than this disorder is that clerical spirit so closely allied to Rome’s priesthood, that they blend together. Let us keep the even balance of truth.

Returning for a little to the passage we learn that some, not all, are evangelists, and so on. But we learn further that the special work of these fits all the saints for ministry; and how varied is that ministry. We may not be teachers, but we may in our measure be "apt to teach," able to teach or help one another; we may not have a clearly marked gift as an evangelist, but we can tell of Christ to a sinner; we may not be pastors, but we can love, care for, and help one another.

There is not a single member of the body of Christ who should not be engaged in the work of the ministry; man or woman, each has his appointed place and service. None are exempt; none dare refuse at peril of impairing the usefulness of the body.

But who denies this? we are asked; why all these truisms? We reply, Because they are not believed and not acted upon. We would call the particular attention of those who know these things to them afresh. Gifted brethren, you say, preach, teach, and visit. Ah! gifted brethren are not given that the others should fold their hands and do nothing. They are rather to furnish all for the work. A teacher who does not prepare teachers, an evangelist who does not equip evangelists, is not only half doing his work,-he is hindering, or quenching, the Spirit. In like manner the saints who remain apathetic are quenching the Spirit.

No amount of precious truth can take the place of the activities of Christ’s body. Nay, truth will lose its power, or change to error if it find no response in the ministrations of love.

What a personal matter this is! Each brother and sister can ask, Am / being used in the work of the ministry? Am I edifying the body of Christ? If not, let us remember that no one can do it in our place. If we are idle, our work is never fully done, and the body suffers. May our hearts and consciences be stirred as to these subjects during the little time that still remains.

1 Kings 13:

The ten tribes under Jeroboam had not only revolted from the authority of the son of Solomon, but had established centers of idolatrous worship at Bethel and Dan. Here was not only rebellion but apostasy, a most shameful return to the abominations of Egypt, from which they had long since been rescued.

God’s faithful love even for such people, and His care for the holiness of His Name, leads Him to send a message, by one of His prophets, from the land of Judah to the idolatrous king of Israel at Bethel. He was to deliver His message of coming judgment. This was accompanied by special manifestations of God’s power; the altar was rent, and the king’s outstretched arm was withered, and only restored by the prophet whom he would have smitten.

Seeing the power of God manifest, the king changed his attitude. He invites the man of God to come to his house for refreshment and a reward. Mark, the king is not broken and penitent; he simply wishes to take the edge off the prophet’s denunciation, and there could be no more effectual way than by getting him to accept his hospitality and a reward. Unquestionably there is much of this kind to-day. The world can endure strong language if it is not accompanied by corresponding conduct. But what must the impenitent think of those who preach most solemnly of the lost condition of men, of their enmity against God, the impossibility of their doing aught to please Him-and then taking up a collection, soliciting help from those whom they have declared to be Christ’s enemies!

The prophet is firm, and refuses the reward and the refreshment, and according to divine instruction betakes himself homeward. "There is a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing." We are sure the king must have felt, even if he did not acknowledge, the solemnity of the prophet’s words, backed by his conduct. Ah! the world may smile at those who walk apart from it, and have nothing to do with it to dull the effect of their warning, but it feels their testimony all the more keenly. Well does Satan know this.

So far the prophet has acted, to outward appearance, in faithful devotedness. He is now to be subjected to another test. There was an aged prophet, with some remains perhaps of past enjoyment of divine things, but utterly out of the current of God’s thoughts, and in a place of disobedience. On hearing of what had occurred, he goes after the prophet of Judah. A false position covets companions. Alas, it is one of the characteristics of disobedience. Doubtless this was the motive-perhaps not fully known-which induced the old prophet to go after the man from Judah.

He finds him "sitting under an oak." For some reason, instead of getting away as rapidly as possible from the ungodly place, the man of Judah has slacked his pace, and is even taking his ease in what Bunyan would call "enchanted ground."

There are no trifles in Scripture, and without forcing the meaning here, it seems evident that the prophet had lowered the tone of his testimony. He had not done this publicly. In fact, when approached by the old man he replies well-nigh as vigorously as he had to the king. But strong words are not always indicative of the true state of soul. In fact, sometimes we may seek to make up in intensity of language what is lacking in fervency of heart. Why is he sitting down in the enemy’s country? Does it not tell more loudly than words that his soul was not shrinking from the defilement of the place?

May we not pause here and ask ourselves a few serious questions? "They are not of the world even as I am not of the world." Do we feel this in our souls, or is it a doctrine with us? Coupled with the doctrine there may be certain lines of behavior understood as consistent. Certain amusements are to be eschewed; certain practices are reprobated. How about the state of the mind? On what is it feeding? Ah brethren, do we not know something of that relaxation of the inner man that answers to sitting under the oak?

Let it be remembered that such times often succeed seasons of special faithfulness. The enemy knows us. Perhaps conscience has stirred us up to a pitch of faithful testimony beyond ordinary; we have stood for God among His enemies, and now alone, with no one to see, there is the casting off the unusual armor, and a little indulgence of self is allowed.

There was nothing wrong in sitting under the oak. It was what it indicated as the state of heart.

Just here comes the attack. But notice that it requires all the ingenuity of falsehood to ensnare the prophet. The old prophet claims that he too has had a word from the Lord, rather from an angel, to allow the man of Judah to retrace his steps. Might he not have answered somewhat in the language of Paul to the Galatians, "Though we or an angel from heaven"? That the man from Judah could be deceived by a word as from God shows how far his soul had drifted. He goes back, to receive from the same lips the sentence of his doom. It is a solemn fact that if we want it we can find,-Satan will help us find-scriptures that can be perverted to suit our wishes.

May we be kept from all temporizing, and guard most closely our hearts. " Keep thine heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life."

What a solemn picture is that of the dead prophet, the ass and the lion. The ass could have carried him swiftly, the lion could not have hurt him, had he abode in the path of obedience.

And upon His Head Were Many Crowns." (Rev. 19:12.)

(Continued from page 329, Vol. 15:)

CHAPTER XI.

Head and Heir of all things.

That title which Isaiah gives to the "Child born "-the "Father of eternity "-leads us on to consider His relation to that eternal state of which He is Author. Here we shall find, indeed, in some sort an opposite line of thought to that which we have just had before us; and yet in fullest accord with it. For if, in what we have looked at, Christ has been seen seeking and working for the Father’s glory, until He can give up to Him the Kingdom, which He has taken to bring all things into agreement with His blessed will, it is surely in perfect accord with this to find that Christ is Himself the Center of all the thoughts and purposes-the counsels of the Father. As in communion with the Son we have had the Father before us, so now in communion with the Father have we the Son. Our joy it is and wondrous privilege to be brought into communion both "with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ."

The Son is as the Word the Revealer of God, and, as the Word made flesh, the Revelation also. Creation, as brought into being by the Word, proclaims in broken and reflected rays the glory of its Creator. This is that house of God of which the tabernacle in Israel was a figure, and which the Son is "over" (Heb. 3:1-6). Even in this from the beginning He has been already serving, and to what service does it not pledge Him in result! For, as over it, and the Revealer, He must maintain the glory of that revelation, amid all the frailty incident to the creature; and it would not be the creature, if it were not frail, nor could other than frailty and dependence suit it.

Moreover, the higher the structure is carried,-the more complex and wondrous it becomes, the frailer it is; the more it climbs Godward, the greater the depth to which it may fall; the more richly the ship is laden, the more is the treasure which is in it exposed to wreck.

The service undertaken here by the Son is a service of love. Revelation is for the creature, not for God. The glory revealed in it is not to increase the wealth of the Revealer, but of him to whom it is revealed. God is not making gain out of His creatures, nor are they increasing His wealth at their own cost. "If thou hast sinned, what doest thou against Him? and if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto Him? if thou be righteous, what givest thou Him? or what receiveth He at thy hand?" Nay, love alone can count its riches in assuming such burdens. And God is love; and His glory is in the out-flow of His goodness; and of this Christ is the only complete expression. What simpler then than that Christ-not simply the Son of His love, but the Son become Man-is the end for which all creation exists? Divine love, as it is exhibited, confirmed, glorified in Him, is the only possible key to the mystery of our being.

Sin has come in, and we think naturally very different thoughts from these. "I knew Thee, that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed," is said in all human languages, in accents of assured conviction. Even the Cross, the most wonderful manifestation of divine love that could be made has been darkened and profaned by such blasphemous accusations. But the answer has been given by the lips of the patient Sufferer Himself, whose lifting up avails and shall avail, to draw men unto Him, and so to God. Yea, "He died for all, that they which live should no more live unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them, and rose again."

He has vindicated then afresh His hereditary title as "Son over the house of God;" and having finally consecrated it as a temple of praise for ever, He will abide the Head of it. For this is the "mystery of God’s will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, for the administration of the fulness of times, to head up all things in Christ; both which are in heaven and which are on earth; even in Him, in whom we also have obtained an inheritance" (Eph. 1:9-11, Gk.).

We must not confound this with millennial Kingship, or with anything which is to pass away. The "fulness of times" is not simply the last of probationary ages, but that to which they all pointed and led the way. Headship is not the same as rule over, after the manner of a king, but implies a closer, natural, and, so to speak, organic relationship. The head is the representative and interpreter of that to which he is head, and which would be defective in a terrible way without it. Such is Christ’s Headship over creation; and Ephesians here completes the doctrine of the two epistles which precede and connect with it as positional epistles-Romans and Galatians. The three are an ascending series, reaching in Ephesians their highest point and thus the widest view. For in Romans and Galatians His Headship is confined to man, and thus He is the second Adam of a new creation. That by itself would shut out angels; but they are not to be shut out, and the Lord’s title here would necessarily include these also.

In the third chapter we find accordingly that "every family"-so it should be translated-"in heaven and earth is named"-or gets its title- "from the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." That is, the relationship of God to Christ as Man, affects His relationship with all His intelligent creatures. It could not surely fail to be so. Christ’s own place in relation to men must in some way avail for more than men; and the heading up of creation in Christ must bind it to God in a manner unspeakably different from its original relationship as creation merely. The character of man so commonly remarked on as a microcosm,-his nature thus putting him in relation to every part of the universe of God-becomes in this way a matter of highest and tenderest interest, as we realize this to be the nature assumed by the Son of God.

That He is the Son has here also its significance, as we see, and how the original and divine relationships shine through the acquired ones. Wonderfully accordant it all is, with all its surpassing blessedness. How "all things were created for" Christ, as well as "by" Him, we can clearly see (Col. 1:16); as well as how, not merely by His power, but in the link of such relationships, "by Him all things consist" (ver. 17).

