I Dreamt that on a rugged way
I walked in closest company
With One who ever seemed to say-
" Keep leaning."

He warned me oft in gentlest tone,
If you attempt to walk alone
You surely will be overthrown-
Keep leaning."

Me thought:" No dignity of gait
Enhances this dependent state,
But if 'tis safe, I'd better yet
Keep leaning."

On, and yet on we walked, until
I wearied of the toilsome hill,
But tenderly He whispered still,
" Keep leaning."

Softly the spell of slumber broke:
The vision passed, and I awoke,
To pray, " Let me in this sweet yoke
"Keep leaning."

Thus, Lord, where'er my path may be,
As through the vale Thou leadest me,
May I, securely stayed on Thee,
Keep leaning.

Oh, "perfect peace!"What calm delight
Illuminates this earthly night.
While I, upon Thine arm of might,
Keep leaning!

Until "the shadows flee away,"
And I awake in cloudless day,
Grant that on Thee by faith I may
Keep leaning.

J. M. G.

(Colossians 1:27.)

On a hot July day, a lover of nature discovered numbers of animalcula in a vessel of rainwater, which was exposed to the action of the air. It was interesting to watch the graceful movements of these so tiny, sportive thread-like creatures, and to reflect on the display of the Creator's skill in creatures so minute.

In order to learn more of their habits, one of them, which could scarcely measure one eighth of an inch in length, was captured and placed in a hyacinth-glass, where a seedling oak was growing. Upon regaining its liberty the little thing immediately swam to the bottom of the glass, and hid itself in the filmy sediment which had settled there. After a moment or two it was quite at home, darting hither and thither in search of food too microscopic for human eye to discover, and whenever frightened, hiding itself under some shelter almost as tiny as itself. It needed no tending. It fed, gamboled, and rested in safety.

In a few days it had grown to twice its former length, and its surprising rapidity of motion had increased in proportion. There appeared also a strange enlargement toward the upper part of its threadlike form, and its tail was furnished with a fan-shaped fin, while two other fins, more delicate than gossamer, developed themselves on its head. Its motions became more and more rapid, and, surprising to relate, its gravity lessened as its dimensions increased. When an almost invisible thread it had to swim to reach the surface of the water, but now that it measured a quarter of an inch in length, and had grown strangely large about its upper parts, it rose involuntarily to the surface. The old predilection, however, for the darker regions in the sediment at the bottom of the glass was still a ruling principle, and its continual struggle was to dive down to those filmy haunts. As long as it moved its little fins it succeeded, but the moment it rested it began to rise towards the surface. Each hour strengthened this new principle; often it would lodge beneath some fibre of the oak's threadlike root in order to stay its upward course; until, all power of resistance being overcome, it floated motionless on the surface of the water.

A card cut to fit the top of the glass served at once as a protection to the seedling oak and as a cover for its companion. This paper lid was the means of discovering the sequel to our story.

On the next examination, the empty skin of the animalcule was seen floating on the water. Where was its inmate ? Nothing could have destroyed it, and no exit from the glass was possible. A further search was made, when, lo, upon the side of the glass, as high above its former element as it could go, was seen a beautiful and full-sized insect, perfectly developed in all its parts, and ready, upon the opening of its prison door, to fly away on its wings of gossamer, and dance in the glorious sunbeams.

It did appear wonderful that this exquisite form, so foreign to the inhabitants of the water, should have emerged from the animalcule; but though transfigured and so dissimilar in all its habits of life, it was the same creature that once shunned the light and had fondly clung to the fibers of the little oak amid the darkness of its narrow prison. God we know, writes on stones and in the dust the great things of His laws. He stoops to teach us the lesson of resurrection from a grain of corn, as well as from the stars of heaven, and surely none will deem our illustration beneath the lofty lesson to be learned from it.

To the observer, the history of this insect life spoke powerfully of that divine mystery which the apostle sums up in those few weighty words," Christ in you, the hope of glory," which is indeed the very life and power of Christianity.

Let us look at the analogy. The animalcule's birthplace was the water; its destination the sunny atmosphere above. There was no adaptation of the original form for the higher life, but there was the fashioning within of another form totally different. There was a new instinct supplanting the old -a new organization fitting it for its future mode of existence. At first the water was its home, where it found its food and its pleasure; in the end this home became its prison; and within that form grew an instinct which yearned to fly above and breathe the sweet air of the summer's day.

And such is the history of every heir of God. His birthplace is in a world lying in wickedness; his calling by grace is to God's kingdom and glory (i Thess. 2:12). There is no adaptation of his old carnal nature for that which accords with God's presence, but there is the implanting of a new and divine nature, in which the Spirit of God dwells, and becomes in him the vital link with an ascended Christ. Then, that which was his element becomes his prison, while continually increasing within him are the longings of the new nature for the perfect day, when he shall be delivered from the bondage of a fallen and groaning creation, and shall be transformed into the glorious image of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The transition of this insect from the water to the sky was not effected without its having undergone the transformation which fitted it for the change of elements. Vain would have been its hope of soaring in the glory of, the sunbeams had it not received a new principle of life while in its watery home. It might indeed have increased in size; it might have learned to swim to the surface of the water, but not an inch beyond could it have gone; the sunbeam and the sweet atmosphere above would have proved its swift destruction.

How perfect are the works of our Creator ! He who made the sunbeams, prepares creatures, small and large, to enjoy them. And in the work of salvation, we behold the same hand and the same perfection. The purger of His people's sins has entered heaven by His own blood; has prepared in His Father's house a place for them; and through the power of the Holy Spirit, He communicates to them a nature by which they are rendered capable of enjoying that bright and blessed dwelling-place of God. It is the possession of a new and divine nature which alone fits the believer for heaven. It is the growth of that nature which alone gives him power to overcome the old. Useless are human nature's efforts or its stragglings. "The flesh profiteth nothing."

The Christian's victory is Christ becoming all in him, as He has been all for him. When he has learned the worthlessness of all that he is in himself he will learn to live in the Spirit, a life of faith in the Son of God, which consists in "looking unto Jesus" (Heb. 12:2); thus will stronger grow the longings of his soul to pass beyond this lower sphere to be with his Saviour in a scene where evil cannot enter.

The time was when the insect struggled against the light. The hour came when struggling ceased, and earnest longings arose from the conquering nature to break away from its prison and leave the dark waters. It was not by improving the old, but the victory of the new. Not much was seen from without, but mighty was the work within:without, growing weakness – within, growing strength; without, the stillness of death-within, the movements of life; without, dissolution and decay-within, the adornings of beauty and glory, until the perfect day came when the prison doors were burst, and the conqueror winged its flight- left the dark waters to know them no more. And soon, for all the children of God, the longed-for moment shall come when Christ shall burst their prison door, and all that is of nature, of corruption, of the fall, shall be left forever, and Christ shall be admired in them as they are changed into His image. Then shall be ended the sad history of the child of Adam, a history of sin and shame and death. Then shall the full glories of the Second Man, the Lamb of God appear, who by His precious death has borne the penalties that attached to the First Adam standing, to bring His redeemed into His Father's kingdom, in the home of life, where they shall shine forth as the sun, and where God shall be all in all.

Oh to be Christians indeed !-that we might declare that our life and home are in heaven; that, instead of weeping over the perishing things of time and sense, we might rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, because we see the Day approaching. Is not the prospect fair, Christian reader ? Is not the home in our Father's house sweet ? And shall we not say that it is well to die here and live there? May our hearts reply, "As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness" (Ps. 17:15). Selected

FRAGMENT

Truth and Justice

Some one who admires the indeed admirable comment on Lord Chief Justice Reading's sentence against Sir Roger Casement, sends it to us as worthy of reproduction.

The Daily Chronicle's correspondent, describing the final scene in the Casement trial, says:

"I think few men who heard him will ever forget the summing up of the Lord Chief Justice. Instead of the passionate defense on the one hand, and instead of the cold and deadly accusation on the other, we heard the quiet, even, passionless voice of the Justice seeking neither to take a man's life nor to save it, but seeking to find something which transcends human life, something which is spiritual and not physical, something which is above the fate of individuals, and the fortunes of nations-truth.

"For many of us, as his deep voice sounded through the breathless court, it seemed that justice is a so immeasurably higher and a grander thing even than mercy, that pity for the prisoner ceased to move our minds. Here was something to which all men could look up, all men could honor, all men could reverence-truth and justice; truth and justice unswayed by interests; truth and justice impersonal, unprejudiced, and unsparing; truth and justice such as strong men in every civilized race have always named as the attributes of God."

Would to God that in the Christian sphere the same love of truth and justice prevailed as is here expressed to have taken place in the secular sphere; that truth were loved for its own sake and beauty, regardless of results; without deviation to suit this or that purpose or person; without favoritism, for truth (which in itself is justice) is too high, too noble, too sacred, to be manipulated and made to say a little more or a little less than it must say. Two and two make four:that is what truth says. To try to make it say three-and-a-half or four-and-a-half to favor some one or something is defaming truth. Nowhere is truth so admirable as in the sphere of which Christ is the Center. But to violate it there for any motive is accordingly most sad, and obnoxious to God. What a life of suffering was our Saviour's, chiefly because the "love of truth and justice had gone from the leaders of the Jewish people. The same suffering has been going on ever since in all lovers of truth. But to them is addressed a most comforting word and encouragement to patience by the Lord Himself. He says, "Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness:for they shall be filled" (Matt. 5:6). When the Lord comes and establishes His kingdom on the earth, righteousness will suffer no more.

Another"not long since a remarkable will Remarkable Will, was made in this country in which the Testator pressed upon his children the necessity of holding fast to the atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ. He had, no doubt, felt the burden of his own sins and knew the sweetness of the removal of that burden through faith in the atoning work of the Saviour. It was one side of the gospel – the sweet side. The other side, "Repentance toward God," shines out in another will reported by The National Geographic Magazine" (Washington, D. C.) of May, 1916. This will was made by one Marcio Serra de Lejesama, at Cuzco, Peru, in 1589. He was the last survivor of the Spanish forces which, under Pizarro, conquered the Incas of Peru and destroyed a "civilization" far superior to their own. The preamble of the will which follows is a confession which, in these days of pride and self-justification, is most refreshing and exemplary, which is our reason for reproducing it here. Here is an old warrior, of a proud race, humbly unbosoming himself to deliver his soul from further complicity with evil actions in which he had taken part long before. How beautiful is the work of the God of truth in the soul of man!

"First, before beginning my will, I declare that I have desired much to give notice to his Catholic Majesty King Philip, our lord, seeing how good a Catholic and Christian he is, and how zealous in the service of the Lord our God, concerning that which I would relieve my mind of, by reason of having taken part in the discovery and conquest of these countries, which we took from the Lords Incas, and placed under the royal crown, a fact which is known to his Catholic Majesty.

"The said Incas governed in such a way that in all the land neither a thief, nor a vicious man, nor a bad, dishonest woman was known. The men all had honest and profitable employment. The woods, and mines, and all kinds of property were so divided that each man knew what belonged to him, and there were no lawsuits. The Incas were feared, obeyed, and respected by their subjects, as a race very capable of governing; but we took away their land, and placed it under the crown of Spain, and made them subjects.

"Your majesty must understand that my reason for making this statement is to relieve my conscience; for we have destroyed this people by our bad examples. Crimes were once so little known among them that an Indian with one hundred thousand pieces of gold and silver in his house, left it open, only placing a little stick across the door, as the sign that the master was out, and nobody went in. But when they saw that we placed -locks and keys on our doors, they understood that it was from fear of thieves, and when they saw that we had thieves amongst us, they despised us. All this I tell your Majesty, to discharge my conscience of a weight, that I may no longer be a party to these things. And I pray God to pardon me, for I am the last to die of all the discoverers and conquerors, as it is notorious that there are none left but me, in this laud or out of it, and therefore I now do what I can to relieve my conscience."

The Christian spirit is at once attracted to such a man, for his love of truth rises above all his native pride. How soon would all disputes and wrangles and divisions end if such a noble mind prevailed among the people of God.

Why does it seem so hard to some to say, We have sinned ? Could it be that they have imbibed the idea that they have reached a point in their Christian experience above the danger of sinning? that because the Spirit of God dwells in them they are immune from the attacks of the flesh or of the devil? and that to confess sin would be coming down from a fancied height?

(Rev. 16:12-16.)

Substance of an Address by J. B. Jackson.

What I have to say at this time about the battle of Armageddon may be taken as an attempt to answer four distinct questions, viz.:- 1:Where? 2:Who? 3:Why? 4:When?

These questions will be answered from the Word of God, save a little geographical information in connection with the first question, and a few general observations at the end.

1:Where is Armageddon? The name is really Megiddon with har prefixed, and means " Mount of Slaughter"- har being the Hebrew word for " mountain; " and " megiddo " is the intensive participle of ga-dad, meaning "to cut," "invade," " crowd."

The modern name of Megiddo is Lejjun:it is situated about twenty-two miles S. E. of Haifa, which is at the base of Mt. Carmel, where the Mediterranean cuts into the western coast-line of Palestine, forming the Bay of Acre (Accho). The valley is noted as the scene where Barak discomfited the Canaanite hosts of Jabin under Sisera, celebrated in Deborah's song (Judg. 5:19). Near here the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal were slain by Elijah (i Ki. 18:40). Ahaziah king of Judah was slain there by Jehu (2 Ki. 9:27), there also the good king Josiah lost his life by meddling with strife which did not belong to him (2 Chron. 35:20-24).

This valley of Megiddo extends from the Bay of Acre in a south-easterly direction, and unites with the Valley of Jezreel (called by moderns "the plain of Esdraelon").

The highway from Acre to Damascus passes through these valleys to the Jordan, which it crosses near the S. E. corner of the Sea of Galilee. The Bay of Acre is the only landing-place of importance in northern Palestine, so that with the plain of Esdraelon it offers a natural entrance for the Western nations into Palestine.

2:Who are the belligerents? This is an interesting and important question. It is " the time of the end " when the Jews will have returned to their land under an agreement or covenant confirmed with them by the "prince" spoken of in Dan. 9:26). In this passage it is the people of the coming prince (1:e., the Roman people who under Titus destroyed the city and the sanctuary), but in verse 27 "the prince " himself confirms a covenant with the mass of the Jews for one week – the last and still unfulfilled week of Daniel's seventy.

This "prince" is the last head of the Roman Empire revived, the " Beast " of Rev. 13:1-8. The Jews' king is the second beast of the same chapter, also called the "false prophet." He is the wilful king of Dan. 11:36-40 (compare Rev. 19:20). He is also called " the man of sin," "the son of perdition," "that wicked one" in 2 Thess. 2:3-10; the '' bloody and deceitful man "of Ps. 5:6; " the idol-shepherd " of Zech. ii :17; the "one coming in his own name " of John 5:43.

The "Beast" will be there to defend his deputy, "the king," in the land (Rev. 17:12-14; 19:20); he is also the "little horn " of Dan. 7:8, 19-26.
The "King of the North" will be there (Dan. 11:40), "the Assyrian." "The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him underfoot" (Isa. 14:24-27).

The "kings of the East" will be there (Rev. 16:12; 19:18,19); indeed "all nations" are to be gathered together to this "mount of slaughter." (See Isa. 28:21,22; also chap. 29:7,8 and chap. 66:15-18.)

"And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth . . . for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts" (Jer. 25:26, 29-33). "Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth, shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy" (Zeph. 3:8).

" For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle:and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south … and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee " (Zech. 14:2-5). It is safe to say that this has never yet come to pass. It is the "day of the Lord "and comes suddenly and unexpectedly, as a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5:2,3).

The powers which shall assemble the nations are revealed in Rev. 16:14, "For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty" (Rev. 16:14; see also 19:15-21).

The three unclean spirits as frogs coming from the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet may symbolize-

(1) Satan's allurement to universal empire (comp. Matt. 4:8, 9).

(2) The Beast's incitation of men's lusts for gain (comp. Dan. 11:38, 39).

(3) The false prophet's spurious religion, offering an opiate to man's conscience, with the gratification of his lusts.

(To be completed, D. V., in next issue.)

Rest in God's love:'tis joy to know
His way is best, whatever betide,
Although thy desert path be drear,
'Mid dangers He will safely guide.

When sorrows dark around thee press,
Enfolding thee in shades of night,
Rest in His love, and thou shall find
The Lord "thine everlasting light! "

How rich our blessings "in His love,"
A table of refreshing spread;
All things are ours, for we are His,
Who feast upon the heavenly Bread.

How sweet that rest-secure and calm
Though cares may press us. 'Mid the strife
'Tis perfect peace in Him to dwell,
One with our Lord, Himself our life.

Rest in His love-that love divine
Poured out so free on Calvary's cross!
Walking with Him we count the world
With all its fleeting joys but loss.

To do His will be our delight,
To " follow Jesus in the way,"
Looking beyond by faith's clear light
To life with Him in endless day. A. W.

Delivered to Satan(Continued from page 41).

Before going into the details of Job's trials, it will be well to consider the question of the character and limits of Satan's power. Can he, of his own power, bring down the lightning or raise up a whirlwind ? Can he inflict disease, and order events as he may desire ?

There are two extremes, from each of which we must guard ourselves. The one would ascribe to Satan powers little, if any, short of 'divine. It is claimed that as prince of this world, all things are in his hand-all the forces of nature as well as the mind and heart of man; in short, that he is the God of providence for this world. The opposite view would ignore his dignity of position, his power as chief of God's creatures, and make him practically inferior to man. We must turn therefore, however briefly, to Scripture, and examine its positive teachings, as well as some passages which need special explanation.

Of his moral power over man there can be no question. "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not" (2 Cor. 4:4); "According to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Eph. 2:2); "The whole world lieth in the wicked one" (i John 5:19). His power is to blind men to the gospel, and to keep them away from God in the broad way that leadeth to destruction. The whole world is thus under his blinding, seducing influence. To those who yield themselves wilfully to his sway, he is father :"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do … He is a liar, and the father of it " (John 8:44). " He abode not in the truth," and would lead men away from the truth. In the garden of Eden, he seduced the woman into disobedience, in which Adam united and thus brought sin into the world (Rom. 5:12). – "The wages of sin is death," which has passed upon all men-as necessitated by the universality of sin-and thus Satan has the power of death (Heb. 2:14), not the power of inflicting death, but the moral power of sin which brings death, and the judgment which follows.

Sickness is the shadow and precursor of death- "Sick unto death" (Is. 38:i)-and it is a witness to the solemn truth of man's separation from the Source of life-"alienated from the life of God" (Eph. 4:18). The alienation is moral; the physical death is the governmental infliction. Sickness is thus connected with Satan's power in a moral rather than a physical way.

The subject of demon possession is too large to be entered upon fully. It must suffice to notice the moral effect this possession had. The man in the synagogue at Capernaum had an unclean spirit (Ml. 1:23). Another man had a dumb spirit. Frequently the power of these demons was exerted in leading their victims to injure or even to destroy themselves. The " daughter of Abraham " who had "a spirit of infirmity" (Lk. 13:11-16) and thus bound by Satan, was undoubtedly more than sick in the ordinary sense. As the power of the enemy made some dumb, it bound her down. It is difficult to define the relation between our own spirit and the body; it must be more so in the case of demon power. But the power seems to be exerted through the mind. This is evident in the case of the demoniac boy (Matt. 17:15) who was "lunatic and sore vexed " with a demon.

It is striking that Satan was permitted to manifest his power in this special way during our Lord's ministry. It gave Him the opportunity to show to the least believing that He "was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil" (i Jno.3:8).

We come next to those scriptures which connect Satan's activities with natural, physical phenomena. He carried our Lord to the top of the temple, and urged Him to cast Himself down (Matt. 4:5). He would take possession of the body of Moses (Jude 9). As Elijah called down fire from heaven (2 Ki. i:10), we know that the Antichrist will do the same (Rev. 13:13). An angel rolled away the stone from the door of the sepulcher (Matt. 28:2), and another released Peter from prison (Acts 12:7, etc.). Scripture gives no intimation that Satan has less power than the angels, for he was chief of them all. What then are we to gather from these facts?

