CHRISTIAN :

What can I wish for thee ? "All things" are thine!
Loved with a love that is "better than wine,"
Saved to inherit in glory a place,
Kept through the manifold riches of grace:
Blest with a peace that is boundless and free,
Deep as the sea of eternity!
Oh, how completely " He crowneth thee " now!
What loving-kindness doth rest on thy brow
While He unfolds to thee more, and yet more,
Out of the depths of love's infinite store!
Rising from these, be thy spirit's employ
Found in the heights of "unspeakable joy,"
Tasting already the bliss that shall be
Perfected only when Jesus we see!

1 Cor. 3:21; 1 Pet. 1:8.

J. M. G.

"When I stand by the grave and see four men lower the casket into its resting-place, the scene is not unlike another where four men from the roof of a house in Capernaum let down their friend out of sight, but into the immediate presence of Christ. They cover up the roof, which is only part of their faith's work, assured that their friend is all right, and will walk out another way, liberated and with new life.

" So cover up the grave. Your dear one is in the presence of the risen Christ. Fear not! By His mighty power he will walk out another way-liberated and glorified!"

The worlds were built by it:- " The worlds were framed by the word of God " (Heb. 11 :3).

The heavens owe their existence to it:- " By the word oi God the heavens were of old " (2 Pet. 3:5).

Light came with it:- "God said, Let there be light:and there was light" (Gen. i:3).

Children of the Father are begotten through it :- "Of His own will begat He us with the Word of truth " (Jas. i :18).

We are regenerate through it:- "Except a man be born of water (the Word) and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (Jno. 3:5). Thus by it the spiritually and morally dead are made to live:- "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live " (Jno. 5 :25).

Three words from the word fell on a man rotting in the grave, and immediately he rose to his feet (Jno. ii :43).

All the dead are to hear His voice and shall arise :- "Marvel not at this:for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth ; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation " (Jno. 5:28, 29).

By the Word God's people are sanctified :- " Sanctify them through Thy truth ; Thy Word is truth" (Jno. 17:17). "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth" (i Pet. i:22). S. J. P.

Slang

We would affectionately, but most seriously, warn our younger brethren whose habits are now being formed, against a prevailing flood of slang and frivolous expressions in connection with the things of God. Even in ordinary life and our intercourse with our fellow-men, the use of slang and frivolous expressions places one among the ill-bred and vulgar, offending the refined ear; how much more offensive it is in connection with the holy things of God.

We are bidden to "walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient:but rather giving of thanks" (Eph. 5:2-4). This is of immense importance in the formation of the Christian character; if it is violated by the slangy, frivolous talk so prevailing in our day, the Holy Spirit is grieved, our Christian progress is hindered and our testimony vitiated. Men will not heed our sober talk if they have heard us use foolish talk. Let us live in that holy atmosphere of communion with God which rebukes everything irrelevant to _it. Only a little while and the Lord will be here. Oh, let Him find us a devoted, holy, consistent people, avoiding with jealous care everything in our habits, our speech, our dress, which may grieve the Holy Spirit.

Giving name and address

We would again remind our correspondents who send questions for answers that we must have their full name (not initials) along with their questions; not for publication of course, but to guard as to the integrity of purpose for which this department exists. We have of late destroyed several questions for lack of this. Had the writers given their names and addresses we could and would have answered them privately.

We also beg our correspondents to observe as far as possible the following:Write on paper whose lines have a liberal space between them. Write on one side of the paper only, as legibly as you can, or, which is still better, with a typewriter. See to it that the 'manuscript be as correct as possible in the quotations of scripture, which should be made, not from memory, but from the scripture itself. Endeavor to have orthography, expression, punctuation, paragraphing, etc., as they should be in print. Some, we believe, rely too much on the Editor, placing thus upon him a heavier task than really belongs to him.

We would also request them 'not to send orders or any business matter to the Editor. All orders and remittances should be sent to Loizeaux Brothers, 1 East 13th Street, New York, where they will receive careful and prompt attention. Disregard of these directions causes us unnecessary labor, as well as delay in the forwarding of their orders. We are sure our friends will pardon our mentioning these things, and will observe them when they know it eases our task, for we know their love.

Cheering News
It has been our painful task to re-port from time to time the ravages of " Higher Criticism " among Christians generally and among the clergy especially. We are glad to report, therefore, a notable document recently sent out to the Presbyterian churches, signed by one hundred and one of their leading men. It is entitled, back to fundamentals, and reads as follows:

" The undersigned, ministers and laymen of the Presbyterian Church, appeal to all our churches, ministers, church officers and church courts to unite in action in defense of the fundamentals of our common faith.

In view of the deep unrest in the religious thought of the day, we believe pronounced and persistent emphasis should be placed on the integrity and authority of the Bible as the word of God, the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, His vicarious atonement on the cross – the only way of salvation – and His resurrection.

We believe these doctrines should be preached from our pulpits, and that the sessions of our churches should insist that this be done.

We suggest, furthermore, when a church is seeking a minister to be its pastor that it shall not call any man save one who unreservedly and heartily accepts the great fundamentals herein enumerated and taught by our standards.