Thus the Son is the "Heir of all things" (Heb. 1:2); and sonship and heirship go together, not merely among the dying sons of men who, under death because of sin, leave their possessions to others; but sonship and heirship go together in things that are eternal, and where again that which is divine shines through and interprets the creaturely and temporal. The thoughts of God reflect Himself and spring out of His affections-out of the depth of His nature. Would only that there were more ability to receive and trace out what His word, the key of all, has opened so for us! Let us remind ourselves that it is in this very connection that we are assured that, "according to the riches of His grace, He has abounded towards us in all wisdom and thoughtfulness,* having made known to us the mystery of His will."

*I cannot find a better word to express here the idea of phronesis, which the common version translates, most unsuitable surely, "prudence." Others give "intelligence," but being on God’s part toward us, this also seems hardly adequate.*

Yes, God has thought of us, indeed, as those whom He has called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ, and is training to be His co-heirs in His inheritance. Shall we not respond to His care and seek to grow more into "the mind of Christ"?

How tenderly are our thoughts drawn towards these glories of His by the reminder of our own personal interest in them. As here, where the mystery of His will to head up all things in Christ being spoken of, we are straightway reminded, "in whom also we have obtained an inheritance." At the close of this chapter again, "He has made Him to be Head over all things to the Church which is His body." In Colossians we find, in the verses most characteristic of the whole epistle (chap. 2:9, 10):"For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and ye are complete"-filled up-"in Him, who is the Head of all principality and power." Such things as these, which assuredly we should most shrink from putting together, the word of God unites as if to challenge our attention by such connection; as if to make it impossible to possess ourselves of what is our own, without exploring the glories of Christ so linked with it. F. W. G.

(To be continued.)

(Rom. 16:15.)

In this most wonderful epistle written by the apostle to the saints at Rome, these words are found, " Salute Philologus."The epistle itself, the foundation of all the rest, and of the Christian life itself, is worthy of our most careful study, unfolding as it does the utter ruin of the human race, and the redemption and full salvation of God, based upon the blood of atonement, and brought to light by the gospel.

The closing chapter is devoted to commendations, salutations, and personal touches all beautiful and perfect in their place. " Salute Philologus " is one worthy of note. Nowhere else do we read of this name upon the pages of inspiration. We never read that he was an evangelist as we do of Philip, nor yet of his pastoral labors, or teaching as is recorded of Paul, Timothy, Apollos and others; nor is he even commended for things noticed of certain others in this chapter:‘’ Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which labored much in the Lord," "Greet Mary, who bestowed much labor on us " etc.

There may have been in his case little or no gift, and perhaps not time nor strength to do much in the way of labor; perhaps little seen or known in public, but of all this Scripture says nothing, but simply those words "Salute Philologus."

One thought looms up before the mind as we meditate upon this part of the inspired word of God. Is the name an index to the subject? Is the name the characteristic of the life of this one so worthy of the apostle’s salutation?

If so then we have found the key to a life sweet and precious to God and worthy of a place in the closing part of this epistle; and to those familiar with the word of God, this line of interpretation will not be new, nor yet out of order. Notice this from Gen. 4:down through the inspired word; Eve naming her sons, Cain and Abel; Noah’s birth (Gen. 5:29), Leah’s four sons (Gen. 29:32-35), in fact the whole family; and again the Spirit’s interpretation of the name of Melchisedek (Heb. vii).Also the frequent change of names, as from Jacob to Israel, Simon to Peter, Saul to Paul, and Joses to Barnabas. These by the way as incidents true and divine in this line and order. But now, to return, if the name gives us a clue to this case, there was abundant reason why the apostle caused it to be placed upon the divine record"Salute Philologus"-a lover of the word for so is his name by interpretation. What a lesson this name has in it for us! the true secret of the Christian life, progress, and usefulness, the secret of true greatness before God. This epistle Paul had sent to Rome, and it was written by inspiration. Did not the apostle desire all the saints meditate upon the wondrous and precious themes therein given? Surely this was the apostle’s desire for the saints in that large city. Hence Philologus would be a pattern in this respect, and the mention of his name might inspire all to the same diligence and love for divine truth, " a lover of the word."

Beloved, let us, one and all, more truly answer to this name. These days are dark, evil is on the increase, lack of confidence is felt everywhere, and neglect of the word of God is felt all over, especially among the young.

May we have a reviving everywhere, and true hearty interest in the study of the word of God. It is written of one, "I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food " (Job 23:12). And again still later,"I rejoiced at thy word as one that findeth great spoil." "I love thy commandments above gold, yea, above find gold" (Ps. 119:127, 162).

Again, "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart" (Jer. 15:16). These also were true Philologuses in their day and time, and we do well to draw near, and as the heart warms in communion with the Father and the Son, love for the Word will revive. The range is large, the fields are immense, the mines are rich and full of heavenly ore, and yet many of the people of God are passing over and by, and gather little or nothing. Reading a few verses, or a chapter now and then, good and right in its place, will not give us this Philologus character. But ‘’ As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word" (i Pet. 2:2). "If thou criest after knowledge, and lifteth up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasure; then thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God " (Prov. 2:1-5). Then the Book will not appear dry, and hours spent therein will not grow dreary.

We may be dumb and have no utterance; deaf and hear little oral ministry; yet there lies before us the precious word of God, and if we are never commended, or rewarded for preaching or teaching, will it be said at the end that we have been lovers of the Word?

Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7) is a name akin to Philologus, and one thing is there said to Philadelphia, " Thou hast kept My word." Herein lies the secret of all spiritual power. How refreshing, in a day like this, when Higher Critics are doing their best to weaken and overthrow confidence in the Word, and again Satan in other ways draws away the hearts of men by love of pleasure, love of wealth, love for the world, to find here and there those who love the word of God, those who abide fast by it.

Search it! and love-beyond rubies or find gold- the precious things therein written. Of such we can truly say, The Lord increase their number, and to such we can yet write, "Salute Philologus." A. E. B.

By cloud and storm Thou teachest me.
While o’er life’s main Thou leadest me
The haven reached, at home with Thee,
I’ll bless Thee for their ministry.

I may not know what storm, or shoal,
Awaits me on life’s tide;
I may not know if joy, or woe,
Shall tend my footsteps as I go,
The while I shall abide-
Life’s sea is rude and wide.

I only know the past is full
Of clouds of varying hue;
I may not see why this should be,
Or that, but oh, I know that He
(Though all should fail,) is true,
He’ll safely bear me through.

This strange and tangled web I weave,
Mysterious to me!
His love alone could mark and own,
A work so miserably done,
Yet He accepts most graciously,
What love hath wrought imperfectly

I may not draw aside the veil
That kindly intervenes:
But, come what may, I know some day,
He’ll tell me in His own blest way,
What every trial means
By which my heart He weans.

No sorrow’s ever small to Him,
By which I learn His love.
His tender heart feels every dart,
The bitter tear, that oft will start,
Doth e’er His pity move.
How infinite His love!

My grief, however great it be,
His greater heart doth know,
And oft I need-(though heart may bleed)
The knife that roots out some rank weed,
He will not let it grow,
Because He loves me so.

Forgive, if I should murmur, Lord,
And chafe against Thy ways;
Some day, this fast retreating past,
With all its darkening shadows cast,
Will all Thy .mercies trace
And magnify Thy grace.

Ah! then I’ll know, as now I would,
The wisdom of Thy ways.
A troubled dream this life will seem
When I shall catch the first bright gleam
Of glory from Thy face.
Earth’s clouds will have no place.

Life’s storms and clouds and shadows o’er,
The school of sorrow past,-
The garnered grain needs not the rain-
Yet, through the discipline of pain,
And earth’s rude tempest blast,
He’ll bring me home at last.

These threatening storms that surge and roar,
These waves that wildly lash the shore,
But make me long for Thee the more,
And tell me, "night will soon be o’er."

H. McD.

(Jer. 14:21.)

This remarkable language is used by the prophet at a time of chastening under the hand of God -a chastening which was richly deserved by the people. He acknowledges the righteousness of God in it, but in connection with that confession appeals to His unchanging character. He does not merely appeal to God’s mercy and love; nor does he use the people’s low condition as the great motive with Him. Rather, his appeal is to His throne, the throne of His glory. Righteousness and judgment are the foundation of that throne. Should He fail to uphold, to preserve His blood-bought people-that throne of glory would be disgraced. What holy boldness, what effectual intercession! It is similar to that of Moses, when Israel had provoked the Lord to anger (Num. 14:) and He threatened to cut them off from being a nation,-" Then the Egyptians shall hear it; "or like Joshua’s plea at Ai (Josh. 7:), "What wilt thou do unto thy great name?"

Yes, beloved brethren, our salvation and eternal security are indissolubly linked with the throne of God’s glory. We often need chastening and reproof, but as soon would the throne of God be disgraced, as one of the least or most unworthy of His people perish. What security is ours! What rest!

" Our hearts have peace that can never fail,
‘Tis the Lamb on high, ore the throne."

Let the walk, partake of that stability. "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear."

Do you believe God? If God be God, whatever He shall plan for us, is positively and surely the best; and could our eyes, at this moment, see by the light of eternity instead of time, we would always choose for ourselves that which God has chosen for us. "Jesus said unto him, what I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter" (John 13:7).

In submitting to our readers the following correspondence upon the subject of baptism a few words of explanation may be in place. In the July number of this magazine a paper was published, entitled, " Has Water Baptism a place in Christianity?" It was with the exception and desire that the discussion there begun would awaken an interest in many minds in the subject. We purposely refrained from taking up any but the primary questions relating to baptism, examining the Scriptures to see whether it had any place in the economy of fully developed Christianity. It may surprise many to learn that there should be any necessity for such inquiry, but such there is. We trust that some who have been tempted to discard water baptism have seen their error, as pointed out from Scripture, and have returned to the "one baptism" which is ever connected with the "one faith."

But it was our desire to see the subject taken further, and we were glad to give place, in the August number, to the paper "Shall I disciple my little children?" This paper treated the question of household baptism, and brought directly before us the fact of our responsibility in regard to our families. As was expected, and desired, exception was taken to much in both papers, but we are grateful at least for the awakening.

Controversy is not our object, but the ascertainment of the truth is. Let us not fear scriptural discussion, even where we may not be of absolutely one mind. Let it be understood that this is no question of fellowship in the Assembly. Thank God, we hold enough in common to enable us to meet together about the Person of our adorable Lord, while not all of the same mind upon this subject. But let not this make us indifferent to the question. In any event we have a responsibility, connected with which we owe loyal and willing obedience. May the Lord grant that we know His way, and walk in it. We have the word of God; we have the Holy Spirit; -why should it be impossible to reach that oneness of mind, which must be His mind?

We now give the correspondence, taking the privilege of making such comments as may seem to be called for. We need hardly add that the effort is made to give the full meaning of the writer, omitting only personal allusions, or what has been alluded to by others.