The material universe-all things-has been created by the Son of God. "Without Him was not anything made that was made" (John i:3). Satan has brought nothing into existence; he is but a creature himself. Similarly all the forces of nature act according to divine laws. "Laws of nature" are but laws of God, the manner in which all things are upheld by the word of His power. He has not relinquished His prerogatives as God of providence any more than His place as Creator. He is sovereign and doeth according to His own will, blessed be His name. He causes His sun to shine and rain to fall; He sends fruitful seasons, filling men's hearts with food and gladness. He holds the winds in His fists, and rides upon the storm. "The sea is His, and He made it; "and the stormy wind, which He commandeth and raiseth up, doth but fulfil His word.

"He everywhere hath sway,
And all things serve His might."

God's creatures can use these forces of nature only by His permission. A Christian professor, in performing experiments in natural science before his class, was accustomed to say, "Gentlemen, God is working before your eyes." Man cannot force nature to act contrary to the will of God.

This applies in an especial way to Satan, for he is no longer a servant of God, one of the usual agents of His will, but a rebel. He can do nothing except by divine permission. As prince of this world, he rules in the hearts of men, individually and corporately, but his domain stops there. He is not prince of the earth, the sea, nor air. " Prince of the power of the air" (Eph. 2:2) does not mean lord of the winds, but one whose evil influence pervades the moral world, as the atmosphere envelops the physical. Where faith realizes the omnipresent supremacy of God over all nature, it can, in its little measure, sleep on the waves amid the tumult of the storm. But only One can say to that storm, "Peace, be still."

Our answer then as to the nature of all miraculous powers of Satan is that they are divine power put forth with divine permission with a divine object, in answer to a Satanic demand for that power. Satan desired to tempt our Lord, and God put all His power at the enemy's disposal to effect his object if possible. The result was the exhibition of the perfections of the sinless Man. The "messenger of Satan" (2 Cor. 12) given to Paul was permitted of God with a purpose of grace, in spite of the malignity of the one who would destroy the usefulness of a servant of the Lord. In regard to every outward form of Satanic activity we can-use the words of our Lord, "Thou couldst have no power at all against Me, except it were given thee from above" (John 19:11). In other words, it was not Satan's lightning, but God's that smote Job's property; God's, not Satan's, whirlwind that destroyed his family. Satan had demanded this- "Put forth Thy hand now, and touch all that he hath" (chap, i:n). Job sees only God's hand in his affliction-"The Lord hr/h taken away" (ver. 21); and God Himself says to Satan, "Thou movedst Me against him, to destroy him without cause" (chap. 2:3).

The bearing of all this upon human sickness and the use of medicines is simple. The connection of sickness with Satan is through sin, and it is a governmental dealing of God with men calculated to turn them to Him in their need. Medicines are creatures of God, acting according to divinely established laws. To call them works of the devil is the opposite of the truth. Faith therefore can use them, as every other creature of God, with thanksgiving.

We come now to the strokes that fell upon Job.

There were four of these, suggesting by their number the trial to which the Lord's servant was subjected. The first blow fell upon his oxen and asses, the means of labor which is the chief source of strength. "Much increase is by the strength of the ox " (Prov. 14:4); "That our oxen may be strong to labor" (Ps. 144:14). The Sabeans, a mixed nomadic race of near-by Arabians, swooped suddenly down, slew all the servants except the fugitive who told the tale, and made off with all the spoil. We can see Satan's work in stirring up the cupidity of these people, ever ready to murder and to rob, but the supernatural part was that along with all the rest, it took place at just this time, God permitting it all.

The second stroke follows immediately, falling upon the sheep, the source of his food and clothing, and their attendants. The agency this time was " the fire of God " from heaven. It is not designated as lightning, though some authorities consider it was that, but has been thought to be similar to that which destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Whatever it was, it was "an act of God," as men say, when destruction comes without human interposition. We have already intimated, in the earlier discussion, Satan's part in this.

The third stroke falls upon the camels, the animals used for burden-bearing and for travel, the source of commercial wealth. The agents here are the Chaldeans, from the north of the country of Job -apparently a warlike and numerous people at that day, though not yet in their place of later national supremacy. They clear all away, both of camels and servants, as completely as had the Sabeans.

Lastly, the whirlwind falls upon the house where the sons and daughters were feasting, leaving but one servant to tell of the awful calamity.

Thus the blows fall in quick succession without opportunity for partial recovery. They come with terrible suddenness, in the midst of prosperity, happiness and piety. They were incurable, cumulative, stunning. In one brief hour Job is stripped of all. Truly, Satan had done his work thoroughly, under the permission of an all-wise God.

The storm has burst in all its fury; how does the sufferer act beneath it ? Not a murmur escapes his lips at the loss of his property; and when the climax is reached, he meets it in the dignity of a man of faith, yet with a tender, broken heart. Rent mantle, and shorn head are the marks of a mourner. He acknowledges that nothing was his by right; he had come into the world naked, and would leave it as he came."We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out" (i Tim. 6:7). But he turns from the stroke to the Hand that gave it. He looks past all second causes, whether human or miraculous, and lays his sorrow at the Lord's feet."The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

So Satan has utterly failed thus far. His object had been to drive Job from God; he had only drawn him to Him. This proves the reality of Job's faith.

But more, much more, is to follow. S. R.

(To be continued)

QUES. 9. Will you kindly give me advice with Scripture proofs on a subject of much importance to me just now. I am a member Of the __ church, and I teach a class in the Sunday-school. By my life, through the help of Christ, I believe I am also a help to some there. I do not believe, however, in many things the church stands for, and my only reason for staying there is as given above.

The question now in my mind is:Should I, because of the influence I hope I exert there, remain with much which my conscience condemns, or should I go where my conscience would be at rest, but where perhaps I could not shed the influence that I think I do where I am ?

ANS. You will find a very direct answer to your question in 1 Sam. 15:22. Also in the second half of Jer. 15:19. Also in the ninth chapter of John-the blind man who had received his sight and who, by being faithful to what he knew, found himself in the outside place, though he gets a much better place in the end, as you can see in verses 35-38.

If the word of God has spoken to our conscience it is a serious thing to stifle it for any reason whatever. To obey God is our paramount duty. King Saul had reasons of his own for not obeying, and you may have reasons of your own too, but before God both are worthless however plausible they may seem.' Saul found his disastrous, and so will you find yours, for conscience denied hardens the heart, and '' out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. 4:23).

Beware of merely following others, no matter how much enjoyment you find in their teaching and life, for the time of testing will surely come when nothing but genuine communion with God can carry one through. The path of faith is an intensely individual one. But beware still more of silencing the voice of conscience when the word of God has touched it, for it will deaden it. Christian influence is a very real thing if truly Christian, that is, the fruit of genuine obedience to the word of God. What is not that will surely be disowned at the judgment-seat of Christ (see 2 Cor. 5).

Elijah labored hard to bring Israel back to the path of obedience; they would not obey; later on Jeremiah, who said, "Thy words were found, and I did eat them " (Jer. 15 :16) sat no longer with
them. He "sat alone" in separation from them. To continue with evil when it has seated itself is but to be partaker of it and lose communion with God. His order is, "Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity " (2 Tim. 2 :19). To stay with it when God says "depart " is not holy, nor does it lead to fruitfulness such as God can own at the end.

Remember too that you are not to look at what others do, though you may rightly value them. When Peter's path was pointed out to him, and he, no doubt desiring company, asked about John, "What shall this man do?" the Lord's reply was, "What is that to thee? follow Thou Me" (John 21:21, 22). Consider well these various scriptures.

QUES. 10.-In 1 Cor. 3:6-15, does the building done by others upon the foundation '' which is Jesus Christ,'' refer to adding to the assembly only, or to any work or service done by the believer?

ANS.-It is evident that the subject of the chapter is. primarily the temple-the building being erected at the present time for God's habitation, and made up of "living stones," that is, men' born of God-alive in Christ, indwelt by the Spirit. The chief thought therefore is, Will my ministry at the judgment-seat of Christ be found to have furnished material suited to this building ? But while men are the material which compose the building, there have been different services rendered to those men here on earth. All those services will be scrutinized, and what has been for the welfare of the building, what has really edified it, no matter how insignificant it was in the eyes of men, will be approved. What was not that, will be disapproved. Those who are injuring the building by evil work will be destroyed. It is a solemn subject for us all, for while there are those especially responsible in the matter, no doubt, everyone has a measure of responsibility to bear, and will be called to account for it.

QUES. 11.-Kindly explain the meaning of Heb. 10:26. It surely cannot mean, can it, that a believer can so "sin wilfully" as to lose his salvation ?

ANS.-Let us repeat to you what we have already said to others:That a difficult passage-one which is not plain, and needs interpretation-should never shake your mind from the plain passages or statements which admit of no misinterpretation. Take, for instance, John 10:28, 29. Can any other meaning be put upon it than that which strikes you at once? The same, though in another line of truth, with Rom. 8:38, 39. Hold fast to them therefore, and in due time all passages which at first would seem to cloud them will only open up to you new visions of truth.

Sin, spoken of in Hebrews, is not as in other parts of the Scriptures an outbreak of our fleshly nature. It is a turning back from the truth, casting off what we once professed to believe, as many professing Christians do now, alas, in denying the virgin-birth of our Lord, His deity, His sinless humanity, His atoning death, His resurrection, etc., truths which they once professed to hold. That is what sinning wilfully is-a dreadful thing which no one born of God will do, for they, like Peter, will say :" Lord, to whom shall we go? Than hast the words of eternal life " (John 6 :68). Send to our Publishers for two excellent pamphlets on this subject, "Fallen from Grace; or, Castaway" and "Perseverance of the Saints." (Price 12 cent.)

QUES. 12.-What is the meaning of Phil. 4:3? Were those women who labored with the apostle in the gospel, preachers?

ANS.-He who wrote 1 Tim. 2 :11, 12 would certainly not contradict his own teaching by having women preachers with himself. But there are many ways of serving in the gospel besides preaching, for women as well as for men, if there be only heart for service, instead of taking a public place.

QUES. 13.-Was Job a child of God as spoken of in chaps. 1:1 and 2:3 of his book, or not until after he had exclaimed, "I am vile," in the 40th chapter? Would God speak of a mere natural man as "a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil," as He does in the passages above referred to?

ANS.-That Job was a child of God from the first notice of him we should have no doubt; he proves it well in the way he meets the assaults Satan makes against him, as you may read in the articles now running in Help and Food concerning him. Imagine a man who defeats the devil as Job did without being a child of God! Again, imagine the devil attacking one of his own as he did Job!

Later on, as is the case with every child of God, Job learned some sore things about himself, and some blessed things about God, the end of which was peace and deliverance to his soul, and full subjection to God. Just as we train and discipline our children to make them our companions and fit them for usefulness, so does God do with His children. But as our children are just as truly our children and our heirs in their youth as when they have received all their training, so with God and His children. The moment they are born again they are just as much children of God as ever they can be, and they are the heirs of all He has for them, though as yet they may need to learn all about it.

In our life-work in the gospel we have met multitudes of sincere believers, and therefore children of God, who if asked if they had eternal life would not have dared to say, Yes. They would hardly dare think that they had such a treasure abiding in them. In turning them to 1 John 5:13, as its statements found entrance in their heart, their very countenance changed:God had settled the matter for them. If instead of this we had set them to look for eternal life through their growth in grace, what do you think would have been the effect? There is only one answer, bondage again.

From the remarks which you add to your question, we judge you have come in contact with a line of teaching which is seeking entrance among God's people :it first casts a cloud over the grace of God, and if legitimately followed destroys it altogether. It is a modified, but subtle, form of perfectionism ; a ladder for self-exaltation. Denying that eternal life is received at new birth, it says that the life received then is essentially the same as eternal life, just as charcoal is essentially the same as the diamond, but also with the same difference between them. So a multitude of believers have it only as charcoal, and a few others as diamond. What a sweet morsel this for the Pharisee !

A series of questions occupying four pages of note paper concerning the teachings of Christadelphians has been sent us.

We are sorry to disappoint the sender, but it is impossible in our limited space to give adequate answer to so much matter. To meet the heresies-of Christadelphianism is too large a task for these pages. Our correspondent should read "Facts and Theories as to a Future State," by F. W. Grant. It is the most helpful book we know of for careful examination of these heresies and their refutation by Scripture. Its price is $1.50, and can be had of our Publishers. "Christadelphianism briefly tested by Scripture " (Sets.) is also a good little pamphlet on this subject.

III. (Continued from page 64.)

(2 Kings 4.)

In our first paper on this subject we have touched on the root of what is now before us the journey of Elijah and Elisha together as illustrating the journey of our Lord Jesus Christ through this world. The results of this-sweet fruit indeed-follow in the chapters which are now to occupy us. Delightful work it is to trace the outcome of the visit of the Son of God to this world of ours. He came; He suffered; He obtained eternal redemption for us. He has gone home again. We reap the blessed results.

Our present chapter opens with a woman in trouble and great need. As light reveals things which are not seen in the dark, so the passage of Jesus through the world has made manifest much that was hid. Diseases and ailments but dumbly felt by men before were now made manifest, and they crowd around Him for healing. So this woman's distress is brought out by the presence of the Prophet. Preach reformation or anything but Christ, and needs are not made manifest. But preach Christ, and soon men show their need and distress of soul.

The woman's husband is dead. She is in debt, and as righteousness demands payment of the debt, her two sons are to go into bond service to pay it by their labor. True picture of the sinner this is. All communion with God has been broken by sin, as a widow bereft of her husband. She is in debt, even as the sinner is toward God. Justice demands payment, as the law thundering from Sinai, but Christ suffered on the cross to meet its claims and deliver from it.

But this is the gospel of the grace of God, which comes in so sweetly to deliver and restore us to happy communion with God. This gospel meets our need from two sides, and is presented from these two sides.

The apostle Paul presents it from one side especially, and the apostle John from the other. The first reveals man as a guilty creature-in debt toward God, and sets forth the work accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross to meet the claims of justice and clear us from our guilt. The other reveals man's ruined state, his need of being born anew, and from above, and Christ as the giver of the new life-eternal life. There must be a nature according to God to have free and happy intercourse with Him; we have to be born of God, therefore-must have eternal life before enjoyment with God can be realized. This is John's side of the gospel-a work of the Spirit of God within us. This marks John's Gospel and Epistles.

The present chapter of our Constellation presents chiefly Paul's side of this truth-though neither side is ever presented apart from the other; they run parallel to each other. To neglect one side or the other would falsify the true gospel. As with the two rails of a railroad, we must have both.

The woman's need having come to light in the presence of Elisha, he proceeds to meet it. He does not say, What canst thou do for me? but, "What shall I do for thee?" What a difference between the two! He goes even further:"What hast thou in the house?" he asks. There is a big difference too between, What can Jesus>/<7 for me? and, What has Jesus done for me? If Jesus has yet to die for my sins, then my sins are yet upon me, but if He has died for them, then they are no more upon me. They were laid upon Him, and they are gone forever from me and from the face of God. This brings peace with God on a righteous basis.

The woman has nothing but a "pot of oil." Ah, but a pot of oil means the "grace and truth" which came by Jesus Christ. No doubt the poor woman knew as little about the wealth in that pot of oil as many sincere believers now know what the grace of God has for them. They have to learn it, as she had.

The oil had come from the olives, brought down, crushed and pressed. So had grace come by our Saviour's leaving His home in glory, humbling Himself down to the estate of a man; still further, by suffering death; and further yet, by submitting to the malefactor's death-the death of the cross. Righteousness thus was fully met, and grace in all its love can go out to repentant and believing men, even the worst, and speak peace to them.

The woman is to borrow vessels of her neighbors, just as we do when we go about among our neighbors, inviting, urging them to come, to hear and receive the gospel. Their only qualification for the grace of the gospel is that they be ' empty vessels," having nothing to give, only fit to receive. Oh, the cruelty and guilt of so-called preachers of the gospel who, instead of telling men what they
are in God's sight, and what Christ has suffered to obtain salvation for them, occupy their minds with self-improvement, new resolutions, determination to win afresh honor and respect among men, and what not!-flattering the pride of man instead of seeking to deliver him- from it. This may make crowds of "converts," but converts to what, and to whom?

To come as an empty vessel is quite another thing. The past, full of guilt and shame, bows the soul in repentance. Then comes the forgiveness of sins, justification or clearance from all guilt, cleansing from unrighteousness, acceptance in Christ, and all other blessings enclosed in the "grace and truth" brought by Jesus Christ.

Even if a true gospel is preached, sin may be so lightly passed over, and the love of God spoken of in such a way, that His righteousness is well-nigh lost sight of, and converts may in the end be as the guest of Matt. 22:12 who dared to go in without the wedding garment. No wonder if such become a source of trouble among the people of God, as their pride has never been broken nor their will surrendered to the Lord. It is the truly humbled alone who can walk suitably under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

We cannot therefore press too earnestly that "God requireth that which is past," and that justice demands full payment of the debt – not passing it over. Having the atoning sacrifice of Christ to present to convicted sinners, we may well seek that conviction be deep and thorough. To bring souls to peace is not the first object, but to bring them to God-suited to His mind. The woman was to borrow vessels "not a few." God delights in the large-heartedness which covets for Christ every soul it meets.

The whole business was God's whose resources are endless. The oil would not fail therefore as long as there was an empty vessel to be filled, even as the five loaves and two little fishes failed not for the thousands of hungry men (John 6). And salvation provided by the atoning sacrifice of Christ (ever precious to God, and of unchangeable value) will fail no man who desires it as long as this day of grace lasts.

The woman was to shut the door upon her and upon her sons while pouring the oil. The entrance of truth into the soul of man is the secret work of the Holy Spirit, and the more we realize this in gospel work the more we shall keep it free from sensational things. Our business is to pour out the oil-preach Christ, fervently, lovingly, with the seriousness which the subject calls for. The Holy Spirit will do the rest. Oh, the dishonor of all the clap-trap associated with modern evangelism! The frivolous ways and words to attract the crowd; the entertaining element to stir up an interest! How all this tells of want of faith in God. God blesses the gospel where it is preached, for He loves men and His gospel, but how sadly Christianity is degraded. Men applauding the preacher instead of weeping over their sins and embracing the feet of the Saviour. How can the after-history be holy which has been started in such a fashion? Who shall control for Christ a people gained by un-Christ-like means?

"Thou shalt set aside that which is full," said the prophet to the woman. So they who, through grace, by faith have become Christ's, are no longer of the world, though left in it. As a bride, chosen by her husband from among all other women, exclusively belongs to him, so do believers to Christ.

The end came when there were no more empty vessels. So this wonderful day of God's grace will end when no more repentant, empty sinners can be found. The various antichristian systems of our times all tend to make men well pleased with themselves. Sinners therefore-men who have lost hope in themselves – are growing fewer and fewer; so the end hastens.

The woman is bidden, "Go, sell the oil, pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest." Mark how insistent is the demand that payment of the debt be made. The atoning death of Jesus is what pays our debt. Take that away, and we are hopeless. But not only is the debt paid but there is enough beside to give her and her children a living. This is wealth itself. Indeed believers are not only saved, but they are rich besides. They are "heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ "(Rom. 8:17), and that means far more than having escaped the wrath to come.

To illustrate this new condition another woman is required – a "great woman" of Shunem. The children of God are not great in the eyes of this world, but they are very great in the eyes of the world above. The chief characteristic of this "great woman" is her- appreciation of the prophet. She welcomes him, serves him, provides him with all that will make him feel at home with them. This is communion. So every true Christian loves the company of Christ -to hold intercourse with Him. This makes one fruitful. Accordingly, this heretofore barren woman has a son. But mere natural fruit does not satisfy God. It must be the fruit of redemption – of death and resurrection. So the child dies and is raised again.

The chapter closes with a feast being made to the sons of the prophets. Poor fellows, how little like the "great woman" they are! One of them, not having his senses exercised to discern good from evil, gathers poisonous gourds, puts them into the pot, and causes the outcry, "O thou man of God, there is death in the pot!"