We have been led to express this belief and to offer these suggestions under the deep conviction that only on such a basis can the church succeed in its mission, and the Gospel of Christ be propagated to His glory and according to His own will. May we not urge you to unite with us in prayer that all our churches, ministers, and officers may feel the supreme importance of this appeal?

" May this be but the beginning of a general Christian uprising against the enemies of the faith and of the eternal welfare of men; for while we know from the inerrant word of God that Christendom is to end in apostasy, it is ever sweet to the Christian heart to see the evil day put off.

The laborers in the fields of Central and South America, the West Indies, Mexico, etc., interest me as never before, and I follow them more closely. Marks of spiritual power or of weakness in those who labor there touch one more vitally therefore. We have now visiting us, for a season of recuperation and fellowship, a brother from the West Indies, after three and a half years of patient labor there. During that time the Lord has given him, as fruit of his labor, a devoted fellow-laborer, and together they sow the seed in patience and perseverance. And through their work, the word of God is made known, the gospel proclaimed, and Rome is losing some of her devotees.

I am persuaded that the more the Lord's servants give themselves (like our Lord, our apostle Paul, and all the apostles) simply to "preach the word"-to be at that exclusively day in and day out, through need or abundance, unconcerned about the approval or disapproval of any one save the Lord-the more absolutely and devotedly they do that, the sooner they will see the walls of darkness fall and the truth triumph-not by any great or natural triumph, but by one soul after another being transferred from the kingdom of darkness into that of God's dear Son.

At the time of the great revival, in the first days of Methodism, the Moravians (whom no modern missionaries have surpassed in missionary work) went among the heathen :they began by raising schools and trying to educate the people in the civilized arts, and they saw no conversions; they realized they had made a mistake; and, leaving all else, like the apostle," they went everywhere preaching the Word." Soon the savages caught the sweet music of the gospel of God's grace and they bowed under it and surrendered to it.

We need not concern ourselves any more than did the Lord or His apostles about buildings for the Lord's people to meet in. or with schools, or with institutions of benevolence. These matters, if left to the believers to look after, will exercise them and bring out self-denial in them -all good things. For my own part, led by the Word of God from the very first, about 50 years ago, I concerned myself about nothing save this, to preach the Word faithfully and in love wherever men would let me and leave my conscience free while doing it. After the Word was received, and the souls thus set free gathered to the name of the Lord, what gifts developed in the saints had freedom for exercise and increase. At the start of Christianity in Jerusalem, various needs developed various ministries, but the apostles refused to mar their ministry in the Word of God by taking up with other service. This brought others forward while the word of God went on.

In following what I have said above, it allows every kind of ministry and gift to develop naturally, according to the measure of faith given. If means or money are required for what is developing, they will be found in the circle of the development itself, so that no appeals will need to be made outside that local circle if they abide within the measure of God's purpose toward them. Individual faith for any task put upon one by God is another thing, of course; but that never appeals to anyone but God Himself-not to His people, though He may use His people in His answer, or even ravens, as in Elijah's case. Faith does not concern itself how God's answer will come. That belongs to God alone.

And, beloved brother, God is as near to us in one place as in the other. An incident related a while ago searched my own soul. It was concerning a Roman Catholic girl who carried a glass crucifix about her neck. By some means it came loose, and fell on stone steps. As it flew to pieces, the poor girl cried out, " Oh, my! oh, my! I have now only the great God to look to!" I thought to myself:I wonder if I have no glass crucifix about me!

But I close, with earnest love and sincere sympathy in your trials, and prayer that you may be guided in all by the Spirit of God.

Yours affectionately in Christ our Lord, whose soon coming we expect, when all our toils and sorrows will have an end forever.

QUES. 35.-What is the force of the expressions of Scripture, '' Dead to Sin," " Dead to Law '' ?

ANS.-Done with Sin; Done with Law-as a dead man has done with the affairs of this life. As a believer in Christ he is not only sheltered from the judgment of God by the blood of Christ under which he has fled, but he is also severed from the relations in which he stood with regard to sin, the law, and the world, when yet an unbeliever. He has passed into a new sphere, being linked with Christ in heaven by faith and the Holy Spirit.

QUES. 36.-It has been a question here whether the Israelites who crossed the Red Sea were saved or not. Some thought that the slain lamb did not shelter their souls ; but only their bodies. If this be so, where is Moses ? Surely he must be with the Lord after appearing with Him on the mount of transfiguration.

And if Moses was saved, why not all who like him were sheltered by the blood ? I would be obliged for an answer in Help and Food.

ANS.-The blood of the Passover lamb shielded the people under it from their first-born being put to death that night. It was but a temporal, physical deliverance, though type of a spiritual one. Nothing was said to them about their souls or eternal things. The blood of animals could not secure eternal blessings (Heb. 10 :4). Only the blood of Christ is of sufficient worth for this.