Dear Brother:-By reading the paper " Has water baptism a place in Christianity," my soul was much blessed. I am thankful for the stand you take as to the truth once delivered to the saints. I have felt much grieved that brethren have forsaken the true ground as to baptism, and, as you say in your paper, even neglected it entirely. We are living in the latter days when men shall depart from the truth. And of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

I find that laboring brethren press household baptism so much. Paul preached Christ and Him crucified; that was his first and last theme, and the other followed of itself, namely baptism. Why is there so much lukewarm-ness amongst God’s children? They are more occupied with doctrines of men than Christ. My beloved brother, keep Christ before the people and we will have happy saints and real Christians, such as know that they are born again, that they are dead with Christ and also buried with Him by baptism and raised with Him to walk in newness of life.

Remarks.-The spirit of our brother is evident. He sees and deplores the tendency to carelessness and looseness in the Lord’s things. We have failed, however, to notice what he observes,-the tendency to press household or any form of baptism. On the contrary we fear there has been an unintentional avoidance of the question for fear, perhaps, of seeming controversy. Now we believe that neglect is one of the great dangers. Let it not be called pressing a subject unduly when the Lord’s servants seek to lay before saints the teaching of Scripture and their responsibilities as to it. Let us indeed preach Christ, and live Christ, and surely we will desire to know His will in all things.

Dear Brother:-I had thought several times to write you a word approving your plain scriptural position in regard to baptism, as given fn the July " Help and Food." I never could understand why brethren, who are so scriptural about most things, differed so greatly as to this, to me, plain Scripture teaching. I have been asked the question:"Do you believe baptism essential to salvation?" Now I do not answer such a question categorically. It is not a scriptural question. " Is it a command of the Lord?" Yes, I answer at once. And further it is a command of the risen Lord, giving it place on this side of His death, in this dispensation. And the command is not given to the believer to be baptized, but to the preacher of the gospel to baptize the believer, and it is the preacher who is the disobedient one rather than the believer. But the question is, being a command of the risen Lord, What is the consequence to him who disobeys or ignores it? Knowing now, as we do, that it represents death, His death, and our death with Him, as also our raising up together with Him, its importance, must, at least, be conceded, and the question is:What do we lose, what does the believing sinner lose, because the preacher does not obey His Lord in baptizing him? It is very evident to me why the command was given to the preacher to baptize, and not to the believing sinner to be baptized. We bury dead persons, and dead men cannot obey commands. But I ask again, what, if anything, does the believing sinner lose, through the disobedience of the preacher, teacher, or evangelist who refuses to bury him with His Lord, into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, as commanded in the great commission? An act done under the solemn command of the risen Lord, could not be a mere formality, but must in some way connect the recipient with the divine blessing. That it shows the utter worthless-ness of the flesh, to be excised, cut off with a circumcision not hand made, and buried away, and a new man and a new life to take its, place in resurrection, is plainly shown in Paul’s teaching, and Peter’s also. But is there no connection between baptism and this result? Is the one attained without the other? Could you and I in teaching brethren, enforce our separation from the world, because of our death to it, as shown in our baptism by the teaching of Scripture, and leave it out? Did not Paul enforce his teaching as to our relation to the world, as being dead to it, as not living in it, and our confession of this in the act of baptism? Rotherham’s literal translation of Col. 2:11-13, makes all this wonderfully forcible. "In whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not hand-made, in the stripping off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of the Christ, being jointly-buried with him in [your] immersion, in which ye were also jointly-raised through the faith of the inward-working of God who raised Him from the dead; and you, being dead by the offences and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he jointly made you alive together with Him, in favor forgiving us all the offences." Is this all true, and leave out that which signifies it all? Baptism surely stands at the threshold of Christian faith and life, and sets forth our relation to the world, as dead and buried to it, and our new relation to Christ as raised up together with Him, and thus united to Him in resurrection-life by faith. Must not the blessing of God, " the inward-working of God " to bring out that which by Him is typified, attend an act that puts the believer under the protecting power of the triune God, and the only place where that ineffable Name is given in the Holy Scripture? Do we get rid of the flesh, the old man, without burying it? Yours in the love of the truth.

Remarks.-We do not see how anyone fully accepting the doctrines of grace could for a moment hesitate to answer in the most categorical way the question, Is baptism essential to salvation? To confound the two would be Romanism, would degrade the precious death of Christ into equality with a symbol of that death. We would fain believe that our correspondent does not mean this. But he evidently does attach the reception of full identification with the risen Christ to baptism. Is there any thing in Scripture to warrant such a thought? His quotation from Col. 2:12, 13 teaches the exact opposite;-we are raised through faith of the operation (or energy, Gk.) of God who raised Him from the dead. It is faith in the God of resurrection which gives us a share in the blessings of forgiveness, and of all that is connected with the risen Lord. The reception of baptism prior to the gift of the Holy Spirit has been frequently explained. Jews who had up to then rejected Christ, owned in this act Him as Lord, and thereupon received the Spirit. The reverse was true in the case of Cornelius, a Gentile. He received the Holy Spirit and was then baptized. So also in the teaching in the epistles. The reception of the Spirit is connected with faith, not baptism (Eph. 1:13). He would be a bold man to argue from this that faith included baptism which therefore had been administered.

But why should there be any difficulty? Grace is God’s, responsibility is man’s. "Why single out one act of obedience and make all the untold blessings of Christianity depend upon it? One who is disobedient is always a loser, but surely not a loser of what comes with a risen Christ. We would affectionately commend this to our brother, assured that in confounding grace and responsibility he is unconsciously in grave error.

Dear Brother:-While like yourself deploring the neglect of baptism, there are a few things in your July article which I must beg you and your readers to hear a few words on.

You say, p. 181,"In allusion to the fact that baptism was the act of making disciples." John 4:i says," Jesus made and baptized . . . disciples." When two verbs come together thus, if the one verb denotes an action and the other how that action was performed, the verb which denotes how comes first. He poured oil on him and anointed him. You cannot say He anointed him and poured oil on him, unless the anointing and the pouring were two different actions. So, if the baptizing was the making of disciples, it would not be "made and baptized," but "baptized and made." The fact that it is "made and baptized," the fact that "baptized" comes after, not before, " made," proves that they were made disciples first and then baptized. That baptizing is discipling is contrary to plain fact. Many a baptized person, even when the child of a believer, never becomes a disciple, a learner. But water can not make a learner. This is a fact.

It is remarkable to see you restating an argument which the former editor of Help and Food has given up. You say that in Eph. 4:4-6 there are three spheres. If there are three spheres in Eph. 4:4-6, why not in i Cor. 12:4-6? The passages are similar. Nobody holds otherwise than that in i Cor. 12:4-6, we have the Spirit, the Son, and the Father, each in His own distinct relation to one and the same sphere. The Ephesian passage is quite parallel. You call Ephesians "the great epistle of the One Body," yet you say that in chap. 4:4-6 there are two other spheres besides, i Cor. 12:4-6 shows that you are mistaken. It is the Spirit, the Lord, and the Father, each in His own relation to the one sphere, in both passages. Ephesians does not treat of the kingdom, nor of nature; but only of the assembly. If verses 5 and 6 are true of the assembly, as they surely are, what reason is there for applying them to other spheres?

You say, (p. 183) "Many who; accept household baptism do not obey God in having their children baptized." Thus you teach that child-baptism is obedience to God. There is no mention of child-baptism in Scripture. It rests on inference. Can we be blamed for considering it a mistaken inference when we see what baptism symbolizes?-washing away of sins. An infant has no sins to wash away. The putting on of Christ:-this can only be done by one capable of understanding what he is doing. Claim of a good conscience:-an infant cannot claim any kind of conscience. Burial with Christ:-an infant can be buried, but not" with Christ," which plainly implies intelligence; and Scripture does not separate resurrection from burial. Rom. 6:implies and Col. 2:asserts their inseparableness. You say Col. ii, ii, 12, "should doubtless be rendered ‘in whom.’" Forgive my objecting. The rule for deciding the antecedent to a relative is:-" The antecedent to a relative is the preceding noun, unless there be a clear reason to the contrary." Of course, you suppose there is here a reason to the contrary, but there is not. J. N. D. never saw one. With him baptism is resurrection (Letters, vol. 2:pp. 58, 330, 335). That baptism is resurrection appears from its being a putting on (Gal. 3:27) as well as a putting off. Putting on is only in resurrection (2 Cor. 5:2-4) and an infant can neither put off nor put on.

Remarks.-Our brother surely agrees with us that baptism is the badge of discipleship. We most certainly disclaim the thought of sundering baptism and teaching. The passage he quotes when taken in its connection explains itself. As to his use of John 4:i, it is his, not ours. We might add, however, that there is an explanatory use of a second verb. Thus, he made-that is baptized, disciples. But we never thought of excluding the "teaching" from John 4:1:

With regard to the three spheres in Eph. 4:; it is not because of the name of each person of the blessed Trinity that we speak of three circles or spheres, as our brother surely knows, but of the words connected with the name of each Person. "There is one Body and one Spirit . . . one Hope!" Who can for a moment question that none but believers, true children of God are here alluded to?
"One Lord, one faith, one baptism." Is it not possible that profession might come in here? Profession could not come into the one body.

" One God and one Father of all," surely reaches on to the truth of "God all in all." The similarity to i Cor. 12:is but external, and cannot therefore be used as by our brother. A simple comparison of the two passages will show this.

We do not question that the passages alluded to in the last paragraphs refer primarily to the baptism of believers. This was natural and necessary for those just brought into the pale of Christianity, but to say that the passages cannot be applied to the households of saints is assertion without proof.

-:Is it quite ingenuous to write:-"It is not the purpose of this paper to enter into the discussion of any of these questions," one of which questions is, " Who are the proper subjects?" and then to write:"The first is the sphere of the Church, of pure grace; the second is the sphere of the Kingdom, of responsibility. There is a third sphere, that of creation, One God and Father of all who is over all, and through all, and in [us] all?" For this interpretation of the passage in Eph. 4:is caused and necessitated by the desire to prove infants to be the " proper subjects," and is peculiar to those who hold "household baptism" so called. The article does therefore, indirectly, enter upon the question of who are the proper subjects; in fact it is quite impossible to discuss the doctrine of baptism without deciding, by the doctrine and teaching of the epistles, who are the proper subjects. Is not, in fact, the effort to apply baptism to infants, the cause of all the confusion about it, as the saints perceive that the doctrine contradicts the application. A paper therefore that avoids the question of the proper subject, fails to clear up the confusion. Scripture shows that the true Church is both the body of Christ and the house of God. Some have assumed that the bouse of God embraced false professors who are not in the body, and from that deduced the doctrine of infant baptism into the house. Others have refused this, but as they held infant baptism, a place for them must be found, and so they found it in the " Kingdom," which is substituted for the " house." The first teaching made the house include all the false material and identified the house with the Kingdom in the present dispensation. The second refused false material in the house and put it into the Kingdom; both justify infant baptism on the plea of false material having a place in one or both! A shaky foundation surely for it to rest on.