How soon will evil doctrine make great disturbance among God's people, for they have souls to be fed, and if the food is spoiled all goes wrong. "Bring meal," says the prophet, and all is well again. Meal is the crushed grain-our Saviour and Lord in suffering. Let Him be displaced by anything:by the work of the" Holy Spirit, if you like; by the Church, or some fancied Christian attainment, and death is in the pot at once. Give Christ His rightful place again, and all are fed and made happy.

Thus does this remarkable chapter present God's provision for His beloved people from the bondage of Egypt to the holy joys of Canaan. Who in all the world is in trust of such treasure as the man who possesses such a gospel? May every one who possesses this jealously guard it from what would obscure it.

Our sovereign Lord, Jesus Christ, has called our beloved Editor, Paul J. Loizeaux, home to Himself. After 50 years of labor in service to the Lord and His people, the armor and the pilgrim staff are laid down.

Thirty-seven years ago our beloved brother began to publish "The Messenger of Peace" which has been going out monthly ever since. Largely written by him, in the early years especially, he edited it to the end of his life, as well as "Help and Food," of which he had been editor for the last 12 years. Now his labor is finished, his race is ended, the good fight has been fought, the rest of God and the joy of his Lord is entered, awaiting the day when "the Lord, the righteous Judge," shall render to each one as his work has been.

Our brother, Mr. Ridout, is writing a brief history of our beloved departed brother's life and labors, which we had hoped to print as the November number of Help and Food, but more time being needed than at first anticipated, it will appear, God willing, as the December number.

That the Lord may sustain the work laid down by our brother, and keep it true to Himself and helpful to the saints, is our most earnest desire, for which we ask the prayers of the saints who have profited by these publications. T. O. L.

"Farewell, mortality,-Jesus is mine!
Welcome, eternity,- Jesus is mine!
Welcome, O loved and blest,
Welcome, sweet scenes of rest,
Welcome, my Saviour's breast,-Jesus is mine! "

(Continued from page 330, Vol. of 1916.)

I will call attention now to Hebrews n, as to which a few words are necessary, that we may have before us the apostle's view-point. In the previous chapter (vers. 23-39) he had exhorted the Hebrew Christians, as professors of the Christian revelation, to firmly hold to the hope it had set before them, and solemnly warned them against apostatizing from the truth thus revealed. They had expressed confidence in it; and he tells them not to cast it away, but to patiently endure, assuring them of the certainty of the fulfilment of the promise. He then urges that the principle on which the just lives is faith.

Now in chapter 11 he produces a long list of men of faith in whom this principle was so manifestly exemplified that they are witnesses, who, as with one voice, urge those who have taken up the pursuit of faith's hope to hold it with unyielding steadfastness (chap. 12:i). Before presenting this list of faith-energized men, he sets before us, in verse i, the essential qualities or characteristic features of faith. They are two :First, the realization, or firm apprehension, of things set before us as the objects of hope; and, second, the persuasion or firm conviction of the reality of things not seen, though divinely witnessed to. Having declared what the essential features of faith are, he then explains that it was by such faith the elders became subjects of God's testimony as to them (ver. 2). In verse 3 he further explains that through faith believers perceive, or understand, that the material, the visible universe, was brought into being by God's word of power; that the cause of visible things is not in what is sensually observed.

The apostle then proceeds to give his list of men in whom this faith was practically exemplified. His comments about them are all based on the records furnished by the Old Testament. We cannot here dwell in detail on the apostle's succinct description of the lives of these men as found in the records that have come down to us, out it is evident he saw in these records a teaching, not of the natural human life, but of a supernatural life-a life not under God's displeasure, not in alienation from God, but in intimate connection with Him. A life, too, not temporal, but eternal.

These worthy men lived in the sense of God's presence. They were powerfully convinced of things they did not see, and clung with steadfast confidence to hopes divinely testified to. They were conscious of divine approbation. They perceived the nature and character of the kingdom of God. They embraced its eternal realities, and saw them afar off, rejoiced in them, suffered on their account, and died in the hope of a perfection of humanity for which as disembodied spirits they are still waiting :for they and we are to receive immortal bodies together. The eternal, abiding things of God, so far as they were able to spell them out through the revelation God gave them, were in power and freshness in their hearts. They did not look at the perishing but at the eternal things. They knew death did not end all, but believed in the resurrection of the dead and a final state of permanent human existence – a state of eternal blessedness for the righteous, and of eternal judgment for the wicked.

All this we shall clearly see when we come to study the Old Testament records of these men of faith. But just now it is sufficient to point out that Hebrews n implies and indicates that we shall find the faith of these things there – that these records speak of life beyond death, eternal and incorruptible, a fixed human state and condition in God's eternal favor; God and redeemed men dwelling together in a peace never to be broken. The Old Testament Scriptures teach this blessedness of the redeemed on the one hand, while on the other, as clearly show a fixed human state and con-for the unredeemed of eternal separation from God and the life of God, whether in its principle or its blessed activities.

I am aware there are some who will object that heavenly and eternal things are not subjects of Old Testament communications; and there is a measure of truth in this. But it is not strictly correct to say so. A truer statement is that in the Old Testament God generally speaks in connection with, or with reference to, earthly things. Yet these earthly things, with which the Old Testament oracles are largely concerned, were shadows and types of heavenly and eternal things; so that God was in reality speaking of heavenly and eternal things. The manner of His speaking was such that faith was needed to see what was behind the veil that was over them. The light of eternal things-of things in heaven-was dimmed by the veil cast over them, awaiting the taking away of the veil in Christ (2 Cor. 3 :14) to shine out in full brightness.

Another objection is based on i Peter i:10-12. It is said, the prophets, speaking as they did by the power of the Spirit of Christ, uttered things they did not understand, inquired into them, and tried to search them out. Now, if it is meant by this that they had no understanding at all of the things concerning which they spoke, that is not what Peter says. What Peter is urging is that they spoke beforehand of the sufferings that Christ was to endure, and of His subsequent glories. Plainly, therefore, they understood that Christ was to come, would suffer, and then be glorified. The death, resurrection and exaltation of the Messiah is clearly taught in the Old Testament writings. That they fully understood all this no one will claim, but that they did more or less apprehend these things cannot be denied. What then did they search out? Peter tells us. He says they also searched for the time which the Spirit signified as to the fulfilment of the things they had spoken of. And what was the result of their search ? What answer did they get to their inquiry ? That the things they proclaimed were not for the time then present-were not to be fulfilled in their days. They were therefore ministering for others of a future day.

Now notice what Peter further urges. He has referred to the Spirit of Christ in them, not as come down from heaven, but operating in them, enabling them to see what was afar off and to embrace hopes He had set before them. They thus could speak of having promises. The Holy Spirit had not come down from heaven, they could not therefore speak of having the earnest of the things promised. But the Holy Spirit having come down from heaven to us, there is a sense in which the things promised are in present possession. In having the Spirit we have begun to possess; not in the full way in which we shall possess, of course, when we and they will possess them together. But we have what they did not have-the earnest of possession.

1 Peter i:10-12 then cannot be used as militating against what I have been showing, that there is a very true sense in which the New Testament revelations are in the Old Testament – not in New Testament fulness, of course, but still really there in germ, in principle. The beginning of Genesis foreshadows the end of Revelation. The book of Revelation declares the final and eternal blessing that the earliest worthies looked for. Throughout the New Testament there are plainest indications that the light of eternal things, which now shine so brilliantly for us, was the light in which, even if dimly seen, those men of faith lived and walked.

If I seem to have taken unnecessary pains to show this, my answer is that I think it important that all should see that the New Testament evidence is overwhelming and beyond question. Its voice on the matter we are considering is undeniable. It confirms us in the .hope that we shall find definite teaching in the Old Testament on the subject of man's eternal future; that there are pronouncements there on the final stage of human existence ; that it has something to say to men about their ultimate destiny; and that, with more or less precision, it speaks on what that destiny will be.

At all events, one result of our inquiry as to the New Testament's voice on an Old Testament doctrine of man's immortality should be to quicken in us the desire to investigate the Old Testament itself. To this investigation we shall turn with increased interest, with confidence, and great expectation. We are encouraged to believe that it will not be a vain and fruitless effort to gather up the testimony of the Old Testament as to the end to which man, whether of that time or of this, is on his way.

It may be well perhaps to close this chapter with a statement of the questions which we shall need to keep before our minds as we search the Old Testament writings:

Do they teach that man was created to live forever?

Is it their doctrine that by sin man has forfeited eternal existence ?

Is existing as a disembodied spirit man's eternal destiny ?

Is the resurrection of the body taught in the Old Testament ?

Does it teach that all the dead will be raised, or only those who have died in the faith ?

Does it show to any extent the difference in the ultimate condition of the just and the unjust ?

Does it permit the application of the terms "life and incorruptibility" to both the just and the unjust after resurrection ?

Does it indicate that divine life, in principle or any measure of activity, was in the souls of those whose faith was set on eternal things ?

It will be evident to every one that in seeking the Old Testament answers to these questions we shall need to take into consideration the subject of death:What is it? Is it the cessation of being? Is it the dissolution of the present form of being ? Is it necessarily a temporal thing ? Does the Old Testament give any hints as to the difference between the first and second death ? Does it suggest or imply that the second death is a permanent and eternal condition of conscious beings ?

May we be kept in the sense of our dependence upon what God has revealed." May He guide us to the truth, and may we have hearts ready to hear God's voice on these momentous questions, involving the eternal destiny of men. C. Crain

(To be continued.)

(Continued from page 45.)

Man's Place Among the Creatures of God

In pointing out some of the characteristics of man's soul which are not found in that of the animal, we have said that in man it is of a higher quality as of direct impartation from God-by God's in breathing.

God is spirit. He is also called, "The God of the spirits of all flesh," 1:e., of the spirits of all men (Num. 16:22; 27:16). He is "the Father of spirits" (Heb. 12:9). In originating the human soul God stamped His spirit-nature upon it. He made it a soul having the nature of spirit. He did not make man to be pure spirit, as angels are, but somewhat lower than the angels. He gave man a material body with a living rational soul, to occupy a rank above animal souls, yet inferior to that of the angels. By creation, God allied man both to the creatures next below him and the creatures next above him.

It is this complex nature of man that fits him for the position he occupies among the creatures of God. In one sense he ranks among the animals; but. his distinction among them is that he is a living soul allied to spirit beings and to God-an offspring of God (Acts 17:28). He is a "son of God" by creation – connected with the immaterial and invisible creation. In this sense, therefore, he ranks among spirits, and his distinction among these is that he is not purely spirit. While allied to them he is also allied to creatures with whom spirits have nothing in common, except that both are creatures of God. While both are creatures of God, there is a wide gulf between these two ranks in creation, which none of them can pass, or bridge over to unite. The uniting of the two ranks can only be by one so constituted as to partake on one side -with one rank, and on the other side with the other rank. This intermediate and uniting rank is the creature man, who, in the scale of creation fills a position above the animal and below the angels- superior to animals, and inferior to angels.

If Gen. i:26, 27 and 2:7 define what man's nature is-his constitution and the position he occupies in creation, whether material or immaterial – there is yet another consideration to be mentioned. Gen. i:28 speaks of a sovereignty or dominion that God conferred upon man, authorizing him to take possession of the earth to subdue and hold it in subjection (see Hebrew). From these things we see that God designed man to exercise lordship. By creation he was constituted and fitted for the exercise of dominion over all the works of God's hand- the invisible works as well as the visible-fitted by nature and constitution to have all things under his feet.

I anticipate that some will object I am making man's dominion, as conferred on him in Gen. i:28, much larger than it really was; that there it was sovereignty over earthly things merely-not over the whole material creation even, and much less over the invisible. I answer:Apparently so; and with later scripture in mind, I say, Only apparently so. The force of psalm 8:6 seems not always to have been apprehended. I quote from Mr. Darby's translation:"Thou hast made him to rule over the
works of thy hands; thou hast put everything under his feet." I judge this is unqualified. We are to understand "the works of thy hand" and "everything" in the unlimited and absolute sense. I know this maybe opposed; but, clearly, Paul by divine inspiration so understood it. In i Cor. 15:27, after quoting, "Hath put all things under his feet," he remarks, "When He saith, All things are put under him, it is manifest that He is excepted which did put all things under him"-God is excepted from this subjection to the risen, incarnate Son of God. Is anything else excepted ? Nothing. This is Paul's understanding of psalm 8.

But I shall be told:Paul means the Second Man, not the first. Very true; but it proves nothing against what I am advocating. Two things are to be taken into consideration:First, when God created man and gave him dominion, He had the Second Man in mind, and purposed that He (the Second Man) should possess and exercise universal sovereignty over all the created works of God, both invisible and visible. If I am told:Yes; this purpose was in God's mind, but He did not reveal it; He only gave a shadow of it, I answer, If He did give a shadow of it, it was a flint of His full purpose. Though He put a veil over it, it was a hint of the end He had in view. Ephesians r:9, 10 may also be given in objection; but without avail, for the reason that if God in giving a shadow, or hint, of the great purpose He had purposed in Himself put a veil over it, He was saying to man, Here is a mystery, a secret, which in due time I shall reveal to you:it is something for you to think about and look forward to.

The second consideration is that until the creation of man, whatever God's purposes were, whatever the end He had before Him, no basis had been laid on which the incarnation of the Son of God could be possible. The thought that the infinite Creator could take the position and condition of mere matter is revolting; or that of the living plant is likewise unworthy. The possibility of His becoming a living impersonal soul-a mere animal-we cannot entertain. All these suggestions are not merely impossible and shocking, but blasphemous. If then God had in mind a creature whose nature His Son could assume, His very purpose necessitated the creation of such a creature. If God's thought was to have a creature connected with the material creation spiritualized and elevated to the position of supremacy over pure spirit-beings, He must needs make a creature so constituted that in the nature of his being there is a basis for this spiritualization. How evident it is that when God created and constituted man to be a living personal soul with a super sensuous nature, the basis was laid for his ultimate spiritualization-for the final destiny in which the lower or corporeal nature should become conformable to the higher or spirit-nature.

Again, Scripture warrants our belief that it was God's eternal purpose that His two creations should be, at least finally, so linked together as to be an abiding unity, under the incarnate Son as its Head:the immaterial and the material creations-the invisible and the visible-so united under a Second Man, the Last Adam, that the tabernacle of God should be in very deed with men. But this implies the spiritualization of the material universe itself. This we know will be the result of the baptism of fire through which the first heavens and earth are to pass; 1:e., the whole visible creation is to be put into a spiritual condition in which both God, who is spirit, and men, who have a corporeal nature, can fittingly dwell together. The basis of this indissoluble union of the invisible and visible was laid when God made His creature, man.

This purpose of God-this wonderful end before the mind of God from everlasting-will be finally attained and fully realized when the incarnate Son of God shall have annulled all rule and authority and power; when He shall have put all enemies under His feet; when He shall have annulled the last enemy, death. It is then the incarnate Son will hand the kingdom to God, uniting the immaterial and the material spheres in an eternal embrace. Through the Son of Man God will thus fill all things -be all in all. But the basis of the possibility of all this was laid when God made the creature, man, who forms the link between the visible and invisible spheres.

We may conclude then that when God commissioned man to multiply and fill the earth, and conferred lordship on him, if not in plain speech revealing it, He was parabolically suggesting to him his ultimate destiny-a higher stage of human existence, a higher form of human life. It was a prophecy of God's ultimate thought for him, a being destined for a higher stage of life and blessedness.

We have been thinking of man, thus far, as fresh from the hand of his Creator-as originally constituted. We have seen the complex nature of his being. We have found his position in the creation of God, and his rank among the various orders of creatures – the highest rank -of material beings, and lowest of spirit beings, and thus the link between them. We have also seen that in humanity a basis was laid for the incarnation of the Son of God, making possible a still higher position than that in which man stood as the intermediate link between the two created spheres, and thus destined to be exalted above the angels.

Now if we recognize all this, we discern in man a creature designed by God to know and to enjoy Him-a creature made to be in fellowship with and a worshiper of God. How far man has come short of this is not the subject of our consideration here, nor need we stop now to consider the reasons why man has failed to fulfil the grand mission that was committed to him. The fact that he has not attained to his great mission in no way militates against his having the nature and constitution for it, which the Scriptures represent him to possess, or the rank in creation which they show he occupies. It is in place now to ask, Being what he was by creation, was man mortal ? Was he subject to dissolution? That there was in him a capability of dissolution, all will readily admit, but that is not the same thing as being necessarily subject to dissolution. If there was not this necessity, was man capable of abiding endlessly in the condition in which he was created ? Supposing him to so abide, would that be attaining the ends of his creation ?Would that be reaching the destiny for which he was designed ?

Having seen that as created there was a basis for the spiritualization of man's corporeal nature, we must say he was capable of being transformed from a condition capable of dissolution into one in which it is impossible. What bearing has this on the questions, Was man as originally created mortal? or Did he in some sense possess conditional immortality ?

The answer to this is reserved until we have looked at other scriptures. I only urge now that we must keep in mind, as we proceed with our inquiry, what we have found man's nature and constitution to be, as Gen. i and 2 unfold them. C. Crain

(To be continued.)

Associations

Communications are at hand with questions concerning partnerships in business between believers and unbelievers, between Christians with knowledge and those who give little or no sign of being spiritually alive from the dead. Others enquire if there be any unequal yoke in owning shares in the various enterprises ruled by men of the world. One writes, "I know of a young brother who has gone into partnership with a Unitarian, another with a Socialist, another with a firm made up of Romanists and Protestants, honorable business men but men of the world-and the young have not been without examples of older Christians linked up in the same way. A word in your Magazine on this subject might be helpful.''

It is with unfeigned sorrow we read such communications. They are like darts sent in one's bosom; for who that loves God's people and is familiar with the Holy Scriptures, can fail to see that an unequal yoke is one of the most successful snares of Satan to bring about the downfall of children of God, and the destruction of true Christian testimony. Israel's ruin as God's people began in their associations with the heathen nations around them-they stand as a spectacle before the eyes of the whole world. They would not, at first, have dreamed of such a thing as bowing down with them to their idols. They rather would think of 'lifting the heathen out of their idolatry by associating with them. The invariable result, however, was the falling step by step to the level of the heathen, until they could bow down with them to stocks and stones and cast alive their infants in sacrifice to Moloch ! Horrible end ! And it all began by, to their mind, harmless associations. Satan knows it is the fine end of the wedge to let in an irresistible flood of evil. It is a pity to even have to speak of this, for one would think there ought to be in every Christian heart a holy dread of being tied to anyone or anything unfriendly to the Lord Jesus-that precious Saviour whose sufferings for our redemption were so great. Should we not fear to wound His love more than aught beside ?

Concerning the owning of shares in the various industries of the land, we are not sufficiently versed in financial affairs to speak with assurance, and unless we can speak as ministering the oracles of God (i Pet. 4:n) it becomes us to say nothing and leave each one to his own conscience. But let everyone of us beware of trifling with conscience, no matter at what cost ; for a Christian with a defiled conscience is like a ship at sea without a rudder. It destroys the power of discernment, and will turn "good soldiers of Jesus Christ" into " Peace-at-any-price " weaklings.

Without entering into details, but leaving them to the individual conscience, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers " is the unequivocal, authoritative command given to the children of God; for "what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness ? and what communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Cor. 6:14.) If for the sake of money we put ourselves under an unequal financial yoke, or for social advancement, position, or unholy love, we accept an unequal yoke, or for a popular and easy path we bow down to an unequal ecclesiastical yoke, we will surely reap accordingly, and prove that "our God is a consuming fire " still. To wilfully disobey His command is to defy His authority; it is to challenge His rod, however patient and long-suffering He may be, and considerate of all circumstances.