That Moses went to be with the Lord in heaven, when he died, and is now with Him, no one can rightly question; but it was not the blood of the Passover lamb which brought him there. Faith and new birth are necessary to enter the kingdom of God. Moses, as all of us now, and of all time, had to be born of God to have part in that blessed kingdom ; and all those who are born of God-all in whom faith is found, whether before or since the Cross, are Christ's sheep and are sheltered from eternal judgment by His blood; they are heirs of heavenly things, as seen very fully in Abraham, the man in whom God has illustrated faith and its benefits (Gal. 3:6, 7; Heb. 11:8-16). Abraham's faith pierced beyond Canaan in which he dwelt as a stranger, "for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." That, of course, is the city of Rev. 21, toward which every eye of faith turns intuitively, for there only will faith realize all that God has intended for His people.

QUES. 37.-Kindly explain 1 Cor. 8:11,12, "And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ."

Am I right that the "brother" in verse 11 does not mean a brother in Christ, but only the flesh, while the "brethren" spoken of in the following verse are those in Christ ?

ANS.-Your way of getting out of the difficulty in the passage is ingenious, but ingenious ways belong to nature, and are not safe in divine things. Let us seek the solution by the way of faith.

The word of God declares emphatically that the sheep of Christ can never perish (John 10:28, 29), and when we have a clear, definite passage like this, we can rest assured that no statement of Scripture rightly understood can contradict it. Hold that fast as a principle, that no passage of scripture presenting difficulties ever upsets or contradicts a plain one. The plain one is our anchor, and held by that, we gradually find out, as we "grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ," the true sense of the difficult one.

1 Cor. 8 teaches us the high value God sets on conscience, and the criminality therefore of those who would force it in their brethren. If I cannot deny myself what offends the weaker conscience of another I am working for his destruction as far as I am concerned. The Lord will preserve him ; He will make good His word toward him ; but if it depended on me-as far as my influence goes-my will would even land my brother in the fire of hell. In that sense I "destroy" him. God charges me with this sin, while in His faithfulness He safeguards the weak brother from the effect of my unfaithfulness.

It is the tendency of knowledge to be proud, or as Scripture calls it, to be "puffed up." Once in that condition we disdain the ignorant 'whose conscience is guided by their ignorance ; we look upon them as inferior to ourselves and are ready to drive them with the lash of our knowledge rather than guide them into it by the lowly service of self-denying love. What prosperous fields of Christian activity might we not see now where devastation and ruin mark the footsteps of the pride of knowledge!

QUES. 38.-Does Satan know our thoughts?

ANS.-The article, "Satan:His Thoughts and "Workings" in this No. of our magazine will, we believe, answer your question satisfactorily.

QUES. 39.-What was there in Achan's sin so evil that brought upon him such severe judgment?

ANS.-He appropriated what had been consecrated to the Lord (Josh. 6 :19). He was no ordinary thief therefore. Judas, later on, was of the same kind, and ended miserably too. Josh. 7:11 characterizes Achan's sin quite fully. It is spoken of in that passage as the sin of all Israel, for that sin probably pointed to a general condition in Israel in keeping with it; and beside, God holds responsible the whole corporate unity among whom sin is committed. The "fellowship of saints" is the sweetest thing on earth, but it has corresponding responsibilities.

"We would take occasion to add that whenever an open sin is committed among a Christian community it should produce, first of all, ft general humiliation in keeping with the gravity of the sin, for it may illustrate more or less the moral condition of that community, and this does not come to an end by judgment against the offender, though that be an inevitable part of true repentance. Thus in Achan's case the whole nation is searched, tribe by tribe, and family by family, till the guilty one is found and judged.

The Lord Jesus, who has redeemed us at great cost, has claims upon us. May we not rob Him of the least of them to appear broad-minded and liberal before men, for if we do we shall surely find that He trifles no more in this day of grace than in the day of law.
QUES. 40.-The serious question has come up among us whether divorce would ever be right for a child of God. Is a sister doing the Lord's will if she remains with her husband when he is living in adultery?

ANS.-In Matt. 19 :9 the Lord who had just rebuked the Jews for their practice of divorce, adds, "Except for fornication."

One would honor such as the sister you mention for what patience and long-suffering she has exercised, but to continue in the relation of wife with a husband who lives in adultery (if it is cleanly proved) would be to be a partaker in sin with him.

" Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard His word" (Lk. 10:39).

"When Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw Him, she felt down at His feet, saying unto Him, Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died" (John 11:32).

" Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed at the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair:and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment " (John 12:3).

We find this Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, thus three times mentioned, and in each instance she is at the feet of Jesus.

In Luke, "she sat at Jesus' feet, and heard His word." She was an earnest, diligent hearer then, treasuring in her heart the blessed revelations of grace and truth from the lips of Jesus.

In John ii:32, she rises at once to go to Him, and falling down at His feet she poured out all her grief there. She had learned to trust Him, then.

Then, in John 12:3, she lays all her treasure at His feet. The "very costly" spikenard is poured out there, and her hair serves as the towel for those blessed feet! Precious picture, and beautiful steps of development in a soul surrendered to Christ- "the chiefest among ten thousand, the altogether lovely." May it attract our own souls to the same blessed Lord, our Savior. F.