The fact is, the " house " of God and the " Kingdom of God " are identical in the present dispensation. The Kingdom will go on in the next dispensation, but the " house" will be on high. In neither the house nor the Kingdom does God own anything but what is real. The "house" is the habitation of God the Spirit. That is what constitutes it the house of God. God builds it and He does not build in false material. Man may build falsely but God owns it not. So the Kingdom; it is composed of those born of God, for it is formed by sowing the good seed. The rest is rejected from the beginning and in due time judged. Never owned by the King. But the sole foundation for baptismal efficacy for the entrance of infants is that the Lord owns and gives a place to false material in the Kingdom. If Matt. 13:says nothing of baptism being efficacious to put into it, but ascribes it to the reception of the " word of the Kingdom" into the heart, how dangerous is the doctrine that substitutes the ordinance of baptism for the word, and makes baptism precede the word instead of follow it! According to God, entrance into the Kingdom is by new birth, Matt. 13:proves this beyond controversy; and entrance into the house is by the Spirit. The persons who compose both are identical in this dispensation; while the false material in the house is the false material of Matt. 13:They are identical both in respect of the good and the bad. But the Lord did not own the bad as His, nor introduced by His authority, and linked the interests of the disciples with the treasure, the pearl, (the Church) and the good fish.

The interpretation forced upon Eph. 4:by the exigencies of the case, is strangely false for intelligent brethren to propound. Let us look at it as found in " Help and Food" for July 1898, for they are not all alike, at any rate in detail, and it is when we come to look narrowly into them that we are astonished and grieved at what we find.

"The first is the sphere of the Church, of pure grace." But is the "sphere" of "pure grace" limited to the Church? Is that not just what is going out to the whole world? Matt. 28:19 would seem to say so. One would rather take it that the Church is the sphere of our responsibilities, while even there we are not under law but grace, thank God.

"The second is the sphere of the Kingdom, of responsibility." And yet this is the "sphere" into which an infant is baptized! What are the "responsibilities" then of a baptized infant? Some teach that an infant is brought by baptism into the " sphere " of grace, not responsibility, in order to be saved; not baptized because it is saved. It is true the Kingdom and the Church alike are the " sphere " of our responsibility, (if I must use the word "sphere," of which there is no need.) In both I must maintain the one faith and confess the one Lord, and I begin to do this by the one baptism. Can an infant do this? the doctrine necessitates the absurd question. Then the baptism of an infant is not the "one baptism" of Eph. 4:and is therefore outside Scripture.

"There is a third sphere, that of creation:One God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in [us] all."

Would it be believed that the precious revelation from the Lord Himself, "I ascend to My Father and to your Father, to My God and to your God,"-the revelation of a relationship which it is one of the special objects of this epistle to unfold, should be, by the necessities of this theory, perverted to apply to all born of Adam-creation! And this is a part of the unity of the Spirit, which is wider even than the profession of Christianity, and must include the children of the heathen etc.! Truly there is something to say after all for the doctrine of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man!

But, thank God, we can turn back to Scripture and there all is plain and simple. The unity of the Spirit, composed of seven parts, in threefold relationship to the Trinity, (compare Matt. 28:19) embraces only those who are born of God the Father and are baptized by the Spirit into the one body, and who therefore can truly own the one Lord and the one faith in the one baptism. No other baptism than this is the one baptism of Eph. 4:Infant baptism is therefore but a superstition.
Water baptism has to do with the Kingdom. But our business is not with the spurious in the Kingdom; they are left to the day when He will purge out of His Kingdom all that offend and do iniquity. He made no place in His Kingdom for them, an enemy did it. Our business, I repeat, is with the treasure, the pearl, and the fish.

Scripture never teaches that baptism "effects" anything; then the baptism of infants is utterly meaningless. The confusion of which your paper complains is caused by this very teaching about infant baptism being efficacious to put into the Kingdom. It is the confession of those who enter, not the means of entering. It is not therefore one of the keys of the Kingdom,-a visionary idea. The keys are simply symbols of authority, and why should there be only two?

Remarks.-With regard to the first point made by our correspondent, we must leave the question of ingenuousness for settlement by our readers, remarking simply that the interpretation of Eph. 4:is not necessary for the support of either household or believers’ baptism. That interpretation must be tested simply by Scripture. If "one Lord, one faith, one baptism " does not refer to the Kingdom as distinct from the Church, then we have, in the body of Christ, the possibility of mere profession. We say possibility, for whether Kingdom or Church, no one contends for the necessity of mere profession. Does not every Christian shrink from the thought-of there being mere professors in the Church? And yet the faith of Christianity may be avowed, sealed by baptism, and " Lord, Lord " be said, without heart acquaintance with Christ. Where are such people? Certainly not in the Church. But with equal certainty are they in the Kingdom, the place of profession, and we add again, of responsibility, though grace be unknown.

As to the distinction between house and kingdom, it seems clear, where it is referred to, as formed by the Holy Spirit and indwelt by Him, that it is an aspect of the Church. As being the place of administration, taken up by man, as in 2 Tim. 2:, the house possesses some features in common with the Kingdom. To say that the presence of false material is the ground for the plea for infant baptism, is a thorough mistake. No one pleads for it on such grounds. It is to be feared that only too many who have professed conversion and been baptized in mature years, go to swell the numbers of those in the Kingdom but not in the Church. In fact it is not from the children that the ranks of profession are so largely swelled. No baptized child, who is scripturally taught, could for one moment indulge in false security because of that baptism.

As our brother suggests, the Kingdom has to do with earth and earthly responsibilities. Let that fact be remembered, and we have the justification of the baptism of the children of believers. Are not our children in circumstances far different from those of unbelieving households? Do they not enjoy privileges of light and truth, of being brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? Nay, is not the sad failure so noticeable in many households, where the heads of the family are Christian, due to lack of living faith to count upon God for the children, and to act accordingly? This want of faith may be present as well where baptism has been administered as where it has not. But to that, and not to baptism, must the failure be attributed, from the standpoint of human responsibility. It was while men slept that the tares were sown, and may not the slumber of Christians as to the immortal interests of their children explain the fact that so many of them grow up unsaved? Hence it is useless to use as an argument against household baptism that it introduces mere profession into the Kingdom. Let sleeping parents awake and we shall see. Oh for a divine awakening among us all, a living faith to take hold upon God.

The way to see eye to eye upon this subject is to get before God. Amid the cries to Him, the trembling for the salvation of the little ones, and the faithful bringing up, we believe there would be little room for argument upon this theme. Parents would see that their children had a place in God’s thoughts, that "thou and thy house" had a special and tender meaning, and in the anticipation of God’s faithful performance of His promises, they would enroll their little ones under the Lord’s leadership and name His name upon them. Baptism would fittingly express this relation, even as in other connections circumcision did.

With regard to the error of the " Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man," we see no danger in the interpretation of " one God and Father of all etc." He is that of " every family in heaven and earth." He will be manifested as such in the millennial and eternal ages, and as Creator, he is the Father of Spirits. There is no connection between this and that teaching based upon a denial of redemption and the atoning work of Christ.

My Dear Brother:-I am glad to find while reading the last number of Help and Food, August, that you have opened its pages again to the discussion of household baptism; and I am especially thankful for the article from your own pen, as to the importance and Scripture authority for baptism as a Christian responsibility.

I am also thankful for this article from F. A., on the subject, and that he thoroughly believes in burial-not sprinkling-as the baptism of Scripture,-as all of our brethren do. But I am especially sorry that some who really believe this, as to the doctrinal and theoretical part, are still willing to go on in disobedience as unbaptized believers, simply because they have been told that they were christened, or sprinkled in infancy. Therefore they cannot say before God, that they have been buried with Christ in baptism. And for two very potent reasons they cannot say it.

First, it was done when they were unconscious of any such thing being done; so that they are dependent on human testimony as to the past.

Second, it was sprinkling; which in Scripture is always symbolic of the application of the Word, never of burial, by which it was done:so that they can only say that, on the ground of two or three witnesses, they have been christened or sprinkled.

And to say, that they have faith to believe that they have been baptized is simply superstition, not faith at all. For " superstition is the subjection of the mind of man, in the things of God, to that for subjection to which, there is no warrant in divine testimony" (J. N. D.). To say that on the ground of two or three witnesses, I was sprinkled when I was an infant in my mother’s arms; is no warrant in divine testimony, hence is not and cannot be the ground for faith.

What then is it? A relic of the superstitions of Roman ism, which has come down to us through the perversion of a very important truth, in the apostasy of the Church in the third century, as every one knows who has ever read church history. In my judgment, F. A.’s argument (by inference) is one of the most convincing ever produced in favor of household baptism, and it would carry me back to that position again, but for one point, which he does not bring out. This, I hope, I may be allowed to give to your readers and to my brethren, as God has given me to see it, and which led me to give up household baptism;-for, once I was happy in baptizing children little and large; when the faith of the parents was united in it. So that you will understand that I once stood where our brother F. A. stands, though I did not get it out of the twenty-eighth of Matthew. Let me tell you how it was that I was brought to give up household baptism.

I was laboring in the gospel where there were a number of Christians interested and getting blessing, and some were exercised on the subject of baptism. They requested me to take up the subject. I waited on the Lord as to how I should take it up, for I had never lectured nor preached on the subject; and my mind was directed to the sixth of Romans and the second of Colossians.

In my meditations I was led to see, as never before, that baptism was the "burial of the old man," and in order to be valid must be an act of faith, on the part of the one baptized, not on the faith of others. Under the law things were done by proxy. The priest acted for the people:so that people who brought offerings, were accepted in the value of a sacrifice offered by a priest. But faith entered into the holiest, in Abraham’s day, without law or priest, but still in the value of a sacrifice, not yet offered but looking forward:we entered into the holiest in the value of the same sacrifice, without law or priest, looking back to the Cross. Grace supersedes both law and priest; but there is no en-trance into the holiest but for individual faith; and it is only the individual who has by faith entered into the holiest, who can in the reckoning of faith, "bury the old man," when faith has reckoned him dead. Now let us read from Rom. 6:3:"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized unto Jesus Christ, were baptized unto His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death:that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection."

This is the language of faith. How can I put my child in here? Just so in Colossians. The apostle is writing to those whose individual faith had, in "the obedience of faith," taken this portion. " And ye are complete in Him which is the Head of all principality and power, in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. Buried with Him in baptism wherein ye also are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised Him from the dead."

How can I put my child into this? I fully concur also in this, that baptism does not bring the one baptized into anything, neither the Kingdom, nor the house, nor yet covenant relationship. But to faith it is the witness, or sign of subjection to Christ, and the receiving of a testimony which puts one in the place of death; and I believe also brings him into the place of a resurrection life:thus emphasizing, or rather, exemplifying what the blessed Lord Himself gives us in John 5:24-" is passed from death unto life."