In reading 2 Cor. 6 one is struck with the tenderness of the argument upon which the apostle bases his appeal against an unequal yoke. He has in the previous chapters set before them the marvelous grace of God of which he is an ambassador. Then he details what has been his course in carrying out that ambassadorship; what he has had to endure to bring to the Corinthians what had so enriched them for all eternity. The more we pay for an object the more we value it, and he values the saints according to what they have cost to the Lord; and he also, as the Lord's messenger, had suffered to bring them Christ's message. His heart yearns for them. Oh, give me a recompense, he virtually says, for all I have suffered to reach you! And he goes on to tell them what would be to him such a recompense. Redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ at unspeakable cost, he wants them to be separated to Him from all that defiles, as the sacred vessels of the Jewish Temple were separated for sacred uses only. Redeemed by Christ they were His peculiar property, left here on earth only for Him; henceforth to find their pleasure in pleasing Him and serving Him acceptably.

Men will call this narrow-mindedness, no doubt. My brethren, young or old (the old only the more guilty if they have gone into paths of, disobedience), what is your answer ? Is it narrow-mindedness to you to be obedient to our Lord ? Oh, no ! we are sure it is not, but the things of the present have had too much weight, too much importance, and they have dimmed your sight. There is^ thank God, a remedy:"If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (i John 2:i). If we go to Him with our sins, humbly confessing them, He will not push us away. He will cleanse us from all our unrighteousness, and with hearts unburdened and refreshed we will bear renewed and holier testimony to His blessed Name. We will say with the psalmist, " I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever:with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations " (Ps. 89:i). '

Is government opposed to grace

There is a widespread tendency to annul God’s government by means of His grace, as if the two were inconsistent with each other. This is a grave error, and its effects are most serious. If God has freely forgiven the repenting sinner, it does not mean that He has ceased to hate evil and to punish it. Nor does the eternal security of the believer shield him at all from a Father's discipline. He is the very one exposed to that discipline; because of being one who is an object of God's favor, he is responsible to reflect God's character. If he does not do this, he will find that, though God's patience is very great, His holiness cannot be set aside, and "our God is a consuming fire." Trespassing against His holiness surely brings His rod upon us, whether as individuals or a community; even if there be no open trespassing, who among us does not often bemoan the evil tendencies of his nature and pray against them ? The answer 'to such prayers is often painful discipline, because that alone is the effectual remedy. Nothing of this is inconsistent with the grace of God. Indeed it emphasizes it, for it proves God is bent not only on securing us the eternal salvation which His grace has provided, but also in making us fruitful here, that our reward in eternity may abound.

The better we know the grace the more we value the government.

( Continued from page 189.)

Chapter V.

A Judgment which is an Announcement of Salvation

In Gen. .3:14-16 God pronounces the doom of man's tempter. Verses 9-13 show that those whom Satan has victimized are objects of divine mercy. God manifests the untruth of Satan's implication as to His love by seeking out the one who has been enticed into sin. "Adam, where art thou?" was a self-evident proof of Satan's lie as to God's interest in the creature He had put in Eden. Further, it told Adam that He loved him still, that He wanted him to come back. The further questions, we may assume, were not in a tone to destroy the effect that this first one produced, but rather to prepare the guilty pair to expect His intervention; and when directly God declared in their hearing Satan's doom, how they must have been amazed at the mercy and grace that was pledged to them! The difference between God's ways with them and His ways with Satan could not but produce wonder and thankfulness in their hearts. They are shown that Satan, being irreconcilable, is not an object of mercy. His enmity to God is eternal-not that he will be able eternally to manifest it-but eternal alienation of will characterizes him; there is no possibility of his repentance, hence no prospect of reconciliation to God is held out to him. On the contrary, though his eternal doom is not fully revealed here, the sentence passed upon him implies his final subjection to a sovereignty which he will never be able to resist.

But let us consider the judgment declared in detail. First, "Thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field," means that of all creatures, Satan is the most degraded. None so abhorrent, none so debased. Then, "Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life," implies a humiliating career. The serpent's grovelings in the dust symbolizes, in God's eyes, the character of Satan's meddling with men; but there is a limitation to it. The time of his activity is specifically defined. His unholy practices will come to an end. "All the days of thy life " means an ultimate cessation of his sinful work, a final subjugation to the sovereignty of God-not in grace, but in judgment, a judgment that will reduce him to eternal inactivity and silence. In hearing this doom upon the serpent, our first parents learned that Satan is not an object of God's mercy; that he is instead a subject of His eternal wrath.

But if God declares His abhorrence of Satan and his work, and indicates his final enforced submission to divine and sovereign power, He also indicates that He has thoughts of mercy in mind for men. He will not be satisfied with merely prevailing over Satan. It is not enough for God to bring Satan's kingdom to an end, to cause the dominion of sin to cease, to force him to yield up his prey, to end the kingdom of death and corruption, to raise the dead and consign them to an everlasting judgment. All this will be a display of His sovereign power, but God must display His grace, the riches of His mercy.

Let us reflect what it would mean if God merely undid the works of the devil. If He acted only in judgment, simply annulled Satan's power, just brought his dominion to an end, none would be recovered to God, none would be saved from the judgment that comes after death. The resurrection of the dead and their eternal judgment would be a decisive victory over Satan, but it would not be an exhibition of what God is, nor of the wealth of His grace.

While we do not find, in what God further says here to Satan, a full revelation of the mercy that is in His heart toward man, there are declarations which must have stirred the souls of our first parents to their very depths. What must have been their emotions when they realized that God entertained the purpose of restoring them to a place of favor-of deliverance out of Satan's hand, of not leaving them to be involved in the implied doom of Satan!

Shall we listen again to the revelations which evidently laid hold of their hearts? First, God speaks of the woman. Satan had poisoned her mind, had put enmity between God and her. He had alienated her from God and made her his own ally. But God says, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman." It means, I am going to do a work in her which will be the annulment of the work you have wrought in her. By deceiving her you brought her into bondage to your power, but she is to Me an object of mercy, of sovereign grace. In grace I will recover her to Myself. In grace I will reinstate her in the place of favor.

This announcement clearly implied her forgiveness. As the woman learns this purpose of God towards her she was warranted to say, The God against whom I have sinned forgives me -freely, unconditionally. What mercy! what grace! Was not the love of God thus poured into her? Could she not then say, The God I have offended becomes my Saviour ?-He whom I have so grievously wronged comes to be my Deliverer! What must have been her joy when she realized that God is a forgiving God-a Saviour! What gratitude and praise must have filled her as it dawned upon her that she was a subject of this sovereign grace of God!

But there was in the revelation a further purpose, for God goes on to say, "And between thy seed and her seed." Clearly, the woman is not to be the only subject of the grace of God. The same grace that lays hold of her is to lay hold of others. There is to be a race of saved ones. Notice is thus served on Satan that the grace revealed to the woman he had victimized will have fruit in her posterity; that there will be those recovered to God after the pattern of her recovery. The sovereign grace of God is to have its victories. It is to rejoice over men delivered from Satan, not by judgment but by grace.

These trophies of God's grace are here called " the seed of the woman," as fruits of the grace that is revealed to her, and of which she is the first subject. Those who are not reached by the grace of God are Satan's seed – a generation of irreconcilables whom divine mercy only hardens. Between these two races there is perpetual antagonism. If the woman, whom Satan used to bring about man's
fall, becomes an object of Satan's enmity on account of divine grace shown her, he will also cherish bitter hatred of those whom God will redeem to Himself.

The full consequences of the grace that is here unfolded are not declared. Of course they could not be openly declared until the time for the New Testament revelations. Yet it must have been evident that the redemption, which God here puts between the woman's seed and Satan's seed, implied a contrast of an enduring character-distinct, eternal issues. In view of these revelations, of what grace would effect, faith must have said, Death cannot be to us, the subjects of grace, what it is to those who die in alliance with Satan; a difference too must be in resurrection between the seed of the woman and the seed of Satan. While the sentence of death in God's government was not withdrawn, being the subject of grace she must have comforted herself in the hope of resurrection; so also of the seed which God was to give her. If it be asked, Could she not also infer a resurrection of Satan's seed? Undoubtedly so; but the further revelation (which we shall directly consider) would be a testimony to her that in the resurrection Satan's seed would be involved in his eternal judgment; while she and her seed would be eternally associated with Satan's conqueror. We may be sure she died in the faith and hope, not merely of rising again, but of an immortal life in the unending favor of God.

But, as already mentioned, there is another revelation here. Our first parents not only heard of a seed as objects of sovereign grace, but of a particular person also with a distinctive and unique position in connection with this race. They learned that of the woman's seed a Man would arise, whom Satan would not be able to overcome, whose feet he would not succeed to turn in the way of sin, but who would triumph over Satan. He must be a sinless Man, therefore, having life in Himself; who in His own person is the annulment of death and corruption.

It is manifest that such a Man must have the first and highest place among those whom grace makes His associates. His is the place of Firstborn among many brethren in virtue of what He is in Himself, able to represent them, to fight their battles, and find for them the path of life.

No doubt Adam and Eve could not then comprehend the full perfections of this particular Seed of the woman of whom God says in their hearing, "It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel." Still, they must have been impressed with God's declaration that a Man was coming who-would annul Satan's power. They heard God speaking of a conflict in which Satan's defeat would be complete and permanent. Their understanding as to the nature of the conflict, no doubt, was very limited. It needed the cross to manifest it in its full reality, but they could perceive that God was speaking of a Man who would triumph over the one who had overcome them.

Furthermore, it must have been clear that this announced victory of the coming Man implied, not merely the frustration of Satan's purposes, but the annulment of his work. I go even further, and think our first parents saw in the announced Victor not merely One with competency to overcome, but title also to make good the pledged grace-not merely Satan's conqueror, but the Source of a life in which they would stand in God's eternal favor.

Having heard of God's purposes of grace (to have a race recovered to Himself and reinstated in His favor) the revelation of a coming Man with power to subdue Satan, was convincing evidence that the grace pledged rested on an immutable foundation. He who has power to overcome Satan has the sovereign right to dispose of the spoil He thus acquires. To those to whom mercy is pledged it will be mercy without limit. Blessed indeed is the portion of those who are the subjects of a grace the channel of which is the Man Christ Jesus-the unique Seed of the woman.

The foundation of the doctrines of the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment is laid here in this sentence upon Satan. New Testament revelations have undoubtedly put them in clearer light, but they underlie the Old Testament communications. They were articles of the faith delivered to the Old Testament saints-a faith built upon the foundation here laid. It revealed, and they looked for, a life beyond death, not merely life in a disembodied state, but life and incorruptibility in a resurrection state. Their light on these things was not the bright light which we now possess. These subjects needed to be illuminated, but there was sufficient light for them to look beyond death, and hope for a condition of life in which mortality would be forever overcome. We will look at a few illustrations of this faith and hope in our next chapter. C. Crain

(To be continued.)

Away from earth, away from care,
He dwells with Christ in mansions fair,
The path of faith which here he trod
Has led him to the rest of God.

While in this scene he loved to tell
How God's dear Son came down to dwell;
And at the end of His blest way
Atoned to put our sins away.

He went about from place to place
Proclaiming God's abounding grace;
It was his great delight to see
Poor souls by Christ from sin set free.

And then he would exhort in love
How saints should set their hearts above;
And not like Lot to settle here,
But serve the Lord with holy fear.

To him there was no joy so sweet,
As round his blessed Lord to meet ;
To eat the bread and drink the wine,
And praise Him for His love divine.

To him the " blessed hope " was real,
It fired his soul with holy zeal.
The glory of that coming day
Shone brightly on his upward way.

But now instead of waiting here,
He's waiting in a brighter sphere;
He rests with Him who soon shall come
And take His longing people home.

May we who toil and further wait,
His love and service emulate.
Oh may we more whole hearted be
Until we rise our Lord to see !

C. C. Crowston

(Continued from page 332, Vol. of 1915.)

7.JUSTIFICATION BY HIS GRACE.

Rom. 3:24:"Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Titus 3:7:" That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

To be justified by grace means that no merit whatsoever is found in us. All is from God Himself. By it we become heirs according to "hope of eternal life." As sure as the hope is to be realized, so sure is our heirship also; for, as the life is eternal, so also is our heirship, for it is according to this life. As to the difference between this and justification by blood, the latter is the righteous ground upon which God clears us.

In Titus we have the ways in which His grace has acted toward us, and which, it is stated, justifies (chap. 3 :4, 6). He has saved us according to His mercy, "through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour." Here a blessed fulness is opened up. God's merely- has acted in saving, and that in a twofold way. First, by the "washing of regeneration." This " washing " is of the whole person-the bath- which applies to or affects the individual in his entirety. It corresponds to the washing of Aaron and his sons (Lev. 8 :6), when they were to be fitted for the priesthood.

This word "regeneration" is used in only one other passage of Scripture (Matt. 19 :28), where it refers to the millennial kingdom, from which we may gather a most important lesson as to the meaning of this " washing of regeneration" referred to in Titus. What will be true of the earth in Christ's millennial kingdom, when righteousness shall reign, sin having no more dominion over the earth (though not yet wholly removed from it), is true of us already in such a way as to affect our whole position and relationship. For us, too, as a present thing, righteousness reigns through Jesus Christ, and we having died and risen with Christ can now reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin, and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Thus we are under .the reign of righteousness. And in this reckoning of faith there is power, so that sin shall not have dominion over us. We are thus delivered from the power of sin. This is truly regeneration for us ; and being thus washed means a complete washing from all of the old creation.

Typically, this lesson is unfolded to us in the six days' work of Gen. i, where the regeneration of the earth is effected for the new order of life to inhabit it. Thus we go on to what follows, "the renewing of the Holy Spirit," which is not only a continual refreshing, but the internal work of the Spirit, changing from what is of the old into the new, so that as to our manner of life we are transformed by the Spirit's internal work, "the renewing of mind" (Rom. 12 :2). Both of these things look on to the completion of salvation, when their fulness shall be made good to us. John Bloore

(To be continued.)

(Continued from page 47.)

9. JUSTIFICATION OF LIFE.

Rom. 5:18 :"So then as it was by one offence toward all men to condemnation, so by one righteousness toward all men for justification of life."

We must briefly consider the context of this passage. The verse is plainly a summing up of the actual bearing of the acts of Adam and of Christ toward the whole race. Adam's offence resulted in the introduction of sin, and consequent death which became the portion of all, because all have sinned; the bearing of his offence, therefore, was to condemnation of all his race. So, too, through one righteousness accomplished, by "the obedience of One" (ver. 19), the bearing, or consequence of it, is towards all His race in "justification of life." Mark that it is forwards all, but does not apply to all, as verse 19 clearly shows ; for there are two companies-one, the family or race of the first and fallen Adam, linked with the offence and disobedience, therefore constituted sinners, and the other linked with the righteousness and obedience of the Second Adam, Christ, therefore constituted righteous. This last company are those of faith, those born of God, who have eternal life, and are to reign in life eternal with Him :justification attaches to their life – received in new birth, born of God. They are therefore constituted righteous; as "in Christ" they are brought into the state of righteousness and perfect acceptance with God. Nothing can possibly affect their possession of this life; it is secured to them in this absolutely perfect way. Now the term justification also occurs in verse 16. It would be better rendered "an accomplished righteousness," called the "gift of righteousness" in verse 17. Thus " the gracious gift is of (out of) many offences to (into) an accomplished righteousness."The way we come into this is as being "in Christ," the Head of the new race, and Source of the new life to which justification attaches. John Bloore

( To be continued.)

Job's Lament

(Continued from page 121.)

In passing through our book, we must not fail to note the exquisite beauty of expressions, both of Job and of all who speak. For if the Spirit of God has seen fit to inspire a writing, He would have us note its form as well as its contents. Thus we have in ver. 9, in the margin of our version, "Neither let it see the eyelids of the morning," or ;'.s the clause has been rendered, "Let it not refresh itself with the eyelids of the dawn"- poetry indeed of exquisite beauty.

2. In the second part of his lament (vers. 10-12) Job declares his wish that he had died as soon as he was born, or had been left without care or food. It is sad indeed when one cannot look back to those early days of helplessness with tender thoughts of the loving care that watched over his unconscious hours. Of all creatures, man is the most helpless and dependent in infancy. It is to "hide pride" from him, and to call forth love in his behalf. To curse his infancy thus was to trample upon what is best in our fallen humanity, and shows a soul far from communion with God. Job had forgotten all the past; the sorrow of the present had eclipsed all else. It is painful to read such words.

3. Death is here described as a rest (vers. 13-19) in which all have an equal share-the old and the young, even the unborn babe ; the great and the small alike are at rest; kings whose former palaces have crumbled into ruins, and princes whose vast wealth has all been left, are here at last in profound and equal repose. The wicked cannot trouble them, nor master exact service from his slave ; prisoners and their captors find no distinction in the presence of death, that great leveler of mankind. What a picture it is, reminding one of the dread vision of the prophet who sees Pharaoh, king of Egypt, descending into Sheol to share with the great among the nations their common heritage of death-"which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit" (Ezek. 32:24).

But is this the doctrine, even of the feebler light of the Old Testament, of the future ? Ezekiel did but contrast the former greatness of the nations, now brought low; but Job goes further and puts all in an unconscious sleep, "as infants which never saw light." Is there no distinction between the condition of the wicked and of the righteous after death ? We cannot here go into the Old Testament doctrine of the future state, but the walk with God of His servants, their calm outlook into the unknown future, tell us that they in spirit "looked for the city which hath foundations." The constant contrast between the righteous and the wicked, and their moral unlikeness points not uncertainly to most divergent futures:"The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, but the righteous hath hope in his death" (Prov. 14:32). In thus blurring the future, Job shows how far his soul had drifted from the truth of God. In plain language he is longing for annihilation, and we know how materialists and believers in conditional immortality have turned to these and similar utterances for support for their unscriptural views.

Let us contrast these utterances of one temporarily forgetful of the great hope planted in the heart of God's children, with the language of faith in the Old and New Testaments. Job's own words are a refutation of his unbelief here ; " I know that my Redeemer liveth" (chap. 19:25). David also said, "I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness" (Ps. 17:15). Our Lord refutes the Sadducees -with whom Job unconsciously identifies himself- as to the Old Testament teaching regarding the state of the dead:" I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Matt. 22 :32). He points out the fearful contrast between the state of the careless rich man and the believing beggar, Lazarus (Lk. 16). And in the full Christian statements of the Epistles, do such words as "Absent from the body, and present with the Lord," or, "Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better," echo Job's unbelieving laments ? We can well understand a need for the chastening hand of God upon him if he is willing to give expression to such thoughts.

4. He longs for death (vers. 20-23). Having pictured death as a state of dreamless sleep, Job gives vent to his longing for this nirvana. He asks why one so wretched as he should be debarred from the repose he seeks. He adds to this the first of his charges against God, calling himself "the man whom God hath hedged in." Similar language is used in Jeremiah's Lamentations, " He hath led me and brought me into darkness, but not into light. . . He hath hedged me about that I cannot get out; He hath made my chain heavy " (Lam. 3 :2-7). But he goes on:-" It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not … It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord " (vers. 22, 26). We fail to find anything like this in Job's words.

In the New Testament we have still greater triumphs:"We glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience " (Rom. 5:3); " That the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth," etc. (i Pet. 1:7).

5. In his concluding words (vers. 24-26) Job turns from his longing after death to the reasons which make him desire it. His anguish takes precedence of his hunger; he could say with the psalmist, " My tears have been my meat, "and may we not find in the latter connection some explanation of Job's misery:"While they continually say unto me, Where is thy God ?" (Ps. 42:3). Job had lost the sense of God's favor; his sighs gush forth like a torrent because he fears God has forsaken him. Lacking a conscious sense of filial relationship (as was natural in the former dispensation, although truly born of God) he could not withstand the torturing doubt that God had given him over to hopeless misery. This fear had apparently been lurking in his heart-possibly even in his bright days -and now it has come upon- him! In verse 26 he speaks of a fresh avalanche of trouble before real relief from the former anguish had been given:" I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet" (from the former attack), "then' trouble cometh."Our version seems to refer this to Job's condition of former prosperity; he was not dwelling in carnal ease, but walking in the fear of God, when trouble came. While this is in accord with Job's state of soul as comes out later, it seems a little too early to find self-vindication on his part. It seems rather to be the expression of grief at the repeated attacks of misery which he is now suffering; as in the Psalm quoted, he could say, "'All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me." But he does not follow the psalmist and hush his soul into submission:" Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me ? Hope thou in God :for I shall yet praise Him who is the health of my countenance and my God." Job will yet praise Him, but he knows nothing of this as yet. He closes his wail of unrelieved despair, and his friends begin to speak. S. R.