This too is clearly seen in what the Lord Jesus says of John the Baptist in Luke 7:29, 30:"And all the people that heard Him, and the publicans justified God being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him." We have been told that John preached the gospel of the Kingdom, and that John’s baptism brought them into the Kingdom. What then did Christian baptism bring them into? For they were baptized again, as we see from the nineteenth of Acts. And if baptism formed any part, or was in any sense preparatory to the entrance into the Kingdom, Why was it repeated? And if as our brother F. A. puts it; the great commission comes down to us, and we disciple and baptize our children in infancy, when they come to years, and have in the intelligence of faith come to the knowledge of salvation, they must be baptized again, according to Acts 19:5.

Now this is not an argument by inference, but from the simplest and plainest teaching of the Word. For Paul found disciples at Antioch who had believed – doubtless quickened souls-and had been baptized, but had never heard a full gospel, and when he gives them the proper word for an intelligent faith, they were baptized again, and received the Holy Ghost. Does this come clown to us also? This settles the question, that an intelligent faith should accompany, or precede a valid baptism. Does it not? How then can I accept brother F. A.’s inferential argument from Matt. 28:19, 20? May the blessed Lord give us to bow to His word.

Remarks.-All who have weighed Scripture would surely agree that immersion is clearly taught, but largely by inference, of which brethren seem so afraid. Our brother, however, in our judgment, in insisting upon the immersion of those who have already been baptized by sprinkling, unwittingly detracts from the honor of the blessed Lord. The emphasis is never put upon the mode of baptism, but upon the Name in which the person is baptized. See all through Acts, particularly in the 19th chapter referred to. Here, in the only recorded case of the baptism, the subjects had already been immersed. They were baptized the second time in the name of the Lord Jesus. Hence if a person has been once sprinkled in the name of the Lord Jesus, or of the Trinity-the full revelation of the Godhead brought out through the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus-to immerse him would be to ignore the value of the precious name already put upon him.

As to testimony of others, it does not bear upon the subject. Scripture warrants the reception of the testimony of two or three witnesses.

We have already spoken of the remainder of his argument from Colossians. As the apostle was writing, of course, to believers, it was natural that he would refer to what baptism meant, into the truth of which his words would lead them. Would it be impossible for children to look back, after their conversion, and see the significance of that which had been done for them years before?

Grace never thrives in a negligent and careless soul . . . We read of "being rooted and grounded." Grace in the heart is the root of every gracious word in the mouth, and of every holy work in the hand. Now in a heart not kept with care and diligence, these fructifying influences are stopped and cut off; a multitude of vanities break in and devour its strength. . . . "How precious are Thy thoughts to me O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand, when I awake I am still with Thee." "My soul is filled with marrow and fatness, when I remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night-watches. My soul followeth hard after Thee; Thy right hand upholdeth me." . . . The stability of our souls in the hour of temptation will depend much upon the care we take in keeping our hearts. The careless heart is an easy prey to Satan in the hour of temptation … it is the watchful heart that discovers and suppresses the temptation before it comes to its strength. … I may say to the Christian who is remiss and careless in keeping his heart:" Thou shalt not excel." . . .

Furnish your heart richly with the word of God. … Be not discouraged Christian. The time is coming when thou shalt be discharged from thy labor, . . . when all vanity shall be removed from thy thoughts, and they shall be everlastingly and delightfully exercised upon the supreme goodness and excellence of thy God and Saviour; and when thou shalt lay down the weapons of prayers, tears, and groans, and put on the armor of light, not to engage in battle, but to triumph forever through Him who has loved you and left you this gracious encouragement:"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne."

Matt. 9:27-31 inclusive.

This is the principle, or law, of God’s activity in His saints, as well as of His grace to sinners. In the scriptures before us we have a perfect and beautiful illustration of it, as to the latter class, and in the seventeenth chapter, of the want of faith on the part of the former.

The blessed Master had returned to His own city -Nazareth-and had "forgiven the sins,"and healed "the man sick of the palsy," cured "the woman diseased with an issue of blood twelve years," raised the dead "daughter of a certain ruler," and "His fame had gone abroad into all that land;" so that when He departed thence, two blind men followed Him, beseeching Him to "have mercy on them." These, no doubt, had heard of the wonderful works wrought by Jesus, because " His fame had gone out into all that land," and in their extreme need, knowing full well this need, they were ready and willing to believe that He who could raise the dead must also be able to open their eyes. Therefore they came to Him, into the house, and the Lord knowing their thoughts, reading their hearts, said unto them, believe ye that I am able to do this? Do what? They had not told Him their desire, they had not asked Him to return their sight, but only to "have mercy on us,"-Ah! but He knows what we desire before we ask Him. Then touched He their eyes, saying, " According to your faith be it unto you," "and their eyes were opened." This is what they were expecting, what they desired and all they desired. It was "the end of their faith." "They received the end of their faith," even the opening of their eyes. On the same principle, the end of their faith may be the salvation of their souls (i Peter 1:9).

Now faith is not an act of our own wills, as many imagine, but it is the gift of God. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights " (James 1:17). "By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Eph. 1:8). ‘’ Think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith " (Rom. 12:3). Now the question will arise, how does God deal to us the measure of faith? Just as He gave the manna to Israel:" Every man gathering according to his eating," or his appetite for it. So God deals to us the measure of faith. As we desire it, as we require it, as we will receive and use it according to His will. He cannot give faith for that which is not according to His purpose. His purpose now is for salvation to man; a new life, a new creation by the Holy Spirit. To this end He measures to His saints as they need all requisite gifts by the Holy Spirit. He does not give faith for physical wants beyond that which is ordained under natural law; because He is not now dealing with the race on this ground. He did do this in the beginning of this dispensation for the establishment of the truth in the world; so that no excuse should be possible to unbelief; but now, when the testimony of physical miracles has been sufficient to this end, His real purpose of salvation in grace, through faith, is working out His will according to His own eternal purpose. We are therefore not authorized by the word of God to have faith for or expect physical miracles; though the spiritually miraculous is before our eyes in every soul born of God. He is now through grace, by faith, taking out of the already judged world a people for His Name (Acts 15:14). Sanctifying, separating them from the world to Himself; to His fellowship, His society, His association!

Faith then being the gift of God, it may be said to be the instrument by which God calls men into this association. " If any man will do His will, he shall know of the teaching whether it be of God or whether I speak of Myself." So spake the Lord to the Jews as recorded in John 7:17. Also, "He that is of God, heareth God’s words:ye therefore hear not, because ye are not of God" (John 8:47). Subjection then is man’s part in salvation. Willing subjection. A heart for the truth, God’s truth, the source of truth; the highest truth there is for man. A lover of the truth. Any man thus willing, "shall know of the teaching." Of such were the two men who came to the Lord in the ninth of Matthew. He drew them to Him, into the house, and through faith, granted them the desire of their hearts. Their eyes were opened.

Opening the eyes lets in the light. So also is it in spiritual things. The light of heaven flows in through the open eyes of faith. God opens the eyes of every willing, subject soul. As in the beginning of the new creation life, so is it to the end, " According to your faith so be it unto you." We get on in heavenly things as we are willing to receive from God. He is always waiting to be gracious unto us, and His gifts are only limited by our desire for them. We gather the manna for our own eating, as much as we may; but no more than we use. It is gathering from day to day. It cannot be kept over. All not consumed spoils. No nourishment can be had from it. Christian progress, growth in grace, is from freshly feeding on the heavenly Manna every day, so that "to them that have, more shall be given," and we go on in "grace upon grace."

When the blind men were restored to their sight, Jesus commanded them that no man should know about it. But on the contrary, "they spread His fame throughout all that country! " They couldn’t help it. It was more than poor human nature could keep hidden. Their hearts were full to bursting; and out of a full heart the mouth will speak:Hence they spread His fame throughout all that country. That is what all true Christians will do, cannot help doing, when their eyes are fully open and "the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" is poured from heaven into their souls. Then they will sing, by the Spirit, with all saints:-

" Our hearts are full of Christ, and long
Their glorious matter to declare!
Of Him we make our loftier song,-
We, cannot from His praise forbear:
Our ready tongues make haste to sing
The glories of the heavenly King."

J. S. P.

Twice it is recorded in 2 Samuel 2:that David "inquired of the Lord," as if to attract our attention to this in a special way; because immediately afterwards he takes a most important step, and no inquiry of the Lord is mentioned. Saul had perished, and "David inquired of the Lord, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And He said, Unto Hebron. So David went up thither," and his wives and his men with him.

But note what happens next. "And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah." There is no waiting to inquire of the Lord, and no appeal to the other tribes, at least, so we are bound to infer. And a step is taken that is manifestly not of God, because not according to His word. David was not marked out to be king over the house of Judah, but to be king "over Israel."

And the two humble inquirings of the Lord, pointedly mentioned just before, surely are meant to call attention to the lack of any such inquiring here. It reminds one of Paul being ensnared at Jerusalem. David was now amid his friends. When humbly inquiring his way, step by step, he was still an exile; but now, as it were, at home again, it would seem that both he and the men of Judah acted by impulse, and not by the Spirit of God. And the consequences that follow are full of warning and instruction.

Abner made Ish-bosheth king over the other tribes, and war ensues; and acts of vile treachery and murder mark those years. And not until over seven years after is David anointed king over all Israel.

Surely all this had its influence towards the final rending of the ten tribes from Judah. And the later history of David’s career shows the same spirit at work in him. When being brought back to his throne after the overthrow of Absalom, David’s failure in this line is more signal than before. He now impatiently challenges the men of Judah for not being more forward to welcome him back when the other tribes were making demonstrations in his favor. The result is bitter words between the men of Israel and the men of Judah, because of Judah doing what David had himself incited them to do. "The king is near of kin to us," was the men of Judah’s plea.

Let us beware of sectarian thoughts! David’s failure in these two cases, and the consequences-for war ensued again in this latter case-are full of solemnity and full of warning and instruction. What far-reaching results may ensue from one step taken, at an important juncture, and especially by one whose responsibility is great, without inquiring of the Lord!

May the lesson be deeply impressed upon our hearts! and may we be well assured that any step taken without God must have an evil result!

I. ITS MEANING AND IMPLICATIONS.

We are going to take up, the Lord willing, a question (or questions) which of late seem more and more to be dividing those who alike look for the coining of the Lord as near at hand. The question is not, therefore, whether that coming be personal and premillennial or not:for, those for whom I write are equally assured that it is both; and the number of those who possess that assurance is, we may trust, becoming greater every day. For those who may still have question even as to this, there are now everywhere at hand abundant means of satisfaction. Nay, they have only, when once inquiry has been awakened with them, to examine their Bibles with a free and honest heart, to find it. They need but to give credit to Scripture for speaking with the same straightforwardness as we use with one another. They need only not to confound Israel and the Church; death or the taking of Jerusalem with the coming of the Son of man, and that in the clouds of heaven, and with all the holy angels with Him. To those simple, and not confused with unnatural interpretations, the word of God will become simple; and the great hope of the Church and of Israel will shine out with unmistakable plainness; nay, with a luster lighting up every other part.

It is not as to this, at any rate, that we are now to inquire. The question before us is one that will take more attentive consideration to answer. There are apparent difficulties on the face of Scripture itself with that which nevertheless we must accept as the true one; and there are correspondingly objections which require full examination before we are entitled to do so. Especially as they seem to have led many who not long since held it to abandon it for another.

The hope of the Morning Star may sufficiently characterize the view before us. Christ Himself is the Morning Star, and as such promised to the Christian overcomer. The morning star as such precedes the sunrise; does not enlighten the earth, but is lost in the beams of the sun when it arises. In Scripture it is the seal upon the closing page of the New Testament, as the Sun of righteousness is the seal upon the last page of the Old. It is connected with heaven alone; while the Sun in its rising brings heaven and earth together.

We hold, as many have held it, that Christ’s coming as the Morning Star is the hope of the Christian, and introduces him to the enjoyment of his place with Christ in heaven. The dead saints of all the past are raised; the living are changed and caught up to meet the Lord in the air along with these. And this is the first thing now to be looked for, whatever signs may in fact be given before it of the Lord’s approach; as even now there are many.

This "rapture of the saints" necessarily closes what we call the Christian dispensation. The true Church is gone from the earth, and what is left is a mere corrupt profession, now to be spued out of Christ’s mouth as utterly distasteful to Him, and which is soon to give up even the profession, and, not having received the love of the truth, to fall under the terrible delusion of Antichrist.
Darkness is then covering the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; and this is the time, and these are the circumstances under which the light begins to break for Israel. The day of the Lord begins amid such utter darkness, and not before we are gathered to Him. As long as the gospel is still going out, Israel are "enemies" (treated by God nationally as such) "for your sake"-that is, for the Gentiles (Rom. 11:28). Now the darkness begins to disperse, and instead of the remnant among them being added to the Church, as in the present time, they "return to the children of Israel" (Mic. 5:3):to Israelitish hopes and promises.

Prophecy as to the world, broken off with the breaking off of Israel, begins again, and time, which ceases to be reckoned when she is wholly (though but temporarily) given up as the people of God, now is reckoned again. The " end of the age," which is in fact the last week of Daniel’s seventy, brings with it the ability to reckon prophetic times, and thus amid the gloom to calculate the nearness of deliverance. And they will need and value it, while having to endure to the end, to find the promised blessing:for this is "the time of Jacob’s trouble " (Jer. 30:7), Israel’s travail-time in which the nation will be born to God, when at last every one written among the living in Jerusalem shall be holy, "when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughter of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning" (Isa. 4:3, 4).

Terrible will be the time they come through, "great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be " (Matt. 24:21; Dan. 12:i). It is the time of Antichrist, of the abomination of desolation in the holy place:when the world is permitted to show itself in its full character, the restraint upon the development of evil is removed, Antichrist shall replace Christ in the worship of the nations, and the "abomination" in the temple of God in Israel, challenge Him also in His Old Testament character, as well as in His New. The denial that Jesus is the Christ will ac company the denial of the Father and the Son (i John 2:22).

The end will be delivering judgment by the coming of the Son of man from heaven, as the lightning gleam in the storm of judgment, from east to west over the heavens. The nations assembled against Jerusalem meet with complete overthrow; the leaders in the great revolt against God being cast into the lake of fire, Satan shut up in the bottomless pit; and the saints who have come with Christ to the judgment of the earth taking the place of rulers with Him over it during the thousand years of peace that follow.

Of course, this is not even a proper sketch of what takes place during and at the close of the interval thus indicated between the taking away of the saints to meet the Lord and His appearing in glory with them. The question before us is not of details as to the events that fill up the interval, but of whether it exists at all; whether the rapture of the saints and their return with Christ are separated by any appreciable length of time; whether or not the Church goes through the tribulation; whether the dispensations can so far overlap as to permit of Jewish saints, with hopes and worship corresponding to this, to coexist upon earth with Christianity and the heavenly hopes that accompany it; whether the calculation of prophetic times is designed for Israel or the Church, or both; whether we are to look for the events or some of them, which admittedly precede Christ’s coming in glory, as to take place before we are caught up to be with Him? The last point seems to be perhaps in special contention, one very vigorous writer regularly characterizing the view against which he contends as "Any moment Adventism." But our decision as to this will be best reached as the final result of answers given to the other questions, which manifestly all so bear upon one another as to make the decision of one very much that of all; while yet they constitute so many distinct lines of proof which, if they agree together in what answer they yield, confirm each the other as well as the whole view. They will be, not a threefold, but a fivefold cord, not quickly to be broken.

But before we take up such questions, in seeking answer to which the full strength of the objections made will be seen and tested, let us take into consideration the proof as to the whole which we may gain from a brief review of Scripture.

It is perfectly plain, and is said in so many words by the apostle, that "when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory" (Col. 3:4). It is quite clear, therefore, if we may take Scripture in its full force, that the taking up of the saints to be with Him, as described in i Thess. 4:, must be before the appearing. This indeed still leaves it uncertain that any sensible length of time elapses between the two. Yet it argues that the Lord’s descent into the air to the gathering place for His people is not an appearing. It is so far an unseen stage of His coming, and the rising of His saints to meet Him likewise would be unseen also:for when He appears we shall appear with Him, and "those that sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him."

What is connected with these two phases of His coming it is important to notice. With the first, Christ’s reception of us to Himself, and the joys of the Father’s house (John 14:2, 3). With the second the reward of works, which is in the Kingdom. With the first, thus, the fruit of Christ’s work; with the second, the fruit of our own. The order is noticeable. The first is the hope of the Morning Star, Christ Himself the Christian hope, but which leaves the world unblest. The second is the day-dawn for the world, the "Sun of righteousness."

The coming of the Son of man, as in Matt. 24:, is manifestly the appearing. He comes in the clouds of heaven, with all the holy angels with Him, and the comparison with lightning shows plainly the approach of judgment. Now what connects itself with this in this chapter? First, the "abomination of desolation standing in the holy place "- the Jewish holy place, for when they would see it, those that were in Judea were to flee to the mountains. Secondly, and given as the reason of their flight, "For then shalt be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to that time, no, nor ever shall be."This unequaled trouble is to be as short as severe:for "except those days should be shortened no flesh should be saved, but for the elect’s sake these days shall be shortened:" Thirdly, immediately after this, "they shall see the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth" – or "land"-"mourn; and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."

Now, here we find, in the last days, a Jewish remnant with some knowledge of Christ it must be supposed, for the exhortation addressed to them implies that they will be listening to His words, and yet so little Christian as to be under the strict law of the sabbath (ver. 20), and liable to be deceived by false reports of His being in the desert or in the secret chambers (ver. 25):just such as those disciples were whom the Lord then addresses. What has become of Christians and of Christianity at a time when this is possible, and when once more the holy place is recognized as in Jerusalem? Yet this is before the appearing of Christ, and some little while before, however grace may limit the time of tribulation spoken of. Does not this look as if Christianity were gone from the earth at this time, shortly before His appearing?

If we look further, this impression deepens. Our Lord has just referred us to Daniel. We find the equivalent of the expression for the first time, chap. 9:27:"for the overspreading of abomination he shall make it desolate." A better translation would be, "because of the wing of abomination, a desolator;" but for our purpose either rendering may suffice. This is in the well-known prophecy of the seventy weeks, and in the latter half of the last week. At the end of the whole period would come the blessing, for Judah and Jerusalem, of which the angel speaks:for then would be made an end of sins, and reconciliation for iniquity, and everlasting righteousness brought in, and the holy place anointed (not made desolate); and yet according to the prophecy desolation continues up to the very end of this time. The blessing must come, then, suddenly indeed. In Matthew we see how it comes, by the appearing of Christ for them, and as in a moment.

The prophecy in Daniel is an instance of that non-reckoning of time, which has been already referred to as characterizing the present period. The seventy weeks are but 490 years. Sixty-nine of them end (483 years) when Messiah first comes. He is however cut off, and has nothing (so we should read the twenty-sixth verse):He does not bring in the blessing, and a time of confusion follows. Plainly the last week has not been fulfilled, and it is of this last week that the Lord in Matthew speaks. Here the doings of the "prince to come" are described, and it is not Christ, but His total opposite. A comparison of the chapters makes this absolutely plain. From the time of Messiah’s cutting off until this prince appears there is only a gap of time, the length of which is in no way indicated to us; but we know that all the Christian centuries have in fact come in that break. The nation of Israel has been set aside, and the heirs of heaven are being gathered. With the seventieth week Israel again comes into prominence, and time begins once more to be reckoned:but instead of blessing there comes for her a time of unequaled trouble until the last week is run out.

Notice the time from the setting up of the abomination till the full end:half a week of years, "time, times and a half," three years and a half; forty and two months; according to Jewish reckoning, 1260 days. We see how divine pity has in fact shortened the days. These numbers are of importance to us just now as a link of connection with other scriptures which will presently come before us. The covenant also made by this Gentile prince – we should read here "he shall confirm a covenant with the many," (the mass of the Jewish people,)-which he breaks in the midst of the week, enables us to understand better the sacrificial worship going on in Israel according to such agreement, and the idolatry ensuing:"the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up" (Dan. 12:ii).

Thus far it is plain that the prophecies in Daniel and in Matthew throw light on one another. Let us put by their side a third, which links the time of this Jewish distress with the last days of Christendom. I refer to 2 Thess. 2:for the full scripture, which with the help of what we have already got, we shall now easily understand. The prophecy of the man of sin has been so long applied to the head of the Romish superstition, that Protestant Christians are very jealous of another application. Yet the apostle makes the revelation of the "man of sin" to be the sign of the "day of the Lord being now present," as the Revised Version rightly gives it, while popery has been fully manifested, for those that have eyes to see, more than 300 years. Moreover the "day of the Lord" leading us to Zechariah’s prophecy of Israel’s last trouble (chap. 14:), and Zechariah leading us to Matthew and to Daniel, the "abomination of desolation standing in the holy place "is so simply explained by one who "sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God" (Revised Version), that an unprejudiced mind can hardly refuse the identification of one with the other.

Every other circumstance corresponds. We find this man of sin the leader of the grand final apostasy of professing Christians from the faith of Christ (vers. 3, 9-12):God at last giving over to strong delusion those who believed not the truth when it was there,-an awful climax to which everything is surely tending now. Moreover, just as in Matthew the Lord appears at the end of the time of trouble, so here the wicked one is "consumed with the breath of His mouth, and destroyed with the manifestation of His coming"

Thus Christendom is apostate, or apostatizing from the faith at the very time that the company of believing Jews, which Matt. 24:shows us, are suffering in the great tribulation. Jewish and Christian apostasy unite together at the close (i John 2:22).