(To be continued.)

(Continued from page 182.)

I.-Eliphaz s address and Job's reply — The greatness and justice of God (chaps. 4-7).

Eliphaz, probably the eldest of the three friends, begins his address to Job, partly and necessarily in reply to the sad complaint of the latter, but chiefly to minister as he thinks Job's spiritual condition may need it. The address in chapters 4 and 5, is one of much dignity, great beauty of expression, and embodying much self-evident truth. It may be divided into seven portions:

(1) Reproach for Job's despair (chap. 4:1-5).

(2) God's favor to the righteous (vers. 6-11).

(3) Vision of God's greatness and holiness (12-21).

(4) Experience of God's ways (chap. 5:1-5).

(5) Exhortation to Job to seek God (vers. 6-11).

(6) God's triumph over evil (vers. 12-16).

(7) The uses of affliction (vers. 17-27).

(I) In the opening words of his address, Eliphaz begins the criticism which characterizes the words of the friends throughout. What he says is perfectly true, and Job who had comforted others in times of distress should have borne up under his trials; and yet would we not expect some words of sympathy from a friend-a "brother born for adversity?" Would not grace ever teach us to "weep with those who weep?" The blessed Man of Sorrows did not take sufferers to task in this way, but was moved with compassion, even to tears, at human sorrow. It is this harshness which indicates a wrong principle in Eliphaz, which comes out more clearly as he proceeds. With him sin and suffering are as root and fruit:he knows no classes of suffering, fails to distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, and therefore eventually is found to be a false accuser of his friend.

(2) He enunciates this principle by appealing to Job's own experience, not as condemning but approving. What had hitherto given him confidence? Was it not his fear, his piety? Who then ever perished, if he were righteous? On the other hand, how often had the wicked been cut off, reaping as they had 'sowed! No matter how strong and mighty, they are cut off, as fierce lions having their Teeth broken out. But while these things are true, generally, Eliphaz has lost all distinction between the righteous and the wicked, and presses Job into a dilemma which he is already beginning to feel- either he or God is unjust!

(3) Next, in words of great solemnity and of lofty poetic beauty, Eliphaz describes his vision of the greatness and holiness of God. In the silent watches of the night, an apparition had come before him, causing him to tremble with a nameless dread. While not seeing, he had felt the whisper of "a still small voice," that made his hair stand up.
"Shall mortal man be more just than God?"-or "just before God," in His presence. Compared with His holiness, even the heavenly beings are unclean. The seraphim veil their faces as they proclaim Him. How much less can mortal man- whose mortality is a witness of his sin-vaunt himself. His breath is in his nostrils; like a tale that is told his life is compassed in a day-like the ephemeral moth.

This is all quite true, and in other connections most appropriate; but, as already said, it falls beside the mark, for it does not meet Job's need. Truly, in the sight of God, all are as an unclean thing, but will that set aside the fact that there is such a thing as righteousness in the children of God? If all are thus unclean in the sight of God, then Eliphaz must take his place beside Job, a thing he is by no means ready to do, and all explanation of suffering fails.

(4) In this portion of his address Eliphaz, as befits a man of age and observation, gives the results of his experience among men. He tells Job it will be in vain to cry for aid to the "saints," the holy ones, his only help is in God, and if he complain against Him he will but lay himself open to divine anger. Wicked men have prospered for a little season, only to fall under the curse. There is hardly an allusion as yet to Job's family, and yet verses 4, 5 might be taken as applying to them- children crushed without deliverance, and harvests taken by the hungry robber. He is rather describing the result of his experience and observations, that eventually, even in this life, suffering is the portion of the sinner. It need hardly be said how incomplete and unsatisfactory this is. Even in the Old Testament the "man of the earth" prospers; the wicked spreads himself "like a green bay tree," and even in death has no bands.

Let us suppose that Abraham, Jacob, or David reasoned thus about their sufferings:they were wicked, then, because they suffered! And in the New Testament, how could tribulation which worketh patience be gloried in, or how could "our light affliction which is but for a moment," be said to work out a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory? Truly Eliphaz by his experience proves himself to be little versed in the ways of God with His suffering people.

(5) Next follows the advice to Job, which is good, at least, because it turns him to the only One who could give relief. "Man-is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward," therefore let him commit his cause to God. It is always good to advise men to trust in God; for He never fails those who trust in Him. "Trust in Him at all times, ye people; pour out your hearts before Him." "Cast thy burden upon the Lord." He is both powerful, good and kind, and can lift up those that are bowed down, refreshing their parched spirits as the rain refreshes the thirsty land. Therefore, taken in itself, this counsel is good; but remembering the underlying principle that Job is suffering for his sins, it can only irritate. It is as though he were to say- "Sin is common to all, as trouble is to all, therefore humble yourself as a sinner before God, and He shall exalt you." It is all the more subtle because it comes so near the truth-as Job will learn in due time. But there is no thought in the mind of Eliphaz like that produced in Job's heart by the sight of God, and which made him say at last, "I am vile."

(6) There may, or may not, be insinuations of craftiness in Job in this part – probably not. Eliphaz is formulating his theory, " Be good, and you will be happy in the long run." Job then would be vindicated, and all iniquity would have to stop its mouth. Indeed, Eliphaz and his friends must find this out later, and these words are like a prophecy of what takes place when Job intercedes for them. Yes, God will surely triumph over evil, and will make His people "more than conquerors through Him that loved them"-but it will not be in man's way, and He alone will be exalted.

(7) The seventh and closing portion of the address is admirable in expression and excellent in its doctrine, if its inner meaning be seen. In the mouth of Eliphaz, as the culmination of his masterly address, it must be taken with all the modifications already spoken of.

Happy indeed is he who receives chastening at the loving hands of God; we are neither to despise nor to faint under such dealings. No matter how great or oft-repeated are the afflictions there will come deliverance in due time. How good it is to know this, and to "wait on the Lord, and be of good courage, for He will strengthen thy heart." Let the sufferer but say, "It is thy hand," "I know that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me." The Scriptures are full of this precious truth for the child of God. We are led to look past all apparent causes, all human instruments, or even Satan himself, and see that Hand which "will never cause His child a needless tear." So our blessed Lord took that great affliction, at the hands of God:"The cup which my Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?"

So the relief also comes from the same blessed source:"His hands make whole." How good it is to know that all-the trial and the relief – comes from Him. No matter how oft repeated the strokes, protection and deliverance are our portion.

Passing to detail, Eliphaz mentions the sorest outward trials of famine and war, even to destruction, and those inner, bitter pains, from which Job was even then suffering, caused by the biting tongue; no noisome beast can injure, for when one is right with God He makes all things his friends. The habitation of the righteous abides secure, and his posterity shall bear witness to the faithfulness of God. Death but closes with calmness the beautiful picture-the aged saint gathered to his fathers like a shock of corn fully ripe. We can prolong the view in the clearer light of the New Testament, and ask:'' Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Yes, we may look on beyond the death of the aged saint to the glorious resurrection, and catch the light of the bright hope of the Morning Star:"The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven . . . and we who are alive shall be caught up . . . to meet the Lord in the air."

But of all this neither Eliphaz nor Job thinks, and, as already said, the noble words of our chapter have not the same meaning to him as to us. S. R.

(To be continued.)

(Rom. 16:1-16.)

The salutations of Romans 16 are much like little glimpses given us beforehand of the review of each Christian's life at the judgment-seat of Christ. It is a sample page-an advance or specimen sheet, as it were-of those records kept on high to be examined in detail at the coming of the Lord, when every man shall have, in his measure and according to his just deserts, "praise of God" (i Cor. 4:5; Rev. 22:12).

Of the 27 names in the passage before us, six at least are those of women. Some of them are found nowhere else in Scripture, while others, like Aquila and Priscilla, are met with in other portions of the sacred Word. Some stand alone, others are placed in pairs, while still others appear in groups. As Christians, we have responsibilities which are wholly individual; in them we stand entirely alone. In others, as in the case of husband and wife, or a pair of evangelists sent out by the Lord, the responsibilities are shared between the yoke fellows; and in other cases the responsibility is collective, as in the assembly-its government, discipline, and general spiritual tone and testimony.

Of some we have only the bare mention of the name; of others it is stated what they did; and still others what they were. It is not at all likely that they stand in the order of merit, or importance, or excellency:the list is more after the order, in spirit if not in form, of a circle, that none might have the precedence over the others. The apostle himself exhorts to "judge nothing before the time," for it is not here and now that it is determined who shall be "more honorable than his brethren."

Phoebe (radiant) a woman, heads the list. How significant! Woman is not debarred from service to the Lord, nor is her sphere, though different, inferior to the man's, if more retired.

She was servant to the church at Cenchrea, not in any official capacity, we judge, but in any way that might be useful to the saints-a service open at all times to any godly woman in the Church. Commended by the apostle, she was commended of the Lord. The "business" mentioned was in all probability "secular," as we would say. She had been a "succor or of many,"in temporal things, and therefore had good claim upon the assistance of the saints at Rome.

"And of myself also," the apostle adds:he will not forget the particular in his mention of the general. And in the coming day each individual servant may doubtless bear testimony of benefits received in the way of material aid from the Phoebes in the Church from apostolic times to the end. May Christian women everywhere covet the commendation and emulate the example of this Phebe, radiant in the glow of devoted energies and zeal for the welfare of God's work and workmen.

Priscilla and Aquila come next on the list. Their names are never found separated in Scripture, but always in conjunction:lovely and pleasant in their lives, they are not in God's word divided. Six times they are mentioned in the Word (Acts 18:2, 18, 26; i Cor. 16:19; 2 Tim. 4:19, and here) and in four cases out of the six, Priscilla comes first-a hint, perhaps, that she was the more energetic of the two. Her name in Acts and Corinthians has the diminutive form (Priscilla) denoting endearment, while here (according to the New Translation) and in Timothy, it is the more formal Prisca. These are not distinctions without a difference. There are times when formalities among saints may be set aside, while on other occasions it is incumbent upon them to scrupulously "observe the proprieties:" there is "a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing." And in our intercourse with God it is not meet that we should address Him in the haphazard way of the many, in terms wholly lacking in discrimination; but, according to our intelligence, in the manner that most suits the circumstances and occasion.

Her name means "ancient," thus reminding us of those "holy women in the old time" mentioned so approvingly by the Spirit (i Pet. 3:5). They were Paul's "helpers in Christ Jesus." And not only were they his helpers, but in a way his saviors; for they, for the apostle's life, laid down their own necks, putting their lives in jeopardy to save God's servant to the Church. Their devotion is thus recorded. Not only did the apostle himself give thanks for their willingness to sacrifice themselves for his sake, but " also all the churches of the Gen–tiles." He perhaps specifies the Gentiles here because Aquila was a Jew; and though, after the flesh, Jew was opposed to Gentile, in the Spirit these natural prejudices and rivalries have no place. These incidental touches of what is distinctively Christian-the "partition wall " broken down and believers all one in Christ Jesus-are beautiful to see.

The Asian churches saluted the Gentile Corinthians; Aquila and Priscilla saluted them "much in the Lord" (i Cor. 16:19). Jesus was to them indeed Lord. True yoke fellows and "heirs together of the grace of life," in the holy bonds of loving matrimony they served the Lord on whom they had by grace believed. They did not selfishly enjoy their home life, but in two places at least threw open their house to the assembly of God's saints. Nor did they nestle in some cosy place to settle themselves in this doomed and needy world, for we find them first at Corinth, whither they had come from Rome, then at Ephesus, later. at Philippi, and here finally at Rome again-strangers and pilgrims in the world indeed.

Epaenetus' name has two marks of distinction:Paul's well-beloved, and the first-fruits of Achaia unto Christ. None seem so dear to the devoted missionary's heart as the first-fruits, the souls first given him as seals of his ministry in the field to which he has been sent. All in Christ are loved, but some for special reasons and without partiality are "well-beloved." "Praised" is the meaning of Epaenetus:and it is to the praise of any soul that they were the first to receive the truth in a community, stepping out boldly for the Lord when (as often happens) persecution was hottest, while others, more cautious and calculating, were still halting "between two opinions."

Mary's distinction is that she bestowed "much labor" on the Roman believers (the New Translation reads "you" instead of "us", as in A. V.). Hers is the only distinctively Jewish name in the catalogue, which makes the "you" the more remarkable ; though a Jewess, with every reason naturally to dislike the Roman oppressors of her people, she not only rose above all national prejudices, but bestowed "much labor" upon the representatives of the people that had but recently taken from her land its liberties.

Andronicus and Junia is the second pair of names listed. They are designated Paul's kinsmen ("countrymen" by extension-Strong). Christianity in nowise annuls natural relationships or obliterates racial distinctions; it regulates them rather, recognizing the obligations and privileges attaching to each-" We who are Jews by nature," etc.

This couple were likewise Paul's "fellow-prisoners" and "of note among the apostles" ("apostle" used here in 'a secondary or wider sense than the Twelve, as in Acts 14:4, 14; 2 Cor. 8:23, Greek; i Thess. 2:6). For the gospel's sake they had, in companionship with Paul, suffered imprisonment:the path of service was to them no sinecure ; they did not, like many of their pretended "successors," luxuriate in some "chapel of ease;" the world was their parish, and in the discharge of their ministry they suffered as evil doers even unto bonds. By their graces and gifts and self-sacrificing service they were marked out even from the generality of the apostles, special messengers, chosen and sent forth .of God. "In Christ" before Paul, while the Church was set in its swaddling-clothes, they would be persons of experience, and therefore worthy (as the apostle would remind the Romans)" of that veneration due those who have long walked "in the way of righteousness."

"Man of victory" is the meaning of Andronicus:and surely after so many years of conflict and faithful service it could be said of him that he had "fought the good fight" and "kept the faith" victoriously.

Amplias, the next name, is a contraction of Ampliatus (enlargement); but though bearing a contracted name he was not straitened in himself, for grace must surely have enlarged his heart to find notice here from Paul and to be termed his "beloved in the Lord."

" Urbane (of the city), our helper in Christ." He could help, if not capable of taking the initiative. Some, who love preeminence, refuse to work at all if they do not lead; they must be at the forefront or nowhere. Happy is the man who like Urbane is willing to be a help in the harvest-field, filling that place given him by the all-wise " Lord of the harvest." "Helps," in i Cor. 12:28, are placed before "governments":but some would govern before they have ever learned to serve. In the kingdom of God those only are set to rule who have proved themselves capable after a course of diligent service.

Stachys (ear of grain) is linked with Urbane. Town and country seem suggested by this pair of names. Service for Christ and testimony to His name is not confined to the streets of the bustling city:it reaches to the " lanes, highways, and hedges " of the quiet countryside.

Stachys was beloved of Paul, a distinction worthy of note, surely. It was John's peculiar pleasure to speak of himself as "that disciple whom Jesus loved." And what was it but the love of the Spirit of Christ in Paul that went out to this fruit of that "corn of wheat" which fell into the ground that He might not abide alone ?

"Apelles, approved in Christ." Happy is that servant who stands approved in the day of trial ! Not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. Like Paul, Apelles kept his body under, lest after having made profession of faith he should find himself a castaway -the negative of "approved."

The name of " Aristobulus" (best counselor) is remembered, though he himself be absent. It is not every one that can give good counsel; some seem peculiarly fitted to give "the word of wisdom," and the memory of such is ever blessed. Though gone they are not forgotten! The remembrance of their wise and loving counsel abides as the fragrance of the odorous cedar "after many days."

" Herodion " finds favor and apostolic notice in spite of the handicap of an abhorred name. Grace is superior to all the obstacles of accident or nature, "for where sin abounded grace did much more abound." And Paul was not ashamed to own the kinship of a name odious to every Jew, and not in great esteem by Gentiles.

Narcissus also has a place given him on the roll, though he himself was probably absent from Rome at the time, if not gone before to glory. It is an example of the odor of a good name abiding after the flower itself (narcissus, a flower) has been transplanted to the garden of God above.

"Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord." How encouraging to see two Christian women, twins perhaps, whose names denote enfeeblement by luxurious living, giving their remaining energies to the service of their Lord. Though in the course of nature "enfeebled" they set themselves to serve Him, the Lord Christ, whose "strength is made perfect" in our "weakness."

''The beloved Persis" follows. Her name signifies "a Persian woman." How ever guarded was the wise apostle in all his ways and words:in speaking of men he could say "my beloved" (vers. 5, 8, 9); but when it is a woman he uses the broader un-personal expression, "the beloved," about which there could be no question. See also i Tim. 5:2.

She "labored much in the Lord," it is noted. To labor at all for the Lord who gave up everything for us, is an instinct of the divine nature in the soul redeemed by Him; to labor much, to toil for Him, is the outgoing of a heart, doubtless. Oh, to covet the same for ourselves, each one!

Rufus (ruddy or red) was " chosen in the Lord." All believers are chosen in Christ even before the world's foundation:chosen "in the Lord" seems to imply another thought, perhaps of special service to Him, or a distinct line of testimony to be followed for Him who is Lord of His servants, as He is Head of His Church and Saviour of our souls.

"His mother and mine." It is touching to see how the dear apostle appreciated any little feminine act or motherly service done to him, in the name of a disciple. Oh, be not weary in well-doing, ye mothers or sisters in Christ, for even a cup of cold water given in His name shall not lose its reward or mention in that day!

A group of five comes next. Asyncritus is said to mean incomparable; Phlegon, blazing, and Patrobas, father is life. Hernias and Hermes (the same, perhaps, though having different terminations) were names of the messenger of the Greek deities, often called Mercury. They were a company of earnest men round whom others had been drawn, as "the brethren which are with them" would imply. They were possibly a group of gospel workers, a "valiant band" as they would be called today. The meaning of their names would suggest such a service:"incomparable," the sweet old gospel, there is nothing like it ! " Blazing," a zeal for souls that burns in its ardor; and "a father is life," corresponding to John 5:21:"The Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them"; the new life in the regenerated manifesting itself in loving evangelic ministry, and Hermas and Hermes, no more the living messengers of Gentile gods, seducing demons, but heralds of the one true God whom to know is life eternal. The group was not the nucleus of a sect, we may be sure; but the center and soul of gospel effort to rescue the perishing in and round about Rome.

Next follow Philologus and Julia, husband and wife, probably. Julia is a royal name:may they not have been of Caesar's household ? See Phil. 4:22. Philologus, a lover of the word. "Oh, how I love thy law," exclaimed the truly royal David. How good, Christian reader, to know that we have by God's grace received "the love of the truth that we might be saved."

"Nereus, and his sister," represent another pair; here it is brother and sister. How beautiful it is to see grace cementing these natural relationships -husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, mothers, sons, into the bonds of the Spirit, that cease not with earth but are destined to continue throughout a glad eternity.

Olympas is last in the list. His name, though of heathen origin, may be made to mean, by Christian adaptation, heaven descended. As to his body he was "of the earth earthy; " but he had received by a new birth that life from heaven without which none can in any measure do those things which are pleasing in God's sight.

"All the saints which are with them " suggests another little band, not exactly like the above ("brethren"), but "saints," redeemed men and women, associated together for some commendable purpose, either for prayer or worship, song or service, possibly all.

May you and I, Christian reader, so walk and work and worship that we too may stand approved in Christ and worthy of honorable mention in "that day!" C. Knapp

QUES. 1.-Was the forsaking of Christ on the cross that of a holy God breaking communion with the Son of Man, or of the Father withdrawing communion between Himself and His beloved Son? Perhaps it was both ; but some here claim that the former only is true. Could you help us on the subject through Help and Food?