Now where, we may ask again, during all this time, are the saints of the present day? Where are the real Christians, when the mass of mere professors have become apostate, and the saints of Jerusalem are plainly once more professors of Judaism? and in that "end of the age" which, as the last broken off week of determined times for Israel, is unmistakably Jewish? The apostle beseeches the Thessalonians "by the coining of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto Him" not to be deceived:and we ought now to understand such an appeal.

But this is by no means the full weight of evidence. The book of Revelation as a whole may be brought forward as proof, the most detailed and elaborate that could be given, perhaps; and can only be rightly understood with what we had already before us. We must look at this, however briefly, or we could have no idea how full the proof from Scripture is.

Revelation is divided, and that by the Lord Him-self, into two main parts, "the things that are," and "the things that shall be after these " (meta tauta). " Hereafter" is not sufficiently explicit, and so far misleading:these divisions give us, as we shall see, the "present things," the time in which the Church of God is upon earth; the "things after these," that which begins when the true Church has been removed to heaven, and God’s dealings with Israel begin, for their recovery and final blessing.

Each part has a prefatory vision which is the key to all that follows. "The things which thou hast seen" (1:19) are the first of these:Christ’s own inspection of the Churches (the candlesticks), His witness for Himself during the night of His absence. The candlesticks are seven, the number of completeness; and while they are, in the first place, the seven Asiatic churches, yet these are clearly representative of the Church at large. Only in tins way do the ad dresses in the next two chapters attain due relation to the universal character of the rest of the book; only in this way do we understand the emphatic call at the end of each address, to every one who has an ear to listen; only in this way, question it however we may, does the Church of God on earth come at all into the prophecy. Moreover, it is anything but a new thing to say that these churches, as successively brought before us here, will be found, by any one who seriously inquires into it, to present the characters of the Church in successive st ages of its history to the present time.* *The proof of this, which it would be an injustice to it to give in the brief way which would alone be possible here, may be found at length in my "Present Things.’‘*

Thus we can see how more and more urgently, from the address to Thyatira onwards, as warning or as encouragement, the coming of the Lord is pressed; until to the Philadelphian overcomer is given the assurance of being "kept out of the hour of temptation which is to come upon the whole world, to try those that dwell upon the earth." And then, indicating the way of accomplishment of this, the announcement now is made, "I come quickly." How else should they be kept out of the very "hour " of a universal trial, but by being taken up to meet the descending Lord? After which Laodicea gets a final threatening to be spewed out of Christ’s mouth; He, though still knocking, being already outside the door!

Thus the "things that are" end, and a new vision be gins, with a Voice as of a trumpet calling up to heaven. The scene entirely changes, and the seer becomes in the Spirit afresh. A throne set in heaven is before him; and there are thrones* around the Throne. *Not "seats" merely, as in the common version.* These thrones have human occupants, who are priests as well as kings, and sing the song of redemption when the Lamb appears (chap. 5:8-10). Through the scenes that follow they are still in their places round the throne, "all the angels" being seen again round them in an outer circle. Other redeemed ones take their place "before" that Throne, but not " around " it (chap. 7:11, 15).?

But let us look at the Throne itself:it is a throne of judgment; "lightnings and voices and thunders" proceed out of it. The earth is threatened; nay, but the bow of promise, of the color of new verdure refreshed by rain, assures us that God’ covenant as to the earth is not forgotten; rather, it is coming into remembrance, as if anew. This storm is to purify and bless. Heaven’s open doors having received the multitudes of heavenly saints, the time of the earth is come; and therefore Israel’s. The book of God’s counsels as to the future is opened:who can open it? The Lamb! Yes, assuredly it is the Lamb; but notice His character now:"The Lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed to open the book "(chap. 5:5). Judah’s, Israel’s, conquering King it is who opens the future now, and this makes doubly clear that which is to follow concerns the earth and Israel.

Pass on:the lightnings flash and the thunders utter their voice; but four angels stand upon the four corners of the earth to keep back the winds from every quarter, until, as the voice of the interpreting angel declares, they have sealed the servants of God in their foreheads (7:1-3). And who, then, are these? "A hundred and forty and four thousand out of every tribe of the children of Israel." Can these be simply symbolically such? No:Judah’s Lion is opening the book. The Gentiles are not indeed forgotten:look at the vast multitude out of all nations that, in the next vision, are seen before the throne. Ah, the great throng of the redeemed of all time are they? No, says the interpreting voice again, "These are they that come," not "out of great tribulation " simply, as our common translation has it, but "out of the tribulation, the great one," as it literally reads. They are a multitude gathered out of the time of the end, as we have seen it; and of Gentiles, separate from the multitude of Israel’s sealed ones:both joining together in testimony as to the period we have reached. The church-scroll that Peter saw let down from heaven, has been taken up thither again. Jew and Gentile are no more united into one body, but are in different spheres of blessing; the Jew having the foremost place, and becoming the communicator of blessing to the nations round; Israel becomes Jezreel, the " seed of God."

Surely, in all this, it should not be hard to determine the doctrine of Scripture as to the coming of Christ for His saints, or the hope of the Church as the Morning Star.

With the last week of Daniel’s seventy, the greater part of Revelation is concerned. What very definitely marks this is the frequent specification of the very time before mentioned, the half week or half-weeks, whichever way we take it, of the last week. It is variously connected (i) with the maintenance of a special Elias-like testimony, the two witnesses, in the time of the end (chap. 11:3-8); (2) with the flight of the Jewish remnant into the wilderness, and their protection there (chap. xii 6,14); and (3) with the "practicing" of the Roman "beast, "when the little horn seen by the Old Testament prophet has become the 8th head of empire as seen by the New Testament one. Here no essential mistake seems possible. In the 19th chapter, after the marriage of the Lamb has taken place in heaven, we see Him descend with His saints to the judgment of the earth. Here from the closing portion of the book, as before from the beginning of it, we have witness that the taking up of the saints precedes by some time, at least, His appearing with them; but this the other passages that we have examined, not only confirm, but develop fully.

For all this, there are many opposers of this doctrine; and we are now to look at the arguments by which they would substantiate their opposition. F. W. G.

I was nearly twenty years of age, and had learned that Christ had died for my sins according to the Scriptures, and the knowledge of it filled my soul with joy and thankfulness. But though I had the sense of pardon, I had not deliverance from this present evil world; but was mixed up with its pleasures, its balls and concerts, when the Lord put a stop to it all. I was all dressed for a large party, and my mother and maid had pronounced the word "perfection," when it was found that I had half an hour to spare before the carriage would arrive. Thanks be to God for that half hour! I dismissed my maid, and having locked my door, knelt down in prayer. On rising from my knees, I stood before the mirror, and felt ashamed before the Lord. I took up my Bible; it opened at the eighth of Romans, and my eye caught these words "who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit." I again stood before the mirror, when in an instant every part of my costly attire – each ornament, each piece of jewelry – seemed to speak:-all joined in one common chorus, "After the flesh! after the flesh!"For a moment there was a conflict. The coming scene, the brilliant drawing room, the gay, cheerful companions – all had their charms, and at that moment pressed strongly upon my heart. Again I turned to my Bible. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus."All the love, the grace, the forgiveness, the kindness of God, seemed wrapped up in that little word, " no condemnation;" and all that it cost His own Son to secure for me that "no condemnation," His death of agony, His being forsaken of God, seemed all to unfold from that little word, "in Christ Jesus,"and filled, my soul with such a sense of God and His grace, that the conflict was over in a moment. With a quiet joy impossible to describe, I began to disrobe. I put off every ornament and all my costly attire; I put them off before the Lord-I put them off forever. When my relatives came in they found me robed in a simple evening dress! I told them how God had spoken to me through His word, and read the Scripture to them. It was a sore blow to my friends; but from that hour my whole life was changed; and, through grace, I have lived not unto myself, but unto Him who has loved me, and washed me from my sins in His own blood.

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord." There are two words in this opening to which I wish to call your attention. One is the word "finally," and the other is " Lord." The apostle at the time of writing them, was in the hands of the Roman emperor, a prisoner for the cause of the gospel. Looking back over his course he might recall countless hardships that he had suffered, perils on land and sea, poverty, hunger, thirst, imprisonment and beating. He had met with opposition also in the Church as well as outside. Those who should have been helpers, had forsaken him. Some preached Christ of envy and strife. Past, present, and future, except to the eye of faith, were as gloomy as possible, and yet he says, after all these things," rejoice; " and not, mark you, "rejoice in the Saviour," but "rejoice in the Lord."

Let me emphasize the difference a little; for the use of the latter title on this occasion is indeed much sweeter. It would be no great wonder for one in such circumstances to turn away from them all to rejoice in the Saviour. Surely this would be the soul’s great satisfaction, but it betokens a loftier flight of faith to rejoice in the Lord, One who might have removed the trial, but left it on. Perhaps some reader of this paper has had a hard struggle all his life with poverty; perhaps another has been given up by friend and relative, to lead a lonely life in this vale of sorrows; perhaps another has toiled long and labored hard in the vineyard, to find his toil rewarded but with abuse and scorn, or indifference. To such the undercurrent of Paul’s exhortation may be searching:You know the Christ so well, that, (realizing His power to remove all these things,) you can yet rejoice in the Lord, specifically as Lord, perfect Master of every circumstance. "Though He slay me yet will I trust Him," blessed be God! rejoice in Him too. Such is the cry of those who know Him best.

"The spirit of praise is the spirit of power," and yet at the same time there must be a practical guarding against the enemies we have to meet. Jehoshaphat with his singers in the forefront of the battle had his warriors behind them. So the apostle goes on to say, "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision." Like the snapping", snarling animals that rove in packs through the streets of eastern cities, when night settles down, so these enemies swarm round us as we pass through this busy world, and our singing serves but to gather them more thickly to the attack. There is nothing Satan dislikes so much as rejoicing in the Lord, and he will do anything that he can to stop it. If his dogs cannot drown it with their howling, his concision will set up an imitation song to attract the attention away from it.

It has been thought by some, that the dogs, evil workers and concision all refer to one and the same class of people, but then it would seem that in that case the verb would not be repeated after each. It is true, however, that the concision are the class of whom they are in especial danger, as this is emphasized by the context.

It is interesting to notice how there seems to be a trinity of evil to oppose the good. The lust of the eyes, of the flesh, and the pride of life is a common example, while we may notice the three motives suggested to Eve, the three temptations of our Lord; the three kinds of bad ground in the parable of the sower, and in this chapter, the threefold cord opposing. As if to meet this latter trinity, believers are here represented in three ways, worshiping God in the Spirit, exulting in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh. They who worship God in spirit and in truth, "for the Father seeketh such to worship Him," they who have found Christ Jesus exult in Him, for did they not, it would be proof they had not found Him; and because they know such an One has had to die for them, they realize how degraded their condition, and, in the "Sinless," their sin, not realized as such till they had seen Him, is really brought to light. No wonder it is then that the apostle tells us, that he had cast aside his own righteousness on account of Christ, and that he counted all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord.

Let us consider for a little the motive which actuated him. It is literally rendered the "projecting out (beyond all things) of the knowledge of Christ Jesus," and again he adds with lingering emphasis "my Lord." The word which I have translated "projecting out" is the same as is used for "promontory." Did you ever see a promontory? Do you know how it projects out beyond all things? I suppose that those who have seen the North Cape never forget it. It towers up so majestically a thousand feet above the sea. How puny are the waves at its foot! How the eye returns again to dwell upon it! How it absorbs the whole attention! So to the apostle is the person of the Christ. He is his Lord.

He is his Master. He is the One to whom his whole soul goes out in loyal devotion. The "shout of a king "is in his heart, and casting aside as it were his fisher’s coat, impatient of the slow progress of the boat, he steps forth on the deep to meet Him. Let us look for evidence. " For whom I have suffered the loss of all things."

Here we have a practical proof of what he asserts. Sometimes we delude ourselves with the idea that He projects out beyond all things while it is very manifest to those around us, that it is not so. They see us devoting so much time to ourselves, to our personal comfort, that they naturally come to such a conclusion. But then, we console ourselves with the thought that after all this is due to the exigencies of the time, and that our heart is all right. But how about "the projecting out beyond all things." Alas! do not exigencies then do so? Paul let exigencies go. "For whom I have suffered the loss of all things." What a word for us to-day! How salutary! especially if we consider the words which he adds, "And do count them but dung that I may win Christ."

In a certain sense it may be much easier to suffer the loss of all things, than to keep them. Our conscience may demand that we give them up. It may say, "You will be denying the faith if you do not! " and so we may let them go, and then when they are gone cry out, as did God’s people of old, "Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots and we did eat bread to the full." Is that our spirit? Alas! then we never gave up. It was a case of tearing from our reluctant hands, things which we were loath to yield. We saw the angel of the Lord standing with drawn sword across our path and we fled back. How sorrowful for us when we remember that Christ, in all His beauty, stood to welcome us upon the other pathway.

But let us ponder still and ask God to search our hearts:"I do count them but dung" says the apostle. Not much yearning after them there, was there? "I do count them but dung." He does not say, mind you, "I would count them as dung" with a suppressed "if it were necessary." It is necessary for the acquisition of the blessed Object before him. With him there was no desire to keep anything. His eye was single and his one desire was to strip off everything that might incommode him in the race. And so he ran. Beloved! do we so run? Can we repeat the following lines from our hearts?

"Yes, He is mine! and nought of earthly things,
Not all the charms of pleasure, wealth, or power;
The fame of heroes or the pomp of kings,
Could tempt me to forego His love an hour.
Go! worthless world,’ I cry, ‘ with all that’s thine,’
Go! I my Saviour’s am, and He is mine."

Passing over the next verse let us now consider a little that very familiar one:"That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made comfortable unto His death."

The first clause of this verse is worthy of much meditation. Did not the apostle Paul know the Lord? He whose whole soul had been singing with delight, even in the most adverse circumstances? He presses on to know Him. Later on we learn that he stretches forward (as a racer) towards the mark. Did you ever know of anybody doing that, who only had a short distance to run? How strongly then this verse should speak to us. What an unbounded Elysium there is yet to enter upon. We had thought some time, after some glad vision, some close communion, that we had really seen the Lord; but no! it was only a clouded view, a far away prospect, for we realize that our knowledge has come nowhere near that of the apostle, and he still pressed on to know Him. The glorious light on the road to Damascus had been passed. The song in Philippi’s jail had been sung, stormy seas had been crossed, the dead had been raised by that Mighty Name; through sickness, the cohorts of the adversary, hunger, thirst, and beatings he had gone, and still the tireless racer stretches forth towards the goal, the blessed knowing of his Lord and Saviour.

And how about us, brethren? We should press on with greater vigor than the apostle, for we have further to run, but do we? We should look more eagerly for His return, for the night is more advanced, but do we? We might almost see Him coming "skipping upon the hills," but do we, oh! do we? Here is a question well worthy of consideration. How grand to stand for Him, in these days of declension, a faithful and true witness. What a crown of glory we are letting slip from our hands if we do not!

"That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection." Here is an additional clause to consider. Far off on a lonely mountain of Judea in the dark season of night, I see a few frightened disciples fleeing like sheep before a band of men with torches, gathered to take prisoner the Lord of Glory. Ashamed of his cowardice, one of them at last seeks out the palace of the High Priest, and tremblingly warms his hands within. The other night (do we know anything about other nights?) he had been very valiant, with the foe far away, but now all is changed. He is a broken reed shaken with every gust of wind. Once he had heard that Voice, now so meekly answering His enemies, hush the angry tempest on Galilee. He had seen the dead arise from the grave at its bidding. " Lord though all men forsake Thee yet will not I forsake Thee," he had cried, and that same night with oaths and cursing he denies Him. Alas, for human strength and resolution! Alas, for poor man!

A few weeks pass and we see that same frightened flock publishing His blessed name to the whole world. They are no longer fearful, no longer trembling, but with earth and hell against them, they stand undaunted, undismayed, glorying in the name of Jesus. But what had wrought this wondrous change? Why, Christ had risen. Death had yielded up its Prey and they now preached Jesus and the resurrection. What a mighty power it was! but oh brethren, it is one thing to be able to talk about it, and another thing to know its power, to feel it in our lives. What a passport to true blessing and godliness in every thing if we knew more that the One who died on the cross is now, for us, seated at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens! And it is so, yes, it is so!

" And the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death."

Before speaking of this clause directly, I want to notice a point which although not in exact connection with it, is suggested by it. Until the Lord was taken from them, they knew but little of the fellowship of His sufferings, and the reason is good to think upon. During all the time of the Lord’s presence with them, He was the object of all man’s hatred and malice. They shared but slightly in it. Let me indicate the reason by an illustration. I was burning some sulphur one day in a room with the blind pulled down. It burned with a slightly visible flame. I then happened to let the sunlight in and on looking down thought my sulphur had gone out. On pulling down the blind however, I saw that it was burning as steadily as ever. I experimented several times with the same result. Where the sun shone the sulphur flame could not be seen. And so it was when Christ the blessed Light of the world shone among us, the rays of those lights soon to fill the world were swallowed up in His glory, and men saw them not. Dear brethren, to-day we also can behold His glory, "the glory of the Only-begotten of the Father full of grace and truth," and although 1800 years have passed since then, reading its story we bow our heads, and say from our hearts, "Truly this was the Son of God."

In closing this meditation here, I would ask the reader to join with me in petitioning that our hearts may be so filled by His beauty and glory that truly from our hearts we also may desire some sweet fellowship of His suffering. It is easy to write, it is easy to read, it is easy to be momentarily stirred by emotion, but what we need is that our lives may be wholly dominated and controlled by motives such as Paul’s were that we may bear fruit unto life eternal.

"Blest with this fellowship divine,
Take what Thou wilt I all resign,
While as the branches to the vine,
Saviour, I cling to Thee,

"Blest be my lot whatever befall,
Who can affright or who appal?
While as my God, my Rock, my All,
Saviour, I cling to Thee."

F. C. G.

To instruct even the unconverted child in the Scriptures is always of great value. It is like laying a fire well, so that a spark alone is needed to kindle it into a flame. It is a good and wholesome thing for Christians to be most particular in the training of their children in a thorough knowledge of the word of God. W. K.

A correspondent calls our attention to a book called, "In His steps, or What would Jesus do," and suggests that a word of warning might be given regarding it. It is written from the standpoint of reform, and while there is much to stir up the conscience of those who think they should be improving the world, and much of righteousness in it, it is not a book calculated to lead in the simple path marked for us in the word "Christ is all." Ah! how even earnestness does not lead to subjection to God’s word. It is sad when even well meant efforts are thus contrary to the simple gospel of the grace of God, and a testimony of pilgrim separation from everything here. Beside fiction, which is always to be deprecated in holy things.
******************************PAGES 197-244MISSING********************

There are two sides of life’s road,-the side on which are lying the suffering, the needy, the despoiled, the dying, and "the other side." The "other side" is a well trodden side. It is the easier side to go on. There is nothing to interrupt you. You do not need to lose time in stopping to help people who are weak, fainting, wounded, or in any need or trouble. It is hard for some to do anything for unfortunate people; it pains one’s heart even to look at them in their distress. The "other side "would seem the better side for us to take. Yes, if comfort and speed and the saving of money and earthly success be life’s real ends. But do you know where the "other side" goes to? If you will turn to Matt. 25:41, you will see the farther end of this delightfully easy road:"Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:for I was an hungered, and ye gave Me no meat:" etc.

We should not overlook the fact that the two men who passed by on the "other side" in the Lord’s parable of the good Samaritan were regarded as religious men of the best type in those days. They were rated as good men,-typically good. They professed to stand for God. They prayed for the people, and offered sacrifices for them. They were thought to have compassionate hearts, able to sympathize. Yet, when they were brought face to face with great human needs they "passed by on the other side." The religion of our Lord’s day was weighed and found wanting. Faith without works is dead. The religion of Christ never takes a man on the "other side;" it takes him right among human needs. The priest and the Levite came, and brought no relief. Then God sent another man. This man differs from the others, he is Samaritan. He will not do anything for this wounded Jew. But see! he is stopping. He gets off his beast and goes over to the dying man. He bathes his wounds and lifts him up on his beast; bears him to the wayside inn where he personally cares for him over night, and on leaving in the morning makes provision for his care until he has recovered from his wounds.

This Samaritan did not take the "other side." He took the side of the suffering and needy. It cost him much. He lost time, and to a business man time is money. He put himself in danger from the robbers. He got his clothes soiled, dusty and bloody.

It was hard work for him to get the wounded man to the inn. Then it was an enemy he was helping. The "other side" would have been easier,-less costly. People seem to get along better not to worry with benevolence and charity, not to try to be kind to the unfortunate, not to trouble themselves with attempts to rescue the imperiled, or lift up the fallen, or save the heathen. Good Christian people who are active in city mission work could find much pleasanter ways of spending their time than in visiting the slums, and in working among the degraded, trying to do them good. The Christ side is not the easy side to go on. Jesus himself did not find it easy.

But we know where this side comes out in the eternal world.-"Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, come ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:-I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat:" etc.
They had taken the side where the unfortunate were, and hands and heart had joined in service.

Which side are you on?