ANS.-That God's delight in His beloved Son never was greater than when upon the cross He cried, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" we should not have a shadow of a doubt. For He was there, in deepest obedience, laying the foundation upon which God's love and grace could go out to men without hindrance.

We see no reason for the difficulties raised in the subject of your question. There is no need to divide our Lord's person in that way, for at one and the same time God could delight in the devotedness and deepest obedience of His beloved One, -while pouring upon Him the divine judgment which man's sin deserves. It is dangerous to leave out one part of our Lord's person in the solemn work of the Cross. "Great is the mystery of godliness," said the apostle by the Spirit. While contemplating and reverently inquiring into this "great mystery," let God's people be careful lest they offend or fall into error in seeking to reduce unfathomable truths to the level of man's reason.

QUES. 2.-In Deut. 23 :3 it is said :"An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord ; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the Lord forever."

How can we reconcile this command with the free reception of Ruth the Moabitess in Israel when she came with Naomi? And her reception seems pleasing to God, who even gives her a place in the genealogy of Christ (Matt. 1:5).

ANS.-Ruth 1 :16,17 clears away the difficulty. Her separation from Moab was complete ; she says to Naomi, who had just been testing her two daughters-in-law in the fullest way, "Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee:for whither thou goest, I will go ; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge ; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried:the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me."

She was no longer a Moabitess ; she was an Israelite, and there was discernment enough in Israel to recognize this in her character-and ways. Besides this, God who reads men through and through, saw in her a devoted soul, truly won to Him from her idols and her people, and He gave her a place of special honor.

QUES. 3.-There seems to be such scripturally conclusive evidence that, as Jonah was three days and three nights in the fish, Jesus Christ would be three days and nights in the grave (settling beyond any doubt that the crucifixion of our Lord did not occur on Friday, but on Wednesday before the " Sabbath"-which was to be celebrated that year on a Thursday ; not meaning, of course, the Sabbath, which was the last day of the week), that we wish to ask:Why should one cavil about it, or refuse to receive a truth of that nature ?
ans.-Doubtless it is "settled beyond any doubt" in your mind, and you see insurmountable difficulties in the way of putting it on Friday ; yet all Christendom has held it all along to have been on Friday. While we may not accept a thing because the mass hold it to be so, we should give it due weight, in matters of history especially.

It is remarkable that in all our Lord's history, the one event which admits of no discussion is the time of His resurrection-in the early hours of "the first day of the week " (Mark 16 :9). Sweet day for all who know His grace ! A day not for rest, though it does give rest:not for usual occupation, for it is the Lord's day; to be spent especially with Him, and used for Him and His interests on earth. Some who know it is not the Sabbath, would use it for themselves as a common day of the week, but this Is not love to the Lord, whose day it is.

We would commend to you the article, "The Last Passover," in Dates and Chronology of Scripture (pages 88-95), which reviews this subject in a careful and dispassionate way. It may be had from our publishers, price 50 cents. Luke 24 :21 seems to us a strong evidence as to the day of the crucifixion :"To-day is the third day since these things were done." Count backward:Lord's day, Saturday, Friday.

QUES. 4.-Many, many thanks for your letter answering my question. How good is the fellowship of saints, giving us such refreshment in intercourse with each other! And now another question, in which others beside myself are interested. We have no meeting here, and no one to give us instruction, but we have a ladies' Bible Class once a week, to acquire what knowledge we can. At our last meeting the question of fear came up and one of the company said there was no fear to a child of God. The others, however, brought up various scriptures which speak of fear. Is there not, perhaps, difference to be made in being under law or under grace?

ANS.-There are different reasons for fear, and different kinds of fear. A servant, apprehensive of dismissal, has fear. He dreads being set adrift without shelter and without friends. Your child, who loves you dearly, fears to do anything that would displease you, but has no fear of being sent away. His fear is a very different one from the servant's. Just so in our relations with God. If we realize our state as sinners without knowing His grace, we fear, we dread His presence. But when we have learned His grace and His "perfect love" (1 John 4:16-19), all fear as to our relationship with God is gone, leaving us with only the loving fear of displeasing Him.

Of course, under law, the place of sons before God cannot be realized and enjoyed, for law condemns if we do not what it commands, or do what it forbids; so the sense of guilt is in us, and we fear. But once we have received Christ as our Saviour, and are thus under grace, all is changed:our guilt is gone, our sins forgiven, God dwelleth in us and we in God (1 John 4 :15). His bosom is our home, for, as in psalm 32, we hide no more from God but in God. Who can make us afraid there? The Lord bless and help all the members of your class in their endeavors to acquaint themselves with the word of God. Let prayer and the counting upon the Lord for enlightenment characterize your meetings.

QUES. 5.-(1) Should every one in an assembly be clear as to receiving a person into fellowship before they are taken in, and (2) how should we act towards one who has been coming at long intervals to the breaking of bread for several years, and may not be seen again until especially invited when some new laborer comes along? (3) Should such a one be received the same as one who has recently seen the truth of separation, and for the first time acts on it? The assembly at– has written me regarding one of this kind, and I would much value a word from you.

ANS. (1) Most assuredly, whether in reception or in excision, every conscience in the assembly should be satisfied, and not only so but ample opportunity should be given for every conscience to be exercised by announcing beforehand the person to be received in such a way that all may be duly informed, and free to make objections, if they have any of value. So also in excision. The wrong-doer having been thoroughly investigated by such as are deemed most competent, a report is made to the assembly which alone, according to Scripture, receives or expels. If the reception or excision is made by one or more, and not by the whole assembly, it breeds division or it forms a clergy-such as act for the rest- either of which produces weakness.

(2) In the divine regulations concerning the Passover, which is typical of the Lord's Supper, we read in Num. 9 :10, 11, 13, "If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the Lord, the fourteenth day of the second month . . . but the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and for beareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people:because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season ; that man shall bear his sin." In the New Testament language this would represent a brother or sister who neglects the Lord's supper-if wilfully absent, he sins. For such are guilty of what may be called "contempt" of the Lord's table. For it is not the assembly, nor the ministry, which calls the. Lord's people together at the Lord's Supper, but the Lord Himself. He says, ''Do this in remembrance of Me," and by apostolic authority the first day of the week is the regular appointment for this (Acts 20 :7). Each one comes there at the Lord's request, to offer praise and worship as is due to Him, and a portion of their substance for His service. To have taken a place among those who thus assemble under such a call and for such a purpose, and then wilfully absent themselves, is insulting the Lord. It is using Him for our convenience, then denying His claims over us.

In cases of frequent or protracted absence the person should first be visited in a spirit of love, to see if perhaps there be illness or something calling for the saints' sympathy. If it be pure neglect however, a lack of heart for the Lord and His table, the word of God should be brought to bear on the heart and conscience, as Heb. 10 :25, and Num. 9 :10-13, which we have quoted above. If these efforts fail, the brothers' monthly meeting for the government of the assembly should inform the assembly that efforts and admonitions have failed, and the assembly should inform such as wilfully absent themselves that they are forfeiting their place among them and at the Lord's table, and will be regarded as "without" (1 Cor. 5:12, 13), unless their course is repented of.

Such godly discipline, we believe, might effect a recovery, and prevent others from following the same course, thus proving itself the way of true love. But it requires the courage of true love to carry it out. How blest are assemblies which possess pastors who Stimulate such courage. We should pray for such.

(3) By what we have said above, you can see that it is a very different case from one presenting himself for the first time. Coming for the first time is a godly step. Coining again without confession of sin after wilful absence, is making the whole assembly partaker of the sin. The Lord is exceedingly patient, but sooner or later He surely visits sin, whether in the individual or the assembly, unless sincerely repented of.

QUES. 6.-A correspondent complains of lack of proper care in the matter of Letters of Commendation. Though not sent in the form of a question, it is really a series of questions, and this accounts for its appearing here.

He asks if it is right for an assembly to give a letter of commendation to a brother whose course among them has been a burdensome one

ANS.-Refusing to give a letter would be practically saying to the brother :We refuse further fellowship with you ; which is the extreme of Christian discipline, and to be carried out only when all other forms have failed, or when some clear case of evil has been committed. A brother who does not come under such a degree of discipline and who goes elsewhere with a letter of commendation should be preceded by private advice to the assembly to which he is commended, telling them what the faults are from which they have suffered, thus putting them on their guard. Love owes this to the people of God. We should do to them as we would have them do to us.

There are some, alas, who are too ready to take advantage of Christian confidence and kindness. Far be it from us to discourage such kindness, even if it be abused sometimes ; but it is not right that persons who have health, and strength to earn their own way should receive what might be given where need is real.

The next part of the complaint is concerning a brother who had come from a distant city with a letter addressed "To those who are gathered to the Lord's name," without any particular assembly being mentioned. And though the signers of the letter were quite unknown, the person thus commended was readily received, but soon developed into an enemy within who labored to carry them away from what they held as the path with God. Was there no remedy against being so deceived?

ANS. The remedy is very simple :Let the assembly which gives a letter address it to the individual assembly where the brother goes, mentioning its location. If this is not done, and the signers are not known to the assembly where the brother presents himself, let them delay receiving the bearer of the letter until they have made inquiry from those who can give them the information they need. "Gathered to the Lord's name " is such good coin that it is being freely used by many who have no thought of sharing the responsibility of maintaining its integrity. Hence the need of special care. It is not a legal form to be carried out. It is needless where a brother is well known ; it is a protection which love is ever anxious to extend over the flock of Christ, for if we tread the path of truth we soon learn why the dear apostle, near the end of his course, called it "a good fight." The whole Christian course is a fight from beginning to end, from without and from within. Israel had no sooner set foot on the territory God had given them than 'they must begin to fight. At first conflict was from the Gentile nations ; later on, ten of the tribes proved as great adversaries as the nations around. Jehoshaphat who failed to recognize this, and to take account of the condition of the ten tribes, found himself repeatedly in circumstances unworthy of the man of God-to his own shame and God's dishonor.

Letters of commendation take account of existing conditions in Christendom, and are intended to protect those who desire to please God from what would interfere with that desire. They are a divine bar to the spirit of independence-a spirit obnoxious to God ; for God, who has made us " members one of another," even as our foot and our eye are dependent on each other, could have us recognize and carry out that same dependence toward each .otter, in -view of practical unity.

QUES. 7.-Will there be new birth during the millennium?

ANS.-According to John 3:3, without new birth no one can see the kingdom of God; there is no communion with God without it. According to the Lord's word to Nicodemus there must be new birth, imparting eternal life, or perishing forever, whatever be the dispensation-from the Fall to the great White Throne. It seems clear that some, during the glorious reign of the Son of Man, will fail of the new birth ; for when at the end of it Satan is loosed from his prison, he succeeds in gathering great numbers in rebellion against God. Men who are born of God do not rebel against Him. They love Him, and His Son, and His people.

QUES. 8 -(1) In Ps. 106:31 it is said of Phinehas that what he did "was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore " How is this in agreement with justification by faith? (Rom. 4:3).

(2) Why is Abraham called the father of (Rom. 4 :16) present-day believers? Why not men of faith before him, such as Noah or Enoch, etc. ? (Heb. 11:5, 7).

(3) If God is invisible, as stated in Col. 1:15 and 1 Tim. 6 :16, why are we said to have "seen the Father " in John 14:9?

ANS.-(1) Phinehas' action proved that he was a man of genuine faith who saw things with the eye of God, the same as Abraham when he lifted his hand over Isaac, or Rahab when she hid the spies The works of a living faith are a part of that faith itself, as the fruit is a part of the tree. Heb. 11:33 mentions such, who "wrought righteousness," and they will finally appear, as in Rev. 19:8, in the "fine linen" which "is the righteousnesses of saints."

(2) Because in Abraham was conspicuously manifested the faith which is in all true children of God. Death and resurrection- the hopelessness of his circumstances, yet an unflinching confidence in God for the issues-mark him above any other. It is with matters beyond all human possibilities that Christian faith is likewise engaged ; therefore we are children of Abraham. Other men of faith before Abraham were not tested to the extent, nor in the way, which made Abraham the leader in the great family of God.

(3) Col. 1:15 and 1 Tim. 6:16 refer to the seeing of the Person of God with the creature-eye ; John 14 :9 to the character of the Father as seen in the teaching and life of our Lord by the eye of faith; two very different things.

(Continued from page 150.)

Chapter IV.

The Fall of Adam and its Results

In turning to the record of Adam's fall from his first estate, we are first arrested by the presence of an intruder in the happy home of man. The account of this intruder is given thus:"Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made" (Gen. 3:i). Was this intruder a mere serpent ? Weighing the evidences we must answer, No. He appears in the form of an irrational creature, but this stranger seeking an interview with man is plainly a moral being, not a mere serpent which has no power of speech nor the capacity for moral or spiritual things. We must recognize therefore in this particular serpent a moral personality-a spirit-being.

In the light of later scriptures there is no difficulty in identifying the spirit which, under the permission of God, usurped the serpent to gain access to and have communication with man. Ezekiel 28:11-19 describes for us a spirit-creature of wonderful beauties, glories and powers, and tells us how, without temptation from without, the thought of pride arose from within. Thus he fell from his first estate, abandoned dwelling in God, and became a sinful spirit. It was then he ceased-to abide in the truth and became the father of lies and a murderer (John 8:44). It was then he became "the devil and Satan." Rev. 12:9 identifies this fallen spirit with "the old serpent," the intruder in the garden of Eden.

Let us note that the devil's usurpation of the serpent was not a Satanic incarnation, but rather a possession. Spirits have not the power to become beasts or men, but may take possession of them if God permits. We need not hesitate to say that the serpent was a real serpent, one of the many '' beasts of the field which the Lord God had made." Satan, in his enmity to God and determination to thwart His purpose, took possession of the serpent to hide his personality, probably, to disarm Adam of suspicion as to his spirit-being.* *In the demoniac of Gadara (Luke 8:27-33) we have a striking example of the identification of the demons with the man, who speak as one. When cast out of the man they enter and act in the swine.- [Ed.*

A further consideration of the record will furnish ample evidence that this intruder is an enemy of God. His very first utterance is a question about God-a question suggesting an evil view of the character of God. His next is a flat denial of the word of God, and this is 'followed with a reason why God's command should not be obeyed. In all this, a strong animosity towards God is plainly manifest. In the light of later revelation we may add it shows determined opposition to the purpose of God. It is quite possible, and I think more than probable, that before the £all of this highest and greatest of created spirit-beings, God had intimated His purpose to raise up from among His moral creatures One to occupy His eternal throne. It would seem from the passage in Ezekiel already referred to, that the very angel especially appointed to safeguard the throne of God, coveted it. Pride of his perfections originated within him a purpose to seize upon the throne, and to crush any other claimant. We cannot read the record of Satan's efforts as recorded in the Scriptures without being convinced that from the beginning down through the ages he has been searching for the indicated Ruler.

To us now as we read Gen. 3:1-5, it is easy to see the intruder in the garden of Eden had designs on a possibly appointed Heir to divine sovereignty. How far Adam might have discerned the animus and purpose of his visitor is quite a different matter; but it is evident he could not have mistaken the serpent's voice for the voice of God with which he was familiar (see Gen. i:28-30; 2:16, 17). Again, Adam had the wisdom to discern the characteristic natures of the animals and to correctly name them (Gen. 2:19). It would' thus seem clear that he must have recognized the presence of a supernatural being, for a serpent speaking and reasoning as a rational being was contrary to its nature. Animosity against God was also manifest, an attack on God's character was clearly apparent.

There is no need to dwell on the distinction between the woman's responsibility and that of the man. If, through being deceived, she was first in transgression, took the lead in it, it was on her part a violation of her subordinate position under the man a violation she voluntarily made. She deliberately ranged herself with the intruder. She had no excuse for being deceived; no necessity of being beguiled. Her position as in subjection to Adam was her protection against this. To have maintained the place God had put her in would have preserved her from the serpent's subtilty.

But if Adam was not deceived, he followed the woman-did it deliberately. He willed to follow the woman in transgression. Between maintaining his own God-given position of headship over the woman, and following her in disobedience, he freely chose the latter.

Now to realize the nature of this tragic event we must remind ourselves that Adam possessed a moral nature. God had constituted, him a moral being-a being capable of moral acts. We must also remember that God had intimated to him his privilege to learn the distinction between good and evil, but in fellowship with God, not through practical experience of, not by participating in, evil. Against this he was solemnly warned. He was told what he would forfeit by taking part in sin. It is after this that the intruder presents himself with, so to speak, a cup containing moral poison which he offers to Adam; and, alas! persuades him to drink of it.

In voluntarily taking this poison, Adam misses the end for which he was created. He was a being specially designed to glorify God in a way no other creature could; but, in yielding of his own will to the tempter's advice to disobey God, he failed to fulfil that design. He came short of glorifying God. In missing the moral purpose God had in view in his creation with the endowment of moral capacities, he also missed the privileges which God had connected with the fulfilment of this moral end. He missed the right to continue in the conditional immortality in which he had been created -an immortality in which the material body was to share with the soul in a state of immortal life, in which the body would be suited to participate in the highest functions of the immaterial spirit. But in saying that by his act of disobedience Adam missed the end for which the Creator had designed him, is not fully describing it; it is only one feature of it. By this act he also trespassed on the moral conduct which his Creator and Benefactor had imposed upon him. The missing of his end, we may call failure; as going beyond the rule to which he was to be subject, it is transgression. If he failed in the accomplishment of his responsibilities, of fulfilling his duty to God, it is also true that he went beyond what he was authorized to do. This aspect of his act was a transgression. We find it so spoken of in Scripture (Rom. 5:14; i Tim. 2:14).

Adam's disobedience had also the character of a defection from God. He stood in certain moral relationships to God-some of which are permanent. Having been created a moral being, the likeness of God is upon him whether in obedience or disobedience, though sin has sadly defaced that image. In his sinless condition, God looked upon him with complacency, and Adam was happy in this intimacy and fellowship with God practically realized. But when he drank of Satan's cup, the harmonious conditions in which he stood with God were violently broken. It was apostasy-turning away from the truth.

This disobedience had also the character of rebellion. It was a deliberate rejection of God's authority, the refusal of God's will; it was taking sides with one in open rebellion against God. This was revolt-against truth, against law, against God. It was not inability to withstand a superior force, but a wilful surrender of right and of obedience to His Benefactor who had clearly laid the issues before him. By disobeying he voluntarily set up his own will against the will of God, refusing Him as the dictator of his future, to be his own master. As this was not an act of ignorance, nor of weakness, it was iniquity, and rebellion. In his deliberate disobedience Adam was violating known relations to His Creator. In this light the iniquitous character of Adam's disobedience is very manifest.

Looking at the act as having these characteristics we can only regard it as a tragic event-a great moral catastrophe. It was an act in which Adam dishonored both God and himself; it was abandoning uprightness and purity, and deliberately choosing to be in a sinful state! What a fall ! What a fatal choice!-thus to turn the back on the Giver of all the good possessed, to be independent of Him to acquire a practical experience of evil ! It was deliberate self-destruction!

If Adam's disobedience was of such a nature as I have described, how abhorrent to God, to whom in the purity of His nature, in the absolute perfection of His holiness, in whom is no admixture of darkness, it was impossible to recognize sin, or have fellowship with a sinful, rebellious creature! Go 1 cannot concede to sin the right to be; its existence and presence in His universe must be as an outrage to Him. He must necessarily condemn the sinner. C. Crain

(To be continued.)

QUES. 20. – Could you give us a little instruction on the rise of the Roman Catholic and Greek Churches? Some discussion as to their relative antiquity and claims upon the people of God has been going on here, and we have very little knowledge on the subject.

ANS. – We suppose you are well acquainted with the teaching of Scripture as to the origin of the New Testament Church, which is the Church of God, the Body of Christ. It began on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came from heaven (Acts 2). By the Spirit all who were then believers in the Lord Jesus were "baptized (or formed) into one body" (1 Cor. 12:13). They were thus livingly united to Christ in heaven, the Head of the Church, and to one another here on earth as fellow-members of that Church. The effect of this living unity is told in Acts 2 :41-47. Believers without exception since that time have been added to this same Body by the same Spirit, who is to continue here till the Lord comes and translates the Church to heaven.

For the building up of this Church, the Lord imparted various gifts, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers, with minor gifts for minor services.

In due time some of the gifts, forgetting their purpose was to serve the people of God, assumed a place like the rulers of this world, which the Lord expressly forbids (Matt. 23 :10-12). This made two classes of believers – a clergy and a laity. The clergy of the more important towns soon felt themselves above those of the smaller towns. Rome, being the capital of the Empire, the clergy there quickly acquired the ascendancy, until, under the Emperor Constantine, who associated the Church with the State, Popery (one of the clergy above all the rest) took a definite form, with its attending prelates, princess, lords, fathers, doctors – a shameless caricature of what the Lord Jesus intended the ministry to be. In no sphere of life may one find a greater measure of ambition, covetousness, intrigue and corruption than here. And this is what is called the Roman Catholic Church. It has no more claim upon God's people than a counterfeit check has upon the cashier of a bank.

"When, at the end of the fourth century of the Christian Era, the Roman Empire (do not confound the Empire with the Church) became divided, Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Empire, acquired great prominence, and a conflict arose between its clergy and that of Rome, capital of the Western Empire, as to which of the two would dominate. The result was a break, and the Eastern Churches, generally adhering to the bishop of Constantinople, founded together what is called the Greek Church, which differs but little in character from the Roman Catholic; for her parting from Rome was not through righteous and holy motives, as with Protestantism later on.

A strong effort is now in progress to undo the divisions of Christendom and unionize it, but God, His holiness, His Word, are left out, and while every Christian heart loves Christian unity, every honest conscience loves truth above all. Mere camp followers will yield anything to the enemy. They who have taken an honest stand with truth cannot yield it. To attempt to force their consciences is but to increase division. Separation from evil is a necessity, and the Lord will condemn the evil which made divisions necessary. When He assembles all the members of His Church to Himself above, at His coming for them, every wrong unconfessed here will be humbly confessed there, and nothing more will hinder the unity of the Spirit. The condition seen in Acts 2 will not only be restored but perfected, nevermore to be disturbed, and then will be witnessed by all God's intelligent creatures the glory of the grace that could form such a holy, heavenly unit out of sinners of every description.

We have said more than our space allows, perhaps. The subject is so large, so interesting, and so instructive too, if we will let history-the past experience-make us wise for the present.

We would advise you to obtain from our Publishers some of the ' books on Church History which they furnish at different prices. Read in the family during the long winter evenings they will enlarge the children's minds by giving them often sad but useful information.

QUES. 21. I have three questions I would much like to have answered.

1st. Would an assembly be right in inviting, or permitting a brother to preach the gospel if he liked, whose ministry is refused in the assembly, and whose present place is outside the assembly?

2nd. Should an assembly allow a brother to minister or exhort in its own meetings, if they cannot permit him to have meetings of his own for the gospel among them if he is able to preach?

3rd. Finally, Is there any distinction before God in these two services-in that practical godliness is not as absolutely necessary for the one as well as the other – that is, in ministry to the assembly, as in the gospel to sinners ? This distinction is drawn by some.

ANS. (1) It would depend altogether on the spirit or purpose of the preacher. If he be bent simply and only on the salvation of sinners, and if his being outside the assembly be not through discipline for evil somewhere and at some time, we see nothing contrary to the holiness which becomes the house of God to invite or permit him to preach the gospel. Yet complications are so liable to arise and work mischief that one is afraid of them. In such matters "it is of the highest importance to remember that in all that concerns the assembly as such, no dissenting voice should be forced. The unity of the Spirit should ever be diligently sought. We should be ready to own every gift the Lord has given, but beware lest their work identify its with something unholy. And there are not a few now-a-days who, while richly endowed with gift, are nevertheless dangerous men; taking advantage of an unsuspecting people, desirous to shun sectarianism, to introduce things among them which will require much painful labor to root out later.

(2) To do so would be lawlessness. One can hardly conceive of a brother not in communion ministering to those in communion.

(3) No one can minister the things of God aright who is not in happy communion with God. He who gave teachers for the Church also gave evangelists. Both alike must abide in Christ to exercise their respective gifts aright. Much harm is done by men who, themselves incapable of leading a sinner to Christ, relegate those who can, and are ready to endure the hardships which belong to that service, to a lower level. Lowering or despising any gift from the Lord is lowering or despising the Lord Himself. This is most serious. Paul, whose bodily presence was accounted "weak, and his speech contemptible," was no less a gift from Christ than the eloquent Apollos. There is a distinction, however, between ministry in the gospel and ministry in the assembly. The first is in the courts of the temple; the other in the sanctuary.

(Continued from page 275.)

Chapter VIII Consciousness in the Disembodied State

Are departed souls conscious, or in a dormant condition ? Those who agree with the views I am defending may think it is hardly necessary to raise the question of the consciousness of the disembodied spirit. When the continued existence of the spirit after death is established it seems only logical to regard it as conscious. If death is not the extinction of the person, but only a dissolution, then that which is the center of personality not only continues to exist, but does so as a conscious personality. The expression, "Dust thou art," does not apply to the spirit, which is not dust, as it did not come from the dust. "Unto dust shalt thou return " cannot be applied to it, therefore:it does not go to corruption. Consciousness is not centered in the body, but in the spirit. It is a conscious spirit in the body, and must be so when out of the body.

There are those, however, who dispute it; and, while admitting the continued existence of the soul after death, they affirm it is in a dormant state. In denying consciousness to the spirit between death and the resurrection, they rely mainly on Old Testament scripture to uphold their doctrine.

It will be in place, therefore, to raise the question:What is the voice of the Old Testament on this subject ? Does it teach that the departed spirit is conscious, or does it predicate its unconsciousness? Are its statements so equivocal as to leave us in great uncertainty as to what the Old Testament view is ?

In another connection we have looked at Gen. 15:15, "And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace." We have seen that Abram is told that when he should die he would go where his fathers before him had gone:his fathers still existed somewhere, and he is to go to them to be with them. If they are not conscious, and he is not to be conscious when he goes to be with them, then there is no force in the statement-nothing to give him comfort. But he is assured that he will go to them "in peace." This is perhaps generally taken to mean that he is to die in peace. I do not refuse this, but this is not all that it expresses. Is not a peaceful continuance implied ? Is there not the thought that when he finds himself with his fathers he will be in peace, in rest from the toil and conflict connected with his earthly pilgrimage ? Is there not in it a promise that when he dies he will be free from what makes this present life a struggle ? God is telling him, surely, that on the other side of death he will enjoy rest and peace.

Some one will say, This is mere inference, and an unsafe foundation on which to rest our faith in the conscious condition of the dead. I grant it is inference, so far as this particular passage is concerned, but is not the inference perfectly legitimate ? If an inference is objected to, it would be equally inadmissible to infer that Abram's condition after death must be in unconsciousness. To this many will agree, yet insist that we must not infer at all.

But there are many other passages in the Old Testament bearing on this subject. If the inference is in agreement with the uniform voice of these passages, then it strongly confirms the legitimacy of the inference; and it must be admitted that such an inference is not inconsistent with the general testimony of Scripture.
Now, in turning to a few of the many passages in which the question we are considering is involved, what do we find ? Is there any definite statement to the effect that the dead are conscious? Is their consciousness anywhere denied ? Are there utterances which can be regarded as possible affirmations, or statements that are not ambiguous ? Let us see.

The issue between the consciousness or unconsciousness of the. dead is fairly raised in a statement of Gen. 37:35. Jacob says:"For I will go down into sheol unto my son mourning." As we have before remarked, Jacob believed that his son had been torn to pieces, devoured by an evil beast, and in his grief refuses to be comforted. He thinks of Joseph's spirit in sheol-and his own spirit going there when he dies ; then he will be with his beloved son. Now suppose that the state of the departed is one of unconsciousness; does it not evacuate from Jacob's statement and expectation all its value and force ? What satisfaction is there to be with a friend if it is in unconsciousness? Nay, that is not to be with him at all; for Jacob to be thus with Joseph would, in reality, not to be with him – no intimacy, no intercommunion, nothing that constitutes the reality of being together. It is evident that Jacob conceived of Joseph's departed spirit as conscious, and anticipated on dying to be consciously with him. Was Jacob's hope a mistaken one ? There is not a word in the whole account to correct it, if it were. To suppose he was laboring under a delusion, or misapprehension, is pure assumption. There is not the slightest warrant for it.

2 Sam. 12:23 is a passage we may class with the one we have just looked at. Referring to the child that has just died, David says, "Can I bring him back again ? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." The child had passed out of this earthly life into another. The spirit is departed from the body; and though the resurrection will be a reunion of spirit and body it will not be a return to this present earthly life. . David understands this and says, "Can I bring him back again ?" and, " He shall not return to me."

If it be said there have been cases of the dead returning to this life, the answer is they are all exceptional cases-cases permitted of God for special reasons. As exceptions they establish the rule rather than contradict it. Notwithstanding these few exceptional cases, it may be boldly maintained that the departed dead do not return to this present earthly condition of life.

After resurrection, life shall be in a different condition; but David is not thinking of the then far-away day of resurrection. " I shall go to him " is not language that can be used in connection with resurrection. But David thinks of the place of departed spirits. The spirit of his child is there, and David expects to go there in the same way. When the time comes for his dissolution then his spirit shall be with the departed one. Is it possible that David should have used such language if he had thought of the child's spirit and his own in a state of unconsciousness ?

Evidence of the departed spirit's consciousness is given in the account of Saul's consulting the woman with a familiar spirit. In his desperate strait, forsaken of God and hard pressed by the Philistines, he desires to get in communication with the spirit of Samuel. Necromancy was his only hope. The power of Satan had developed a system of spirit activity which made it possible for some to claim the power of intercourse with the spirits of the dead. The witch of Endor was one of these, practicing this wicked art strongly condemned by God. Nevertheless Saul resorts to it.

In this particular case God interposed, and instead of the usual order in this evil practice, He allowed the spirit of Samuel to appear, much to the dismay of the wicked medium (i Sam. 28:11, 12). Evidently she was not expecting it; it shows how false were the claims of these professed consulters with the dead.

Another thing also may be noticed in passing. Samuel does not communicate with the woman with a familiar spirit. She is altogether ignored by him. He communicates with Saul directly. This also is a testimony against the wicked art.

My special point in looking at this sad and remarkable account is its witness to consciousness after death. Samuel had died. He had passed out of the sphere in which he had to do with earthly things, was now free from the burden and strife of earthly life. He rebukes, therefore, the interruption of his peace and rest. He was conscious of his rest, then, and conscious of its interruption.

He is also proved to be a conscious spirit by his present realization of Saul's sin and disobedience, and his recollection of his own prophecy, recorded in chap. 15:28. Further, he declares the calamity that is impending, and tells Saul, "To-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me." Samuel is consciously in the world of the spirits of the dead.

I may remark here that the prevalence of necromancy proves how wide-spread was the belief that the spirit continues to exist after death and that the departed spirits are conscious. Had there been no such belief it would have been impossible for such a practice to have been introduced. There was foundation for the belief in revelation, and Satan used the belief to promote evil ends. No one should be misled by the fallacious argument that the Scripture condemnation of the practice as evil disproves the doctrine of the soul's existence after death and the conscious state of the dead.

In referring to this passage I call attention to the fact of its early practice. In Deut. 18:9-14 the reader will find necromancy among the list of abominations practiced by the Canaanitish nations before the children of Israel took possession of the land. It was evidently a common practice in those early days, and, we may presume, had been a long time before:and this wicked art was probably not confined to those nations.

Warburton's statement that "The Old Testament says nothing whatever about a future life, but implies the total and eternal end of men in death," is decisively disproved by this passage, for it shows that not only the belief in the continued existence of the soul after death prevailed in Israel, but also in other nations. It shows also that associated with it was the belief in the conscious state of the dead. The Bible condemnation of necromancy is not on the ground that the belief in a conscious life after death is false, but on the ground that the art is a wicked one-an abomination to the Lord.

I turn now to chapters 31 and 32 of Ezekiel. In chap. 31 the prophet denounces the ambitious aims of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He warns him by the example of the Assyrian, who had already fallen under the judgment of God. He had risen to a great height of earthly greatness, and envied by other kings, but by his pride and boastful self-exultation he had brought down upon himself the wrath of God. It was a terrible and irresistible judgment. Verse 15 speaks of the day when God's judgment overwhelmed him, as "the day in which he went down to sheol." Then, in ver. it, God says, "I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to sheol with them that descend into the pit." The destructive judgment that befell the Assyrian had struck men with consternation and fear. But the effect upon living men is not the only result that is spoken of; it goes on to speak of what takes place "in the nether parts of the earth." Other and lesser dignitaries had also been humbled-their honor and grandeur in the earth were brought to nought and themselves cast down to sheol. They are represented as comforting themselves there. What is their comfort ? A greater than themselves is sharing in their humiliation. They are conscious then- clearly so.

Now ver. 18 threatens " Pharaoh and all his multitude " with a similar fate. "Yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth." Their souls will go to sheol-this on the one hand, while on the other their bodies will lie among "the uncircumcised with them that be slain with the sword."

The threatened judgment of which Pharaoh is here warned is set forth in the next chapter, vers. i to 16; and then in vers. 17 to 32 we have another lifting of the veil over sheol-the land of the spirits
of the dead. In ver. 18 the prophet is told to "wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, and the daughters of the famous nations, unto the nether parts of the earth, with them that go down into the pit." Then, in ver. 21, we read, " The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of sheol." In ver. 22 Asshur is represented as being there; Elam, in vers. 24,25 ; Meshech and Tubal in vers. 26-28; and Edom in vers. 29, 30. Then, in ver. 31, we are told, "Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted over all his multitude." They are represented as speaking to one another in Sheol; as seeing, and being comforted. Clearly, to the prophet Ezekiel the spirits of the dead were conscious.

We are familiar with our Lord's use of Exod. 3 :6. He asserts there that Moses taught the continued existence of the soul after death as well as that the dead shall rise again. But our Lord's argument, based on the statement of Moses in this verse, for the continued existence of the soul after death and the resurrection of the dead, is also an argument for conscious existence. There would have been no force whatever in God saying, " I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob," if the spirits of these fathers were not conscious. The expression implies and supposes that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were still consciously in relationship with God; that their dissolution, their death, had not affected the relationship in which they stood with God, or their consciousness of it.

There are numerous passages in which God calls Himself the "God of thy fathers." All these texts imply the conscious existence of the spirits of those to whom they refer. There is also frequent allusion to the everlasting covenant God made with Abraham, a covenant that death could not nullify (Gen. 17:7). Citations of this class of texts are not needful. I only call attention to them.

Whether we consider the Old Testament representation of man's constitution and its view of what death is-not a cessation of being; whether we think of the numerous texts from which the consciousness of the dead is a logical and just inference; or whether we speak of such passages as those in which the consciousness of the departed spirit is directly and positively affirmed, the Old Testament Scriptures are seen to be a consistent whole. The doctrine of the consciousness of the souls of men after death is manifestly a part of their structure. It is a part of the web and woof of revelation. To deny the doctrine is to deny the force and value of the Old Testament as a whole. The denial evacuates it of its meaning, of its intrinsic worth, and of its power over the consciences of men. C. Crain
(To be continued.)

The Gospel the gospel of the grace of God does not end with the blessed fact that Christ "bare our sins in His own body on the tree." How many of God's dear people, after they have found the remission of sins through the atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, suffer more pain and distress because of what they find within themselves than from all the sins of their unconverted life. Had God nothing in His gospel to meet the need created by this condition, the case for those in it would be sad indeed. But His gospel goes as far as man's need can go; then it goes beyond it all, that praise and worship may break out where once groans of distress were heard. "/ am crucified with Christ " cried one thus emancipated by the gospel of God's grace (Gal. 2 :20). This was not done by some remarkable experience he had, though the truth that is in it surely produced blessed experience when he discovered it. This evil self in him, of which he speaks in detail in chaps. 6 and 7 of Romans, had been disposed of by God Himself. As God alone had the power to lay the sinner's sins on Jesus, and end them there in judgment, so He alone had the power to identify his person with Jesus on the cross, and crucifying him there with Jesus, make thus an end of him as He had made an end of his sins. Learning this blessed fact, he cries in the joy of his soul, " I am crucified with Christ" and thus he is now as free concerning himself as concerning his sins. Blessed, holy freedom! My sins trouble me no more, for Christ made atonement for them in His death; and the nature of sin and corruption I see in myself drives me no more from God, for God had identified me with Christ in death, and thus made an end of sinful me forever. So, as a sinner, I live no more, in God’s sight. I live only as in Christ and Christ in me; He is now my real life, a life in which is no sin, no blemish of any kind, and whose home is in the glory of God. "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory" (Cor. 3:4). If we walk in the enjoyment of this precious gospel of the grace of God, we shall find our chief trouble not ion our approach to God any more, but in the dense moral atmosphere of this world through which we must pass on the way to our glorious home.

Is it not also a sweet part of the gospel of God’s grace to learn that by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, we who are believers are all formed together in one Body, the Church of the living God, the Church, whose relation to Christ required for its illustration such a special creation as that of the man and the woman? And is there anything more wonderful in all the gospel than the blessed hope set before us of our being gathered above to our Lord before the fearful judgments which are to fall upon all the nations of the earth?

Indeed we might say that every phase of Christian truth is part of the gospel. The apostle could therefore write to the Romans, "I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also" (Rom. 1:15), though the faith of those to whom he wrote was "spoken of throughout the whole world" (Rom. 1"8). It is a gospel whose depths are unfathomable, because it is the gospel of God . . . concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (chap, i :1-3), and it is this which enlivens all true Christian ministry. It is all gospel work from end to end, and if this lays hold of the heart of those who minister it, it will fill them with holy courage to press it forward everywhere in spite of the opposition it meets everywhere. Some part of it may be especially pressed by one and another part by another, but "Jesus Christ our Lord" is the sum and substance of it, and so it unites in Him all who receive that gospel-a unity which is delightful to God and a true testimony before men. Oh that from all our assemblies may arise a cloud of young men, devoted, talented, educated, gifted of God- the very best, for there is nothing too good for the Lord-to carry this blessed gospel to every corner of the land; and the assemblies themselves so full of the same mind as to care for those witnesses from among them as they would care for the Lord Himself, were He here among men as He once was, dependent on what was put in His hand by those who loved Him. One of the belligerent nations of Europe recently had what they called "a victory loan," meaning by it that it was a final effort to uphold their arms for victory.

Victory for us is sure and near, for the Lord is coming. Let us too then have a " a victory loan " to carry forward His holy war-a war which harms none, but sets Satan's and sin's captives free.

Evangelistic Work

Active preparation is being made for Evangelistic Services soon to take place in Plainfield, N. J. where we reside. A number of houses are open in which prayer-meetings are held for blessing on the effort to be made.

Much as we love evangelistic work, and desire the salvation of men, we have not felt free to take part in the movement or express fellowship with it thus far for the following reasons:

Some years ago a similar effort was made under an " Evangelist " of great reputation for obtaining conversions. When he came, the whole machinery was set in motion for monster meetings, with large choirs and solos to excite emotion in the crowds, and the preaching consisted of strong appeals for deciding now to become 'a Christian-by resolves, by signing a card with promise to begin a new life, etc. Thousands were then announced as "converts," but no preaching of the atoning death of Christ for sin, nor mention made of new birth, nor of repentance toward God and faith in the Saviour of the lost. Alas, not long after the preacher himself joined the Unitarians!

As the word of God says, " Lay hands suddenly on no man" (i Tim. 5:22) we need to know what the teaching, character, and aim of the work are to be before expressing fellowship with it. So many Churches that used to be called "Orthodox" are now going on with the infidelity of the day-denial of the Scriptures' authority as the word of God, denials of man's ruin, of salvation through the atoning death of Christ, of His Deity, virgin-birth, etc., etc. that the Christian who wishes to "keep
himself pure " needs to know with whom and with what he is to associate.

Our sincere desire is that the work may prove to be of God, bringing men at the Saviour's feet, confessing their sins and the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus. Nothing else will do.

A Question From China

From a missionary magazine we quote from the following :

"In the city of Kwang-chung, China, lived old Mrs. Liu. She was 73 years of age, and a vegetarian. She was induced by her daughter to attend the meetings at the Gospel Hall of the China Inland Mission, but she never seemed to care to have any intercourse with the Missionaries. One day, however, I an impulse to go at once to see this old Chinese woman.

" I began to tell her that we had come on purpose to tell her about the living God, and that God had sent His Son to suffer and die for us, that 'Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' As she listened to our message her face suddenly changed; she seemed like one awaking from a dream,, and exclaimed :'Is it true what you say? Is it true that the Son of God died for me, and that if I believe on Him I shall be saved?' Using my Bible I sought to assure her of its truth, and after awhile her face became radiant with joy-that face which before was so dark and hopeless.
"She then said :' Do tell me again that Jesus died for me. Remember I am over 73 years old. I am so forgetful, but tell me the same words over and over again.' Again I quoted from the Scriptures, verses about the love of Christ to us while we were yet sinners. Then she said :'When you were in foreign countries and knew how to obtain the forgiveness of sins, why did you delay so long before coming to tell us? Why did you not come before? For over forty years I tried to find peace for my soul, going on my small feet from temple to temple, reading prayers, abstaining from meat, etc., not finding peace-now I am so happy.'

"From that time she became a true-hearted Christian and destroyed all her idols. Whenever she came to the meetings it was her constant wish that I should repeat the old story that Christ died for her, lest she should forget it. On the day of her baptism she said:'I do not know much, but this I know that Jesus died for me!'"

To the dear old lady's question, "Why did you not come before ?" it might be answered-if any excuse is worthy – Right here, in our so-called Christian land from which help should go to the heathen, as soon as one is truly enlightened by the Spirit and the word of God, as you have been in China, he finds himself amid darkness almost as great as in heathen lands. Those who ought to be earnest teachers of Christ's atoning death, of the divine authenticity and authority of the Holy Scriptures, have so largely become deniers of these precious truths, that needy souls all over the land are under the burden of their sins as you were yourself in your heathen condition, and it necessitates the evangelizing of our land the same as yours. It holds at home not a few who otherwise could and would gladly go to foreign lands.

May those who have turned to the Lord Jesus in the heathen lands become themselves the pro-claimers of the precious truth received, like the Thessalonians of whom the apostle Paul would say:"For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to Godward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing" (i Thess:1::8), be preserved from the influence of the apostles who would destroy there even as they do here.

In presenting the truth as to the second coming of our Lord Jesus it is imperative that we follow the clear lines of Holy Writ. The New Testament is full of this subject from Matthew to Revelation. But we must distinguish, and not confound the closing part of our Christian age, and that of the next or Jewish age-the last week of Daniel's prophecy; the last half being the time of the great tribulation. The present dispensation is called the " Day of Grace." Daniel's last week will be characterized as the "Day of Trouble" (Jer. 30:7). Isa. chap. 37 is a picture of that time. The millennium, which follows, is a period called the "Day of the Lord." The eternal state which follows the millennium is styled the "Day of God" and also the "Day of Eternity" (2 Pet. 3:12, 18, /. N. D.'s Trans.). Each of those "days" has characteristic features which we do well to keep clearly before our minds to have those scriptures before us correctly.

In Daniel, as also in Revelation, chaps. 6-19, dates are given, but none of those dates refer to our Christian age. To observe the characteristic features of our age as given in the Epistles, and the characteristic features of Daniel's last week as given in the prophecies, is most important; they should not be confounded.

Some of the features which apply to the close of the Christian age have for long been manifest:the moral and spiritual darkness thickens day by day; but nowhere in the New Testament have we the least hint as to how long these characteristic marks may continue. Hence, our dispensation is one in direct contrast to Israel's, in which times and dates are given. We are now about 1900 years on in our Christian age. The spirit of-lawlessness had already begun in the apostle's day. How much more now. The spirit of antichrist had begun in the days of the apostle John, which, for the apostle, was an earnest of the close of things on earth when the Antichrist himself would become manifest. Other evils have arisen since the days of the apostles, as predicted by them, and we are surrounded on every hand with these sad marks-a full proof to us that the world is not getting better. Evil men and seducers are waxing worse and worse, and this will continue until the end (i Tim. 4 :1-3; 2 Tim. 3:1-13).

The world is now confronted with an appalling war. We should not under-estimate the gigantic struggle now going on amongst the nations. But even this is not the worst. Darker days are yet in the future. Wars, energized by more than human agencies, will follow our age; they take place after the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ for His own (i Thess. 4:13-18). Armageddon, as presented in Rev. 16, will take place at the close of Daniel's last week-the close of the Day of Trouble. To have our mind calm and stayed by the word of God is the great thing for us.

Predictions concerning the present war are very harmful. Scriptures which refer to Daniel's last week, if applied to the present war, are most confusing. We have seen and heard such predictions during the last half century, and the enemy has used them to confuse many, and to discredit the truth. Let us all be warned, and use great caution concerning events as they are now taking place.

1. Within our own lifetime we can remember the great war that- was waged between Russia and Turkey (and be it observed, these two powers come within the scope of the prophetic Word), and some thought that the end was at hand. But that conflict passed, peace was restored, and the Lord did not then come.
2. Since that time, less than a quarter of a century ago, Greece entered into conflict with Turkey to sever the Island of Crete from Turkish rule. Many thought this might lead to the end; but the great Powers of Europe restrained Greece, and temporary peace was restored.

3. Italy of more recent years entered into war with Turkey, and wrested from her part of Africa and some islands of the Mediterranean. Students of Scripture watched this conflict with great interest, especially when it was thought that Italy might take possession of the Land of Palestine. Italy also comes within the scope of the prophetic Word and will have to do with events in the last week of Daniel's prophecy. But peace was again restored, and the Lord did not then come.

4. Of more recent years the Balkan States united in a war against Turkey, and many thought now the end was to be reached. But even that bloody war came to a close, and the end of the age has not come.

5. Now we are in the second year of a war which surpasses all that Europe or the world has ever yet known or witnessed. What a call for prayer to the whole Church of God ! What earnestness this dread conflict should awaken in the hearts of all the redeemed people ! Fellow-Christians, how have these terrible calamities wrought in our lives? It is clear that the present world is yet an evil world. As thousands day by day are violently thrown into eternity, oh for hearts to be stirred and energized by the Spirit to walk before God, and serve the Lord with increased devotion !

Yet, amidst this dread conflict, let us beware of premature predictions concerning the second coming of our Lord Jesus on that account. We cannot say that this is the last link in the chain of great events to bring in our Lord's second coming. This may be the last, but, as we have said, times and dates do not form part of the Christian dispensation ; and it is very important to note that in all the New Testament no war is mentioned after that predicted by the Lord concerning the Romans' destruction of Jerusalem (Luke 21:20) until we open Revelation, at chap. 6, when the same empire revived will once more come to the front. Wars and rumors of wars will then fill the air until the final struggle-the battle of Armageddon. This is important to note.

Paul's whole ministry, in which are fully made known the characteristic features of our age, giving also the marks of its close, passes over this entire subject, and never once mentions these struggles, or wars amongst the nations. If it has not already been observed, the reader will do well to read the passage referred to in Luke 21, and then John 14, which gives the Lord's promised return for His own (and through the whole New Testament), and no war is presented as a characteristic feature of our closing age. Throughout the Christian dispensation wars have been many, but the entire New Testament passes them all over, and gives them no notice whatever. This silence of Scripture ought to cause special inquiry, and produce moderation as to predictions at the present time.

These solemn events should have a voice to us, surely. They show how barbaric men are under their veneer of culture and refinement. With all the privileges that the most enlightened parts of the earth have enjoyed, we see that human nature abides the same, depraved, sinful, cruel. The first three chapters of the epistle to the Romans are verified before our eyes to-day-"None good," "Feet swift to shed blood," "Destruction and misery in their ways," "The way of peace they have not known," and " No fear of God before their eyes."

But we must turn away from all these conditions -national, political and ecclesiastical, and as we view the second coming of our Lord Jesus, stand upon a safer foundation-the unerring word of God, and the promises left us by the Lord Jesus. Do we believe His coming is near ? If so, what is our basis for such & belief ? If the New Testament is carefully read, from the 14th chapter of John, where the Lord Himself says, "I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also," throughout, to the close of the Church history in Rev., chap. 3, the Lord's return is ever presented to the Church as its hope. From the infant days of the Church the second coming of Christ was ever before them. Wars gave them no evidence of the near approach of Christ's coming. It was the promises given by Christ and by the apostles that formed the basis of that hope. When the Thessalonians turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and waited for His Son from heaven (i Thess. i:9, 10), no great political event was occurring, yet the Church has never since been so stirred by, and joyfully looking for, that blessed hope. They were waiting for the fulfilment of His promise, "I will come again." Their hearts were encouraged in this hope by the pen of the apostle, "A little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.." The sure word of God, we repeat, was the firm basis upon which they looked for Christ's return.

Is it not a mark of the Church's deep declension that events such as these are required to stir us to look for the Lord's second coming? Does it not prove that we are not searching that Word as for , hid treasures ? Does it not prove that we are not hanging upon that special promise left us before He went away, and that we are not making that blessed hope our meat and drink continually ?

Were they wrong in those early days in waiting for the Lord's return ? Surely not. It was their bright morning star. They looked for it, they longed for it; but grace withheld that longed for hope in order that the longsuffering of God might be fully expressed to this poor world. But the sands of time are running through the glass. Some day, how soon we cannot say, the last grain shall drop; then, whether war is present or not, the whole Church will rise as one to join her glorified Lord in the air, and be forever with Him.

Passing over the whole Church history till about 80 years ago, the midnight cry then was heard, "Behold He cometh, go ye forth to meet Him." Surrounding events did not lead to that cry. Men searched their Bibles. The Holy Spirit illuminated its pages, and that blessed hope was once more found and its power realized:"The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven;" "Surely, I come quickly." The truth as to the Church-the Bride of Christ-was also recovered, and the Bride then answered:"Even so, come, Lord Jesus." And this is the true spiritual attitude of every child of God, to be looking and waiting for the Lord at any time. Let this blessed hope be yours and mine, dear reader, sanctifying every day of our life.

Times and dates refer not to our time and day, we repeat, they refer to the time following the rapture of God's people to heaven. After the Church's translation to glory, an earthly people with earthly hopes and earthly promises, with dates, years, months and days before them, will watch the occurring events with the greatest concern. That period will divide into two parts:the first three years and a half shall be marked by certain characteristics, and the last three years and a half by different ones. To this period Matthew 24 refers. In the first half of those seven years, there shall be wars and rumors of wars, but our Lord tells them, "See that ye be not troubled . . . the end is not yet."

We have previously referred to the importance of having Scripture in its right place. The passage just quoted has again and again been taken out of its true setting and placed in our dispensation, which is greatly confusing. The passage refers to the end of Israel's history, to Daniel's last seven years, and has no connection whatever with the Christian age. In that chapter the sign of His coining and the end of the age do not refer to the Christian age, nor to Christ's coming to the air, but to the period following our dispensation. In this verse our Lord says, " See that ye be not troubled, the end is not yet "-other things must transpire before the end of that period. The gospel of the kingdom must be proclaimed by the Jewish witnesses. The abomination spoken of by Daniel the prophet (an idol worship set up in the temple at Jerusalem) must be set up, and other signs recorded in this chapter. Immediately after the tribulation of those days they shall see the Son of Man coming in glory and power to inaugurate a new era upon earth, a period called the millennium, when Christ will rule over all the earth.

With this chapter clear in our minds, we may, return to our present age, and from a New Testament standpoint look up to heaven where Christ has gone, and, according to His promise, look for Him who loves us and gave Himself for us. This is of prime importance for us as God's people. The Christian heart hangs upon the promise, believing it is near, even at the door.

Christ was first promised in Genesis (chap. 3:15). Faith, in God's people, ever looked for His coming. Skeptics may have said, "Where is the promise of His coming?"-after 4000 years the promise was fulfilled. The Babe was born in Bethlehem according to prophetic scripture. Now that God's Son has been rejected, crucified, has risen from the dead, ascended up to heaven, God's right hand, the promise concerning His coming again is presented to us. At God’s appointed moment, as the promise of the Old Testament concerning His first coming was fulfilled, so will His promise be.

Let us afresh gird our loins, trim our lamps, and be like unto men who wait for their Lord. A. E. B.

In Perplexity

It has fallen to our lot recently to come in contact with several perplexed and perplexing cases among Christians, mostly young Christians. They have lost all the enjoyment of communion with God, lost even peace with God. They were quite sure they were sincere and in earnest when they confessed Christ, but what they experienced at that time has gone from them and they stand in doubt about themselves. They find no delight in the Word of God and prayer any more, and they mourn the indifference they find within them. Complaints run on in these lines, and they are perplexed. They are not aware of having committed any great wrong to mark the beginning of a downward course, and yet they are conscious of being on such a course. What are they to do to recover themselves ? One feels the need of wisdom from above in seeking to help such.

First of all, there may have been undue pressure brought upon them to have them confess Christ and the possession of salvation before their state of soul justified such a confession. A confession made apart from the state of soul which belongs to it is most dangerous. An intellectual peace will not stand when Satan fires his darts, and no confessor of Christ can escape encountering Satan. Sin is an awful reality. It was so to Christ when He bore it on the cross. It brought Him fearful distress. It must also be real to us if we would enjoy divine peace without a break. When a wise man plants a tree he is most concerned about its root, for there lies the secret of its progress. Spiritual things demand no less care and wisdom. Pressing souls beyond their spiritual state can but bring disaster later on. But there is more. The believer, no matter how young, is by his or her faith separated to God, and no longer his own. They are Christ's, redeemed at great cost-by His precious blood. If in their daily life – in their pleasures, choice of friends, choice of books, etc.-they neglect private intercourse with God by means of His word and prayer, thus denying His claim over them, they may be sure the results of it will come with sorrow and loss to them.

But when that sad day comes what is to be done ? Is there no remedy ? Such is the grace of God that there is no evil place into which we may have brought ourselves but He has a way for us out of it. Let there be honest confession to God of all we know, of all we can say against ourselves. Let there be no excuses made, no letting ourselves down in an easy way, no trying to lay blame upon others, but, conscious that God knows already, that we can tell Him nothing new, nothing that can surprise Him, let us unbosom ourselves in the utmost confidence, for Jesus who first washed us quite clean for God's presence is ready now to wash our feet, as is shown in John 13, and enable us to walk aright before God again.

Fear not therefore, beloved ones who are now in perplexity . Only judge yourselves before Him unsparingly for whatever is laid on your conscience, and wait for Him. It may be some time before you experience the same former joy, for the Lord must have His way with us for our greatest good, but He will not leave you in your perplexity. While it lasts, however, do not take yourself away from the company of God's people. Abide among them, even though your misery be the greater by it. By withdrawing, you will be inclined to brood over the evil and continue under its power, instead of confessing it to God and in due time being restored. Do not be discouraged if at first you see but little sorrow in your heart for the evil you confess. God, who alone is the author of what is good, will produce this in you as you go on.
Above all, refuse Satan's suggestions that God loves you no more. He does love you. He never ceases to love you, not because you are worthy, but because His grace has linked you with Christ on whom His love rests, with His own, eternally.

"And when lie had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:and they cried with a lead voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled" (Rev. 6:9-11).

Slain for their faithful testimony, the conscious souls of these martyrs cry to God for vindication-before their body's resurrection, which is mentioned in Rev. 20 :4.

History is not usually the place to find food for the soul, but the Bible is a unique book. Samson's riddle can be found in it in more than one place; for, again and again," Out of the eater comes forth meat, and out of the strong comes forth sweetness " along its pages.

Nowhere, perhaps, are grouped together a brighter cluster of subjects than in the first few chapters of the second book of Kings, in which, after the dark history of the first chapter, comes what evidently sets forth the journey of our Lord Jesus Christ through this world. If this be so, we may expect great and marvelous things to follow-and they are there, as we purpose to show. If one will but read those chapters to the seventh, inclusive, with a heart open toward God, he will find his soul all aglow with the "grace and truth" which shine there.

The various stations of Elijah's journey told out in chapter 2 speak plainly, in a typical way, of what characterized our Lord's journey here. As both moved only among the Jews, we may expect the features of their course to be Jewish, though our Lord goes beyond the confines of Jewry both in His actions and teaching. This is what makes His teaching rather complex at times, especially in the Gospel of Matthew. Judaism was not yet past, and Christianity not yet established. It is a transitional state of things.

As Elijah's journey speaks of the Lord's journey, so does Elisha's, who accompanied Elijah, speak of the disciples who companied with the Lord.

They start from Gilgal. That was the place of circumcision-the people separated to God from all their uncleanness. Our Lord's baptism in Jordan answers to this. There He identifies Himself with a repenting, sin-confessing people, and pledges Himself to go through death for them-the only means of separating them from all their guilt and shame. Then they go to Bethel, where God had met most undeserving Jacob and made him bright and blessed promises. It is sovereign grace, even what flows from our Saviour's death. In His baptism He pledges Himself to die; in His death He fulfils all righteousness-all that divine justice demanded against sin, that thus "grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 5:21). No wonder the disciples clung to the Lord when such sweet lessons could be learned in His company.

From Bethel they go to Jericho-the city of the curse, but also of the great triumph of faith in the people, on God's side; for, if Jesus has died to bear the curse, only faith can apprehend it and triumph through it. And if a Christ-rejecting world is under the curse, only faith can take its place with God in relation to it.

From Jericho they go to Jordan-the river of death; not here in the sense of making atonement, but of going out of the world which would not have Him, and returning to the home He came from. So He goes through dry-shod. It is not as when He cried, " My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me ?" This view of His death is in sacrifice for sin; but the other is that view of His death which tells of His rejection by the world and His leaving it to return to His Father. So, as the two men are journeying on together, suddenly Elijah is taken up. How all this is like the scenes surrounding the death, the resurrection and the ascension of the Lord, and His intercourse with His disciples in the interval. If Elisha saw his master go up he would have a double portion of his spirit. So also the descent of the Holy Spirit from heaven was dependent upon the ascension of Christ. The ascension of Christ is an extraordinary event in the chain of truth. It said that He had fulfilled all His Father had sent Him to do. He had triumphed over all the power and malice of Satan. He had annulled death; and, for all who trust in Him, robbed it of all its terror and bondage. He had proved His "delights were with the sons of men" (Prov. 8:31) and now, ascending up to heaven, He is, in His own person, transferring humanity from earth to heaven. Thus by the eternal redemption He had obtained for them, He was giving them a much higher place than they had occupied by creation before the Fall. All this is marvelous, and the Holy Spirit, who is the Revealer of all truth, could not come to make His abode in men until He could bear witness of all that the return to heaven of the Mighty Conqueror meant. This is no more Jewish, though Jews are welcome to it. It is not Gentile, though Gentiles are as welcome to it as Jews. It is Christian. It is the feast of grace and love which God has spread for all mankind and to which He bids us, His people, to invite every soul in His behalf. Who but God could be so rich, and so liberal with His riches! But we shall prove this as we proceed with the chapters that follow.

Only one word more concerning Elisha. His master gone, he returns to Jewry. Even so the company of the Lord's disciples, after the Holy Spirit had come upon them, were bidden to proclaim the gospel into all the world, beginning at Jerusalem. Does not this tell of the amazing grace of Christianity ? Jerusalem had killed the prophets, stoned those sent to her, and finally crucified the Son of God. Yet pardon, and a welcome back to God, is to be proclaimed there first.

(To be Continued.)